Matthew 23

Matthew 23:1-12

Chapter 65 A Form of Godliness Condemned“Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 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. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:1-12) That which the Word of God calls “godliness” is the worship of God. — “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). Blessed are they who, being born of God, worship God in Spirit and in truth! Blessed is that person who, trusting Christ as his Savior and Lord, worships God, ever coming to God by Christ Jesus! But, when the Bible speaks of “a form of godliness” (2 Timothy 3:5), the reference is to the mere practice of religion. “A form of godliness” is going to church. “A form of godliness” is engaging in religious activity. “A form of godliness” is “saying your prayers.” How few there are who have the blessed great gain and sweet contentment of godliness! What multitudes there are who have a form of godliness! The apostle Paul warned us that in the last day the vast majority of the religious world would have a mere form of godliness, an outward show of religion, while denying the very power of true godliness, which is the gospel of Christ (2 Timothy 3:5). In the days of our Lord’s earthly life and ministry Judaism had already withered into a mere form of godliness; and the Son of God abhorred it. Matthew 23 records the very last words ever spoken by the Son of God in the temple at Jerusalem. Judgment was about to fall on that nation. In just a short while God would destroy the city, the nation, and the temple. In this chapter our Lord tells the multitude and his disciples why such judgment must come. The first twelve verses of this chapter show us how utterly contemptible a mere form of godliness is to the Son of God. In these verses, and in those that follow, our Savior gives a withering exposure of the religion of the scribes and Pharisees, and of their disciples today. He sharply rebukes them, both for their doctrine and their practices. Their religion retained the Word of God and the name of God; but it was nothing less than an utter denial of God. By this time, Judaism had been reduced to nothing short of idolatry! Will worship, ritualism, and legalism prevailed. And our Lord despised it. Knowing well that his time on earth was almost done, knowing that soon his followers must be left alone like sheep among wolves, he warns us plainly against the false shepherds and false religion that surrounds us in this world. Nothing is more abominable in the sight of God than a self-righteous form of godliness. Here are five important lessons to be learned from these twelve verses. It is the solemn responsibility of every faithful servant of God to warn his hearers of the false teachers and false religion that surrounds them. It is not meekness, but cowardice, that causes men to hold back in denouncing false doctrine. No man was ever more meek, more gracious, or more loving than the God-man. Yet, no man ever more boldly denounced false religion (Matthew 7:14-23). That man who refuses to identify heresy and heretics is unfaithful to his charge as God’s messenger and God’s watchman (1 Timothy 4:1-8; 2 Timothy 2:16-18; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; 2 Timothy 4:1-4; Philippians 3:17-19; Colossians 2:8-23). No sin is more sinful than silence when alarm is needed! All preachers of free-will, works religion are false prophets. All who make salvation dependent upon man’s will, man’s works, or man’s worth are destroyers of men’s souls and must be treated by us as God’s enemies (2 John 1:10). It is the responsibility of every man to try the spirits and judge preachers and their message by the Word of God (Matthew 23:2-3). “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:1-4) Those who sit in Moses’ seat are responsible to teach what Moses taught. And they are to be obeyed, followed, and honored, only as they obey, follow, honor, and teach the Word of God (Hebrews 13:7; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13). But we must not allow any man to be our pope. Like the noble Bereans, we are responsible to search the Scriptures for ourselves. We must receive nothing taught by any man that we do not find written in the Book of God. Nothing in all the world is more obnoxious, abominable, and damning to the souls of men as an outward, self-righteous form of religion (Matthew 23:3-7). In Matthew 23:3-7 our Savior identifies self-righteous religion by four common traits. It may have many names, varied ordinances, and conflicting ceremonies, but false religion can always be identified by these four things. There are many other things to identify it, as we have seen; but these four common characteristics of false religion are observable by everyone, except the people involved. First, false religion always seeks to bring people into some form of legal bondage. — “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 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” (Matthew 23:3-4). Obviously, when our Lord said, “Whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do,” he was speaking sarcastically. He had already declared that by their traditions they had transgressed the commandment of God and made it of none effect (Matthew 15:3). The gospel of Christ proclaims liberty to sinners in captivity. All human religion seeks to bind the captive more securely.

