Ep. 239. Matthew 23 | Seven Woes
EPISODE 239
SEVEN WOES: MATTHEW 23
Remember that the Scribes and the Pharisees set themselves as opponents to Jesus and his teaching. (in part because they were envious of him (Matthew 27:18)). We see here, as we did in chapter 6, that the Pharisees do all their deeds to be seen by others. Their reward is the accolade and the pat on the back they receive, but there is no honor from God for those who only do their good deeds to be seen by others. Honestly, it makes me think a lot about the "influencer" culture we so often see where someone makes videos of all the "good deeds" they do for the homeless and downtrodden. What reward is there in that offering other than the click of the heart at the bottom of the post? I am often skeptical of the "Christian" who feels the need to broadcast every work they are doing "for the kingdom." I don't see any difference between that and the Pharisees who give with trumpets blasting and pray on the street corners to be witnessed by all the passersby.
The Pharisees who live this way are "hypocrites" who "shut the kingdom in people's faces" and raise up converts who are "twice as much a child of hell as yourselves." These generational leaders were blind guides who misled their disciples in worthless ways. These false teachers were concerned with the tithing of their groceries but neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. They made sure they looked the part on the outside, but as we had already seen, their hearts were far from God.
Culturally, there was both an admiration and disdain for the Pharisees. Some certainly saw the Pharisees as the bastion of righteousness, but others saw them as pompous, self-loving fools. Ultimately, they would be responsible for seeing Jesus put to death. I wonder if we have elevated our Pharisaical counterparts in the world today. Do we love those who, by all appearance, seem to be grandiose in their "work" for God? Are we most impressed by those who pray the most loudly, who give with the most pomp and circumstance, who wear their fasting on their face like ashes? Does it ever occur to us that Jesus told these self-righteous ones of his day, "Woe to you?"
These were not just bad examples of believers; these men were deniers of Jesus, unrepentant, far from God, and "sons of the devil."
ADDITIONAL READING: Matthew 6; Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 7:1-3; 2 Chronicles 24:22; Matthew 21:9
