Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Matthew 23:3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 23:3 so practice and observe everything they tell you, but do not do as they do; for they preach [things], but do not practice them. |
Bible Question: Chapter 23 of Matthew is a clear announcement that the scribes and pharisees have works with a selfish heart. Taking the whole context of this chapter, and Jesus' view of Religiosity, how do you approach someone raised in a church that teaches from the same heart? |
Bible Answer: Hi, Manuel... The Scribes and the Pharisees were amazingly moral people. Paul, who had been a Pharisee probably being groomed for the Sanhedrin, said of himself that based on the righteousness of the law, he was blameless (Philippians 3:6). That is a pretty amazing thing. Think about it. Do you know anyone who based on the external righteousness of the law that they would be blameless? That they had never uttered even so much as a lie a single time? The Pharisees were known far and wide for their piety. Our Lord Jesus, however, clearly asserts that the righteousness of even the most moral man falls enormously short of God's holy demand. Think about what He said was the great commandment, citing Deuteronomy 6:5, that "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37). Now just stop right there. Forget about any other commands. Just think about that single command. I have never loved God with all my heart. I have never loved God with all my life. I have never loved God with all my mind. Frankly, I don't know of anyone in my life who has done so. Indeed, I am very certain that I wouldn't even know what it would look like. Forget all the other commands, that single command alone is all that is needed to doom me in judgment before our holy Lord God. So do we have a problem in our churches? You bet! Not only do they all fail externally -- they can't even measure up to the morality of the Pharisee! -- but they also fail internally, each and every one with a "selfish heart" as you put it. What's more, is their sin is even more pervasive than that... and I can do nothing other than include myself among them. Yes, take chapter 23 of Matthew in context. Take it in the context of the whole book. Who is the only perfect example of external, internal, perfect, complete righteousness in heart, mind, actions, and nature? Our Lord Jesus Christ. Unless my sin is imputed to Him -- just as though He had lived it -- and His righteousness is imputed to me -- just as though I had lived it; there is no hope in judgment. Consequently, when approaching anyone, we must be very conscious of our own need in Christ alone; we must be very conscious of the gift of salvation through grace alone by faith alone; and we must be very conscious that unless God grants the same mercy and gives the same grace to others that we have experienced, then there is nothing we can do for them. We can only speak the Word, recognizing that therein is our only hope. One last thing, that is strictly a matter of experience, but that you might find helpful: The more I am focused on myself, the more I notice the deficiencies in other believers around me. The more I am focused on Christ, the more I notice the deficiencies in myself. Corrie ten Boom put it very well. She said, "Look without, be distressed. Look within, be depressed. Look above, be at rest." Excuse me for dashing these thoughts out without proper scriptural annotation. Hopefully the specific Biblical citations will be obvious. I am not well, and must retire from the keyboard tonight. In Him, Doc |
Up | Down View Branch | ID# 237539 | ||
Questions and/or Subjects for Matt 23:3 | Author | ||
|
DocTrinsograce | ||
|
pjmacaz | ||
|
DocTrinsograce | ||
|
pjmacaz |