Matthew 23:1
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Matthew 23:1
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Jesus addresses not just the disciples, but the crowds too, indicating a public rebuke. This wasn't a private conversation but a powerful, audible warning meant to be heard by many, showing the urgency of the message.
Jesus has just finished a series of intense confrontations with the religious leaders in the Temple, answering their tricky questions and delivering sharp parables. Now, turning away from his adversaries, he addresses the crowds and his own disciples directly, preparing to unleash a powerful discourse against the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. This marks the beginning of his final public teachings in Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
Jesus has been confronting religious leaders, but something changes. Who is He addressing now, and why does it matter?
In Matthew 23:1, Jesus shifts His focus from direct confrontation with the scribes and Pharisees to addressing a broader audience: "the multitude, and his disciples." This marks a critical moment.
Moving Beyond the Opposition
Previously, Jesus had engaged in sharp debates and parables designed to expose the hypocrisy of the religious elite. But now, He turns to the people and His own followers. This isn't just a change of listeners; it's a strategic move.
The Purpose of the Public Address
As commentaries suggest, Jesus wants to ensure the "authority of the word of God might remain entire" (Calvin) even when the messengers are flawed. He aims to guide the crowds, so they aren't "offended at the vices of the scribes" (Calvin) and don't discard the Law itself. He's clarifying how to discern true teaching from flawed practice, ensuring His message reaches everyone, not just those already convinced.
Jesus tells people to obey the scribes and Pharisees, even though He's about to condemn them. How can this be?
In the verses immediately following, Jesus famously says, "The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat... whatever they bid you to observe, do it" (Matthew 23:2-3, my paraphrase). This is a pivotal, and often misunderstood, instruction.
Distinguishing Office from Person
Jesus is making a crucial distinction between the office of teaching God's Law and the individuals who hold that office. The "seat of Moses" represents the authoritative position of interpreting and teaching the Law of God, a role established by God.
The Core of the Instruction
Therefore, Jesus isn't endorsing the Pharisees' hypocrisy or their flawed character. Instead, He's instructing the people to honor the vested in the Law itself, as taught through the legitimate line of succession (Moses's seat).
This discourse occurs in the climactic final week of Jesus' earthly ministry in Jerusalem, immediately before His crucifixion. It marks Jesus' last public teaching, a powerful denunciation of the religious hypocrisy He observed in the scribes and Pharisees who held positions of authority.
c. 200 BC - AD 70
Pharisaic Movement Dominates Jewish Leadership
The Pharisee sect gains significant influence in Jewish religious and social life, emphasizing oral traditions and strict observance of the Law. Their authority as interpreters of the Law grows.
c. 6 BC - AD 30
Ministry of John the Baptist
John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizes in the wilderness, preparing the way for Jesus. His ministry is recognized by many, including some Pharisees.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry and Teachings
Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and challenging the religious authorities, particularly the scribes and Pharisees, on their interpretation and practice of the Law.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Final Week in Jerusalem
Jesus enters Jerusalem triumphantly, cleanses the Temple, and engages in intense confrontations with the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees through parables and debates.
This passage echoes Jesus' criticism by highlighting how the Pharisees 'load men with burdens grievous to be borne' while not lifting a finger themselves, directly correlating with the hypocrisy Jesus addresses here.
Matthew 15:8-9Jesus quotes Isaiah here, criticizing those who honor Him with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him, teaching doctrines that are mere human commandments. This directly speaks to the disconnect between the scribes' and Pharisees' outward show and their inner reality, which Jesus condemns in Matthew 23.
Galatians 5:13-15Paul's warning against using freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, and against biting and devouring one another, parallels Jesus' concern that the people not follow the harmful examples of their leaders, who were using their position for self-exaltation and not service.
1 Peter 5:2-3This passage instructs elders not to 'lord it over' those entrusted to them but to be examples, directly contrasting with the behavior of the scribes and Pharisees who sought the 'first places' and 'greatest' positions, as described by Jesus.
bensonMatthew 23:1: "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,"
Matthew 23:1-3 . Then spake Jesus to the multitude — Leaving all converse with his adversaries; whom he now gave up to the hardness of their hearts. The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’s seat — Or, chair — That is, read and expound the law of Moses, and are the appointed teachers of the people. The Jewish doctors, as is well known, always taught sitting. The name Pharisees being the appellation of a sect, it cannot be s…
calvinMatthew 23:1-12: "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,"
- Then Jesus spoke to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses. 3. Observe and do, therefore, all things whatever they command you to observe; but do not according to their works; for they say and do not. 4. For they bind heavy and intolerable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they refuse to touch them with their finger. 5. And they do all their…
Jesus addresses not just the disciples, but the crowds too, indicating a public rebuke. This wasn't a private conversation but a powerful, audible warning meant to be heard by many, showing the urgency of the message.
Jesus has just finished a series of intense confrontations with the religious leaders in the Temple, answering their tricky questions and delivering sharp parables. Now, turning away from his adversaries, he addresses the crowds and his own disciples directly, preparing to unleash a powerful discourse against the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. This marks the beginning of his final public teachings in Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
Jesus has just finished a series of intense confrontations with the religious leaders in the Temple, answering their tricky questions and delivering sharp parables. Now, turning away from his adversaries, he addresses the crowds and his own disciples directly, preparing to unleash a powerful discourse against the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. This marks the beginning of his final public teachings in Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
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Jesus points out the scribes and Pharisees love attention. What's so wrong with wanting to be respected?
Jesus doesn't just address what the scribes and Pharisees taught, but why they did it and how they acted. He exposes their deep-seated hypocrisy, especially their love for public recognition.
The Motivation Matters
Jesus states, "they do all their works that they may be seen by men" (Matthew 23:5, my paraphrase). This is the heart of their sin. Their actions, whether outwardly religious or not, were driven by a desire for human praise, not by genuine devotion to God.
Signs of Hypocrisy
He highlights specific examples:
The True Call to Humility
Jesus contrasts this with the path of His followers: "you are all brothers" (Matthew 23:8) and "whoever is great among you must be your servant" (Matthew 23:11). The pursuit of honor and recognition is directly opposed to the humility and service that characterize Christ's kingdom.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Discourse on Hypocrisy
In His final public address before His crucifixion, Jesus delivers a strong rebuke to the scribes and Pharisees in the Temple, exposing their hypocrisy and warning the crowds and His disciples.
c. AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman Empire destroys Jerusalem and the Second Temple, marking a catastrophic turning point for Judaism and signaling the end of the Temple-based sacrificial system.
"Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples," — Jesus addresses not just the disciples, but the crowds too, indicating a public rebuke. This wasn't a private conversation but a powerful, audible warning meant to be heard by many, showing the urgen…