HE “IS” THE TEACHER !

Shhh…! המורה מלמד - “The Teacher is teaching “ כי הרב הוא ישוע - That Rabbi is JESUS. Galatians 6:6 - Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

The Pharisees accepted the written Word as inspired by GOD. At the time of CHRIST’S earthly ministry, this would have been what we now call the Old Testament. Unfortunately, (the Pharisees) gave [equal] authority to ‘oral tradition’, saying the traditions went all the way back to Moses. ‘Evolving’ over the centuries, the Pharisaic traditions had the effect of adding to GOD’S Word, ((which is forbidden))- Deuteronomy 4:2. The Gospels abound with examples of the Pharisees treating their traditions as equal to GOD’S Word. Matthew 9:14; 15:1–9; 23:5; 23:16, 23; Luke 11:42. JESUS applied the condemnation of Isaiah 29:13 to the Pharisees, saying-- “Their teachings are merely human rules” (Mark 7:7).

Matthew 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren… “Rabbi” means: scholar or teacher, especially one who studies or teaches Jewish law. Mark 7:7

“Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

WE are ‘all’ called to spread the Gospel To every corner of the earth. Teaching that CHRIST (is) “The way, the truth and the life”-

John 14:6. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Christian hope is rooted in faith in the divine salvation in Christ. (Galatians 5:4-5) If we call ourselves Christians, then we need to care about the spread of the Gospel. As we go about spreading the ‘news’- of the Resurrection of CHRIST - in doing so, we are NOT to become so enamored With ‘self’ (or) with ‘traditions’, legalism, etc, that we lose sight of our mission. We are to help teach all of mankind everywhere about the LORD JESUS as (their) Savior and LORD. We are NOT to withhold this information as to ‘save face’ with someone, ( as to not offend them ) NOR - Are we to hold onto this knowledge and wield it Like some weapon or pry-bar. Or- (especially ) not to show-off - like we have the market cornered on some ‘secret knowledge’...

“You shut up the kingdom of heaven against men”… Matthew 23:13-- But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

The Pharisaical leaders were in-effect, (keeping people) [from] the kingdom of heaven by making human traditions and human religious rules [more] important than GOD’S Word. This was clearly seen in the way that they -[opposed] and rejected JESUS; if they had opened the kingdom of heaven to men, they would have welcomed and received JESUS as the MESSIAH and Son of GOD.

“It was written of old, that the priest’s lips should preserve knowledge: -{ To ‘preserve it’ -- not to ‘hide it’. }- GOD committed the key of knowledge to the ministers and guides of HIS church, (not that they should take it away), but that the people might seek the law of their mouths, because they are the messengers of the Lord of hosts, Malachi 2:7.”

Then JESUS spoke to the multitudes and to HIS disciples… JESUS spoke [to] these groups, but HE spoke [ about ] the scribes and Pharisees. Of course, these hardened opponents of JESUS listened; but in a sense, JESUS was finished speaking [to] them. Instead HE intended to warn the people and HIS followers (about them.)

“The true target of the whole discourse is the crowds

and disciples who need to (break free) - from Pharisaic legalism.” Matthew 23:1-39

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Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

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Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

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All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

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For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

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But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

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And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

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And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

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But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

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And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

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Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

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But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

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And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

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But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

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Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

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Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

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And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

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Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

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Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

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And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

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And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

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Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

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Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

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Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

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Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

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And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

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Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

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Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

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Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

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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 shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

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That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

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Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

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O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which 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!

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Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

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For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Serpents, brood of vipers...

This phrase has the idea of: “ the family of the devil.” These religious leaders took an, (unmerited pride) in their heritage, thinking they were spiritual sons of Abraham. Instead, they were more like sons of the devil, not of Abraham.

JESUS spoke very strongly about these religious leaders for two reasons... +First, HE did not want others to be deceived by them. +Second, HE loved these men. These men were the farthest from GOD and they needed to be warned of coming judgment. What JESUS really wanted was their repentance, not their judgment. Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Several times in JESUS’ life, HE shows that HE was a man on a mission. HE had a purpose, which HE intentionally fulfilled. JESUS put it this way in Luke 19:10: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” JESUS had been criticized for supping with the publicans and for going to the house of a “sinner.” JESUS responded by affirming HIS mission was to (save) people who (needed) saving. These peoples reputation for sinfulness, -(was not a reason to avoid them); rather-- it was a reason to seek them out. Many times during CHRIST’S ministry, HE sought to forgive those, whom the ‘self-righteous’ leaders of the day shunned. Matthew 9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. “Go ye and learn”... The words of Hosea 6:6 (cited once again) by our LORD in reference to the Sabbath (Matthew 12:7). HE asserted the superiority of ethical to ceremonial law. It was the very purpose of HIS coming, not to call “righteous men” again with studied reference to their own estimate of themselves, but “sinners,” and to call them, unto HIS Redemption, Grace and Mercy and not to continue as they were ( in sin and unfulfilled ). Formal sermons were rare in the Savior’s repertoire of teaching tools. There is, of course, the renowned Sermon on the Mount, in which CHRIST set forth principles for discipleship. Through (JESUS ) via, The HOLY SPIRIT, We are to be helping and ‘teaching’ others to live a life that is dedicated to and pleasing to GOD, free from hypocrisy, full of love and grace, full of wisdom and discernment.

Matthew 5:3-12 - The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:13-16 - Salt and Light

Matthew 5:17-20 - Jesus fulfilled the Law

Matthew 5:21-26 - Anger and Murder

Matthew 5:27-30 - Lust and Adultery

Matthew 5:31-32 - Divorce and Remarriage

Matthew 5:33-37 - Oaths

Matthew 5:38-42 - Eye for an Eye

Matthew 5:43-48 - Love your enemies

Matthew 6:1-4 - Give to the Needy

Matthew 6:5-15 - How to Pray

Matthew 6:16-18 - How to Fast

Matthew 6:19-24 - Treasures in Heaven

Matthew 6:25-34 - Do not worry

Matthew 7:1-6 - Do not judge hypocritically

Matthew 7:7-12 - Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7:13-14 - The Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:15-23 - False Prophets

Matthew 7:24-27 - The Wise Builder "When JESUS had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at HIS teaching, because HE taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." Matthew 7:28-29. We should all STRIVE to learn, to study- And to reach out and teach others. To tell others about Our REDEEMER, Which (is) CHRIST JESUS. 2 Corinthians 4:15-18

15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.