Matthew 23:1-9 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:9

And call no man your father upon the earth ,.... Not but that children may, and should call their natural parents, fathers; and such who have been instrumental in the conversion of souls, may be rightly called by them their spiritual fathers; as servants and scholars also, may call those that are over them, and instruct them, their masters: our Lord does not mean, by any of these expressions, to set aside all names and titles, of natural and civil distinction among men, but only to reject... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:2

The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat - Εκαθισαν . - They sat there formerly by Divine appointment: they sit there now by Divine permission. What our Lord says here refers to their expounding the Scriptures, for it was the custom of the Jewish doctors to sit while they expounded the law and prophets, ( Matthew 5:1 ; Luke 4:20-22 ;), and to stand up when they read them. By the seat of Moses, we are to understand authority to teach the law. Moses was the great teacher of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 doctors taught; because himself warns his disciples against their false teaching, and testifies that they had made the word of God of none effect by their traditions. See Matthew 15:6 , etc. Besides, as our Lord speaks... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 their successors in spirit to the present day, they were severe to others, but very indulgent to themselves. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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. They live not according to the truths they preach. They say, and do not, Matthew 23:3 . They are severe to others, point out the narrowest road to heaven, and walk in the broad road themselves. They bind on burdens, etc., Matthew 23:4 . They affect to appear righteous, and are strict... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 words used among the Jews as titles of dignity, which they apply to their doctors - Rabh, Rabbi, and Rabban; each of these terms has its particular meaning: rabban implies much more than rabbi, and rabbi much more than... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 letters. None of the prophets had ever received this title, nor any of the Jewish doctors before the time of Hillel and Shammai, which was about the time of our Lord; and, as disputes on several subjects had run... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 ; (note). By which he gives his disciples to understand that he would have no Second, after himself, established in his Church, of which he alone was the head; and that perfect equality must subsist among them. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:1

Verse 1 Matthew 23:1.Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes. This warning was highly useful, that, amidst contentions and the noise of combats, amidst the trouble and confusion of public affairs, amidst the destruction of proper and lawful order, the authority of the word of God might remain entire. The design of Christ was, that the people might not, in consequence of being offended at the vices of the scribes, (88) throw away reverence for the Law. For we know how prone the minds of men are to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:2

Verse 2 2.In the chair of Moses. Reasons were not wanting for inserting here what Luke relates at a different place. Besides that the doctrine is the same, I have no doubt that Luke, after having said that the scribes were sharply and severely reproved by our Lord, added also the other reproofs which Matthew delayed till the proper place; for already we have frequently seen that the Evangelists, as occasion required, collected into one place various discourses of Christ. But as the narrative of... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:1

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 23:2

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