45-46 One of the experts in the law answered Jesus, ‘Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also!’ Jesus replied, ‘And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. 47-51 ‘Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. Because of this, God in his wisdom said, “I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.” Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.”

52 ‘Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.’ 53-54 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say. Luke 11:45-54 New International Version (English Standard Version link)

The 'experts in the law' were people who taught and explained the laws that Moses had passed on to the Israelites. When one of them heard Jesus calling the Pharisees 'whitewashed graves', and condemning them for wanting the applause of men rather that God's praise, he felt deeply insulted. But Jesus speaks even sterner words about these lawyers. What did He accuse them of in vs 45-46?

They loved to make loads of rules for people to keep – but showed absolutely no compassion. They were not helping people to know God's word and His love, they just loved having authority. In vs 47-51 He says that their pretended respect for people who had been persecuted and killed for speaking God's wisdom through the ages was actually one of the reasons God was going to bring judgement upon that generation. Their religion was showy and superficial. Jesus then gives a devastating summary of their lives in vs 52. What would you say is the key of knowledge?

Perhaps Proverbs 1:7 is part of the answer. It says: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Jesus spoke of how God in wisdom had sent messengers, but the people had violently rejected them. The book of Proverbs is also called the book of wisdom and, in Proverbs 1:20-22, it says: “Wisdom calls out loudly in the street. In the public squares she raises her voice. At the noisy street corners she calls out. At the entrances to the city gates she speaks her words: “How long will you gullible people love being gullible? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing? How long will fools hate knowledge?”

Because these lawyers did not have a true fear of God they rejected the wisdom that came through His true messengers. They thought religion was about endless rituals and rules. The terrible result was that they themselves didn't experience God's mercy and forgiveness and, worse still, their superstitious teaching blinded others to the truth about God and prevented them from entering into eternal life.

What a challenge these words still are to the world we live in even today. Many religious systems place huge importance on religious ceremonies, statues, stained glass windows, rites and rituals, special garments and holy days. Sadly, much of it boils down to superstition rather than what the gospel teaches. In John 14:6 Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” It's not religion with all it's trappings that bring us into a right relationship with God - it is Jesus Christ, and faith in Him. How is it with my life today? A religion of outward remembrance of saints who died pictured in stained glass buildings, or a relationship with the living Saviour?