Peeling the Onion

<p>Here is the setting: the people are rejoicing over the newness of the message and the Kingdom of God. The barriers are being torn down and they are excited about being allowed in where they thought only special people could go. They are excited about healings and deliverance, a new life made available. The disciples are exploring these developments with the teachings of Jesus and are being overwhelmed with the newness and excitement of it all.  The Pharisees see their very existence threatened.  And Jesus is not condemning or unloving, he just continues to share the deep and cutting truth that hinders people from experiencing the love and healing power of God.  At stake is the basic understanding of who God is, and the result of wondering if all they have done in life is of any value at all. This conflicts with their views on power, authority, wealth, position, culture, even God’s decree of their special status in the world, whether the Romans knew it or not.  </p><p>Jesus is not being unkind, but his love for them all does not allow him to be dishonest in confronting the dominant sins in their lives. And his knowledge of God does not allow them to hide their sins behind their assumed religious façade, which permits them to secretly hide their sins: see 1 John 2:16</p><p>So what Jesus is helping them do, is to peel back the onion skins of their lives:</p><p>You know what happens when you do this? It eventually brings out the tears! (Peel onion 🧅)</p><p>This background is key to understanding this passage:</p><ol><li>The Pharisees feel threatened so now their hostility reaches a new level of openly mocking Jesus</li><li>Seeing the heart is an allusion to 11:39-41 where greed and alms giving is exposed inside and outside does not fool God!</li><li>Law and Prophets till John, now we see the Kingdom of God which is the rule of God from the heart!  All are urged to enter in.  Entrance is not by the impossible work of trying to keep the law without the right heart attitude, it is by repentance and forgiveness, which