Scripture Reading
Hebrews 4:14–16 Matthew 26:38–39
The Pharisees and Their Extra Rules
Jewish religious leaders added their own laws and customs to the Law of Moses. For example, one of the Ten Commandments says, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” In their attempt to define what qualified as “work,” the leaders created nearly 40 extra rules: kindling a fire, erasing two or more letters, tying or untying knots, separating two threads, and more. What God commanded as a rest became watered down by man-made traditions.
Inside vs. Outside: What Jesus Saw
Jesus constantly butted heads with the Pharisees over these burdensome additions. In Luke 11:46, He called these extra rules “burdens” that people “can hardly carry.”Jesus and the Pharisees also disagreed on where the focus of the Law should be: on the inside of a person (his heart) or on the outside? The Pharisees focused on outward appearances, but Jesus taught that a person’s righteousness should be inward; it should come from the heart.
“Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you” (Luke 11:39-41).
Whitewashed Tombs and the Heart
Jesus put it another way in Matthew 23:27: “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead.” The Pharisees were experts at looking religious, but their hearts were far from God.
Sometimes we fall into the same trap. We often whitewash our lives to make them appear polished to others, but God sees past the image to our true character. As 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Image is what people think you are. Character is who you really are. Or, as John Wooden put it: “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
Jesus Restores the Law’s True Purpose
The Pharisees thought their traditions made the Law more manageable, but in reality, they only weighed people down with man-made rules. Jesus cut through those traditions and raised the Law back up to where God intended it to be — at the level of the heart. He reminded His followers that righteousness was never about appearances, but about true devotion to God from the inside out.
We see this throughout His ministry — whether touching a leper (Matthew 8:2–3), eating with sinners (Mark 2:13–17), healing on the Sabbath (John 5:8–11), or confronting shallow fasting practices (Mark 2:18–20). Every time, Jesus exposed how the Pharisees had twisted God’s commands, and every time He restored the Law to its true purpose: leading people to love God with all their heart.
Questions for Reflection
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Where do you see people today more concerned with image than with heart?
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How can man-made rules distract us from what God’s Word actually says?
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What practical step can you take to align your inner life with God’s Word?
Prayer Focus
Lord, search me and show me the true motivations and intentions of my heart. Help me recognize when these motivations and intentions do not line up with Your Word. Help me follow Your example and focus on the inside and not on the outside. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Series Navigation
Previous in the Series:
Getting to Know Jesus: Jesus and the Law
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Getting to Know Jesus: Jesus the Confronter of the Powerful
If you missed earlier posts in this series, you can catch up here:
God Cares: Comfort in Sorrow, Faith's Unseen Sustenance #shorts
Making Him Known August 13, 2025 4:20 pm