Matthew 23:1-39

23:2-3 | In many synagogues of Jesus’ time, a stone seat located at the front of the building provided the first-century equivalent of a pulpit, the place where the authorized successors of Moses would sit to teach the congregation. Jesus told His listeners that they should heed what these teachers said about the law of Moses – but not the later, rabbinic additions to the law. They were also not to mimic the actions of these teachers.

23:4 | the Pharisees were quick to distort Scripture and require observant Jews to carry out all kinds of onerous demands (heavy burdens), but they were not willing to inconvenience themselves in the least to help struggling people grow spiritually (Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10).

23:5-7 | Jesus identified the Pharisees’ root problem: they arranged their world to convince onlookers they were especially holy, devout, or knowledgeable about God’s Word – all in order to secure control and elevate themselves. The Pharisees adorned themselves in large phylacteries (boxes holding Bible passages inside, worn on a person’s forehead or arm) or long tassels (borders) to call attention to their good deeds and obtain human praise.

23:8-9 | Unlike the Pharisees, Christ’s followers must take care to cultivate true humility. Thus they should not be prideful and strive for titles (Such as Rabbi) that exalt themselves rather than God’s truth.

23:10 | The true Teacher of Israel is none other than the Messiah Himself, the Christ. Although Jesus does not explicitly identify Himself as the Messiah here, everything up to this moment should have convinced the multitudes of this fact.

23:13-15 | By their wicked influence and opposition to Jesus, the Pharisees sealed their own doom and hindered the salvation of many.

23:16-22 | As evidenced by their treatment of oaths (swears by), the Pharisees loved to make fine legal distinctions that would increase their influence. Jesus insisted that such distinctions have no force, since all oaths trace back to God Himself. Christians must do what they say, whether they swear an oath or not.

23:23-24 | Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees, in their interpretation of Scripture, of missing the forest for the trees. Judaism debated how the tithe should be applied to various aspects of living, and the Pharisees had developed exacting rules in response. By emphasizing these details, they missed the things that mattered most to God: justice, mercy, and faith (Mic. 6:8; Luke 11:42).

23:25-28 | God always focuses on the heart, while humans tend to focus on externals – looking good, appearing knowledgeable, and seeming godly. Only those who allow God to cleanse their hearts through faith in Christ become people who bring joy to Him and blessing to others.