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Selected Verse: Matthew 23:2 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Mt 23:2 |
King James |
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit--The Jewish teachers stood to read, but sat to expound the Scriptures, as will be seen by comparing Luk 4:16 with Mat 23:20.
in Moses' seat--that is, as interpreters of the law given by Moses. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Scribes and Pharisees - See the notes at Mat 3:7.
Moses' seat - Moses was the great legislator of the Jews. By him the Law was given. The office of explaining that Law among the Jews devolved on the scribes and Pharisees. In the synagogues they sat while expounding the Law, and rose when they read it. By "sitting in the seat of Moses" we are to understand authority to teach the Law; or, as he taught the nation by giving the Law, so they taught it by explaining it. |
| The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917] |
sit in
Compare (Ezr 7:6); (Ezr 7:25); (Ezr 7:26).
Jesus' disciples were to honour the law, but not the hypocritical teachers of it. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Moses' seat (καθέδρας)
Or chair, as Wyc., in allusion to the practice of teachers sitting. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The scribes sit in the chair of Moses - That is, read and expound the law of Moses, and are their appointed teachers. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat - Εκαθισαν. - They sat there formerly by Divine appointment: they sit there now by Divine permission. What our Lord says here refers to their expounding the Scriptures, for it was the custom of the Jewish doctors to sit while they expounded the law and prophets, (Mat 5:1; Luk 4:20-22), and to stand up when they read them.
By the seat of Moses, we are to understand authority to teach the law. Moses was the great teacher of the Jewish people; and the scribes, etc., are here represented as his successors. |
20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: