Dr Paul Allen

During the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the week is known as Passion Week, Jesus confronted and confounded the religious leaders in the city of Jerusalem. After the triumphal entry and the cleansing of the temple, some of these religious leaders challenged Him, asking, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matt. 21:23). This question set off a series of debates with the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees (21:24–22:46). All of this culminates in Matthew 23, where Jesus pronounces seven oracles of woe against the scribes and Pharisees (Vv. 13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29). He introduces these oracles of judgment with the following words: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, b...

During the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the week is known as Passion Week, Jesus confronted and confounded the religious leaders in the city of Jerusalem. After the triumphal entry and the cleansing of the temple, some of these religious leaders challenged Him, asking, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matt. 21:23). This question set off a series of debates with the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees (21:24–22:46). All of this culminates in Matthew 23, where Jesus pronounces seven oracles of woe against the scribes and Pharisees (vv. 13, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, 29). He introduces these oracles of judgment with the following words: Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people...

“And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me.” ROMANS 7:9–11 The law shatters all of man’s attempts at self– righteousness . The old saying “ignorance is bliss” is rarely true, and in the spiritual realm it is deadly. As a Pharisee , one of the rising stars of first–century Judaism (Gal. 1:14), Paul thought himself very much “alive apart from the Law.” When convicted of his utter sinfulness by the law, however, Paul “died”; that is, his false sense of security and self–satisfaction was shattered. The enormity of his guilt became evident to him, and he realized he could not save himself. He recognized he was “helpless” (Rom. 5:6) and desperately in need of the divine Physician ( Matt. 9:12). To his dismay, Paul found that the “commandment, which was...

Baptism of Christ. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River by John. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) JOHN 3:4–8 “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (v. 8). Regeneration is absolutely necessary if a person is to enter the kingdom of heaven ( John 3 :3). No one is born a child of God . A change of heart effected by the Holy Spirit must first take place. In fact, the label “ born-again Christian ” is redundant, for it is impossible to be a Christian unless one is born again. Despite the fact that regeneration is required for spiritual life, it must be admitted that the experience of the new birth can be difficult to put into words. There is a great deal of mystery concerning the working of the Spirit in our lives. We know that He works, but we cannot always explain how He works. In fact, the actual process of regeneration takes place within and is not visible to o...

English: John the Baptist baptizing Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) JOHN 3:1–3 “ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God ’ ” (v. 3). Language that points to the concept of regeneration has been common in our culture. The term regeneration comes from two Greek words that can be literally translated as “born again,” but most people probably do not think of regeneration immediately when they hear this phrase.  Indeed, there is much confusion over what it means to be “born again” because many who claim to be Christians think and live just like pagans. It does not help the situation either when we see various denominations defining regeneration differently from one another. Every Christian denomination has a doctrine of regeneration. This is because Jesus Himself declares that we all need to be “born again.”  One of the most important passages on this topic is Jesus’ famous encounter with Nicodemus in ...

The Reformed Church of France, Paris, France (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 19:1–8 “He said to them, ‘Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so’” ( v. 8 ). Though He has made a few excursions into Gentile areas ( Matt.8:28–34 ; 15:21–39 ), Jesus ’ roughly three years of public ministry have thus far been confined mostly to the region of Galilee ( 4:12–25 ; 9:1–7 ; 10:5–42 ; 17:24–27 ). But we see now that He has left Galilee for Judea ( 19:1–2 ), the place where His time among His disciples will conclude with His death, resurrection, and ascension. Upon arriving in Judea, Jesus meets some Pharisees who, as we have come to expect ( 12:1–14 ; 15:1–20 ), seek to test Him once more. Now the issue is divorce, and the Pharisees’ question ( 19:3 ) is rooted in the controversy over marriage in their day. First-century Jews interpreted Deuteronomy 24:1–4 , which allows for divorce on the grounds of “indecency,” i...

