Matthew 23:27-39

Matthew 23:27-39

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28 “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 “So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 “Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. 33 “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

34 “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city, 35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 “Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. 38 “Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! 39 “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’”

Jesus continues to condemn the practices of the scribes and Pharisees.  These religious leaders were the most respected, feared and powerful leaders in Israel.  They had tremendous influence on the people as well as on the Roman leadership.  Criticizing them was a dangerous proposition.  Jesus is fully aware of the dangers associated with what He is doing.  However, He is also aware of the dangers associated with allowing these leaders to continue to influence the nation without being confronted.  Jesus is not intimidated by their power, influence or their threats.  He is exposing these me for what they truly are and represent.  Courage to confront continues to be a great need in out communities today.

EXTERNAL RIGHTEOUSNESS: It is not a complement to be called a “whitewashed tomb” that looks nice on the outside but is full of rotting flesh on the inside.  It is what men are like when we put on facades and pretend that all is well on the outside, when our hearts are full of corruption and sin.  God is not fooled by our external appearances.  Our thoughts, motives and attitudes are all plainly visible to Him and they are more important to Him than our actions.  We cannot be satisfied with and exterior righteousness that men applaud.  The only One we must please is the Lord who sees our hearts.

EMPTY RITUALS: The words of Jesus do not grow any more gracious.  He now calls them a “brood of vipers” bound for hell.  This title is earned from having practiced empty rituals of honoring dead prophets and righteous men by decorating their tombs.  This was an attempt to distance themselves from their forefathers who had tortured and killed these same prophets.  Jesus informs them that their actions are worthless because they continue to demonstrate the same attitudes of their forefathers.  Jesus and John the Baptist were contemporary prophets that these men rejected outright.  They recognized the errors of their fathers and then went on to repeat them more avidly.  True repentance always requires a change.  If their repentance had been sincere, they would have believed the Word of Jesus.  Instead, they criticized, tried to trap and eventually killed Jesus just as had been done in the past.  It is easy for us to recognize the errors of others in the past.  It is vital that we do things radically different.  

EVENTUAL REJECTION: The religious leaders would be proven as violent as their forefathers with the prophets the Lord would send them.  They would beat some of them, crucify some of them and persecute some of them.  While this kind of treatment was not at all enjoyable for the Lord’s servants, it would be far more costly to those who did the persecuting.  The blood of the martyred will be required at the hands of those who perpetrated the violence.  Just as they rejected the prophets, God will reject them for eternity.  The way we respond to the Lord’s servants has drastic implications on how the Lord will judge us.  When we suffer persecution, this truth should be a source of hope.

ETERNAL RETRIBUTION: The love the Lord has for Israel is something unprecedented in the world.  Despite their constant rebellion against and rejection of God’s Word, He still demonstrates great compassion and love.  Jesus said that He longed do hold them and cover them like a hen would protect her chicks.  He longs to comfort them, lead them and love them.  They continue to rebel and to kill the prophets He sends.  The result of this rebellion is that Jesus will turn His back on them, and they will be judged in their sin.  Their land will be left desolate.  Many generations of Israel will be eternally lost because the rejected Jesus.  However, there will still be a time when Israel will repent of their sin, recognize Jesus as Messiah, and the will experience the blessing of Jesus once again.  The love of Jesus is amazing and a huge blessing in our lives.

APPLICATION: Listen carefully to the Word of God and obey it faithfully.  Don’t think that God will be fooled by a facade of external righteousness.  Don’t think that God will be impressed by any religious rituals we might perform.  Turn to God in repentance.  Respond to His amazing love.  Listen to His Word and faithfully follow Him because He loves us so wonderfully.