Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Twofold more a son of hell than yourselves (uion geennhv diploteron umwn). It is a convert to Pharisaism rather than Judaism that is meant by "one proselyte" (ena proshluton), from proserxomai, newcomers, aliens. There were two kinds of proselytes: of the gate (not actual Jews, but God-fearers and well-wishers of Judaism, like Cornelius), of righteousness who received circumcision and became actual Jews. But a very small per cent of the latter became Pharisees. There was a Hellenistic Jewish literature (Philo, Sibylline Oracles, etc.) designed to attract Gentiles to Judaism. But the Pharisaic missionary zeal (compass, periaghte, go around) was a comparative failure. And success was even worse, Jesus says with pitiless plainness. The "son of Gehenna" means one fitted for and so destined for Gehenna. "The more converted the more perverted" (H.J. Holtzmann). The Pharisees claimed to be in a special sense sons of the kingdom (Matthew 8:12). They were more partisan than pious. Diplouv (twofold, double) is common in the papyri. The comparative here used, as if from diplov, appears also in Appian. Note the ablative of comparison h-m"n. It was a withering thrust.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Matthew 23:15:
Matthew 8:12
Matthew 23:13
Acts 13:43
Revelation 18:6
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
