Reflections on Matthew 23 Part 1

Good Morning,

Recently a good minister friend of mine challenged me to look at the seven woes in Matthew chapter 23. I enjoyed my study of the chapter and I decided I wanted to do something with my study that would allow me to share what I have learned. I thought about making a sermon series out of it, writing a Bible class over it or even planning a men’s retreat. At the end of the day I am still not sure what I want to do with my study but I figured that the best way to flesh out my thoughts would be to write about them. This is the first in a series of articles on my reflections on Matthew 23. I hope that you find these articles enjoyable as well as insightful.

Matthew 23:1-4

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Imagine yourself in the crowd as Jesus begins this wonderful, if not scathing, lesson. There are so many things I admire about the life and teachings of Jesus but the aspect of his life that is most apparent to me is the fact that he never missed an opportunity to teach. Jesus was also never in fear about what he was teaching. The Pharisees and teachers of the law were considered to be at the highest level of the Jewish culture but Jesus had no fear of calling out their actions when they were wrong.

Our Church and our society has become plagued with political correctness and fear that doing the right thing will hurt someone’s feelings. I believe that we should never do anything to intentionally hurt someone but I also believe that when we see something that is morally corrupt that we must stand up for what is right. Jesus demonstrates this for us here and in many other places in the Gospels. If Jesus teaches us something then I believe we should put it into practice in our lives.

Another aspect to what Jesus is teaching us here is consistency. He tells the people that they must obey the Pharisees and teachers of the Law because they sit in Moses’ seat but to not imitate the things that those people do in their daily lives. Without saying, “you must be consistent”, Jesus is telling us that very thing. Our world is full of inconsistency and for the most part people live with it because they have no other choice, but seeing a person living a consistent life would be a breath of fresh air. As Christians we can and should be that fresh air to people of this world who are seeking consistency. 

Matthew 23:5-7

5 “Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them ‘Rabbi.’

It has been said that vanity is one of the Devil’s favorite sins and I believe that to be true. We all enjoy our fifteen minutes of fame and if our egos are not stroked from time to time we get our feelings hurt. The Pharisees and teachers of the law had bought into the idea of being important people; they enjoyed the attention and took great strides to make sure that people noticed them. We look at these men with such disdain when really we are not far from where these men were.

When the attention we receive because of our Christianity becomes the reason for our Christianity then we just as guilty as the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. When we are more concerned about the clothes wear to worship and the cars we drive to get there then we are just as guilty as those men, and when congregations of the Lord’s church become more interested in the color scheme for the auditorium instead of seeking and saving the lost then we are walking in the shoes of these men. To put it simply, Jesus wants better for his chosen people than all of that. It won’t always be easy but the rewards will be eternal.

Matthew 23:8-12

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

It seems that everyone has a title these days. The lady that used to be a secretary is now and administrative assistant, the person who used to answer the phones is now a communications expert and even our schoolteachers are now titled individuals. This isn’t to say that title are not needed but when that title begins to define you as a person then you are treading on the ground of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

The final verses where Jesus speaks about being a servant are some of my favorites in the Bible. His message is so clear and yet it is so profound all at the same time. As Christians our concern should not be advancing or looking good to other people, rather our goal should be seeking the lost and lifting up Jesus to the world around us.

Questions For Thought:
1. What are you doing to insure that you are being consistent in all aspects of your life?

2. Are you walking a Christian walk to be seen by others or to glorify God?

3. How can we keep from allowing our titles to define who we are?

Be Strong and Courageous,

Paul