Like the Gadarenes had often bound the demoniac with fetters and chains, religious people seek to bind the souls of men in the chains of the Mosaic law, the fetters of religious customs, and the bonds of religious superstition. When the Lord Jesus comes in the saving operations of his grace, he sits the captive free (Mark 5:1-15). His word to his servants, with regard to all he has raised from death to life, is “Loose him, and let him go” (John 11:44). “Till God the sinner’s mind illume, ‘Tis dark as night within; Like Lazarus in the dreary tomb, Bound hand and foot by sin. Yet though in massy fetters bound, To God’s free grace a foe, The gospel has a joyful sound: — ‘Loose him, and let him go.’ Sinners shall hear this joyful sound, When God designs it so; Grace shall beyond their sins abound; — ‘Loose him, and let him go.’ Justice, beholding his attire, No more appears his foe; He says, ‘I’ve all that I require; - Loose him, and let him go.’ He stands accepted in his name Whose blood for him did flow; The holy law proclaims the same: — ‘Loose him, and let him go.’” John Kent I was once in bondage, cursed and condemned by my sin. I lived under the galling yoke of the law, bound by the heavy chains of guilt, the willing captive of Satan. But the Lord Jesus saw me, had compassion upon me, came to my dark dungeon, and said, “Loose him, and let him go!” “Long my imprisoned spirit lay, Fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray — I woke, the dungeon flamed with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. Still the small inward voice I hear, That whispers all my sins forgiven; Still the atoning blood is near, That quenched the wrath of hostile Heaven. I feel the life His wounds impart; I feel the Savior in my heart. No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine; Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in righteousness divine, Bold I approach th’eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own.” The Lord Jesus Christ has brought me into the blessed liberty of his free grace. My soul overflowed with unspeakable joy, “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” in “the glorious liberty of the sons of God.” It is this blessed liberty of grace that I want you to know and enjoy. I urge you to count as your soul’s enemy every preacher, and every form of religion that seeks to bring you into bondage. Second, false religion is always marked by the glaring hypocrisy of those who seek to impose it upon you. — “They say and do not.” They bind heavy burdens and lay them on others, “but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” They talk about obeying the law; but they know they do not obey it. They require from others things they do not practice themselves. Their religious rules and regulations, their rituals and ceremonies, their sabbath days and duties are bound together in creeds, by-laws, church covenants, and constitutions like huge intolerable burdens. They form a galling yoke that no man can bear. Like the scribes and Pharisees, false religion piles its great load upon ignorant men and demands obedience, but offers nothing to help the needy soul. The Lord Jesus is not like them. His servants are not like them. Our Savior says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). His sweet yoke of grace gives rest to weary sinners. Third, all the outward works of false religionists are performed only “to be seen of men” (Matthew 23:5), so that men will approve of them and applaud them as godly, holy, devoted people, so that others will admire them as great lovers of God. False religion teaches people to dress in a way that will show others their godliness. False religion teaches people to find a way to demonstrate their giving, so that people will know how sacrificial they are. False religion teaches people to advertise the amount of time they spend reading the Bible and praying, so that others can observe their devotion. False religion teaches people to “humbly” let people know when they fast, so that their spiritual gravity can be applauded. All these things, our Savior tells his disciples to do in secret (Matthew 6:16-18). How often have you heard someone say, “I want the world to see Jesus in me.” What they really mean is, “I want the world to think I am a good man, not like them.” The world did not see Jesus in Jesus. It certainly will not see him in you and me! False religion teaches people to “make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments,” to put “I love Jesus” and “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do) bumper stickers on their cars, so that the world can acknowledge them as devoted people. Throughout the New Testament, our Lord and his apostles teach us the very reverse of these things. True godliness, true worship, true faith in Christ is a matter of the heart. It causes saved sinners to seek the will of God and the glory of God in all things. Its works are always portrayed as works of love and faith. Those who perform them are totally unaware of having done so (Matthew 25:34-40), while those who boast of performing them never do (Matthew 25:41-46). Beware of every form of religion that teaches you to do anything “for to be seen of men.” Fourth, false religion encourages the love of recognition (Matthew 23:6-7). False religion says, “Stand up and testify.” The Word of God teaches us to bow before the throne of grace and worship. The scribes and Pharisees loved the best place in public