11:41 11:41

Luke 11:42

11:43 11:43

Bible Versions

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
But {G235} woe {G3759} unto you {G5213}, Pharisees {G5330}! for {G3754} ye tithe {G586} mint {G2238} and {G2532} rue {G4076} and {G2532} all manner {G3956} of herbs {G3001}, and {G2532} pass over {G3928} judgment {G2920} and {G2532} the love {G26} of God {G2316}: these {G5023} ought ye {G1163} to have done {G4160}, and not {G3361} to leave {G863} the other {G2548} undone {G863}.
“But woe to you P’rushim! You pay your tithes of mint and rue and every garden herb, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You have an obligation to do these things — but without disregarding the others!
Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.
But woe unto you Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and every herb, and pass over justice and the love of God: but these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

In Luke 11:42, Jesus issues a sharp rebuke to the Pharisees, highlighting a critical flaw in their religious practice. This verse is part of a broader series of "woes" spoken by Jesus against the religious leaders of His day, condemning their hypocrisy and misdirection of spiritual priorities.

Context

This verse is situated within Jesus's public ministry, where He frequently challenged the established religious authorities, particularly the Pharisees. The Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect known for their meticulous adherence to the Mosaic Law and oral traditions. While they prided themselves on their detailed observance, Jesus consistently exposed their tendency to prioritize external rituals over internal transformation and the true spirit of God's commands. This specific "woe" follows Jesus's condemnation of their superficial cleansing rituals and their love for public recognition.

Key Themes

  • Hypocrisy: Jesus exposes the Pharisees' outward show of piety (tithing even the smallest herbs) while neglecting the more profound moral and spiritual demands of the Law. Their actions were a performance for human approval rather than genuine devotion to God.
  • Misplaced Priorities: The core of the accusation is that they "pass over judgment and the love of God." They focused on minor details of the Law while overlooking its "weightier matters." Jesus is not condemning tithing itself, but the act of letting it overshadow fundamental principles of justice and divine love. This echoes a similar condemnation found in Matthew 23:23.
  • True Righteousness: The verse emphasizes that true righteousness involves both external obedience and internal, heart-felt commitment to God's character. Jesus states, "these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone," indicating that both careful observance and spiritual substance are necessary, with the latter taking precedence.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Woe" (Greek: ouai): This is a strong interjection expressing grief, sorrow, and condemnation. It's not merely an expression of pity but a declaration of impending judgment upon those who are spiritually adrift.
  • "Tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs": Tithing was a biblical command (Malachi 3:10), typically on agricultural produce. The Pharisees' meticulous tithing of tiny garden herbs like mint and rue (a medicinal herb) illustrates their extreme legalism and obsession with the letter of the law, even beyond what was commonly understood.
  • "Judgment" (Greek: krisis): This term refers to justice, fairness, righteousness, and discerning what is morally right. It speaks to the integrity and equity with which one treats others and upholds God's standards in society.
  • "Love of God" (Greek: agape tou theou): This signifies the selfless, unconditional love that originates from God and is to be directed towards Him and, by extension, towards one's neighbor. This is the essence of the greatest commandments, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39. The Pharisees' neglect of this fundamental principle was a profound spiritual failure.

Practical Application

Luke 11:42 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual hypocrisy and misplaced priorities. It challenges believers today to examine their own religious practices:

  • Are we more focused on outward appearances, rituals, or minor doctrines while neglecting the core principles of justice, mercy, and genuine love for God and others?
  • Do our actions reflect a true transformation of the heart, or are they merely a performance to gain approval from people or to satisfy a legalistic checklist?
  • Jesus teaches that true devotion encompasses both obedience to God's commands and a heart filled with His love and a desire for righteousness. We are called to pursue both the details and the spirit of God's law, ensuring that the "weightier matters" always receive their due emphasis.
Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Matthew 23:23

    Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

  • Luke 18:12

    I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

  • Proverbs 21:3

    ¶ To do justice and judgment [is] more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

  • Malachi 3:8

    Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

  • 1 John 4:20

    If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

  • Deuteronomy 10:12

    ¶ And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

  • Deuteronomy 10:13

    To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
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