The Book of MATTHEW

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER XXIII

Matt. 23:1-36

In Revelation 19:11-16 we are told of the Lord Jesus' return in glory: "His eyes as a flame of fire, and on His head many crowns; ... and out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations; and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a Name written, king of kings, and lord of lords." "Out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword" -- just a glimpse of all this is given us in Matthew twenty-three as He denounced the Pharisees. Such words of biting ferocity and sharpness have never before or since been uttered, as He revealed the hearts of those men before Him.

"Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat; all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. Hypocrites! Hypocrites! Fools and blind! Whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full ... of uncleanness! Ye serpents! Ye generation of vipers! How can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore behold I send unto you prophets and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them ye shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth ... verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation." What denunciation! But it is only by God's grace that He does not speak in that way of us. Every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart is only evil continually (Gen. 6:5); man's heart is desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9) -- only by the blood of the Lord Jesus are we saved from sin. May God use us to take this wonderful message to many souls who may thus be saved from the wrath of the Lamb.

Matt. 23:37

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them who are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matt. 23:37). Then in tenderness our Lord looked upon His people, Israel, and His city. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem." How He would have delighted to take them to Himself, safe beneath the everlasting arms. "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "How often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings -- and ye would not!" They rejected their Messiah; they were soon to crucify Him.

Matt. 23:38, 39

"Behold, your house is left desolate. For I say unto you, ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord" (Matt. 23:38, 39). They had cried that upon one occasion, but they did not mean it in their hearts. But He will come again to His city; then every eye shall see Him, they shall look upon Him Whom they have pierced, and they shall shout with joy: "Hosanna, Blessed is He Who cometh in the Name of the Lord."