The Invisible Magic Stamp
A smile of triumph swept across Sam’s face as he justified his disobedience to God’s Word by slamming down his magic rubber stamp, “but that’s legalistic,” on the document condemning him. Sam was confident his magic stamp would not only earn him total acquittal but an accommodation for being “enlightened” and “superior.” After all, he was pursuing love and mercy as being the primary and only requirements in serving God.
But Sam’s smile began to fade as it dawned upon him that not only was the Judge not impressed, but the ink of his magic words had suddenly disappeared leaving him with the same glaring accusation. Then a dread began to fill him as he understood “but that’s legalistic” was not a valid excuse for willfully disobeying God! His stomach felt the pain of a screaming locomotive as he grasped “not only have I knowingly disobeyed God, but I’ve also rejected as being ‘legalistic’ the obedience of faith which provided me access to Christ’s atoning blood.”
Can we lightly dismiss this as a fanciful scenario? Before we begin examining the evidence, let me whet your appetite for this study by noting that much to the surprise of some, the Greek New Testament never uses the word “legalistic” or “legalism.” Accordingly, Jesus never called the Pharisees legalistic! This is a term we have invented. This is our label for the Pharisees
Those “Legalistic” Pharisees
For many people today the Pharisees were the epitome of legalism. One can imagine them sitting in their herb garden counting out a tenth of their herbs lest they violate the command to tithe. Look at the extreme they went to in trying to obey God's Word. Did God really expect them to be so legalistic in tithing from even their herb garden? In the popular mind, Jesus is viewed as calling down God's wrath upon such legalistic observance.
There is just one problem. That's not what the text says. Jesus’ words were actually more along the order of “I commend you for tithing out of your herb garden. Don’t neglect this, keep it up.” Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42 In essence, Jesus commended the Pharisees on observing the law even to this minute detail. (Reread these last two sentences until you comprehend them).
The reason Jesus condemned the Pharisees in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42 was because they had neglected the more important matters of justice, mercy and love for God. They had achieved getting the small details of observance right, but ironically had missed the big picture. As one of my former professors has put it, “it was not a matter of either/or but both/and.” Jesus’ condemnation of the Pharisees had nothing to do with the fact that they were observing the law, rather Jesus was condemning them because of their failure to observe all the law! Leviticus. 19:15; Deuteronomy. 10:12 (cf. also Micah 6:8; Amos 5:24)
Please do not misunderstand, I do not support a legalistic attitude that says "look at what I've done therefore God owes me." My goal is to encourage a responsible usage of God’s Word. But when I occasionally hear people degrade obedience to God’s Word as being nothing but legalism, I wonder if they are actually studying their Bibles. To me it sounds like they are simply parroting false popular ideas.
Wouldn’t it be tragic if someone lightly dismissed faithful obedience to God’s Word as simply being “legalism” only later to discover before God’s throne that the obedience which comes from faith was not legalism in God’s sight? Romans 1:5; 16:22-23 Yes, that would be extremely tragic.
For a more indepth look at the Pharisees and legalism consult: "Going Beyond Simplistic Answers" For an analysis of one reason why Jesus attacked the Pharisees consider "The Jesus Whom We Find Embarassing" or for an analysis of the Pharisaic program consult "Entering New Territory Pharisaic and Saduccean Style." Consider "The Gravity of Grace" as a biblical introduction into grace verses legalism.
Barry Newton, Copyright © 1998