Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Who is Israel?

The Weightier Matters of the Law

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2012-01-27

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Matthew 23:23, where Jesus condemns the Pharisees for tithing meticulously on herbs while neglecting the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith. He explains that God's law teaches justice, mercy, and faith, and that these are interconnected. Justice and righteousness are inseparable, and mercy must align with God's law. The law, though not a means of justification by faith, serves as a schoolmaster to lead sinners to Christ by revealing their sin and need for a Savior.

[John Weaver] Alright, if you'll open your Bibles into Matthew 23 and verse 23. Matthew 23, verse 23. Matthew 23 and verse 23. And I believe, as I read the verse, you will certainly understand the title of the message today. The message is on the weightier matters of the law. The weightier matters of the law. You'll notice Matthew 23 and verse 23. Our Lord is speaking to the scribes, the Pharisees, and the hypocrites, and He says this, Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.

[John Weaver] These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Now in this passage, our Lord pronounces some curses and woes upon the Pharisees. The word woe that is used over and over in this passage is an exclamation of misery, grief, and condemnation. For instance, look in your Bibles beginning with verse 13 of Matthew 23. He says, But woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.

[John Weaver] For you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation. Verse 15, Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites. Verse 16, Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say, skip down now to verse 23, just woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites. Now look in verse 25, Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites. Verse 27, Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites. And finally, verse 29, he says again, Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites.

[John Weaver] Very obviously, he is condemning them in each one of these verses. The interesting thing is, out of all of the condemnation that our Lord heaps upon these scribes and Pharisees, and calling them hypocrites, there's only one brief commendation, and that commendation is also in the context of rebuke and neglect, and that is found in verse 23 when he says, What are you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites? For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy. Now watch this commendation. These ought you to have done, but here's the rest of it, another condemnation, and not to leave the other undone. Our Lord is commending them for their careful tithing even of their herbs. The Pharisees were remarkably scrupulous and punctilious in the performance of all of their duties and especially the tithe. They were tithing even the tiniest and the smallest herbs. Mint, of course, is a garden herb that everyone is familiar with here. It's not only very agreeable into its flavor, it's put in food, it's put in tea, Now it's put in juleps, you know, but in those days they even used mint to sprinkle their floors in their houses and in their synagogues in order to give it a very pleasant fragrance.

[John Weaver] And then anise here is commonly known as dill. It has a fine aromatic smell and it's used by confectioners and perfumers as well. And then cumin is a plant of the same genus like fennel, and it was used for similar purpose.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is, these three herbs are of very little value. In other words, they really were very common. Consequently, they were worth very little.

[John Weaver] Now, in Deuteronomy 14 and verse 22, according to the law, they were commanded to tithe the fruits of the earth. However, there was a debate at that time as to whether the tithing the fruits of the earth included the herbs, since the herbs were so common and so small and so insignificant. But the Pharisees tithed even the smallest of these herbs. In fact, this tithing showed, therefore, their extraordinary strictness. In fact, you remember in Luke chapter 18 and verse 12 when the publican and the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray, and the Pharisee, the Bible says, prayed thus with himself. He said, I thank thee, Lord, that I am not as other men are, or even as this publican.

[John Weaver] Then he said this, I give tithes of all that I possess. Now, on the one hand, you might could say that these Pharisees were trying to give the benefit of the doubt to God as to whether or not these herbs should be tithed, and so they were going to tithe them.

[John Weaver] On the other hand, in all probability, they did so to demonstrate their own self-righteousness. Because in Luke 16 and verse 15, our Lord condemns the Pharisees and He said this, You are they who justify yourselves before men. But God knoweth your heart, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. So our Lord then, in one sense of the word, commends them in their precision in small matters, but they were majoring on the minors and they were neglecting, what he called, the greater things which the law enjoined.

[John Weaver] So let me state it more precisely. They were precise in their rites and in their ceremonies, but they were neglecting the soul, the spirit of practical godliness.

[John Weaver] Now let me give you a quote by way of introduction. Here's what Calvin said on verse 23. Listen carefully. When he commends them for tithing of the herbs, and of course condemns them for neglecting the weightier matters, Calvin says, he therefore acknowledges that whatever God has enjoined ought to be performed, and that no part of it ought to be omitted but maintains that zeal for the whole law is no reason why we ought not to insist chiefly upon the principal points. Christ therefore affirms that he has no intention to lessen the authority even of the smallest commandments though he recommends and demands due order in keeping the law. It is therefore our duty to preserve entire the whole law which cannot be violated in any part without contempt for its author.

[John Weaver] For he who has forbidden us to commit adultery, and to kill, and to steal, has likewise condemned all impure desire. Hence we conclude that all the commandments are so interwoven with each other that we have no right to detach one of them from the rest. Wherefore it is written, cursed is everyone that performeth not all things that are written, by which words the righteousness of the whole law without exception is enforced. But this reverence which we have said does not take away the distinction between the commandments or the true desire of the law to which those who truly observe it in their mind that they may not merely amuse themselves on the surface. So here Calvin is just simply saying our Lord on the one hand says all of God's laws to be enforced but that still does not mean that the principal parts are not to be emphasized. Now I want you to note what our Lord says.

[John Weaver] Look in verse 23 again. He condemns them. He says, Now I want you to note that our Lord emphasizes the fact that all of God's law is important.

[John Weaver] But at the same time, he also emphasizes the fact that there are portions that are heavier or more weighty than the others. Now let me ask you a question. Does the Word of God demand sacrifice? And the answer is yes. But here's another question. Would our Lord prefer A big sacrifice or obedience? Of course, very obviously, you know, in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 22, Samuel said, Now there's a passage in verse 23 that really needs to be developed and understood.

[John Weaver] Because Christ here commends them for all of their strictness in their tithing, but then he says that they have omitted the weightier matters of the law. And then he names three of the weightier matters of the law. What are they? Judgment, mercy, and faith.

[John Weaver] Now I'm sure that all of us have read this passage and probably have passed over it without due consideration. Justice is easily explained. Mercy is just as easily explained when we consider the law. But the question that you have to ask is how does the law teach faith? I want to examine each one of these details and give an explanation. Before I do, you have to remember what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning God's law in Romans chapter 7 and verse 12 because he said that we know that the law is holy, just, and good. In other words, God has ordained the law. The law is His expression for our lives. He's ordained how we're to live, and we're to bring our lives in conformity unto it. Remember that a king rules by his law. Now, our Lord said in verse 23 that these Pharisees had neglected the weightier matters of the law, and the first one is judgment or justice.

[John Weaver] So let me put it like this. Number one, God's law teaches justice. God's law teaches justice. Let me just quote Psalm 89 verse 14. Listen carefully. Psalm 89 verse 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go together before thy face. So justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne. God is a God of justice and consequently, he not only teaches justice, but he also demands justice.

[John Weaver] Now, when you and I think of justice, we immediately think of our judicial system. But let me just tell you something, the word justice does not simply refer only to the administration of justice in the courts. It also refers to the putting in execution good judgments, righteous laws and statutes. It also includes protecting and relieving the injured and the oppressed. But it also includes doing that which is right and equitable between man and man. So when we think about justice, we don't need to just simply think about the court system. We need to think about our relationships with each other and with others.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to remember, the Pharisees were punctilious in their tithing. I mean, they tithed down to the minutest herb. Have you ever seen a dill seed? Or fennel seed?

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. Look back in Matthew 23 at verse 23. Now watch this. They were so punctilious in their tithing, where did they get some of their money?

[John Weaver] Where did they derive some of their income? Go back to verse 14 in Matthew 23. Look what he says, Now let me ask you, how much justice is there in making sure that you tithe from that that you steal and defraud. And especially when you're destroying widows and their homes. You see the double standard. They were making sure that they tithed, but they were tithing from that which they devoured from others.

[John Weaver] Do you realize that overall God's law was designed to protect the widow, the stranger, the homeless, the fatherless? Let me just quote some scriptures. In Exodus 22 and verse 22, God says, You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. Then again in Deuteronomy 24 and verse 17, Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless, nor take a widow's raiment to pledge." Deuteronomy 24 verse 19, God says, When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it. It shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. And then in Deuteronomy 27 verse 19, God says this, Cursed be he that perverted the judgment of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow.

[John Weaver] And all the people said, Amen. Now, it is true that God ordained the tithes. Who lived off the tithes? The priests and the Levites. Now let me ask you, if you're going to be just toward the priests and the Levites, But you're going to defraud and lie and steal from everyone else. Is that justice? That is not only injustice, that is nothing less than to mock God and deceive ourselves. We've got to understand, and I've emphasized this so many times before, but justice and righteousness go together. You've got to remember now that justice does not simply apply to the judicial branch. It doesn't just simply apply to the legislative branch or to what you and I would call the executive branch.

[John Weaver] It applies to family conduct. It applies to ecclesiastical conduct. It applies to personal conduct. I told you just three Sundays ago that the Hebrew word for righteousness And the Hebrew word for justice are one and the same. You cannot have justice without righteousness. You cannot have righteousness without justice. When something is right, it's just. When something is just, it is right. That means this. Therefore, when anyone denies justice, at the same time, he is denying righteousness. Or when anyone denies righteousness, at the same time, he is denying justice. You cannot mock justice and you cannot deride righteousness without at the same time mocking and deriding the author of justice and righteousness which is God himself.

[John Weaver] Now, you see, you and I understand that these principles apply to the civil realm. For instance, let me ask you this. Is it just to allow a murderer to go free? And the answer is No. Well, let me ask another question. Is it just to allow a murderer to live out his natural life at the taxpayer's expense? The answer is no. And I'm not preaching on this today, but I've heard so many arguments, one of them that the death penalty is so Expensive. What?

[John Weaver] I can buy a good rope for under 10 bucks. Yeah. You see what I'm saying? And you can buy most ammunition for less than 50 cents each. It's not expensive. The only reason it's expensive to execute a man is because of our unjust judicial system.

[John Weaver] Now, Genesis 9 verse 6, God says, Whosoever shedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. And if you'll hold Matthew 23 very quickly, but look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 35, just showing you the injustice. Notice Numbers chapter 35. Look if you would please beginning in verse 16. Numbers 35 verse 16. Look what God says. Numbers 35 verse 16, And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with a throwing stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him. He shall slay him. And then he goes on and he tells about those who slay without intent.

[John Weaver] But notice if you would, every time God says the murderer is to be put to death. It is neither justice nor mercy to allow a murderer to live. When the murderer lives, justice is denied to society and also mercy is also denied to society. Think, if you would, of all the people who have been killed, who have been murdered by men who were already convicted of murder and yet got out of prison on probation or parole. I'm just simply saying, when justice is denied, society dies.

[John Weaver] Now, you have to consider the fact that humanistic laws are contrary to God's laws. Are all of these humanistic laws just? The answer is no. Are they righteous? No. Let me tell you the problem that existed in Bible times and the same identical problem exists today. The leading cause of God's judgment upon Israel was this. They substituted man's law for God's law. If you were to read in 2 Kings 17, verses 7 and 8, you will find there that God said that He judged them, He destroyed them because they followed the laws of man. If you read in Hosea 5, verses 11 and 12, once again, the princes of Judah removed the bound, that is, they removed the boundaries of God's law. Therefore, God said, His wrath is poured out upon them like water.

[John Weaver] In Micah 6 and verse 16, He condemns them for following the statutes of Omri, who was the father of Ahab. In other words, judicial, legislative, and executive injustice prevails simply because our leaders, listen carefully, are lawless. according to God's law.

[John Weaver] Now what I want to do is let's take this principle and not just apply it to our civil rulers but let's apply it to our personal lives as well. Now remember our Lord said that the Pharisees had omitted the weightier matters of the law and we're talking about the first weighty matter and that is justice. So here Let me ask you a question. If I steal from my neighbor, have I treated him justly? If I steal from my neighbor, am I righteous? No. If I seduce my neighbor's wife, have I treated her, her family, my wife, and my family justly? No. If I seduce my neighbor's wife, am I righteous? No.

[John Weaver] If I dishonor my parents, refuse to speak to them, refuse to love them and support them. Am I treating them justly? Am I righteous when I violate the fifth commandment? If I ignore my parents and mock them and ridicule them or even refuse to resolve conflicts with them, am I treating them according to God's law? What's the answer? No. Am I wicked or am I righteous? Obviously, I'm not righteous if I'm violating God's law. For sin is a violation of the law of God according to 1 John 3 and verse 4.

[John Weaver] If I slander and spread rumors and lies concerning my neighbor, am I just? Am I righteous? Now let me tell you something about spreading lies and rumors. It doesn't matter whether you believe them or not. And it doesn't really matter whether they are true or not. Leviticus 19 verse 16 says this, Thou shalt not go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor. I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people. If I know something is true, if I know it's true, I'm absolutely positive it's true.

[John Weaver] And yet, I cannot be part of the solution. Why should I be part of the problem in telling other people about it who are not involved and who have absolutely no business of knowing what the problem is? What am I doing if I go around telling people about Henry's problems? Why should they know about Henry's problems if they can't help resolve Henry's problems? Why should I know about your problem if I can't help resolve it? I tell people, spreading rumors, spreading lies, even spreading the truth, when you have no business spreading the truth, is like hitting a skunk in the road with your car.

[John Weaver] When you hit him, he stinks. But you let another hundred cars go through him and then you go through him. It's even worse. The more you run over him, The more he stinks. And the more you talk, the worse it gets. Here's a lesson that we need to learn. Here's a scripture we need to memorize. We need to put it in our hearts. Proverbs 21, verse 23. Write it down.

[John Weaver] I will quote it for you. Here it is. Proverbs 21, verse 23. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles. Isn't that amazing? Whoso keepeth his mouth, and keepeth his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles. As one man said, God's given us two ears and one mouth. And we should listen twice as much as we talk. In other words, If we can't be part of the solution, let's not be part of the problem. Whoso keepeth his tongue in his mouth keepeth his soul from troubles. The principle is clear, listen.

[John Weaver] You and I cannot be just unless we are righteous. Are you listening? And we cannot be righteous unless we are just. Listen to Micah 6 and verse 8. I'm going to use this verse not only in this point, but in the next point as well. Here's what Micah 6 and verse 8 says. He has showed the old man what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Wow. He has showed the old man what is good. He showed you what the Lord doth require of thee. What does He require? To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

[John Weaver] So God's law teaches justice. And our Lord was condemning the Pharisees because they were punctilious in their tithing, but they neglected justice in their personal lives. because they were devouring widows' houses, and anyone and everything else. And our Lord says, you also neglected mercy. Here's my second point. God's law not only teaches justice, God's law also teaches mercy. Now, in reality, listen now, in reality, justice and mercy go together, just like justice and righteousness go together. We're extending mercy when we act justly towards others. We're to do justly, according to Micah 6 and verse 8, and love mercy. Now, mercy includes all acts of compassion to the distressed, in relieving their necessities, in distributing to their wants, in showing all kindness and beneficence, to the poor and needy according to God's law.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 25, or 22 it is, and verse 25. Matthew 22, go back just a few pages, Matthew 22, and look if you would please at verse 35.

