1.
Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
multitude = crowds. Note the Structure (p. 1857).
2.
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
Pharisees. See App-120 . The Sadducees had their own "leaven" (Matthew 16:6 ) but not this.
sit = have taken [their] seat.
in = upon. Greek. epi.
Moses'. See note on Matthew 8:4 .
3.
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
All = All things. This shows that the words following are not a command, for the whole chapter is taken up with a denunciation of the very things that they thus bade. Later (Matthew 27:20-23 ) they "bade" the People to ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
that. Omit this word as not being in the Greek, or required by the Figure of speech Ellipsis.
Observe and do = ye observe and do. The second person plural is exactly the same in the Indicative and Imperative, and nothing can determine which is the Mood but the context: and the Structure determines its meaning.
observe. Inwardly.
do. Outwardly.
but. Marking the contrast between "ye do"and"do ye not". after = according to. Greek. kata. App-104 .
they say = they say [ought to be done], but they do not do the works themselves.
4.
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.
For they bind, &c. By what they "bid you observe". A further proof that "observe and do" is not the Lord's command to carry these many burdens "grievous to be borne".
on . = upon. Greek. epi.
men's. Greek. anthropos. App-123 .
will not move = do not choose to touch.
will. See App-102 .
move. Much less bear.
their = their own.
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,
for to be seen = to be gazed upon as a spectacle. Same word as "see" in Matthew 22:11 .
for = for the purpose. Greek. pros. App-104 .
phylacteries. Greek. phulakterion. Occ only here. See notes, &c, on Exodus 13:9 . Deuteronomy 6:8 . Reference to Pentateuch App-92 and App-117 .
the borders = the fringes. Reference to Pentateuch (Numbers 15:37-41 .Deuteronomy 22:12; Deuteronomy 22:12 ). Originally a mark of separation between Israel and the surrounding nations. Compare Luke 8:44 .
6.
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
love = are fond of. Greek. phileo. App-135 .
uppermost rooms = the first place, as in next clause.
at = in. Greek. en . App-104 .
chief seats = first seats, as in preceding clause.
7.
And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
greetings = the formal salutations.
of = by. Greek. hupo .
Rabbi = my Master. Compare Matthew 23:8 . Note the Figure of speech Epizeuxis for Emph. ( App-6 ).
8.
But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
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 thinks, on insufficient authority.
Christ. See App-98 .
9.
And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
father. This is against those who loved to he so called.
upon. Greek. epi. App-104 .
Father. See App-98 .
heaven = the heavens. See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .
10.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
he that is greatest among you = the greater of you.
12.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
abased = humbled, as in next clause.
13.
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
woe. The first of eight woes in (verses: Matthew 23:13-33 ). Compare Matthew 5:3 ; and see App-126 . All the texts (with Syriac) transpose Matthew 23:13 and Matthew 23:14 .
shut up. Compare Matthew 5:3 .
the kingdom of heaven. See App-114 .
heaven = the heavens. See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .
against = before: i.e. in men's faces.
neither = not, as in Matthew 23:4 .
14.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:4 ; and see App-126 .
make long prayer = praying at great length.
therefore = on this account. Greek. dia ( App-104 .Matthew 23:2; Matthew 23:2 ).
greater = more abundant.
damnation = judgment or condemnation.
15.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:5 , and see App-126 .
land = dry [land].
proselyte. The Greek is transliterated, and means a comer over to. Used of a Gentile who came over to the Jews' religion. Occurs only here; and Acts 2:10 ; Acts 6:5 ; Acts 13:43 .
is made = becomes [one].
the child of hell = a son of Gehenna. A Hebraism = Gehenna's people. See App-131 . I; and note on Matthew 5:22 .
16.
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 is a debtor!
the Temple = the Sanctuary: i.e. the Naos, or actual Temple building, consisting of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Spelled in The Companion Bible with a capital "T", to distinguish it from hieron, the whole of the Temple courts, but translated temple also; this is spelled with a small "t" in The Companion Bible.
debtor = is bound [to fulfill the oath]. In Matthew 23:18 rendered "guilty"; whereby there is (in Eng.) the Figure of speech Parechesis = guilty [and must pay the geld, i.e. the penalty]. See App-6 .
17.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18.
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20.
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
21.
And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
22.
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
heaven. Singular. See notes on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 .
23.
