The Inside-Out Problem
You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Matthew 23:26 NASB
First – Since we are going to explore the word protos (Greek for “first”), it’s probably useful to first note that Yeshua’s scathing remark is not aimed at all Pharisees. No, he is addressing those who held a particular theological view about the relationship between inner intention and outer action. His invective, pharisaie typhle, is very strong language, especially for those who claimed to be the spiritual leaders in their communities. In fact, this is a good place to notice that Yeshua breaks our mold of the mild, gentle and loving Messiah. This is direct and aggressive confrontation bordering on insult.
OK, we see that. Now what about this inner-outer problem? Notice Heschel’s remark on the same issue. “This assertion—that what goes on in one’s inner life is of decisive importance—came as a shock to the stalwart guardians of tradition. Had they not always taught that the essence of Jewish living was in the doing? That inwardness, good intentions were desirable but not indispensable? Was it not an established principle that the value of good deeds remained unimpaired, even when devoid of good intentions? Many authorities had even questioned whether good deeds needed to be accompanied by good intentions.”[1]
Heschel’s insight says something important about Yeshua as Messiah. He actually raised this issue. Jewish history includes a man who challenged this tradition. Do you find it intriguing that Jewish sages were caught off-guard by Yeshua’s declaration? If there is anything typical of Jewish faith it is tradition! And here the Messiah is questioning (read “confronting”) a tradition; a tradition that put all of the emphasis on outer action. In fact, Yeshua is going even further. He is saying that outer action makes no difference unless there is proper inner intention. Please remember that this issue was already of significant concern to other rabbis. Yeshua is not raising a new problem. He is merely siding with those who were already grappling with the coherence between inner intention and outer action. Yeshua is challenging one tradition and declaring it inadequate. God wants more than outward compliance.
It is unfortunate that the Christian Church read this as an attack on all Jewish thought. It wasn’t! It is even more unfortunate that the Christian Church ignored the implication of the word protos. Yeshua is not saying that only inner motivation matters. He is saying that inner intention comes first in a sequence that results in outer action. His statement never suggests that the only thing that really counts is what happens in our hearts. What happens in our hearts is the first thing that matters as we move toward outer obedience. There are no grounds here for saying that Torah has been set aside in favor of inner spiritual submission. First clean the inside in preparation for outward obedience.
In the end, both extremes are inadequate. It is just as insufficient to claim that it is just a matter of the heart as it is to claim that outward obedience is enough. The real solution is both, and that’s what makes it so difficult. If I only have to comply, my inner life can still resist, debate and rebel. But if I only have to have the right heart attitude, I might never actually change how I behave. We know that both must be present but we struggle to find the means to stand before the Lord with heart in hand.
Topical Index: protos, first, Pharisees, heart, obedience, Matthew 23:26
[1] Abraham Heschel, A Passion for Truth, p. 42.
Excellent way to “rightly divide the word of truth”. People have been seeking to “put asunder what God has joined together” from day one. I consider that essential fracturing of reality as the very definition of sin, and this example is no exception. Isaiah apparently had run into this problem too, as he writes about a day that people would be given that “heart of flesh”. This is not a Jewish problem, by the way!
Doing outward deeds without being motivated by love is like pushing a car that is out of gas down the road. The car may still be rolling, but it is being powered, so to speak, by human flesh, because its engine isn’t running. Love, which is the very will of God, is supposed to be the motivation for our actions. This is the only real power in all of reality. Everything else is just robbing Peter to pay Paul, which will always result in a net loss (that would be death), and there will always be some sort of lying involved, too, by the way, for we have to be believing, on some level, that we are accomplishing love, or else we would not be able to even motivate ourselves. I know that is a strong statement, but I challenge anyone to dissect human action honestly.
We are hardwired for love, and so therefore we are having to be lied to about love at some level to even be able to do anything at all. Actions devoid of love, then, are still having to be done under the auspices of some sort of lie about love. If you don’t believe that, then you may not be understanding how basic love is, and also how extensive love is, for love encompasses the entirety of all need of everything. We sin, however, when we get things out of order in some way, which will be pretty much 100% of the time if we are not being commissioned (like Seeker keeps pointing out), as well as being powered, by heaven. There is just simply no way that we can grasp what is needed by everyone and everything around us sufficiently to know the next right action love should be taking in our lives. That requires the vision as well as the heart of heaven. Our part is to be the vector of that Will by lining ours up with it.
Conversely, there is no such thing as being motivated by love, but still not doing it. Motivation IS power, and when the gas pedal is being mashed to the floor, reality is going to change. That’s how ya know that pedal is being mashed!
This brings back memories happy Sunday school song Yeshua on the inside working on the outside oh what a change in my life. I’ve recently found the Musar Institute. In early 19th century in Lithuania Jewish people studied on cognitive thought of disciplining emotions. This causes me to think of the change in the nature of our fruit. The fruit of this flesh changing to the Fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5 & 6. Matthew 23:27 speaks to the Pharisees and calls them whitewashed tombs excellent analogy to this post we could also consider the observation wolves in sheep’s clothing major deception fantastic study we could turn it around and quote look who’s calling the kettle black. Back to the scriptures. What Fellowship does light have with Darkness? In thought and I cleaned the whole house but put nothing in it Matthew 12:43 and when the unclean Spirit return and found nothing in it it returned with seven other spirits worse than before wow what a warning
Is this not exactly what the Catholic church lost when it decided to align itself with the power of Rome rather than the tradition and understanding of its parent Judaism? And was this not further compounded by Luther with his “faith alone” pronouncement? How do we unscramble the omlette and put the egg back in the shell?
