Matthew 23.
The disciples are looked at here as the godly remnant of the Jews. The leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, are seen as teachers of the law. Sitting in Moses’ seat, they were to be obeyed in all they said according to that law, although they were behaving the opposite. The disciples were to recognize all that was of God, but they were also to recognize and avoid the sinful behavior of those leaders.
It is a chapter of denunciation of the wicked ways of those leaders.
Matthew 23:4. They bind heavy burdens on others, but would not move them with one of their fingers. They were but fingerposts pointing the way, but they never went themselves.
Matthew 23:5. Their works and religious dress and outward sanctity were but to be seen of men, and (verses 6, 7) to be honored of men.
Matthew 23:8. But the disciples were not to be called Rabbi, for Christ was their Master; they were brethren.
Matthew 23:9. They were to call no roan father upon earth for One is their Father, who is in heaven. This forbids the religious titles of today. that men take assuming authority above others. Not even Master (teacher), for Christ is your instructor (verse 10).
Matthew 23:11-12. The service of Christ is lowly service. God will exalt the humble, but will humble those who exalt themselves.
Matthew 23:13. “But Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” seven times repeated in this chapter.
Were they not well warned?
They would not go into the blessing God had provided and they hindered others from going in, they shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.
Matthew 23:14. “Woe unto you,” for ye devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayer; therefore ye shall receive the greater judgment.
Matthew 23:15. Great zeal to proselytize, only to make the convert more a child of hell than themselves, if possible!
Matthew 23:16-22. “Woe unto you, blind guides.” Their folly is shown out in making more of their gift than of God himself.
Matthew 23:23-24. They paid great attention to small things and neglected what was weighty and substantial – “judgment, mercy and faith.” Blind guides, straining out the gnat, and drinking down the camel.
Matthew 23:25-28. Clean outside, filthy inside, full of ‘extortion and excess. Begin to cleanse inside first, then the outside will follow; but they were whitewashed sepulchers – outwardly beautiful, within full of death and corruption and of all uncleanness. Outwardly appearing righteous, but within full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
What a difference from one washed white, owning his guilty condition before God, and receiving remission of sins! (Isa. 1:18).
Matthew 23:29-32. They build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, “If we had been in the (lays of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.” Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? (Gehenna, the lake of fire).
Matthew 23:34. “Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes.” Some of those were the very disciples there at that moment, but spoken of in Jewish terms. This would test those leaders, and the Lord tells beforehand what would happen. “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.”
Matthew 23:35-36. Frightful was the amount of guilt that was upon their heads. From Abel downwards they had heard the story of their wicked obduracy, and of God’s long-suffering mercy. Now this long suffering was run out and they were obdurate and rebellious still, and upon their heads would be poured out the accumulated wrath of God. “Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation.”
Ecclesiastical assumption of authority, with profession of orthodoxy, has ever been the persecuting power and opposition to truth in every age and country. The Scriptures record it of Israel; the scribes and Pharisees finish the story here. The Lord Himself testifies to it.
Matthew 23:37-39. But with what tender pathos the Lord now pronounces judgment on His beloved city. “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!” How often as Jehovah had He sent His warnings and entreaties? (Psa. 81:13-16; Isa. 48:18). Now ail was at an end. “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 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” (Psa. 118). They rejected Him who is the Sun of Righteousness, so must lie desolate till repentance is wrought (proposed but still refused in Acts 3). In the appointed time they will as a nation realize their sin, and long for His coming and reign, and rejoice in that day when He comes. “This is the day Jehovah hath made; we will be glad and rejoice in it” (Psa. 118:21-29).