The American Wisdom Series 
 http://www.americanwisdomseries.com

Presents 

Chapter 23

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Drake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it?  Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
 published at http://www.theseason.org/ 

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

 Now here is our revised study of:

The

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

MATTHEW 

Chapter 23

"Teaching. In the Temple. Multitudes and Disciples (moral)"

Matthew 23:1 "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples,"

Jesus is now addressing everyone present, and to all those that have ears to hear and eyes to see the truths of this message.

Matthew 23:2 "Saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:"

What is the seat of Moses? Moses was the law-giver, which simply means that these scribes and Pharisees have taken over God's law, and they are rewriting the law without the authority to do so. The tribe of Judah is getting a bad name as the scribes and Pharisees do their evil deeds under their name. However, Jesus will identify them as the Kenites, and that they claim to be of Judah, and are not. In fact, as recorded in Revelation 2:9, and 3:9; they are of the synagogue of Satan. Jesus will identify these Kenites for you in this chapter.

From the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, which is approximately four hundred and fifty years before the time of Jesus birth, the Levitical priesthood has been totally replaced by these false ones. So at the time that Christ walked the earth in the flesh, these Kenites were sitting in the place where the Levitical priesthood should have been sitting. The Kenites had become the governing body of the church.

In I Chronicles 2:55: "And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez [Jerusalem]; the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab." These are the forefathers of the scribes of Jesus day, and they had no right being in their position as scripture lawyers of the law in the Temple. These people, the Kenites of the house of Rechab [called the Rechabites] are the offspring of Cain, from the sexual union between Eve and Satan in the garden of Eden. They are identified in Strong's Hebrew Dictionary # 7013, and # 7017.

God used these people it incriminate Israel, and show them that while they had fallen in disobedience to His law, the Kenites kept the restrictions that God had placed on this nation. This is pointed out in Jeremiah 35:6, as the prophet Jeremiah ran a test of the Kenite people, and tried to give them wine. "But they [the Kenites of Rechab] said, "We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us saying, 'Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:"

John's note: Based on this verse from Jeremiah, It is true that while we, many of us descendants of the Houses of Israel and Judah, who call ourselves Christian, have a problem listening to what our Father, God, tells us to do and not do; But, It seems that those Kenites were prepared to listen to what their father, Satan, had to say!.  That's not something we should be proud of, is it?

I am going to take a little side trip into the book of Jeremiah. Please hang around, we'll get back to Matthew 23 shortly.

It is easy to get mixed up in Jeremiah 35 between the two Jeremiah's mentioned, the key to which one was the prophet is through their parentage, for the prophet Jeremiah's father is named in Jeremiah 1:1 as "Hilkiah, of the priests. He was a Levite. The other Jeremiah was the son of Habaziniah, of the whole house of the Rechabites. This copying of names started way back in Genesis 4, as we see that Cain copied the names of Adam's lineage, through Seth

Jeremiah 35:5 "And I set before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and cups, and I said unto them, "Drink ye wine."

God knew beforehand what would happen, and that these Kenites would not touch the wine.

Jeremiah 35:6 "But they said, "We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, `Ye shall drink no wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever:"

We see that the Kenites are obedient to their father. This is why God had these Kenites into His temple, even though they are the negative part of our Fathers Plan. Remember that God even put a seal on Cain, saying don't anybody kill him. This is recorded inGenesis 4:15 "And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." and the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him."

God had a purpose for the Kenites from the very beginning, and we see that they are becoming part of that purpose here in Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 35:7 "Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye be strangers.' "

God is telling the Kenites that they would never take root anywhere, but they will live as strangers among others. They are the hidden ones, even today as their identity is covered over under the name of Judah. They call them Jews. Their own ways have made them unpopular amongst strangers, so they keep to themselves.

God's curse against Cain is given in Genesis 4:12; "When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth." This has nothing to do with our brother Judah, but only with the Kenites.To this day you still will not find a farmer of that tribe. They may own land, but others will work the soil. God brings this point out in this thirty fifth chapter whereby we have absolute proof that the Kenite survived the flood.

We know as we follow the genealogy, it is completely different from Adam's Genealogy, given in Genesis 5. We see in Adam's genealogy that Cain is missing. Cain is missing because Cain was not Adam's son. Cain was the offspring from the sexual union between Satan, in the role of deceiver [the serpent], having wholly seduced Eve in the garden of Eden. From that sexual union came Cain. This is important in the understanding of prophecies as they come to pass.

God is also going to make a covenant with the Kenites, whereby He allows them to leave this place, and it is important for us to know that covenant to be able to identify and understand then when they come in our midst. That is why Revelation 2:9, and 3:9 are important, those churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia. They knew who those were that claimed to be of our brother Judah, but were not. They were of the house of Rechab, not the house of Judah, and today most pastors simply don't know the difference.

That is the key of David, the ability to tell the difference, and that Key of David is written in Deuteronomy 32:1-44. It is the victory song that the believers that overcame will sing in the Millennium age, because they were not deceived.

Jeremiah 35:8 "Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters;"

"Jonadab the son of Rechab" is the father of the Kenites, an offspring of Cain.

Jeremiah 35:9 "Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:"

God knew that the Wine would come to symbolize the blood of Jesus Christ, and he wanted them to have nothing to do with salvation and the partaking of the blood of Christ in communion.They are the ones that God set aside and told all others to leave them alone. When Cain came to God, and told God that everyone wants to kill me. God response to Cain was to "just keep moving on boy".

