(Hypocritical Holiness Exposed ~ Vs 1-12)
Text: Mathew 23:1-12
Intro:
- At this time in the Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry he is in Jerusalem and this is only a short time before his crucifixion.
– In chapter 22, the Lord Jesus had the Herodians, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees all ask him questions in an attempt to trick him into saying something that they could use against him and turn the hearts of the people away from him.
– The Lord Jesus answered their questions and even presented the Pharisees with a question that they could not answer for fear of the people. - As we come to chapter 23, the Lord Jesus Christ begins to expose these religious leaders as hypocrites who put on a great religious show but are really living for themselves rather than to please God.
We will break the chapter down into the following divisions:
- Hypocritical Holiness Exposed (Vs 1 – 12)
- Hypocritical Service Reproved (Vs 13 – 23)
- Hypocritical Sanctification Rebuked (Vs 24 – 33)
- Hypocritical Religion Judged (Vs 34-39)
I. The Exhortation to Holiness (Vs 1-3a)
- The Herodians, Sadducees, and Pharisees had just come to Jesus bringing questions that were intended to discredit him and to bolster their own status as religious authorities in the local community.
- Verse 1 of the next chapter clearly indicates that this message was given while Jesus was at the Temple, at the seat of religious power.
a. Jesus didn’t go on the attack against these religious leaders in a display of One-Up-Manship, but he exposed their hypocrisy for the benefit of those watching on, so that they would know not to be like these religious leaders. - The religious leaders had a certain religious authority which is described as being in Moses seat.
a. Moses seat was a place occupied by men of eminent rank or influence such as teachers and judges. It was a seat in the synagogue where the Law was embellished upon and came to be known as the “Moses’ seat”. Though they stood for the reading of the Torah, they sat to teach from it.
b. The Lord Jesus instructed that, when the religious leaders taught from the Torah, they should be listened to, and their instruction should be followed.
– You are not excused from your duty to be a genuine Christian just because others are hypocritical in their Christian walk. Your response ought to be that you will be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ no matter the failures of those around you. - The Lord Jesus called out the false religiosity of the Scribes and Pharisees, who were more than happy to tell others how they ought to live for God, but they themselves were unwilling to do the same. They exhorted others to holiness, but they disregarded holiness in their own lives.
a. We must beware of falling into the same trap ourselves. It’s easy to tell someone else how they ought to behave while we, ourselves, act differently.
II. The Rebuke of Showmanship (Vs 4-7)
- They created what is described as “heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne.”
a. These religious leaders had essentially created bundles of religious rules and observances that went well above what was required under the Mosaic Law. These burdens consisted of extra tasks and services which were to done as part of their religious observances.
b. The burdens placed on the Jews were “grievous to be borne.” The religious leaders were supposed to teach the Jews the Law of God and instruct them in what God expected of them, but these leaders had created expectations beyond the scope of the Law and caused the people to be weary of serving God. - They are holy in word only. (Vs 4b)
a. The end of verse 4 contains a phrase which has been popularized in modern English, although we would usually say something like, “he wouldn’t lift a finger to help you.”
b. These religious leaders were happy to place heavy burdens on the people, but they were unwilling to bear those same burdens themselves.
– To put it simply, they talked a good game, but their actions said another thing all together.
– They set the goals up for everyone else, but never scored a goal themselves. - They were religious actors (Vs 5)
a. The phylacteries were boxes in which the Jews would place portions of the Law. The idea being that, the larger the box the more spiritual the wearer. It was a similar thing with enlarged borders on their garment, which they felt signalled their great devotion to the Law.
b. These men loved to have places of prominence at public gatherings and the chief seats in the synagogues.
c. These men also loved to be greeted in the market place where people could see them and appreciate their importance, and they were especially fond of being called by the title of “Rabbi.”
III. The Instruction for Humility (Vs 8-12)
- Humility in Name (Vs 8-10)
a. The name “Rabbi” is a title that was given to the teachers and spiritual leaders of the day. It was a title of official honour, and it means, “my master.”
b. It is pretty clear from the Biblical accounts that this was actually a big part of why the religious leaders hated Jesus. They had realized that people gave more attention and respect to Jesus and this, no doubt, hurt their pride. - Be Not called Father (Vs 9)
a. In his commentary David Sorenson writes, “There is little difference philosophically between rabbinical, pharisaical Judaism of that day and the Roman Church later. The emphasis upon rites, rituals, and externals along with a professional clergy in their distinct garb is strikingly similar between the two.” - Be Not Called Master (Vs 10)
a. The word “master” refers to a religious teacher. When Jesus told his disciples not to be called masters, he was making it clear that they were to be distinct from the religious leaders of the day and exercise humility rather than pride. - Humility in Service (Vs 11-12)
a. The instruction of verses 11-12 make it very clear that every disciple of Jesus is to be a servant to his brethren. There isn’t a single person who should fell like they are too important to be a servant.
b. The problem with the religious leaders is that they went about trying to exalt themselves and make themselves seem more important and more spiritual than everyone else, but in reality, it was all a show, and their actions were actually devoid of any godly purpose.
Conclusion:
- Beware of the hypocrisy of feigned holiness. It is far too easy for us to pretend that we are doing the will of God, all the while we are self-serving to the very core.