The New Testament Family Reader by Tyler McKellar

Author:Tyler McKellar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Published: 2019-06-07T17:31:09+00:00

Jesus Warns of Hypocrisy and Describes the Leaders of the Jewish Nation as Men Who Lack Mercy and Embrace Wickedness

Throughout His ministry, Jesus condemned the unrighteous behavior of the scribes and Pharisees. These men held high positions as spiritual leaders in the Jewish nation, but instead of serving the people in humility, they were filled with pride, wickedness, and hypocrisy. Days before His Crucifixion, while teaching in the temple, Jesus offered a final rebuke of the wicked leaders’ actions. Phylacteries, which are referred to in these verses, were small leather boxes containing excerpts from Hebrew scriptures. In keeping with the law of Moses, these boxes were secured by thin straps to the arms and heads of Jewish men during religious ceremonies. The Pharisees brought attention to themselves by increasing the size and style of their phylacteries and the designs of their religious robes.

Matthew 23:1–14, 33, 37–38 (see also Mark 12:38–40; Luke 20:45–47)

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

According to these verses, what specific sins were the Pharisees guilty of? What did

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