Jesus starts Matthew 23 warning against hypocrisy because the Pharisees and teachers of the law "do not practice what they preach... everything they do they do for men to see.... but the greatest among you will be your servant... whoever humbles himself will be exalted". Then Jesus goes into 7 woes. The first is that the teachers and Pharisees "shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces". The second woe is that they go to any length to get a convert and this only makes him far worse and "as much a son of hell as you are". The third woe condemns the manipulating of oaths and "if anyone swears by the gold of the temple" it is binding, but if it is just the temple it's not! The fourth woe condemns the meticulous obedience of tithing but the neglect of more important matters such as "justice and mercy... you blind guides who strain out a gnat but swallow a camel!" The fifth woe condemns external cleanliness whilst neglecting "greed and self-indulgence". The sixth woe also condemns outward shows of "whitewashed tombs" covering up for inward uncleanness. The seventh woe condemns the honouring of ancient prophets whilst ignoring modern day servants of God. "You snakes! How will you escape hell?" For you will even "crucify" those sent as messengers from God. Jesus then closes the chapter lamenting "Jerusalem... who kills the prophets" when I "longed to gather your children like a hen gathers her chicks under her wings!
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