Hypocritic oath

[The teachers of the law and the Pharisees] tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them (Matthew 23:4).

Read Matthew 22:41–23:12

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Hippocratic oath before. Some of you may have uttered it as a physician, and it is often distilled down to this: first, do no harm.

Our extraordinary doctors and nurses, who dedicate their lives to easing pain and suffering, are bound by this oath. This means not purposefully causing additional pain and suffering to the individual. It means doing everything in one’s power to release the victim from the grip of disease or tragedy and bring them a restored life.

Jesus might have intended the oath to be instilled in the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, also. Firstly, do no harm and do not burden your people.

Especially if you, yourself, do not fully intend to follow your own advice. As we all know, this is hypocrisy at its core.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees dreamt up long lists of rules and regulations, statutes, and sub-statutes that the people had to follow to gain righteousness. They loved being the bearers of bad news – put the Ten Commandments on your doorjambs; sew the correct tassels into your clothes; do this and do that; be humble. Yet they were unable to locate the bone of humility inside themselves. They loved the place of honour at banquets, and they loved being greeted with honorifics in the streets. ‘Rabbi!’ people would call out.

This passage reads as though Jesus implies that the teachers of the law and Pharisees have taken a Hypocritic oath: ‘Firstly, everybody else must be humble and burdened, but I’m too good for that.’

What does this have to do with the 21st century?

Jesus speaks to me by saying, ‘Don’t saddle anyone, anywhere, at any time, with rules and regulations about how to get Jesus to love you. Jesus’ love is not coerced by good works. And don’t suggest, “If you’re a good person, then Jesus will like you”, or “You have to go to church, read your Bible daily, and pray morning, noon and night to get God’s attention.”’ These are burdensome rules that I don’t even impose on myself because I know that God’s power in Jesus, through his death and resurrection, is the only source of righteousness known to God. Thus, I need not pretend that these apply to everyone else.

I don’t need a Hypocritic oath. Just the hope in the promises (oaths) of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the beauty of living life within the boundaries of your commands, assured of your promise of grace through your Son, Jesus. Amen.