Matthew part 39
7 Woes for 7 Sins of Leadership
There is something very awkward for pastors preaching from Matthew 23, or at least there should be. Jesus is going to give seven “woes” which are essentially curses against them for 7 sins. As we go through this passage, we must keep in mind each of us has a level of authority or leadership in this life. Whether we “merely” lead our families (which is actually the most important sphere of leadership we can have), or we find ourselves leading a small group, or perhaps some of you may be called by God to lead a local church, regardless the reach you are given, we can keep this passage in mind as we lead. We must never fall into the same traps as the Pharisees as we lead God’s people.
In fact, I would argue many have fallen into these traps, especially in today’s world. The internet is filled with stories of people walking away from their faith or their church because of poor leadership. Now, it would be presumptuous to say only the church leaders are at fault, but that doesn’t negate the fact any human leader is just as likely to fall victim to sinful attitudes as those they lead.
With that said, let’s begin reading in Matthew 23, and as we read, we can identify the sin or attitude of the Pharisees that brings upon them ‘woe’ and hopefully establish leadership principles to help us avoid these traps.
Religious Pride breeds Self-Righteousness | Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:1-12
Notice first Jesus distinguishes between the office of the scribes and the person. They “sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you.” As followers of Jesus and members of a local church, we have to keep in mind just because human leaders can fail us, that doesn’t mean God has failed us. The church is filled with people, and those people may let you down, hurt you, or fail to uphold the same ethic they preach, but those people are not God. God will keep you, protect you, and demonstrate the same love He calls us to.
But for the Pharisees, Jesus points out they preach, but do not practice. Or, we might say, “Their walk doesn’t match their talk.” The ‘heavy burdens’ are certainly the extra rules applied to the Law in order to maintain a strong sense of identity, order, or perhaps they have the best intentions and believe the extra load will help people be holier. Regardless, they do not help alleviate the people’s suffering. In fact, as we have seen, there is a strong possibility these heavy burdens have to do with trying to live in two different worlds. They insist the people keep the mandates and traditions of their Jewish faith while also insisting they maintain the peace and relationship with Rome. It is a heavy burden to have two conflicting masters.
The way the Pharisees have alleviated their own burden is by simply not following their own commands. Notice they still maintain the façade of righteousness. They make their phylacteries (a pouch that held prayers and/or the Shema) broad and their fringes long. They are making themselves noticeable. They enjoy drawing attention to themselves being called ‘rabbi’ and having the best seats in the synagogue. The problem is called pride—and a hypocritical pride at that.
The root problem with Pharisaical pride is that it makes us believe we are above the ethical mandates of the Law.
Jesus’ response to this attitude is to tell the disciples to avoid titles such as ‘rabbi’, ‘father’, or even ‘instructor’. Rather, they are to understand who is the true Teacher, the true Father, and the true Instructor. This particular verse conjures a bit of a problem in traditional denominations and church settings. There are traditions that insist calling members of certain offices ‘father’ and the lesser used ‘rabbi’. And before the baptists get too judgmental, perhaps we should ask what is another word for ‘instructor’—especially considering the Greek is the same root where we get ‘catechesis’ or “how we train children and adults in the faith.” While I don’t believe the titles themselves are outright sinful, they do support the idea that there are two types of Christians in the world—those who teach and those who learn. In reality, Jesus says “you are all brothers.” We should learn from each other as we all learn from the Lord.
The attitude is remedied by the last verse. “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Rather than seeking some high position or exert authority over others, we must humble ourselves before the Lord. As we have discussed in previous chapters, part of humility is teachability. The moment you believe you have learned all you need is the moment you have fallen into the trap.
Jesus calls each of us to walk in humility as we lead others to follow Him.
The Traps of Poor Evangelism | Matthew 23:13-14
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.
Matthew 23:13-15
The Lord desires people to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That is the whole reason Abraham was called out of Ur. That is the reason Moses was given the Law. That is the reason the tabernacle and temple existed. And that is the reason why Jesus came. We were created to be in relationship with God. We are His Image and should be a part of the Kingdom.
