Matthew 23 : 25 - 26 Woe to those who cleanse the outside not the inside.

Meticulous with outside things where people see them but neglect to clean the Inside.

Mat 23:25  "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Mat 23:26  Blind Pharisee, first wash clean the inside of the cup or dish, and then the outside will be clean also.

Introduction.

This is now the fifth Woe which Jesus spoke denouncing the Scribes and Pharisees.

Hypocrisy always likes to make an outward show of religiosity and spirituality. It is time to get real with ourselves and to stop the pretence.

Mat 23:25  "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Notes

The Pharisees were meticulous with outward things. Things that people could see and that would impress the observers just how pious they were. They were not so careful about things that people could not see and measure. Leon Morris p.583

..hypocrites, for you wash clean the outside of the cup or dish

The cup was an ordinary drinking utensil and the dish was used to serve food. The outside of these articles were carefully cleansed but the inside was just another matter altogether

while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Robbery and self- indulgence  [violence and selfishness] The Pharisees seem to get things by wrongful acts of violence.

From extortion and excess (ex harpagēs kai akrasias). A much more serious accusation. These punctilious observers of the external ceremonies did not hesitate at robbery (harpages) and graft (akrasias), lack of control. A modern picture of wickedness in high places both civil and ecclesiastical where the moral elements in life are ruthlessly trodden under foot. Of course, the idea is for both the outside ektos and the inside (entos) of the cup and the platter (fine side dish). But the inside is the more important. Note the change to singular in Mat_23:26 as if Jesus in a friendlier tone pleads with a Pharisee to mend his ways.RWP

They were outwardly religious but did not show any degree of self-discipline. L.M.

No amount of attention to ceremonial details can compensate for dishonesty and self-indulgence

l RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY luke 11 :37-54
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.

Mat 23:26  Blind Pharisee, first wash clean the inside of the cup or dish, and then the outside will be clean also.

Notes

Blind Pharisees This is the fifth and last time that Jesus uses the adjective blind.

first wash clean the inside of the cup or dish, When a person deals with the inside issues of their lives then they will also take care of the outside as well.

The Pharisees had it all wrong. They were concentrating on the outside and neglecting the inside.

We should make sure the inner life is clean then we will look after the outside as well