the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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King James Version
Matthew 23:5
Bible Study Resources
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"The only reason they do what they do is for other people to see them. They make the little Scripture boxes they wear bigger and bigger. And they make the tassels on their prayer clothes long enough for people to notice them.
All their workes they do for to be sene of me. They set abroade their philateries and make large borders on there garmetes
"They do all their actions to be seen by people. They increase the size of their phylacteries[fn] and lengthen the tassels of their garments.Numbers 15:38; Deuteronomy 6:8; 22:12; Proverbs 3:3; Matthew 6:1-2,5, 16;">[xr]
"And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.
"They do good things so that other people will see them. They enlarge the little boxes holding Scriptures that they wear, and they make their special prayer clothes very long.
But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders [of their garments],
But all their works they do to be seen by men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
"They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries (tefillin) wide [to make them more conspicuous] and make their tassels long.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad, enlarge the fringes of their garments,
But all their works they do, to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and inlarge the fringes of their garments.
And everything they do they do with a view to being observed by men; for they widen their phylacteries and make the tassels large,
Therfor thei don alle her werkis `that thei be seen of men; for thei drawen abrood her filateries, and magnifien hemmes.
But all their works they do for to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
All their deeds are done for men to see. They broaden their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
Everything they do is just to show off in front of others. They even make a big show of wearing Scripture verses on their foreheads and arms, and they wear big tassels for everyone to see.
But all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
But all their works they do so as to be seen by men: for they make wide their phylacteries, and the edges of their robes,
Everything they do is done to be seen by others; for they make their t'fillin broad and their tzitziyot long,
And all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders [of their garments],
And all their works they do that they may be seen of men; for they widen their tephillin [fn] and lengthen the fringes of their waving vestments [fn]
And all their works they do, to be seen of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and extend the fringes of their garments.
But all their workes they doe, for to be seene of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.
Everything they do, they do to be seen of men. They have words from the Holy Writings written in large letters on their left arm and forehead and they make wide trimming for their clothes.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long.
All their workes they doe for to be seene of men: for they make their phylacteries broad, and make long the frindges of their garments,
And all their works they do, just to be seen by men; for they widen the fringes of their garments, and they lengthen the ends of their robes,
But, all their works, they do, to be gazed at, by men, - for they make broad their amulets, and make large their fringes,
And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge their fringes.
They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
All their workes they do, for to be sene of men: They make broade their philacteries, and enlarge the hemmes of their garmentes.
They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks!
They do everything
But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their tefillin broad, enlarge the tzitziyot of their garments,
And they do all their deeds in order to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries broad and make their tassels long.
And they do all their works to be seen by men. And they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their robes.
`And all their works they do to be seen by men, and they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the fringes of their garments,
All their workes do they to be sene of men. They set abrode their Philateries, and make large borders vpon their garmentes,
their phylacterys are broader, and the fringes of their garments are larger than those of others:
They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long.
But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.
They have silver on their saddles and jingle bobs on their spurs, just so y'all will think they are important. They are all talk and no action.
"But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.
But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
all: Matthew 6:1-16, 2 Kings 10:16, Luke 16:15, Luke 20:47, Luke 21:1, John 5:44, John 7:18, John 12:43, Philippians 1:15, Philippians 2:3, 2 Thessalonians 2:4
they make: Deuteronomy 6:8, Proverbs 3:3, Proverbs 6:21-23
the borders: Matthew 9:20, Numbers 15:38, Numbers 15:39, Deuteronomy 22:12
Reciprocal: Exodus 13:9 - a sign Exodus 13:16 - frontlets Leviticus 13:32 - yellow hair Deuteronomy 11:18 - a sign Ecclesiastes 7:16 - Be not Isaiah 1:12 - When Isaiah 57:12 - General Zechariah 7:5 - did Matthew 5:16 - that Matthew 14:36 - hem Matthew 23:28 - ye also Mark 2:18 - Why Luke 20:46 - which John 7:4 - there Acts 5:2 - laid 1 Corinthians 13:3 - though I bestow 2 Corinthians 8:21 - not 2 Corinthians 10:7 - ye look Galatians 6:12 - as desire Revelation 3:2 - thy works
