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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Matthew 23:11

He that is greatest among you. — Literally, the greater of you. The words admit of a two-fold meaning. Either (1), as in Mark 9:35, they assert a law of retribution — the man who seeks to be greatest shall be the servant of all; or (2) they point out the other law, of which our Lord’s own life was the highest illustration — that he who is really greatest will show his greatness, not in asserting it, but in a life of ministration. The latter interpretation seems to give on the whole the best meaning.

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See also Matthew 23:11 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 23:11. _YOUR SERVANT._] διακονος, _deacon_. See on Matthew 20:26....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    11. THE WOES OF THE KING AND HIS LAMENTATION OVER JERUSALEM. CHAPTER 23 1. The Hypocrisy of the Pharisees.(Matthew 23:1 .) 2. The Woes of the King upon Them.(Matthew 23:13 .) 3. The Lamentation over...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    WARNINGS TO THE PEOPLE AND THE DISCIPLES. Matthew 23:2 f. Loisy regards this as an interpolation (by a Judaising redactor) out of harmony with the attack that follows. Holtzmann thinks it is Mt.'s, b...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    They perform all their actions to be seen by men. They broaden their phylacteries; they wear outsize tassels. They love the highest places at meals, and the front seats in the synagogues, and greeting...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    SCRIBES AND PHARISEES (Matthew 23:1-39) If a man is characteristically and temperamentally an irritable, ill-tempered and irascible creature, notoriously given to uncontrolled outbursts of passionate...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HE THAT IS GREATEST AMONG YOU. the greater of you....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Cp. ch. Matthew 20:26-27. Seven woes denounced against the Scribes and Pharisees. 13 36....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Cp. ch. Matthew 20:26-27. Seven woes denounced against the Scribes and Pharisees. 13–36. The leading words are ὑποκριταί—τυφλοί—μωροί....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    Matthew 23:1-36. A PROPHETIC ODE, DENOUNCING THE PHARISEES AND THE RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY OF THE AGE Each division is marked by its special beauty of poetical form....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE CONTRAST OF CHRISTIAN CONDUCT...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 5. "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, 6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _WOE TO THOSE THAT ARE RELIGIOUS FOR THE WRONG MOTIVES MATTHEW 23:1-12:_ Jesus taught His followers to "observe and do" what the Pharisees taught as they, "sat in Moses' seat." They knew and understoo...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΜΕΊΖΩΝ (G3187) _сотр. от_ ΜΈΓΑΣ более великий, ΎΜΏΝ _gen. pl._ от ΎΜΕΪ́Σ _сотр. gen._ "чем вы" ΈΣΤΑΙ _fut. ind. med. (dep.) от_ ΕΙΜΊ'...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI— The Apostles of Christ were to be very different, both in temper and conduct, from the Jewish teachers. They were to decline being called _Rabbi,_ because the thing signifi...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT: 23:5-12 5 But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders _of their garments,_ and love the chief place at feasts, and the chief se...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. BUT HE THAT IS GREATEST AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT. This plainly means, 'shall show that he is so by becoming your servant;' as in , c...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    23:11 greatest (e-3) Lit. 'greater.' see Note, ch. 18.1....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DENUNCIATION OF THE PHARISEES 1-36. Final denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees. The other synoptists insert in this place a brief utterance directed against the scribes (Mark 12:38; Luke 20:45),...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 23 JESUS ACCUSES THE *PHARISEES 23:1-12 V1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his *disciples. V2 ‘The men who teach the *Law and...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    6; Matthew 22:1; Matthew 23:1 CHAPTER 17 Conflict in the Temple - Matthew 21:18 - Matthew 22:1 -...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Introduction to the discourse_....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    Matthew 23:11-12, epeat in substance the teaching of Matthew 20:26 : Matthew 18:4; worth repeating and by no means out of place here....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    HUMBLING THE SELF-EXALTED Matthew 23:1-12 These words were addressed to the disciples and the crowds that had gathered around. The Jewish religious leaders divorced morality and religion, and insist...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This chapter is one of the most sublime and awful in the whole inspired volume. It records the last words of Jesus to the crowds. He summed up, He reached His verdict, He pronounced sentence. It is a...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    WARNINGS AGAINST THE EVIL EXAMPLE OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES It is still Wednesday, and the last day our Lord ever spoke in the temple. These scribes and Pharisees are thronging Him on all sides, be...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, (2) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: (3) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do n...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We now enter on the Lord's final presentation of Himself to Jerusalem, traced, however, from Jericho; that is, from the city which had once been the stronghold of the power of the Canaanite. The Lord...