Hypocrites, Hezekiah, Blood-Drinking, and Pastoral Duties by Pastor Walter Snyder Q: What passage says to not do as the hypocrites do? I have been looking but cannot find it. Please help me. A: While several passages warn about hypocrisy, Jesus gives the fullest treatment in His Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6 is the most detailed condemnation of such behavior. The word itself comes from Greek theater and normally was used for an actor performing behind a mask. We certainly see this root meaning in our theological definition. Q: What was Isaiah's advice to the king during each of the two military campaigns waged against Jerusalem in his lifetime? The accounts come from 2 Kings. When King Sennacherib's advisor Rabshakeh first threatened Judah (chapters 17 and 18), Isaiah told Hezekiah's advisors, "'Thus says the Lord: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.' (19:6-7)" Rabshakeh left and gave word to Sennacherib, who was fighting Libnah and preparing for war with Cush. Sennacherib later defied the Lord's warning and returned in force against Jerusalem. Isaiah promised rescue to Hezekiah and the same night "the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. (19:35)" Upon returning home, Sennacherib was murdered in the temple of Nisroch by two of his sons. Later in his reign, Babylonian emissaries came and Hezekiah gave them a tour of his realm and treasures. When he talked with the prophet about the meaning of the visit, Isaiah foretold the coming Babylonian invasion but promised Hezekiah that it wouldn't happen during Hezekiah's righteous reign: "Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who shall be born to you, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. (20:17-18)" When his son Manasseh succeeded him, Judah experienced one of its most wicked rulers. He promoted idol worship, occult practices, and other evil. He went so far as to erect a shrine to the goddess Asherah in the temple of the Lord. Q: A few years ago I lived across from a sheep farm. The older gentlemen there told me that years ago at Easter time there would be a line of cars waiting to have their lamb killed and that they would drink the blood while it was still warm. I thought that he told me that they were Jewish but I mentioned this at Bible Study and they told me that it would not be the Jewish people because that would be forbidden. Could you help me with this ? Thank you for your help. I've never heard of this custom; perhaps some other readers will write in with more information. However, I'm sure that no Jew would have involved himself in the drinking of blood. This practice was forbidden when God first allowed man to eat meat. He said to Noah, "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. (Gen 9:4)" When Israel became a nation and received the Law in the wilderness, the Lord specifically forbad blood-drinking by His people because it was "the life of the creature." Understanding this gives greater insight into the institution and celebration of the Lord's Supper. Finally there was a "Creature" whose life-blood was beneficial and wholesome for human consumption! Q: Where can I find a description of job duties for pastors and associate pastors? Different churches have different interpretations of the pastoral office. In general, Lutherans teach that pastors should preach the Gospel in purity and administer the sacraments (Baptism, Absolution, and Holy Communion) in purity, according to their institution by Christ. This includes visiting the sick and afflicted, instructing all members of their flocks with sound doctrine, and spending ample time in preparation for preaching an teaching. Good summaries of proper behavior in the office come especially in 1 Timothy and Titus. Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from ~The Holy Bible, English Standard Version~, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Ask the Pastor, © 2004 by Walter P. Snyder. It may be reproduced in totality, including this disclaimer, by anyone, provided that no profit is generated by said republication and redistribution. Translations into other languages should similarly note the United States and any appropriate international copyrights, as well as God's Scriptural injunctions concerning the property of others. Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."