** Jesus was teaching about a true servant’s heart that loves others more than self and will joyfully do without so that someone else may prosper. **

Date:   9/26/2018 8:00:18 PM ( 6 y ago)

Note on Matthew 23:11
God exalts those who humble themselves (Proverbs 15:33 and 18:12) and resists the proud (1 Peter 5:6).

Matthew 23:12
Note on Matthew 23:12
This is opposite the way the world thinks.
Many of us Christians fail to think this way, too, but this is an unchangeable law of God. It may not appear this is always so, but it is.

It’s not always apparent during this physical life here on earth, but we can rest assured that this will happen in eternity.
Because God’s Word promotes humility so much, some think that any exaltation is bad. This verse promises that we will be exalted by God when we humble ourselves. Exaltation isn’t bad; it’s self-exaltation that the Lord was speaking against. Those who are truly humble will embrace the exaltation that comes from the Lord. See my notes at Numbers 12:3 and 2 Corinthians 12:7.

Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 5 at Matthew 23:12: It needs to be pointed out that if people become servants or humble themselves with the motive of seeking to be exalted, then they are not truly fulfilling Jesus’ command and will not reap the reward promised here.

Hypocrisy is an attitude or motive (see note 1 at Matthew 21:23 and note 2 at Matthew 23:2), and many people today have taken on religious mannerisms that appear self-debasing but in truth are “Pharisaisms.”

“You all pray for me while I try to sing this special. I don’t have a very good voice, but the Lord said all we had to do was make a joyful sound.”

This line has become a standard with many singers, yet if you agreed with them and said, “You’re right! Your voice really is terrible,” you would be in for a fight. That’s hypocrisy. It was just a backhanded way of seeking to gain a compliment. That was not what Jesus was advocating.

Jesus was teaching about a true servant’s heart that loves others more than self and will joyfully do without so that someone else may prosper.

Matthew 23:13

Note on Matthew 23:13
Religious errors have sent many people to hell. These scribes and Pharisees were not saved. They were blocking others from salvation by their hypocrisy and legalism. Likewise today, many people would have been Christians if it were not for the way religion has misrepresented God.

Life For Today Study Bible Notes
Note 6 at Matthew 23:13: Jesus pronounced eight denunciations in Matthew 23, each beginning with, “Woe unto you” (Matthew 23:13-16, 23, 25, 27, and 29). “Woe” is the Greek word “OUAI” used by the Lord as an interjection in denunciation of hypocrisy (note 6 at Mark 7:6 and see note 2 at Matthew 22:18). The word “woe” actually means “deep distress or misery, as from grief; wretchedness...misfortune; calamity.” Jesus pronounced it against those religious leaders who professed to hold virtues that they did not possess.

It is used in Scripture in Matthew 11:21 [twice], 18:7 [twice], 23:13-16, 23, 24:19, 26:24; Mark 13:17, 14:21; Luke 6:24 [thirteen times], 6:25 [twice], 6:26 [once], 10:13 [twice], 11:42-44, 46-47, 52, 17:1, 21:23, 22:22; 1 Corinthians 9:16; Jude 11; Revelation 8:13 [twelve times], 9:12 [twice], 11:14 [twice], and 12:12 [once]. Revelation 18:10, 16, and 19 use the word “alas” twice in each of those verses, which means essentially the same as “woe.”

Note 7 at Matthew 23:13: In Jesus’ exposure of these scribes and Pharisees, He detailed the main characteristics of hypocrites.

Hypocrites don’t practice what they preach (Matthew 23:3-4), they always seek self-glory instead of seeking to glorify God (Matthew 23:5-7), they have their priorities wrong (Matthew 23:16-24), they focus on outward show instead of the inner condition of the heart (Matthew 23:25-28), and they always persecute the true worshipers of God (Matthew 23:29-35).

Note 8 at Matthew 23:13: There are two main types of hypocrisy: (1) not practicing what one preaches (Titus 1:16) and (2) right actions with wrong motives (Matthew 15:8). This second type of hypocrisy was what Jesus rebuked in the scribes and Pharisees. It is more subtle than the first type and is very prevalent in religion today.

People universally dislike blatant hypocrisy, but this subtle type of hypocrisy has been encouraged and even promoted by religion. Religion teaches tithing or giving for selfish motives, while 1 Corinthians 13:3 and 2 Corinthians 9:7 make it clear that giving will profit people nothing unless they have the proper motives.

The same thing is done when people try to achieve holiness and when they do many other religious acts. It is not always the acts that are wrong, but if the motivations behind those acts are wrong, those motives can make hypocrites too.

Note 9 at Matthew 23:13: These scribes and Pharisees “shut up the kingdom of heaven against men” in two main ways. One way was that they put down so many requirements for salvation that people despaired of ever being good enough to be accepted by God. And the second way was that their hypocrisy made people think, “If what they have is salvation, then I don’t want it.”
The same thing is happening today.

However, those who are rejecting salvation because of the religious hypocrites should remember that if they don’t go ahead and receive Jesus as their Lord, then they will have to spend eternity with all those hypocrites in hell.
Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary.

 

Popularity:   message viewed 856 times
URL:   http://www.curezone.org/blogs/fm.asp?i=2414951

<< Return to the standard message view