The Hypocrisy that Deceives Us

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die (John 18: 28-32).

 Having been interrogated and physically abused by the religious authorities, Jesus appeared next before the secular powers on a criminal charge. Here the Holy Spirit moved John to note the hypocrisy of the Jews. They were careful to keep themselves ritually clean so they could continue to observe the Passover, yet they were so internally corrupt they could interrupt the Passover to unjustly condemn an innocent man to death. Here we also note the hypocrisy of Pilate. He was aware of no charge worthy of capital punishment yet he was willing to turn Jesus over to the very accusers whose demand for His death rested solely on their unsubstantiated word. Truly, this next encounter with the world’s authorities on the way to the cross reveals the danger of the hypocrisy that deceives us.

Today we reflect on another confrontation between Christ and the religious and secular leaders of His day. They had power to enforce justice and power over life and death in criminal matters. From each of them we can learn much about hypocrisy, an insidious disease that can creep into our heart and corrupt our ability to build and maintain healthy relationships with God and with others. It’s really all about what fills and controls the heart. God created us with only one heart and He wants it to be undivided and wholly devoted to Him… “I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them” (Jeremiah 32:39). Only an undivided heart can produce whole-hearted devotion to the Lord… “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:35). Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit shows us today how to discern and resist the spirit of hypocrisy that we might remain fully devoted to Christ.

First, we notice that the Jewish leaders were concerned about external righteousness. Appearing in the home of a Gentile made no real difference in the heart of a pilgrim. But if a Jew was seen entering or exiting a Gentile home during the Passover week, then others might conclude that they had been defiled, and thus disqualified from participation in the Passover Feast. But Jesus taught clearly that it is not what goes on outside of us that defiles, but it is what we store up in our heart… “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person” (Matthew 15:19-20). While externally clean, the hearts of the Jews were thoroughly polluted with thoughts of murder. So the first step in guarding our heart against the subtle seed of hypocrisy is to store up God’s truth and be filled with love for Him. If we keep our heart immersed in the Love of Christ, there will be no room for the seeds of hypocrisy to take root, grow, and produce words and deeds that deny our faith in Christ. And with our hearts filled with truth and love for Christ we will be equipped to discern hypocrisy in others by close observation of their words and deeds… “The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45).

This leads us to the second lesson about hypocrisy in today’s text, the hypocrisy of Pilate. He was sworn to uphold justice but too easily caved into the will of the Jews. The true disciple has a heart that is resistant to compromise with the world and fully devoted to the righteousness of God… “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings” (Isaiah 51:7).

As we grow up into Christ our hearts become more fully devoted to Him and there is no room for…

The Hypocrisy that Deceives Us.