Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
Matthew 23:23
BSB
Read Matthew 23 in a modern translation BSB
Read the whole chapter (Matthew 23)
The weightier matters
They carefully gave a tenth of their mint, anise and cummin. Very proper. But they forgot justice, mercy and faithfulness. Jesus uses the word hypocrite. In Greek it actually means: stage actor.
To be honest: these harsh words were later often misused against Jews in general. But Jesus spoke as a Jew to Jewish leaders, in a debate within his own people. His warning applies above all to religious people of every age, Christians included. Details aren't wrong. But they mustn't crowd out what matters most.
Question for today
Which details keep me busy, while I forget what matters most?
Prayer
Lord, keep me from play-acting. Let me never leave justice, mercy and faithfulness lying for the sake of side issues. Amen.