Matthewchapter 23

A.Do Not Do as They Dovv. 1-12

1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: 2 “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. 5 All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6 They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues, 7 the greetings in the marketplaces, and the title of ‘Rabbi’ by which they are addressed. 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

B.Woes on Blind Guides and Whitewashed Tombsvv. 13-28

13 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. 14 15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. 16 Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred? 18 And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred? 20 So then, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the One who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the One who sits on it. 23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, so that the outside may become clean as well. 27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

C.The Blood of the Prophets; O Jerusalemvv. 29-39

29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous. 30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are the sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your fathers. 33 You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell? 34 Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling! 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you that you will not see Me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

Woes to the scribes and Pharisees: 'hypocrites!

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Woes to the scribes and Pharisees: 'hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.' Eight woes: shutting the kingdom, proselytes, swearing, mint and cummin, cup and platter, whited sepulchres, tombs of the prophets, the blood of the righteous. Lament over Jerusalem: 'how often would I have gathered thy children.'

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

Gospel · Matthew — Matthew overview

A. 1–12 Do Not Do as They Do
B. 13–28 Woes on Blind Guides and Whitewashed Tombs
C. 29–39 The Blood of the Prophets; O Jerusalem

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Luke 117 verses
- Luke 11:39“Now then,” said the Lord, “you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
- Luke 11:42Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.
- Luke 11:43Woe to you Pharisees! You love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
- Luke 11:44Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”
- Luke 11:46“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “You weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.
- Luke 11:47Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, but it was your fathers who killed them.
- Read Luke 11: 1 more there →
Matthew 236 verses
- Matthew 23:5All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
- Matthew 23:19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?
- Matthew 23:23Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
- Matthew 23:24You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
- Matthew 23:29Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous.
- Matthew 23:34Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute in town after town.
- Read Matthew 23 →
Matthew 154 verses
- Matthew 15:2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
- Matthew 15:10Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “Listen and understand.
- Matthew 15:14Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”
- Matthew 15:19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.
- Read Matthew 15 →
Luke 202 verses
- Luke 20:45In the hearing of all the people, Jesus said to His disciples,
- Luke 20:46“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.
- Read Luke 20 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

John 12 verses
- John 1:38Jesus turned and saw them following. “What do you want?” He asked. They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are You staying?”
- John 1:49“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered, “You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”
- Read John 1 →
James 42 verses
- James 4:6But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
- James 4:8Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Read James 4 →
Acts 132 verses
- Acts 13:10and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
- Acts 13:43After the synagogue was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
- Read Acts 13 →
1 Thessalonians 22 verses
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and drove us out as well. They are displeasing to God and hostile to all men,
- 1 Thessalonians 2:16hindering us from telling the Gentiles how they may be saved. As a result, they continue to heap up their sins to full capacity; the utmost wrath has come upon them.
- Read 1 Thessalonians 2 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.