Mat 23:1-12 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 23:1: 23:1–25:46 This final extended discourse (see study note on Matt 5:1–7:29) centers on judgment for rejecting the Messiah. 23:1 The religious leaders had sought a reason to accuse Jesus publicly (21:23–22:46 ) but found none. Jesus now turned to the crowds and to his disciples to openly indict the religious leaders for their numerous failures to conform to God’s righteous standards.

Summary for Matt 23:1: 23:1–25:46 ^a This final extended discourse (see study note on Matt 5:1–7:29) centers on judgment for rejecting the Messiah. 23:1 ^b The religious leaders had sought a reason to accuse Jesus publicly (21:23–22:46 ^c) but found none. Jesus now turned to the crowds and to his disciples to openly indict the religious leaders for their numerous failures to conform to God’s righteous standards.
23:2 ^d the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses: They transmitted the oral traditions that were associated with the law and thought to be from Moses, and they judged religious and social matters on the basis of these traditions (see 15:2 ^e).
23:3 ^f practice and obey: This was not a blanket endorsement of all that the Pharisees teach (see 15:1-20 ^g; 16:5-12 ^h; 23:13-39 ⁱ). It might refer only to what was in accord with the law of Moses, or it might be bitter irony or sarcasm. Jesus might also have been counseling conformity to the Pharisees’ teachings to avoid giving offense (17:24-27 ^j).
23:4 ^k unbearable religious demands: There were 613 legal prohibitions and commands, according to the rabbis (see 11:28-30 ^l; Acts 15:10 ^m, 28 ⁿ).

• never lift a finger: The religious leaders were unwilling to consider relaxing traditional legal statutes.
23:5 ^o prayer boxes: Pious Jews wore, on the head and upper left arm, a small pouch or box (phylactery) containing written copies of important Old Testament commands (see Deut 6:6-9 ^p; 11:18-19 ^q).

• Wearing tassels was another custom associated with piety (see Matt 9:20 ^r; see also Num 15:38-41 ^s). Lengthening the tassels called attention to their wearer’s pious practices.
23:6 ^t The seats of honor in the synagogues were near the scrolls of the Torah and facing the congregation.
23:7 ^u Rabbi was a title of authority and respect.
Summary for Matt 23:8-12: 23:8-12 ^v Jesus does not prohibit the use of titles (especially for one’s own father), but rather the assumption of undue honor by those who transmit knowledge about God. The community of Jesus is a group of equals, each of whom knows God (see 12:46-50 ^w; 18:15-20 ^x). The terms Rabbi, Father, and Teacher are roughly equivalent. 23:8 ^y Rabbi: These men functioned in Judaism as mediators for dispensing knowledge about God (see 23:7 ^z). The new covenant, by contrast, has only one teacher, Jesus himself as Messiah (see Jer 31:31-34 ^aa).
23:9 ^ab Writings from later Judaism provide ample evidence of revering the teachers by calling them Father (see, e.g., Mishnah Eduyyoth 1:4 ^ac).

• God ... is your Father: See 6:9 ^ad; Mal 2:10 ^ae; cp. 1 Cor 4:15 ^af.
23:10 ^ag Teacher: This title denotes the function and office of leading others into knowledge about God. Jesus, not the scribes and Pharisees, is the teacher of God’s will (5:17 ^ah).
Summary for Matt 23:11-12: 23:11-12 ^ai Jesus’ disciples should lead by serving, in stark contrast to Israel’s religious leaders (who are described in 23:5-7 ^aj).