The Coming of the King

Coming of the King: Week 48

23:2 "they seat themselves in Moses' seat" - the Priests and Levites and judges had authority to decide difficult questions. Deuteronomy 17:9 The Pharisees added Tradition, and this is why the Sadduccees opposed them.
23:4 "heavy burdens" - the Law of Moses was difficult, but the Pharisees had loopholes.
23:5 "all their works they do for to be seen of men"
23:8 "call no man Rabbi/Father/Lord" - while Catholics like to quote Matthew 16:18 to support their church structure, Protestants like to quote 23:8-12.
23:12 "he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" - "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you." 1 Peter 5:6 "But He gives us more grace." James 4:6 "He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble." Proverbs 3:34

23:13 "you shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces" - they taught that "respectability" and self righteousness were the way to heaven. When someone came to the end of their rope, like the tax collector in the parable, and cried out to God for mercy, the Pharisee said, "Ha! A dirty beggar like you will never be able to enter heaven."

23:14 "you devour widow's houses" - this verse is missing from some manuscripts, but is present in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47. While making a great show of generosity toward the poor, they were all too willing to foreclose on poor widows.

23:15 "you make your converts more wicked than yourselves" - Jews today avoid proselytizing.

23:16 "you swear by the gold, but not the temple" - the Pharisees did not hold sacred anything spiritual, or anything material but common. They held sacred only outward signs of wealth.