March 18, 2014 Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees Mt 23:1-12 1Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2saying, The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4They tie up heavy burdens [hard to carry] and lay them on peoples shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation Rabbi. 8As for you, do not be called Rabbi. You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10Do not be called Master; you have but one master, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you must be your servant. 12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. THEY PREACH BUT THEY DO NOT PRACTICE. Mt 23 carries Jesus denunciation of the scribes and the Pharisees. Why the vehemence on the part of Jesus? Were these religious leaders so bad? Were they all hypocrites? The New American Bible explains in its commentary: While the tradition of a deep opposition between Jesus and the Pharisees is well founded, this speech reflects an opposition that goes beyond that of Jesus ministry and must be seen as expressing the bitter conflict between the Pharisaic Judaism and the church of Matthew at the time when the gospel was composed... The speech is not purely anti-Pharisaic. The evangelist discerns in his church many of the same faults that he finds in its opponents and warns his fellow Christians to look to their own conduct and attitudes. A Christian leader should have his heart imbedded in God and be content with doing good with the thought that God sees all his actions. To seek recognition and to parade ones good deeds disqualify any person from Christian leadership, for such manifests a deep-seated egoism and selfishness. How do you feel when your achievements are recognized? How do you react when they are not?
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 00:38:54 +0000
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