Read Matthew 23

Do you know what words you never want to hear Jesus say as it relates to you? “Woe to you.” That is a legitimately terrifying place to be. This entire chapter involves Jesus warning against hypocrisy, in particular, from verses 13-39, He zones in on the Pharisees and teachers of the law in a section commonly referred to as the “seven woes.” In verse 25, we see Jesus call them “whitewashed tombs.” So, what does He mean by “whitewashed tombs”? Well, what is a tomb? It’s something that contained a dead body! There’s no life inside a tomb; it’s a place of deadness and decay. This described the Pharisees. These men looked like they had this vibrant spiritual life and connection to the Lord like they were mega holy, but their hearts were far from Him. They missed the purpose of the Law and the heart of God altogether. There was no love, mercy, compassion, grace, forgiveness, or true care for those in need. It was all about them. In essence, they made idols of themselves! They believed they understood the Law and the purpose of God’s Word and lived according to their (incorrect) understanding. They enforced their worldview on others and looked down upon, rejected, and condemned all who didn’t live up to their standard. One commentary puts it this way: “The scribes and Pharisees, like fine whited sepulchers (tombs), looked very beautiful on the outside, but within were full of all uncleanness, and defiled everyone who touched them.” Anyone who touched them? Yes! According to the Law of Moses, anyone who touched anything belonging to the dead was considered unclean. And so, as they came around and “taught” and enforced their view of the Law and their view of the Lord unto others, they were making them, as Jesus said, “twice as much a child of hell as you are” (Matthew 23:15 NIV). So, where does this lead us? To this sobering reminder of the danger of hypocrisy and self-righteousness. You see, when the church is known for hypocrisy, everyone loses. When we as the hands and feet of Jesus play the hypocrite, we’re making a mockery of the cross of Christ, the gospel of Christ, and the body of Christ! When we resemble white-washed tombs, we’re portraying the gospel as ineffective, tarnishing the Name of Jesus before people He has called us to reach in His Name, and we’re losing any and all semblance of influence we may have with the non-believing world. This is one of the biggest problems facing the church today; that of beautiful, sleek, modern, ornate exteriors, flashy smoke machines and light shows in our worship, expensive sound and video equipment, huge building with pristine exteriors, but filthy, dead interiors. It’s a problem the world sees from a mile away, too! This is such a serious problem that in Romans 2:24, we’re told, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of” the hypocrisy of believers! It’s one of the biggest problems the modern church faces; it has stripped us of our ability and opportunity to share the gospel with the unbelieving world, and is one of the primary reasons why so many have left the church! Too many of us are all too happy to act as judge, jury, and executioner toward the people outside the church while being perfectly content to ignore our own sins. We’re more comfortable squabbling and fighting and arguing and airing our dirty laundry on Facebook or X or YouTube or TikTok, all the while inviting those we should be sharing the gospel with to watch and form judgments. We love to fight the “culture war” and condemn everyone in Hollywood, Washington D.C., in the media, all those evil social media influencers and celebrities and athletes and activists, all those “woke” people trying to destroy our otherwise heavenly American utopia, but we turn a blind eye to and sometimes outright tolerate sin in the house of God. Many put on a good show, knowing the words to say, but on the inside there’s no life – there’s spiritual death. The Holy Spirit isn’t there. Many are fooling themselves into thinking they’re saved but their lives and hearts are far from Jesus. Discussion Question 1: Describe how you feel or what you think about when you hear the word “hypocrisy.” Discussion Question 2: What is a hypocrite? Give some examples of a hypocrite from life. How do you feel about someone when you realize that they are a hypocrite? Discussion Question 3: Why is Jesus so hard on the Pharisees? Discussion Question 4: What makes hypocrisy and self-righteousness so dangerous? In what ways is it like a double-edge sword? Discussion Question 5: What is the difference between a struggling but honest believer and a hypocrite who refuses to acknowledge any wrongdoing? Discussion Question 6: What can we do this week to deal with any hypocrisy in our lives?

This Week

Sit down today and take an honest look at your thoughts, actions, and motives throughout the week. If there’s a need to repent, pray and ask for forgiveness from God and others.

Memory Verse

“The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”—Matthew 23:11-12 (NIV)

Prayer Guide

Father, in Jesus’ name, I ask You to reveal the true state of my heart. Am I fooling myself into believing I’m something I’m not? Does my life show I belong to You both inside and out? Or do I look more like a Pharisee? Regardless of the answer, Lord, I ask for Your divine help. Help me to make my calling and election sure through deeper and more genuine devotion to You. May my heart desire nothing more than to know, love, and glorify You. May my life and actions reflect that, as I walk with and become more like Your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ Name. Amen. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at CalvaryFTL.org/Questions.