SCRIBES AND PHARISEES - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. MOSES’ SEAT - Moses was the great legislator of the Jews. By him the Law was given. The office of explaining that Law among the Jews devolved on the scribes and Pharisees. In the synagogues they sat while expounding the Law, and rose when they r... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL, THEREFORE, WHATSOEVER ... - That is, all that they teach that is consistent with the Law of Moses - all the commands of Moses which they read to you and properly explain. The word “all” could not be taken without such a restriction, for Christ himself accuses them of teaching many things contra... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY BIND HEAVY BURDENS ... - This phrase is derived from the custom of loading animals. The load or burden is bound up and then laid on the beast. So the Pharisees appointed weighty burdens, or grievous and heavy precepts, and insisted that the people should obey them, though they lent no assistanc... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR PHYLACTERIES - The word “phylactery” comes from a word signifying to keep, preserve, or guard. The name was given because phylacteries were worn as amulets or charms, and were supposed to defend or preserve those who wore them from evil. They were small slips of parchment or vellum, on which w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE UPPERMOST ROOMS AT FEASTS - The word “rooms,” here, by no means expresses the meaning of the original. It would be correctly rendered the uppermost “places or couches” at feasts. To understand this, it is necessary to remark that the custom among the Jews was not to eat sitting, as we do, but re... [ Continue Reading ]
GREETINGS IN THE MARKETS - Markets were places where multitudes of people were assembled together. They were pleased with special attention in public places, and desired that all should show them particular respect. GREETINGS - Salutations. See the notes at Luke 10:4. TO BE CALLED RABBI, RABBI - Th... [ Continue Reading ]
BE NOT YE ... - Jesus forbade his disciples to seek such titles of distinction. The reason which he gave was that he was himself their Master and Teacher, They were on a level; they were to be equal in authority; they were brethren; and they should neither covet nor receive a title which implied eit... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CALL NO MAN YOUR FATHER ... - This does not, of course, forbid us to apply the term to our real father. Religion requires all proper honor to be shown to Him, Exodus 20:12; Matthew 15:4; Ephesians 6:1. But the word “father” also denotes “authority, eminence, superiority, a right to command, and... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER BE YE CALLED MASTERS - That is, leaders, guides, for this is the literal meaning of the word. It refers to those who go before others; who claim, therefore, the right to direct and control others. This was also a title conferred on Jewish teachers. Neither of these commands forbids us to gi... [ Continue Reading ]
See the notes at Matthew 20:26. HE THAT SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF ... - God will exalt or honor him that is humble, and that seeks a lowly place among people. That is true religion, and God will reward it.... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO YOU - You are guilty, and punishment will come upon you. Jesus proceeds to state wherein they were guilty. This most eloquent, most appalling, and most terrible of all discourses ever delivered to mortals was pronounced in the temple, in the presence of multitudes. Never was there more fait... [ Continue Reading ]
DEVOUR WIDOWS’ HOUSES - The word “houses” is used here to denote “property” or possessions of any kind. You take away or get possession of the property of widows by improper arts and pretences. This was done in two ways: 1. They claimed a very exact knowledge of the law and a perfect observance of... [ Continue Reading ]
YE COMPASS SEA AND LAND - You take every means, spare no pains, to gain proselytes. PROSELYTE - One that comes over from a foreign nation, religion, or sect to us - a convert. Among the Jews there were two kinds of proselytes: * “Proselytes of righteousness,” or those who wholly and fully embrace... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER SHALL SWEAR ... - See the notes at Matthew 5:33. THE TEMPLE - See the notes at Matthew 21:12. IT IS NOTHING - It amounts to nothing - it is not binding. THE GOLD OF THE TEMPLE - Either the golden vessels in the temple - the candlestick, etc.; or the gold with which the doors and other p... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TEMPLE THAT SANCTIFIETH THE GOLD - To sanctify is to make holy. The gold had no holiness but what it derived from the temple. If in any other place, it would be no more holy than any other gold. It was foolish, then, to suppose that that was more holy than the temple, from which it received all... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ALTAR - The altar of burnt-offerings, in the court of the priests. See the notes at Matthew 21:12. It was made of brass, about 30 feet in length and breadth, and 15 feet in height, 2 Chronicles 4:1. On this altar were offered all the beasts and bloody oblations of the temple. THE GIFT THAT IS U... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ALTAR THAT SANCTIFIETH THE GIFT - The altar, dedicated to God, gave all the value or holiness to the offering, and must therefore be the greatest or of the most importance. If, therefore, either bound to the fulfillment of an oath, it must be the altar.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIM THAT DWELLETH THEREIN - That is, God. The temple was his house, his dwelling. In the first, or Solomon’s temple, he dwelt between the cherubims in the most holy place. He manifested himself there by a visible symbol, in the form of a cloud resting on the mercy-seat, 1 Kings 8:10, 1 Kings 8:13; P... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THRONE OF GOD - Heaven is his throne, Matthew 5:34. It is so called as being the place where he sits in glory. Jesus says, here, that all who swear at all do, in fact, swear by God, or the oath is good for nothing. To swear by an altar, a gift, or a temple is of no force unless it be meant to ap... [ Continue Reading ]
