Intermediate Sunday School : Lesson 137

Text: Matthew 23 :1-4
9 March 2025

STUDIES IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

Text: Matthew 23

1Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,
2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do.
4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers

Matthew 23:1-4

INTRODUCTION

1. Matthew 23

a) A series of rebukes
b) These words were directed at the religious leaders
i) Scribes
ii) Pharisees

2. The religious leaders

a) They were supposed to lead in spiritual matters
b) But they failed terribly

3. The Disciples of the Lord and the Multitudes

a) They had to be informed
b) They had to be instructed
c) They had to be warned never to follow these bad examples
d) They would need to be more discerning

MOSES’ SEAT

1. Seat of authority

2. Seat of a judge

SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

1. The Scribes

a) Scholars
b) Experts in the Jewish law

2. The Pharisees

a) Leaders
b) They often abused their position

3. They give instructions

a) They teach people to observe the traditions of the elders
b) They insist that if one breaks the traditions, they have broken God’s laws
c) Sometimes they give good advice (not always)

APPROPRIATE RESPONSES

1. Instructions are to evaluated

a) Good advice
To be followed
b) Bad or wrong advice
To be rejected

2 The behaviour of the Scribes and Pharisees

a) Do not follow their works
b) They talk more than they walk

EVALUATION OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

1. They bind heavy burdens

a) They are hard to bear
b) These are not the laws of God

2. They bind people

a) These are laid on the shoulders of people
b) But they are exempted from bearing the heavy burdens

VITAL LESSONS

1. To learn deep lessons well

2. To become more discerning

3. To be more fully enlightened