As Jesus taught the religious leaders – the teachers of the law – listened. Everyone saw them. But Jesus wasn’t afraid. What Jesus said here is a lesson for all time. We must be careful of religious leaders who pretend to be righteous, but instead go around doing evil. It doesn’t matter how they might justify their deeds, or how self-deluded they may be, we must beware of them. There have been many religious people like this throughout history. Just think for a moment about the persecution, exploitation, and abuse that has taken place in the name of religion. Don’t be fooled by simply following what any religious leader says, whether in a book, on TV, or online, until you’ve checked it out for yourself in the Word of God. Similarly, don’t simply accept what any organisation tells you as being true, unless you have understood for yourself that it agrees with the principles that Jesus lived out and taught.