Matthew 23

Matthew 23:1

TO the multitude] Gr. multitudes.

and to his disciples] When he saw there was no more hope to do good to the Pharisees, he directs his disciples and the people how to get good by them, and to take no hurt from them, Luke 20:45.

Matthew 23:2

sit in Moses chair] As masters and teachers, v. 7, 8, 10. and expounders of Moses law.

Matthew 23:3

All therefore] Because God appointed teachers of the law, therefore Christ would have them to be heard, though they were wicked.

that observe and do] If they teach according to Moses law, as they professe to do, and go not out of the chair by their traditions: for in such a case our Saviour forbids men to obey them, Matth. 16. 6, 12.

but do not ye after their works] Because bad teachers, in regard of the corruption of our nature, use to do more harm by their bad example, then good by their true doctrine, we are here warned not to imitate them.

for they say and do not] They speak well, but live ill.

Matthew 23:4

For they binde heavie burdens] Luke 11. 46. They presse others to the strict observance of Gods law.

on mens shoulders] On other mens.

with one of their fingers] They will not touch them, much lesse go about to lay them on their shoulders. Thus hypocrites, for the most part, are most severe exactours of those things which they themselves chiefly neglect.

Matthew 23:5

to be seen of men] They do works indeed sometimes that are morally good; but they do them out of vain-glory, chap. 6. 5.

they make broad] Broader then other mens. So ambitious are hypocrites in all things, Numbers 15:38. Deuteronomy 22:12.

their phylacteries] Threeds or ribbands of blue silk, or some other materiall, on the fringe in the borders of their garments; the beholding whereof, made them to remember the laws and ordinances of God, and therefore were they called phylacteries, or, means to keep, to wit, in memory. This was done out of pride and hypocrisie, not out of obedience to Gods law, Numbers 15:38. Deuteronomy 6:8. Others conceive the phylacteries were pieces of parchment, with the commandments written on them, or the sum of the two tables, and worn on their foreheads and arms, and were distinct things from the fringes on the borders of their garments.

Matthew 23:6

And love] Mark 12. 38, 39. Luke 11. 43.

the uppermost rooms] Gr. lyings down: For they lay on palles to eat, and their tables were beds. They might have taken the uppermost rooms when due, and offered to them; but they loved them, and ambitiously contended for them.

Matthew 23:7

and greetings in the markets] To be first saluted, as being greater personages then others; and that openly in the market-place, in the sight of others.

Rabbi, Rabbi] It signifies, one preferred before other teachers, because of his abundant knowledge, which makes him to be in stead of many. Their fault was, that they ambitiously affected that title above others, and took it to themselves, without giving glory to God their teacher. They loved to hear the title doubled.

Matthew 23:8

But be not ye called] James 3. 1. They could not hinder men from calling them so; but they should not take pride and pleasure in it. He turns to his disciples, because they, being to be the chief teachers of the world, might be in danger of this temptation.

one is your master] Your principall teacher. He alludes to Isaiah 54:13. Jeremiah 31:34. Take not the glory of the chief teacher from God. Acquaint the people, when they call you masters, whence ye have all your learning, even from Christ.

all ye are brethren] All ye apostles.

Matthew 23:9

call no man your father] He striketh at the pride of the Pharisees, who were called, our fathers; a greater title then master, and therefore our Saviour attributes it to his Father, in this verse; and the other to himself, in the next. See more on verse 7, 8.

for one is] Malachi 1:6.

your Father which is in heaven] See chap. 6. 9.

Matthew 23:10

Neither be ye called masters] Governours: for teaching masters were mentioned, v. 8. guides of the way, v. 16. Chap. 15. 14. Rom. 2. 19, 20. The scribes, although they were blinde guides, yet did they greedily hunt after such titles: but the apostles must not.

Matthew 23:11

he that is greatest] Here it appears, that different places and titles are not forbidden; but ambitious seeking of them, and proud glorying in them.

shall be your servant] That is, let him be, as chap. 20. 27.

Matthew 23:12

And whosoever shall exalt hmself] Luke 14. 11. and 18. 14. It is clean contrary in the world; for men esteem most of such as put out themselves, and despise others.

