The Teachings of Jesus

Sermon Eighty-three

Matthew 23

(Jesus denounces religious leaders)

Part 2

by

Jim Bordwine, ThD

Introduction

Last week, we began our study of Matthew 23 in which Jesus denounces in no uncertain terms the scribes and Pharisees. His language is direct and His accusations are particular. They are charges that completely unmask the religious leaders who for so long had enjoyed undeserved privilege. Remember that all of this is taking place in a highly volatile atmosphere. The scribes and Pharisees have stepped up their attacks on the Savior and, due to repeated failures, have become more determined than ever to find a way to silence Jesus.

I noted last time that as Jesus speaks against the scribes and Pharisees, He begins prefacing His charges with the phrase, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees.” I explained that this type of language precedes the most stern kind of accusation. His manner indicates that He is addressing the most serious of circumstances and consequences. The spiritual damage done by the religious pretenders is beyond calculation. They have, in reality, doomed the people through their twisting of God’s Word and their self-serving practices. And, as I stated before, when Jesus finishes His list of “woes” against the leaders, we will see just how corrupt the once-pure religion of Israel had become.

I’d like to review the last two charges we examined before we continue:

Matt. 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”

The first charge is that the leaders were obscuring the path to heaven; and they were not simply failing to tell people how to get to heaven, they were also hindering those on the correct path, so to speak. The Pharisees were actually preventing people from learning God’s Word regarding what pleased Him and how they might order their lives as those who know Him and desire to serve Him. There’s hardly a more devastating accusation. And this is just one of many extremely serious charges made against these men who are responsible for shepherding the people of Israel.

Regarding the second charge, I pointed out last week that this horrible word “hypocrites” is declared again against the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is saying that these specific areas of sin stem from the core cause of hypocrisy. In this case, the scribes and Pharisees are accused of “devouring widows’ houses.” The widow has no defender; she has no means of providing for herself in the manner she once knew. She is vulnerable to those who will take advantage of others. Incredibly, it is the scribes and Pharisees who are accused of doing that very thing!

Jesus adds to examples of hypocrisy when He states that the scribes and Pharisees made long prayers so that others would assume they were mature and truly dedicated. The truth was just the opposite, as He has already shown.

The Text

Now we are ready to hear the next accusation:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” (v. 15)

The Teaching

It’s a terrible thing to say, but by now we are accustomed to the charge of hypocrisy against the scribes and Pharisees. We know why Jesus levels this accusation and, therefore, we can move on to the new material. This time, Jesus refers to the corruption achieved by the scribes and Pharisees when they work with a convert, that is, one who shows a willingness to be discipled by them.

I’m sure we would all agree that when a convert starts attending church and joining in our congregation, our expectation and hope is that this person will begin growing in the Lord. A new Christian often has an exceptional hunger for the Word in the beginning. I remember having that incredible desire to read Scripture for several months after I was converted. I was working the night shift and got home around 3:00 AM. After I became a believer, I simply could not go to bed after work. I would come home and read the Bible until 7:00 or 8:00. Nothing appealed to me more than that activity. And it was more than just a mild anxiousness to read Scripture; it was a compulsion—that’s the way I would describe it. I realize now, of course, that the Holy Spirit was responsible for that interest.

And I also remember being warmly welcomed into the church when I started attending. Folks seemed genuinely happy to hear about my conversion and were willing to help me by answering questions, for example—and I had a lot of questions early on. Compare that description, which I think is common, to the charge Jesus makes against the scribes and Pharisees. When they encountered a proselyte, one who would embrace their belief system and look to them for instruction, they basically destroyed him. The Savior’s words are strong: “You make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” That is a hard-hitting statement.

The scribes and Pharisees went to great lengths to recruit others. Jesus describes it as traveling on sea and land—in other words, really putting themselves out in an effort to gain followers. They do all that, but the end result is horrific, Jesus declares. They train the proselyte, that’s true, but they train him in service to hell, the Savior charges. Again, this is an amazing accusation considering that it is made against those who were the spiritual leaders of the nation.

