Today: [Matthew 23] Does Your Righteousness Exceed that of the Pharisees? In chapter 23 of Matthew Jesus condemns the outward show of the religious pride of the Pharisees and scribes of His day. They looked good outwardly but in their private lives and heart of hearts were deeply corrupt. Because of this the culture of Judaism would ultimately reject Jesus and be scattered through all the world at the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, a fate that could have been averted, and a sad example that Christianity should learn from lest we suffer the same fate.