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courses in that position; and as Moses was the great and first teacher of their law, he is figuratively represented as sitting to deliver his oracles, to which seat of his those who interpreted his law as doctors, and enforced it as judges, succeeded. Hence, the scribes sat on seats in the Sanhedrim and inferior councils. It is to this, their JUDICIAL office, that our Lord exclusively alludes; but when, like any other Rabbins, they founded schools and taught disciples, to attend upon them or to observe their decisions, was purely optional; and against various doctrines which they taught in this capacity, our Lord often strongly cautions his disciples, and often himself refutes their favourite tenets. As moral and religious teachers, he held them in contempt, and taught his disciples so to regard them likewise; and that deservedly, for they were either always making void the moral law of God by their traditions; enforcing trivial rites, as though they were of the utmost importance; and toiling in intricate and endless disputes, "questions and strifes of words." this capacity of religious teachers our Lord could not, therefore, exhort his disciples and the multitude to observe and do whatsoever they bade them observe and do. It was different with them as expounders of the law of Moses, in those branches only of which their synagogue-courts and councils of different degrees of dignity up to the great Sanhedrim took cognizance, which it was their office to make known to the people, and which were enforced by the courts under lighter or heavier penalties. Many of the superstitious and trifling ceremonies which they enjoined upon their "proselytes" in their other character as doctors, Rabbins, or teachers, under the general influence of their names as great and learned men, were designed to show them how to attain the highest degrees of merit and sanctity; but in their judicial capacity they were confined to the letter of the law, or its general directions, which, however, required explanation and accommodation to particular circumstances that might arise. In this there was little room for the play of their own

superstitious fancies, because penalties were to be enforced upon disobedience, which must rest upon the letter of the law, not on private interpretation. Our Lord therefore respects this, their public office, because he was himself under the ceremonial and judicial law, and observed it; and as the time was not come for the abolition of the Mosaic institute, he enforced respect to their decisions upon his hearers, as still bound to the laws of Moses. Thus he prevented that offence which might have arisen from the idea that he was a subverter of the laws of his country. But whilst he enjoins respect to the scribes, as magistrates and judges, he proceeds to caution the people against their bad personal example.

This shows how unfounded those interpretations of this passage are, which draw from our Lord's words a sanction, and even an obligation, to attend upon the instructions of bad ministers, provided their example be not followed; a notion which is founded upon the mistaken idea, that the scribes were the authorized preachers or religious teachers of the Jews, and exercised that office in religious assemblies of the synagogues. Of this there is no evidence whatever. In the synagogues prayers were offered, the appointed portion of scripture read, and the interpretation of the Hebrew given in the common dialect, as literally as possible; but any one might address the people in exhortation. Many of the scribes, indeed, beside the judicial office they held in the Jewish courts, were public teachers of religion; but they had no authority for this from the law; none from inspiration, like the prophets; none from any public appointment. They took this office on their own authority, and trusted to their talents and character with the people to obtain disciples. It was only when they were introduced into the courts that they were vested with any authority; and then not as religious teachers, but as interpreters of the ceremonial and judicial law, and assessors with other judges. The whole foundation of the opinion, that men are bound by the words of Christ to attend a wicked

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4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

a Luke xi. 46.

ministry, is therefore baseless: on the contrary, he cautions his disciples from following the instructions of these very men, in their assumed capacity of religious instructers, by declaring, that "if the blind lead the blind, they shall both fall into the ditch." It was only when they were in Moses's seat, in the chair of judicial authority, stating and enforcing the laws of Moses, that they were to be obeyed. But as to their example, it was to be shunned; for even those precepts of righteousness and mercy which Moses introduced into his law, although they enforced them upon others, they did not practise themselves; nor, as it would appear from what follows, did they even always observe those onerous and expensive ceremonials enjoined in the law which they were so zealous to uphold, and so strenuous to bind upon others. They say and do not: they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers; they will not take the least part of these burdens upon themselves. The words are not to be interpreted of those superstitious additions to the law which the scribes invented as constituting, in their view, a righteousness beyond the letter, for Christ would not have commanded his disciples" to observe and do them;" but the things truly commanded by the law of God, and particularly the ceremonial law, which is called, Acts xv. 10,

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b Num. xv. 38; Deut. xxii. 12.

were strong figurative expressions, denoting the constant regard to be paid to the commands of God, which were never to be absent from the thoughts, and to be constantly referred to in order to regulate the conduct. But the Pharisees chose to interpret them literally, and to wear cases of parchment, into which they put written sentences of the law, and bound them upon the forehead and wrists. They are called in Greek phylacteries, from puλartw, to guard or keep, because they were used to preserve the law in memory, in order to its observance. The Hebrew term is pan, tephillin, or prayers, because these sentences were repeated at their devotions. The Pharisees wore these phylacteries, either broader than others, so that more might be written upon them, or they enlarged the case, so as to contain a greater number of sentences, so that they might appear to have a greater reverence for the law than others. The sentences written on the phylacteries are supposed to have been Deut. vi. 1-9, Exodus xiii. 2-11, the eight last verses of the same chapter, and Deut. xi 13-22.

