Welcome to the Father's Day edition of Sermon Scraps. This week our primary text was Matthew 23:1-12 and while Jesus' criticisms were directed toward the scribes and pharisees I suggested that they were equally meaningful for Fathers.
Notes:
v. 2 - "teachers of the law" (Gk. grammateus - clerk, scribe, secretary) - this designation refers to an official position within the temple, in contrast to "pharisees" (Gk. pharisaios - this word is transliterated) which was a sect of Judaism likely begun after the Babylonian exile. The purpose/significance of the Jesus mentioning the two separate groups is unclear. Some have suggested that the pharisees were the opponents of the church when Matthew's gospel was being written and therefore the group was included when Matthew recorded this passage.
- "in Moses' seat" is likely a reference to a stone seat in front of the synagogue reserved for "teachers of the law" who were seen as authoritative teachers. To sit in another's seat is to succeed said person, therefore to sit in "Moses' seat" is to be seen as a successor of Moses.
v. 4 - This verse (in it's entirety) has more to do with the seeming unwillingness of the "teachers of the law" and "pharisees" to help others in fulfilling the burdens they ascribe than it does with them actually fulfilling the law. In other words Jesus is criticizing them here for their unwillingness to help others.
v. 5 - "phylacteries" (Gk. phulakterion - fortified place, safeguard, amulet) - the use of phylacteries (a small boxes fastened around one's forehead containing scriptures within) derives from some Jews' reading of Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
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