Mateus 23
A.T. Robertson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 23
Robertson says on woe - 'This hardest word from the lips of Jesus falls on those who were the religious leaders of the Jews (Scribes and Pharisees), who had justified this thunderbolt of wrath by their conduct toward Jesus and their treatment of things high and holy. ESV Study Bible (borrow) has an interesting note that "These seven woes stand in contrast to the first seven “blessings” that introduce the Sermon on the Mount and describe Jesus’ true disciples (Mt 5:3-9). (For a similar list of woes, see Luke 11:37-54+.) Scribes (grammateus) and Pharisees (pharisaios), hypocrites (hupokrites - hupo = under + krites = judgment) - The men are like "stage actors" in a play, but this "play" was a divine redemptive drama. They were like actors who wore external masks, hiding their true internal corrupt character. And given the fact that the word hypokrites came from Greek theater would have been even more offensive to the Pharisees who hated all forms of Hellenization. They pretended to be spiritual guides to the people, but their actions betrayed their role. Jesus has called the religious leaders hypocrites earlier in Mt 15:7 and in Mt 22:18 and will proceed to call them hypocrites (hupokrites) seven times in Matthew 23. This reminds me of the men in Titus 1:16+ who "profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." Pulpit Commentary on hypocrites - It is applied to the Pharisees as deceiving themselves and others, under the mask of godliness hiding polluted hearts, persuading themselves that formal externalism was real piety and devotion, and practically teaching this fatal delusion. William
Mateus 23
Robertson says "The Pharisees claimed to be in a special sense sons of the kingdom (Matthew 8:12). They were more partisan than pious." John Walvoord - They are eager to make converts, but their converts simply mimic and accentuate their flaws. (One thinks by contrast of the stone-drunk man who told D. L. Moody, "I'm one of your converts," to which Moody reportedly replied, "I can certainly see you're not one of the Lord's.") (See Matthew - Page 21) Wycliffe Bible Commentary on Pharisaic proselytes - Not the God-fearing Gentile who stopped short of circumcision (i.e., proselyte of the gate), but the Gentile who had been persuaded to adopt Judaism in toto, including all the traditions taught by such Pharisees. twice as much a son of hell - Proselytes made by these unspiritual Pharisees (and doubtless added to their sect) would merely add rabbinic traditions to their pagan notions. (Online The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)
Mateus 23
Robertson - These blistering words come as a climax and remind one of the Baptist (Matthew 3:17) and of the time when the Pharisees accused Jesus of being in league with Beelzebub (Matthew 12:34). They cut to the bone like whip-cords. Charles Swindoll - They were poisonous and dangerous, like vipers ready to strike their unsuspecting prey. (See Insights on Matthew 16–28 - Page 197) Holman Apologetics Commentary on the Bible - Vipers are known for their subtle approach and attack, as was the original serpent (Genesis 3). In a similar fashion, the Pharisees attempted to hide their own blasphemy by calling Jesus a blasphemer. But Jesus revealed the crux of the problem of the Pharisees—they blasphemed the Spirit because their hearts were evil. The words of accusation with which they slandered Jesus revealed their evil heart. (Holman Apologetics Commentary on the Bible see The Gospels and Acts) How will you escape the sentence of hell (geenna) - This was a rhetorical question indicating they could not possibly escape hell. What a picture Jesus gives with this warning -- what happens when there is a fire in the desert? The vipers flee from the heat of the fire to take cover in their holes. God's coming wrath would be far worse, beginning with first being cast into Hades (a "place of torment" Lk 16:28+), and ending with Hades being thrown into the Lake of fire and brimstone (Rev 20:15+), where "they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Rev 20:10+), Whether this is literal or figurative fire, the effect is to produce eternal torment. Jesus emphasizes this coming wrath of God, a truth which should stir a fear in every human heart and in turn motivate a desire for genuine repentance. 🙏 THOUGHT - The indescribable horror of God's righteous wrath (one of His divine attributes) which is coming upon all men and women who stubbornly resist His gracious call to "be saved" (Mt 19:25,26+) and remain dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1+) should motivate us who are saved from that wrath to boldly (cf Acts 4:31b+), continually throw out the Gospel life line to those who are perishing (Play and watch Fanny Crosby powerful classic Rescue the Perishing and then do it!). And we can certainly pray for their salvation! I routinely pray for a hidden people group using the Joshua Project's daily reminder and find myself literally overwhelmed by the statistics on many days where the people group is described as having several million eternal souls and NOT A SINGLE BELIEVER is known in all of those millions. This should break our hearts and stimulate us to plead with God for these otherwise eternally doomed souls! If you need some additional motivation, take some time to study the horrors of Eternal Punishment. John
Mateus 23
Robertson - There are four monuments called Tombs of the Prophets (Zechariah, Absalom, Jehoshaphat, St. James) at the base of the Mount of Olives. Some of these may have been going up at the very time that Jesus spoke. In this seventh and last woe Jesus addresses the Jewish nation and not merely the Pharisees. Pulpit Commentary - 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 Pharisees' motives in acting thus were not pure; they were not influenced by respect for the prophets or repentance for national sins, but by pride, hypocrisy, and self-sufficiency. Matthew 23:30 and say, ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ KJV Matthew 23:30 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. BGT Matthew 23:30 καὶ λέγετε· εἰ ἤμεθα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἂν ἤμεθα αὐτῶν κοινωνοὶ ἐν τῷ αἵματι τῶν προφητῶν. NET Matthew 23:30 And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' CSB Matthew 23:30 and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we wouldn't have taken part with them in shedding the prophets' blood.' ESV Matthew 23:30 saying, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' NIV Matthew 23:30 And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' NLT Matthew 23:30 Then you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.' YLT Matthew 23:30 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. MIT Matthew 23:30 You also say: "Had we lived in the times of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in causing the prophets to bleed. NJB Matthew 23:30 saying, "We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our ancestors' day." NRS Matthew 23:30 and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' the blood: Mt 23:34,35 21:35,36 2Ch 36:15 Jer 2:30 Related Passages: 2 Chronicles 36:15-16+ The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; 16 but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy. Jeremiah 26:20-23 Indeed, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land words similar to all those of Jeremiah. 21 When King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and all the officials heard his words, then the king sought to put him to death; but Uriah heard it, and he was afraid and fled and went to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him went into Egypt. 23 And they brought Uriah from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who slew him with a sword and cast his dead body into the burial place of the common people. HYPOCRITICAL BOASTING And say - Jesus is quoting the testimony of the scribes and Pharisees and will turn it against them in the following verse. ‘If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners (participated with, taken part) with them in shedding the blood (haima) of the prophets (prophetes).’ - There is a saying my wife often used with our 4 children when they lied declaring "Liar, liar, pants on fire." They are in effect claiming that they disapproved of their ancestors' treatment of the prophets, implying they would have honored them. They have short memories, for they rejected the message of John the Baptist who was murdered on their watch! Gilbrant - This kind of unconscious hypocrisy appears in every generation in one form or another. People often mistakenly judge the past as if they were immune from repeating the sins of their forebears. These people were truly play actors. They claimed that they honored the dead prophets but they would denounce and crucify the Son of God to whom both Abraham and Moses bore witness. (Complete Biblical Library) Pulpit Commentary - 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. John