What did Jesus Teach about the Scribes and Pharisees for killing the righteous. Article 9

Article 9 of Matthew chapters 23 to 25

Messiahs Invitation 700 years before Jesus was born.

Reverence: Isiah 55:1-2 HO! Every one who thirst, come to the waters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat. Come, buy wine and milk without cost. Why do you spend money and without cost. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance.

Matthew 23:1-39 This chapter is about the deficiency of the religious leaders and the scribes and Pharisees and their fate.

Matthew 23:1-3 The Scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.

(Note) This whole chapter has Jesus condemnation of all religious leaders, but more specifically the Scribes and Pharisees. Down further in this chapter Jesus says that they have put themselves in Moses seat. What they took from someone else, will be taken from them, when the Romans sacked and burned Jerusalem. in AD 70. They came to power around 160 BC, after the Maccabees decline. Jesus started His ministry when He was thirty years old. Jesus said, He was of the order of Melchizedek, a Priest. Hebrews 5:10 And men could only become a priest when they were thirty years old. Numbers 4:3

Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, (Teaching) the Scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. Therefore all that they tell you , do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them.

Matthew 23:4-12 Woe to you, Scribes, and Pharisees, for you tied heavy loads on men, but not on yourselves.

And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed bu men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the markets places, and being called Rabbi.

(Teaching) But do not be called Rabbi; for one is your teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not called leaders; for one is your leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

(Note) Do not be like any body else that one would look up to. Do not try and imitate them. God has made you into the person that you have become in Him. Be comfortable in your own mind and body and Spirit, Jesus will love you because, you want to imitate Jesus in your life, reading and living His word.

Matthew 23:13-16 Woe to you because you scribes, Pharisees shut off the kingdom of heaven to men.

(Teaching) But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows houses, even while for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you shall receive greater condemnation. Woe to you, scribe and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on the sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he comes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

(Teaching) Woe to you, blind guides, who say, whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.

Matthew 23:17-19

You fools and blind men; which is more important, the gold, or the temple that sanctified the gold? And, whoever swears by the alter, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering upon it, he is obligated.

(Teaching) You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the alter that sanctifies the offering?

Matthew 23:20-22 Be careful of what you swear to.

Therefore he who swears, swears both by the alter and by everything on it.

(Teaching) And he who swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.

Matthew 23:23-27 Your tithing comes short because you do nothing about the weightier things of the law.

(Teaching) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law; justice, mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. You blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow a camel!

(Teaching) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside of it becomes clean also. 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 uncleanness.

(Note) Make sure that your priorities go along with God’s word. That you do not try and make rules, and then try to get other people to live by them to make you feel good about yourself. This is what the Scribes and Pharisees did. As any ruling class of people, once that group has had power for a while, everybody is to follow what they say is correct, not that it is fact, has the scribes and Pharisees had done.

Matthew 23:28-32 They are witnesses against themselves

(Teaching) Even so you too outwardly appear righteous men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteousness, and say, if we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in the shedding the blood of the prophets.

(Teaching) Consequently you bear witness against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up then the measure of the guilt of your fathers.

Matthew 23:33-36 Condemnation of Scribes and Pharisees

(Teaching) You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the sentence of hell? 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, that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariarah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the alter. Truly I say to you, all these things shall come upon this generation.

(Note) Jesus kept trying to get the scribes and Pharisees to see what they had done to the prophets because they did not agree with them. It made no difference where they killed the prophets, because they were hindering the position and their status in the eyes of the people. They did nothing for God and Christ, but they were a stumbling block for the people of God and Christ. To keep their position they created for themselves, they had to keep killing the righteous to protect what they had built, not even Christ could change their minds.

Matthew 23:37-39 Jesus laments over Jerusalem

(Teaching) O 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. Behold your house is being left to you desolate! For I say to you, from now on you shall not see Me until you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!

Matthew 24:1-51 Discussions and signs of the last days.

Matthew 24:1-2 Temple destruction

And Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when the disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.

He answered and said to them, (Teaching) Do you not see these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here shall be left upon another, which will not be torn down.

Matthew 24:3 And as He was sitting on the mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and the end of the age?

