The Hypocritical Belief of the Scribes & Pharasees

“Believe” in Matthew, Mark & Luke - Part 28:

Israel’s Chief Priests, Scribes & Pharisees, 2 of 2:

Five (5) passages in Matthew, Mark and Luke record the Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees as having uttered the word “believe” during two incidents. Both occurred during the third and last Passover week of Jesus’ three-year ministry. Our last study examined the first incident and today we go to the second. Briefly reviewing the first incident from our last study: Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey while being acclaimed by throngs of people shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” Matthew 21:99 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

. He then went into the Temple and drove out those who bought and sold, overturned the tables of the moneychangers and healed the lame and blind, Matthew 21:12 - 1412 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

. This angered the Chief Priests and Scribes, Matthew 21:1515 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,

, and the next day when Jesus returned to the Temple they asked Him by what authority He had done these things. He answered with a question, which He said if they answered, He’d tell them by what authority He was operating. He asked whether the baptism of John was from heaven, or of men. They reasoned among themselves, recognizing that if they said it was from heaven then Jesus would ask why they didn’t believe John, but if they said John was of men they feared the people because the people believed John was a prophet. So they answered that they couldn’t tell. Jesus responded that neither would He tell them by what authority He did these things. Matthew 21:23 - 2723 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?

24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

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

; Mark 11:27 - 3327 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.

; Luke 20:1 - 81 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,

2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?

3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:

4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

5 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

6 But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

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The second incident occurred a short time later. The Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisee’s resentment and hatred of Jesus drove them to incite public sentiment against Him and manipulate the Roman authority with trumped up charges to have Him crucified as a criminal. Then, while our Savior hung on the cross about to give up His life they mocked Him: “And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” Matthew 27:39 - 4339 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

. Mark’s account also reports they used the word “believe,” Mark 15:29 - 3229 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,

30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.

. And although Luke records this incident he does not mention they said, “believe,” Luke 23:3535 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

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The actions of these leaders of Israel illustrate how mankind is instrumental in carrying out God’s plans. They didn’t believe John the Baptist’s message, or that Jesus was the Son of God; they believed in their own righteousness. Jesus could have escaped them as He had done before, John 8:5959 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

, and as the song goes, He could have called 10,000 angels to His rescue. But this was His time and He voluntarily gave Himself as He said previously: “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” John 10:14 - 1814 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

. Although Jesus willingly laid down His life, it’s never-the-less sobering to think that those culpable in sending Him to the cross will, unless they repented later, spend eternity in hell with the knowledge they mocked Him while He hung and died, potentially for their sins.

They were like all unbelieving intellectuals. They rejected God’s Word as truth, coming up through the educational process and conforming to societal standards to gain their prominent positions in the community. They strove on their own to meet the standards set by the Law given to Moses but never learned the purpose of that law, as explained by the Apostle Paul: “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:2424 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

. Instead, they hypocritically went through the motions of keeping the law, never recognizing it was teaching them they were sinners. They set their own standard of what to believe and what not to believe, as illustrated by their statement that if He came down from the cross they would believe.

Throughout His ministry Jesus had taught the requirements to enter His Kingdom while pointing out the hypocrisy of these leaders: “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 glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” Matthew 6:22 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 glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

. “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward, Matthew 6:55 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

. See also Matthew 16:16 - 1816 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

; 23:1 - 8. Jesus set the standard for righteousness in His believers: “All therefore whatsoever they (the Chief Priests and Scribes) bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” Matthew 23:33 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

. (See the complete context of this statement beginning with Matthew 23:11 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

.) “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:2020 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

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Jesus had previously told the Pharisees they would die in their sins if they didn’t believe He was who He said He was, John 8:2424 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

, and “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” John 8:4444 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

& 4544 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

. After He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven as the Lord Jesus Christ the leaders of Israel continued to persecute those who believed in Him, as recorded in the first part of the book of Acts. And so Israel was set-aside for a while as the Apostle Paul explains: “But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 9:31 - 3331 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

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We have found that out of all 35 times the word “believe” appears in Matthew, Mark and Luke, only these Chief Priests, Scribes and Pharisees used it in the context of human reasoning: 1) trying to decide how to answer Christ’s question based on their own expediency and 2) establishing criteria they set themselves for believing. In other words, they proved themselves self-righteous hypocrites, spinning the law of Moses to their own advantage. This is Satan’s method, just as Jesus had pointed out to them in John 8:44, as quoted above, that they were of their father, the Devil.

The good news is that as a result of the Nation of Israel rejecting their Messiah, the door for salvation was opened to Gentiles, as revealed to and through the Apostle Paul: “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” Romans 11:1111 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

. “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.” Ephesians 3:1 - 71 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,

2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,

4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)

5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;

6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

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