"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean)" (Matthew 23:27).
What did Jesus mean by whitewashed tombs?
Jesus pronounced seven "woes" on the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. Did you ever wonder what woe means? Or for that matter, what did Jesus mean when he compared them to whitewashed tombs?
Before we look at the term whitewashed tomb, we should look at the word "woe." In Greek, the word for woe is οὐαί (oo-ah'-ee). It is a term used to express sorrow, grief, pity, concern, or apprehension of evil. In the case of the woes listed in Matthew 23, Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites, and they knew, exactly, what he was saying when he called them whitewashed tombs.
Why they whitewashed tombs
At this point in Jesus' earthly ministry, People were flooding into Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. The surrounding roads leading into the city were spruced up and readied for the influx of pilgrims. Along these roads were tombs of holy men painted with fresh whitewash. They did this for a few reasons.
First, they looked clean. But the real reason was to warn people not to touch them because if they did, they would be unclean for seven days and unable to participate in the Passover, according to Jewish Law. "Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days" (Numbers 19:11). These tombs, with their fresh coat of whitewash, looked clean and attractive and they also had religious significance. They were the graves of holy men. But because they held the dead, they were to be avoided.
When Jesus compared the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs, they recognized the condemnation against them. Plus, he couched this woe with six other woes pointing to even more of the hypocrisy evident in their lives! The Law they said they upheld, told them about Jesus. Yet, they rejected him. In the times of Jesus, the Jews believed in the Torah (first five books of the Bible) as the Word of God, but they also accepted the Oral Torah.
The Oral Torah represented laws, statutes, and legal interpretations not recorded in the Five Books of Moses. It is considered a legal commentary on the Torah, which explains how to follow the commandments. Bible teacher, Beresford Job, explains it like this in his book Biblical Church – A challenge to unscriptural traditions and practice:
"The Mosaic Law was handed down to Moses directly by God on the Mount, and the Oral Law was put in place by man as a protector of the Mosaic Law (the Pharisaic law, or the laws of the fence or hedge as it is known)."
In Matthew 15:1-3, Jesus challenged the Pharisees and scribes regarding following the oral law (traditions of man) rather than the commandment of God.
"Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?"
They thought that by following the law to the letter, they would be good enough for heaven. But Paul tells us the Law serves as a tutor to show us we can't obey the Law one hundred percent and that points to our need for a Savior.
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Read The Inheritance by Donna Sundblad
Written within the allegorical tradition of classics like Pilgrim's Progress, TheInheritance offers a literal but symbolic story for today's fantasy enthusiasts. This cleverly devised tale doesn't tell you what to think, but stimulates thought as to why you believe what you believe in your own quest for the Eternal City. The Inheritance is an ideal discussion starter for youth groups, homeschoolers, and families who enjoy meaningful discussions.
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