Matthew 23

Among the Sadducees we find rich landowners and powerful priests. They only followed the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) and therefore denied the idea of a bodily resurrection. The Pharisees, in contrast, claimed many scribes and scholars. They accepted the entire Old Testament, but they also believed in an oral law that was passed down from generation to generation to go along with the written law, which is one of the issues we have before us here.

In this section of Scripture Jesus pronounces judgment on the Pharisees. His use of “woe” indicates that He is greatly distressed and suggests that there will be significant consequences for their actions. He condemns their pride, warns them about false teaching and actions, condemns them for making false converts, and gives them an example of how they are twisting Scripture. His words teach us that:

• Whenever a teacher is following the Bible we should do what they say. But we have to be careful and make sure that they aren’t just teaching tradition as truth. We also need to recognize that teachers don’t always do what they say, so we shouldn’t just blindly follow someone’s actions. We need to be discerning about both belief and behavior when it comes to teachers.
• Humility is vital in the Christian life. Terms of respect can even become problematic because they can feed a person’s pride. The best way that we can show respect for a teacher is by following what they say, not calling them a title.
• The greatest “title” of all is servant.
• We all have a responsibility to share about the kingdom with others, but here Jesus focuses primarily on teachers. We can “lock” people out or “let” people in. It all depends on our teaching. Here the Pharisees are condemned because they are so far off the mark they themselves aren’t even in the kingdom.
• We can make things overly complicated when we add to the Scripture. Saying you’ll do something is what is most important. It doesn’t matter what we swear by; in fact, we shouldn’t swear at all! We should just let our “yes” be “yes” and our “no” be “no” (Matthew 5:33-37).
• Don’t get so hung up on the little things that you neglect the big ones: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
• Looking good on the outside when you are dirty on the inside is useless. Be clean on the inside and the outside will follow. Don’t allow greed, selfishness, hypocrisy and sin to run your life.
• Pay attention to the teachers that God has given to you now. Make sure that you are listening to the ones who hold fast to the truth that has been preached for thousands of years. Pretending to honor God’s word and his teachers from the past is just hypocritical if you refuse to listen to those who are currently teaching the same things.

Here’s an important note: the Hebrew Bible goes from Genesis to 2 Chronicles, not Genesis to Malachi. When Jesus mentions how they are guilty of the blood from Abel to Zechariah he’s authenticating/recognizing all the books of the Old Testament that we recognize today (with Zechariah being identified as the descendant of his grandfather, Berechiah).

Finally, Jesus gives us some insight into the heart of God, which aches for His people to know and follow Him (37-39). Jesus probably said this lament more than once, and He seems to have felt this frequently. “How often” shows us that there may have been numerous visits to Jerusalem that we know nothing about!

Thought for the day: Paul felt the same way about his countrymen, and we should feel the same about others that we know need Jesus.

Romans 9:1-5 (WEB) “I tell the truth in Christ. I am not lying, my conscience testifying with me in the Holy Spirit that I have great sorrow and unceasing pain in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers’ sake, my relatives according to the flesh who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service, and the promises; of whom are the fathers, and from whom is Christ as concerning the flesh, who is over all, God, blessed forever. Amen.”