Matthew 23 Part 1

Matthew 23 culminates in the running dispute between Jesus and that of the Religious Leaders of the Jerusalem Religious Establishment that has been narrated since Matthew 23:12. Here we can see quite clearly that Jesus has argued successfully with:

(1) Chief Priests and Scribes (Matthew 21:12-17).

(2) Chief Priests, and the Elders of the people (Matthew 21:23-22:14), and according to Matthew 21:45, this also included that of the Pharisees.

(3) Disciples of the Pharisees and “certain” Herodians (Matthew 22:15-22).

(4) Sadducees (Matthew 22:23-33)

These arguments take o the form of a series of questions on the half of the Religious Leaders in question (Matthew 21:16, 23:17, 28, 36) and the responses given to them by Jesus himself, which include scriptural quotations that go to back up his (Jesus’) counter arguments (Matthew 21:28-30, 33-39, 22:1-14), and questions directed back at these leaders (Matthew 21:16, 33, 42, 22:32, 37, 39, 44), parables (21:28-30, 33-39, 22:1-14) and questions directed back again at these leaders (Matthew 21:16, 25, 28, 31, 40, 42, 22:18, 20, 42, 43, 45). Finally, it comes to a point in the dispute where dialogue is no longer possible, and the indictments of Matthew 23 then ensue.

Matthew 23 also serves as a “focal point” and “springboard” with regards the “eschatological issues” of Matthew 24-25, and the disputes with the Religious leaders only end in a stale mate (Matthew 22:46), and Jesus then warns his followers against being like those leaders he had just been addressing (Matthew 23:1-12), whereby he pronounces a series of 7 woes that are to befall these Religious Leaders (Matthew 23:13-36). Though, Jesus does lament Jerusalem’s fate, he does hold out hope for its future (Matthew 23:37-39). As he is “departing the Temple”, perhaps reenacting the “departure of the Shikinah” (Ezekiel 9:3, 10:4, 18-19, 11:22-23, 43:2), his disciples point out to Jesus the glorious architecture of that of the Temple (Matthew 24:1). At this point, Jesus speaks bluntly concerning the coming destruction of the Temple to which the disciples respond with the question, “when will these things be, and what will the signs be of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:2-3). This then gives rise to the discourse concerning the “signs of the end of the age”. Thus, the coming judgment of Jerusalem, (primarily to its leaders and its Temple), is justified in Matthew 23 before it is predicted in Matthew 24-25.

Matthew 23, it seems, has 3 parts to it:

(1) Jesus addressing the multitudes and his disciples with concerns about the Scribes and Pharisees, now “urges” his “true followers” to “adopt” a far "better", "effective" and yet very “different approach” and “model of leadership” that all "true" followers of Jesus should model (Matthew 23:1-12).

(2) Jesus denounces the Pharisees and scribes with regards to 7 woes that are to befall them, with regards their somewhat “hypocritical ways” in various matters (Matthew 23:13-33).

(3) This then concludes with the accusation that Israel rejected her own prophets, and that of the impending rejection of Christ himself (Matthew 23:34-39). The chapter not only concludes with the rejection of Christ, but with the rejection of future prophets being sent to Israel also, which only exacerbates the problem and makes matters worse (Matthew 23:34-36). Jesus, though, does hold out hope for Jerusalem, in that the desolation's will end for it when it will finally acknowledge him with words of the Psalm 118, “Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 118:26, compare Matthew 23:37-39).