No one likes a hypocrite, because we know they’re deceptive pretenders. And, yes, we’ve all played the part. Back in the first-century day the term hypocrite was applied to actors because of the interchangeable faces they would literally use to convey the different characters they pretended to be in their tragedies and plays. We sometimes say of a hypocrite that they’re “two-faced,” and this is where that notion comes.
We know that Jesus was no deceiver (1 Pet. 2:22). Jesus never play-acted, He never pretended to be or feel something different than what he was conveying to others. His love was genuine (Rom. 12:9). Now this doesn’t mean He got along with hypocrites, but that He was merciful to them :
Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away. (Matt. 22:15–22)
In the following chapter of Matthew (ch. 23), we read a lengthy diatribe from the Lord against the scribes and Pharisees — in the scathing rebuke, Jesus calls them hypocrites 6 times (vv. 13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29).
In what we call the sermon on the mount, Jesus taught, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:19–20).
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. (Matthew 23:25–32)
It’s safe to conclude that the Lord did not enjoy dealing with hypocrites and their hypocrisy — “In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops” (Luke 12:1–3).
One of the dangers of hypocrisy is that anyone can be guilty of it, including an apostle! Paul accused Peter of such (Gal. 2:11–14). Later, Peter writes, “So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation — if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Pet. 2:1-3).
Do we want to be in heaven? Then don’t be a hypocrite — “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (James 3:17). God knows our hearts, and is not impressed by appearances (1 Sam. 16:7 / 1 John 3:19–24 / John 7:24).
And, yes, congregations are indeed filled with hypocrites, from the pulpit through to the pew: the fact is we’re all going to spend time with hypocrites — whether for the short term in life under the sun, or for eternity in hell.
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