What or Who Do You Swear By? Matthew 23:13-22

 Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

Verses 13-22 cover the first three of the seven woes. 

13 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. 

The word "hypocrite" comes from Greek play acting and means to "wear a mask". It also means "hypo-crites", or "above criticism.  You will often find this tendency today where hyper-critical people focus on other's faults, but don't look at their own. 

The seriousness of the condemnation was that the Pharisees were closing the door of the kingdom of heaven.  They were playing God.  The standard they had set was perfect adherence to the Law, which neither they nor the people could keep.  Little did they know that with the same standard they were judging, they too would be judgedd.

Verse 14 Some manuscripts include this verse which also shows up in Luke 20:47 and Mark 12:40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

One of the more troubling aspects of their hypocritical legalism was taking advantage of widows.  In doing so, they had completely lost the Spirit of the Law, which was to love your neighbor as yourselves. 

15 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.\

"Their zeal in evangelism did not prove they were right with God. These religious leaders went to great lengths to win others, but they brought people to darkness, not light." Guzik

“A sizable body of scholarship convincingly argues that the first century A.D. till the Fall of Jerusalem marks the most remarkable period of Jewish missionary zeal and corresponding success.” (Carson)

16 “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ 

"Out of obedience to God’s Word they refused to swear by the name of God (as commanded in Exodus 20:7). Yet they constructed an elaborate system of oaths, some of which were binding and some were not. It was a way of making a promise while keeping fingers crossed behind one’s back." (Guzik)

The word "blind guide" is an oxymoron, yet describes these teachers.  The were appearing to lead people, but it was "the blind leading the blind".  

17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 

The meaning of the temple had become completely lost as a result of their bad teaching.  The temple was the place where God met his people in the holy place.  The gold in effect had nothing to do with it.  The gold was sanctified or made holy by the temple, not visa versa.  They worshipped the created things versus the Creator, which is at the root of all idolatry.  

18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 

The meaning here is similar.  An oath was not determined by an altar, but by the person making the oath. Again they saw the altar as superstitious and put their faith in it rather than their own oath to God.  Some have used the elements of communion in this way, ascribing almost magical qualities to the bread and wine.  Yet, we know the meaning and power of the bread and wine comes only when it is connected to faith in what they symbolize, Jesus' death on the cross.  

20 Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

"Jesus reminded them that every oath is binding and God holds the oath-maker to account, even if they excuse themselves." Barnes

21And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 

The people had confused the physical temple with the presence and power of God.  The same can happen today.  People can get attached to a church, or even a pastor and lose sight of the fact that the church and its leaders are always pointing people to God not themselves.  

22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Since heaven is God's throne and he sits on it, swearing by heaven means nothing.  

You can see the major problem with the Pharisees was that they had completely missed the purpose of all of the means to a relationship with God.  Instead of seeing these oaths and other aspects of the temple as a means of grace, they portrayed them as the end all be all. 

This is the difference between religion and Christianity.  Religion is doing stuff and using stuff to somehow earn God's favor or blessing.  It is not focused on God and his unalterable qualities, but on man's manipulation of God, often for one's own glory.  

Where in the church do we get more focused on forms, rituals, and things, rather than on God himself?  Do you subsitute your own ways as the means to get to God, or making him into your own image or worship God for who he really is?  Do you go to church or go to worship God?