Gill's Notes on the Bible
But all their works they do for to be seen of men,.... All their prayers, alms deeds, and fastings, were all done in a public manner, that men might behold them, and they might have applause and glory from them: they sought neither the glory of God, nor the good of their fellow creatures, nor any spiritual advantage and pleasure to themselves, in their performances; they neither attended to moral duties, nor ceremonious rites, nor the traditions of their fathers, any further than they could be seen by men in them, and keep up their credit and esteem among them. Hence,
they make broad their phylacteries: these were four sections of the law, wrote on parchments, folded up in the skin of a clean beast, and tied to the head and hand. The four sections were these following, viz. the "first", was Exodus 13:2 the "second", was
Exodus 13:11 the "third", was Deuteronomy 6:4 the "fourth", was
Deuteronomy 11:13. Those that were for the head, were written and rolled up separately, and put in four distinct places, in one skin, which was fastened with strings to the crown of the head, towards the face, about the place where the hair ends, and where an infant's brain is tender; and they took care to place them in the middle, that so they might be between the eyes. Those that were for the hand, were written in four columns, on one parchment, which being rolled up, was fastened to the inside of the left arm, where it is fleshy, between the shoulder and the elbow, that so it might be over against the heart u. These, they imagined, were commanded them by God, in
Exodus 13:16 whereas the sense of these passages only is, that the goodness of God in delivering them out of Egypt, and the words of the law, should be continually before them, in their minds and memories, as if they had tokens on their hands, and frontlets between their eyes; but they understood them literally, and observed them in the above manner. These the Jews call "Tephillin", because they use them in time of prayer, and look upon them as useful, to put them in mind of that duty: they are here called "phylacteries", because they thought they kept them in the fear of God, preserved in them the memory of the law, and them from sin; yea, from evil spirits, and diseases of the body. They imagined there was a great deal of holiness in, and valued themselves much upon the use of them w; and the Pharisees, because they would be thought to be more holy and religious, and more observant of the law than others, wore these things broader than the rest of the people;
and enlarge the borders of their garments. These were the fringes which they put upon the borders of their garments, and on them a ribbon of blue, to put them in mind of the commandments, to obey them, Numbers 15:38. The observance of this law is of so much consequence with the Jews, that they make all the commandments to depend on it x; and say, that it is equal to them all, and that he that is guilty of the breach of it, is worthy of death y: they ascribe the like virtue to these fringes, as to their phylacteries, and think themselves much the better for the wearing them; and the Pharisees, because they would appear with a greater air of sanctity and devotion than others, made their's larger. We z read of one Ben Tzitzith Hacceseth, a man of this complexion, who was so called, because his Tzitzith, or fringes, were drawn upon, a pillow; and there are some that say, that the pillow was bore between the great men of Rome: it was drawn after him, not upon the ground, but upon a cloth or tapestry, and the train supported by noblemen, as is pretended. This was one of those, that enlarged the Tzitzith, or fringes, beyond the ordinary size; hence Mark calls it, "long clothing."
u Targ. Jon. Jarchi, & Baal Hatturim in Exod. xiii. 16. & Deut. vi. 8. Maimon. Hilch. Tephillin, c. 1. sect. 1. & c. 2. sect. 2. & c. 3. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. & c. 4. sect. 1, 2. w Maimon. ib. c. 4. sect. 25, 26. Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, pr. affirm. 3. 23. Targ. in Cant. viii. 3. x Maimon. Hilch. Tzitzith, c. 3. sect. 12. y T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 25, 1. Shebuot, fol. 29. 1. & Menachot, fol. 43. 2. z T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 56. 1.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Their phylacteries - The word “phylactery” comes from a word signifying to keep, preserve, or guard. The name was given because phylacteries were worn as amulets or charms, and were supposed to defend or preserve those who wore them from evil. They were small slips of parchment or vellum, on which were written certain portions of the Old Testament. The practice of using phylacteries was founded on a literal interpretation of that passage where God commands the Hebrews to have the law as a sign on their foreheads, and as frontlets between their eyes, Exodus 13:16; compare Proverbs 3:1, Proverbs 3:3; Proverbs 6:21. One kind of phylactery was called a “frontlet,” and was composed of four pieces of parchment, on the first of which was written Exodus 12:2-10; on the second, Exodus 13:11-21; on the third, Deuteronomy 6:4-9; and on the fourth, Deuteronomy 11:18-21. These pieces of parchment, thus inscribed, they enclosed in a piece of tough skin, making a square, on one side of which is placed the Hebrew letter shin (שׁ sh) and bound them round their foreheads with a thong or ribbon when they went to the synagogue. Some wore them evening and morning; others only at the morning prayer.
