12. . Prioritise integrity

11:37-44

Pharisee

“Outside clean, inside robbery”

11: 37-44 Now as he spoke a Pharisee invited him to dine with him. So entering into (the house) he reclined. But the Pharisee marvelled that he (Jesus) did not wash before dinner. But the Lord said to him "Now you Pharisees clean outside the cup and the dish. But your inside is full of robbery and wickedness. Foolish men. If you are making the outside clean, clean the inside as well. Nevertheless give alms from what is

within and behold everything will be clean to you. But woe to you Pharisees because you tithe the mint and the rue and every herb. Yet you pass by the judgment and the love of God. Yet these are the things you are obliged to do and not to pass by. Woe to you Pharisees. You love the chief seat in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. Woe to you because you are like unseen tombs. And the men walking over these do not know about them.

13. . Accept outside inspiration

11:45-54

Lawyer

"build tombs of prophets"

11:45-54 Answering (Jesus at the meal) one of the lawyers says to him. "Teacher, by saying these things to us you are insulting us" He said "Woe to your lawyers also because you burden people with burdens too difficult to carry. Yet you would not touch such burdens yourselves. Woe to you because you build tombs for the prophets. But it was your fathers who killed the prophets. Therefore you are witnesses of this and you entirely approve of what they did. They on the one hand killed them. You on the other hand build (tombs) for them. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said "I will send them prophets and apostles. And they will persecute

and kill them." Accountability for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed from the foundation of the world till now, will be required of this generation. From the blood to the blood of Zacharias who was destroyed between the altar and his house. Yes I tell you accountability will be required from this generation. Woe to you lawyers because you took the key of knowledge. You did not enter with it (into another realm) and you prevented others from entering in. When he (Jesus) finally went outside the scribes and the Pharisees were terribly angry with him about a number of things. They lay in wait for him in order to catch him out in something he said.

If we consider the words of Jesus in the light of the great siege of Jerusalem by the Roman Army in 70AD then the generation that Jesus was addressing did indeed pay for the narrowness of the Judaism of the time. In terms of 'the argument' presented by Reality Search the prophets over time could have guided Judaism towards a more internalised understanding of law. This would have enabled Judaism to co'exist with Rome. But on the contrary those with a vested interest in legalism such as lawyers, prevented the prophets from developing Judaism in this way.