- May 3, 2022
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I find it very curious that I have had no replies to what I posted yesterday about the "church." Could it be that the things I pointed out cannot be refuted? Could it be that people, after reading what I posted yesterday and the other things I have pointed out about the "church" are realizing the truth of what I have said and they just can't deal with it?
All of us have experienced times in our life, where what we have "believed" about this or that turns out to be a lie. Before we learned the truth, we were absolutely positive that what we believed was the truth. One event that almost everybody born and raised in America has experienced is the truth about Santa Clause. In fact, it is one of the first emotionally traumatic events in our life, learning that Santa Clause is a mythical figure! Most of us were devastated and I'm sure that many of us cried, (I cried all night) upon learning the truth. After we get through this emotional upheaval, we calm down, apply logic to what we have learned, realize the truth and accept the truth. From that point on, we live our lives knowing the truth about Santa Clause.
But what do we do as adults? Despite the fact that we know the truth about Santa Clause, we turn around and perpetuate the myth to our own kids or any other small, naive children we encounter. It can be debated as to whether or not teaching the myth of Santa Clause, from a secular view, is right or wrong. But the big danger is when people attach the myth to the birth of Christ! I am not going to go on about how Xmas is pagan and the dangers of it, spiritually speaking, but want to point out how young children are started to be conditioned to accept lies about what the Bible teaches or does not teach. This then continues into adulthood, which leads to people to join "churches" and perpetuate the lies the Gentile Pharisees proclaim. Lenin stated a very powerful truth, a truth that has played out time and time again throughout history, "Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted." All of the depraved thinking and action present in this country is a direct result of what the politicians, civic leaders, and activists are doing today, stems directly from what these same individuals were indoctrinated with as children and young people.
But I don't care or am concerned about what the goats of the world do or the "state" of society. Scripture teaches that the secular world is filled with reprobates and ungodly people, people who will do evil and wicked things. Scripture instructs believers on how to live as a believer regardless of what the world does, regardless of what society believes, regardless of the laws passed, and regardless of the propaganda promoted by the goats. Regardless of what the Gentile Pharisees teach.
Before I continue with the Pharisees, I want to point out that when a person comes across a truth that contradicts what they "believe," they will react in one of two ways. They will either accept the truth and acknowledge that they were wrong or they will hang on to what they believe and reject the truth, calling the truth a lie, Rom 1:25-26, 2Cor 4:3-4, 2Thes 2:11-12. (Isn't it amazing how time after time Scripture explains what is going on in the world, that what we find going on in the bible is the same thing going on today, Ecc 1:9. People who think they can't be fooled are the easiest ones to fool, 1Cor 3:19.
In Mat 23:13, Jesus first says, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites." This should actually read, "Woe to you hypocrite scribes and Pharisees." In Jewish culture to call one a hypocrite was a description of one who "dyes" himself, as one would die a cloth, to present a false appearance. The word "Woe" is a way of Jesus saying, "You scribes and Pharisees are evil and to blame for your lies, and that severe calamity is upon your heads, it is coming for you!" What was the tone of voice Jesus would have used when he said, "Woe to you hypocrite scribes and Pharisees?" Do you think he said it in a laughing way? Do you think he said it softly? Do you think it he said as a jovial big brother slightly criticizing the scribes and Pharisees in a teasing way? Do you think he said it in a calm, neutral, non-accusing voice? I'm sure his tone was very harsh and his words would have enraged the scribes and Pharisees! Do you think they had forgotten these words of Jesus when the religious leaders gathered together to plot his death?
Mat 23:15. One of the most common ways to "prove" that your group and what your group represents, that you are legitimate, is to increase your numbers. In the world of "religion" what is one of the gauges used to determine if a "church" is a good church or a lame church? The number of members! If you were driving through a town, one you had never been to before and you happen to come across two church buildings across the street from each other. One church building is a shiny new building worth millions of dollars with a huge, paved parking lot. Being a Sunday morning, the parking lot is jammed packed, cars are still pouring in. Many of the cars are newer, more expensive cars, all gleaming in the sun. There are parking attendants working in the lot. The landscape is well manicured and very maintained. There is a steady stream of people entering the building, most well dressed, many in suit and ties, women dressed in the latest fashions. You see that many in the crowd are laughing or greeting others, everybody is in a great mood!