meetings. — “The upper most rooms at feasts.” They sought the most prominent place of recognition in church. — “The chief seats in the synagogues.” They craved the recognition of men, having their names recognized and honored. — “Greetings in the markets.” And they loved titles of distinction, by which they were pretentiously elevated above others. — “To be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi,” or “Reverend,” or “Father.” Religious hucksters love to be first and foremost. God’s servants teach, by practice and precept, the unity of God’s saints in Christ as brethren. It is absolutely wrong for believers to give any man the names, titles, and honors that belong to our God and his Christ alone. “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ” (Matthew 23:8-10). C. H. Spurgeon wrote, “In the church of Christ, all titles and honors which exalt men and give occasion for pride are here forbidden.” To call a man “Father” is to rob God of his supremacy and Fatherhood as God. To call a man “Reverend” is to rob God of his supremacy and holiness as the “Holy One.” — “Holy and reverend is his name” (Psalms 111:9). To speak of a man as “your priest” or “intercessor” is to rob Christ of his Priesthood. To call a man “Doctor” or “Rabbi”, or “Master” is to rob Christ of his glory as our Teacher. The secret of greatness in the kingdom of God is service to the kingdom of God. “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12). Richard Baxter said, “Church greatness consisteth in being greatly serviceable.” The desire of the Pharisee is to receive honor, and to be called “Master.” The desire of the believer is to do good, devoting himself and all that he has to the glory of God and the service of his people, each esteeming the other better than himself. “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” (Philippians 2:1-4) What a solemn passage this is! If there were no other passage in the whole Book of God to warn us of man-centered, self-righteous, works religion, this should be sufficient to alarm us and cause us to abhor it. It seems that our Savior considered no language sufficiently strong to express his utter contempt for man’s religion and religious customs. Pretentious sanctity and the outward show of religion, a mere form of godliness, are things detested by the Son of God! Our attitude toward such should be the same.

Matthew 23:13-33

Chapter 66 Eight Stern Words of Condemnation “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. 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. 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. 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! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 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. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 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. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

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. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 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. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:13-33) Standing in the midst of the temple, after addressing his own disciples and the multitude around him, while he had the ear of the people, our Lord Jesus Christ turned to the scribes and Pharisees and in the most public manner possible denounced and condemned them with these scathing words. These words were not spoken secretly. Our Lord did not call the scribes and Pharisees aside for a private conversation. Rather, he went into the temple, where they regularly taught the people, where they were most highly respected, and there publicly condemned both them and their religion in the most contemptible terms imaginable. Eight times he uses the solemn expression, “Woe unto you!” Seven times he calls them “hypocrites.” Twice he calls them “blind fools.” And at last he denounces them as “serpents and a generation of vipers.” Why such sternness? Why such public condemnations? Why such scathing language? Could he not have said the same thing in a more polite, more civil, more acceptable tone? Of course, he could have done so. But it was not his intention to be polite, civil, and acceptable.

It was his intention to be heard. Remember, these are the words of the one man, the one preacher whose love and goodness cannot be called into question. Why did our Lord choose to use such scathing language to denounce and condemn these men and the religion they taught? Because the glory of God, the truth of God, and the souls of men were at stake. The solemn truth to be learned from this passage is quite clear: The doctrines, the religion, the spirit, and the practices of the scribes and Pharisees are abominable in the sight of God. The religion of the world is contemptible to God and should be to us. Shut up the Kingdom First, our Lord condemns these religious leaders for shutting up the kingdom of heaven. — “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” (Matthew 23:13). Of course, no man is able to literally shut up the kingdom of heaven. That kingdom which God almighty builds, no man shall hinder. Yet, many, like the scribes and Pharisees, do all they can to keep sinners out of the kingdom, persuading them not to hear those who preach the gospel and not to believe that which is obviously the truth of Holy Scripture. That is what the scribes and Pharisees did. They rejected the message of John the Baptist.

