MATTHEW—NOTE ON Matthew 23:13 Jesus now speaks directly to the scribes and Pharisees. He declares seven “woes” (or laments) upon them that echo the criticisms he has repeated throughout his ministry. These seven woes stand in contrast to the first seven “blessings” that introduce the Sermon on the Mount and describe Jesus’ true disciples (Matthew 5:3). (For a similar list of woes, see Luke 11:37.) The woes are a mixture of condemnation, regret, and sorrow.

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