Saturday, 24 October 2026
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, Matthew 23:29
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“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you build the ‘tombs, the prophets’, and you arrange the ‘sepulchers, the righteous’.” (CG)
In the previous verse, Jesus finished His seventh pronouncement of woe, saying to the scribes and Pharisees that they appear outwardly righteous, but inside they are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. He next begins the eighth and final woe, saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites!”
By now, any scribe or Pharisee within earshot would have a burning nostril as flames shot out of his nose. Jesus openly rebuked these spiritual leaders for their hypocrisy, exposing one negative trait after another about them.
The thing is, deep down they probably knew His words were true. But because of their upbringing, education, and status, they felt they had a right to get away with their conduct. As for Jesus’ words, He continues, saying, “Because you build the ‘tombs, the prophets’.”
There was a desire to build tombs for those who were noted in Israel’s history as a way of remembering them. This is done throughout the world. People build music halls, rename airports, dedicate highways, etc., to dead people. In Israel, they were building tombs as a way of honoring the prophets of time past. Along with this, it says, “and you arrange the ‘sepulchers, the righteous’.”
The word translated as arrange, kosmeó, was seen in Matthew 12:44, where a house was empty, swept, and put in order. It signifies tidying up, decorating, adorning, etc. They probably found the tombs of the righteous falling into disrepair and decided that it would be good to get them suitably arranged once again.
Though taking care of these things as noted by Jesus seems like a good thing, there is a problem with it that He will address in the words ahead.
Life application: God’s judgment on Israel was because they lived lives completely contrary to what the Lord would have for them. He would suffer their uncaring attitudes, allow them to be troubled in some way, then they would turn back to Him, and He would restore them. After that, the cycle would continue until there was nothing left but destruction and exile.
The US has gone through ups and downs. Each time there has been a national calamity, the churches swell, and the people call out to God. The nation gets back on its proverbial feet, and within no time at all, the nation has forgotten about the Lord. This is true with other Christian nations as well.
There is a problem with things the way they are in the world. National debts are carried around the world like a house of cards. This is why the little country of Greece threatened to bring down the entire world economy in 2009. If Greece had gone, the whole house of cards would have fallen in on itself.
Because of this interconnected system between the nations, things can only be allowed to go so far before trouble will result. As much as the nations of the world may hate President Trump, they can’t unite together and just cut America off. This type of thing may have been possible in the past, but it is not feasible today.
In other words, the whole world is primed for an end-times calamity it cannot get itself out of. There won’t be a way for the world to turn back to God, as most of the world never believed in the true God to begin with. One can see how the Bible presents the end times as not only possible, but inevitable.
If you are saved but have not been living for the Lord, you should redirect your priorities. Nations have in history, but each person must as well. The only remedy to the horrible prospect of eternal separation from God is faith in Jesus. And for those who are saved, all of our actions after salvation will be judged for reward or loss.
Either way, be sure to get Jesus right. Come to the cross, accept what God has done in the giving of Jesus, and be saved. Then spend your life living for Him. Fix your eyes on Jesus and don’t get distracted from pursuing Him all the days of your life.
Lord God, it is so easy for us to stray from You. Life keeps coming at us, and distractions tug at our senses. In what seems like no time at all, we get misdirected from doing the things we should be doing. Help us to stay fixed on Jesus, never deviating from the right and sound path. Amen.