Twice, the Lord Jesus addresses the hypocrites by asking:

“… Which is greater: the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?”
“… Which is greater: the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?” Matthew23:17,19

Because of their carnal and Adamic nature, hypocrites are able of telling God they disagree with the need to sacrifice.

The same evil spirits of the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time are still active today.

They’ve come down from generation to generation until the present day.

As a result, the hypocrites of the past remain alive and active today.
The bodies and clothes might be different, but the spirit and goal is still the same.

They don’t care about the altar, only what is being deposited there.
They didn’t care about the Lord’s previous teachings and ideas.

With their eyes opened wide and fixed on the money, their spiritual eyes were blinded. They weren’t able to recognize the eternal values.

The same ambitious spirit has blinded the present generation.

Although they can’t see, they also try to blind their understanding by thinking that the offering represents the offering giver to God, and the altar represents God to the offering giver.

Fools and blind!

Which is greater: the gift or the Altar?
Which is greater: the offering giver or the One who receives it?
Which is greater: the sacrifice or the Altar of sacrifice?