“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. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” Matthew 23:27-28
My Summary & Reflection
Jesus compares those who were responsible for judging the compliance with religious and cultural laws with a beautifully built tomb. The tomb can be ornate and quite beautiful, but inside it is filled with death. He says that these men appear righteous on the outside, but are full of hypocrisy and sin. In essence, these judges are dead inside.
During the time of Jesus’ teaching, there developed a class of people who took as their duty the role of cultural and religious critic. They seemed to be a constant presence to judge the righteousness of others in comparison to the written law. Jesus’ critique in this comparison is based upon their hypocrisy. In this passage, Jesus calls these scribes and Pharisees hypocrites. That means that they claim righteousness, but their actions do not line up with that claim. Jesus says of these men, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” Matthew 23:3 So, in other words, do as they say, not as they do.
Jesus also notes that these judges are quick to praise the historical prophets, but are just as quick to denounce anyone who rises anew in their prophetic tradition. He notes that “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:” Matthew 23:34
Jesus’ words were an admonishment to the ministers and judges of his day. They also show that we all should be discerning when looking at others to guide us. Not only can we listen to beautiful words and be amazed by the prestige that can surround people in positions that are admired in society, but we must also observe the works of our leaders to see that their works align with their beautiful words and their high status. If not, they may be hypocrites and we should follow the words that are proper, but not follow their example in a path that leads to death.
Your Reflection
- Have you ever followed someone you later realized was a hypocrite? What did you do?
- Have you been a hypocrite and criticized others for a flaw that you, yourself have?
- Why do people feel the desire to judge each other?