Hypocrisy
Rom 2:21,22
you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?
You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
Hypocrisy is what is used against allegedly "good" people to convict them of sin. Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." Mt 23:1-3
Now consider also he says of them, "all their works they do to be seen by men" Mt 23:5a But if this is the case then how can they get away with doing evil and yet be reckoned "good"? How do "good" people get away with doing evil? Primarily they do it privately or legally. For example the chief priests planned behind closed doors to have Jesus legally executed. And even more privately one could commit adultery through the fact "that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Mt 5:28 But legally they could also do evil publicly, which is where lawyers get their well deserved reputation. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses" Mt 23:14a
The issue about robbing temples is about covetousness. Consider a golden idol in a temple. While one may claim to abhor such an idol, one may lust for the gold. In fact such literally happened in the case of Achan in Joshua chapter 7 in which the city of Jericho and all in it were to be devoted to the Lord, yet he stole some gold bars for himself, and was condemned.
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resource
Rom 2:21,22
you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?
You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
Hypocrisy is what is used against allegedly "good" people to convict them of sin. Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." Mt 23:1-3
Now consider also he says of them, "all their works they do to be seen by men" Mt 23:5a But if this is the case then how can they get away with doing evil and yet be reckoned "good"? How do "good" people get away with doing evil? Primarily they do it privately or legally. For example the chief priests planned behind closed doors to have Jesus legally executed. And even more privately one could commit adultery through the fact "that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Mt 5:28 But legally they could also do evil publicly, which is where lawyers get their well deserved reputation. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses" Mt 23:14a
The issue about robbing temples is about covetousness. Consider a golden idol in a temple. While one may claim to abhor such an idol, one may lust for the gold. In fact such literally happened in the case of Achan in Joshua chapter 7 in which the city of Jericho and all in it were to be devoted to the Lord, yet he stole some gold bars for himself, and was condemned.
The Berean Christian Bible Study Resource
