Note for 20250618 - The Gospel of Jesus Christ - Part 142 - Mat 23 - Who are You
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
According to Matthew
Part 142 - Mat 23 - Who are You
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Matthew 23:1-39 KJV
[1] Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, [2] saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: [3] all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. [4] For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. [5] But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, [6] and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, [7] and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. [8] But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. [9] And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. [10] Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. [11] But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. [12] And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. [13] But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. [14] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. [15] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. [16] Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! [17] Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? [18] And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. [19] Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? [20] Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. [21] And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. [22] And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. [23] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. [24] Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. [25] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. [26] Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. [27] 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. [28] Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. [29] Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, [30] and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. [31] Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. [32] Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. [33] Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? [34] 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: [35] that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. [36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. [37] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! [38] Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. [39] For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.23.1-39.KJV
Note for 20250618
Who are You?
It's a bit of a rough read this morning, isn't it? In the KJV it stands under a heading, The Great Denunciation. What is this?
Matthew 23:34-36 KJV
[34] 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: [35] that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. [36] Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.23.34-36.KJV
But, let me give you more...
2 Peter 1:21 KJV
[21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
https://bible.com/bible/1/2pe.1.21.KJV
Deuteronomy 18:18-19 KJV
[18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. [19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
https://bible.com/bible/1/deu.18.18-19.KJV
Revelation 19:10 KJV
[10] And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
https://bible.com/bible/1/rev.19.10.KJV
The last quote should be familiar to you. But, please also note that verse 36 in today's reading speaks of a specific generation, even one that saw the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. Do you remember the Note on the House of Prayer?
We have to question ourselves in which category we fall. Shall we look at the serpent seed again and Ezra 9. Shall we reread the Book of Jude and 2 Peter 2, to get familiar with that which at least these two knew? I think I have spoken on this in a large part.
Last night, after I was awakened from a dream, on an unrelated personal matter, I couldn't fall asleep and I went into prayer. The Holy Spirit was communicating with me on the matter of wisdom, also of things to come, just as Christ said would be the case. While there was no matter on the greater part that we do not already know, there were revelations regarding what is available to the believer in the Spirit of GOD. Friends, we do not have to guess, all we need to do is request in prayer after the righteousness of matters. We have read regarding the wheat and tare and who the reapers are. We have read of the transition we can expect when we meet the end of life here. More and more, we see those of a generation moving along to the other side of breath here on earth, many of those who would not receive us in the message of Jesus Christ.
So, today, as a service to the Church of Jesus Christ, of all those that congregate in His Name, I pose a question to you for self-investigation, namely: Who are you? And just in case, you miss the significance of my question, let me ask it more clearly: Who are you really?
From today's reading, we must take away how Jesus felt about hypocrisy. Now, I come not by way of accusation or even to sow doubts, but to install that which will bring certainty to those who investigate the matter within. For a few days on end now, I have been hammering on the concept that our day can come at any time, even as we now have this loss in our family. Almost as a foreboding of the inevitable conclusion of all since Christ ascended to our Father in Heaven. Are you sent as prophets, wisemen and scribes among the people, bringing the Word of GOD to every creature, or do we still stand in hypocrisy, fooling noone more than we fool ourselves? There is indeed a road of sanctification and deliverance in Jesus Christ. By the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and we should take advice from Christ here, to clean the inside first, so the outside can be brought into alignment too.
We constantly make an error if we think, "we will have more time." It is as good as saying, "My Lord delay His coming." What then of those since Christ that have gone through the grave, are they lost? And what if we should join them, are we called those who slept in Christ? Is it not written too, that the dead in Christ will rise first?
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV
[13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. [14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. [15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. [16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: [17] then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
https://bible.com/bible/1/1th.4.13-18.KJV
I do want you to be without this comfort. What then about those who have not slept in Christ, shall we refresh our knowledge on that too? There are many scriptures on this, and probably of the most profound to be found in the Book of Revelation. But, let us hear from Jesus Christ:
John 5:28-30 KJV
[28] Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. [30] I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.5.28-30.KJV
Shall we deceive regarding this matter, be that others, or worse, ourselves? This matter is at hand too, that separation between the wheat and tare, the sheep or goat. While we still draw breath, is this not worthy of consideration?
Still this matter of hypocrisy remains. Is it hypocrisy to speak the truth, even if it does not paint ourselves in a favorable way? Aren't we sinners saved by grace? But, what does the heart yearn after? Can we at least be truthful to GOD, and if we can, if we are able, truthful to ourselves. For that mark is the start of repentance, discovering the undesirable within ourselves. Then we can recognise the struggle of our fellow kinsmen and women, and show compassion in their journey. Then are we able to help, for salvation is still available.
Selah, Shalom
(NOTE: If You feel that you want more, please take note that this here is basically just the notes for the Audio version of the Note. There is much more in the Audio and Video Versions of the Daily Notes)
Verse of The Day
From the YouVersion Bible App (Extended from verse 7)
Hebrews 5:5-10 KJV
[5] So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, To day have I begotten thee. [6] As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchisedec. [7] Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; [8] though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; [9] and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; [10] called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
https://bible.com/bible/1/heb.5.5-10.KJV
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