Matthew 23

15 The Jews did attempt to win converts to the Jewish religion. Occasionally they traveled to foreign countries to do so. Some Gentiles became Jews as a result. But they became Jews just like the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, who were their teachers. They became Jews only outwardly (see Romans 2:28-29 and comment). They, too, refused to accept Christ. Thus they received no benefit from becoming Jews. They became sons of hell, that is, they became worthy of eternal punishment. The hypocritical Jewish leaders were also sons of hell; but their converts, who were not even Jews according to the flesh, were doubly sons of hell.

16-20 The Jewish leaders used to swear an oath whenever they made an agreement or promise (see Matthew 5:33 and comment). But they tried to invent ways to avoid having to keep their oaths. They said, “If we swear by the temple, the oath is not binding. Only if we swear by the gold of the temple do we have to keep our oath” (verse 16). They also said that swearing by the altar meant nothing. Only if they swore by the gift on the altar would they have to keep their oath (verse 18).

But their teaching was totally false. The temple was greater than the gold of the temple. The altar was greater than the gift on the altar. How could they say that swearing by the temple and altar meant nothing? The gold of the temple was included in the temple; the gift on the altar was included in the altar. Therefore, there was no difference between swearing by the temple and swearing by the gold, or between swearing by the altar and swearing by the gift. Whatever they swore by, they had to keep their oath.

But the Jewish leaders were hypocrites. They never intended to keep their oaths. There were only inventing excuses for not keeping their word.

21-22 When we swear by anything that belongs to God, we swear by God Himself. If we swear by the gold, we swear by His temple. If we swear by the temple, we swear by the one who dwells in it—God (verse 21). If we swear by heaven, we swear by God’s throne, and by the one who sits on it—God (verse 22). Whatever we swear by, we swear by God, because He made everything.

But Jesus’ main teaching is this: Do not swear at all. If a man is honest and sincere, he does not need to swear. Swearing oaths is a sign of dishonesty (see Matthew 5:3437 and comment).

23  The Jews always tithed; that is, they set aside one tenth of all their crops and animals and offered them to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30). This was good and necessary. All Christians, under ordinary circumstances, ought to give at least one tenth of their income to the Lord. After all, even the Pharisees did that much.

However, there are more important laws than the law of tithing (Micah 6:8). The Jewish leaders tithed, it is true, but they neglected the most important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. They neglected the love of God (Luke 11:42). True obedience to God means to obey God in these great matters; such things as tithes and sacrifices are less important (1 Samuel 15:22). “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” God said through the prophet Hosea (Hosea 6:6).

24  Here Jesus quotes a Jewish parable. To keep the small laws and disobey the important laws was like fussily picking a small object (like a gnat) out of one’s tea, but ignoring a large object (like a cockroach—or a camel!) and swallowing it down with the tea.

25  The Jewish leaders observed many rules concerning the cleaning of cups and dishes (Mark 7:4). Jesus said that the teachers of the law and the Pharisees were like cups washed on the outside but not on the inside. The Jews obeyed the law outwardly so that men would praise them; but they did not keep the law in their hearts. They were full of greed and self-indulgence.

How useless it is to wash the outside of a cup while leaving the inside dirty! If the inside is dirty, whatever is in the cup will be dirty too, and thus unfit to drink (see Luke 11:40-41 and comment).

26  Jesus told the Jewish leaders that they should first clean their hearts, the inside of the cup and dish. Jesus said, “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean’” (see Mark 7:20 and comment). If one’s heart is clean, that is, if one’s inner motives are pure, then one’s outward behavior will also be pure. If the heart is unclean, washing the outside will do no good. God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).

Blind Pharisee! That man is truly blind who does not see the sin in his own heart.

27-28 The Jewish leaders were like tombs that had been whitewashed on the outside. Outwardly they appeared to be spiritually alive and well, but inwardly they were spiritually dead, corrupt.

29  The Jews of Jesus’ time honored the Old Testament prophets. They built large tombs for them like martyrs’ memorials. Yet they refused to honor Christ and His disciples. It is much easier to honor a dead prophet than to heed a living one.

30  The Jews admitted that their ancestors had killed the prophets. When the Old Testament prophets came to denounce Israel’s sins and turn the people to God, most of the Jews of that time rejected them and killed them (Hebrews 11:3238). But the Jews of Jesus’ time said, “We wouldn’t have done that if we had been alive then.” But even as they said that, they were planning to murder Christ, the Messiah, of whom all the Old Testament prophets bore witness.

31-32 As their ancestors had done before them, so also did the Jews of Jesus’ time. They were no better than their forefathers. The Jews caused Jesus to be put to death (see Acts 7:51-52). And they persecuted and killed His followers (see Acts 7:5860; 8:1). Therefore, Jesus said to them in an ironical way: “Okay, I know you are planning to kill me. Go ahead; do it. Fill up … the measure of the sin of your forefathers!”. Their forefathers had killed the Old Testament prophets. But there was still some killing left to do. There was still some guilt to add to their forefathers’ guilt, because the Messiah and His followers had not yet been killed. Only when the Jews had killed Christ and His disciples, would the measure of the sin of their forefathers be “filled up.” The evil work of their forefathers would then be complete.

33 How will such evildoers escape God’s wrath? You snakes! You brood of vipers! The Jewish leaders were deceitful and poisonous, like snakes and vipers. Christ was usually meek and gentle, but when He was opposing hypocrites and false teachers His rebukes could be severe (see Mark 11:15-17).

34 Then Jesus again said ironically: “Therefore—so you can finish filling up your father’s guilt—I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers.” These prophets and wise men and teachers were Jesus’ disciples. Jesus knew that the Jews would persecute them, just as they would persecute Him (see Mark 8:31; 13:13; Acts 14:19; 17:13).

35-36 Then Jesus warned the Jews that the final punishment for killing all the prophets was going to fall upon the Jews of His generation. They would be held responsible not only for the murders they carried out themselves but also for the murders carried out by their forefathers. All this will come upon this generation (see Luke 11:50-51). The punishment was the destruction of Jerusalem and all its inhabitants, which occurred in 70 A.D.

The Jews of Jesus’ generation would receive the punishment for all the murders of righteous men in the Old Testament from Abel to Zechariah, son of Berakiah⁶⁷ (verse 35). Abel was the son of the first man and woman, and he was killed by his own brother (Genesis 4:1-8). Zechariah was the prophet whose murder is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 24:20-21. In the Jewish version of the Old Testament, 2 Chronicles is the last book. Therefore, the expression “from Abel to Zechariah” signifies all of the Old Testament prophets.

37  Jesus came to seek and save the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24). He was Himself a Jew. He loved the Jews. Even when He rebuked the Jewish leaders, He loved them. He wept over the city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). He longed to protect the Jews from the coming tribulation, from God’s wrath. But they would not accept His protection. They would not accept Him as Savior and Messiah.

38  Therefore, the Jews were left alone without protection. Jesus said to them, “Your house is left to you desolate. That is, your great temple will be destroyed, together with your entire city.”

39  So the Jews killed the only one who could have saved them. But they will see Him again at the end of the world when He comes to call His elect (Mark 13:2627). At that time all men will recognize Him. They will call out: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 118:26). But those who have rejected Him in this world will call out in fear, because at that time Christ will come not as Savior but as judge. Those who have rejected Christ will not enter His kingdom; rather, they will remain forever in hell.