Weightier matters of
the Law - Judgement
Study 1 – “What doth Yahweh
require of thee?”
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
The Roots of Matthew 23
 Same audience – Matt. 5:1 and 23:1.
 The scribes and Pharisees centre stage – Matt.
5:20 and 23:2, 13, 14, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29.
 8 woes match 8 blessings.
 Beatitudes represent complete character of the
Christ-man.
 Woes represent character of carnal religiosity –
self-worship and self-interest.
 5th Woe (23:23) relates to mercy, inter-alia.
 Failure - no under-girding by humility, honesty,
teachable-ness and integrity (first 4 blessings).
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
The Eight Blessings and the Eight Woes
Blessings - Matt.5:3-12 Woes - Matt.23:13-33
1. The Kingdom opened
to the poor in spirit V.3
2. Comfort for mourners
- V.4
3. The meek to inherit
the earth - V.5
4. True righteousness
sought by true desire V.6
1. The Kingdom shut by
Scribes and
Pharisees - V.13
2. Mourners distressed V.14
3. Fanatics compassing
the earth - V.15
4. False righteousness
sought by casuistry V.16-22
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
What is Casuistry?
CASUISTRY, n. The science or
doctrine of cases of conscience; the
science of resolving cases of
doubtful propriety, or of determining
the lawfulness or unlawfulness of
what a man may do, by rules and
principles
drawn
from
the
scriptures, from the laws of society,
or from equity and natural reason.
Webster’s Dictionary
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
The Eight Blessings and the Eight Woes
Blessings –
Matt. 5:3-12
Woes –
Matt.23:13-33
5. The merciful to
obtain mercy - V.7
6. The pure within will
see God - V.8
5. Mercy omitted and
left undone - V.23-24
6. External purity Blind to internal
corruption - V.25-26
7. Hypocrites & lawless
- Divisive and
destructive - V.27-28
8. The persecutors
condemned - V.29-33
7. Peacemakers to be
sons of God - V.9
8. The persecuted
rewarded - V.10-12
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
What is “judgement”?
The Greek word is krisis:
1) a separating, sundering, separation;
1a) a trial, contest
2) selection
3) judgment;
3a) opinion or decision given concerning
anything; especially concerning justice and
injustice, right or wrong
3b) sentence of condemnation, damnatory
judgment, condemnation and punishment
4) right, justice.
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Context of Matthew 23
 Hypocritical imposition of impossible burdens
on others – v.4.
 Pretension covers acts of abuse – v.14.
 Questionable honesty – v.16.
 Concealed corruption within – v.25.
 Murderous spirit – v.34.
A lack of integrity
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Yahweh’s Characteristic of Truth
 Ex. 34:6 – Power of God manifestation.
 Emeth occurs 127 times O.T.
 Signifies – 1. Firmness, faithfulness,
trustworthiness, truth;
1a. Sureness, reliability; 1b. Stability,
continuance; 1c. Faithfulness, reliableness;
1d. Truth (as spoken, of testimony and
judgment, of divine instruction, truth as a
body of ethical or religious knowledge, true
doctrine).
2. In truth, truly (adverb).
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Emeth in the O.T.
 1st occ. Gen. 24:27 in mouth of Eliezer.
 8th occ. is Ex. 34:6 – New beginning and
immortality.
 Last occ. significantly is Mal. 2:6 of Levi.
 4 occs. in Ps. 119 = righteousness.
 Ps. 138:2 – Word of God preeminent.
 Mission of Christ – “mishpat unto emeth” –
Isa. 42:3; cp. Matt. 12:14-21.
 Isa. 59:14-15; Isa.61:8 – mishpat and emeth
absent in environment of rituals & externals.
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Behaviour in the House of God
 Focus of Matt. 23 is the temple and sacrifice –
vv. 16-23.
 Tendency for ritual rather than a relationship
with God.
 Illustrated by context of Zech. 7:9 – emeth and
mishpat replaced by ritual.
 Zech. 8:3,8,16,19 – Emeth the basis of Israel’s
(and our) future.
 Basis of Israel’s redemption - Jer. 4:2 – “And
thou shalt swear, Yahweh liveth, in truth
(emeth), in judgment (mishpat), and in
righteousness; and the nations shall bless
themselves in him, and in him shall they
glory.”
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
What Doth Yahweh Require?
 The basis of Matt. 23:23 – Deut. 10:12-22.
 What doth Yahweh require – Mic. 6:8
Psalm 51:6
Behold, thou desirest truth
(emeth) in the inward parts: and
in the hidden part thou shalt
make me to know wisdom.
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Prov. 21:3
To do justice and
judgment (mishpat) is
more acceptable to
Yahweh than sacrifice.
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Next study (God willing)
Study 2 – “I know him”
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Heading
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement
Study Summary
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Context of Matt.23
Roots of Matt.23 in Matt. 5 – 8 blessings – 8 woes
What is judgement – in the context of Matt.23
Relationship to emeth Ex. 34:6
The balance of emeth and chesed – kissed each other in Christ
Context Matt.23 is temple/sacrifice – cp. Matt. 12:6-7; Hos. 6:4-6
Luke 11:42 – Repeat of Matt.23:23 – “love of God”
Tendency for ritual rather than relationship with God – Isa. 58
This leads to absence of honesty and integrity
Zech.7:9-12 – True judgement and compassion work together
The basis of Matt.23:23 – Deut.10:12-22 – God’s greatness
What doth Yahweh require – Mic. 6:8
Weightier Matters of the Law - Judgement