Matthew 23 Study – Jesus’ Harsh Rebuke Of False Religion

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Matthew 23 paints a clear picture of the kind of faith and attitude God desires from His children. Will you reflect His image or that of the scribes and Pharisees

A Serious Concern About Today’s “Christianity”

Matthew 23 is a chapter where we find Jesus’ harshest rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees.  Jesus pronounced eight woes against the scribes and Pharisees, and He repeatedly called them hypocrites.  Jesus said they “sat in Moses’ seat” as spiritual leaders, but they had false religion.

In Matthew 23:3, Jesus told the multitudes, “Whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.”  Do not copy them, do not imitate them – live by the law was Jesus’ instructions to the multitude.  

This is a chapter that I believe all Christians must study if they desire to walk sincerely in faith and not in false religion.  I am greatly concerned that many Christians aren’t walking in the image of Christ, but move more like the scribes and Pharisees.

This study is a follow-up to my sermon  “Are You Reflecting Christ”.  In that sermon, I spoke about how “Christianity” is in a moment of rebuke, where God is asking whether or not “Christianity” is walking in a Christ-like manner.  (If you haven’t watched or read that sermon, I highly recommend you do so.)

I feel that as a pastor, it is my responsibility to speak on God’s rebuke of false religion and what He desires of sincere faith. So, let’s study Jesus’ rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees so that we can learn the kind of effort that pleases the Lord.

Faith Is Built on Grace

In Matthew 23:4, Jesus explained the basis of His rebuke of the scribe and Pharisees.  Jesus charged, “They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”  

The scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses’ seat as spiritual leaders, but they burdened others in the manner in which they moved.  We get a taste for how the scribes and Pharisees were a burden upon others in how they constantly antagonized Jesus and the disciples. 

For example, in Matthew 15:1-2, they once accused the disciples of sin when the disciples ate food without washing their hands.  They said to Jesus, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?  For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”  The so-called “sin” wasn’t against God’s law but was against “tradition”.

Jesus rebuked them in Matthew 15:3-6 by following up with a question of His own.  Jesus asked, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?”  He charged that they didn’t honor their fathers and mothers by not helping them financially, but rather, saying they gave their money as a gift to God.  

On other occasions, they accused Jesus of breaking the Mosaic law because He would “work” on the Sabbath, healing those in need.  On one such occasion (Luke  6:6-11), Jesus rebuked them, asking the question, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy?

The scribes and Pharisees moved righteousnesly in their power, but their righteousness was not of God. Not only that, but in how they moved towards Jesus and the disciples, they were also indignant.  God had not called on them to move with self-righteous indignation towards anyone.  If they moved that way towards Christ, they certainly moved that way towards others. 

Many “Christians” have become burdensome to others in like manner. Rather than ministering the gospel with the grace that Christ ministered with, many move with a self-righteous indignation towards others.  They desire to force God’s word upon others yet, in forcing God’s word, they fail the command to love everyone.

This is not what God desires of the sincere believer.  Christians have a responsibility today, and that responsibility is not one of condemnation but rather one of salvation.  Rather than being a burden, we must learn to be compassionate towards others.  That is to say, God would want us to be a helping hand that uplifts rather than hands that bring down.  

The same grace Jesus imparted to the woman the scribes and Pharisees caught in the act of adultery is the grace we should impart to all of those around us.  Moving in any other manner is not according to the belief in a God who shows us nothing but mercy and grace.  Moving in such a manner would make on who professes faith in God a hypocrite.   

Pronounced Woes Against False Religion

In Matthew 23:5-7, Jesus rebuked the reason why the scribes and Pharisees did their “works”.  Jesus rebuked their efforts to do works to glorify themselves and be praised by men.  The work of a Christian is not to bring glory to oneself, but rather, to glorify God’s name.

For their works, Jesus pronounced eight woes and called the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites seven times in this passage of scripture.  As we prepare to take a look at these pronouncements, I want to define what a woe is.  

A “woe” is used to express grief, regret, or distress.  Woe is a condition of deep suffering from misfortune, affliction, or grief.  In this case, Jesus pronounced these woes against the scribes and Pharisees because of their works.

