(c)2023 M. Christine Wildman

Mindfully Meditating on Matthew Catalogue , the collection of these studies
(First 100 days of 2023, day 54, Feb 23)

Passage Matthew Chapter Twenty-three

It doesn’t matter which version you choose. It can be digital or paper. You can use one of those fancy coloring bibles and do a page or coloring along with the passage.

I will mostly do Holman Christian Standard Bible because of their copyright freedoms.

• Matthew 23
  • Mt 23:1-7 Do as they say, not as they do
    • the principle of the authority of a position
      •  ² “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.^[a] 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do,^[b] because they don’t practice what they teach. 
    • Performing for praise
      • ⁵ They do everything^[e] to be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries^[f] and lengthen their tassels.^[g]
      • Matthew 6:1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of people, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
      • Matthew 6:1-18
      • MMM6
    • Love the Place of Honor
      • ⁶ They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, ⁷ greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
  • Mt 23:8-12 How you should be
    • Not “Rabbi”
      • ⁸ “But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher,^[h] and you are all brothers.
    • Not “Father”
      • ⁹ Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.
    • Not “Master”(Teacher)
      • ¹⁰ And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master,^[i] the Messiah.
        • Mt 20:26-28 ²⁶ Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
        • MMM18
        • MMM19
    • The Greatest
      • ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
  • Mt 23:13-36 WOES
    • “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.
    • ¹⁴ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show.
    • ¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell^[l] as you are!
    • ¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the sanctuary, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by his oath.
      • ⁹ Blind people!^[p] For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
    • “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of^[q] mint, dill, and cumin,^[r] yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith.
    •  ²⁴ Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, yet gulp down a camel!
    • ²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed^[s] and self-indulgence!
    • ²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity.
    • decorate prophet tombs but don’t live what they taught
    • ³³ “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?
    • ³⁴ This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town.
      • this one goes with the parable of the King and the vineyard dresser – killed servants and killed the son. MMM21
    • JUDGEMENT
      • ³⁵ So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you,^[y] from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
  • Mt 23:37-39  Oh Jerusalem
    • ³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem! She who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks^[z] under her wings, yet you were not willing!
  • Second Coming foretold
    • ³⁹ For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, ‘He who comes in the name of the Lord is the blessed One’!”

Mindful Meditating

1. choose a verse,
2.  set a timer for 5 minutes, or whatever works for you.
3.  example: Matt 23:12
4. repeat to yourself, and at each word, enunciate the next word in the sentence starting with the first word…

example:

• ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
• WHOEVER exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
• Whoever EXALTS himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
• Whoever exalts HIMSELF will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

…and so on.  This will cause you to look at the verse more intently, and may have you memorize it before your five minutes are done.

Coloring

Matthew the Book coloring page by Ministry to Children

Quick Questions – if  you have time, or to think about over the course of the day, and jot down thoughts later.

1. What is Moses’ seat? and why should they obey?
   1. Got Questions explains the “seat” concept.
2. What does the word ‘woe’ mean?
   1. I found a page by Frank Nelte that explains Woe.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi!
My hope in the midst of despair and my joy in the face of depression is because of my relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have one, or are not sure you will join him in heaven, please check out these links:

• Got Questions provides a detailed explanation of The Roman’s Road.
• Billy Graham’s version of the Plan of salvation.

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

M. Christine Wildman

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

Copyrights and Legal-eze
There are many organizations that support children and families. Here are ones that we are blessed to be a part of. Please consider sponsoring a child – the life you change could be your own.

• Naomi’s Heart Ministries
• Obed’s House Ministries
• The son of a friend will be interning with CRU – previously known as Campus Crusades for Christ. If you’d like to support someone I can vouch for in this area, please consider going to Matthew Plant’s donation page.