A Last Warning. With Matthew 23:33 cf. the Baptist's words, Matthew 3:7.
Matthew 23:35. Abel: Genesis 4:8. Zachariah: 2 Chronicles 24:20 ff. The reference is thus to all the martyrdoms recorded in the Heb. Scriptures, of which 2 Chronicles 13 the last book. Zachariah was really the son of Jehoiada; Mt. (or a glossator) says son of Barachiah (Lk. omits) through confusing Zachariah with the prophet (Zechariah 1:1). Josephus (Wars, IV, Matthew 23:4) tells of a Zachariah, son of Baruch, who was murdered in the Temple during the siege of Jerusalem for plotting to betray the city to Vespasian. But it is almost impossible to suppose that this is the incident here referred to. The murder of Zachariah, son of Jehoiada, lay heavy on the Jewish conscience; they regarded Nebuchadnezzar's capture of Jerusalem as retribution for it (JThS, xiii. 408).