Serpent brood of vipers - Jesus
The seven woes, recorded in Matthew 23, are no exception. “White-washed tombs.” “Serpents, a brood of vipers.” “Twice as much a son of hell.” “Blind guides.” But one of the more tragically comedic is verse 24: “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!”
The context is Jesus’ final rebuke of Israel’s first-century religious leaders. The Pharisees felt good about themselves for meticulously tithing from these inconsequential herbs. “Here you go, God. We spent half the day measuring this out; a pinch of dill; a fraction of a mint leaf; and a mili-teaspoon of cumin.”
They spooned out spices from under a microscope, while willfully neglecting central things in the word of God. To be sure, Jesus did not rebuke observance of the word of God, but majoring on minors to the neglect of majors. Gnat-straining and camel-gorging.
Gnats and camels were the smallest and largest ceremonially unclean animals. Jesus picks the smallest creature to the eye; a gnat. These tiny bugs would fly into a wine container. So, people would strain them out by pouring the wine through a permeable cloth. It speaks of meticulous activity to remove the smallest little bugs that you could barely see.
t’s a jarring word picture with sharp humor; a guy giving much effort to filtering out semi-microscopic bugs. But then there is an ogrely, mangy camel standing next to him. Israeli camels weigh in over 1000 lbs. And while scrupulously picking out gnats, he then grabs that desert beast and stuffs it into his mouth.
Jesus’ message is clear: there is a certain type of sin that is selective about obedience; majoring on minors and minoring about majors. Hypocrisy is proud of itself for doing certain moral things, but neglecting big things. “Yeah, I’ll do this thing for God, but not that.” It’s an avoiding of lesser sins, but committing larger ones.
If you have struggled like I have at times, perhaps you have found yourself selectively obeying in a way that majors on minors and minors on majors. Are you a gnat-straining, camel-gorger? Here are a few examples for consideration.
Tolerating glaring personal ungodliness.
Generally speaking, this was the sin of the Pharisees which solicits Jesus’ word picture. They assumed to live for God as God’s people, yet tolerated blatant personal sin. Biblical godliness is not multiple-choice. It’s not “pick a few commands you like, do those, and don’t worry about the stuff you don’t like.” Doing the Christian life while tolerating glaring areas of ungodliness in our lives is the idea. This is gnat-straining and camel-eating, par excellence.
Jesus’ message is clear: there is a certain type of sin that is selective about obedience; majoring on minors and minoring about majors. Hypocrisy is proud of itself for doing certain moral things, but neglecting big things. “Yeah, I’ll do this thing for God, but not that.” It’s an avoiding of lesser sins, but committing larger ones.
If you have struggled like I have at times, perhaps you have found yourself selectively obeying in a way that majors on minors and minors on majors. Are you a gnat-straining, camel-gorger? Here are a few examples for consideration.
Tolerating glaring personal ungodliness.
Generally speaking, this was the sin of the Pharisees which solicits Jesus’ word picture. They assumed to live for God as God’s people, yet tolerated blatant personal sin. Biblical godliness is not multiple-choice. It’s not “pick a few commands you like, do those, and don’t worry about the stuff you don’t like.” Doing the Christian life while tolerating glaring areas of ungodliness in our lives is the idea. This is gnat-straining and camel-eating, par excellence.
Nitpicking the way in which someone confronts us.
It sometimes happens like this: we need a little nudge to get out of a spiritual rut in our lives. A brother or sister loves us enough to come alongside us to give the needed nudge. But, the way that they go about it might be a few points short of perfection.
Perhaps they picked a time when we were tired or had a long day. Perhaps there wasn’t much time to talk. The circumstances were not ideal for us. So, instead of humbly embracing the substance of the loving correction, we seek for an escape hatch. We bark about the method of confrontation. We blameshift; pull out the red herring. We accuse them of not coming at the perfect time or perfect way instead of having humble gratitude and receptivity. It’s gnat-straining and camel-gorging.
It sometimes happens like this: we need a little nudge to get out of a spiritual rut in our lives. A brother or sister loves us enough to come alongside us to give the needed nudge. But, the way that they go about it might be a few points short of perfection.
