Another Accusation of Hypocrisy
March 1
In Matthew 23, Jesus again unloads on the hypocritical Jewish leaders. This time, however, marks His fiercest rebuke in all of the Gospel accounts. For three years, the Lord has been merciful and gracious, offering them chance after chance to repent, take off their religious masks, and get real with God. Not only have they passed on every opportunity, however, they’ve doubled down in their pride. Now, Jesus will take their masks off for them.
Like a wrecking ball, He begins laying waste to the whole house of cards—the pageantry, pretense, and pure deceit they practice before others to make themselves look good. He begins His condemnation acknowledging that they “sit on Moses’ seat,” meaning God has entrusted them with His Law, yet notes that they don’t practice what they preach. (Matthew 23:2-3) “So do what they tell you,” He says, “But don’t do what they do.”
Next, Jesus reveals that in layer upon layer they pile heavy religious burdens upon people’s backs, while refusing to follow the same set of rules. (Remember the 700 fence laws?) He then moves to their love of privilege, celebrity status, and titles like rabbi, teacher, and instructor, which they use to elevate themselves above the people. Here He reminds them of the order of things:
1.) They are all brothers—meaning they are supposed to act like loving members of the same family, instead of men divided by religious factions and social status.
2.) They all have one teacher, the Christ Himself—meaning they should listen to Him and remember that they will be accountable to Him for every word they speak.
3.) The greatest of men are servants—not masters, and those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while the humble will be exalted. (cf. 1 Peter 5:6; James 4:10)
All of this must have been a staggering experience for the disciples and the crowd. Right before their very eyes, an entire system of religious teaching was being publicly exposed as a sham and an entire class of proud, pious men as worthless frauds. Still, the Lord is not done. All of this has been the lead-up to this next moment.
At verse 13, Jesus begins sounding a series of spiritual warnings, seven pronouncements of God’s deep grief and agony over the pride and rebellion of these religious leaders and the judgment that is looming just above their heads.
”Woe,” He says, a word that has appeared twice already in Matthew 11:21 and 18:7. The first occurrence came as Jesus mourned over the unrepentant cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, places where He’d worked many miracles. The second woe warned of the wrath that would fall on those who cause others to sin.
Verses 13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, and 29 contain these grave denunciations from Jesus against the fake religious community that has…
• Barred the way for sincere seekers of God
• Produced worse disciples than the leaders
• Made a mockery of spiritual vows • Reduced worship to a religious transaction
• Replaced repentance with outward ceremony • Festered sin like corpses rotting in the tombs • Celebrated the prophets with tombs and memorials, yet by their behavior revealed that they are the offspring of those who murdered them.
As we reach verses 37-39, one can almost see Jesus falling down to the ground, like Jeremiah or one of the other prophets, weeping over Jerusalem (and Israel’s) rejection of her savior. All that will be left, He says, is a desolate house.
Application
Matthew 23 reveals to us the paycheck of replacing a personal relationship with God with cold, empty religion. And, its spiritual bells toll to us this day with an emphatic warning that, while God is loving, gracious, patient, He will not tolerate fakery. No one will ever fool Him! He sees into every heart. So, we should constantly examine ours before Him in humility, honesty, and, yes, repentance.
The warnings are these:
1.) If you don’t have a relationship with God, don’t pretend you do. Instead, get one! Call on Jesus to forgive you, cleanse you of your sins, and give you a new heart that will love and follow Him. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)
2.) If you do have a relationship with God, don’t pretend things are right with Him when you know that they’re wrong. Humble yourself. Confess sin. Repent quickly. And, seek prayer and counsel when you’re stuck.
Don’t take grace for granted—just take it and use it!