Matthew 23 - Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Bible Comments

  • Matthew 23:3 open_in_new

    All. All things. This shows that the words following are not. command, for the whole chapter is taken up with. denunciation of the very things that they thus bade. Later (Matthew 27:20-23) they "bade" the People to ask Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

    that. Omit this word as not being in the Greek, or required by the Figure of speech Ellipsis.

    Observe and do. ye observe and do. The second person plural is exactly the same in the Indicative and Imperative, and nothing can determine which is the Mood but the context: and the Structure determines its meaning.

    observe. Inwardly.

    do. Outwardly.

    but. Marking the contrast between "ye do"and"do ye not". after. according to. Greek. kata. App-104.

    they say. they say [ought to be done], but they do not do the works themselves.

  • Matthew 23:4 open_in_new

    For they bind, &c. By what they "bid you observe".. further proof that "observe and do" is not the Lord's command to carry these many burdens "grievous to be borne".

    on. = upon. Greek. epi.

    men's. Greek. anthropos. App-123.

    will not move. do not choose to touch.

    will. See App-102.

    move. Much less bear.

    their. their own.

  • Matthew 23:6 open_in_new

    love. are fond of. Greek. phileo. App-135.

    uppermost rooms. the first place, as in next clause.

    at. in. Greek. en. App-104.

    chief seats. first seats, as in preceding clause.

  • Matthew 23:8 open_in_new

    Master. Leader, Guide, or Director. Greek. kathgetes, Occurs only here and in Matthew 23:10. All the texts read didlaskalos, Teacher.

    even Christ. All the texts omit, with Syriac; but, Scrivener thinks, on insufficient authority.

    Christ. See App-98.

  • Matthew 23:15 open_in_new

    woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:5, and see App-126.

    land. dry [land].

    proselyte. The Greek is transliterated, and means. comer over to. Used of. Gentile who came over to the Jews' religion. Occurs only here; and Acts 2:10; Acts 6:5; Acts 13:43.

    is made. becomes [one].

    the child of hell. a son of Gehenna.. Hebraism. Gehenna's people. See App-131. I; and note on Matthew 5:22.

  • Matthew 23:16 open_in_new

    the Temple. the Sanctuary: i.e. the Naos, or actual Temple building, consisting of the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. Spelled in The Companion Bible with. capital "T", to distinguish it from hieron, the whole of the Temple courts, but translated temple also; this is spelled with. small "t" in The Companion Bible.

    debtor. is bound [to fulfill the oath]. In Matthew 23:18 rendered "guilty"; whereby there is (in Eng.) the Figure of speech Parechesis = guilty [and must pay the geld, i.e. the penalty]. See App-6.

  • Matthew 23:24 open_in_new

    which, &c. Figure of speech Paroemia. App-6.

    strain. habitually filter out. Greek. diulizo. Occ- only here.

    at.. mistake perpetuated in all editions of the Authorized Version. All "the former translations" had "out".

    a. the: which makes it read like. proverb.

    gnat. Greek. konops. Occurs only here.

    swallow. gulp down: Eng. drink up.

    camel. An unclean animal. See Leviticus 11:4.

  • Matthew 23:25 open_in_new

    Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:8, and see App-126.

    make clean. cleanse ceremonially.

    platter. dish: i.e.. side dish. Greek. paropsis. Occurs only in these verses.

    extortion. plunder.

    excess. incontinence.

  • Matthew 23:26 open_in_new

    that which is within. the inside of.

    be. become.

    clean also. The "also" must be connected with outside: "that the outside also may become clean".

  • Matthew 23:27 open_in_new

    Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:9, and see App-126.

    are like unto. Greek. paromoiazo. Occurs only here.

    whited. Sepulchres were whitened. month before the Passover, to warn off persons from contracting uncleanness (Numbers 19:16).

    dead men's bones. bones of dead people. See App-139.

  • Matthew 23:29 open_in_new

    Woe, &c. Compare Matthew 5:9, and see App-126.

    tombs. Greek. taphoi. There are four at the base of Olivet: those of Zechariah, Absalom, Jehoshaphat, and St. James; but there is no authority for these names.

    garnish. adorn or decorate. Perhaps being whitened just then, before the Passover.

    sepulchers. mnemia = monuments.

  • Matthew 23:35 open_in_new

    That. So that.

    upon. Greek. epi.

    blood. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of the Subject) for blood-guiltiness (App-6).

    righteous Abel. Abel the righteous [one]. Genesis 4:4. Compare Hebrews 11:4.

    Zacharias son of Barachias. Not the son of Jehoiada (2 Chronicles 24:20; 2 Chronicles 24:21) but Zechariah the prophet (Zechariah 1:1; Zechariah 1:7), who, we here learn (by Figure of speech Hysteresis, App-6) was killed in the same way. And why not? Are there not many examples of historical coincidences? Why should the Lord single out "Zacharias the son of Jehoiada" then Neh 800 years before, instead of the later Zacharias (the prophet) some 400 years before? And why may it not he prophetic of another "Zechariah, the son of Baruch" who was thus martyred some thirty-six years after? See Josephus (Wars, iv. 5. 4.)

    ye slew. This may be taken as the Figure of speech Prolepsis (Ampliatio), App-6, speaking of future things as present. See Matthew 26:2.Psalms 93:1; Psalms 97:1; Psalms 99:1.Isaiah 37:22; Isaiah 48:5-7; Luke 3:19; Luke 3:20. Compare Matthew 11:2, &c.

  • Matthew 23:37 open_in_new

    chickens. brood. Greek. nossia. Occurs only here.

    would not. were not willing. App-102.

    not. Greek. ou (App-105), denying as. matter of fact.

  • Matthew 23:38 open_in_new

    your... you. Very emphatic. At the beginning of the Lord's ministry it was "My Father's house" (John 2:16); but at the end, after His rejection, it was "your house".

    house: i.e. the Temple, where He was speaking.

    is left. is being left. See Matthew 24:1.

    desolate. Every "house" and every place is "desolate" where Christ is not.