Luke 23:13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
Moral psychology defines a hypocrite as someone who fails to follow his own expressed moral rules, regulations and principles. Hypocrite is a “plastered saint” who puts on a façade of false appearance and whose behaviour contradicts his principles and propagations. Hypocrites pretends to be pious, virtuous and righteous but are deceptive, devious and dishonest.
Hypocrites are one group of “difficult people” whom Jesus could not tolerate. He pronounced “seven woes” to the misleading teachers of law and the misguiding Pharisees. He epitomized their hypocrisy as “whitewashed” tombs stinking with rotten bones and brood of vipers full of venom! Jesus called them “blind fools” and “blind guides” as they bent the bow for their own benefit. A hypocritical leader can cause extensive damage to others by his foolish choices and incongruent lifestyle.
A thorough scanning of our soul would accentuate “hidden hypocrisy” in our own lives. When we judge others stringently but are lenient with our own lives, when we fail to keep a promise or say things that we do not mean we fall into the faint folly of hypocrisy. If we say we would pray, call or visit but do it to finish a conversation succulently, we softly land on the unsteady skating board of hypocrisy. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37).
Three character traits of hypocrisy:
- Facade: Hypocrites have a fake face and façade to impress others. Anything done to please people or gain power, potent or prominence without personal passion or conviction is only a hypocritical pretention. Jesus confronted the hypocrites of His time. Don’t tolerate hypocrisy. Gently peel off the façade to expose hypocrisy.
- Fallacy: Hypocrites have a shiny, smooth poise on the outside but are seditious on the inside. You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence (Matthew 23:25). They have a secretive, avaricious and selfish agenda in their sweet-talk. Jesus said, “Take care; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6). Hypocritical ideologies are like a little yeast that ferments the whole batch of dough. Misconception and contorted understanding of Biblical standards can spoil the soul. Reject hypocritical, egocentric and self beneficial views that ferments the soul.
- Fruit: Hypocrisy cannot be hidden. A person with spiritual gifts but without character is a decorated tomb. Jesus will disown the preacher and prophet who lives a fallacious, forged and faked life. Three signs of a hypocrite: “when he speaks he speaks lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays trust”. When the taste of one’s character does not measure up to the talk, beware of malicious intentions. Jesus did not say, that you will know the character of the person by their preaching, prophesying or healing gifts but by their humility, honesty and holiness. You will know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:25). The test to truthfulness is not the face but the fruit.
Hypocrisy is the shroud of falsehood, façade and fallacy that produces bitter, poisonous and distasteful character fruits.
Matthew 23:28 On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Prayer: Father of Truth and Light, Help me to be humble, honest and holy inside out and bear fruits of righteousness, meekness and truthfulness. Let there be no trace of hypocrisy in me. Amen.
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