Christ and The Pharisees (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria , and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 In order to learn how to discharge your duty as a witness for Christ , look at his example. He is always witnessing: by the well of Samaria , or in the Temple of Jerusalem : by the lake of Gennesaret , or on the mountain’s brow. He is witnessing night and day; his mighty prayers are as vocal to God as his daily services. He witnesses under all circumstances; Scribes and Pharisees cannot shut his mouth; even before Pilate he witnesses a good confession. He witnesses so clearly, and distinctly that there is no mistake in him. Christian, make your life a clear testimony . Be you as the brook wherein you may see every stone at the bottom—not as the muddy creek, of which you only see the surface—but clear and transparent, so that your heart’s love to God...

English: Photo of Bart D. Ehrman taken following the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Many Christian apologists seem to think that the biggest threat to Christianity is aggressive atheism; or skeptics like (Dawkins, Harris, etc.) and the academic atheists like ( Bart Ehrman ).  Everyone who is in apologetics circles for any amount of time hears the scary numbers: 80% (or more) of kids that grow up in church leave the church when they get to college and most apologists think that the reason is a lack of apologetic instruction.   Those 80% of kids want to believe but their nasty philosophy or religious studies professors overwhelm them with arguments against Christianity and those kids, being unprepared, abandon the faith. But this whole paradigm is mistaken. Some Christian apologists seem to argue that the reason people disbelieve the scriptures is because of philosophical natura...

Duccio di Buoninsegna - Christ Accused by the Pharisees (detail) - WGA06802 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Skeptics disbelieve the Bible because of the presumption [without evidence ] that the account is false unless corroborated, and this doubt stems from philosophical naturalism . I would suggest that the Bible is clear that the philosophical naturalism and every other articulate expression of doubt is the fruit of unbelief, and unbelief is the natural state of a sinful heart. One place where this is explicitly taught in the scriptures is in the story of John 9 -10, where Jesus heals the man born blind and the Pharisees refuse to believe, though the man stands before them with his eyes being healed. The disbelief of the Pharisees is confusing to Jesus’ disciples (and the man born blind), and the whole scenario boils over in John 10:22-27, which reads: “At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem . It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonn...

Curses Against the Pharisees (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” ( Matthew23:27 ) “Beauty is only skin deep” seems to be the modern secular equivalent of this “woe” in Matthew 23 . The corresponding Old Testament statement is probably this: “As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion” ( Proverbs 11:22 ). This principle has lasted for millennia simply because it is easily observed in all cultures. Our Lord ’s application to the scribes and Pharisees was particularly pointed: “Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” ( Matthew 23:28 ). God is not interested in the “pretty outside” but in what’s on the inside. “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his s...

Deutsch: Christus im Hause des Pharisäers, Jacopo Tintoretto, Escorial (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites ! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment , mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” ( Matthew 23:23 ) This particular “woe” among the eight in Matthew 23 is often only partially proclaimed. Usually, sermons are delivered about the “judgment, mercy, and faith” that are indeed the “weightier matters of the law”—but Christ ’s somewhat offhand remark on the responsibility to tithe is either ignored or downplayed. Surely the legalistic and public display of “obedience” to the law is condemned by Jesus . He rebuked these same men for their desire to show their spirituality. “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glor...

Illuminated Manuscript, Gospels of Freising, Evangelist Portrait of Matthew, Walters Art Museum Ms. W.4, fol. 33v (Photo credit: Walters Art Museum Illuminated Manuscripts ) “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” ( Matthew 23:25 ) Three of the eight “woes” in Matthew 23 deal with a particular aspect of spiritual cleanliness . This one seems to emphasize personal cleanliness. The next verse amplifies the thought: “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” ( Matthew 23:26 ). The emphasis is on the internal heart. The biblical principle is very clear. If our hearts are not right, our lives will not be righteous. If what is “inside” is not clean, the “outside” will never be clean. Perhaps a list of the more obvious Bible references will help refocus our commitment. “Keep thy heart w...