Matthew 23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:16

Woe unto you, you blind guides ,.... Meaning the same persons, the Scribes and Pharisees, as before, though not named, who pretended to be "guides of the blind", Romans 2:19 but were them selves blind, and so very unfit to be guides of others; they were as they were born, ignorant of divine things, of God in Christ, of the true Messiah, of the true meaning of the Scriptures, of the spirituality of the law, and of the Gospel of Christ; and the way of salvation by him; and their minds were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:17

Ye fools, and blind ,.... That argue after so ridiculous a manner, that make use of such thin sophistry, that everybody may see through it; who must be stupid and sottish to the last degree, and their minds foolishly blinded with avarice; as to please and satisfy themselves: with so poor a distinction; that would by no means serve them, but make against them: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold ? The temple, to be sure: for that was the seat of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:18

And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing ,.... These are again the words or savings of the scribes and Pharisees, and express their sentiments and practice: it was usual with them to swear by the altar; and this was reckoned either no sin at all, or such an oath was not accounted binding on a man; he might break, or keep it as he thought fit: of this kind of swearing, we have the following instances. One said to another F18 Echa Rabbati, fol. 54. 1. , "swear to me that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:19

Ye fools, and blind ,.... This is very justly repeated, since this is no less an instance of their folly, blindness, and stupidity. In three copies of Beza's the word "fools" is not; nor is it in the Vulgate Latin, nor in Munster's Hebrew Gospel; but the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions have it: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift ? The gift, or offering, before it was devoted to sacred use, and brought, and laid upon the altar, was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:20

Whosoever therefore shall swear by the altar, .... Not that Christ allowed of swearing by the altar, or by the temple, or by heaven, or by any creature, animate or inanimate; for such swearing is elsewhere disapproved of by him, and forbid, but if a man did swear by the altar, he ought to know, and consider that he not only sweareth by it , but by all the gifts, and offerings that are brought, and laid upon it, and by all things thereon ; whatever gifts and sacrifices are offered... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:21

And whoso shall swear by the temple ,.... As we have before seen they used to do, and as appears from what the poet says F23 Martial. Epigr. l. 11. Ep. 60. : Ecce negas, jurasque mihi per templa tonantis Non credo: jura, verpe, per Anchialum. In which he intimates, that if the Jew swore by the temple, he would not believe him; as well he might not, since such an oath was accounted nothing; but bids him swear by Anchialus, that is, by אלוה חי , "Chi Eloah", or חי עליון ,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:22

And he that shall swear by heaven ,.... As the Jews were wont to do in common, but did not look upon such an oath as obligatory on them; See Gill on Matthew 5:34 , though such an one sweareth by the throne of God ; for heaven is God's throne, where he sits, and, in an eminent manner, displays the glory of his majesty: and by him that sitteth thereon , by God himself. Thus swearing by anything that has any relation to God, is implicitly swearing by him; and therefore ought to be... read more

John Gill

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

Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ,.... Christ returns to the former epithets he had very rightly given to these men, and very pertinently repeats them here; and which are confirmed by the instances of their conduct and practice here alleged, which abundantly show their hypocrisy and deceit; since they were very strict in observing some outward things, which gave them credit with the people, and especially the priests and Levites, some little trifling ceremonies and traditions... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:24

Ye blind guides ,.... As in Matthew 23:16 . who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel : the Syriac and Persic versions read the words in the plural number, gnats and camels. The Jews had a law, which forbid them the eating of any creeping thing, Leviticus 11:41 and of this they were strictly observant, and would not be guilty of the breach of it for ever so much, "One that eats a flea, or a gnat; they say F16 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 26. 2. & Horaiot, fol. 11. 1. is ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:25

Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ,.... Our Lord cannot be thought to bear too hard upon these men, nor does he continue this character of them, and denunciations of woe against them, without a reason: for ye make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess . The allusion is to their traditions about washing their cups and pots, and brazen vessels; see Mark 7:4 which they strictly observed. In their oral law is a whole tract,... read more

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