Matthew 23:13

But wo unto you] Luke 11. 52.

scribes and Pharisees] This was the last time he should teach them; and therefore, having warned the disciples and the people to take heed of them, he now lays open their principall sins, and threatens woes to them for the same.

hypocrites] Christ using this title in sharpest reproofs, shews unto us, that nothing is more detestable then hypocrisie.

ye shut up the kingdom of heaven] Ye are so far from opening the door, that, when it is opened by John Baptist and me, ye will not enter into it; nay, ye keep out others that shew some willingnesse to come in, by your credit and reputation, John 7:48-49. and by threatnings, John 9:22. Or, ye challenge the key of interpreting Scriptures to your selves, and suffer not any to interpret aright those Scriptures that treat of the Messias, and of his Kingdom, and employ all your skill and endeavour in pressing and enlarging rites and traditions.

against men] Gr. in the sight of them; as if ye did shut the door for the nonce, to keep them out.

that are entring] Which are even at the door.

Matthew 23:14

for ye devour] Mark 12:40. Luke 20. 47.

widows houses] Ye oppresse widows, which have none to help them, and leave them not so much as an house to dwell in.

for a pretence make long prayer] Ye make long prayers, that widows, thinking you to be very conscientious men, may trust you with their means, which you defraud them of: or, by tricks ye beguil them of their means, and yet labour to be thought godly men, because ye make long prayers: so ye wrong both God and them.

Matthew 23:15

land] Gr. dry. That part which men dwell on, Genesis 1:9. Ye take great pains and travell to turn Gentiles to your religion, as if ye were very zealous for Gods glory.

twofold more the childe of hell] Ye make him far worse then you, by your evil example of life: or, ye make him more zealous for your traditions, and more bitter against the preachers and preaching of the Gospel then ye your selves are.

Matthew 23:16

it is nothing] He is not bound to perform his vow, that swears by the temple.

he is a debter] He that swears by the gold of the temple, ought to perform his vow.

Matthew 23:17

that sanctifieth the gold?] That causeth the gold to be counted holy, because joyned to the temple, which is holy, if it had no gold; whereas other gold is not holy.

Matthew 23:18

is gulty] Or, a debter, as v. 16. or, bound: To perform.

Matthew 23:19

the gift, or the altar] The gift was not holy before it was brought to the altar to be offered to God; but the altar was holy before, and makes the gift to be so now.

Matthew 23:20

and by all things theren] He is as much bound to perform his vow, as if he did swear by all those things, because they all appertain to it. Yet Christ doth not here allow of swearing by creatures, though he condemn perjury when men swear by them. See on chap. 5. 33, 34.

Matthew 23:21

and by him] Is in Gods account tied to perform, as if he had sworn by God himself.

that dwelleth therein] Ceremonially, in the signes of his gracious presence.

Matthew 23:22

by the throne of God] If heaven be Gods throne, then no doubt he is above all the world.

Matthew 23:23

for ye pay] Luke 11. 42.

have omitted the weightier matters] Hypocrites are carefull in trifles, and neglect the greatest things.

judgement, mercy and faith] Just dealing, giving to the poor, and keeping promises.

these ought ye to have done] He shews, that he doth not blame those that do small things commanded; but such as think, when they have done those, they have done all that is required, and so neglect greater duties.

Matthew 23:24

which strain at a gnat] Which are like a man that strains at a small thing, as if he feared it would choke him; and yet can swallow a greater when he list. Ye are afraid that a small sin should hurt you, yet ye fear not a greater, John 18:28.

Matthew 23:25

for ye make clean] Luke 11. 39.

the outside of the cup] Hypocrites are too carefull of outward things; but the inward they utterly contemn.

full of extortion] Of goods violently gotten, verse 14. Ezekiel 28:16.

and excesse] In the intemperate use of the creatures.

Matthew 23:26

cleanse first that which is within] Get your goods justly, and use them soberly; so shall ye have comfort in them, Tit. . 15.

Matthew 23:27

whited sepulchres] Acts 23:3. Painted and made fine on the outside, and filthy within: so do ye appear just outwardly, v. 5, 14, 15, 23. but are very corrupt within, as appears by some expressions of your pride and cruelty, v. 6, 7, 14, 15, 23.

Matthew 23:29

of the righteous] Private men, as v. 35. Or, of thos righteous ones; To wit, the prophets spoken of before: and such onely are spoken of, but not any private men, v. 34.

Matthew 23:30

And say] Ye seem to esteem highly of the prophets whom your fathers slew; for ye garnish their tombs, and say, Ye would not have slain them, if ye had lived in their times.