They refused the doctrine of Christ. And they tried to keep anyone from hearing and believing the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Pretentious Religion Second, our Savior condemned these men for being pretentious abusive and self-serving. — “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” (Matthew 23:14). These base men, wearing the mask of piety and devotion, devoured widows houses. They took advantage of the most unsuspecting. Pretending to be devoted, spiritual leaders, true servants of God, they (like the hucksters of our day) took everything they could get from weak, unprotected, elderly women. The slickest and most vile con men in the world are those who run a scam upon the souls of men to enrich themselves! Men who enrich themselves by the work of the ministry are not God’s servants; and they are not ministering to people.

They are using them. God’s servants come to serve the souls of men, not to be served by them (Matthew 20:26-28; 2 Corinthians 2:17; 2 Corinthians 4:5). False Religion Third, the Son of God condemns the scribes and Pharisees (and all their successors today) for destroying the souls of men with false religion. — “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” (v.15). Be sure you understand this verse correctly. Our Lord is not condemning what is commonly called proselytizing. If you care for men’s souls, you will do everything within your power to make proselytes of them; that is, to bring them out of false religion to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not the encompassing of land and sea to make a disciple that our Lord condemns. He commands that (Matthew 28:18-20). What he condemns is the destruction of men’s souls by false religion: getting sinners to believe a false gospel (Galatians 3:1), getting people to make a profession of faith who have not experienced grace, giving people a false peace and false assurance in a false hope. Religious hucksters do not do what they do from a desire to benefit the souls of men, or bring them to the knowledge of the living God. Not in the least! Their only object is to swell their own ranks, build their churches, increase the number of their disciples, and make themselves a name. Their religious zeal arises not from a desire for the glory of God or the salvation of men’s souls, but from their own, self-serving interests. Categorizing Sin Fourth, the Lord Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for categorizing sin. “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! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon” (vv.16-22). Our Lord plainly declared that we are not to swear at all (Matthew 5:34-36). But the scribes and Pharisees taught that some swearing was alright, that it was sometimes okay to take God’s name in vain (Exodus 20:3), so long as one did not swear by the gold in the temple’s coffers or the gifts upon the altar! Let a man, a church, or a denomination forsake the teachings of Christ and it is impossible to place a limit upon the heresies and foolishness to which they will run. Without question, some sins are more grave than others. Some will be punished more severely than others. But, whenever self-righteous religious men start defining and categorizing sin, they make the Word of God of non-effect and imply that certain sins, lesser sins, are permissible. Someone once stated, “The ten commandments are not ten suggestions, but ten commandments; and they are not multiple choice!” Strain at a Gnat Fifth, the scribes and Pharisees, like the religionists around us, exalted trifles, while ignoring the most important things. For that, they were be condemned. “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. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” (v.23-24). They put the last things first and the first things last. They made a great issue about tithing, even on the herbs of their gardens. That would have been okay, except for one thing. They ignored “judgment, mercy and faith,” the justice of God, the mercy of God, and faith in Christ. I cannot imagine anything that more properly describes this religious generation. Religious people in our day, like the scribes and Pharisees, are meticulous about the outward form of godliness. They place great importance on outward behavior, dress codes, tithing, church attendance, and countless customs and traditions, while ignoring the most basic elements of the gospel and of true religion: the satisfaction of justice by the sacrifice of Christ (Romans 3:24-26), the mercy of God flowing to needy sinners through that sacrifice (Ephesians 1:7), showing mercy to others (James 1:17), and faith in Christ (2 Timothy 1:9-13). Outward not Inward Sixth, the religion of the scribes and Pharisees was condemned by Christ because it was an outward religion of rituals and ceremonies, rather than the inward, spiritual, heart worship of God. “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. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (vv.25-26). For most people, Christianity is an outward system of creeds, confessions, and ceremonies. But true Christianity, while never ignoring God’s doctrine or his ordinances, is primarily an inward, spiritual matter of the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Proverbs 23:26; Joe 2:13; John 4:23-24; Romans 10:9-10; Romans 14:17; Philippians 3:3). Human Approval Seventh, our Lord condemns as utter hypocrisy all religion that has for its object the approval of men. “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. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27-28). Those religious works and ceremonies which are performed and promoted to show men how holy, zealous, or devoted we are, are an abomination to God (Matthew 6:3-16; Luke 16:15). We are neither ashamed nor ostentatious. We simply walk with and serve our God and Savior. We seek to live for his glory and do all things for his glory. And, really, it does not matter whether anyone, other than God himself, sees that. We want to glorify our Father before men, to live honestly, do justly, and to walk humbly with our God by faith in Christ; but we do not want men to look at us and say, “There is a truly humble man or woman, who lives for the glory of God.” If we seek the approval of men, we are not seeking the honor of God and cannot believe God (John 5:44). Despise the Gospel Eighth, the Son of God here condemned, as a crooked and perverse generation of snakes and vipers, all who exalt the names and honor of dead prophets, while despising those who preach and teach the gospel, the message of those prophets. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 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. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matthew 23:29-33). The scribes and Pharisees built monuments to dead prophets and revered the memories of God’s saints who lived in other ages. But, by their treatment of Christ, his disciples, and his people, they demonstrated that they were of one mind with those who “killed the prophets.” Religious Serpents Here are eight solemn woes denounced upon the very men who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. These stern words of condemnation were spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ, the meekest man who ever walked through the earth, the one who was the very embodiment of meekness and humility. They were made by that man by whom God shall judge the world in righteousness in the last day (Acts 17:31). He calls these men, and all who follow them, by names which identify them as a people whose father is that old serpent, the devil, whose damnation is sure. — “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Nothing is more damning to the souls of men than self-righteous, works religion. We read in the Word of God about many who were converted by God’s almighty grace. Idolaters, harlots, thieves, publicans, soldiers, and many who were possessed of devils have made everlasting trophies of God’s omnipotent grace.

But in all the Word of God we find only two Pharisees who were converted: Nicodemus and Saul of Tarsus (John 3:1-21; John 7:50; John 19:39; Philippians 3:1-14). Two Pharisees, only two, are set before us in Holy Scripture who escaped the damnation of hell. Thank God, there were two, lest any despair. But there were only two, that none presume. How did these religious serpents manifest their serpentine hatred of the Son of God? What did they do to bring upon themselves such tremendous words of condemnation? They were not immoral in their outward behavior. They could not be charged with any open vices. They prided themselves in being very moral. They did not neglect the ordinances of divine worship, either in public or in private. They prayed three times a day, fasted twice a week, paid tithes on everything they obtained, and went to church every time the doors were open. What was it then, that brought upon these men the Lord’s most severe words of condemnation? It was their proud, Pharisaic self-righteousness, their legal righteousness, that caused them to despise the righteousness of God in Christ. Following after the righteousness of the law, going about to establish their own righteousness, such men show both their ignorance of God’s righteousness and their determination never to submit themselves to the righteousness of God in Christ. — “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4). Teaching others to do the same, they “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.” They compassed sea and land, the Lord told them, to make one proselyte, and when this was done, they made him two-fold more the child of hell than themselves. That is, they labored to undermine the necessity of salvation by Christ in setting up and teaching others to do the same, a righteousness of their own: and thus by denying the fall of man and the necessity of a recovery by grace, they set up the kingdom of Satan, and like children of hell, fought against the kingdom of grace. Nothing is so completely opposed to the gospel of the grace of God, nothing is so opposed to the cross of Christ, nothing so despises the blood and righteousness of Christ, nothing is so hardening to the heart of man, nothing is so damning to the souls of men, nothing is so obnoxious to God in heaven as self-righteousness! When the teachers, preachers, and religious leaders of any age are engulfed in the darkness and delusion of self-righteous, free will, works religion, how great is the darkness of that generation! God hates hypocrisy and the show of religion! Let us ever pray as David did, “Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed” (Psalms 119:80). Let us be found in Christ, not having any righteousness of our own, but only that which was accomplished by the faithfulness of Christ our Surety, “the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Philippians 3:9).