Jeremiah 35:10 "But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us."

God respects obedience, and these people were obedient to their father, Jonadab.

Jeremiah 35:11 "But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians:' so we dwell at Jerusalem."

My fellow Christian, this is where the key to understanding comes in. In the Greek, you call someone that dwells in Judah, "Ioudaios", #2453 in the Strong's Greek dictionary. "A person living in the land of Judaea." It doesn't matter what family they belong to, only their point of residence. Today in Israel there are citizens of other Arab tribes, as well as Palestinians that call themselves citizens of Israel.They are not even Israelites,  they may be Moslem, Arabic or what ever.

When the Kenites ran to Jerusalem for safety from the Babylonians, they became Ioudaios, or Jews, and when Nebuchadnezzar took the city captive, they also were taken right along with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, as well as part of the tribe of Levite. In time after the Kenites came, they were accepted as being of Judah. This idea is very common in America today, for Mexicans that flow over the border after a time consider themselves Americas, just as the descendants of all the other nations that flowed into our nation do.

This thing that happen in Jerusalem when the Kenites came, has been a terrible thorn in the side of our brother Judah. It is for this reason that Jesus would say; "... I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." Revelation 2:9

The Kenites are the tares of the parable of the tares in Matthew 13:24:32, and Christ told His disciples to leave them alone. The time of Judgment for them is by the angels of God at the time of the harvest, which is at the end of this earth age. However, it is important for us to have the knowledge about them in our generation.

Jeremiah 35:12 "Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah saying,"

Jeremiah 35:13 "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; `Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, `Will ye not recieve instruction to hearken to My words: saith the LORD."

God is real jealous here, because these Kenites had followed the exact letter of their law, given by Jonadab their father, to the last person. However when God sent Jeremiah to warn Zedekiah and the others of the trouble coming, and they all turn their backs on Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 35:14 "The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto Me."

God is telling His children that when He speaks to them, they won't listen to a thing that He says. This is the same as it is today in our nation, whereby most of the people are biblically illiterate, and can't even understand the most simple conversation about the Word of God. God created your very soul, and placed your soul within the embryo of your physical body to grow and worship Him. And then when you treat God like He doesn't even exist is the height of arrogance toward our heavenly Father.

Satan's own children know their father Jonadab's word, and obey him to the letter, and we see Christians that claim the name of Jesus Christ, and yet refuse to open His Word and read that letter to them.

Jeremiah 35:15 "I have sent also unto you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, `Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers:' but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto Me."

God's children still will not listen to the words that He gave His prophets, from Jeremiah to Moses.

Jeremiah 35:16 "Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this People hath not hearkened unto Me:"

Are you starting to see why God sent for the Kenites to come to the Temple? God wanted to show His own children that Satan's children obey him, to the letter. God is hurt by this, and we see that most of our Father's children don't even tell Him that they love Him, nor do they care what He has to say. In fact they relate talking to God as some form of pagan ritual, and not the close relationship that God desires to have with us.

Our heavenly Father is our nearest of kin, yet on the whole our people treat him like He doesn't exist.

Now back to Mathew 23, Sorry for the long side trip.

The Kenite scribes and Pharisees look very religious, and they sound like they quote from the law, and the prophets, only they twist the scripture, and add to it, making it a lie. Keep this in mind as we follow through Matthew 23.

Matthew 23:3 "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not."

Jesus is telling us to listen to what is taught from the written Word of God, and observe the instructions. We are to follow those instructions. However, as the Kenite priests live their lives in direct opposite of the teachings of the law, don't follow those actions that they live. These pious sons of Satan look religious, but don't do or follow their own instructions.

Unfortunately we can relate this to many Christians of today. The word "Christian" comes from their mouths very easily, but many never do anything for Christ.

Matthew 23:4 "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

Those Kenite priests loaded the people with impossible burdens, however they refused to carry them themselves. To put it in the terms of today's church, they are too religious to get down in the trenches with the other Christians that are fighting the battle for God.

Many times they will set their goals for projects and buildings, or meeting other wants that are outlandish, then they will come to you as if "God laid this on their heart", and expect you to pay for their wild hair-brain ideas. They work the emotions for your money, in the name of some object that is needed to do the task of their gimmick, or even in the name of some starving child, and by you giving your money to them, somehow you will be blessed by God for feeding their vanity.

There is not much difference between the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus day, and the money hungry Christian Pharisees and scribes of today. They have money begging down to an art, yet there is not much teaching with understanding for God's Word. The reason for that is because they don't understand the scriptures in the first place, and that is why there sermons are focused on only those scriptures that can be twisted and taken out of context for the sake of the offering plate.

They become the stumbling block to the person that wants to learn, rather then the teacher, guided by the Spirit of the Living God, and leading him or her in the ways of God's Word.

Matthew 23:5 "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,"

These scribes and Pharisees do everything that they do, for the sake of being a spectacle, for the purpose of drawing attention to their righteousness. In the olden times the priests wore robes, and the border of their garments identified their separation from the peoples around them. This is outlined in Numbers 15:37-41. In the time of the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus day, they broadened the borders, to call special attention just how righteous they were. They wore there righteousness on their sleeve, rather then in their hearts.

In some present day churches and denominations the ministers and religious leaders still do.

