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The Church of God is a unity throughout the ages. It is more proper to speak of the Christian dispensation of the Church than of the Christian Church as opposed to the Jewish. This unity exists, not only through the ages, but also throughout the universe. While its headquarters are in heaven, there has ever been a visible representation upon the earth. This is sometimes called "the Church;" in the Gospels it is distinguished as "the kingdom of heaven." In this sense we now speak of it. Note, then -

I. THAT THE CHURCH IS TROUBLED BY THE INTRUSION OF HYPOCRITES.

1. They enter it for selfish ends.

(1) What care the hypocrites for God's glory? They are simply stage players in religion.

(2) They affect the glory of human applause. They transfer to themselves what should be given to God.

(3) By pretending to extraordinary piety, they insinuate themselves into the confidence of unprotected and unsuspecting persons, to rob them of their property (cf. 2 Timothy 3:6; Titus 1:11). The extreme of avarice is to devour the house of the widow, who should be specially spared (cf. Exodus 22:22, 23; Proverbs 15:25; Isaiah 10:1, 2). "While they seemed to soar heavenward upon the wings of prayer, their eye, like the kite's, was all the while upon their prey on the earth, some widow's house" (Henry).

(4) Some think it probable that the scribes and Pharisees sold their "long prayers," as the Romish priests sell their Masses. Through sympathy for their deceased husbands, widows might fall easy victims to the avarice of those who "make merchandise of souls."

2. In it they are obstructive to good.

(1) The scribes and Pharisees would not enter the kingdom themselves. They did not use "the key of knowledge" to see what Scripture said about Messiah.

(a) In Jacob's departing sceptre of Judah.

(b) In Moses' Prophet.

(c) In Daniel's weeks. They shut their eyes.

(2) They hindered those who were entering. The people were on the point of entering into the privileges of the new dispensation preached by John Baptist and Jesus, but were hindered by the scribes and Pharisees.

(a) They were hindered by their example (see John 7:48).

(b) By their doctrine, in cavilling against Christ (see Matthew 12:24; John 9:16).

(c) By their authority, in the threat of excommunication (see John 9:22).

(d) Therefore only the violent could force an entrance into the kingdom (see Matthew 11:12; Luke 16:16).

3. They promoted evil.

(1) They were infernally zealous. They spared no pains to make proselytes, not, however, with a view to benefit them, but for sectarian ostentation. For the scribes and Pharisees made proselytes to the schools of particular rabbins.

(2) Their victims they made even more the sons of hell than themselves. Note:

(a) Hypocrisy is itself the offspring of hell, for it originates with the "father of lies."

(b) "Twofold more." The Hellenist Jews, who were mostly proselytes, were the bitterest enemies of the apostles (see Acts 13:45; Acts 14:2, 19; Acts 17:5; Acts 18:6). Truth falsified is worse than simple falsity. Half-truths are the most vicious lies.

(c) The proselytes were trained by the Pharisees in wicked sophistry, which palliated vice and substituted ceremony for piety. They were also taught to practise evil with less remorse and greater subtlety than they had been accustomed to in their former condition.

II. THAT IT IS UNFAIRLY CHARGED WITH THEIR VICES.

1. Unbelief seeks to fasten their scandal upon it.

(1) Sons of Belial are never weary of denouncing the hypocrisy of the Church. If they can find any rascality in a professor of religion, they cry exultingly, "There's your Christianity!"

(2) They delight in favourably contrasting themselves with the hypocrites of the Church. What is more common than for sons of Belial to say, "I don't profess to be religious, but I am better than many of your Christians"?

2. But this is manifestly unfair.

(1) Christ does not recognize hypocrites as Christians. On the contrary, he repudiates them with the strongest abhorrence.

(2) They are only tolerated in the Church because of the difficulty of finding them out. For want of infallible judgment, the tares have to grow with the wheat until the harvest.

(3) Hypocrites are not Christians. The "hypocrisy of the Church" is a misnomer. There is a clear distinction between the true members of the Church and those hypocrites who intrude into its visible corporation. In all fairness this should be recognized.

(4) Instead of contrasting themselves with hypocrites, let them compare themselves with Christ, and see then where they stand in the judgment.

(5) Let them compare themselves with the Christ-like. These are the only true Christians, the only true Church members - members approved by its laws, and permanently belonging to its corporation. Hypocrites are neither.

III. GOD WILL VINDICATE THE CREDIT OF HIS CHURCH.

1. By separating the hypocrites from it.

(1) They fairly belong to the world. Their spirit is of the world.

(2) Their connection with the Church is unnatural. It is like themselves, a deception.

(3) Their connection with the Church is transient. Like the tares among the wheat, the bad fish among the good in the net, the goats among the sheep, in the final judgment.

2. By dooming them to perdition.

(1) Hypocrites will be found with worldlings in the damnation of hell. Let the sons of Belial, then, contrast themselves with their own if they will. They will scarcely call the hypocrites Christians in damnation.

(2) The greater damnation. Note:

(a) There are degrees of damnation

(b) Pretences of religion will aggravate the torments of the lost.

(c) The gospel curses are the sorer (cf. Hebrews 10:29).

Who can entreat for him against whom the great Intercessor pleads? A "woe" from Christ has no remedy. No such wrath as that of the Lamb! "Three woes are made to look very dreadful (Revelation 8:13-9:12); but here are eight woes, in opposition to the eight Beatitudes (Matthew 5:4)" (Henry).

3. By rebuking their accomplices. The open sinner is an accomplice with the very hypocrite he affects to scorn, in rejecting and crucifying the Just One. All sinners will have "their portion with the hypocrites" (see Matthew 24:51). - J.A.M.

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KJV: But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

WEB: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.