Blocking the kingdom of heaven

In Matthew 23:13, Jesus pronounced the first woe against the scribes and the Pharisees.  Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  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.

To “shut up the kingdom” means that they were blocking the kingdom from others.  The scribes and Pharisees should have been helping others into the kingdom, and likely thought that they were.  Yet, Jesus charged them with being hypocrites because they didn’t enter the kingdom themselves.  This means that they couldn’t help others enter the kingdom because they weren’t living for the kingdom.  

One can’t help another to the kingdom of heaven if they aren’t living for the kingdom.  Consider this:  How can a drug addict tell another drug addict how to beat addiction when they haven’t beaten their own addiction?  

The work of the hypocrite is incredibly dangerous work because it pushes people away from Christ.  They blocked the kingdom by being insufferable, showing no grace.

However, Matthew 23:14, in the second woe, Jesus rebuked the scribes for devouring the houses of widows while praying long prayers.  So, they would act religious, for show, but behind the scenes, they would move against widows by seeking to gain their possessions.  

To go after the widows’ possessions speaks of how wicked and crooked those “spiritual leaders” were.  I remind you that James wrote in James 1:27 that pure and undefiled religion is to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.  

Taking advantage of those in need is far from moving in sincere faith!  In Mark 7:21-23, Jesus told the disciples that actions like theft, covetousness, deceit, and an evil eye are evil and defile a man.  Such actions will push anyone away from one who is supposed to be religious and, therefore, block them from the kingdom.  Many people admittedly turn away from the church today because they believe the church is greedy!

To keep oneself unspotted from the world, we must choose the way of God and leave worldliness behind us.  We must devote ourselves to living for God, putting His way over our own (Matt. 6:33).  We ought to be living a God-first life, should we desire to be unspotted and help set an example to open the kingdom of heaven to others.

Misleading those who follow

Matthew 23:15 is the third woe Jesus pronounced against the scribes and Pharisees, followed by His calling them hypocrites.  Jesus rebuked them, saying, “You travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

This was a serious charge against these religious leaders and one that I believe can be laid at the feet of many who have professed to be Christians.  Because their way was wicked, those who did choose to follow them would learn their way of wickedness.  Several times in the gospels, the religious leaders used their disciples to test Jesus, when all of them should have been at the feet of Jesus, learning from Him.

There are many who will proclaim to be a “Christian,” yet they despise and speak against others because of their race.  Many will proclaim to be a “Christian”, yet they don’t believe in equal and fair rights regardless of one’s gender, nationality, or sexual identity.  

There were people who claimed to be Christians and created laws known as “Jim Crow,” which segregated and degraded black people as being less than a family pet.  Many proclaimed to be a “Christian” while owning slaves.  In the present, many claim to be Christian and kill many innocents in senseless mass violence.  

Hateful people, proclaiming to be a Christian, cannot lead another in the way of Christ.  The only thing a hateful person can do is lead another to the gates of hell.  Hypocrisy is so dangerous because many are being led to hell by those who are hateful and will say they are of Christ.

In order to lead one to the kingdom of heaven, we must learn Christ.  This means that we must know His way and live in His way to set a good example for others to follow.  It does no good to preach the word of God, but not live it because one will follow your actions, thinking it is OK.  

All it took was for one “man of God” to think it was OK to mistreat someone because of the color of their skin, for another to follow along, thinking it was righteous.  All it took was for one “person of God” to think it’s OK to degrade someone because of their gender, for another to follow along, believing it is righteous.

Undervaluing the way of God

In Matthew 23:16-22, Jesus pronounced His fourth woe against the scribes and Pharisees.  Jesus said, “Woe to you, blind guides…”  They were teaching the people to value gold over the temple.  In other words, the scribes and Pharisees were putting more value on material things than on the spiritual.

There is a brand of “Christianity” present in the world today that values mammon over God.  When we start valuing wealth and money over the health and lives of others, we are moving in a direction that is far from God.  Jesus taught that we cannot serve two masters, as we will despise one while loving the other.  Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and mammon (Matt. 6:24).

