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Matthew 23:13-22 NIV
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.
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.
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The enemies we face come in many forms: political, economic, religious, racial, and more. However, from a spiritual perspective, the greatest enemies are false doctrines and false teachers. They infiltrate the church, "putting up a sheep's head but selling dog meat," using superficial appearances to lead people away from the truth and toward eternal death.
These false teachers were the greatest obstacle during the three-and-a-half years of Jesus Christ's ministry and the primary target of His rebukes. They are poison wrapped in sugar, wolves in sheep's clothing, and the ones Jesus despised most.
In the crowded city of Jerusalem during Passover, Jesus exposed the true nature of these religious leaders and proclaimed their fate. He accused them of hindering those genuinely seeking the truth (v. 13), being hypocritical and oppressing the weak (v. 14), deceiving people into joining them and becoming even more evil enemies (v. 15), and being blind guides (v. 16-17). Their focus on outward appearances, seen in the objects of their oaths, revealed their superficial mindset. They forgot the One true God, who is invisible but fully sovereign, and they were experts at lying (v. 17-22).
In every rebuke, Jesus emphasized, "Woe to you." This is not a human judgment but the verdict of the One true God, the Creator of the universe, who reigns eternally. It is a judgment declaring entry into the deepest levels of hell, showing the intensity of Jesus’ anger. God originally intended to grant humanity abundant life, but these religious leaders, working alongside Satan, sought to steal it away. His love compelled Him to be angry, much like a parent despises the people or things that corrupt their child—how much more so for the Heavenly Father, who seeks to give eternal life!
Worldly opposition often drives people toward the true God. Persecution by totalitarian governments has brought revival among Christians, and opposition in Islamic nations like Iran has led many to come to Jesus. However, false religious leaders, who gain favor by blending in with the church, subtly lead people toward eternal death without them realizing it. For example, pastors who focus solely on the "prosperity gospel" or churches that mislead people under the guise of Christianity.
Jesus’ public rebuke served as a warning for everyone to guard against these deceptive religious leaders and to turn to His apostles. It also warned all believers of the need for discernment. When encountering falsehoods, we must bravely point them out, for this is a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-12).
We must not become people who mislead others but instead prepare ourselves actively, using God's truth with gentleness to lead people to know Jesus and receive eternal life. Do we understand the situation we are in? Are we being deceived by the media? Is our church focused on teaching the Bible and leading people to know Jesus as its primary mission?
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