Matthew 23

In Matthew 22, Jesus debated with various groups in the temple. Chapter 23 follows those debates: before the crowds and his disciples, Jesus rebukes the scribes and Pharisees. The chapter is followed by the eschatological discourse of chapters 24–25.

Outline

• Verses 1–12 Jesus says that the scribes and Pharisees "sit in Moses' seat" and instructs his hearers to observe what they say but not to imitate what they do. He points out that they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments, and that they love the chief seats and the title "Rabbi." He teaches his disciples not to be called rabbi, father, or master, but to be servants.
• Verses 13–15 Jesus pronounces woes upon those who shut up the kingdom of heaven and who win proselytes only to make them "the child of hell." In Korean Bibles, verse 14 is marked "(omitted)."
• Verses 16–22 Jesus rebukes the "blind guides" who draw distinctions in oaths between the temple and its gold, and between the altar and the gift upon it.
• Verses 23–24 Jesus says that they pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin yet have omitted judgment, mercy, and faith, and that they "strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel."
• Verses 25–28 Jesus compares them to a cup and platter clean only on the outside and to whited sepulchres.
• Verses 29–36 Jesus calls those who garnish the tombs of the prophets the children of those who killed the prophets, and declares that the blood shed from Abel to Zacharias son of Barachias will come upon this generation.
• Verses 37–39 Jesus laments over Jerusalem and declares, "your house is left unto you desolate."

Key Verses

• Matthew 23:12 "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased": This summarizes the humility the community of disciples is to practice.
• Matthew 23:23 "The weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith": Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are placed ahead of outward regulations.
• Matthew 23:37 "Even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings": Jesus' lament comes through at the close of his words of judgment.

People and Places

• Scribes: Experts who copied and taught the law.
• Pharisees: A Jewish group that emphasized strict observance of the law.
• Moses: "Moses' seat" refers to the authority to teach the law.
• Abel: The first righteous person in Scripture whose blood was shed.
• Zacharias son of Barachias: A figure slain between the temple and the altar.
• Jerusalem, Synagogue

Points for Reflection

• Verse 14 appears only in some later manuscripts. For this reason, the Korean Revised Version and the New Korean Revised Version omit it from the main text. Its content resembles Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
• Verse 23 is frequently cited in the tithing debate. Some regard it as grounds for continuing to tithe under the New Testament, while others see it as words addressed to Jews who were under the law.
• On the basis of verse 9, some Protestants criticize the custom of addressing Catholic priests as "Father." The Catholic Church explains the title as meaning spiritual father, citing 1 Corinthians 4:15 among other passages.
• Interpretations differ as to the identity of the Zacharias in verse 35. Many identify him with Zechariah son of Jehoiada, who was stoned to death in the court of the temple (2 Chronicles 24:20–22). However, because the phrase "son of Barachias" matches the description of the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 1:1, the son of Berechiah), other interpretations also exist.
• Scholars and church leaders have acknowledged that the history of reading this chapter as a condemnation of the Jewish people as a whole contributed to antisemitism.
• Verse 39 quotes Psalm 118:26 and matches the words the crowds shouted at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9). The prediction of desolation in verse 38 is read in connection with the prediction of the temple's destruction in chapter 24. A similar lament appears in Luke 13:34–35.

In the Korean Church

The expressions "whited sepulchres" and "strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel" are frequently used in sermons warning against hypocrisy among believers. Verse 23 is commonly cited in sermons on tithing.