They say, and do not
Mat 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
After answering all the questions of the leaders; the Saducees, the Herodians and the Pharisees who tried to discredit him, he turns to address the multitudes and his disciples.
Mat 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
They were responsible for teaching the law and the prophets. Jesus earlier spoke to a Pharisee, named Nicodemus about needing to be born again of the spirit. Nicodemus and most Pharisees were Spiritually blind. Many churches today, have Spiritual blindness in their leaders, but not all. Jesus spoke the following:
John 3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
John 3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
John 3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Mat 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Mat 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
With knowledge, comes responsibility to do what is learned. Learning is a change of behavior, or put another way, the word in the head makes it's way to your innermost being, the heart, and we are obedient to it and also the will of God.
James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
It is possible to "do" and not be right with God because we do things not in faith, but of dead works, for praise of man and not of God. This is more in reference to earning favor with God.
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
The Spiritual person is called to obey God.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Who is Chief?
Mat 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
Mat 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Mat 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
Jesus said do what the Pharisees teach concerning God's word, but do not do as they do. All they do is to promote them and to receive glory from others, to appear as exalted religious leaders. They bring focus to themselves. This should not be.
Mat 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
We should not exalt one Christian above another; for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. Rabbi, means; my great one my honorable sir.
Jesus Christ is the exalted head, the name above all names.
Mat 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Let's take this in context. The preceding verse was referring to the Pharisees, who plotted against Jesus. Here, father means: the members of the Sanhedrin, which thought by virtue of the wisdom and experience in which they excelled, to take charge of the interests of others. Jesus was speaking to multitudes and his disciples; so as groups they have but one father, God the Father. But, as individuals they have fathers and mothers on earth. How do we know this? Because Jesus himself referred to their father Abraham.
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Who was the father of Jesus? God was his Spiritual Father. I see this statement then in spiritual terms. No man is to be Spiritual Father, but our Father God. Paul, as a teacher was as a father to those birthed into God's Kingdom. Yet, he was more of a supportive father, not as Spiritual Father, God alone is Spiritual Father.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Paul was as a father to many, but seldom referred to himself as father.
Gal 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Peter also referred to his beloved as children with God as their Father.
1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Mom and dad, is a term of love connecting hearts, truly there are moms and dads given by Jesus to his children. Yet, all in Christ have one Spiritual Father, not a church minister, but God the Father.
Mat 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
The word used here for master, is guide or teacher. Teachers are part of the five-fold ministry given to the Church. But, many have other guides; some are spiritual guides, fallen angels. Some even refer to these as masters. There shall be no other guide, but the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.
John 16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.
Notice how Jesus has taken glory from the religious leaders and given it back to God. In fact, he points to the triune God, or the trinity: Jesus is the head, God is Father of all in the Kingdom of God and the Holy Spirit, is guide and teacher. We give God the glory, He is exalted, not man or woman.
Humble servant
Mat 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
A servants heart does not demand it's own way. The word here used for servant is diakanos, from diako, to run errands. Strongs concordance lists these meanings for the word: 1) one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister a) the servant of a king b) a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use) a waiter, one who serves food and drink
They exalted themselves and found fault with Jesus, the obedient servant of the Most High God. Even God is humble, for Jesus was the image of the invisible God.
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Why does flesh exalt itself and seek power, and the servant of God strut about like a rooster, with great and swelling words, when Jesus himself was humble? He is our example, the image of God. He gives us all things from the Father.
1 Cor 3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
1 Cor 3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
1 Cor 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;
1 Pet 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
1 Pet 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Pet 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
1 Pet 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1 Pet 5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
If we seek only to serve, we will not be disappointed. It brings great peace to wait upon the Lord.
Woe unto you
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
The scribes and the Pharisees were the ones who were the experts. They were learned, and proud of their positions. Like some churches, they did not teach the true way to God's kingdom, but they taught religion and traditions. Their ways became an obstacle, to finding God's Kingdom and salvation. When Jesus, their savior came, according to the scriptures, they were blind and even tried to destroy him.
Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Another woe, they were covetous, devouring widow’s houses, while pretending to be righteous, reading long prayers to be seen of men.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
These were blind to spiritual truth, teaching traditions for truth. We, as they must be careful of what we say.
