Can you comment on the woes of Jesus?
Introduction. The word "woe" is a small but strong word. In the Greek ouai (woe) is made up of two diphthongs. "Woe" is defined as, "Interjection of grief or of denunciation" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 595). "Woe," then, strongly suggests the wrath of God. Jesus used "woe" on a number of occasions.
Woe unto blind guides. "Woe unto you blind guides," Jesus said to some of the Jewish teachers of his day (Matt. 23: 16). Jesus did not have any sympathy on false teachers. On another occasion Jesus said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matt. 15: 14).
Woe unto the rich. Jesus declared, "But woe unto you that are rich! For ye have received your consolation" (Luke 6: 24). Money is not inherently sinful, but the love of money is sinful (1 Tim. 6: 10). Riches cause many to fail to obey Jesus (Matt. 19: 16-22). The rich are to use their riches for the glory of God (1 Tim. 6: 17, 18).
Woe unto the popular. Those who live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3: 12). Jesus told his apostles, "they shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think he doeth God service" (John 16: 2). I sometime hear it said of an individual, "everybody loves him!" Hear Jesus, "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Luke 6: 26).
Jesus often used "woe" to denounce different people (Matt. 18: 7; 11: 21; Luke 11: 43). Jesus' use of "woe" is illustrative of the fact that Jesus was not the positive, all-embracing teacher that he is sometimes falsely presented to be. Jesus was plain and, often, denouncing in his teaching (Matt. 23: 13-29).
Woe unto blind guides. "Woe unto you blind guides," Jesus said to some of the Jewish teachers of his day (Matt. 23: 16). Jesus did not have any sympathy on false teachers. On another occasion Jesus said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch" (Matt. 15: 14).
Woe unto the rich. Jesus declared, "But woe unto you that are rich! For ye have received your consolation" (Luke 6: 24). Money is not inherently sinful, but the love of money is sinful (1 Tim. 6: 10). Riches cause many to fail to obey Jesus (Matt. 19: 16-22). The rich are to use their riches for the glory of God (1 Tim. 6: 17, 18).
Woe unto the popular. Those who live godly in Christ shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3: 12). Jesus told his apostles, "they shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think he doeth God service" (John 16: 2). I sometime hear it said of an individual, "everybody loves him!" Hear Jesus, "Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets" (Luke 6: 26).
Jesus often used "woe" to denounce different people (Matt. 18: 7; 11: 21; Luke 11: 43). Jesus' use of "woe" is illustrative of the fact that Jesus was not the positive, all-embracing teacher that he is sometimes falsely presented to be. Jesus was plain and, often, denouncing in his teaching (Matt. 23: 13-29).