Before reading this commentary, I encourage you to first read the text of Matthew chapter twenty-three.

Background

In chapter 21 we read about the triumphant entry of Jesus, riding on the donkey into Jerusalem. He clears the temple, flipping over tables and driving out the money changers. He spends the night at the city of Bethany and the next day returns to Jerusalem where he walks into the temple courts and begins teaching.

The remainder of chapter 21, all of chapter 22, and continuing now in chapter 23 records what he was teaching the crowds inside the temple courts.

Verses 1-3

“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’s seat. So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

Why? Why should they practice and observe everything the scribes and Pharisees tell them if the scribes and Pharisees are hypocrites? Jesus just finished thoroughly rebuking the scribes and Pharisees throughout the last half of the previous chapter. It would make more sense if Jesus now instructed the crowds not to follow the scribes and Pharisees. After reading chapter 22, we might assume that Matthew 23:1 was going to say, “Don’t follow them”. Why then does Jesus tell the crowd to do everything the scribes and Pharisees say?

The Israelites depend upon the scribes and Pharisees to tell them what the law of Moses says. Therefore, any Israelite who wants to pursue God, has no choice but to receive his instruction from the scribes and Pharisees. This is the reason why they sit in Moses’s seat. God spoke to Moses and Moses told the Israelites what God had said. The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’s seat. They study the scriptures and then inform Isreal what the Word of God says. Anyone who wanted to follow God and to obey the scriptures, had to rely upon the scribes and Pharisees to instruct them.

But Jesus warns the people “do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” He then goes on to explain exactly what he’s referring to. Let’s look at the next few verses.

Verses 4-7

They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed.

Everything Jesus is describing about the Pharisees, boils down to their pride. We, through the narrative of our Lord Jesus Christ, tend to view the Pharisees as being the villains of the New Testament. However, people today do the exact same things they did.

A police officer pulls over a city council member for speeding. The first thing out of the man’s mouth when confronted by the cop is, “Do you know who I am?!” That’s pride. Being a member of the city council does not give the man permission to speed. The question “do you know who I am” is evidence that he believes his position makes him someone special. Never mind the fact that the town has only 30,000 residents and he was the only one on the ballot running for the position. He’s not special at all. Besides that, in the grand scale of political positions, a city council member is literally a “nobody” compared to the governor of the state, or the congressman of that state. Mr. city council member would not even be allowed to walk freely into the state capital building. He would have to go through security like everyone else.

And the reverse of that scenario is also true. The janitor at a large church was quietly going through seminary training. While working as a janitor, few people at the church paid any attention to him. Some people even outright ignored him. But after years of quietly working on his seminary degree, he graduated. The church then promoted him from janitor, all the way up to assistant pastor in charge of everything at the church besides the Sunday morning service. Now all of a sudden, the people who had previously ignored him, were now coming up to him saying, “Good morning, how are you doing. It’s so nice to see you today. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” He, remaining humble, very politely declined.

In the first example, a man ascended to an important position and became prideful. In the second example, a humble man was ignored until he ascended to an important position. In these two examples, we see that the people of today are no different than the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’s time. Pride, appearances and selfish ambition are often people’s primary motivations.

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6b).

Humbleness is very often an intentional decision. There are times we may have to even plan ahead to remain humble. When one knows they are getting promoted, they might say to themselves, “I’m not going to let this go to my head.” Whereas pride can be a natural default that requires no intentional effort. When you are promoted, I encourage you to sit down and create a written statement to yourself which describes how you will remain humble. “My job is to lead these people in the performance of these particular tasks. Therefore, I’m always going to have the attitude of serving those I’m in charge of.” And, learn to rely daily upon Jesus Christ rather than yourself. Even when you’ve been doing something for years and you have become an expert in that field, continue to ask Jesus Christ to help you. The goal is humbleness.

Verse 8

In the previous verses Jesus said the Pharisees love the places of honor, the greetings, and the titles. Jesus continues, But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi… Jesus is not saying that the word Rabbi is somehow bad, rather he is making a direct comparison to the attitudes and behaviors of the Pharisees. To obey this teaching, we don’t shed our titles—how would we know who’s responsible for what, if no one has a title? Rather, Jesus is saying that the Pharisees love to be called Rabbi. They crave being given honor and special places to sit at banquets. You and I on the other hand, are not to let our titles inflate our egos. Don’t allow yourself to crave attention and glory. Don’t get to the point at which, after being pulled over for speeding, you say to the cop, “don’t you know who I am!?” The cop doesn’t know who you are and he doesn’t care. Your job is not to be self-important. Your job is to treat others as being more important than yourself.

in humility consider others more important than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3b)

Verse 9

Verse nine begins a sentence with the word “And”. Thus, we know it’s a continuation of the previous thought. Jesus was just telling the crowd not to become prideful within elevated positions. Now he is telling them not to put on a pedestal those in lofty positions. Consider this, if in your mind’s eye you view a person in a position of authority as infallible, you’ll be prone to accept everything they say without question. This is how people end up being led by a false teacher. They just assume he’s right and they never bother to examine what he’s actually saying.

Verse 10

Verse ten has the same message as verse eight. Do not exalt yourself because of your title. I once disagreed with someone over how a certain bible verse was being interpreted. When I expressed my disagreement, he immediately informed me of the position he held at his church and the length of time he’d been teaching the Bible. That’s pride. If I was wrong, he could have shown me the scripture that refuted my misunderstanding. But no, he just shoved his credentials at me.