YE PAY TITHE - A tenth part. The law required the Jews to devote a tenth part of all their property to the support of the Levites, Numbers 18:20. Another tenth part they paid for the service of the sanctuary, commonly in cattle or grain, but where they lived far from the place of worship they change... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH STRAIN AT A GNAT ... - This is a proverb. There is, however, a mistranslation or misprint here, which makes the verse unmeaning. “To strain” at a “gnat” conveys no sense. It should have been to strain out a gnat; and so it is printed in some of the earlier versions, and so it was undoubtedly r... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CUP AND THE PLATTER - The drinking-cup and the dish containing food. The Pharisees were diligent in observing all the washings and obligations required by their traditions. See the notes at Mark 7:4. FULL OF EXTORTION AND EXCESS - The outside appeared well; the inside was filled with the fruit... [ Continue Reading ]
CLEANSE FIRST THAT WHICH IS WITHIN THE CUP AND THE PLATTER - Let them be filled with the fruits of honest industry, and then the outside and the inside will be really “clean.” By this allusion to the cup and platter he taught them that it was necessary to cleanse the heart first, that the external c... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE UNTO WHITED SEPULCHRES - For the construction of sepulchres, see the notes at Matthew 8:28. Those tombs were annually whitewashed to prevent the people from accidentally coming in contact with them as they went up to Jerusalem. This custom is still continued. Dr. Thomson (_The Land and the Book... [ Continue Reading ]
YE BUILD THE TOMBS OF THE PROPHETS - That is, you build sepulchres or tombs ever the prophets that have been slain. This they did professedly from veneration and respect for their character. This is often done at the East at the present day, and indeed elsewhere. Among the Muslims it is a common way... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAY ... - This they professed to say by rebuilding their tombs. They also, probably, publicly expressed their disapprobation of the conduct of their fathers. All this, in building and ornamenting tombs, was a profession of extraordinary piety. Our Lord showed them it was mere pretence.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE BE WITNESSES UNTO YOURSELVES - The emphasis, here, lies in the words “to yourselves.” It is an appeal to their conscience. It was not by their building the tombs that they were witnesses that they were the children of those who killed the prophets; but that, in spite of all this pretence of piety... [ Continue Reading ]
FILL YE UP, THEN ... - This is a prediction of what they were about to do. He would have them act out their true spirit, and show what they were, and evince to all that they had the spirit of their fathers, Compare the notes at John 13:27. This was done be putting him to death, and persecuting the a... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SERPENTS - This name is given to them on account of their pretending to be pious, and very much devoted to God, but being secretly evil, At the heart, with all their pretensions, they were filled with evil designs, as the serpent was, Genesis 3:1 GENERATION OF VIPERS - See the notes at Matthew 1... [ Continue Reading ]
I SEND UNTO YOU PROPHETS ... - Jesus doubtless refers here to the apostles, and other teachers of religion. Prophets, wise men, and scribes were the names by which the teachers of religion were known among the Jews, and he therefore used the same terms when speaking of the messengers which he would... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT UPON YOU MAY COME ... - That is, the nation is guilty. Your fathers were guilty. You have shown yourselves to be like them. You are about, by killing the Messiah and his messengers, to fill up the iniquity of the land. The patience of God is nearly exhausted, and the nation is about to be visit... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON THIS GENERATION - The destruction of Jerusalem took place about forty years after this was spoken. See the next chapter.... [ Continue Reading ]
O JERUSALEM ... - See the notes at Luke 19:41. WOULD I HAVE GATHERED - Would have protected and saved. THY CHILDREN - Thy people.... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR HOUSE - The temple. The house of worship of the Jews. The chief ornament of Jerusalem. DESOLATE - About to be desolate or destroyed. To be forsaken as a place of worship, and delivered into the hands of the Romans, and destroyed. See the notes at Matthew 24.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL NOT SEE ME ... - The day of your mercy is gone by. I have offered you protection and salvation, and you have rejected it. You are about to crucify me, and your temple to be destroyed, and you, as a nation, to be given up to long and dreadful suffering. You will not see me as a merciful Savi... [ Continue Reading ]