Matthew 23:31

Wherefore] This verse may be in a parenthesis, for the 32 verse depends on the 30.

ye be witnesses] Ye speak truer then ye intend.

unto your selves] Or, against your selves, as Mark 6:11. Luke 9:5.

that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets] For ye called them your fathers, v. 30. and ye may possibly tread in their steps, and are in the mean space no better then they were, as ye will shortly shew and discover, though now ye conceal it; for even now ye are inwardly plotting what they practised. Ye honour the dead, because they cannot trouble you; but the surviving, who teach the same doctrine they did, ye hate as extremely as ever your fathers did them.

Matthew 23:32

Fill ye up] Since ye will needs do so, supply ye, by your wickednesse, what is wanting in your fathers; as 1 Kings 22:22. John 13:27. Put me to death, and some of my witnesses. See the like, John 13:27.

the measure] Genesis 15:16. Gods patience overlong provoked, inflicts so heavie a punishment, that the penalty may well seem to serve for all that went before also, 1 Samuel 3:12. Isaiah 63:6-7.

of your fathers] Go on till your wickednesse be as great as theirs, and then ye shall perish also, 1 Kings 2:22. Isaiah 65:7.

Matthew 23:33

Ye serpents] Hurtfull creatures.

ye generation of vipers] See on chap. 3 7.

how can ye escape] Though ye may escape mans judgement, ye cannot escape Gods: or, whoever escape ell, ye cannot.

of hell] See on chap. 5. 22.

Matthew 23:34

Wherefore] Seeing ye are so cruell, ye shall have matter to exercise your cruelty, that it may be known, though ye now hide it, and ye may exemplarily perish.

I send unto you] After my resurrection.

prophets, and wise men and scribes] He calls the apostles and pastours of the new Testament, by names taken out of the old, as best known to the Jews, and mentioned, v. 30. that they that honoured the dead prophets, and st so great a price on their own wise men and scribes, might see what account they ought to have made of the apostles, that went far beyond them. See on chap. 11. 11.

ye shall kill, &c.] Ye shall exercise all manner of cruelty on them, as death, blowes, banishment.

in your synagogues] Chap. 10. 17.

from city to city] Chap. 10. 23.

Matthew 23:35

all the righteous blood] So terrible should be the judgement inflicted on the Jews, that they might seem to answer for all the murders of the godly slain from the beginning to that day: yet it was not equall to their sins, which were better known to God then to the world. So Revelation 18:24.

from the blood of righteous Abel] Genesis 4:8.

of Zacharias] It may be Zchariah the prophet; for both names agree, Zechariah 1:1. and he was one of the last prophets; but his death is not set down in the old testament: therefore others take him to be another of that name, mentioned, 2 Chronicles 24:22. Luke 11:50. These are named, because the blood of the one cried for vengeance, Genesis 4:10. and the mouth of the other, at his death, 2 Chronicles 24:22. Or, because the one was the first righteous man, and the other the last prophet, whose murder is recorded in the old testament.

whom ye slew] Because the nation is still accounted the same. So Mark 10:3. Joh. 6 32. and 7. 19, 22. Acts 7:38.

Matthew 23:36

all these things] All these punishments.

upon this generation] For Jerusalem was soon after destroyed.

Matthew 23:37

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem] Luke 13. 34. The name is doubled, to expresse great affection in the speaker, as 2 Samuel 18:33.

that killest the prophets] Nehemiah 9:26. Acts 7:32.

and stonest them which are sent] 2 Chron. 24 21.

how often would I have gathered] 2Es 1:30. He speaketh of his humane and ministeriall will; for his divine will could not be resisted by them.

thy children] The Jews, whose mother-citie Jerusalem was, whom they repaired to for worship, judicature, and succour in war and streits, Luke 19:14.

together] A long time striving with them, to bring them to faith and repentance, and so free them from future evils. So Psalms 17:8. and 91. .

ye would not] So Proverbs 1:24. Isaiah 65:12. and Isaiah 30:20. Jeremiah 7:13. Ezekiel 24:13.

Matthew 23:38

your house is left unto you desolate] Your citie and temple shall be destroyed.

Matthew 23:39

ye shall not see me] In this bodily manner.

henceforth] For this was in his last journey to Jerusalem; and it may be it was spoken in the last day before he was betrayed: however, it was the last time of his publike teaching.

till ye shall say] Ye would be glad to see me when Jerusalem is destroyed, and say that to me, which ye thought much to hear the children say before, chap. 21. 16. Or, after that I am crucified, ye shall see me no more, till good men among you welcome me at my coming to Judgement, as some of you did before, chap. 21. 9.