MATTHEW 23

Only two titles for today’s study, and they are; Verses 1-36 Jesus denounces the Scribes and the Pharisees. Verses 37-39 Jesus mourns over Jerusalem. Matthew 23 and verse 1 reads.

Mat.23:1] Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

This is a public address.

Mat.23:2] Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
[3] All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

Sitting in the seat of judgement, they teach one thing but do themselves another. This is a great sin before God, let’s go to Romans 2 and verse 12 reads.

Rom.2:12] For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
[13] (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

Be a doer of the law and be justified before God. Jesus has been telling us for a while now that these Pharisees and Scribes are Kenites.

Mat.23:4] For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
[5] But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

They burden them under law, but they themselves do not the law. These Phylacteries are G5440 phulaktērion pronounced foo-lak-tay’-ree-on. And means; a guard case that is phylactery for wearing slips of Scripture texts. 2. a preservative or safe guard, an amulet. The Jews used this word to describe small strips of parchment on which were written the following passages of the law of Moses, Ex. 13:1-10, 11-16; Dt. 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and which, enclosed in small cases, they were accustomed when engaged in prayer to wear fastened by a leather strap to the forehead and to the left arm over against the heart, in order that they might thus be solemnly reminded of the duty of keeping the commands of God in the head and in the heart, according to the directions given in Ex. 13:16, Dt. 6:8, 11:18; These scrolls were thought to have the power, like amulets, to avert various evils and to drive away demons. The Pharisees were accustomed to widen, make broad, their phylacteries, that they might render them more conspicuous and show themselves to be more eager than the majority to be reminded of the law of God. This last part of making them larger here in the Strongs’ is exactly what Jesus just said in verse 5 above. Let’s see what God’s Word has to say about those that make themselves holier than thou. Isaiah 65 and verse 4 reads.

Isa.65:4] Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat swine’s flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
[5] Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

They are as smoke in his nose, very irritating. Judgement begins at the pulpit. 1Peter 4:17. Back to Matthew 23 and verse 6 reads.

Mat.23:6] And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
[7] And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
[8] But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
[9] And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
[10] Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
[11] But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Call no man father or rabbi or master (reverend). A teacher of God’s Word should call himself a Pastor as one who feeds the lambs in a pasture. Because Jesus Christ is all in all and none can take his place as Savior.

Mat.23:12] And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Here is the judgement of Jesus Christ, be humble when serving him. Now, Jesus will teach 8 woes. These 8 woes are directly correlated with Matthew chapter 5. The Beatitudes. The “blessed are they”. Or happy are they. They go perfectly hand in hand, Matthew 5:3-13 and Matthew 23:13-33. With the help of Appx. 126 of Dr. E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Bible Matthew 23 and verse 13 reads.

Mat.23:13] But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Here they close the kingdom but in Ch.5 it is opened to the poor Matthew 5 and verse 3 reads.

Mat.5:3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Also written in Psalms 40 and verse 17 reads.

Psa.40:17] But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 14 reads.

Mat.23:14] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Here the mourners are distressed and in 5 they are comforted. Mat.5 and verse 4 reads.

Mat.5:4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 15 reads.

Mat.23:15] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Here the fanatics compass the earth but in 5 the meek inherit the earth. Matthew 5 and verse 5 reads.

Mat.5:5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 16 reads.

Mat.23:16] Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
[17] Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
[18] And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
[19] Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
[20] Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
[21] And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
[22] And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

False righteousness sought by casuistry (false teaching) but in 5 true righteousness sought by true desire. Matthew 5 and verse 6 reads.

Mat.5:6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 23 reads.

Mat.23:23] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
[24] Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Mercy “omitted” and “left undone”, but in 5 the merciful obtaining mercy. Matthew 5 and verse 7 reads.

Mat.5:7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 25 reads.

Mat.23:25] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
[26] Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Here purity without, uncleanness within. Blindness. But in 5, purity within and the vision of God hereafter. Matthew 5 and verse 8 reads.

Mat.5:8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 27 reads.

Mat.23:27] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
[28] Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Here they are hypocrites and lawless but in 5, Peacemakers, called the sons of God. Matthew 5 and verse 9 reads.

Mat.5:9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Back to Matthew 23 and verse 29 reads.

Mat.23:29] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
[30] And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
[31] Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
[32] Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
[33] Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Here we have the persecutors but in 5 we have the persecuted. Matthew 5 and verse 10 reads.

Mat.5:10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
[12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

The Beatitudes and the Woes matched up perfectly as only the Living Word could teach it. Let’s not overlook verse 33 above. Jesus called those Pharisees Kenites right to their faces, generation (offspring) of vipers. Back to Matthew 23 and verse 34 reads.

Mat.23:34] Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

Speaking to them as they are, for they are Kenites, children of the Serpent’s Seed. Let’s go to Revelation 2 and verse 8 reads.

Rev.2:8] And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
[9] I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Jesus is having this conversation with the Kenites for our sakes in these end times. It is important to understand that they are in our churches today. Back to Matthew 23 and verse 35 reads.

Mat.23:35] That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Most people know how Cain slew Abel in Genesis 4:8, but few know about Zechariah (Zacharias in the Greek). Let’s go to 2Chronicles 24 and verse 20 reads.

2Chron.24:20] And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.
[21] And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

They stoned him between the porch and the altar in the house of the LORD. Zechariah means; remembered of God. Now these same Kenites in Matthew 27 tell Pilate in verse 25 and it reads.

Mat.27:25] Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

This generation of vipers, Kenites will not only crucify our LORD, but they will persecute us in these end times. Back to Matthew 23 and verse 36 reads.

Mat.23:36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
[37] 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!

It says O Jerusalem, here is the focal point of the generation of the Fig Tree. Many believe it began in 1948 when Israel became a nation again. But Israel did not become whole until the six-day war of 1967 when they took Jerusalem into their borders. The question is when does the Fig Tree generation begin, 1948 or 1967? Does it really matter? I want you to know I don’t fall on any side of this conversation. I just know that we are in the Fig Tree generation now. Let’s wake up, for our time is short.

Mat.23:38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
[39] 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.

Jesus says they would not see him again until the second advent. Great chapter today, let’s go to his throne.

Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.

KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible. And especially today thanks to Dr. E.W. Bullinger for Appendix 126 of his Companion Bible.