The religious leaders are in the hot seat—again—as Jesus takes them to task. To our modern ears, his criticism of the religious leaders as hypocrites sounds just and right. Of course they were hypocrites, judging others while giving themselves a free pass, preening and parading their piety instead of seeking and serving. But imagine how difficult Jesus’ words were for the people of the day. Generally, the religious leaders were considered upright and outstanding citizens, people to admire and emulate. To hear Jesus berate them as hypocrites must have been stunning. And Jesus lays it on pretty thick, with a series of woes. (Luke also has a woe-list but at six, it’s a wee (woe) bit shorter than Matthew’s seven). Jesus cries, “woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…blind guides.”
It’s not just the New Testament that berates the Pharisees. The Old Testament offers plenty of criticism, too. The Jewish Talmud, an ancient text of Jewish law and theology, defines different types of Pharisees. These include the “shoulder” Pharisees who wear their good deeds on their shoulders for all to see and the “wait a little” Pharisees who find excuses to put off doing good deeds. Here’s a more
detailed description
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It is easy for us today to dismiss Jesus’ anger at the religious leaders. In hindsight, we know that of course they valued righteousness above faithfulness, law above mercy. But Jesus’ words of rebuke aren’t only for the religious leaders of his time but also for his followers—us—today. We would do well to remember that we are the religious leaders of our time, and these tendencies to “neglect the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” apply to us as much as to those in Jesus’ day. We must be ever vigilant. None of us want to bear Jesus’ stinging scorn: “You snakes, you brood of vipers!”
In Matthew 24, we enter the fifth and final of the Five Discourses of Matthew. This is known as the Olivet Discourse because it was delivered to the disciples on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge just outside of Jerusalem. To help with your mental geography, the Garden of Gethsemane is located at the foot of this mountain.
You’re not alone if you double-check to make sure you are reading Matthew and not Revelation. This chapter is full of apocalyptic language that seems a bit of a non sequitur. Throughout the centuries, scholars have debated this passage. Is Jesus talking only about the pending destruction of the temple in Jerusalem or in allegory about the End Times? Is he describing past, present, or future events—or a mix? Wherever we fall in our interpretation of this passage, it is clear that following Christ is dangerous and requires fortitude and commitment. Indeed of his disciples, only one (John) lives to be an old man, while the others face torture and tribulation.
One other note on this passage: Over the centuries, different groups have pronounced with certainty that the End Times were near or even that they knew the precise date of the Second Coming of Christ. Even now in the midst of a pandemic (plagues) and murder hornets (pestilence), some have said these are apocalyptic signs, and the rapture is imminent. We do well to remember Jesus’ words here that no one knows when Jesus will return—not even Jesus. As Jesus tells his disciples: “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Matthew 25 returns us to familiar ground: parables. In these three parables, Jesus continues to lay out for us the cost of discipleship and the importance of making our actions an extension of our beliefs. In the third parable, we encounter one of the most famous passages of Matthew and perhaps the New Testament: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then Jesus follows with these life-changing words: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” Earlier in Matthew, we read the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus gives us the Beatitudes…blessed are the poor in spirit, the hungry, the persecuted. Then, we heard the Great Commandment to love God and our neighbors. Here, Jesus gives us a guide in how we are to live out these words. And he beseeches us to see Christ in each person, to know that when we serve one another, we serve Christ. These words have inspired generations to act with generosity and sacrificial love. May they continue to be a guiding force for us in all our days.
