The definition of Distraction is a thing (person/object/goal) that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else. During Jesus’ ministry we can see many times when he interacts with the Pharisees. There was two religious Jewish sects during his ministry. The Sadducees who were conservative, interpreted the word of God literally. The Pharisees who were liberal, believed tradition to be equal to the word of God. The Sadducees rejected a belief in the resurrection of the dead but the Pharisees did believe in the resurrection. The Sadducees denied the afterlife and that the soul perished at death. The Pharisees believed in an afterlife and in an appropriate reward and punishment for individuals. The Sadducees rejected the idea of unseen, spiritual world and the Pharisees taught the existence of angels and demons and the spiritual realm. Both had political influence but we see less interaction with the Sadducees and Jesus because they were more interested in the Roman government and politics. The tended to be more wealthy and hold more powerful positions. The Pharisees were more representative of the common working people, interacted with them and they controlled the Synagogue's. IN AD 70 Sadducees disappeared during the destruction of Jerusalem. The Pharisees are responsible for the compilation of the Mishnah, and important document with reference to the continuation Judaism beyond the destruction of the temple. In this way they laid the ground work for modern–day Rabbinic Judaism. The one thing that both sects could agree on was that the needed to kill Jesus for speaking the truth and threatening their power and way of life.
In Matthew 23 Jesus makes it clear as possible that the Pharisees do not practice what they preach. Jesus speaks about the Seven Woes. They place heavy burdens on everyone else and yet are not willing to lift a finger. They do deeds to be noticed by men and not God. They want to sit in the front of synagogues to be honored and dine at the best banquets.. They want the multitude to call them Rabbi showing respect to them. In verse 8-12, “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone-on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
The 1st Woe Verse 13-14, Jesus proclaims the Pharisees shut off the kingdom of heaven from people, they are so close to the house of worship yet they are so far away from God. The Pharisees teachings are roadblocks to God’s kingdom. You refuse to enter and won’t let anyone else in either. In verse 14 scribes who work with Pharisees take advantage of the generosity of the widows, steal from them while managing their assets. Scribes are like lawyers, teach Mosaic law but do not get paid. They encourage the belief that people will be blessed by God if they support the scribes financially. The Pharisees make long prayers, which Jesus is criticizing because they are not doing it in sincerity to God, but really looking for attention.
The 2nd Woe Verse 15, Jesus condemned who the Pharisees converted because that means they rejected Jesus’ message for their salvation. When they convert a Gentile, they made him double the child of hell that they were. To convert you had to be against Jesus and his message. By opposing Jesus, the leaders tried to convince people that He was an impostor. Many were ready to embrace Him as the Messiah and were about to enter into the kingdom of heaven, but the hypocrites prevented it. In Luke 11:42 Jesus says they have taken away the key of knowledge, meaning they had taken away the right interpretation of the ancient prophecies respecting the Messiah. In that way they prevented the people from receiving Jesus as their promised Redeemer.
The 3rd Woe Verse 16-22, the Pharisees would casually put importance on some oaths over others. A promise is a promise and it does not make a difference wether it is inside or outside the house of worship. God is present and watching and holding you accountable regardless. The Pharisees used clever and unsound reasonings to enforce oaths and vows. It included avoiding oaths made by holy things because it was as binding as making an oath directly to God. They rather have people follow the law, then to follow the One True Messiah. They continued to distract people wanting to follow Jesus, with rules, oaths and vows that only keep them further away from God. Matthew 5:37 But let your statement be, “Yes, yes or No, No, anything beyond these is of evil.”
The 4th Woe Verse 23-24, Jesus says Pharisees are more interested in tithes than important matters such as treating people with justice, mercy and faithfulness. They tithe in order to look good. They observed smaller duties but omitted greater ones. Jesus is not condemning tithes, as we should all give tithes for the glory of God. He condemns them because to be just in tithes and yet to cheat and defraud everyone else, is to mock God and deceive ourselves. Michah 6:8 And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. In Verse 24 he references to straining out a gnat, a practice done to drinks to make them pure. The Pharisees focus and worry on small things yet neglect the important things (swallow a camel).
The 5th Woe Verse 25-26, Jesus exposes that their outside body sparkles and shines in the sun, yet their insides are wicked/crooked. They rob the poor and self-indulge in pleasures while pushing people away from God. We must first work on the inside of our soul and the inward change will cause the outward to become clean. We see this regularly in our daily lives. Many so called Christians appearing to be faithful to the public, but sinning in private. Nothing can be hidden from God.
The 6th Woe Verse 27-28, Jesus states the Pharisees on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanliness. They are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. It is like seeing a beautiful grave plot, the grass is trimmed nicely, amazing beautiful tombstone, flowers bright surround the plot, but six feet under it is all rotting bones and worm-eating flesh. They were crooked to the bone. The people look at you as saints, yet underneath all those fine garments you are frauds.
The 7th Woe Verse 29-32 they build tomb and monuments of their saints, who they believe were righteous. The Pharisees proclaim that if they lived during the days of their fathers, we would not have shed blood like our ancestors. Jesus says they are cut from the same cloth as those murders and only add daily to their death count. They are literally witnessing against themselves. Jesus continues in the chapter and states that they are the reason he continues to send prophets, wise men and scribes generation after generation. You kill them, crucify, scourge in your synagogues and persecute them. Every drop of righteous blood every spilled on this earth, beginning with the blood of righteous Abel to Zechariah. Jesus calls the religious leaders vipers, sentence to hell and compares them to Cain, who killed his brother Abel out of jealousy for his relationship to God. Your time will come to pay for those atrocities and judgement will come upon the wicked. The house of Jerusalem will be desolate and Jesus will not return till they say “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and they were distracted by their own selfish goals. Imagine being a chosen people who are waiting for their Messiah, yet distracted when he shows up. Jesus was preaching among them yet they did not believe. The Jews imagined their Messiah to be an all powerful King, coming with the force of the archangels to destroy the wicked and destroy the enemies of the Jews. The Muslims continue to wait for their Messiah and see Jesus only as a prophet. They were distracted because the most powerful being, the Son of God, the MESSIAH did not come riding a White horse, had no army, was not a physical dominating man, son of a carpenter, was not dressed in fine linen and gold but a man from Nazareth. A King who became a man, Jesus was humble, taught love, salvation, fairness, kindness, patience, never self indulged, healed the sick, cared not for money, wore rags and rode on a donkey. He was beaten, ridiculed, carried the cross through the streets and nailed on the cross like a criminal. He was not the ideal look of what those religions pictured as a Messiah and they distracted themselves from Jesus’ purpose and his truth. He paid the ultimate cost for us, shed his blood and came down from heaven to free us from the bondage of sin. Literally everything the Jews and Muslims think their Messiah should be, Jesus was not. When Jesus does come on a his White Horse, dressed in White and Gold, and with the power of Heaven behind him it will be too late for those distracted by what they believe a Messiah should be. Do not be distracted with our own thoughts, goals and views but look unto Jesus. Jesus is the One and True Messiah and his return is imminent.
Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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