The Pharisees… vs. 15-22

• Bad Example… vs. 1-7
  • 1^st – Take note… vs. 1-2
    • The Multitudes… vs. 1
      • Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples!
      • Jesus CLOSES the deal on making sure He was headed for the CROSS [3 days]
      • He had already SILENCED the Religious leaders who tried to TRAP Him…
      • But now He was going to EXPOSE them for the HYPOCRITES they were…
      • Turning to the CROWD [ὄχλος] – and to His DISCIPLES [μαθητής]
      • He begins a 39 verse TIRADE on the FAULTS of these WICKED men!
    • Seat of Moses… vs. 2
      • The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat!
      • SCRIBES [γραμματεύς] – highly educated – were the copyist of the Old Testament…
      • PHARISEES [Φαρισαῖος] – conservative faction of Jews – names means to be SEPARATE [פָּרַשׁ]
      • One might ask – why did Jesus NOT mention the Sadducees and Herodians [also there]
      • The answer is they were SECULAR – and did NOT claim to represent God…
      • But the SCRIBES and PHARISEES put themselves [active] in the SEAT of Moses…
      • THEY saw themselves as the successors to His AUTHORITY…
      • Moses had GIVEN the LAW – but THEY were there to ENFORCE it!
      • Note the emphasis on their SELF appointed role [it was NOT from God]
      • And they were using their POSITION – to exert authority over the people…
      • The problem was NOT everything they were saying was from the Lord!
    • Watch closely… vs. 3
      • Therefore whatever they tell you to observe – that observe and do!
      • Jesus commanded [imperative] the people to do TWO things…
      • WATCH [τηρέω] – to see if what these leaders were given their ideas – or from God…
      • DO [ποιέω] – if what they were saying was from the Word – DO it!
      • We need to EXAMINE what people say to us – Acts 17:11
      • We are NOT to blindly obey the words of a PASTOR or LEADER…
      • If what men are saying is just their ideas – then we should NOT follow…
      • Because we are ONLY commanded [imperative] to OBEY the Word of God!
  • 2^nd – Do not follow… vs. 3-4
    • Double standard… vs. 3
      • But do not do according to their works – for they say – and do not do!
      • Even when these men SAID the right things – they did NOT [οὐ] do it…
      • Therefore – the people were NOT [imperative] to follow their EXAMPLE!
      • Suppose we go to the doctor – and find out we have HIGH cholesterol…
      • The doctor gives us ADVICE on what to eat to lower our numbers…
      • But he tells us this as he eats a box of Krispy Kreme donuts!
      • Some people assume they are EXPERTS at how to live for Jesus [just ask them]
      • Yet even if what they say is TRUE – be careful to watch their LIVES…
      • Because what matters most is not just KNOWING – it is DOING!
      • James 1:22 – “Be doers of the word – and not hearers only – deceiving yourselves.”
    • Heavy Burdens… vs. 4
      • For they bind heavy burdens – hard to bear – and lay them on mens shoulders.
      • But they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers!
      • These leaders put [bound] HEAVY [βαρύς] burdens [φορτίον] on the shoulders of OTHERS…
      • RULES that were VERY hard to keep – nearly impossible to OBEY…
      • Yet these same leaders did not WANT [θέλω] to move [κινέω] even a FINGER to help!
      • If I told you that God wanted you to give ALL your money to Him…
      • The very first question you should be asking is – did I give all my money to the Lord…
      • If I am NOT doing what I am telling others they must do – then do NOT listen!
      • The Gospel is NOT about what we must do for God – but what God has already done for us…
      • We do not HAVE to read our Bible – do not HAVE to go to church – do not HAVE to give…
      • When we come to Jesus He transforms us from the inside out – II Corinthians 5:17
      • He changes our DESIRES so that we WANT to do what is RIGHT…
      • Making the commands of God – NOT heavy [βαρύς] – I John 5:3
      • Because when we come to Jesus – His BURDEN [φορτίον] is light – Matthew 11:30
  • 3^rd – Selfish motive… vs. 5-7
    • Seen by men… vs. 5
      • All their works they do to be seen by men!
      • EVERYTHING [πᾶς] the Religious leader did – was to be seen by MEN…
      • The suggestion being – they did NOT care what God saw!
      • Many of the LEADERS in Israel believed Jesus was the Messiah – John 12:43
      • But they would NOT confess Him – because they LOVED [ἀγαπάω] the praises of Men!
      • Everyone likes to be PRAISED – we like it when people say NICE things about us…
      • But the problem with LOVING the praises of MEN – we put them ahead of the Lord…
      • And our ETERNITY is NOT decided by men – God is the one we answer to – Revelation 20:13
    • Clothing… vs. 5
      • They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments!
