Quote from Forum Archives on June 29, 2001, 1:51 pm

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

We've been discussing, on and off for the past few weeks, the
passage of scripture in which Jesus really displays anger toward
the leaders of His day, because they not only misled the people,
but they swindled and cheated them as well. Most of you are
familiar with the passage, but in case you are not, I have
decided to share Matthew 23 with you online as we close out this
week of messages. If Philippians is my favorite book of the
Bible, (though there are SO MANY good ones), then Matthew has to
be my favorite Gospel (though it is a tough call, I also like
them all, and I really like the Gospel of John).

The Gospel of Matthew has my favorite sermon in it - "The Sermon
on the Mount", which includes "The Beatitudes", "The Lord's
Prayer", and the "Do Not Judge" passages. The Gospel of Matthew
also includes the famous passage in Chapter 18, which instructs
us on how to deal with others when they refuse to be held
accountable, Matthew 22, which tells us "The Great Commandment",
Matthew 23, where Jesus lays into those who mislead and mistreat
others, Matthew 24-25, in which Jesus tells several parables,
including the one about "The Sheep and the Goats". Then finally,
there is the crucifiction (the account of Jesus death), His
resurrection from the dead, His appearance to His followers, and
His mandate for His followers to make disciples (followers) of
people from all nations.

I pray that the Bible is more than just words for each one of us.
It is a big book, really a number of letters, books, and
historical accounts, inspired by God, His Word to us, intended to
encourage, teach, admonish, and in every way edify us, in order
that God's purpose for our lives may be fully accomplished. I
encourage each of you to know these stories, so that you may know
God intimately, and also so that you can pass these stories and
principles on to others.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

The Bible Gateway

Matthew 23 :: New International Version (NIV)
bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bg?passage=Matthew+23

Matthew 23

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:

2 "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

3 So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do
not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

4 They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but
they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their
phylacteries[1] wide and the tassels on their garments long;

6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important
seats in the synagogues;

7 they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men
call them `Rabbi.'

8 "But you are not to be called `Rabbi,' for you have only one
Master and you are all brothers.

9 And do not call anyone on earth `father,' for you have one
Father, and he is in heaven.

10 Nor are you to be called `teacher,' for you have one Teacher,
the Christ.[2]

11 The greatest among you will be your servant.

12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever
humbles himself will be exalted.

13 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You
yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are
trying to.[3]

15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single
convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a
son of hell as you are.

16 "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the
temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the
temple, he is bound by his oath.'

17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple
that makes the gold sacred?

18 You also say, `If anyone swears by the altar, it means
nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by
his oath.'

19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that
makes the gift sacred?

20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by
everything on it.

21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one
who dwells in it.

22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the
one who sits on it.

23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and
cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the
law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced
the latter, without neglecting the former.

24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

25 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup andx dish, but
inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish,
and then the outside also will be clean.

27 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful
on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and
everything unclean.

28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as
righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and
wickedness.

29 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the
graves of the righteous.

30 And you say, `If we had lived in the days of our forefathers,
we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of
the prophets.'

31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants
of those who murdered the prophets.

32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!

33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being
condemned to hell?

34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers.
Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in
your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has
been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood
of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the
temple and the altar.

36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone
those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your
children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
but you were not willing.

38 Look, your house is left to you desolate.

39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say,
`Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'[4] "

[5] That is, boxes containing Scripture verses, worn on forehead
and arm

[10] Or Messiah

[13] Some manuscripts to.

[14] Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You devour widows' houses and for a show make
lengthy prayers. Therefore you will be punished more severely.

[39] Psalm 118:26

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think. Gospel Communications Network Online Christian Resources.
A Ministry of Gospel Communications, Inc.

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
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