Mathew chapter 23: 1-12.

(Jesus Denounces Religious Hypocrisy)

Era is new, but burden are same

The time change, but ideologies are same.

Name is change, but hypocrisy is same.

Greeting to you all in the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. First of all I thanks
our almighty father who at in Heaven given us all the gift of life and allow me to welcome
you all in this virtue church, for this service.

And I thanks today leader brother------------ who lead this service in wonderful manner thus far

Before going further Let us look to God in Prayer.

For Today’s Meditation the scripture Portion is selected from the Gospel according St. Matthew
Chapter 23: 1-12.

Background

Matthew, like all the gospel in the New Testament is an anonymous document. The title
“According to Matthew” is affixed at least early as 125 AD. It was first claimed by Papias.

The destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in AD 70 is a prominent concern of Matthew. But it
is always spoken of as a future event. Some commentators believe that the language used reflects
Matthew’s knowledge of the events itself, not just of gospel its prediction by Jesus, and therefore
date the gospel after AD 70.

The first purpose of gospel of Matthew is seen as a whole, Matthew is telling the impact of Jesus
on four Groups: - the leaders, the crowds, the disciple, and the demons; and the second purpose
is the apologetic and evangelistic.

Matthew addresses the need of his Jewish-Christianity hearers, with whom many scholar believe
were in conflict with a pharisaic religious establishment. The data of the Gospel of Matthew are
again and again explained most satisfactorily on the hypothesis that the first readers were Jewish
Christians.

Illustration.

I have a small incident what happen in my life what I need to share with you all, like one day a
pastor invited me and to one of my friend in his church on Sunday service, and we accepted his

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invitation to participate in his church service. So on Sunday morning he came early in his car to
pick us from our home and after arriving to destination, he parked his car near the road. And this
is the first Sunday of the month so there is a holy communal also, and the title of sermon is
“humble yourself” or something like that, after closing the service in the church. We are meeting
the congregation and everyone is saying preaching is awesome, when congregation started gone
to their home back we also winding up everything and ready to go back to our home too, we
started walking toward the car, so in front of us a unknown car came and by his speed mud came
on his car and after this, pastor started abusing the deriver of that unknown car in front of us and
that day he preached on “humble yourself”.

So, I Selected today’s sermon title “Jesus Denounces Religious Hypocrisy”

And therefore I divided my sermon in 3 parts.

Expesis sermon

a. Preaching Without Practice is Called Hypocrisy. (1-4)

The word “hypocrisy” is derived from Greek word hypokrisis, which mean “The practice of
claiming to have higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case.” There is no individual
face of a crowds but still we will make an afford to know who are the people in this crowds,
there are two type of people in this group that was mention in this verse “The crowds and his
disciple” “toi ocioi kai toi maqhtai autou” this both are in plural form. But if we focus on first
word of this pericope, there we find the word “then” “tote” which is again only a connective
rather than a strict chronological note.

A crowds is like a sheep for Jesus (Matthew 9:36) the important description of the crowds than
the gospel provides, image of sheep and shepherd occur with considerable, only Matthew 12: 11-
12 refers to sheep in literal sense. In the Hebrew bible, for the great majority of case, the sheep
represent Israel, (Matthew 10:6) “lost sheep of house of Israel” and in (Matthew 9:36) “sheep
without shepherd”. As even we know that this, Matthew gospel is written for the Jewish
Christian so there is so much focus on Jews. As we know that who are the disciples of Jesus
Christ but here disciples are addresses to learn more of the righteousness required of them, that
which exceeds the Scribes and Pharisees righteousness.

And if we see in, verse 2 and 3, we can indentify that, no mention is made of the Pharisees and
scribes being among the hearers, although they are addressed by Jesus himself in this chapter.
Once Jesus addressing them with positive statement. “That do whatever they teach you and
follow it,” because with no doubt they are the scholars of the torah. But after the identifying the
name of this two group; the table turn up to down and Jesus started making negative statement
about scribes and Pharisees, by saying that they, “Sit upon Moses seat” (Epi tes mouseos
kathedras ekathisan) in a brief form for the chair of the professor whose function it is to interpret

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Mosaic Law. “The heir of Moses” authority by an unbroken tradition can deliver ex-cathedra
pronouncements on his teaching.