The other church building is an old one, needing a paint job. The parking lot is no more than dirt and stones. There is very little green showing around the building. There are not many vehicles parked outside the building, perhaps 6 or 7. All of them are at least 10-15 years old. You see three elderly people walking into the church building and none of them are wearing clothes that even hint at being expensive or new.
What is the immediate reaction of the average person? "Wow, look at that new church building, look at how many people are attending! And comparing the two buildings, it is decided that the "new" church building must be a true church, a biblical church, and that the other church is dead, that it must be irrelevant, outdated, and would be better off closing its doors. That the few members of the old church building would be better served by going to the "new" church. "The "pastor" must be a failure because his "church" isn't growing!"
Folks, I drove a semi-truck for 30 years and drove through many small towns in rural areas. What I described is something I witnessed at least 40 times. I have been driving through extremely rural areas, with nothing but farms spread out and very little population. Yet, at some point, I would come across, in the middle of nowhere, a brand new, multi-million church building. A large church building. I have also seen a new, expensive church building in a severely poor rural area. Which just shows the focus of the phony, fake "Christian/Evangelical" world. I'm not against erecting a new building due to growth, but I am against the wasted money conned out of people who struggle to survive.
The Pharisees spent much time trying to persuade Jewish people into converting to becoming a Pharisee. Any Jewish male could become a Pharisee. He only had to take the Pharisee vow, learn the "oral law" and start living and acting as a Pharisee. We are all aware of how zealous a person is when they first become a member of something new, something they want to be a part of. The Pharisees were so effective in their propaganda methods that their converts were more zealous than they themselves already were. When Jesus said they," went about sea and land," doesn't mean they had sent out "missionaries" all over the known world. He meant that when the Pharisees, within Jerusalem or traveled to different parts of Judah, they were always trying to make converts.
Mat 23:16-22. I could easily do an in-depth study on these verses, but I am simply going to sum up what Jesus taught. In the O.T., the Jews were commanded that if they made a vow, or swore an oath to God, they were to keep it. Making a vow or swearing an oath was a voluntary act of an individual, a "verbal guarantee" of what you said is what you would do. But if you did one of these, you were commanded by God to keep your word. It makes sense that even today, "you are only as good as your word." It became a part of Jewish culture that your vow or oath was a verbal acknowledgment that ensured the other party you would perform that which you promised to do. There was a time in this country when integrity was extremely important to individuals as part of the moral code held by the majority of people, it was how people lived their lives, especially in matters of business transactions. If farmer John made a deal to trade a horse for a mule with farmer Steve, they would shake on it and the deal would be done! There was no need for witnesses, a notarized document, or a legal contract. They would simply make the trade. Now, everything done in the world of business, buying, selling, and services, is done with a contract. But, as we are all aware, in many instances, a contract is just a piece of paper that holds no weight.
At some point in time, the fourth commandment, "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain...", Ex 20:4, was perverted into the teaching that Jews were not to speak the name of God. So instead of "swearing by the name of God," the Jews began to swear by "the Temple." In the days of Jesus, making a vow, and swearing an oath was still a common practice, but the Pharisees had so twisted the concept of "verbal guarantee" into a system of by what they swore on, the temple, the altar, the gold "pledged to the Temple, Korban," heaven, skies above, etc., determined whether or not they had to keep their word. In other words, if a Pharisee "swore" on the altar, that vow was not binding. It's just like today when a liar or con artist will say, "I swear on my mother's grave," as a vow to keep their word, but you soon find out that the vow was just empty words. One of the main reasons the Pharisees operated this way was to prevent them from helping out their parents or others in need by saying, "Oh, I have all of this wealth, but since I swore that my wealth was dedicated to the Sanctuary, I am not allowed to use my wealth to help you."
However, it wasn't just the Pharisees that were using vows or oaths as a way to avoid keeping their word. All of the corrupt priests, wealthy Jews, business owners, etc., engaged in the same practice. Jesus was so fed up with this corrupt and evil scheme, that he had taught, in Mat 5:33-37, that believers should quit making vows or oaths entirely and just do what you say you are going to do, keep your word!
You must remember that what Jesus taught was for the benefit and instruction of those who would keep His word. All of Scripture is only for the benefit of believers, not written as instructions that all people should follow. Believers are confused or shocked when people do them wrong or commit crimes. The question is often asked," How can a person do such a horrible thing"? They think, "God commanded, ' thou shalt not murder," They think that God commanded this to all people, all people should obey this command, and that all people are aware of this command. Yet, we see murder committed every day, serial killers, drive-by shootings, random mass shootings, etc. And believers think that those who murder are "disobeying" God. While this is true on an intellectual and philosophical level, the reality is that goats, reprobates, and workers of iniquity, even if they are aware of what Scripture teaches, don't care, believe or practice what Scripture teaches. They base their actions on the lusts of the flesh, their greed, and their sinful desires, not on what Scripture teaches. It doesn't matter to them what Scripture teaches. Evil people, who live in their flesh, not by the Spirit, are going to do evil, period!
