Matthew 23: Warnings and Woes (4)
Pray Psalm 91.1-3.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.
Sing Psalm 91.1-3.
Lauda Anima: Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
All who dwell within God’s shelter in His shadow will reside.
He our Tow’r, our Fortress ever, in Him we our trust confide.
From the trapper’s snares He saves us; safe from sickness we abide.
Read Matthew 23.1-30; meditate on verses 23-30.
Meditate on the “inside-outness” of Christian faith.
Prepare.
1. Why were the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites?
2. Which matters more, what’s inside us or what we show on the outside?
Meditate.
Jesus returned to the “hypocrites” theme in these verses. Here He pointed out that their hypocrisy was in parading an outward appearance that wasn’t matched by the inner reality of their souls.
The scribes and Pharisees might have wondered to themselves, “How does He know?” Jesus knows what’s in every person (Jn. 2.24, 25). The religious leaders were big on the outward show—tithing down to the smallest detail (v. 23), parading their righteousness (vv. 25, 27, 28), and pretending to deplore the sinful actions of their forebears (vv. 29, 30)—but inwardly, their lives were lawless, self-serving, and bloodthirsty.
We can imagine the religious leaders becoming increasingly furious at this dressing-down from One they considered to be unschooled and uncredentialed. But everyone knew it was true. When religion makes outward appearance the main issue, and neglects the cleansing and nurture of the soul, works righteousness is what you get. And works righteousness is no righteousness at all.
Jesus’ view has not changed from then to now. We need to make sure that our hearts are submissive to God’s Word (v. 23), and not just so that we can flout our so-pure doctrine before the uninitiated (v. 24). Daily cleansing of the soul involves waiting on the Spirit, confessing our sins, and repenting of everything that is contrary to God’s Law (Ps. 139.23, 24; 1 Jn. 1.8, 9; Ps. 119.59, 60). A clean soul is not just one swept of wickedness, but one that is filled with the furnishings of God’s Word and fullness of His Spirit (v. 28; cf. Ps. 119.9-11; Eph. 5.18-21). And a soul rightly-attuned to Jesus knows that we’re all always capable of the worst sins we can imagine (v. 30).
It is hypocrisy to try to be a Christian from the outside-in. Take care of the inside of your life, and the outside will fall nicely into step with the way of Jesus.
Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
We are known. Which is very good news; but also, very bad.
As much as we might try to cover over the worst—
presenting ourselves as “white-washed tombs”—
God sees the “dead men’s bones” of our inner life (Matt. 23.27).
However, because we are known; God sent us Jesus to rid us of hypocrisy.
His righteousness covers our unrighteousness completely.
We need only repent, turn from our sins, and follow Christ, through the power of the indwelling Spirit.
We must not neglect the “weightier matters” of the law: justice, mercy, and faith (Matt. 23.23).
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
bind them around your neck.
Write them on the tablet of your heart, and
so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man (Prov. 3.3, 4).
Loose the bonds of wickedness…undo the heavy burdens…let the oppressed go free…break every yoke…share your bread with the hungry…bring to your house the poor who are cast out…cover the naked…do not forsake your family.
If you do these things, without hypocrisy,
“Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
your healing shall spring forth speedily, and
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I AM.’
If you take away the yoke from your midst,
the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you extend your soul to the hungry and
satisfy the afflicted soul,
then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and
your darkness shall be as the noonday.
The LORD will guide you continually, and
satisfy your soul in drought, and
strengthen your bones;
you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail” (Is. 58.6-11).
Jesus calls us to be sincere. To be done with hypocrisy. And to walk with Him in His yoke,
clean from the inside out, to be as He— “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11.29).
“Falling nicely in step with the way of Jesus.”
Neither straining out gnats nor swallowing camels (Matt. 23.24).
Reflect.
1. Can a merely outward, patched-on faith lead us into the joy of the Lord? Why not?
2. How can prayer help to keep us from sliding into hypocritical ways? When should you pray?
3. What should we do if we feel like our faith is becoming more outward and phony than inward and real?
Hypocrisy, because it is a counterfeit of the good, possesses nothing vital of the good it simulates, but is only its dead bones, so to speak.… If we listen with wisdom to what the present passage wants to tell us, we will understand that every simulated righteousness is a dead righteousness, hence no righteousness at all. Origen (185-254), Commentary on Matthew 24
Pray Psalm 91.4-16.
Shelter in the Lord as you pray about the day ahead. Seek His Presence and help to live as His follower in everything you do.
Sing Psalm 91.4-16.
Lauda Anima: Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
He will shade us with His pinions, ’neath His wings we safety find,
from night’s terror, from day’s arrow, from the fears that stalk our mind.
When destruction falls at noon time, safe in Him shall we abide.
Thousands at our sides may falter—it will not to us come near!
We instead shall see the end of all who at God’s mercy sneer.
Evil shall no more befall us for we hold the LORD most dear.
He shall give His angels charge to bear us up, lest we should fall;
they will guard and carry all who on the Savior’s mercy call.
Cobra, mighty lion, serpent: We shall tread upon them all!
Save us, LORD! We love You only; set us up secure on high!
You we know, on You we call in trouble: Hear us when we cry!
Show us Your salvation, let long life forever satisfy!
T. M. and Susie Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
Other columns of interest: This week: Our Read Moore podcast begins a new series of readings about St. Patrick from our book, Patrick: A Devotional History. Our Crosfigell teaching letter is pursuing a series on the spiritual poetry of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column, begins a new study of “Everyday Christianity” on Wednesday. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.
