Matthew 23:1-39
Jesus Relationship With the Pharisees
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be 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 do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees
13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. [14]
15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.
23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
27 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
29 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Go ahead, then, and complete what your ancestors started!
33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all this will come on this generation.
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Jesus' relationship with the Pharisees was a complex and multifaceted one...Jesus relationship with the Pharisees is not easily simplified into a single emotion like love...Teaching the Pharisees and having them learn that He is the One who correctly knows how to interpret the Bible...The way to interpret the Bible might be a better way of describing their relationship with Him...Jesus often needed to criticize the Pharisees for their legalistic interpretations and hypocrisy, but He also interacted with individual Pharisees with compassion and understanding...For example, Jesus was a friend of the Pharisee, Nicodemus...Another Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph of Arimathea secretly followed Jesus and even requested His body for burial after the crucifixion...This act of kindness and courage demonstrates that some Pharisees were receptive to Jesus' message and willing to defy societal norms to support Him...St. Paul also was a Pharisee who He converted o the Road to Damascus...
Jesus wants us to realize that He is now the One who knows how to interpret the Bible exactly as it is, not the Sanhedrin, Pharisees, Sadducees, or teachers of the law...Much of the Pharisees teachings were focused on rituals and traditions...Jesus can open the Scriptures to anyone, and our eyes of faith will be opened, even though our physical eyes are often blinded...He actually did this on the Road to Emmaus to two of His followers...
Jesus often challenged the Pharisees' emphasis on strict adherence to rules and rituals over genuine Spiritual Connection with God...Jesus believed true faith stems from love, forgiveness, and compassion, not external practices...Jesus condemned the Pharisees for using their religious authority to exploit and marginalize others...He advocated for treating everyone with equal respect and dignity...
Despite Jesus criticisms from the Pharisees to the religious groups, Jesus didn't shy away from engaging in dialogue with individual Pharisees...He sought to understand their perspectives and offer guidance rather than simply condemn them...While some Pharisees vehemently opposed Jesus and His teachings, others were more open to His Teachings and even found aspects of His Teachings appealing...Jesus recognized this diversity and interacted with individual Pharisees based on their own merits and openness to His message...
Even when Pharisees disagreed with Him or even sought to harm Him, Jesus never responded with hatred or malice...He preached forgiveness and understanding, showcasing His unwavering commitment to love...
Ultimately, Jesus' relationship with the Pharisees highlights the complexity of human interactions...He challenged their flawed systems and practices while simultaneously recognizing the individual worth within each Pharisee...He offered them the opportunity for repentance and reform, embodying a message of hope and transformation...
Jesus' teachings, interpretations of Scripture, and His actions vary across different Christian denominations and individual perspectives...Some people read the same Scripture and verses and have different meaning from the same verses...So reading the Bible and reflecting on the verses one reads and them reading them again will provide a balanced and nuanced understanding of the Bible...So how the Pharisees read Scripture was different read Scripture...Jesus being Scripture and fulfilling it makes all the difference...So knowing this Jesus' relationship with the Pharisees is a complex one...