[John Weaver] Now we're talking about God's law teaching justice and God's law teaching mercy. Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, saying, Master, what is the great commandment in the law?

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to note something. When our Lord was asked, which is the great commandment of the law, He did not quote one of the Ten Commandments. Isn't that interesting? What our Lord answered was a summation of all of God's law. Jesus said in him thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul with all thy mind This is the first and great commandment and the second is likened to it Thou shalt love thy neighbors thyself watch on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets So our Lord says The greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God And the second one is to love your neighbor as yourself. And then he said, on these hang all the law and the prophets.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10, because I want you to see a good illustration of mercy. And I want you to see how justice and mercy go together. Look in Luke chapter 10. Here's a story. that everyone knows. Verse 25, Luke 10, verse 25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

[John Weaver] He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right. This doing thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, whom the Jews hated, as he journeyed, came where he was.

[John Weaver] And when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him. And whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three thinkest thou, was the neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves.

[John Weaver] And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, go and do thou likewise.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to note the priest passed by. The priest was one of the highest religious leaders. Then a Levite came by. The Levite was a religious leader. Both of them ignored their brother. But here came a Samaritan. who was referred to as dogs. He came over, took care of the man, used his own ointment, his own wine, then he put him on his own beast, he took him to an inn, and he paid the innkeeper to take care of him. He said, I'll come back this way and whatever else you pay, I'll take care of the expense.

[John Weaver] Now, our Lord asked, which one showed mercy? And the answer is, the one who took care of the man.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to understand that the priests and the Levites should have been merciful, but they were not. The Samaritan not only showed mercy, listen carefully, he also showed justice. He not only showed mercy toward that fallen man, but he treated him justly. How did he treat him justly? He took care of his needs. He did what he was obligated to do according to the law of God. He also treated the innkeeper justly. How did he treat the innkeeper justly?

[John Weaver] He paid for the man's room and board. He didn't expect the innkeeper to pay for it. He paid for it. And he said, moreover, whatever else you spend on him, I will reimburse you. In other words, here was a man who is both just and merciful.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to understand there is a difference between charity and an act of mercy. And I'm not going to preach on that today, but charity is to undergird the society of faith. An act of mercy is shown to anyone regardless of who they are and what they believe. If there's a car wreck out on the street and people are lying there crying for help, some of them possibly dying, I don't run out there and thinking, well let me ascertain if they're Christians or not before I help them. Are you saved? Do you believe in the Lord? No, no, no. What do I do? I get them out. I call for help.

[John Weaver] If they need CPR, I try to give it to them. If they need something to stop their bleeding, I try to do that. In other words, that's an act of mercy. That's not an act of charity. So here this Samaritan who certainly did not believe the way this man did, when he saw him, he went over and helped him. So He was treating him not only justly, but mercifully as well.

[John Weaver] Now listen to this question. Listen carefully. Is it merciful towards someone to violate God's law in responding to them? No. I'm just showing you that justice and mercy go together. You see, God not only establishes the principle of justice, God also establishes the principle of mercy. And mercy is not mercy unless it is in conformity to the law of God. Here's a good case in point. Here's a man on the street corner begging.

[John Weaver] And he says, will you please help me? I haven't had anything to eat in three days. What are you going to do? Well, let me tell you something, folks. You need to find out why He is begging. You need to find out why He has been hungry for three days. There is a difference between someone who cannot help themselves and someone who will not help themselves. If the man has been sick, if the man has lost his job, if the man has tried everything to get work and cannot, I'm willing to help him. But if he's just too lazy and slothful and indolent, I don't want to help him and I won't help him. You know, 2 Thessalonians 3 and verse 10 tells us this, Paul said, For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." So here's my question. Is it merciful and compassionate to feed and support the lazy and the indolent and the sluggard? No. It's not merciful. It's a sin.

[John Weaver] It's a violation of God's law to support those who will not work. He must either learn to work or learn to starve. How many do you think are going to starve? They will do something. You think about the lack of justice and the lack of mercy. that our government does in extending to people and keeping them on the welfare rolls. Teaching them that they need not work, they need not have self-discipline, they need not have anything that we will feed them. Is that mercy? No.

[John Weaver] You know what it teaches them? It teaches them to be parasites and thieves. because it teaches them now to expect others to take care of their every need. Let me show you another application of this. We're talking about mercy. There are some mighty big churches in this country with thousands of people in them. Now here's my question. If I were to take just the series I did on the biblical doctrine of repentance and preach it in those churches, number one, how long would I last as a preacher there? And number two, how long would I have thousands in attendance? Is it merciful and compassionate to tell sinners that they need not repent, only believe?

[John Weaver] Now think about this, because this is an argument that is given by so-called theologians. If we make it too difficult for them to make a decision, then they will not come to Christ. I've got news for you folks, a decision. has never saved anyone. And our Lord Himself said in John 6 and verse 44, no man can come unto Me except the Father who sent Me draw him.

[John Weaver] How can telling a lie be merciful and compassionate? If I water down the Gospel, if I pervert the Word of God, if I corrupt the message of life, am I merciful to those who are unsaved? No, I'm not merciful. The answer is no. The truth of the matter is this, folks. It is not mercy toward those who are without Christ to pervert the message of the gospel.

[John Weaver] It is for their destruction. We are merciful people and we are to be known as merciful people, but we cannot, we cannot pervert the Word of God or pervert the gospel to try to be more merciful than God Himself. Let me point this out. We cannot even show mercy to those whom God forbids us to show mercy to. Think about that. See, God forbids us to show mercy to those who will not work.

[John Weaver] But how about this argument? And you get this from all these whiny, sympathetic, soft-nosed, ignorant, professing Christians. When it comes to executing a murderer, oh, we can't execute him because he's unsaved. And we would be sending him to hell without giving him a chance to receive Christ. Let him spend the rest of his life in prison and maybe he'll hear the gospel and be saved. I don't know if you've heard that argument. I've heard that argument.

[John Weaver] First of all, let me clarify something. No one is saved by chance. Everyone that's ever been saved, never will be saved, is saved by grace. You're not saved by chance.

[John Weaver] Secondly, God forbids mercy towards a murderer. Let me give you the scripture. Listen, don't turn there, just listen. Deuteronomy 19 verse 13, here's what God said, Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go with thee. Put him to death. Thine eye shall not pity him. Deuteronomy 19 verse 21, Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot. It is an insult to God but also a most dangerous attitude to try to be more merciful than God. God said, don't have any pity for him, execute him. Instead, what we want to do is let the murderer live and society die.

[John Weaver] Let me read to you Zechariah 7 verses 9 and 10. Listen carefully because all of these concepts are put together in this passage. Zechariah 7 verse 9, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother. and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, nor the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Now listen to that again. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, or justice, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother. Notice that true justice, true mercy, and true compassion go together. They are not contradictory. They complement each other. They go together. God says, And you oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor. And let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his brother. Showing mercy and compassion to every man, his brother is in the context of executing true judgment. Executing true judgment is also treating others the way that God demands.

[John Weaver] It is to treat the widow, and the fatherless, and the stranger, as God says, and not imagining evil in your heart against your brother. So our Lord condemns these Pharisees because He said, you're punctilious in these teeny tiny little things, and you should do those teeny tiny little things, but you've omitted the heavier matters of the law. Judgment, mercy, and faith. Thirdly, I want you to understand that God's law teaches faith. We know that some way God's law teaches faith, for our Lord declared it to be a weightier matter of the law. Faith includes not only faithfulness in a man's keeping his word and promise, and fidelity to a trust given to him, but it also includes faith in God as the God of providence and the God of mercy and grace, believing His word and promises, worshiping Him which the law requires. Now the question that we have to ask is this, how does the law teach faith, especially in light of certain scriptures?

[John Weaver] For instance, look in your Bibles, whole Matthew 23 and verse 23, but look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3 and verse 12. Galatians 3 and verse 12. Here's a verse that Boy, how do you explain this verse? Look at it, Galatians 3 verse 12, where the scripture says, The law is not a faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them. The law is not a faith. Wait a minute. The law is not a faith. Did not our Lord just say in Matthew 23 and verse 23, that one of the heavier matters of the law was faith? Now the Bible here says that the law is not a faith. How do we reconcile that with our Lord's words in Matthew 23 and verse 23? Well, let me give you two short comments on Galatians 3 and verse 12. The first one is by John Calvin. The second one is by Adam Clark. Then I'm going to explain it. But listen to what Calvin says.

[John Weaver] The law evidently is not contrary to faith, otherwise, God would be unlike himself, but we must return to a principle already noticed, that Paul's language is modified by the present aspect of the case, that is the context. The contradiction between the law and faith lies in the matter of justification. You will more easily unite fire and water than reconcile these two statements that men are justified by faith and they are justified by the law. The law is not a faith, that is, it has a method of justifying a man which is wholly at variance with faith. That's all he's saying. If you want to be justified by the law, you must give the law that which it demands a personal, perfect, perpetual obedience. But the law is not a faith. In other words, it does not justify a man by faith. That's all he's saying. He's not saying the law does not teach faith. He's just saying the method of justification by the law is not a faith.

[John Weaver] Then Adam Clark says this. And the law is not a faith. It promises no forgiveness to believing, but requires obedience. It is not, what do you believe, but what have you done? The man that doeth them perfectly at all times and all places, he shall live in them. But if in any case he fails, he forfeits his life. That's pretty plain, isn't it? The law requires this too, and thou shalt live.

[John Weaver] But when you don't, the opposite is, you die. Now, look in Galatians 3 and verse 12 again, when he says, And the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them. So Galatians 3 and verse 12 speaks of the fact that the law was never given for justification in that it required works and not faith as its standard. Salvation was not to be by the law.

[John Weaver] Let me show you something. Look down in verse 21. Do you realize that God never intended for the law to save? Look in Galatians 3 verse 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. Let me remind you what that phrase means. It means perish the thought. Don't even let it enter into your mind. Don't even begin to think about it. Is the law against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. Law cannot give life. The law was not necessarily against the promises of God, but the law cannot give life. It was never meant to give life. I want you to think about this for a moment. Since you understand that even God's law was not designed to give life, I want you to think how arrogant and how ignorant modern day men are, especially our politicians. who think that we can be saved by law. If God's law cannot save us, I can assure you man's law will never save us.

[John Weaver] Had there been a law that could have given righteousness, then Christ would not have needed to have come and died. Now, since our Lord said, in Matthew 23 and verse 23, that one of the weightier matters of the law was not only judgment and mercy, but faith. You have to ask, how does the law teach faith? First, it must be remembered that the law actually taught faith throughout the Old Testament. Listen carefully.

[John Weaver] Let me quote some scriptures. In fact, I hope he's been reading some of these scriptures. From Romans chapter 1, but listen to Romans chapter 1 verse 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the just shall live by faith. Listen to Galatians 3 and verse 11. But no man is justified by the law on his side of God, for it is evident the just shall live by faith. And then in Hebrews 10 in verse 38, now the just shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. Now when you get to Romans 1 in verse 17, it says, as it is written. When you get to Galatians 3 in verse 11, it says, it is evident. May I ask you, where it is written and where is it evident that the just shall live by faith? And the answer is, it is written in the Old Testament, the book of the law in Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4.

[John Weaver] Let me read it. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith. You find that in Habakkuk. And when the Apostle Paul quotes, the just shall live by faith, in both Romans 1 and verse 17 and Galatians 3 and verse 11, he's referring back to Habakkuk.

[John Weaver] Now, let me quote a couple of other verses. There's some I want you to see, but listen to this. In Hebrews 11, verses 1 and 2, we read this.

[John Weaver] Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it, by faith, the elders obtained a good report. Now, everyone in here probably can quote verse 6, but without faith, it is impossible to please Him For he that cometh to God must first believe that he is, and that he is a reward of them that diligently seek him.

[John Weaver] Now, those are just three verses out of Hebrews 11. If you were to read all of Hebrews 11, you would read about the faith of Abraham, the faith of Abel, the faith of Noah, the faith of Isaac, the faith of many others. Is the law against faith? How could it be? if all of these Old Testament saints were men of faith? Think about this. Just think of the first four commandments.

[John Weaver] Thou shalt not have any other god before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord by a god in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. How could you Keep the first four commandments without faith. You have to have faith to believe there's only one God. You have to have faith to not to turn aside to idolatry. You have to have faith not to profane the name of God. You have to have faith to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I'm just simply saying the law did indeed teach faith. Now watch. Although the law did not teach faith as a standard of justification, it did indeed lead us to faith in Jesus Christ. You see, the law said, this do and thou shalt live. So the law had a different standard for justification than faith. The law is not a faith, it does not have that standard. It has the standard, this do and thou shalt live. But I want you to note the law specifically spoke of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 18, and I could multiply scriptures, you know that, on this subject, but look in Deuteronomy chapter 18, and let's begin reading there with verse 18. Deuteronomy 18, notice if you would please verse 18. God says, I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, like, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth.

[John Weaver] And he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. God said, I'm going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. I'm going to put my words in his mouth. And whosoever will not listen to Him, I will require it of him.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go in your Bibles, back to Galatians chapter 3, because let me show you. This prophet, of course, is none other than Jesus Christ. And I want you to see what the Bible specifically says concerning the law of God. Look at it, Galatians chapter 3, verse 24. Galatians 3, verse 24. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. What? Now remember, Christ said the law taught faith. Now the Bible says, the law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

[John Weaver] Now the word schoolmaster is the Greek word paragogos, or pedagogue, and it's translated as schoolmaster instructor. So the law then is our schoolmaster, it is our instructor, it is our teacher to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. So how then does the law teach us? How is the law our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? Let me tell you. First, the law teaches us that we're sinners. We violated God's law.

[John Weaver] We deserve death, condemnation, damnation. We're under the curse of the law because we have not rendered to the law that personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience that it demands. So we're sinners. The law has already counted us down and out.

[John Weaver] Secondly, the law teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. How does it teach us we can't save ourselves? Because none of us are perfect. We cannot be perfect. We cannot give to the law that which it demands. If you were able to be perfect from this second forward, never ever commit another sin, not inwardly, not outwardly. What about all those sins you committed before you got perfect? So the law not only teaches us that we're sinners, it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. Thirdly, the law teaches us that there's a great chasm, there's a great gulf between a holy God and wicked, ungodly, rebellious sinners. We're separated from God. We're alienated from God. We can't get to Him. The fourth thing the law teaches us is this, that if that chasm is to be breached, if there is to be A reconciliation. If we're to be saved, it must be through the merits of someone else. Because we have no merits and we cannot give to the law that which it demands. Hence, Jesus Christ, the only one who ever kept God's law personally, perfectly, and perpetually from His birth, is the only one who can save us.

[John Weaver] The Pharisees, although they boasted of keeping God's law, were unjust, unmerciful, and unbelieving. They thought they were keeping God's law, but in reality, they were violating God's law. Listen carefully. They hated Christ, They refused Him. They rejected Him. Look back in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of John, chapter 5. You remember our Lord said that the law taught faith. Remember how punctilious these Pharisees were. How strict they were. And look what our Lord says, John 5 verse 44, How can you believe?

[John Weaver] Who receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? Now look what our Lord says, Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father, There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me." Wow! The law leads us to Christ. In Luke, if you want to turn there very quickly, look in Luke chapter 16.

[John Weaver] You remember the story about the rich man who lifted up his eyes being in hell and in torment? and Lazarus who went to Abraham's bosom. Notice if you would, in Luke chapter 16, verse 27. Here's the rich man in hell, he says this, Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house, that is, send Lazarus, for I have five brethren that he may testify to them, lest they come to this place of torment.

[John Weaver] And Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Moses and the prophets spoke of Christ. Look, if you would, in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 24. Luke 24. Notice verse 27. Luke 24, verse 27.

[John Weaver] You remember the two walking on the Emmaus road? They said concerning Christ that they thought He was Messiah, but now it's the third day, you know, since He's been crucified. Notice if you would, verse 25. Luke 24, verse 25. Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things in the inner of His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded on them in all the scriptures of things concerning Himself. How the law spoke of Christ. And then in John 5, in verse 39, since you're that close, look at it. Look what our Lord told these unbelieving Jews. In John 5, in verse 39, He says, search the Scriptures.

[John Weaver] For in them you think you have eternal life. That is your interpretation. You search them. For in them you think you have eternal life. They are they which testify of Me. And of course, when Christ told them to search the Scriptures, He is referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. Well, that's all they had at that particular time. So our Lord says this, You Pharisees, you're so punctilious, and tithing the smallest herbs, and yet you've omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith. And the law does teach faith, although it does not have faith as its standard as a means of justification, because the law demands personal obedience. But the law does teach faith. And if we believe God's law, it will lead us to Christ. The law will be our school teacher to teach us that Christ is the Son of God, the only Savior, The only Lord, the only salvation.

[John Weaver] Now very quickly, think of this by way of application. You cannot be personally just and personally merciful unless you're in Jesus Christ and unless you believe and follow the Word of God. Because God's law teaches us what true justice is. Not only in our civil life, but in our personal life, in our ecclesiastical life, in every area. It teaches us what true mercy is. It teaches us what true faith is. If you believe the law of God, as is clearly and fully taught in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, It will have to be your schoolmaster to bring you to Christ. If it doesn't bring you to Christ, then you don't understand the law of God. Because the law is our schoolteacher. And it teaches us that we're sinners.

[John Weaver] That we can't save ourselves. There's a vast chasm between a holy God and a wicked, rebellious sinner. If we ever get to God, it must be through the merits of another. And that another is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us, teach us. Show us, Lord, indeed, the weightier matters of the law. Teach us how to be just. Teach us how to be merciful. Teach us, Lord, to exercise faith.

[John Weaver] in Thee and in Thy Word. Give us, Lord, grace and mercy that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen. Amen.

The Weightier Matters of the Law

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	XY4_PKLiQvs
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Who is Israel?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-01-27
Dictation Name
Book	Book 131: Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	90

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Context

Jesus pronounces woes on the Pharisees for hypocrisy, commending their tithing but condemning their neglect of weightier matters.

Alright, if you'll open your Bibles to Matthew 23 and verse 23. Matthew 23, verse 23. And I believe, as I read the verse, you will certainly understand the title of the message today. The message is on the weightier matters of the law. The weightier matters of the law. You'll notice Matthew 23 and verse 23. Our Lord is speaking to the scribes, the Pharisees, and the hypocrites, and He says this:

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:23

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

Now in this passage, our Lord pronounces some curses and woes upon the Pharisees. The word "woe" that is used over and over in this passage is an exclamation of misery, grief, and condemnation. For instance, look in your Bibles beginning with verse 13 of Matthew 23. He says, "But woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"For you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation."

Verse 15,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Verse 16,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say..."

skip down now to verse 23, just

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Now look in verse 25,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Verse 27,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

And finally, verse 29, he says again,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Very obviously, he is condemning them in each one of these verses. The interesting thing is, out of all of the condemnation that our Lord heaps upon these scribes and Pharisees, and calling them hypocrites, there's only one brief commendation, and that commendation is also in the context of rebuke and neglect, and that is found in verse 23 when he says, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy." Now watch this commendation. "These ought you to have done," but here's the rest of it, another condemnation, "and not to leave the other undone." Our Lord is commending them for their careful tithing even of their herbs. The Pharisees were remarkably scrupulous and punctilious in the performance of all of their duties and especially the tithe. They were tithing even the tiniest and the smallest herbs. Mint, of course, is a garden herb that everyone is familiar with here. It's not only very agreeable in its flavor, it's put in food, it's put in tea. Now it's put in juleps, you know, but in those days they even used mint to sprinkle their floors in their houses and in their synagogues in order to give it a very pleasant fragrance.

The Pharisees' Scrupulous Tithing

The Pharisees tithed even the smallest herbs like mint, anise, and cumin, demonstrating extraordinary strictness but also self-righteousness.

And then anise here is commonly known as dill. It has a fine aromatic smell and it's used by confectioners and perfumers as well. And then cumin is a plant of the same genus like fennel, and it was used for similar purpose. Now, the interesting thing is, these three herbs are of very little value. In other words, they really were very common. Consequently, they were worth very little.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 14:22

Now, in Deuteronomy 14 and verse 22, according to the law, they were commanded to tithe the fruits of the earth. However, there was a debate at that time as to whether the tithing the fruits of the earth included the herbs, since the herbs were so common and so small and so insignificant. But the Pharisees tithed even the smallest of these herbs. In fact, this tithing showed, therefore, their extraordinary strictness. In fact, you remember in Luke chapter 18 and verse 12 when the publican and the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray, and the Pharisee, the Bible says, prayed thus with himself. He said, "I thank thee, Lord, that I am not as other men are, or even as this publican."

Then he said this, "I give tithes of all that I possess." Now, on the one hand, you might could say that these Pharisees were trying to give the benefit of the doubt to God as to whether or not these herbs should be tithed, and so they were going to tithe them. On the other hand, in all probability, they did so to demonstrate their own self-righteousness. Because in Luke 16 and verse 15, our Lord condemns the Pharisees and He said this,

Scripture Reading — Luke 16:15

"You are they who justify yourselves before men. But God knoweth your heart, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

So our Lord then, in one sense of the word, commends them in their precision in small matters, but they were majoring on the minors and they were neglecting, what he called, the greater things which the law enjoined.

So let me state it more precisely. They were precise in their rites and in their ceremonies, but they were neglecting the soul, the spirit of practical godliness.

Calvin's Commentary on the Law

Calvin notes that Christ acknowledges all commandments should be kept but insists on emphasizing the principal points of the law.

Now let me give you a quote by way of introduction. Here's what Calvin said on verse 23. Listen carefully. When he commends them for tithing of the herbs, and of course condemns them for neglecting the weightier matters, Calvin says, "He therefore acknowledges that whatever God has enjoined ought to be performed, and that no part of it ought to be omitted but maintains that zeal for the whole law is no reason why we ought not to insist chiefly upon the principal points. Christ therefore affirms that he has no intention to lessen the authority even of the smallest commandments though he recommends and demands due order in keeping the law. It is therefore our duty to preserve entire the whole law which cannot be violated in any part without contempt for its author."

"For he who has forbidden us to commit adultery, and to kill, and to steal, has likewise condemned all impure desire. Hence we conclude that all the commandments are so interwoven with each other that we have no right to detach one of them from the rest. Wherefore it is written, cursed is everyone that performeth not all things that are written, by which words the righteousness of the whole law without exception is enforced. But this reverence which we have said does not take away the distinction between the commandments or the true desire of the law to which those who truly observe it in their mind that they may not merely amuse themselves on the surface." So here Calvin is just simply saying our Lord on the one hand says all of God's laws to be enforced but that still does not mean that the principal parts are not to be emphasized. Now I want you to note what our Lord says.

Look in verse 23 again. He condemns them. He says, "Now I want you to note that our Lord emphasizes the fact that all of God's law is important."

God's Law Teaches Justice

Justice involves right relationships, protecting the oppressed, and doing what is equitable. The Pharisees were unjust by devouring widows' houses.

Now I'm sure that all of us have read this passage and probably have passed over it without due consideration. Justice is easily explained. Mercy is just as easily explained when we consider the law. But the question that you have to ask is how does the law teach faith? I want to examine each one of these details and give an explanation. Before I do, you have to remember what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning God's law in Romans chapter 7 and verse 12 because he said that we know that the law is holy, just, and good. In other words, God has ordained the law. The law is His expression for our lives. He's ordained how we're to live, and we're to bring our lives in conformity unto it. Remember that a king rules by his law. Now, our Lord said in verse 23 that these Pharisees had neglected the weightier matters of the law, and the first one is judgment or justice.

So let me put it like this. Number one, God's law teaches justice. God's law teaches justice. Let me just quote Psalm 89 verse 14. Listen carefully. Psalm 89 verse 14.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 89:14

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go together before thy face."

So justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne. God is a God of justice and consequently, he not only teaches justice, but he also demands justice.

Now, when you and I think of justice, we immediately think of our judicial system. But let me just tell you something, the word justice does not simply refer only to the administration of justice in the courts. It also refers to the putting in execution good judgments, righteous laws and statutes. It also includes protecting and relieving the injured and the oppressed. But it also includes doing that which is right and equitable between man and man. So when we think about justice, we don't need to just simply think about the court system. We need to think about our relationships with each other and with others.

Now, I want you to remember, the Pharisees were punctilious in their tithing. I mean, they tithed down to the minutest herb. Have you ever seen a dill seed? Or fennel seed?

Now, let me show you something. Look back in Matthew 23 at verse 23. Now watch this. They were so punctilious in their tithing, where did they get some of their money?

Where did they derive some of their income? Go back to verse 14 in Matthew 23. Look what he says, "Now let me ask you, how much justice is there in making sure that you tithe from that that you steal and defraud. And especially when you're destroying widows and their homes." You see the double standard. They were making sure that they tithed, but they were tithing from that which they devoured from others. Do you realize that overall God's law was designed to protect the widow, the stranger, the homeless, the fatherless? Let me just quote some scriptures. In Exodus 22 and verse 22, God says,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 22:22

"You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child."

Then again in Deuteronomy 24 and verse 17, "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless, nor take a widow's raiment to pledge." Deuteronomy 24 verse 19, God says, "When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it. It shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands." And then in Deuteronomy 27 verse 19, God says this, "Cursed be he that perverted the judgment of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow."

And all the people said, "Amen." Now, it is true that God ordained the tithes. Who lived off the tithes? The priests and the Levites. Now let me ask you, if you're going to be just toward the priests and the Levites, but you're going to defraud and lie and steal from everyone else, is that justice? That is not only injustice, that is nothing less than to mock God and deceive ourselves. We've got to understand, and I've emphasized this so many times before, but justice and righteousness go together. You've got to remember now that justice does not simply apply to the judicial branch. It doesn't just simply apply to the legislative branch or to what you and I would call the executive branch.

It applies to family conduct. It applies to ecclesiastical conduct. It applies to personal conduct. I told you just three Sundays ago that the Hebrew word for righteousness and the Hebrew word for justice are one and the same. You cannot have justice without righteousness. You cannot have righteousness without justice. When something is right, it's just. When something is just, it is right. That means this. Therefore, when anyone denies justice, at the same time, he is denying righteousness. Or when anyone denies righteousness, at the same time, he is denying justice. You cannot mock justice and you cannot deride righteousness without at the same time mocking and deriding the author of justice and righteousness which is God himself.

Justice and Righteousness Inseparable

Justice and righteousness are the same in Hebrew; denying one denies the other and mocks God. This applies to personal, family, and civil conduct.

Now, you see, you and I understand that these principles apply to the civil realm. For instance, let me ask you this. Is it just to allow a murderer to go free? And the answer is no. Well, let me ask another question. Is it just to allow a murderer to live out his natural life at the taxpayer's expense? The answer is no. And I'm not preaching on this today, but I've heard so many arguments, one of them that the death penalty is so expensive. What?

I can buy a good rope for under 10 bucks. Yeah. You see what I'm saying? And you can buy most ammunition for less than 50 cents each. It's not expensive. The only reason it's expensive to execute a man is because of our unjust judicial system.

Now, Genesis 9 verse 6, God says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:6

"Whosoever shedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."

And if you'll hold Matthew 23 very quickly, but look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 35, just showing you the injustice. Notice Numbers chapter 35. Look if you would please beginning in verse 16. Numbers 35 verse 16. Look what God says. Numbers 35 verse 16, "And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with a throwing stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him. He shall slay him." And then he goes on and he tells about those who slay without intent.

But notice if you would, every time God says the murderer is to be put to death. It is neither justice nor mercy to allow a murderer to live. When the murderer lives, justice is denied to society and also mercy is also denied to society. Think, if you would, of all the people who have been killed, who have been murdered by men who were already convicted of murder and yet got out of prison on probation or parole. I'm just simply saying, when justice is denied, society dies.

Now, you have to consider the fact that humanistic laws are contrary to God's laws. Are all of these humanistic laws just? The answer is no. Are they righteous? No. Let me tell you the problem that existed in Bible times and the same identical problem exists today. The leading cause of God's judgment upon Israel was this. They substituted man's law for God's law. If you were to read in 2 Kings 17, verses 7 and 8, you will find there that God said that He judged them, He destroyed them because they followed the laws of man. If you read in Hosea 5, verses 11 and 12, once again, the princes of Judah removed the bound, that is, they removed the boundaries of God's law. Therefore, God said, His wrath is poured out upon them like water.

In Micah 6 and verse 16, He condemns them for following the statutes of Omri, who was the father of Ahab. In other words, judicial, legislative, and executive injustice prevails simply because our leaders, listen carefully, are lawless according to God's law. Now what I want to do is let's take this principle and not just apply it to our civil rulers but let's apply it to our personal lives as well. Now remember our Lord said that the Pharisees had omitted the weightier matters of the law and we're talking about the first weighty matter and that is justice. So here let me ask you a question. If I steal from my neighbor, have I treated him justly? If I steal from my neighbor, am I righteous? No. If I seduce my neighbor's wife, have I treated her, her family, my wife, and my family justly? No. If I seduce my neighbor's wife, am I righteous? No.

