Matthew 23:6

And love the chief place at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues.

It is an eloquent warning against pride, even of the variety held harmless by many, to observe that the rejection of Christ by the Pharisees was directly the fruit of their social and religious pride. When Christ finally denounced them and pronounced judgment upon them, as in this chapter, he made their pride to be their principal sin. The vainglory of greetings extended to them in market places, the deference shown them in social gatherings, and the presumption of piety which they received and invited by the ostentatious use of wide borders, phylacteries, etc. - these may appear to be small things, but they were the root of the Pharisees' trouble; and it is certain those same encouragements to pride have been in every age a stumblingblock to faith.