Matthew 16: Externally Focused Jews

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.’

‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so, you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.’

Matthew 23:23-28 (NKJV)

Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Matthew 16:12 (NKJV)

If the Creator of the universe is 'Eternal, immortal, invisible' (1 Timothy 1:17)...
If faith in this Unseen God is crucial, for those called and chosen to follow Him…
If 'Faith is... the conviction of things not seen' (Hebrews 11:1)…

Then we must believe what we cannot see, because God moves in the spiritual. Can you see His work in the physical? Yes! God’s amazing work is all around us.

But if eyes can be closed, dimmed or darkened and hearts can become cold, dull and hardened... then those of us who call ourselves Christians must look, feel and value what Jesus did.

Religious leaders in the days of Christ focused on rules, laws, and appearances. When He didn’t bow to their traditions, they refused to believe His miracles.

In faith matters, they were blind, deaf, and dumb.

Actors, models, and talent for Christ:

Yes, celebrity is superficial, and most entertainment is surface stuff. But since you’re called to represent Jesus in these fields of tremendous influence, be loving. Be bright, but do no judging.

Since Christ didn’t come ‘To condemn the world’ (John 3:17),
Since His ambassadors must be friendly,
Accept the bling, but don’t get trapped in it!

But within the church you attend, don’t fall into religiosity… and avoid superficial shows of faith. Because faith shows make God in their image, a misleading misrepresentation…

Since He clearly orders the opposite.

‘For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son’ (Romans 8:29).
‘And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit’ (2 Corinthians 3:18);

Bottom line: When Christians focus on manmade doctrine, rather than on the Word of God Himself, they’re like ‘Scribes, Pharisees, and hypocrites,’ the ONLY people that Jesus condemned.

Matthew 16: Externally Focused Jews (Part 2)

NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God! We’re ALL called to be actors (action stars) for Jesus. We’re ALL called to models of Jesus, and we ALL have gifts, talents, and callings from God– to multiply them in the world for His glory.

P.S. NO DEVOTION, PREACHER, or SERMON… can begin to replace personal time in the Bible. I wholeheartedly and clear-headedly recommend READING THE BIBLE DAILY.

WARNING: Don’t focus on favorite verses, because out of context, they’re often misinterpreted. I plead with you to READ AT LEAST 1 BIBLE CHAPTER DAILY. How long does it take? An average of 5 to 10 minutes!

Carey ArbanJune 3, 2025