Five Things We Will Learn
- Why Jesus used the strong phrase “sons of hell” and what it truly means
- How religious activity can actually lead people further from God
- The danger of outward righteousness without inward transformation
- How false discipleship multiplies deception across generations
- What true obedience to Jesus looks like according to the Great Commission
This is an uncomfortable topic, and one that is difficult to write about. The phrase “sons of hell” is strong and can easily be misused or abused to attack others. That is not the purpose of this article. Instead, the goal is to carefully consider a sobering reality that Jesus Himself openly warned about. He made it clear that many people are traveling the “wide road that leads to destruction,” while few find the narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14). With that in mind, this article is written so that we, as Paul urged, can “examine ourselves to see whether we are in the faith” (2 Corinthians 13:5). There is no better place to begin that examination than with Jesus’ own words about “sons of hell.”
Jesus spoke some of His strongest words against the religious leaders of His day. In the middle of a series of sharp rebukes, He used a striking phrase that still challenges us today: “sons of hell” (or “children of hell”). What did He mean, and why was it so serious?
The Accusation in Matthew 23:15
Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees:
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15, NIV)
The religious leaders worked hard. They crossed great distances and invested time and energy to make converts. On the surface, it looked like they were doing the work of God — winning people to faith and obedience.
But Jesus exposed the truth: their efforts were not leading people closer to God. Instead, they were producing followers who became even more spiritually lost than the leaders themselves. The converts absorbed the leaders’ self-righteousness, heavy rules, and empty religion, ending up twice as far from the kingdom of heaven.
What Does “Son of Hell” Mean?
The phrase “child of hell” (sometimes translated “son of hell”) is a Hebrew way of saying someone is characterized by or belongs to something. In this case, it means a person whose life is directed toward hell — headed for judgment and separation from God.
A “son of hell” is shaped by evil influences rather than by God. Their thoughts, motives, and actions point away from the truth and toward spiritual death. Jesus was saying the Pharisees’ converts did not just copy a little hypocrisy; they became even more devoted to a false, soul-destroying system.
Their True Father: The Devil
Jesus went deeper when speaking to these same leaders. In John 8:44, He declared:
“You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
The Pharisees claimed to be children of Abraham and servants of God. Jesus told them their real spiritual father was Satan. Their lies, hatred (they plotted to kill Jesus), and rejection of truth revealed whose desires they were actually following.
Outwardly they proclaimed devotion to God. Inwardly, their hearts belonged to the enemy.
Not Everyone Who Says “Lord, Lord”
This connects directly to Jesus’ warning in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Even impressive spiritual activity — prophesying, miracles, using Jesus’ name — does not guarantee a relationship with God. The true test is whether a person does the will of the Father.
The Father’s will includes seeking and saving the lost by pointing them to a genuine relationship with Christ — not building a personal following or a system of rules.
The Pharisees were not leading people to God. They were making disciples of themselves and their traditions. That is why their converts became twice as much “sons of hell.”
Whitewashed Tombs: Beautiful Outside, Dead Inside
Jesus used another powerful image for these leaders in Matthew 23:27-28:
“You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
In Jesus’ time, tombs were sometimes whitewashed to look clean and respectable, especially before festivals. But inside they contained death and decay.
A modern way to express this is: “They look clean and righteous on the outside, but inside they are full of death and decay.”
The Pharisees appeared holy and devoted, but their hearts were corrupt. Their religion was all show.
A Sobering Reality in Our Time
It is hard to believe that people who claim to be followers of God — even entire religious movements — can invest vast resources, build large campuses and impressive “church” buildings, and devote their entire lives to traveling great distances by every means possible (on foot, by car, train, plane, television, and online) all in the “name of God.” They can appear so right, so dedicated, and so successful on the outside.
Yet, just as in Jesus’ day, it is possible for such leaders and their followers to actually be serving Satan while using the language of faith. The Apostle Paul warned about this exact danger when he wrote:
“For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)
Paul also spoke of those who preach “another Jesus” than the one the apostles proclaimed — a different spirit and a different gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4).
In these cases, the whole system can produce what Jesus described: leaders who are themselves sons of hell, and followers who become twice as much sons of hell as the leaders. The effort that looks so spiritual from the outside is actually leading people further away from the true Christ.
This also reveals a sobering spiritual principle: When one generation follows Satan under the cover of religion, the next generation often becomes twice as deeply committed to that same deception. The hypocrisy and distance from God do not stay the same — they multiply.
The Serious Warning for Us Today
Jesus’ words about “sons of hell” are a sobering warning. Outward religion without a changed heart can actually make people more spiritually lost. It is possible to be very active in church, use religious language, and even do impressive things in Jesus’ name — yet still be following the wrong master on the inside.
True faith is not about building our own following or keeping up appearances. It shows itself in doing the will of the Father: loving God fully, loving others, and humbly pointing people to Christ rather than to ourselves.
The question each of us must ask is this: Who is really my father — the living God, or something else? Are my efforts leading people to Jesus, or are they creating followers who are even further from Him?
So Then, What Does Jesus Expect of Us?
After such a serious warning, we are left with an important question: What does Jesus actually expect of us? The answer is clear and hopeful. Jesus does not leave us in uncertainty. He gave us direct commands to follow, and the Great Commission stands at the center of them.
In Matthew 28:19-20, the risen Jesus commanded His disciples:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
This is not a suggestion — it is our marching order. We are called to make disciples who obey everything Jesus taught, not just believe certain truths or attend services.
To help believers return to this foundation, there is a helpful Scripture-anchored teaching series called The Commands of Jesus. It walks through the specific commands Jesus gave — calling us to repent, follow Him, love one another, pray, forgive, make disciples, walk in faith, and depend on the Holy Spirit. The series shows how obedience to Jesus is meant to be lived out practically, powerfully, and visibly in everyday life.
You can explore the full series here: https://GregLancaster.org/CommandsOfJesus
May we respond to Jesus’ warning with humble self-examination and wholehearted obedience. Instead of building empty religion, let us give ourselves fully to the narrow way — loving God, loving others, and leading others to do the same. As we obey His commands, we can walk in the confidence that He is with us always.