On the Road to Jerusalem: Made Known

“In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, He began to say to His disciples first, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops."

—Luke 12:1-3

Hypocrisy is one of the greatest threats to our faith. It hides itself in the church, behind the smiling faces of many a Christian. Jesus despised hypocrisy. He knows our hearts and knows how easy it is to pretend one thing, while doing another. Which is why He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” The Pharisees walked around in flowing robes, loved being called “teacher” and instructing others in the law (while not observing much of it themselves), and taking the best seats of honor at public events. Some of Jesus’ fiercest words of condemnation were directed to the Pharisees (Matthew 23:13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29), because they had the right knowledge, but not the right behavior. To say one thing and do another is bad enough, but to say one thing about God and then do what is contrary to Him is quite another.

Jesus wanted all who heard Him to be aware that what we say in private will be made public. There is nothing that we cover up that will not be revealed, nothing that we try to hide, that will not be made known. The things we say in the dark will be heard in the light, and what we whisper in private rooms, will be proclaimed on the housetops.

God hates hypocrisy and we must be on guard against it. We must take an honest assessment of our spiritual life—are we hiding some secret sin? Are we trying to hide it from others? We may hide our sin for a time, but God will make it known—either now or in eternity. Continually hiding and nourishing our sin in the dark is equivalent to letting mold grow in the dark places of our homes. We may try and hide it, but its nasty poison will bring disastrous results if left untreated. We must expose the mold of sin to the light of Christ’s word so that it may be removed and so that God may be glorified in and through us. Amen.