Big Idea: For Matthew, the Jewish leaders are disobedient to the Torah and pursue the honor of their positions, providing a foil to Jesus’ followers, who are to renounce concern for status and live in community as brothers and sisters.

Understanding the Text

Matthew concludes his narration of confrontation between Jesus and the Jerusalem leaders with a series of judgment warnings upon the Pharisees and teachers of the law (23:1–36). The chapter begins with a call to Jesus’ followers to avoid the motivation and example of these teaching leaders, while acknowledging the importance of Torah instruction (23:1–12). Jesus speaks of the heavy loads that these leaders put upon those whom they teach (through their ways of interpreting the Torah [23:4]), directly contrasting his earlier words abou…