Gulping Down Elephants yet Filtering Out Sandflies

Delroy's Delights and Junior's Disgust

Jamaica’s current political landscape, particularly regarding the defense of Prime Minister Andrew Holness amidst allegations of sudden, unexplained wealth, brings to light a glaring case of political hypocrisy. Supporters of the Prime Minister seem more preoccupied with protecting his image than addressing the deeper ethical questions surrounding his rise to wealth. This kind of deflection, where minor issues are magnified and major ones ignored, echoes Jesus Christ’s criticism of the Pharisees in Matthew 23. In that chapter, Jesus condemns the religious leaders for straining out gnats while swallowing camels—an act of hypocrisy that can easily be translated to today’s political world. In Jamaica’s case, it seems the camels have grown into elephants, and yet the smallest of sandflies are being filtered out.

Hypocrisy and the Obsession with Appearances

In Matthew 23:24, Jesus sharply rebukes the Pharisees: “You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” This metaphor highlights the Pharisees' habit of focusing on insignificant details while ignoring glaring moral failings. They meticulously followed religious rituals and laws but neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness—core elements of true righteousness. Jesus condemned this behavior, pointing out their misplaced priorities.

Today, in Jamaica, a similar scenario is playing out. Instead of addressing the elephant-sized issue of the Prime Minister’s unexplained wealth, his backers are filtering out sandflies—small criticisms, technicalities, and distractions meant to divert attention from the larger ethical questions. Much like the Pharisees, these defenders focus on public perception rather than the critical need for accountability and transparency. They are, in effect, gulping down elephants in their desperate attempt to avoid confronting the truth.

This kind of political hypocrisy is reminiscent of religious hypocrisy, where both groups prioritize outward appearances over genuine integrity. For the Pharisees, it was about appearing righteous in the eyes of the people while hiding their inner corruption. Today, for political supporters, it’s about preserving a façade of respectability, even when serious questions of governance and ethics loom large.

Public Image Over True Integrity

Jesus further criticizes the Pharisees in Matthew 23:28: “You also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” The Pharisees, with their public prayers and religious garments, projected an image of holiness, but their true nature was far from righteous. They were more concerned with appearances than with actual virtue.

In much the same way, today’s political backers seem obsessed with maintaining the Prime Minister’s public image. Rather than seeking transparency or demanding an explanation for his sudden wealth, they are pouring their energy into public relations campaigns designed to protect his reputation. It is a façade—one that prioritizes perception over the integrity of leadership. By filtering out the “sandflies” of minor criticism, they ignore the far larger “elephant” of ethical governance.

This focus on image at the expense of substance is not only misguided but dangerous. It undermines public trust in political institutions. When leaders and their supporters emphasize optics over accountability, they sidestep serious moral questions. This behavior mirrors that of the Pharisees, who cared more about appearing holy than living according to the principles of justice and righteousness.

Deflection and Ethical Evasion

One of the most insidious aspects of this political maneuvering is the way it deflects attention from serious ethical questions. By focusing on defending the Prime Minister’s reputation, his backers create an illusion of control and stability, while the deeper issues remain unresolved. This deflection is not only a short-term tactic to avoid addressing uncomfortable truths, but it is also a dangerous precedent for the future of governance in Jamaica.

This tactic of evading ethical responsibility mirrors the Pharisees’ behavior in Matthew 23:23, where Jesus accuses them of paying tithe on mint, dill, and cumin (jira), while neglecting “the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness.” By obsessing over minor religious details, the Pharisees distracted from their failure to live out the core values of their faith. Similarly, by focusing on defending the Prime Minister’s public image, his backers are evading the larger issue of ethical accountability.

In this context, the political elite are gulping down elephants—huge issues like unexplained wealth, corruption, and governance—while filtering out sandflies, or trivial concerns that don’t address the core ethical problem. This ethical evasion may provide short-term political protection, but it threatens long-term damage to the integrity of Jamaica’s democratic institutions.

The Erosion of Public Trust

The broader implications of this political hypocrisy are profound. Just as the Pharisees’ hypocrisy undermined public trust in religious institutions, political hypocrisy erodes faith in governance. Citizens quickly recognize when their leaders prioritize personal image over moral responsibility, and this realization breeds disillusionment and cynicism.

Jamaica is already grappling with a significant trust deficit, exacerbated by previous scandals involving figures like Ruel Reid and former Prime Minister Bruce Golding. The deflection surrounding the Prime Minister’s sudden wealth only deepens this distrust. When political leaders fail to demonstrate true integrity, the entire political system suffers, and citizens become increasingly skeptical about their leaders’ motives and actions.

The Pharisees, with all their public displays of piety, ultimately lost credibility because they failed to live up to the moral ideals they professed. A similar fate could await Jamaica’s political leaders if they continue to prioritize outward appearances over genuine ethical conduct. As Jesus warned, “For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12). Political leaders who rely on public relations to maintain their power may eventually face a reckoning if they neglect the deeper moral principles required for true leadership.

Conclusion

The parallels between the Pharisaic hypocrisy condemned by Jesus in Matthew 23 and the current political situation in Jamaica are striking. In both cases, leaders and their supporters prioritize outward appearances over substance, straining out the sandflies of minor concerns while gulping down the elephants of larger moral failures. This kind of hypocrisy not only undermines public trust but also corrodes the integrity of institutions.

True leadership demands more than just a polished public image. It requires a commitment to ethical principles, transparency, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Without this, political leaders may win short-term battles but will ultimately lose the trust and respect of the people they serve. As history shows, no amount of public relations can substitute for genuine righteousness and integrity. The real question is whether Jamaica’s political elite will continue filtering out sandflies while ignoring the elephants in the room, or whether they will finally confront the ethical issues that demand their attention.

Work To Do

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, the Christian Brethren, and the RCs have much work to do.