Personal Applications of Justice

Examples of injustice include stealing, adultery, dishonoring parents, and slander. Keeping one's tongue prevents troubles.

If I dishonor my parents, refuse to speak to them, refuse to love them and support them, am I treating them justly? Am I righteous when I violate the fifth commandment? If I ignore my parents and mock them and ridicule them or even refuse to resolve conflicts with them, am I treating them according to God's law? What's the answer? No. Am I wicked or am I righteous? Obviously, I'm not righteous if I'm violating God's law. For sin is a violation of the law of God according to 1 John 3 and verse 4.

If I slander and spread rumors and lies concerning my neighbor, am I just? Am I righteous? Now let me tell you something about spreading lies and rumors. It doesn't matter whether you believe them or not. And it doesn't really matter whether they are true or not. Leviticus 19 verse 16 says this, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor. I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people." If I know something is true, if I know it's true, I'm absolutely positive it's true.

And yet, I cannot be part of the solution. Why should I be part of the problem in telling other people about it who are not involved and who have absolutely no business of knowing what the problem is? What am I doing if I go around telling people about Henry's problems? Why should they know about Henry's problems if they can't help resolve Henry's problems? Why should I know about your problem if I can't help resolve it? I tell people, spreading rumors, spreading lies, even spreading the truth, when you have no business spreading the truth, is like hitting a skunk in the road with your car.

When you hit him, he stinks. But you let another hundred cars go through him and then you go through him. It's even worse. The more you run over him, the more he stinks. And the more you talk, the worse it gets. Here's a lesson that we need to learn. Here's a scripture we need to memorize. We need to put it in our hearts. Proverbs 21, verse 23. Write it down.

I will quote it for you. Here it is. Proverbs 21, verse 23. "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." Isn't that amazing? "Whoso keepeth his mouth, and keepeth his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." As one man said, God's given us two ears and one mouth. And we should listen twice as much as we talk. In other words, if we can't be part of the solution, let's not be part of the problem. "Whoso keepeth his tongue in his mouth keepeth his soul from troubles." The principle is clear, listen.

You and I cannot be just unless we are righteous. Are you listening? And we cannot be righteous unless we are just. Listen to Micah 6 and verse 8. I'm going to use this verse not only in this point, but in the next point as well. Here's what Micah 6 and verse 8 says. "He has showed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Wow. "He has showed thee, O man, what is good." He showed you what the Lord doth require of thee. What does He require? To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.

God's Law Teaches Mercy

Mercy involves compassion and relief to the distressed. The Good Samaritan exemplifies both justice and mercy by caring for the wounded man and paying the innkeeper.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 25, or 22 it is, and verse 25. Matthew 22, go back just a few pages, Matthew 22, and look if you would please at verse 35. Now we're talking about God's law teaching justice and God's law teaching mercy.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:35-40

"Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, saying, Master, what is the great commandment in the law?"

Now, I want you to note something. When our Lord was asked, which is the great commandment of the law, He did not quote one of the Ten Commandments. Isn't that interesting? What our Lord answered was a summation of all of God's law. Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." So our Lord says, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God. And the second one is to love your neighbor as yourself. And then he said, on these hang all the law and the prophets.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10, because I want you to see a good illustration of mercy. And I want you to see how justice and mercy go together. Look in Luke chapter 10. Here's a story that everyone knows. Verse 25, Luke 10, verse 25.

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:25-37

"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" "He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right. This do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, whom the Jews hated, as he journeyed, came where he was."

"And when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him. And whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three thinkest thou, was the neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?" "And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, go and do thou likewise."

Now I want you to note the priest passed by. The priest was one of the highest religious leaders. Then a Levite came by. The Levite was a religious leader. Both of them ignored their brother. But here came a Samaritan, who was referred to as dogs. He came over, took care of the man, used his own ointment, his own wine, then he put him on his own beast, he took him to an inn, and he paid the innkeeper to take care of him. He said, "I'll come back this way and whatever else you pay, I'll take care of the expense."

Now, our Lord asked, which one showed mercy? And the answer is, the one who took care of the man. Now I want you to understand that the priests and the Levites should have been merciful, but they were not. The Samaritan not only showed mercy, listen carefully, he also showed justice. He not only showed mercy toward that fallen man, but he treated him justly. How did he treat him justly? He took care of his needs. He did what he was obligated to do according to the law of God. He also treated the innkeeper justly. How did he treat the innkeeper justly?

He paid for the man's room and board. He didn't expect the innkeeper to pay for it. He paid for it. And he said, moreover, whatever else you spend on him, I will reimburse you. In other words, here was a man who is both just and merciful.

Now, I want you to understand there is a difference between charity and an act of mercy. And I'm not going to preach on that today, but charity is to undergird the society of faith. An act of mercy is shown to anyone regardless of who they are and what they believe. If there's a car wreck out on the street and people are lying there crying for help, some of them possibly dying, I don't run out there and thinking, well let me ascertain if they're Christians or not before I help them. Are you saved? Do you believe in the Lord? No, no, no. What do I do? I get them out. I call for help.

Mercy Must Align with God's Law

True mercy does not violate God's law. Supporting the lazy is not merciful; executing murderers is commanded without pity. Mercy and justice complement each other.

If they need CPR, I try to give it to them. If they need something to stop their bleeding, I try to do that. In other words, that's an act of mercy. That's not an act of charity. So here this Samaritan who certainly did not believe the way this man did, when he saw him, he went over and helped him. So he was treating him not only justly, but mercifully as well.

Now listen to this question. Listen carefully. Is it merciful towards someone to violate God's law in responding to them? No. I'm just showing you that justice and mercy go together. You see, God not only establishes the principle of justice, God also establishes the principle of mercy. And mercy is not mercy unless it is in conformity to the law of God. Here's a good case in point. Here's a man on the street corner begging.

And he says, "Will you please help me? I haven't had anything to eat in three days." What are you going to do? Well, let me tell you something, folks. You need to find out why he is begging. You need to find out why he has been hungry for three days. There is a difference between someone who cannot help themselves and someone who will not help themselves. If the man has been sick, if the man has lost his job, if the man has tried everything to get work and cannot, I'm willing to help him. But if he's just too lazy and slothful and indolent, I don't want to help him and I won't help him. You know, 2 Thessalonians 3 and verse 10 tells us this, Paul said,

Scripture Reading — 2 Thessalonians 3:10

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

So here's my question. Is it merciful and compassionate to feed and support the lazy and the indolent and the sluggard? No. It's not merciful. It's a sin.

It's a violation of God's law to support those who will not work. He must either learn to work or learn to starve. How many do you think are going to starve? They will do something. You think about the lack of justice and the lack of mercy that our government does in extending to people and keeping them on the welfare rolls. Teaching them that they need not work, they need not have self-discipline, they need not have anything that we will feed them. Is that mercy? No.

You know what it teaches them? It teaches them to be parasites and thieves, because it teaches them now to expect others to take care of their every need. Let me show you another application of this. We're talking about mercy. There are some mighty big churches in this country with thousands of people in them. Now here's my question. If I were to take just the series I did on the biblical doctrine of repentance and preach it in those churches, number one, how long would I last as a preacher there? And number two, how long would I have thousands in attendance? Is it merciful and compassionate to tell sinners that they need not repent, only believe?

Now think about this, because this is an argument that is given by so-called theologians. If we make it too difficult for them to make a decision, then they will not come to Christ. I've got news for you folks, a decision has never saved anyone. And our Lord Himself said in John 6 and verse 44, "No man can come unto Me except the Father who sent Me draw him." How can telling a lie be merciful and compassionate? If I water down the Gospel, if I pervert the Word of God, if I corrupt the message of life, am I merciful to those who are unsaved? No, I'm not merciful. The answer is no. The truth of the matter is this, folks. It is not mercy toward those who are without Christ to pervert the message of the gospel.

It is for their destruction. We are merciful people and we are to be known as merciful people, but we cannot, we cannot pervert the Word of God or pervert the gospel to try to be more merciful than God Himself. Let me point this out. We cannot even show mercy to those whom God forbids us to show mercy to. Think about that. See, God forbids us to show mercy to those who will not work.

But how about this argument? And you get this from all these whiny, sympathetic, soft-nosed, ignorant, professing Christians. When it comes to executing a murderer, oh, we can't execute him because he's unsaved. And we would be sending him to hell without giving him a chance to receive Christ. Let him spend the rest of his life in prison and maybe he'll hear the gospel and be saved. I don't know if you've heard that argument. I've heard that argument.

First of all, let me clarify something. No one is saved by chance. Everyone that's ever been saved, never will be saved, is saved by grace. You're not saved by chance. Secondly, God forbids mercy towards a murderer. Let me give you the scripture. Listen, don't turn there, just listen. Deuteronomy 19 verse 13, here's what God said,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

"Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go with thee."

Put him to death.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

"Thine eye shall not pity him."

Deuteronomy 19 verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

"Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."

It is an insult to God but also a most dangerous attitude to try to be more merciful than God. God said, don't have any pity for him, execute him. Instead, what we want to do is let the murderer live and society die.

Let me read to you Zechariah 7 verses 9 and 10. Listen carefully because all of these concepts are put together in this passage. Zechariah 7 verse 9,

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 7:9-10

"Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, nor the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart."

Now listen to that again.

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 7:9-10

"Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, or justice, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother."

Notice that true justice, true mercy, and true compassion go together. They are not contradictory. They complement each other. They go together. God says,

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 7:9-10

"And you oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor. And let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his brother."

Showing mercy and compassion to every man, his brother is in the context of executing true judgment. Executing true judgment is also treating others the way that God demands.

God's Law Teaches Faith

Faith includes faithfulness and trust in God. The law teaches faith by revealing sin and pointing to Christ, though it does not justify by faith.

For instance, look in your Bibles, hold Matthew 23 and verse 23, but look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3 and verse 12. Galatians 3 and verse 12. Here's a verse that, boy, how do you explain this verse? Look at it, Galatians 3 verse 12, where the scripture says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:12, 21, 24

"The law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them."

The law is not of faith. Wait a minute. The law is not of faith. Did not our Lord just say in Matthew 23 and verse 23, that one of the heavier matters of the law was faith? Now the Bible here says that the law is not of faith. How do we reconcile that with our Lord's words in Matthew 23 and verse 23? Well, let me give you two short comments on Galatians 3 and verse 12. The first one is by John Calvin. The second one is by Adam Clarke. Then I'm going to explain it. But listen to what Calvin says.

"The law evidently is not contrary to faith, otherwise, God would be unlike himself, but we must return to a principle already noticed, that Paul's language is modified by the present aspect of the case, that is the context. The contradiction between the law and faith lies in the matter of justification. You will more easily unite fire and water than reconcile these two statements that men are justified by faith and they are justified by the law. The law is not of faith, that is, it has a method of justifying a man which is wholly at variance with faith." That's all he's saying. If you want to be justified by the law, you must give the law that which it demands a personal, perfect, perpetual obedience. But the law is not of faith. In other words, it does not justify a man by faith. That's all he's saying. He's not saying the law does not teach faith. He's just saying the method of justification by the law is not of faith.

Then Adam Clarke says this. "And the law is not of faith. It promises no forgiveness to believing, but requires obedience. It is not, what do you believe, but what have you done? The man that doeth them perfectly at all times and all places, he shall live in them. But if in any case he fails, he forfeits his life." That's pretty plain, isn't it? The law requires this too, and thou shalt live.

But when you don't, the opposite is, you die. Now, look in Galatians 3 and verse 12 again, when he says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:12, 21, 24

"And the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them."

So Galatians 3 and verse 12 speaks of the fact that the law was never given for justification in that it required works and not faith as its standard. Salvation was not to be by the law. Let me show you something. Look down in verse 21. Do you realize that God never intended for the law to save? Look in Galatians 3 verse 21. "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid." Let me remind you what that phrase means. It means perish the thought. Don't even let it enter into your mind. Don't even begin to think about it. "Is the law against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." Law cannot give life. The law was not necessarily against the promises of God, but the law cannot give life. It was never meant to give life. I want you to think about this for a moment. Since you understand that even God's law was not designed to give life, I want you to think how arrogant and how ignorant modern day men are, especially our politicians, who think that we can be saved by law. If God's law cannot save us, I can assure you man's law will never save us.

Had there been a law that could have given righteousness, then Christ would not have needed to have come and died. Now, since our Lord said, in Matthew 23 and verse 23, that one of the weightier matters of the law was not only judgment and mercy, but faith. You have to ask, how does the law teach faith? First, it must be remembered that the law actually taught faith throughout the Old Testament. Listen carefully.

The Law as Schoolmaster to Christ

The law shows we are sinners, cannot save ourselves, and need Christ's merits. Old Testament saints lived by faith, and the law leads to Christ.

Let me quote some scriptures. In fact, I hope he's been reading some of these scriptures. From Romans chapter 1, but listen to Romans chapter 1 verse 17. "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Listen to Galatians 3 and verse 11. "But no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, for it is evident, The just shall live by faith." And then in Hebrews 10 in verse 38, "Now the just shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Now when you get to Romans 1 in verse 17, it says, "as it is written." When you get to Galatians 3 in verse 11, it says, "it is evident." May I ask you, where it is written and where is it evident that the just shall live by faith? And the answer is, it is written in the Old Testament, the book of the law in Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4.

Let me read it. "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith." You find that in Habakkuk. And when the Apostle Paul quotes, "the just shall live by faith," in both Romans 1 and verse 17 and Galatians 3 and verse 11, he's referring back to Habakkuk. Now, let me quote a couple of other verses. There's some I want you to see, but listen to this. In Hebrews 11, verses 1 and 2, we read this. "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it, by faith, the elders obtained a good report." Now, everyone in here probably can quote verse 6, "But without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must first believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

Now, those are just three verses out of Hebrews 11. If you were to read all of Hebrews 11, you would read about the faith of Abraham, the faith of Abel, the faith of Noah, the faith of Isaac, the faith of many others. Is the law against faith? How could it be, if all of these Old Testament saints were men of faith? Think about this. Just think of the first four commandments. "Thou shalt not have any other god before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." How could you keep the first four commandments without faith? You have to have faith to believe there's only one God. You have to have faith not to turn aside to idolatry. You have to have faith not to profane the name of God. You have to have faith to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I'm just simply saying the law did indeed teach faith. Now watch. Although the law did not teach faith as a standard of justification, it did indeed lead us to faith in Jesus Christ. You see, the law said, "this do and thou shalt live." So the law had a different standard for justification than faith. The law is not of faith, it does not have that standard. It has the standard, "this do and thou shalt live." But I want you to note the law specifically spoke of Jesus Christ.

Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 18, and I could multiply scriptures, you know that, on this subject, but look in Deuteronomy chapter 18, and let's begin reading there with verse 18. Deuteronomy 18, notice if you would please verse 18. God says, "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, like, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth." "And he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." God said, I'm going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. I'm going to put my words in his mouth. And whosoever will not listen to Him, I will require it of him.

Now, I want you to go in your Bibles, back to Galatians chapter 3, because let me show you. This prophet, of course, is none other than Jesus Christ. And I want you to see what the Bible specifically says concerning the law of God. Look at it, Galatians chapter 3, verse 24. Galatians 3, verse 24. "Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." What? Now remember, Christ said the law taught faith. Now the Bible says, the law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Now the word schoolmaster is the Greek word paidagogos, or pedagogue, and it's translated as schoolmaster, instructor. So the law then is our schoolmaster, it is our instructor, it is our teacher to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. So how then does the law teach us? How is the law our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? Let me tell you. First, the law teaches us that we're sinners. We violated God's law.

We deserve death, condemnation, damnation. We're under the curse of the law because we have not rendered to the law that personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience that it demands. So we're sinners. The law has already counted us down and out. Secondly, the law teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. How does it teach us we can't save ourselves? Because none of us are perfect. We cannot be perfect. We cannot give to the law that which it demands. If you were able to be perfect from this second forward, never ever commit another sin, not inwardly, not outwardly. What about all those sins you committed before you got perfect? So the law not only teaches us that we're sinners, it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. Thirdly, the law teaches us that there's a great chasm, there's a great gulf between a holy God and wicked, ungodly, rebellious sinners. We're separated from God. We're alienated from God. We can't get to Him. The fourth thing the law teaches us is this, that if that chasm is to be breached, if there is to be a reconciliation, if we're to be saved, it must be through the merits of someone else. Because we have no merits and we cannot give to the law that which it demands. Hence, Jesus Christ, the only one who ever kept God's law personally, perfectly, and perpetually from His birth, is the only one who can save us.

The Pharisees' Unbelief and Application

The Pharisees rejected Christ despite the law pointing to Him. True justice, mercy, and faith are only possible in Christ, who fulfills the law.

The Pharisees, although they boasted of keeping God's law, were unjust, unmerciful, and unbelieving. They thought they were keeping God's law, but in reality, they were violating God's law. Listen carefully. They hated Christ, they refused Him. They rejected Him. Look back in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of John, chapter 5. You remember our Lord said that the law taught faith. Remember how punctilious these Pharisees were. How strict they were. And look what our Lord says, John 5 verse 44, "How can you believe?"

"Who receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" Now look what our Lord says, "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father, There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me." Wow! The law leads us to Christ. In Luke, if you want to turn there very quickly, look in Luke chapter 16. You remember the story about the rich man who lifted up his eyes being in hell and in torment? and Lazarus who went to Abraham's bosom. Notice if you would, in Luke chapter 16, verse 27. Here's the rich man in hell, he says this, "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house, that is, send Lazarus, for I have five brethren that he may testify to them, lest they come to this place of torment."

"And Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Moses and the prophets spoke of Christ. Look, if you would, in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 24. Luke 24. Notice verse 27. Luke 24, verse 27.

You remember the two walking on the Emmaus road? They said concerning Christ that they thought He was Messiah, but now it's the third day, you know, since He's been crucified. Notice if you would, verse 25. Luke 24, verse 25. "Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." How the law spoke of Christ. And then in John 5, in verse 39, since you're that close, look at it. Look what our Lord told these unbelieving Jews. In John 5, in verse 39, He says, "Search the Scriptures."

"For in them you think you have eternal life. That is your interpretation. You search them. For in them you think you have eternal life. They are they which testify of Me." And of course, when Christ told them to search the Scriptures, He is referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. Well, that's all they had at that particular time. So our Lord says this, "You Pharisees, you're so punctilious, and tithing the smallest herbs, and yet you've omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith." And the law does teach faith, although it does not have faith as its standard as a means of justification, because the law demands personal obedience. But the law does teach faith. And if we believe God's law, it will lead us to Christ. The law will be our school teacher to teach us that Christ is the Son of God, the only Savior, the only Lord, the only salvation.

Conclusion and Prayer

The law must lead us to Christ as our schoolmaster. We need God's grace to be just, merciful, and faithful.

Now very quickly, think of this by way of application. You cannot be personally just and personally merciful unless you're in Jesus Christ and unless you believe and follow the Word of God. Because God's law teaches us what true justice is. Not only in our civil life, but in our personal life, in our ecclesiastical life, in every area. It teaches us what true mercy is. It teaches us what true faith is. If you believe the law of God, as is clearly and fully taught in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, it will have to be your schoolmaster to bring you to Christ. If it doesn't bring you to Christ, then you don't understand the law of God. Because the law is our schoolteacher. And it teaches us that we're sinners.

That we can't save ourselves. There's a vast chasm between a holy God and a wicked, rebellious sinner. If we ever get to God, it must be through the merits of another. And that another is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us, teach us. Show us, Lord, indeed, the weightier matters of the law. Teach us how to be just. Teach us how to be merciful. Teach us, Lord, to exercise faith.

in Thee and in Thy Word. Give us, Lord, grace and mercy that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Hypocrisy of the Pharisees

Summary: The Pharisees were meticulous in minor duties like tithing herbs but neglected major moral obligations, revealing their hypocrisy.

Evidence: Jesus says, 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.'

Justice as a Weightier Matter

Summary: God's law demands justice in all relationships, not just in courts. Justice and righteousness are inseparable and reflect God's character.

Evidence: Psalm 89:14: 'Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne.' The Pharisees devoured widows' houses while tithing, showing injustice.

Mercy in Conformity to Law

Summary: True mercy is shown through acts of compassion that align with God's law. The Good Samaritan demonstrated both justice and mercy.

Evidence: The Samaritan 'had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds... and took care of him.' He also paid the innkeeper justly.

Faith Taught by the Law

Summary: The law teaches faith by revealing human sinfulness and the need for a Savior. It points to Christ, though it does not justify by faith.

Evidence: Galatians 3:24: 'The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.'

Interconnection of Justice, Mercy, and Faith

Summary: These three weightier matters are complementary and essential to true godliness. They cannot be separated from obedience to God's law.

Evidence: Micah 6:8: 'What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?'

The Law's Role in Salvation

Summary: The law cannot save but serves to convict of sin and lead to Christ. Salvation is by grace through faith, not by works of the law.

Evidence: Galatians 3:21: 'If there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.'

Key Arguments

The Pharisees neglected weightier matters while being strict in minor ones.

Summary: Jesus commends their tithing but condemns their omission of judgment, mercy, and faith, showing that all commandments matter but some are weightier.

Evidence: Matthew 23:23: 'These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'

Justice and righteousness are identical and demanded by God.

Summary: The Hebrew words for justice and righteousness are the same; to deny one is to deny the other and to mock God.

Evidence: The speaker states, 'the Hebrew word for righteousness and the Hebrew word for justice are one and the same.'

Mercy must not violate God's law.

Summary: Showing mercy contrary to God's commands, such as sparing murderers or supporting the lazy, is not true mercy but sin.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 19:13: 'Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood.'

The law teaches faith by pointing to Christ.

Summary: Although the law is not of faith for justification, it instructs us about our sin and need for Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law.

Evidence: John 5:46: 'For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.'

Humanistic laws are unjust and lead to societal decay.

Summary: When man's laws replace God's laws, injustice prevails, and society suffers. The death penalty is a biblical mandate for justice.

Evidence: Genesis 9:6: 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.'

Personal conduct must reflect justice and mercy.

Summary: Slander, dishonoring parents, and adultery are violations of justice. Keeping one's tongue prevents troubles.

Evidence: Proverbs 21:23: 'Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.'

Scripture References

Matthew 23:23

Context: Jesus condemns the Pharisees for tithing herbs but neglecting judgment, mercy, and faith.

Matthew 23:13-29

Context: Jesus pronounces multiple woes on the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy.

Deuteronomy 14:22

Context: The law commanded tithing of the fruits of the earth, leading to debate about herbs.

Luke 18:12

Context: The Pharisee boasted of tithing all he possessed, showing self-righteousness.

Luke 16:15

Context: Jesus says the Pharisees justify themselves before men, but God knows their hearts.

1 Samuel 15:22

Context: Obedience is better than sacrifice, emphasizing the heart over ritual.

Romans 7:12

Context: The law is holy, just, and good, reflecting God's character.

Psalm 89:14

Context: Justice and judgment are the foundation of God's throne.

Exodus 22:22

Context: God commands not to afflict widows or fatherless children.

Deuteronomy 24:17, 19

Context: Laws protecting the stranger, fatherless, and widow, including leaving sheaves for them.

Deuteronomy 27:19

Context: Cursed is he who perverts justice for the stranger, fatherless, and widow.

Genesis 9:6

Context: God mandates capital punishment for murderers.

Numbers 35:16-21

Context: The murderer shall surely be put to death, with no pity.

Micah 6:8

Context: God requires doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him.

Matthew 22:35-40

Context: The greatest commandments are to love God and neighbor, summarizing the law.

Luke 10:25-37

Context: The Good Samaritan shows mercy and justice, unlike the priest and Levite.

2 Thessalonians 3:10

Context: If anyone will not work, neither should he eat.

Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

Context: God commands no pity for murderers; life for life.

Zechariah 7:9-10

Context: Execute true judgment, show mercy, and do not oppress the vulnerable.

Galatians 3:12, 21, 24

Context: The law is not of faith for justification but is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Historical References

John Calvin

Context: Calvin's commentary on Matthew 23:23 is quoted, emphasizing that all commandments should be kept but principal points emphasized.

Adam Clarke

Context: Clarke's commentary on Galatians 3:12 is cited, explaining that the law requires obedience, not faith, for justification.

Pharisees and their tithing practices

Context: The Pharisees were known for tithing even the smallest herbs to demonstrate strictness, possibly for self-righteousness.

Omri, father of Ahab

Context: Micah 6:16 condemns following the statutes of Omri, illustrating judicial injustice.

Important Quotes

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.

Significance: This is the central verse of the sermon, highlighting the Pharisees' hypocrisy and the three weightier matters.

These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Significance: Jesus commends tithing but insists on not neglecting the weightier matters, showing the balance in obedience.

He therefore acknowledges that whatever God has enjoined ought to be performed, and that no part of it ought to be omitted but maintains that zeal for the whole law is no reason why we ought not to insist chiefly upon the principal points.

Significance: Calvin's quote supports the idea that all commandments matter but some are weightier.

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go together before thy face.

Significance: Psalm 89:14 establishes that justice and mercy are foundational to God's rule.

He has showed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Significance: Micah 6:8 summarizes the weightier matters and their interconnection.

The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Significance: Galatians 3:24 explains how the law teaches faith by leading to Christ.

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Significance: Proverbs 21:23 emphasizes personal justice in speech.

Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go with thee.

Significance: Deuteronomy 19:13 shows that mercy must not override God's command for justice.

Discussion Questions

How can we ensure we are not majoring on minors like the Pharisees while neglecting weightier matters?

Context: The Pharisees tithed herbs but omitted justice, mercy, and faith.

In what ways do justice and righteousness overlap in our daily lives?

Context: The Hebrew words are the same; denying one denies the other.

How does the Good Samaritan illustrate both justice and mercy?

Context: He cared for the wounded man and paid the innkeeper justly.

Why is it not merciful to support those who refuse to work?

Context: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says if anyone will not work, neither should he eat.

How does the law serve as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ?

Context: The law shows our sin and need for a Savior, pointing to Christ.

What are some modern examples of humanistic laws that contradict God's justice?

Context: The speaker mentions the death penalty and welfare systems.

How can we practice justice and mercy in our personal relationships?

Context: Examples include not slandering, honoring parents, and helping the needy.

Why is it dangerous to try to be more merciful than God?

Context: God forbids pity for murderers; ignoring this leads to societal harm.

Applications

Examine personal priorities in obedience

Summary: Ensure that attention to minor religious duties does not lead to neglect of major moral obligations like justice, mercy, and faith.

Evidence: Jesus commends tithing but condemns omitting weightier matters (Matthew 23:23).

Practice justice in all relationships

Summary: Treat others equitably, protect the vulnerable, and avoid slander, dishonesty, and oppression in personal, family, and church life.

Evidence: The law protects widows, strangers, and the poor (Exodus 22:22; Deuteronomy 24:17).

Show mercy in accordance with God's law

Summary: Help those in genuine need but do not enable laziness or violate God's commands in the name of compassion.

Evidence: The Good Samaritan helped the wounded man but also paid the innkeeper (Luke 10:30-37).

Trust in Christ as the fulfillment of the law

Summary: Recognize that the law cannot save but points to Jesus, who kept it perfectly and offers righteousness through faith.

Evidence: The law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24).

Guard your speech to maintain justice

Summary: Avoid gossip, slander, and spreading rumors, even if true, unless it helps resolve the issue.

Evidence: Proverbs 21:23: 'Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.'

Uphold biblical justice in society

Summary: Support laws that align with God's standards, such as capital punishment for murderers, and reject humanistic laws that contradict Scripture.

Evidence: Genesis 9:6 and Numbers 35 mandate the death penalty for murderers.

Do not pervert the gospel in the name of mercy

Summary: Preach the full gospel, including repentance, rather than watering it down to make it easier for people to accept.

Evidence: It is not merciful to tell sinners they need not repent (Luke 13:3).

Walk humbly with God in faith

Summary: Live by faith in God's promises, trusting His Word and worshiping Him as the law requires.

