In their hypocrisy, the Pharisees had added and manipulated the Law with the pretense of pursuing greater holiness. Jesus exposes their true wicked nature, showing that while they look holy on the inside, they are dirty on the inside. Incidentally, a different group who were the scholars of the Law, were also offended by Jesus’ statement. The scholars worked closely with the Pharisees in dealing with the Law. They were very respected because they were considered experts of the Mosaic Law, the central aspect of their society steeped in tradition (Ezra 7:6).
So Jesus was an uneducated carpenter from Galilee while this man was a recognized scholar. The scholar confronts Jesus saying Jesus insults them also. The word insult implies strong slander and great offense. This man is very upset and angry at Jesus’ words. This is intentional. In Luke 11, Jesus gives six woes. Who is the intended audience of these woes? It is the self-righteous church and the false Christians who should listen and be saved. This is an important message not only to the scholar but as a warning to all of us.
Jesus gives three reasons why they should be condemned.
False religion has no power to achieve salvation rightly with God. “For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear.” The scholars interpreted the law of God for the people and when they did so they kept adding additional restrictions until it was unbearable. The Law is good for by it we know what sin is. It tells us how to live. The law is actually full of God’s love. Yet they took the law and made it a heavy burden through lists and lists of extra laws in the Mishnah. They applied the Law to every corner of life to the point where the original law was completely buried under hypocrisy and legalism. The Mishnah controlled every little aspect of life with unbearable trivial rules.
What’s worse is that the scholars themselves will not help them with their burdens. They cause this suffocating suffering to the people but do nothing to provide relief. They just watch the people suffer and point out when they fail to obey. This is not God’s intent for the Law. God brought the Israelites out of Egypt to give them freedom, not to enslave them under a heavy burdensome law. A burdensome law has no power to change someone’s heart at all. The Catholic Church tried through the priesthood but failed and was exposed to corruption behind the scenes. Some fundamentalists in the modern church also try to control what a Christian eats or does. These extra laws attempt to get closer to God but instead drive people away through impotent burdens.
In Matthew 12:3-6, we see Jesus is greater than the Sabbath and the temple. David and the priests broke the Sabbath. Breaking the rule of law is bad but breaking the spirit of the law is much worse. The law shows us how to enjoy and love God. Jesus says come to me all who are weary, his yoke is easy and the burden is light. See how different Jesus’ call is from the scribes! His call is good, comforting, and superior. The call is for the Christian, to come and enjoy Jesus, to seek Him with childlike faith.
False religion produces death (Ephesians 2:1, Romans 8:8). That is because false religions operate from within the flesh. There is no new life or spirit. “For you build the tombs of the prophets, but your fathers killed them”. The scholars loved to build monuments for the OT prophets. Yet it was their fathers who killed them. By building the tombs, Jesus is saying they are not different from their fathers. Building a tomb for the prophets doesn’t mean they agree with the prophets because they didn’t condemn their fathers. They should have repented and believed instead of building a tomb. As proof, Jesus said this generation would also kill the apostles that He sends. False religion produces murderers. Jesus is the one who builds the true church that produces life. All other religions try to persecute and destroy the true living church. Jesus continues by saying “The blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, maybe charged against this generation”. Eventually, death and judgment came to the nation of Israel in the form of Roman soldiers and the whole generation paid the price. Ultimately final judgment will happen and they will be thrown into the lake of fire where they will be tormented forever.
False religion has no savior. They have taken Jesus out of their religion and merely apply the truth generally. The scholars have taken away the key of knowledge. The key of knowledge is the last and highest hope, which is the key to entering the gates of heaven. Jesus is the key of knowledge (Matthew 16:19; John 1:1-2,6:46). Only those who believe in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16,18). Luke 11:15 is an example where they tried to take the key away. They accused Jesus of being under the power of Satan. It is dangerous and wicked to hinder those who want to come to Jesus. They reject the key themselves. They also prevent others from coming to Jesus. Many churches have also removed the key and prevented others from finding it by preaching a different Jesus or a different gospel. This is the final and greatest woe! Woe to those who spread a false gospel and take away the key of knowledge of Jesus Christ and His salvation.
False religions have no power to rescue people, they produce only death and they have no savior because they reject Jesus. This is Jesus’ sixth indictment against false religions. Jesus lovingly and strongly warns us, “See to it that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’ and will deceive many” (Matthew 24:4-5). What is the best way to avoid being deceived by false religion? It’s not by studying the false religions and being wary of them. It is to focus on knowing the true Jesus Christ intimately. If you know the true Jesus then you will not be deceived by the imposters.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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