Grace from Jesus' Rebuke

In our passage today, we read some very strong and hard words from Jesus. In fact, they are so strong and scathing that some teachers over the years have refused to believe that the same Jesus who was known as gently and lowly actually spoke these words.

But the Word of God tells us that Jesus did, in fact, speak them. And if He did, in fact, speak them, then they are words that we need to not only accept, but they are words that we can learn from and be edified by.

Jesus has just finished a series of interactions with the religious leaders. After his cleansing of the temple, where he caused a stir, the leaders of his day had reached their “final straw” with Jesus. But really, it was the other way around. Jesus had reached his “final straw” with the official religion in Jerusalem. His parables and answers to their questions made them think, and eventually caused them to stop asking questions at all. And finally, here, are Jesus’ last words of teaching to these scribes and pharisees.

There is very helpful principle found in Ephesians 4:29

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

This is one of the big ideas of living as a follower of Jesus. Our words are not to be corrupting, that is, tearing down or destroying words, but they are to be edifying - building up and helpful.

Sometimes, however, edifying words can still be hard words. And knowing that Jesus is the sinless man, who had no deceit or evil within him, then we know that these words come from his heart of grace and truth.

Yes, there is grace to be found even in these hard words of Jesus. And sometimes a hard word is just what we need to hear. Be it that it jolts us back into position, or grips our attention just enough to make us pause and think. We should not be afraid of the hard and difficult words that God gives to us in the Bible. We should embrace them, and where they speak to us, we should accept them and pray for strength to apply them.

Before we dive in, one more thought will be helpful to us. Do you remember the story Jesus told about the two men who went up to the temple to pray?

Luke 18:10–14 ESV

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

There are two ways we can approach this scripture today. For it is possible to say, “yes, these are good words from Jesus! They are necessary and helpful for those who need them, but I don’t need them!” Or we can say, “God, I see myself in this text. Please, be merciful to me.”

We can view Jesus’ rebuke of the religious leaders and say, “I’m glad I’m not like them!” Or we can say, “apart from Christ, I would be there too.”

1. Three Errors to Avoid - Vs. 1-7

Jesus speaks here to a broad crowd, but no doubt there are some of the scribes and Pharisees still listening, because while he starts speaking about them, he will eventually speak to them.

The problem is not that the scribes and pharisees existed, or even that they were serious about religion. The problem is that they had really created their own twisted and corrupted religious system that led people away from God rather than to Him. And the final “blow” against their system was the fact that when Jesus, their Messiah came, they rejected Him vehemently.

Jesus starts by giving a general summary to the crowd of why they should listen to the Pharisees when they teach the words of Moses, but why they should never do or act the way they do or act.

They “sit on Moses’ seat.” Moses was the first real authoritative teacher in the Bible. God revealed His words and law to Moses, and Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible. As far as these scribes and Pharisees taught Moses, and taught Him accurately, then yes - the people should listen to them and obey them.

But there is clearly a hint of irony, or even sarcasm in Jesus’ words here. Because as soon as he says “do whatever they tell you to do” he says “but not what they do.”

There can be no greater condemnation against a teacher of the Bible than to say “do what they say, not what they do.” May that not be true of us. We all will fail and fall short. We all will break our word at some point. But may we never be known for this.

A. Preaching, but not practicing - Vs. 3

Preaching but not practicing. It is easy to know biblical truth. It is easy to memorize scripture and understand principles. It is easy, especially for some, to stand up and teach them. But what becomes hard is actually doing them.

James 1:22–24 ESV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.

The scribes and Pharisees loved God’s word, and they loved the traditions and teachings that came down through the centuries, but they loved them only as if they were museum pieces or things to be looked at, not to be done.

Dear one, there is edifying grace for us in this, because God has given us His Word not just to read it and see it, but to live by it. The principles, commands, and instructions in the Bible are not just good to know, they are the source of life and blessing for us. May we not be guilty of preaching, but not practicing.

