Matthew Henry’s insight on Psalm 23: Religion in Jesus’ day

In the first century, many Jews revered the Scriptures and the leaders who taught them. Yet Jesus’ public ministry also exposed the temptation of religion to become theater. In Matthew 23, he addresses “scribes and Pharisees” who occupied respected teaching positions—“Moses’ seat”—but whose lives did not match their instruction. The social setting mattered: religious teachers held influence, drew honor in public spaces, and shaped community expectations. Rhetoric, ceremonies, and outward markers (such as special garments and public greetings) could easily become a substitute for justice and mercy.

Jesus’ rebukes also reflect real practices of the time. Some teachers emphasized burdensome rule-keeping while neglecting compassion. Others performed religiosity in ways designed to be noticed: public prayers, visible distinctions, and attention to status. Against that backdrop, Jesus insists that God is not impressed by outward display. True faith is measured by inward integrity, humble service, and faithful obedience to God’s weightier matters: judgment, mercy, and faith. These concerns prepare the reader to understand how “shepherd-like” guidance and sincere trust in God stand at the center of biblical devotion, even when leaders fail.

Devotional lessons from Psalm 23 in Matthew 23: The danger of “Moses’ seat” without truth

Matthew Henry’s pastoral approach—especially when he reflects on Psalm 23’s shepherd imagery—tends to center the heart’s reliance on God rather than mere religious forms. In Matthew 23, Jesus similarly refuses to let “religious authority” function as a shield for spiritual failure. The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat, meaning they claim a place of teaching grounded in Scripture. Jesus does not deny that their instruction may sometimes overlap with truth; instead, he distinguishes between what people “bid you observe” and what they themselves embody.

The heart of the matter is credibility. Henry would stress that outward conformity cannot replace genuine obedience. Jesus points to a pattern: they “say, and do not.” They bind heavy burdens “and lay them on men’s shoulders,” yet they refuse even the smallest effort to carry those burdens themselves. This exposes hypocrisy as a misuse of spiritual influence—demanding discipline from others while excusing themselves.

For devotional readers, this is a warning about spiritual leadership and personal discipleship alike. Whether one teaches publicly or follows privately, God values faithful alignment between doctrine and practice. In light of Psalm 23’s theme—God’s guidance as a dependable shepherd—Jesus calls for leaders and believers who lead and live with integrity. The sheep do not thrive under performance; they thrive under truth that provides direction, mercy, and trustworthy care.

Commentary themes: humility and true obedience, not status in worship

Jesus intensifies his rebuke by addressing the motivations behind religious behavior. He describes a cycle of recognition: works performed “to be seen of men,” visible enlargements of religious markers, and a longing for “the uppermost rooms,” “chief seats,” and public titles. Jesus’ critique is not aimed at all reverence or orderly worship; it is aimed at using worship as a ladder for self-exaltation.

Then comes the central teaching: “Be not ye called Rabbi,” “And call no man your father upon the earth,” and “Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.” Henry’s devotional lens fits well here: true religion is hierarchical in authority but equalizing in dignity. Christ’s lordship levels human pride. If Christ is the Master, believers do not need titles to validate their importance. If believers are brothers, ambition for rank becomes incompatible with Christian community.

Jesus also describes greatness as servanthood: “he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” This reverses the value system promoted by status-seeking religion. Instead of seeking the “chief seats,” disciples are formed into humble servants whose faith shows itself in practical compassion.

The repeated “woe” passages further show that hypocrisy is spiritually costly. Jesus names it as shutting people out of the kingdom, devouring vulnerable people through false piety, and turning evangelism into intensified judgment. In Henry’s style, the conclusion is urgent: God is not content with religious appearances; he seeks the obedience that flows from genuine trust in him.

How Jesus corrects religious hypocrisy: justice, mercy, and faithful inward cleansing

After exposing status and inconsistency, Jesus turns to weightier matters of the law: “judgment, mercy, and faith.” This strikes at a common failure—religious people focusing on the smaller, measurable components of obedience while ignoring the core moral demands that reveal God’s character. Henry often emphasizes that genuine faith reforms the whole person, not merely the outward shell.

Jesus illustrates this with vivid contrasts. He compares those who “strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” to someone excessively careful about trivial things while overlooking massive wrongs. He also uses cleansing imagery: making the outside clean but leaving the inside full of extortion and excess. The call is “cleanse first that which is within,” so external life follows from inward renewal.

He then describes “whited sepulchres”—objects that look beautiful on the outside yet contain deadness within. This metaphor matches Jesus’ critique: religious performance can conceal spiritual decay. The outward appearance of righteousness cannot compensate for an inward life “full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Finally, Jesus addresses consequences. Hypocrisy closes doors to others (“neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering”). It uses religion for gain (devouring widows’ houses) and spiritual manipulation (long prayers as a pretense). The warning culminates in the reminder that God sends prophets—and those who persist in hypocrisy will face judgment.

For a devotional reader, the takeaway aligns with Psalm 23’s trust in the Shepherd: God desires a heart that can be led, corrected, and healed. When faith becomes performative, it breaks fellowship with God; when faith becomes sincere, it becomes a channel for God’s mercy to others.

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