Evidence: Micah 6:8 calls for walking humbly with God, which requires faith.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:31:22Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:59:42Z

Clean Transcript

The Weightier Matters of the Law

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Alright, if you'll open your Bibles to Matthew 23 and verse 23. Matthew 23, verse 23. And I believe, as I read the verse, you will certainly understand the title of the message today. The message is on the weightier matters of the law. The weightier matters of the law. You'll notice Matthew 23 and verse 23. Our Lord is speaking to the scribes, the Pharisees, and the hypocrites, and He says this: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."
#1 | 0:16 to 1:02 | cleaned
"These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone." Now in this passage, our Lord pronounces some curses and woes upon the Pharisees. The word "woe" that is used over and over in this passage is an exclamation of misery, grief, and condemnation. For instance, look in your Bibles beginning with verse 13 of Matthew 23. He says, "But woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men."
#2 | 1:03 to 1:37 | cleaned
"For you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation." Verse 15, "Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites." Verse 16, "Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say..." skip down now to verse 23, just "Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites." Now look in verse 25, "Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites." Verse 27, "Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites." And finally, verse 29, he says again, "Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."
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Very obviously, he is condemning them in each one of these verses. The interesting thing is, out of all of the condemnation that our Lord heaps upon these scribes and Pharisees, and calling them hypocrites, there's only one brief commendation, and that commendation is also in the context of rebuke and neglect, and that is found in verse 23 when he says, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment and mercy." Now watch this commendation. "These ought you to have done," but here's the rest of it, another condemnation, "and not to leave the other undone." Our Lord is commending them for their careful tithing even of their herbs. The Pharisees were remarkably scrupulous and punctilious in the performance of all of their duties and especially the tithe. They were tithing even the tiniest and the smallest herbs. Mint, of course, is a garden herb that everyone is familiar with here. It's not only very agreeable in its flavor, it's put in food, it's put in tea. Now it's put in juleps, you know, but in those days they even used mint to sprinkle their floors in their houses and in their synagogues in order to give it a very pleasant fragrance.
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And then anise here is commonly known as dill. It has a fine aromatic smell and it's used by confectioners and perfumers as well. And then cumin is a plant of the same genus like fennel, and it was used for similar purpose.
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Now, the interesting thing is, these three herbs are of very little value. In other words, they really were very common. Consequently, they were worth very little.
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Now, in Deuteronomy 14 and verse 22, according to the law, they were commanded to tithe the fruits of the earth. However, there was a debate at that time as to whether the tithing the fruits of the earth included the herbs, since the herbs were so common and so small and so insignificant. But the Pharisees tithed even the smallest of these herbs. In fact, this tithing showed, therefore, their extraordinary strictness. In fact, you remember in Luke chapter 18 and verse 12 when the publican and the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray, and the Pharisee, the Bible says, prayed thus with himself. He said, "I thank thee, Lord, that I am not as other men are, or even as this publican."
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Then he said this, "I give tithes of all that I possess." Now, on the one hand, you might could say that these Pharisees were trying to give the benefit of the doubt to God as to whether or not these herbs should be tithed, and so they were going to tithe them.
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On the other hand, in all probability, they did so to demonstrate their own self-righteousness. Because in Luke 16 and verse 15, our Lord condemns the Pharisees and He said this, "You are they who justify yourselves before men. But God knoweth your heart, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God." So our Lord then, in one sense of the word, commends them in their precision in small matters, but they were majoring on the minors and they were neglecting, what he called, the greater things which the law enjoined.
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So let me state it more precisely. They were precise in their rites and in their ceremonies, but they were neglecting the soul, the spirit of practical godliness.
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Now let me give you a quote by way of introduction. Here's what Calvin said on verse 23. Listen carefully. When he commends them for tithing of the herbs, and of course condemns them for neglecting the weightier matters, Calvin says, "He therefore acknowledges that whatever God has enjoined ought to be performed, and that no part of it ought to be omitted but maintains that zeal for the whole law is no reason why we ought not to insist chiefly upon the principal points. Christ therefore affirms that he has no intention to lessen the authority even of the smallest commandments though he recommends and demands due order in keeping the law. It is therefore our duty to preserve entire the whole law which cannot be violated in any part without contempt for its author."
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"For he who has forbidden us to commit adultery, and to kill, and to steal, has likewise condemned all impure desire. Hence we conclude that all the commandments are so interwoven with each other that we have no right to detach one of them from the rest. Wherefore it is written, cursed is everyone that performeth not all things that are written, by which words the righteousness of the whole law without exception is enforced. But this reverence which we have said does not take away the distinction between the commandments or the true desire of the law to which those who truly observe it in their mind that they may not merely amuse themselves on the surface." So here Calvin is just simply saying our Lord on the one hand says all of God's laws to be enforced but that still does not mean that the principal parts are not to be emphasized. Now I want you to note what our Lord says.
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Look in verse 23 again. He condemns them. He says, "Now I want you to note that our Lord emphasizes the fact that all of God's law is important."
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But at the same time, he also emphasizes the fact that there are portions that are heavier or more weighty than the others. Now let me ask you a question. Does the Word of God demand sacrifice? And the answer is yes. But here's another question. Would our Lord prefer a big sacrifice or obedience? Of course, very obviously, you know, in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 22, Samuel said, "Now there's a passage in verse 23 that really needs to be developed and understood."
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Because Christ here commends them for all of their strictness in their tithing, but then he says that they have omitted the weightier matters of the law. And then he names three of the weightier matters of the law. What are they? Judgment, mercy, and faith.
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Now I'm sure that all of us have read this passage and probably have passed over it without due consideration. Justice is easily explained. Mercy is just as easily explained when we consider the law. But the question that you have to ask is how does the law teach faith? I want to examine each one of these details and give an explanation. Before I do, you have to remember what the Apostle Paul wrote concerning God's law in Romans chapter 7 and verse 12 because he said that we know that the law is holy, just, and good. In other words, God has ordained the law. The law is His expression for our lives. He's ordained how we're to live, and we're to bring our lives in conformity unto it. Remember that a king rules by his law. Now, our Lord said in verse 23 that these Pharisees had neglected the weightier matters of the law, and the first one is judgment or justice.
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So let me put it like this. Number one, God's law teaches justice. God's law teaches justice. Let me just quote Psalm 89 verse 14. Listen carefully. Psalm 89 verse 14. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go together before thy face." So justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne. God is a God of justice and consequently, he not only teaches justice, but he also demands justice.
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Now, when you and I think of justice, we immediately think of our judicial system. But let me just tell you something, the word justice does not simply refer only to the administration of justice in the courts. It also refers to the putting in execution good judgments, righteous laws and statutes. It also includes protecting and relieving the injured and the oppressed. But it also includes doing that which is right and equitable between man and man. So when we think about justice, we don't need to just simply think about the court system. We need to think about our relationships with each other and with others.
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Now, I want you to remember, the Pharisees were punctilious in their tithing. I mean, they tithed down to the minutest herb. Have you ever seen a dill seed? Or fennel seed?
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Now, let me show you something. Look back in Matthew 23 at verse 23. Now watch this. They were so punctilious in their tithing, where did they get some of their money?
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Where did they derive some of their income? Go back to verse 14 in Matthew 23. Look what he says, "Now let me ask you, how much justice is there in making sure that you tithe from that that you steal and defraud. And especially when you're destroying widows and their homes." You see the double standard. They were making sure that they tithed, but they were tithing from that which they devoured from others.
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Do you realize that overall God's law was designed to protect the widow, the stranger, the homeless, the fatherless? Let me just quote some scriptures. In Exodus 22 and verse 22, God says, "You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child." Then again in Deuteronomy 24 and verse 17, "Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless, nor take a widow's raiment to pledge." Deuteronomy 24 verse 19, God says, "When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it. It shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands." And then in Deuteronomy 27 verse 19, God says this, "Cursed be he that perverted the judgment of the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow."
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And all the people said, "Amen." Now, it is true that God ordained the tithes. Who lived off the tithes? The priests and the Levites. Now let me ask you, if you're going to be just toward the priests and the Levites, but you're going to defraud and lie and steal from everyone else, is that justice? That is not only injustice, that is nothing less than to mock God and deceive ourselves. We've got to understand, and I've emphasized this so many times before, but justice and righteousness go together. You've got to remember now that justice does not simply apply to the judicial branch. It doesn't just simply apply to the legislative branch or to what you and I would call the executive branch.
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It applies to family conduct. It applies to ecclesiastical conduct. It applies to personal conduct. I told you just three Sundays ago that the Hebrew word for righteousness and the Hebrew word for justice are one and the same. You cannot have justice without righteousness. You cannot have righteousness without justice. When something is right, it's just. When something is just, it is right. That means this. Therefore, when anyone denies justice, at the same time, he is denying righteousness. Or when anyone denies righteousness, at the same time, he is denying justice. You cannot mock justice and you cannot deride righteousness without at the same time mocking and deriding the author of justice and righteousness which is God himself.
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Now, you see, you and I understand that these principles apply to the civil realm. For instance, let me ask you this. Is it just to allow a murderer to go free? And the answer is no. Well, let me ask another question. Is it just to allow a murderer to live out his natural life at the taxpayer's expense? The answer is no. And I'm not preaching on this today, but I've heard so many arguments, one of them that the death penalty is so expensive. What?
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I can buy a good rope for under 10 bucks. Yeah. You see what I'm saying? And you can buy most ammunition for less than 50 cents each. It's not expensive. The only reason it's expensive to execute a man is because of our unjust judicial system.
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Now, Genesis 9 verse 6, God says, "Whosoever shedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed." And if you'll hold Matthew 23 very quickly, but look in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 35, just showing you the injustice. Notice Numbers chapter 35. Look if you would please beginning in verse 16. Numbers 35 verse 16. Look what God says. Numbers 35 verse 16, "And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with a throwing stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with a hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer. The murderer shall surely be put to death. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer when he meeteth him. He shall slay him." And then he goes on and he tells about those who slay without intent.
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But notice if you would, every time God says the murderer is to be put to death. It is neither justice nor mercy to allow a murderer to live. When the murderer lives, justice is denied to society and also mercy is also denied to society. Think, if you would, of all the people who have been killed, who have been murdered by men who were already convicted of murder and yet got out of prison on probation or parole. I'm just simply saying, when justice is denied, society dies.
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Now, you have to consider the fact that humanistic laws are contrary to God's laws. Are all of these humanistic laws just? The answer is no. Are they righteous? No. Let me tell you the problem that existed in Bible times and the same identical problem exists today. The leading cause of God's judgment upon Israel was this. They substituted man's law for God's law. If you were to read in 2 Kings 17, verses 7 and 8, you will find there that God said that He judged them, He destroyed them because they followed the laws of man. If you read in Hosea 5, verses 11 and 12, once again, the princes of Judah removed the bound, that is, they removed the boundaries of God's law. Therefore, God said, His wrath is poured out upon them like water.
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In Micah 6 and verse 16, He condemns them for following the statutes of Omri, who was the father of Ahab. In other words, judicial, legislative, and executive injustice prevails simply because our leaders, listen carefully, are lawless according to God's law.
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Now what I want to do is let's take this principle and not just apply it to our civil rulers but let's apply it to our personal lives as well. Now remember our Lord said that the Pharisees had omitted the weightier matters of the law and we're talking about the first weighty matter and that is justice. So here let me ask you a question. If I steal from my neighbor, have I treated him justly? If I steal from my neighbor, am I righteous? No. If I seduce my neighbor's wife, have I treated her, her family, my wife, and my family justly? No. If I seduce my neighbor's wife, am I righteous? No.
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If I dishonor my parents, refuse to speak to them, refuse to love them and support them, am I treating them justly? Am I righteous when I violate the fifth commandment? If I ignore my parents and mock them and ridicule them or even refuse to resolve conflicts with them, am I treating them according to God's law? What's the answer? No. Am I wicked or am I righteous? Obviously, I'm not righteous if I'm violating God's law. For sin is a violation of the law of God according to 1 John 3 and verse 4.
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If I slander and spread rumors and lies concerning my neighbor, am I just? Am I righteous? Now let me tell you something about spreading lies and rumors. It doesn't matter whether you believe them or not. And it doesn't really matter whether they are true or not. Leviticus 19 verse 16 says this, "Thou shalt not go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people. Neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor. I am the Lord. Neither shalt thou go up and down as a tail bearer among thy people." If I know something is true, if I know it's true, I'm absolutely positive it's true.
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And yet, I cannot be part of the solution. Why should I be part of the problem in telling other people about it who are not involved and who have absolutely no business of knowing what the problem is? What am I doing if I go around telling people about Henry's problems? Why should they know about Henry's problems if they can't help resolve Henry's problems? Why should I know about your problem if I can't help resolve it? I tell people, spreading rumors, spreading lies, even spreading the truth, when you have no business spreading the truth, is like hitting a skunk in the road with your car.
#34 | 24:55 to 25:44 | cleaned
When you hit him, he stinks. But you let another hundred cars go through him and then you go through him. It's even worse. The more you run over him, the more he stinks. And the more you talk, the worse it gets. Here's a lesson that we need to learn. Here's a scripture we need to memorize. We need to put it in our hearts. Proverbs 21, verse 23. Write it down.
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I will quote it for you. Here it is. Proverbs 21, verse 23. "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." Isn't that amazing? "Whoso keepeth his mouth, and keepeth his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles." As one man said, God's given us two ears and one mouth. And we should listen twice as much as we talk. In other words, if we can't be part of the solution, let's not be part of the problem. "Whoso keepeth his tongue in his mouth keepeth his soul from troubles." The principle is clear, listen.
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You and I cannot be just unless we are righteous. Are you listening? And we cannot be righteous unless we are just. Listen to Micah 6 and verse 8. I'm going to use this verse not only in this point, but in the next point as well. Here's what Micah 6 and verse 8 says. "He has showed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Wow. "He has showed thee, O man, what is good." He showed you what the Lord doth require of thee. What does He require? To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
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So God's law teaches justice. And our Lord was condemning the Pharisees because they were punctilious in their tithing, but they neglected justice in their personal lives, because they were devouring widows' houses, and anyone and everything else. And our Lord says, you also neglected mercy. Here's my second point. God's law not only teaches justice, God's law also teaches mercy. Now, in reality, listen now, in reality, justice and mercy go together, just like justice and righteousness go together. We're extending mercy when we act justly towards others. We're to do justly, according to Micah 6 and verse 8, and love mercy. Now, mercy includes all acts of compassion to the distressed, in relieving their necessities, in distributing to their wants, in showing all kindness and beneficence, to the poor and needy according to God's law.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 25, or 22 it is, and verse 25. Matthew 22, go back just a few pages, Matthew 22, and look if you would please at verse 35.
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Now we're talking about God's law teaching justice and God's law teaching mercy. "Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, saying, Master, what is the great commandment in the law?"
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Now, I want you to note something. When our Lord was asked, which is the great commandment of the law, He did not quote one of the Ten Commandments. Isn't that interesting? What our Lord answered was a summation of all of God's law. Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." So our Lord says, the greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God. And the second one is to love your neighbor as yourself. And then he said, on these hang all the law and the prophets.
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Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to Luke chapter 10, because I want you to see a good illustration of mercy. And I want you to see how justice and mercy go together. Look in Luke chapter 10. Here's a story that everyone knows. Verse 25, Luke 10, verse 25. "And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
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"He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right. This do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, whom the Jews hated, as he journeyed, came where he was."
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"And when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow, when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him. And whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three thinkest thou, was the neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves?"
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"And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, go and do thou likewise."
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Now I want you to note the priest passed by. The priest was one of the highest religious leaders. Then a Levite came by. The Levite was a religious leader. Both of them ignored their brother. But here came a Samaritan, who was referred to as dogs. He came over, took care of the man, used his own ointment, his own wine, then he put him on his own beast, he took him to an inn, and he paid the innkeeper to take care of him. He said, "I'll come back this way and whatever else you pay, I'll take care of the expense."
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Now, our Lord asked, which one showed mercy? And the answer is, the one who took care of the man.
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Now I want you to understand that the priests and the Levites should have been merciful, but they were not. The Samaritan not only showed mercy, listen carefully, he also showed justice. He not only showed mercy toward that fallen man, but he treated him justly. How did he treat him justly? He took care of his needs. He did what he was obligated to do according to the law of God. He also treated the innkeeper justly. How did he treat the innkeeper justly?
