Daily Devotional For Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Good day Southside. Hope you are doing well with all this ice, sleet, snow and frigid temperatures. I think all of us are going to make Duke Energy a lot richer when our next heating bill comes. I am just grateful we did not lose power like so many did across the country. We are making our way through the Gospel of Mattthew. We are going to pick up where we left off yesterday with the same passage – in Matthew 23:1-12:

“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, (2) saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; (3) therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. (4) They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.(5) But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. (6) They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, (7) and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. (8) But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. (9) Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. (10) Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. (11) But the greatest among you shall be your servant. (12) Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” (NASB).

In this passage, Jesus is criticizing the Pharisees for a number of reasons, but the main issue that has His dander up is their lack of humility. Ever met someone who was so full of themselves that they were blinded to seeing themselves as they really are? Well, before a face or name comes to mind, this was the Pharisees. The Pharisees taught biblical truths but failed to show the people how to apply these truths in practical ways to their everyday lives. To do this, results in the following:

1. Promoting your own importance at the weaknesses and failures of others.
2. Causing others to be dependent more on you than on the Lord.
3. Prohibiting spiritual growth in others due to frustration where they finally quit and give up.

Why? A lack of humility. Churches are full of Pharisees in staff and leadership positions. As we read yesterday, the Pharisees were responsible for adding more and more burdens upon the people through all their extra rules, rituals and regulations. To them, salvation was through keeping all these extra oral interpretations that they made into more rules, rituals and regulations. In their mind, salvation was not through a relationship to God and Jesus Christ, but through the Mosaic Law and works. This is why Jesus mentions in verse 2 “the chair of Moses.” 

The Pharisees live in their “ivory towers” teaching the people without giving them any practical ways to live out their faith. This is why Jesus says what He does in verse 4. Also, the Pharisees misused application. Everything they did was to be seen by men, not to honor God  (verse 5).of his opponents for scrutiny. He accused them of overconcern with appearance and prestige. They expected to be noticed. They relished the perks of their positions. 

They gave superficial attention to God’s demands in order to enjoy special privileges. They were not there to serve the Lord and others; they wanted to be served by the people. Their behavior was exactly opposite from what Jesus expects of his followers. Jesus mentioned “phylacteries.” What were these? These were little leather boxes that the Pharisees wore around their heads. They contained Scripture such as Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Exodus 13:1-10, Exodus 13:11-16, and Deuteronomy 11:13-21  just to name a few. To make their phylacteries board was to make the leather strap that held them wider for people to see and go up to a Pharisee and say, “Oh, Rabbi, look at you honoring God with your life.” To make them “broad” could also mean to wear them all day long rather than at the appointed times of prayer.

“To lengthy their tassels” referred to the fringe that the law said men should attach to the four corners of a garment as specified in Deuteronomy 21:12 and Numbers 15:38. These tassels on the four corners were a visible reminder to the Jews of God and His love for His people. The Pharisees had big mouths but no works to match. They preached but did not practice. I like what Jewish author Dave Barry writes:

“It is a scientific fact that all drivers, including those who are going the wrong way on interstate highways, believe they are above average.” There are corollaries. Deep down, everyone thinks, “I am a pretty good person—certainly no worse than the next guy. And if the next guy looks better than me, he is probably a hypocrite” (Dave Barry, “Road Warrior Specials,” in Jewish World Review, January 22, 2007, at www.JewishWorldReview.com).

Most of us would say we are great drivers, even if we look and/or text as we drive, or put on makeup and as some have told me, changed their clothes while they were driving. But it is another thing to tell yourself that you are morally superior to others, even as you violate your own standards. Hypocrisy, pride, and false religion are Jesus’ topics in Matthew 23; humility is the cure. To many of the Pharisees and Scribes, the Old Testament had become nothing more than a textbook of information rather than God’s word to apply and obey. In Jesus’ day, the average Jew did not have access to the Old Testament Scriptures. They had to go to their local synagogue and learn from the teachings of the Pharisees. So, what was Jesus telling His hearers to do when it came to the cocky, prideful and self-centered Pharisees? New Testament scholar Randlolf Vincent Green Tasker writes this:

“Jesus recognizes the rightful claims of the scribes, the legal experts of the Pharisaic party, to be exponents of the law; and so long as they confine themselves to that task, their words, He insists, are to be respected, even if the conduct of some of them is inconsistent with their teaching” (R.V.G. Tasker, The Gospel of St. Matthew, p. 216).

So, as we finish, Jesus had 3 main criticisms of the Pharisees:

1. They did not practice what they preached.
2. They put unbearable burdens on the people with all these extra rules, rituals and regulations from their oral interpretation of the Mosaic Law.
3. They lacked humility. They wanted to be seen and praised by others. Everything they did was for show and show only, not to bring glory to God through their obedience. They sought to be called “rabbi,” which can be translated as “teacher, leader, my great one and lord.” They wanted to remind the people they were above the people and the people were beneath them in every way.

So, what should be our response?

1. We should shun or refuse titles that put us above others. I know pastors who insist on being called “Dr. So-and-So” because they earned a doctorate or were given an honorary doctorate. Any time we make appearance over truth most important, we are on dangerous grounds. Our culture elevates appearance over character, Jesus refutes appearance over truth and character  (Matt. 23:7-11).
2. We should reject being put on pedestals (see verse 9). Slaves are the lowest and we need to remind ourselves that Jesus came to serve, not be served (Matt. 20:28).
3. We should cultivate and emulate a servant’s heart of humility (Matt. 23:11-12). 

New Testament scholar Bruce B. Barton writes this: 

“Contrary to popular opinion, image isn’t everything. You are far too concerned with how you look and how others see you. You are not concerned with how your heavenly Father sees you.” When Jesus holds up a mirror to our character and we see nothing deeper than our image, we need to repent. We need to again read carefully what Jesus expected of His disciples (Matt. 23:8-12). His directions will lead to character development” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 449). 

Reflection Assignment: Do you seek recognition through titles in the church? Billy Graham was given an honorary doctorate and when he was introduced as Dr. Billy Graham, he said, “Just call me Billy.” Any time we make appearance over truth most important, we are on dangerous grounds. If Jesus held a mirror up to your character, what would the appearance be? Humility or hubris? Is there anything you would need to repent from?

Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 12:10, “Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves” (NCV).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Lord, please forgive me when I do the right thing for the wrong reason. Please convict me to give honor to others and not seek it for myself. Help me to make discipleship a delight, not a burden to others. Please convict me not to draw attention to myself, but to You always. Lord, hold the mirror up to me and show me what You see in me really. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside! – Pastor Kelly