The distortion of the bunt offerings
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."(Mark 12:33)
A wise man keeps talking. He says to love God and neighbor is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. This content is a mere repetition of what Jesus’ mentioned in verses 30, 31. The scribe simply added the items of burnt offerings and sacrifices. However, through this account we can clearly find out what is more important and what is less essential in our religious life.
The burnt offering was an act of worship of the ancient Jews. They offered burnt offering because they thought their sin would be forgiven through this act of burning offering. They had a strong impression that their sacrifices offered to God would be accepted when the smoke goes up to heaven as they burn the sacrificed animals. The burnt offering was the holiest act of worship for them.
However, problem crept in when the burnt offering has lost its spiritual dynamic character and has distorted its original meaning as time went by. For them, the refined form of burnt offering became more important than the close relationship with God. The priests especially wanted to confirm their religious ability or even earn money through the activity of burnt offering. The holiest act has degraded into the most secure and self-centered act.
How about the Korean Church today? There are many churches that have lost the original spirit of worship. Populism penetrates into the worship service. Various forms of worship programs are being developed to quench the religious thirst and feelings of the congregation. The hero in their worship is not God but man. They give too much emphasis on offering. Gradually all the acts and tenets of worship begin to fall on the line of the temporal laws. In spite of this fact, most of the people may not even know the reason why this has become a problem.
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