JESUS REBUKES HYPOCRISY
Matthew 23:1-39
Key verse 37
What did Jesus tell the crowds and his disciples about the life and teachings of the Pharisees (1-4)? How and why did the Pharisees show off (5-7)? In what ways must Jesus’ disciples be different (3, 8-12)?
To whom did Jesus turn his attention to and what is a “woe” and a “hypocrite” (13a)? What example of hypocrisy did Jesus start with (13b)? Why were their converts children of hell (15)? How did their swearing reveal their blindness (16-22)? How should we be different?
How did their detailed tithing miss the point (23)? What does it mean to strain out a gnat and swallow a camel (24)? What makes the inside unclean (25-28)? How can we be clean?
How did Jesus reveal they were no better than their ancestors (29-32)? Whom would Jesus send to them and why, and how would they be treated (33-34)? What would come upon the Pharisees and their generation, and why (35-36)?
How had Jerusalem treated God’s effort to draw them to himself, and how did Jesus feel about this (37)? Why is rejecting God’s love a serious matter (38)? What do you think verse 39 means? In view of this passage, how should we respond to Jesus?