5“Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.6And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.7They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘jRabbi.’
8“Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.9And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father.10And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.11The greatest among you must be a servant.12But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Jesus is continuing to speak about the religious leaders, but lets be careful not to point our fingers for we are all guilty. Pride seems to be the root of so many sins. Pride is so often the reason people can’t come to salvation. Pride is so easy to fall into and so hard to get out of. All the terms Jesus says not to use or let others address us as were all terms of high respect at that time (Father was a term for spiritual teachers even at that time). Jesus isn’t saying we shouldn’t respect people, he is simply saying we shouldn’t be proud, and perhaps we should feed other’s pride.
The last sentence in our reading today is one of the great truths of the Bible and is central to our relationship with God. Humility is loved by God, and pride is hated. In the final existence of the universe everyone will be humble before God. Any pride we have will be pride in God. All pride in ourselves will be destroyed. We won’t even be able to proud of our humility for it too comes from God!
Lord, just last night You humbled me again. Some day, I will learn. Thank-you for not giving up on me. Beginner’s Online Bible Study *obbs*
