188. Discourse in the Temple: Reproof of Scribes and Pharisees. Mt. 23:1–39; Mk. 12:38–40; Lk. 20:45–47

The Lord Jesus, when all the people were listening to Him, said in His teaching to His disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes, who love to walk in long robes and desire greetings in the marketplaces, to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts. These men, who devour the houses of widows and for a pretence make long prayers, will receive the greater condemnation.’

Then He began to say to the people and to His disciples, ‘The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore, all that they tell you to observe, observe and do; but do not do their works, for they say and do not do. They bind heavy and burdensome loads and lay them on the shoulders of men, but they themselves are unwilling to lift them even with a finger. All their works they do to be seen by others; they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They also love the chief places at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, Rabbi! Rabbi!’

But you, do not be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher—the Messiah, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders, for you have one leader—the Messiah. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against mankind; you do not enter yourselves, and those who are trying to enter you prevent.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour the houses of widows, and for a pretence make long prayers; for this reason you will receive the greater condemnation.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you traverse sea and land to make a single convert, and when he becomes so, you make him twice as much a child of Gehenna as yourselves.’

‘Woe to you, blind guides, who say: If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath. Foolish and blind! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? Also, you say: If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath. Blind fools! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple swears by it and by Him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: justice, mercy, and faith; these you ought to have done without neglecting those. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First cleanse the inside of the cup and the dish, so that their outside may also become clean.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. So also on the outside you appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and you say: If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Thus you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up then the measure of your fathers.’

‘You serpents, offspring of vipers! How will you escape the condemnation of Gehenna?’

‘Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from city to city; so that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.’

‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to you! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were unwilling! See, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say: Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’