This is the text I'll be preaching this week. If you're a Bible reader, a preacher, a teacher, a thinker, or a curious blog surfer, please respond with your thoughts. I'm especially interested in how this text applies to our lives today.
NRS Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,
2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.
4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them.
5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
6 They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues,
7 and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.
8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students.
9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father-- the one in heaven.
10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah.
11 The greatest among you will be your servant.
12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
Initial thoughts:
Frederick Bruner translates the scribes and the Pharisees as the, "Bible teachers and the serious" to modernize its application (see the second volume of his Matthew commentary on pages 432 and following). I like this because it removes the temptation of going after the Jews and makes the text speak to us. This text certainly is a warning to us.
Jesus says the Bible teachers "sit on Moses' seat," which is to say they are the ordained instructors of the Torah. Jesus says to do and keep all that they say. But great qualifications occupy the rest of this chapter of Matthew. I guess we're to do as they say, not as they do...
The "Serious" were the lay, strict Bible adhering group of the time. We may label them "The Legalists" I suppose...
The specific "doing" Jesus opposes is the same show off type hypocritical acting he talks about in Matthew 6 in his Sermon on the Mount -- performing deeds in order to be seen by others. Our acts of devotion should be done not to gain fame, but rather, to honor God and grow his fame.
Phylacteries were small boxes containing scripture attached to the upper arm and forehead. Using them was a literal application of Deuteronomy 6:8, 11, and 18. I guess they wore them in prayer, but sometimes continued wearing them to show off their super-spiritual condition. Modern day examples of this are bumper stickers, crosses, buttons, etc, if they are worn for the wrong reasons...
Jesus warns us against seeking seats of honor at banquets or in the sanctuary. The place of honor at a party would be right next to the host. The place of honor in the church was in the front facing the congregation...kind of makes me question my place up there on Sunday mornings...
We're not to be called "rabbis" or "instructors." Rabbi can mean teacher, but his meaning here is most likely "Master." Bruner translates instructor "Tutor." We're not to call anyone father, except our Heavenly Father.
I don't think Jesus is being legalistic here. I think he teaches us to have him as our Master and our Instructor. If we do the work of teaching and instructing, we must always teach the Messiah, lead people to Jesus, and show his way. His lordship conditions all of our work of teaching and preaching. If we teach anyone else, we put ourselves in danger of disobeying Jesus' message here.
The current church's struggle with the "cult of personality pastor" reveals one of the reasons Jesus teaches these things. Jesus is master, we are not. Jesus is Lord, we are not. Jesus is The Teacher, we are not.
Jesus teaches us not to rank fellow believers. The foot of the cross is level ground in that we all come needy to Christ. After receiving his grace, the ground remains level...no one is better and worthy of high titles. This flies in the face of almost every church organization chart I've seen...
Jesus concludes this text with his familiar reversal: The first will be last and the last will be first. If we honor ourselves here on earth, God will humble us on the last day. If we humble ourselves and serve here on earth, God will exalt us on the last day.
