Matthew 23

Berating the Scribes and Pharisees

Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.—Matthew 16:6

Richard Suraci

In considering this subject at memorial time, we receive a glimpse of how Jesus’ love operated for everyone. To understand why Jesus berated the scribes and Pharisees, we need to understand the Father and his son’s feelings for the human race, and also why Jesus came to earth.

Jesus was the son of God in his pre-human existence, the first and only creation of God. He was known as the Logos: "In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was [a] God. This was in the beginning with God. Through it everything was done; and without it not even one thing was done, which has been done. In it was Life; and the Life was the light of men. And the light shone in the darkness, and the darkness apprehended it not." (John 1:1-5, Diaglott)

Logos, as translated by Professor Strong, means something said. It is taken from the Greek logo, Strong’s #3004, meaning "lay forth, to relate in words." In addition to being God’s communicator, the Logos was also God’s agent in all his created works.

A Pen Picture of the Logos

Proverbs 8:22-31 gives us a pen picture of the Logos who was alone with his heavenly Father. "Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him" (verse 30). This implies a vast amount of time that the Logos spent with his Father as he was nurtured and taught divine principles.

"Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men" (verse 31). This refers to the creation of man on the only habitable part of earth which was Eden. The Logos rejoiced in the creation of humans and their perfection! The word "men" in this text is Strong’s #120, a human being. Rotherham renders it, "Yea, my fullness of delight was with the sons of men."

The Logos conveyed God’s word to his people as we have it recorded from Genesis to Malachi, and as the man Christ Jesus from Matthew to Revelation. He learned God’s methods of dealing with the human race before and after the fall from perfection.

God’s Just Vengeance

After Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, the vengeance of God came upon them and Satan (Genesis 3:9-19). It took approximately 1,656 years for mankind to digress to the point where God decreed the destruction of every living thing on earth, except for Noah, his family, and some animals.

We read this description of God’s deep sorrow: "The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain" (Genesis 6:6, NIV). The Logos entered into his grief because he too saw what happened for "his delights were with the sons of men."

They were grieved that an attempt was made to frustrate their loving plan for man which entailed the price of giving mankind freedom of choice. On the other hand, they gloried in the beauty of their handiwork. How great then was their grief when their handiwork became soiled by sin (see Genesis chapters 6 and 7).

In placing a curse upon the serpent (Satan) God said, "Enmity will I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed, and her seed [note: not the man’s seed]—he [Christ] shall crush thy head, but thou [Satan] shalt crush his heel" (Genesis 3:15, Rotherham; see also Hebrews 2:14).

This is an important feature of God’s plan for man and it is centered in our Lord Jesus. Jesus is the "seed" that shall crush Satan. In God’s providence the church will assist in this momentous work (Romans 16:20).

Blessing All the Families of the Earth

It was written of Abraham, "In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Genesis 22:18). The apostle Paul confirms who this seed is: "Now unto Abraham were spoken the promises and unto his seed; he saith not—and unto thy seeds as of many, but as of one—and unto thy seed, which is Christ" (Galatians 3:16, Rotherham).

In Galatians 4:4 the apostle Paul informs us of the appearance of this wonderful one: "When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman" (see also John 3:16).

Jesus tells us why he came to earth: "The son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). This is in harmony with what he told the apostles: "The son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them" (Luke 9:56). Adam and Eve lost perfect life, communion with God and their Edenic home; Jesus came to restore all that was lost.

The apostle Paul in Hebrews 7:26 reveals Jesus’ perfection as the man Christ Jesus: "For such an high priest became us ["meets our need"—NIV] who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens." While Jesus spent his earthly life among sinners, he was disunited from their ways, thoughts, and actions. However, he associated with them, taught them, and loved them dearly. We read, "He came unto his own and his own received him not. But as many as received him to them gave he power [margin: right or privilege] to become the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name" (John 1:11,12; see also Acts 3:26). The scribes and Pharisees were among "his own" even though they did all in their power to refute his gospel and to destroy him.

The Scribes and Pharisees

The scribes joined the Pharisees in rebuking Jesus and tempting him to give them a sign from heaven (Matthew 16:1). To this end they worked with the Sadducees and Herodians, even though their ideologies conflicted greatly.

The scribes were closely associated with the Pharisees and were considered a part of them. They were the teachers and expounders of the law and professional writers. Acts 23:9 speaks of "scribes that were of the Pharisees." They existed from early Old Testament times and are first mentioned in 2 Samuel 8:17: "Seraiah was the scribe." In the New Testament the first mention of a scribe is found in Matthew 8:19: "A certain scribe said unto him, Master I will follow thee withersoever thou goest."

The name Pharisee means separatist. This definition describes their lives which separated them from the common people, publicans, and sinners. They believed they could gain ritual purity by this separatist attitude and the minute observance of the law such as the washing of hands, cups, and utensils. They based their faith in the oral traditions handed down from the fathers. They followed the books of Moses and writings of the prophets. They fasted often and looked down on commoners who did not fast. The Pharisees came into power about 150 years before Jesus’ birth.

The First Year of Jesus’ Ministry

The first year of our Lord’s ministry was quiet. As the common people gladly listened to his gospel and followed him, the scribes and Pharisees, out of jealousy and fear, started their vendetta against him. They were disturbed and said among themselves, "The world is gone after him" (John 12:19).

They upheld the tradition of men above the laws of God (Mark 7:3). They were careful in fulfilling outward details while neglecting the fundamental features of the law (Matthew 23:23). They were overly zealous for Judaism (Matthew 23:15). They were proud and loved to display themselves as pious and honorable (Matthew 23:5-7). They were covetous (Luke 16:14). They were blind to spiritual things (John 3:1-10). They over-emphasized the ceremonial features of the law (Matthew 15:1-9). They perverted the Scriptures (Matthew 15:1-9). They justified themselves (Luke 16:14,15). They hindered potential believers in Jesus (John 9:16-22).

