Matt. 23
For the past three weeks we have been looking at what Jesus has to say regarding what a life of faith as His disciple looks like…and as in the case of anything where there is a difference between two things…there’s a contrast.
As Jesus begins His last week in His earthly body…He gives six parables that Matthew records regarding 1) the expectations on how we are to live our life while on earth…nothing is said about how to receive eternal life…the emphasis is on how to live a Christ centered life…and 2) the blessing associated when we do.
Then in chapter 23 Jesus returns to His rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees by dedicating an entire chapter that is centered on their conduct.
So what has that got to do with me…in this portion of Scripture Matthew chapter 23 is directed at those who are drawing people away from Jesus…the Jewish leaders were literally directing people away God.
I will seldom if ever talk about other denominations…BUT…I will call out those who pervert the gospel…and draw people away from God…what we see today in cults…both Mormonism and Jehovah Witness preach a different Jesus…they use the same religious terms that we use…but their terms have a different meaning than what Scripture teaches.
Every non-Christian religion is a works-righteous religion which believes in works for their salvation…which is in direct contrast with the gospel of grace…by their very nature such belief systems prevent and exclude people from God’s kingdom.
So far Jesus has given two parables that reflect that contrast…the Parable of the Two Sons and the Parable of the Vineyard Owner that were directed both at believers and at the Jewish religious leaders.
Here Jesus is talking specifics…He identifies what is going to keep people from receiving rewards in Heaven…but worse yet… something that is a benefit to us… what’s going to keep them even entering Heaven…something that is seldom taught because it’s uncomfortable.
The scribes and Pharisees were successors to some of the dignity and authority of Moses, they sat in the seat of Moses…in the sense of being responsible for teaching and faithfully interpreting the Law to the people.
They sat there by Divine appointment and by Divine permission…that should be the authority that every pastor should claim…being a pastor is being in the pulpit by Divine appointment and by Divine permission.
The Pharisees were the custodial heirs of that appointment and received their authority which God gave through his servant Moses.
Because of their official authority as appointed teachers of the Law, Jesus instructed the common people to follow their teaching.
Therefore, all that they tell you, do and observe [23:3]
I would hope as your pastor that to some extent you ‘do and observe’ what I share with you from the pulpit…in the Greek ‘observe’ (τηρεῖτε) is a present imperative. It’s a command…so to ‘do’ (ποιήσατε) and observe are directed at the people to adhere to what those who are appointed as teachers—teach and command.
That statement was made in general terms but it was conditional…observe and do but within the limits of the Law…Jesus is saying… you must distinguish between what they’re preaching…versus how they’re living their lives…because the two are in contrast with each other.
for they say things and do not do them [23:3]
They were living a lifestyle that was less than Godly…as a result the people soon followed their example…here’s how people justify that…if they’re doing it what will it hurt if I do it…BUT…here’s where the problem comes in.
Failure of the Pharisees for not doing what was right was no excuse for the people’s disobedience… especially by those who knew God’s will…whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin [Jas. 4:17].
The devil made me do it…or I saw my pastor do it…or I’m just following the pastor’s lead…is not an excuse.
whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin [Jas. 4:17].
We hear a lot of voices these days…there’s the voice of our own conscience… accusing or excusing us…there’s the voice of our friends and loved ones…they certainly always want to give us good advice…then there’s the voice of the devil… who always wants to give us half-truths…and of course, there’s the voice of God.
Learning to know which is which is important…that can only be found when we are listening to what God is saying…by reading His Word…by coming to Church and Sunday school…by attending Bible studies.
Jesus has already warned the people previously against listening to the errors of the Pharisees…telling them to beware of the leaven [Matt. 16:6] using that as a symbol for sin to show that it has the potential to permeate your entire person.
The evil and inconsistent life of the scribes and Pharisees was a strong influence on people who were accepting their actions as God’s will…it’s the same today:
They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders [4]
Evil Christian teachers having the same hindering results…inventing stuff for people to follow that has no biblical support.