      • The leaders did THREE things to earn the PRAISES of men…
      • FIRST – they made sure to let people SEE they were more HOLY…
      • PHYLACTERIES – the prayer BOXES [תְּפִלִּין] they wore on their heads – Deuteronomy 6:8
      • BORDERS – the four blue tassels hanging from their shirts – Numbers 15:38-39
      • The Religious leaders made both of them BIG [μέγας] – so you could NOT miss them!
      • Back when people actually bought physical Bibles to church [not cell phones]
      • It was a sign of being VERY spiritual if you had a HUGE study Bible!
        
    • Seating… vs. 6
      • They love the best places at feasts – the best seats in the synagogues!
      • SECOND – the made sure they had the BEST position…
      • They LOVED [φιλέω] to be in the FRONT [πρῶτος] seat at the FEASTS – Leviticus 23
      • And made sure they sat int the FRONT [πρῶτος] seat at CHURCH [synagogue]
      • Because they wanted everyone to SEE they were BETTER than others!
      • Why do people wear EXPENSIVE jewelry – or drive SPORTS cars…
      • They serve NO practical purpose – they are just meant to get ATTENTION…
      • It is a way for people to say LOOK at me – I am BETTER!
    • Greeting… vs. 7
      • Greetings in the marketplaces – and to be called by men – Rabbi – Rabbi!
      • THIRD – they made sure everyone called them by the title RABBI…
      • RABBI [ῥαββί] – from the Hebrew word GREAT [רַב]
      • I had a man come up after service and introduce himself with a fancy title…
      • My reply to him was my name is David – sinner saved by grace!
      • We tend to hold onto TITLES: pastor – engineer – teacher…
      • But I am not a fan of them – they are deceptive – make people think we are GREAT…
      • They point people to us – rather than to Jesus!

• 2^nd – Good example… vs. 8-12
  • 1^st – No Titles… vs. 8-10
    • Not Great… vs. 8
      • You do not be called Rabbi. For One is your Teacher – the Christ – and you are all brethren!
      • Contrasting the TITLES of the Religious leaders…
      • Jesus encouraged [subjunctive] the people to NOT be called GREAT [ῥαββί]
      • Because the ONLY one who should be LEADING [ἡγέομαι] us is the CHRIST…
      • All [πᾶς] of us are just BROTHERS and SISTERS [equal] – Galatians 3:28
    • No Father… vs. 9
      • Do not call anyone on earth your father. For One is your Father – He who is in heaven!
      • Jesus also encouraged [subjunctive] the people to NOT be called FATHER…
      • Because we only have [present] ONE Father – and He is in HEAVEN…
      • This does NOT mean we cannot call our dads – FATHER…
      • Jesus would even refer to Abraham – as FATHER Abraham – John 8:56
      • The context in relation to spiritual LEADERS – because they did NOT create us!
      • Some churches have the TRADITION of calling their leaders FATHER…
      • But there can only be ONE source of TRUTH – and it should NOT be TRADITIONS…
      • Because if we look to the TRADITIONS – then we are NOT looking to the Word!
      • Mark 7:13 – “Making the word of God of no effect through your TRADITIONS.”
    • No Teacher… vs. 10
      • Do not be called teachers. For One is your Teacher – the Christ!
      • Jesus also encouraged [subjunctive] the people to NOT be called TEACHER…
      • TEACHER [καθηγητής] – emphasizing who is LEADING [ἡγέομαι] us…
      • And we are ONLY to be following ONE person – Jesus CHRIST!
      • When we insist on having TITLES – it suggests we are the answer…
      • Because we are better [our title says so] men can come to us for solutions…
      • And people would much rather FOLLOW someone they can touch and see…
      • The problem is we have LIMITED abilities and resources – only God has LIMITLESS…
      • The problem is we are a VERY poor substitute for Jesus!
  • 2^nd – Be a Servant… vs. 11-12
    • Greatest… vs. 11
      • He who is greatest among you shall be your servant!
      • The ONE [singular] who is GREAT [μείζων] – is NOT the one with a TITLE…
      • He is the ONE [singular] who is willing to SERVE [διάκονος] others…
      • Jesus was FAR greater than any of the SCRIBES or PHARISEES…
      • Yet He did not need to have a TITLE – He was known by His ACTIONS!
      • Matthew 20:28 – “The Son of Man did not come to be served – but to serve [διάκονος].”
    • Humility… vs. 12
      • Whoever exalts himself will be humbled – and he who humbles himself will be exalted!
      • ANYONE who LIFTS [active] themselves up – will be HUMBLED [passive]
      • But ANYONE who HUMBLES [active] themselves – will be LIFTED up [passive]!
      • When the LAST donut hole is on the snack table…
      • Or picking who gets to choose the movie we watch!
