Focus:
kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
(
FaithOfJesus thread begun by r
RandyP )
Today's Verse:
kjv@Matthew:23
kjv@Matthew:23:1 @ Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
kjv@Matthew:23:2 @ Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
kjv@Matthew:23:3 @ All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew:23:5 @ But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
kjv@Matthew:23:6 @ And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
kjv@Matthew:23:7 @ And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
kjv@Matthew:23:8 @ But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
kjv@Matthew:23:9 @ And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
kjv@Matthew:23:10 @ Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
kjv@Matthew:23:11 @ But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
kjv@Matthew:23:12 @ And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew: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!
kjv@Matthew:23:17 @ Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
kjv@Matthew:23:18 @ And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
kjv@Matthew:23:19 @ Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
kjv@Matthew:23:20 @ Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
kjv@Matthew:23:21 @ And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
kjv@Matthew:23:22 @ And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew:23:24 @ Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew:23:26 @ Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew:23:28 @ Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
kjv@Matthew:23:29 @ Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
kjv@Matthew:23:30 @ 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.
kjv@Matthew:23:31 @ Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
kjv@Matthew:23:32 @ Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
kjv@Matthew:23:33 @ Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
kjv@Matthew: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:
kjv@Matthew: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.
kjv@Matthew:23:36 @ Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
kjv@Matthew:23:37 @ 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!
kjv@Matthew:23:38 @ Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
kjv@Matthew:23:39 @ 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.
Today's notes: The Seven Woes
Context:
- Before - Who is the Son of David?
- After - Signs of the end
What is man believing/doing?:
- sit upon the seat of Moses
- binding heavy burdens laying them on men's shoulders, but not lifting them themselves
- dress themselves in religious garments and temple breast plates
- love the upper rooms and chief seats at synagog
- like hand shakes in the markets and to be called rabbi
- neither go into heaven nor suffer others to go in, proselytize a false form of religion
- steal away widows houses as gift and make long prayers
- falsely determining what and what not to swear by
- doing the cheapest and simplest things while omitting the weightier matters
- performing superficial cleansing while being full of extortion and excess, hypocrisy and iniquity
- building and adorning the tombs of prophets whom their fathers did kill, denying that they are the same as their fathers before them
- shortly to persecute the early church Apostles as well
What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:
- to be seen of men
- pretense
- to give the appearance of being righteous outwardly
Notes:
The distinction between religious types goes as far back as Cain and Able. It is based upon the belief that ones form should be acceptable to God but is proven not to be. Instead of changing form, the motivation becomes ridding one's self of the proven superior form. At that point the hostile form becomes not only unaccepted, but damning.
Humility and service are severely challenged/tested when they are placed or remain under corrupt and deadly authority. For the development of a believer such is not bad thing. In fact it appears by this to be the appointed thing. The believer's own exaltation over such a matter can lead to their abasement. It cannot be determined that this is always the case however, take the case for the Protestant Reformation. Was it wrong? Were the reformers abased? Are we not better off having the doctrine of grace re-established? How then do we judge when disobedience is right and when not? Let us conclude that it is always wrong except when it is forcing one to do what is woefully wrong.
Key Messages:
What does this say about our present condition?
- There are some things just as persuasive as intelligent and insightful argument, the threat of force and the threat of destruction or personal harm and the familiarity of the way things always have been. Many will have heard Jesus today and will have agreed with his description of the religious class and leadership, but it will not stop them from joining in on the call for His crucifixion or standing aside in the far distance allowing it to happen.
- These leaders are zealous and devote men, how could their religion have lead them so far astray? and their father's before them? These are terrible things that they are being exposed of as a whole. Some will hear these words and be all the more eager to do the the things that have been talked about. How much further off course can religion and zeal go?
Further Resources:
Comment Board:Matthew:23
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:23 rwp@Matthew:23 mhcc@Matthew:23
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index
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