Enlarge the borders of their garments.— The command to the Israelites to wear borders or fringes, краσяedα, on their garments, with a blue or purple band on the fringe, Num. xv. 38, could only be taken literally. It was probably designed to distinguish the Jews from other nations; and that, by looking upon it, and remembering that they were a peculiar people, they might be admonished to observe their laws. Our Lord conformed to the custom of his country in this respect; for what is translated "the hem of his garment," ought to have been rendered the fringe. It is said that the Jews still wear

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief

seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

c Mark xii. 38; Luke xi. 43.

a small square piece, sewed on the inside of their clothes, with four purple tufts, in compliance with this precept. The Pharisees enlarged these fringes from the same motive as they enlarged their phylacteries, that they might seem exuberantly regardful of the divine commands.

Verse 6. Uppermost rooms.―That is, the most honourable seats. The custom of reclining at meals on couches had been long introduced into Judea. These couches generally contained three persons each. The most honourable place was the middle part of the middle couch, and the second was at the top. In still more ancient times, however, this distinction of honourable places was observed. 'And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden," 1 Sam. ix. 22.

The chief seats in the synagogues.—Seniority was the general rule of sitting in the synagogue; but respect being often shown to men learned in the law though younger in years, the scribes claimed that boldly and intrusively out of pure self-complacency, which had been sometimes rendered them through courtesy. In the synagogues the elders sat before the ark or chest, in which the holy books were deposited, and the people in rows fronting them, so that "the faces of all the people," says Maimonides, were towards the elders, and the ark." It was this elevated position among the elders which the scribes and Pharisees affected in the synagogues, and even the chief seats there.

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Verse 7. Greetings in the markets. Ασπασμούς εν ταις αγοραις, salutations in the public places. These salutations, short and simple among all in ancient times, had become disgustingly long and ceremonious, and especially when a person of

superior rank was addressed. They were commenced at a distance, accompanied with various humble gestures, and continued till the parties met. These forms the scribes and Pharisees exacted of their disciples and the common people.

Rabbi, Rabbi.-This word which imports greatness or eminence, was doubled for the sake of the greater emphasis. Anciently it was only given to persons of superior civil rank, as magistrates and princes; nor was it assumed by any of the prophets or wise men among the Jews, till about the birth of Christ, when the pride of the Jewish doctors began to show itself more extravagantly. Our Lord was saluted by this title, Matt. xxvi. 25; from which some have conjectured very vainly, that he had taken that degree in the Jewish schools, which is entirely contradicted by the question of the Jews when Christ was teaching in the temple, "Whence hath this man letters," or learning, having never learned?" plainly meaning in the Jewish schools. And the argument of Vitringa, that unless he had so passed the schools he could not have preached in the temple and synagogues, is built upon a mistake; for any Jew might thus teach publicly, and even in the synagogue, by permission of the ruler. If, therefore, our Lord suffered himself to be called Rabbi, we may conclude that as a matter of courtesy to a superior, this title was not forbidden, any more than he condemns courteous salutations, because he reproves those elaborate and humiliating forms of greetings, which the scribes and Pharisees affected. With these assuming men, the title Rabbi is to be understood as a recognition of their office and authority as religious teachers; and it is for this reason, that it is reproved by our Lord, and their example is forbidden to be imitated by his disciples. That it was

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8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

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9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

d James iii. 1.

assumed under this view, appears from what follows, when our Lord equally forbids them to call any man father and master, Kabпynτns, guide; which, with Rabbi, were the titles the Jewish doctors assumed; for the Talmud pretends " that king Jehoshaphat used to salute the wise men with the titles, Father, Father; Rabbi, Rabbi; Master, Master," which, however false as an historical fact, shows what the titles they affected were. Now our Lord, instead of conceding them to be authorized teachers of religion, by prohibiting his disciples from giving them these titles under this character, not as matter of civil respect, wholly disallows their authority to exercise this office, tacitly pronounces it an assumption, and warns his disciples from imitating them. This will confirm what was said in a preceding note as to the import of their sitting in Moses's

