Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23: 1-12 ESV
Matthew 23: 1-12
I have no personal authority; we have pointed that out in this series. I have no ecclesiastical authority; we have addressed that. There is no human level on which I possess any authority. I have no authority from my education. I have no authority from my office as a pastor. I have no authority from my experience – years as a Christian, years in ministry. The only authority that I have and the only time that I am to be heard as an authority is when I rightly proclaim to you the truth of the Word of God. For only the Word of God is the authority. - J Mac
The Scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat - To sit on Moses's seat would be to sit in the place of authority when it came to giving the law. You will see all the roles placed within here, God (Father) gives the law to Moses, Moses in turn gives it to the people. The people would come back to Moses or those he appointed when there were questions regarding the law.
21Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach. 22 The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. Mark 1: 21-22
So do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do - When they sit in the public reading, which is what teachers did, they sat in the seat of authority, and read from the Word of God. God is the ultimate authority, the author of everything, our being, the truth, so what do men have of that authority here, what gives man the knowledge of right and wrong, truth and good? It is the word of God, the Scriptures are that upon which His authority has been conferred. So when the Scriptures speak, God speaks. So now Jesus is about to shred the Scribes and Pharisees here, but He makes it known that their hypocrisy does not in any way neuter the Biblical text. When they read the words of God in the synagogues, it's still the word of God, and it still needs to be followed. He is saying, do the good things they tell you, but don't do what they do, for theirs is only outward religion, they read but they do not practice. When they read they say what is right, "even a broken clock" can do this, but their actions and their words are at odds.
…21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. 23For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror,……24and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so— not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer— he will be blessed in what he does. 26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, he deceives his heart and his religion is worthless.… James 1: 21-25
They tie up heavy burdens - Besides reading the law of Moses, which should be done, they add to God's law heaps upon heaps of legalistic duties. They strain at gnats and swallow camels. The Pharisees even considered it a greater crime to go against the writings of the Scribes then the actual law of God. They made God's law unrecognizable and impossible to understand, steering men away from the narrow gate and towards the wide path of religious legalism.
They themselves are not willing to move them with their finger - They burden others with heavy loads, loads they do not carry themselves, for they don't practice what they preach. There is no empathy in their ranks, they care nothing for those who don't or can't support them, for those no longer able to tread in their manmade lake.
…27All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. 28Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.… Matthew 11: 27-29
They do all their deeds to be seen by others - They pick the outward things. A thing is not worth doing if it be done in secret, if someone else gets the credit, that's abominable to them, ego drives everything they do. Jesus has been correcting this in His own disciples as well, and so that adds light to His sermon here.
According to William Barclay, the Talmud describes seven different types of Pharisees; six of the seven are bad.
· The Shoulder Pharisee, who wore all his good deeds and righteousness on his shoulder for everyone to see.
· The Wait-a-Little Pharisee, who always intended to do good deeds, but could always find a reason for doing them later, not now.
· The Bruised or Bleeding Pharisee, who was so holy that he would turn his head away from any woman seen in public – and was therefore constantly bumping into things and tripping, thus injuring himself.
· The Hump-Backed Pharisee, who was so humble that he walked bent over and barely lifting his feet – so everyone could see just how humble he was.
· The Always-Counting Pharisee, who was always counting up his good deeds and believed that he put God in debt to him for all the good he had done.
· The Fearful Pharisee, who did good because he was terrified that God would strike him with judgment if he did not.
· The God-Fearing Pharisee, who really loved God and did good deeds to please the God he loved.
They make their phylacteries broad - This comes from a really poor interpretation of Deut. 11: 18-19, which directed men to learn God's word and then teach it to their children. Having it always ready at the lips because it was in the forefront of your thoughts. They instead wrote the scriptures on little scrolls, put them in little boxes, and strapped them with letter to their foreheads. They would even use thicker pieces of leather to make them stick out more prominently, like the peacocks they were.
18Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as reminders on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19Teach them to your children, speaking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.… Deuteronomy 11: 18-19
Their fringes long - This was something at the border of their garments, which was in fact taught in Scripture, but it was not a sign of spirituality in itself, so the size did not make you more holy. It was, like circumcision a sign of being set apart, a people reserved unto God. So naturally they would pervert it, and of course the longer the tassel the bigger the guru you were.
…38“Speak to the Israelites and tell them that throughout the generations to come they are to make for themselves tassels for the corners of their garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the commandments of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes. 40Then you will remember and obey all My commandments, and you will be holy to your God.… Numbers 15: 38-40
The place of honor at feasts - Look, he is sitting at Jesus' right hand and he is at his left, so they must be really important. Seems like we just went over this with James, John and their mommy.
Being called Rabbi by others - They loved titles but never picked up the responsibility that should have been the assumed joy and pleasure to take up as a shepherd, but they weren't real, only self appointed. They liked to identify as shepherds but not with the work, nothing like the reality, they only looked for prestige.
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.… James 3: 1-2
You are not to be called Rabbi - Jesus is breaking His disciples of that end of it, that need of recognition from the world, the so called religious intellectuals, and the desire for fame and title. Being a teacher is a calling, it's something you live and do, spending countless hours in preparation for, and God's kingdom is in reverse, having a title does not make what you are saying correct, if you are called then it is your duty to neither add nor take away from the meaning of God's word. You are to explain as a servant not as someone who lords it over his listeners. They have a teacher, Christ, they have learned from Him, and they have His words, so they need to emulate Him and point to Him. It is the utmost honor to be chosen to work for Someone Who doesn't need you, get over yourself and be greatful.
You are all brothers - The disciples argued over preference and who was the greatest, who was the leader, but the leader in Christ's church was the one who was the slave. God advances the most humble, forget about promotions and all that exterior stuff and focus on Christ, focus on doing your work as unto Him. We are all one body in Christ, and I am just grateful to know Him, to have Him die for me, in my place. I did not deserve His mercy, and so I am only grateful.
· Paul called himself a father: 1 Corinthians 4:15, Philippians 2:22.
· Paul called other Christians his children: Galatians 4:19.
· Paul called himself a teacher: 1 Timothy 2:7, 2 Timothy 1:11.
iii. “That which he forbids is, 1. An affectation of such titles, and hunting after them. 2. Rom tituli, the exercise of an absolute mastership, or a paternal, absolute power.” (Poole) E Word
5Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you. 7Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.… 1 Peter 5: 5-7
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