Matthew 23 - Introduction

Upbraiding

The Scribes And Pharisees

Matthew Twenty-Three

The wrath of that meek and lowly man of Galilee burned hot as He pronounced "WOES" against the Scribes and Pharisees. These are the leaders that were in charge of teaching people the law of Moses. Nobody should have been closer to God than they. However, Jesus referred to them as "Hypocrites." Both the wrath and the compassion of Jesus are pictured in Matthew twenty-three. His compassion was seen as He wept over the city of Jerusalem that had been so adversely affected by these pretenders of religion. These Pharisees, with all their regulations, had made the Jewish religion an impossible burden.

Jesus wanted His disciples to be warned about these Pharisees and teachers of the law. Their hypocrisy had caused many unbelievers to be hardened. Jesus lamented that these unbelievers have no hope of being in His heavenly kingdom. He pronounced several woes on these people that He identified as "scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites." He mourned deeply over the unbelief that He observed in Jerusalem. He wanted to gather them and save them, but they refused. He grieved because He knew that their house would be left unto them desolate. They were giving up the hope of eternal salvation.