Matthew 23:27-32

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:13-31

Condemnation of their hypocrisy. I. THE EIGHT WOES . 1 . The first. The reiterated "Woe unto you!" is an expression of holy indignation. Christ, the righteous Judge, denounces the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. He knew the hardness, the impenitence of their hearts, and in his awful justice he pronounces their condemnation. Yet those very woes are also utterances of holy sorrow. The word is thrice rendered "alas!" in Revelation 18:1-24 . (see also Matthew 24:19 ). The Lord... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:13-32

Eight woes pronounced on the Pharisees for their conduct and teaching. (Comp. Luke 11:42-52 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:25-28

Fatal blindness. Our Lord continues to denounce woes against hypocrites, both for what they do and for what they are. The relation between doing and being is constant. These things are written for our learning. I. THE HYPOCRITE IS WOEFULLY GUILTY . 1 . He is guilty of heart wickedness. "Nature, like a beauteous wall, Doth oft close in pollution." (Shakespeare.) 2 . He is guilty of deceiving others. (a) Unconverted men must be hypocrites to be endured.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:27-28

Seventh woe— against another form of the same hypocrisy ( Luke 11:44 ). Whited ( κεκονιαμε ì νοις ) sepulchres. Once a year, about the fifteenth of the month Adar, the Jews used to whitewash the tombs and the places where corpses were buried, partly out of respect for the dead, but chiefly in order to make them conspicuous, and thus to obviate the risk of persons incautiously contracting ceremonial defilement by touching or walking over them ( Numbers 19:16 ). To such... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:28

Appearance and reality. "Ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." This is the revelation, not of a mere observer of men, but of a Divine Heart searcher, a Divine Thought reader. I. MAN JUDGES BY THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE , AND MAKES MISTAKES . When Samuel saw the handsome eldest son of Jesse, he said, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before him." But he was reproved. "The Lord seeth not as man sooth; for man looketh on... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:29

Ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous ; or, adorn the monuments of the just. In the last woe Christ had spoken of sepulchres; he speaks of them here again, giving an unexpected view of the seeming honours paid to departed saints. The sumptuous mausoleums and tombs found e.g. round Jerusalem, and bearing the names of celebrated men (such as Zechariah, Absalom, Jehoshaphat), sufficiently attest the practice of the Jews in this matter. But the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:29

Building the tombs of the prophets. In the rather vulgar architectural restoration which went on during the days of the Herods, it might often be seen that old, venerated, but ruinous tombs were being rebuilt and decorated afresh. The process was significant of behaviour which is often repeated in other places and in other ages. I. GOOD MEN , ILL TREATED DURING THEIR LIFETIME , ARE HONOURED AFTER THEIR DEATH . The world venerates its own martyrs. In course of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:29-32

Eighth woe— against hypocritical honour paid to departed worthies ( Luke 11:47 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:29-39

Judgment and mercy. We come now to the eighth and last of this series of woes denounced by Christ against the wicked, which stands in striking contrast to the eighth and last of the Beatitudes (cf. Matthew 5:10-12 ). Note— I. THAT INSTEAD OF THE FATHERS COME UP THE CHILDREN OF THE WICKED . 1 . The fathers of the wicked were the persecutors of the good. (a) Rulers are generally what the people will have them. "Like people. like priest" (cf. Isaiah... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:30

And say. They boasted that they were better than their fathers; they disavowed their crimes, and endeavoured, by honouring the prophets' graves, to deliver themselves from the guilt of those who persecuted them. Fair show, with no reality! They professed to venerate the dead, but would not receive the living; they reverenced Abraham and Moses, but were about to murder the Christ to whom patriarch and prophet bore witness. Commentators quote the old adage, herein exemplified, "Sit licet... read more

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