      • We tend to put ourselves before others – we are NOT humble…
      • Yet God resists the PROUD – and only pours out His grace on the HUMBLE – James 4:6
      • It is PRIDEFUL to think we deserve the best – and God opposes PRIDE…
      • It puts up a wall between God and us – it breaks our fellowship with the Lord…
      • No matter what we do – or how hard we try – we will fail because God is NOT with us…
      • It is only when we are willing to HUMBLE ourselves – God stands on our side…
      • Then no matter what we put our hands to in life – we will find success!

• 3^rd – Woe unto you… vs. 13-15
  • 1^st – Closing Heaven… vs. 13
    • Hypocrites…
      • Woe to you – scribes and Pharisees – hypocrites!
      • Because of the BAD example of the SCRIBES and PHARISEES….
      • Jesus gave them EIGHT warnings – exposing them for who they really were…
      • WOE [οὐαί] – a strong condemnation for these religious leaders…
      • HYPOCRITES [ὑποκριτής] – an actor who PRETENDS to be someone they are not…
      • They were PRETENDING to serve God – when it truth they only served themselves!
    • Bad Religion…
      • For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.
      • For you neither go in yourselves – nor do you allow those who are entering to go in!
      • FIRST – these Religious leaders CLOSED the door to the Kingdom of Heaven…
      • Because they REFUSED to go in – and STOPPED others who were trying [present] to get in!
      • The Ethiopian Eunuch came to Jerusalem to seek answers…
      • But he left as EMPTY as he came – because RELIGION had no answers!
      • Acts 8:31 – “How can [understand] unless someone guides me?”
      • People think RELIGION will help them get to heaven…
      • The truth is that RELIGION is what keeps them from being saved… 
      • Because they trust in RELIGION – rather than looking to the Lord!
  • 2^nd – Greedy… vs. 14
    • Widows…
      • Woe to you – scribes and Pharisees – hypocrites. For you devour widows houses!
      • SECOND – these Religious leaders STOLE [ate] the LIVELIHOOD [home] of WIDOWS…
      • These were men were using their POSITION as a way to get RICH…
      • And they did NOT care who the MONEY came from – even poor WIDOWS!
      • I was watching a CHRISTIAN tv show a number of years ago…
      • A tele-evangelist came on and said if we did not send him money…
      • People would go to hell – and it would be our fault!
      • God will judge pastors who are willing to take every last PESO from a WIDOW…
      • Those who preach God needs the money – but only spend it on themselves!
      • Philippians 3:18 – “They are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction – whose god is their belly… who set their mind on earthly things.”
    • Long Prayers…
      • For a pretense make long prayers! 
      • These Religious leaders HID their THEFT of the people [even widows]
      • By making LONG prayers – so they APPEAR to be more HOLY!
      • You never hear a PASTOR say – I need your money – they say God needs your money…
      • What a PASTOR says – people assume is coming from the Lord!
    • Greater condemnation…
      • Therefore you will receive greater condemnation!
      • As a RESULT of STEALING from the people – while PRETENDING to represent God…
      • They will [future] be given a far more severe JUDGMENT!
      • When the sons of Aaron offered STRANGE fire on the altar…
      • God sent out FIRE from the altar and DEVOURED them – Leviticus 10:1-2
      • This seems to be a VERY extreme reaction to us on the part of God…
      • But as PRIESTS – they were the representation of God to the people!
      • People do not SEE the Lord – but they do follow PASTORS…
      • So when PASTOR misrepresent God – give a false impression of what God is like…
      • It is no wonder people are NOT interested in getting to know Jesus…
      • And God will judge these PASTORS for their misrepresentation!
  • 3^rd – Son of Hell… vs. 15
    • Proselyte…
      • Woe to you – scribes and Pharisees – hypocrites. You travel land and sea to win one proselyte!
      • THIRD – these leaders went out to CONVERT [προσήλυτος] others to their RELIGION…
      • They thought they had the ANSWER to how to become godly…
      • So they were BOLD in their efforts to go and CONVINCE others!
      • When we see the pairs of men walking down the road in the white shirts [Mormons]
      • Their dedication and zeal to spread their message is impressive…
      • But just because they are dedicated – does not make them right!
      • It is possible to be absolutely convinced of something – and still be VERY wrong!
    • Twice as bad…
      • When he is won – you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves!
      • When they did – their CONVERT became TWICE the child of HELL [γέεννα] the leaders were…
      • The Scribes and Pharisees were not sons of the God – they were the sons of satan – John 8:44
      • Therefore – their CONVERTS became the SONS of the SONS of satan – TWICE a son of hell!
      • If we are not drawing others to Jesus – then we are taking them away!
      • Matthew 12:30 – “He who is not with Me is against Me – and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.”