Think about this: What hope does a man have if those responsible for his spiritual edification are, in reality, wicked men? Such a man is doomed, of course; and that is what Jesus says, in essence. Rather than being taught how to walk with God in peace and service, the man is pulled off that path and soon becomes just as much a hypocrite as the scribes and Pharisees. And please note that this charge fits with an earlier one where Jesus accused the religious leaders of hindering those on the path to the kingdom of heaven. (v. 13)

What would God think if a person sincerely interested in Christianity started attending Westminster but instead of attempting to help this person grow in knowledge, we deliberately led the person away from truth? Do you think God would be pleased? This is so hideous that we don’t have to debate the answers to these questions. We know God’s reaction. This is what is hanging over the heads of the scribes and Pharisees. This is an absolutely critical time for the religious leaders and the entire nation. If the men appointed to guard the religion given by God are corrupt, then the future must be dark, indeed.

Remember that it’s not just a man who is challenging them and exposing their evil ways, it is the Son of God. This is a very frightening scene. No hope is held out by Jesus; no call for repentance is spoken. He condemns the religious leaders and that’s that. They don’t realize it, but this is a trial of sorts for them. Jesus is bringing forth an abundant amount of evidence that testifies against the scribes and Pharisees. They have no defense and, therefore, no hope of escaping the sentence of God.

Think of what Jesus has already declared. He warned the scribes and Pharisees that the blessings of redemption would be taken from them and given to the Gentiles. He has warned them that hindering men and women who are seeking God is one of their leading characteristics. Judgment day is dawning and these men have doomed themselves and the nation. They cannot expect God to “look the other way.” This matter has eternal consequences. God has mercifully revealed Himself and His plan of salvation to the Jews, but these leaders have so corrupted what God gave that it is not even recognizable. God’s amazing mercy has been met with a callous disregard for His integrity and the sacredness of His holy Word.

I want to remind us all of a principle given in Proverbs that is applicable here. Because of the tremendous influence a leader has, he must be constantly vigilant regarding his own spiritual condition—I’m sure you remember reading verses where this is taught. Kings are told to be on guard so they do not err in judgment in Pro. 16:10. The just king will disperse evil in the land, according Pro. 20:8. In Pro. 29:4, we’re told that a righteous king provides stability for his whole nation. The point being made is simple. A king carries a tremendous weight of responsibility. If he is a wicked man, his people will suffer; if he is a righteous man, his people will prosper.

Proverbs makes the same case for fathers who are responsible for the welfare of children. A diligent father trains his children to walk honorably before God and those children are blessed. A disinterested father, on the other hand, is setting his children up for a life heavily influenced by a fallen world. Is it going too far to apply this principle to scribes and Pharisees? Based on the words of Jesus, I think not. These men carry the burden of souls on their shoulders. If they stumble, only great harm can result. And that is what the Lord has been saying.

Recently, we read words of warning from Jesus regarding those who would lead astray the little ones who believed in Him. He said: “It would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (Matt. 18:6) There’s that principle I’m referring to; those in a position of influence who violate that trust are considered worthy of a bitter judgment.

In a day when it is becoming common to see those in positions of influence and authority totally abusing their station, and usually for the sake of personal comfort or advantage, God’s people need to be reminded that it is no small thing to bear responsibility for the lives of others. This terrible example of the scribes and Pharisees should put fear in the heart of every officer, every husband, every father, and every mother. The duty God has given us in our various stations cannot be set aside without the most destructive of consequences. Let this portion of our passage serve as a stark reminder regarding your duty.

If you’ve ever wondered why the words of Jesus are so harsh and so sharp and so inflexible, it’s because of the damage the scribes and Pharisees have done. They have readied many for hell, not heaven; they have taught error, not truth. They have embraced adoration and respect, not the lives of servants. Their example speaks loudly to anyone in this congregation who bears some responsibility for the soul of another.

When a witness is preparing to testify in court, he is asked to swear to tell the truth. One hand is placed on a Bible and with the other raised as a sign of a pledge, the witness takes an oath to solemnize his promise to testify truthfully. Although our society is quickly moving away from this understanding, the use of the Bible, as originally intended, is to remind the person taking the oath of an inflexible standard of truth and that there are consequences for speaking falsely.

