Woe to You, Blind Guides

  Our blog today comes from our beloved Laurie Kemhus.

Have you ever been so focused on something so small that you missed the most important point? Tunnel vision? Things to do? A one-track mind? Boxes to check? Rules to obey? People to keep on schedule? Duties to fulfill? The ruling Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day had the same problems but on a much bigger scale.  

The religious elite from those days were collectively known as the Sanhedrin: Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Elders, Priests and the High Priest Caiaphas.   

It was their job to keep the rules. They had social prestige and political power. Their place of authority allowed them to hold the people in check. Their whole identity rested in keeping the law. They were holy in their own eyes and in the eyes of the children of Israel. God’s representatives. Chosen by God himself. Sons of Abraham. But they had replaced their relationship to Yahweh with regulations. They had set aside the commandments of God for the traditions of men. 

Then along came an unknown Rabbi, Jesus, pointing out to everyone all the problems with their rules and regulations. He had offended them often with His parables. He had called them hypocrites, blind guides, a brood of vipers, children of hell, serpents, and whitewashed tombs.  

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.’” Matthew 15:7-9,

They were so intent on keeping the law but had broken their own rules. Even to condemn Jesus to death on a cross was against their law. But since they felt a responsibility to protect the Jewish religion and people from heretics, something must be done. He had to be stopped. But how? 

They tried many times to trap Him into giving them the wrong answers to their tricky questions -- questions with answers that even the members of the Sanhedrin themselves couldn’t agree on.  

They gathered together to come up with a plan.  

“If we let Him go on like this, all will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” John 11:48

“They were seeking to seize Him, and yet they feared the crowd.”  Mark 12:12

Note: The crowd at this point regarded Jesus as a prophet.  

They were seeking to destroy Him but. . . 

“Unable to catch Him in a word in the presence of the people, and marveling at His answers they became quiet.” Luke 20:26

The plot took shape. It had to be done under the cloak of darkness. A betrayer paid, a garden arrest and a mock trial with false witnesses were all lined up. None of those witnesses could even agree on their testimonies, and they had to use the ruling Roman government to accomplish their goal because only the Romans were allowed to crucify a criminal.  

 But remember, there was never a single thing that happened during this time that Jesus didn’t choose to allow to happen to him. Christ could have cut his accusers down, but for the sake of us all he kept quiet. In every event on this road to the cross Jesus was continually letting go of everything that was rightfully His. He was God but became a slave. He was rich but became poor. He was all powerful but became weak. He became sin who knew no sin. He gave up himself, His friends, and His glory for your sake and mine. He was forsaken so we could be forgiven. 

“Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:8

“For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps, who did no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” 1Peter 2:21-23

Finally, we find Jesus standing before God’s appointed High Priest Caiaphas who spewed with anger: 

“And the high priest stood up in their midst and questioned Jesus, saying, ‘You answer nothing? What are these men testifying against You?’ But He kept silent and did not answer. Again, the high priest was questioning Him and said to Him, ‘I adjure you, by the living God, that you tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God.’” Mark 14:60-61

Now under oath our bloodied Savior opened His mouth to answer the high priest. 

“And Jesus said, “I am, and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:62

There it was for all to hear. I AM!! 

“And tearing his tunics, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they ALL condemned Him to be deserving of death.” Mark 14:63-64

An innocent verdict was rightfully His. He had the power to change it all, stop history in its tracks, and find a different way.  But He chose to surrender to His Fathers' will. He was the one who created every one of these people. Those who loved and adored Him and those who hated and betrayed Him. Oh, how I have betrayed Him so many times. Most often with unspoken words when He was maligned by others. We are all betrayers. We all look away from God regularly. Satan distracts us often with the details of life and is constantly attempting to shift our focus away from the truth. We're often so embroiled in our own agenda and activities that we can’t see His plan. His activities can be a mystery to us.  His way is quite different and not always understandable from our point of view.  We are as blind as the blind guides of old.  

Is it still possible to hear the still small voice of God in this noisy world? To learn to listen to Him instead of listening to the crowd or the noise inside our own heads? To become fully focused followers of Jesus and not fall asleep to the glory of God right in front of us? To open our blind eyes and recognize God in all the unexpected places?  

God thinks it’s possible!  

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”  Hebrews 12:1-3

Be still and fix your eyes on Jesus. 

Make your heart His cathedral. 

Make your soul His temple. 

Make your life an altar where His fire falls. 

And make sure your altar is not covered with just your required acts of obedience but with a heart on fire for Jesus. 

“Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11

“If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8:31-32

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.” Isaiah 42:16

Open our blind eyes, LORD!