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Matthew 23:33-39 NIV
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.’”
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The United States is currently facing a major issue with the many homeless people, or those who, in a sense, live wherever they can. I have also provided food for them through a ministry in the church that cares for the homeless, so I understand a little about this. Some people are in a transitional period, working hard to become self-sufficient. Others have chosen this lifestyle. Some of them are even highly educated and have made this choice in full awareness of what it entails. These religious leaders—the scribes and Pharisees—also made their choices with full awareness. They are cursed not because of ignorance, but because they clearly and knowingly chose the temporary desires of the flesh over eternal blessings.
Jesus Christ first used three simple parables to point out the mistakes they had made and the punishment they would receive (Matthew 21:28–22:14). They understood them (Matthew 21:45), but they chose to continue plotting to kill Jesus. At this final moment, Jesus publicly pointed out their sins one by one, beginning each accusation with, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites" (Matthew 23:13-32). Jesus was speaking directly to them, accusing them without reservation. Outwardly, they offered sacrifices for others to see, but they did not treat God’s people with justice, mercy, or faithfulness, as the one true God commanded. Though they claimed to know God’s Word, they ignored it. For God, through the prophet Samuel, had said, "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22). And through the prophet Micah, God told us, "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).
These religious leaders knowingly committed wrongdoing. They saw but did not perceive, heard but did not listen. They were blind guides. Not only that, after John the Baptist preached repentance and many people turned back to God, these religious leaders shut the door to the kingdom of heaven. This was in direct opposition to Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost. From this long series of rebukes, we can see Jesus’ deep love for people, which exceeds even the love of earthly parents for their children. We also see the wickedness of those who oppose Him and their inevitable cursed fate.
However, the apostle Paul comforts us by saying, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). God comforts us through the psalmist, saying, "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, 'Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.' The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 'I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain'" (Psalm 2:1-6). The redemption that Jesus is accomplishing cannot be stopped by anyone, and those who try to stop it will bear the consequences (Luke 17:1-2).
Are we being used by Satan? Are we aware that we may be deceived by the world? Do we seek to know Jesus from the Bible, rather than merely relying on others' interpretations? How much time do we spend each day getting to know Jesus Christ? How do we express our gratitude to Him?
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