When a person invokes something trustworthy when he speaks, he is saying that his words are just as trustworthy themselves. If you look at the next charge against the scribes and Pharisees, you’ll see that it has to do with a common practice among the Jews; this common practice was the use of sacred things to guarantee a person’s trustworthiness. But in this matter, too, the scribes and Pharisees are condemned by Jesus:

16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ 17 You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ 19 You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? 20 Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.”

The scribes and Pharisees had developed a system whereby certain objects were allowable in taking an oath, and certain things were not allowable. A man could bolster his words by swearing by one thing, but not by another. These men created an arbitrary method which was not only illogical, but also offensive in regard to sacred things. If a man swore by the temple—the temple of worship in the city of Jerusalem—the scribes and Pharisees said that was worthless. It didn’t add credibility to the man’s words. However, if the man swore by the gold found in the temple, that was taken as a serious oath. Now stop and think—does that make any sense whatsoever? The same approach applied to the altar of the temple and what was offered on the altar. The former carried no weight in an oath, according to the leaders, but the latter enhanced a person’s testimony. Again, this makes no sense at all.

Jesus quickly and easily points out the absurdity of this view. Where is the gold? The gold is in the temple. Which is more important, therefore? Obviously the temple ranks first; without the temple the gold would be meaningless. And where is a sacrifice placed? The sacrifice is placed on the altar. Which is more important? Clearly, the answer is “the altar.” Without the altar, no sacrifice would be present. The temple, He says, “sanctifies” the gold and the altar “sanctifies” the offering. If one is going to invoke an object as a means of holding himself accountable for his words, he should choose the temple or the altar. As noted, and as Jesus confirms, the gold and offering are made special by the temple and the altar in the temple, not vice versa.

Notice that Jesus now begins using a different term to describe the scribes and Pharisees: “blind men.” This is a way of declaring them incompetent. They pride themselves in knowing the way of religion, but they are, in fact, blind to the truth. Their guidance is not helpful and is even spiritually dangerous. Giving someone the wrong directions when they ask you how to get to a store is one thing—it might delay their trip or cause them to think unkindly of you—but if you give the wrong direction when dealing with spiritual matters, you are affecting a person’s relationship with God and, ultimately, that person’s destiny. This is, therefore, another extremely serious charge against the scribes and Pharisees.

Supplying incorrect information about doctrinal matters and spiritual issues is deadly serious. This passage, therefore, should remind us of the need to know what we are talking about when it comes to our faith. How far do you think you could go in explaining the details of the Christian faith to someone? Would you have confidence in your words—so much so, that you would not hesitate to touch upon things of eternal importance?

When put in that manner, I think more than a few believers might hesitate. If the spiritual health of another person depended on their apprehension of the faith, some might think twice about taking on the role of instructor. The seriousness of this matter is multiplied when you consider the same scenario within our families.

My point, of course, is that all Christians should have a basic knowledge of our faith. We all should be able to instruct and advise someone who is seeking information. What we must never do is provide misleading information. That has terribly important implications. Consider, therefore, if you may need to take some time to improve your grasp of the basic teachings of our faith so that you will be ready to give reliable help to the person God places in your life who is in need of guidance. And keep in mind, this person may be, and probably will be, someone close to you. If God has put you in such a place, don’t neglect your duty to study the Word and prepare yourself to give truthful counsel.

The Lord goes one step further in vv. 21 and 22. The temple belongs to God; it is His earthly dwelling place. This is one of the truths repeated numerous times in the Old Testament. The standing temple represented God’s presence with the people; it signaled His continuing watch over them and favor toward them. Therefore, Jesus states, if a man swears by the temple, he is actually invoking the witness of the One who dwells in the temple. That magnifies the sacredness of the temple and everything in the temple, including the gold and the altar and what appeared on the altar. You see the point, I trust. The scribes and Pharisees were desecrating the dwelling of God on earth. That wasn’t just any temple erected in honor of some non-existence idol; that was the house of the Father. Their offense, therefore, was great.

As an aside, let me emphasize that this is why the destruction of the temple in AD 70 is going to be so significant. When that temple falls, it means God has withdrawn and turned His people over to the consequences of their sin. This truth was understood for many generations, but in this present context, the religious leaders were, as Jesus says, blind to the obvious. As you might remember, the next subject Jesus addresses is the coming destruction of the temple. He elaborates in chapter 24 regarding how it will happen and what it will mean.

