Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Woe unto you, ye blind guides—Striking expression this of the ruinous effects of erroneous teaching. Our Lord, here and in some following verses, condemns the subtle distinctions they made as to the sanctity of oaths—distinctions invented only to promote their own avaricious purposes.
which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing—He has incurred no debt.
but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple—meaning not the gold that adorned the temple itself, but the Corban, set apart for sacred uses (see on Matthew 15:5).
he is a debtor!—that is, it is no longer his own, even though the necessities of the parent might require it. We know who the successors of these men are.
but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty—It should have been rendered, "he is a debtor," as in Matthew 23:16.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Matthew 23:16:
Isaiah 56:10
Matthew 23:16
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.
