A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 

SEVEN WOES – NUMBER SIX     

Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” 

There was a custom among the Jews of applying white wash to the outside of tombs prior to Passover. The purpose for doing this was to prevent a Jew from touching a tomb with a decaying corpse inside it which would have made them “unclean” and unable to participate in the Passover.   

In modern day idioms white washing means to deliberately conceal someone’s mistakes or faults. This is often done in the political realm and in sports. Whitewashing is used to make something that is bad or unacceptable be less so. 

With today’s “woe” and several of the previous ones, Jesus addresses the way sinners ( the Pharisees and teachers of the law) try to make themselves appear to be superior, law abiding and righteous. The reality, however, is there is not enough whitewash on this earth that can take away the sins of sinners. Inside the heart where the sins reside is a stench that no perfume can cover over and no cleanser can clean. 

Rather than whitewash your sins, God by His grace through His gift of faith in Jesus removes your sins so they are no more. He does not conceal your sins; He removes them with the shed blood of His Son Jesus.   

Prayer: Jesus, Savior wash away, all I’ve done wrong today. In Your holy name. Amen. 

(A hymn to sing or pray as you retire for the night) 

Now the light has gone away; Father, listen while I pray,   
Asking Thee to watch and keep And to send me quiet sleep. 

Jesus, Savior, wash away All that has been wrong today;  
Help me ev’ry day to be Good and gentle, more like Thee. 

Let my near and dear ones be Always near and dear to Thee;  
O bring me and all I love To Thy happy home above. 

Now my evening praise I give; Thou didst die that I might live, 
All my blessings come from Thee; Oh, how good Thou art to me. 

Thou, my best and kindest Friend, Thou wilt love me to the end.  
Let me love Thee more and more, Always better than before.  

Now the Light Has Gone Away // LSB 887