Objectives of this lesson: (1) to increase awareness of the fact that God has priorities; (2) to stress human treatment of humans as a priority of God.

Determining the important is essential to everyone! Always there are priorities! Priorities are based on properly grasping what is more important among the numerous importants. Consider. Parents 'lay the law down' to a 14 year old: "Under no circumstance are you allowed to drive the car!" The 14 year old arrived home after school. The house was empty but on fire. Should he drive the family car parked in the garage to the street? If he does, will he be praised or punished? At that moment, which is more important to the family: hearing the parent's voice saying "under no circumstance," or taking immediate action to save the car from the house fire? Both were important, but which was most important at that moment? What was the priority?

Weekly [if not daily] most American Christians experience the stress and the tension of determining priorities in regard to unique situations and circumstances. Determining what is of highest importance when we are faced with the unexpected is a demanding experience.

To grasp the condemned hypocrisy in Israel's first century spiritual leaders, we urgently need an accurate understanding of the concepts Jesus used.

It is essential to (1) have a clear focus on what Jesus classified as hypocrisy in this matter and (2) realize Jesus stressed both considerations were important, but human-human relationships are of higher importance to God.

First, God's people must understand God has priorities. Tithing the garden herbs was not to be neglected! However, to God, justice [treating others fairly], mercy [being kind or forgiving when kindness or forgiveness is undeserved], and faithfulness [keeping promises and assurances] are the "weightier provisions of the law." A failure to recognize God's priorities led religious leaders to use the law to rebel against God's desires!

Christians must understand that God has priorities. To discuss a matter simply from the perspective of "God said here.." versus "Yes, but God said here..." is insufficient to determine what God wants. Judaism recognized over 600 laws given by God. An ancient discussion among the Jews centered on which was the most important and least important law. Long ago Israelites recognized God had priorities. A common consensus in Israel was that loving God with all one's being was the most important divine law (see Matthew 22:35-37) and the bird nest law (see Deuteronomy 22:6) was the least important law. Israel understood the issue of God's will involved deeper considerations than a discussion of God's authority.

Second, note that Jesus plainly stated God has "weightier matters" [in all ages!]. That does not mean that some of the things God instructed are unimportant. Nor does it mean that God deals in optional instructions. It means God has priorities just as we do. The most important godly considerations are those that directly involve "justice," "mercy," and "faithfulness" [loyalty; devotion]. God Himself is just. Those who follow God cannot knowingly be unjust. God is merciful. Those who follow God can not be willfully unmerciful. God is dependable. He keeps His promises. He will not abandon us. Those who follow God must be dependable promise keepers who do not abandon God or other people. Never does a Christian use an instruction from God to excuse being unjust, unmerciful, or unfaithful!

Jesus himself recognized God had priorities.

Third, we refer to "mint, dill, and cummin" as cooking spices. Commonly a few plants of these were grown to give flavor to food. When I was a boy, my mother planted three dill plants to provide dill for canning pickles. Three dill plants would provide all the dill needed for a lot of pickles! Jesus addressed leaders who demanded devout Jews tithe [give ten per cent of] these herbs to God.

Tithing even cooking spices acknowledged God as being involved in every aspect of existence. This was another way to declare and show absolute dependence on God.

Fourth, consider the gnat and the camel. In Palestine, the gnat was among the smallest of the unclean creatures [forbidden as food for Israelites] and the camel was among the largest unclean creatures [forbidden as food for the Israelites]. Read Leviticus 11:4, 20-23, 41. Israelites were to eat neither gnats nor camels. Both were unclean.

It is too simple for devout religious people to be scrupulous in observing small details while being oblivious to huge, obvious concerns of God.

Fifth, note it was proper to tithe mint, dill, and cummin. Jesus did not suggest tithing even the smallest blessings was unimportant to Israelites. A primary purpose for tithing was to acknowledge dependence on God. Jesus did not deny the importance of that. He declared justice, mercy, and faithfulness expressed in human interactions was more important to God than tithing garden herbs.

Small matters that are observed in great detail neither hide nor eliminate large matters. Large matters of obvious importance to God do not make small matters unimportant.

Sixth, only the spiritually blind regarded themselves to be among God's righteous people because they never ate a gnat [the smallest unclean creature in Palestine], but regularly consumed a camel [the largest unclean creature in Palestine] without even a small twinge of conscience.

Again, it is much too simple for devoutly religious people to attach great significance to small things and little or no significance to things of great importance. Too often when our attention is directed to a significant matter we have not seen, we search for ways to justify or excuse our blindness rather than opening our eyes.

It is easy to regard ourselves as God's devout followers because we are careful about details and do not violate even the smallest matters. We find great comfort in being able to say, "We keep even the least rules!" Too often we believe that attention to small things verifies we yield to God's authority.

