Christian Art | Hypocrites
Matthew 7: 1-5 – Week 12 Ordinary Time, Monday (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
1 JUDGE not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
Jesus continues to preach the Sermon on the Mount with a further lesson in love and humility. Once more, Jesus teaches us about our proper relationships with God and with other people. This is a lesson against conceit and anger. It is a call to peace, such as can heal the divisions between people.
Jesus reminds us that we are all imperfect. Through prayer, as we seek to live closely with God, and to reconcile ourselves with God, we present ourselves to God’s mercy and acknowledge our failings and weaknesses. We ask God to be kind and not to judge us. We are not justified through merit, but through grace. Our faith, our receptivity to God’s grace, depends upon our remembering to transcend those worldly instincts, our animal passions, which would rather seek to assert self-importance and pride, thereby distancing ourselves from the gift of grace.
Jesus asks us to realise that to judge other people is to set ourselves up, absurdly, in God’s place. Who are we to judge? Are we so perfect? What arrogance it would be to arrogate to ourselves the right to define another person’s worth, especially when seeking that this should be to our own advantage..
Such judgement represents a descent into hatred and ignorance. It is not good for he who judges. Through ‘puffing ourselves up’ in condemnation of others, we cease to love and our ability to confess our failings before God is compromised.
This can be easier said than done. It can be challenging to preserve an attitude of love. Perhaps we like to find excuses to judge others, rather than open ourselves completely to God and to mourn for the sins we have committed. Self-knowledge, honesty, can be a great challenge, and can constitute an emotional journey.
Jesus teaches us in these Gospel verses that we do not need to be scared of admitting to our own shortcomings. Jesus uses comically exaggerated language, when he speaks of there being a beam in our own eye, to set us at ease and to enable us to recognize the truth of what he says. Once again, Jesus lets us know that the ‘burden’ of Christianity is easy to bear. There is a lightness to life when we live with Jesus. We are cleaned of the truly sorry burden of ego. The truth is beautiful.
‘Let us be slow to judge. Each one sees things from his own point of view, as his mind, with all its limitations, tells him, and through eyes that are often dimmed and clouded by passion… To criticize, to destroy, is not difficult; any unskilled labourer knows how to drive his pick into the noble and finely-hewn stone of a cathedral. To construct: that is what requires the skill of a master.’ St Josemaria Escriva.
Concluding Prayer
Stay with us, Lord Jesus, as evening falls:
be our companion on our way.
In your mercy inflame our hearts and raise our hope,
so that, in union with our brethren,
we may recognize you in the scriptures,
and in the breaking of Bread.
Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Audio Bible KJV | Endnotes
Hypocrites
The word ‘hypocrite’ is used often in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament. The term originally referred to actors who wore masks in Greek theatre, playing different roles to deceive the audience. In Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus warned against hypocritical judgment:
‘Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.’ (Matthew 7:1-5, KJV)
Jesus warns against the hypocrisy of judging others while ignoring one’s own faults. The message is clear: before pointing out the faults of others, we must first examine ourselves and our own shortcomings.
Christians have discussed the concept of hypocrisy and the importance of avoiding it. Protestant Reformer Martin Luther wrote: ‘To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.’ Martin Luther emphasizes the importance of genuine faith and devotion to God, rather than merely performing religious actions without true conviction.
Saint Francis de Sales wrote: ‘The true way to advance in holy virtues is to persevere in prayer.’ He stresses the importance of personal devotion and seeking a deeper relationship with God, rather than merely performing religious actions as a form of self-promotion or hypocrisy.
John Wesley, founder of Methodism, also emphasized the importance of avoiding hypocrisy. Wesley wrote: ‘Cleanse your heart from every kind and degree of hypocrisy, and let all your things be done as in the presence of God.’ Wesley believed that true faith and genuine devotion to God would naturally lead to righteous actions, rather than empty displays of religious practice.
In the modern era, religious leaders continue to emphasize the importance of avoiding hypocrisy. Pope Francis has spoken frequently about the dangers of hypocrisy and the importance of living a genuine, compassionate life. He has said: ‘When we are indifferent to the suffering of others, when we close our hearts to the needs of the poor, we are not disciples of Jesus; we are disciples of our own ego.’
