Introduction
When reading the Gospel of Mark, Jesus uses the Greek word 'hypokritēs' when addressing the Pharisees and teachers of the law. At that time, it was the common word for Greek stage actors. Could he have become familiar with theatrical forms in the Hellenistic cities? And why did he choose this particular word?
The Meaning of ‘Hypocrite’
Often the word 'hypocrisis' (ὐπόκρισις) or 'hypokritēs' (ὐπόκριτής) in the Gospel of Mark is translated into English as ‘hypocrisy’ or ‘hypocrites,’ and sometimes as ‘pretenders.’ But literally, these are the words 'hypocrisy' and 'hypocrites'. One might think these were translated from Aramaic—the language Jesus spoke in daily life—or that the Gospel writers placed these words in his mouth. Both are possible, since it is uncertain how well Jesus spoke Greek. It is not unusual that Jesus’ sayings, passed on orally, ended up slightly differently when written down. But could it not be that Jesus himself, having encountered Greek-speaking actors—the 'hypokritēs'—used this word deliberately when addressing the religious leaders?
Hypocrites Close By
In the city of Sepphoris, about eight kilometers from Nazareth, there was a large theater that could hold around 3,000 people. A quick search for ‘Sepphoris theater’ reveals a beautiful classical structure where actors, perhaps masked, entertained their audiences. ‘Hypocrites,’ stage actors, have entertained crowds for centuries. The city, perched like a bird (Hebrew: 'Tzippori') on the hills of Galilee, was rebuilt by Herod Antipas after a revolt led by Judas and his followers (4 or 5 BCE). Joseph, as a craftsman ('tekton'), could well have worked there—and perhaps his son Jesus too. But even without that connection, all trade, communication, and travel passed through this administrative center. Can you imagine Jesus taking a different route to reach the towns around the Sea of Galilee than through Sepphoris? Why take detours when the main road led directly to the western side of the lake, near Capernaum, home of Simon and Andrew? Jesus must have known the city and its theater. That makes it all the more curious that Sepphoris is never mentioned in the New Testament—or is it perhaps the ‘city on a hill’ he refers to in (Matthew 5:14)? The city remains, as its name suggests, a bit of a strange bird.
The Synoptic Gospels and Hypocrisy
Interestingly, the concise Gospel of Mark is not the one that most often mentions hypocrisy. That distinction belongs to Matthew, which uses the word twelve times, compared to only twice in Mark and four times in the first half of Luke. Both of Mark’s instances are echoed by Matthew. In one case, Luke omits it entirely (Mark 12:15 / Matthew 22:18 / Luke 20:23). The letters to the Galatians (Galatians 2:13), to Timothy (1 Timothy 4:2), and to Peter (1 Peter 2:1) also warn believers to leave hypocrisy behind.
What It Reveals About Matthew’s Community
Most of these sayings are aimed at the religious leaders, though sometimes at the crowd listening to Jesus. The message is clear: as (Jewish) Christians, they should not imitate the play-acting of others. They pray loudly to be seen, rely on outward appearance, and ask questions to test rather than to learn. The behavior of the Pharisees and scribes is criticized so often that one can hardly avoid the thought that Jews and Jewish Christians around or after the fall of the Temple (70 CE) were engaged in a personal conflict. At the same time, the many quotations from Scripture and the familiar Jewish tone show that Matthew’s Gospel is written for a Jewish audience—to remind them that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. And isn’t it remarkable that all three Synoptic Gospels, largely independent of each other, record this same word? We can only conclude that Jesus’ words about hypocrisy made a deep impression on his disciples and listeners, and that they were preserved through oral tradition until written down.
Is There an Aramaic or Hebrew Equivalent?
What makes it even more likely that Jesus used the Greek word 'hypokritēs' consciously is that no direct Aramaic or Hebrew equivalent exists in the Hebrew Bible (LXX or Old Testament). However, the accusation of hypocrisy appears in the prophetic words Jesus quoted: ‘How right was Isaiah when he prophesied about you hypocrites ('hypokritōn')! As it is written: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”’ (Mark 7:6 / Matthew 15:7), echoing (Isaiah 29:13).
The Power of His Words
If Jesus recited these verses from Isaiah, he not only gave the Pharisees and teachers of the law a taste of their own medicine, but also added an extra dimension to the accusation by linking them to a classical Hellenistic art form—the Greek theater. Could anything be more pagan? Imagine the effect on his listeners, especially those being accused. A devout Jew would never enter such a theater, let alone a respected scribe. Yet Jesus calls them, in Greek and before everyone, Hellenistic actors—mask-wearers, double-faced, hypocrites. What rhetorical force majeure! He does this to free faith from appearances, to reach the heart of the law, and to rescue people from overzealous religiosity. I only wonder whether Jesus ever happened to see a comedy or tragedy himself. That would be something! But that question we’ll leave aside.
Additional links for further study
• Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts (https://csntm.org) — has made all New Testament manuscripts available online, including P45, a variant of Mark 7:6.
• Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (https://www.nestle-aland.com) — recently released a new edition with all textual variants. There’s also an interlinear English version and User’s Guide.
• Bill Mounce’s Greek Dictionary (https://www.billmounce.com) — ideal for quick word lookups, and for learning Koine Greek!
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