This post was last updated on October 7, 2025

Day 255, Year 1

The Scribes and Pharisees Talked But Did Not Do

“Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: ‘The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; 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.'” (Matthew 23:1-3 NASB)

An archaeological discovery has revealed a “seat of Moses” in a synagogue, which might be where the scribes and Pharisees sat when teaching the Law of Moses. Today’s verse instructs people on how to approach the teachings and authority figures in faith. According to Jesus’ instruction, teachers and their teachings should be viewed as separate. Nonetheless, believers should do and observe God’s teachings.

First, beware of those who can speak but cannot do so. Jesus warns people to be wary of those who teach others but are unable to do what they teach. What I do not understand is why they do not take the time to study how to practice God’s words, but instead spend time teaching others something they themselves cannot do. Perhaps, they have adopted the wrong mentality of always opting for the easy or soft option, simultaneously substituting teaching others for their responsibility to do God’s word.

Second, hypocrisy is a great evil. Jesus specifically pointed out that the scribes and Pharisees at that time were unable to fully practice the teachings of Moses. If it were a thousand years earlier, would Moses be someone who could teach but did not do? Of course not. This illustrates that some people loved sitting in Moses’ position of authority but walked in error and deceived others under the guise of doing his teachings. This is the sin of hypocrisy, reducing the teachings and life of Moses into knowledge that even the teachers could not do. In other words, some people are satisfied with knowing the law of Moses but refuse to do it, replacing the practice of truth with teaching the law. I am going to explain this further later.

Third, believers should separate teachings from the teachers. Jesus pointed out that listeners should separate the scribes and Pharisees from the teachings of Moses. This separation is much needed because many people have mistakenly associated certain bad Christians with the faith in Jesus Christ. Such connections often lead people to disbelieve in Jesus. We need to have understanding and wisdom to distinguish between the beliefs that have been passed down from generations and those who claim to be believers today. One of the most common methods is to listen to someone’s words and assess whether their actions align with what they have said. In this way, we can avoid stumbling over false believers, but instead receive practical help in life from God’s Word.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you have the problem of always going for the soft or easy option? If so, how would you rely on the Lord to solve it?

2) Do you have the understanding and ability to distinguish between the beliefs of the past and the believers of today?