This whole conversation is really about reverence for God. Jesus states: “And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.” Following the Savior’s logic, an oath is a most serious activity. As I said, ultimately the person who swears on this or that is, in fact, swearing by God, which makes his pledge to tell the truth an incredibly solemn matter.

I’ve already made a few points of application as we were going through the text. There is, however, one final subject for us to consider before leaving this passage. And this final subject is clearly the most important matter addressed by Jesus. I’m referring to His repeated charge of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy, as I noted before, appears to be the central cause of all the mistakes and abuses and errors mentioned by the Savior. The question I have for you is this: What is the cause of hypocrisy? Why do people become hypocrites? Why are some lives marked by hypocrisy, like those of the scribes and Pharisees?

If hypocrisy is, basically speaking, saying or declaring one thing, but doing another, then hypocrisy must be itself rooted in arrogance. Who else but an arrogant man will tell others to live by a stand which he does not apply to himself? An arrogant man has great confidence in himself, so he believes he is not to be held to the standard other less capable people must meet. They need to conform themselves, but he thinks he does not have such a need. He believes this because he thinks more highly of himself than is proper.

An arrogant man looks around and finds fault with everyone but himself. He is ready to apply the warnings of the Word to others, but believes he does not need to hear them because he is beyond that stage of instruction. An arrogant man is always ready to offer advice, but rarely, if ever, seeks advice because he thinks that he is one who provides guidance, not one who needs guidance.

Being overly confident of self, therefore, opens us up to self-deception. If we aren’t careful, our high opinion of self will produce a critical spirit toward everyone else. And the thing that will escape the notice of an arrogant person is the fact that their faults are just as visible as those of everyone else. And that is where hypocrisy lives.

The scribes and Pharisees were, above everything else, arrogant men. They thought they had the ability and right to instruct others—not only in the Word of God, but also in regard to their own personal preferences and interpretations of that Word. So the scribes and Pharisees could quickly tell what was wrong in the life of another, but were blind, as Jesus charged, to the problems in their own lives. This made these teachers deadly threats to the spiritual welfare of others.

When a person remembers the judgment of Scripture—that we are all sinners saved by grace and grace alone, and that we are all dependent on the mercy of God for the next breath we take—then arrogance has no place to flourish. And if arrogance is absent, there is no hypocrisy.

Let’s make sure we do not miss this incredibly valuable example of the scribes and Pharisees. As you give advice to others, in your home, in this congregation, or anywhere else, be just as vigilant to remember who and what you are. Don’t separate yourself from the one who is struggling, as if that could never happen to you. Rather, give thanks for what God has done and for where He has led you, and then with all humility offer help to another.

Let’s pray…

Sacrament of Baptism

Before we proceed to the Lord’s Table, we have an opportunity to administer the sacrament of baptism this morning. Jeff and Chandra Hewes are going to come forward now so that Remmington, their baby son, may receive the sign of inclusion in the company of the redeemed.

This act, as I’ve explained before, is one of faith, not one of presumption. From the point where God explained the world-wide implications of His plan of redemption, He left with His people one particular obligation. To demonstrate our faith in God’s promise to be our God and the God of our descendants, God told us to apply a sign, an outward sign indicating spiritual truth.

When parents present children for baptism, they are declaring their belief in what God promised. They are trusting God to save their little one by grace and for His own glory. They are aware that the salvation of their child depends precisely on the same thing as their own—and that is the sovereign will of God.

So we happily apply to Remmington the sign of inclusion in God’s covenant community, which is baptism with water in the name of the Triune God. And we will look to God with faith to regenerate Remmington, just as He has regenerated us. We will pray to that end and do all that we can to see faith flourish in this young life.

Communion hymn

Conclusion

Even for that most destructive sin of hypocrisy, Jesus gave Himself. He gave Himself to deliver us from every sin and every consequence of sin. This sacrament reminds us how He brought about that deliverance. He died in our place. He endured the wrath that was ours and we, in turn, were set free. In Him, our debt is fully paid and we are able to enjoy all of the blessings of heaven.

Knowing that He lives today, let us receive this truth with thanksgiving and pleasure.

Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”