Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.' As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.' You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called 'Master'; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Mt 23:1-12)
“Chair of Moses” seemed to have been a sought after one. The scribes and Pharisees were after it. Moses was the one who brought the people out of Egypt and he made the people experience God in the desert and he united the people. So he was a political leader, social leader and a religious leader. His leadership was visible in his teachings and particularly in the five books of Moses.
Matthew presents Jesus as the new Moses. The gospel of Moses is written in five blocks which are to remind the reader of the five books of Moses. The five books of the new covenant speak about the new relationship between God and people. Jesus also teaches and preaches.
Jesus questions the attitudes of the leaders and their approach in exercising their leadership. Leadership should not be exercised from the pompous heights. Leadership should be exercised as Jesus had done. For Jesus leadership was on the way to the cross. He had nothing to carry on him on the way; because, he would be nailed to the cross without anything on him. ‘Chair of Moses’ turns to ‘cross of Jesus’. All the teaching of Jesus comes from the cross and only from the cross.
