JESUS had been harried and assailed by the malice and hatred of the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law. Even when they had worked their malice with great energy, Jesus still seeks to turn them from evil to good. We saw this at the end of the last chapter. Jesus asked a question by which, in love and concern for their souls, sought to bring them to see how superficial and far from the truth their teaching was. The Jewish leaders could not answer Jesus' question, but they were not ready to rethink what they believed, or to change. They became afraid of Jesus and dared not ask him any more questions. It was too disturbing of the way in which they wanted to stay. They went away firmly resolved to stay as they were. In the light of this rejection of the truth, Jesus speaks out against the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, exposing their error and the evil that proceeded from it in their lives and the lives of others.

This is a long chapter which we shall go through verse by verse until we reach the end. There is much relevance in it for us today and the church today.

The first lesson we learn is that like Jesus we must seek to turn people from sin to righteousness, from error to truth, if we can. We must show the love of Jesus for our enemies, and those who oppose the truth. But when those who are in error and live contrary to the way of God refuse all overtures of love, we must not be afraid or shirk the responsibility of exposing error and evil. However we must be careful we do it in the spirit of Christ and not in a spirit of pride or anger.

The first thing we learn is that Jesus spoke, not only to his disciples, but also to the crowds (v.1). The disciples needed to be warned to keep themselves pure from teaching and living that was against the truth. The crowds also needed to be warned against the dangers to their souls that the false words and ways of the Pharisees and teachers of the Law exposed them to. It is a fact that one of Satan's most powerful weapons, to keep people from the truth and in bondage to death, is the raising up of ministers and teachers who deny the truth, and by their living depart from the way of God. It is so powerful and subtle. The Pharisees outwardly looked so good and holy. The teachers of the Law appeared so learned. To criticize them seems not only uncharitable but evil, such is the cleverness of the devil. False teaching and living leads souls to hell. It must be opposed whatever the cost.

In verse 2 Jesus told the disciples and the crowd that the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. By this Jesus indicates that the ministry and office which Moses held, while he was alive, needs to be continued for the health and well-being of God's people, and that this ministry was being carried on by the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. The fact is that the church needs those who are set apart by God to be teachers and leaders in order that Christians may be taught and kept in the love of God, and those still without God may be taught the truth of salvation and be saved.

This shows the importance of the ministry, and the great responsibility that rests on all who are ordained to this office in the church. It is an office of utmost importance. The responsibility laid on ministers is great, for the health of God's people, and the salvation of sinners, depends on their ministry. If ministers teach error they are harming the people of God and keeping souls out of heaven, and binding them in hell.

Moses was the servant of God. He communed with God and brought the word of God that he heard to the people. In this sense he was an intermediary. He was not a mediator. He could not bring any plea before God that would cause God to be propitious towards the people. His ministry was to teach the people where such propitiation could be found. This is the minister's role. The minister is an ambassador for Christ. An ambassador has no authority to speak any other message than that which reflects and truly makes clear the words of his country and government. An ambassador who speaks from himself is evil and should be removed from his office.

Like Moses a minister seeks to dwell in the presence of God, and commune with God, so that he or she hears God's word, understands it, lives it, and faithfully communicates it to the people. This is the paramount role of ministry. So we hear Paul in the 1st chapter of his letter to Titus exhorting Titus to faithfully teach the truth and preserve the truth from error.

We learn also that the minister is little good unless he or she spends time in the presence of God listening to his word until God's word fills the soul. Ministers above all must spend much time in secret with Jesus alone. Prayer and reading the Word of God, meditating on the Word of God, struggling with the Word of God, with reliance on the illumination of the Spirit of God, must take up a major part of his or her time.

No sermon should be preached unless the minister has heard not only the truth of God, but also the truth that God has given for each particular discourse. Here we see where the Pharisees and teachers of the law fell down. They listened, not to God, but to their own wisdom, and what they wanted to believe. They interpreted the law by their own wishes and wisdom, and not by the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.