Luke 12:1-5: a reflection

1Meanwhile, when a multitude of many thousands had gathered together, so much so that they trampled on each other, he began to tell his disciples first of all, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. What you have spoken in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4“I tell you, my friends, don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

As great crowds press around Jesus, he warns his disciples first of all about hypocrisy: Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. And he adds a truth that exposes the futility of it: There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. Whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. Hypocrisy tries to hide what we really are behind a mask of what we pretend to be; but Jesus warns that nothing hidden will stay hidden, that all will be revealed. The concealment on which hypocrisy depends is futile, for everything covered will come to light in the end.

Notice the futility of hypocrisy that Jesus exposes: nothing hidden will stay hidden. Hypocrisy depends on concealment, on hiding what we really are behind a pretended face; it works only if the truth stays hidden. But Jesus says nothing covered will remain concealed; everything hidden will be revealed, what is spoken in the dark will be heard in the light. The concealment hypocrisy relies on is temporary and futile; the truth will come out. To live a hypocrisy, hiding what we are behind a mask, is to build on concealment that cannot last. Since all will be revealed, the pretense of hypocrisy is finally futile; what we truly are will come to light whatever mask we wear.

That is worth taking to heart, for hypocrisy is futile, since nothing hidden will stay concealed. We can be tempted to hypocrisy, to hide what we really are behind a mask of what we pretend to be, trusting that the truth will stay hidden; but Jesus warns that nothing covered will remain concealed, that all will be revealed. The concealment hypocrisy depends on cannot last; what we truly are will come to light. Do not build your life on hypocrisy, hiding what you are behind a mask, as though the concealment could last; nothing hidden will stay hidden. Live with integrity rather than hypocrisy, being truly what you appear to be, since nothing hidden will stay concealed and all will be revealed, as Jesus warned that what is spoken in the dark will be heard in the light; for the concealment on which hypocrisy depends is futile, and it is better to be genuinely what we seem than to wear a mask that will finally be stripped away.

Lord Jesus, as great crowds press around you, you warn your disciples first of all about hypocrisy: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. And you add a truth that exposes the futility of it: there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known; whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light. Hypocrisy tries to hide what we really are behind a mask of what we pretend to be; but you warn that nothing hidden will stay hidden. Show me the futility of hypocrisy that you expose: nothing hidden will stay hidden. Hypocrisy depends on concealment, on hiding what we really are behind a pretended face; it works only if the truth stays hidden. But you say nothing covered will remain concealed; everything hidden will be revealed. The concealment hypocrisy relies on is temporary and futile; the truth will come out. To live a hypocrisy is to build on concealment that cannot last. Take that to my heart, for hypocrisy is futile, since nothing hidden will stay concealed. I can be tempted to hypocrisy, to hide what I really am behind a mask of what I pretend to be, trusting that the truth will stay hidden; but you warn that nothing covered will remain concealed. The concealment hypocrisy depends on cannot last. Keep me from building my life on hypocrisy, hiding what I am behind a mask, as though the concealment could last; help me live with integrity rather than hypocrisy, Lord, being truly what I appear to be, since nothing hidden will stay concealed and all will be revealed.