If you have children, you know that you are not so impressed if your children can list off to you in detail the rules of your household, but never obey one of them. You set those rules for safety and order and function and learning. And so it is with God - he gives us His word so we can see Him, see His righteousness, find refuge in Him, and live in His ways.

B. Instructing, but not living - Vs. 4

They “tie up heavy burdens hard to bear… but they themselves are not willing to lift one finger...”

The scribes and pharisees were experts not just in the law of Moses, but in all the thousands of regulations that Rabbis had created over the years to help people follow Moses’ law. These things were not bad in and of themselves, as they were meant to be helpful.

But what was meant to be helpful became the main focus for them. And they became experts in regulating every minute detail of people’s lives, yet, they themsevles didn’t live up to the perfection they requred of others.

We do this, don’t we? We become experts at regulating others’ lives. At least, we are very good at evaluating others and seeing their errors and the ways they should change, without ever looking in the mirror, like we read from James, and seeing how we need to change.

Matthew 7:4–5 ESV

Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

C. Doing, but only to be seen - Vs. 5-7

In Matthew 6, Jesus gave a list of examples of how we might do our righteous deeds only to be seen by others. He said that it was possible to do this in our giving, in our prayer, and in our fasting.

Matthew 6:1 ESV

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

The principle is this - when we do good works to be seen by others, we receive the only reward we will ever receive for those works. We get our audience of men, but God pays no mind to those deeds. They are a stench in his nostrils.

These scribes and pharisees were guilty of this

The way they dressed, which was meant to be a sign of holiness and separation, was only a tool of notice and attention.

Their attendance at the feasts, which were to be celebrations of God and His works, were opportunities for them to be honored.

When they went to Church (the synagogue) their focus was to be comfortable and honored.

Their life of devotion to God’s Word was for them a means to be given a title and recognition.

They turned holiness into a show, the robbed God of His honor, they turned worship into comfort and self-gratification, and in their devotion they were devoted only to themselves.

Dear one, I’m sure that I have been guilty of every one of these things in some fashion. And I’m sure that you have also. The Pharisees and scribes may have been known for theses things in a major way, but would we pray to God for strength to do away with these errors in our lives?

May we come to Jesus in repentance, and live lives of faith. For if someone persists in these ways and never comes to Christ, then the woes of the next section have to be considered.

2. Seven Woes to Warn - 13-37

Jesus follows a pattern from the Old Testament here. In Habbakuk 2, there were five “woes” given to the Chaldeans. In Isaiah 5, there were six “woes” given to the wicked in general.

Here, to these scribes and pharisees, Jesus gives seven woes.

What is a woe? The word “woe” here is an interjection, similar to if we were to say “Oh No!”

It also was a “sounds like” expression. onomatopoeia - for the word “sounded like” the sound you would make in anger, or sadness, or intense grief.

And in Jesus’ words to these men, we find all those expressions. True anger that they refused to listen. True Sadness that they had persisted in this error. True grief that they had not turned and repented.

And also, these woes are “to” them. In essence, Jesus is calling these scribes and pharisees to feel the weight of this anger, sadness, and intense grief for themselves. They were comfortable in their rebellion. Jesus’ words might have shaken them out of that comfort, but we will find later that they persisted.

So, too. May these words shake us from any indifference, or stubbornness that we hold in our lives. May these words rattle off any last little scale of callous that comes between us and Jesus.

All these woes denounce them for the same thing - hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is the number one enemy of true religion. It could be summed up in those three errors that we already looked at.

Not practicing what we preach.

Instructing but not Living.

Doing only to be seen by others.

Every one of these seven woes gives a very specific instance of evil in their lives.

Also, we should notice how These 7 woes mirror in a big way the beatitudes that Jesus taught in Matthew 5. Where should be meekness, and poorness of spirit, and hunger for righteousness, Jesus does not find it here. Jesus wants to bless, but here he can only say “woe!”