Mat 15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
Mat 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
Mat 15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
Mat 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Understand this, there is a tendency to become like the one who has led you to understanding of the things of God. Paul was a good example in leading others to the Lord through the gospel. He wanted people to follow him, as he followed Jesus in word and in truth.
1 Cor 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
1 Cor 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Cor 4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
Paul even referred to himself as a nurturing father, but only God is our Spiritual Father. They were following false guides; they were puffed up with their own importance allowing sin to continue. Paul normally was humble not speaking of himself, but as the nurturing father he needed to speak boldly.
1 Cor 4:18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.
1 Cor 4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.
1 Cor 4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1 Cor 4:21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?
1 Cor 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1 Cor 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Cor 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
We are responsible to rid ourselves of those who are bringing another spirit, those who will not repent and continue to sow strife.
Do not swear
Mat 23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Mat 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
First, they should not be making oaths. Here, gold had more value then the temple that made the gold clean for the Lords use. They were always making oaths, like children and then finding ways to get out of them.
When God makes an oath, he keeps it.
Mat 23:18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Mat 23:19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Mat 23:20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Mat 23:21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Mat 23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
They were taking Gods name and his holy things in vain. Again, their traditions ignored the law.
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
James repeats the warning of our Lord:
James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
1 Pet 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
1 Pet 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
1 Pet 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
Outward show
Mat 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
The religious leaders were careful in tithing; a tithe was to give a tenth part of every increase unto the Lord. If you receive 10 dollars, one dollar belongs to the Lord, according to Old Testament law.
Mal 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
But they ignored the more important things of the law: judgment; which is justice, knowing right from wrong and administering a just sentence on a wrong doer, according to God's laws.
Deu 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Mercy; kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.
Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Deu 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
Faith; in the LORD and his promises to His people.
Mat 17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?
Mat 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Mat 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
The gnat is the tiniest of insects, so the contrast is dramatic. This is as they were in the spiritual. They fussed over little things while swallowing the camel, allowing gross sin and negligence of God's law.
Mat 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Mat 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Their hearts were evil as they were pretending to be righteous and pure. Sin is not as ones heart says, but as God's truth says. When you judge another, what is within your own heart? Are you saying another is in sin because they do not do your will? Perhaps your will is not God's will. Do not be another's judge but get your own heart clean.
Mat 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Beautiful in appearance, but within is full of hypocrisy, you are putting on an act; and iniquity, the heart is not clean, but is full of sin.
1 Sam 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
Prov 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
God knows our hearts, we may fool others with smooth words and clean robes, but God sees the weightier things of the heart. The good news is if we are in Christ Jesus he sees no sin, but only his son. We are hidden in Jesus. Thank you Lord Jesus.
Destroyers
Mat 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Mat 23:30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Mat 23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
They would not receive God's son, Jesus, as they did not receive the prophets. There was no escaping the wrath of God when they refused His Son. It is said God is love, yes in Jesus he is love, apart from Jesus there is the righteous judgment of sin.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
God hates sin and will punish the wrongdoer. His love is for those who trust in him. The heathen shall be destroyed. God commanded the destruction of the heathen nations when Israel was to come into the Promised Land.
Deu 20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:
Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
Deu 20:18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
Their sin would get into the children of God and they would receive their bad spirits. The sin had to be removed. Israel often was a disobedient and stiff-necked people, even destroying God's prophets.
Mat 23:32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Mat 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Mat 23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Mat 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Mat 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
They should have known better.
John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
John 9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
John 9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
John 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
They only saw their own thoughts and the traditions of men. They would allow satan to use them to kill their Messiah. His blood would be on their hands and their children, until Jesus is received as their Lord, breaking their own oath.
Jerusalem
Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Jesus, the savior and protector of Israel, as a hen a shield to the little ones, yet they would not trust in him because of the hardness of their hearts. Jesus, Emanuel, God with us.
Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
They missed God, the Son, the healer, the deliverer as prophesied by Isaiah hundreds of years before, because they were spiritually blind and proud of it.
Luke 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Luke 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
Luke 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
It is a terrible thing to reject Jesus. He is the love of God and the protection of God from satan and death.
Mat 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Mat 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
John 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
There is power in the name of Jesus, and yet Israel was about to turn on her savior. Jesus lamented over the blindness of his people. Most of Israel would not receive him until his second coming. Most would die in their sins. Do not wait, receive Jesus now as your Lord, your protector, and never taste death, for in him is life, now and forevermore, amen.
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