昨天我們粗略看過法利塞人的歷史，和他們因為著重法律條文而走火入魔，結果與耶穌基督為敵。法利塞人是一個本土派的政黨，旨在保存猶太人是天主選民的身份。他們愛自己的民族，反對當時羅馬帝國的殖民統治。
福音提及的法學士，是一個專業，和今天的律師、法律系講師等相似。他們可以加入法利塞黨，成為黨員，建立人際網絡，多做生意。今天福音中提及的法學士，說不定已加入了法利塞黨，且看他在耶穌譴責法利塞人，便提出抗議，恐怕他與法利塞人，是狼狽為奸之流。因而引發了耶穌的第四個譴責。他們祇說不做！
各位兄弟姊妹，請緊記耶穌基督的譴責，不要犯法利塞人的毛病，最後泥足深陷，參與了謀害耶穌基督的行列。
「禍哉」一詞，不是詛咒，而是嚴厲的譴責。意思是「倘若仍然冥頑不靈，後果自負。」路加福音記載了耶穌基督，對法利塞人的三個譴責。雖然是譴責，但當中卻是耶穌基督對他們悔改的期望。所謂「愛之深，責之切」。法利塞人始終都是猶太人中的精英嘛！
注意，耶穌提及法利塞人在「十一奉獻」中，最細微的部份，是最能表現虔誠的奉獻。『看，連細微到菜蔬、茴香和薄荷的十分一，我們都記得拿來奉獻。我們的虔誠是多麼徹底！』當你把眼光注意在「芝蔴綠豆」的瑣碎事的時候，就容易忽略了重要的事，即耶穌所說的公義及愛天主的義務。
天主的「公義」與人的「公義」不同。人的「公義」通常是指公平，半斤八兩，多勞多得和以牙還牙等等。但天主的「公義」是指每個人，每個天主的肖像，都能夠完滿地發揮到天主創造他們時的願望。倘若他們受到欺詐剝削，未能發展所長，天主會拯救他們，造就他們。所以，天主的「公義」與天主的「拯救」經常等同起來。法利塞人忽略了公義，是指他們沒有造就其他人，幫助其他人發展，發揮潛質，祇顧滿足自己的虛榮。
大家可否記得亞當的兩個兒子：加音和亞伯爾嗎？天主沒有悅納加音的奉獻，加音可能是第一個法利塞人，奉獻了薄荷、茴香及各種菜蔬的十分之一！結果加音忘記了護守弟弟的責任，反而老羞成怒，殺死了自己的弟弟亞伯爾。後世的法利塞人，何嘗不是因為忘記了天主的公義，忘記了愛天主的責任，老羞成怒，參與謀害耶穌的行動嗎？
其實，渴望別人的肯定、尊敬，真是一個缺乏自信心的可憐蟲。可憐，是因為他們倚賴別人的肯定和尊敬，來填滿內心的空虛，一直受著別人的控制，不能作為自我的主宰！他們忘記了自身擁有天主肖像的尊貴，而不斷追求別人的讚賞，來填滿內心的缺陷，的確可憐！應當把一切榮譽歸於天主，作為天主肖像的我們，也不會蒙羞吧！
福音的其他地方，記載了法利塞人不但貪慕虛榮，更因貪婪而選擇侵吞寡婦的財產。孤兒寡婦在古代社會，是最不受保障的人物。亡者的家人，常把寡婦當作外人，謀奪她應得的遺產。那些貪心的法利塞人，濫用法律知識，並沒有替寡婦主持公道，卻助紂為虐，爭奪遺產，分一杯羹！所以耶穌這樣嚴厲地譴責他們。
天主保祐！
The Righteousness of God (Luke 11:42-46)
Yesterday, we briefly looked at the history of the Pharisees and how they fell from grace and became enemies of Jesus because they focused too much on the letters of the law. They were a party of localists to preserve the identity of the Chosen People of God. They loved their people and opposed the colonial rule of the Roman Empire.
The gospel mentions "a scholar of the law" which was a profession like lawyers or law professors today. They might join the Pharisees party to build up networks to do more business. The legal scholar might have joined the Pharisees. He protested when Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees. Probably they ganged together to do evil. This protest made Jesus deliver the fourth warning: They did not practise what they preached!
Brethren, let us keep in mind Jesus' warnings. Do not make the mistakes of Pharisees and consequently join the company that kill Jesus.
"Woe to thee" is not a curse but a harsh warning. It means "If you refuse to repent, the consequences are grave." Today, we read of three such warnings. Although they were warnings, they showed how much Jesus expected the Pharisees to repent. The warnings were harsh because Jesus loved them much. After all, the Pharisees were Jewish elites!
God's righteousness is not the same as human justice. Human justice usually means equality, fairness, reward according to efforts and a tooth for a tooth etc. But God's righteousness means God wants to see every person, who was created in God's image, have the opportunity to develop fully all the potentials God intented during his creation. If a person is cheated and exploited so that his potentials cannot be actualized, God shall deliver and edify. Therefore, God's righteousness is usally equated with God's salvation. When the Pharisees ignored judgment, it means they did not edify and help others develop their talents. They only cared about their own vanity.
Do you still remember the two sons of Adam, Cain and Abel? God did not look with favour Cain's offering. Perhaps Cain was the first Pharisee that tithed mint, rue and garden herbs! Consequently, Cain ignored his duty towards his brother. On the contrary, he killed Abel out of fury. What about the Pharisees in the future? Didn't they ignore judgment and love for God, and consequently participated in the plot to kill Jesus out of jealousy?
In fact, how pitiful and diffident it is for someone to desire recognition and respect from others. Pitiful because they rely on others' recognition and respect to fill up an inner void. They are controlled by others and there is no self-sovereignty! It is pitiful that they forget the dignity they have as images of God but instead seek others' praises to satisfy an inner deficiency! Rather, they should give all honour and praises to God. As images of God, we shall not be in shame!
The gospels also mention elsewhere that not only did the Pharisees loved vanity, but they also devoured houses of widows out of greed. Orphans and widows were the least protected people in ancient societies. The relatives of a deceased usually treated the widow as an outsider and tried to take away the inheritance due her. Those greedy Pharisees abused their expertise in law, instead of defending the interests of the widow, joined the relatives to rob the widow and shared the spoils! That is why Jesus reprimanded them that harshly.
God bless!
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