The phrase “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” is spoken by Jesus seven times in Matthew 23. As with most groups, not every scribe and Pharisee can be “painted with one brush.” Some Pharisees, such as Nicodemus (John 3:1-2; 7:50-51), demonstrated a greater openness to the truth than others. As a whole, though, the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day were deceived by pride and selfishness.
At the root of their problems was a tendency to ignore the “inward man.” In Matthew 23:25, Jesus said, “Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness.”
Though their outward actions seemed righteous, their inward character was not (cf. Mark 7:6). Jesus likened them to “whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matt. 23:27). He said, “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (verse 28).
The scribes and Pharisees’ disregard for the “inward man” led them to heavily emphasize certain details, while leaving undone the “weightier matters of the law” (Matt. 23:23). Jesus said of their inconsistencies, “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!” (verse 24). He exhorted them to submit to all of God’s will (verse 23).
The scribes and Pharisees’ under-emphasis on the “inward man” can, in part, be traced to the motive they had for doing “good works.” Notice Matthew 23:5-7: But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments, and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. The scribes and Pharisees’ goal was not to please God, but to exalt themselves in the eyes of others.
Their self-exaltation was linked to pride. The parable Jesus spoke of a Pharisee and tax collector in Luke 18:10-14 was spoken to “certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others” (verse 9). In this parable, Jesus used a Pharisee to illustrate self-righteousness, and a tax collector (among those most despised by the Pharisees) to illustrate humility.
Perhaps the height of the scribes and Pharisees’ hypocrisy was a failure to obey commands they bound on others. Jesus described them as people who “say, and do not” (Matt. 23:3b). He said “they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger” (verse 4).
Furthermore, much of what the scribes and Pharisees taught as doctrine was not even from God. When some scribes and Pharisees criticized Jesus’ disciples in Matthew 15, Jesus said of them “in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men” (verse 9).
When reading about these Jewish leaders, it is easy to think first about someone(s) we know who seems to closely resemble the group. Ironically, this attitude resembles that of the scribes and Pharisees…examining others’ faults before examining self (cf. Luke 7:36-50).
Instead of this approach, each of us should first examine ourselves to ensure we are not guilty of the attitudes and practices Jesus condemns.
If we do good deeds just to be exalted by others, the words “woe to you” could be said to us. If we put others down to make ourselves feel good, the words “woe to you” could be said to us. If we stress some of what God commands us while ignoring other things He commands, the words “woe to you” could be said to us.
May we heed Jesus’ warning in Matthew 5:20 and ensure we are not deceived by selfishness, pride, and hypocrisy as were the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day.
– Michael Hickox