Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 23

Scribes and Pharisees. (See Barnes, Matthew 3:7).

Moses' seat, Moses was a legislator of the Jews. By him the law was given; and the office of explaining that law devolved on the scribes and Pharisees. In the synagogues they sat while expounding the law, and rose when they read it. By sitting in the seat of Moses we are to understand authority to teach the law. Or, as he taught the nation by giving the law, so they taught it by explaining it.

All therefore whatever, and so on: that is, all that they teach consistent with the law of Moses; all the commands of Moses which they read to you and properly explain. The word all could not be taken without such a restriction, for Christ himself accuses them of teaching many things contrary to that law and of making it void by traditions (Matthew 15:1–6).

They say, and do not. The interpretation they give to the law is for the most part correct, but their lives do not correspond with their teaching. It is not the duty of people to imitate their teachers unless their lives are pure; but they are rather to obey the law of God than to shape their lives by the example of evil men.

They bind heavy burdens, etc. This phrase is derived from the custom of loading animals. The load or burden is bound up and then laid on the animal. So the Pharisees appoint weighty burdens, or grievous and heavy precepts, and insist that the people should obey them, even though they offered no assistance.

The heavy burdens do not refer here to the traditions and foolish customs of the Pharisees, for Jesus would not command the people to observe them. Instead, they clearly mean the ceremonies and rites appointed by Moses, which Peter says, neither our fathers nor we were able to bear (Acts 15:10).

These rites were numerous, expensive, requiring much time and property, and were laborious.

The Pharisees were rigid in requiring that all the people pay the taxes, contribute from their property, and comply with every part of the law with the utmost rigor. Yet, they indulged themselves and bore as little of the expense and trouble as possible.

Consequently, whenever they could avoid it, they would not offer the least assistance to the people in the labors and expense of their religious rites.

With one of their fingers. This means, in the least degree; they will not offer the least assistance.

Their phylacteries. The word phylactery comes from a word signifying to keep, preserve, or guard. The name was given because phylacteries were worn as amulets or charms, and were supposed to defend them from evil. They were small slips of parchment or vellum, on which were written certain portions of the Old Testament. The practice of using phylacteries was founded on a literal interpretation of the passage where God commands the Hebrews to have the law as a sign on their foreheads and as frontlets between their eyes (Exodus 13:16; Proverbs 3:1, 3).

Proverbs 6:21. One kind of phylactery was called a "frontlet" and was composed of four pieces of parchment: on the first was written Exodus 12:2-10; on the second, Exodus 12:11–21; on the third, Deuteronomy 6:4–9; and on the fourth, Deuteronomy 11:18–21.

These inscribed pieces of parchment were enclosed in a piece of tough skin, forming a square. On one side of this square the Hebrew W letter shin was placed—and they bound them around their foreheads with a thong or ribbon when they went to the synagogue. Some wore them evening and morning, and others only at the morning prayer.

As the token on the hand was required, as well as the frontlets between the eyes, the Jews made two rolls of parchment, written in square letters with specially made ink and with much care. These were rolled up to a point and enclosed in a kind of case of black calfskin. They were then put on a square piece of the same leather, from which hung a thong of the same material, about a finger's width and about two feet long.

These rolls were placed at the bend of the left arm. After one end of the thong had been made into a little knot in the form of the Hebrew letter ? yod—it was wound around the arm in a spiral line, ending at the top of the middle finger. The Pharisees enlarged their phylacteries, making them wider than others did, either so they could make the letters larger or write more on them—to show, as they supposed, their particular reverence for the law.

Enlarge the borders of their garments. This refers to the loose threads that were attached to the borders of the outer garment as a fringe. This fringe was commanded to distinguish them from other nations and that they might remember to keep the commandments of God (Numbers 15:38–40; Deuteronomy 22:12). They made them broader than others did, to show that they had particular respect for the law.

The uppermost rooms at feasts. The word rooms, here, does not at all express the meaning of the original. It would be more accurately translated as the uppermost places or couches at feasts. To understand this, it is necessary to note that the custom among the Jews was not to eat sitting, as we do, but reclining on couches.

The table was constructed from three tables, raised like ours, and placed to form a square, with a clear space in the middle and one end completely open. On their sides were placed cushions, capable of holding three or more persons. On these cushions, the guests reclined, leaning on their left side with their feet extended away from the table, so that the head of one person naturally reclined on the bosom of another.

To recline near another person in this manner signified intimacy and was what was meant by lying in the bosom of another (John 13:23; Luke 16:22–23). Since the feet were extended from the table, and because they reclined instead of sitting, it was easy to approach their feet from behind, even unnoticed.

Thus, in Luke 7:37-38, while Jesus reclined in this manner, a woman who had been a sinner came to his feet behind him, washed them with her tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. She stood on the outside of the couches. In the same way, our Savior washed the feet of his disciples as they reclined on a couch in this manner (John 13:4–12).

Whenever we read in the New Testament of sitting at meals, it always means reclining in this manner, and never sitting as we do. The chief seat, or the uppermost one, was the middle couch at the upper end of the table. This seat the Pharisees loved as a post of honor or distinction. The accompanying illustration will fully illustrate this custom.

Chief seats in the synagogues. These were the seats usually occupied by the elders of the synagogue, near the pulpit. They love a place of distinction. (See Barnes on Matthew 4:23).