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 faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:7 , and see App-126 .
pay tithe = tithe, or take tithes. Eng. tithe = tenth; hence, a district containing ten families was called a tithing
anise = dill. Occurs only here.
cummin. Hebrew. kumin. Greek. kuminon. (Occurs only here.) Germ, kummel.
faith. Or, faithfulness, as in Romans 8:3 .Galatians 1:5 , Galatians 1:22 .
24.
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
which, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6 .
strain = habitually filter out. Greek. diulizo. Occ- only here.
at. A mistake perpetuated in all editions of the Authorized Version. All "the former translations" had "out".
a = the: which makes it read like a proverb.
gnat. Greek. konops. Occurs only here.
swallow = gulp down: Eng. drink up.
camel. An unclean animal. See Leviticus 11:4 .
25.
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.
Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:8 , and see App-126 .
make clean = cleanse ceremonially.
platter = dish: i.e. a side dish. Greek. paropsis. Occurs only in these verses.
extortion = plunder.
excess = incontinence.
26.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
that which is within = the inside of.
be = become.
clean also. The "also" must be connected with outside: "that the outside also may become clean".
27.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:9 , and see App-126 .
are like unto. Greek. paromoiazo. Occurs only here.
whited. Sepulchres were whitened a month before the Passover, to warn off persons from contracting uncleanness (Numbers 19:16 ).
dead men's bones = bones of dead people. See App-139 .
28.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
iniquity = lawlessness. App-128 .
29.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:9 , and see App-126 .
tombs. Greek. taphoi. There are four at the base of Olivet: those of Zechariah, Absalom, Jehoshaphat, and St. James; but there is no authority for these names.
garnish = adorn or decorate. Perhaps being whitened just then, before the Passover.
sepulchers = mnemia = monuments.
30.
And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
If, &c. The condition being assumed as an actual fact.
31.
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Wherefore = so that.
children = sons. App-108 .
32.
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Fill ye up = And ye, fill ye up.
33.
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
generation = offspring, or brood. Plural as in Matthew 3:7 ; Matthew 12:34 ; and Luke 3:7 .
escape = escape from (Greek. apo) . App-104 .
34.
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:
Wherefore = Because of this. Greek. dia ( App-104 .Matthew 23:2; Matthew 23:2 ) touto.
behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
from = away from. Greek. apo . App-104 .
35.
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 Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
That = So that.
upon. Greek. epi.
blood. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Subject) for blood-guiltiness ( App-6 ).
righteous Abel = Abel the righteous [one]. Genesis 4:4 . Compare Hebrews 11:4 .
Zacharias son of Barachias. Not the son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20 , 2 Chronicles 24:21 ) but Zechariah the prophet (Zechariah 1:1 , Zechariah 1:7 ), who, we here learn (by Figure of speech Hysteresis, App-6 ) was killed in the same way. And why not? Are there not many examples of historical coincidences? Why should the Lord single out "Zacharias the son of Jehoiada" then Neh 800 years before, instead of the later Zacharias (the prophet) some 400 years before? And why may it not he prophetic of another "Zechariah, the son of Baruch" who was thus martyred some thirty-six years after? See Josephus ( Wars, iv. 5. 4. )
ye slew. This may be taken as the Figure of speech Prolepsis (Ampliatio), App-6 , speaking of future things as present. See Matthew 26:2 .Psalms 93:1 ; Psalms 97:1 ; Psalms 99:1 .Isaiah 37:22 ; Isaiah 48:5-7 . Luke 3:19 , Luke 3:20 . Compare Matthew 11:2 , &c.
36.
Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Verily. See note on Matthew 5:18 .
this generation. See note on Matthew 11:16 ; Matthew 24:34 . Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the inhabitants.
children. Plural of teknon. App-108 .
37.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
chickens = brood. Greek. nossia. Occurs only here.
would not = were not willing. App-102 .
not. Greek. ou ( App-105 ), denying as a matter of fact.
38.
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
your . . . you. Very emphatic. At the beginning of the Lord's ministry it was "My Father's house" (John 2:16 ); but at the end, after His rejection, it was "your house".
house: i.e. the Temple, where He was speaking.
is left = is being left. See Matthew 24:1 .
desolate. Every "house" and every place is "desolate" where Christ is not.
39.
For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
not = by no means, in no wise. Greek. ou me, App-105 .
see = behold. App-133 .
till. With an, implying uncertainty. The not seeing was certain: their saying it at that time was uncertain. Compare the four "untils" with ou me: Matthew 10:23 ; Matthew 16:28 ; Matthew 23:39 ; Matthew 24:34 .
Blessed, &c. Quoted from Psalms 118:26 ; compare Matthew 21:9 . See App-117 .