There is a great difference between what the scribes and Pharisees of any day have to offer, and what the Spirit of God gives to the Called. In Jesus day he rebuked the “spiritual leaders” of Israel, by contrasting their own perspective of John’s ministry and the real differences. The irony is that both Jesus and the Pharisees drew the distinction; the one from blindness and the other from Truth. Jesus asked them whether John’s baptism was of God or of men, knowing the contradiction that the leaders held. They could not answer, because if it was of God, then they admitted their own guilt for not dropping the sanctimonious charade and following after the real thing. Once their guilt was on their conscience he began to upbraid them according to Truth. He said that they had seen harlots and tax collectors come unto righteousness and even this did not turn them from playing religious games for power’s sake.
Imagine living life in the religious world and learning all of its sacramental actions and holy speech; giving yourself to the appearance of righteousness. You have bought into the hierarchy of the temple and know that if you just continue to adhere you will move up higher in rank and the eyes of your peers. In order to protect the promise of your elevation and respect, you adopt every form of manipulation of people and remove even the thought of God’s grace and mercy from the minds of your kinsmen. You are willing to tear down your brother, steal from the needy to support your slothfulness, and wield the beautiful word of righteousness to destroy the progress of anyone stupid enough to try to remove themselves from the path of destruction and turn to the Lord.
Along comes a man full of the Holy Spirit and Wisdom; shunning the religious order and all the demanded power associated with it, while he offers the way of Life to the untouchables of religion’s view, through simple repentance. Harlots didn’t just follow John around; they sincerely confessed their depravity with tears and mourning for what the world influence can do to God’s children, and made vows to turn away from the ways of death. They saw Instant change in their lives by faith, with no suspicion of religious conformity. The tax collectors would hear the message of reconciliation and not only turn from financially oppressing their kinsman, but also make guilt-driven restitution to those they oppressed. The soldiers, who were accustomed to living large off of bribes and extortion of the oppressed, noticed lives being changed drastically and asked John what must they do to be saved. John told them, as soldiers, stop the racketeering, and stop testifying falsely against people for their own gain. The soldiers would respond out of a convicted heart and gladly put away these things.
Now, everyone that should not have noticed these things by religion’s view, had not only noticed, but had also partaken of the gift being offered in total contrast to the religious order of their day. Those who dedicated their lives to religion, by all logic, should have noticed these events… and they did. Now undoubtedly the leaders of their day may have never seen a person changed instantly by the preaching of the Truth, although they had been preaching from the same pages their whole lives. It was not that there would be any doubt to the source of such power to them, but Self-Preservation would keep them from partaking of such “un-doctrinal things” as prostitutes experiencing the righteousness of God. Instead of partaking, the leaders, who were too respected to grace the wilderness with their presence for fear of someone thinking they would condone such things, sent minions to test John according to the accepted paradigm or doctrinal acceptance of their day. The very thing that they took consolation in being their salvation had become the very thing that would keep them from the True Salvation of God. They believed that God’s salvation was to be demanded of God based on meritorious service and the upkeep of a polished religious appearance. The consequence of such belief was that they could offer no other salvation than the one that they had become servant to… the Traditions of Men. In their Law there were winners and losers ( and only who they respected were winners ). In God’s Law, everyone can win by simple faith.
Jesus was telling the leaders that their condition was no different than the harlots and the publicans. The Preacher and the Harlot are both making a life for themselves in contradiction to God’s will. The preacher is asked to give up his self-made way of life, just as the Harlot must give up her self-made way of life.
In this lies the true test of Repentance, which is the path of Salvation; when confronted with your own ways, will you abandon them and embrace the Healer, or will you defend your practices to the death?
Even in our day, is the Gospel preached with such clarity? If not… then are our leaders likened to the leaders of every generation? Things look a little different in our day but the principles are the same.
