Matthew 23:1-3
NLT, “Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of
religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the
Scriptures. So practice and obey whatever they say to you, but don’t follow
their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.”
Sometimes ago, when
I took a nap, I pondered the Words of Jesus about the sheep and the goats. Especially
when He said to the goats about what they did not do to Him. Suddenly, Jesus
appeared and He stood beside my bed and raise His hands as if He was scolding
in anger and said, “Woe to the Pharisees! Woe! … I have much to say about this
‘woes.’ I want you to study this and share it in Manna.” ‘Wow, Jesus! Okay! And
I love You, Jesus.’ Then I fell asleep and when I awoke, I felt refreshed and
my strength renewed. God is so good! Soon after, I started the research on “Woes.”
(ASL: Mercy, ‘O’)
Matthew 23:1-39 is
a long chapter well worth reading. **From Matthew 23:13-36, Jesus mentioned
seven ways to guarantee God’s anger, often called the “seven woes.” These seven
statements about the religious leaders must have been spoken with a mixed tone
of judgment and sorrow. They were strong and unforgettable. They are still
applicable anytime we become so involved in perfecting the practice or religion
that we forget that God is also concerned with mercy, real love, and
forgiveness.
**The Seven Woes
from Matthew 23: (1) V. 13 - Not letting others enter the Kingdom of Heaven and
not entering themselves. (2) V. 15 - Converting people ways from God to be like
yourselves. (3) V. 16-22 - Blindly leading God’s people to follow man-made
traditions instead of God’s Word. (4) V. 23, 24 - Involving yourself in every
last detail and ignoring what is really important, justice, mercy and faith. (5)
V. 25, 26 - Keeping up appearances while your private world is corrupt. (6) V.
27, 28 – Acting spiritual to cover up sin. (7) V. 29, 36 – Pretending to have
learned from past history, but your present behavior show you have learned
nothing. [**Note from the
QVLAB]
Jesus’ words in
chapter 23 revealed His most severe denounce which means the act of denouncing;
a public charge of wrong doing. Jesus spoke against religious leaders and false
teachers who had rejected at least a part of God’s Word and replaced it with
their own ideas and interpretations. Jesus does not accept those who is not
concerned about being faithful to God and His Word. Jesus was not a weak
preacher. Jesus was strong against their sins and corruption in high places (v.23, 25).
Jesus has a great love
for the inspired Scriptures of His Father. Jesus was concerned for those people
who were being destroyed by their religious leaders for misleading the Word of
God. Jesus’ anger was so great that it caused Him to use the words like “hypocrites”
(v.15), “child of hell” (v.15), “blind guides” (v.16), “fools” (v.17), “extortion
and excess” (v.25), “white sepulchers … unclean” (v.27), “full of … iniquity”
(v.28), “serpents,” “generation of vipers” (v.33), and murderers (v.34).
Even though Jesus’
words were severe and condemning to the religious leaders, Jesus spoke with a
broken heart over Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the
prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered
your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were
not willing!” (Matt. 23:37 ESV).
[To be
continued]
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