Won’t Jesus Repeat His Criticisms In Matthew 23:1-12 Against Today’s Church Leaders?

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It is said that history repeats itself. And so Solomon was right in saying that, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

When I examine the attitudes, deeds and ministries of today’s church leaders in the light of the words of Christ Jesus in Matthew 23:1-12, I can clearly see most of them doing the same things the scribes and the Pharisees did which Jesus criticised and warned His servants to avoid.

In verse one and two, Jesus speaks to the crowds and to his disciples about a special seat the religious leaders sit on, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat.”

Those religious leaders sat on Moses’ seat means that they occupied the position of authority to teach the laws of Moses to the congregation of Israel to obey them.

Today, most pastors have chosen to sit on special, big, kingly seats, suggesting that they occupy a high position and they have authority and power over and above everyone else in the church to teach and preach the Word of God.

But in verse three, Jesus tells His disciples to “do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.”

This means that even though those religious leaders taught the laws of God to the Jews, Jesus did not approve their works because their works portrayed them as hypocrites and proud.

In verse four, our compassionate Saviour, continues that “They (the religious leaders) tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.”

Similarly, today some church leaders ask their church members to give all their January salaries as first fruits to them, clap their hands while praying and other things. But these are things most of them hardly do.

In verse five, the Lord Jesus observes that, “They (the scribes and the Pharisees) do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.”

The things they did for others to see who they were, were done in the kind and style of clothing they chose to wear to set them apart from the other worshippers of God.

These are things the early ministers of the gospel never did. But what do you see pastors do today? Many wear what they call priestly or sacerdotal garments with clerical collars which distinguish them from other Christians. And they know that these kind and style of clothing have no biblical basis.

They only dress that way for people to see them as first-best Christians positioned in the Church as superior ministers distinguished from the rest of the community of baptized believers.

Now, in verse six, Jesus, the Head of the Church, adds that “and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues.”

The above is also a common thing most church leaders today are guilty of. At normal church meetings, ordination ceremonies, weddings and other functions, many leaders lobby for seats and places of honour. A pastor may not mind returning home when he is denied such a special seat and place.

In verse seven, Christ points out that the scribes and the Pharisees like “… being called rabbi by others.”

This means those religious leaders liked to be addressed with honourific titles to assert their prominence and superiority among the children of God.

It is the same today as most church leaders are obsessed with hierarchical ecclesiastical titles. Many are first ordained as pastors, evangelists, prophets, but later they are ordained again and elevated to reverend, very reverend and most reverend respectfully.

Others are further elevated to the titles of apostle, bishop, archbishop, General overseer, General Superintendent and Apostle General. But a student of the Bible knows that such practices and titles attached to the names of some Christian leaders are absent in the New Testament.

Consequently, in verse eight, our Lord warns His servants, saying, “But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.”

Here, Jesus reminds preachers of the gospel that they and the rest of His flock are one big family as brothers and sisters, having equal standing before Him by virtue of their common faith, baptism and eternal salvation.

For this reason, Jesus forbade the use of titles of honour among His servants, emphasizing, “you are not to be called rabbi… Indirectly, Jesus tells His ministers not to be called reverend and other such titles.

In verse nine, Jesus further instructs His disciples that, “And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.”

Here, Jesus is not saying that children should not call their dads as fathers. If He does, He will contradict the Word of God which instructs children to honour their father and mother (Exodus 20:12).

Rather, the Lord seeks to reiterate His earlier warning that His servants should avoid using honourific titles. Thus, no minister of the gospel in the Bible ever attached a title to his name.

Jesus continues to speak against the use of titles of nobility that tend to clericalize the Church when He says in verse 10 that’ “Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.

In verses 11 and 12, our Saviour strongly draws the attention of His servants to the fact that, “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

This means that all the things Jesus criticised the scribes and the Pharisees of doing and warned His servants to avoid doing were things that made them proud. And we know that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Thus, the main thing Jesus wants gospel preachers to pay attention to, consider, pursue, embrace and  ultimately achieve for ministry in all of this teaching is humility, simplicity and a sense of brotherhood.

Remember that Jesus had, earlier in Matthew 11:29, implored His disciples to learn humility and meekness from Him.

It is hoped that church leaders who want to serve God and humanity in humility, according to the standard of Christ Jesus, will repent of any sinful deed that Christ warns them to avoid.

By James Quansah

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