Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Matthew 23:33

"Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell?" — Matthew 23:33 (ASV)

See comments on 3:7 and 12:34 for the epithets. The transition from the preceding verse is clear: if the teachers of the law and Pharisees are filling up the measure of the sin of their forefathers, how can they possibly escape the condemnation of hell (see comment on Mk 9:42–49)?