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Christian Art | Parousia | Second Coming | Lamb Of God, You Take Away The Sins Of The World Luke 17: 26-37 (Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word) Early Christian thought about the Parousia – the second coming – was largely influenced by the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Saint Paul. In the early Christian community, expectation of Christ’s return was strong, and many Christians believed that it would happen in their lifetime. This belief is evident in the New Testament, where the authors express a sense of urgency in their writings and encourage their readers to be prepared for Christ’s imminent return. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, the idea of the Parousia became more complex and nuanced. Theological debates arose around the nature of Christ’s return and the events that would precede it. Some theologians, such as Origen and Augustine, saw the Parousia as a spiritual event that was already happening in the Church. Others, such as the Montanists and the millenarians, believed in a literal, physical return of Christ and the establishment of a new, earthly Kingdom. In the Middle Ages, the Parousia was often associated with apocalypticism and the idea of a final, cataclysmic battle between good and evil – the last battle. The idea of the Antichrist, who would precede Christ’s return, became a popular theme in Christian literature, and the book of Revelation (Apocalypse – meaning to reveal, to uncover) was interpreted as a prophetic guide to the end of the world. Biblical Basis For The Parousia | The Second Coming The concept of the Parousia, or the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, is central to Christian eschatology and is supported by numerous biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, there are numerous passages that refer to the coming of a Messiah who will restore Israel and bring about the final judgment. For example, in Daniel 7:13-14, it is written: ‘I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.’ This passage describes a divine figure who comes in the clouds and is given dominion over all nations. In the New Testament, the Parousia is described in greater detail, particularly in the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Saint Paul. Jesus speaks of his return in many passages, including Matthew 24:30-31, where Jesus says: ‘And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.’ Here, Jesus describes his return in power and glory, accompanied by angels who gather Jesus’ elect from all over the world. In Saint Paul’s letters, the Parousia is also described in detail. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Saint Paul writes: ‘For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’ This passage describes a resurrection of the dead and the gathering of believers to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. The language and imagery used to describe the Parousia are often dramatic and apocalyptic in nature. The Parousia is often described as a time of judgment, when the righteous will be separated from the wicked, and God’s justice will be fully revealed. The imagery of clouds, trumpets, and angels is used to depict the power and glory of Christ’s return. Theological Interpretations Of The Parousia | Jesus’ Second Coming The concept of the Parousia has been interpreted in a variety of ways throughout Christian history. Dispensationalism Dispensationalism is a theological framework that emerged in the 19th Century and has since become popular among some evangelical and fundamentalist Christians. Dispensationalists believe that history is divided into distinct periods or ‘dispensations’, each of which is marked by a particular mode of divine revelation and a specific plan of salvation. According to dispensationalist theology, the Parousia will be preceded by a period of tribulation, during which the Antichrist will establish a one-world government and the Jews will be restored to their homeland. The Parousia itself will involve a physical, visible return of Christ, who will establish a thousand-year reign on earth before the final judgment. Preterism Preterism is a theological interpretation of the Parousia that holds that many of the prophecies in the New Testament, particularly those in the book of Revelation, were fulfilled in the first century AD. According to this view, the Parousia occurred in a spiritual sense when Christ ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower the Church. Preterists argue that the tribulation and other end-time events predicted in the New Testament were fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. Postmillennialism Postmillennialism is a theological view that holds that the Parousia will occur after a period of history in which the Church will gradually bring about the kingdom of God on earth. According to this view, the Church will spread the gospel throughout the world, and social, political, and economic conditions will gradually improve. Eventually, Christ will return to a world that has been largely transformed by the Gospel. Amillennialism […]
T.S. Eliot’s poem ‘Journey Of The Magi’, written in 1927, explores themes of transformation, faith, and the search for meaning. Inspired by Eliot’s conversion to Anglicanism, the poem tells the story of one of the Magi, the wise men who travelled to witness the birth of Christ [ … ]
