Abandon religious formalism and be cleansed from within!

Abandon religious formalism

and be cleansed from within!

 

 

 

 

 

 

“When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited Him to eat with him. So He went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you’” (Luke 11:37–41).

 

 

 

(1)   As I meditated on today’s passage, Luke 11:37–41, my attention was drawn to the phrase, “the Pharisee was surprised” (v. 38). 

 

(a)    Why was the Pharisee surprised that Jesus did not wash before eating?

 

(i)    The Greek word translated as “wash” here is ἐβαπτίσθη (ebaptisthē), the aorist passive form of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizō), which means “to dip” or “to immerse,” often translated as “baptize.”  In this context, it refers to the act of dipping one’s hands into water before eating according to ritual practice.  Luke’s use of βαπτίζω instead of the more common word for “wash” (νίπτω) suggests that the Pharisees regarded this act not as simple hygiene, but as a strict religious ritual—almost like a ceremonial baptism.

·        This term, in various New Testament contexts, can refer not only to full immersion but also to ritual washing of hands or utensils. Here in Luke 11:38, it does not mean merely removing dirt, but performing a traditional purification rite before meals.

 

-       At that time, this act was not just about cleanliness or etiquette. It was a ceremonial purification meant to remove the defilement acquired through contact with a sinful world.  This ritual practice was strictly observed not only by the Pharisees but also by many ordinary Jews (Mk. 7:3–4).  Therefore, Jesus’ disregard for this tradition appeared shocking and unconventional to the Pharisee.

 

(2)   So, Jesus said: “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.  You foolish people! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside also?” (Lk. 11:39–40)

 

(a)    Why did Jesus say this to the Pharisee who was surprised that He had not washed before the meal?

 

(i)     Jesus, as Lord, spoke in a very strong tone—directly in front of the Pharisee who had invited Him—not only criticizing him but also condemning the hypocrisy of the Pharisees as a whole. In the case of Matthew, this is recorded in the form of a woe (a pronouncement of judgment). Matthew 23:25 says: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.”

 

·        These Pharisees, in order to appear religiously holy, strictly observed rituals just as one cleans the outside of a dish, thereby polishing their outward appearance. But inwardly, they were hypocrites filled with greed and selfishness.

 

-      Here, “greed” comes from the Greek word ἁρπαγή (harpagē), derived from ἁρπάζω (harpazō), meaning “to seize” or “to snatch away,” and carries the sense of “robbery” or “plunder.”  This word evokes images such as: (1) A beast of prey attacking and snatching sheep (Jn. 10:12), (2) The use of force—taking something violently against another’s will, (3) Plundering—like a victor seizing the possessions of the defeated in war.

n  This goes beyond merely desiring more in one’s heart; it refers to an aggressive greed that forcibly takes what belongs to others.  Though they appeared outwardly clean, they were in reality exploiting others—this is a sharp rebuke.

 

-      Also, “wickedness” comes from the Greek word πονηρία (ponēria), derived from πονηρός (ponēros, “evil one”).  This refers not just to moral failure, but to active malice and a corrupt nature that seeks to harm others.  It vividly describes how the Pharisees, though outwardly appearing religiously pure, were inwardly full of greed and evil.

 

n  Interestingly, this word πονηρία (ponēria, v. 39) is related to πονηρός (ponēros, “evil” or “bad”) used earlier in verse 34: “if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.”  This shows a connection between “wickedness” (v. 39) and the “bad eye” (v. 34).  In other words, the Pharisees, filled with inner wickedness, had “evil eyes,” and as a result, they could not see God’s light but remained in darkness.

 

(ii)     The reason Jesus spoke so strongly to the Pharisee—who was surprised that He had not washed before eating—saying, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness” (v. 39), was to directly confront their religious hypocrisy and loss of true essence.

          

·       The specific reasons are as follows:

 

1.     A stark contrast between ‘ritual purity’ and ‘moral corruption’

 

The Pharisee was focused only on the external form of ritual washing (ἐβαπτίσθη, a purification rite).

 

   Jesus exposed their double standard: while they were meticulous about cleaning the outside (hands, the exterior of cups), in reality their actions involved “plundering” (ἁρπάζω) and their hearts were filled with “wickedness” (πονηρία).  In other words: “Your hands may be clean, but your heart is rotten.”  Jesus rebuked them using the contrast between the “outside” and the “inside.”

 

2.     Human tradition blocking God’s justice

 

Washing hands before meals was not a central command of the Old Testament, but rather a “tradition of the elders” created by the Pharisees.

 

They were shocked when this minor tradition was broken, Yet they were insensitive to their own greed and their abandonment of the law’s true essence—love and justice.

 

Jesus sought to awaken them to the fact that they had become spiritually blind, having forgotten what truly matters.

 

3.     A practical warning about the ‘inner light’

 

In verses 33–36, Jesus had already said, “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.”

 

The Pharisee’s very reaction of being “surprised” at Jesus revealed that his inner being (his “eye”) was already dark.

 

Jesus was essentially asking:“If your inner self is dark and full of greed, why are you so concerned only with outward washing?”  He was calling them to inner transformation—a reformation of the heart.

 

   Ultimately, this teaching is a powerful warning: God does not look at the outside of the cup, but at the heart within it.

