And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Ver. 18. But whosoever sweareth by the gift, &c.] Ubi utilitas, ibi pietas, saith Epictetus, where there is gain there is godliness, οπου το συμφερον εκει το ευσεβες. And, Deos quisque sibi utiles cudit, saith another. All the worldling's ploughing, sailing, building, buying, buts upon commodity, he knows no other deity. These Pharisees strove to reduce all offerings to their own purses and paunches, though they rendered men thereby not only irreligious, but unnatural,Matthew 15:5,6. See Trapp on " Mat 15:5 " See Trapp on " Mat 15:6 "