As the token upon the hand was required, as well as the frontlets between the eyes Exodus 13:16, the Jews made two rolls of parchment, written in square letters, with an ink made on purpose, and with much care. They were rolled up to a point, and enclosed in a sort of case of black calf-skin. They were put upon a square bit of the same leather, whence hung a thong of the same, of about a finger in breadth, and about 2 feet long. These rolls were placed at the bending of the left arm, and after one end of the thong had been made into a little knot in the form of the Hebrew letter yod (י y), it was wound about the arm in a spiral line, which ended at the top of the middle finger. The Pharisees enlarged them, or made them wider than other people, either that they might make the letters larger or write more on them, to show, as they supposed, that they had special reverence for the law.
Enlarge the borders of their garments - This refers to the loose threads which were attached to the borders of the outer garment as a fringe. This fringe was commanded in order to distinguish them from ether nations, and that they might remember to keep the commandments of God, Numbers 15:38-40; Deuteronomy 22:12. The Pharisees made them broader than other people wore them, to show that they had special respect for the law.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Matthew 23:5. All their works they do for to be seen of men — In pointing out the corruptions of these men, our Lord gives us the distinguishing characteristics of all false teachers, whether Jewish or Christian.
1. They live not according to the truths they preach. They say, and do not, Matthew 23:3.
2. They are severe to others, point out the narrowest road to heaven, and walk in the broad road themselves. They bind on burdens, c., Matthew 23:4.
3. They affect to appear righteous, and are strict observers of certain rites, c., while destitute of the power of godliness. They make broad their phylacteries, &c., Matthew 23:5.
4. They love worldly entertainments, go to feast wherever they are asked, and seek Church preferments. They love the chief places at feasts, and chief seats in the synagogues, Matthew 23:6.
5. They love and seek public respect and high titles, salutations in the market-place, (for they are seldom in their studies,) and to be called of men rabbi-eminent teacher, though they have no title to it, either from the excellence or fruit of their teaching. When these marks are found in a man who professes to be a minister of Christ, charity itself will assert he is a thief and a robber-he has climbed over the wall of the sheepfold, or broken it down in order to get in.
Phylacteries — φυλακτηρια, from φυλασσω, to keep or preserve. These were small slips of parchment or vellum, on which certain portions of the law were written. The Jews tied these about their foreheads and arms, for three different purposes.
1. To put them in mind of those precepts which they should constantly observe.
2. To procure them reverence and respect in the sight of the heathen. And
3. To act as amulets or charms to drive away evil spirits.
The first use of these phylacteries is evident from their name.
The second use appears from what is said on the subject from the Gemara, Beracoth, chap. 1., quoted by Kypke. "Whence is it proved that phylacteries, (תפילין, tephilin,) are the strength of Israel? - Ans. From what is written, Deuteronomy 28:10. All the, people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name [of יהוה Jehovah] - and they shall be afraid of thee.
The third use of them appears from the Targum, on Cant. Matthew 8:3. His left hand is under my head, &c. "The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on my left hand, and on my head, and the scroll is fixed to the right side of my gate, the third part of which looks to my bed-chamber, that DAEMONS may not be permitted to INJURE me."
An original phylactery lies now before me. It is a piece of fine vellum, about eighteen inches long, and an inch and quarter broad. It is divided into four unequal compartments: in the first is written, in a very fair character, with many apices, after the mode of the German Jews, the first ten verses of Exodus 10:0, (Exodus 13:1-10) in the second compartment is written, from the eleventh to the sixteenth verse of the same chapter (Exodus 13:11-16), inclusive in the third, from the fourth to the ninth verse (Deuteronomy 6:4-9), inclusive, of Deuteronomy 6:0., beginning with, Hear, O Israel, c. in the fourth, from the thirteenth to the twenty-first verse, inclusive, of Deuteronomy 11:0 (Deuteronomy 11:13-21).
These passages seem to be chosen in vindication of the use of the phylactery itself, as the reader will see on consulting them: Bind them for a SIGN upon thy HAND - and for FRONTLETS between thy EYES-write them upon the POSTS of thy HOUSE, and upon thy GATES all which commands the Jews took in the most literal sense.
Even the phylactery became an important appendage to a Pharisee's character, insomuch that some of them wore them very broad, either that they might have the more written on them, or that, the characters being larger, they might be the more visible, and that they might hereby acquire greater esteem among the common people, as being more than ordinarily religious. For the same reason, they wore the fringes of their garments of an unusual length. Moses had commanded (Numbers 15:38-39) the children of Israel to put fringes to the borders of their garments, that, when they looked upon even these distinct threads, they might remember, not only the law in general, but also the very minutiae, or smaller parts of all the precepts, rites, and ceremonies, belonging to it. As these hypocrites were destitute of all the life and power of religion within, they endeavoured to supply its place by phylacteries and fringes without. See Clark's note on "Exodus 13:9".
