“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”
Matt.23.23
Discussion
There are weighty matters, and then there are weightier matters also. There are important matters, and then there are more important matters. It will help us if we would look at our opening verse in the New Living Translation; Matt.23.23 - "How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things." Just like the pharisees of Jesus' time, we likewise have emphasized important things of the kingdom over the most important things of the kingdom. We have paid more attention to the weighty things than we have to the weightier things. Jesus tells us that the weighty things include things such as tithing, financial giving, prosperity, receiving double portion, name it and claim it, territorial take over, sowing for a desired harvest, etc. These have been heavily emphasized to the detriment of the weightier things.
Jesus tells us what some of these weightier things of the kingdom are; justice, mercy and faith. In the kingdom of God, ensuring everyone is justly treated is valued higher than sowing huge financial seeds in church. As a believer, the way you treat your staff is more important than the fatness of the envelope you give your pastor. If you treat those beneath you unfairly, your so-called church sacrificial seed is nothing more than philanthropy. You can't dishonor your parents, then honor your pastor and receive God's approval. No sir! Read Matt.15.4-6NLT.See that? Showing mercy to people in need is a weightier matter of this kingdom.
Standing and acting on the faith that is in Christ Jesus is a weightier matter of this kingdom. Therefore, Jesus says; "these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone". Do the weightier ones, and the weighty ones as well. If you leave anyone undone, you'll deny yourself enjoyment of the full benefits of kingdom citizenship. Shalom Uvracha!
Meditation
Matt.23.23 — How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest part of your income, but you ignore the important things of the law--justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but you should not leave undone the more important things. NLT