There is a brand of “Christianity” that has chosen to serve mammon, and not God.  We are able to recognize that brand of “Christianity” by its fruit.  The fruit of the sincere believer is of the Spirit.  It is a fruit that is of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, and faithfulness.  When we bear this fruit, we set an example that will lead one to Christ, rather than to be a son of hell.

Forsaking justice

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus pronounced His fifth woe against the scribes and Pharisees.  Jesus said, “You pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.”

How fitting is this statement when it comes to the “Christianity” of a great many?  The “justice” that Jesus spoke of is simply a matter of what is good and fair.  The scribes and Pharisees were so strict in their religion that they would measure their offering to a tee.

You see, this is an example of what the problem is with religion, in comparison to sincere faith.  God desires sincerity rather than measured and mechanical religion.  There are many who show up each Sunday at church because they believe their religion requires it.  Yet, nowhere in scripture is church going shown to be a requirement.

Do you know what is spoken of as a requirement when it comes to moving in faith?  See Matthew 5:44.  Loving your neighbor.  Doing good to those who hate you.  Praying for those who spitefully use and persecute you.  

Jesus told the disciples it’s easy to love those who already love you; all people do that (Matt. 5:46-47).  Yet, to truly be the children of God, Jesus taught that we should do right by everyone!  

Going to church each Sunday is doing nothing for you if you are not practicing faith.  “Christians” have the religion part down pact, but the weightier matters of the law continue to crush “Christians” because it asks for more than just religion.  This is why the scribes and Pharisees were so confused when they would see Jesus sitting down with sinners. 

One cannot say they believe in God if they don’t love unconditionally.  One cannot say they believe in God if they don’t believe in showing mercy to another.  One cannot say they believe in God if they don’t believe in uplifting others.  Therefore, we must practice what we will preach – we must learn to do right by everyone, regardless of who they are.

Being dead on the inside

In the next pronounced woe against the scribes and Pharisees, Matthew 23:25, Jesus said, “You cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.”

Let’s also add the pronounced woe in Matthew 23:27, where Jesus said, “You are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

The outward appearance can be clothed and dressed up to look beautiful, yet it is not the outward appearance that matters.  Jesus taught that it is what is inside a man that defiles a man (Matt. 15:11).

Do you think God cares about your outward appearance?  In Jeremiah 17:10, the Lord said, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doing.”

As was said earlier in this chapter, the works the scribes and Pharisees did were done for show, so that they could be glorified by man.  Sincere faith is all about what God can and will do for you on the inside.  

The work of the Holy Spirit is a transformative work as He leads and guides into all truth.  As Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, the Holy Spirit renews our minds so that we may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The work that is done inside the heart will be recognized by those around you, and that work is drastically different from the pretense of false religion.  Even those who are outside of the faith can tell the noticeable difference between sincere faith and false religion.

With these pronounced woes, Jesus was making it clear that no matter how good you may make yourself appear to man, you cannot fool the Lord.  Work must be done on the inside, in the inner man (your soul).  Jesus said in Matthew 23:26, “First cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.”

The Looming Judgment Against False Religion

Jesus did not mince words, and He was very harsh in His rebuke.  The reason why was because of what awaited the scribes and the Pharisees.  In Matthew 23:34-36, Jesus promised that on those who mislead will come the “righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah”.

If you think for one second that God is pleased by those who do works of wickedness, blocking the kingdom of God, while using His name, you are greatly mistaken!  

In the Ten Commandments, God commanded the children of Israel, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain (Ex. 20:7).”

To those who live under grace, that is all of us of the church age, Jesus warned, “Do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make on hair white or black.  But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’  For whatever is more than these is from the evil one (Matt. 5:33-37.”

If you are going to proclaim to do something in the name of God, let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’.  In other words, move faithfully to His name.  Moving in any other manner that is not faithful to His name is of the wicked one, and one ought not think they will be found guiltless who uses His name in vain!

So, if you proclaim to be a Christian, but you find these woes speaking against your works, heed Jesus’ rebuke and make correction.  Do not continue on such a path, knowing that you have sinned.  Jesus rebukes false religion and anyone who misleads, that is to say one who blasphemes, will meet an unpardonable judgment.