Click
here to show/hide instructions.
Instructions on how to use the page:
The commentary for the selected verse is is displayed below.
All commentary was produced against the King James, so the same verse from that translation may appear as well. Hovering your mouse over a commentary's scripture reference attempts to show those verses.
Use the browser's back button to return to the previous page.
Or you can also select a feature from the Just Verses menu appearing at the top of the page.
Selected Verse: Matthew 23:13 - Strong Concordance
Verse |
Translation |
Text |
Mt 23:13 |
Strong Concordance |
But [1161] woe [3759] unto you [5213], scribes [1122] and [2532] Pharisees [5330], hypocrites [5273]! for [3754] ye shut up [2808] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] against [1715] men [444]: for [1063] ye [5210] neither [3761] go in [1525] yourselves, neither [3756] suffer ye [863] them that are entering [1525] to go in [1525]. |
|
King James |
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. |
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] |
But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men--Here they are charged with shutting heaven against men: in Luk 11:52 they are charged with what was worse, taking away the key--"the key of knowledge"--which means, not the key to open knowledge, but knowledge as the only key to open heaven. A right knowledge of God's revealed word is eternal life, as our Lord says (Joh 17:3; Joh 5:39); but this they took away from the people, substituting for it their wretched traditions. |
Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Woe unto you - You are guilty, and punishment will come upon you. Jesus proceeds to state wherein they were guilty. This most eloquent, most appalling, and most terrible of all discourses ever delivered to mortals was pronounced in the temple, in the presence of multitudes. Never was there more faithful dealing, more terrible reproof, more profound knowledge of the workings of hypocrisy, or more skill in detecting the concealments of sin. This was the last of the Saviour's public discourses; and it is a most impressive summary of all that he had ever said, or that he had to say, of a wicked and hypocritical generation.
Scribes and Pharisees - See the notes at Mat 3:7.
Hypocrites - Note, Mat 6:2.
Ye shut up the kingdom of heaven - Note, Mat 3:2. They shut it up by teaching false doctrines respecting the Messiah; by binding the people to an observance of their traditions; by opposing Jesus, and attempting to convince the people that he was an impostor, thus preventing many from becoming his followers. Many were ready to embrace him as the Messiah, and were about entering into the kingdom of heaven - that is, the church - but they prevented it. Luke says Luk 11:52 they had taken away the key of knowledge, and thus prevented their entering in - that is, they had taken away the right interpretation of the ancient prophecies respecting the Messiah, and thus had done all that they could to prevent the people from receiving Jesus as their Redeemer. |
Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Hypocrites (ὑποκριταί)
From ὑποκρίνω, to separate gradually; so of separating the truth from a mass of falsehood, and thence to subject to inquiry, and, as a result of this, to expound or interpret what is elicited. Then, to reply to inquiry, and so to answer on the stage, to speak in dialogue, to act. From this the transition is easy to assuming, feigning, playing a part. The hypocrite is, therefore, etymologically, an actor.
Against (ἔμπροσθεν)
Very graphic. The preposition means before, or in the face of. They shut the door in men's faces. |
Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
Wo to you - Our Lord pronounced eight blessings upon the mount: he pronounces eight woes here; not as imprecations, but solemn, compassionate declarations of the misery, which these stubborn sinners were bringing upon themselves. Ye go not in - For ye are not poor in spirit; and ye hinder those that would be so. |
Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Ye shut up the kingdom - As a key by opening a lock gives entrance into a house, etc., so knowledge of the sacred testimonies, manifested in expounding them to the people, may be said to open the way into the kingdom of heaven. But where men who are termed teachers are destitute of this knowledge themselves, they may be said to shut this kingdom; because they occupy the place of those who should teach, and thus prevent the people from acquiring heavenly knowledge.
In ancient times the rabbins carried a key, which was the symbol or emblem of knowledge. Hence it is written in Semachoth, chap. 8., "When Rab. Samuel the little died, his key and his tablets were hung on his tomb, because he died childless." See Schoettgen.
The kingdom of heaven here means the Gospel of Christ; the Pharisees would not receive it themselves, and hindered the common people as far as they could. |
39 Search [2045] the scriptures [1124]; for [3754] in [1722] them [846] ye [5210] think [1380] ye have [2192] eternal [166] life [2222]: and [2532] they [1565] are they [1526] which testify [3140] of [4012] me [1700].
3 And [1161] this [3778] is [2076] life [2222] eternal [166], that [2443] they might know [1097] thee [4571] the only [3441] true [228] God [2316], and [2532] Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], whom [3739] thou hast sent [649].
52 Woe [3759] unto you [5213], lawyers [3544]! for [3754] ye have taken away [142] the key [2807] of knowledge [1108]: ye entered [1525] not [3756] in [1525] yourselves [846], and [2532] them that were entering in [1525] ye hindered [2967].
52 Woe [3759] unto you [5213], lawyers [3544]! for [3754] ye have taken away [142] the key [2807] of knowledge [1108]: ye entered [1525] not [3756] in [1525] yourselves [846], and [2532] them that were entering in [1525] ye hindered [2967].
2 And [2532] saying [3004], Repent ye [3340]: for [1063] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] is at hand [1448].
2 Therefore [3767] when [3752] thou doest [4160] thine alms [1654], do [4537] not [3361] sound a trumpet [4537] before [1715] thee [4675], as [5618] the hypocrites [5273] do [4160] in [1722] the synagogues [4864] and [2532] in [1722] the streets [4505], that [3704] they may have glory [1392] of [5259] men [444]. Verily [281] I say [3004] unto you [5213], They have [568] their [846] reward [3408].
7 But [1161] when he saw [1492] many [4183] of the Pharisees [5330] and [2532] Sadducees [4523] come [2064] to [1909] his [846] baptism [908], he said [2036] unto them [846], O generation [1081] of vipers [2191], who [5101] hath warned [5263] you [5213] to flee [5343] from [575] the wrath [3709] to come [3195]?