²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

23:27

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!

The seventh “woe” shows the corrupting power of religion.

For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

Each spring people whitewashed tombs so that they would not be ceremonially defiled by touching them (Nu 19:16). White tombs alerted everyone that an unclean entity was near. Jesus compared the Pharisees to whitewashed tombs because their outward show concealed rottenness within. Religion has an outward attraction but inwardly it is corrupt.

23:28

Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Religious leaders were not consistent with how they acted. They fully corrupted the Word of God.

PRINCIPLE:

False religion contaminates everything it touches.

APPLICATION:

Religion often has an attraction about it. That is why so many falls for it. However, religion defiles everything it touches.