Sermon Tone Analysis

Who are the Pharisee’s?

So what does the name Pharisee mean?

It comes from a word that means “to separate”.

They would separate themselves from Gentiles and who they considered unclean Jews who do not practice the Law, and from sinners.

Now the denunciation of the Pharisee’s in chapter 23 and other places is very broad and not all inclusive for there were about 6000 of them at the time, with many other followers who were their disciples but not full members of the Pharisee group.

Most of them were sincere in their quest for truth and holiness, and true spiritual religion like

Nicodemus (Jn3; 7:50-53)

Joseph of Arimathea (Jn19:38f)

Unnamed man (Mk12:32-34)

But in the most part the Pharisees used their “religion” to promote themselves and their material gain.

Today we are looking at the introduction to the 7 woes, Jesus is addressing the crowd in his last public sermon.

Don’t look at just the negative, the denunciation in this chapter, look at the flip side of what the crowd, the people are told to do.

Open Story Book to (pgs.

123-124) and Bible to Mt23:1-12

What do you see, what do you notice, what sticks out to you?

What you see here is that the Pharisee’s had some false concepts, or mis-conceptions

of Righteousness (vv.2-3)

of Ministry (v.4)

of Greatness (vv.5-12)

But before we get to that, first we need to look at (v.1)

Who is Jesus speaking to (v.1)?

False Concept of Righteousness

There are some key points in these verses, can you pick them out?

They seated themselves - there is nowhere in the Bible that speaks of a job of Pharisee as appointed by God and given authority by God.

their only authority is the Word of God - Where were they seating themselves?

In the seat (chair) of Moses, who was the recipient and keeper of the law and so were the generations to follow him.

Do what they tell you - if they are speaking the word of Moses, speaking the law, do that, those are God’s commands.

Don’t do what they do for they do not do what they say to do - they are hypocrites (players, performers, who do not do what they say) they are acting righteous but not being righteous .

To the Pharisee’s here they believed righteousness is conformity to the Law, but you will see later that they missed the big picture the condition of the heart.

God’s people need people to help interpret the Word of God accurately and to challenge them to apply it in their lives daily.

As mentioned they have misconception, or false conception of righteousness since they are not keeping what they are saying.

The first factor of false spiritual leadership: Is they lack God given spiritual authority.

Jesus is the one who has all authority; Jesus is the one who is head over the God’s people

If we are honest with one another we know that we learn better by following examples set before us than just reading or hearing don’t we? - The Pharisee’s were speaking the right things (for most part) but not doing them.

The misconception of righteousness was they thought it was in their words, not in their actions.

II.

False concept of Ministry

In looking at this verse there are two things stated, what are they?

They tie up heavy burden’s

Unwilling to move to help

It is interesting fact that the burdens are normally carried on the shoulders for they are strong, can carry the load while the fingers are weaker and cannot carry the load.

The Pharisee’s were laying burdens on the people but unwilling to lift a finger to help them with the burdens.

- the burdens of obedience which were impossible to keep is what they demanded of the people.

- their ministry was one of works, demands, obedience, they were unwilling to lighten burdens where Christ’s ministry was just the opposite

God’s Word was to help man know how to worship, how to please God but they were hypocrites in not putting forth any effort to help man in doing such.

They were about status seeking, about pride.

The second factor of false spiritual leadership: They lack integrity; and another factor they lack sympathy

III.

False conception of greatness

Greatness to them was being known, seen, recognized by praises of men.

How do they do it to be recognized by men?

Broaden phylacteries

Lengthen tassels

Take seats of honor (banquets, synagogues)

respectful greetings

While they lacked compassion in not lifting a finger to relieve burdens they were also insecure needed the praises of men to prove their spirituality

Here we have another factor: They lack humility

They put recognition before their God.

Mt22

He had told them previously what is the greatest and foremost.

Mt5:16

Deeds, position, need to shine the light of good works and glorify the Father in heaven.

They thought position and possessions were marks of greatness and favor with God, Jesus ministry and thoughts were contrary to that

Lk18

Jesus was teaching it is not about possession or position but about being a humble servant.

John was a great example of this.

Jesus was a great example

Jn

Albert Einstein “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”

Then comes the issues of greetings or titles.

There are 3 contrasts in (vv.8-10) what are they?

Don’t call Rabbi, only one teacher

Don’t call father, only one Father

Don’t be called leaders, only One leader

Now don’t get this wrong, titles have a place when they are used properly.

Doctor is a doctor, but that is not who he is, it is what he is.

A teacher is a teacher but that is not who he is, etc.

But titles used as honorific is contrary to what Jesus is teaching.

Rabbi means “great one” - this would be someone who is considered a great teacher, so it would be very gratifying for the Pharisee to be called Rabbi.

As Christians we are to seek titles or to be referred to as titles for we are all the same, brothers in Christ.

= There is only one who is the teacher and that one is the Lord.

The one who is the giver of he Law and the giver of the law of love.

Father: We are not to refer to anyone as father, spiritually things.

Hey your biological father is that, your earthly father, but you only have one o those and you only have one Heavenly Father, This is clear from the Lord that it is wrong to call someone father.

Paul does refer to himself as a spiritual father in two places in scripture, but it is not for honor

1Cor

He taught them the gospel and was a spiritual father who pointed them and leads them to the Father in heaven through Christ Jesus.

the second one was a metaphorical father

The Pharisee’s wanted it due to pride, they wanted honor where the honor should be given to God.

The last title mentioned is leader, in some versions it says teacher, though different word than in (v.8); this is the word master and this is the only place in the N.T. this particular word is used.

- the definition is one who goes before and guides; or one who has the authority.

Only Jesus has the authority (remember Mt28:18) And he is the head of the church (meaning has authority) as mentioned before from (Col1:18).

True spiritual leadership in the church does not try or even imply any authority upon themselves but as servants of the One who has all authority Jesus Christ and will lead people to a closer fellowship, relationship with Him and to follow Him and not the leader.

True greatness is found in serving others not in forcing others to serve us as we have previously looked at John the Baptist (Jn3:30) and Jesus Himself (Jn13:12-17).

True greatness is not manufactured, it only comes from God for example

When we humble ourselves God will exalt us in due time

The humble servant are promised other blessings, rewards too

Look at M

compare to Mt20:26-28

Riches, honor and life are found in humility