Just like an omelette, we probably can’t fix it now. But we can change our view, and stop doing those things that encourage people to keep eating omelettes.
The world judges the action, but Yeshua said that it is the FRUIT of the action that tells the root. That is why you see ‘charities’ all day long that are, in fact, producing little to no fruit. Somehow, reality can tell if it is a tax writeoff. Yeshua knew that, too.
Sorry, I posted this in the wrong place. My light bulb just went off, though. All my life I have wondered about why the widow’s mite was somehow ‘more’ than the rich man’s millions. I thought it was something ‘spiritual’ that counted in heaven, perhaps. But now, I think it may be different. Fruit of the action is counted in this world, too. The spirit in which something is given somehow carries over into the ability to produce fruit on the other end. This would actually explain all kinds of mysteries about actions that look so good but get nowhere vs. some things that inexplicably blow up like wildfire, either for good or for ill – out of practically nothing and nowhere. Now I am going to have to go digest this huge lump. Sorry to say something I haven’t thought through yet, but suffering my learning curve is something I am constantly grateful to everybody for already. So, thank you again!
Sorry again, but another light bulb about another mystery – the one where Yeshua told us not to let the left hand know what the right one is doing. I know that the left hand was reserved for ‘unclean’ practices, and so I always just thought that would explain it, and I think that it might still be a correct symbol, or allegory regarding pure and impure intention (motivation, or, spirit, or, exercise of yetzer ha-ra vs. yetzer ha-tov), but I now am thinking it might go further. Thinking about that fruit thing again, perhaps it also was meant to tell us that unloving motivations (flesh) can ‘pollute’ the fruit. Now I’ve gone and tickled myself, which usually means I am going to have to quit before I just get silly. Somebody needs to write a song….
Most Christian disciplines Believe In the Balanced Life but I would like to confirm that we are out of balance and we must rely on the work of the spirit in our lives. He is our overcomer he has conquered death hell and the grave he has conquered doubt unbelief Etc. The battle has already been won but it’s working out the everyday stuff. Christ in me my hope of glory. One day at a time Sweet Jesus that’s all I’m asking of you. Give me the strength to do everyday what I have to do. As I was quoting this verse as Miss Hayes says a light bulb went off and caused me to remember even the disciples asked Jesus how to pray for they knew the power of God was with him thus the example for us.
I was pondering my history a little bit and I remember a very basic quote from Abraham Hittle I think that’s how it name is spelt anyway. A man asks him to teach him the entire Torah while standing on one foot Hittle response I think he said anyway love your neighbor as yourself and teach him to do likewise
I looked up the exact quote it if you’re going to quote get the right words it didn’t take long. What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor this is the whole of Torah the rest is commentary now go study Shabbat 31a excellent
It’s from Rabbi Hillel
“That which is despicable to you, do not do to your fellow, this is the whole Torah…..” Interestingly to me, as a supposed summation of the whole of Torah, this is, in my view, at best, a corollary of what Yeshua said, as written in Mat. 7:12, of course – “So in all things, do to others what you would want them to do to you—for this is the Torah and the Prophets.” At worst, again in my view, it is a wrongly reduced, positive opposite, and I think, falling short of Yeshua’s summation, for it seems His includes not only the commission of deeds in keeping with the yetzer hatov but also the active commission of deeds in keeping with the yetzer harah. Please comment, as I think this is also a related “inside-out” issue.
Having said that, I am even more curious to understand what Yeshua meant in the first place, in two respects, and would appreciate your commentary. The same could be asked about Paul’s statement, “For the whole Torah can be summed up in a single saying: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” [Gal 5:14] First is, how can these statements sum up the whole Torah when there is so much of Torah that doesn’t have anything to do with our relationship to our neighbor, at least directly? Secondly is, how can “do to others what you want them to do to you” be an accurate and reliable instruction when people’s preferences differ so much from each others?
I think the answers to your questions, Jerry, are included in the concept of community. Members of a close-knit community will understand what their neighbors’ preferences are. And the Torah covers all aspects of life because a community is so much more that just the relationships between people. You asked good questions.
Correction: I meant to write, “…..the active OMISSION of deeds in keeping with the yetzer harah.”
Agin we get to the heart of the matter. Shaul I belive it was said “I have no greater joy than this to see my children walking in truth” (pardon my memory ) Walking requires two legs. With that in mind I think of Yeshua who came “walking” full of Grace & Truth. It is clear to me that we can not fake or hide the motivations of our hearts. In my many years of walking on the path of Torah as my way and studies in the word as it is revealed in and through the lives and actions of others I have seen clear cognatetive dissonance. A disconnect between intention , action, or expected results.
In studing the word I see three things that YAHWEH will at the final trump judge us for. These principles I belive are in both the Tanakh and the New Testament. Our performance as individuals is evaluated based not simply on what we do, what we say but perhaps more importantly why we say or do it. Just as the heart is central for “out of it flow the issues of life” what we allow into it and out of it determine that flow. What we love, worship, or fixate on is of the greates importance. Agin we have David The man after God’s own heart” as an example “create in me a clean heart of God and renew a right Spirit within me” so be it amen.
Pretty sure it was John who said that. See his letter.
Work on the inside; attitude, characteristic, emotions etc. For the external functioning; contributions, input, support etc.
The internal referring to the knowledge and insight into the wisdom and power of God make the conviction or heart pure then then deeds or hands will be clean or righteous/just.
The attributes that pleases YHVH. They do not necessarily please the individual involved.
Skip would this be the Yeshua or deed of salvation which saves not the doer but the one being served? The Yeshua is already saved and must be humble enough to remain in these works which God has prepared…