Jesus Final Public Discourse

Matthew 23:1-39

Then Jesus spoke to the crowd and his disciples. He said, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses's seat. So, whatever they tell you to observe, do so. But do not follow their example, because they do not do what they teach.

They load you down with things that are hard to carry. They put them on other men’s shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger. Everything they do, they do for show. They make their phylacteries big and enlarge the borders on their clothes. They love the head table at banquets and the main seats in the synagogues—being acknowledged in the markets and everyone greeting them as ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’

“But don’t you be called Rabbi, for you only have one master, the Messiah, and all of you are brothers. And don’t call anyone on earth Father, for you have only one Father, which is in heaven. Neither be called Master, for your master is the Messiah. He that is the greatest of you shall be the one who serves. And whomever exalts himself will be humbled, and whomever humbles himself shall be exalted.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut up the Kingdom of Heaven and lock men out. You don’t enter, yourselves, but neither do you let anyone else in.

“May affliction come to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he joins you, he’s twice the child of hell than you.

“Grief to you, you blind guides! You say, ‘An oath by the temple is non-binding, but whomever swears by the gold that is in the temple, he is liable for his promise.’ You blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gift sacred?

“Whomever swears by the altar swears by it and everything on it. And whomever swears by the temple swears by it and by him that is in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by he who occupies it.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You tithe the smallest herbs—mint, anise, and cumin. But you ignore the more important parts of the law—judgement, mercy, and faith. You should have done what you did without leaving the others undone. You blind guides! You strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You make sure the outside of the cup and plate are not considered unclean, but they are full of extortion and gluttony.  You blind Pharisee! First, clean out what’s inside the cup and platter, so the outside will be clean.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but inside, are full of dead men's bones and of all sorts of uncleanness. Just like that tomb, you appear to be righteous men to others, but are full of hypocrisy and injustice.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build monument tombs for the prophets, and decorate the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have joined them in killing the prophets. But you are witnesses against yourselves, thatyou are the children of those who killed the prophets. So, go fill up the measure of your fathers. You snakes, you generation of vipers, how will you escape the damnation of hell?

“Therefore, I am sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers, some of which you will kill and crucify. Others you will flog in your synagogues and chase from city to city. Thus, all the righteous blood shed upon the earth will be on you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zacharias ben Barachias, whom you killed between the temple and the altar. I tell you the truth, all these things will come upon this generation.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets, stoning those which were sent to you. How often I would have gathered your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you wouldn’t have it. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you, you will not see me again, until you shall say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.”

Mark 12:38-40

And he said to them as he taught, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They love to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces. They seek the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets—while they eat up widows' houses—and give long oration, pretending to pray. They will receive greater damnation.”

Luke 20:45-47

Then in the crowd of people, he said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They love to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces. They seek the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets—while they eat up widows' houses—and give long oration, pretending to pray. They will receive greater damnation.”