Ser,om On the Net

WOE

 

Matthew 23: This chapter deals with the seven woes pronounced by Jesus upon the Jewish nation along with some other very interesting aspects for Christians. In the beginning Jesus instructs the disciples to listen to the teachers of the law but to not do what they practice, for they place heavy loads on people but they themselves don’t bother to practice what they preach. Jesus further tells them not to call anyone Rabbi (which means teacher) because they (the disciples) have only one teacher, one Master, the Christ. The teachers of the law wanted to be known as Rabbi’s, in fact every thing they did was to feed their own ego; verses 8-9 say: “But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.” Jesus also tells them that the greatest among them will be their servant.

 

Now Jesus mentions the seven woes to the crowd. The seven woes deal with the insincerity and double standards of the teachers of the law and the priests. They say one thing and do another, and place demands on the people. The last woe deals with the teachers and priests and bears elaboration; they say they would not have done what their forefathers did to the prophets of old (shedding their blood). Jesus chastises them for their false testimony telling them that He is going to send them teachers, wise men and prophets, and that they are going to torture them, kill them, crucify them and put them in prison. Lastly, Jesus explains how He would have been overjoyed with them if only they were truly looking to and obeying the true God of Israel.

 

This chapter stresses the hypocrisy of the Jewish people and, unfortunately, it continues today and will until Jesus returns for His people. Another point that Jesus made very clear was for us to never refer to anyone on this earth as anything other than what they are   …a human being. We have, today, a myriad of titles in the religious and Christian communities. Jesus says (not me), “Do not call anyone father, rabbi or teacher.” I think His words are plain enough for anyone to understand. Personally I have always had a problem with any kind of religious or Christian title and I will obey Jesus and not men. I don’t know of any place in the New Testament of references to people by title. Enough said.