Jesus Speaks Boldly—A Warning Against Hypocrisy (Matthew 23:1-39)
In Matthew 23:1–39, Jesus gives one of His most serious and passionate speeches. He speaks directly to the crowds and His disciples, warning them about the religious leaders of the day. It’s a message full of strong words—but also deep love and truth.
Let’s break it down into something we can all understand and apply.
The Problem with the Religious Leaders
Jesus starts by saying the teachers of the law and the Pharisees (the religious leaders) were in positions of authority. They taught people about God’s laws—but the problem was, they didn’t practice what they preached.
Here’s what Jesus pointed out about them:
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They said the right things but didn’t live them out.
They taught people to follow God, but didn’t follow Him from the heart. -
They made life harder for others.
They added heavy rules and expectations, but didn’t lift a finger to help. -
They did good things just to be seen.
They loved attention, fancy clothes, special titles, and the best seats—but their hearts were far from God.
Jesus warned His followers not to be like them.
What Jesus Wants Instead
Jesus told His disciples to be different:
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Don’t seek titles or praise.
Don’t try to be important in people’s eyes—focus on serving others. -
The greatest among you is the one who serves.
In God’s kingdom, being humble and helpful is more valuable than being famous or powerful. -
God lifts up the humble and brings down the proud.
This is a powerful reminder that God cares more about our hearts than our image.
Seven Warnings (The “Woes”)
Then Jesus turned directly to the religious leaders. He gave them a series of warnings—sometimes called the “Seven Woes.” Each one began with the words, “Woe to you,” which means sorrow is coming because of what they were doing.
Here are a few examples of what Jesus called out:
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They shut the door to God’s kingdom.
Instead of helping people find God, they were actually getting in the way. -
They cared more about appearances than real holiness.
Like a clean cup that’s dirty on the inside, they looked good outwardly but were full of selfishness and pride. -
They honored past prophets—but didn’t listen to God’s message themselves.
They claimed to respect holy people, but were about to reject and even kill the greatest Messenger of all—Jesus Himself.
Jesus wasn’t being harsh for no reason. He was calling out the kind of religion that looks good but has no love, justice, or mercy in it.
A Cry of Compassion
At the end of the chapter, Jesus changes His tone. He looks over the city of Jerusalem and speaks with sadness:
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem… how often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”
This is the heart of Jesus. Even though the people rejected Him, He still loved them deeply. He longed to protect and care for them like a mother with her young. But they wouldn’t let Him.
What We Can Learn
Jesus’ words in this chapter are strong—but they’re also filled with love. Here’s what we can take away:
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God values integrity over image.
What’s in our hearts matters more than how we look to others. -
True greatness is found in serving, not showing off.
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We must be careful not to push others away from God by being judgmental or fake.
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Jesus deeply wants a relationship with us.
Even when we mess up, He longs to gather us close.
Final Thought:
Let’s choose to be real. Let’s love God and others from the heart, not just in words or outward actions. And let’s never forget—Jesus doesn’t just want rule-followers. He wants sons and daughters who trust Him, follow Him, and share His love with the world.
Matthew 23:1-39 (WEB)
23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don’t do their works; for they say, and don’t do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them. 5 But they do all their works to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the fringes of their garments, 6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers. 9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.14 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don’t enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter. 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.16 “Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.’ 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated.’ 19 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it. 21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who has been living in it. 22 He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits on it.23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone. 24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and unrighteousness. 26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men’s bones and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn’t have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ 31 Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of Gehenna? 34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not! 38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”