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 disciples exhorted to humility_, 8-12. _Different woes pronounced against the scribes and Pharisees_ _for... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:3. _ALL THEREFORE WHATSOEVER_] That is, all those things which they read out of the law and prophets, and all things which they teach consistently with them. This must be our Lord's meaning: he could not have desired them to do every thing, without restriction, which the Jewish doct... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:4. _THEY BIND HEAVY BURDENS_] They are _now_ so corrupt that they have added to the ceremonies of the law others of their own invention, which are not only burdensome and oppressive, but have neither _reason, expediency_, nor _revelation_, to countenance them. In a word, like all th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:5. _ALL THEIR WORKS THEY DO FOR TO BE SEEN OF MEN_] In pointing out the corruptions of these men, our Lord gives us the distinguishing characteristics of all false teachers, whether Jewish or Christian. 1. They live not according to the truths they preach. _They say,_ _and do not_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:7. _TO BE CALLED OF MEN, RABBI, RABBI._] רבי רבי, i.e. _My teacher! my teacher!_ The second _rabbi_ is omitted by several excellent MSS., by most of the ancient versions, and by some of the fathers. _Griesbach_ has left it in the text, with the note of doubtfulness. There are three... [ Continue Reading ]
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 sounds almost exactly like the singular, the Greek writer would naturally express them both in the same... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:9. _CALL NO_ MAN _YOUR_ FATHER] Our Lord probably alludes to the AB, or father of the Sanhedrin, who was the _next_ after the _nasi_, or president. See on Matthew 20:21. By which he gives his disciples to understand that he would have no SECOND, after himself, established in his Chu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:10. _NEITHER BE YE CALLED MASTERS_] καθηγηται, _leaders_. God is in all these respects jealous of his honour. To him alone it belongs to guide and _lead_ his Church, as well as to govern and defend it. Jesus is the sole teacher of righteousness. It is he alone, (who is the word, lig... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:11. _YOUR SERVANT._] διακονος, _deacon_. See on Matthew 20:26.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:12. _WHOSOEVER SHALL EXALT HIMSELF_, c.] The way to arrive at the highest degree of dignity, in the sight of God, is by being willing to become the servant of all. Nothing is more hateful in his sight than _pride_ to bring it into everlasting contempt, God was manifest in the flesh.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:13. _WO UNTO YOU, SCRIBES_] I think the _fourteenth_ and _thirteenth_ verses should be _transposed_. This transposition is authorized by some of the best MSS., versions, and fathers. The _fourteenth_ is wanting in the BDL., and in many others of inferior note, as well as in several... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:14. Matthew 23:13. -Verse Matthew 23:14. _YE DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES_] On this subject I am in possession of nothing better than the following note of Dr. _Whitby_. "This sect," says Josephus, (Ant. l. xvii. chap. 3,) "pretended to a more exact knowledge of the law, on which accoun... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:15. _COMPASS SEA AND LAND_] A proverbial expression, similar to ours, _You leave no stone unturned_; intimating that they did all in their power to gain converts, not to God, but to their sect. These we may suppose were principally sought for among the _Gentiles_, for the bulk of th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:16. _WHOSOEVER SHALL SWEAR BY THE GOLD_] The covetous man, says one, still gives preference to the object of his lust; _gold_ has still the first place in his heart. A man is to be suspected when he recommends those good works most from which he receives most advantage. _Is bound_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:20. _WHOSO - SHALL SWEAR BY THE ALTAR_] As an oath always supposes a person who witnesses it, and will punish perjury; therefore, whether they swore by the _temple_ or the _gold_, (Matthew 23:16), or by the _altar_ or the _gift_ laid on it, (Matthew 23:18), the oath necessarily supp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:21. _WHOSO SHALL SWEAR BY THE TEMPLE_] Perhaps it is to this custom of swearing by the temple, that Martial alludes, lib. xi. epist. 95. _Ecce negas, jurasque mihi per templa Tonantis;_ _Non credo; jura, Verpe, per Anchialum._ "Behold, thou deniest, and swearest to me by the temp... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23.. _YE PAY TITHE OF MINT_, c.] They were remarkably scrupulous in the performance of all the rites and ceremonies of religion, but totally neglected the soul, spirit, and practice of godliness. _JUDGMENT_] Acting according to justice and equity towards all mankind. _Mercy _- to the distress... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:24. _BLIND GUIDES, WHICH STRAIN AT A GNAT, AND SWALLOW A_ _CAMEL._] This clause should be thus translated: Ye strain out the gnat, but ye swallow down the camel. In the common translation, _Ye strain_ AT _a gnat_, conveys no sense. Indeed, it is likely to have been at first an erro... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:25. _YE MAKE CLEAN THE OUTSIDE_] The Pharisees were exceedingly exact in observing all the washings and purifications prescribed by the law; but paid no attention to that inward purity which was typified by them. A man may appear clean without, who is unclean within; but _outward pu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:27. _FOR YE ARE LIKE_] παρομοιαζετε, _ye exactly_ _resemble _- the parallel is complete. _WHITED SEPULCHRES_] _White-washed tombs_. As the law considered those unclean who had touched any thing belonging to the dead, the Jews took care to have their tombs white-washed each year, th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:28. _EVEN SO YE ALSO - APPEAR RIGHTEOUS UNTO MEN_] But what will this appearance avail a man, when God sits in judgment upon his soul? Will the fair reputation which he had acquired among men, while his heart was the seat of unrighteousness, screen him from the stroke of that justic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _YE BUILD THE TOMBS OF THE PROPHETS_] It appears that, through respect to their memory, they often repaired, and sometimes beautified, the tombs of the prophets. M. De la Valle, in his Journey to the Holy Land, says, that when he visited the cave of _Machpelah_, he saw some Jews honouring... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PARTAKERS_] They imagined themselves much better than their ancestors; but our Lord, who knew what they would do, uncovers their hearts, and shows them that they are about to be more abundantly vile than all who had ever preceded them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _YE BE WITNESSES_] Ye acknowledge that ye are the children of those murderers, and ye are about to give full proof that ye are not _degenerated_. There are many who think that, had they lived in the time of our Lord, they would not have acted towards him as the Jews did. But we can scarce... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _FILL YE UP THEN_] Notwithstanding the profession you make, ye will fill up the measure of your fathers-will continue to walk in their way, accomplish the fulness of every evil purpose by murdering me; and then, when the measure of your iniquity is full, vengeance shall come upon you to th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _YE SERPENTS, YE GENERATION OF VIPERS_] What a terrible stroke! - Ye are serpents, and the offspring of serpents. This refers to Matthew 23:31: they confessed that they were the children of those who murdered the prophets; and they are now going to murder Christ and his followers, to show... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _WHEREFORE_] To show how my prediction, _Ye will fill_ _up the measure of your fathers_, shall be verified, _Behold, I send_ (I am just going to commission them) _prophets_, c. _and some ye_ _will kill_, (with legal process,) and some ye will _crucify_, pretend to try and find guilty, and... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:35. _UPON THE EARTH_] επι της γης, _upon this land_, meaning probably the land of _Judea_; for thus the word is often to be understood. The national punishment of all the innocent _blood_ _which had been shed in the land_, shall speedily come upon you, _from the blood of Abel the j... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:36. _SHALL COME UPON THIS GENERATION_] επι την γενεαν ταυτην, _upon this race of men_, viz. the _Jews_. This phrase often occurs in this sense in the evangelists.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:37. _O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM_] 1. It is evident that our blessed Lord seriously and earnestly wished the salvation of the Jews. 2. That he did every thing that could be done, consistently with his own perfections, and the liberty of his creatures, to effect this. 3. That his tears... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:38. _BEHOLD, YOUR HOUSE_] Ο οικος, _the temple_: - this is certainly what is meant. It was once the Lord's _temple, God's_ OWN _house_; but now he says, YOUR _temple_ or _house _- to intimate that God had _abandoned_ it. Matthew 23:21; _see also Clarke on "_Luke 13:35_"_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Matthew 23:39. _YE SHALL NOT SEE ME_] I will remove my Gospel from you, and withdraw my protection. _TILL YE SHALL SAY, BLESSED_] Till after the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, when the word of life shall again be sent unto you; then will ye rejoice, and bless, and _praise_ him _that_... [ Continue Reading ]