{"id":27587,"date":"2015-10-30T10:32:15","date_gmt":"2015-10-30T16:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=27587"},"modified":"2015-10-30T10:32:15","modified_gmt":"2015-10-30T16:32:15","slug":"new-testament-284","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2015\/10\/new-testament-284.html","title":{"rendered":"New Testament 284"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Tissot's<\/a>
\u201cMalheur \u00e0 vous, scribes et pharisiens\u201d
\u201cWoe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees!\u201d
James Tissot (Jacques Joseph Tissot, d. 1902)
Wikimedia Commons, public domain
(Click to enlarge.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Matthew 23:1-36<\/a><\/p>\n

Mark 12:37-40<\/a><\/p>\n

Luke 20:45-47<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Luke 6:39; 11:39-44, 46-52; John 13:4-5, 12-17<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are many observations that might be made about these substantial passages of scripture. \u00a0I\u2019ll offer just a few, briefly.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

1.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s striking that, while Christ\u2019s statements here indicate a very negative estimation of the character of the scribes and the Pharisees \u2014 for, among other things, greed and hypocrisy \u2014 they show considerable respect for their \u201coffice,\u201d as it were, of teaching the law of Moses.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

2.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of the major themes here is that we shouldn\u2019t seek the praise of the people around us, nor glory in titles or rank or ecclesiastical appointments. \u00a0Rather, greatness consists in service.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

3.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Another theme is a fierce condemnation of superficiality, of focusing on external things rather than on God and\/or on the deeper principles behind those things.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

4.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The obvious and easy temptation, having read these passages, is to sit back in quiet self-satisfaction, pondering the obvious inadequacies of the scribes and Pharisees and thinking to ourselves, \u201cGod, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

That temptation must be resisted. \u00a0Instead, we should be asking \u201cLord, is it I?\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Matthew 23:1-36 Mark 12:37-40 Luke 20:45-47 Compare Luke 6:39; 11:39-44, 46-52; John 13:4-5, 12-17 \u00a0 There are many observations that might be made about these substantial passages of scripture. \u00a0I\u2019ll offer just a few, briefly. \u00a0 1. \u00a0 It\u2019s striking that, while Christ\u2019s statements here indicate a very negative estimation of the character […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nNew Testament 284<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    Matthew 23:1-36 Mark 12:37-40 Luke 20:45-47 Compare Luke 6:39; 11:39-44, 46-52; John 13:4-5, 12-17   There are many observations that\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2015\/10\/new-testament-284.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Testament 284\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"    Matthew 23:1-36 Mark 12:37-40 Luke 20:45-47 Compare Luke 6:39; 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