The "phylacteries" were slips of paper or parchment that had prayers written on them, and they were attached to the outer garment so everyone could see the fine prayers that they had offered up. It is sort of like standing on the street corner and praying so that everyone can hear your prayer, correct and self-righteous in every way. It is something that is given as an act, or a show for people to observe, and not intended for God.

Today it is like the person that will not serve God unless others can see them, and be humbled by their vanity and pride. They will get rewards, but those rewards will be in the form of other people feeding their vanity, and not spiritual rewards from God. Sometimes all they're are looking fo,r are political rewards!

This is why it is important to understand that men have nothing to do with bringing God's Word to your understanding, other then through the gift that the Holy Spirit of God places within their hearts and minds. God makes the opportunity, and God gives the word, or seed of thought that is to be planted in the mind of the person that receives that Spiritual truth. That Word does not include the traditions of men, that the Kenites have placed in the religious mouths that are of false doctrines.

Matthew 23:6 "And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,"

You know the type, they have sat in the same place at church for many years. Some even buy the special pew that can be placed in the right location to be seen from the entire building.

Matthew 23:7 "And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi,"

They love it when they are in public, and everyone knows them, and attaches their teachings to their own knowledge, rather then as coming from God. They want to be known as the masters and authority in the minds of others, and not God's Word [the scriptures]. They love it being called, "the right Reverend", "Doctor So-n-so", "the right Honorable [you put the name in]"; you get the picture? These people have no intention of being in the background, and letting God get all the glory. They want the spotlight and the recognition. Their sermons have many quotes from Well known Godless men, which is used to humble the listener, and give a respect to the empty words of their non-scriptural sermons.

Matthew 23:8 "But be not ye called Rabbi: for One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren."

Jesus is telling both them and us today that Jesus Christ is the teacher. All others are brethren sharing equally in the responsibility of teaching others and sharing in the work that needs to be done. To elevate yourself, or duty of any other, in the eyes of God's people, is to demote yourself in the eyes of God. My fellow Christian. that prayer partner on his knees at home in the closet is equally as important as the usher, or the minister, or the person in the front row of the choir The person who faithfully gives in the secrecy of an envelope is just as important as the one that spends it in the work of the Lord. They will all share equally, except the ones that don't do their work as God instructs from His word.

What counts is your faithfulness to the task that God has assigned you, and laid on your heart. Christ is the living Word, and he is the only one to be called Rabbi, or Master. Anything that does not agree with Jesus teachings is "the traditions of men."

Matthew 23:9 "And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."

Notice where your true father is, "He is in heaven", and we talk to Him in prayer. When we repent, we go to Him in Jesus name. Though we have physical fleshly fathers, we have but one Father of our souls, for God created our souls. There is only one creator of souls, and he is in heaven, and only God should be called Father. with a capital F! By deception, many are called father here on this earth, and have assumed the role of the Father, and Jesus is warning us of them. They expect you to come to them for confession, and they grant you forgiveness, however, there is a much more critical time coming just ahead, at the coming of Satan, the false-christ when the whole world will be calling him father.

We have but one Father, and He is our Master and creator in heaven.

Matthew 23:10 "Neither be ye called masters: for One is your Master, even Christ."

Matthew 23:11 "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant."

In a true ministry of Christ, this is how it is. The person in the highest position, bears the most responsibility for being the servant. His time is to be dedicated to the feeding of the heavenly Fathers children, and giving them understanding from His Word, book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, rightly dividing the "Word of Truth". Therefore, rather then being a person in a high place, He is simply a servant in his Masters service, serving Christ, the true teacher.

Matthew 23:12 "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

Notice it says, "he shall humble himself", you don't make yourself important. What ever importance you have is from a gift you received from God, and what ever glory you have goes to Him, the giver of that gift.

The time is coming when there will be many disappointed people, when the religious leaders all run to Him, and say, "Jesus I have healed in your name, I have cast out demons in your name", Jesus is going to look at them and say, "Depart from me, I never knew you." You see they called someone else father.

These Kenites are sitting in the seat of Moses [verse two], and spouting out their words in vanity, and many just don't know the difference between night and day, in the spiritual sense. They don't know the difference between the prince of darkness from the prince of light. The true teacher from the false teacher, nor the true Word, from the the traditions of men. They just don't know the true Father that created them.

Verse thirteen starts the "woes", which are the reverse side spiritually, of the blessings of Chapter five. We saw that each blessing that Jesus gave compared in reverse to each woe. God back to Matthew 5, and follow the blessings with these woes.

Matthew 23:13 "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."

"Hypocrites" is a theatrical term that means "you claim you are something that you are not." They are play actors, and they are everywhere in the religious community. People playing church and acting their parts.

Jesus is saying that you twist their paths by your translation and your traditions, and the path that you lead them down never reaches the throne of God. Your lies and deceptions will prevent them from entering into that kingdom of God, as is related in II Thessalonians 2 by Paul. They will have no part of Jesus the Christ at His coming.

Matthew 23:14 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."

Jesus is accusing them of trying to make their acts of ripping off the widows houses right, by using their self-righteous words that are lies, in their pretence that it was of God, and for God's work. They coat their evil deeds in long prayers. For the actions of these Pharisees and scribes, and all that do such in any generation, God is sending His curse upon you. Today we are in the last days and it is time to wake up, before you burn in hell and turned to ashes for all eternity. The place of the "greater damnation" is in hell, and the judgment on those that claim to set in the seat of Moses starts the moment that they took the widows property.

