Are you a hypocrite?

Image by nick kulas via FlickrIn this week’s reading, Jesus told the chief priests and the scribes (Mt21:28-32 ) :

28 What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, "My boy, go and work in the vineyard today."

29 He answered, "I will not go," but afterwards thought better of it and went.

30 The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, "Certainly, sir," but did not go.

31 Which of the two did the father's will?' They said, 'The first.' Jesus said to them, 'In truth I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came to you, showing the way of uprightness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.

Wow, “tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you”! That’s a strong way to compare the lowest (least respected) people with the highest (most respected) chief priests and scribes. And what is worst to find out that people whom everyone think least of are making their way into Kingdom of God ahead of the most respected. Why?

Jesus once again tell us that to be a true disciple, it is not lip service that He wants. It must be a total conversion and total obedience to God. We need to hear what Jesus command us to do and to do it. And His commandment is really simply to love one another like how He has loved us.

As per my previous post, God is Love.

Jesus told another parable immediate after this and “ the chief priests and the scribes realised he was speaking about them (Mt 21:45)”.

Are we like these hypocrites who go round telling people that they are wrong and we are right and yet, everything we do are anti-Christ i.e. not the teaching of Christ. Cursing, swearing, baseless allegations etc…are certainly not teachings of Christ.

The other 2 readings are as follows:
Ez 18:25-28 and
Phil 2:1-11