Religious Leaders
The opponents are finished talking. Although there are no more hypocritical words on their lips, their hearts are invariably full of hypocrisy. The Lord will now uncover that hypocritical heart. He knows all the deliberations and thoughts of man’s heart. He is the omniscient God. He does according to the word he once spoke to Samuel: “For God [sees] not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” [1Sam 16:7].
At the end of this chapter He foretells the destruction of the people. This does not primarily concern the lawless and licentious, not even the unbelieving Sadducees. It concerns in the first place the downfall of those who are generally held in high esteem for their religious knowledge and holiness.
The Lord speaks to the crowds and disciples who are still seen together here. Only after He is captured does a separation take place between the crowds and the disciples. He addresses both groups to warn them about the Pharisees. He does so in no uncertain terms. As we read this section, we must be careful not to think that the Lord is always talking about ‘others’. He also speaks to us. In us there is also hidden something of the Pharisees and scribes. We will experience this if we apply His words that He speaks to the Pharisees to ourselves.
The first thing He says about them is that they accept the place of teacher, a place elevated above the people. They look down upon the people and even ‘curse’ the crowd who in their eyes do not know the law [John 7:49]. That is how they think about the crowd whose honor they so love. The application for us is obvious. For anyone who has knowledge of the Word of God, there is a great danger that he will take a place above God’s people where there is generally no knowledge of God’s Word.
Despite the posturing of these people, the Lord says that they should be listened to. That is only as far as they teach God’s Word. The Lord does not say that the traditions of these people should be followed. They should not follow their works. The reason, he says, is that these false leaders say something about the law, but do not act according to it themselves. They give their own interpretation to keeping the law. That is, they tell others how to keep the law while not keeping the slightest account of it in their own lives. They don’t even want that. We always find this with religious zealots. They like to tell other people what to do while making things easy for themselves.
At the end of this chapter He foretells the destruction of the people. This does not primarily concern the lawless and licentious, not even the unbelieving Sadducees. It concerns in the first place the downfall of those who are generally held in high esteem for their religious knowledge and holiness.
The Lord speaks to the crowds and disciples who are still seen together here. Only after He is captured does a separation take place between the crowds and the disciples. He addresses both groups to warn them about the Pharisees. He does so in no uncertain terms. As we read this section, we must be careful not to think that the Lord is always talking about ‘others’. He also speaks to us. In us there is also hidden something of the Pharisees and scribes. We will experience this if we apply His words that He speaks to the Pharisees to ourselves.
The first thing He says about them is that they accept the place of teacher, a place elevated above the people. They look down upon the people and even ‘curse’ the crowd who in their eyes do not know the law [John 7:49]. That is how they think about the crowd whose honor they so love. The application for us is obvious. For anyone who has knowledge of the Word of God, there is a great danger that he will take a place above God’s people where there is generally no knowledge of God’s Word.
Despite the posturing of these people, the Lord says that they should be listened to. That is only as far as they teach God’s Word. The Lord does not say that the traditions of these people should be followed. They should not follow their works. The reason, he says, is that these false leaders say something about the law, but do not act according to it themselves. They give their own interpretation to keeping the law. That is, they tell others how to keep the law while not keeping the slightest account of it in their own lives. They don’t even want that. We always find this with religious zealots. They like to tell other people what to do while making things easy for themselves.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-4
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, ‹The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:› 3 ‹All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,› [that] ‹observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.› 4 ‹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.›
 | Author: Ger de Koning Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-04-05 Source: Title: Matthew Author: Ger de Koning Copyright: kingcomments.com Note General: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author or the publisher. |
In the first verses of the chapter, the Savior warns the crowd and the disciples about the scribes and Pharisees. These leaders sat "in Moses' seat," meaning they taught the Law of Moses. Generally, their teaching was reliable, but not their behavior. Their creed was better than their conduct. They talked big, but their walk was worthless. Jesus said: "Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do."
