The Blindness of the Pharisees & Scribes

“…you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed… you have taken away the key of knowledge.”

Jesus pointed to the Pharisees and Scribes that they took away the key of knowledge. What does he mean by this? Only that they were self-righteous and self-proclaimed, self appointed, know-all leaders of the people. This atleast was true of the Pharisees, because they had no religious standing in the Aaronic religion. The Scribes did. They were the present Levites, whose role was to teach the Law for its true value to the people. But by and large, both these groups were blind. And they were in turn were proclaiming/teaching a false religion to the people. In a way of putting it, they were dead, because they did not have the life of God in them, which they claimed, in calling themselves holy and righteous.

Both these traits; holy and righteousness are not internal, but are the manifestation/fruit of having a proper relationship with God. And if God was with/in them, then they would not be required to proclaim it, but it would be there for all to see. Hence they were dead – whitewashed tombstones. Can one dead convey life to another…?

Let us reflect, cast away all duplicity, come before Jesus and accept our lack of a relationship with Him. Tell him our failures, but also tell Him that we want to be like Him. Hold unto Him, show Him our desire and pursue Him (Not his works like the Pharisees and Scribes). He will be sure to transform you (but not overnight), one day at a time, even as you hold unto Him and go on showing your desire for Him (Keeping Him first in your life).