Mat 23:23 The words of Jesus here are not "proof" that believers today must tithe on their income, as it is often used. Jesus is not commanding that believers today "must tithe," rather he continues with his condemnation of the Pharisees! He points out that while the Pharisees were so religious in "tithing", so zealous of keeping the letter of the Law rather than practicing the "spirit" of the Law in that they tithed even the smallest things, spices and herbs. Yet tithing did not include herbs and spices. Jesus said, "but you have canceled, made null and void the most important part of the Law, justice. mercy and faith. Micah 6:8, "He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to be just, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God." If you love mercy, you will show mercy. Were the Pharisees known for showing mercy? NO! They were merciless to any Jew they caught breaking the laws made up by the Pharisees of keeping the Sabbath. Were the Pharisees humble? Far from it, they were filled to the brim with pride and arrogance. Just as all false teachers are, despite what they say.
Mat 23:24 This should be translated, "Blind guides who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. In the O.T., Lev 11:20-23, God established that certain winged insects were allowed to be eaten, locusts, and others were not, such as flies and gnats. The Pharisees, along with other Jews would pour any liquid they were about to consume through a piece of cloth in order to make sure they would not inadvertently swallow a forbidden winged insect, flies, gnats, etc. Jesus was pointing out that while they would focus on keeping the most minute parts of the law, they would easily, "swallow a camel," meaning that they would tolerate or commit great sins, deceit, oppression or greed. A fly or gnat was hard to see at a distance, one would have to actively try to find a fly or gnat, but a camel was easy to see by all. By this Jesus was also pointing out to the scribes and Pharisees that the people saw them swallowing camels, the people saw their sinful behavior.
Mat23:25-26. The Pharisees were all about the outward appearance, that was done to be seen of men, the show they put on. Jesus said that while you focus and work on the outward observance of the Law, you totally neglect to work on the much more important aspects of the Law, justice, mercy, grace, kindness, meekness, etc. These all come from what one believes and thinks, having the proper godly attitude about how one should live as a believer. The Pharisees never showed these inner attributes by their outward appearance. Character, what one thinks and believes is made known by behavior. Jesus told them that true righteousness starts with the mind and heart and will be made known in one's actions. He said your outward appearance means nothing without the right spirit. Jesus told them that unless the inside is clean, the outside being clean means nothing.
Mat 23:27. Jesus told them, "You look so wonderful on the outside but inside you are filled with sin, wickedness, and death. If a Jew were to accidentally step on a grave or make physical contact with a tomb, he would become "unclean," under the Law. It is commonly taught that the Jews only buried their dead in tombs built into the rock, either on the side of a mountain or in a cave. While having a tomb was desirable, the fact is that to have a tomb was expensive and something most Jews could not afford. Having a tomb carved out of the rock was very labor-intensive. It cost a lot of money to have a tomb carved out of rock and most Jews could not afford the costs. Jesus was buried in a rich man's tomb, Mat 27:57-60. Did you know that it was prophesied that Jesus would be buried in a rich man's tomb? Isa 53:9. So the majority of Jews were buried in graves.
But often the graves or tombs were not marked and in order to keep Jews from making accidental contact with a tomb or a grave, they would periodically whitewash, a type of white paint, on the graves or tombs, to allow Jews to avoid making contact. What structure, building, fence etc., doesn't look bright, shiny and great with a new coat of white paint? It looks brand new.
Mat 23:29-35. The Pharisees claimed that they were not like their ancestors in the O.T., who killed and persecuted the prophets. They claimed that if they lived in those O.T. days, they would have not killed and persecuted the prophets. Jesus told them, by your own words, you acknowledge that you are part of the bloodline that killed the prophets. So now, Jesus said, "You will now pay for what your fathers did. He called them snakes, the offspring of vipers, vs 33. (Would Jesus call men snakes if they were only guilty of being too "legalistic or self-righteous?") Jesus then said I am going to continue to send more prophets and those learned in the truth among the people, as was done in the O.T., and you, just as your fathers, will also kill, crucify and scourge those who bear the truth!
I am going to end here, but I will come back with one more, short teaching to finish up with the Pharisees.
All of us have experienced times in our life, where what we have "believed" about this or that turns out to be a lie. Before we learned the truth, we were absolutely positive that what we believed was the truth. One event that almost everybody born and raised in America has experienced is the truth about Santa Clause. In fact, it is one of the first emotionally traumatic events in our life, learning that Santa Clause is a mythical figure! Most of us were devastated and I'm sure that many of us cried, (I cried all night) upon learning the truth. After we get through this emotional upheaval, we calm down, apply logic to what we have learned, realize the truth and accept the truth. From that point on, we live our lives knowing the truth about Santa Clause.
But what do we do as adults? Despite the fact that we know the truth about Santa Clause, we turn around and perpetuate the myth to our own kids or any other small, naive children we encounter. It can be debated as to whether or not teaching the myth of Santa Clause, from a secular view, is right or wrong. But the big danger is when people attach the myth to the birth of Christ! I am not going to go on about how Xmas is pagan and the dangers of it, spiritually speaking, but want to point out how young children are started to be conditioned to accept lies about what the Bible teaches or does not teach. This then continues into adulthood, which leads to people to join "churches" and perpetuate the lies the Gentile Pharisees proclaim. Lenin stated a very powerful truth, a truth that has played out time and time again throughout history, "Give me four years to teach the children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted." All of the depraved thinking and action present in this country is a direct result of what the politicians, civic leaders, and activists are doing today, stems directly from what these same individuals were indoctrinated with as children and young people.
But I don't care or am concerned about what the goats of the world do or the "state" of society. Scripture teaches that the secular world is filled with reprobates and ungodly people, people who will do evil and wicked things. Scripture instructs believers on how to live as a believer regardless of what the world does, regardless of what society believes, regardless of the laws passed, and regardless of the propaganda promoted by the goats. Regardless of what the Gentile Pharisees teach.
Before I continue with the Pharisees, I want to point out that when a person comes across a truth that contradicts what they "believe," they will react in one of two ways. They will either accept the truth and acknowledge that they were wrong or they will hang on to what they believe and reject the truth, calling the truth a lie, Rom 1:25-26, 2Cor 4:3-4, 2Thes 2:11-12. (Isn't it amazing how time after time Scripture explains what is going on in the world, that what we find going on in the bible is the same thing going on today, Ecc 1:9. People who think they can't be fooled are the easiest ones to fool, 1Cor 3:19.
In Mat 23:13, Jesus first says, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites." This should actually read, "Woe to you hypocrite scribes and Pharisees." In Jewish culture to call one a hypocrite was a description of one who "dyes" himself, as one would die a cloth, to present a false appearance. The word "Woe" is a way of Jesus saying, "You scribes and Pharisees are evil and to blame for your lies, and that severe calamity is upon your heads, it is coming for you!" What was the tone of voice Jesus would have used when he said, "Woe to you hypocrite scribes and Pharisees?" Do you think he said it in a laughing way? Do you think he said it softly? Do you think it he said as a jovial big brother slightly criticizing the scribes and Pharisees in a teasing way? Do you think he said it in a calm, neutral, non-accusing voice? I'm sure his tone was very harsh and his words would have enraged the scribes and Pharisees! Do you think they had forgotten these words of Jesus when the religious leaders gathered together to plot his death?
Mat 23:15. One of the most common ways to "prove" that your group and what your group represents, that you are legitimate, is to increase your numbers. In the world of "religion" what is one of the gauges used to determine if a "church" is a good church or a lame church? The number of members! If you were driving through a town, one you had never been to before and you happen to come across two church buildings across the street from each other. One church building is a shiny new building worth millions of dollars with a huge, paved parking lot. Being a Sunday morning, the parking lot is jammed packed, cars are still pouring in. Many of the cars are newer, more expensive cars, all gleaming in the sun. There are parking attendants working in the lot. The landscape is well manicured and very maintained. There is a steady stream of people entering the building, most well dressed, many in suit and ties, women dressed in the latest fashions. You see that many in the crowd are laughing or greeting others, everybody is in a great mood!
The other church building is an old one, needing a paint job. The parking lot is no more than dirt and stones. There is very little green showing around the building. There are not many vehicles parked outside the building, perhaps 6 or 7. All of them are at least 10-15 years old. You see three elderly people walking into the church building and none of them are wearing clothes that even hint at being expensive or new.
