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Matthew 23:5-14 NIV
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.
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Those without authority or influence often resort to every possible human method to establish their own credibility. Driven by selfish desires, they lose rationality and will go to any lengths to solidify their status and influence. Many authoritarian leaders are examples of this. This mindset was fully displayed in the actions of the scribes and Pharisees. Everything they did was outwardly aimed at gaining respect from others, consolidating their position and power. Any "good deeds" or "law-keeping" they performed were done out of fear that others might not notice, and they exaggerated their actions. Everything they did was solely to gain human praise, showing off their superiority over others through complicated rituals that no one could fully follow (verses 5-8). They used religion as a pretext for accumulating wealth, misleading people, and leading them into hell. Jesus exposed their true intentions in front of the crowd, and the religious leaders were present as well. Jesus did not avoid confrontation; on the contrary, His rebuke was intended to call the religious leaders to repentance and to prevent the crowd from being deceived.
Jesus then explained who the true spiritual leaders are. This wasn’t the first time He told His disciples: a spiritual leader is a servant to all (Matthew 20:27). He also warned, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (verse 12). Jesus Himself was the perfect example of this. The Apostle Paul said of Jesus: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:6-9). Paul also emphasized, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves" (Philippians 2:3). He reminded believers, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Colossians 3:23).
The apostles' teachings echoed Jesus' words: “When you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:2). If people seek only the glory that comes from others, they will forfeit the greater, eternal reward that comes from God. John the Baptist said, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). Yet Jesus said of John, “He is more than a prophet” (Matthew 11:9). On the other hand, Nebuchadnezzar, filled with pride and arrogance, took God's glory for himself, and God humbled him, turning him into a beast until he acknowledged his own place and gave all glory to God (Daniel 4:28-37).
Jesus' promises will certainly be fulfilled. As we serve God, what is it that we seek? Are we aiming to please people, or are we striving to please God?
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