Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Fr Erasio Flores SVD (Germany)
Thursday 28th Week in Ordinary Time
I had been away from the Philippines for quite a long time–27 years. Listening to the radio nowadays is quite interesting, especially on Saturdays. (Or checking the social media) One hears preaching or explanation here and there on the Word of God from almost every station. It’s impressive, even inspiring. That’s okay.
But there are problems. When one sees obvious contradictions in the different teachings that one hears, the question arises: Who of them are teaching the truth? Actually, that’s now the kind of world we live in. There is so much know-how on the popular level, also in the area of medicine, particularly of herbal medicine. One can listen for weeks, and every evening one can listen to an “expert”.
It’s interesting, in our Gospel reading of today, Jesus uses a harsh warning: “Woe to you!” Apparently, the target were the scribes and Pharisees. You know that from the reaction stated in the last sentence of the reading: “When he left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility towards him.”
Who were the Pharisees? We know, first of all, that they were the enemies of Jesus. He denounced their hypocrisy, and they always attempted to trap him.
The Pharisees were actually lawyers, not civil lawyers, but biblical lawyers. They knew much about the Bible, at that time the Old Testament. They were experts and guardians of the Law of Moses. They could cite the Bible left and fight, but did not know how to interpret it rightly. They were stern and strict in interpreting the Law.
Obviously, they had not been properly formed and officially commissioned to teach the Word of God. This requirement is essential to ensure that what one teaches is orthodox and correct. To read the Bible, everyone is encouraged to do and one is expected to live by his personal insights. But to teach others is entirely a different matter.
We glean from today’s reading that one who teaches must first be SENT, must be COMMISSIONED: “Therefore, the wisdom of God said: ‘I will SEND to them prophets and apostles.’” (Luke 11,49) This sending or commissioning of someone to teach is the guarantee of truth. Who do you think has the authority to send? We continue to search the Bible.
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