This lawyer recognizes that Jesus' words about the Pharisees loving the best seats and burdens aren't just abstract criticism; he feels the sting of them personally, revealing his own complicity and perhaps a flicker of conviction that Jesus is speaking truth about him, not just "them."
One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just delivered a scathing critique of the Pharisees and their fellow legal experts, exposing their hypocrisy in outwardly appearing righteous while inwardly being greedy and wicked. A lawyer, one who specialized in interpreting the Law, feels personally attacked by Jesus' words and voices his offense, believing Jesus' accusations apply to him and his peers as well.
Jesus wasn't afraid to call out the religious elite for their outward shows of piety that masked inner corruption. This lawyer’s reaction shows how easily truth can feel like a personal attack.
Jesus had just delivered a scathing critique of the Pharisees and lawyers, highlighting their love for public honor, their burdensomeness to others, and their hypocrisy. He exposed how they meticulously followed religious rules for show, while neglecting justice and the love of God.
When Jesus spoke these words, it wasn't just a general condemnation; it hit home. The lawyer's response, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also,” reveals a deeply ingrained defensiveness. He felt personally attacked, not because Jesus was wrong, but because the description matched his own life and the lives of his peers. This shows how we often react to truth: instead of examining ourselves, we feel insulted by the messenger.
Who were these 'lawyers' Jesus was speaking to? Understanding their role helps us grasp the weight of their position and the significance of Jesus' critique.
In Jesus' day, the terms 'scribe' and 'lawyer' were often used interchangeably, referring to those who were experts in the Jewish Law. They were the teachers, interpreters, and enforcers of religious and civil statutes.
These individuals held significant influence. They were responsible for explaining the Law to the people, making them key figures in religious and social life. Jesus' condemnation of them was therefore particularly sharp because he was calling out those who should have been upholding God’s standards but were instead distorting them for their own gain and status. Their pride in their knowledge and position made them resistant to Jesus' authority and message.
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Understand the original words
nomikos · Greek Noun
Experts in the Mosaic Law who interpreted and taught the Scriptures, often serving as legal advisors and religious authorities.
didaskalos · Greek Noun
An authoritative instructor or master, particularly one recognized for teaching divine truth.
hybrizō · Greek Verb
To speak in a way that causes offense, disparages, or treats with contempt, challenging the honor or standing of a person.
ouai · Greek Interjection
An expression of intense grief, sorrow, or a prophetic pronouncement of impending judgment/condemnation. It signifies a state of misery or the pronouncement of divine judgment upon someone for their actions or character.
nomikos · Greek Noun
Experts in the Mosaic Law, whose role was to study, interpret, and teach the Law of God. In the New Testament, they are often linked with the Pharisees as religious leaders who frequently opposed Jesus.
phortion · Greek Noun
Metaphorical for the heavy demands, legalistic requirements, or traditions added to the Law of Moses that made religious life oppressive rather than life-giving.
This interaction occurs during Jesus' final days in Jerusalem, as he confronts the religious elite. The lawyer's response shows that Jesus' powerful words about hypocrisy and self-importance struck a nerve, not just with the Pharisees, but also with those who interpreted and applied the law for a living.
c. 30 AD
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and challenging religious authorities. His ministry climaxes in Jerusalem.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus' Sermon in the Temple Court
Jesus delivers a series of strong rebukes against the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, self-serving practices, and burdensome religious laws. This occurs in Jerusalem shortly before his crucifixion.
c. 30-33 AD
Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion
Following his confrontations with religious leaders, Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified.
c. 30-33 AD
Martyrdom of Stephen
Stephen, a deacon in the early church, is stoned to death for preaching the gospel, marking a significant moment of persecution against believers.
c. 40s-60s AD
Paul's Missionary Journeys
The Apostle Paul travels extensively, establishing churches and spreading the gospel throughout the Roman Empire. His letters address issues within these nascent communities.
c. 60-62 AD
Writing of Luke's Gospel
Luke, a traveling companion of Paul, compiles his Gospel account, likely in Caesarea or Rome. He meticulously records Jesus' life and teachings, including this exchange.
This passage directly parallels Luke 11:45 by showing Jesus' strong condemnation of lawyers and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, specifically mentioning they 'shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces' and 'devour widows' houses'.
Matthew 23:15Jesus here describes the scribes and Pharisees as traveling over land and sea to make a single convert, then making them 'twice the child of hell' than themselves, highlighting the same theme of hypocrisy and deceptive spiritual leadership that the lawyer reacts to in Luke 11:45.
Matthew 23:25-26Jesus calls the Pharisees 'blind guides' who clean the outside of the cup but are full of greed and wickedness within. This connects to Luke 11:45 by showing Jesus' consistent critique of the internal spiritual state versus outward appearance, a critique that the lawyer rightly perceived was aimed at his own profession.
Luke 11:37-41The verses immediately preceding Luke 11:45 detail Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees for their obsession with outward cleanliness while ignoring justice and love for God. This sets the stage for the lawyer's indignant reaction, as Jesus' words about inner impurity clearly applied to his own 'learned' group.
barnesLuke 11:45: "Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also."
Lawyers - Men learned in the law; but it is not known in what way the lawyers differed from the "scribes," or whether they were Pharisees or Sadducees. Thus saying, thou ... - He felt that the remarks of Jesus about loving the chief seats, etc., applied to them as well as to the Pharisees. His conscience told him that if "they" were to blame, "he" was also, and he therefore applied t…
wesleyLuke 11:45: "Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also."
11:45 One of the lawyers - That is scribes; expounders of the law.
This lawyer recognizes that Jesus' words about the Pharisees loving the best seats and burdens aren't just abstract criticism; he feels the sting of them personally, revealing his own complicity and perhaps a flicker of conviction that Jesus is speaking truth about him, not just "them."
Jesus has just delivered a scathing critique of the Pharisees and their fellow legal experts, exposing their hypocrisy in outwardly appearing righteous while inwardly being greedy and wicked. A lawyer, one who specialized in interpreting the Law, feels personally attacked by Jesus' words and voices his offense, believing Jesus' accusations apply to him and his peers as well.
Jesus has just delivered a scathing critique of the Pharisees and their fellow legal experts, exposing their hypocrisy in outwardly appearing righteous while inwardly being greedy and wicked. A lawyer, one who specialized in interpreting the Law, feels personally attacked by Jesus' words and voices his offense, believing Jesus' accusations apply to him and his peers as well.
"One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your finge…" — This lawyer recognizes that Jesus' words about the Pharisees loving the best seats and burdens aren't just abstract criticism; he feels the sting of them personally, revealing his own complicity and…
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Last reviewed October 2026
