Hypocrites, Isaiah prophesied well about you, saying.
In this saying Jesus sternly and openly rebukes the Pharisees and the scribes. The word “hypocrite” here, in its original sense, means an actor, a person who plays the role of someone else. Jesus emphasizes that they pretend to be devout while in reality lacking a true posture of heart. He cites the words of the prophet Isaiah to say that their conduct had long ago been foretold by prophecy. In this way Jesus shows that their worship is merely outward, without inner truth, and that God has condemned this long ago. This passage is important for us as well, reminding us that godliness is not measured by outward appearance, but by the devotion of the heart. If the tongue glorifies God, yet the heart is far from Him, that worship is unacceptable.