Jesus tells the Pharisees “go and learn the meaning of the words ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’” (Mt. 9:13). The words that He gives them to learn are not new. They come from the prophet Hosea. The Pharisees had ample opportunity to learn these words and to take them to heart. Because they had not, they lacked mercy, and tried to keep one of the four Evangelists away from God. They had much to learn.
Yet if we think we are better off than the Pharisees, we are likely mistaken. We, too, can stand to learn the meaning of Hosea’s words better. We can stand to learn the meaning of many phrases in Scripture better. Very few of us has a perfect understanding of what Scripture asks of us, and a willingness to carry it out. It was the fact that the Pharisees thought they had perfectly mastered the Scriptures that so often got them into trouble. On the feast of an author of a gospel, the best way we can honor him (and Jesus) is to vow to always seek to learn better the words of Scripture.