 

(i)               The reason Jesus said,“You foolish people! Did not the One who made the outside make the inside also?” (v. 40), to the Pharisee who was puzzled by His not washing before the meal, is that they had completely misunderstood the providence of God the Creator.

 

1.      The Creator’s unified sovereignty (outside and inside as one)

 

The Pharisees acted as if God only cared about the external (outward cleanliness).  But Jesus declares: “The One who made the outside also made the inside.”

 

        God created not only the human body (outer), but also the heart and soul (inner).

  Therefore, cleaning only the outside while the inside is full of greed is an act of deceiving the Creator and ignoring His sovereignty—this is why Jesus calls them “foolish.”

 

2.      The true standard of purity

 

The Pharisees believed that ritual handwashing pleased God.  But Jesus emphasizes that what God desires is holistic purity—purity of the whole person.

 

External cleansing rituals may be human traditions, but examining the inner heart aligns with God’s original purpose in creation.

 

If the inside is unclean, washing only the outside is meaningless.

 

3.      A rebuke of spiritual ignorance (“foolish people”)

 

The Greek word ἄφρων (aphrōn) does not simply refer to lack of intelligence, but to a lack of moral and spiritual insight.

 

This connects with the metaphor of the “eye” (spiritual perception) in Luke 11:34–36.  Their “eye” was evil (ponēros), so they could not perceive the Creator’s intent. 

 

They were sensitive to visible rituals (washing), but blind to invisible inner corruption (greed and wickedness).

Jesus exposes this severe contradiction by calling them “foolish.”  In conclusion, this statement is a creation-based warning of faith: “God is the One who made not only your hands clean, but your heart—and He values the purity of your heart even more.”

 

(3)   Jesus said to the Pharisee—who was puzzled because He had not washed His hands before the meal: “But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you” (v. 41).

 

(a)    What is the reason for this?  The reason is that Jesus was seeking to break the limitations of the external purity to which the Pharisees were so attached, and to urge a fundamental inner transformation.  The specific reasons are as follows (Internet):

 

1.      To emphasize the purity of “being” rather than “possessions”

 

The Pharisees were absorbed in cleaning the outside of the cup and dish (the ritual aspect), but inside they were full of greed (harpagē)—snatching what belonged to others—and wickedness (ponēria).

 

         Jesus presented charity (giving to the poor) as the only way to empty the toxin-filled inner self.  When the hands that once seized others’ possessions are opened to give to the poor, then the “inside” (the inner being), created by God, is finally cleansed.

 

2.      To teach that the spirit of love, not the form of the law, is essential

 

For the Pharisees, purity meant ritual washing with water.  But for Jesus, purity meant practicing God’s mercy (charity).

 

            No matter how clean one’s hands are, if there is no love for one’s neighbor in the heart, one remains unclean before God.  Therefore, the command “give to the poor” is a call for those trapped in the letter of the law to recover its fulfillment—love.

 

3.      To reveal the principle by which “everything” becomes clean

 

Jesus said that if they give to the poor, “everything will be clean for you.”  This means: When the inner self is purified before God through love and mercy, then all outward aspects of life (such as eating and rituals) naturally become holy and pleasing to God.  In other words, Jesus was teaching a true purity that flows from the inside out.

 

Summary: Jesus was giving the Pharisees this spiritual insight: “Empty your heart of greed and practice loving generosity toward your neighbor. That will cleanse you far more than washing your hands with water.”

 

(i)       As I meditated on this passage, I was reminded of a devotional I wrote on October 14, 2010, titled “Upright Christian Life” based on Acts 22:30–23:5. I would like to share one part of it:

 

           “Second, an upright Christian life despises hypocrisy.

          

           Look at Acts 23:3: ‘Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”’  This was what the apostle Paul said to the high priest Ananias after being ordered to be struck, even though Paul had testified that he had served God with a clear conscience (v. 1).  The expression ‘whitewashed wall’ means: ‘Outwardly beautiful (white), but inwardly full of all kinds of filth (dirt).’  In short, it means that the outside and inside are different—this is hypocrisy.  Paul rebuked the high priest, saying, ‘You are a hypocrite,’ and warned that ‘God will strike you.’  The outward appearance of Ananias was that he sat in judgment according to the law, but inwardly he was breaking the law by ordering Paul to be struck.  Paul’s words are similar to those of Jesus toward the Jewish religious leaders.  Look at Luke 11:39, 44: ‘You Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness… Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.’  In Matthew 23:27, Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees as whitewashed tombs.  Whether a whitewashed wall or a whitewashed tomb, both point to the same truth: they look beautiful on the outside but are full of uncleanness inside.  Though their outward religious observance may appear beautiful and clean to people, God, who sees the heart, knows that they are full of greed and wickedness within.

 

           In the Bible, Jesus pointed to the Pharisees as the symbol of hypocrisy.  They held high social status and were religiously zealous, but became the very model of outward show, pretense, and hypocrisy—people who decorated themselves with false righteousness.  Augustine said that just as actors pretend to be someone they are not, anyone who pretends to be something other than their true self in the church or in life is a hypocrite.  We must listen carefully to Jesus’ words: ‘Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy’ (Lk. 12:1).  We should not strive merely to appear righteous before others (Mt. 23:28).  Rather, we must first cleanse the inside—then the outside will also become clean (v. 26).  As 1 Peter 1:22 says, we must purify our souls by obeying the truth, so that we may be sincere and free from hypocrisy.”