Christ being veiled from many (Part 2): Religion leaders

Text: Bible Texts (Concordant Version of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords Concordance-CLNT Matthew 23:25-37; John 1:10-14; Isaiah 65:1-2

Matthew 23:25-37

25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are cleansing the outside of the cup and the plate, yet inside they are brimming with rapacity and incontinence.
26 Blind Pharisee! Cleanse first the inside of the cup and the plate, that their outside also may be becoming clean!
27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are resembling the whitewashed sepulchers which outside, indeed, are appearing beautiful, yet inside they

are crammed with the bones of the dead and all uncleanness.
28 Thus you, also, outside, indeed, are appearing to men to be just, yet inside you are distended with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are building the sepulchers of the prophets and adorning the tombs of the just,
30 and you are saying, 'If we were in the days of our fathers, we would not be participants with them in the blood of the prophets.'
31 So that you are testifying to yourselves that you are the sons of those who murder the prophets.
32 And you! Fill full the measure of your father!
33 "Serpents! Progeny of vipers! How may you be fleeing from the judging of Gehenna?
34 Therefore, lo! I am dispatching to you prophets and wise men and scribes. Of them, some you will be killing and crucifying, and of them, some you will be scourging in your synagogues and persecuting from city to city,
35 so that on you should be coming all the just blood shed on the earth, from the blood of just Abel until the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murder between the temple and the altar.
36 Verily, I am saying to you: All these things will be arriving on this generation.
37 "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! who art killing the prophets and pelting with stones those who have been dispatched to her! How many times do I want to assemble your children in the manner a hen is assembling her brood under her wings-and you will not!

John 1:10-14

10 In the world He was, and the world came into being through Him, and the world knew Him not.
11 To His own He came, and those who are His own accepted Him not.
12 Yet whoever obtained Him, to them He gives the right to become children of God, to those who are believing in His name,
13 who were begotten, not of bloods, neither of the will of the flesh, neither of the will of a man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory, a glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Isaiah 65:1-2

1 I let Myself be inquired of by those who did not ask for Me, I am found by those who did not seek Me; I say, Behold Me! Behold Me! to a nation that has not called on My Name;

2 I spread out My hands the whole day to a stubborn and rebellious people, Who are walking in the way that is not good, after their own devising,

The lesson from last week made it clear that Yeshua was hidden from His own people. This situation mirrors the story of Joseph and his brothers. Both Joseph and Yeshua were rejected and mistreated by those closest to them. Yet, there is a striking difference between the two stories. Joseph’s brothers eventually recognized him, but many of Yeshua’s own people are yet to recognize Him today.

 John 1:11-12 explains this mystery clearly. Yeshua came to His own people, yet they did not receive Him. Why? Because recognizing Him is not something that comes through human senses, family lineage, or natural understanding. It is not about blood or flesh. According to John 6:44, it is God Himself who draws people to Yeshua.

This week, I want us to look deeper into why Yeshua and the Pharisees were never on the same page. Have you ever wondered why these religious leaders could not recognize Him? The Pharisees were known as custodians of the Law of Moses. They were respected teachers, trained in the Scriptures, and seen as spiritual guides for the people. If anyone should have recognized the Messiah, it should have been them.

Yet, they completely missed Him.

That reality makes me reflect on how being religious does not automatically mean someone truly knows God or understands His salvation. Isaiah even spoke about this when he said that God revealed Himself to people who were not searching for Him, while those who believed they already knew Him failed to recognize Him. That is beyond human reasoning. 

Why would those considered “far from God” find Him, while those seen as religious experts remained blind? 

The answer reminds me of Zechariah 4:6:

““It is not by not by valor, nor by vigor, but rather by My spirit, says Yahweh of hosts”.

The confrontation between Yeshua and the Pharisees in Matthew 23 was intense. Yeshua challenged their traditions, assumptions, and outward displays of religion. He exposed how far their hearts were from God. He told them they cleaned the outside while the inside remained full of corruption. He called them hypocrites, blind guides, and even accused them of honoring the prophets while carrying the same spirit that killed them. He accused them of blocking the gates for those who want to enter into the knowledge of truth about God. Wow! This is very serious.

Those were serious words.

What amazes me most is the boldness of Yeshua. He stood before honored religious leaders and openly revealed their spiritual blindness. Their knowledge, titles, and traditions could not help them recognize the truth standing right in front of them.

So, why could they not recognize Him?

John 1:12-13 gives the answer once again: “Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Recognizing Yeshua is not achieved by human effort, intelligence, or religious activities. It is something God reveals by His Spirit.

In fact, if the Pharisees and religious leaders had fully recognized Yeshua, they would not have handed Him over to be crucified. Yet through all of this, the Scriptures were being fulfilled. God allowed Yeshua to be veiled from many of the religious leaders so that salvation could be spread among the nations. 

What an amazing mystery.

The Jews saw Him first but many did not recognize Him. The Gentiles encountered Him later, yet many believed. This reminds us of Matthew 20:16:

“So the last shall be first, and the first last.” 

One day, however, this story will reach its fulfillment. Philippians 2:9-11 declares that every knee should be bowing and every tongue should be acclaiming that Yeshua the Messiah is Lord to the glory of his father. So, this will be a continuous thing until the last being acclaims him.

That is the beautiful hope we hold onto.

1 Timothy 4:10 further tells us that Yeshua is the Savior of all humanity, especially of those who believe. Even our ability to believe is not something we achieve by human strength. It is God who draws us, opens our hearts, and reveals His Son to us at the right time.

This means that being religious, appearing pious, or strictly observing traditions does not necessarily mean someone truly knows Him. A person may hear about a president without personally knowing him. In the same way, many hear about God, but true relationship comes only when God reveals Himself personally.

Faith is one of the Spiritual fruits from God (Galatians 5:22-23).

He brings each person to His Son in His own perfect timing, just as 1 Corinthians 15:23 reminds us.

So today, let this be our prayer:

“That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” — Philippians 3:10

 

Amen.

 

I hope this week’s blog encourages you to pause and reflect on your own relationship with God today.

 

Another topic will be shared next week, God willing.

 

Grace and Peace.

 

References:

https://www.concordant.org/version/read-concordant-new-testament-online

https://www.concordant.org/version/read-concordant-old-testament-online

https://www.istockphoto.com/photos/jesus-pharisees