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    11._He who is greatest among you. _By this conclusion he shows that he did not, after the manner of the sophists, dispute about words, but, on the contrary, looked to the fact, that no man, through fo...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Chapter 23 clearly shews how far the disciples are viewed in connection with the nation, inasmuch as they were Jews, although the Lord judges the leaders, who beguiled the people and dishonoured God b...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BUT HE THAT IS GREATEST AMONG YOU,.... Either who really is so, having more grace, and greater gifts bestowed upon him, than others; which doubtless was the case of some of the disciples, or who desir...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. Ver. 11. _Shall be your servant_] The word signifies one that is ready pressed to raise dust, to do his utmost endeavour with all possible exp...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _But he that is greatest among you_, &c. If any one among you would in reality be greater than another, let him be the more condescending, kind, and ready cheerfully to serve others in love. The words...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    SERVANT; greatness in Christ's kingdom consists not in outward authority over others, but in the abundance of our labors and sacrifices for the welfare of our brethren. The greatest in the kingdom of...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Humility required:...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT HE THAT IS GREATEST AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The Lord now turns to speak to the entire crowd, His disciples being mentioned as included. He warns them against the hypocrisy of scribes and Pharisees, for they sat in Moses' seat as enforcers of th...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-12 The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God search...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 23:12"....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 23:11 But G1161 greatest G3187 you G5216 be G2071 (G5704) your G5216 servant G1249...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    EXHORTATION TO HIS DISCIPLES AND THE CROWDS NOT TO BE LIKE THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, BUT TO BE DOERS AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, AND RATHER TO BE HUMBLE AND LOWLY, TREATING EACH OTHER AS BEING AS GOOD IF N...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    JESUS PASSES JUDGMENT ON THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES AND DESCRIBES THE DEVASTATIONS COMING ON THE WORLD PRIOR TO HIS COMING AGAIN AND THE JUDGMENT THAT WILL FOLLOW (23:1-25). Having made clear that He h...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    WORDS IN THE TEMPLE (23:1-39). a Exhortation to His disciples and the crowds not to be like the Scribes and Pharisees, but to be doers and not hearers only. In contrast to the Scribes and Pharisees t...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    a “But as for you, do not you be called Rabbi, b For one is your teacher (didaskalos), and all you are brothers. c And call no man your father on the earth, d For one is your Father, even he who is...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    This discourse (peculiar to Matthew) was delivered on Tuesday preceding the crucifixion, although similar sayings (found in Luke 11:13) were uttered on a previous occasion. The intercourse with the Ph...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 23:11. THE GREATER AMONG YOU SHALL BE YOUR SERVANT (or ‘minister,' as the word is translated in chap. Matthew 20:26). Not, ‘shall be called.' The Pope, whose usual title is a violation of Matt...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jesus denounces woes upon the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. His lament over Jerusalem. CHARACTERS: Jesus. CONCLUSION: Nothing is more displeasing to our Lord Jesus Christ than hyprocrisy,...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 23:2. _Sit in Moses' seat._ The sanhedrim had seventy one chairs of gold, or rather gilt with gold. The council which sat at Alexandria had also chairs of gold. The highpriest was the presiden...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THE GREATEST ONE AMONG YOU. The true measure of greatness is not what others do for you, but what you do to help others....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But be not ye called Rabbi._ CHRISTIANS ARE BRETHREN The late Rev. Wm. Jay, in a sermon at Surrey Chapel, said “Some time ago a countryman observed to me, ‘I was exceedingly alarmed this morning, si...

  • The Gospels Compared

    JESUS WARMS AGAINST THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS MATTHEW 23:1-12; MARK 12:38-40; LUKE 20:45-47; MATTHEW 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the mul

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 23 _Then Jesus spake_, &c. _Then_, that is to say, when, by His most wise answers and reasonings, He had confounded the errors of the Scribes and Pharisees, and had proved that He was the Mes...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 23:1. THEN SPAKE JESUS.—The day of grace is over for the leaders of the people; but for the people themselves there may still be hope; so the Lord of the temple turns to THE M...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 23:1 _Denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, and lamentation over Jerusalem which followed their guidance to her own destruction. _(Peculiar to St. Matthew.) MATTHEW 23:1 TH...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Matthew's gospel twenty-three. Jesus has been at the temple and He was challenged as to His authority by these priests, and then He was asked questions by the scribes, the Pharisees, the Sadducees. An...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 9:19; 2 Corinthians 11:23; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Galatians 5:13;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Matthew 20:26....

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