Introduction

Good day to everyone. We will be studying Matthew Chapter 27. This world has a peculiar trait: people are often unaware when they are deluded. Could there be a greater irony than the chief priests, elders, and Pharisees themselves crucifying Jesus Christ, the incarnate God they worship? Why are people like this? Even after committing such an act, they believe they are perfectly clear-headed.

Today, I offer you a piece of advice: emerge from self-righteousness, and you will become very wise. Self-righteousness is quite prevalent in one's life; it leads to delusion without one's awareness. Over the past years, I have often struggled to understand the actions of some people I serve. No matter how you reason with them, they remain unyielding. Let us ponder what is happening here. Later, I discovered this is a tactic of Satan. Once Satan deceives someone, they remain blissfully unaware of their delusion, which is very cunning.

I have a clear understanding that the entire Gospel of Matthew revolves around two logical systems: one that is earthly, and one that is divine; one that is based on worldly values, and one that is based on godly values.

Matthew Chapter 24's theme is: See to it that no one misleads you. If one knows they are being misled, it is easy to deal with. By Chapter 25, the theme is: Be wise. If you are not wise, you will not even know when you are being misled. People believe everything they do is correct; no one does what they believe is wrong. But are the things you believe are right today truly right?

In our ministry, we have found that self-righteousness is quite common. This is the work of Satan. The theme of Matthew Chapter 26 is: The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Why is the flesh weak? Because we have an internal battle between the earthly and divine logical systems, and the flesh easily yields to the earthly one.

In this world, there are not many victorious Christians, and I say this with good reason. In Noah's generation, only eight people were saved; the rest were swept away by the flood. About five hundred years after Noah, in Abraham's time, you will find that most people were not like Abraham. God chose only one Abraham. Of Abraham's two sons, Isaac and Ishmael, God chose only Isaac. This is very perplexing. In reality, there are not many who are victorious.

Three million Israelites left Egypt under Moses' leadership, with six hundred thousand capable of fighting. However, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land. Today, we must understand how easily people are deceived and remain unaware of their delusion. How can this problem be solved? My advice to you is never to be self-righteous.

In Chapter 27, Jesus is arrested and judged at the high priest's house. The high priest and the elders bring Jesus to Pilate, the governor, who is the highest official in that region. The Jewish chief priests do not have the authority to impose the death penalty. To kill Jesus, they must obtain Pilate's approval.

The Sins Committed in Delusion Must Be Born Alone

When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (Matthew 27:3-8)

What can we reflect on from this passage? Judas began to regret, claiming, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. But did he truly awaken? No. He was deluded from the start; otherwise, he would not have gone and hanged himself, throwing the money to the chief priests. Jesus had previously said, He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. Judas was the one who dipped his hand in the dish with Jesus. But why was Judas completely unaware of his delusion? As I say this, you might still feel clear-headed, but many of us are already in a state of delusion.

These people once said: If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets. They believed they would not kill the prophets, yet they crucified Jesus. Isn't this strange? They were full of confidence in their own judgment, believing it to be very accurate. Then we must ponder to what extent we are self-righteous, which is what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, Think of yourself with sober judgment.

People are deluded and remain unaware, resulting in further delusion, leading to suicide by hanging. If Judas had known he was deluded and returned to God, saying, God, forgive me, I was wrong, would Jesus have forgiven him? Yes, Jesus would have! Because Jesus said, They do not know what they are doing. But Judas did something he did not understand and still believed he understood, shedding innocent blood. His choice was to hang himself, which is a deeper delusion. This is how the Devil deceives people.

People are Often Deluded Because of Their Internal Logical Systems

The high priests and chief priests wanted to put Jesus to death. What were they thinking? Did they not know what Jesus had done? Those who crucified Jesus knew what He had done, but it could not be reconciled with their own value systems because they believed they were clear-headed.

Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first. (Matthew 27:64)

This passage means they were still worried that Jesus would deceive many people. Today, let us carefully ponder how tragic it is that people are deluded and remain unaware! The curse upon that generation of high priests and their descendants is profound. History will not record their history; the Bible records the history of those who are after God's heart.

