What does Matthew 23:15 mean?
These are some of Christ' harshest words against the religious teachers of ancient Israel. This is the second of seven statements of judgment made against them by the Son of God. The opening pattern is the same, declaring their impending judgment and labelling them as pretenders: as hypocrites.The reference to extensive travel might be exaggeration for effect—hyperbole—rather than an indication that the Pharisees went to foreign territory to seek converts. Scribes and Pharisees made extensive efforts to create "proselytes." These are converts from one religious conviction to another. Some scholars and historians understand this to be a literal form of missionary work in which the Pharisees attempted to convert non-Jews to religious Judaism.
Some interpreters believe Jesus is referring to efforts by the scribes and Pharisees to win over current believers in Judaism. These might have been Gentiles who already believed in the God of Israel. The goal would have been to convince such people of their narrow views of the law, along with their teachings about the extra rules and regulations they required.
In either case, Jesus does not condemn the effort to win converts. He condemns what they are being won to: a belief system built around human regulations and a rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. These hypocritical religious leaders were redirecting people onto a path leading to hell, rather than to God and heaven. Those converted were likely to follow the wrong teachings of the Pharisees even more closely than the Pharisees did themselves!
Matthew 23:13–36 contains seven layers of condemnation, from Jesus, towards the religious leaders of His era. Each of these is introduced with the word "woe," which is an exclamation like "oh!" or "alas!" Pronouncing God's judgment on these men, He repeatedly describes them as "blind" and "hypocrites." Convincing others of their views only adds victims to hell. They follow the letters of manmade law to the tiniest detail but miss the real meaning of Scripture: God's heart for justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Their outer appearance of righteousness hides inner lives full of greed, self-indulgence, hypocrisy, and lawlessness. Those in Jesus' generation will pay for many of the righteous people unjustly killed in the past.
After thoroughly dismantling scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees in debate, Jesus even more thoroughly condemns these religious leaders for their religious hypocrisy. They do all their religious acts and works to be seen and approved of by other people. Jesus pronounces God's judgment on the scribes and Pharisees in a series of seven "woe to you" statements. He repeatedly calls them "blind" and "hypocrites." He concludes with a lament for Jerusalem and her children who rejected His protection. God's judgment is coming.
