THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
Six Woes: Mt 23,13-28
Woes for the Old Testament prophets seems to have been an adaptation of a funeral lament. Amos provides a good example.
Woes aim to be a warning rather than a condemnation. We've noted earlier that this address of Jesus acts as a warning to his disciples.
Shutting the Kingdom, 1st & 2nd Woes: 23,13 & 23,15
The NRSV is correct beginning verse 13 with "But woe to..." The "but" is often omitted but it provides a link to what precedes. The saying of verse 12 is an important background to the series of woes.
"Hypocrite" indicates a gap between appearance and reality. It originally refered to actors at Greek plays wearing masks. Thus they honour God with their lips yet internally their hearts are far from the words they are uttering (15,7-9, quoting Isaiah). Verse 3 made the point as we saw. The Sermon on the Mount with the presentation of almsgiving, prayer and fasting in chapter 6 brings this out well.
We can recall that Peter was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven (16,19). In the sermon on the Mount, there is Jesus' exhortation to enter by the narrow gate (7,13-14).
Here the Pharisees are locking out themselves as well as others.
The second woe in verse 15 goes further, telling of of efforts to make even one convert. The judgement is harsh. By the terms of the first woe, these converts will also be locked out of the kingdom of heaven.
Now return to read the third woe.
3rd Woe, Blind Guides: 23,16-22
The scribes and Pharisees are now called blind guides because of their casuistry, their narrow approach to interpreting the law. While in the Sermon on the Mount (5,33-37) Jesus forbids swearing as the ideal, here he accepts the realities of life. Oaths are a necessary part of human relations.
The two examples, the sanctuary and the altar, are presented in the same way.
In verses 16 and 17 it is the inner sanctuary of the Temple which is involved, translations which have "temple" here cause confusion.
The same point has been made earlier in the Gospel (15,3-9, mentioned above.)
Exodus 29,27 highlights the sacredness of the altar.
Verses 20-22 though gives a clear conclusion, rejecting all casuistry in strong terms.
Now return to read the next three woes.
4th Woe, Tithes: 23,23-24
Tithes have been a feature of many societies.. Tithes in the Old Testaments belonged to the Lord (Lev 27,30) which means they supported the priests.
Yet the prophets seek to go beyond formal giving to the real giving of "walking humbly with your God" (Micah 6,8).
As with casuistry, so with the real values of the Law, the Pharisees are getting it wrong, they are blind guides (23,24). There is the enormous contrast between a gnat and a camel. The camel is certainly unclean, not to be eaten. The gnat may be unclean as well (Leviticus 11 discusses clean and unclean foods.)
5th & 6th Woes, Outside, Inside: 23,25-28
The dirty cups in the fifth woe (23,25) are part of the great care in cleansing vessels as described by Mark (Mk 7,3-4). These customs are turned into a metaphor for the Pharisees themselves.
The metaphor changes with the sixth woe in 23,27 to reflect the decay inside a tomb. Humans love to build splendid tombs.
The conclusion therefore in verse 28 is that all may seem well on the outside, the scribes and Pharisees look righteous; they preach but they do not practice, 23,3. Yet the followers of Jesus are called to exceed their righteousness, 5,20. Jesus came to fulfil the Law (5,17) because the scribes and Pharisees are failing to do so.
Now return so as to continue to the next page.