Heavy Burdens, Hard to Bear
For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. (Matthew 23:4)
It was the last week of the earthly ministry of Jesus, and He was hated and hunted by the religious leaders among the Jews. Jesus showed remarkable courage and would not hide or back down before His enemies. Here, Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples about the scribes and Pharisees.
As Jesus spoke, His hardened opponents listened, but Jesus wasn’t really speaking to them. Instead, he intended to warn the people and His followers about those scribes and Pharisees.
According to William Barclay, the Jewish Talmud describes seven different types of Pharisees, and six of the seven were bad.
– The Shoulder Pharisee, who wore all his good deeds and righteousness on his shoulder for everyone to see.
– The Wait-a-Little Pharisee, who always intended to do good deeds, but could always find a reason for doing them later, not now.
– The Bruised or Bleeding Pharisee, who was so holy that he would turn his head away from any woman seen in public – and was therefore constantly bumping into things and tripping, thus injuring himself.
– The Hump-Backed Pharisee, who was so humble that he walked bent over and barely lifting his feet – so everyone could see just how humble he was.
– The Always-Counting Pharisee, who was always counting up his good deeds and believed that he put God in debt to him for all the good he had done.
– The Fearful Pharisee, who did good because he was terrified that God would strike him with judgment if he did not.
– The God-Fearing Pharisee, who really loved God and did good deeds to please the God he loved.
If the leaders among the Jewish people could see so much corruption among the Pharisees, it’s not a surprise that Jesus also saw it and pointed it out.
One big problem with the scribes and Pharisees was they would bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders. The heavy burdens of the religious leaders contrast sharply to Jesus’ burden. His burden is light, and His yoke is easy (Matthew 11:30). These religious leaders were burden bringers; Jesus is a burden taker. Even worse, the scribes and Pharisees often didn’t live by the same standards they put on others (they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers).
This accusation against these religious leaders could apply to many religious leaders today. Many teach as if the essence of Christianity was a set of burdensome rules to follow. There is real cost in following Jesus, but overall, our experience as believers is one of liberation, not one of oppression. Christians should reject the heavy, man-made burdens others try to put on us. Instead, we live in the liberty of Jesus Christ.
Walk in freedom. Don’t accept man-made religious burdens, and don’t put them on others.
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