“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus' powerful "woe" isn't just a curse; it's a profound lament that the religious leaders, acting as gatekeepers, are actively locking the door to God's kingdom. They not only refuse to enter themselves but also physically block others who are genuinely trying to find their way in. This reveals a devastating spiritual obstructionism where access to God is being denied by those who should be opening the path.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus launches into a series of "woes" directed at the scribes and Pharisees, whom He labels hypocrites. He accuses them of preventing people from entering the Kingdom of Heaven, both by their own refusal to engage with its truths and by actively hindering others who were seeking to do so. This condemnation comes after Jesus has exposed their hypocrisy in other areas of religious practice.
Jesus calls out the scribes and Pharisees as 'hypocrites.' What does this word really mean, and why is it so damning in God's eyes?
The word 'hypocrite' originally described an actor on a stage, someone who plays a role. For the scribes and Pharisees, their 'acting' was a performance of religious duty without genuine heart commitment.
Jesus says these leaders 'shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.' How did they become such effective gatekeepers of God’s grace?
The scribes and Pharisees acted as self-appointed gatekeepers to God’s kingdom, but they did so in a way that blocked access rather than granting it.
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Understand the original words
ouai · Greek Interjection
An exclamation of grief, sorrow, or impending judgment, signifying severe divine displeasure or curse upon a person or group for their conduct.
grammateus/Pharisaios · Greek Noun
Jewish religious leaders and teachers of the Law (scribes) and those who strictly adhered to a legalistic interpretation of the Law (Pharisees), often criticized for their outward piety masking inward corruption.
hypokritēs · Greek Noun
An actor or pretender; one who masks their true character by acting out a role of righteousness, used by Jesus to describe those who display external piety while lacking internal transformation.
basileia · Greek Noun
The rule, reign, or sovereign authority of God, often synonymous with the presence and life of God's people under His rule, which began with Jesus' ministry.
Jesus' words here are not just abstract theological pronouncements, but a direct confrontation with the religious establishment of His day. The 'scribes and Pharisees' had, in Jesus' view, become gatekeepers who not only failed to enter the Kingdom of Heaven themselves but actively prevented others from doing so by misinterpreting and hoarding the 'key of knowledge.'
c. 2nd century BC - 1st century AD
Rise of Pharisaic Influence
The Pharisee movement gained significant influence among the Jewish people, emphasizing strict adherence to the Law and oral traditions. They positioned themselves as interpreters and guardians of religious understanding.
1st century BC - 1st century AD
Scribes as Interpreters of Law
Scribes, often associated with the Pharisees, held a prominent role in interpreting and teaching the Torah. They were seen as possessors of the 'key of knowledge.'
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus begins his public ministry, directly challenging the authority and interpretations of the scribes and Pharisees, attracting large crowds of followers.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Confrontations in Jerusalem
During His final days in Jerusalem, Jesus delivers strong condemnations against the scribes and Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy and obstruction of God's kingdom.
c. AD 33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified and resurrected, marking a pivotal moment in salvation history and the establishment of His kingdom.
c. AD 33 - 70
Early Spread of the Gospel
The apostles and early followers of Jesus begin to actively preach the Gospel, facing opposition from the very religious leaders Jesus condemned.
This passage directly echoes Matthew 23:13, accusing the Pharisees of taking away the 'key of knowledge' and preventing people from entering the kingdom of God, just as Jesus warns them in Matthew.
Matthew 23:15This verse continues the 'woes' against the scribes and Pharisees, showing their destructive influence by illustrating how they dangerously mislead people into their own error, making them 'twice as much children of hell'.
1 Timothy 4:1-2This passage describes people in later times who, like the Pharisees, would be led astray by deceitful spirits and false teachings that prohibit marriage and certain foods, illustrating how spiritual deception can 'shut people out' from true understanding.
Galatians 4:17Paul describes false teachers who eagerly seek to draw believers away from the truth, paralleling the Pharisees' behavior in Matthew 23:13 by showing how they 'shut up' the true way for others by promoting their own agenda.
John 9:40-41When Jesus confronts the Pharisees, they reveal their own blindness and rejection of Him, demonstrating their failure to enter the kingdom themselves and their active opposition to those who sought to follow Jesus, mirroring the accusations in Matthew 23:13.
vincentMatthew 23:13: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
Hypocrites (ὑποκριταί)From ὑποκρίνω, to separate gradually; so of separating the truth from a mass of falsehood, and thence to subject to inquiry, and, as a result of this, to expound or interpret what is elicited. Then, to reply to inquiry, and so to answer on the stage, to speak in dialog…
calvinMatthew 23:13-15: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
- But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you do not enter yourselves, and do not permit those who come to enter. 14. And woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and that under the disgu…
Jesus' powerful "woe" isn't just a curse; it's a profound lament that the religious leaders, acting as gatekeepers, are actively locking the door to God's kingdom. They not only refuse to enter themselves but also physically block others who are genuinely trying to find their way in. This reveals a devastating spiritual obstructionism where access to God is being denied by those who should be opening the path.
Jesus launches into a series of "woes" directed at the scribes and Pharisees, whom He labels hypocrites. He accuses them of preventing people from entering the Kingdom of Heaven, both by their own refusal to engage with its truths and by actively hindering others who were seeking to do so. This condemnation comes after Jesus has exposed their hypocrisy in other areas of religious practice.
Jesus launches into a series of "woes" directed at the scribes and Pharisees, whom He labels hypocrites. He accuses them of preventing people from entering the Kingdom of Heaven, both by their own refusal to engage with its truths and by actively hindering others who were seeking to do so. This condemnation comes after Jesus has exposed their hypocrisy in other areas of religious practice.
"“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in." — Jesus' powerful "woe" isn't just a curse; it's a profound lament that the religious leaders, acting as gatekeepers, are actively locking the door to God's kingdom. They not only refuse to enter thems…
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Last reviewed October 2026