| SCRIBES AND LAWYERS |
| Jesus lived 2000 years ago. People didn't have computers and copy machines then, or nice print like you see in books. So people called scribes copied words. Most scribes spent their time copying laws and other legal things so people could have their own copies. Many scribes got so they understood laws so much that they decided to become lawyers. Lawyers explain the law to people to show them how to live by the law, or to show how they broke the law and may be punished. Some people didn't want to be good, so followed Jesus around saying things to try to convince his followers Jesus was bad. "Jesus, you didn't wash your hands or say a prayer before you ate," one of them said. "Our Temple creed says you have to." Jesus replied, "Who made you judge over religion?" The creed came from men trying to be important, but it was not from God. "Besides," Jesus added, "You obey whatever religious rules you like, and pretend the rules you don't like aren't there. You act like you're so religious, but you're hypocrites." "Even parts of God's word you pick and choose. God said to support your parents when they get old. Instead, you give the money to the Temple where you will get praised." Another time the scribes and lawyers reminded Jesus to love his neighbor as much as he loves himself. Jesus told them they refuse to help their neighbors if they are a different color or religion or language. They were hypocrites. No matter how the scribes and lawyers from Jerusalem tried to trap Jesus into looking bad, they couldn't do it. Jesus knew God's word better than they did. Sometimes even religious leaders quit being good. But they like being leaders, so they are only bad when no one is looking. That makes them hypocrites. Jesus said we should be careful which religious leaders we follow because some of them aren't what they seem. Do you ever go to church and pretend to be good there, but go home and hit someone or lie or take someone's toy? God can see us all the time ~ when we're good and bad. Everyone should try to be good even when people are not looking because God is looking. |