This poor widow that sits in her church and is bribed by the price of a vow thatr this modern day Pharisee will say a prayer for you. This is lunacy for God doesn't charge for answering prayers. God answers prayers for those that serve Him.

Matthew 23:15 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."

Jesus is saying, they go out for converts, and when they finally get one, they take him more so into their own demon doctrine, and thievery then they have become them self. Just look around you in our modern day religious orders, the rip-off artist demand a high price in this day and age. They don't even want to settle for a tenth, as then lay their schemes to demand your vows, and by hammering on your emotions, steal you blind. These people quote the scripture, however they never teach the scripture.

They create the name for the cause and then attach that name to themselves, and then convince you that they are the only ones that can perform that service for God. If you are part of this activity, God has curses in line for you, and you shall not escape that greater damnation. Friend it is time to repent to God, in Jesus name, and make things right if you are part of such an activity.

Matthew 23:16 "Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say," Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, he is a debtor!"

What is the "Temple" in this final generation? It is the body of Christ. This verse is directed to those that say that if you swear by the body of Christ, the Almighty, that is nothing, but if you just swear by the gold of the temple, then God will answer your prayers. Does this sound familiar. Send your tithe, or send a gift and God will bless you if you do, when in the process they have taught you nothing.

It is the temple that is the many membered body of Christ, that Christ calls the church today. We are to be debtors to Christ, and our Heavenly Father, and these modern day Pharisees make you a debtor to them when they make you make vows to them, for what rightly belongs to God. Then when you do as they say, the obligation is not to God, but to that man, and what he has created. The debtor is bound by the oath that he takes, and this creates in your mind the guilt. Thus instead of the giving freely to God, as the tithe should be given, it is given under a penalty of requirement. When this happens, the giver is robbed of the blessings of the tithe.

Matthew 23:17 "Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the Temple that sanctifieth the gold?"

Jesus is asking you, which is the greater, Christ or the thousand dollar vow?

Matthew 23:18 "And, 'Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty."

This is the same application as we say in verse sixteen, The act of swearing the oath to the alter, places the guilt, or obligation in your mind, so when the gift is given it is by the force of the oath, and not of the freedom of the heart.

Matthew 23:19 "Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?"

You better know the answer to that question. Jesus is telling you that there is a time coming when all you are going to hear these religious ones, is the gift, for the altar will be forgotten. This started way back in Ezra's day, when the Kenites took over from the Levitical priesthood, and started to twist teachings to merchandise the temple. It has grown today to the point where the modern day ministry spend most of it's focus on the gift, and not the altar, or the Word of God.

To most persons today in the modern church, they think the blessings come for the gift that was given, when in fact that gift had nothing to do with whatever blessing you received. God gives that blessing, and all blessing that you have is from God, including the very air that you breath. The gift is the card of appreciation to God the giver of that gift to you.

Jesus is telling you that you are a fool if you place any hope in your gift.

Matthew 23:20 "Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon."

In other words, if you swear by Christ, then all gifts are automatically given, for that is where they come from. You just cannot buy your way into His kingdom, or bribe Him to bless you.

Matthew 23:21 "And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him That dwelleth therein."

Matthew 23:22 "And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him That sitteth thereon."

Jesus is telling you that vows and gifts don't buy you anything. He is asking you what is more important, swearing by the body of Christ, or the very throne of God in heaven? Jesus is telling us to pray to the Father, and give Him what is due Him, and He will take care of the blessing. When the request for vows come to you, recognize them for what they are, not of God, but an obligation to a man, and what ever that man has created. When you give give from the heart, as direct by His Holy Word.

Jesus is telling you that God will not bless you for having been played the fool by these people. When you play the fool, do you really expectHe'll  give you gifts when you show Him that you are incapable of treating His property with respect.

Matthew 23:23 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

The Pharisees of all generations, including today, pay special attention to the actual money that comes in, and to the details of earthly matters of frill, and human affairs [arise and cummin]. They have overlooked the matters that count in the eyes of God. Of tending to the matters of scripture, mercy of God's people and their needs, and the faith of those in the body of Christ. What should matter is the spiritual growth of each member of the church.

To "pay tithe the mint", meant that you actively paid attention to the smallest unit, or person to make sure that it was attached. In other terms, it meant that the pastor sought out each person in that church, and personally varified from that individual himself, that the needs and growth in the Word was taking place. That that person understood the important things of the Word. Jesus is warning them that when they take that person's money and count the last penny of the tithe, they had better be getting around to instilling the knowledge of God's Word in them.

Matthew 23:24 "Ye bind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swollow a camel."

The camel is a very unclean animal. Jesus is saying that you strain at a gnat size thing in your doctrine, and when something large and unclean enters your church, you look the other way. The prime example of this today are things are small matters of dress, and smoking are elevated, where the major items of idolatry, Sodomy, and killing your babies is overlooked.

Matthew 23:25 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within thy are full of extortion and excess."

These scribes and Pharisees paid such detail to their religious forms, words, and motions they went through, and they overlooked what God's Word said to do. These religious sorts could care less of pleasing God, for their form is for the merchandising of a religious form.

Matthew 23:26 "Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and Platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

Jesus is telling these Pharisees to go and clean up their own doctrine, and make sure it lines up with God, rather then trying to please the traditions of men. Jesus is taking aim at those church services that never quite get around to teaching the laws and truths of Gods word, because they are too deep in forms that please men.

Matthew 23:27 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness."

