Mateus 23

Mateus 23

Ryle - They labored incessantly to make men join their party and adopt their opinions. They did this from no desire to benefit men's souls in the least, or to bring them to God. They only did it to swell the ranks of their sect, and to increase the number of their adherents, and their own importance. Their religious zeal arose from sectarianism, and not from the love of God. This also was a great sin. And when he becomes one, you make (poieo - present tense - continually) him twice as much a son (huios) of hell ("son of Gehenna" - geenna) as yourselves - Jesus pulls on punches stating that the proselyte offspring are destined to spend eternity in hell just like their "spiritual" fathers. So much for avoiding "hell and brimstone" messages. Some people need to hear these messages to have a clear warning of their future fate (the Lake of Fire)! This idea of "son of..." in this context means fitted for, belonging to, worthy of, bound for or destined for, which can be said of very person converted to a cult! The concept of son of... is found many times in Scripture - 2Sa 12:5 = literally "a son of death;" Jdg 19:22; 1Sa 2:12; 1Ki. 21:10 = sons of belial (worthlessness); John 17:12 = "the son of perdition" 2Th 2:3 = son of destruction. Twice as much a son suggests this proselyte was twice as bad, surpassing his "teacher" in degree of hypocrisy and evil. As one has said, "The most converted often become the most perverted." Twice as bad would also warrant a greater degree of eternal punishment! (see Mt 11:21-24+) The old adage also applies "Like father, like son" for the father of the Pharisees was the devil (Jn 8:44+) (who inspired their false teaching) and Jesus is saying their offspring are doubly devilish! Wiersbe agrees writing that "A "child of hell" is the equivalent of "child of the devil," which is what Jesus called the Pharisees (Matt. 12:34; 23:33; John 8:44). A "child of the devil" is a person who has rejected God's way of salvation (righteousness through faith in Christ). This person parades his own self-righteousness through whatever religious system he belongs to. The convert usually shows more zeal than his leader, and this "double devotion" only produces double condemnation. How tragic that people can think they are going to heaven, when actually they are going to hell! Instead of saving souls, the Pharisees were condemning souls! -- Warren Wiersbe As William Barclay said "A convert often becomes the most fanatical devotee of the new religion; and many of these proselytes were more fanatically devoted to the Jewish law than even the Jews themselves." Gilbrant has an interesting note that the proselytes "were more evil, more bigoted, than their mentors. Later developments proved this to be true. The Book of Acts shows that in his travels the apostle Paul's worst opposition came from the Hellenistic Jews who were mostly proselytes." (Complete Biblical Library) Life Application Study Bible - The Pharisees' converts were attracted to religion, not to God. By getting caught up in the details of their additional laws and regulations, they completely missed God, to whom the laws pointed. A religion of works puts pressure on people to surpass others in what they know and do. Thus, a hypocritical teacher was likely to have students who were even more hypocritical. We must make sure we are not creating Pharisees by emphasizing outward obedience at the expense of inner renewal. (See Life Application Study Bible - Page 357) David