"...do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach."
What in God’s Name is the Son of God thinking? In his teaching to the disciples and the crowds, Jesus tells them to listen to the scribes and the Pharisees and do as they teach but not as they do. This sounds like the old “do as I say, not as I do” admonition which, as any parent knows, is a recipe for leadership disaster. In fact, the phrase “do as I say, not as I do” was coined by 17th century English jurist John Selden in a work published after his death entitled Table Talk. In it, Selden is quoted as saying: “Preachers say: Do as I say, not as I do. But if the physician had the same disease upon him that I have, and he should bid me do one thing, and himself do quite another, could I believe him?” Selden’s question speaks to the importance of the congruity between words and actions.
Jesus seems to say that the Pharisees are not congruent in their words and actions – they do not do what they teach. However, the inference in scripture is that the Pharisees generally do follow their teaching – remember Paul reciting his credentials to the Philippians a few weeks ago? “As to the Law, I was blameless.” Scripture witness seems to show the Pharisees following the Law quite meticulously and in light of Jesus’ other accusations it is likely Jesus is talking about something else.
Jesus’ critique of the religious professionals of his day continues as he speaks of their practices which are being done to “be seen by others.” Actions such as making a big deal out of their religious garb (the phylacteries worn on the head and arms which contained the Shema within them and the fringes on their prayer shawls), taking the seat of honor at public events, and to have others treat them with respect. In essence, Jesus says they are doing this for the wrong reasons – they are self-serving and in it for their egos.
The ritual clothing and distinctive practices of the Pharisees were not inherently wrong. Phylacteries and fringes were intended to draw the mind and heart of an observant Jew back to God. In Roman occupied territory, not only were other religions present but the Romans encouraged a tolerant syncretism which would seek to incorporate the worship of the local deity or deities along side of worshiping the emperor and Roman gods. This syncretism shows up in our culture when people say things like “it really doesn’t matter what you believe because we all worship the same god.” The Jewish answer to that was “No, we don’t all worship the same god” and I would say this is true for Christians today too. So distinctiveness is not a mark of exaltation as being better than as much as it is a mark to help us understand who we are and whose we are – and to respect the very real differences between faiths and cultures.
Unfortunately, distinctiveness can be twisted into being a sign of “better than” whether we want it to be so or not. In the early days of the English Reformation, there was a huge debate about the use of vestments. Known as the “Vestments Controversy,” it pitted bishops who were against the “wearing of popish rags” against those who sought to preserve the traditions of the Church. Bishops who were against the use of vestments argued that the wearing of vestments caused clergy to inappropriately elevate themselves over the laity – an accusation which for some may be true. Bishops who supported the use of vestments argued that clergy were set apart for distinct service – no better than laity, but different than laity – and vestments were a sign of one’s service.
Jesus is teaching his disciples and the crowds about the issue of authenticity. His issue isn’t with the words, or distinctive practices per se – it is about the motivation behind them. If distinctiveness becomes a vehicle for exaltation, then our motivation is not of God. If titles become a means of exercising power over people instead of empowering others, then our motivation is not of God. If we are seeking the justification of our egos instead of setting them aside to serve others, then our motivation is not of God.
Our catholic tradition upholds the importance of self-examination. We do it every week when we confess our sins in worship. We also have the sacrament of reconciliation – also known as confession. Jesus’ teaching today is grounded in honest self-examination and repentance. This rite is important because it calls us to examine our words and actions but more importantly to examine our motivations behind our words and actions. Are my words incongruent with my actions? Are my words or actions based on what’s best for me and my ego or are they seeking the best for the community? Are my words or actions self-serving or God seeking? These are questions each of us must revisit over and over.
Jesus teaches us the paradox that those who are greatest are servants – or as Fr. Richard Rohr says in his latest book Falling Upward, “The way down is the way up.” Only when we let go of our ego need to be special and exalted by others will we be truly free to live for God and for each other.
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