The priests and elders of Israel spent their lives in religious ceremonies, which they regarded as too sacred to be connected with secular business. Therefore their lives were supposed to be wholly religious. But they performed their ceremonies to be seen by men that they might be thought by the world to be pious and devoted. While professing to obey they refused to render obedience to God. They were not doers of the truth which they professed to teach.

Israels præster og ældste tilbragte livet med at tage del i religiøse ceremonier som de regnede for at være for hellige til at kunne sættes i forbindelse med verdslige foretagender Derfor mente man, at deres liv var fuldkommen helligt. Men de udførte deres ceremonier så de kunne ses af mennesker, så at alle kunne få den tanke, at de var fromme og gudhengivne. Medens de foregav at adlyde, nægtede de dog i virkeligheden at være lydige mod Gud. De var ikke den sandheds gørere, som de foregav at lære.