Intro Questions
Jesus Condemns
the Scribes and Pharisees
Matthew 23:13–36
Mt 23:13“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.
14“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’
houses, and make long prayers just for show. This is why you will receive a harsher
punishment.*
15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land
and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit
for hell as you are!
16“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the
sanctuary, it is nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the
sanctuary is bound by his oath.’ 17Blind fools! For which is
greater, the gold or the sanctuary that sanctified the gold? 18Also,
‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it is nothing. But whoever takes an oath
by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ 19Blind people! For
which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
20“Therefore the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it
and by everything on it. 21The one who takes an oath by the
sanctuary takes an oath by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22And the
one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne and by Him who
sits on it.
23“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of
mint, dill and cumin, yet you have neglected the more important matters of the
law—justice, mercy and faith. These things should have been done without
neglecting the others. 24Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet
gulp down a camel!
25“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside
of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence! 26Blind
Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so the outside of it may also
become clean.
27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like
whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full
of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28In the same way, on the
outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and
lawlessness.
29“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of
the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30and you
say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have taken part
with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31You therefore testify
against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill
up, then, the measure of your fathers’ sins!
33“Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? 34This
is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of
them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town. 35So
all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the
blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you
murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36I assure you: All
these things will come on this generation!”[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp.
196–198). Holman Bible Publishers.
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