The Ministry Of Jesus. Matthew’s Gospel

Jesus Denounces The Scribes and Pharisees.

Then Jesus spoke to the multitude, and to His disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: whatsoever they bid you to do observe,  but do not you after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens that are 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 so as to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments, And they 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 do not be called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be you called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is the 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 vs 1-12

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men: for you do not go in yourselves, neither do you suffer them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, you blind guides, who 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 vs 13-16.

You fools and blind: for what is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever swear by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. You fools and blind: for what is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Whosoever, therefore, shall swear by the altar, swear by it, and by all things thereon. And whosoever shall swear by the temple, swear by it, and by him that dwell therein. And he that shall swear by heaven, swear by the throne of God, and by Him, that sits thereon. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and you have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. You are blind guides, who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. Matthew 23 vs 17-24.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within you are full of extortion and excess. You blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be also clean. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you 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, you also may outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And yet you 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 you are witnesses unto yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill you up then the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you 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 you slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. Matthew 23 vs 25-36.

Lament Over Jerusalem.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that killed the prophets, and stoned them who are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, You shall not see Me henceforth, until you shall say, Blessed, is He that comes in the name of the Lord. Matthew 23 vs 37-39.