Matthew 23:23-24 - Homilies By J.a. Macdonald

Monstrous trifling.

Our Lord proceeds to pronounce upon the hypocrite the woe of his other evils. Note—

I. THE LAW HAS ITS " WEIGHTIER MATTERS ."

1 . These are its moral precepts.

(a) Justice in principle.

(b) Justice in practice.

(a) Faith in the sense of creed, or truth in belief. A true creed is of great importance.

(b) Faith in the sense of sincerity, in opposition to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Those called hypocrites are otherwise described as unbelievers (cf. Matthew 24:51 ; Luke 12:46 ; 1 Timothy 4:2 , 1 Timothy 4:3 ).

(c) Faith in the sense of fidelity or faithfulness, viz. to God first, then also to man (cf. Micah 6:8 ; Luke 11:42 ).

2 . Its ceremonies are for the sake of its morals.

II. THE HYPOCRITE INVERTS GOD 'S ORDER .

1 . He is punctilious to trifles.

2 . He misses important things.