Changi Chapel

Are you a concealed grave spruced up to deceive others?

In Luke 11:44, Jesus chided the Pharisees by saying “Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.”

Grave yards were ritually impure to the Jew. Touching a dead body or visiting a grave yard, made them ceremonially unclean for seven days!

According to the Torah in Num 19:16 ““Anyone out in the open who touches …  a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days”.

Consequently grave yards were off-limits to the Jew unless they had to bury a family member, relative or a friend. And whenever they visited a grave yard, it was required of them to purify themselves by taking “a hyssop branch and dip it into the water and sprinkle the water on on the person … who touched a grave” . Num 19:18.

Since graves were such a repulsive place to visit, it is interesting Jesus is comparing the Pharisees to such graves – albeit spruced up ones!

Because if the average Jew realized that they were walking on an unmarked grave, they would immediately pull back in fear and see how they can quickly cleanse themselves.

Such was the condition of the Pharisees who were passing of as religious folks but actually were as defiling as the grave yard.

Yes it is possible for any of us to appear religious and spiritual but actually be a source of defilement and corruption to others.

And only our works will reveal if we are indeed unmarked graves or if we are a source of life and blessing to others.

Are you an unmarked grave or a fount of living waters?