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Be ye not called Rabbi, &c.—Though the disciples were to be constituted public teachers, this was only as servants conveying the words of their Master only to the people, without any mixture of their own. The Jewish teachers assumed an authority to set up tradition above the law, to pervert its meaning, and to make additions to it, on the sole authority of their own pretended wisdom. But the disciples were only to speak the words of another; and all titles, therefore, complimentary to their own wisdom, and which indicated any authority arising from their personal qualifications, were specially forbidden to them. This explains the reasons of the prohibition which follows: One is your Master, there is but one teacher, even Christ; and all ye are brethren, placed on equality in this respect,

e Mal. i. 6.

that ye are but the channels of communicating the wisdom ye receive from above to others: and call no man your FATHER upon earth; for one is your father, a term here used also in the sense of instructer, which is in heaven: neither be ye called guides; for one is your guide, even Christ.

One is your Master.-The received text reads kαonynTns; but the Vatican, and many other MSS., have didαokaλos, teacher, which is probably the true reading, as otherwise there would be a repetition in

verse 10.

Even Christ.- O Xgisos is omitted by Griesbach, and is wanting in several of the versions, and a few Mss. ; but the evidence in its favour greatly preponderates. As Campbell, however, observes, "it makes no difference in the sense, because if not read, the context manifestly supplies it."

Verse 9. Call no man father, &c.— That is, in the sense in which the scribes and Pharisees use the term, which also was with them a reverential designation of themselves as eminent and authoritative INSTRUCTERS. Thus the Jews say, "The wise men are the fathers of us all;" and we read in their writings not only Rabbi Saul, and Rabbi Jose, but Abba Saul, Abba Gorion, &c.

Verse 10. Neither be ye called masters.— Kainynai, guides, in the sense of affording direction by instruction. All these titles were nearly of the same import, were assumed for the same reason, and the pretence built upon by them is therefore beaten down by our Lord by their being equally prohibited. As our Lord knew that human nature was in all fallen and corrupt, but proud and ambitious, he adds, But he that is greatest among you,

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14h Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

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let him be your servant; thereby striking at the root of that vanity which gave rise among the Jewish teachers to this assumption of vain titles, and teaching that, in his religion, true greatness lies only in self-abasement, and honour in service.

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased, &c.-This is the standing rule of the divine administration. It was illustrated in the humiliation of the proud scribes and doctors of Judea, and in the glory put upon the humble teachers sent forth by our Lord. It often appears conspicuously in God's dispensations to individuals and to nations; and an attentive observer will see it perhaps more uniformly illustrated by facts than any other principle of God's moral government in the present life. Even this was often noticed by the heathen, as appears from various passages both in Greek and Latin authors. 'Do you see," says one, "how the loftiest houses and the highest trees are struck by the thunder? For God loves to cut short whatever rises superior." "God suffers no one to have lofty thoughts but himself."

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Verse 13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, &c.-Our Lord here assumes his office as Judge of men, and authoritatively pronounces a succession of woes upon this wretched class of hypocrites and deceivers.

Shut the kingdom of heaven.-The kingdom of heaven is here the spiritual king

h Mark xii. 40; Luke xx. 47.

dom of Messiah, the gospel dispensation. It had been opened by the joint preaching of John the Baptist and our Lord; and the people were on the point of entering in, but were hindered by the envious and malignant attempts of these false teachers to excite their prejudices and pervert their minds. Their example, their doctrine, especially their false interpretation of the prophecies, and their authority, were all employed to keep men from embracing that heavenly doctrine which they themselves rejected and despised.

Verse 14. Ye devour widows' houses.Oikias, houses, is here used by metonomy for property. They made a prey of weak superstitious women who, being widows, had no protectors, and had property at their own disposal. And this they did under pretence of the greatest sanctity, making long and frequent prayers, and that so publicly, both in the synagogues and public places, as to be seen and praised of men. We learn the length of their prayers from Maimonides, who says, that "the ancient holy men used to stay an hour before prayer, and an hour after prayer, and spent an hour in prayer. Those who would be accounted the holiest, used to do this three times a day, thus occupying nine hours a day,”— a hard service when the heart was not right with God. "For one to be long in his prayer," says the Talmud, excellency." Yet, says our Lord, for these long prayers-because they were

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