Matthew 23:1-39. A Discourse to the Disciples respecting the Pharisees and the Jewish Nation The strength and weakness of the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:1). Only a part of this discourse appears in the other Synoptics; for this portion cp. Mark 12:38-40; Luke 11:43-46; Luke 20:46-47.... [ Continue Reading ]
_sit in Moses" seat_ i. e. succeed him as teachers. For sitting as the posture of a teacher cp. ch. Matthew 5:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
_they bind heavy burdens_ Impose the grievous enactments of the Law. Cp. "My yoke is easy and my burden is light" (ch. Matthew 11:30).... [ Continue Reading ]
_phylacteries_ Greek φυλακτήρια = "defences," and in late Greek "amulets" or "charms." The Hebrew name, _tephillin_, which is still in use, signifies "prayers." They were slips of parchment inscribed with four portions of the Law (Exodus 12:3-16; Deuteronomy 6:5-9; Deuteronomy 11:13-21) enclosed in... [ Continue Reading ]
_the uppermost rooms_ i. e. "the most honourable seats." The Jews, like the Romans, reclined at meals on couches, called _triclinia_each containing three seats and each seat having its special dignity. The seats on the triclinia are here called "rooms.... [ Continue Reading ]
_to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi_ Literally, GREAT [ONE], LORD. This title, with which the great doctors of the law were saluted, was quite modern, not having been introduced before the time of Hillel. The true teaching on this point is found in the Talmud, "Love the work but hate the title.... [ Continue Reading ]
_be not ye called Rabbi_ The emphasis is on "ye," which is expressed in the Greek. Ye as Scribes of the Kingdom of Heaven must not be as the Jewish Scribes.... [ Continue Reading ]
_masters_ Rather, LEADERS, GUIDES, it is not the same word as in Matthew 23:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. ch. Matthew 20:26-27. Seven woes denounced against the Scribes and Pharisees. 13 36.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men_ In allusion to the symbolic "key of knowledge" given to the Scribe on admission to the order. They use their keys to shut rather than to open the doors of the Kingdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye devour widows" houses_ i. e. "consume their substance," by illegal exaction or by working upon their religious feelings; a common form of rapacity. The Vatican and Sinaitic MSS. omit this verse, which occurs Mark 12:40, and Luke 20:47.... [ Continue Reading ]
_compass_ "go about," "traverse." The word is used of our Lord's "circuits" in Galilee, ch. Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35. _proselyte_ Literally, ONE WHO APPROACHES, hence, "a worshipper," (cp. Hebrews 10:1), "a convert." The Pharisee, St Paul, carried with him into his new faith the same zeal, with a... [ Continue Reading ]
_the gold of the temple_ i. e. the offerings made to the Temple, called "Corban," or "devoted;" the use of that word made an oath binding, see ch. Matthew 15:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin_ "Mint and rue and all manner of herbs," (Luke 11:42.) Zeal in paying tithes was one of the points of reform under the Maccabees. _anise_ Greek ἄνηθον, either="anise" as in E.V., or "dill," a plant similar in appearance, and used like anise as a sedative m... [ Continue Reading ]
_strain out a gnat_ A correction for the reading of E. V. "strain _at_a gnat;" the reading in the text appears in the earlier editions of the English Bible from Tyndale to Bishops" Bible. See Cambridge Paragraph Bible, _Introd._, Appendix A. The reading of the E. V. is not a misprint, as some have t... [ Continue Reading ]
_are full_ Observe how swiftly and naturally Eastern speech passes from the figurative to the literal. The outside of the cup and platter is the external behaviour and conduct of the Pharisee, the inside of the cup is his heart and real life. _extortion_ The same Greek word is translated "ravening,... [ Continue Reading ]
_that which is within the cup_ Rather, THE INSIDE OF THE CUP. Cp. Mark 7:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
_like unto whited sepulchres_ In Luke the comparison is to "graves that appear not," by walking over which men unconsciously defile themselves. To avoid this ceremonial defilement the Jews carefully whitewashed the graves or marked them with chalk on a fixed day every year the fifteenth of Adar. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_build the tombs of the prophets_, &c. Luke 11:47-48. A portion of the Temple-offerings was devoted to this purpose. See Lightfoot, _Hor. Hebr._ad loc.... [ Continue Reading ]
_witnesses unto yourselves_ You call yourselves children, and indeed you _are_children of those who slew the prophets. You inherit their wickedness in compassing the death of the Prophet of the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
_generation of vipers_ See note ch. Matthew 3:7. _the damnation of hell_ Rather, THE JUDGMENT OF GEHENNA.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes_ Marking the continuity of the Christian with the Jewish Church. _ye shall kill and crucify_ Kill, directly as Stephen (Acts 7:59), indirectly as James (Acts 12:2), and crucify, by means of the Roman power, as Symeon, second Bishop of Jerusalem ... [ Continue Reading ]
_from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias_ If the reading "son of Barachias" 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... [ Continue Reading ]
The Fate of Jerusalem 37. _Jerusalem, Jerusalem_ From Luke 13:34, it appears that our Lord spoke these words in a different connection at an earlier period of His ministry. For the pathetic reiteration of the name, cp. ch. Matthew 27:46. The Aramaic form for Jerusalem in the text appears here only... [ Continue Reading ]
_your house_ i. e. Jerusalem, rather than the Temple. _desolate_ Omitted in the Vatican Codex, but too strongly supported to be removed from the text.... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_explains "desolate" of Matthew 23:38. The Temple is desolate, for Christ, who is the Lord of the Temple, leaves it for ever. _till ye shall say_ Till, like the children in these Temple-courts, ye recognise Me as the Messiah. See ch. Matthew 21:15. The words of Jesus, and the place, and the ang... [ Continue Reading ]