LIFE SCRIPTS

While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight. As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Mark 12:35‭-‬40 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.12.35-40.NIV.

Christ the Messiah was figuratively referred to as the Son of David because His earthly lineage could be traced to him. But Christ is greater than David. He’s greater than any great king that ever lived on earth. He’s God the Son. He was there before the beginning of time so He existed before David. At times in referring to Christ we forget that He existed before the existence of time…that He’s God in flesh…incarnate and in the form of man. This is a scripture that should remind us about the lordship of Christ. He’s greater than anything we can think of because He’s God. In verses to follow, Christ embarks on a scathing attack on the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. He spoke about their apparent religiosity with nothing to show for it. How they dress and walk expecting specialized treatment…how they appear to be the holiest among all yet harboring wicked desires within them…how they appear to be so connected to God yet so detached from people…how they make lengthy prayers in public so that they may be seen as holy…in other portions of scripture, He calls them hypocrites. But it would be short-sighted if we stop here. In many ways we are found wanting just like the teachers of the law.

Anytime we elevate ourselves above others based on our spiritual state, we play the Pharisee card…

anytime, we appear chaste on the outside yet harbor vices like envy and hatred, we play the Pharisee card…

anytime we find ourselves making public prayers not to glorify God but to be seen by man, we play the Pharisee card…

anytime we seek honor from man desiring to be respected instead of extending respect we play the Pharisee card.

The Pharisees walked with entitlement. They saw themselves as the chosen few among a band of riff-raff rejects. But here Christ turns tables against them. An encounter with Christ requires that we forsake hypocrisy and entitlement and that we embrace humility.