Daily Devotional For Friday, February 6, 2026
Good morning Southside. We are making our way through the Gospel of Matthew and today we come to Matthew 23. Because Jesus has much to say in this chapter that is the whole chapter, we are going to break it down into parts. Today, we are entering into the section that is called the “8 woes” because Jesus begins each one with the word “woe.” We are going to take each of these “woes” individually. Today, we come to the 4th “woe” in Matthew 23:16-22:
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ (17) You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold? (18) And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ (19) You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? (20) Therefore, whoever swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it. (21) And whoever swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells within it. (22) And whoever swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it” (NASB).
This 4th “woe” Jesus focuses on here is one that had binding oaths. This has to do with making an oath or promises to God to dedicate one’s service or contribute property. Jesus called such people “blind guides” (vs 14) and here “blind men” (vs. 17). Jesus point is that the religious leaders should have been guides for the spiritual blind Jews but were instead spiritually blind themselves. Jesus cites two examples of the ridiculous lengths these religious leaders went to be legalistic in making these kinds of oaths. Swearing by the gold in the Temple and swearing the altar or the gift.
In the first century, it was common for Jews to do this. They would swear by something of great value rather than swearing using God’s name. Jews felt that to use God’s name in making an oath was to take God’s name in vain because you always run the risk of breaking that oath. To make an oath using the Temple or the altar in their mind made such an oath binding. In other words, the closer you could get to God’s name without invoking God’s name made such an oath binding. So, Jews would swear using the Temple, or the gold on the Temple or the altar or the offerings present at the offerings not to always make it binding, but to have the freedom to break the oath if they felt it was necessary.
There was an ascending “ramp” of value. The higher up that ramp or scale, the more binding the oath. Like many Christians today, the Pharisees confused the externals with the essentials. Some churches today do the same thing and in doing so, drive younger or immature Christians away or divert them to their own version of cultural essentials. We call such an attitude today as “majoring in minors.”
Previously, Jesus said there was no need for His disciples or followers to make oaths at all. Their word itself should be enough (see Matt. 5:33-37). The religious leaders continued to show their spiritual blindness. How? Through attempting to make distinctions in their oaths, they had blinded themselves that all oaths are made to God and are always binding. We see this in Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 and in Matthew 5:35-37. To swear or make an oath by peripherals, is an attempt to outwit God, which we can’t. New Testament scholar Robert Gundry, writes this: “The Jews apparently reasoned that, because a lien for example could not be put on the temple or altar. So, oaths invoking those objects were meaningless” (Source. Robert Gundry, Matthew, p. 463).
Jesus maintains that if you swear or take an oath by the Temple or the gold on the Temple or the altar, all point to God. So, any oath or promise made using these remains binding because that oath or promise points to God. In these 9 verses where Jesus says “woe,” four times Jesus calls the Pharisees “blind” and 2 times He calls them “blind guides.” Seven (7) times the word “swear” is used. This is Jesus’ way of referring to the empty talk of the Pharisees. I like how New Testament scholar Craig Bloomberg writes on this passage:
“Like a piano chord played by one hand, a woe has three notes: grief, anger, and sorrow. When something evil happens, the woe both condemns and laments that evil. The woes call for judgment, yet they say there is time to repent. The judgment is almost, but not quite, here. Jesus’ woes call for judgment and repentance, even at the last moment. The woes are the last attempt to rouse sleepers to flee as a forest fire races toward a wooden house. It mingles doom and pity with one last call to repent” (Source: Craig Bloombert, Matthew, p. 91).
Reflection Assignment: Would the Lord say that when you give your word, it is dependable and reliable? Do you ever invoke peripherals to assure your truthfulness? If so, why? Are you always and consistently honest with everyone? Why or why not? Do you ever shade or twist the truth for your benefit? Have you ever made vows to God and broke them? Are you completely “naked” before the Lord – meaning totally honest about yourself, your sin and your life? Why or why not?
Scripture To Meditate On: Matthew 5:37, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (NIV).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, I want my word to be reliable, dependable and trustworthy with You and others. I do not want to be lamenting and repenting due to my words. Please help me to be consistently honest. I love You Lord. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly