13 But wo 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.

14 Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye

13. Wo unto you. Our Lord now puts forth the severest denunciations against those who had so attacked Him, and of whom He had just warned the people. They were guilty of shutting up the kingdom of heaven. All their influence was turned against the gospel, so as to prevent the multitude from receiving it. They professed to be guardians of the church, and this had been their office. But they abused it to exclude men from this salvation. Holding the keys in this sense, they locked the door and kept men from entering. They persecuted the true Messiah, and they taught for doctrines the

commandments of men.

14. Devour widows' houses. Cruelty, avarice, and hypocrisy, are here charged upon them. Such was their greedy avarice, that they even swallowed up the houses' (or property) of widows, as they went about seeking whose estates they could devour. They often took advantage of the unprotected, and perverted their office as ecclesiastics and lawyers, to get possession of their property.- - For a pretence for a disguise. In Luke, we read "for a show," but the same Greek word. With all this, they pre

15 Wo 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.

16 Woe unto you, ye blind m

k 2Ti.3.6. Tit.1.11. I Jno.8.44. Ac. 13.10. Ep.2.3. m c.15.14.

tended the greatest piety, so they made long prayer (see ch. 6. 5), standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets," and continuing several hours in these showy devotions. For this hypocrisy, doing the most despicable deeds under the show of piety, they should be the more severely punished in the future world.

15. Ye compass sea and land-or traverse. This is a proverbial phrase, expressing the most extensive and assiduous efforts. They would leave no stone unturned, and would spare no pains to make one proselyte-that is, to convert one man to their religion, more or less fully.- -Two-fold more. The result was, that those whom they so won over to the Jewish rites, were made twice as bad as themselves.- -¶ A child of hell, is a Hebrew mode of speech, to denote one who belongs to hell- the offspring and heir of perdition. So in Sam. 20. 31, marg., "Son of death"-devoted to death. And it was notorious that their adherents became more awfully wicked than themselves-doubly so. The proselytes were called "the scabs of Israel, as hindering the coming of the Messiah, being ignorant of the law and bringing in revenge." Their zeal for proselyting was proverbial among the heathen. The Latin poet Horace speaks of it.

16, 17. Ye blind guides. Here they are denounced for their mischievous

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

18 And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19 Ye fools and blind! for

n Ps.94.8. 1 Or, debtor, or, bound.

Το

doctrines in the community-calculated to lead men sadly astray. As to the obligation of oaths, they were wont to swear by a variety of objects most foolishly. They made the most arbitrary distinctions, calculated to confound all such obligations. swear by the temple, was to take an oath by the temple that what was said or promised was truth. The folly of it was, that it was no test of sincerity, and that it confounded a building with God Himself, who alone could search the heart. If one sware by the temple, it was nothing, that is, of no account -having no force in their esteem. But if he sware by the gold of the temple, his oath was solemnly binding. Whereas no reason could be given why there should be more force in one oath than in the other; and if either was greater, it was the temple greater than the gold: for all the golden vessels and furniture had their sanctity from the temple itself. (See ch. 5. 33, &c.)

18, 19. Shall swear by the altar. The altar of burnt-offerings (2 Chron. 4. 1). This, men could swear by, without the oath having any force; but if they sware by the gift upon the altar, they were "guilty," that is, liable to condemnation, for breaking the oath. This is the force of the words "guilt" and "guilty" in the old English. This figure shows an altar, thought by many

shall

20 Whoso therefore swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon. 21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23 Wo unto you, scribes and

o Ex. 29.37; 30.29. p 2Ch.6.2. Ps.26.8. q Ps.11.4. Is.66.1. c.5.34.

to be the form of that in the temple. The horns of the altar are seen here.

20, 21. Whoso therefore. Here the true doctrine is laid down in regard to the solemnity and sanctity of oaths. The Jews had many foolish oaths that they regarded as having no force. But they are here declared to be solemn and awful appeals to Jehovah, though they did not so regard them. (See ch. 5. 34, &c.) Hence (as in the 5th chap.) they were shown that this was profane jesting, for God was concerned in it all. Hence it was the subject of profanity that was here treated of, for it prevailed extensively among the Jews. The sin of profane swearing consists in using lightly terms of the greatest solemnity-whe

r

Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, 1 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.

24 Ye blind guides! which

Lu.11.42. 1 Dill. 81Sa.15.22. Je.22.15,16. Ho. 6.6. Mi.6.8. c.9.13.

ther God's names, titles, attributes, words, works, or any thing relating to His worship. It is a frivolous trifling with holy things.

23. Ye pay tithe. A tithe means a tenth part. The Jews were required strictly to pay a tenth of all their yearly produce of corn, cattle, &c., to the Levites, and after that, a second tenth or tithe to the sanctuary service, and then, a third tenth, that is, of the remainder, to the poor widows, the fatherless, &c. There seems to have been no law for a tithe of herbs; but in this the Pharisees would show ar extra devotion. They paid tithe, even to the merest herbs, and were exact to the very smallest items. (Numb. 18. 20-24. Deut. 14. 22-29.) These herbs, here mentioned, are from the garden and of little value, except for odour or flavour. They represent here, the minor matters in which the Pharisees were so strict. It was not condemned. They did right to pay tithes to the utmost. But, with all this attention to smallest matters, they neglected things of more importance their social and religious duties.¶ Judgment—or justice, for they were great extortioners, and unjust.

