Matthew 23

• Compare Matthew 5:20; 6:1-5; 7:3-5, 12, 15. Jesus makes similar points here.
• Matthew 23:5-12 – Warnings against pride.
• Matthew 23:13 – See Isaiah 5:8, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22. Jesus was speaking like a prophet here, which would have surely caught their ear. It is easy to discourage others with our behavior, especially new Christians or non-Christians.
• Matthew 23:16-22 – All of these examples of oaths go back to God’s authority. Misusing God’s name in this way is essentially taking the Lord’s name in vain.
• Matthew 23:23-24 – Don’t focus so much on the details that you lose sight of the bigger picture.