What is the challenge that Jesus lays out in front of us at work?

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The scribes and the Pharisees [leaders] are seated in the chair of Moses. ³ Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. ⁴ They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. ⁵ They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. ⁶ They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, ⁷ greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

Matthew 23:1-7

Some questions to consider:

• Is my focus the kingdom of God at work?
• Do I care about the truth?
• Am I a blind guide to my colleagues?
• Am I obsessed with the “letter of the law”?
• Am I a hypocrite?
• Is my heart in the right place?

What does Woe mean?

The Greek word “ouai” is used in the following three ways:

1) It is used to express a denunciation; i.e. it is used to pronounce someone or something as blameworthy and evil.

2) It is used to express a severe calamity, a severe distress or affliction.

3) It is used to express great grief.

While these meanings overlap, each one has a somewhat different focus. And in each case, it is always the context in which “ouai” is used that shows which specific focus is intended.

Matthew 23:13 – The first “woe” for our faith at work

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees [leaders], hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you do not go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.

Jesus cares for people. He wants for them to know Him and to enter into His kingdom (John 3:16–17; 10:10, 17; 2 Peter 3:9). After rebuking the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus lamented over rebellious Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37–39).

His heart is for people to find life in Him. It makes sense, then, that He would have harsh words for those who prevented people from finding salvation. The teachers of the Law and Pharisees were not truly looking for after God, though they acted as if they were. Their religion was empty, and it was preventing others from following the Messiah.

Matthew 23:15 – The second “woe” for our faith at work

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees [leaders], hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!

In the second woe, Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for making strenuous efforts to win converts and then leading those converts to be “twice as much” children of hell as the scribes and Pharisees were (Matthew 13:15). In other words, they were more intent on spreading their religion than on maintaining the truth.

Matthew 23:16-22 – The third “woe” for our faith at work

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides [leaders], who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁷ Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ ¹⁹ Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. ²¹ The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it. ²² And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne and by him who sits on it.

The third woe Jesus pronounces against the scribes and Pharisees calls the religious leaders “blind guides” and “blind fools” (Matthew 23:16–17). Specifically, Jesus points out, they nit-picked about which oaths were binding and which were not, ignoring the sacred nature of all oaths and significance of the temple and God’s holiness (verses 15–22).

Matthew 23:23-24 – The fourth “woe” for our faith at work

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees [leaders], hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others. ²⁴ Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

The fourth woe calls out the scribes and Pharisees for their practice of diligently paying the tithe while neglecting to actually care for people. While they were counting their mint leaves to make sure they gave one tenth to the temple, they “neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (Matthew 23:23). Once again, they focused on the letter of the Law and obeyed it with pride, but they missed the weightier things of God. Their religion was external; their hearts were not transformed.

Matthew 23:25-26 – The fifth “woe” for our faith at work

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees [leaders], hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

Jesus elaborates on their hypocrisy in the fifth woe. He tells the religious leaders they appear clean on the outside, but they have neglected the inside. They perform religious acts but do not have God-honoring hearts. It does no good, Jesus says, to clean up the outside when the inside is “full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew 23:25). The Pharisees and scribes are blind and do not recognize that, when the inside is changed, the outside, too, will be transformed.

Matthew 23:27-28 – The sixth “woe” for our faith at work

“Woe to you, [leaders] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

In the sixth woe, Jesus claims the scribes and Pharisees are “like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean” (Matthew 23:27). The deadness inside of tombs is likened to the “hypocrisy and wickedness” inside the religious leaders (verse 28). Once again, they appear to obey God, but their hearts are far from Him (see Matthew 15:7–9 and Isaiah 29:13).

Matthew 23:29-32 – The seventh “woe” for our faith at work

“Woe to you, [leaders] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ ³¹ So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. ³² Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins!

Jesus concludes His seven-fold rebuke by telling the religious leaders that they are just like their fathers, who persecuted the prophets of old. In building monuments to the prophets, they testify against themselves, openly admitting that it was their ancestors who killed the prophets (Matthew 23:29–31). Although they arrogantly claim that they would not have done so, they are the ones who will soon plot the murder of the Son of God Himself (Matthew 26:4).

Matthew 23:33-39 – The closing –

“Snakes! [leaders] Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? ³⁴ This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. ³⁵ So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. ³⁶ Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! ³⁸ See, your house is left to you desolate. ³⁹ For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say,’ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’!”

Jesus’ words are harsh because there was so much at stake for our faith at work. Those who followed the Pharisees and scribes were being kept from following God. So much of the teaching in Jesus’ day was in direct contradiction of God’s Word (see Matthew 15:6). The religious leaders made a mockery out of following God.

• They did not truly understand God’s ways, and they led others away from God.
• Jesus’ desire was that people would come to know God and be reconciled with Him.
• In Matthew 11:28–30 Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
• Unlike the burdens the scribes and Pharisees laid on the people in a human effort to gain reconciliation with God, Jesus gives true rest. The religious leaders spread lies covered in a veneer of godliness (John 8:44); Jesus spoke harshly against them because He came to bring life (John 10:10).

This says a lot. It is from Paul.

So I, the prisoner for the Master, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior — a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation, with all humility forsaking self-righteousness, and meekness maintaining self-control, with patience, bearing with one another in unselfish love.

Ephesians 4:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

“So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.”

Revelation 3:16

Uh oh! Here it comes! I better listen up and change my mind (aka repent). I better act different. I better give up acting religious. I better get serious about following Him. I better give up my selfish self-pitying. I better listen up!

I better get on fire for Jesus and His Way.

People of faith know the Power of God at work!

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have changed their minds (aka repented) long ago in sackcloth and ashes.”

Matthew 11:21

• Am I missing the miracles of God?
• Have I changed my mind about who is in charge?
• Am I ready to love?

People of faith aren’t stumbling blocks to others at work!

“Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”

Matthew 18:7

• Have I become a stumbling block to others to follow Jesus?

People of faith are loyal to Jesus and others!

“The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

 Matthew 26:24

• Am I loyal to Jesus?
• Am I loyal to the followers of Jesus?

People of faith understand the challenge of wealth!

“But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full.”

Luke 6:24

• I work hard. What is wrong with the four cars I own? Why shouldn’t we get that vacation home?

People of faith always hunger after God.

“Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry.”

 Luke 6:25

• Why shouldn’t we go out to dinner again?
• It was silly when my dad talked about the starving kids in China.

People of faith empathize and cry with others!

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.”

Luke 6:25

• What is wrong with having a little fun?
• My entertainment budget is reasonable. It isn’t that much money.
• I don’t have a lot of time to spend with the emotionally needy.

People of faith shun flattery and are grounded in self-awareness!

“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.”

Luke 6:26

• I appreciate the praise I get at work.
• I work hard and it’s nice to be recognized.

Is there good news? Yes, Jesus has given me the power of God’s Holy Spirit. I have the fruit of the Spirit growing in me. I can be free of hypocrisy. I declare that Jesus is my Master and the anointed Messiah (King). Jesus died for me missing God’s goals (aka sinning). Jesus has been raised from the dead in an incorruptible body. Jesus has ascended to heaven and now sits at the right hand of God almighty.

Amen and Amen! Glory be to God.

Ephesians 4:1-2 (Amplified Bible)

So I, the prisoner for the Master, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior — a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation, with all humility forsaking self-righteousness, and meekness maintaining self-control, with patience, bearing with one another in unselfish love.

We have good news! Want to know how to be saved? Click here and here for more.