There weren’t closeups or PA systems in ancient Greek theater, and it wasn’t until relatively recent history that it was common for women to perform in plays. These are a few reasons why the actors used large masks with exaggerated faces. The covers hid who they were and allowed them to switch roles quickly. The expressions communicated to the audience to produce a desired effect. A compound Greek word was used to refer to these people.
Hypocrites.
Hypocrite is made of two words, “hupo” means “under,” and “krites” can mean “declare” or “speak.”
The actors literally hid their faces under a mask and spoke.
The word became synonymous with pretending of all kinds, good and bad. In Luke 20:20, the verb is used for the spies who were sent to try to cause Jesus trouble with a question. “So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous, that they might seize on His words, in order to deliver Him to the power and the authority of the governor” (Unless otherwise stated: Scripture is taken from the New King James Version ®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Used by permission. All rights reserved).
A hypocrite is a pretender. It can be fine when someone is acting a part in a play. It is destructive beyond measure when someone’s life is pretend.
Some of Jesus’ strongest words were for religiously elite hypocrites (Matthew 23).
No one can worship God in hypocrisy. Jesus chastised the scribes and Pharisees, “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matt 15:7-9). Sometimes we try to separate doctrine from morality, but morality is doctrine. If someone lives a hypocritical life but goes through the motions of worship accurately, his worship is vain. Nonetheless, if someone practices man-made teachings believing he is doing the right thing, his worship is vain as well. Misleading passionate souls is one consequence of hypocrisy that makes it so devastating.
Someone may be doing everything else right, but if he is doing it to be recognized by people, he won’t get a reward from God (Matt 6:1-21). In all likelihood, he will not continue to do the right things because his motivation will be wrong. He will devolve into focusing on looking right while doing whatever he wants. At this point, he is a full-time actor.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation” (Matt 23:14).
Determine to be genuine to God and you will be your truest self.
-Van
