14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.
Ridiculing our Savior’s Words, the Pharisees mistakenly sought to find favor in the eyes of men rather than God. Wanting to justify their actions, they began to sneer at the Truth. Isn’t that so human nature? It is quite easy to ridicule and laugh in an effort to make ourselves look and feel better in front of others particularly if we are guilty and do not want to change.
“The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this, and could not contradict him, but they sneered at him. Let us consider this as their sin, and the fruit of their covetousness, which was their primary sin. Many who make a great profession of religion and abound in the exercise of devotion, are yet ruined by the love of the world. These covetous Pharisees could not bear to have that touched, which was their Delilah, their darling lust; for this they derided him, they turned up their noses at him, or blew their noses on him. It is an expression of the utmost scorn and disdain imaginable. They laughed at him for going so contrary to the opinion and way of the world. It is common for those to make a joke of the word of God who are resolved that they will not be ruled by it.” Matthew Henry
We often are looking to have our poor behavior condoned by men rather than repent and seek God’s pleasure and approval. We desire to turn the gaze off of our own flaws, perhaps making light of them, so that we will look good and be accepted in the eyes of our peers. Big mistake here! Scripture tells us God laughs at this silliness:
2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 3 "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters."
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Psalms 2:2-4 (NIV)
I love the way Isaiah puts it:
17 Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. Isaiah 40:17 (NIV)
How silly of us to care more about what man thinks than what God thinks. Man’s appropriate position before God is humility not belligerently seeking justification. We bring nothing to the table but our sinful nature – Jesus brings it all. We lean solely on His redemptive work on the cross. God is not impressed by our possessions, skills or status. In fact, our verse for today states He abhors what man highly values. How we should seek to emulate Moses’ behavior in regard to this! Scripture states in Hebrews:
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. Heb 11:24-26 (NIV)
What is it we highly value? It matters you know. Our actions will always be effected by what we highly esteem. Of these verses the Bible Knowledge Commentary states:
“In a classic presentation of the way faith chooses between the attractive but temporary pleasures of sin and the prospect of disgrace for the sake of Christ, the writer showed Moses to be a real hero of faith who had an intelligent regard for the eschatological hopes of the nation of Israel. The readers also were to accept “disgrace” and reject “the pleasures of sin,” and they would do so if they, like Moses, anticipated their reward.”
This is the way Daniel lived out his profitable life. In fact, he received a heavenly “high-five” from the lips of the angel Gabriel. We find in the Book of Daniel:
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the LORD my God for his holy hill-- 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision: Dan 9:20-23 (NIV)
Oh that we would seek to be “highly esteemed” by God rather than man!