Gospel of Matthew Matthew 23:1-33

Warnings and Woes

Jesus had already silenced the Pharisees (legalists), the Sadducees (liberals), and Herodians (pragmatists) in debate (Mt. 22). Now in Matthew 23, He warned the multitude and His own disciples about the practices of His chief enemies, the scribes and Pharisees, and He pronounced eight “woes” upon these religious leaders. These are some of our Lord’s strongest and most severe words recorded in Scripture.

1. Jesus’ warnings about the scribes and Pharisees (vs. 1-7)

A. Respect their God-given authority and teaching

The scribes and Pharisees occupied the place of authority as religious leaders and teachers, as Moses once did. Their teaching was to be followed as long as it was true to the Scripture.

B. Reject their unfaithful example and actions

They did not live by the Scriptures. They taught one thing and did another. They added burdens and traditions to God’s laws and taught men to obey them, but they did not practice what they preached. They sought the approval and praise of men. They loved the prestige that came with their position. They broadened their phylacteries (boxes that contained Scripture) and lengthened the borders (tassels) in their garments to draw attention to their spirituality. They prized the honored places and cherished formal public greetings.

2. Jesus’ instructions to His own disciples (vs. 8-12)

A. Do not seek personal honor

Jesus cautioned His disciples not to seek the honor that rightfully belongs only to Him. Christ is not condemning the use of titles or the showing of respect, but He is forbidding the use of such titles by human leaders as if they were the source of truth rather than God. Disciples only have one Master and one Father in the official sense. Disciples should think of themselves as brothers and helpers of others rather than superiors.

B. Do not seek exalted position

Jesus again cautioned His disciples to think of themselves as servants who are devoted to serving others with humility. It is God’s privilege to exalt those who humble themselves. Two great dangers for disciples are selfishness and pride.

3. Jesus’ woes upon the scribes and Pharisees (vs. 13-33)

Jesus gave a series of eight woes upon the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. A woe is a solemn warning and threat of sure judgment and misery. In Matthew 5, Jesus began His Sermon on the Mount with eight beatitudes (blessings). The religious leaders failed to meet the spiritual conditions for those blessings, so now they received eight woes (curses). These woes are some of the most severe words Christ ever spoke. His stern language was not directed toward vile and outwardly immoral people, but He denounced the proud, religious hypocrites who were accountable for leading people in God’s ways. A hypocrite is someone who is literally a “play-actor” or someone who wears a mask. Hypocrisy has three marks: it is habitual, not occasional; it is intentional rather than accidental; and it focuses on outward appearance and cares not about inward reality.

A. They shut themselves and others out of God’s kingdom (vs. 13)

These religious leaders were in fact the doorkeepers and guides into the kingdom, but they refused to enter and, because of their hypocrisy and false teaching, they hindered others from entering. They sought to establish their own righteousness (Mt. 5:20; Rom. 10:3) and taught others to do likewise. Their self-righteousness was a stumbling block both to them and their followers.

B. They took advantage of vulnerable widows (vs. 14)

They oppressed helpless widows and seized their estates, and yet pretended to be true men of God by their long public prayers. God threatened to bring severe judgment upon them.

C. They made false converts (vs. 15)

They went out of their way to make proselytes, but their converts were even more corrupt. A child of hell is one who by nature is destined for eternal punishment (Eph. 2:3).

D. They led people astray by false teaching (vs. 16-22)

They were blind guides. They taught people and led them by example in the wrong way. These blind fools cleverly taught people how to make false vows (oaths) and not keep them. Jesus uncovered their scheme by explaining that swearing by other things is equal to swearing by God Himself.

E. They majored on minor things (vs. 23-24)

Jesus condemned them not for doing the smaller things such as tithing garden seeds, but for omitting the greater moral principles of God’s law such as justice, mercy, and faith (Mic. 6:8). In a ridiculous way these religious hypocrites would strain their beverages through a fine cloth to remove a tiny gnat, the smallest of unclean animals (Lev. 11:23), yet they would be willing to swallow a huge camel, the largest of unclean animals (Lev. 11:4).

F. They focused on the external not the internal (vs. 25-26)

They cleaned the outside of the cup, but not the inside. What good is a cup washed on the outside but filthy on the inside? They were careful to observe all the outward forms of religion, but they had hearts full of robbery and greed.

G. They were outwardly pure but inwardly corrupt (vs. 27-28)

They were outwardly clean like whitewashed tombs, but inwardly they were full of rottenness and corruption. The Jews whitewashed the entrances of tombs with lime so that no one would accidentally touch or lean against them and thereby be ceremonially unclean (Num. 19:16).

H. They were murderers like their forefathers (vs. 29-32)

They built the tombs of their forefathers and claimed that they would not have participated in killing the prophets, but they were actually just like their forefathers because they rejected John the Baptist and were plotting to kill Jesus.

I. They were headed for hell (vs. 33)

Jesus warned them of sure judgment in the form of a question: “Based on your sinful ways, how can you escape the condemnation of hell?” They had no answer for His question.

Gospel of Matthew Matthew 23:1-33

Warnings and Woes

1. ______about the scribes and Pharisees (vs. 1-7)

A. Respect their______

The scribes and Pharisees occupied the place of authority as religious leaders and teachers, as Moses once did. Their teaching was to be followed as long as it was true to the Scripture.

B. Reject their______

2. ______to His own disciples (vs. 8-12)

A. Do not seek______

Christ is not condemning the use of titles or the showing of respect, but He is forbidding the use of such titles by human leaders as if they were the source of truth rather than God. Disciples should think of themselves as brothers and helpers of others rather than superiors.

B. Do not seek______

Jesus again cautioned His disciples to think of themselves as servants who are devoted to serving others with humility. Two great dangers for disciples are selfishness and pride.

3. ______upon the scribes and Pharisees (vs. 13-33)

Jesus gave a series of eight woes upon the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. A woe is a solemn warning and threat of sure judgment and misery. These woes are some of the most severe words Christ ever spoke. His stern language was not directed toward vile and outwardly immoral people, but He denounced the proud, religious hypocrites who were accountable for leading people in God’s ways. A hypocrite is someone who is literally a “play-actor” or someone who wears a mask. Hypocrisy has three marks: it is habitual, not occasional; it is intentional rather than accidental; and it focuses on outward appearance and cares not about inward reality.

A. They______(vs. 13)

They sought to establish their own righteousness (Mt. 5:20; Rom. 10:3) and taught others to do likewise. Their self-righteousness was a stumbling block both to them and their followers.

B. They______(vs. 14)

They oppressed helpless widows and seized their estates, and yet pretended to be true men of God by their long public prayers. God threatened to bring severe judgment upon them.

C. They______(vs. 15)

They went out of their way to make proselytes, but their converts were even more corrupt. A child of hell is one who by nature is destined for eternal punishment (Eph. 2:3).

D. They______(vs. 16-22)

They were blind guides. They taught people and led them by example in the wrong way. These blind fools cleverly taught people how to make false vows (oaths) and not keep them.

E. They______(vs. 23-24)

Jesus condemned them not for doing the smaller things such as tithing garden seeds, but for omitting the greater moral principles of God’s law such as justice, mercy, and faith (Mic. 6:8).

F. They______(vs. 25-26)

They cleaned the outside of the cup, but not the inside. What good is a cup washed on the outside but filthy on the inside?

G. They______(vs. 27-28)

H. They______(vs. 29-32)

I. They______(vs. 33)

Jesus warned them of sure judgment in the form of a question: “Based on your sinful ways, how can you escape the condemnation of hell?” They had no answer for His question.