The scriptures are very clear. Indeed, the Word is not confusing as some might suggest. The difficulty in understanding emerges when our personal motives for reading the Bible do not include seeking Jesus and His righteousness with all our heart, soul and mind. You see when we don't search the scriptures with a pure heart, we become like the Scribes and Pharisees in the New Testament. Our eyes are blinded by the condition of our heart that does not accept the truth. And we all know what Jesus said about the scribes and the Pharisees? Read on ...
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; 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.
But all their works they do for to be seen of men. They make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, "Rabbi, Rabbi."
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. Neither be ye called masters, for one is your Master, even Christ.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant, and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. But woe unto you, 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.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widow's houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore, ye shall receive the greater damnation. 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.
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. Ye fools and blind, for whether is greater the gold? or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
And, Whosoever shall swear by the alter, it is nothing, but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the alter that sanctifieth the gift? Whosoever therefore shall swear by the alter, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. And he that shall swear by heaven sweareth by the throne of God and by Him that sitteth thereon.
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, judgement, mercy and faith. These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
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. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
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. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 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 .. wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers -- ye serpents, ye generation of vipers. How can ye escape the damnation of hell?"
Did you understand what Jesus was saying? His point in Matthew chapter 23 is very clear to the reader/and or audience listening to Him teaching.
This is why we are encouraged in II Timothy 2:5 to "study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." Only then can we know "the truth that sets [us] free." (John 8:32) Praise Jesus today for His goodness and grace. Stand in the offering plate!
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