Why was Paul so adamant against legalism in Philippians and Colossians? We’ll see that Jesus takes the Pharisees to task over it as we go through Luke. We get a glimpse in Luke 6:

On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. (Luke 6.6 – 11, ESV)

There’s something wrong with a religion when a significant healing, the liberation of a man from a physical impairment, produces anger instead of joy. It happens again:

Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. (Luke 13.10 – 17, ESV)

This last story might explain why Jesus said he would be producing division:

Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. (Luke 12.51, ESV)

There were two groups when he healed the woman in the synagogue: the adversaries and “all the people” – the common people. There was division between the legalists and those who loved what Jesus was doing. It’s the legalists that often cause division! “My church is better than your church…my theology is better than your theology, our pastor celebrates communion the right way…”

Legalists causing division is an idea that might be worth pursuing later…

But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. (Luke 11.42, ESV, emphasis mine)