Jesus is telling them that they look like grave sites that are beautiful on the outside, but inside the grave is a decaying smelly bones of man, and all sorts of uncleanness. You can see this type every Sunday on their way to and from church, they look beautiful all dressed up, yet on the inside, spiritually, they are spiritually dead, and just waiting for the judgment on their souls. Their mind is not set on God and the teaching of His Word, but the vanities of life, along with the problems that they refuse to allow Jesus to shoulder for them.

In most church houses today the religious form to the passer-by appears to be friendly, and quite concerned for their fellow man. They appear to be interested in the social, and physical needs of the people, Yet the sitting in the pews inside are the bones of the spiritual dead. Within them most of them are the unrepented sins of all sorts of uncleanness, spiritual.

We are in that valley of dry dead bones, that the prophet Ezekiel spoke of in Ezekiel 37:1-14 ,and as he prophesied to them, the Spirit of the four winds, or breath came into them, and form came back on the bones, and life came in to them. This is a spiritual analogy, that God's elect are coming alive, they understand the time that we are in. Yet most of the Christian world is not being taught from the scriptures, as the modern day Pharisees and scripture lawyers continue, just as they did in Jesus day.

Live Link to- Ezekiel's Valley of Dry Dead Bones

Matthew 23:28 "Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

These scribes and Pharisees took pride in showing themselves to be righteous and proper in outward appearance, yet inwardly they were like their father, Cain, full of hypocrisy and all sorts of evil. You are nothing but robbers.

Matthew 23:29 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,"

This is probably the most dangerous of their practices. They would send flowers to the tombs of the prophets, and decorate their grave site, when it was their forefathers that murdered them in the first place. They build the tombs of the Prophets, because they never teach them, they place their teachings in the tomb. These Kenites so twist and distort the words of the Prophets, that it is like their message from God doesn't exist.

The modern day Pharisee will place flowers before the altar of the church house, and make sure everything is prim and proper, and garnish their traditions with all sorts of religious form. They set days aside, and develop the heathen customs of their doctrines to where the people simply don't know what to believe. This has nothing to do with those churches that are truly servants of the Living God. What Jesus is talking about here, are those play actors playing church, while they try to impress each other.

Just for one example; But, there are many more we could name: Live Link to- Easter

Matthew 23:30 "And say, 'If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' "

These scribes and Pharisees know that their forefathers were the murderers of the Prophets, and the distorters of the truth, and yet they deny having any part in the murders. This is a lie, for in their minds and hearts, they will do the same thing, as then will plot to take the life of Jesus the Messiah.

Today their type in the churches admit that Christ was crucified, and they don't want nothing to do with a bloody message.

Christ is about to identify who the Kenites are, so pay attention.

Matthew 23:31 "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets."

Jesus identifies them as the Children of the Kenites that killed the prophets. In Matthew 13 we read of the parables of the sower and the tares, and Jesus explained who the seed, and the tares were. In case you are still thinking in terms of seeds, and wheat stocks, Jesus is bringing you to reality. The Pharisees and the scribes [those priests] are the children of those that killed the prophets. They are the children, physically of the Kenite race, (the Jews , the bad seed) who have mixed with our brother Judah in the middle east, not Israel (the Christian nations of Europe and the Americas), but of their father Cain. Cain was the first born of Eve, and he was conceived from the sexual relations between Satan and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

Live Link to-  Two sowers of seed - Both the good and the bad!

My fellow Christian, that wasn't a apple tree that Eve partook of in the garden, it was a man called the "tree of good and evil", and that man's name is Satan. (no matter how they spin it in most of our so called Christian churches) That sin did not happen in a apple orchard, but in a fig grove, and that is why we are told by Jesus in Matthew 24:32 to learn the parable of the fig tree. It is important, for it is a matter of being deceived in the latter days, or not being deceived when the Antichrist comes to earth to rule.

Live Link to- The Parable of the Fig Tree

Matthew 23:32 "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers."

Jesus is telling these Pharisees that they are just like their fathers, just a bunch of hypocrites that have not changed one bit. Christ is saying there is no difference in them.

Matthew 23:33 "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

The word "generation", should read "offspring". How can they escape it? They can escape the damnation of hell by accepting Christ in repentence. Will they? That is doubtful, for they do not have the eyes to see and the ears to hear and understand. If they did, they would become sons of the Living God, just like any of the elect.

So we see that these scribes and Pharisees are the offspring of the serpent. There are a few with doctorate degrees that claim this serpent has no seed, and they show their devotion to their father the devil also. This is what Jesus Christ is teaching, Satan had children, and those children killed the prophets, and will shortly kill Him.

If you have trouble identifying just who the "serpent" is, Jesus told John to write it down, and that identity is found in Revelation 12:9; "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." "The serpent of old", is the serpent from the garden of Eden, and the time of Satan's being cast out of heaven to the earth, will be very shortly, for when the political beast that now rules the world falls, then the religious beast or system will rise; Satan, his children the Kenites, and the fallen angels will all rule together, and most of the church will think Satan is Christ come to rapture them away. We will cover this in the next chapter.

Matthew 23:34 "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city."

Jesus is telling them that He tried to sent them Prophets, and wise men and real scribes to teach them, but they killed them, and threw them from the synagogues, and harassed where ever they went. Jesus is even projecting this to our end time, as He tells them that He will continue to send His prophets, and you will still persecute them from city to city, right in your churches.

Matthew 23:35 "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the Temple and the altar."

