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These you should have done, without overlooking the others.
Jesus didn't fault the Pharisees for their attention to detail. What he criticized was the fact that this fixation was at the expense of more important things. The main points of the law had to do with judgment and love for God. Judgment pertained to justice for one's neighbors, and especially for the needy, the poor, orphans, and widows. Love for God had to be demonstrated in more than adherence to the finer points of the law. It required a reorientation of one's life, one's entire heart, mind, and strength, in the service of God. The Pharisees' tithes were not actually, or at least not entirely, ordered to the love of God. More likely, they were an instance of their vanity, where they enjoyed appearing impressive because of their apparent ritual competence.
Woe to you Pharisees!
You love the seat of honor in synagogues
and greetings in marketplaces.
The Pharisees seemed to be in the professional religion game for the sake of the honor they were able to receive from others. Naturally, there were some exceptions. But enough of them had this problem as to become known for it, and identifiable by it. The rewards they sought were not the rewards that only God alone could give. The rewards they wanted were not those that they could receive for things done in the humble secrecy of one's inner chamber, where the Father alone could see. They needed everything they did to be public so they could reap the reward of public praise. We tend to blame them for this. But perhaps most of them started off more sincere and only over time chose the easier to attain and experience reward of honor for their work. After all, more spiritual rewards require a finely tuned heart that is less susceptible to the downward pull of earthly desires. Even then it is only a down payment of a future promise on which even the most saintly souls must wait.
You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.
By focusing on the outside at the expense of their inner lives the Pharisees became dangerous, not only to themselves, but also to others. By putting on a good show they seemed like they might be good sources of spiritual enlightenment. But if one actually opened himself to drink from such a source he would quickly find himself poisoned, possibly even worse off than the Pharisees who taught him (see Matthew 23:15).
And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law!
You impose on people burdens hard to carry,
but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”
Jesus did not deliver these criticisms in order to crush the Pharisees or the scholars of the law under the weight of his own teaching, as though he said these things only in order to be victorious against his opponents. In suggesting that they ought to life a finger to help bear the burdens of others Jesus was himself already in that moment trying to help them bear their burdens. He was teaching them in order that they might learn and, hopefully, change their ways. If they did not harden their hearts to what he said they might eventually reach a place where they were open to his invitation.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (see Matthew 11:28-29).
As we read in Paul's letter to the Romans, it is not enough to merely judge those who engage in such things if we do them ourselves. Such words are meant to be an invitation, not only to Pharisees and scribes, but to us as well. If we stubbornly persist in impenitence we store up wrath for ourselves on the day of judgment. But if we only learn to seek God's glory and honor through perseverance in good works we may hope for the one reward that is truly worthwhile: eternal life with God and all those who love him.
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