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Matthew 23

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

What does Matthew 23:35 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 23:35 is a verse where Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees and scribes, delivering a stern warning and judgment upon them for their hypocrisy and the persecution of God's messengers.

He refers to the blood of the righteous, starting from Abel, the first victim of murder in the Bible, to the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, representing the long history of violence against those who were righteous.

It is a strong accusation against the religious leaders of Jesus' time, suggesting that they bear the guilt for all the righteous blood shed throughout history.

The verse asserts a theme of divine justice that stretches across time, indicating that those who perpetuate injustice will ultimately be held accountable.

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Historical Context

The historical context of Matthew 23:35 is rooted in the tensions between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time.

It is part of a broader discourse known as the Seven Woes in which Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy.

Jesus’ message is set against the background of a long tradition of prophets who were killed for speaking God's truth.

The figure of Zacharias son of Barachias is less certain historically, with some speculation that Jesus could be referring to Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was indeed killed in the temple as mentioned in 2 Chronicles 24:20-22.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, Matthew 23:35 presents several insights:

The Righteousness of Abel: Abel is often seen as the archetype of the unjustly treated righteous man in biblical theology.
Divine Retribution: There is a concept of divine justice that those who persecute the prophets or the righteous will face consequences for their actions.
Collective Responsibility: The verse suggests a collective responsibility for the blood of the prophets, which has been a point of theological debate regarding communal sin and atonement.

Different denominations interpret these insights in varying ways, particularly how they apply to the concept of justice and accountability within a religious community.

Practical Applications

Practically, Matthew 23:35 can be understood as a call to examine one's actions and the actions of their community with respect to how they treat those who speak truth, promote justice, and live righteously.

It encourages individuals to respect and protect those who stand up for righteousness, and to be self-reflective about perpetuating any form of injustice or hypocrisy.

Cross-References

Genesis 4:8-10: "[...] The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground."
2 Chronicles 24:20-21: "The Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest [...] So they conspired against him, and at the commandment of the king, they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD."
Revelation 18:24: "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth."

Language Study

"Righteous" (δίκαιος - dikaios): This Greek word denotes someone who is morally right or justifiable, often used to describe those who are upright or innocent.
"Blood" (αἷμα - haima): In biblical context, blood often symbolizes life and, in this case, the taking of life through violence.
"Slew" (ἀπέκτεινεν - apekteinen): This term means to kill or murder, and its use here indicates a violent death.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons to other ancient myths and religious interpretations might highlight the common theme of righteous individuals being persecuted or killed for their beliefs or messages.

For instance, in Greek mythology, characters like Antigone suffer due to their righteous stands.

Similar themes of prophets or messengers facing persecution can also be found in the narratives of other world religions.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse does not directly intersect with scientific understandings, as it speaks more to moral, ethical, and spiritual issues.

However, from a psychological or sociological viewpoint, the passage might touch upon the human propensity for violence against those who challenge societal norms or hold power to account.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentaries offer interpretations of Matthew 23:35:

The Pulpit Commentary: Suggests that Zechariah's murder was notably grievous as it took place in the sacred space of the temple and he was a high-ranking religious leader killed by command of the king.
John Calvin: He emphasizes the continuing unfaithfulness of the people, which Jesus points out by framing the murder as a representative of the blood of all prophets shed on the ground.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary: It discusses the chronological scope from Abel to Zechariah, symbolizing the extent of the persecution of the righteous throughout the history of Israel.

Matthew 23

Matthew 23

What does Matthew 23:35 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 23:35 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?