A Tale of Two Worlds: Exalt or Humble (Matthew 23:1-12).
length: 61:53 - taught on Oct, 23 2025
Class Outline:
Thursday October 23, 2025
Introduction:
The world of fallen man had been given the gift of government long ago. After the flood, God made a covenant with Noah.
And from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man.
6 "Whoever sheds man's blood,
By man his blood shall be shed,
For in the image of God
He made man.
7 "As for you, be fruitful and multiply;
Populate the earth abundantly and multiply in it."
The law of capital punishment would have to be executed by a governing person or body. The sons of Noah had sons who became kingdoms and nations (Gen 10-11).
These nations were ruled in ways we would expect.
But then God made His own nation through one man, Abraham. And to that nation He gave His law: only to them. They were to live by it and share it, being a light of God to the world.
They failed and became like the other nations, first as idol worshipers, and then later, the leadership were much like any other leaders: self-serving, power-hungry, self-loving.
And into this Israel, entered the promised King on the back of a donkey colt.
Resistance of bad leaders:
The entrenched leadership in Israel, to say the least, did not welcome Jesus’ claims as the ultimate authority in Israel.
"The scribes and the Pharisees have seated [sit] themselves in the chair of Moses; 3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.
Do all they tell you …
When He says to do all they tell you, there is a sense of irony. The reason is that what their teaching is not limited to the law, but includes a lot of additional commandments that they themselves have added to the law. These are the burdens they put on others’ backs.
Jesus does not deny their authority, rather He points out their failure.
Only humility will be exalted in the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus not only taught this but displayed it publicly for all to see.
Why should man be humble? He was made for God and is nothing without God.
The proud look of man will be abased
And the loftiness of man will be humbled,
And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.
Tim Keller states it: "Humility = agreeing with God about yourself."
Israel was to be like this. They alone had the law and the prophets.
When the God of Israel finally arrived in their midst, what did He find?
“But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.”
Phylacteries - they called them tefillin (prayer fillets). By a merely external interpretation of EXO 13:9, 16 and DEU 6:8; 11:18, they introduced the practice of wearing square capsules, covered with leather, containing on small scrolls of parchment, these four sections of the law: EXO 13:1-10, 11-16; DEU 6:4-9; 11:13-21.
These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 "You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
The edges of their garments were to have tassels (NUM 15:38-39; DEU 22:12) and these blue tassels were to remind them of the commandments. Jesus wore them, and the only times that Jesus tassels are mentioned, they were touched and people were healed.
To them, it didn’t matter whether it was a secular banquet or a religious gathering, they wanted the seat at the head table.
In Matthew, Rabbi in Hebrew, as a given title for Jesus, is only heard on the lips of Judas (MAT 26:25, MAT 26:49). The others called Him teacher.
This is an opposite leadership than the leadership in the kingdom of heaven, but it is the same as the rest of the world.
Are we shocked by their behavior?
We see this behavior all around us, and it’s not specific to gender, race, nationality, location, position - it is the way of the flesh.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
Overcome the temptation to exalt yourselves.
How?
Wisdom from One Teacher.
Guidance from One Father.
Courage from One Leader.
It is freedom! Emancipation! Throw off the burdens of the false leaders and take on the yoke of Christ.
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
No teacher or father or leader has the rights over your soul, no longer, and nor should any of you seek these titles as lording over others.
How important the issue of humility to Christ?
"But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
This part of Christ’s teaching (MAT 23:11-12) is so prevalent that it must be taken to heart over and over again.
This passage is parallel to LUK 14:11; 18:14 and they are in different contexts.
The first will be last and the last first (MAT 19:30; MAT 20:16) encapsulate Jesus’ repeated assault on pomp and self-importance, and reinforce the portrait of Jesus disciples as a community of “little ones” or children (poor and meek).
Joyful hope of future exaltation by Him.
The life of faith has no forward vision without promises.
Jesus finishes every warning with a promise.
The New Testament uses the word hope to describe this phenomenon.
Don’t seek to be known as one who has great faith or wisdom or courage in the church. All of these things are God given.
For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
The faith that God gave us by grace is a faith that we have to choose to hold on to, and if we do, we gain a vision of the future which is entirely based on promises.
We believe the promise and so we know that if we are humble, we will be exalted. Our entrance into heaven will be abundantly supplied. If we exalt ourselves like the Pharisees did then we will be humbled.
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