Digging For Truth : Matthew 23: 1-16

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The Seven Woes

What Jesus said in . . .

Matthew 23: 1 - 16 ( King James Version )

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples

23:2 > Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

23:3 > All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

23:4 > 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.

23: 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,

23:6 > And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

23: 7 > And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

23:8 > But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren.

23:9 > And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

23:10 > Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ.

23:11 > But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

23:12 > And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

23:13 > 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.

23:14 > Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

23:15 > Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

23:16 > Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing

Matthew 23: 1 - 16 ( New International Version )

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: (2) The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat.

verse 3 > So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach

verse 4 > They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to life a finger to move them.

verse 5 > Everything they do is sone for men to see. They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long

verse 6 > they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues.

verse 7 > they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have men call them rabbi

verse 8 > But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have only one master and you are all brothers

verse 9 > And do not call anyone on earth "father," for you have one Father and he is in heaven.

verse 10 > Nor are you to be called "teacher" for you have but one teacher, The Christ.

verse 11 > The greatest among you will be your servant

verse 12 > For whosoever exhaults himself will be humbled, and whosoever humbles himself will be exhaulted.

verse 13 > Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites? You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

verse 14 > This verse does not appear in the NIV translation.

verse 15 > Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and saw to win a single convert and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

verse 16 > Woe to you blind guides. You say, "If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.

Text Quoted in Spirit of Prophecy

There is coming in among us a spirit which God will not suffer to rule. Never should Christians feel that they are lords over God’s heritage. There should not be among Christians a spirit which makes some patrons and some proteges. The commandments of God forbid this. “All ye are brethren” ( Matthew 23:8 ). No man is to think that he is the owner of the minds and capabilities of his brethren. He is not to think that others must submit to his dictation. He is liable to err, liable to make mistakes, as every man is. He is not to try to control matters in accordance with his ideas. { TDG 192.3}

In the parable the son who said, “I go, sir,” represented himself as faithful and obedient; but time proved that his profession was not real. He had no true love for his father. So the Pharisees prided themselves on their holiness, but when tested, it was found wanting. When it was for their interest to do so, they made the requirements of the law very exacting; but when obedience was required from themselves, by cunning sophistries they reasoned away the force of God’s precepts. Of them Christ declared, “Do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.” Matthew 23:3. They had no true love for God or man. God called them to be co-workers with Him in blessing the world; but while in profession they accepted the call, in action they refused obedience. They trusted to self, and prided themselves on their goodness; but they set the commands of God at defiance. They refused to do the work which God had appointed them, and because of their transgression the Lord was about to divorce Himself from the disobedient nation. { COL 278.4}

“The head of every man is Christ.” God, who put all things under the Saviour’s feet, “gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 1:22, 23. The church is built on Christ as its foundation. It is not to depend on man or be controlled by man. Many claim that a position of trust in the church gives them authority to dictate what other men shall believe and do. The Saviour declares, “All ye are brethren.” Matthew 23:8. Upon no finite being can we depend for guidance. The Rock of faith is the living presence of Christ in the church. Those who think themselves the strongest will prove to be the weakest, unless they make Christ their efficiency. See Jeremiah 17:5; Psalm 2:12. { HLv 279.5 }

Papists place crosses upon their churches, upon their altars, and upon their garments. Everywhere is seen the insignia of the cross. Everywhere it is outwardly honored and exalted. But the teachings of Christ are buried beneath a mass of senseless traditions, false interpretations, and rigorous exactions. The Saviour’s words concerning the bigoted Jews, apply with still greater force to the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church: “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.” Matthew 23:4. Conscientious souls are kept in constant terror fearing the wrath of an offended God, while many of the dignitaries of the church are living in luxury and sensual pleasure. { GC 568.2 } Read entire Chapter 35

The lesson of Christ in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican is recorded for the benefit of all who believe the words of Christ. It was spoken to some who the great Teacher saw were self-conceited, full of their own righteousness, and who despised others. “Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” [ Matthew 23:12 ]. Your position is that of exalting self. Your assumption of excellency that does not belong to you will certainly exclude you from the grace which, can truly exalt. True righteousness never produces such fruit; false righteousness always does. { 12MR 117.1 }

At this time God’s cause is in need of men and women who possess rare qualifications and good administrative powers; men and women who will make patient, thorough investigation of the needs of the work in various fields; those who have a large capacity for work; those who possess warm, kind hearts, cool heads, sound sense, and unbiased judgment; those who are sanctified by the Spirit of God, and can fearlessly say No, or Yea and amen, to propositions; those who have strong convictions, clear understanding, and pure, sympathetic hearts; those who practice the words, “All ye are brethren;” [ Matthew 23:8.] those who strive to uplift and restore fallen humanity.—Testimonies for the Church 7:246-249. { GW 424.2}

Jesus came to impart to the human soul the Holy Spirit, by which the love of God is shed abroad in the heart; but it is impossible to endow men with the Holy Spirit, who are set in their ideas, whose doctrines are all stereotyped and unchangeable, who are walking after the traditions and commandments of men, as were the Jews in the time of Christ. They were very punctilious in the observances of the church, very rigorous in following their forms, but they were destitute of vitality and religious devotion. They were represented by Christ as like the dry skins which were then used as bottles. The gospel of Christ could not be placed in their hearts; for there was no room to contain it. They could not be the new bottles into which He could pour His new wine. Christ was obliged to seek elsewhere than among the scribes and the Pharisees for bottles for His doctrine of truth and life. He must find men who were willing to have regeneration of heart. He came to give to men new hearts. He said, “A new heart also will I give you.” But the self-righteous of that day and of this day feel no need of having a new heart. Jesus passed by the scribes and the Pharisees, for they felt no need of a Saviour. They were wedded to forms and ceremonies. These services had been instituted by Christ; they had been full of vitality and spiritual beauty; but the Jews had lost the spiritual life from their ceremonies, and clung to the dead forms after spiritual life was extinct among them. When they departed from the requirements and commandments of God, they sought to supply the place of that which they had lost, by multiplying their own requirements, and making more rigorous demands than had God; and the more rigid they grew, the less of the love and Spirit of God they manifested. Christ said to the people: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 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. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.” “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” ( Matthew 23:2-7, 23 ). { 1SM 386.2}

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Matthew 23: 1-16 - Seven Woes

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