People imposing on the church their own guidelines…telling people if they fail to observe them they’re failing to be observant of God’s commands…and worse yet… telling people that failure to adhere to these manmade ‘commands’ is causing them to miss out on God’s blessings.
These suggestions are not only burdensome and oppressive but have neither reason nor revelation from God.
I’m not going to go through all eight woes…but I do want to share with you two EXAMPLES…that have a direct reference to what Jesus was telling the people regarding being tied up by religious mandates.
There are those who would want you believe that you’re not fulfilling God’s commandments as a Christian when you ignore His Old Testament direction concerning the assembling three times a year before the Lord [Deut.16:16].
Three times a year all your men are to appear before the LORD your God in the place He will choose
This verse is a relatively new ‘teaching’ in the church today…there are those who would have you believe that that directive is still in force…that Jewish holidays and festivals are still a part of worshiping God…that these requirements are still active and you’re negligent by not observing them.
Certainly, Jewish holidays and festivals have a rich history and one can understand why as Christians some love these holidays…Passover…Pentecost…Hanukkah.
Is it wrong to celebrate Jewish holidays? Not at all…if a Christian congregation wants to reenact aspects of an Old Testament feast for the sake of better understanding their old covenant heritage, it’s within the bounds of Christian liberty.
And although the Jewish religious festivals may still be celebrated by Jewish Messianic believers, they are not relevant to Gentile Christians despite what those on the Word and Daystar networks would have you believe.
We have had a Seder (Passover) celebration in our church…but such reenactments should be done with a clear awareness that they are not required of Christians… they convey no special spiritual benefits and are strictly of educational value.
Here’s why they tell you this…not because they’re concerned about you not fulfilling God’s commandment…they’re not really that concerned about that portion of the text…they tell you this because of what God told the Jewish men they should do:
No one should appear before the LORD empty-handed.
That’s the real reason…the part they want to emphasize…the part about not standing before God empty handed is code for send me money…in return trust God to reimburse you…there is no New Testament verses to support that teaching.
Here’s the second fallacy promoted by some in the church today…it also has to do with giving money…that as Christians you have an obligation to give 10% of your earning to the church.
This has become a big problem in the church today…the word ‘tithe’ appears only 4 times in the entire New Testament and is never used as a requirement for giving.
None of the writers of the New Testament ever remotely suggest that you are to give 10% of your money to the church.
The idea is an Old Testament requirement that has been carried over to make people feel obligated to give…and it makes people feel less than a Christian if they don’t… it’s used as an incentive that when you give…God’s going to give to you in return …at the same time suggesting the possibility that God’s not going to bless you because you’re stealing from God.
To further emphasize that they use an Old Testament verse from Malachi [3:10] to give substance to that BUT that has absolutely no application to the church today.
I’ve told you there are some things I will not preach on and money is one of them… if people can’t see walking into our church that we have finical obligations that need to be met…mortgage…utilities…pay for staff…upkeep on the building…I am not going to waste your time telling you that you need to give.
The reason for giving to the church is simple and Paul tells us what it is.
…1) [2 Cor. 9:7] Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
…2) [2 Cor. 9:8] when we willingly and freely give to the church…or to others… God responds toward you in a like manner…God gives back to you because you are faithful with what He has given you…BUT HERE’S THE KEY.
He gives it back NOT so you can spend it on yourself…as those preachers on TBN …Daystar…and the Word network would have you believe…but so you can share with others…not for yourself…but…so you can provide for someone else…it has nothing to do with your personal financial gain.
NO WHERE in the New Testament is there any reference to give so you can get back in return for your own personal gain…let me just say this about giving money to the Church…if you’re giving money to the church because you think it pays…it won’t (R. G. LeTonrneau).
So in Matthew 23, Jesus attacks those who promote such foolishness by pronouncing eight woes on them because they are imposing on the Jewish believers’ requirements that are only causing hardships and burdens in their everyday living.
