Jesus Excoriates the Pharisees – Matt 22-23

The parable of the wedding feast in chapter 22 is a difficult passage in some respects. All of the “players” obviously are representative of God and the people of the world who are “invited” into His kingdom. And it all makes perfect sense until you get to the part where the guest is found with no wedding garment. While it may appear that all of these “secondary” guests were just rounded up and brought in, the fact is that they had been invited (verse 9), which infers that they did the necessary to appear at the wedding feast in proper attire. The guest with no wedding garment could not answer how he had gotten in without one because he had no excuse for not being prepared. He had tried to slip in without doing what he knew he should do.

English: Jesus disputes with the Pharisees. Fr...

English: Jesus disputes with the Pharisees. French School. In the Bowyer Bible in Bolton Museum, England. Print 3861. From “An Illustrated Commentary on the Gospel of Mark” by Phillip Medhurst. Section Q. disputes with the establishment. Mark 10:2-12, 11:27-33, 12:13-27, 12:35-37. http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-illustrated-commentary-by-phillip-medhurst-on-the-gospel-of-mark-section-q-to-r (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In chapter 23, Jesus continues relentlessly, pronouncing seven “woes” on the Pharisees and scribes. These 36 verses are his longest recorded criticism of these religious leaders. they are specific, and encompass a range of hypocrisy and downright evil behavior that leaves no doubt that Jesus is completely condemning them. It would not be any stretch of the imagination to believe that this likely “pushed them over the edge” where their intent toward Jesus was concerned.

/Bob’s boy

Bible Reading Schedule for this month
Click links below to read or listen to audio of one of this week’s chapters in Colossians and Luke

Matt 21, Matt 22, Matt 23, Matt 24, Matt 25

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

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All of my comments in this blog are solely my responsibility. When reading any commentary, you should always refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word.

 

 

 

 

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