We do not know how these high priests died, but they will certainly suffer the punishment of hell. Do not think that if you are deluded and unaware, you are without sin or responsibility. As long as you are deluded, God's judgment will come upon you.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” (Matthew 27:11)

If Jesus is the King of the Jews, why was He arrested, flogged, and sentenced to death? Pilate was confused.

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many charges they bring against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:13-23)

These deluded people wanted to crucify Jesus Christ. Did they not know that Jesus made the blind see, the lame walk, and cleansed lepers? They knew, but precisely because Jesus did these things, they did not align with their logical systems. Therefore, these people determined that Jesus was a deceiver. They were deluded but believed that Jesus was the deceiver. Don't you find this strange?

The governor said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” (Matthew 27:23-25)

How foolish could they be? When people are deluded, their minds are completely incapable of thinking. Jesus Christ did so much good in the world, yet they wanted to crucify Him. Perhaps some of these people had family members who were healed by Jesus Christ, but today they wanted to crucify Him. Did these people understand? Were they aware of what they were doing while living in delusion? They were completely unaware of living in delusion, and the curse upon these people and their descendants will be profound.

How easily people are deceived when confronted with a heavenly logical system. Today, if we measure the Christian faith by the standard of resembling Jesus, how many resemble Jesus? Very few. But these churches that do not resemble Jesus, or preach a gospel that does not resemble Jesus and the Apostle Paul, believe they are orthodox.

They concocted a so-called reformation, but it turned out to be a distortion, and they are truly unaware. But whether one resembles Jesus or not is something people know. They clearly knew what Jesus did, yet they still crucified Him. Isn't this strange? Clearly, these churches do not act like Jesus, yet they believe they are orthodox. Don't you find this very strange?

People are deluded and completely unaware, misinterpreting the Bible without knowing it. But how is it possible not to know? When people are deluded, everything they think seems reasonable, and they believe that Jesus is a deceiver. They believe that Jesus is a heretic, that Jesus is not the Messiah who is to come, even though Jesus had long told people that He is the Son of God. What particularly amazes us is that people crucified Jesus and still believed they had done a perfect thing. Such things are very common in human history. Not only did Jesus encounter such things, but there are many such events in history.

Someone wrote an article entitled Human Zealotry is Often Very Evil, which tells the story of a patriotic general guarding the frontier who was falsely accused of colluding with the enemy. The emperor ordered him to be executed by slow slicing. The entire population of Beijing paraded through the streets, cheering loudly, celebrating his execution. Later, after the general was exonerated, the same group of people paraded through the streets again, celebrating his rehabilitation. Doesn't this surprise you? How can people be like this?

A few days ago, I saw many photos from the Cultural Revolution on a website. The photos depicted veteran cadres being denounced by Red Guards. These veteran cadres were tied with their arms behind their backs in a way that the Red Guards called the jet plane position. These veteran cadres were tormented by these people, and later, during the Deng Xiaoping era, they were all rehabilitated.

Did the Red Guards know what they were doing back then? Many were doing it in a daze. People become deluded and still think they are doing something great. You can see that the fanaticism of people in our generation and in Jesus' generation is truly very strange.

I am very touched that people can fall into delusion and not even know it. Now some churches are constantly labeling this as heresy and that as heresy, as if they are orthodox. Are they truly orthodox? If they are truly orthodox, there is only one standard: to see if they resemble Jesus. If they do not resemble Jesus, they cannot be orthodox.

The doctrine of constantly labeling this as heresy and that as heresy is very deadly. Jesus was arrested as a heretic, as a deceiver. You must consider whether you are truly orthodox. If you are truly orthodox, then we should do only one thing: do what Jesus Christ did. This is what Jesus faced at that time.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. (Matthew 27:27-31)

Did these soldiers truly know who Jesus Christ was? They did not know. They only knew that Jesus was sentenced to death and nailed to the cross, then humiliated, just like any other prisoner. They did not know that Jesus Christ would rise again three days later. They did not know that He was the King of the Jews, that He was our savior, that Jesus was the Passover lamb who would redeem the sins of the world. So they mocked Jesus.

