Matthew 23 - Hypocrisy

[Read Matthew 23]

Not everything the scribes and Pharisees did was bad. In fact, specific things are mentioned here that they did correctly: sitting in Moses' seat (teaching the law), winning converts near and far (evangelism), showing concern for cleanliness (witness), tithing, and remembering God's work in history. Yet, they take none of these things to heart, nor do they understand them as they should.

It is this imbalance that makes them hypocrites: not that they are religious, but that they are merely religious (v.23 [These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.]) They were full of pride and "attaboys" rather than humility and gratitude. (In our culture, they probably would have had lots of Bible studies, ministry teams, and fellowships.) This hypocrisy offends God. It moves us beyond the general condemnation of humanity to "greater condemnation" (v.14). I don't know how that works and I don't want to.

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