May these words warn us against this kind of hypocrisy, and may they drive us to Jesus.

We can’t look at them in intense detail, but just a thought or to from each.

A. They Shut the Door to the Kingdom - 13-15

This first “woe” has two woes in it. 13 and 15.

These men were evangelistic, but any convert they made was not converted to be a lover and follower of God, but a follower of them. They were making converts to Phariseeism. They went to great lengths to make a convert, but when they did, he was a convert to them, not to God.

We, too, are called to preach the Gospel and make disciples, but may we never seek to make disciples of our own little Kingdom. And may we never block the door to Christ’s Kingdom with our own religious system or ideas. When we preach, let us preach Christ. When we proclaim a Kingdom, let it be Christ’s Kingdom. May we decrease, and Jesus increase.

B. They Wiggled their way out of Honesty - 16-22

There is a lot here, but it is very similar to Jesus’ teaching on taking and keeping “vows” in Matthew 5.

Essentially, Jesus is denouncing the practice of finding loopholes in promises in order to not keep them.

In distinguishing between the temple and the things in it, the altar and the sacrifice on the altar, and heaven and the God who is in heaven, they could agree to an oath but then later say it was binding because it was “not valid.”

Culturally, we may not understand the practice, but the warning here is against finding loopholes or ways to be “technically” in the right without actually doing what is right. The epithet on this was that they are “blind guides.” So, too, when we deceive ourselves, prove that we are blind.

C. They Majored on the Minor and Minored on the Major - Vs. 23-24

The Pharisees were incredibly devout in the minutia of religion. Exacting and precise in giving a tenth of everything they received, even down to their spices. But Jesus says that as much attention as they paid to those things, they did not do what was truly important to God - Justice, and Mercy, and faithfulness.

Psalm 51:16–17 ESV

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Dear one, it is possible to “obey God” with your body, but not to follow God with your heart.

God does call for our obedience, but he first wants our heart and soul. This, perhaps, is the big idea of all these rebukes. It is so simple - even from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus says our righteousness must exceed the scribes and pharisees, which at first seems impossible because they are so devout and obedient. But here is the difference - their hearts were cold and unconverted.

True change always begins in the heart. Jesus is the heart-surgeon that the world needs, that you and I need. Would you cry out to Jesus, even right now, for a heart change?

D. They Cleaned only what they thought could be seen - Vs. 25-26

We have all done something like this. Sweeping a pile of dirt under a rug. Piling a mess in a closet before guests arrive. Throwing a blanket over an otherwise unmade bed.

These little tricks are helpful when cleaning our house quickly, but when we use the same attitude before God and others, then we are in trouble.

You see, mankind may only be able to see our clothes and public lives, but God can see everything. This flows right out of the last woe, because God wants our heart, and God is the only one who can see our heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

E. They appeared to be full of life, but they were dead inside - Vs. 27-28

When it came near the feast of passover, the Jewish people would “whitewash” the tombs of the dead so that nobody would accidentally come near one of those stones and touch it. It was part of their ceremonial rituals to not touch a place of the dead at these times.

So the “whitewash” was to tell people that there were dead men’s bones inside.

Jesus uses this image to say that the scribes and Pharisees had “whitewashed” themselves. And in trying to appear lively in their religion, they were actually advertising that they were dead inside.

New life is the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit in the Gospel. Jesus said in John 3 that unless a man is “born again” he can’t even see or enter the Kingdom of God. Paul said in Ephesians 2 that we are dead in our trespasses and sins. These men were religious, but they were still dead.

What a warning to us - religious but still dead? Oh, dear one. Know that walking into this church building does not prove that we are “alive” spiritually. Unless we are given new live by Christ, we are still dead on the inside.

F. They Rejected God’s Message - Vs. 29-36

They gave lip service to listening to God’s messengers, but Jesus says that if they were alive in the days of their fathers, who killed the prophets and righteous men, that they would have done the same thing.