Of course, these soldiers did not have much brains. But if we were to compare brains, the brain of the high priest should have been very capable, but it was very confused. People in delusion are easily confused, and it is difficult to understand. Recently, I will be launching a new course called Healing and Deliverance. I once wrote a book called Doing Healing and Deliverance Like Jesus Christ. But the new course mainly uses courseware, and the first topic is: Why does the church not resemble Jesus Christ? Why do I say this? It is to unravel all these puzzling things.

These soldiers of the governor mocked Jesus. If they had known that they were mocking God incarnate, the Savior of mankind, they would not have dared to do such a thing. People in delusion do not know, thinking that it is okay to make fun of Him. But today I want to tell you that these people all lived miserably in the end, but history did not record it.

And with him they crucified two robbers, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” (Matthew 27:38-40)

They said, If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross! How self-righteous they were! Jesus had said, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. They did not understand these words, but they thought they understood. They thought that coming down from the cross was saving Himself, but they did not know that being nailed to the cross, dying, being buried, and resurrecting were God's plan.

## Deception Arises from Conceit

It is truly lamentable when people become conceited, for they are already entrenched in their own notions. Today, I have encountered a multitude of such individuals. For instance, someone may toil laboriously and painstakingly at their work, yet declare, Isn't it the same for anyone doing this job? They believe their approach is entirely correct.

However, I wish to convey that if you find your work excessively tiring and laborious, and you assert, Isn't it the same for anyone doing this job? I assure you that you are undoubtedly doing it incorrectly. If you were doing it right, you would find yourself handling it with ease and comfort. Even when done correctly, work can be tiring, but not to the point of unbearable discomfort. If, while working, one becomes disoriented and confused, the best course of action is to pause and re-evaluate the correctness of their approach, rather than seeking excuses or justifications by claiming that it would be the same for anyone else.

A sister suffered when her husband ran off with another woman. As I ministered to her, she remarked, Isn't it the same for any woman? She perceived her suffering as normal. When faced with a situation, we tend to conjure a thousand and one reasons to justify the reasonableness of our actions.

Some individuals are remarkably unwise; a mere glance or word from someone sends them spiraling into distress at home, only to rationalize it by saying, Wouldn't anyone feel the same way? I tell you, this kind of self-righteousness is exceedingly prevalent. Some have never successfully pastored anyone; give them one, and they will pastor that person to spiritual death. At times, I feel sorry for those under their care. Yet, they see no issue with themselves, believing they are doing exceptionally well.

Why do I bring this up? I have delved deeply into the matter of pastoring. Why have I studied it so extensively? Because through constant practice, I have discerned the principles of pastoring. Many do not inherit my pastoral approach; instead, they concoct their own, yet claim it is identical to mine, when in reality, it is not. I once encountered pastors who, in their conversations with me, would elicit secret amusement from me. They would say that they were doing the same thing as I was. The similarity in approach is inconsequential; what matters is the disparity in outcomes.

Not long ago, I made a point of learning about gardening. I purchased some flowers to cultivate, but their leaves began to yellow, and the situation deteriorated. My amateur efforts proved futile. Knowing my lack of expertise, I sought advice far and wide, eventually gaining understanding. Someone offered me sound counsel: avoid excessive diligence in gardening. I had been too diligent, tending to them one day, adjusting them the next, ultimately causing their roots to rot and die.

If you were to ask me about my virtues, my greatest habit is my lack of self-righteousness. Are there elements of conceit within me? Certainly, but having killed my flowers, I have no basis for self-importance. If I have never successfully pastored an individual, I have no right to speak of pastoring. If my attempts at healing and deliverance are failures, I have no authority to discuss healing and deliverance.

