Two Examples Of The Way In Which They Put On A Show But Do Not Deal With What Is Unacceptable Underneath (23:25-28).
Having demonstrated that justice, mercy and compassion, and faithfulness was to enjoy the major focus of their thinking Jesus now demonstrates by illustration where they are falling short. They are concentrating on externals rather than what comes from the inner heart. Fulfilling ritual correctly has become more important than dealing justly with people, revealing compassion and being faithful to His will.
Analysis.
a “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the bowl, but within they are full from extortion and excess” (Matthew 23:25).
b “You blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the bowl” (Matthew 23:26 a).
c “That the outside of it may become clean also” (Matthew 23:26 b).
b “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27).
a “Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28).
Note that in ‘a' they cleanse the outside and not the inside, and in the parallel they appear righteous on the outside but are not on the inside. In ‘b' they are told to cleanse the inside, and in the parallel we have the reason why the inside need to be cleaned. Centrally in ‘c' we have the main purpose, which is that both inside and outside might be clean.