"That upon you", you being the generation, or offspring of the serpents [vipers] that call themselves "scribes and Pharisees" [the priests]. They are the Kenites, and they are not part of real Israel. This is hard for some people, but it gives the period of time that the Kenites did their murdering. They started with Abel, and ended with Zacharias. Who killed Able? Of course it was "Cain", the father of the Kenites, for they have all the characteristics of their father Cain, and his father Satan. Zachraias was the last prophet to be murdered by this tribe of snakes, and when He was killed the Old Testament ended.

Is it starting to take shape, as you see the framework of the religious wars take place, right to our modern times. Did the Kenites die off? of course not because they assume whatever name that allows them to blend in with the people of Israel, where ever they are, and they continue doing what they always have. Twist and distort God's Word, and deceive God's people that are too lazy to study for themselves.

Matthew 23:36 "Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation."

Once again, "this generation" should read "this offspring". Jesus was not talking about a certain generation, but a race of people that have blended with the Jews and the Christians, and more then likely the Moslems also. That race is different, for their father was not conceived in woman, but created. And Satan their father had a son, "Cain" from where they get their name "Kenite. Turn to Strong's Hebrew dictionary # 7013, and # 7017 for the identification.

If this seems strange to you, my next question to you is, What are they teaching in your church? Jesus tells us that if you don't know the parable of the fig tree, which identifies the Kenites, then you will not understand any of His teachings and parables. Jesus tells us in Revelation 2:9, and 3:9 that there are only two types of end time churches that He approves of, and they are the churches of Smyrna, and Philadelphia. They teach who the Kenites are, those that say they are Jews and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan. They say they are law givers, but they lie, and are of Satan and all that he stands for. They are the offspring of Cain, and his father Satan, from his garden sexual encounter with Eve.

Jesus Christ teaches clear and to the point, and sometimes you may think you are too righteous for what Christ thinks you ought to know. In that case I would take a second look at your principles. Do you think you are too good for God's Word?

Today most people believe in this lie. They love their rapture doctrine, but there is a problem with it. It trains you to take the wrong Messiah, the first to come. Satan, the Antichrist will come to give you what ever you want, only it will cost you your soul. This is why Jesus and the Apostles instruct us to be patient, and wait, and keep watching for the signs of these end times. They are the maps to follow to instruct us what time we are in on God's schedule of our earth age.

Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!"

This is a later time just before the final hours when He will go to the cross. He is looking down on the city of Jerusalem.

When you watch the mother hen looking after her little chicks, and see the care and attention she gives to them. When one gets out of line she brings that little chick right back to her, and she feeds them and cares for each one. If danger comes her wings fly out, and the mother hen goes after the enemy even at the risk of her own life.

This is the care and attention Jesus would have liked to give his people in Jerusalem; only they would not allow it. Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him, for He knew what was written by the prophets. They wrote what they did under His advice. Jesus loved His people, and He did give His life for His people, yet Jerusalem would not have Him. They would not accept them as the Messiah.

What stopped the people from accepting Jesus as the Christ? It was the religious community. It was the priests, scribes and Pharisees who were the Kenites that forced themselves into the seat of Moses, as we read in verse two. It wasn't the sinners that walked the street, for they followed Him, and loved Him for the healing and teaching that He gave. Like it or not, it was the religious community, and those that wore the robes of the priests.

You better be careful of anyone that wears the robe and teaches anything but the word of God, for that generation, or offspring of the serpents are still around.

Matthew 23:38 "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate."

This verse is covered by the "abomination of desolation" covered in Matthew 24:15.

Matthew 23:39 "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord."

Jesus speaks here of the second advent, which is at the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet. This will follow the great tribulation [deception], and the time when Satan will deceive many, as he reigns as the Antichrist. It is time to wake up, for we are living in the times when our current events are what the Scriptures are identifying as the signs of the end dives. Much of the end times prophecy is already history to us today, yet the churches treat these times as a careless drunkard.

Jesus is now going to tell us, through His instructions to His disciples, the events that will come upon us in these end times. Pay close attention to the next chapter.

You may recall back in chapter five of this great book of Matthew that Jesus Christ "went up into a mountain" and taught His disciples concerning the beautiful humble spirit and loving attitudes (the beatitudes) of true servants of God. Now, just before Jesus is about to "depart" from the temple (24:1), He teaches both the multitude and His disciples concerning the not-so-beautiful haughty spirit and unloving attitudes (the badatitudes) of false servants, those scribes and Pharisees who have usurped the laws of God by substituting their own traditions which make void His Word (Mat. 15:16). To that end, this 23rd chapter is an exposé on the hidden dynasty of churchianity and the spiritually devastating effect of the actions (works) of the playactors (hypocrites) to whom Christ gives stern warning in the form of "woes" which denote grief in judgment as opposed to the "blessed are's" of His servants in chapter five.

Matthew 23:1
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples,

Here is the first thing every Christian needs to know and understand.

[2] Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses'  seat:

Note: Those who have studied the books of Ezra and Nehemiah know that at one point when the remnant of Judah and Benjamin were on their way back to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, Ezra stopped and took a census of the people and lo and behold there was not one Levitical Priest among the entire lot to perform the priestly duties in the temple. So Ezra sent a "nethinim", a temple servant, back to Babylon to acquire some true priests! However, by the time Christ arrived on the scene the temple had been taken over by the temple workers, even the kenites, the sons of Cain, who now sat in authority as those whose were to keep the law and speak His Words to the people. This was the bringing forth of the great synagogue!