Matthew 23:34-39

Chapter 67 The Master’s Last Public Words“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: 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. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 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! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 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.” (Matthew 23:34-39) We have before us the last words ever spoken in public by our Lord Jesus Christ, not the last words he spoke, but the last words he spoke in public to the multitudes and particularly to the Jewish nation. These words are some of the most solemn and stern words ever spoken by him. They are words of judgment from the God-man, whose heart was full of pity. This passage of Scripture, so often twisted and perverted by Arminians in their vain attempts to disprove the gospel of God’s free grace in Christ, is in fact not a passage showing that salvation is by man’s will, but rather a passage declaring that man’s ruin and everlasting destruction is by his will. In these verses our Lord declares to the scribes, and Pharisees, and Jewish people that the basis of God’s judgment and the cause of their spiritual ruin was their obstinate, willful unbelief. That which our Lord asserts concerning the nation of Israel is equally true of men today. There is nothing that keeps a man out of heaven but his own unwillingness to bow to Christ, receive him, and believe on him as Lord and Savior (John 5:46; John 6:37-40; John 7:37-38). Israel did not enter into the land of promise for only one reason – unbelief! (Hebrews 4). That nation perished, not because God would not be gracious to them, but because they would not trust him (Isaiah 48:18-19). And if you and I miss heaven it will be because of our own, willful unbelief. There is nothing that keeps a man out of heaven but his own will.

And there is nothing that keeps a man out of hell but God’s will. The decree of God opens the door of heaven for a great, innumerable multitude of sinners. But the decree of God does not shut the doors of heaven against anyone. Be sure you understand this. — Eternal life is by God’s will, God’s gift, and God’s work (Romans 9:16; Romans 6:23; 2 Timothy 1:9). But eternal death is the result of man’s will, man’s work, and man’s merit. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23; Romans 1:23-26; Romans 10:21). Space for Repentance First, Our Lord here teaches us that God almighty graciously gives wicked men and women space for repentance. Our great King’s earthly life and ministry was to end soon. But, before this world, he delivered a royal and prophetical message. — “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” (Matthew 23:34). In this verse, our Lord speaks of his apostles as prophets, wise men, and scribes. And there is a sense in which all true gospel preachers may be described as such. Prophets declare what God will do. Wise men are made wise unto salvation and have wisdom to declare God’s salvation to others. Scribes interpret and teach the Word of God. These “prophets, and wise men, and scribes” are Christ’s ascension gifts to his church. Here he declared the kind of reception his servants would have among the Jews. — “And some of then ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them I shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city.” Pastor Henry Mahan wrote, “God’s mercy forgives sin, his grace bestows favor, his longsuffering and patience give space for repentance and faith.” As God sent his servants to the Jews and gave them repeated warnings, message, after message, after message, so he does today. God does not allow men to sin without rebuke. He does not allow iniquity to go unchecked in anyone. With every transgression, with every breach of God’s law, man must trample under his feet the hedge of warnings God has planted about him. Your conscience is God’s law written on your heart, by which God speaks to those who have not had their consciences seared (Romans 2:14-15). The Lord God, as it were, knocks at the door of conscience and gets a person’s attention by sickness, afflictions, bereavements, and fearful “brushes with death;” but rebels harden their hearts, and persist in their defiance of the Almighty. God opens the grave under their eyes, destroys their idols, and stirs their souls; but they soon ignore his warnings. Like cattle in the field, when one of the herd is slaughtered, they look up for a moment and return to grazing on the grass beneath their feet. How often the Lord God gives a summons to sinners by the preaching of the Word. Frequently, men and women experience soul trouble, but do not know what is happening. Blind, deaf, and dead, they do not understand the Lord’s ways. So, they harden their hearts, as Pharaoh of old. But soon everyone will see and understand, “God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not” (Job 33:14). In the day of judgment, when it is too late, everyone will realize that there is a voice in every event of providence, saying, “Turn ye, turn ye! Why will ye die?” (Ezekiel 33:11). God’s servants today put the prophet’s question before eternity bound sinners, crying to perishing men, “Why will ye die?” Justice has been satisfied by Christ. Righteousness has been brought in by the Son of God. All who trust the Lord Jesus are saved by him (John 6:40; Hebrews 7:25). Still, unless the Lord Jesus himself grants the rebel sinner repentance by his almighty grace, none will obey the gospel. Relentless Persecution Second, the Lord God takes notice of and remembers the relentless persecutions of his people by wicked men. — “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: 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: 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. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation” (Matthew 23:34-36). Our Savior’s prophecy was literally fulfilled among the Jewish people. He said, “Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.” And, before that generation had passed away, Jerusalem was besieged and destroyed. There was a sufficient interval for the full proclamation of the gospel and the gathering out of God’s elect among them, who were made to know that the crucified Christ is the Messiah. Then came the awful end, which the Savior foretold. But our Lord’s warning here was not for the Jewish people alone. It speaks to this generation as well. As Cain, the first murderer, began to show this hardness of heart and bitterness of spirit against Abel, so every persecution and blood shedding the cause of Christ has suffered, from the days of Cain to the end of that holy war between the seed of the serpent and the woman’s Seed, will be required of the serpent’s generation (1 John 3:12; John 8:44). God’s servants in this world are often lied about and scandalized by those who oppose them, held in contempt by those they serve, and despised and abused by some who pretend to love them. Frequently, people who would not openly abuse God’s messenger will abuse his wife and children. Such people think, “No one really knows what I am doing.” What fools! There is a day of reckoning coming. If not in this world, in the next those men and women will understand that their actions were observed by God, punished by God (in their own experiences, their own families, and their own woes), and shall be a matter of eternal ruin, not only for themselves but for their children, and their children’s children. Who would ever have imagined that the dying words of Zacharias (2 Chronicles 24:22) would find their fulfillment in his murderers descendants, not only when he was murdered, but 800 years later? Our Lord declares that anything done to one of his servants is done to him (1 Samuel 8:7; Matthew 10:40-42). On one occasion, some children were mocking God’s prophet, and God sent two bears to destroy forty-two of them at one time. Be warned, God will destroy those who would destroy his church and kingdom (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). God’s servants should find great satisfaction in this. The God we serve will not allow any to get by with the abuse of his servants. There is an Eye that sees, an Ear that hears, and a Hand that records everything done against God’s servants. He who lives forever says, “He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye” (Zechariah 2:8). Yes, “God requireth things that are past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). False Prophets Third, this passage of Holy Scripture declares that false prophets, lost religious leaders are murderers of men’s souls. — “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! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 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” (Matthew 23:37). Our Lord did not say, “How often would I have gathered you, and you would not.” Neither did he say, “How often would I have gathered thy children, and they would not.” Rather he says, “How often would I have gathered thy children and ye would not! This verse of Scripture must be understood in its context. Our Lord was condemning the scribes and Pharisees. He is saying the same thing here as he said in Matthew 23:13. — “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.” Without question, our Lord Jesus Christ exemplified what a true preacher of the gospel is and must be. — One who is full of compassion and care for men’s souls. The words of Mat 23:37 express the tenderness and compassion of Christ as a man, not his immutable will as God. They display our Lord’s human affection for his fellow men (Mark 10:21). Our Lord’s understanding of God’s absolute sovereign election, particular redemption, and irresistible grace did not keep him from caring about the souls of men (Romans 9:2-4; Romans 10:1). He knew the wickedness of that city. He knew what crimes had been committed by them. He knew all the prophets they had hated and murdered. He knew what they wanted to do and soon would do to him. Yet, he pitied them! Still, it must be asserted plainly that any who make our Lord’s words in Matthew 23:37 to represent a frustration of his will, purpose, and grace toward chosen sinners are greatly mistaken. Our Lord, obviously, is not suggesting that he desired the spiritual and eternal salvation of multitudes that he could not (or did not) save, because they chose to reject his grace. There were none upon earth for whom so much had been done, to whom so much had been given. The tabernacle, the temple, the priesthood, all the ordinances of divine worship in the Old Testament, and the many preincarnate appearances of Christ were theirs. By all these things our blessed Christ displayed his great love for his elect among that nation and people, watching over them by the secret workings of his Holy Spirit throughout those days of old. Oh, what great love it is in our Savior’s heart that is revealed in the countless gifts of his grace and providence today, by which he comes to us as he does not to the world (John 14:18-22). Every ordinance of worship, every blessing of providence is given to lead chosen, redeemed sinners into the knowledge, apprehension, and experience