However, many fail to act on what they preach, and preach what they fail to do. It is peculiar indeed to find someone who has never successfully completed a task yet believes themselves to be performing admirably. Eloquent words are useless! If I kill my flowers, yet offer advice on how to cultivate them, disregard my words – I am speaking nonsense.

These individuals accomplish nothing and are capable of nothing. Yet, they react in the following way to a statement by Jesus:

**You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God! In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. He saved others, they said, but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. (Matthew 27:40-44)**

Do you find it strange? These thieves, crucified, do not consider: this man is different from me. I am crucified because I have committed crimes, but this man has never sinned. It is strange that he is crucified with me! Jesus was the most famous person in that era, and the deeds of Jesus had spread throughout the land of Israel. The chief priests and scribes were aware of Jesus' actions. How could they not be? Yet, these individuals mocked Him.

When people adopt worldly logic as truth, their foolishness inevitably surfaces. When deceived by worldly principles, they remain unaware. But even worse, when suffering the consequences, they remain oblivious.

A sister's aunt suffers from a herniated disc, often confined to bed for months. She is not old; what will become of her in old age? One can imagine that things will only worsen. It strikes me as odd that people possess their own logical systems, believing that suffering from a herniated disc and being bedridden for months is normal. No matter how many prayers you offer for those with herniated discs, she deems it impossible for herself. Can one recover without spending months in bed? Individuals like this expose the most foolish aspects of humanity, remaining unaware of their own deception.

These deluded individuals, facing the Son of God, lack the ability to perform the works of Jesus: enabling the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, lepers to be cleansed, and the dead to be resurrected. They have never done these things. Instead, witnessing Jesus crucified, they inwardly question, If you are the Son of God, why are you being crucified?

Their internal logic differs entirely from God's. Jesus had long foretold His death and resurrection to His disciples, who also grappled with the same confusion. Therefore, we must begin to emerge from this self-righteousness. People consistently believe they are right, yet the outcomes are invariably poor.

Even today, I continue to study this matter of self-righteousness. I frequently advise people to reflect on and summarize their past foolish actions, as this will lead to wisdom. However, many fail to do so, even neglecting to reflect on their recent foolishness. Why? Because they believe they are without fault or issue. But if they continue in this manner, let them reap what they have sown.

What kind of person becomes wise? **One who is aware of their own deception, aware of their own confusion, and aware of their own ignorance.** If one is unaware and yet believes they are aware, it is truly lamentable.

Therefore, Jesus Christ came into this world to cause many to fall and many to rise. Outwardly, He was crucified, seemingly cursed, but in reality, He bore our curses. He carried all our sorrows and took on our pains. Why did Jesus have to be crucified? To place our sins, their consequences, and all our sorrows and pains upon Himself, paying the price for them.

But people are unaware and yet believe they are aware. Is this not foolishness? When Jesus was crucified, many were perplexed. The Jews, chief priests, and scribes did not believe they had an issue. Thus, after Jesus was crucified and placed in the tomb, they sealed the tomb with a stone.

**The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. Sir, they said, we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' (Matthew 27:62-63)**

They considered Jesus a deceiver. But whom did Jesus deceive? They knew that Jesus, while alive, had claimed that He would rise after three days.

**So order that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first. Take a guard, Pilate answered. Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how. So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:64-65)**

Why were these Pharisees so certain that Jesus would not rise from the dead, fearing instead that His disciples would steal His body? Even today, many legends persist, and numerous texts from the first and second centuries, not included in the Bible, record that His body was stolen. If His body was stolen and Jesus Christ did not resurrect, how could we, in His name, heal so many today?

My brothers and sisters, we must know that Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, and all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. Jesus Christ has, in turn, bestowed this authority upon us. Therefore, we can do what Jesus Christ did. Under these circumstances, according to worldly perspective, how is it possible for the dead to rise?

If there was no resurrection, then Jesus' body was stolen by His disciples. But the chief priests had also stationed guards; how could anyone have stolen it? If so, then the most skilled thieves of the time stole the body of Jesus Christ. But what could they have achieved by doing so? Stealing the body would not have manifested the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection!

