A Picture of the True Christian in Luke 20:46-47

Image Credit: Media from Wix

On April 07, 2025, at the chapel of my Christian university (where I am not a full-time student right now, but, Lord willing, I will continue to audit classes there), there was a sermon on Luke 20:41-21:4. In that sermon, the speaker taught on how disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are not characterized like the scribes. The link to that sermon is here: https://www.youtube.com/live/NSrgjtkMisU?si=Pru_3YFd38x_laOQ

Here, I will attempt to write a post based off that sermon. This post will be my effort to show how what Jesus says concerning the scribes, which are characteristics that are not true of disciples, indirectly show the characteristics that ARE true of followers of Christ. So, let's go!

The text in which the Lord describes the characteristics of the scribes is Luke 20:46-47. It reads: "Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation" (KJV). First, the scribes desired to walk in long robes, which communicated a high social status. The Christian, on the other hand, does not seek high status in this fallen world, where sin is the very atmosphere. Rather, he strives to bring attention to his God instead (Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 10:31) and seeks high status in God's Kingdom, where greatness is instead measured by service (Matthew 20:25-28). Second, the scribes loved greetings in the markets, the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feast. Christians, by contrast, treasure praise from God rather than from man (John 5:44, 12:42-43), and they are characterized by humility instead of pride (Luke 14:7-11). Third, the scribes devoured widows' houses. But Christians meet the needs of the downtrodden (James 1:27). Fourth, the scribes prayed as a show to their fellow man. Christians are the exact opposite, praying so that their Father in Heaven may see them in secret, not so that their fellow man may see them (Matthew 6:5-6). Fifth, the scribes, because of their hypocrisy and wickedness, would receive greater condemnation. However, Christians, because of their sincerity and righteousness, will be richly rewarded. Though Christians' sincerity and righteousness does not justify them in God's court and earn them eternal life, the greater their sincerity and righteousness, the greater their reward.

Here are pictures of the hypocrite and the true Christian!