Matthews’s desire in chapter 23…as guided by the Holy Spirit, was to make a permanent record of what will happen when God’s Word is abused.
No one in Scripture is more condemned than the religious fraud who teaches and practices untruth…God’s most furious wrath is reserved for those who parade themselves as a servant of God but who in reality are servants only of evil and a lie.
James validates this idea [James 3:1]
Not many of you should become teachers…knowing that we who teach will be judged more strictly
A ‘woe’ is an exclamation of grief or distress…more accurately it expresses an outcry of anger…this was not the first time Jesus had some harsh words for the religious leaders of His day…criticizing the Pharisees for hypocrisy [23:5]
They do their works to be seen, and they live for the praise of men.
Because of this wording it has been suggested that this portion of Scripture is targeted toward the clergy…that as pastors we would do well to ensure that we don’t fall in with the same attitudes that Jesus is condemning the Pharisees for.
Looking at Jesus’ condemnation in Matthew 23 and His teaching of the Beatitudes …we see a parallel teaching that pits one against the other…here’s what’s interesting…there are eight beatitudes and eight woes…do you think it strange that each one of the ‘woes’ is countered by a beatitude that is in direct conflict to it?
Therefore, Jesus reveals the sharp contrast between those of the kingdom and those who will not be a part of the kingdom.
Much of what passes for Christianity today is little more than human religion with the name of Jesus tacked onto it…the result is it has failed to transform its followers into Christ’s servants.
When rightly understood, Jesus’ woes may strike too close to home for comfort… we read this portion of Scripture and think ‘well this obviously isn’t meant for me’ but what Jesus is saying is relevant to everyone who is a Christian.
I could go into a detailed sermon on these eight woes…but what is key here is why did Matthew take the time to record all of what Jesus is saying regarding worship… it’s because these woes are a warning against those who keep people from the kingdom of heaven.
HOW…by how they lackadaisically live their lives…by forcing human traditions and human religious rules on people implying they are more important than God’s Word.
I don’t think there is a bigger danger in the Church today than when human systems …rituals…and traditions are imposed on people that do nothing more than burden them with heavy loads of ‘work’ causing people to focus on their own power rather than on the power of God.
They go to great lengths with their distorted views of the Bible…by imposing their man-made traditions they not only keep themselves out of the kingdom but they stand in the way of others.
Jesus condemns them by saying: “they do all their deeds to be seen by people” (Matthew 23:5)….they loved to be esteemed as more spiritual than others.
Their response to Jesus was to have Him done away with…He was challenging their social status and their position as God’s favorites…they were insensitive to Jesus’ rebuke of their teachings…subsequently they will not escape the sentence of hell.
We have the benefit of the completed gospel to rely on…therefore we have the teaching of Jesus regarding how we are to conduct ourselves as taught in the Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus reveals eight proclamations that form many of the foundational planks of the Christian life…and the blessing associated with living those as a dedicated lifestyle.
Here Jesus is giving us eight criticisms focused primarily against the religious leaders…but can be applicable to us as well…Jesus taught both the benefits of the Beatitudes and the consequences of living an unreformed life.
The beatitudes are spiritual…they form the manifesto for the Kingdom of God defining what a follower of the Kingdom was to look like…the woes are earthly …dealing with those who were living the opposite of the Kingdom principles.
The Sermon on the Mount is an unpacking of what a true relationship between a Christian and God must entail…capturing how a forgiving God takes the initiative in relating to us…and in turn how we should respond from our hearts.
As Christians…do you allow God to challenge you through others, or do you tend to respond angrily to correction…being realistic about sin…not trying to justify your actions… mourning over a wayward lifestyle…being repentant of sins…being responsive to God’s call to righteous living.
The Pharisees and priests were too proud to be corrected…so instead of making a mid-course correction and repenting, they ended up under God’s condemnation.
When we’re more concerned about how others perceive us than whether we’re pleasing God we find ourselves mirroring the religious leaders of Israel…it’s easy to see any correction as a confrontation instead of as an opportunity to divine correction.