Their end is bleak - sentenced to hell, all the righteous blood shed even in the Old Testament will be on them. They would prove that even within “this generation,” and they would indeed.

Because Jesus gives a prophetic warning - verse 34 tells us that Jesus would send prophets and wise men and scribes, who they would crucify and kill, and persecute from town to town.

This goes right along with the parables of the unfaithful son and wicked servants. Jesus, of course, would be the first and great “prophet” who would be killed by these men. But they would continue.

Just think of Paul, who was a Pharisee of the pharisees - and before Christ came and redeemed him on the road to Damascus, he was “breathing out murderous threats against the servents of God...”

Paul was not alone in this, he was one of many. So truly, these men would “fill up” the shoes of their fathers who killed the prophets.

But notice something amazing here, Jesus says “I will send…”

Don’t miss that, for right in the thick of this rebuke, Jesus is saying something about Himself. Several things actually.

He is saying that He is the one who can send these prophets and wise men and scribes. He is also prophesying that they will kill them. Jesus is showing His authority as the Son of God here to these men who reject Him altogether.

Even in our rebellion, Jesus shows us Himself and who He is. Don’t miss that. Don’t miss Jesus revelation of Himself. That He is God’s Son, the savior, the Messiah and Lord. Don’t Miss Him, and Don’t reject His messengers. We can read about his “prophets and wise men and scribes” in the rest of the New Testament, and these words were written by them as God led them so we can know Him. Don’t reject them, and don’t Miss Jesus.

3. Two Glimmers of Hope - 8-12, 37-39

We skipped Verse 8-12 earlier, because I wanted to look at these two hopeful elements together.

A. Don’t seek titles, we have all we need in Christ - Vs. 8-12

These men loved their titles, but Jesus said that we are not to seek them.

We have one true Teacher, and that is Jesus. We have one true Father, and that is God alone.

Jesus is not saying that nobody will teach or instruct or be a father on earth, but he is telling us not to seek greatness, for when we exalt ourselves, we will never be exalted by Christ.

But there is hope here, for the humble and lowly.

James 4:10 (ESV)

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Matthew 5:3–5 (ESV)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

B. Jesus Rebuke Shows his Heart of Redemption - Vs. 37-39

Jesus ends this teaching by crying out against “Jerusalem, Jerusalem.” Of course, the physical city with its walls and buildings and the temple were not being spoken to, but Jerusalem as in its leaders and what it stood for. In essence, it is a synonym for these men, the leaders and teachers.

“How often would I have gathered your children… but you would not.”

The hypocrisy and false religion of the scribes and pharisees, in essence, blinded the children of Jerusalem from God’s true intent. It comes to a head when Jesus comes on the scene, because He is the culmination of God’s revelation to His people. And what do these men do with Jesus?

They seek to silence Him. And when they can’t do that, they put Him away.

But hear Jesus’ heart of compassion and redemption in this call. And see His promise.

He is coming again. He will redeem. He is the Redeeming God.

As we near a close, think of this reminder from Matthew 9.

Matthew 9:10–13 (ESV)

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

If you have heard all these warnings and errors to avoid, and you say “I am guilty of many of these. I see these in my life” then know this, you are Just who Jesus came to save and redeem.

The fact is, every person on earth is guilty of many or all of these things. We are all hypocrites by nature. We all trust in ourselves by nature. We are all dead men inside by nature. We all need new life.

Jesus did not come to gather those who had all things put together, but he came to redeem those who were far off. These Pharisees thought they were near, but they were far off. They just wouldn’t admit it.

Would you be honest with yourself before God, and come to Jesus for this redemption?

And Christian, would you see these words of Jesus as a reminder, and would you let them shake off the hypocrisy and pride that we hang on to?

These words are hard words, but they are words that can build up. Jesus holds out his hands all the day long with forgiveness and says “come.”

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.