A number of different things might pop to mind when we hear the word hypocrite. Maybe it’s a politician caught in a scandal; maybe it’s a religious leader doing something counter to their creed; maybe it’s a scheming and conniving character featured in soap operas. But it’s likely that the one thing that doesn’t come to mind is the theater.
The word hypocriteultimately came into English from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” The Greek word itself is a compound noun: it’s made up of two Greek words that literally translate as “an interpreter from underneath.”
That bizarre compound makes more sense when you know that the actors in ancient Greek theater wore large masks to mark which character they were playing, and so they interpreted the story from underneath their masks.
The Greek word took on an extended meaning to refer to any person who was wearing a figurative mask and pretending to be someone or something they were not. This sense was taken into medieval French and then into English, where it showed up with its earlier spelling, ypocrite, in 13th-century religious texts to refer to someone who pretends to be morally good or pious in order to deceive others. (Hypocritegained its initial h-by the 16th century.)
It took a surprisingly long time for hypocriteto gain its more general meaning that we use today: “a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings.” Our first citations for this use are from the early 1700s, nearly 500 years after hypocritefirst stepped onto English’s stage.
What about Christian Hypocrisy? Hypocrisy is claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform. Acting in a manner in attitudes and behaviors in consistent with what you profess to be and believe. It is not necessarily the fact that sin makes a hypocrite, it’s the fact that they don’t acknowledge the sin as wrong and inappropriate behavior. Such a person, an actor, does not admit that their lives contradict what they say. They are inauthentic and imposters.
Perhaps you have personal experience with a Christian hypocrite. Actually we all do. Take a quick look in the mirror and you will see one looking back at you! Perhaps you know someone who says one thing and then does another. They teach one thing and live the opposite. In a sense, we are all hypocrites to some degree. The term isn’t reserved for Christians. For example, someone may call themselves a vegetarian, but slip up now and then. A dentist may tell his patients not to eat candy, but then go home and enjoy sweets. We are all hypocritical occasionally. No one is perfect.
Jesus reaction to hypocrisy is our guide and benchmark of our journey of living as Christians.
Combatting hypocrisy was a passion for Jesus. In fact, much of Matthew 23 is dedicated to the topic. Here are some excerpts:
• “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ‘The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for people to see...
• “‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
• “‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.’”
Jesus took hypocrisy very seriously. Friends, including family, naturally see Christians’ hypocritical behavior as being unacceptable. When discussing Christian hypocrisy with an unbeliever, here are some things to consider:
• Many people who claim to be Christians don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Perhaps they are Christian in name only.
• A Christian is called to grow in faith and progress to being more like Christ. This doesn’t always happen instantly. Many Christians continue to struggle with temptation to sin and indulgence in questionable behaviors. We are called to put on a new nature and allow the Holy Spirit to transform our lives (Ephesians 4:23-24).It is not hypocritical to fall or fail. It is hypocritical to deny that you fell and pretend that you are okay in living, indulging and acting as you do.
• A Christian is called to live a life of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). Be intentional about letting God change your heart. This “intentionality” is an every-single-day decision essential to harnessing the power of the Holy Spirit in changing our lives.
• Christians should admit hypocrisy. All of us are hypocrites in some area of our lives. Be vulnerable, honest, and authentic with unbelievers as well as fellow believers. Acknowledge your sins and short-comings. Be authentic and honest.
The primary issue regarding the validity of Christianity is not the perfect conduct of Jesus’ followers but the power we gain from following Him. The power, in the person of the Holy Spirit to combat sin and be transformed. These are not things that we can do on our own. Transformation comes from humble submission to God’s ways for living.
Ultimately we need to encourage our friends to put their faith not in Christianity as an institution defined by the conduct of imperfect humans exhibiting bad behavior and attitudes… but in the powerful and proven person of Jesus Christ himself.
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