Seeds for 01/09/2024 - Matthew 23:16-22
Scripture: “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.”
Observation: In this woe, Jesus introduces another indictment of the Pharisees’ leadership. They are “blind guides,” “blind fools,” and “blind men.”
This is a damning description. Jesus says that blindness characterizes those who should be helping the people see God clearly. Disciples of Jesus must tend to their spiritual sight. John’s Gospel displays how the man who was born blind and given his sight by Jesus sees what the Pharisees and leaders cannot because he recognizes Jesus’ divine origin and believes. Matthew shows us the same thing in this chapter—those who think they see well are the very ones whose vision is lacking.
Case in point: Gross misplacement of value. We find this in Jesus’ convicting question, “Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred?”
Considering this juxtaposition, the Pharisees and teachers of the law seem to believe that what is brought (the gold, the gift) is what possesses the value. In reality, it is the altar or the temple—the architecture of the Lord’s presence—that makes the difference.
It’s tempting to put our trust in the things of worth that we bring to the Lord. To be sure, our contribution is important. When we do it well, we are returning valuable things to the Lord—our time, our talents, and our treasure. We are acknowledging that they come from Him and that they are intended to be offered to Him as an act of worship, stewardship, and service.
Yet we can fall into a pattern of thinking that our contributions are the true key to our success in the Lord. At that point, like the Pharisees, we’ve got it exactly backwards. The gifts we offer to the Lord have value because we place them in His presence as a humble offering. They have value not because they are sacred in themselves, but because He makes them so. Jesus takes our little and makes much with it, like the meager meal discovered by disciples scrounging for food to feed the crowd of five thousand-plus. In Jesus’ hands, it nourished many. Where was the value—the loaves and fish? Or in the hands that blessed and multiplied them?
Application:
How have you seen God take our offerings and do much with them?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, may I see clearly that my gifts come from you, are to be returned to you, and are made sacred and graced because of your power and presence. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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