A hypocrite is a phony, to put it simply. Someone who presents as someone they are not. God knows you are not good, why do you pretend to be? You might be able to trick humans, but never God! Spend 18 minutes on this lesson, and I will tell you more. Maybe you will find a need to make changes in your life.

Revised: Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Hypocrite: Time To Stop Acting Holy; Be Holy Now!

Hypocrite Stop Acting Holy Be Holy - A hypocrite is a spiritually blind, self-righteous and often wicked person. That has a form of godliness and hides their sins from others (often from themselves). They act as if they are better than they are.

STM Bible Lesson

Lesson focus: Matthew 23:1-7. Bible lesson background, Matthew 23:1-36: The term ‘hypocrite’ is first found in the Bible in Job 8:13. It means ‘the godless’.
Merriam-webster.com: The Greek word took on an extended meaning to refer to any person who was wearing a figurative mask and pretending to be someone or something they were not.
This sense was taken into medieval French and then into English, where it showed up with its earlier spelling, ypocrite (minus the ‘h’), in 13th-century religious texts to refer to someone who pretends to be morally good or pious in order to deceive others.

Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees

Matthew 23:1-4 [read Matthew 23:1-36 (1-4)]: Then Jesus said to the crowds, and to his disciples, 2 “You would think these Jewish leaders and these Pharisees were Moses, the way they keep making up so many laws! 3 And of course you should obey their every whim! It may be all right to do what they say, but above anything else, don’t follow their example. For they don’t do what they tell you to do. 4 They load you with impossible demands that they themselves don’t even try to keep. (TLB); KJV: Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Matthew 23:5-7 [read Matthew 23:1-36 (5-7)]: They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. (CSB); KJV: But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Why Pretend? Do Not Be a False Person; Hypocrite!

Jesus sees and knows everything, so why pretend? Do you try to blend with others? Are you a closet hypocrite, that is, a holy Christian when other Christians are around and change into a sinful person at other times? For many, peer pressure feeds this behavior; you should be a good example for your peers. Keep reminding yourself, God sees and knows all. We cannot fool Him. Hold on, don’t leave; not one of us is perfect. So make the change now.

This Bible lesson is like getting a shot of medicine; it may not feel good when you get it, but it is for your good. Be real and true; do not pretend to be what you are not. That is, be holy at all times and not only to impress others.

Ephesians 1:4 [read Ephesians 1:3-14 (4)]: Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. (NLT); KJV: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:; A hypocrite is someone who presents themselves as something they are not; a false person. One who acts as if they are better than they are. While hiding their true self and ways, even from themselves. This actor is a liar (or scam), self-righteous, and sinful. They can cover up evil from others, including self at times, but never from God.

7 warnings to the Scribes and Pharisees; hypocrites

1. Regarding the kingdom of heaven

Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees were keeping others from entering the kingdom of heaven when in fact they will not be allowed to enter either.
Matthew 23:13 [read Matthew 23:13-28 (13)]: You Pharisees and teachers of the Law of Moses are in for trouble! You’re nothing but show-offs. You lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. (In fact,) You won’t go in yourselves, and you keep others from going in. (CEV); 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.

2. Punishment for taking widows houses

After they remove widows from their homes, then they act self-righteous and holy with lengthy, public prayers in the streets. What a drastic change.; Bible Exposition Commentary – the Pharisees took advantage of people in order to rob them. They used their religion as a “cloak of covetousness” (1 Thessalonians 2:5).
Matthew 23:14 [read Matthew 23:13-28 (14)]: How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees. You are hypocrites. You take away widows’ houses, and you say long prayers so that people will notice you. So you will have a worse punishment.] (NCV); KJV: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

3. Corrupting converts

To convert just one person to their beliefs, they would go anywhere. They then made them twice as sinful as they are.; Bible Exposition Commentary: The Pharisees were out to win others to their legalistic system, yet they could not introduce these people to the living God. Instead of saving souls, the Pharisees were condemning souls!
Matthew 23:15 [read Matthew 23:13-28 (15)]: “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You travel everywhere to win one person to your faith. Then you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” (NIRV); KJV: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Bible-dictionary.info – proselytize: This is converting or attempting to convert a person from one religion to another.

4. Tithe but fail to be fair, show mercy, and be loyal

Even their mint, dill, and cumin are given to God as a tenth of what they get as food. However, they ignored the law’s most important rules, such as being fair, kind, and faithful. These are the actions they need to take. Additionally, they must keep doing those other things that are holy and pleasing to the Lord.; Alford Commentary – It was doubtful, whether Leviticus 27:30 applied to every smallest garden herb: but the Pharisees, in their over-rigidity in externals, stretched it to this, letting go of the heavier, more difficult, and more important (see Mat 23:4) matters of the Law. In the threefold enumeration, our Lord refers to Mic 6:8 (see also Hos 12:6)—where to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God, are described as being better than all offerings.
Matthew 23:23 [read Matthew 23:13-28 (23)]: “How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You are hypocrites! You give to God one-tenth of everything you earn—even your mint, dill, and cummin. But you don’t obey the really important teachings of the law—being fair, showing mercy, and being loyal. These are the things you should do, as well as those other things. (ICV); KJV: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

