ENRAGING THE PHARISEES: FINDING AN IDENTITY IN CHRIST’S LOVE
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| Our Lord Christ was Often Condemned by Enraged Pharisees for Challenging Their Ultimate Authority and the Infallibility of Their Interpretation |
A Sermon for the 19th Sunday After Trinity (October 6th)
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, as we gather today for the reading of the Word and the sharing of Holy Communion, our hearts and minds are drawn to the truths contained within Scripture, particularly the Gospel from St. Matthew and its interplay with the Epistle from Ephesians. These texts open a new perspective from whence to see ourselves and our motivations, as we consider why we are angry, why we are troubled, and who we believe ourselves and our Father God to be. In this, we better understand the relationship between forgiveness, faith, and our identity as the children of God.
I will say these things to you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Gospel Reflection: Healing of the Paralytic
In the Gospel of St. Matthew (9:1-8), we encounter a remarkable scene: Jesus returns to His own city and is confronted with a paralyzed man brought to Him on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus boldly declares, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” This pronouncement of forgiveness is revolutionary, challenging the comfortable status quo of the religious authorities of the time, who believed that only God had the authority to forgive sins, and thus absolved themselves of any action or ministry needed on their part. In the Scripture, we are given a peek into their internal motivations, which is rare in the Bible, but it helps us to understand that these religious people were primarily motivated by jealousy.
Consider the weight of this moment. The paralyzed man likely sought healing for his physical condition, yet Jesus addresses his spiritual state first. This reminds us that our deepest needs are often spiritual rather than physical. As St. John Chrysostom observed, “The forgiveness of sins is a greater miracle than physical healing.” Here, Jesus reveals His divine authority and emphasizes that true healing encompasses both body and soul. Truly, every time I have confessed my sins and have been absolved, there is a special kind of healing work that I can immediately feel, as my impulse control gets stronger, my love for the Lord and others grows deeper, and I see myself for the completely unworthy and supremely loved individual that I am. In this, relief washes over me and I feel free to be the person that God wants me to be, losing fear and doubt, and able to become whole again. This is the power of God’s healing wrought in our soul by the forgiveness of sins.
The reaction of the scribes, who mutter to themselves about blasphemy, highlights the conflict between earthly understanding - the love of place, the desire for power, the use of religion as a mask and a weapon, rather than the personal submission to divine truth and a humble relationship with God based on His unfailing mercy. The Pharisees fail to recognize that Jesus is fulfilling the prophetic promises of the Old Testament, where God declares, “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (Hosea 14:4). In their blindness, they miss the very presence of God in their midst. They wish to make God’s love harsh, conditional, and prone to disgust, putting those they dislike out of the Church and holding the power of eternal torment in their own hands. But the reality enrages them, that God has mercy on the just and the unjust, sends the rain on the evil and the good, and gives mankind many, many chances to repent and rectify their relationship with God. As Romans 2:4 says, "The goodness of God leads us to repentance." God is not motivated like the Pharisee and this enrages them, because God will not submit to them.
This scene powerfully illustrates a fundamental truth of our faith: to encounter Christ is to encounter forgiveness, a living, loving, open hearted and unconditional forgiveness that makes Pharisees supremely uncomfortable and upset, because it disempowers them and reminds them that they are not God. Just as the paralytic’s friends showed great faith by bringing him to Jesus, we too are called to bring ourselves and others before Christ in humility, faith, repentance and open reliance upon Him. In the words of C.S. Lewis, “We are not merely imperfect creatures who must be improved; we are rebels who must lay down our arms.” Our sinfulness is a barrier to experiencing the fullness of life that God intends for us. We can only receive healing if we lay down our arms and stop being prickly, stubborn, self-willed, lying, self-righteous fake saints, and acknowledge the sinners we truly are. As St. Sophrony of Essex famously said, “God can save the sinner you are, not the saint you pretend to be.”
Epistle Reflection: The Call to New Life
Turning to the Epistle (Ephesians 4:17-32), St. Paul exhorts us not to walk as the Gentiles do, urging us to put off the old self and to be renewed in the spirit of our minds. This passage complements the Gospel beautifully. Just as the paralytic receives forgiveness and healing, Paul calls us to embrace the new life that Christ offers—a life that reflects His righteousness and holiness.
Paul emphasizes the transformative power of Christ, urging believers to cast away deceit, anger, and malice. He reminds us that we are called to be kind and forgiving, as God in Christ has forgiven us. This call to transformation requires a conscious decision to let go of our past and to live in accordance with our identity as redeemed children of God.
Let us consider the life of the Blessed Lancelot Andrewes, one of our heroes and the most profound voices of the Caroline Divines. Andrewes was a man deeply committed to prayer, holiness, and the mystery of God’s grace. He was instrumental in shaping the language of the 1611 King James Bible, ensuring that the translation reflected both the precision of Scripture and the majesty of God’s Word. Andrewes lived during a time of great religious turmoil, yet he consistently sought after the peace of Christ, reminding us in his sermons that, “The nearer we come to God, the more gracious He is; the more willing to hear us, the more ready to help us.” Blessed Lancelot Andrewes exemplified the very virtues that St. Paul calls us to embrace: humility, truthfulness, and charity. His life, like St. Augustine before him, serves as a model of how transformation is possible when we allow God’s grace to take root in our hearts. Andrewes’s writings teach us that the Christian life is not simply about avoiding sin but about striving toward the full realization of our new life in Christ. Like the paralytic, Blessed Lancelot knew the importance of bringing one’s sins before God and receiving both healing and forgiveness.
