Who will roll away the stone?: Opening hardened hearts and "whitewashed tombs"

By John Ashman

Jesus compared the religious leaders of his day to whitewashed tombs, pristine on the outside but full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity on the inside (Matthew 23:27). It was their hypocrisy that angered Jesus so much, causing him to confront them. The criticisms levelled then are equally relevant today when the morally repugnant behaviour of prominent clerics and lay people is laid bare. The result is they and their past achievements - religious institutions, writings, music, works of art, etc - are considered compromised and even banned. Hypocrisy is a soul-ruining sin; while we recognise it in others we are often blind to it in ourselves. We are dishonest about the dark forces that often drive us and lead us. How can we bridge the chasm that has opened up between the abusers and the believers who remain appalled by their acts? Are we to make no allowance for the now hidden good they did? These are questions that challenge our understanding of justice and mercy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FTRS651G
• ISBN13: 9798268111132
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 100 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"