5. Holy on the outside but sinful inside

Their glasses and plates are washed and cleaned on the outside. However, they are stuffed to the brim with the money they obtained by deceiving others and uplifting themselves.; Disciple’s Study Bible: Hypocritical teaching is worse than no teaching at all. Teachers who are pious (holy) on the outside but corrupt on the inside can delude those who follow them, leaving them worse off spiritually than they were before. Because teaching is an awesome responsibility, false teaching is a terrible sin.
Matthew 23:25 [read Matthew 23:13-28 (25)]: It is bad for you, teachers of the Law and proud religious law-keepers, you who pretend to be someone you are not! You clean the outside of the cup and plate, but leave the inside full of strong bad desires and are not able to keep from doing sinful things. (NLV); KJV: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

6. You appear right but are full of hypocrisy

They are like white tombs. On the outside, they have a lovely charm. However, they are filthy and filled with dead bones inside.; Coke: By their care of external appearances, the Pharisees and Scribes made a fair shew, and deceived the simple. Like fine whited sepulchers, they looked beautiful without, but within were full of uncleanness, and defiled everyone that touched them.
Matthew 23:28 [read Matthew 23:13-28 (28)]: Even so, you also appear on the outside to be doing right in front of people, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and sin. (AUV); KJV: Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

7. Held accountable for the deaths of God’s prophets

For their prophets, they erect granite graves, and for their saints, they build marble shrines. And they claim that no blood would have been on their hands if they had lived in the era of their forefathers. They complain much too much! When in fact they share many traits with those killers and add daily to the death toll. They were such hypocrites!; The Teacher’s Commentary: They were just like their fathers (e.g., predecessors) who, when they had authority, killed the prophets and wise men God sent to Israel. In this generation’s rejection of Jesus, the blood guilt of the ages was coming to rest on them (Matthew 23:28-36).
Luke 11:50-51 [read Luke 11:37-54 (50-51)]: Since the beginning of the world, people have killed God’s prophets. But God will punish the people who are alive today for all those murders. 51 Abel was the first to die like this and Zechariah was the last.They even killed Zechariah in the yard of the temple, near the altar. Yes, God will punish the people who are alive today for all those murders. (EASY); KJV: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Be Holy Now!

Jesus criticized hypocrites for being pious in public (Matthew 6:2, 5, and 16). They were more interested in human praise when they gave alms, prayed, and fasted than in God’s reward. Hypocrites were also guilty of being judgmental of others’ faults and ignoring their own (Matthew 7:1-5). – Holman Bible Dictionary

Peter and Barnabas caught in hypocrisy

Galatians 2:11-14 [read Galatians 2:11-21 (11-14)]: When Peter came to Antioch, he did something that was not right. I stood against him, because he was wrong. 12 This is what happened: When Peter first came to Antioch, he ate and associated with the non-Jewish people. But when some Jewish men came from James, Peter (changed) separated himself from the non-Jews. He stopped eating with them, because he was afraid of the Jews who believe that all non-Jewish people must be circumcised.
13 So Peter was a hypocrite. The other Jewish believers joined with him, so they were hypocrites too. Even Barnabas was influenced by what these Jewish believers did. 14 They were not following the truth of the Good News. When I saw this, I spoke to Peter in front of everyone. I said, “Peter, you are a Jew, but you don’t live like one. You live like someone who is not a Jew. So why are you trying to force those who are not Jewish to live like Jews?” (ERV)

KJV

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

It is simple to hide hypocrisy from other people. The actor seldom feels bad and never asks for forgiveness. They must remember that God is able to see through their mask and know their lies. It’s time to make a change; for your own benefit, quit acting holy by visiting a location (church) and doing godly acts, and start being holy right away! To do that, for instance, one must alter one’s behavior and always treat others with kindness, gentleness, love, and patience.

Live holy now!

Colossians 3:12-14 [read Colossians 3:12-17 (12-14); compare Exodus 19:1-25 (6); Luke 1:67-80 (74-75); 1 Peter 2:4-10 (9)]: God loves you and has chosen you and made you his holy people. So [as God’s chosen, holy and beloved ones; Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9] you should always clothe yourselves with mercy [a heart of compassion], kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Bear with [Make allowances for; Be patient with] each other, and forgive each other. If someone does wrong to you [has a grievance/complaint against someone], forgive that person because the Lord forgave you. 14 Even more than all this [Above all], clothe yourself in love, which holds you all together in perfect unity [or binds everything together; is the bond of perfection/completeness]. (EXB); KJV: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

A hypocrite cannot and does not please God. There’s no better time than now to change, not tomorrow or the next, live a life that pleases God, be holy now. Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible lesson. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