matthew-23:16,-matthew-23:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:16-22

Swearing. From the doings of the scribes and Pharisees the Lord passes to their teaching ; and he commences with their refinement in respect to oaths. There is no reference here to judicial swearing, or deposing upon oath before a magistrate in the interests of public justice. The whole argument goes to show that the swearing here referred to is the voluntary and gratuitous. I. SWEARING ORIGINATES IN FALSEHOOD . 1 . Simple assertion, is the sufficient bond of a true... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 23:16

Whosoever shall swear ... - See the notes at Matthew 5:33-37.The temple - See the notes at Matthew 21:12.It is nothing - It amounts to nothing - it is not binding.The gold of the temple - Either the golden vessels in the temple - the candlestick, etc.; or the gold with which the doors and other parts of the temple were covered; or the gold in the treasury. This, it seems, they considered far more sacred than any other part of the temple, but it is not known why.He is a debtor - He is bound to... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 23:16-22

Matthew 23:16-22. Wo unto you, ye blind guides Before he had styled them hypocrites, from their personal character; now he gives them another title respecting their false doctrine and influence upon others. Both these appellations are severely put together in Matthew 23:23-25: and this severity rises to the height in Matthew 23:33. Here we have the fourth reason of the woes denounced. Which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing It constitutes no obligation to tell the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:1-39

129. More about scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-39; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 20:45-47)Instead of teaching only the law of Moses, the scribes and Pharisees added countless laws of their own. Instead of making the people’s load lighter, they made it heavier. People could profit from listening to the scribes’ teaching of Moses’ law, but they were not to copy the scribes’ behaviour (Matthew 23:1-4).Jesus gave two specific reasons for his condemnation of the scribes. First, they wanted to make a... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 23:16

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 a capital "T", to distinguish it from hieron, the whole of the Temple courts, but translated temple also; this is spelled with a 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,... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 23:16

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor. Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, he is debtor. Ye blind: for which is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift? He therefore that sweareth by, the... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 23:16

Matthew 23:16. Ye blind guides— 4. The fourth woe is denounced for their false doctrine. Our Saviour had before stiled them hypocrites from their personal character; now he gives them another title, blind guides, respecting their influence upon others. Both these appellations are severely put together in Mat 23:23-25 and this holy severity rises to the height in the 33rd verse. Our Saviour mentions particularly their doctrine concerning oaths, and declares, in contradiction to their execrable... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 23:16

16. Woe unto you, ye blind guides—Striking expression this of the ruinous effects of erroneous teaching. Our Lord, here and in some following verses, condemns the subtle distinctions they made as to the sanctity of oaths—distinctions invented only to promote their own avaricious purposes. which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing—He has incurred no debt. but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple—meaning not the gold that adorned the temple itself, but the Corban,... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 23:13-36

2. Jesus’ indictment of the scribes and the Pharisees 23:13-36 (cf. Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47)Jesus now directed His attention toward the scribes and the Pharisees in the temple courtyard (cf. Matthew 23:1). He proceeded to announce a scathing indictment of them in seven parts. Compare the six woes of Isaiah 5:8-23 and the five woes of Habakkuk 2:6-20. He introduced each indictment with the word "woe." Jesus spoke of the scribes and Pharisees, but He spoke to the crowds and His disciples."No... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 23:16-22

The third woe 23:16-22Jesus had dealt with the subject of taking oaths in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37). He had called His critics blind guides before too (Matthew 15:14). Here is a specific example of what Jesus condemned in the second woe (Matthew 23:15). By differentiating between what was binding in their oaths and what was not, the Pharisees and teachers of the law were encouraging evasive oaths that amounted to lying. Jesus’ point was that people should tell the truth. Jesus... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 23:16-22

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 23:16

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 23:16-22

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:1-39

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 23:16

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 23:16

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 23:16

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 23:16

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 23:13-36

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 23:16-22

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