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The Woes of the Pharisees are series of criticisms by Jesus against scribes and Pharisees recorded in Luke 11:37–54 and Matthew 23:1–39.^[1] Mark 12:35–40 and Luke 20:45–47 also include warnings about scribes.

Eight are listed in Matthew, and hence Matthew's version is known as the eight woes. These are found in Matthew 23 verses 13–16, 23, 25, 27 and 29. Only six are given in Luke, whose version is thus known as the six woes: three are directed to the Pharisees and three to the scribes.^[2] The woes mostly criticise the Pharisees for hypocrisy and perjury. They illustrate the differences between inner and outer moral states.^[1]

Context and background

The woes are mentioned twice in the narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In Matthew they are mentioned after Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where he teaches in the Temple, while in Luke they are mentioned after the Lord's Prayer is given and the disciples are first sent out over the land.

The woes are all woes of hypocrisy and illustrate the differences between inner and outer moral states.^[1] Jesus portrays the Pharisees as impatient with outward, ritual observance of minutiae which made them look acceptable and virtuous outwardly but left the inner person unreformed.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Kupfer, Marcia Ann, ed. (2008). The Passion Story: From Visual Representation to Social Drama. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press. pp. 223–224. ISBN 978-0-271-03307-5. OCLC 180190788.
^ Stucker, A. C. (2022), Leading Cultural Change in the Established Church through Preaching: Select Discourses from the Teaching Ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, p. 52, accessed 22 September 2023

[Kupfer-1] Kupfer, Marcia Ann, ed. (2008). The Passion Story: From Visual Representation to Social Drama. University Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press. pp. 223–224. ISBN 978-0-271-03307-5. OCLC 180190788.

[2] Stucker, A. C. (2022), Leading Cultural Change in the Established Church through Preaching: Select Discourses from the Teaching Ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, p. 52, accessed 22 September 2023

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[2]

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+{{Short description|Criticisms of the Pharisees by Jesus}}
-{{POV-check}}
+[[File:Brooklyn Museum - Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees (Malheur à vous, scribes et pharisiens) - James Tissot.jpg|thumb|300px|[[James Tissot]], ''Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees'', [[Brooklyn Museum]]]]
-The '''Woes of the Pharisees''' is a list of criticisms against the [[Pharisees]], that is present in the [[Gospel of Luke]] and [[Gospel of Matthew]]. Seven are listed in Matthew, and hence Matthew's version is known as '''the seven woes''', while only six are given in Luke, whose version is thus known as '''the six woes'''. They do not occur in the same point of the narrative, in Matthew they occur shortly before Jesus returns to Jerusalem for his last few days before being crucified, while in Luke they occur shortly after the [[Lord's prayer]] is given and the disciples are first sent out over thee land. Since they occur in Luke and Matthew but not the [[Gospel of Mark]], and in different positions of the narrative, they are considered likely to derive from the earlier [[Q document]].
+The '''Woes of the Pharisees''' are series of criticisms by [[Jesus]] against [[scribe]]s and [[Pharisees]] recorded in [[Luke 11]]:37–54 and [[Matthew 23]]:1–39.<ref name="Kupfer ">{{Cite book |title=The Passion Story: From Visual Representation to Social Drama |publisher=Pennsylvania State University Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-271-03307-5 |editor-last=Kupfer |editor-first=Marcia Ann |location=University Park, Pennsylvania |pages=223–224 |oclc=180190788}}</ref> [[Mark 12]]:35–40 and [[Luke 20]]:45–47 also include warnings about scribes.
-The woes mostly criticise the Pharisees for [[hypocrisy]] and [[perjury]]. Before introducing the woes themselves, Matthew states that Jesus criticised them for taking the place of honour at banquets, for wearing ostentatious clothing, for encouraging people to call them ''Rabbi''. Matthew emphasises this by giving a saying similar in style to those of the [[Gospel of Thomas]]:
-:''whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted''
+Eight are listed in Matthew, and hence Matthew's version is known as '''the eight woes'''. These are found in Matthew 23 verses 13–16, 23, 25, 27 and 29. Only six are given in Luke, whose version is thus known as '''the six woes''': three are directed to the Pharisees and three to the scribes.<ref>Stucker, A. C. (2022), [https://repository.sbts.edu/bitstream/handle/10392/6943/Stucker_sbts.pdp_0207A_10717.pdf Leading Cultural Change in the Established Church through Preaching: Select Discourses from the Teaching Ministry of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke], p. 52, accessed 22 September 2023</ref> The woes mostly criticise the Pharisees for [[hypocrisy]] and [[perjury]]. They illustrate the differences between inner and outer moral states.<ref name="Kupfer" />
-The woes themselves are the following criticisms:
-*Shutting the [[kingdom of heaven]] in men's faces
-*Making converts twice as much a ''son of hell'' as the converters themselves are
-*Claiming that swearing by the temple is nothing, but claiming that swearing by the temple's gold is everything
-*Obeying the minutiae of the law (such as giving up a [[tithe]]) but neglecting the important facets (such as [[justice]], and [[mercy]]) - metaphorically ''straining out a [[gnat]] but swallowing a [[camel]]''
-*Being shallow - metaphorically ''cleaning the outside of the cup and dish'' but leaving the inside full of ''greed and self-indulgence''
-*Hypocrisy - appearing righteous but actually being full of wickedness, metaphorically ''like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside, but full of dead men's bones''
-*Claiming that they would have behaved better than their forefathers - even though they build and respect the tombs of those who murdered the ''prophets''.
+==Context and background==
-The last woe seemingly encouraging the concept of [[blood guilt]] has often been criticised for its poor morality.
+{{Gospel Jesus}}
+The woes are mentioned twice in the narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In Matthew they are mentioned after Jesus' [[triumphal entry into Jerusalem]], where he teaches in the [[Second Temple|Temple]], while in Luke they are mentioned after the [[Lord's Prayer]] is given and the [[Disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] are first sent out over the land.
+The woes are all woes of [[hypocrisy]] and illustrate the differences between inner and outer moral states.<ref name=Kupfer /> Jesus portrays the [[Pharisees]] as impatient with outward, ritual observance of minutiae which made them look acceptable and virtuous outwardly but left the inner person unreformed.
-{{christian-text-stub}}
+==See also==
+* [[If the world hates you]]
+* [[The Law of Christ]]
+* [[Physician, heal thyself]]
+* [[The four woes of Jesus]]
+*[[Letter and spirit of the law]]
+==References==
+{{reflist}}
+[[Category:Gospel of Luke]]
+[[Category:Gospel of Matthew]]
+[[Category:Christian terminology]]
+[[Category:Doctrines and teachings of Jesus]]
+[[Category:Judaism in the New Testament]]
+[[Category:Sayings of Jesus]]
+[[Category:Pharisees]]
+[[category:hypocrisy]]