“Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites!” Lesson Three “Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites!”

Mark 11:20-26 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.

Mark 11:20-26 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (This would be our Tuesday morning.)

Mark 11:20-26 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. (This would be our Tuesday morning.) 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Only Mark includes this part of the teaching:

Only Mark includes this part of the teaching: 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

Only Mark includes this part of the teaching: 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. From here they continued on to the temple…

Mark 11:27-33 27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, 28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

29 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? 32 But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.

33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The Pharisees and Sadducees questioned Jesus on paying tribute to Caesar, the resurrection of the dead, and the great commandment.

The Pharisees and Sadducees questioned Jesus on paying tribute to Caesar, the resurrection of the dead, and the great commandment. Their attempts to “entangle him in his talk” always backfired.

Matthew 22:15-22 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?

And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? 21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's. 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Shew me the tribute money.

Jesus had a question for them as well:

Jesus had a question for them as well: Matthew 22:41-46 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Luke 20:45-47 45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, 46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

One can only imagine their outrage at being exposed in front of the people.

One can only imagine their outrage at being exposed in front of the people. The Lord’s strongest condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees is recorded in Matthew’s 23rd chapter:

Matthew 23:25-28 25 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. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites 27 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. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Walking through the courtyard of the temple, Jesus watched a poor widow give her offering.

Walking through the courtyard of the temple, Jesus watched a poor widow give her offering. Her purity of faith and devotion undoubtedly lifted his heart.

Mark 12:41-44 41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Mark 13:1-2 1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

On their way back to Bethany, Jesus and his disciples stopped at the mount of Olives.

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Jesus told his disciples of the deceptions that would be rampant in the end times – false Christs and false prophets showing false signs and wonders.

Jesus told his disciples of the deceptions that would be rampant in the end times – false Christs and false prophets showing false signs and wonders. He talked about “the abomination of desolation” – the great tribulation.

Jesus told his disciples of the deceptions that would be rampant in the end times – false Christs and false prophets showing false signs and wonders. He talked about “the abomination of desolation” – the great tribulation. And he spoke of his second coming when he will rule and reign on earth.

Matthew 26:1-5 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Matthew 26:1-5 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. 5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Even the Pharisees could not have guessed that less that four days after the people had shouted Hosanna to the Son of David, they would be screaming for his crucifixion.

Jesus and his disciples were back in Bethany that evening for the start of a new calendar day.

As told by Matthew and Mark, an unnamed woman anointed Christ’s head with oil.

There were THREE different occasions when Christ was anointed with oil:

There were THREE different occasions when Christ was anointed with oil: Early in his ministry at the home of Simon the Pharisee, an unnamed woman washed his feet with her tears and anointed them with ointment.

There were THREE different occasions when Christ was anointed with oil: Early in his ministry at the home of Simon the Pharisee, an unnamed woman washed his feet with her tears and anointed them with ointment. Six days before the Passover, Mary of Bethany anointed his feet with spikenard.

There were THREE different occasions when Christ was anointed with oil: Early in his ministry at the home of Simon the Pharisee, an unnamed woman washed his feet with her tears and anointed them with ointment. Six days before the Passover, Mary of Bethany anointed his feet with spikenard. Less than two days before the Passover at the home of Simon the leper, an unnamed woman anointed his head with oil.

The first anointing, occurring early in his ministry, is recorded only in Luke.

The first anointing, occurring early in his ministry, is recorded only in Luke. This unnamed woman is often said to be Mary Magdalene, but thats is almost certainly not true.

Luke 7:36-39 36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. Note that the Pharisee alone objected, and only because of the woman’s ill repute.

39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. Jesus used the occasion to teach why some people love God more than others:

Luke 7:40-43 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

The second anointing is recorded only in John’s gospel.

“Six days before the passover” – a few days before Palm Sunday – Mary of Bethany also anointed Christ’s feet.

Judas Iscariot condemned this as a waste of expensive oil.

John 12:1-8 1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

The third anointing took place in Bethany during the week of the Passover at the home of Simon the leper. An unnamed woman poured oil on Christ’s head. This time, all the disciples objected.

The third anointing took place in Bethany during the week of the Passover at the home of Simon the leper. An unnamed woman poured oil on Christ’s head. This time, all the disciples objected. (“Simon” was a very common name – the Pharisee was named Simon; so also was the father of Judas Iscariot, and now Simon the leper. Of course, there was also Simon Peter.)

Matthew 26:6-13 6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

His answer satisfied all his disciples but one.

Luke 22:3-6 3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

5 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. 6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

All these things occurred in what is our Tuesday morning to Tuesday night.

The next 24 hours would be Jesus’ last with his disciples before his betrayal and arrest.

The next 24 hours would be Jesus’ last with his disciples before his betrayal and arrest. UP NEXT: The Last Supper