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Religion:  Who are the “scribes and Pharisees” of today?

Gary Googe Aug 26

If you’re looking for a list of them, you won’t find one in this article.   What everyone needs is the means to recognize people like them and their false teachings.  I could give some names or titles of some who are alive in our time, just as Christ did in the time of His earthly ministry, and there wouldn’t be anything wrong with me doing that.  But the titles these people go by change from time to time and from place to place.  What did Jesus Christ say about these people in the time of His earthly ministry? What were their beliefs? What are we to look for to recognize such people today? These are things EVERYONE desperately needs to know.

We find in our Bible that nearly a whole chapter is devoted to Christ’s comments about these people in the timeframe of His earthly ministry.  Probably the apostle Matthew’s record of this is the one most extensive.  We find there that He had nothing good to say about them, even though He was willing to die for their sins to provide them all with a way they could be saved, just as He has for each of us.

1 Timothy 2:5-6

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. [Emphasis added]

This was all done so that anyone could be saved from everlasting condemnation and punishment.

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

Yes, He did this for all mankind so that anyone could be saved by faith in Him and what He did for them.  Our apostle Paul wrote extensively about this marvelous work of His.

Romans 5:8-10

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. [Emphasis added]

Do people with this false “religious” thinking live among us today? They certainly do! You’ll find many of them in every generation.  Don’t we also find in this passage His example as to what we should think about people we come across who have similar beliefs today? Let’s walk through this passage of Scripture together to see what we can learn about all this.

Matthew 23:1-39

1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

The first thing we should note here is that these were wellknown men who occupied positions of prestige and authority.  Furthermore, they were very “religious” people.  In this case, they were the custodians of the truths of Scripture for the people of Israel.  That information consisted of what is often referred to as the writings of The Mosaic Law and the teachings of The Prophets.  Therefore, Christ stated that these things were all to be obeyed by them.

3a All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do;…

But please note His next words.

3b but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Here He points out that they were hypocrites.  They said and taught one thing, but practiced quite another. Aren’t our actions to be consistent with what we claim to believe? Isn’t hypocrisy a charge that unbelievers frequently make against people who claim to be Christians? Are we to be giving unbelievers what they can use as justification for their rejection of Christ? Then we see what our Lord said their motivation was for the things these “religious” people did.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries [a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum, worn by Jewish men as a reminder to keep the law], and enlarge the borders of their garments [as an indication or “religious” rank in obedience to the Law],

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

The apostle John said they valued the praise of men over the praise of God.

John 12:43

43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. [Emphasis added]

Matthew 23 continued

The religious leaders were also all caught up in titles.

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Then note what Christ told them about this.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Don’t we have at least one very large church denomination today that completely ignores all this?

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Then He makes a comment that has many applications for us all.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Isn’t this also why political figures are often called public servants? Isn’t the general principle given here something we should all abide by?

I remember how many years ago the President and CEO of the company my wife and I were with for so many years had people answering the home office phones with the statement—“How may I serve you?”  He even gave himself the title CSO instead of CEO, meaning Chief Servant Officer. Isn’t that how we should all see ourselves, as ones who are here to serve others?

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Won’t the eternal rewards of all God’s people be based on their fulfillment of this principle? Isn’t giving the gospel message so that people can be saved the greatest service we can ever provide for someone? Are churchgoers in our time faithful in presenting the gospel message to people? Aren’t there many who don’t even know enough about it to be able to make a clear presentation of the gospel? Please note our Lord’s comments about such people.

13 But woe unto you [an exclamation of judgment upon them], 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.

Those words may seem harsh, but they were true and obviously needed to be said.  They were people who were not only a hindrance to the eternal blessing of others but weren’t a part of it themselves.  Today we’d say these people were “religious” but unregenerate.  They were by no means recipients of God’s salvation and everlasting blessing.  Therefore, unless they came to saving faith in Christ at a later time, they’re all in Hell today.

Christ then goes on to provide an example of one of their practices.  In this case it was to do with taking advantage of people financially while pretending to be prayerful people of God.  They were even “mission-minded,” recruiting others to be like them.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

For more information about there being different degrees of punishment for people in Hell and the Lake of Fire, please see my article about it—

Hell:  Are there degrees of punishment?

Yes, there will be many long-winded “prayer warriors” dealing with God’s punishment of them in eternity.  There’s a place for long prayers, but not publicly!  As a general rule, all long prayers should be made privately. Here in this passage we have a clear warning about that.

Then we have some comments about the “mission” work of these people.  What this tells us is that there are even missionaries who communicate the wrong message.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Their spiritual “blindness” affects everything they do.

16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Among other things, these people are liars.  And notice what He calls them.

17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Inevitably these people are some of the most habitual liars in all the world.  As “religious” as they may appear to some, they are lying hypocrites.

18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Then He repeats Himself.

19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Then He repeats himself still again. But notice also that many of these people are big givers.  Today, many will proudly speak of themselves as tithers.  Often, they’ll even debate over whether their tithe should be given on income before or after taxes.  Yes, I’m familiar with all this.  I’ve heard discussions about it.

