Read Matt 23:13–39
Mat 23:31-39 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. (32) Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. (33) You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? (34) Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, (35) so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of innocent Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. (36) Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. (37) “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! (38) See, your house is left to you desolate. (39) For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'”
Seven woes Jesus gives to the Pharisees. He condemns them for having an appearance of godliness but denying the power therein. Outwardly they look great, but inwardly they are full of evil intent. It is the heart Jesus and the Father will judge. Jesus tells them they must clean out the inside. The only way to do that is with faith. For although they sinners, tax collectors and prostitutes were deep in sin, yet they were contrite in heart and trusted in Jesus. For it is faith in Christ that makes you a good person, not outward good works.
Jesus lets the Jewish people know what will happen to them because they rejected him, they will reject those he sends to them, i.e. the apostles, and those who would continue in the apostles footsteps namely the Church. He would continue to send out his word of repentance and forgiveness through faith in the name of Jesus, for he would that all people would be saved, even those who would torture and kill him and his followers. Eventually, he would send the Romans to tear down the city of Zion and the temple and slaughter those who did not repent of their unbelief.
Even now he sends his people into the world with good news of repentance and forgiveness of sins, eternal life in his name. And even as the Jews rejected him, there are those in the world who continue to teach, believe and act as if it is outward good works that make you a good person and not faith in Jesus. But this is the greatest lie of Satan. People at funerals, all over the world, hope for a better life in the after-life because of their good works. It is what they were taught. It is the natural religion of man. It is the religion of Satan. But Jesus has taught us what makes us good and clean on the inside. It is faith in him. Faith in his works. Faith in his life, death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life now and forever is the religion of Jesus.
Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us our sins for the sake of your blood and grant us faith that through your blood you would grant us repentance and faith that we may be clean within and be good people through faith in you and that we may in turn be truly outwardly good as well. Amen.