Old Testament and Psalms: Reinforcement of Themes
Our Old Testament reading from Isaiah (43:1-7) reinforces these themes of redemption and belonging. God declares, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” This message is a reminder that we are not defined by our past sins or failures but by God’s loving claim upon us. As Christians, we are incorporated into the body of Christ, where our worth is grounded in His love and sacrifice. This is our identity in God, and what we must always remember is the birthright of our Baptism.
The Psalms, particularly Psalm 78 from today’s readings, call us to remember the works of God and to pass His teachings to future generations. “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.” This instruction serves as a reminder of the importance of faith and obedience in our lives. The stories of God’s faithfulness recounted in Scripture inspire us to trust in His promises.
In his theological reflections, St. Ephrem the Syrian wrote beautifully about how God’s law and love transform us. He often described the mystery of God’s work in creation and redemption as a mirror in which we see our true selves—healed and forgiven in Christ. Just as Christ saw beyond the paralytic’s physical state to his spiritual need, so too does God see into the depths of our hearts. Ephrem’s hymns remind us that we are constantly surrounded by the presence of God’s grace, waiting to renew and redeem us if we would but turn to Him.
Finding Our Identity in Christ and Becoming Impervious to Satan's Control
When I was a very young man, there was a popular spiritual warfare counselor and exorcist who told me something that shook my world over a lunch at a plastic table in a fellowship hall. I still remember the peppercorn salami sandwich in my hands. He said, “There is nothing more profound than to realize your identity in Christ, appropriate it, and live by it. You are a child of the King of All Creation. You can ask for anything. If it is in God’s will, He will give it to you. All you have to do is center yourself in this.” According to this exorcist, the most important thing about resisting the lies and temptations of the Devil is to know the true place we hold in the heart of Christ. Satan wants us to sin, thinking that it will be wonderful, and when we regret and realize the error of our ways, he wants us to be afraid and believe our sins are too many, too gross and disgusting to be forgiven. We can be tormented and even possessed by Satan when we refuse to repent, thinking that God’s love is conditional and that God hates us, not making a way of repentance, cleansing and escape available because we misunderstand His love to be conditional. In this false view of God, in this refusal to repent and return, we become chained in darkness and slaves to sin. Only by living in the identity that Christ gives us, can we be impenetrable to the fiery darts of the Evil One and able to live in freedom, holiness and godly love.
Revealing the Inner Enraged Pharisee
Another thing we need to learn from our reflection this morning is to be sensitive to religious rage and disgust. The Pharisees did not ask themselves where their anger came from, not knowing the wisdom of St. James, “the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20) Whenever we are tempted to lift ourselves up in pride and condemnation of others, justifying ourselves and hoping for the condemnation and damnation of others, delighting in the suffering of others and in the thought of others going to hell, we are assuming a demonic attitude that masquerades as true religion. When we think like this, we can be sure, as 1 John 3:15 tells us, we are not truly Christian and do not have eternal life. The Pharisees were motivated to minister and to debate over the minutia of doctrine by jealousy and a desire for power, not out of a response to having their own sins forgiven and their own burdens lifted. They were reacting in a love of human fear, not out of a fear of God rooted in love. They wanted to control others, bind them with hard rules, and make others respect them as the emissaries of God. They wanted others to believe that they controlled God and dispensed His love and mercy, salvation and grace, rather than receive these things for themselves and share them with others. (Matthew 23:4) We must avoid these attitudes and this posturing with everything that is within us, because while seeking to lead and teach others, we ourselves become castaways and false priests and prophets, apostates who pose in fake holiness, living our lives for pride, power, lust and greed. We must be sensitive to religious rage and turn away from our anger, knowing that it hides insecurity, confusion, and every evil work. We must seek peace with all men, correct and teach out of love and concern, and always repent honestly over our own sins.
Summary
As we reflect on these readings today, we are reminded of the transformative power of Christ’s forgiveness. Just as He forgave the paralytic, He invites us to experience the fullness of His grace. We are called to live out our identity as children of God, embodying His love and forgiveness in our relationships and communities. Let us be encouraged to bring ourselves and others before Christ, seeking healing and restoration. In our lives, may we reflect the kindness and compassion that St. Paul urges us to cultivate, recognizing that we are all works in progress, continually being transformed by God’s grace. We aren’t perfect, but God calls us to be saints through being holy even as He is holy. (1 Peter 1:15-17) Our lives on earth are given for this sole purpose!
As we take the Holy Eucharist today, are strengthened, and go out into the world to love and serve Our Creator - let us carry with us the assurance that we are loved, redeemed, and called to a new life in Christ. In the words of St. Ephrem, “Blessed is he who has become a friend of the cross, and has been given joy in place of his sorrow.” May our lives be a testament to that joy, reaching out to others and bringing them closer to the source of all healing and hope.
Collect
Let us close with the words of our Collect:
O God, the Creator and Preserver of all mankind, we humbly beseech thee for all sorts and conditions of men; that thou wouldest be pleased to make thy ways known unto them, thy saving health unto all nations. And we most humbly beseech thee of thy goodness, O Lord, to comfort and succour all those who in this transitory life are in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness, or any other adversity; through Jesus Christ our Lord, Who livest and reignest with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
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