THEN Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples. "The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees," He said, "are authorized interpreters of Moses' Law. So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they do not practice what they preach. They fix up heavy loads and tie them on men's backs, yet they aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. They do everything just so people will see them. See how big are the containers with Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, notice how long are the hems of cloaks!
" THEY love the best places at feasts and reserved seats in synagogues; They love to be greeted with respect in market places and have people call them ‘Teacher.’ YOU must not be called ‘Teacher’ for you are all brothers and have only one Teacher.
"AND you must not call anyone here on earth ‘Father,' for you have only the one Father in heaven. Nor should you be called ‘Leader,' because your one and only leader is the Messiah. And whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great." - Canadian Bible Society.
We wonder if St. Matthew were living today how he would “say it.” (courtesy Prophetic Herald)
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