Jesus here reserves his harshest words for those who are self-righteous. He confronts the religious leaders for their focus on outward religiosity while neglecting inner transformation and love for others. Instead, Jesus says that an inner cleansing (a clean heart) will lead to outward goodness as well. This inner cleansing, Jesus says, is especially marked by care for the poor. After all, what good is religion if it doesn't lead us to become more like Jesus?

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