Daily Devotional Wednesday Wisdom | May 6, 2026
It’s time for your midweek daily devotional. Jesus didn’t mince words when it involved the scribes and Pharisees. These false leaders were disappointing and unfaithful to God, having only outward acts of obedience. Yet their position makes them responsible for holding others to a high standard of righteousness. In today’s daily devotional, before you can judge others, you must first judge yourself.
Failed in Weightier Matters
In Matthew 23:24, Jesus summarized the scribes and Pharisees’ habits, calling them blind guides who strain at a gnat but swallow a camel. When the blind lead the blind, they both fall. They had no spiritual understanding. Though they claimed to know the scriptures foretelling the Messiah, they didn’t recognize Him. They were careful to perform minute acts, but failed in weightier matters, such as having a heart of love and compassion. In your daily devotional, titles, influence, and flowing robes cannot replace a loving spirit in God’s Kingdom.
Woe Unto You
Jesus delivers His sixth woe in verse 25: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.” Jesus rebukes these fake leaders and lets them know they look godly on the outside; however, their hearts are corrupt. Extortion involves obtaining what isn’t yours from another person through wrongful means, such as by fear, pressure, or abuse of power. In your daily devotional, Jesus warns you to beware of false prophets, for they appear as sheep, but inwardly, they’re ravenous wolves.
Cleaning the Outside
Cleaning the outside of a cup or platter, but leaving the inside dirty, which is to be used, is contradictory. Ensuring their reputations were clean, they avoided scandalous acts that would ruin their standing among men. Yet their rebelliousness and impure hearts made them odious to God. They considered themselves seers of Israel, yet Jesus called them blind. Like the priest Eli, they had no spiritual vision. Nevertheless, they had an eye for excess. In this daily devotional, Jesus allows you to judge yourself; then you won’t be judged.
Failed to Judge Themselves
The scribes and Pharisees failed to judge themselves. Their positions as leaders gave them a sense of entitlement; they were the spiritual elite, therefore untouchable, or so they thought. Being greedy for gain, their evil hearts looked for opportunities to take advantage of others. It’s dangerous for leaders not to love others because they may see people as prey. Unknowingly, people trust in those with no real spiritual insight.
In 1 Samuel 1:13, Eli sees Hannah praying, but believes she’s drunk. When she tells him she’s a woman of sorrow petitioning God, He utters a prayer that she receive her request from the Lord. Hannah cheers up, believing a holy man of God has pronounced a blessing over her. However, Hannah was praying for a son while Eli was letting his own sons run wild. In your daily devotional, God can bless you despite unfaithful leaders; however, follow good leadership you can trust.
Faithful to God’s Word by Judging Yourself
In Wednesday’s daily devotional, the scribes and Pharisees’ blindness was like someone cleaning the outside of a cup or platter but not cleaning the inside yet considering it fully clean. The Holy Spirit renews your spirit, influencing your mind, soul, and body. In today’s daily devotional, spiritual renewal changes you from the inside out. Jesus delivered His sixth woe, which warns all believers to check their hearts. Being faithful to God’s word leads you to judge yourself.
