Matthew 23:1-12

Jesus begins His discourse by noting that the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  This is a reference to the seat of authority in the Synagogue.  Whoever sat in that chair ran the meeting.  He selected those who would read and comment on the Scriptures.  If there was something out of line he would correct the situation.  He was a leader in the teaching of the Law of Moses.  Thus Jesus tells the crowd to do what they tell you to do.  But he also says, do not do according to their works.  Their religion is words, not deeds.  

An example of that is in v4.  They bind heavy burdens on people, demanding meticulous observance of the minutiae of the law, often unreasonably extending the sphere of the law beyond its intended area.  But in all these words, they have no compassion, no sympathy so as to help people carry their burden.  Legalism is impossible; legalism without compassion is painfully impossible.

Another thing Jesus says is that their religion is ON, not IN (v5-7).  Their whole plan is to be sure they are seen by men as they practice their religion.  They even devised ways to make their religion clearly visible.

·        They wore phylacteries, square boxes made of leather (from a clean animal), dyed black, sewn with twelve stitches (for the twelve tribes), and worn on the forehead.  Inside were copies of four Scriptures where Jews were told to have the Law on their hands and foreheads.

·        They wore tassels hanging from the borders of their garments.  They were part of the normal attire; Jesus wore them (it’s what the woman touched who was healed) but the Pharisees enlarged theirs.

·        They sought places of honor, vying to sit at the host’s table when invited to a dinner.  They wanted a place on the platform, in essence, when at the synagogue, the seats that faced the congregation.

·        They loved to be greeted when out in public.  And not just greeted but greeted as Rabbi, a term that comes from the root meaning my great one.

True shepherds are the opposite. True religion is deeds, not mere words (v8-10).  Jesus is not saying a teacher should not be called teacher or a father called father.  In fact all three of the terms Jesus used are applied in the NT to various people.  The issue is the desire for the “title” and the desire to be great.

Furthermore, true religion is IN, not just ON (v11-12).  True shepherds find greatness in service.  It is not something they aspire to; rather they trust God and make themselves His servants, allowing God to exalt them as He sees fit.  

These verses lay out the groundwork, describing the essence of the false shepherds.  What follows is a series of eight woes, words of judgment, pronounced on these shepherds.  We already have much to think about.  Is our service and worship all talk and no show?  Is what people in us a façade or is it in sync with what we are on the inside, in the heart?