## Addressing the Problem of Self-Righteousness

Why are we studying this passage today? We must understand that people are unaware when they are deceived. People are typically deceived due to self-righteousness. How do we resolve this issue? It is not difficult. **First: we can simply investigate further to discern the source of the problem.** Never be obstinate. Obstinacy prevents investigation and leads to the stubborn assertion of one's own beliefs. If you are not being deceived, who is? If such persistence is considered faith, it is better termed foolishness.

Our internal logic often mingles with worldly and carnal logic. Some of our brothers and sisters work tirelessly, claiming they have no choice but to be busy. Is such busyness truly necessary? Busyness arises from a lack of insight. If, as they claim, they have too many things to do, should they continue being busy? If they continue until death, the problem remains unresolved.

If one believes a problem is unsolvable, then it remains unsolvable. During healing and deliverance, many possessing spirits have told me, There is no way, absolutely no way. This is just the way it is! What does this is just the way it is mean? What does there is no way mean? These are the words of evil spirits. How can there be no way in Jesus Christ?

For instance, in gardening, I was advised not to water too frequently, as it is ineffective. We often engage in many unproductive activities. Can we set aside time to allow ourselves to become more clear-headed? People fall into deception without realizing it, believing that their actions are entirely appropriate and reasonable. Are you not then like those who crucified Jesus, mocked Him: the soldiers, chief priests, and Pharisees?

When we examine these things carefully, we inevitably arrive at a conclusion: we are deceived when we are self-righteous. We feel that what we are doing and handling today are self-evident truths, taken for granted.

Did Jesus Christ know about His crucifixion? Yes, He did. Jesus Christ was gentle and humble in heart, and He understood God's will. He knew that God wanted Him to go to the cross and resurrect from the dead. This is why Jesus Christ foretold His resurrection three times before His crucifixion, prophesying His victory, because He knew that this was God's plan for Him. When Jesus was on the cross, our Heavenly Father was unable to look; it was incredibly painful.

**About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? (which means My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, He's calling Elijah. Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him. (Matthew 27:46-49)**

They believed that preserving one's life by coming down from the cross was the definition of living. But in reality, offering one's life to God and resurrecting from the dead is far better. After Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead, He acquired a glorious body. Therefore, in the days ahead, we must strive to confront and eliminate our self-righteousness.

If you know, say you know; if you don't know, say you don't know. If you can see yourself accurately, you are wise. We must gradually emerge from deception. Therefore, one must be cautious and careful not to fall into deception unknowingly, like Judas, who was completely ignorant when he was deceived and even thought he had done a great thing by betraying Jesus, only to hang himself later. Who crucified Jesus Christ? It was these self-righteous individuals.

Even today, self-righteousness continues to play a prominent role in history, often bringing about generational chaos. If you are a deceived individual, you bring generational chaos. You live under a curse, and when the curses you sow bear fruit, will you not have to consume them all yourself?

Do not wait until matters bear fruit to regret them. Awaken now and seek to understand the Word of God, to know His plans, His will, and His deeds. By continuously observing God's work, one is less likely to be deceived.

Secondly, maintain a strong connection with your pastor. During healing and deliverance, we often say that when demons come, seek out your pastor. If demons come, you cannot resolve the problem through personal prayer. What can one do when deceived? Besides confusion, nothing else. Therefore, ask your pastor for help. If the pastor points out your issues, heed their words and avoid denying them. For example, if the pastor identifies a spirit of religion in you, do not claim to be without it.

Begin with a gentle and humble heart. Your pastor sees your problems more clearly than you see yourself. If self-righteousness reigns in your body, you would have been among those who crucified Jesus in His time. When we are filled with worldly logic, we are deceived and misled by that logic, inevitably leading to corrupt outcomes.

Therefore, we must be cautious and careful, lest we fall into deception. People, when deceived, are completely unaware, and this is because of self-righteousness. Next, we must continuously release ourselves from the bondage of self-righteousness, behind which lies a powerful demon known as Satan.

May God bless you all!