The 8 “Woe’s” of Jesus in Matthew 23

In Matthew 23, Jesus is specifically addressing false religionists

Jesus’ greatest enemies were the self-righteous religionists. Read Matthew 23.

Purposely become intimately familiar with this scathing discourse of the Son of God against all religious self-righteousness and hypocrisy. God hates it. Find and mark the 8 woes of Jesus in Matthew 23.

The truth must be told.

This generation must be warned.

Religion is idolatry and damns.

Jesus Christ alone redeems and forgives sin.

Self-righteous religious people were Jesus’ greatest enemies and to whom He spoke the harshest condemnations.

Anyone who reads the 4 Gospels can see that.

3 times in Matthew 23 Jesus tells the self-righteous religionists, who rejected Him for their religion and tradition, that they are going to hell.

The sins of the scribes and Pharisees who misrepresented the loving Savior and His Kingdom

This is a real “How NOT to live” revelation to us all. This is a list from Jesus of “How NOT to live”…. really eye opening…. Help us JESUS!

“Woe unto you” is the strongest of language, the most severe divine warning. When we see the Son of God using the words “Woe unto you,” our attention should be especially piqued and attentive.

Of “Woe unto you,” F.B. Meyer writes:

“Our Lord with unfailing accuracy indicates the inevitable doom which such conduct as that of the Pharisees and scribes must incur. He forewarned them that they could expect nothing in the dread future but the judgment of Gehenna-the metaphor being taken from the valley of Hinnom, south of Jerusalem, where fires were kept burning to consume rubbish and refuse. Hypocrisy is hiding under a cloak of religion the sins which the ordinary moralist and worldling would condemn. It is very injurious, because it hinders men from entering the Kingdom, Matthew 23:13. It is punctilious in its exactions, because while it strains out gnats, it swallows camels, Matthew 23:23-24. It expends itself on outward ritual-the Pharisees would not enter Pilate’s hall on the day before the Passover, but they murdered the holy Savior. Above all things, let us be true, professing to be no more than we are!”

Warning of Kingdom Blockage! The 8 “Woes” of Jesus Pronounced Upon Every Religious Hypocrite – Past, Present, Future!

“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

Warning against thieves who front with long prayers:

“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

Warning of recruiting others into religious sin and deception:

“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.” Matthew 23:15

Warning to the false hearted idolaters:

“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!” Matthew 23:16

Warning to omit essentials – elevating minors while ignoring the most important truths:

“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.” Matthew 23:23

Warning to those who perform outward religious acts and yet who refuse to truly repent and seek God for a pure, cleansed heart:

“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.” Matthew 23:25

Warning to those who parade their outward spiritual activities and yet are full of iniquity on the inside – where God looks, the heart:

“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.” Matthew 23:27

Warning to those who are preoccupied with the external while ignoring the place God looks upon, the heart:

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,” Matthew 23:29

PRAYER: Holy Father in Heaven, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, here and now I repent before You. I return to You from my vile sin of self-idolatry, hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and for an evil heart of unbelief. Please strip, please purge and remove every trace of hypocrisy from my heart and life. Jesus, create in me a clean heart and make me to be Your authentic disciple, a humble, broken servant of Yours and of mankind. I love You my LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name.

Beloved, pore prayerfully over Philippians 2:3-5 every morning this week. Your life will be forever and gloriously changed!

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