Unmarked Graves

We continue in our Advent Bible Reading plan with our reading today in the Gospel of Luke, the 11th chapter. I want to share one brief insight that might give you a more complete understanding of our reading today.

Luke 11:44: “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

With these words, Jesus lays upon the Pharisees a double insult: one obvious to us and one that might be hidden from us.

The most obvious insult is the fact that Jesus called the Pharisees "unmarked graves." The offense of these words might be obvious since graves are the location that houses death. The Pharisees contain no life and are filled with death.

Understanding the context helps explain the rest of the verse, however. Why does it matter that people "walk over" the graves without knowing?

According to the Old Testament ceremonial law (Numbers 19:18), anyone who touches a grave is "defiled" and must undergo a ritual cleansing process. So, not only was Jesus saying that the Pharisees were empty and dead, but that they actually brought spiritual harm, defilement, and condemnation upon anybody they came in contact with.

In other words, the Pharisees weren't just misguided, they were spiritual poison.

On this side of the cross, we can give thanks that Jesus fulfilled and brought an end to the Old Covenant's ceremonial laws. Additionally, we give thanks to God that he has given us his Word so that we might be protected from false teachers who bring spiritual confusion, death, and condemnation.

Blessings as you spend this Advent season under the Word!