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He paid for the man's room and board. He didn't expect the innkeeper to pay for it. He paid for it. And he said, moreover, whatever else you spend on him, I will reimburse you. In other words, here was a man who is both just and merciful.
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Now, I want you to understand there is a difference between charity and an act of mercy. And I'm not going to preach on that today, but charity is to undergird the society of faith. An act of mercy is shown to anyone regardless of who they are and what they believe. If there's a car wreck out on the street and people are lying there crying for help, some of them possibly dying, I don't run out there and thinking, well let me ascertain if they're Christians or not before I help them. Are you saved? Do you believe in the Lord? No, no, no. What do I do? I get them out. I call for help.
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If they need CPR, I try to give it to them. If they need something to stop their bleeding, I try to do that. In other words, that's an act of mercy. That's not an act of charity. So here this Samaritan who certainly did not believe the way this man did, when he saw him, he went over and helped him. So he was treating him not only justly, but mercifully as well.
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Now listen to this question. Listen carefully. Is it merciful towards someone to violate God's law in responding to them? No. I'm just showing you that justice and mercy go together. You see, God not only establishes the principle of justice, God also establishes the principle of mercy. And mercy is not mercy unless it is in conformity to the law of God. Here's a good case in point. Here's a man on the street corner begging.
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And he says, "Will you please help me? I haven't had anything to eat in three days." What are you going to do? Well, let me tell you something, folks. You need to find out why he is begging. You need to find out why he has been hungry for three days. There is a difference between someone who cannot help themselves and someone who will not help themselves. If the man has been sick, if the man has lost his job, if the man has tried everything to get work and cannot, I'm willing to help him. But if he's just too lazy and slothful and indolent, I don't want to help him and I won't help him. You know, 2 Thessalonians 3 and verse 10 tells us this, Paul said, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." So here's my question. Is it merciful and compassionate to feed and support the lazy and the indolent and the sluggard? No. It's not merciful. It's a sin.
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It's a violation of God's law to support those who will not work. He must either learn to work or learn to starve. How many do you think are going to starve? They will do something. You think about the lack of justice and the lack of mercy that our government does in extending to people and keeping them on the welfare rolls. Teaching them that they need not work, they need not have self-discipline, they need not have anything that we will feed them. Is that mercy? No.
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You know what it teaches them? It teaches them to be parasites and thieves, because it teaches them now to expect others to take care of their every need. Let me show you another application of this. We're talking about mercy. There are some mighty big churches in this country with thousands of people in them. Now here's my question. If I were to take just the series I did on the biblical doctrine of repentance and preach it in those churches, number one, how long would I last as a preacher there? And number two, how long would I have thousands in attendance? Is it merciful and compassionate to tell sinners that they need not repent, only believe?
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Now think about this, because this is an argument that is given by so-called theologians. If we make it too difficult for them to make a decision, then they will not come to Christ. I've got news for you folks, a decision has never saved anyone. And our Lord Himself said in John 6 and verse 44, "No man can come unto Me except the Father who sent Me draw him."
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How can telling a lie be merciful and compassionate? If I water down the Gospel, if I pervert the Word of God, if I corrupt the message of life, am I merciful to those who are unsaved? No, I'm not merciful. The answer is no. The truth of the matter is this, folks. It is not mercy toward those who are without Christ to pervert the message of the gospel.
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It is for their destruction. We are merciful people and we are to be known as merciful people, but we cannot, we cannot pervert the Word of God or pervert the gospel to try to be more merciful than God Himself. Let me point this out. We cannot even show mercy to those whom God forbids us to show mercy to. Think about that. See, God forbids us to show mercy to those who will not work.
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But how about this argument? And you get this from all these whiny, sympathetic, soft-nosed, ignorant, professing Christians. When it comes to executing a murderer, oh, we can't execute him because he's unsaved. And we would be sending him to hell without giving him a chance to receive Christ. Let him spend the rest of his life in prison and maybe he'll hear the gospel and be saved. I don't know if you've heard that argument. I've heard that argument.
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First of all, let me clarify something. No one is saved by chance. Everyone that's ever been saved, never will be saved, is saved by grace. You're not saved by chance.
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Secondly, God forbids mercy towards a murderer. Let me give you the scripture. Listen, don't turn there, just listen. Deuteronomy 19 verse 13, here's what God said, "Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go with thee." Put him to death. "Thine eye shall not pity him." Deuteronomy 19 verse 21, "Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." It is an insult to God but also a most dangerous attitude to try to be more merciful than God. God said, don't have any pity for him, execute him. Instead, what we want to do is let the murderer live and society die.
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Let me read to you Zechariah 7 verses 9 and 10. Listen carefully because all of these concepts are put together in this passage. Zechariah 7 verse 9, "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, nor the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart." Now listen to that again. "Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, or justice, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother." Notice that true justice, true mercy, and true compassion go together. They are not contradictory. They complement each other. They go together. God says, "And you oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor. And let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his brother." Showing mercy and compassion to every man, his brother is in the context of executing true judgment. Executing true judgment is also treating others the way that God demands.
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It is to treat the widow, and the fatherless, and the stranger, as God says, and not imagining evil in your heart against your brother. So our Lord condemns these Pharisees because He said, you're punctilious in these teeny tiny little things, and you should do those teeny tiny little things, but you've omitted the heavier matters of the law. Judgment, mercy, and faith. Thirdly, I want you to understand that God's law teaches faith. We know that some way God's law teaches faith, for our Lord declared it to be a weightier matter of the law. Faith includes not only faithfulness in a man's keeping his word and promise, and fidelity to a trust given to him, but it also includes faith in God as the God of providence and the God of mercy and grace, believing His word and promises, worshiping Him which the law requires. Now the question that we have to ask is this, how does the law teach faith, especially in light of certain scriptures?
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For instance, look in your Bibles, hold Matthew 23 and verse 23, but look in your Bibles to the book of Galatians chapter 3 and verse 12. Galatians 3 and verse 12. Here's a verse that, boy, how do you explain this verse? Look at it, Galatians 3 verse 12, where the scripture says, "The law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them." The law is not of faith. Wait a minute. The law is not of faith. Did not our Lord just say in Matthew 23 and verse 23, that one of the heavier matters of the law was faith? Now the Bible here says that the law is not of faith. How do we reconcile that with our Lord's words in Matthew 23 and verse 23? Well, let me give you two short comments on Galatians 3 and verse 12. The first one is by John Calvin. The second one is by Adam Clarke. Then I'm going to explain it. But listen to what Calvin says.
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"The law evidently is not contrary to faith, otherwise, God would be unlike himself, but we must return to a principle already noticed, that Paul's language is modified by the present aspect of the case, that is the context. The contradiction between the law and faith lies in the matter of justification. You will more easily unite fire and water than reconcile these two statements that men are justified by faith and they are justified by the law. The law is not of faith, that is, it has a method of justifying a man which is wholly at variance with faith." That's all he's saying. If you want to be justified by the law, you must give the law that which it demands a personal, perfect, perpetual obedience. But the law is not of faith. In other words, it does not justify a man by faith. That's all he's saying. He's not saying the law does not teach faith. He's just saying the method of justification by the law is not of faith.
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Then Adam Clarke says this. "And the law is not of faith. It promises no forgiveness to believing, but requires obedience. It is not, what do you believe, but what have you done? The man that doeth them perfectly at all times and all places, he shall live in them. But if in any case he fails, he forfeits his life." That's pretty plain, isn't it? The law requires this too, and thou shalt live.
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But when you don't, the opposite is, you die. Now, look in Galatians 3 and verse 12 again, when he says, "And the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them." So Galatians 3 and verse 12 speaks of the fact that the law was never given for justification in that it required works and not faith as its standard. Salvation was not to be by the law.
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Let me show you something. Look down in verse 21. Do you realize that God never intended for the law to save? Look in Galatians 3 verse 21. "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid." Let me remind you what that phrase means. It means perish the thought. Don't even let it enter into your mind. Don't even begin to think about it. "Is the law against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given, which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law." Law cannot give life. The law was not necessarily against the promises of God, but the law cannot give life. It was never meant to give life. I want you to think about this for a moment. Since you understand that even God's law was not designed to give life, I want you to think how arrogant and how ignorant modern day men are, especially our politicians, who think that we can be saved by law. If God's law cannot save us, I can assure you man's law will never save us.
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Had there been a law that could have given righteousness, then Christ would not have needed to have come and died. Now, since our Lord said, in Matthew 23 and verse 23, that one of the weightier matters of the law was not only judgment and mercy, but faith. You have to ask, how does the law teach faith? First, it must be remembered that the law actually taught faith throughout the Old Testament. Listen carefully.
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Let me quote some scriptures. In fact, I hope he's been reading some of these scriptures. From Romans chapter 1, but listen to Romans chapter 1 verse 17. "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Listen to Galatians 3 and verse 11. "But no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, for it is evident, The just shall live by faith." And then in Hebrews 10 in verse 38, "Now the just shall live by faith. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." Now when you get to Romans 1 in verse 17, it says, "as it is written." When you get to Galatians 3 in verse 11, it says, "it is evident." May I ask you, where it is written and where is it evident that the just shall live by faith? And the answer is, it is written in the Old Testament, the book of the law in Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4.
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Let me read it. "Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him, but the just shall live by his faith." You find that in Habakkuk. And when the Apostle Paul quotes, "the just shall live by faith," in both Romans 1 and verse 17 and Galatians 3 and verse 11, he's referring back to Habakkuk.
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Now, let me quote a couple of other verses. There's some I want you to see, but listen to this. In Hebrews 11, verses 1 and 2, we read this.
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"Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, for by it, by faith, the elders obtained a good report." Now, everyone in here probably can quote verse 6, "But without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he that cometh to God must first believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
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Now, those are just three verses out of Hebrews 11. If you were to read all of Hebrews 11, you would read about the faith of Abraham, the faith of Abel, the faith of Noah, the faith of Isaac, the faith of many others. Is the law against faith? How could it be, if all of these Old Testament saints were men of faith? Think about this. Just think of the first four commandments.
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"Thou shalt not have any other god before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." How could you keep the first four commandments without faith? You have to have faith to believe there's only one God. You have to have faith not to turn aside to idolatry. You have to have faith not to profane the name of God. You have to have faith to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. I'm just simply saying the law did indeed teach faith. Now watch. Although the law did not teach faith as a standard of justification, it did indeed lead us to faith in Jesus Christ. You see, the law said, "this do and thou shalt live." So the law had a different standard for justification than faith. The law is not of faith, it does not have that standard. It has the standard, "this do and thou shalt live." But I want you to note the law specifically spoke of Jesus Christ.
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Look in your Bibles to Deuteronomy chapter 18, and I could multiply scriptures, you know that, on this subject, but look in Deuteronomy chapter 18, and let's begin reading there with verse 18. Deuteronomy 18, notice if you would please verse 18. God says, "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee, like, that is like unto Moses, and will put my words in his mouth."
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"And he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him." God said, I'm going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. I'm going to put my words in his mouth. And whosoever will not listen to Him, I will require it of him.
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Now, I want you to go in your Bibles, back to Galatians chapter 3, because let me show you. This prophet, of course, is none other than Jesus Christ. And I want you to see what the Bible specifically says concerning the law of God. Look at it, Galatians chapter 3, verse 24. Galatians 3, verse 24. "Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." What? Now remember, Christ said the law taught faith. Now the Bible says, the law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
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Now the word schoolmaster is the Greek word paidagogos, or pedagogue, and it's translated as schoolmaster, instructor. So the law then is our schoolmaster, it is our instructor, it is our teacher to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. So how then does the law teach us? How is the law our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? Let me tell you. First, the law teaches us that we're sinners. We violated God's law.
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We deserve death, condemnation, damnation. We're under the curse of the law because we have not rendered to the law that personal, perfect, and perpetual obedience that it demands. So we're sinners. The law has already counted us down and out.
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Secondly, the law teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. How does it teach us we can't save ourselves? Because none of us are perfect. We cannot be perfect. We cannot give to the law that which it demands. If you were able to be perfect from this second forward, never ever commit another sin, not inwardly, not outwardly. What about all those sins you committed before you got perfect? So the law not only teaches us that we're sinners, it teaches us that we cannot save ourselves. Thirdly, the law teaches us that there's a great chasm, there's a great gulf between a holy God and wicked, ungodly, rebellious sinners. We're separated from God. We're alienated from God. We can't get to Him. The fourth thing the law teaches us is this, that if that chasm is to be breached, if there is to be a reconciliation, if we're to be saved, it must be through the merits of someone else. Because we have no merits and we cannot give to the law that which it demands. Hence, Jesus Christ, the only one who ever kept God's law personally, perfectly, and perpetually from His birth, is the only one who can save us.
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The Pharisees, although they boasted of keeping God's law, were unjust, unmerciful, and unbelieving. They thought they were keeping God's law, but in reality, they were violating God's law. Listen carefully. They hated Christ, they refused Him. They rejected Him. Look back in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of John, chapter 5. You remember our Lord said that the law taught faith. Remember how punctilious these Pharisees were. How strict they were. And look what our Lord says, John 5 verse 44, "How can you believe?"
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"Who receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" Now look what our Lord says, "Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father, There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me." Wow! The law leads us to Christ. In Luke, if you want to turn there very quickly, look in Luke chapter 16.
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You remember the story about the rich man who lifted up his eyes being in hell and in torment? and Lazarus who went to Abraham's bosom. Notice if you would, in Luke chapter 16, verse 27. Here's the rich man in hell, he says this, "Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house, that is, send Lazarus, for I have five brethren that he may testify to them, lest they come to this place of torment."
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"And Abraham said unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. And he said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Moses and the prophets spoke of Christ. Look, if you would, in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 24. Luke 24. Notice verse 27. Luke 24, verse 27.
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You remember the two walking on the Emmaus road? They said concerning Christ that they thought He was Messiah, but now it's the third day, you know, since He's been crucified. Notice if you would, verse 25. Luke 24, verse 25. "Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." How the law spoke of Christ. And then in John 5, in verse 39, since you're that close, look at it. Look what our Lord told these unbelieving Jews. In John 5, in verse 39, He says, "Search the Scriptures."
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"For in them you think you have eternal life. That is your interpretation. You search them. For in them you think you have eternal life. They are they which testify of Me." And of course, when Christ told them to search the Scriptures, He is referring to the Old Testament Scriptures. Well, that's all they had at that particular time. So our Lord says this, "You Pharisees, you're so punctilious, and tithing the smallest herbs, and yet you've omitted the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith." And the law does teach faith, although it does not have faith as its standard as a means of justification, because the law demands personal obedience. But the law does teach faith. And if we believe God's law, it will lead us to Christ. The law will be our school teacher to teach us that Christ is the Son of God, the only Savior, the only Lord, the only salvation.
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Now very quickly, think of this by way of application. You cannot be personally just and personally merciful unless you're in Jesus Christ and unless you believe and follow the Word of God. Because God's law teaches us what true justice is. Not only in our civil life, but in our personal life, in our ecclesiastical life, in every area. It teaches us what true mercy is. It teaches us what true faith is. If you believe the law of God, as is clearly and fully taught in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, it will have to be your schoolmaster to bring you to Christ. If it doesn't bring you to Christ, then you don't understand the law of God. Because the law is our schoolteacher. And it teaches us that we're sinners.
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That we can't save ourselves. There's a vast chasm between a holy God and a wicked, rebellious sinner. If we ever get to God, it must be through the merits of another. And that another is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Let's pray. Father, we do ask in the name of Jesus Christ that you would help us, teach us. Show us, Lord, indeed, the weightier matters of the law. Teach us how to be just. Teach us how to be merciful. Teach us, Lord, to exercise faith.
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in Thee and in Thy Word. Give us, Lord, grace and mercy that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:31:22Z

The Weightier Matters of the Law

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Matthew 23:23, where Jesus condemns the Pharisees for tithing meticulously on herbs while neglecting the weightier matters of the law: judgment, mercy, and faith. He explains that God's law teaches justice, mercy, and faith, and that these are interconnected. Justice and righteousness are inseparable, and mercy must align with God's law. The law, though not a means of justification by faith, serves as a schoolmaster to lead sinners to Christ by revealing their sin and need for a Savior.

