Commentators clarify that the phrase 'strain at a gnat' is a mistranslation. The original Greek means 'to strain out a gnat,' referring to the practice of filtering wine through a cloth to remove tiny insects. Jesus uses this vivid, hyperbolic image of meticulously removing a tiny bug while gulping down a massive camel—both ceremonially unclean animals—to expose the absurdity of the Pharisees' priorities.