CONNECTING POINT: Object Lessons

Jesus was a master teacher who utilized numerous object lessons to help listeners better understand the difference between truth and a lie.

In the Bible, light is often equated to truth, while dark is associated with a lie. Jesus also stated that He is “the light of the world” (John 8), signifying He came to reveal the truth and dispel darkness. In Luke, we read these words of Jesus, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.” (Luke 11:33-36).

This description of Jesus and its surrounding context is quite “revealing.” Jesus freed another person from demonic possession, and the growing crowd of Jewish religious naysayers continued their attack on His character. Jesus didn’t back down at the moment as He confronted the lies of legalism.

First, Christ’s distractors deliberately hid the truth. The Pharisees and Scribes knew the Scriptures well, including the many prophecies of the Messiah, which Jesus fulfilled right before their eyes. Rather than corroborating the truth of Christ, these religious leaders, being spiritually blind, hid the precious truths of Scripture from the world. They even resorted to twisting the truth, claiming that Jesus was dispelling demons by the power of Satan. Jesus set the record straight by countering that such a claim would be absurd; Satan would never try to diminish his own rule.

Second, Christ’s critics demanded more signs. This group includes the doubters, those still on the fence who didn’t entirely reject His claims like the religious leaders. They wanted more signs as if Jesus hadn’t performed enough. Jesus does concede in some respect and states that they will see the sign of Johah. This is referring to His future resurrection from the dead, three days after being crucified and giving His life on the cross. During that short period, it seemed that darkness had won; Satan and his demons celebrated in glee. But on the third day, the Son of Man arose, conquering sin and its grip on humanity; the light broke through the darkness.

Third, Christ’s faultfinders took offense over His hygiene. Some of the encounters Jesus had with the religious elites were confounding; this is one. “When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him, so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.” (Luke 11:37-38). This isn’t referring to the cultural practice of washing basins in homes for guests, but an

extra ceremonial law created by religious legalists. Jesus then shares a metaphor about a clean dish but a dirty heart, plainly stating that Pharisees are more concerned about outward appearance than the condition of the soul.

Further, Jesus admonishes the Pharisees with one of the strongest assessments: they are like an unmarked grave (vs. 44), meaning their evil is hidden. Greed and wickedness rule their hearts. For the everyday Jew, it would be dangerous to follow their teaching.

Jesus represents truth; it’s His nature, and in doing so, He exposed the lies of legalism that ran rampant among Jewish leaders.