Why did Jesus call the Jews whited sepulchers?
Jesus called them whited sepulchers because their religion was outwardly cloaked but spiritually dead. Though most Jews appeared religious, only a small remnant truly believed; the rest had nothing but a dead religion with no spiritual life whatsoever. That inward lifelessness made them like whitewashed tombs.
Les explains that at Christ’s first advent, most people assume the Jews were largely an obedient people, but they were not. Only a few were left as true believers, such as Zacharias and Elizabeth, and Joseph and Mary. The rest had been cloaked in nothing more than their religion—just a dead religion. This continues the pattern seen with Elijah, when only 7,000 out of millions had not bowed to Baal. Jesus called them whited sepulchers because they were a dead religion with no spiritual life whatsoever.