[3] All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

You "see", the works of the scribes and Pharisees, which Christ is going to break down in great detail in the remainder of this chapter, are indeed iniquitous and in direct contrast to the works of God's servants who seek and do the will of their Father which is heaven. In other words, many preachers and ministers who set themselves up and claim to serve the householder in the vineyard sound real religious and appear as holy unto men, but they do not do the will of the Father which is in heaven. True servants of God teach His truth, His Word that heals spiritual blindness and sets the people free from religious traditions that make the Word of God of none effect. The point is that these scribes and Pharisees "say, and do not", meaning they "say" they are doing the will of God as His representatives but they do not do the will of God. So learn to observe and discern between that which is clean and that which is unclean knowing that these fakes who sit in the authority (seat) of Moses, say they teach the law, the truth of God's Word, but the words they teach are not His!

observe, tereo, tay-reh'-o, Greek 5083; from teros (a watch; perhaps akin to Greek 2334 (theoreo)); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon...

theoreo, theh-o-reh'-o, Greek 2334; from a derivative of Greek 2300 (theaomai) (perhaps by addition of Greek 3708 (horao)); to be a spectator of, i.e. discern, (literal, figurative [experience] or intensive [acknowledge]) :- behold, consider, look on, perceive, see. Compare Greek 3700 (optanomai).

[4] For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

"Do NOT ye after their works", said Christ! Here is what they are all about... self! The labor they do is for themselves, to reap glory and honor and recognition for themselves.

[5] But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

Deut. 11:18
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.

Proverbs 6:20-21
My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: [21] Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.

Here are the Greek words for "sealed" and "mark" respectively:

sealed, sphragis, sfrag-ece', Greek 4973; probably strengthened from Greek 5420 (phrasso); a signet (as fencing in or protecting from misappropriation); by implication the stamp impressed (as a mark of privacy, or genuineness), literal or figurative :- seal.

mark, charagma, khar'-ag-mah, Greek 5480; from the same as Greek 5482 (charax); a scratch or etching, i.e. stamp (as a badge of servitude), or sculptured figure (statue) :- graven, mark.

Well, enough on that! Let's see what else the scribes and Pharisees love... oh, it's the same thing... themselves!

Matthew 23:6
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

[7] And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Rabbi, rhabbi, hrab-bee', Greek 4461; of Hebrew origin [Hebrew 7227 (rab) with pronoun suffix]; my master, i.e. Rabbi, as an official title of honor :- Master, Rabbi.

[8] But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Rev. 1:9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 23:9
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Here's a question: Do you have to go through some self appointee to talk your earthly father? Of course not! Neither do you have to go through some man or woman to talk to your heavenly Father.

[10] Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

[11] But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

[12] And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Isaiah 14:13-16
For thou hast said in thine heart, I willascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

[14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

[15] Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

[16] They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

Rev. 20:1-4
And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

[2] And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

[3] And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

[4] And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

 

"THE BEATITUDES" (5:3-12)	"THE WOES" (23:13-33)
1.  The kingdom opened to the poor (v. 3)	1.  The kingdom shut (v. 13)
2.  Comfort for mourners (v. 4)	2.  Mourners distressed (v. 14)
3.  The meek inheriting the earth (v. 5)	3.  Fanatics compassing the earth (v. 15)
4.  True righteousness sought by true desire (v. 6)	4.  False righteousness sought by casuistry (vv. 16-22)
5.  The merciful obtaining mercy (v. 7)	5.  Mercy "omitted" and "left undone" (vv. 23, 24)
6.  Purity within, and the vision of God hereafter (v. 8)	6.  Purity without, uncleanness within. "Blindness" (vv. 25, 26)
7.  Peacemakers, the sons of God (v. 9)	7.  Hypocrites, and lawless (vv. 27, 28)
8.  The persecuted (vv. 10-12)	8.  The persecutors (vv. 29-33)

Thus far in this chapter Christ has explained that the "works they do, they do to be seen of men" (Mat. 23:5). They like to be recognized as holy men of God and be looked up to and some like to be called by fancy titles denoting authority and/or honorability. Some even like to play the role of the Father, even being called "father" or "holy father", and have people confess their sins to them! Oh brother! Take heed and observe their works and remember that Christ said in Matthew 23:12 "... Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased...". In other words, they shall receive their just recompense for the works that they do and unless and until they repent of their iniquitous works, their reward shall be with the tares of Matthew 13:42.

Now Jesus is going to outline and expose the works of the scribes and Pharisees, the teachers and religious leaders of the people, even like the preachers and teachers among the multitudes in Christianity today. Jesus is going to address them with eight stern warnings of judgment, which is what a "woe" is, as He teaches both the multitude and His disciples (Mat. 23:1) the severity of religious hypocrisy (play acting)! His purpose in this teaching is that we might be better able to observe and know the difference between that which is "Holy" (of God) and that which is "profane" (of Satan) and cause us to discern between the "clean" and the "unclean". Teaching our people to know and discern is the priestly duty of a true servant of God (Lev. 10:10, Ezk. 44:23).

One thing is for sure though! You never want to be on the receiving end of a "woe" from Almighty God. Therefore "observe" these eight Woes (7 + 1) of the hypocrites in Matthew 23:13-33 and compare them with the eight Beatitudes of God's servants in Matthew 5:3-12, for they are exact opposites! (Refer to the chart in the last study and below.) In doing so, consider the works of the preachers and leaders of the churches today, even your own if you attend one, and observe if there is any likeness to the works of these play actors. Then when we get to the "eighth woe" Christ will reveal who is at the root of the works they do and the traditions they follow.
 

