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Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and decorate the tombs of the righteous,
Verse Takeaways
1
Honoring Dead Prophets
Commentators unanimously explain that Jesus's condemnation was not against the act of building monuments, but against the hypocrisy behind it. The Pharisees honored dead prophets, who could no longer challenge them, to appear righteous. At the same time, they were plotting to murder Jesus, the living Prophet, proving they shared the same spirit as the ancestors they claimed to condemn.
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Matthew
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10
18th Century
Presbyterian
Ye build the tombs of the prophets. That is, you build sepulchres or tombs over the prophets who have been slain. This they did professedl…
The tombs of the prophets (τους ταφους των προφητων). Cf. Luke 11:48–52. They were bearing witness against themselves (…
19th Century
Anglican
You build the tombs... — Four conspicuous monuments of this kind are seen to the present day at the base of the Mount of Olives, i…
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Baptist
The eighth “woe” referred to their false professions of reverence for “the goodly fellowship of the prophets” and “the noble army of martyrs”: …
By erecting monuments the religious leaders thought themselves morally and spiritually above their forebears who had persecuted the prophets whose …
16th Century
Protestant
For you build the sepulchers of the prophets. An unfounded opinion is held by some that the scribes are here reproved for superst…
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17th Century
Reformed Baptist
Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites This is the seventh and last time, in which these words are delivered…
The scribes and Pharisees were enemies of the gospel of Christ, and therefore of the salvation of people's souls. It is bad to keep away from Chris…
13th Century
Catholic
After He instructed the disciples and the multitudes about the caution they should have regarding the Jews' doctrine, He now directs His words to t…
