Matthew Chapter 23

From The Open Bible Project

23:1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,

23:2 saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees sat on Moses' seat.

• (1) We ought to listen to whatever we are truly taught from the word of God, even by wicked teachers, but in a way so that we abstain from their evil behaviour.
• (a) Because God appointed the order, the Lord would therefore have his word to be heard even from the mouth of hypocrites and hirelings.

23:3 All things therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do, but don't do their works; for they say, and don't do.

• (b) Provided always that they deliver the doctrine of Moses which they profess, which thing the metaphor of the seat shows, which they occupied as teachers of Moses’ teaching.

23:4 For they bind heavy burdens that are grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not lift a finger to help them.

• (2) For the most part hypocrites most severely exact those things which they themselves chiefly neglect.

23:5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their [107>]phylacteries[<107] broad, enlarge the [108>]fringes[<108] of their garments,

• (3) Hypocrites are ambitious.
• (c) It was a thread or ribband of blue silk in the fringe of a corner, the beholding of which made them remember the laws and ordinances of God: and therefore it was called a phylactery, or as you would say, a container. See (Numbers 15:38; Deuteronomy 6:8), a commandment which the Jews abused afterwards, as those do today who hang the gospel of John around their necks, which was condemned many years ago in the Council of Antioch.
• (d) Literally, "Twisted tassels of thread which hung at the outermost hems of their garments."

23:6 and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

• (e) When assemblies and councils are gathered together.

23:7 the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi, Rabbi' by men.

• (f) This word "Rabbi" signifies one that is above his fellows, and is as good as any of them: and we may see by the repeating of it how proud a title it was. Now they were called Rabbi who, by the laying on of hands, were uttered and declared to the world to be wise men.

23:8 But don't you be called 'Rabbi,' for one is your teacher, the Christ, and all of you are brothers.

• (4) Modesty is a singular ornament of God’s minsters.
• (g) Seek not ambitiously after it: for our Lord does not forbid us to give the magistrate and our masters the honour that is due to them; Augustine in a sermon on the words of God from (Matthew 11:1-30).
• (h) He seems to allude to references in (Isaiah 54:13) and (Jeremiah 31:34).

23:9 Call no man on the earth your father, for one is your Father, he who is in heaven.

• (i) He attacks a custom of the Jews, for they called the rabbis "our fathers".

23:10 Neither be called masters, for one is your master, the Christ.

• (k) It seems that the scribes hunted very greatly after such titles, these scribes being the ones whom he called blind guides in (Matthew 23:16).

23:11 But he who is greatest among you will be your servant.

23:12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

• (l) He seems to allude to the position of the rabbis, for rabbi signifies one that is in a high position.

23:13 [109>]"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

• (5) Hypocrites cannot endure others to be better than themselves.
• (m) Christ, when he reproves any man sharply, uses this word to show us that there is nothing more detestable than hypocrisy and falsehood in religion.
• (n) Who are even at the door.

23:14 "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men; for you don't enter in yourselves, neither do you allow those who are entering in to enter.[<109]

• (6) It is a common thing among hypocrites to abuse the pretence of zeal when in reality they are exercising covetousness and extortion.
• (o) Literally, "under a colour of long praying"; and the word "and" signifies a double wickedness in them: the one, that they devoured widows goods: the other that they did it under a pretence of godliness.

23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel around by sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much of a son of [110>]Gehenna[<110] as yourselves.

• (p) The dry part: now that part of the earth is called dry which the Lord has given to us to live upon.

23:16 "Woe to you, you blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obligated.'

• (q) Is a debtor. In the Syrian language, sins are called "Debts", and it is certain that Christ spoke in Syrian.

23:17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

• (r) Causes the gold which is dedicated to a holy use to be considered holy.

23:18 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obligated?'

23:19 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

23:20 He therefore who swears by the altar, swears by it, and by everything on it.

23:21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it, and by him who was living in it.

23:22 He who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits on it.

• (s) If heaven is God’s throne, than he is without doubt above this entire world.

23:23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and [111>]cumin,[<111] and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

• (7) Hypocrites take special care in small matters, and neglect the things which matter the very most.
• (t) Faithfulness in the keeping of promises.

23:24 You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!

23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and [112>]unrighteousness.[<112]

• (8) Hypocrites pay too much attention to outward things, and the inward things they utterly condemn.

23:26 You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the platter, that its outside may become clean also.

23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitened tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but inwardly are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

23:28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

23:29 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,

• (9) Hypocrites, when they try the most to cover up their wickedness, it is then by the just judgment of God that they shame themselves.

23:30 and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn't have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'

23:31 Therefore you testify to yourselves that you are children of those who killed the prophets.

23:32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.

• (u) A proverb used by the Jews, which has this meaning: You go on also, and follow your ancestors, that at length your wickedness may come to its fulness.

23:33 You serpents, you offspring of vipers, how will you escape the judgment of [113>]Gehenna[<113]?

23:34 Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, wise men, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify; and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city;

• (10) Hypocrites are cruel.

23:35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar.

• (11) The punishment of those who persecute the gospel, under the pretence of zeal.
• (y) Of Joiada, who was also called Barach-jah, that is, blessed of the Lord.

23:36 Most certainly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!

• (12) Where the mercy of God was greatest, it was there that there was the greatest wickedness and rebellion, and at length the sharpest judgments of God. z He speaks of the outward ministry, and as he was promised for the saving of this people, he was making sure that it would happen, even from the time that the promise was made to Abraham.

23:38 Behold, your house is left to you desolate.

23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now on, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"[114]