Those who typically regard themselves to be spiritually devout are often more known for their devotion spiritually to small things and details than to spiritually significant matters. [Of course, we commonly consider small things and details to be the significant matters.] Yielding to God's authority includes a fundamental acceptance of God's priorities. Jesus' focus declared that those who consider themselves devout can be obsessed with details at the same moment they are blind to God's priorities.

It is easier to protect one's food from gnats than it is to be just to all people [including the poor and the unjust!], to be merciful to those who make mistakes [including the lazy and the successful], and to be faithful in all our dealings with others [even those who would be unfaithful to us!]. Straining gnats is not fun! However, being fair to all people, being merciful to those who need mercy, and being faithful in awkward circumstances is much more difficult! Gnats are hard to strain, but human association and relationships are more challenging!

It is much easier to be obsessed with details than it is to be focused on God's priorities. Obsession with details places confidence in "us" and "what we are doing." Seeing God's priorities demands we be dependent on God. Details stress what we conclude is important. Priorities stress what God declares to be important. Too often the contrast is reduced to a comparison of human effort to trusting God's assurances. We prefer to trust our acts rather than God's assurances.

A teacher I deeply respect once declared to a class studying the Old Testament prophets: "The prophets often said to Israel that they could not be righteous simply by knowing the mistakes of others." What an insight! Applied to us, we Christians will not go to heaven simply because we are well informed about the mistakes others make! Sometimes we feel good about ourselves because we accurately see others "swallowing gnats" while never realizing they watch us regularly "swallow camels."

Often focusing on others' mistakes results in our feeling righteous because we do not make "those" mistakes. It encourages a judgmental attitude which is quick to condemn and hesitant to encourage. Often focusing on our mistakes results in our depending on God's mercy and grace. Justification is a gift, not an achievement. Compassion flows easily because we identify with the struggle. Obedience is an expression of gratitude, not an attempt to obligate God. Watching others "swallow gnats" does not excuse our "swallowing camels."

Some "are shocked" if a person who claims to be a Christian is careless about attendance, or "has a meal in a place that serves alcohol," or is not watchful about what he or she does "in a church building," or expresses "theological concerns" about the order of worship. Yet, these same Christians might regularly humiliate a spouse, or regularly treat their children with contempt, or be horrible neighbors, or be unjust to people in their work place, or cheat the poor as a matter of "good business," or consider strangers as nothing more than "business opportunities," or treat others "like they deserve to be treated" instead of defeating evil by doing good (Romans 12:21). However, they feel quite godly because they "attend every time the doors are open," boycott places that serve alcohol, are careful about what they do in a "church building," and observe "the correct" order of worship. Jesus would say such Christians are accomplished at straining gnats, but with unconcern swallow camels.

Our spiritual behavior, attitudes, and motives too often are more a product of our conclusions about what is important rather then God's priorities.

Discussion Questions:

1. Discuss what is the nature of a "priority." How do we identify God's priorities?

   Priorities focus on what is most [comparatively] important in a group of important matters or concerns. We listen as God reveals though His word and His son what matters most to Him. God tells us His priorities! We do not assign God His priorities!

2. What six understandings do we need to grasp about Matthew 23:23, 24?
   1. We must understand God has priorities.

   2. God recognizes "weightier matters."

   3. Mint, dill, and cummin were cooking spices grown in small amounts.

   4. Gnats were the small unclean insects in Palestine, and camels were the largest unclean animals in Palestine.

   5. It was proper to tithe mint, dill, and cummin.

   6. Only the blind would regard themselves righteous because they did not swallow gnats while they ate camels.

3. Discuss why it is easy for Christians to consider themselves devout if they observe details.

   The discussion should include our feelings of religious comfort generated by placing confidence in our deeds rather than placing confidence in dependence on God.

4. Discuss why God emphasizes human-to-human relationships as "weightier matters."

   The discussion should include (a) the enormous, tireless investment God makes in people, (b) the incredible challenges presented by interacting with other people in a godly manner, and (c) the fact that God made humans to reflect Him.

5. In your past, what religious things were "shocking" to the church?

   The answers will depend on individual recall of past contact with the church. This discussion might recall a past emphasis on women wearing hats, or on the congregation covering the communion table with a linen cloth.

6. Why do Christians too often fail to regard the treatment of a spouse, a child, a neighbor, a person at work, the poor, or strangers as God's "weightier matters"?

   Such matters are difficult, complex, and contain failings as well as successes. Such matters are not totally under the control of the person's initiatives.

7. Discuss Jesus' statement: "These are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

   Both tithing cooking spices and justice, mercy, and faithfulness are important. Neither is to be ignored or neglected. Yet, God's priority is justice, mercy, and faithfulness. One is not righteous because he/she tithes small things while neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness. In God's priorities, our treatment of people is more important than the use we make of things.

Link to Student Guide Lesson 7

Copyright © 2004
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

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