Matthew 23
Jesus Criticizes the Religious Leaders
Mat 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to
the crowds and to his disciples, Mat 23:2
saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on the
seat of Moses. Mat 23:3 Therefore do and observe everything that they tell you, but
do not do as they do, for they tell others to do something and do not do
it themselves. Mat 23:4 And they tie up heavy burdens and put them on people's
shoulders, but they themselves are not willing with their finger to move
them.
Seat of Moses, this was as
near as I could get to a reference for this statement Numbers
7:89, and that was in the NKJV of the bible “And when Moses was gone into
the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice
of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark
of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him”.
Here Jesus is telling the
crowd that the Pharisees were telling them one thing to do but they would not
do it. They also would not do anything to correct one of their many laws to
help people stay within the law. They actually would make a law harder to
achieve but adding to it. That way their power stayed intact. They also were
able to ask for more money or sacrifices to please God.
Mat 23:5 And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people,
for they make their phylacteries broad (also called teflinn the prayer boxes the wore on their head) and make their tassels
long.
There are Jewish traditions that were observed. This one is
derived from Deu_6:8;
Exo_13:9;
Exo_13:16;
Deu 11:18, it was to wear a box on their head containing
scrolls of parchment inscribed with verses from the Torah this is practiced
by some to this day. It appears that the Pharisees wore the biggest ones to
look more holy. We might call it a large ego.
Mat 23:6 "They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief
seats in the synagogues, Mat 23:7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being
called Rabbi by men. Mat 23:8 "But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher,
and you are all brothers.
The word Rabbi means learned teacher. For the Pharisees
Jesus saw this as a title but not a teacher. There was only one teacher and
that was Jesus all the rest of us are brothers or sisters, some in Christ and some
not in Christ.
Mat 23:9 And do not call anyone your father on earth, for one
is your heavenly Father. Mat 23:10 And do not be called teachers, because one is your teacher,
the Christ. Mat 23:11 And the greatest among you will be your servant. Mat 23:12 And whoever exalts
himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. From
the LANTC,
”Don’t address anyone here on earth as Father does not mean that we
cannot use the word for a parent. Again, Jesus was speaking in the context of
the rabbi and disciple relationship. Disciples would call their rabbi “father,”
and the relationship could be compared to that between a father and son. This
command gives the flip side of the first one. While rabbis must not accept
homage from disciples, the disciples were not to revere any rabbi or put him on
a pedestal.The third command repeats the first one, but adds the
emphasis of the Messiah. All rabbis (all learned teachers) fall under
the authority of one master. Jesus, of course, was referring to himself.”Agape
Dave
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