If you interpret a bible passage incorrectly, and no one ever points out your error. You will likely continue to interpret it that way indefinitely. It doesn’t matter that you’ve been teaching Bible studies for ten years. You may have been teaching it wrong for ten years. Don’t get offended when someone corrects you. Not only that, but you should have begun your journey seeking the input of others wiser than yourself. Don’t ever think of yourself as a know-it-all just because you’re the one teaching the Bible study.

Verse 11

This is the application of Jesus’s teaching. “The greatest among you will be your servant”. In every position you hold (and in all responsibilities you’re given), think about who you are serving.

If you own a business, your job is to serve your customers. You also serve your employees in the sense that it’s your responsibility to teach them how to serve your customers. If you’re placed in charge of anything at church, your job is to serve the congregation in those tasks. If you’re elected to an office of government, your job is to serve your constituents. If you are writing a New Testament bible commentary, your job is to serve those who will read it.

But if in any pursuit, the work you’re doing is being done for the purpose of exalting yourself, enriching yourself, showing off or elevating your own pride, you’re doing it wrong.

Verse 12

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:5b-6)

Verse 13

The Scribes and Pharisees shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. The pursuit of God was their exclusive club which gave them their exalted positions within the community. They didn’t want the “riff raff” to join their ranks.

Jesus is telling them that they are not going to enter the kingdom of heaven and they try to block others from entering.

Verse 14

The oldest manuscripts do not contain verse 14, therefore I am not including it here. However, it was included in both Mark and Luke and I will comment on it there.

Verse 15

On the occasions when the Pharisees did try to convert someone, what they brought that person into was a religion of dead works.

Verse 16-29

Woe to you, blind guides! We are in the midst of Jesus listing seven woes against the Pharisees.

1. You will not let in those who are seeking the kingdom of heaven
2. Your converts become sons of hell
3. You’re blind and can’t see the errors of your own ways
4. You disregard the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness
5. Your righteousness is just for show. You don’t bother to clean up your heart
6. You are whitewashed tombs
7. You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets

This is quite a list of accusations. It’s no wonder they didn’t like Jesus. But all of these accusations were 100% true. Remember, these were the religious leaders of his time. The same is no different today. Watch out. Be ever watching and ever perceiving.

Verses 30-33

By saying “If we had lived in the days of our fathers” the Pharisees are admitting that they are the sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Jesus says “Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers.” The Pharisees are about to crucify the Messiah! Of all the prophets who were ever killed, these Pharisees talking to Jesus, are about to do worse than all of their ancestors combined.

Verse 34

Throughout the ages, God sent prophets and wise men and teachers, but like the Bible study teacher I mentioned earlier, pride blinded the religious leaders of Israel. The scribes and pharisees were unwilling to be corrected.

Verse 35

And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.

When the Pharisees of Jesus’s time, died and later will be raised from the dead to stand before Him and be judged, they will be held accountable for every one who was murdered from Abel to Zechariah son of Berechiah. This may seem odd because Abel lived 4,000 years before the Pharisees Jesus is talking to were born. Likewise, Zechariah son of Berechiah lived 500 years before these Pharisees were born. How is it then that they are accountable for their murders?

Jesus is pointing out that every profit who ever lived was persecuted and many of them killed, by the Israelite religious leaders. Although the title Pharisee was not used until about 150 years before Jesus was born, none-the-less, they represent those who rejected the profits and even now the very son of God.

Verse 36

Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

It’s interesting to note the last words of Zechariah as he was being murdered.

Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest (Berechiah was likely his grandfather or great-grandfather), who stood up before the people and said to them, “This is what God says: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has forsaken you.’”

But they conspired against Zechariah, and by order of the king, they stoned him in the courtyard of the house of the LORD. Thus King Joash failed to remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him. Instead, Joash killed Jehoiada’s son. As he lay dying, Zechariah said, “May the LORD see this and call you to account.” (2 Chronicles 24:20–22)

Some translations say “May the Lord see and avenge”. That is exactly what’s about to happen. Jesus said “All these things will come upon this generation”. Just 33 years after this moment, will mark the beginning of the first Jewish-Roman war.

Israel had been ruled by Rome in such a way that Israel was still able to retain much of its independence and way of life. However, within a few years of Jesus being crucified, and the events of the books of acts and of Paul the apostle, Israel came under the direct rule of the Roman Empire such that Israel was severely oppressed and their freedom of religion was taken away.

Governor Gessius Florus came to Jerusalem and looted the temple. Taking from it all of its valuable religious assets. Then he began massacring Jerusalem’s residents. This in turn caused a big rebellion and uprising which continued escalating until Jerusalem was completely overthrown by Rome, the temple was destroyed and many of Jerusalem’s remaining inhabitants were sold into slavery.

It’s ironic that the Jewish people thought their coming Messiah would free them from Rome. Instead, the Messiah had, all along, intended to use Rome for their destruction. This was a righteous judgement for all the murders they had committed against all the profits God had sent them over the course of hundreds and even thousands of years.

Verses 37-38

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! Look, your house is left to you desolate.”

First, let’s take notice of Jesus saying “how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings”. Jesus is God. Long before Jesus was born via Mary into a physical body, he had, from heaven, longed to gather Israel’s children together.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13)

Jesus is God.

Verse 39

For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

This is an end-times prophecy. The next time Jesus sets foot in Jerusalem will be at his second coming. The battle of Armageddon will appear to be the end of the Jewish people. At that time Jesus will come to their rescue and they will say “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”