Who is helped when an elaborate tomb or memorial is built? Surely, it is not for the person who died. Does the family benefit from a pile of stones with a shiny plaque? Does the society that pays for it profit? After a few years, no one even notices it. Perhaps a few who visit a city will take five minutes to look at it and be reminded of the long-dead and soon-forgotten. An intricate tomb is usually built to make the statement, “They were somebody great, but not as great as me who built this monument.”
In Jesus’ day, Jerusalem was littered with monuments built at locations they believed were prophets’ tombs. Jesus pointed out the hypocrisy. Their forefathers harassed, persecuted, and killed most of the prophets. Now centuries later their descendants build their tombs.
Outwardly the Jews appeared to honor the prophets in building and rebuilding memorials, but inwardly they rejected the Christ the prophets announced was coming. They lived in opposition to the teachings of the prophets, just as their forefathers had done. Some Christians build memorials in their home to honor God while in their hearts they still despise others. How can we believe we love God when he cannot even love others?
