Lesson 23 – The King’s Servants Defined
Read Matthew 23 – www.bible.com/bible/59/mat.23.esv

Jesus, now in the last few days of His earthly life, spends most of His time giving final details of His Kingdom. In this chapter He tells the crowds what He expects of citizens of His kingdom – righteousness. But He uses the lives of the religious leaders who are now always nearby to show the difference between His kind of righteousness and theirs.

Verses 2-12 – true righteousness is practiced first before it can be taught to others.
Verse 13 – true righteousness invites everyone else to come and join in its blessings.
Verse 14 – true righteousness helps and cares for the helpless.
Verse 15 – true righteousness follows the same standards it wants others to follow.
Verses 16-22 – true righteousness keeps its word of honor without thought of escape through some technicality or juggling of words.
Verses 23-24 – true righteousness keeps everything in heavenly perspective.
Verses 25-28 – true righteousness looks first at the heart, knowing that from the heart come all other actions and deeds.
Verses 29-36 – true righteousness is worship of God alone rather than a set of religious practices set up to make a few individuals powerful.


Jesus’ words to the religious leaders were a stinging rebuke for the way they tried to use the people’s worship of God to make themselves rich and powerful. Did Jesus expect us to be able to practice this righteousness in our own strength? Of course not – He knew we couldn’t do this on our own. All our attempts at making this happen would end up just like these leaders He condemned before the people.

True righteousness can never come from us, from our efforts, not even from us trying to follow these rules. We can’t do it! Jesus knew that when He spoke these words. He wanted the people to see the hopelessness of trying. They thought their leaders were the perfect picture of righteousness – but Jesus had already told the people their righteousness had to be better than that of these leaders – Matthew 5:20. Remember the story of the man who wore his own clothes to the king’s banquet in the last chapter (Matthew 22:11-14) – no matter how good his clothes were, they weren’t good enough for the king.

Jesus had already given His solution to this problem of righteousness in Matthew 6:33 – only His own righteousness could ever be good enough for God, and we need to put on His righteousness, like a robe (Isaiah 61:10). Just a few days after He spoke these words He would make the sacrifice for us that would make it possible for us to wear His robe of righteousness.

*What was Jesus’ reaction to the fact that the people rejected His offer of the Kingdom (see verse 37)?