Matthew 23:1-12
23: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Reflection
In Matthew 23:1–36, Matthew records Jesus’ extended criticism of the scribes and Pharisees, perhaps with the hope that Christians would benefit from the Pharisees’ negative example.
The scribes and Pharisees were positioned to do great damage to the Jewish people. They had vast knowledge of the Scriptures, and because of their learning, they held positions of authority and influence (vv. 2, 6–7). While these men did their deeds for the sake of being honored by other people, Jesus tells us that godly leadership seeks to serve the needs of others. There is nothing more deadly to the health of a church or a leader than a prideful, self-serving attitude. If we want to be great by Christ’s standards, then we will battle these sinful desires in ourselves and seek humbly to serve others (vv. 11–12).
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
5: It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. 2 And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3 For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4 When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Reflection
In chapter 5, Paul confronts the church at Corinth about another problem that has been reported to him (v. 1; cf. 1:11): they are tolerating a sexually immoral relationship between a man and his stepmother.
The chapter is a powerful and clear reminder that God’s grace does not provide permission to sin but power to live differently. Therefore, those who claim to believe in Christ are not free to engage in immorality (v. 11), and they must be disciplined when they persist in sin. The most severe form of discipline involves being cut off from the church community (vv. 2, 9, 11). Yet the good news (the gospel) offers hope that even these people may one day be fully restored and “saved in the day of the Lord” (v. 5). The kind of lifestyle God desires cannot be produced apart from the gospel. When the sinful patterns “of this world” (v. 10) surround us and tempt us to compromise, the proper response is to return to the unchanging grace of God, who showed his mercy in the Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ (v. 7). Christ was “sacrificed” in the past: therefore let us honor Christ in the present by living with sincere devotion and truth (v. 8).
Psalm 23:3
0 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Christian faith produces Christian living. Pray for God’s help to walk in obedience to Christ today, knowing that his favor is upon you because of the finished work of Christ.