Matthew 23:15

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves." This passage is extremely intriguing to me because it directly addresses the topic of "Pharisaism" that I am extremely passionate about. In many instances, Pharisaism is virtually interchangeable with and more commonly referred to in our culture as "religion." I believe Pharisaism is perhaps the greatest detriment to Christianity and has caused those outside the church to repeatedly turn their backs on considering a personal relationship with Jesus. Why, you might ask? Because in and of itself, Pharisaism is simply cancer that left untreated becomes a breeding ground for hypocrisy and self-righteousness. In order to gain a proper context for what Jesus is targeting in Matthew 23:15 we must first understand that Jesus is admonishing Pharisaism, not Judaism. Second, we must seek wisdom concerning two key terms, "Pharisaism" and "proselyte". Noah Webster's 1828 American Dictionary (perhaps the greatest American dictionary available in print) defines Pharisaism as "the notions, doctrines and conduct of the Pharisees, as a sect. Rigid observance of external forms of religion without genuine piety; hypocrisy in religion." Moreover, Webster defines a proselyte as "a new convert to some religion or religious sect, or to some particular opinion, system or party. Thus a Gentile converted to Judaism is a proselyte; a pagan converted to Christianity is a proselyte." These definitions assist in clarifying the context of Jesus' statement. Now I believe the key to both these definitions is the phrase, "external forms of religion." When we cross-reference Matthew 23:15 with Mark 7:15: "There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him," we begin to understand that Jesus is addressing the importance of truth, of which He is the essence of (John 14:1), and we are to specifically adhere to without the aid of external and additional man-made rules, regulations, policies and/or requirements. For when we adopt man-made religion as absolute truth (even in good conscious), we are defiled from within as Jesus warns, and that is most dangerous because it affects those around us and their understanding and comprehension of how a Christian applies the absolute truth of the Bible in his/her life. Man-made religion packaged and sold as Biblical understanding is misleading and bluntly stated, complete Pharisaism. Jesus always seeks reconciliation of the heart to God, for it is what we hold inside our hearts that makes us unclean. Therefore, if we take upon religious practices, assumptions and expectations that are above and beyond the Word of God and adopt them with sinful attitudes and self-righteous piety, we fall victim to the warnings Jesus heeds. The scribes and pharisees took great pride in the law of Moses and strictly held firm to the finest detail of the law. Where they fell short in Christ's judgment was their additional "law requirements" that not only held proselytes back from gaining access to God (Matthew 23:13-14) but rather drove them into religion rather than a personal relationship with God. Religion became the funnel in which they filtered their thoughts and actions in regard to themselves and others, and inevitably what brought the judgment of God through Jesus Christ upon them. For "the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son" (John 5:22). To state this more plainly, I will defer to my favorite Bible teacher, James MacDonald. In a sermon entitled, "Freedom from Religion," Pastor James states the following: "It is absolutely essential for my own growth in Godliness that I don't judge or negatively assess someone else's personal conviction in regard to something that is not explicitly stated in Scripture. And when I do judge others in regard to something that is not explicitly stated in Scripture, that is the essence of being a Pharisee, that is the essence of being a religious person; judging other people by a man-made set of rules." I cannot fathom a more convicting statement for mankind and specifically myself because I am a habitual sinner and Pharisee and honestly ashamed to admit it. God help us to begin filtering our lives solely through the absolute truth of Scripture that we may be set free from the weight of religion and Pharisaism! It is a chronic problem and the cancerous trail it leaves behind drives a wedge further between ourselves and those around us who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and are hindered from accepting His grace by faith due to the hypocritical example we provide as self-proclaimed Christians. The Pharisaism we are selling is stifling the work of God because we have traded faith for religion. Spiritual conviction that leads to repentance and God's forgiveness has been culturally replaced by self-justification and a self-righteous, unwillingness to be broken (Proverbs 28:14). Jesus warns us emphatically: "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:3-5). We must be honest with ourselves and admit we have adopted man-made religion in every facet of our lives. It benefits nothing if we cannot be real with the reflection in the mirror. For if we hold firm to our religion rather than walking in the absolute truth of Scripture, we will be judged not only according to God's standard but the false standard of religion that we hold so dear to (i.e. our cancerous definition of righteousness.) That is the danger of Pharisaism and we are wise to denounce our false doctrines and walk in humble righteousness through Jesus Christ and the Word of God.