'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore

whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye

after their works: for they say, and do not'.

If we read the passage, as follows, we get a clear conception of the

Lord's meaning:

'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore

whatsoever they bid you observe, Ye Observe and Do.  But not after

their works: for they say, and do not',

and are spared the overwhelming difficulty presented by a passage indicating

that the Lord actually instructed us to 'observe and do' the bidding of those

whom He was to denounce immediately as 'hypocrites, fools and blind guides'.

All that Matthew 23 says is that the people, overawed by the authority

assumed by the scribes and Pharisees, did their bidding, whereas the Lord

pronounced woe upon these selfsame, self -placed authorities whose works

belied their pretended authority, and whose traditions were so completely

repudiated by Him.

Returning to Luke's Gospel we find in 18:1 -8 another instance of

contrast in the parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge.  In Luke 19:12 -27

we have an example of the Lord's method of taking something that was believed

by a man, though wrong, and showing that his actions were not consistent with

his beliefs, even though those beliefs were in themselves wrong.  The servant

admitted that his conception of his lord was that he was an austere man, etc.

Is there anyone with any knowledge of the Lord who would say this was true

simply because it is found in one of the Lord's own parables?  If anyone did,

he would find reproof awaiting in the verse that follows: 'Out of thine own

mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant' (19:22).

In Luke 16 the Pharisees realized that it was they who were referred to

by the Lord as the unjust steward, 'and they derided Him'.  He then judged

them out of their own mouths, for their traditional views concerning hades,

though contrary to the teaching of the Law and the Prophets, should have held

them back from the course of life they pursued.

This is the crux of the whole matter, and demands immediate and

complete explanation.  In the providence of God we have preserved to us the

writings of an orthodox Jew, Josephus, who lived from a.d. 37 to about the

year 100.  He tells us that he was a Pharisee, and that from the age of

nineteen he sought to conduct himself according to their rules.  Among his

writings is part of a discourse to the Greeks concerning hades, and if we

find that practically all the imagery of the parable we are dealing with is

given by Josephus, we shall be compelled to face the fact, and must honestly

accept the consequences.

'It came to pass, that the beggar

'There is one descent into this

died, and was carried by the angels

region, at whose gate we believe

into Abraham's bosom'.

there stands an archangel with an

host: which gate when those pass

through that are conducted down by

the angels appointed over souls ...

are guided to the right hand ...