Matthew 23:25-36

Ye make clean the outside, &c.— 6. The sixth woe is denounced for their hypocrisy: they were at great pains to appear virtuous, and to have a decent external conduct, while they neglected to beautify their inward man with goodness, which, in the sight of God, is an ornament of great price, and renders men dear and valuable to all who know them. Within, they—means the cup and platter;—are full of extortion and excess; which you swallow down without the least scruple: instead of extortion and excess, some would read, rapine and intemperance, αρπαγης, και ακρασιας. The last word takes in not only all kinds of outward intemperance, particularlyin eating and drinking, but all intemperate or immoderate desires, whether of honour, gain, or sensual pleasures. Dr. Heylin observes well, that the censure here isdoubled,takingintemperanceinthecommonsense.Thesemiserablemen,procured unjustly what they used intemperately: no wonder tables so furnished prove a snare, as many find by sad experience. Luxury punishes fraud, and feeds disease with the fruits of injustice. Thou blind Pharisee, continues our Lord, Matthew 23:26. Cleanse first, &c. that is, "Take care that what is within the cup, and not so much exposed to view, be clean; and then thou mayest with propriety bestow pains in cleansing the outside of the cup." But though in this clause our Lord still makes use of the metaphor, he reasons according to the thing intended by it, thus, "Cleanse first thy mind, thy inward man from evil dispositions and affections, and of course thy outward behaviour will be virtuous and good."