But sin ruined all of that, and now these Pharisees and scribes who are supposed to be pointing people to heaven are keeping heaven from them—and they don’t even enter themselves.
The Lord desires people to enter heaven. If we do anything that keeps someone from realizing the truth of heaven and the grace God has demonstrated, we have committed a grave sin with eternal consequence.
We must never lose sight of the goal of our faith which is to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and helping others enter also.
Now, before we fall into the trap of believing entering the kingdom of heaven is just making converts, or having people pray some magical prayer, Jesus gives this next woe. It is good to make proselytes, but if that person fairs no better than the hypocrite, then the world doesn’t have a new believer, they have another hypocrite.
Sound evangelism always coincides with sound discipleship. As Christians, we are not called to make new converts, we are called to make new disciples.
A true disciple is one who follows Jesus in faith and in action.
That’s why the Great Commission includes the phrase “teaching them to obey all the things I have commanded you.”
The Traps of Wrong Priorities | Matthew 23:16-24
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
Matthew 23:16-24
The woe here is centered on priorities. The Pharisees and scribes would bind people to their oaths when they swore on the gifts and offerings they brought with little regard for the temple itself. The key verse is where he asks, “For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred?” It is a rhetorical question with an obvious answer—the temple is more sacred than the gift.
Now, before we get too comfortable believing we are exempt from this trap simply because the temple no longer stands, nor do we typically swear on temples or offerings, consider the principle at work. The trap is putting a higher priority on the gifts and offerings than the work of the temple. Today, this trap looks like when people, whether ministry leaders or members, put a priority on offerings over the ministry of the church. Offerings are important, they keep the lights on and ministries running, and I hope you do support the local church with them. But money in the plate will never replace the work of the church.
While offerings are important, they can never replace the actual ministry of the people needed to do the ministry.
It is an easy trap to fall into. I have caught myself at times concerned when the offerings are not matching the budget. But even if we had millions of dollars poured into our church, if people are not willing to serve, to teach, to share, and to go tell others about Jesus, that money will just sit and rot.
In verse 22, Jesus is telling us to keep the Lord in mindful focus in our dealings and speech.
This next woe is much like the previous. Jesus still focuses on their mis-prioritization of money, but this time he points out the other side of this problem. The Pharisees are careful to tithe even the smallest of produce, but they fail to actually uphold the important parts of the Law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. The last woe and this one share the same problem—focusing on bringing in the tithes to the detriment of the work.
Offerings are to help focus on hearts on the work of God in us and for others.
If we give for any other reason than to demonstrate our faith in the Lord and our support for the church, then we are giving for the wrong reasons. The question is never “How much do I have to give to get my way?,” the question is always “How can I contribute to the work of Christ?”
The Trap of an Unclean Heart | Matthew 23:25-26
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 23:25-29
This illustration of an unwashed cup summarizes the judgement Matthew has woven throughout his gospel of the Pharisees. They look clean on the outside. Remember, they have the big phylacteries and the broad fringes. They pray loudly in the streets for everyone to hear. They make sure when they give, they are well seen. But it is all for show and all so that people will love them.
They are masking their own insecurities and failures with this self-righteous facade. And, unfortunately, Christians are still falling into this trap all the time. We get so hung up on our past failures, we try desperately to hide them with “acts of righteousness” or “clean living”. All the while, we really just want to indulge in our own greed and comforts.
There is no amount of clean outward work that will make up for a dirty heart.
If we hope to truly be clean, we have to go to Jesus for a new heart. The sixth woe pronounces judgement on their hearts by calling them “white-washed tombs”. People in the first century would care for burial grounds and crypts much like we do today. No matter how beautiful, or how elaborate, a crypt may be, it is still a crypt filled with death and bones.
This is why the notion of “I can get to heaven by just being good” cannot work. How many good deeds can overcome a selfish, dead heart? How clean can you make a tomb in order for the dead man to rise? The fact is when we dig down deep into our heart and take a hard look, we know we aren’t that good.
