Luke 11:44

The Lord says: you are like tombs that are full of every kind of rottenness, but on the outside gleam with marble; people by their outward appearance do not know what principles they are guided by in life (by what they walk), but if they …

Thirdly, He repeats this denunciation on account of fraudulence, when He adds: Woe to you!, who are as monuments that do not appear, namely as to what they are within, because they are fetid and unclean within, but outwardly they are beautiful: whence He adds: …

Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,.... As they are all along called by Matthew; though only here by Luke.

As graves which appear not, being overgrown with grass, so that men are not aware, till they stumble upon them, and either hurt themselves, or at least are defiled by touching them. On another occasion Christ compared them to whited sepulchres, fair without, but foul within;

Prayer is one of the great laws of natural religion. That man is a brute, is a monster, that never prays, that never gives glory to his Maker, nor feels his favour, nor owns his dependence upon him. One great design therefore of Christianity is to assist us in prayer, to enforce the duty upon us, to instruct us in it, and encourage us to expect advantage by it.

Ye are as graves which appear not - In Mat 23:27, our Lord tells them that they exactly resembled white-washed tombs: they had no fairness but on the outside: (see the note there) but here he says they are like hidden tombs, graves which were not distinguished by any outward decorations, and were not elevated above the ground, so that those who walked over them did not consider what corruption was within; so they, under the veil of hypocrisy, covered their iniquities, so that those who had any intercourse or connection with them did not perceive what accomplished knaves they had to do with.

Let us notice in this passage — our Lord Jesus Christ's readiness, when needful, to go into the company of the unconverted. We read that a certain Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him. The man was evidently not one of our Lord's disciples. Yet we are told that "Jesus went in and reclined at the table." The conduct of our Lord on this occasion, as on others — is meant to be an example to all Christians. Christ is our pattern — as well as our atoning sacrifice .

Let us notice in this passage — our Lord Jesus Christ's readiness, when needful, to go into the company of the unconverted. We read that a certain Pharisee invited Jesus to eat with him. The man was evidently not one of our Lord's disciples. Yet we are told that "Jesus went in and reclined at the table." The conduct of our Lord on this occasion, as on others — is meant to be an example to all Christians. Christ is our pattern — as well as our atoning sacrifice . There are evidently times and occasions when the servant of Christ must mix with the ungodly and the people of this world. There may be seasons when it may be a duty to hold social dealings with them, to accept their invitations, and sit down at their tables. Nothing, of course, must induce the Christian to be a partaker in the sins or frivolous amusements of the world. But he must not be discourteous. He must not entirely withdraw himself from the society of the unconverted, and become a hermit or an ascetic. He must remember that good may be done in the private room — as well as in the pulpit. One qualification, however, should never be forgotten, when we act upon our Lord's example in this matter. Let us take heed that we go down into the company of the unconverted — in the same spirit in which Christ went. Let us remember His boldness in speaking of the things of God. He was always "about His Father's business." Let us remember His faithfulness in rebuking sin. He did not even spare the sins of those who entertained Him, when His attention was publicly called to them. Let us go into company in the same frame of mind — and our souls will take no harm. If we feel that we dare not imitate Christ in the company which we are invited to join — then we may be sure that we had better stay at home.