Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise 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.
Ver. 23. Ye pay tithe of mint] The Chaldee word for mint signifies also a book of histories, נכעא; because in that one poor herb large stories of God's wisdom, might, and love are described unto us. In tithing this and other pot herbs the Pharisees were over and above solicitous, and even superstitious, and all for a name. So in the year of grace 1435, Capistranus the Minorite, being sent into Germany and other countries by Pope Nicholas, to preach obedience to the see of Rome, got a great deal of credit and respect to his doctrine by putting down dicing, carding, dancing, feasting, mask-interludes, &c., although he taught not one syllable of sound doctrine touching Christ and his merits, obedience of faith, patience of hope, &c. There are both magnalia et minutula legis, the great and the lesser things of the law; both must be looked to. Hypocrites are nice (ignorant) in the one, but negligent of the other.
Judgment, mercy, and faith] So of old, to those bodily exercises and external rites, so stood upon by the hypocrites in their times, Isaiah opposeth judgment and justice, Isaiah 1:21,24; Hosea opposeth mercy and kindness,Hosea 4:1,3; Zechariah opposeth truth and fidelity, Zechariah 7:8,14, as more to be looked after and laboured for.