Matt 23 – one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament.

Mat 23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,

This next passage is one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament.

Mat 23:2 saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;

Mat 23:3 therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them.

Christianity has struggled with the answer to this passage. Is Yeshua saying the opposite of what He has been saying all along? Is He now saying to obey what the Pharisees say and follow their traditions even though their actions are wrong? One good answer is to look in the Shem Tov. That translation states these two verses this way: "Upon the seat of Moses the Pharisees and sages sit. Now all which (they) say to you keep and do; but (according to) their ordinances and deeds do not do because they say and do not." That is a very good answer to this dilemma. And the Shem Tov may very well be correct in this translation. But keep in mind that we cannot date the Shem Tov earlier than the 14th century with any certainty. The best answer may require that we look into exactly what is being said. Yeshua says the scribes and Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. Christianity claims that this means they give out Torah and laws and teach them to others. That is not exactly what is meant by this phrase.

"Sitting in the chair of Moses" implies that they are the judges. Moses father-in-law told Moses not to judge between all the disputes of the people himself, but to appoint others to handle the small matters. Then they were to bring the greater decisions of guilt and innocence to Moses (Ex. 18:14-26). This was implemented later (Deut 1:13-17). This duty of the seat of Moses was taken over by the Levites ( Deut 17:8-11). Therefore, the "chair of Moses" is the seat of judgment in the case of disputes or difficult judgments, not one where laws were newly devised and taught. Therefore, Yeshua is saying that they are declaring who is guilty and who is innocent and the people MUST listen to them. This is according to Torah (Deut 17:12-13). He says to listen, and follow their judgments of innocence and guilt, but do not do the things they do. In making this declaration, Yeshua is setting up Himself for His own death.