White Washed Tomb - Jesus' Irritant Analogy

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WhiteWashed Tomb.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."   Mathew 23:27


I possibly became aware of this verse at seven years - that’s discounting the seven years before then when it must have been preached to me as an unaware infant (and even in mum's womb). I have since then encountered this verse of the scripture and its preceding verses more than one thousand times in my two decades of self-awareness.

Fundamentally; the passage within which this verse is nested, in the Holy Bible, tells Jesus' ordeal with the top religious leaders of his time, Scribes and Pharisees. He points out their duality - they say a thing  and do the opposite; they appear to embody a virtue but are privy to lots of untold vices. So, Jesus confronts them ,"You are Whitewashed tombs!"

Given that it is the basic nature of man to be held in regard, it is no surprise that men can go to any length - including pretense - to gain honor. These religious leaders are accused to have perfected the art of pretense - hypocrisy!

Why then does this verse plague me, seeing that it was directed to the Scribes and Pharisees? Why does it constantly loom large in my consciousness and dictate most of my actions? Why is my joy cut short whenever this verse orbits my mind?

In a large sense, I have enjoyed the honor those religious leaders had. Not just in the church setting, but at school, work and the neighborhood. Many a parent had alluded to me while teaching their sons 'responsibility'. Many my teachers had set me up as an example of 'piety' and 'devotion'. What virtues have not been ascribed to me in public - studious, humble, calculative, gentle, prayerful and so on.

To further complicate issues, my six foot three frame, soft-spoken nature, diplomacy and love for quiet add to the mix.  And then I want to always help, to listen, and to improve things. I search for meaning, for effectiveness and for results. So I receive the honor.

Then comes the plague - "Whitewashed tombs which on the outside appears beautiful, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness!" Why am I plagued? The public acclaims I receive set off the alarm, and I wilt.

For the sake of this 'thorn', I have fought all my life to be in my privacy that which I am praised for in the open. It has been a moment by moment struggle not to be that tomb!

So I do all I can to be true and I wish more often than not that these public shows end. But it seems I have been set-up; they never end. Here am I, seeking daily to be who I appear to be. And to achieve the success that have been predicted.

How about you, what is your story? Have you been set up too? Use the comment box to share your experience.
Nedu Eze, Akure, 2019.


Comments

  1. Mathew LawaniFebruary 4, 2019 at 12:18 AM

    I have been set up too, but I don't care what men thinks but what God thinks. I follow that inward Jew principle Apostle Paul spoke about to the Romans. Nice literature.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NeduFebruary 10, 2019 at 9:20 PM

      Thanks Matthew... What chapter of the Romans?...It is insightful to know you have developed an adaptation.

      Delete

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