Matthew 23:31 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

NIV: So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

NASB: So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

CSB: So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

NLT: But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

KJV: Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

NKJV: “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Jesus is exposing yet another form of hypocrisy practiced by the scribes and Pharisees. The term "hypocrite" is transliterated from the Greek word hipokritēs, which literally meant stage actors. Those who say one thing, but live something else, are pretenders. Christ has already criticized these men for claiming to honor God, when their actions are legalism and self-honoring (Matthew 23:1–7).

The next form of pretense comes in how these men speak about God's messengers from prior generations. The Pharisees and scribes claimed to honor and celebrate Israel's prophets of old. They believed they would never have joined those who rejected and killed these messengers sent from God to His people Israel. Jesus refutes their arrogance with a rhetorical point which can be hard for modern readers to follow.

As Christ frames it, when the scribes and Pharisees admit their forefathers persecuted God's messengers, they put themselves into the same category of guilt. In that culture, society often placed a sense of guilt on the children of criminals. Jesus points out that these leaders are, by their own admission, the sons of the killers of God's messengers. In a rhetorical sense—by the standards of the day—these men are identifying themselves with enemies of the Lord.

At the same time, Jesus knows that these men are "spiritually" the sons of those murderous ancestors. Their attitudes towards the Son of God prove their spiritual condition (John 8:43–44). The same religious leaders who claim they would have listened to ancient prophets have already rejected John the Baptist (Matthew 23:21–27). Even now they are plotting to have Jesus murdered (John 11:53; Mark 3:6; Luke 22:2).

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.