“Woe unto you, Pharisees”

The Pharisees and Lawyers.

(The Gospel History, Section 97)

Now as he spake, a Pharisee asketh him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter; but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness. Ye foolish ones, did not he that made the outside make the inside also? Howbeit give for alms those things which are within; and behold, all things are clean unto you.

But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over judgement and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you Pharisees! for ye love the chief seats in the synagogues, and the salutations in the marketplaces. Woe unto you! for ye are as the tombs which appear not, and the men that walk over them know it not.

“Woe unto you, Pharisees”

(The Saviour of the World, Vol VI Book IV Poem XXXIX)

“Rabbi, to dine with me, wilt please?
There, in cool chamber fairly set,
O’er cup of chosen wine, we’ll get
Some quiet talk; I fain would know
The novel doctrines Thou dost shew.”

One Guest in all the world comes sure
To him who bids, without allure
Of meat or music, costly wine,
Or talk that woos a man to dine.
The Lord went with Him, took His seat
At the table duly laid for meat.

Remembered He an earlier day
When thus a Pharisee did pray
Him and His following to eat,
When the disciples sat at meat
With hands unwashed? The Lord took thought
Nor washed; this negligence was fraught
With sure offence to host whose eye,
Fastidious, was quick to spy
Omission of accustomed rite
In guest whom he deigned to invite,
Scarce knowing Him.

The Lord discerned

This Pharisee’s arrogance; He turned,
Imperial, at the proud man’s board,
And spake that awful judgment word,
From which is no reprieve, to those
Assembled there, vain men who chose
To sit in the scorner’s seat.

“Without,

Ye Pharisees be clean, no doubt,
In cup and platter, house and hands;
But a clean heart your God demands;
Look well within, and ye shall find
Schemes of extortion fill your mind;
Lying, uncleanness, greed and hate
Are in your heart, while ye abate
No tittle of presumptuous claim
To magnify His holy Name,
The God of Israel. Ye fools,
Who think to please Him with nice rules!
Is God concerned with things outside?
Will He not all your pains deride
Who make a decent, reverent show
In things external, while ye go
On still in wickedness? Who made
The heart, think you? Who hath displayed
A thousand wiles to win that heart
So eager ever to depart
From God’s own ways?

Would ye be clean,

Look well to secret places seen
By Him who made you; find ye there
Extortion, lust, oppressing greed?
Give ye an alms to them who need
Of even these,—the widow’s tears
Unshed, for timely help appears,
The shame the virgin shall not feel
Because ye have refrained to steal
The flower of her virginity;
Such alms if ye shall bring to Me,
Clean are ye every whit!

Your care,—

That, mint and anise pay their share,
Their tenth to God; what would He more?
This, that your judgment shall restore
The poor man’s pledge; the rich, undo,
For offences manifest to you:
The love of God shall fervent flow
In hearts constrained that love to shew
To needy brother. Do but this,
And tithes and alms come not amiss
From heart that, like the almond-tree,
Puts out fair flowers spontaneously.

“Woe be to you, ye Pharisees!
Remember ye the God who sees
You choose the chief seats in His place,
Where men to worship come; what grace
For him who seeks vain glory there
Where men be met for praise and prayer?

“Woe be to you, ye Pharisees,
Whom all men’s salutations please!
Ye walk the market-place in pride,
And no man dares your hate abide,—
All make obeisance,—Woe to you!

“Like tombs are ye, fair to the eye,
All green and flower-bedecked, none spy
The hid corruption underneath,
Nor know they touch the place of death!”

Amazed the guests; none dared reply
Or wag a tongue or move an eye,
But with fixed gaze beheld the Lord
Those men who heard His damning word.

St. Luke xi. 37-44.

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