Denunciation of the Scholars of the Law

Today's Reflections

                                                                          

                                                                          

 

Denunciation of the Scholars of the Law

Lk 11:47-54

[Jesus said,] ⁴⁷“Woe to you! You build the memorials of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. ⁴⁸Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building. ⁴⁹Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’ ⁵⁰in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, ⁵¹from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! ⁵²Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” ⁵³When he left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, ⁵⁴for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

CHARGED WITH THE BLOOD OF ALL THE PROPHETS. God has endowed us with reason, intelligence, and conscience to know right and wrong, good and evil. We are responsible and accountable to God for our actions: “I, the Lord, alone probe the mind and test the heart, to reward everyone according to the merit of his deeds” (Jer 17:10). And, “The Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct” (Mt 16:27). We are saved or damned according to what we have done.

The Jews, contemporaries of Jesus, are denounced for their unbelief in Jesus the Messiah. They are “charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah” (vv 50-51).

Jesus’ denunciation earns him the hostile reaction of the scribes and Pharisees. They plot to catch him at something he may say. Later, they will succeed in having him arrested and crucified.

Telling the truth can be dangerous. In our times, whistleblowers are confronted with counter-charges and, worse, even killed.

Do I feel responsible for my conduct?

Do I uphold the truth even if it hurts?