1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
2“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Woe to the Hypocrites
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: Matthew 23:1 · Berean Standard Bible
Jesus turns to speak to the crowds and His disciples. He's done answering trick questions. Now He has something important to say about the religious leaders.
This is a pivotal moment. Jesus shifts from debating the leaders to warning the people about them. It's His last major public speech in Matthew's Gospel.
Jesus addresses the ordinary people and His followers directly, speaking openly for all to hear.
The debates are over, and now Jesus speaks from the heart. What He's about to say will be bold, honest, and deeply important for everyone listening.
Jesus now addresses both the crowds (ochlois) and His disciples (mathetais), shifting from private debate to public discourse. This dual audience signals that the following teaching is for both insiders and the general public.
Chapter 23 marks a dramatic shift from defensive debate to offensive prophetic denunciation. This is Jesus' final public discourse in Matthew before the Olivet Discourse.
Jesus speaks publicly in the Temple, addressing the gathered crowds and His own followers.
Having silenced His opponents, Jesus now speaks freely. What follows is the most scorching rebuke of religious hypocrisy in all of Scripture.
1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:
2“The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
3So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Read all of Matthew 23 — Seven devastating woes crash down on the religious establishment. Jesus doesn't whisper his critique — he thunders it.
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