Woe to you who build memorials to the prophets! Woe to you, scholars of the law! Hard words today that Jesus directs at the religious leaders, scribes, Pharisees, and scholars of the religious laws. After this public chastisement in the temple, things changed. The Gospel tells us that the religious leaders did not take the criticism well. They began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say. Jesus points out that the leaders set up rules and regulations that were impossible to live. Their strictness and severity served only to drive people away from God. They encouraged a false exterior piety that did not touch the heart and soul of anyone.
They developed a whole system of false holiness while enjoying privileges, distinctions, and honors. Throughout the Gospel Jesus condemns this hypocritical form of life. These were the people who had the benefit of knowing and studying the Word of God. But who at the same time did not live it out and used it to maintain their own privileged lifestyle without helping others to get closer to God and become holy. Their form of holiness actually oppressed others and drove people away from growing in holiness.
We can contrast that lifestyle with the form of holiness of the early Christian communities as described for us today in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Paul blesses God the Father who gave the Christian community the mission to live out holy lives through their connection to Jesus. The process of internal conversion changes each person into an image of the risen Christ, victorious over sin. The forgiveness received through Christ converts us into adopted sons and daughters.
Rather than beginning their holiness with external rules and privileges like the pharisees, the early Christian’s sense of holiness or closeness to God began with the unexpected and undeserved forgiveness. This led them, first of all, to a deep experience of joy, then to praise and bless God the Father constantly, and a whole hearted conversion of their lifestyle.
Paul’s opening salutation to the Ephesians rings out like a song of joy. We can ask ourselves this week if our own lives are signs of joy and forgiveness that bring others closer to God.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 03 October 2026 AI Generated.