23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Do you suppose there will be any tithers in Hell and ultimately in the Lake of Fire? Yes, probably many of them! No one can pay their way into Heaven.  Salvation is not something earned or deserved.  Those mentioned here in this passage have now been in Hell for roughly two thousand years but there will be no end to their punishment.

Then we have an example of our Lord’s sarcasm as well as His sense of humor.

24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel

These people are always more concerned about appearance than anything else.

25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity

Expensive monuments are often built to memorialize these people while other true servants of our Lord are soon forgotten among men, but not by God.  The real “heroes of the faith” will all be the recipients of God’s greatest rewards.  We are assured of that!  The “religious” world may not honor them, but God will!

29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

In other words, they admired these people but had no understanding at all about their thinking and what it was that made them the great people they were.  We have people just like them today.  Foolishly they would make statements like what we see in this next verse.

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. [Emphasis added]

He knows they wish to do the same to Him.  So, here He openly challenges them to go right ahead with what they’re wanting to do to Him.  What they don’t realize is what He’ll accomplish when they do that. Paul later says that if they had known about that and who He was, they would not have crucified Him. But ignorance prevailed with them then as it does with so many who think like them today. Their willful ignorance keeps them in the dark about so many things.

1 Corinthians 2:8

Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [Emphasis added]

Matthew 23 continued

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

What an excellent metaphor! Poisonous “snakes” they are! Infecting all with their venomous teaching!

Would Christ say the same to many today? Of course He would! The thinking of many preachers today is so much like theirs.  But God was faithful to send them people who brought them the truth they needed to know and believe, just as He’s done so many times throughout history.

34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Then He warns them of the judgment He’s rightfully bringing upon them.

36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. [Emphasis added]

Then within a generation this judgment came upon them.  The prophetic words He spoke to the apostles right after this were perfectly fulfilled.

Matthew 24:1-2

1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. [Emphasis added]

The Roman legions of Titus stormed the Jerusalem walls and thousands died.  Then others were marched off as slaves.  How different things could have been for them if they had responded to His plea!

Matthew 23 continued

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Then He makes what amounted to being a farewell address.

39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. [Emphasis added]

The prophetic Scriptures would then soon be interrupted with a dispensation of grace of which we are a part today.  The biggest rebel of them all, Saul of Tarsus, would be saved on the road to Damascus.  It would be through him that God would introduce a whole new program.

Ephesians 3:7-9

Whereof I  [Paul] was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Here he says that not a trace of what we have today had been revealed before.  None of the prophets of old knew anything about it.

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: [Emphasis added]

For a fuller understanding of this, please see my articles about it—

Mystery:  What is the fellowship of the Mystery?

Mystery:  What is this secret that Paul wrote about?

Now, as a summary, note all the negative things our Lord says about these “religious” people in this one chapter [Matthew 23].

Eight times He says, “woe unto you.”

Seven times He calls them hypocrites.

Three times He says they’re spiritually blind.

Twice He calls them blind guides.

He even speaks of them as poisonous snakes because of how they poison the thinking of nearly everyone they meet.

There were other occasions mentioned in Matthew’s writing where He made similar statements about these “religious” leaders—Matthew 5:14, 6:2,5,16; 15:7; 16:3; 22:18.  All were negative.

Can’t it then be said that to be critical of “religious” leaders in our time is being “Christlike”? Shouldn’t we be warning people as He did about such people? Furthermore, shouldn’t our motivation for doing this to be like that of our Lord? He loved these people, but He wanted all those they might infect with their “religious” thinking to beware of them because when they spoke, they were like poisonous snakes “biting” their victims with “poisonous” information.  The apostle Paul also warns us about such people.

Philippians 3:1-3

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision [KATATOME = a cutting off].

Who were these “dogs” and the ones he refers to as “the concision”? These were simply titles he gave these “religious” and “evil workers” of his day. The “concision” refers to the Jewish religious leaders of the day who saw the rite of circumcision as a required part of the means to one’s salvation. It surely was for them but not without faith as the basic but most important ingredient.  Paul sets their thinking in contrast to the “spiritual” circumcision that involved faith in the one work of Christ, namely, His death, burial, and resurrection.

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh [as a basis for our salvation]. [Emphasis added]

Paul provided such a warning wherever he went.

Colossians 2:8

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. [Emphasis added]

Probably the best thing we can do with most of these people is to simply avoid them.

Romans 16:17-18

17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and AVOID THEM.

18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple [AKAKOS = naive (those that don’t know any better) innocent or harmless]. [Emphasis added]

Every generation has to deal with such people.  They ARE the “scribes and Pharisees” of our time.  It will be through your faithfulness to the teachings of the apostle Paul that you’ll be equipped to spot them and avoid them and their false teaching, even helping others do the same.  As sad as it is, you’ll find as I have that it is indeed a rare occasion when you’ll see any of them  ever get saved, let alone become heralds of the truth.

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