 

"THE BEATITUDES" (5:3-12)	"THE WOES" (23:13-33)
1.  The kingdom opened to the poor (v. 3)	1.  The kingdom shut (v. 13)
2.  Comfort for mourners (v. 4)	2.  Mourners distressed (v. 14)
3.  The meek inheriting the earth (v. 5)	3.  Fanatics compassing the earth (v. 15)
4.  True righteousness sought by true desire (v. 6)	4.  False righteousness sought by casuistry (vv. 16-22)
5.  The merciful obtaining mercy (v. 7)	5.  Mercy "omitted" and "left undone" (vv. 23, 24)
6.  Purity within, and the vision of God hereafter (v. 8)	6.  Purity without, uncleanness within. "Blindness" (vv. 25, 26)
7.  Peacemakers, the sons of God (v. 9)	7.  Hypocrites, and lawless (vv. 27, 28)
8.  The persecuted (vv. 10-12)	8.  The persecutors (vv. 29-33)

Matthew 23:13
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

hypocrites, hupokrites, hoop-ok-ree-tace', Greek 5273; from Greek 5271 (hupokrinomai); an actor under an assumed character (stage-player), i.e. (figurative) a dissembler ("hypocrite") :- hypocrite.

Remember in Matthew 16:19 that Jesus Christ gave His disciples "the keys to the kingdom of heaven", the truth and knowledge of His Word, which they are to use to bind people to His Word and loose them from the traditions of men whereby they are set free from bondage and those burdens grievous to be borne. In contrast, the hypocrites take away the key of knowledge which hides "the door" and hinders our brothers and sisters from entering into the kingdom. In other words, through teaching their traditions and playing church instead of teaching His Word chapter by chapter and verse by verse they sidestep the truth and keep our people Biblically illiterate whereby for their lack of knowledge they are unable to observe what their preachers and ministers are actually doing.

Luke 11:52
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

Matthew 23:14
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

damnation, krima, kree'-mah, Greek 2917; from Greek 2919 (krino); a decision (the function or the effect, for or against ["crime"]) :- avenge, condemned, condemnation, damnation, + go to law, judgment.

Observe! Our Father does not like their "works" one bit!  What does your preacher do?

[15] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

[16] Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

blind, tuphlos, toof-los', Greek 5185; from Greek 5187 (tuphoo); opaque (as if smoky), i.e. (by analogy) blind (physical or mental) :- blind.

tuphoo, toof-o'-o, Greek 5187; from a derivative of Greek 5188 (tupho); to envelop with smoke, i.e. (figurative) to inflate with self-conceit :- high-minded, be lifted up with pride, be proud.

guides, hodegos, hod-ayg-os', Greek 3595; from Greek 3598 (hodos) and Greek 2233 (hegeomai); a conductor (literal or figurative [teacher]) :- guide, leader.

Malachi 3:8-9
Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Malachi means "My Messenger" and it is written to the priesthood, those ' His messengers/our preachers  are to be knowledgeable in Father's Word, not blind and illiterate, and teach His Word lest they cause our brothers and sisters to stumble at the law! Malachi 2:7-8 "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. [8] But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts." They have corrupted their priestly duties and obligations to God to teach our people the difference between the holy and the profane and cause them to discern between that which is spiritually clean to partake of and that which isn't! Therefore they shall be judged as in "WOE unto you, hypocrites!"

Malachi 3:5
And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 3:9
Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Matthew 23:17
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

fools, moros, mo-ros', Greek 3474; probably from the base of Greek 3466 (musterion); dull or stupid (as if shut up), i.e. heedless, (moral) blockhead, (apparently) absurd :- fool (-ish, × -ishness).

[18] And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Hosea 6:6
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

[19] Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

[24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Matthew 23:20
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

[21] And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by Him that dwelleth therein.

[22] And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by Him that sitteth thereon.

Observe! Does your church teach that your primary obligation to God, your vow of duty and service to Him, is your gifts and your financial contributions to the church, to God's work as they call it...?

[23] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Note: The phrase "and not to leave the other undone" should read "and not to leave those undone"! In other words, they should have focused on the weightier matters, the things that really are important, and not neglected them as they have done! You can check out that "the other" should be translated "those" in the Greek manuscripts, noting also all the other translations that have it correctly rendered.

[24] Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Observe! Are the priorities and doctrines of your church to teach the difference between what is Holy and what is profane?

[25]Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

[26] Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Observe! Is your church a Bethel or a Beth-aven?

[27] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

[28] Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Remember well the words of Christ we learned in chapter 7:

Matthew 7:21-23
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 23:29
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

[30] And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

[31] Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Observe Does your church teach concerning the kenites, the true murderers of the prophets and righteous men of God?

[32] Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

[33] Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

[34] Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

Luke 21:12
But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

Matthew 23:35
That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

We will cover this in greater detail in the next chapter as it relates to what is happening right now, this very day, and in the days just ahead! For Christ has foretold us all things if we just take the time to open our eyes and ears to hear His voice and make observation! Mark 13:23 "But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things."

[36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

[37] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

[38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

[39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Psalm 118:22-29
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

[23] This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

[24] This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

[25] Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

[26] Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

[27] God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

[28] Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

[29] O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.

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