August 4

Text: Matthew 23:13

"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”  (NASB)

What outraged Jesus in this and following woes was the price others paid for the scribes and Pharisees’ role-playing.  Jesus’ presentation of God’s kingdom earnestly sought to teach and illustrate by parable God’s concept and intents for His kingdom.  Jesus made people consider things they had not considered.

Jesus’ kingdom focus and the scribes and Pharisees’ kingdom focus distinctly differed.  They agreed on many things—Abraham was the beginning of the Jewish people; Isaac was God’s child of promise; Jacob’s 12 sons were the origin of the nation of Israel’s 12 tribes; and the nation’s origin was made possible by acts of God.  They all had lots of common ground!

However, Jesus disagreed with the scribes and Pharisees on an extremely key issue.  Jesus declared God’s interest was universal (see Genesis 12:3; 1 Kings 8:41-43; Isaiah 49:6; Matthew 8:11, 12).  The scribes and Pharisees stressed the nation of Israel (the Jewish people) was God’s ultimate, principle concern.  The scribes and Pharisees were convinced that Jesus’ declaration of a universal divine concern  misrepresented  God’s kingdom intent—physical Israel, not world salvation, was God’s kingdom focus.

The result of this disagreement was horrible!  Not only did the scribes and Pharisees reject Jesus and his teachings for themselves, but they caused all who followed them to reject Jesus and his teachings.  The scribes and Pharisees actively opposed God’s intents in His kingdom.  They rejected the kingdom for themselves and closed the kingdom to others.

To blind ourselves to God’s work is bad.  However, to deliberately blind others to God’s work is worse!

Suggestion for reflection:  How serious is representing God’s intents?  (Read Romans 2:17-29.)