What Made Jesus Mad?Намуна

The gnat was the smallest of unclean beings and was forbidden to be eaten by law. I have no idea why they would be listed. May I help you process the sarcasm and frustration of Jesus in this passage? These church leaders were legalistically obedient to the extent of literally straining their wine or water through a cloth to avoid the possibility of accidentally breaking the gnat law. 

Not that avoiding insects is a bad thing. It was their motive that stunk; or actually, it was the actions that accompanied the motive. They were straining gnats, while engaging in religious activity that was grossly unjust and ungodly, aka swallowing the camel. Jesus couldn’t have made a larger contrast in missing the point. 

Don’t let it be lost on you that the Pharisees already knew the principles of justice, mercy, and faithfulness Jesus wanted them to get. They had scriptures about these very things committed to memory. They were more than aware of the importance of these things to God, but they were distracted by the gnats. 

It’s not that theology (gnat straining) is unimportant. The problem occurs when we get so wrapped up in our theology that it doesn’t affect us practically. If our vertical theology doesn’t affect our horizontal vision, we can eventually become blinded. 

How have you engaged in “gnat straining” lately? What opportunity for justice or mercy have you missed out on because of the focus it takes to attend to “straining gnats”?