“do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach” by this statement we can
understand that they are the perfect teachers of torah with no doubt, but they are not the good
follower of their own teaching what they teach in public, they speak concerning righteousness
but they do not “do” or “act” accordance with their own teaching. If we talk about specific
instances of this hypocrisy will be mentioned in the “woes” beginning in verse 13, where
repeatedly the scribes and Pharisees are addressed as hypocrites. “With their finger” (toi daktuloi
auton). They are taskmasters not burden bearers, not sympathetic helper.

Verse 4 speaks of the leaders putting “heavy burden on the other’s shoulders”. Laying down
irksome rules and then refusing “to lift a finger” to help. This does not mean they were
unwilling to obey burdensome rules themselves but that they refused to help those who collapsed
under their rules. This is the natural interpretation of “kinesai” (to move) and fits the allusion to
11:28-30. Thus the Pharisees are unlike Jesus, whose burden is light and who promised rest. But
this means that verse 4 does more than illustrate verse 3b; it show how the Pharisees are by their
teaching doing more harm than good.

There is no use of teaching if there is no action.

B. "Do not Do as the Scribes and Pharisees Do." Verses 5-7

“But all their works they do to be seen by men” (v. 5a). Once more the scribes and Pharisees
“come at it from the wrong end,” seeking glory for themselves rather than seeking to glorify
God. They love the honor associated with their position. But Jesus says, “let your light shine
before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven”
(5:16).

Pharisees perform their righteous deeds in order “to be seen by others” (Pro to qoaqhnai toi
anqrwpoi) The Pharisees’ love of honor manifests itself in several ways. “They make their
phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments” (v. 5). Phylacteries (ta fulakthria
autwn) were small leather or parchment boxes containing a piece of vellum inscribed with four
texts from the law (exodus 13:2-10). They were worm on the arm or tied to the forehead
according to exodus 13:9. To show their piety to the world, these leaders made large, showy
phylacteries. The same ostentation affected the length of tassels (kraspeda mean borders), worn
by Jews on the corners of the outer garment, in obedience to Numbers 15:37-41; Deuteronomy
22:12.

The scribes and Pharisees also “love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the
synagogues” (v. 6). In the synagogue, the better seats are those nearest the front, the best being
those on the platform facing the congregation. During the synagogue service, members of the
congregation see the people on the platform, and are reminded of their importance.

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“The salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men” v. 7 Jesus accuses
the scribes and Pharisees of loving too much the adulation of the people—of enjoying too much
being called “Rabbi, Rabbi.” The problem, of course, is that pride has a tendency to derail those
whose true calling is to humble service. “Rabbi”, the transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning
“my master” or “my teacher” was used in Hillel’s time, a generation before Jesus; By Talmudic
times a rabbi’s status was immense: his disciple had to obey him without question, never walk
beside or infront of him, never greet him first, so forth. The situation had not developed so far in
Jesus day; but if the process had begun, one can well imagine Jesus exposing it, in the light of
Matthew 18: 1-5; 20: 25-28, whoever wishes to be great among you must be your slaves.

C. "Do not be called rabbi or Father" verses 8-12.

“But do not you be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers
and sisters". Until now, Jesus has been talking to the crowds and disciples. Now he reveals the
purpose of his lengthy condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees. ” Verse 8-10, the “you” is
emphatic, but this does not mean that verses are out of place in an address before a mixed
audience. It is not implausible that out of the crowd Jesus is here speaking primarily to his
disciple, just as he later addresses the Pharisees directly (verse 13-36). These verse could
therefore serve as warning not to follow the “teachers of the law and the Pharisees” while laying
down normative patterns for relationships among Jesus’ disciples. Unlike the religious
authorities, Jesus says, his disciples are not to be called “Rabbi” (verse 8). The “one teacher” is
not God but Jesus himself (verse 10); but either way, in view of 22:41-46; 23:4, this verse not
only proscribes self-exaltation in teaching divine things but rejects the authority of the religious
teachers of Jesus day. Such authority has been taken from them (verse 21:43). Among those who
follow Jesus, a brother and sister relationship is required. (Matthew 5:22-24, 47; 18:15, 21).

If we see verse 9 rabbi or teacher moves to father. To the best of our knowledge, rabbis were not
directly addressed as “Father.” Some have therefore argued that the text is referring to the
patriarchs (Father) but the fact is that “the father” became a very common way of referring to
earlier teachers of the law, especially the great masters. The practice may have stretched back to
the days of the prophets (2 kings 2:12).

