Luke 11:39 Meaning and Explanation
“And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus answers: Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and wickedness.
What Does Luke 11:39 Mean?
Jesus speaks first, answering the unspoken criticism. He takes the tableware in view: you scour the outside of the cup, he says, while the inside of you brims with plunder and wickedness.
The charge is misplaced cleanliness -- polishing the surface while the contents spoil. Religion can become expert at appearances: reputation scrubbed, heart unexamined. God looks, so to speak, into the inside of the cup; it is the inner life he inspects. Christ's hard words here are a mercy, naming the disease so it can be healed.
Luke 11:39 in the Original Language
harpage (ἁρπαγή), 'ravening' -- greed that seizes; extortion, plunder.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 11:39
What does Luke 11:39 mean?
Jesus answers: Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and wickedness.