Matthew 23:35

The difficult words υἱοῦ Βαραχίου are omitted in א and in two or service books, viz. 6, 13 and in 59 first hand only, also by Eus. Jerome loc. says: ‘in Evangelio quo utuntur Nazareni Barachiæ filium Joiadæ reperimus scriptum.’

35. ἐκχυννόμενον. For the form see ch. Matthew 10:28 crit. notes.

ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος Ἄβελ κ.τ.λ. If the reading υἱοῦ Βαραχίου be retained (it is omitted in the Sinaitic MS.) a difficulty arises; for the Zacharias, whose death ‘in the court of the house of the Lord’ is recorded 2 Chronicles 24:20-22, was the son of Jehoiada. The words, however, do not occur in Luke 11:51, and are possibly interpolated. Zechariah the prophet was a son of Barachias: but of his death no record is preserved. Another explanation has been offered. At the commencement of the Jewish War with Vespasian a Zacharias, son of Baruch, was slain in the Temple by two zealots (Jos. B. J. IV. 5, 4). Accordingly many commentators have thought that Jesus spoke prophetically of that event. The coincidence is remarkable, but the aorist ἐφονεύσατε is decisively against the explanation. The deed had already been accomplished.

The space from Abel to Zacharias, son of Jehoiada, covers the whole written history of the Jews; for the Jewish Canon, not being arranged in order of time, began with Genesis and closed with the second book of Chronicles.

ἐφονεύσατε. The present generation shares in the guilt of that murder.

μεταξὺ τοῦ ναοῦ καὶ τοῦ θ. ‘Between the sanctuary and the altar.’ Even the priests were not allowed at all times to tread that sacred part of the Temple Courts.