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. Matthew 23:1-3
Right away, we see something drastically wrong here. When Jesus spoke of the Pharisees having sat themselves down "in the chair of Moses", He was simply saying that when they instruct you from the writings of Moses, listen to and obey those instructions.
Something else we notice here; the Pharisees expected others to obey the Law but always found reasons as to why they did not have to themselves. Everything was done to attract the approval and attention of others. The approval of God took a back seat.
In today's world they would be the ones to carefully watch the opinion polls and then try to do and say those things which would garner them the most respect.
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. Matthew 23:15
By prescribing their own doctrines, traditions and creeds, the Pharisees were actually hindering others from truly accepting God's rule in their lives. They had formulated their own standards of right and wrong. Much like today, where we are witnessing a casting off of God's moral instructions, ethical and doctrinal standards in favor of the standards of men. How seldom it is for us today that we appeal to the only sound standard of right and wrong; the complete word of God.
Right away, we see something drastically wrong here. When Jesus spoke of the Pharisees having sat themselves down "in the chair of Moses", He was simply saying that when they instruct you from the writings of Moses, listen to and obey those instructions.
Something else we notice here; the Pharisees expected others to obey the Law but always found reasons as to why they did not have to themselves. Everything was done to attract the approval and attention of others. The approval of God took a back seat.
In today's world they would be the ones to carefully watch the opinion polls and then try to do and say those things which would garner them the most respect.
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. Matthew 23:15
By prescribing their own doctrines, traditions and creeds, the Pharisees were actually hindering others from truly accepting God's rule in their lives. They had formulated their own standards of right and wrong. Much like today, where we are witnessing a casting off of God's moral instructions, ethical and doctrinal standards in favor of the standards of men. How seldom it is for us today that we appeal to the only sound standard of right and wrong; the complete word of God.