Matthew - Week 71

Seeking Honor 

READ 

Matthew 23:5-7 

5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’” 

Jesus continued to warn his followers about the teachers of the Old Testament law and the Pharisees. Rather than their spirituality being inward and expressed outward; they did many things for show outwardly but did not have any inner spirituality. They even loved to be called “Rabbi,” an Aramaic word meaning “teacher.”  

REFLECT 

As you meet those with academic degrees, you likely will find many do not boast of their degrees; they desire to be treated as anyone else.  

RESPOND 

Talk with another believer about not doing things for show. Be careful about reciting memorized prayers without thinking of the words you are saying. See Matthew 6:5-8 to see the warning Jesus gave His followers before giving them a model prayer.  

Exalted and Humbled 

READ 

Matthew 23:8-12 

8 “Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. 9 And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father. 10 And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be a servant. 12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 

Jesus was distinguishing the spiritual from the physical. In the physical realm each person has a biological father; in the spiritual realm only God is the true Father. Jesus was also referring to the religious leaders and Pharisees who loved titles more than they loved people. They would have been the last ones who wanted to hear Jesus’ statement, “The greatest among you must be a servant.” They wanted others to serve them. 

REFLECT 

Even if you are distinguished from others because of your education, how do you want to be referred to in your local church setting? Do you give the impression that all of you are equal before God? 

RESPOND 

One who “ministers” to others is one who “serves” others. In many places today a “minister” is not thought of as a “servant,” but that is what he is. You also are a “minister” if you serve others. Talk with a fellow believer about the joy you receive in serving others. Remember, there is little ministry without a relationship. Not only should you love God, but also you should love people as seen in Matthew 22:37-40.  

Hypocrites 

READ 

Matthew 23:13 

13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.” 

A religious leader who does not believe what God has revealed about Himself will not only be barred from the kingdom of heaven but others who follow him will also be barred from it. Some manuscripts add a verse 14 that is similar to Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.  

REFLECT 

Think how terrible it is if a religious leader does not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, as well as in His atoning death for sin and His resurrection from the dead. Such a leader and those who believe what he is teaching will spend eternity separated from God unless they change their mind and trust in Jesus as Savior.  

RESPOND 

Read 1 Timothy 1:3-4 to see what the apostle Paul instructed Timothy about false teachers.  

Sorrow Awaits 

READ 

Matthew 23:15 

15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!” 

Jesus was not kind to these religious leaders who were misleading others. The word translated “hell” is from the Greek word “gehenna.” This word refers to the judgment and final destiny of all unbelievers in the lake of fire, which Revelation 20:11-15 describes. It is not to be confused with hades as seen in Luke 16:19-31 nor with 2 Peter 2:4 that refers to tartarus and the confinement of fallen angels.  

REFLECT 

Think how terrible this eternal judgment will be for all eternity.  

RESPOND 

With another believer, read Luke 16:19-31 to see that if one will not believe Moses and the prophets that person will not believe even if he sees someone risen from the dead. For proof of this see John 12:10-11 where the religious leaders wanted to kill Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead as recorded in John 11:40-44. They were not convinced by one risen from the dead.  

Blind Guides 

READ 

Matthew 23:16-18 

16 “Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear ‘by God’s Temple,’ but that it is binding to swear ‘by the gold in the Temple.’ 17 Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 And you say that to swear ‘by the altar’ is not binding, but to swear ‘by the gifts on the altar’ is binding.” 

This passage reveals how much the religious leaders and Pharisees added to the Old Testament law. They had their own legalistic standards by which they judged others. They did not know about the grace of God that was made known in the Old Testament and emphasized in the New Testament.  

REFLECT 

How do you decide if a person is a child of God? Do you insist on various rules your culture has added to what the Bible says? Or do you look for the fruit of the Spirit in their lives, as mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23? 

RESPOND 

To see the grace of God revealed in the Old Testament, read Romans 4:6-8 about David—who lived during the time of the law—and Romans 4:20-22 about Abraham—who lived before the time of the law.