What is the immediate reaction of the average person? "Wow, look at that new church building, look at how many people are attending! And comparing the two buildings, it is decided that the "new" church building must be a true church, a biblical church, and that the other church is dead, that it must be irrelevant, outdated, and would be better off closing its doors. That the few members of the old church building would be better served by going to the "new" church. "The "pastor" must be a failure because his "church" isn't growing!"
Folks, I drove a semi-truck for 30 years and drove through many small towns in rural areas. What I described is something I witnessed at least 40 times. I have been driving through extremely rural areas, with nothing but farms spread out and very little population. Yet, at some point, I would come across, in the middle of nowhere, a brand new, multi-million church building. A large church building. I have also seen a new, expensive church building in a severely poor rural area. Which just shows the focus of the phony, fake "Christian/Evangelical" world. I'm not against erecting a new building due to growth, but I am against the wasted money conned out of people who struggle to survive.
The Pharisees spent much time trying to persuade Jewish people into converting to becoming a Pharisee. Any Jewish male could become a Pharisee. He only had to take the Pharisee vow, learn the "oral law" and start living and acting as a Pharisee. We are all aware of how zealous a person is when they first become a member of something new, something they want to be a part of. The Pharisees were so effective in their propaganda methods that their converts were more zealous than they themselves already were. When Jesus said they," went about sea and land," doesn't mean they had sent out "missionaries" all over the known world. He meant that when the Pharisees, within Jerusalem or traveled to different parts of Judah, they were always trying to make converts.
Mat 23:16-22. I could easily do an in-depth study on these verses, but I am simply going to sum up what Jesus taught. In the O.T., the Jews were commanded that if they made a vow, or swore an oath to God, they were to keep it. Making a vow or swearing an oath was a voluntary act of an individual, a "verbal guarantee" of what you said is what you would do. But if you did one of these, you were commanded by God to keep your word. It makes sense that even today, "you are only as good as your word." It became a part of Jewish culture that your vow or oath was a verbal acknowledgment that ensured the other party you would perform that which you promised to do. There was a time in this country when integrity was extremely important to individuals as part of the moral code held by the majority of people, it was how people lived their lives, especially in matters of business transactions. If farmer John made a deal to trade a horse for a mule with farmer Steve, they would shake on it and the deal would be done! There was no need for witnesses, a notarized document, or a legal contract. They would simply make the trade. Now, everything done in the world of business, buying, selling, and services, is done with a contract. But, as we are all aware, in many instances, a contract is just a piece of paper that holds no weight.
At some point in time, the fourth commandment, "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord in vain...", Ex 20:4, was perverted into the teaching that Jews were not to speak the name of God. So instead of "swearing by the name of God," the Jews began to swear by "the Temple." In the days of Jesus, making a vow, and swearing an oath was still a common practice, but the Pharisees had so twisted the concept of "verbal guarantee" into a system of by what they swore on, the temple, the altar, the gold "pledged to the Temple, Korban," heaven, skies above, etc., determined whether or not they had to keep their word. In other words, if a Pharisee "swore" on the altar, that vow was not binding. It's just like today when a liar or con artist will say, "I swear on my mother's grave," as a vow to keep their word, but you soon find out that the vow was just empty words. One of the main reasons the Pharisees operated this way was to prevent them from helping out their parents or others in need by saying, "Oh, I have all of this wealth, but since I swore that my wealth was dedicated to the Sanctuary, I am not allowed to use my wealth to help you."
However, it wasn't just the Pharisees that were using vows or oaths as a way to avoid keeping their word. All of the corrupt priests, wealthy Jews, business owners, etc., engaged in the same practice. Jesus was so fed up with this corrupt and evil scheme, that he had taught, in Mat 5:33-37, that believers should quit making vows or oaths entirely and just do what you say you are going to do, keep your word!
You must remember that what Jesus taught was for the benefit and instruction of those who would keep His word. All of Scripture is only for the benefit of believers, not written as instructions that all people should follow. Believers are confused or shocked when people do them wrong or commit crimes. The question is often asked," How can a person do such a horrible thing"? They think, "God commanded, ' thou shalt not murder," They think that God commanded this to all people, all people should obey this command, and that all people are aware of this command. Yet, we see murder committed every day, serial killers, drive-by shootings, random mass shootings, etc. And believers think that those who murder are "disobeying" God. While this is true on an intellectual and philosophical level, the reality is that goats, reprobates, and workers of iniquity, even if they are aware of what Scripture teaches, don't care, believe or practice what Scripture teaches. They base their actions on the lusts of the flesh, their greed, and their sinful desires, not on what Scripture teaches. It doesn't matter to them what Scripture teaches. Evil people, who live in their flesh, not by the Spirit, are going to do evil, period!
