Reflection on Lk 11:47-54
A pharisee invited Jesus to dine in his house (Lk 11:37). There Jesus began to preach so many things; internal cleansing versus external cleansing, woe sayings for choosing the first place in synagogues, hypocrisy, those were some typical behaviors of the teachers of the Law.
Somehow, Jesus' preaching in Luke 11 takes a different tone. The Gospel could be considered a scandal for many of us, other people and readers. Why? Jesus preached about the love towards enemies (earlier in the Gospel of Luke), and he preached about the selfless love of disciples. While praying "our father" in Luke 11, he asked us to pray for forgiveness (forgive our trespasses, also for those who trespass against us). Why Jesus then could not forgive the pharisees? How can we understand the woe sayings towards pharisees?
1. Confrontation is a part of the proclamation of the Word of God. We need to point out the errors of others with humility. That is also a part of evangelization. For example, John the Baptist and some of the prophets. This is not only about preaching mercy and love but it is important to show the errors and help one to correct them. We should not rebuke the persons, but we should condemn the sins/errors.
2. 'Woe sayings' are a call to conversion. By showing their errors, Jesus wanted them to take a U turn to retain their original life with God. It is a call to live an open life.
3. Jesus used the Woe sayings directly for the Pharisees, but it is even applicable to the disciples and to us. Woe to you, if you live like this or that. Today the teachers of the law are hypocrites, but the disciples also may fall into the temptation of becoming hypocrites. That is what happened in the early Church. Jesus is warning them so that the disciple should not fall into the Pharisaic attitude of hypocrisy.
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