Depravity of Hypocritical Persecutors in the Church

The concept of depravity among hypocritical persecutors within the church is rooted in biblical teachings and has been a subject of discussion among various Christian traditions. Jesus' condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 serves as a foundational text, highlighting their hypocrisy, covetousness, and persecution of the righteous ^[2].

In Matthew 23, Jesus denounces the scribes and Pharisees for devouring widows' houses under the guise of long prayers, thereby receiving greater condemnation ^{[2, 5]}. This biblical account illustrates the depravity of those who, while appearing righteous, exploit and persecute the vulnerable. The prophets also spoke against such hypocrisy; Zephaniah 3:4 condemns the prophets and priests of Jerusalem for being arrogant, treacherous, and violent towards the law ^[3].

The characteristics of hypocritical persecutors include wilful blindness, self-righteousness, covetousness, and a tendency to be censorious while neglecting important duties ^[1]. These traits are not only condemned by Jesus but are also seen as abominable to God. The biblical account in Hosea 10:2 highlights the guilt of those whose hearts are hypocritical, indicating that such hypocrisy leads to judgment ^[4].

Historically, the early Christian church faced persecution from both external sources and internal hypocrites. The patristic tradition, as seen in the writings of Augustine, emphasizes the distinction between true Christians who suffer persecution and those who inflict it, often under the guise of righteousness ^[6]. Augustine's works against the Donatists illustrate this point, arguing that true Christianity is characterized by suffering rather than inflicting persecution.

The Reformed tradition, represented by John Calvin, further articulates the nature of hypocrisy and its relation to fear and impiety. Calvin notes that those who are at variance with God's justice fear His judgment but also hate it, wishing that God's tribunal were overthrown ^[7]. This understanding underscores the deep-seated depravity of those who persecute others while pretending to uphold God's law.

In the view of the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, as represented by Adam Clarke's commentary on 2 John 1:11, countenancing false teachers or ministers is considered partaking in their evil deeds. This perspective emphasizes the importance of discerning true from false teachings within the church to avoid supporting hypocrisy and persecution ^[8].

The Baptist/Reformed tradition, as seen in John Gill's commentary on Psalms 78:8 and Matthew 23:13, warns against following the example of the fathers who were disobedient and unbelieving. Gill's commentary on Matthew 23:13 specifically highlights the scribes and Pharisees' exploitation of widows, illustrating their depraved nature ^{[10, 11]}.

The depravity of hypocritical persecutors within the church is thus a theme that transcends various Christian traditions. It is characterized by a profound contradiction between outward appearances of righteousness and inward corruption, leading to the exploitation and persecution of others. This understanding is rooted in biblical teachings and has been elaborated upon by different Christian traditions throughout history.

The consequences of such hypocrisy are severe, including God's judgment and the blasphemy of the Christian name. As seen in Lamentations 4:13, the sins of false prophets and priests led to the shedding of innocent blood, a theme echoed in the historical persecutions under Queen Mary ^[9]. The biblical and historical accounts serve as a warning against the dangers of hypocrisy and persecution within the church.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hypocrites — God knows and detects -- Isa 29:15,16. Christ knew and detected -- Mt 22:18. God has no pleasure in -- Isa 9:17. Shall not come before God -- Job 13:16. Described as Wilfully blind. -- Mt 23:17,19,26. Vile. -- Isa 32:6. Self-righteous. -- Isa 65:5; Lu 18:11. Covetous. -- Eze 33:31; 2Pe 2:3. Ostentatious. -- Mt 5:2,5,16; 23:5. Censorious. -- Mt 7:3-5; Lu 13:14,15. Regarding tradition more than the word of God. -- Mt 15:1-3. Exact in minor, but neglecting important duties. -- Mt 23:23,24. Having but a form of godliness. -- 2Ti 3:5. Seeking only outward pur”
Matthew ““Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. -- Matthew 23:13”
Zephaniah “Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law. -- Zephaniah 3:4”
Hosea “Hosea 10:2 (Rotherham) — Hypocritical is their heart, Now, shall they be held guilty,—He, will break down their altars, he will destroy their statutes.”
King James Version “[KJV] Matthew 23:14 — Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 2.--6. I would add, moreover, that they themselves, by making it the subject of an accusation, referred the case of Caecilianus to the decision of the Emperor Constantine; and that, even after t (part 4): persecution, or for which he suffers it, but think that it is a sufficient sign of a true Christian that he does not 637 inflict persecution, but suffers it, then beyond all question they include Caecilianus in that definition, who did not inflict, but suffered persecution; and they equally exclude their own fathers from the defi”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 20: forced and servile fear which divine Judgment extorts Judgment which, from the impossibility of escape, they are compelled to dread, but which, while they dread, they at the same time also hate. To impiety, and to it alone, the saying of Statius properly applies: “Fear first brought gods into the world,” ( Theb. lib. 1). Those whose inclinations are at variance with the justice of God, knowing that his tribunal has been erected for the punishment of transgression, earnestly wish that that tribunal were overthrown. Under the influen”
2 John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 2 John 1:11: Is partaker of his evil deeds - He that acts towards him as if he considered him a Christian brother, and sound in the faith, puts it in his power to deceive others, by thus apparently accrediting his ministry. No sound Christian should countenance any man as a Gospel minister, who holds and preaches erroneous doctrines; especially concerning the Lord Jesus. Nor can any Christian attend the ministry of such teachers without being criminal in the sight of God. He who attends their ministry is, in effect, bidding them God speed; no matter whether such belong to an est”
Lamentations (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Lamentations 4:13: For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests - These most wretched beings, under the pretense of zeal for the true religion, persecuted the genuine prophets, priests, and people of God, and caused their blood to be shed in the midst of the city, in the most open and public manner; exactly as the murderous priests, and blood-thirsty preachers, under the reign of bloody Queen Mary, did in England. However, the profligate priests and idolatrous prophets in Jerusalem, only shed the blood of the saints of God there: but the sanguinary papists, in”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 78:8: And might not be as their fathers,.... This chiefly respects the Jews in Christ's time: though it also is an admonition to them in succeeding ages, and especially in the latter day, when they shall be instructed, called, and converted; and even to us, to whom the Gospel is preached, on whom the ends of the world are come, not to be disobedient, as the Jewish fathers were, and to take care we do not fall after the same example of unbelief; this opens the whole scope and general design of the psalm; see Co1 10:6, a stubborn and rebellions generation; as the generation”
Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 23:13: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,.... The same character is given as before, and the same woe denounced, and a fresh reason given of it: for ye devour widows' houses; that is, the goods in the houses of such as were left with fatherless children, and but little to support them; who being left alone, and none to advise them, and being weak, and prone to superstition; these greedy dogs, as Isaiah calls them, who could never have enough, easily imposed upon them, wormed them out of all their substance, stripped them bare of the necessaries of life, pre”

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