Four Faults Of The Pharisees And Scribes Read Matthew 23:3-7 The scribes and Pharisees boasted as much of the goodness of their works as of the orthodoxy of their teaching. Yet these things, which they valued so much, were an abomination in the sight of God. In general, they are charged with hypocrisy. Four things are in these verses charged upon them. 1. Their saying and doing were two (contrary) things, v.3. Their practice was in no way agreeable to their preaching or to their profession. Those are all of sinners most inexcusable that allow themselves the sins they condemn in others. This especially touches wicked ministers, who will have their portion appointed them with hypocrites (ch.24:51), for what greater hypocrisy can there be than to press that upon others, to be believed and done, which they themselves disbelieve and disobey. 2. They were severe in imposing upon others those things which they were not willing to submit to, v.4. Insisting upon the minute circumstances of the law, which is called yoke (Acts 15:10), and pressing the observation of them with more strictness and severity than God Himself did, they loved to show their authority and to exercise it over God’s heritage. But see their hypocrisy: They would not exercise themselves in those things which they imposed upon others; they pressed upon the people strictness which they themselves would not be bound by but secretly transgressed that their own traditions, which they publicly enforced. How contrary this was to Christ’s apostles. They would lay no other burden than necessary, Acts 15:28. 3. They were all for show, and nothing for substance, in religion, v.5. We must do such good works that they who see them may glorify God, but we must not proclaim our good works, with design that others may see them and glorify us. 4. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, v.6-7. They courted and coveted places of honor and respect in all public appearances. It is not processing the uppermost rooms, nor sitting in the chief seats, that is condemned but loving them. For men to value such a little piece of ceremony and to value themselves upon it, to seek it and to feel resentment if they have it not, what is that but making an idol of ourselves and then falling down and worshipping it – the worst kind of idolatry! It is bad anywhere but especially in the synagogues. There to seek honor to ourselves, where we appear in order to give glory to God and to humble ourselves before Him, as indeed to mock God instead of serving Him. It savors much of pride and hypocrisy when people do not care for going to church unless they can look fine and make a figure there.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:05:08 +0000
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