Perhaps they picked a time when we were tired or had a long day. Perhaps there wasn’t much time to talk. The circumstances were not ideal for us. So, instead of humbly embracing the substance of the loving correction, we seek for an escape hatch. We bark about the method of confrontation. We blameshift; pull out the red herring. We accuse them of not coming at the perfect time or perfect way instead of having humble gratitude and receptivity. It’s gnat-straining and camel-gorging.
Living like an angel in public, but a devil in private.
This is the guy who puts forth much sweat to get himself or his family to church stuff and is able to connive a general opinion of friendliness from others who know him at a distance.
But, a peek into his private home life and it’s another thing. He is unrepentantly proud. He can’t be corrected. It’s his way or the highway. He is an angel at church, but a devil at home. He can’t handle if his wife or children or roommates confront his sin. It’s a humility-less atmosphere by his doing. Gnat-straining and camel-gorging.
This is the guy who puts forth much sweat to get himself or his family to church stuff and is able to connive a general opinion of friendliness from others who know him at a distance.
But, a peek into his private home life and it’s another thing. He is unrepentantly proud. He can’t be corrected. It’s his way or the highway. He is an angel at church, but a devil at home. He can’t handle if his wife or children or roommates confront his sin. It’s a humility-less atmosphere by his doing. Gnat-straining and camel-gorging.
Division over inconsequential matters.
Take the example of a church administrator making minor adjustments in the church life. For example, a small change to the time of a church gathering, building paint, decor, or similar. Then it happens: an individual reacts in an uproar. Emails, not calls, filled with caps and exclamation points. In all the years of church matters; Sunday preaching, discipleship groups, and leadership training, not once did this upset individual respond with such energy to the ordinary means of grace. But, make a change to something to something minor and it’s gnat-straining and camel-guzzling.
Take the example of a church administrator making minor adjustments in the church life. For example, a small change to the time of a church gathering, building paint, decor, or similar. Then it happens: an individual reacts in an uproar. Emails, not calls, filled with caps and exclamation points. In all the years of church matters; Sunday preaching, discipleship groups, and leadership training, not once did this upset individual respond with such energy to the ordinary means of grace. But, make a change to something to something minor and it’s gnat-straining and camel-guzzling.
Hammering unbelievers in our lives for living like unbelievers.
Chances are, most Christians live among non-yet believers. Consider a professing Christian who goes to church and reads their Bible. They can articulate doctrine and recite more books read than most Christians.
But, then a neighbor parks a bit on their grass, or the neighbor’s dog makes a mess on their lawn, or the neighbor’s kids pick a few of their flowers. Consequently, the professing Christian complains angrily at their unbelieving neighbor for destroying some grass, and never asks forgiveness. Even worse than some foliage, it’s the relationship that was destroyed. Gnat-straining and camel-guzzling.
Chances are, most Christians live among non-yet believers. Consider a professing Christian who goes to church and reads their Bible. They can articulate doctrine and recite more books read than most Christians.
But, then a neighbor parks a bit on their grass, or the neighbor’s dog makes a mess on their lawn, or the neighbor’s kids pick a few of their flowers. Consequently, the professing Christian complains angrily at their unbelieving neighbor for destroying some grass, and never asks forgiveness. Even worse than some foliage, it’s the relationship that was destroyed. Gnat-straining and camel-guzzling.
Pounding the body of Christ on peripheral, social issues.
Certain socio-cultural issues need addressing from the pulpit. But what can happen is that the local church and pulpit ministry become dominated by socio-cultural issues over and above consecutive, surrendered expository preaching. To discuss and apply socio-cultural issues at times is good.
But, when they dominate the time and resources of New Testament ministry, there’s a chance we have veered from the disciple-making mission. Since socio-cultural causes are not the central mission of the local church, we risk gnat-straining and camel-gorging when we disdain other believers who do not devote attention and resources to such issues in the way that we do.
Prioritizing the “Christian life” to the neglect of enthusiastic New Testament body life.
Imagine a professing Christian who reads their Bible and prays every day at home. They have people over often, listen to a lot of Christian radio, and read the Bible to their kids. But there is something crucial missing. It’s the four and no more. They refuse to humbly plug into a New Testament kind of a church. In doing so, they refuse to transparently commit to Jesus’ Bride. Consequently, they fail to be involved in the body of Christ, despite the prioritizing of Christian things. Gnat-straining and camel-gulping.
Imagine a professing Christian who reads their Bible and prays every day at home. They have people over often, listen to a lot of Christian radio, and read the Bible to their kids. But there is something crucial missing. It’s the four and no more. They refuse to humbly plug into a New Testament kind of a church. In doing so, they refuse to transparently commit to Jesus’ Bride. Consequently, they fail to be involved in the body of Christ, despite the prioritizing of Christian things. Gnat-straining and camel-gulping.
Lots of external and social emphasis, but little heart substance.
This is the idea of an externally and socially-focused Christian living. Some professing Christians live in a state of near-perpetual angst at everything external and social issue. Perhaps we often find ourselves in heated debates about cultural, political, and social issues; shaking the fist of our hearts at people. Imagine if we were only angry about social issues, but neglected to take time to sit before God.
What does it say about us if we spend more time posting fist-shaking political rhetoric on social media than quietly sitting before God to confess sin of our own heart? He never gets transparent with other believers in their church. Instead, he sort of exists in angst at everything besides his own sinful angst. Gnat-straining and camel-gobbling.
This is the idea of an externally and socially-focused Christian living. Some professing Christians live in a state of near-perpetual angst at everything external and social issue. Perhaps we often find ourselves in heated debates about cultural, political, and social issues; shaking the fist of our hearts at people. Imagine if we were only angry about social issues, but neglected to take time to sit before God.
What does it say about us if we spend more time posting fist-shaking political rhetoric on social media than quietly sitting before God to confess sin of our own heart? He never gets transparent with other believers in their church. Instead, he sort of exists in angst at everything besides his own sinful angst. Gnat-straining and camel-gobbling.
Little love, lots of scurrying.
This is an easy one to fall into. It’s the individual who likes spreadsheets, bullet points, and flowcharts. They love creating dragon-like to-do lists, and valiantly slaying them. They attend church functions regularly and are disciplined. However, while they slay their to-do list, they’re also slaying friendships. They lack love for people. Kindness has been sacrificed in the name of productivity. Gnat-straining and camel-swallowing.
Much external Christian activity, little prioritizing of corporate worship.
This is the individual who involves themselves in a whirlwind of activities. They love being known as the active, well-rounded family. There is no way they are going to be known as the weird religious family who doesn’t do anything fun. It’s a tornadic existence of sports, club teams, related traveling, PTA, volunteering, altruistic causes, and without ceasing.
The end of one whirlwind season means the beginning of another. In the meantime, they find themselves just not able to prioritize corporate worship. It’s a funny thing. They would never plan to miss church. It’s just that they always plan something else. God’s main thing gets crowded out for their main thing. Add to that, dad often finds himself grumbling that worship gatherings always occur at inconvenient times. Gnat-straining and camel-gorging.
Neglecting to prioritize the use of our spiritual gifts while prioritizing every other aspect of the Christian life.
This individual knows that each Christian has a composite of Spirit-given gifts. They’re convinced. But, the many serving opportunities in the church never work out for them. It’s never the right time. It’s never the right place or temperature or weather for me. Times conflict. We’re tired. Mundane local church life gets boring. I don’t get recognized enough. I lose motivation. People don’t praise me. In the meantime, I valiantly carve out huge chunks of time for the things I want. Gnat-swallowing and camel-gulping.
You could think of more examples. Too often, I have found myself straining gnats while simultaneously cramming camels down my gullet. Thankfully, God did not leave sinners like me to myself. Motivated by his own glory, he gave his most valuable possession—his own Son. Jesus stepped out of heaven, became a man, lived the only impeccable life, then went to the cross to endure the righteous wrath of God for gnat-straining, camel-gorging people like me. He rose from the grave, that all who surrender in faith to him are saved.
