The Pharisees Made Much of Little

I envy people who are good at the game of Trivial Pursuit. They have a mind and memory for detail that must give them a great advantage in life over people like me. I sometimes can’t remember where I’ve been or where I put my glasses or cell phone.
Like all other strengths, however, a capacity for trivia can become a weakness if not kept in check. Jesus described the dangers of getting lost in details when telling the Pharisees that a fault of their religion was to major on minor issues.
“Woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone” (Luke 11:42). In other words, the little things have their place as long as we don’t let them get in the way of the more important issues.
The Pharisees were the proprietors of Judaism. They made a science of carrying the Law to its logical conclusions. They prided themselves in their ability to think a matter through down to the smallest detail. When they tithed, for instance, they gave a percentage of all their increase. If they owed God a tenth of the harvest, they would give God 10% of everything, including their herbs, even though the Law specifically said that it was not necessary to do so.
The Pharisees’ willingness to do more than what was required was not bad. Their mistake was that in attending to details they forgot to love. According to Jesus, that means they ended up missing the whole point of the Law (Matthew 22:37-40).
The Pharisees were like the man who goes to the auto dealer to but a new car. While there, he notices some accessories that seem to be just what he needs to add a touch of class to his new “wheels.” An hour later, he leaves the showroom with a smile, clutching his purchase of a coffee mug, dash compass, map holder, and manufacturers key chain. Like the Pharisees, he leaves with more than he came for — and less. With trinkets in hand, he gets in his old car and heads for home.
Religion, as good and necessary as it is, can fill us up with lesser details that easily get the better part of our attention. What makes the problem difficult to detect is that the process of getting good at the fine points of Bible Study, prayer, or giving can feel like it’s working when it isn’t. There is no substitute for a heart of love and justice that reflects a right relationship with God Himself.
A few years after Christ, the apostle Paul repeated Jesus’ teaching to distracted Christians in Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 13, he made it clear that even spiritual gifts, knowledge, faith, and self-sacrifice are trivial pursuits if they are done without the love of God.
Tomorrow, the third mistake the Pharisees made.