February 23

Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. — Matt 23:14

We usually see the gentle side of Christ’s character and teaching. He is compassionate toward the suffering and sorrowful. He is so gentle that He won’t break a bruised reed or extinguish a smoldering wick.

But here, we see Him in a stern and severe light. He speaks to the Pharisees with sharp denunciation. They taught God’s truths, but they didn’t live them. They made a great show of piety, but it was only for the sake of public appearance.

Christ’s rebuke of the Pharisees was harsh. But these same lips had also spoken the Beatitudes and invited the weary and burdened to come to Him.

Christ is both holy and loving. He welcomes those who come to Him with repentance, but He condemns hypocrisy. In the last verses of this chapter, we see both sides. He rebukes Jerusalem for killing the prophets and rejecting God’s messengers, but then He speaks of His desire to gather the people in love, though they refused.