Luke 11:52-54 52Woe to you lawyers, because you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.” 53And after he had departed from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly hostile and to interrogate him about many things, 54lying in wait to catch him in something from his mouth.
The sixth and last woe specifically addresses the lawyers again, but their problem was inclusive of the Pharisees and anyone who is in the position of influence or teaching. The lawyers were the Bible scholars of the time. Their time and lives were devoted to studying the law, which could be inclusive of the Law, Prophets, and Writings. They had made their interpretations so complex that no one could understand the Bible except themselves. Few people had access to the sacred scrolls. A local synagogue may have some copies, but people had to rely on the scholars to help them understand their meaning.
The key to knowledge could refer to the key that leads to knowledge. If we look at the whole context of Jesus’ ministry and all of Scripture, the key to knowledge is faith. Knowledge by itself is meaningless and only leads to human self-glorification by boasting in how much a person knows. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8:1, knowledge puffs up. The lawyers were keeping people from faith by making the way too complicated. In fact, the situation was so serious that the lawyers themselves missed out on entering. Luke does not record what the lawyers were kept from entering, but Matthew 23:13 makes it clear that it was God’s kingdom. Knowledge is a great thing to strive for, but knowledge without faith can actually become a hindrance to eternal life. So called scholars of the Bible today must always remember who they serve. They do not serve students, schools, or the academy (“publish or perish”) but God.
Jesus hit the nail on head with his assessment of the Pharisees, scribes, and lawyers. Something changed at that moment. If their hearts were soft and willing to listen to the word of truth and if they would have humbled their hearts and attitudes, they could have experienced the new life Jesus talked about. But instead, they doubled down in their criticism of him. They tried to trap him so they could dispose of him. He was causing too much trouble by disturbing their way of life and ruining their influence among the people. The choice was up to them, just as the choice is up to us today. What will we do with Jesus? His words bring conviction because they show our weaknesses and sins. We can trust in him to bring new life or we come reject him and face judgment.
For older posts, click here.