of his love for them and his grace to them. All are revelations of “the good will of him that dwelt in the bush” (Deuteronomy 33:16). With all the tenderness of a hen, spreading her wings over her brood to protect them from danger, our blessed Savior watches over his elect, gathers them unto himself, and protects them from all danger. He has always done so, is doing so, and ever shall do so. It is written, “There shall no evil happen to the just” (Proverbs 12:21). It is delightful to seize every opportunity to observe our Savior’s grace and goodness, love and care, and ceaseless mercy toward his elect. But, here our Redeemer is describing the ruin of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel, among whom his beloved people were preserved and blessed throughout the Mosaic age. How often he would have gathered their children together; but their religious leaders (the scribes and Pharisees), like false prophets in every age, “shut up the kingdom of heaven against them” and would not have any to enter it. Remember, our Savior is here addressing the scribes and Pharisees, condemning them for their treachery in destroying the souls of men. He is not suggesting that he would have gathered them to himself in grace. They were never the objects of his grace. Yet, had the Jewish people, as a nation, received him as the Christ of God, instead of crucifying the Lord of life and glory, they would have been saved as a nation, and the Romans would not have been sent by him to destroy the nation. A Willing Savior That which is spoken here is not a word of grace, but of judgment. Yet, I cannot fail to take this opportunity to show that our Lord Jesus Christ is a willing Savior. Oh, what a willing Savior our Savior is! He is a God who “delighteth in mercy!” The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is as willing to save as he is mighty to save (Isaiah 45:22; Isaiah 55:1-3; Isaiah 55:6-7; Isaiah 59:1-2; Matthew 11:28-30; John 5:40; John 7:37-38). Aren’t you thankful? The Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save lost sinners. He said, “I am come to seek and to save that which was lost.” The Son of God died in the room and stead of the ungodly. The Lamb of God is seated upon the throne of grace in heaven, waiting to be gracious, waiting to save sinners. Salvation is entirely the work of God. All will be saved in the end who were chosen to salvation from the beginning, them and no one else. All will be with Christ in glory for whom Christ made atonement and satisfaction at Calvary, them and no one else. All will be crowned with the heavenly hosts who have been effectually called by the Holy Ghost, them and no one else. Yet, he who is God our Savior is ready and willing to save all who come to God by him, and will most assuredly save them. “If I should die with mercy sought, When I the Lord have tried, This were to die, (Delightful thought!), As sinner never died!” Cause of Ruin Fifth, these words from the Master teach us that all who are lost are lost and ruined forever because of their own, willful rebellion and unbelief. — “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! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 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” (Matthew 23:37-39). It is written, “O Israel, thou has destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help” (Hosea 13:9). If we are saved, we will be saved by grace alone. If we are destroyed, we must destroy ourselves. The judgment of God is always just. Three things are clearly established in these last three verses of Luke 23 : (1.) The cause of man’s ruin is his own will. J.

C. Ryle wrote, “Impotent as man is by nature, unable to think a good thought of himself, without power to turn himself to faith and call upon God, he still appears to have a mighty ability to ruin his own soul.” (2.) Often eternal ruin begins in this world with judicial reprobation (Matthew 23:38; Hosea 4:17). And (3.) there is a day coming when all men shall see and acknowledge who Christ is and what he has done (Matthew 23:39; Philippians 2:9-11). In the last day, in that great day of judgment, he will be completely vindicated and honored, even by those who perish under his wrath. “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate!” — This is what you have chosen. You shall forever eat the fruit of your own ways. The God you have despised and forsaken has despised and forsaken you forever! “Jerusalem,” wrote Spurgeon, “was too far gone to be rescued from it’s self-sought doom.” Their city, their houses, and their temple would be abandoned and destroyed forever; and they would be forever cast into hell. “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.” — You shall see me no more until you see me glorified by all as the Christ of God, in my glorious second advent when you shall say, as the gaping pit of hell opens wide its mouth to swallow you up, “Here is the Blessed One who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Revelation 1:7; Philippians 2:9-11; Isaiah 45:22-25). Ye sinners, seek His grace, Whose wrath ye cannot bear; Fly to the shelter of His cross, And find salvation there. So shall the curse remove, By which the Savior bled; And that last, awful day shall pour His blessings on your head! If we are saved, go to heaven, enjoy eternal life and glory in the bliss of God’s presence, it will be by God’s will, and God’s work alone. If we are lost, perish under the wrath of God, and go to a dark, Christless, eternal hell, it will be altogether our fault alone, because of our will, our unbelief, and our sin!