MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:2 THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES. See
notes on 2:4; 3:7. MOSES’ SEAT refers to a place of authority from
which experts on the law taught.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:3 SO DO AND OBSERVE WHATEVER THEY TELL
YOU. “So” connects this verse with v. Matthew 23:2. The mention of
Moses evidently indicates “whatever they tell you about the Law of
Moses” and does not include the Pharisees’ later extensive
additions to Mosaic laws.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:4 HEAVY BURDENS. See note on 11:28.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:5 PHYLACTERIES. Small cube-shaped cases
made of leather, containing Scripture passages written on parchment.
They were worn on the left arm and forehead as a literal way to obey
Deuteronomy 11:18. FRINGES. These tassels with a blue cord attached to
the four corners of a ma... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:7 RABBI literally meant “my lord” but
it was used generally for outstanding teachers of the law.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:8 NOT TO BE CALLED RABBI,... CALL NO MAN
YOUR FATHER.... NEITHER BE CALLED INSTRUCTORS. Jesus does not forbid
use of titles such as “teacher,” “doctor,” or “father” for
all time in all circumstances. Rather, he prohibits his disciples from
using these terms in the way the... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:13 Jesus now speaks directly to the
scribes and Pharisees. He declares seven “woes” (or laments) upon
them that echo the criticisms he has repeated throughout his ministry.
These seven woes stand in contrast to the first seven “blessings”
that introduce the Sermon on the M... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:15 _Second woe: entrapped converts._ The
Pharisees enthusiastically sought converts, only to place them under
the weight of the many requirements they added to the Bible’s
teaching.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:16 _Third woe: binding oaths._ The
Pharisees focus on superficial distinctions and overlook the higher
principles of the law.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:20 WHOEVER SWEARS. See Matthew 5:33.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:23 _Fourth woe: neglecting the weighty
matters of the law._ TITHE. The Mosaic law required giving a tenth of
all that one produced to the work of the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). MINT,
DILL, CUMIN. The Pharisees paid a tithe even from their smallest
garden crops. Jesus says tha... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:24 STRAINING OUT A GNAT. The rabbis
strained wine to remove any small, unclean insects (Leviticus 11:23,
Leviticus 11:41) that could contaminate it. SWALLOWING A CAMEL. The
camel was the largest land animal in Palestine (see Matthew 19:24). It
was unclean (Leviticus 11:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:26 _Fifth woe: clean outside, filthy
inside._ CLEAN THE INSIDE. While seeking external purity, the
Pharisees were blind to the corrupt internal condition of their
hearts.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:27 _Sixth woe: whitewashed tombs._ The
Pharisees were like TOMBS, which in Jesus’ day could be OUTWARDLY
very BEAUTIFUL but WITHIN held nothing but death and decay. These
tombs were WHITEWASHED to identify them clearly, since people would be
unclean for seven days through... [ Continue Reading ]
MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:29 _Seventh woe: descendants of murderers
of the prophets._ In plotting against Jesus, the religious leaders
follow their ancestors, who persecuted and MURDERED God’s PROPHETS.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:35 The murders of ABEL (Genesis 4:8) and
ZECHARIAH 1:1 (2 Chronicles 24:20) encompass all of OT biblical
history (2 Chronicles 1:1 is last in the Hebrew order of OT books).
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:37 JERUSALEM apparently refers to the
whole nation of Israel.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:38 HOUSE. Here the reference is probably
to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. All Jewish religious authority
will collapse with the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70.
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MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 23:39 As Jesus cites Psalms 118:26 (compare
Matthew 21:9), he identifies himself as God’s Messiah and Savior who
will once again come to his people, but only after a time of great
judgment, when they are finally ready to receive him.
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