(1) Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees (a) sit in Moses' seat: (1) We ought to listen to whatever we are truly taught from the word of God, even by wicked teachers, but in a way so that we abstain from their evil behaviour. (a) Because God appointed the order, the Lord would therefore have his... [ Continue Reading ]
(b) All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, [that] observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. (b) Provided always that they deliver the doctrine of Moses which they profess, which thing the metaphor of the seat shows, which they occupied as teachers of Moses'... [ Continue Reading ]
(2) For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay [them] on men's shoulders; but they [themselves] will not move them with one of their fingers. (2) For the most part hypocrites most severely exact those things which they themselves chiefly neglect.... [ Continue Reading ]
(3) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their (c) phylacteries, and enlarge (d) the borders of their garments, (3) Hypocrites are ambitious. (c) It was a thread or ribband of blue silk in the fringe of a corner, the beholding of which made them remember the laws and... [ Continue Reading ]
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the (e) synagogues, (e) When assemblies and councils are gathered together.... [ Continue Reading ]
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, (f) Rabbi. (f) This word "Rabbi" signifies one that is above his fellows, and is as good as any of them: and we may see by the repeating of it how proud a title it was. Now they were called Rabbi who, by the laying on of hands, were utte... [ Continue Reading ]
(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 our Lord does not forbid us to give the magistrate and our masters the honour that is due to them; Au... [ Continue Reading ]
And call no [man] your (i) father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. (i) He attacks a custom of the Jews, for they called the rabbis "our fathers".... [ Continue Reading ]
Neither be ye called (k) masters: for one is your Master, [even] Christ. (k) It seems that the scribes hunted very greatly after such titles, these scribes being the ones whom he called blind guides in (Matthew 23:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
And whosoever (l) shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (l) He seems to allude to the position of the rabbis, for rabbi signifies one that is in a high position.... [ Continue Reading ]
(5) But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, (m) hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are (n) entering to go in. (5) Hypocrites cannot endure others to be better than themselves. (m) Christ, when he reproves an... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and (o) for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. (6) It is a common thing among hypocrites to abuse the pretence of zeal when in reality they are exercising covetousness and... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and (p) land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. (p) The dry part: now that part of the earth is called dry which the Lord has given to us to live upon.... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he (q) is a debtor! (q) Is a debtor. In the Syrian language, sins are called "Debts", and it is certain that Christ spoke in Syrian.... [ Continue Reading ]
[Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that (r) sanctifieth the gold? (r) Causes the gold which is dedicated to a holy use to be considered holy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the (s) throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. (s) If heaven is God's throne, than he is without doubt above this entire world.... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and (t) faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (7) Hypocrites take special care in small matters,... [ Continue Reading ]
(8) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. (8) Hypocrites pay too much attention to outward things, and the inward things they utterly condemn.... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, (9) Hypocrites, when they try the most to cover up their wickedness, it is then by the just judgment of God that they shame themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
(u) Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. (u) A proverb used by the Jews, which has this meaning: You go on also, and follow your ancestors, that at length your wickedness may come to its fulness.... [ Continue Reading ]
(10) Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city: (10) Hypocrites are cruel.... [ Continue Reading ]
(11) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of (y) Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. (11) The punishment of those who persecute the gospel, under the pretence of zeal. (y) Of Joiad... [ Continue Reading ]
(12) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have (z) gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not! (12) Where the mercy of God was greatest, it was there that... [ Continue Reading ]