Word Study: Follow (Mt 23:3)

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Word Study: Follow (Mt 23:3) Throughout Matthew the word “follow” is used twenty-six times. Most of the time the word is being used to describe someone being followed or someone telling people to follow. Also most of the time Jesus is the one being followed or proclaiming to be followed. A recurring theme that the word is used in is when people see that Jesus performs a miracle so then they began following him. In (Mt 9:27) Jesus heals two blind men and because they gain their sight back they follow Jesus. There are not many passages where the word is being used in a different way than Matthew (23:3). The few passages that refer to the word in a different nuance is in Matthew (10:5) where is says, “These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions”. This passage does not say that anyone is being followed but instructions must be followed. Even though in all of these different passages that mention the word follow they all have a recurring pattern that coincides with Matthew (23:3). In Matthew (23:3) Jesus is speaking to a large crowd and he is telling them not to follow the ways of the scribes and Pharisees. In many of the other passages Jesus proclaims to his disciples that they should follow him and no one else. In Matthew (16:24) Jesus states that “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me”. This passage also goes along with Matthew (23:3), Jesus states that you must obey the Pharisees and the scribes but not follow by their example. Also in the original text, Jesus is stating that you must follow the ways that he is proclaiming, but don't follow the ways of the Pharisees and scribes. Also in the original text the Pharisees and the scribes believe that they say who gets into the kingdom of heaven, but Jesus is the only one who has power to grant eternal afterlife. The passage that corresponds
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