Mat 23:23 The words of Jesus here are not "proof" that believers today must tithe on their income, as it is often used. Jesus is not commanding that believers today "must tithe," rather he continues with his condemnation of the Pharisees! He points out that while the Pharisees were so religious in "tithing", so zealous of keeping the letter of the Law rather than practicing the "spirit" of the Law in that they tithed even the smallest things, spices and herbs. Yet tithing did not include herbs and spices. Jesus said, "but you have canceled, made null and void the most important part of the Law, justice. mercy and faith. Micah 6:8, "He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to be just, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God." If you love mercy, you will show mercy. Were the Pharisees known for showing mercy? NO! They were merciless to any Jew they caught breaking the laws made up by the Pharisees of keeping the Sabbath. Were the Pharisees humble? Far from it, they were filled to the brim with pride and arrogance. Just as all false teachers are, despite what they say.
Mat 23:24 This should be translated, "Blind guides who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. In the O.T., Lev 11:20-23, God established that certain winged insects were allowed to be eaten, locusts, and others were not, such as flies and gnats. The Pharisees, along with other Jews would pour any liquid they were about to consume through a piece of cloth in order to make sure they would not inadvertently swallow a forbidden winged insect, flies, gnats, etc. Jesus was pointing out that while they would focus on keeping the most minute parts of the law, they would easily, "swallow a camel," meaning that they would tolerate or commit great sins, deceit, oppression or greed. A fly or gnat was hard to see at a distance, one would have to actively try to find a fly or gnat, but a camel was easy to see by all. By this Jesus was also pointing out to the scribes and Pharisees that the people saw them swallowing camels, the people saw their sinful behavior.
Mat23:25-26. The Pharisees were all about the outward appearance, that was done to be seen of men, the show they put on. Jesus said that while you focus and work on the outward observance of the Law, you totally neglect to work on the much more important aspects of the Law, justice, mercy, grace, kindness, meekness, etc. These all come from what one believes and thinks, having the proper godly attitude about how one should live as a believer. The Pharisees never showed these inner attributes by their outward appearance. Character, what one thinks and believes is made known by behavior. Jesus told them that true righteousness starts with the mind and heart and will be made known in one's actions. He said your outward appearance means nothing without the right spirit. Jesus told them that unless the inside is clean, the outside being clean means nothing.
Mat 23:27. Jesus told them, "You look so wonderful on the outside but inside you are filled with sin, wickedness, and death. If a Jew were to accidentally step on a grave or make physical contact with a tomb, he would become "unclean," under the Law. It is commonly taught that the Jews only buried their dead in tombs built into the rock, either on the side of a mountain or in a cave. While having a tomb was desirable, the fact is that to have a tomb was expensive and something most Jews could not afford. Having a tomb carved out of the rock was very labor-intensive. It cost a lot of money to have a tomb carved out of rock and most Jews could not afford the costs. Jesus was buried in a rich man's tomb, Mat 27:57-60. Did you know that it was prophesied that Jesus would be buried in a rich man's tomb? Isa 53:9. So the majority of Jews were buried in graves.
But often the graves or tombs were not marked and in order to keep Jews from making accidental contact with a tomb or a grave, they would periodically whitewash, a type of white paint, on the graves or tombs, to allow Jews to avoid making contact. What structure, building, fence etc., doesn't look bright, shiny and great with a new coat of white paint? It looks brand new.
Mat 23:29-35. The Pharisees claimed that they were not like their ancestors in the O.T., who killed and persecuted the prophets. They claimed that if they lived in those O.T. days, they would have not killed and persecuted the prophets. Jesus told them, by your own words, you acknowledge that you are part of the bloodline that killed the prophets. So now, Jesus said, "You will now pay for what your fathers did. He called them snakes, the offspring of vipers, vs 33. (Would Jesus call men snakes if they were only guilty of being too "legalistic or self-righteous?") Jesus then said I am going to continue to send more prophets and those learned in the truth among the people, as was done in the O.T., and you, just as your fathers, will also kill, crucify and scourge those who bear the truth!
I am going to end here, but I will come back with one more, short teaching to finish up with the Pharisees.
