Dealing With Guilt

Luke 11:45-53

A family we know got saved several years ago. They felt they ought to go to church, so they attended several to find one they liked. At one church they were pleased with what they learned so began attending regularly.

One day the man came home really upset, because all that preacher talked about that morning was smoking and he wasn’t going to stay and just listen to such ranting. The wife couldn’t even remember the preacher having said anything about the subject, so she obtained a copy of the sermon to see what had upset her husband so much. She listened to the tape and couldn’t identify a single reference to smoking.

Finally, she convinced her husband to listen to the tape and explain what was making him so mad. After listening to the tape three times, the husband admitted the preacher had not said any of the things he thought he’d said. He decided to give the church another chance. It wasn’t long before he gave up smoking and became a preacher himself.

I have learned over the years that many times when people take offense, it is because of their own attitudes and sense of guilt rather than what was actually said or implied. Pride opposes admitting one’s faults so they become angry and defensive, often avoiding those who remind them of it, rather than correcting the problem.

Jesus had just pointed out some sin by the Pharisees, and one of the lawyers took issue with what he’d said. It is important to understand that Jewish governmental law and religious law were very closely linked, so while the lawyers were not religious leaders like the Pharisees, they were very involved with the same set of standards, and their income was directly dependent on interpreting the law. It is not hard to understand the Lawyer’s concern when Jesus accused the Pharisees of violating the law they purported to uphold.

“Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.” (Luke 11:45)

If the Pharisees were misinterpreting the law for their own benefit, then the lawyers who supported that interpretation must also be wrong. Rather than apologize, Jesus addressed the lawyers part in the problem. Guilt must be acknowledged before it can be resolved. To pretend it isn’t real dooms one to live with it forever, but by confessing it, it can be eliminated, according to I John 1:8-10. Jesus focused on their guilt in an effort to get them to face it.

“And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.” (Luke 11:46)

Political leaders of today enact laws that require every person to buy health insurance or pay certain wages, but set up a special exemption for themselves. For example, congress has a separate health program. They never have to purchase standard insurance again. The most recent minimum wage law includes certain exemptions which allow Nancy Pelosi’s family to pay less than minimum wages and hire illegal aliens that others cannot.

The lawyers of Jesus day were doing much the same thing in their enforcing Jewish law. Over the years, I have observed a number of preachers who would not allow the women in their churches to wear slacks, but when on vacation would allow their own wives and daughters to do so. After all, they are the ones making and interpreting the rules.

“Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.” (Luke 11:47-51)

By sponsoring rebuilding the monuments to murdered prophets, the lawyers acknowledged than as coning from God, but by teaching contrary to what they taught, they’ve placed their approval on killing God’s messengers if one doesn’t like what is taught. How many theologians of today reject the scripture as God’s word, while claiming those who believed them as part of their heritage, and using them as justification for their organization. They often devote much of their energy to eliminating those who still cling to the old beliefs and practices.

“Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.” (Luke 11:52)

Both lawyers and theologians make their living from other people’s ignorance. As a result, they have a vested interest in making it as obscure as possible so people have to come to them for clarification and guidance. Unfortunately, they have little interest in anything except what produces immediate benefit to them, and do not study beyond what they need for the moment, to support their present position, resulting in serious distortions of both law and scripture. Every effort is made to convince people that they are incapable of understanding on their own and discourage them from learning the truth.

“And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.” (Luke 11:53-54)

The scribes and Pharisees reacted in thoroughly typical manner. Rather than humbling themselves and admitting their own guilt, they began to look for something to destroy his credibility. They even tried to get his opinion on other subjects in hopes of making him appear ignorant. In refusing to face their own guilt, they made it grow larger. Sadly most of psychology seems to be devoted to denying guilt.