In Matthew 23:33 Jesus called them serpents, a throwback to the "serpent" who deceived Eve. In John 8:44 he called them children of the devil. In Matthew 23:27 Jesus likened them to whited sepulchers, beautiful on the outside, yet filled with hypocrisy and iniquity within.

As Jesus observed the words and acts of the scribes and Pharisees, he was deeply concerned. It was one thing to sin against him and quite another to sin against the holy spirit which was manifested in his life and gospel (Matthew 12:31,32, Diaglott).

Teaching in the Temple

Jesus and his apostles went into the temple where he taught the people in parables. It wasn’t long before the chief priests and elders asked him by what authority he did those works(Matthew 21:23). From this point to the end of chapter 23 we have a wonderful course of instruction directed primarily to the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees, those who conspired to kill him. Jesus had only four days left and was willing to devote some of his time to help his enemies in pointing out to them where they stood as opponents of God and his plan.

Jesus possessed the greatest wisdom ever possessed by anyone. He was able to view a person’s heart condition or thoughts and immediately express a word picture (a parable) to show the wrong course they were taking. The parable that follows was intended primarily for the scribes and Pharisees.

"There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. Last of all, he sent his son to them. They will respect my son, he said. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, `This is the heir, come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these tenants? `He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,’ they replied, `and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.’ Jesus said to them, Have you never read in the Scriptures: `The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’ Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit."—Matthew 21:33-43, NIV

This parable was a plain statement and a witness of their wrong course and its certain result. And they understood what he said because verse 45 states: "They knew he was talking about them." But their hearts were not softened. They would have seized the Master but they knew the crowd was sympathetic toward him. Jesus didn’t fear them because he knew his time was in the Father’s hands. He proceeded to give them the parable of the marriage feast (Matthew 22:1-14) reminding them that others would take their place because of their unfaithfulness. All these warnings and parables fell on deaf ears. Had they heeded our Lord’s counsel, they could have become a holy nation with exclusive rights to the heavenly call. Instead, they took counsel together to determine how they might entrap him.

An Order to Arrest Jesus

In John 7:32 we are told that the Pharisees sent two temple guards to arrest Jesus because he was swaying the people. In Verses 45 to 52 (NIV) we read: "Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, `Why didn’t you bring him in?’ `No one ever spoke the way this man does,’ the guards declared. `You mean he has deceived you also?’ the Pharisees retorted. `Has any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.’ Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked. `Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?’ They replied, `Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.’"

In retrospect, we can answer the Pharisee’s question affirmatively! We know of at least three Pharisees who believed in Jesus: Nicodemus (a member of the ruling council), Joseph of Arimathea, and the apostle Paul, "a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee" (Acts 23:6). There may have been others.

Jesus was nurtured by God and was God’s channel of communication. He delivered God’s word and instructions to Israel. God said what he meant and meant what he said. His words were stern and to the point. God loved Israel very much. By his judgmental accusations and decrees of punishment he desired to bring them back into his fold. He lovingly said of them, "You only have I known of all the families of the earth" (Amos 3:2).

Judgmental, Yet Therapeutic Words

Although Jesus’ piercing words to the scribes and Pharisees were blunt and judgmental and caused shock and embarrassment, they were meant to be therapeutic. But the words they spoke to Jesus were vindictive and spiteful. His words were intended as a "wake-up call" shaking them out of their complacency and pointing out to them where they stood as opponents of God and his plan.

Jesus was aware of their hatred and provocation toward him. Their attitude didn’t alter his love for them as he sought to lead them in the way of truth. In John 8:12-59 we have examples of his love for them. He spoke to a mixed group of people: his apostles, believers, and scribes and Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees challenged statements Jesus made concerning the validity of his existence and gospel.

In verse 28 Jesus said, "When you shall lift up the Son of Man you will know that I am he"(Diaglott translation) This was a prophetic statement of the future. Verse 30 states that many believed in him.

In verses 31 and 32 Jesus made a statement the scribes and Pharisees heard, showing that they too could be recipients of his words of life: "If you abide in my word, you are certainly my disciples. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" (Diaglott translation).

These intimate words which we love and cherish, he shared with those who were plotting to kill him. This chapter ends with an attempt to stone Jesus, but he slipped away because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus’ Last Message to the Scribes and Pharisees

In Matthew 23 Jesus gave his last message to Israel which included the scribes and Pharisees. He warns the people about the scribes and Pharisees and the judgments coming upon their nation, trying to bring them to repentance. In his final message he labored to bring them back to God. In the first two verses Jesus was conciliatory toward the scribes and Pharisees in telling the people that they sit in Moses’ seat, bidding them to do what they say, but not do as they do: "They say and do not perform!"

Even though Jesus had a few days left on earth, he was willing to devote some of his time to instruct and warn his people. In speaking to the scribes and Pharisees, he used the word "woe" seven times which was an exclamation of grief. Grief is intense emotional suffering caused by loss, disaster, or misfortune. This was a prophecy of what would happen to them, and it did happen in 70 A.D.

Jesus sums up this chapter in verses 37 to 39: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

What loving and tender language: "Ye shall not see me henceforth." He was going away, not forever, but until the time when they will say from the heart, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." What a remarkable attitude Jesus had! He was able to rejoice, even though they were planning to kill him, that a day would come when he would bless them. "Hallelujah, what a Savior!"