Mercy-for they were unfeeling and cruel. -T Faith-for they were the grossest unbelievers, and had not piety towards God; and so also they were unfaithful. These things were their first duty, while the others should have been done also.

24. Blind guides. The allusion may here be to some of the more ostentatious of the sect, who wore bandages on their eyes in public, as not

strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25 Wo 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.

26 Thou blind Pharisee !

t Mar.7.4,&c.

looking on iniquity, lest they should be defiled. They claimed to be leaders in morals, and undertook to be instructors of the people. But Christ shows their utter incapacity for this, and the mischief they must do in such a work. They lacked the very quality which a guide should have. Hence they must lead into evil.T "Which strain at a gnat." The word means filter. This is a proverbial expression. The term refers to the straining of wine, or water, to get it pure. (See Amos 6. 6.) Their conduct is represented by this: straining their drink to avoid swallowing a gnat, and yet swallowing-gulping down—a camel;—particular about little sins, but careless about great ones-seeing motes, but overlooking beams-affecting the greatest dread of trivial improprieties, but committing the grossest crimes. This was the spirit that could see the mote in another's eye, and think nothing of the beam in its own. The old versions read it, "Strain out a gnat," and "Strain a gnat." This, "Strain at a gnat," may be understood in the same sense-straining over and over to get out the last gnat in the wine. The Jews had a proverb of swallowing an elephant, analogous to this.

25, 26. These verses are properly connected with the 24th, as explaining it, and showing the danger of their guidance. They were careful of outside ceremonies, but at heart (within), they were full of extortion and excess. The washing of pots and cups, and other such things they did (Mark 7. 8) careful about ex

cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are with

in full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

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

29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because 18

valleys. This gave them a bright, beautiful appearance, and was a token of their attention and respect. It also served to keep them visible to passers by, that they might not touch them and be. polluted. (See Numb. 19. 16. Luke 11. 44.)- - Beautiful outward (wpatot). The Jews paid great respect to burial. The more opulent had ornamented tombs, and the women visited them, especially a few days after the burial, to strew flowers, or to weep. So the sisters of Lazarus (John 11.31). (See cut, from Kilto.) So the Pharisees kept up their own appearance by mere whitewash, while at heart, they were full of rottenness and corruption. Outwardly they seemed righteous unto men, but to God they were known to be full of hypocrisy and iniquity. This is the character of all hypocrites.

29. Ye build the tombs of the prophets. Another deception which they practised was this of affecting the greatest respect for the deceased prophets. This would make them seem to the Jews to be zealously devoted to their religion. They showed the greatest zeal in preserving their memory and honour, by erecting tombs of stone saered to their names.- -T And garnish -that is, decorate, adorn. By adding various ornaments to the sepulchres of eminent saints, they affected a great reverence and love for the piety of such. Josephus tells us of the splendid manner in which Herod repaired David's sepulchre, mentioned Acts 2. 29.

30. And say. They further pretended by these and other acts, and in their language, that they abhorred the crime of those who killed the pro

ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

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.

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

v Ac.7.52. 1Th.2.15.

phets and all this was a mere hollow parade-a vain pretence of hypocrites. People often talk against other sinners, while they are just as bad themselves: "Thou that judgest, doest the same things."

31. Ye be witnesses unto yourselves. Their own consciences and conduct told them that they were the genuine offspring of those who murdered the prophets-that they were like them, as children are like their parents, and not only naturally descended from them, but really of the same sort. So their persecutions of the apostles would soon prove.

32. Fill ye up then. This is as much as to say, Go on, then, as you are going, and you will only do as your wicked fathers have done, and will fill up their measure of iniquity -that is, in other words, will complete the iniquity which they have begun. There is an air of irony in the language. Yet it is spoken with the force of a judicial abandonment, as if, at length ordering them to do, what it was so certain they would do; like the language in Isaiah 6.9, 10 (quoted in Matt. 13. 14, 15-see note), where the prophet's word to that people was to be," Hear ye, indeed, but understand not," and the prophet is commanded, "Make the heart of this people fat." (See Alexander on the passage in Isaiah.) Comp. Acts 7.57. 33. Ye serpents. This further expresses their specious hypocrisy. "The old serpent," is a scriptural name

W

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

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

34 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,

w Ge.15.16. 1'Th.2.16. x c.3.7. y Ac.7.59. z Ac. 5.40. 2Cor.11.24,25.

for the devil, who is also called "the father of lies."- -T Generation of vipers. This alludes again to their being the true children of those who murdered the prophets, and like them in heart-and so they are called a family or brood of vipers, instead of being such a generation as they claimed. As the serpent expressed their wicked deceitfulness, so the viper expressed their mischievous, poisonous power. They were plainly rushing to destruction, and in the strongest terms, Christ charges them that eternal damnation was most sure to be their lot. He who knew the end from the beginning could predict the result.

34. Wherefore, behold - Accordingly, He now shows how their perseverance in iniquity like this, should even now go on and bring them to such a fearful end. Luke speaks of this, as a previous prediction. "Behold the wisdom of God hath said." The gospel teachers should go among them-that is, the apostles, and others

and they should treat them as cruelly as their fathers had treated their prophets. The Jews called their doctors by these names, prophets, wise men and scribes; and Christ so calls His gospel teachers who ought to supersede them. These things were fulfilled after Christ's death. Stephen was stoned (Acts 7. 59); James was killed with a sword (Acts 12. 1, 2), see Acts 5. 40. Acts 22. 19-24. 2 Cor. 11. 24, 25; and persecution was re