Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 3-4
     New Testament Reading: Matthew 23

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in. 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. 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 much a child of hell as you are! (Matthew 23:13-15).

This was our Lord’s last public message. It is a scathing denunciation of false religion that is paraded under the guise of truth. His words shocked many of the common people, for they considered the Pharisees to be righteous.

Matthew lists eight ‘woes’ to false teachers making an interesting contrast between this His last sermon and the eight Beatitudes in Jesus’ first sermon. In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord described true righteousness, here, He described false righteousness.

Shutting up the Kingdom VS. Entering the Kingdom (v13; 5:3)
The poor in spirit enter the kingdom, but the proud in spirit keep themselves out and even keep others out.

Destroyers Condemned VS. Mourners Comforted (v14, 5:4)
Instead of mourning over their own sins, and mourning with needy widows, the Pharisees took advantage of people to rob them.

Proud Send Souls to Hell VS. Meek Inherit the Earth (v15, 5:5)
The Pharisees were out to win others to their legalistic system, yet they could not introduce these people to the living God. Instead of saving souls, they were condemning souls.

Greedy for Gain VS. Hungering for Holiness (v16-22, 5:6)
The Pharisees were blind to the true values of life. They were leaving God out of their priorities. These men were not seeking the righteousness of God; they were greedy for their own personal gain.

Rejecting Mercy VS Obtaining Mercy (v23-24, 5:7)
The Pharisees majored in minors. They had rules for every minute area of life, and were sticklers for details, but blind to Godly principles. Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are important qualities God is seeking. Obeying rules is no substitute,

Defiled in Heart VS. Pure in Heart (v25-28, 5:8)
Jesus used two illustrations to show that you can be clean on the outside while being defiled on the inside. The Pharisees were careful to keep the outside spotless because that was the part men would see, and they wanted the praise of men. But God looks at the heart.

Persecutors are the Devil’s Children VS Peacemakers and Persecuted are God’s Children (v29-33, 5:9-12)
When Jesus called the Pharisees Snakes! Brood of vipers! He was identifying them with Satan, who is the serpent (Gen 3:1 ff) Satan is a murderer and a liar (John 8:44) and his children follow his example. The Pharisees were both liars v30 and murderers v34.Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs (Matt 5:9-10).