Introduction and Context

Jesus pronounces woes on the Pharisees for hypocrisy, commending their tithing but condemning their neglect of weightier matters.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:23

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"For you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer. Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation."

Verse 15,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Verse 16,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say..."

skip down now to verse 23, just

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Now look in verse 25,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

Verse 27,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

And finally, verse 29, he says again,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 23:13-29

"Woe unto you, scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites."

The Pharisees' Scrupulous Tithing

The Pharisees tithed even the smallest herbs like mint, anise, and cumin, demonstrating extraordinary strictness but also self-righteousness.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 14:22

Now, in Deuteronomy 14 and verse 22, according to the law, they were commanded to tithe the fruits of the earth. However, there was a debate at that time as to whether the tithing the fruits of the earth included the herbs, since the herbs were so common and so small and so insignificant. But the Pharisees tithed even the smallest of these herbs. In fact, this tithing showed, therefore, their extraordinary strictness. In fact, you remember in Luke chapter 18 and verse 12 when the publican and the Pharisee went up to the temple to pray, and the Pharisee, the Bible says, prayed thus with himself. He said, "I thank thee, Lord, that I am not as other men are, or even as this publican."

Scripture Reading — Luke 16:15

"You are they who justify yourselves before men. But God knoweth your heart, for that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

So let me state it more precisely. They were precise in their rites and in their ceremonies, but they were neglecting the soul, the spirit of practical godliness.

Calvin's Commentary on the Law

Calvin notes that Christ acknowledges all commandments should be kept but insists on emphasizing the principal points of the law.

Look in verse 23 again. He condemns them. He says, "Now I want you to note that our Lord emphasizes the fact that all of God's law is important."

God's Law Teaches Justice

Justice involves right relationships, protecting the oppressed, and doing what is equitable. The Pharisees were unjust by devouring widows' houses.

So let me put it like this. Number one, God's law teaches justice. God's law teaches justice. Let me just quote Psalm 89 verse 14. Listen carefully. Psalm 89 verse 14.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 89:14

"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go together before thy face."

So justice and judgment are the habitation of God's throne. God is a God of justice and consequently, he not only teaches justice, but he also demands justice.

Now, I want you to remember, the Pharisees were punctilious in their tithing. I mean, they tithed down to the minutest herb. Have you ever seen a dill seed? Or fennel seed?

Now, let me show you something. Look back in Matthew 23 at verse 23. Now watch this. They were so punctilious in their tithing, where did they get some of their money?

Scripture Reading — Exodus 22:22

"You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child."

Justice and Righteousness Inseparable

Justice and righteousness are the same in Hebrew; denying one denies the other and mocks God. This applies to personal, family, and civil conduct.

Now, Genesis 9 verse 6, God says,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 9:6

"Whosoever shedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed."

Personal Applications of Justice

Examples of injustice include stealing, adultery, dishonoring parents, and slander. Keeping one's tongue prevents troubles.

God's Law Teaches Mercy

Mercy involves compassion and relief to the distressed. The Good Samaritan exemplifies both justice and mercy by caring for the wounded man and paying the innkeeper.

Scripture Reading — Matthew 22:35-40

"Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, saying, Master, what is the great commandment in the law?"

Scripture Reading — Luke 10:25-37

"And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" "He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy strength, with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right. This do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, whom the Jews hated, as he journeyed, came where he was."

Mercy Must Align with God's Law

True mercy does not violate God's law. Supporting the lazy is not merciful; executing murderers is commanded without pity. Mercy and justice complement each other.

Scripture Reading — 2 Thessalonians 3:10

"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."

So here's my question. Is it merciful and compassionate to feed and support the lazy and the indolent and the sluggard? No. It's not merciful. It's a sin.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

"Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go with thee."

Put him to death.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

"Thine eye shall not pity him."

Deuteronomy 19 verse 21,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 19:13, 21

"Thine eye shall not pity, but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."

Let me read to you Zechariah 7 verses 9 and 10. Listen carefully because all of these concepts are put together in this passage. Zechariah 7 verse 9,

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 7:9-10

"Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother. And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, nor the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart."

Now listen to that again.

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 7:9-10

"Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, or justice, and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother."

Notice that true justice, true mercy, and true compassion go together. They are not contradictory. They complement each other. They go together. God says,

Scripture Reading — Zechariah 7:9-10

"And you oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor. And let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his brother."

Showing mercy and compassion to every man, his brother is in the context of executing true judgment. Executing true judgment is also treating others the way that God demands.

God's Law Teaches Faith

Faith includes faithfulness and trust in God. The law teaches faith by revealing sin and pointing to Christ, though it does not justify by faith.

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:12, 21, 24

"The law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them."

But when you don't, the opposite is, you die. Now, look in Galatians 3 and verse 12 again, when he says,

Scripture Reading — Galatians 3:12, 21, 24

"And the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them."

The Law as Schoolmaster to Christ

The law shows we are sinners, cannot save ourselves, and need Christ's merits. Old Testament saints lived by faith, and the law leads to Christ.

The Pharisees' Unbelief and Application

The Pharisees rejected Christ despite the law pointing to Him. True justice, mercy, and faith are only possible in Christ, who fulfills the law.

Conclusion and Prayer

The law must lead us to Christ as our schoolmaster. We need God's grace to be just, merciful, and faithful.

in Thee and in Thy Word. Give us, Lord, grace and mercy that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In Thy name we pray. Amen. Amen.

The Weightier Matters of the Law

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	XY4_PKLiQvs
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness: Who is Israel?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2012-01-27
Dictation Name
Book	Book 131: Romans: Justification, Faith, and Imputed Righteousness — Chapter 8
Source Timed Segments	90

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Context: Jesus pronounces woes on the Pharisees for hypocrisy, commending their tithing but condemning their neglect of weightier matters.
The Pharisees' Scrupulous Tithing: The Pharisees tithed even the smallest herbs like mint, anise, and cumin, demonstrating extraordinary strictness but also self-righteousness.
Calvin's Commentary on the Law: Calvin notes that Christ acknowledges all commandments should be kept but insists on emphasizing the principal points of the law.
God's Law Teaches Justice: Justice involves right relationships, protecting the oppressed, and doing what is equitable. The Pharisees were unjust by devouring widows' houses.
Justice and Righteousness Inseparable: Justice and righteousness are the same in Hebrew; denying one denies the other and mocks God. This applies to personal, family, and civil conduct.
Personal Applications of Justice: Examples of injustice include stealing, adultery, dishonoring parents, and slander. Keeping one's tongue prevents troubles.
God's Law Teaches Mercy: Mercy involves compassion and relief to the distressed. The Good Samaritan exemplifies both justice and mercy by caring for the wounded man and paying the innkeeper.
Mercy Must Align with God's Law: True mercy does not violate God's law. Supporting the lazy is not merciful; executing murderers is commanded without pity. Mercy and justice complement each other.
God's Law Teaches Faith: Faith includes faithfulness and trust in God. The law teaches faith by revealing sin and pointing to Christ, though it does not justify by faith.
The Law as Schoolmaster to Christ: The law shows we are sinners, cannot save ourselves, and need Christ's merits. Old Testament saints lived by faith, and the law leads to Christ.
The Pharisees' Unbelief and Application: The Pharisees rejected Christ despite the law pointing to Him. True justice, mercy, and faith are only possible in Christ, who fulfills the law.
Conclusion and Prayer: The law must lead us to Christ as our schoolmaster. We need God's grace to be just, merciful, and faithful.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

The Pharisees neglected weightier matters while being strict in minor ones.

Jesus commends their tithing but condemns their omission of judgment, mercy, and faith, showing that all commandments matter but some are weightier.

Matthew 23:23: 'These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.'

Justice and righteousness are identical and demanded by God.

The Hebrew words for justice and righteousness are the same; to deny one is to deny the other and to mock God.

The speaker states, 'the Hebrew word for righteousness and the Hebrew word for justice are one and the same.'

Mercy must not violate God's law.

Showing mercy contrary to God's commands, such as sparing murderers or supporting the lazy, is not true mercy but sin.

Deuteronomy 19:13: 'Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood.'

The law teaches faith by pointing to Christ.

Although the law is not of faith for justification, it instructs us about our sin and need for Christ, who is the fulfillment of the law.

John 5:46: 'For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.'

Humanistic laws are unjust and lead to societal decay.

When man's laws replace God's laws, injustice prevails, and society suffers. The death penalty is a biblical mandate for justice.

Genesis 9:6: 'Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed.'

Personal conduct must reflect justice and mercy.

Slander, dishonoring parents, and adultery are violations of justice. Keeping one's tongue prevents troubles.

Proverbs 21:23: 'Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.'

Scripture References

Matthew 23:23: Jesus condemns the Pharisees for tithing herbs but neglecting judgment, mercy, and faith.
Matthew 23:13-29: Jesus pronounces multiple woes on the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy.
Deuteronomy 14:22: The law commanded tithing of the fruits of the earth, leading to debate about herbs.
Luke 18:12: The Pharisee boasted of tithing all he possessed, showing self-righteousness.
Luke 16:15: Jesus says the Pharisees justify themselves before men, but God knows their hearts.
1 Samuel 15:22: Obedience is better than sacrifice, emphasizing the heart over ritual.
Romans 7:12: The law is holy, just, and good, reflecting God's character.
Psalm 89:14: Justice and judgment are the foundation of God's throne.
Exodus 22:22: God commands not to afflict widows or fatherless children.
Deuteronomy 24:17, 19: Laws protecting the stranger, fatherless, and widow, including leaving sheaves for them.
Deuteronomy 27:19: Cursed is he who perverts justice for the stranger, fatherless, and widow.
Genesis 9:6: God mandates capital punishment for murderers.
Numbers 35:16-21: The murderer shall surely be put to death, with no pity.
Micah 6:8: God requires doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him.
Matthew 22:35-40: The greatest commandments are to love God and neighbor, summarizing the law.
Luke 10:25-37: The Good Samaritan shows mercy and justice, unlike the priest and Levite.
2 Thessalonians 3:10: If anyone will not work, neither should he eat.
Deuteronomy 19:13, 21: God commands no pity for murderers; life for life.
Zechariah 7:9-10: Execute true judgment, show mercy, and do not oppress the vulnerable.
Galatians 3:12, 21, 24: The law is not of faith for justification but is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ.

Historical References

John Calvin: Calvin's commentary on Matthew 23:23 is quoted, emphasizing that all commandments should be kept but principal points emphasized.
Adam Clarke: Clarke's commentary on Galatians 3:12 is cited, explaining that the law requires obedience, not faith, for justification.
Pharisees and their tithing practices: The Pharisees were known for tithing even the smallest herbs to demonstrate strictness, possibly for self-righteousness.
Omri, father of Ahab: Micah 6:16 condemns following the statutes of Omri, illustrating judicial injustice.

Important Quotes

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.

This is the central verse of the sermon, highlighting the Pharisees' hypocrisy and the three weightier matters.

These ought you to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Jesus commends tithing but insists on not neglecting the weightier matters, showing the balance in obedience.

He therefore acknowledges that whatever God has enjoined ought to be performed, and that no part of it ought to be omitted but maintains that zeal for the whole law is no reason why we ought not to insist chiefly upon the principal points.

Calvin's quote supports the idea that all commandments matter but some are weightier.

Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go together before thy face.

Psalm 89:14 establishes that justice and mercy are foundational to God's rule.

He has showed thee, O man, what is good. And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

Micah 6:8 summarizes the weightier matters and their interconnection.

The law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Galatians 3:24 explains how the law teaches faith by leading to Christ.

Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Proverbs 21:23 emphasizes personal justice in speech.

Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go with thee.

Deuteronomy 19:13 shows that mercy must not override God's command for justice.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How can we ensure we are not majoring on minors like the Pharisees while neglecting weightier matters?

[Context]

The Pharisees tithed herbs but omitted justice, mercy, and faith.

[Question]

In what ways do justice and righteousness overlap in our daily lives?

[Context]

The Hebrew words are the same; denying one denies the other.

[Question]

How does the Good Samaritan illustrate both justice and mercy?

[Context]

He cared for the wounded man and paid the innkeeper justly.

[Question]

Why is it not merciful to support those who refuse to work?

[Context]

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says if anyone will not work, neither should he eat.

[Question]

How does the law serve as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ?

[Context]

The law shows our sin and need for a Savior, pointing to Christ.

[Question]

What are some modern examples of humanistic laws that contradict God's justice?

[Context]

The speaker mentions the death penalty and welfare systems.

[Question]

How can we practice justice and mercy in our personal relationships?

[Context]

Examples include not slandering, honoring parents, and helping the needy.

[Question]

Why is it dangerous to try to be more merciful than God?

[Context]

God forbids pity for murderers; ignoring this leads to societal harm.

Applications

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