Matthew 24:4-26 And Jesus answered and said to them,

(Teaching) See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars, see that you are not frightened. For those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation shall rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the being of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. And because of lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. But the one that endures to the end, he will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all nations, and then the end will come. Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION of desolation which is spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; let him who is on the housetop not to get the things out that are in his house; and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak. But woe to those who are with child and those who nurse babes in those days! But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on the sabbath; for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now. nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut shortened. Then if anyone says to you, “Behold, here is the Christ, or there He is, do not believe him. For false Christs, and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold I tell you in advance. If therefore they say to you, Behold, He is in the wilderness, do not go forth, or, Behold, He is in the inner rooms, do not believe them.

Matthew 24:27-31 Additional Signs of Christs coming.

(Teaching) For just as the Christ lightening comes from the east, and flashes even to the west, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL FROM THE SKY, and the powers of the heaven will be shaken, and the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of all the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. And He will send forth His angels with a GREAT TRUMPET AND THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER HIS elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Matthew 24:32-35 The faithful servants when Christs comes

(Teaching) Now learn the parable from the fig tree; when its branch has already become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.

Matthew 24:36-44 No one knows the day or hour of Christs coming, be on the alert

(Teaching) But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marring and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Then there shall be two men in the field; one shall be taken, and one shall be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken, and one shall be left. Therefore be on the alert, for be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the the head of house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming , he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

(Note) Jesus says when He comes, He will take us up to meet Him Him in the clouds. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 The one that is left behind is destined to the pit with satan.

Matthew 24:45-51 Illustration of the two servants

(Teaching) Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when He comes. Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, my master is not coming for a long time, and shall begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and an hour which he does not know, and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25 1-46 A look into characteristics of peoples and their morals.

Matthew 25:1-13 Comparison of the kingdom of God and Christ.

(Teaching) Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout,

(Teaching) “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him.” Then the ten virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the prudent answered, saying, NO, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who sere ready went in with Him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came,saying, LORD, Lord, open up to us. But He answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

(Note) In verse 9 we have five prudent believers who bought oil and five who wanted to get into Heaven with out any knowledge of Christ. When the time comes, none believers will follow believers, but Christ in all knowledge will turn them a side in His own way. Nobody will get into the millennium without any knowledge of Christ and acceptance of Him. When you accept Him he will accept you. There is only one way into the kingdom, accept what Christ offers you, for there is nothing else, but gnashing of teeth, and unquenching fire.

Matthew 25:14-30 Conditions of different people handling God’s provisions

For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves, and entrusted his possessions to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another, two and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on a journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. But he who had received the one talent, went away and dug in the ground, and hid his masters money.

(Note) Another example of how believers and non believers think, and how they view God and Christ.

(Teaching) Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. And the one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see I have gained five more talents. His master said to him, well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master. The one also who had received the two talents came up and said, Master, you entrusted to me two talents; see, I have gained two more talents. His master said to him, well done, good and faithful slave, you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master. And the one who had received the one talent came up and said, Master , I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours. But the master answered and said to him, you wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I gathered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten talents. For to everyone who has shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

(Note) Christ, when He gives us anything, He wants us to apply what He teaches, so more people can be reached for the cause of Christ. Some people are given money, because they have a knack making investments pay more. Others have gift of words and help in bring more people to Christ. Some have a heart of giving of themselves to help other people. Each person has a gift that can be beneficial to Christ. What is your Talent? Would you give it to Jesus to help grow His people and kingdom?

Matthew 25:31-46 Judgment of gentiles and non believers.

(Teaching) But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on His right, Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you have Me something to eat; I was thirsty; and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger; and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You? AND the king will answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. Then He will say to those on His left, depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me;sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me. Then they themselves also will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or in prison, and did not take care of you? Then He will answer them, saying, Truly, I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And these will go way into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Which group of people would you rather be in? The one going up? Or the one going down?

(Note) Would you consider Christ today, Look at Him in a new way of helping yourself and others to receive Jesus Christ.

Explanation of Teaching of Jesus, and note.

Teaching, is what Jesus taught in His own words

Note, is my thought on that part of Jesus’s teaching.