Chapter Summary

Jesus denounces woes upon the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. His lament over Jerusalem.

Discussion Questions for Matthew, Chapter 23

1. How many "woe" (HCSB) statements can you find in this chapter? What is the significance of Jesus highlighting specific sins of the religious leaders? In what ways does God call out your own sin even today?
2. What are some examples of the "hypocrisy" (HCSB) of the religious leaders? How should we deal with hypocritical religious leaders today? In what ways do you demonstrate hypocrisy in your own walk with Jesus?
3. What does it mean when Jesus says "they tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry" (HCSB)? Is He talking about spiritual or physical loads? In what ways does the world place heavy burdens on us that we can't carry? How does Jesus alleviate that?
4. What do you think about the way that Jesus addresses the Pharisees? Is it too harsh? How should we think about confronting religious hypocrisy and deception? In what ways would Jesus's approach be controversial today?
5. How is Jesus addressing the heart in this passage, rather than outward actions? What were the religious leaders most concerned about? In what ways might you focus more on outward actions than the condition of your heart?
6. What is the significance of Jesus comparing the religious leaders to "whitewashed tombs" (HCSB)? How does that signify the corruption and deception within their hearts? Why is it important that this speech is occurring just before the crucifixion?
7. What is the difference between legalism and devotion? If so, how would you describe that? What are ways you can balance your commitment to God so that you don't develop a legalistic heart?
8. What are the pros and cons of religious traditions? What are some of the religious traditions that you might currently have? How do you ensure that you aren't held captive by traditions?
9. Why does Jesus emphasize humility in this chapter? In what ways do the attitudes of the Pharisees contradict the teaching of humility? What are practical ways that you can live out humility in your own life?
10. What does Jesus say about making an "oath" (HCSB) or promise? In what ways does this emphasize the importance of keeping our commitments? How do you prioritize your word to others?

Key Words/Phrase

Hypocrites, v. 13.

Characters

Jesus

Strong Verse(s)

8, 11, 12, 37, 39.