Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (verse 14).
True religion according to scripture involves supporting orphans and widows; there are many DOZENS of scriptures on the subject including Psalms in the O.T. and the book of James in the N.T. Not making long prayers to be showy is also mentioned in Matthew 6:7 as to how the "heathen" pray; but of course it can be used of those who seek to appear righteous as the Pharisees did things to get approval of men as to their "piety" (see Matthew 6:5). Greed was apparently a major problem with these elites; and we can't help but see today how many "ministries" usually named after their leader manipulate people to give what they can't afford and promise their wealth will multiply (name and claim scheme). It seems doubtful the Pharisees told people they would get rich giving them a lot of their money; I would suspect.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
This third woe describes the debtor owing the value of the gold in the Temple to God (essentially for the Pharisee's ownership) if they didn't fulfill what was vowed. Verses 20-22 explain that what is important is the altar itself and God in heaven; although Jesus warned about not swearing and making foolish vows ( Matt. 5:36-37; also repeated in James 5:12). Vows to God must be fulfilled as we see in Judges 11:36-37. As a footnote pressuring people to make vows isn't right
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (verse 14).
True religion according to scripture involves supporting orphans and widows; there are many DOZENS of scriptures on the subject including Psalms in the O.T. and the book of James in the N.T. Not making long prayers to be showy is also mentioned in Matthew 6:7 as to how the "heathen" pray; but of course it can be used of those who seek to appear righteous as the Pharisees did things to get approval of men as to their "piety" (see Matthew 6:5). Greed was apparently a major problem with these elites; and we can't help but see today how many "ministries" usually named after their leader manipulate people to give what they can't afford and promise their wealth will multiply (name and claim scheme). It seems doubtful the Pharisees told people they would get rich giving them a lot of their money; I would suspect.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
This third woe describes the debtor owing the value of the gold in the Temple to God (essentially for the Pharisee's ownership) if they didn't fulfill what was vowed. Verses 20-22 explain that what is important is the altar itself and God in heaven; although Jesus warned about not swearing and making foolish vows ( Matt. 5:36-37; also repeated in James 5:12). Vows to God must be fulfilled as we see in Judges 11:36-37. As a footnote pressuring people to make vows isn't right
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