Deuteronomy 23-26; Luke 11

Questions of honesty and justice occupy a significant place in the Mosaic law, firstly because they reflect the character of God's righteousness and secondly because they form the basis of a stable and prosperous society. This is related to numerous laws regulating the social life of Israel (Deuteronomy 23-25).

Israelites in all generations were to remember the Egyptian slavery their fathers once endured, as well as the miraculous deliverance by God. This memory was to be expressed in regular tithes (to be offered primarily from the best they had) (Deuteronomy 26:2, 13-15), in their treatment of the needy and the strangers among them (Deuteronomy 25:18-22), and in the regular retelling of the events related to the Israelites' exodus from Egypt (Deuteronomy 26:3-11).

Prayer played a very significant role in the life of Jesus Christ. It was a real connection with the Heavenly Father, which He taught the apostles. Christ taught them what to pray for (Luke 11:1-4) and how to pray (Luke 11:5-13).

Preaching the Word of God was the primary ministry of Christ. He redirected any questions posed to Him and even attacks made against Him back to this. Accusations that He cast out demons by Beelzebub's power, Jesus turned into a sermon about the spiritual realm (Luke 11:14-26). The woman's praises regarding His mother, He directed to the more important position of those who hear and keep the Word of God (Luke 11:27-28).

Pharisaism or formal religiosity elicited the strongest words of rebuke from Jesus Christ (Luke 11:37-54). False religiosity is worse than open irreligion because these people think they know God, whereas, in reality, they are far from Him.