The Sandlot

In the 1993 movie, The Sandlot, two boys face off in a classic shouting match in which they exchange wicked barbs aimed at each other. My kids' favorite insult is, "You bob for apples in the toilet, and like it!" The final zinger is, "You play baseball like a girl!!!!" All the other kids looking on are stunned at the statement.
Yesterday, while reading in Matthew 23, I couldn't help but think of this scene as I read Jesus' shellacking of the scribes and Pharisees. The following is a condensed version hitting some of the highlights, but the entire chapter is full of vicious humor. It was particularly vicious because it rang true.
"They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. Blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. "
My favorite was the reference to "whitewashed tombs", beautiful on the outside but full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. I plan to refer to this one if I ever get into a shouting match with someone. Just joking ( I think).