法利赛人遇见了耶稣。法利赛人是要求百姓遵行摩西律法的宗教领袖，他们在基本的律法以外加添了各种不同的规条，这些规条便成为百姓的重担了。在这个过程中，很多领袖们被这些规条分散了注意力，以致他们忘记了律法的真义（爱神；爱你的邻舍），结果是他们能说不能行。
在马太福音23:1-12中，耶稣让法利赛人知道，祂不认同他们的地方。法利赛人所教导的，很多方面耶稣都同意；耶稣是一个忠心的犹太人，所以祂认为法利赛人讲及爱神和事奉祂的意义，都是很好的；但耶稣指出，法利赛人关心爱神的表面功夫，多过关心爱神的实际行动。
跟从耶稣并不表示丢掉所有的宗教传统；耶稣知道，信心是需要在群体生活中实行出来的，作基督徒不能独善其身，我们是要按基督徒群体的行事方针过生活的。
然而，跟从耶稣也不表示只为律法的缘故来遵行律法。耶稣时常吩咐祂的门徒，要把人放在首位，然后才是传统。耶稣指责法利赛人，衪指出他们把律法的规条看得过份重要；律法的本意是帮助他们去爱人，所以祂吩咐他们要以爱心待人。今天，耶稣也同样吩咐我们去爱人，并以祂为最好的榜样。
神啊，感谢你赐我们爱的律法，求你藉着你的灵，帮助我们去爱你和爱人。阿们。
马太福音 23:1-12
1那时，耶稣对众人和门徒讲论，
2说：“文士和法利赛人坐在摩西的位上，
3凡他们所吩咐你们的，你们都要谨守遵行，但不要效法他们的行为，因为他们能说不能行。
4他们把难担的重担捆起来，搁在人的肩上，但自己一个指头也不肯动。
5他们一切所做的事都是要叫人看见，所以将佩戴的经文做宽了，衣裳的穗子做长了；
6喜爱筵席上的首座、会堂里的高位，
7又喜爱人在街市上问他安，称呼他‘拉比’。
8但你们不要受拉比的称呼，因为只有一位是你们的夫子，你们都是弟兄。
9也不要称呼地上的人为父，因为只有一位是你们的父，就是在天上的父。
10也不要受师尊的称呼，因为只有一位是你们的师尊，就是基督。
11你们中间谁为大，谁就要做你们的用人。
12凡自高的，必降为卑；自卑的，必升为高。
“You must be careful to do everything [the Pharisees] tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” - Matthew 23:3
The Pharisees met Jesus. The Pharisees were religious leaders who wanted people to keep the law of Moses. So they built up all kinds of rules around the basic law, and they burdened the people with them. In the process, many of the leaders got so distracted by the rules that they forgot the heart of the law (love God; love your neighbor), and they did not practice what they preached.
In Matthew 23:1-12, Jesus let the Pharisees know what he didn’t like about them. Jesus agreed with a lot of what the Pharisees taught. Jesus was a faithful Jew, so he thought the Pharisees had good things to say about what it meant to love God and to serve God. But Jesus showed that the Pharisees cared more about the appearance of loving God than about actually loving God.
Following Jesus does not mean throwing out all religious traditions. Jesus knew that faith is meant to be practiced in community. We cannot be Christians by ourselves; we live within the guidelines of a community of other Christians.
But following Jesus also does not mean following the law just for the sake of the law. Jesus always called his disciples to put people first and traditions second. Jesus challenged the Pharisees for making the rules of the law too important. He called them to show love to people, as the law was intended to help them do. Jesus calls us to love people today too, following his excellent example.
God, thank you for giving us your law of love. By your Spirit, help us to love you and others. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
