More on Passion

I just came across this passage in my daily reading. I realize that Jesus had authority to speak this way, but it is inspiring anyway. To set the scene, Jesus is eating a Pharisee's house. The Pharisee was surprised to see that Jesus didn't do the ritual cleansing expected of a Jew. Jesus then goes on to explain the problem with Pharisees is on the inside and not on the outward appearance. This is the next paragraph:

Luk 11:45-54 ESV
(45) One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also."
(46) And he said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
(47) Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.
(48) So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs.
(49) Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,'
(50) so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation,
(51) from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.
(52) Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering."
(53) As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things,
(54) lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.

I love this boldness. The lawyer spoke as if to say that civility and politeness were the most important thing. Jesus took it as an opening to declare woe on them.

Frankly, I think that in the past I have looked for opportunities to speak like this to stroke my own ego. I suspect that many pastors deep down would admit this as well. When we speak the Word of God we speak with authority. I'm not sure if everyone else feels this way, but one of my most deep-seated needs is the need to be heard.