Matthew 23:14 - Printer Friendly

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KJV: 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.

NKJV: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

Scholars report that the earliest and best manuscripts of Matthew do not include verse 14. For this reason, it's skipped or included in brackets in many modern translations, including the ESV and the NIV. The words of this verse are included in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47; both are instances where Jesus was criticizing the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. That such an occurrence is so rare demonstrates how remarkably consistent the New Testament Scriptures have been preserved from the earliest known manuscripts to those copied later.

The sentiment recorded in some translations of Matthew 23:14 is not false, it is simply out of place. These are words of Christ, as reported by Mark and Luke. Throughout this passage, Jesus pronounces "woe" on the scribes and Pharisees. For their offenses, their condemnation at the judgment would be even greater.

The Pharisees "devoured" the homes of widows by placing large burdens on these famously poor and overlooked members of society. Or, by failing to protect them from the burdens placed on them by others. After losing their husbands, widows were in danger of losing their entire livelihood, if those resources were not carefully managed. Israel's religious leaders should have stepped in to help these struggling women, rather than taking advantage of them to enrich the temple.

Matthew 23:13–36 contains seven layers of condemnation, from Jesus, towards the religious leaders of His era. Each of these is introduced with the word "woe," which is an exclamation like "oh!" or "alas!" Pronouncing God's judgment on these men, He repeatedly describes them as "blind" and "hypocrites." Convincing others of their views only adds victims to hell. They follow the letters of manmade law to the tiniest detail but miss the real meaning of Scripture: God's heart for justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Their outer appearance of righteousness hides inner lives full of greed, self-indulgence, hypocrisy, and lawlessness. Those in Jesus' generation will pay for many of the righteous people unjustly killed in the past.

After thoroughly dismantling scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees in debate, Jesus even more thoroughly condemns these religious leaders for their religious hypocrisy. They do all their religious acts and works to be seen and approved of by other people. Jesus pronounces God's judgment on the scribes and Pharisees in a series of seven "woe to you" statements. He repeatedly calls them "blind" and "hypocrites." He concludes with a lament for Jerusalem and her children who rejected His protection. God's judgment is coming.

Matthew 23 concludes Matthew's multi-chapter account of all of Jesus' interactions in the temple during the last week before His arrest and crucifixion. After silencing the religious leaders with parables and brilliant responses (Matthew 21—22), He pronounces God's judgment on the scribes and Pharisees in a series of seven "woe to you" statements. Jesus mourns for the judgment that will come on Jerusalem for her rejection of God. This leads Jesus to leave the temple, sadly remarking on its impending destruction (Matthew 24:1–2). As the disciples ask about this, Jesus begins an extended teaching on the end times in chapter 24.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.