Church Fathers 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)

St. John Chrysostom: Next, the Lord rebukes them for their gluttony. And what was worst of all, they took what they needed to fill their bellies not from the rich but from widows, thereby burdening the poverty of those whom they should have relieved.¹

Glossa Ordinaria: Devour widows' houses—that is, your superstitions have this one aim: to profit from the people placed under you.²

Pseudo-Chrysostom: The female sex is imprudent, not rationally considering all that it sees or hears, and weak, being easily turned either from bad to good or from good to bad. The male sex is more prudent and resilient. Therefore, those who pretend to be holy focus their efforts on women, who are unable to see their hypocrisy and are easily inclined to love them on the basis of their supposed religion.

They especially choose to target widows. First, because a woman who has her husband to advise her is not as easily deceived. Second, a wife does not have the means to give, as she is under her husband's authority.

The Lord, then, while He confounds the Jewish priests, also instructs Christians that they should not visit widows more than others. For even if their purpose is not bad, it gives rise to suspicion.

St. John Chrysostom: The manner of this plundering is particularly grievous, because they make long prayers. Everyone who does evil deserves punishment, but he who uses religion as an occasion for his offense deserves a more severe punishment. Therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Pseudo-Chrysostom: First, because you are wicked, and second, because you put on the cloak of holiness. You dress up your covetousness in the guise of religion and use God's weapons in the Devil's service, so that wickedness might be loved when it is mistaken for piety.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Or, they will receive a harsher judgment because their supposed observance of the kingdom of heaven is merely a way to maintain their practice of visiting widows' houses. Thus, they must answer for both their own sin and the ignorance of others.

Glossa Ordinaria: Or, because the servant that knew his Lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes (Luke 12:47).³

1. Hom. lxxiii
2. interlin.
3. interlin.