“On earth” does not mean the “father” was alive in Jesus time but simply contrasts them with the
father in heaven: their domain is not exalted enough to warrant the latter title. The disciple of
Jesus should also avoid referring to anyone as “father” in an honorary or reverential sense for
example used in Act 7:2, 22:1. In present context the word “father” is probably to be understood
as connoting “teacher” and does not constitute a reference to being descended from the
patriarchs. Besides one’s earthly father (for whom the title is not in question), only one other
may be referred to as “father,” God himself, who, as here, is so often referred to in Matthew as
our “heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:48; 6:14, 26, 32; 15:13; 18:35).

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Verse 10.“Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ” In this verse
“neither be called masters (kathegetai-tutors),” this is the only occurrence of the word kathegetai
in the new testament. It has to do with leadership, and mean “a guide” or “a teacher” or “a
leader.” It is therefore very much akin to the word “rabbi.”

A further title the disciple should avoid is that of kathegetai, “tutor”. The argument is the same
as in the two preceding instances: only one is worthy to be called “Teacher” or “Master,” and
now that one is at last explicitly and climactically identified as Cristo “the Christ” (Messiah).

As long as Jesus is talking about scribes and Pharisees, we can sit unthreatened on the sidelines
and cheer. As Jesus shifts the conversation to his disciples, though, we sense that he will sooner
or later turn to us. Then the discourse that started as an academic exercise will turn personal, and
we won’t be comfortable anymore. At some point, of course, we realize that Jesus, in fact, is
calling us away from the self-seeking life that pulls at us like a great magnet and toward a highly
disciplined discipleship that requires more than we want to give. This text, which started in a safe
place, turns out to demand quite a lot from us. Not only are we to avoid seeking honorific titles,
but we are also required to prevent people from using them of us (vv. 8, 10).

d. The Greatest Among you will be your servant. V 11-12.

“But he who is greatest among you will be your servant” (v. 11). We are reminded of Jesus’
words, “But many will be last who are first; and first who are last” (19:30. See also 20:16). The
kingdom of God is an upside down world—like a mirror in which everything is reversed—a
kingdom where the rules are the opposite of the world’s rules. A in the important close parallel in
20:26-27, the future (estai) ’will be,’ is to be understood as an imperative, “must be.” The one
who would be “great” (melzwn) must become a “servant (diakono). The final position of
diakono, “servant,” is emphatic in both passages.” In these verses Matthew repeatedly
emphasizes humility. What is commended is humility, not humbug, service, not servility. The
supreme example- the Messiah himself- makes this clear (Matthew 20:26-28); for his astonishing
humility and service to other was untainted by servility and was perfectly compatible with
exercising the highest authority. Having done the greatest service, he has been most highly
exalted.

Verse 12 is very different from the world’s rule, “if you don’t toot your own horn nobody else
will toot it for you.” That rule won’t pass muster in the kingdom of God a kingdom that Jesus say
“is at hand” (Mathew 4:17; 10:7) a kingdom that is already present for those who chose to serve
God as king. The call of the disciple in the present is not to the pride of exalted status but to
humility and servanthood.

Application

Jesus respects the position of the scribes and Pharisees as interpreters of the law of Moses.
Although he seems at first glance to give an unqualified approval to their teaching, it is clear

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light of his criticism of their teaching elsewhere that his words are not to be taken in this sense.
Yet for Matthew Jesus alone is the true interpreter of Moses, and he is therefore the one rabbi,
teacher, and tutor. He, not the pharisaic rabbis, give authoritative interpretation of Torah. And
the scribes and Pharisees come under harsh criticism for both their teaching and their deeds in
the material that follows. Jesus faults them particularly for their desire to impress other and their
love of prestige and position. Such dangers also threaten Christians, and Jesus thus warns his
disciple. The demeanor of the disciple is to be characterized above all by the virtues of service
and humility. Christians of every era and every circumstance, especially those in leadership
roles, must learn again that true greatness consist in service and that self-humbling now is the
path of exaltation in the eschaton.

He has given his words which act like a mirror, showing who we truly are; not only that, he
has given his holy spirit to resized in when we turn away from God.

May God bless us.

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