Today's passage includes Jesus giving some very strong words to some of the Jewish religious leaders of that day. While He noted their teaching can still be worthy of following, He made it clear their actions should not be followed, as they did not lead by example. While they wanted to be seen as good and honorable, they did not actually want to follow through and do the work. They missed a key teaching from 1 Samuel 16:7, that "the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." May the word of God challenge us to take an honest account of our inward appearance, as well as to follow the true teachings in God's word in spite of the failures of religious leaders.

Matthew 23:1-37

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! 25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37 “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!

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ What does Jesus instruct the crowds and His disciples to do in relation to the scribes and Pharisees, and why? [v1-4]

+ What motivated the scribes and Pharisees, and what did they desire? [v5-7]

+ Since other New Testament passages refer to certain believers as being fathers (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:20-21) and teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11), what is the point of Jesus' teaching in v8-10 within the context of v5-12?

+ How did Jesus' own life prove v11-12 to be true?

+ What are the "woe" rebukes Jesus gives the scribes and Pharisees? Are there any common theme?

+ Why might Jesus use ad hominem name calling, using terms like "hypocrites" and "blind fools," when addressing the scribes and Pharisees? See v4 and v7 for context that could apply.

+ What insight is Jesus giving related to the temple and the altar, and why is this important to understand? [v17, v19]

+ While focusing on legalistic aspects of tithing, what did the scribes and Pharisees neglect? [v23]

+ What did the scribes and Pharisees inadvertently do when trying to make themselves appear more righteous than their forefathers? [v29-33]

+ What was Jesus prophesying would take place to prophets, wise men, and scribes He sent to the other scribes and Pharisees? [v34-37]

+ What kept Jesus from gathering Jerusalem together into His protection? [v37]

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there a sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ Are there internal since you need to confess to bring about God's forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9)?

+ Is your focus on external appearance or how you are viewed by people? Consider Jesus' teaching and promise in v12 of today's passage. How does God view you?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?