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Summarized Bible Commentary

Matthew 23:1-39

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, dissimulation, stage-playing in religion. Woe be to all such for their religion is vain and their ruin will be terrible. It is wholly owing to the wicked will of sinners that they are not gathered by His love under His protecting wing they «will not come to Him that they might have life.»

Key Word: Hypocrites, Matthew 23:13.

Strong Verses: Matthew 23:8; Matthew 23:11; Matthew 23:12; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 23:39.

Striking Facts: Matthew 22:39. There are three «untils» to be accomplished before Israel can have full blessing. 1. Matthew 23:39. 2. Luke 21:24. Gentile world power must run its course Daniel 2:34-35. 3. Romans 11:25-27. The elect of the Gentiles must be brought in.

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See also Matthew 23:1-39 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XXIII. _The character of the scribes and Pharisees, and directions to_ _the people and the disciples to receive the law from them, but_ _not to follow their bad example_, 1-7. _The discipl...

  • 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)

    Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The Scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses's seat. Therefore do and observe everything they tell you; but do not act as they act; for they speak, but t...

  • 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

    MULTITUDE. crowds. Note the Structure (p. 1857)....

  • 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

    STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS OF THE PHARISEES They are the successors of Moses, Matthew 23:2; but they say and do not, 3–7. Only a part of this discourse appears in the other Synoptics; for this portion cp....

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    VER 1. 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...

  • 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

    ΈΛΆΛΗΣΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΛΑΛΈΩ (G2980) говорить. О литературных проблемах главы _см._ Carson, 469-71; Mark Alan Powell, "Do and Keep What Moses Says (Matthew 23:2-7)" JBL 114 (1995): 419-34; Hagne...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THEN SPAKE JESUS, &C.— Because our Saviour had mentioned the final conquest and destruction of his enemies, who were to be made his footstool, he turned towards his disciples, and in the hearing of al...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    SECTION 59 JESUS ATTACKS THE SIN OF THE RIGHTEOUS (Parallels: Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47) TEXT: 23:1-4 1 Then spake Jesus to the multitudes and to his disciples, 2 saying, The scribes and the Phar...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, The first twelve verses were addressed more immediately to the disciples, the rest to the scribes and Pharisees. THEN SPAKE JESUS TO THE M...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    24 From their subsequent course (Act_23:8), it is evident that the Sadducees were not convinced. Their difficulty was deeper. It was in the heart. Though they could not answer, they could refuse to be...

  • 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

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  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    XXIII. (1) TO THE MULTITUDE. — Now, as in Matthew 15:10, but here more fully and emphatically, our Lord not only reproves the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, but warns the multitude against them. He appea...

  • 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)

    τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ τ. μαθηταῖς : the discourse is about scribes and Pharisees, but the audience is conceived to consist of the disciples and the people. Meyer describes the situation thus: in the foregro...

  • 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Then Jesus, &c. Jesus thus spoke to the multitude a few days previous to his passion. It is here observable that our Saviour, after he had tried all possible remedies, after he had taught and confirme...

  • 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

    CONTENTS In this Chapter the Lord Jesus is engaged in exhorting his disciples, and the multitude, against the doctrine of the Scribes and Pharisees. The Chapter closeth with Christ's pathetic lamenta...

  • 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

    Matthew 23:1._Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes. _This warning was highly useful, that, amidst contentions and the noise of combats, amidst the trouble and confusion of public affairs, amidst the des...

  • 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

    THEN SPAKE JESUS TO THE MULTITUDE,.... To the common people that were about him in the temple; the high priests and elders, Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, having left him, being all nonplussed and...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Ver. 1. _Then spake Jesus to the multitude, &c._] Christ having confuted and confounded the Scribes and Pharisees, turns him to the people and...

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

    _Then spake Jesus to the multitude_ Leaving all converse with his adversaries; whom he now gave up to the hardness of their hearts. _The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's seat_ Or, _chair_ That is,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THEN SPAKE JESUS TO THE MULTITUDE AND TO HIS DISCIPLES,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE INORDINATE AMBITION OF THE PHARISEES. Hypocrisy in high places:...

  • 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

    MATTHEW CHAPTER 23 MATTHEW 23:1 Christ exhorteth to observe the doctrine, but not to follow the evil examples, of the scribes and Pharisees; and particularly not to imitate their ambition. MATTHEW 23:...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

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  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 23:1 Then G5119 Jesus G2424 spoke G2980 (G5656) multitudes G3793 and G2532 His G846 disciples G3101...

  • 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...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Then spoke Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples,' Sitting teaching in the crowded Temple courtyard, filled as it would be with pilgrims and worshippers, Jesus directs His first words at the eager...

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

    Matthew 23:1. TO THE MULTITUDES, AND TO HIS DISCIPLES. Luke (Luke 20:45): ‘then in the audience of all the people, he said to his disciples.' His disciples were probably close about Him, the people ga...

  • 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...

  • 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

    THEN JESUS SPOKE TO THE CROWDS. Probably in the Court of the Gentiles in the temple. This is the official close of his public ministry, just as the Sermon on the Mount was the beginning. This is more...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat._ CHRIST’S REPROACHES OF PHARISEES There must be some just, reasonable, and great cause of our Lord’s indignation, and this we find was an accumulat...

  • 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

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  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Luke 12:1; Luke 12:57; Luke 20:45; Mark 7:14; Matthew 15:10...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Then — Leaving all converse with his adversaries, whom he now left to the hardness of their hearts....

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    The Scribes and Pharisees, so often mentioned in the gospels, were the great doctors and spiritual guides amongst the Jews. Scribe is the name of an office; Pharisee the name of. sect. They were both...

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