Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Matthew 23:8-10

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 Pharisees used them, wrongly praising leaders and thus encouraging human pride.

⇐ ⇔ ⇒
Continues after advertising

See also Matthew 23:8-10 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 23:8. _BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI_] As our Lord probably spoke in Hebrew, the latter word rabbi, in this verse, must have been in the plural; but as the contracted form of the plural sou...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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 i...

  • 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

    MASTER. Leader, Guide, or Director. Greek. _kathgetes,_ Occurs only here and in Matthew 23:10. All the texts read _didlaskalos,_ Teacher. EVEN CHRIST. All the texts omit, with Syriac; but, Scrivener...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _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....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE CONTRAST OF CHRISTIAN CONDUCT...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΔΙΔΆΣΚΑΛΟΣ, for καθηγητής. All the leading editors against א*DL, and others following אcaB and a majority of codices. 8. ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ ΔῈ ΜῊ ΚΛΗΘΗ͂ΤΕ ῬΑΒΒΊ. The emphasis is on ὑμεῖς. Ye as Scribes of the Ki...

  • 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....

  • 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

    ΚΛΗΘΉΤΕ _aor. conj. pass._, _см._ Matthew 23:7. Используется с отр. ΜΉ (G3361) и выражает запрет действия, которое не должно начаться. _Pass._ разрешения....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1393 OUR RELATION TO CHRIST AND TO EACH OTHER Matthew 23:8. _One is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren_. THE mind of man naturally affects pre-eminence and power: and this w...

  • 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 be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI: FOR ONE IS YOUR MASTER, [ Katheegeetees (G2519)] - 'your Guide, your Teacher,'...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    23:8 instructor, (d-12) Or 'guide,' 'guides.'...

  • 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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI. — The teaching of our Lord was not without its foreshadowings in that of the better scribes, and a precept of Shemaiah, the predecessor of Hillel, lays down the rule that “men...

  • 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)

    ὑμεῖς, _you_, emphatic: the Twelve, an earnest aside to them in especial (an interpolation by the evangelist, Weiss-Meyer), be not ye called Rabbi. μὴ κληθῆτε, “Do not seek to be called, if others cal...

  • 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...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (4) But be not ye (g) called Rabbi: for (h) one is your Master, [even] Christ; and all ye are brethren. (4) Modesty is a singular ornament of God's minsters. (g) Seek not ambitiously after it: for o...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    One is your master, or teacher, who is the Christ, and under him one vicar, the successor of St. Peter, with whom all Catholic teachers are one, because they all teach one and the same doctrine in eve...

  • 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 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 BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI,.... Do not be ambitious of any such title, fond of it, or affect it, or be elated with it, should it be given you; nor look upon yourselves as men of power and authority ov...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, _even_ Christ; and all ye are brethren. Ver. 8. _Be not ye called Rabbi_] Do not ambitiously affect such a title, as if you were the only ones, and...

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

    _Be not ye called rabbi_ Do not affect those titles of reverence and respect which give too much honour or authority to man. The Jewish doctors were called _rabbis, fathers_, and _masters_, by their s...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    BRETHREN; equally children of God, and fellow-heirs of Christ; no one of you having authority to control the faith and practice of the rest....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI; FOR ONE IS YOUR MASTER, EVEN CHRIST; AND ALL YE ARE BRETHREN....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Humility required:...

  • 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 23:10"....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Clement of Alexandria Stromata Book VI trains and perfects; whence it is rightly said, "Call no man your teacher on earth."[107] Tertullian On the Veiling of Virgins So, too, righteousness-for the G...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 23:8 But G1161 you G5210 not G3361 called G2564 (G5686) Rabbi G4461 for G1063 One G1520 is...

  • 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...

  • 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

    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

    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...

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

    Matthew 23:8. BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI. But this prohibition includes all the manifestations of religious pride spoken of, since it prohibits the pride itself. FOR ONE IS YOUR MASTER, or, ‘Teacher....

  • 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...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI (υμεις δε μη κληθητε Ραββε). An apparent aside to the disciples. Note the emphatic position of υμεις. Some even regard verses Matthew 23:8-10 as a later addition and not p...

  • 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

    YOU MUST NOT BE CALLED TEACHER.' [Rabbi in the Hebrew language.] About the same as Doctor of Divinity. Jesus rebukes all who use religion as a means of gaining glory for themselves. This sin of "showi...

  • 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 1:12; 1 Corinthians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 1 Peter 5:3;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The Jewish rabbis were also called father and master, by their several disciples, whom they required, To believe implicitly what they affirmed, without asking any farther reason; To obey implicitly wh...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    The word RABBI signifies. DOCTOR or TEACHER, eminent, endowed with variety of knowledge, whose place it was to sit in an exalted chair, or chief seat in the synagogue; their disciples and scholars sat...

Continues after advertising