What does it mean to strain at a gnat but swallow a camel?

The proverb of a camel being swallowed when a gnat was scrupulously strained out, Matt. 23:24, is to show how the weightier precepts of God may be neglected along with great attention to trivial things. Another proverb is that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Matt. 19:24. This has been thought to refer to the camel squeezing through a small gate, which it could do with difficulty; but the Lord's explanation refers it to what was impossible in the nature of things, yet was possible with God. In grace the new creation overcomes all difficulties.

The fourth woe is a denunciation of their show of being meticulous in trivial matters while ignoring for more serious matters which the law required, judgment, mercy and faith. Fairness of judgment in discerning between good and evil was to them a matter of no Importance compared to tithing the smallest, most insignificant items of income. Mercy toward others in need was also ignored; and faith, the one principle of any true relationship with God, was forgotten. They ought to have put for more emphasis on these things, while of course not neglecting the small things, but not making them the matter of prime attention. It is evident that blind guides are worse than none at all. But the Pharisees had no excuse, for they were able to find the gnat and strain it out of their diet, but oblivious to the Camel, they swallowed it.

But there is much more than this. The Lord pronounces successive woes upon them for their zeal about trifles, their love of religious distinction, and their hypocrisy.312 "Woe unto you, Pharisees! for [beginning with that which was seemingly the least evil] ye tithe the mint and the rue and every herb, and pass by the judgment and the love of God: these ye ought to have done, and not have left those aside." It was really the same root of self, fallen human nature under a religious veil. Why did they thus seek to be distinguished from others? Others gave tithes honestly due to God; the Pharisees laid hold of the most minute points which did not cost much and gave themselves credit in the eyes of men not wiser than themselves, but they slighted judgment and the love of God. Righteousness is a due sense of our relationship to God and man; of it they had no adequate measure whatever before them. The love of God was the last thing that came before or from their hearts.313 "These ye ought to have done, and not have left those aside." Let them value their infinitesimals if they would, but let them not neglect the greatest duties.

The Quakers are clearly in the wrong in refusing to take an oath when the powers that be "require" it. For the Lord answered to the oath when adjured by the high priest. There we have proof positive to guide us, but to elect to swear is another thing. "Whatsoever is more than this comes of evil." I should judge the "weightier matters of the law" (vers. 23) to be a reference to Micah 6:8. There you find the principle. It would appear from what the Lord says here that they were greatly given to swearing. Some think the gold here was the gold given to the temple; they must not evade that, even if their parents required it! as the Lord had already exposed in chap. 15. You would find in each case here there is an evil motive in all the Lord is exposing in all these distinctions. He Himself had laid down, and it could not be improved upon by man, as to what He required in the case of vows. The father or husband of the woman had power to bind or set aside her vows (Num. 30).

Verse 23. It is well to remember with a scripture like this before us that grace went out to the very vilest, and it is remarkable the cases to which His grace went 0ut in these narratives. But where there is pretension and wrong underneath, all this is abomination in the sight of God, and so we get these "woes." These Scribes and Pharisees were very scrupulous about little matters, but quite indifferent to the weightier matters of the law. The Lord frequently pointed out in His discourses that they did not understand mercy. If ye had known what that means, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless." We know that the Lord has said, "He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much." And so we get "These ought ye to have done and not to leave the other undone." We must not be careless about little things. But the Lord was speaking of reality. It did not cost them much to tithe the little herbs in their gardens, and they got a good name by it. They had their reward. Blind guides! they thought themselves guides, but knew not that they were blind. When the two sons of Aaron were struck dead the Lord said in Lev. 10, "I will be sanctified in them that come near me"; and then in Lev. 11. He begins to instruct them in making a difference between clean and unclean, and there is wonderful teaching for us in that chapter. For instance, a mouse there is reckoned unclean. Everything described there as unclean represents some trait of our old nature. A mouse is a purloiner. Very unworthy of a believer! Then again the chameleon — it changes its colour, it represents unreality. A man professing to be a Christian meets another and he speaks to him about spiritual matters; he meets another and talks politics; with another he discusses the latest novel. That is the chameleon. So these scribes were very particular about the gnat because it would make them unclean, but would swallow the camel: no doubt a proverb. But it shows how they ignored the important things, and God will have reality, and the heart right, not simply the exterior.

b. (1) The three following woes are plainly different from the preceding ones. They show us the double life of these Jewish leaders. In the first case, the profession of absolute integrity could hardly be more complete than in paying tithes of the very mint and anise and cummin, the least product of their fields; yet on another side there was an absolute deficiency in that which should have been rendered. The moral elements, the weightier matters of the law, were just with them the things that had no weight. They strained carefully out the gnat in such things, but they swallowed easily the camel!

The Lord pronounced a solemn woe upon the Pharisees, for they were strictly careful to tithe the smallest things, extremely meticulous in certain details, while ignoring honest judgment of good and evil, and ignoring the love of God. Indeed it was God's love that in the first place gave the law to seek to reach men's consciences and hearts by their inability to keep it. Honest self-judgment and appreciation of the love of God were then two matters they should have positively regarded, while not leaving the other matters undone, that is, neither making small things an issue nor ignoring them.

Then their scrupulosity in these minutiae — tithes of mint and rue and every kind of herb — went with the great defects in things of great account, as judgment and the love of God.

Six Woes. — And now, at that Pharisee's festive board, the Lord delivered Himself concerning the hollow profession of both Pharisees and lawyers. Three woes were especially directed against the former, and three against the latter. The former, punctilious and ostentatious in the performance of small duties, neglected the weightier matters of judgment and the love of God (ver. 42). To give tithes was right, but judgment (see Psalm 37:30-31) and the love of God should not be overlooked. Now, their practice was in keeping with a love of exaltation amongst men (ver. 43), and with a satisfaction in making a good appearance before their fellows (ver. 44). How ensnaring is that to us all naturally! On both of these the Lord pronounced a woe, addressing Himself here only to Pharisees, as the right reading of ver. 44 makes plain. For they were like hidden graves which appear not, and men that walked over them knew it not. Foul within, whatever was their outward appearance, was the Lord's judgment of them.

The scribes, who counted altogether 613 commandments in the Old Testament, distinguished between what in their opinion were important and less important laws. The Lord also points out a difference when He calls the commandment to love God the great and first commandment, although He immediately puts the commandment to love one's neighbour on the same level (Matt. 22:36-40). In Matthew 23:23 He accuses the scribes and Pharisees of leaving the more important matters of the law aside — judgment and mercy and faith — while putting great emphasis on applying the law of the tithes to such little things as garden herbs.

The scribes, who counted altogether 613 commandments in the Old Testament, distinguished between what in their opinion were important and less important laws. The Lord also points out a difference when He calls the commandment to love God the great and first commandment, although He immediately puts the commandment to love one's neighbour on the same level (Matt. 22: 36-40). In Matthew 23: 23 He accuses the scribes and Pharisees of leaving the more important matters of the law aside-judgment and mercy and faith-while putting great emphasis on applying the law of the tithes to such little things as garden herbs.