But the good news is Jesus knows that, too. That is why he came, that is why he paid the price for our sin, and that is why he rose on the third day. He did all of that in order for us to have a new heart that will begin a new life driven by love for God and love for others.
The Trap of Repeating History | Matthew 23:27-36
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.
Matthew 23:27-36
Have you ever heard someone say, “I wouldn’t have done that if I lived in those days!” Some people struggle to study history because they believe they are more evolved or much better than the people of the past. But it is extra foolish to believe one is superior to prior generations. We are all products of our time descending from the same families that did those sins of the past. Jesus’ words, “you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets,” is a testimony they are conducting the same murderous sins of their forefathers.
The fact is we probably would do those same horrible things our forefathers did, because we continue to sin today. It just looks a little different.
Rather than feeling morally or intellectually superior to prior generations, we should seek true holiness.
Jesus is pronouncing judgment on this particular generation of Pharisees because their sin is the culmination of generations of sin. For us, today, we must examine what patterns of sin we perpetuate in our own lives. How can we live better and holier than our forefathers? How can we train our youth and children to avoid the sins of our own past?
Whenever I am confronted by a young person about the sins of the past, or their excuses of their parents, I always reply the same way—“Yes, and you are called to do better!”
How to Avoid All the Traps in One Easy Step | Matthew 23:37-39
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Matthew 23:37-39
Jesus concludes his public ministry of teaching with these words. At first reading of verse 39, it seems a little out of place. Jesus has already entered Jerusalem to the cries of “Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” This announcement is not about his first entrance, it is about his second coming. Jesus is telling them they will not see a public display of his teaching until he returns.
But the second time Jesus comes will be much different than the first. Later chapters in Matthew, as well as in other New Testament (and some Old) books describe Jesus’ return as a “Conquering King” rather than the “Suffering Servant”.
But as we close today, let’s consider this image of Jesus as a hen protecting her chicks. It is certainly a unique illustration, but not that unique if you happen to have a 1611 King James Bible or a Catholic Bible. This same illustration is used in 2 Esdras 1. Following a recounting of the miracles and work the Lord has done for Israel, the writer (speaking as a prophet of God) says,
Thus says the Almighty Lord, Have I not prayed you as a father his sons, as a mother her daughters, and a nurse her young babes, That you would be my people, and I should be your God; that you would be my children, and I should be your father? I gathered you together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings: but now, what shall I do unto you? I will cast you out from my face.
2 Esdras 1:28-30
The Lord desires to draw people, especially those who are already called “His People,” to Himself. We can gather under his wings for comfort, peace, and protection.
The psalmist declares,
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
Psalm 91:4
Consistently, one of the great arguments from skeptics is “If God is so good and so powerful, why does he let bad things happen?” For the sake of time, the short answer is this. Humans have tremendous capacities for love, creation, and goodness because we are made in God’s Image and it is the Lord who is the source of all love, life, and goodness. And true love, love in its purest form, is never forced upon another. True love must be reciprocated, otherwise it is not love, it is oppression. So while humans have such great capacities for good, the inherent choice to love means they also have a tremendous capacity for hate and evil—the greater the power for good, the greater the power for evil. The Lord created a space for humanity to exist as His Image, and in His Image, but the choice to exist as a true representation of God meant the possibility of a false representation.
Bad things happen in this world because we choose to remove ourselves from the love and presence of God. He longs to call us to himself as a hen calls her chicks, but we choose to stray into the dangers of evil and darkness.
And, yes, the warning here is directly given to the Pharisees and scribes. They will be left desolate because they refuse the warnings and love of God. In fact, that warning is carried forward into time to God’s people as the Church. If we, the Church, move away from God’s protection and love, we will suffer the consequences. Our sin will catch up to us and destruction will be right behind it.
But, if we turn from our sin and turn to Jesus as a chick turning to the protection of her hen, then we will once again find ourselves in the loving arms of the Lord who will restore us and give us new life.
We can avoid the traps and destruction of sin if we will simply return to the Father through Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit.