Matthew

Chapter 23
{The Condemnation of Religion}
{Verses 1-12 Condemnation given to the Crowd}
23:1-2~~Then Jesus said to the crowds and His disciples for their benefit, 23:2~~ "The scribes/ experts in the law {teachers of the Mosaic Law} and the Pharisees {the part of the scribes that sit in on the Sanhedran Council} sit on the professorship of Judaism {Moses' Seat}. "

23:3~~"Therefore pay attention to what they tell you {when they teach the Mosaic Law correctly from the Word of God} and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach."

{Note: It isn't the law that is bad, rather the legalist trying to interpret it and make it a system of works. They then add their own taboos to the 'law' and say it is part of God's will and it is not!}

{Hypocrisy of Legalism}
23:4~~"They tie heavy loads {added taboos to the Mosaic Law}, that are hard to carry, and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them."

{Note: Extra-Biblical taboos {see 15:1 footnote, Mishna). The analogy here is to the Egyptian taskmasters when they were in slavery. They now are in slavery to the non-biblical taboos of the Jewish religious leaders. Each violation had extreme penalties and you had to keep them to go to heaven! Examples of Taboos the Jews were burdened with:

1) Unlawful to carry food from one house to another on the Sabbath.

2) Could not put things on your donkey/ass on the Sabbath had to do it the day before.

3) Could not boil an egg. Or putting it near a hot kettle or on a hot cloth or even heated sand.

4) Could not move furniture except to use as a ladder and then could only make 4 steps!

5) Could not take off your shoes! So if they were on, then that was that until the end of the Sabbath. }

{The 1st lust pattern of Religion - Lust for Success - To be seen by MEN as doing well}

23:5~~"They {the religious leaders} do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long."

{Note: Phylacteries were small leather cases containing Old Testament scripture verses, worn on the arm and forehead (could be SEEN well by others) by Jews, especially when praying. They thought it impressed people with how spiritual they were. It was more like carrying a rabbit's foot for good luck. 7 straps were used - the number of perfection in the bible. They wore their scriptures instead of understanding it on the inside of their head!}

{Note: The tassels represented certain 'spiritual' works like time in prayer, etc. The more 'spiritual' the Pharisee, the longer his tassels. And, they had gold knots on them like a boy scout badge each representing hours in prayer, how long in the temple. Made it easy for other Jews to SEE just how far you had advanced!}

{2nd and 3rd Lust Pattern - Approbation Lust -Desired Prominence and Power Lust of a Title}
23:6-7~~"They {the religious leaders} love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 23:7~~ and to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have people call them 'Rabbi.' "

{Note: The uppermost rooms were like tiered eating areas. The higher in class you were in, the higher level you were seated. The religious crowd loved to be seated high!}

{Note: A Rabbi was an academic title for a person with a degree from one of the two religious schools. About like getting a Ph.D. and being called "doctor."}

{Parenthetical Advice to the Disciples from Jesus - Verses 8-10}
23:8-10~~ "(But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' . . . for you have one Teacher/Master {kathegetes - 'One Who guides you' - Jesus Christ} . . . and you are ALL brothers. 23:9~~ And call not . . . {anyone} your 'father' {not referring to your biological father here - means a religious person - concept is absolute authority and THAT is God the Father} on earth, for you have one Father, Who is in heaven. 23:10~~Nor are you to be called 'Teacher/Master' {kathegetes} for you have one Teacher/Master . . . the Christ.)"

{Note: Kathegetes means one who guides according to a norm or standard. Only Jesus Christ has that authority. Now it is His Mind that assumes that authority on Earth - the Bible!}

{Verses 11-12 the Perspective of Grace}
23:11~~"He Who has final authority {meizon - 'is the greatest'} will be your comforter {diakonos}."

{Note: Meizon means the one who is in spiritual authority over you - Jesus Christ.}

{Note: Diakonos is the word from which we get 'deacon'. A deacon provides comfort to the congregation. It has been translated 'servant' here in the KJV in the sense that he brings the congregation comfort and provides service to the Church as a servant would. Jesus Christ delegates His authority to the Pastor-Teacher . . . to TEACH His Mind - the Word of God. You receive true comfort ONLY from the Word of God.}

{The Religious Person with wrong Motivation}
23:12~~"And whoever exalts himself {wrong motivation - seeking a leadership position to fulfill approbation or power lust} will be frustrated with disappointment, and whoever is oriented to the plan of God through grace {tapeinoo} will be rewarded."

{Note: Tapeinoo is translated 'humble' in the KJV. To 'humble yourself' more fully means to become fully oriented to the Plan of God (grace). If you use grace and imitate Christ, there will be rewards in time and in eternity. From the rest of this section, we can clearly see that 'being humble' is not some false front that a person puts on to impress MAN with how 'spiritual you are'! It is following the doctrines as set forth ONLY in the Word of God - nothing added from outside the Word of God! Over and OUT! Study and apply. Study and apply.}

{Verses 13-33 The Seven Woes of Religion}
(1st of Seven Woes of Religion}
23:13~~ "But woe to you experts in the law and you Pharisees - to your disadvantage - hypocrites {hupokrites}! You keep on shutting up/locking out the kingdom of heaven {through legalism} from the presence of men! For you neither enter {unsaved themselves} nor permit those trying to enter to go in."

{Note: A Hupokrites was a person who speaks behind a wax face. Actors of this period had wax masks they wore to portray happiness, sorrow, etc. Speaking behind a mask became a 'hypocrite'.}

{Note: Religion was cutting off the positive volition to those who are positive at God consciousness (2Cor.4: 3-4) and hindering the salvation of the Jews - it obscures Grace by a system of 'works'.}

23:14~~ {Verse does not exist in the original.}

{2nd of Seven Woes of Religion }23:15 "Woe to you experts in the law and you Pharisees - to your disadvantage - hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one proselyte {very zealous to spread their false doctrine}, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of hell {twice as zealous} as yourselves!"

{Note: A proselyte was a Gentile who converts to Judaism through circumcision.}

{3rd of Seven Woes of Religion - Verses 16-22}
23:16~~"Woe to you blind guides {Pharisees} - to your disadvantage - who say, 'Whoever takes an oath by the temple . . . it is nothing {This is what the Pharisees incorrectly say!}. But whoever takes an oath/swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.' "

{Note: As we do today, we take oaths in the name of someone or something greater then we are. In this day they took oaths in the name of God, in the name of the Temple (picture of Jesus Christ) and in the name of the Altar (picture of Jesus with emphasis on His work on the cross). The religious crowd said you must PAY to make the oath work! So, the Pharisees were emphasizing MONEY . . . and the money was paid to the Pharisees in order to validate the oath (SideNote: this was one of Paul's great failures after salvation as recorded in Acts). Religion always emphasizes money, and gives the concept that blessing from God can be bought.}

23:17~~"Morons/Idiots {moros}! Which is greater . . . the gold . . . or the temple that makes the gold sacred?"

{Note: Moros is the Greek word from which we get 'moron'. Today moron indicates no volition. So the word is really more like 'idiot' today meaning the person has volition but does not use it well! There is no malice in Jesus' mental attitude.}

23:18~~"And, 'Whoever takes a vow by the altar, it is nothing.
But if anyone takes an oath/ swears by the gift on it is bound by the oath.' "

{Note: This was being used like 'posting a bond' that you would keep your word in a business deal for example. In essence, the religion of the day now said that putting money on the altar was more important than the altar itself. In doing this, the real meaning of the altar - which represents the work of Christ on the cross - was being camouflaged.}

23:19~~"Blind! For which is greater . . . the gift . . . or the altar that makes the gift sacred?"

23:20~~"So whoever takes an oath by the altar, makes an oath by it and by everything on it."

{Note: Jesus stated the correct principal. Taking the oath by the altar and all that it stands for is what is important in this process - not the 'money'!}

23:21~~"And whoever takes a vow by the temple, takes a vow by it and the One {The Lord - Jesus Christ} Who dwells in it."

{Note: The Lord (Jesus Christ) dwelled in the temple (Habakkuk 2:20; Psalms 11:4).}

23:22~~"And whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and the One {Jesus Christ} Who sits on it."

{Note: All of these examples mean that to make God your witness in an oath makes it solemn and you better live up to what you swear to do, but to make money one's witness is meaningless.}

{4th of Seven Woes of Religion}
23:23~~ "Woe to you scribes/experts in the law and you Pharisees- to your disadvantage - hypocrites! You give a tenth {a tithe} of your mint leaves, dill/anise {headache medicine}, and cumin {another medicine}, yet you neglect what is more important in the
scriptures . . . justice, mercy, and faith! You ought to have done these without neglecting the other.

{Note: Tithing is authorized by the Mosaic Law - Deuteronomy Chapter 14; Leviticus Chapter 27; and Malachi Chapter 3. Tithing is legitimate but was TAXATION. There are three types of tithes. 10% per year to maintain the Tribe of Levite - Numbers 18: 21 and 24. 10% per year for the feasts and sacrifices Deuteronomy 14:22-24. And, on every third year another 10% for the poor of the land/nation Deuteronomy 14: 28-29. Basic principal of 'giving' is NOT tithing. Principal of giving was given in Proverbs 11:24-25 and I Corinthians 16:2 and II Corinthians 9:7}

{Note: 'Justice' refers to the fact that they had all failed to function as judges on the Sanhedran counsel (imposing legalistic rules instead of arbitrating in matters of law and policy). 'Mercy' is 'grace in action'. They operated on 'works' and ignored the 'grace of God'. They should be teaching the true purpose of the Sabbath - God's grace in action, not works. Lastly, 'Faith' emphasizes relying on the Grace of God. The Faith Rest Technique means, after salvation, to not worry about anything, but the matter in the Hands of the Lord and He will take care of it.}

23:24~~"Blind guides! You strain out a gnat {people want to move so you give them a flea to ride!} yet swallow a camel {means to hide the camel}!"

{Note: Both the gnat and the camel were unclean per Leviticus Chapter 11. Great illustration. A flea (religion) will take you no where, but a camel (grace, faith, salvation - teaching the grace of God and other weightier matters in bible doctrine) will take the people somewhere. The religious leaders were hiding the weightier matters of the Law from the people - similar today in Churches that emphasize social events, sport events, singing, etc and teach very little if any real bible doctrine.}

{5th of Seven Woes of Religion}
23:25~~ "Woe to you, scribes/experts in the law and you Pharisees- to your disadvantage - hypocrites! You clean the outside of the serving dish . . . even the platter {emphasize outside morality}, but inside they {the religious followers} are full of greed {represents category of mental attitude sins - approbation lust, power lust, and so on} and self-indulgence {represents wrong motivations - envy, jealousy pride, hatred, implacability, bitterness}."

{Note: The Pharisees emphasis the 'external' but ignore the 'insides' - what does he think and his motivations. External morality is NOT spirituality.}

23:26~~"Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too!"

{Note: To be cleansed, first you must be saved. At the point of salvation, your pre-salvation sins are forgiven. There after, when you sin, you use Rebound (I John 1:9) and again your sins are forgiven and the 'inside of the cup' is clean again. What actually happens, is when you use Rebound and stay in fellowship AND daily intake doctrine, your new biblical viewpoints replace the fleshly/human viewpoint in your norms and standards. With a new way of thinking, you will also act differently and the 'outside' will also be cleaner . . . this time from a right motivation.}

{6th of Seven Woes of Religion}
23:27~~"Woe to you, scribes/experts in the law and you Pharisees - to your disadvantage - hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean."

{Note: A whitewashed tombstone marks the grave of a poor person and is whitewashed before the Passover. If you walk over a grave, you are ceremonially unclean and can not participate in the Jewish Passover ceremony (Numbers 19-16). In this analogy, they are spiritually dead on the inside, white/pretty on the outside. In Acts 23:3 Paul called the High Priest of the Sanhedran Counsel a 'Whited Wall' - this was how excrement was 'covered' to make things pretty. They painted right over the crap on the walls. Crap on the inside, pretty on the outside. }

23:28~~"In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy {mental attitude sins} and lawlessness/iniquity {motivational sins}."

{7th of Seven Woes of Religion}
23:29~~"Woe to you, scribes/experts in the law and you Pharisees- to your disadvantage - hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous."

{Note: The prophets were killed by their forefathers, then made into heroes and they built monuments for these martyrs. They admired the greatness of them but did not understand it was Grace (the power of God) that made them great (I Corinthians 15:10).}

23:30~~"And you say {a self-righteous speech to follow}, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' "

23:31~~"By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are the adult sons {descendants} of those who murdered the prophets."

23:32~~"FILL UP THE MEASURE/CUP {an order - and means fill the cup to the top} . . . of your forefathers!"

{Note: Within a week, they WILL kill another Man from God - the Lord Jesus Christ. They are filled with Murder Lust for Jesus . . . just like their forefathers! Their forefathers only drank 'half-a-cup' by killing prophets. They are commanded to 'drink a full cup' - by killing the Messiah Himself.}

Continued

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