Charles Ellicott Commentary Matthew 23:14

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows` houses, even while for a pretence ye make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive greater condemnation." — Matthew 23:14 (ASV)

You devour widows’ houses — The avarice described here may have been accomplished in two ways: either by using their advantages as the jurists and notaries of the time to press unjust claims against wealthy widows or to become their heirs, or by leading devout women, under a show of piety, to bestow their estates or houses on them.

They taught that ministering to the maintenance of a scribe was the best use of wealth.

The “long prayer” probably refers to the well-known Eighteen Prayers, which were the standard of the Pharisee’s devotion.

It should be noted that this entire verse is missing from many manuscripts and may have been inserted here from Mark 12:40 or Luke 20:47.