☆Let us look carefully at chapter 23, verse1!

It describes the Lord Jesus speaking to the multitude and to His disciples, doesn't it?
Where had they gone? The scribes, the Pharisees and the Sadducees...
In chapter 22, they had asked so many questions…
But in chapter 23, they don't appear at all.

☆In 22:46,
"And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore."

The passage following this is the essence of Ms. Biblical article today!!
Now, chapter 23, verses 1 and 2!!
According to another translation, verse 2 is translated;
"The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat of authority."

Then, the Lord Jesus said in verse 3,
whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works.

This means that Moses' Torah and what he said, we must obey. However, we must not imitate the behavior of those who spoke them.

※It is said, "For they say, and do not do."

We also need to check our own behavior.
Even if we are able to preach eloquently the teachings of the Bible, do we observe them?
Although we teach the Bible to children in church school, do we practice what we teach?
In James 2:26, it is said,
"So faith without works is dead also."
In 1 Corinthians 9:27, it is written;
"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified."

Do not think that Jesus taught this scripture to the scribes and Pharisees.
It is also a scripture to watch our own behavior.

It seems to me that pastors, evangelists, and theology students need to have stern eyes on ourselves...
We might call these eyes for washing ourselves.
How far we can see ourselves objectively, has to do with our growth and merit as human beings.
It also has to do with facing up to our sins and experiencing the redemption of the Cross.

The Lord Jesus said in 23:26, "First cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."
If the inner side is clean, this cleanness will ooze out. That is how we want to be.
It is wonderful for us, because we can be transformed into the same image as the Lord from glory to glory...
Let us pray.

Matthew Chapter 23.
When I was studying at meetings for junior and senior high school students, my teacher often quoted this passage, and
taught us that it was a chapter about self-discipline directed at him who was called "a teacher."
I think he was a fine Christian.

It appears in our messages, and in our deeds that how much we have been molded, put in order and refined by the words of Christ.

I fear God.
There is nothing which we can conceal.
Go straight before the Lord.

This week too, with joy before God,
Let us say "my cup runs over," glorify the name of the Lord, and go forward!
Forwards!