We do not like fake people. We do not like to be around people that are insincere and are only wanting to put on a show. You might know people like this because you are able to truly know them while others are only able to see that same person’s public persona. Strangely, it can seem that religious leaders can fall into this trap. You might know spiritual leaders like elders, preachers, and teachers who act one way before the crowds but act a different way when they are alone or with a select few. Jesus has been teaching in the temple complex, handling the various objections and malicious questions that the religious leaders have thrown at him. Jesus has told them parables to show them their rejection and they unwillingness to listen to God. Jesus now delivers his final public sermon recorded in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 23 records this sermon that he delivers in the temple complex to the crowds and to his disciples. In this chapter Jesus is going to issue a series of seven woes. Now we do not really use this word “woe” too often. But the idea of a woe in the scriptures was a mixture of a lamentation and a condemnation. It is sad warning of coming disaster. Yet these woes are not general warnings. These woes were proclaimed because of the actions of the religious leaders at that time. A word that is repeated in this chapter is the word “hypocrite.” Jesus will call these people hypocrites six times and as he does, he will describe seven ways they were acting as fake people. We are going to break this lesson into two parts. We will continue the first three ways Jesus says to be a hypocrite. In our next lesson we will look at the other four ways Jesus says to be a hypocrite.
Teach God’s Laws But Do not Practice Them (Matthew 23:1-4)
There is only one positive thing Jesus says in this chapter and it comes in verses 2-3. Jesus says that the scribes and the Pharisees teach the Law of Moses. So listen and do what they teach. This is all Jesus can say about them. They at least open the scroll and teach the Law of Moses. But then Jesus observes the first problem. They teach God’s laws but they do not do what they teach. Now I think it is interesting that Jesus does not say that you should not listen to them since they are hypocrites. Jesus says that they are teaching God’s word and that should be listen to. But the problem is that you could not look at their lives and follow their ways. One of the things that is so frequently missed about Christian leadership is that it is not about telling people what to do but living a life that people can emulate. Think about the qualifications for shepherds and deacons that are given in 1 Timothy and in Titus. Those qualities are all areas that are to be put forward as an example to others. This is why the shepherd is too be above reproach, a one woman man, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not violent, not a drunk, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, but gentle and managing the household well with all dignity, among other qualifications. Why are these given? The reason is that a spiritual leader is not supposed to just say what God’s law is but also live what God’s law is. This is why Peter says that shepherds do not domineer over others but are examples to the flock.
Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. (1 Peter 5:2-3 ESV)
Now I want you to notice what Jesus says in verse 4. These religious leaders make heavy burdens on people that they are unwilling to do themselves. We as humans are professionals at doing this. We look at other people’s lives and know exactly what they are doing wrong but when it comes to ourselves we will not take our own medicine. We will give other people the hard truth about what God says but we won’t do that ourselves. We might be rather unmerciful about what we teach but it is not something we would do ourselves. It is easy to put burdens on other people when you do not intend to ever do what you teach. You cannot tell people to do something that you would not do yourself. Now hear this: that does not mean what you are telling people is not true and right. It means you are a hypocrite by telling other people to do God’s will when you won’t do it yourself. It is easy to be a fake Christian by telling everyone else how they ought to live but not living the same way yourself.
Exalt Yourself (Matthew 23:5-12)
The second way to be a hypocrite is to do right and do good things to be seen by others. In verse 5 Jesus says that everything these religious leaders do is to be seen by people. They are concerned about having credit. They are concerned about reputation. They are concerned about the title. They want recognition. They put prayer boxes on their foreheads to make sure people see their piety. They put long tassels on their clothes to make sure people saw that they were important teachers. They made sure to have the best seats so that they would be honored at their feasts and in the synagogues. They made sure that people called them by the title “rabbi.” It is all about recognition. It is all about glory. Jesus says in verses 8-10 to make sure that you do not do that. Verse 8 is so clear that no one is elevated over another. We have one teacher: Jesus. We are all brothers and sisters together in Christ. We have one Father. We do not wear titles or wear clothing to draw attention to ourselves as someone important.
Friends, every time I read this paragraph I am shocked at how often this is ignored in the religious world. How many churches have people wearing special clothes to show that they are a teacher or leader? How many church have people wearing special titles and they make sure you call them by that title? The text specifically says not to call someone “father” or “teacher.” There is not supposed to be any self-promotion and I do not understand how any leader thinks it is acceptable to shine a light on themselves. Friends, we try to be very careful about this. I do not understand why the preacher’s name is on the sign of a church building. Why do that? What does it matter who is preaching? What does it matter if people know who you are? We do not put ourselves in a special category on the picture wall, in the directory, in the bulletin, or on the website. Why not? Because we only have one Teacher, one Father, and one Master and it is not anyone in this room. I never ask anyone to call me anything except by my name, Brent. I am no higher and no better than anyone else in this room. We are together all brothers and sisters in Christ. But a hypocrite makes sure that people know what they are doing and they get the recognition for it. They do things for the show.
Look at what Jesus says in verse 11. The greatest will be your servant. Do you know who is great? Greatness is in serving. Greatness is not in making a show about what you are doing. Greatness is not in having titles or special honor. Greatness is not in drawing attention to yourself. Greatness is not having people do things for you. Greatness quietly serves like Jesus did. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and then asked them if they just understood what he did for them (cf. John 13:7,12). Peter understood what Jesus was doing and said that Jesus could not wash his feet. Jesus responded that if you do not let me do this, then you have no share with me (cf. John 13:8). Why? Because if you do not understand that the call is give yourself and serve, then you do not know Jesus at all. All Jesus did was lower himself and serve others. He did not act like a king even though he was. If you want to be a hypocrite, make sure people know who you are and what you are doing for God.
Make God Hard For Others (Matthew 23:13-15)
Jesus declares his first woe in verse 13. Jesus condemns these religious leaders as hypocrites for shutting the door of the kingdom in people’s faces. You make it hard for others to belong to God and his kingdom. What were these leaders doing that was blocking the path to eternal life with God? Listen to the end of verse 13. Jesus says that these religious leaders are not entering the kingdom themselves and they are not allowing others to enter either. Verse 15 seems to be along the same lines. You travel everywhere to try to win a single convert to God, but by doing so you have made them twice as much a child of hell. So you get a sense of the hypocrisy. You work hard to bring people to God but your polluted life leads them the wrong way. Your life, your teaching, and your example are such a disaster that you are going to lead this person, who is trying to come to the Lord, the wrong way. Think about this: in their effort to bring people to God they were actually blocking people from seeing God and truly being saved.
Application
Jesus is teaching the crowds in the temple area that it is possible to think you are doing God’s will, obeying God’s word, and teaching God’s truth, and be going to eternal punishment of hell. Did you notice that in all three of these first condemnations that Jesus gives, all of them focus on a life that does not match the words? You teach the things of God but do not live them. You do things to be seen and have honor, not do things to actually help and serve others. You do things that are blocking people from being saved because you are not living the way God says and, by doing so, cause others to think they can live the way you live.
Friends, we need to look at our lives and consider if we are real or living like a hypocrite. We need to look at ourselves and see if we are blocking the way of salvation for others and also for ourselves. Are we the salt of the earth like Jesus told us to be? Are we the light that leads people toward God or are we darkness making it harder for people to see God? Are we reflecting the image of Christ or are we just the image of us? Do we make much of God or do we make much of ourselves? Can others follow us to eternal life or would others following us lead them to eternal destruction?