Jesus' Attitude To Religion

Jesus reserved some of his harshest words for the Jewish religious leaders of his day - The Pharisees and Scribes.

About The Pharisees

• MATTHEW 23:13 You shut up the kingdom of heaven against men;
   for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
• MATTHEW 12:34 You bunch of snakes!
• JOHN 8:44 You're just like your father, the Devil!

About The Scribes & The Pharisees

•  MATTHEW 23:13-33

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!—You fools and    blind—you are like whitened sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones, and absolute corruption—inwardly    you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness—snakes, a brood of vipers!”

• MATTHEW 15:1-9 

Some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked:

‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’

Jesus replied, ‘

And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?  For God said, “Honour your father and mother” and “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.” But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is “devoted to God,” they are not to “honour their father or mother” with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:‘“These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”

Jesus Hates The Self-Righteous But Loves Sinners

Jesus told parables about the dangers of being self-righteous religious bigots and praised the humility of the weak and vulnerable who were truly sorry for their sins.

Watch A Video About The Difference Between Religion & Relationship

Watch a brilliant video on the difference between religion and relationship, by clicking on LOVE JESUS, HATE RELIGION