Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus in addition to other warnings said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse twenty-eight of his book Matthew, shared how Jesus talked about the “outward appearance” verses that which was “within” the “scribes and Pharisees” where we read:
Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men,
but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
The verse reads, “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “even so you also” which means “in this manner and thus the scribes and Pharisees even and indeed” “outwardly appear” or “from without and externally shined, became evident and were exposed to view as” “righteous” which means “observing divine laws, upright and virtuous” “unto men” or “toward people whether male or female”. Matthew shared how Jesus told the “scribes and Pharisees” they were like the “whited sepulchers” because they looked “upright and virtuous” externally to people.
The verse goes on to say, “... but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matthew continued with the words, “but within” which means “nevertheless, moreover and inwardly or from the inside” “you are full” or “the scribes and Pharisees were filled” “of hypocrisy” which means “with stage acting, dissimulation, deceit and condemnation” “and iniquity” or “without law and having ignorance, contempt, violation and wickedness toward the law”. Matthew shared how Jesus identified the character of the “religious leaders” as being “stage players” who were “ignorant of the law”.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus exposed the true nature of the “religious leaders” known as the “scribes and Pharisees”. They appeared to those around them to be “righteous and observant of the law of God”, however, inside they were “rotten to the core”. God desires to have a relationship with every person, and He knows what is “within” everyone. By humbling oneself, and yielding to Jesus Christ as “Savior and Lord”, a person becomes “cleansed within”, and all “hypocrisy and iniquity” is wiped away. Rather than “appearing” to others to be “righteous”, those who are wise will be truthful and ask the Lord to “cleanse” them from “all unrighteousness”. (See 1 John 1:9)
Next time Matthew writes about how Jesus tells the scribe and Pharisees they, “build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
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Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
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