They made high demands (often just extreme interpretations of the letter of the law) on the people, but they were unwilling to help anyone bear this unbearable burden.
They made high demands (often just extreme interpretations of the letter of the law) on the people, but they were unwilling to help anyone bear this unbearable burden.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-4
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, ‹The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:› 3 ‹All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,› [that] ‹observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.› 4 ‹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.›
 | Author: William MacDonald Rank: Author Posted on: 2024-01-04 Source: Title: Commentary on the New Testament Year (original): 1989 Author: William MacDonald Number of pages: 1504 Publisher/Editor: CLV Print: GGP Media GmbH, Pößneck |
The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God searches the heart. They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment, wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, [Exod 13:2-10]; [Exod 13:11-16]; [Deut 6:4-9]; [Deut 11:13-21]. They made these phylacteries broad, that they might be thought more zealous for the law than others. God appointed the Jews to make fringes upon their garments, [Num 15:38], to remind them of their being a peculiar people; but the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they were thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which our Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against. For him that is taught in the word to give respect to him that teaches, is commendable; but for him that teaches, to demand it, to be puffed up with it, is sinful. How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consistent disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But who that looks around on the visible church, would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristian spirit prevails in every religious society, and in every one of our hearts.
Verses that belong to this explanation: 1-12
1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, ‹The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:› 3 ‹All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe,› [that] ‹observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.› 4 ‹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.› 5 ‹But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,› 6 ‹And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,› 7 ‹And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.› 8 ‹But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master,› [even] ‹Christ; and all ye are brethren.› 9 ‹And call no› [man] ‹your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.› 10 ‹Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master,› [even] ‹Christ.› 11 ‹But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.› 12 ‹And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.›
 | Author: Matthew Henry Rank: Priest AD: 1714 Source: Title: Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible Author: Matthew Henry |
Then. When? When He had said these things, when He had stopped their mouths; when He had brought them that they should no more dare to tempt Him; when He had shown their state incurable. And since He had made mention of the Lord and my Lord, He recurs again to the law. And yet the law said nothing of this kind, but, The Lord your God is one Lord. Deuteronomy 6:4 But Scripture calls the whole Old Testament the law. But these things He says, showing by all things His full agreement with Him that begot Him. For if He were opposed, He would have said the opposite about the law; but now He commands so great reverence to be shown towards it, that, even when they that teach it are depraved, He charges them to hold to it. But here He is discoursing about their life and morals, since this was chiefly the cause of their unbelief, their depraved life, and the love of glory. To amend therefore His hearers; that which in the first place most contributes to salvation, not to despise our teachers, neither to rise up against our priests, this does He command with superabundant earnestness. But He does not only command it, but also Himself does it. For though they were depraved, He does not depose them from their dignity; to them rendering their condemnation heavier, and to His disciples leaving no cloke for disobedience. I mean, that lest any one should say, that because my teacher is bad, therefore am I become more remiss, He takes away even this pretext. So much at any rate did He establish their authority, although they were wicked men, as even after so heavy an accusation to say, All whatsoever they command you to do, do. For they speak not their own words, but God's, what He appointed for laws by Moses. And mark how much honor He showed towards Moses, again showing His agreement with the Old Testament; since indeed even by this does He make them objects of reverence. For they sit, He says, on Moses' seat. For because He was not able to make them out worthy of credit by their life, He does it from the grounds that were open to Him, from their seat, and their succession from him. But when you hear all, do not understand all the law, as, for instance, the ordinances about meats, those about sacrifices, and the like; for how was He to say so of these things, which He had taken away beforehand? But He meant all things that correct the moral principle, and amend the disposition, and agree with the laws of the New Testament, and suffer them not any more to be under the yoke of the law.
 | Author: John Chrysostom Rank: Bishop AD: 407 |
The listed verse explanations of the individual persons have nothing to do with the explanations of the other persons. This also applies to the Bible translations.
