"It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You build tombs for the prophets. And you show honor to the graves of people that lived good lives. And you say, 'If we had lived during the time of our fathers, we would not have helped them kill these prophets.' You give proof that you are children (descendants) of those people that killed the prophets. And you will finish the sin that your fathers started!"
—Matthew 23:29-32
Key Thought
The Pharisees were the leaders seeking to honor Israel's great prophets of old. They helped erect monuments and place decorations at the tombs of the prophets of old. By their outward actions, they wanted to signify that they held the prophetic tradition in high regard and sought to live by the prophets teachings. But Jesus challenges this assumption, once again on the basis of their outward actions that betrayed an inward reality.
Jesus rebuked them and insisted that rather than honoring the teaching and spirit of the great prophets, they will complete the work their fathers did in persecuting and executing the prophets. Of course this will be most clearly demonstrated in their rejection of Jesus, who was not only God's servant and a prophet, but was also God's Son.
The challenge for us who live so many years after Jesus' life is to ask ourselves are we the people who would really welcome Jesus into our presence and our churches, or would we reject him like much of the religious bureaucracy of his day?
Today's Prayer
Almighty and holy God, it makes my blood run cold to see those who were so rigorous in their pursuit of religion living in violation of what they pursued. O Father, I don't want to be like the Pharisees: all show and no substance, much talk and little truth. Please help me purge from my heart the duplicity and deceit that Satan would like to use to turn me away from you and blunt my influence for your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You close the way for people to enter the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves don't enter, and you stop the people that are trying to enter. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You travel across the seas and across different countries to find one person that will follow your ways. When you find that person, you make him worse than you are. And you are so bad that you belong in hell! "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You guide the people, but you are blind. You say, 'If any person uses the name of the temple to make a promise, that means nothing. But if any person uses the gold that is in the temple to make a promise, then he must keep that promise.' You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple? The temple makes that gold holy. {So the temple is greater.} And you say, 'If any person uses the altar to make a promise, that means nothing. But if any person uses the gift on the altar to make a promise, then he must keep his promise.' You are blind. {You understand nothing!} Which is greater: the gift, or the altar? The altar makes the gift holy. {So the altar is greater.} The person that uses the altar to make a promise is really using the altar and also everything on the altar. And the person that uses the temple to make a promise is really using the temple and also the One that lives in the temple. The person that uses heaven to make a promise is also using God's throne and the One that sits on that throne. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You give God one tenth of everything you own—even your mint, dill, and cummin. But you don't obey the really important teachings of the law—being fair, showing mercy, and being faithful. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things. You guide the people, but you are blind! Thinkabout a person picking a little fly out of his drink and then swallowing a camel! You are like that. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You wash clean the outside of your cups and dishes. But inside they are full of things that you got by cheating other people and pleasing yourselves. Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean and good. Then the outside of the cup can be truly clean. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You are like tombs that are painted white. The outside of those tombs looks fine. But inside, the tombs are full of the bones of dead people. And all kinds of unclean things are inside there. It is the same with you. People look at you and think that you are good. But on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You build tombs for the prophets. And you show honor to the graves of people that lived good lives. And you say, 'If we had lived during the time of our fathers, we would not have helped them kill these prophets.' You give proof that you are children (descendants) of those people that killed the prophets. And you will finish the sin that your fathers started!Matthew 23:13-32
Related Scripture Readings
— Matt. 12:1-14
— Matt. 3:7-8
— Matt. 21:34-39
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 23:29-32
Key Thought
The Pharisees were the leaders seeking to honor Israel's great prophets of old. They helped erect monuments and place decorations at the tombs of the prophets of old. By their outward actions, they wanted to signify that they held the prophetic tradition in high regard and sought to live by the prophets teachings. But Jesus challenges this assumption, once again on the basis of their outward actions that betrayed an inward reality.
Jesus rebuked them and insisted that rather than honoring the teaching and spirit of the great prophets, they will complete the work their fathers did in persecuting and executing the prophets. Of course this will be most clearly demonstrated in their rejection of Jesus, who was not only God's servant and a prophet, but was also God's Son.
The challenge for us who live so many years after Jesus' life is to ask ourselves are we the people who would really welcome Jesus into our presence and our churches, or would we reject him like much of the religious bureaucracy of his day?
Today's Prayer
Almighty and holy God, it makes my blood run cold to see those who were so rigorous in their pursuit of religion living in violation of what they pursued. O Father, I don't want to be like the Pharisees: all show and no substance, much talk and little truth. Please help me purge from my heart the duplicity and deceit that Satan would like to use to turn me away from you and blunt my influence for your Kingdom. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
"It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You close the way for people to enter the kingdom of heaven. You yourselves don't enter, and you stop the people that are trying to enter. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You travel across the seas and across different countries to find one person that will follow your ways. When you find that person, you make him worse than you are. And you are so bad that you belong in hell! "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You guide the people, but you are blind. You say, 'If any person uses the name of the temple to make a promise, that means nothing. But if any person uses the gold that is in the temple to make a promise, then he must keep that promise.' You are blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple? The temple makes that gold holy. {So the temple is greater.} And you say, 'If any person uses the altar to make a promise, that means nothing. But if any person uses the gift on the altar to make a promise, then he must keep his promise.' You are blind. {You understand nothing!} Which is greater: the gift, or the altar? The altar makes the gift holy. {So the altar is greater.} The person that uses the altar to make a promise is really using the altar and also everything on the altar. And the person that uses the temple to make a promise is really using the temple and also the One that lives in the temple. The person that uses heaven to make a promise is also using God's throne and the One that sits on that throne. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You give God one tenth of everything you own—even your mint, dill, and cummin. But you don't obey the really important teachings of the law—being fair, showing mercy, and being faithful. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things. You guide the people, but you are blind! Thinkabout a person picking a little fly out of his drink and then swallowing a camel! You are like that. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You wash clean the outside of your cups and dishes. But inside they are full of things that you got by cheating other people and pleasing yourselves. Pharisees, you are blind! First make the inside of the cup clean and good. Then the outside of the cup can be truly clean. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You are like tombs that are painted white. The outside of those tombs looks fine. But inside, the tombs are full of the bones of dead people. And all kinds of unclean things are inside there. It is the same with you. People look at you and think that you are good. But on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil. "It will be bad for you teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You build tombs for the prophets. And you show honor to the graves of people that lived good lives. And you say, 'If we had lived during the time of our fathers, we would not have helped them kill these prophets.' You give proof that you are children (descendants) of those people that killed the prophets. And you will finish the sin that your fathers started!Matthew 23:13-32
Related Scripture Readings
— Matt. 12:1-14
— Matt. 3:7-8
— Matt. 21:34-39
Ⓒ 1996-2017 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware. Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. All rights reserved.
Let's lift up 
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Hello everyone! Let's lift up these requests in prayer:
**Let's pray together!** 
