Matthew 23:2

Matthew 23:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
• New International Version (NIV)“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat,
• New King James Version (NKJV)saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

Context of Matthew 23:2

1After that, Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. He said, ‘The teachers of God's Law and the Pharisees have authority to explain the Law of Moses. 3So you must obey everything that they teach you. But you should not do the same things that they do. They tell you what the Law of Moses teaches. But then they themselves do not obey it. 4The rules that they give you are difficult to obey. Their rules are like heavy luggage, which they make you carry. But they themselves will not help you to carry that luggage. They will not agree to use even one finger to help you.

Matthew 23:2 word by word

λέγων· ἐπὶ τῆς Μωϋσέως καθέδρας ἐκάθισαν οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• The scribesγραμματεύςgrammateus · scribeG1122
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• the PhariseesΦαρισαῖοςPharisaios · PhariseeG5330
• sitκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• inἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• Moses’Μωϋσῆς, ΜωσῆςMōseus Mōsēs Mōusēs · MosesG3475
• seatκαθέδραkathedra · seatG2515

Cross-references for Matthew 23:2

• Nehemiah 8:4Ezra stood on a tall tower to speak to the people. They had built it from wood so that they could hear him. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah stood at his right side. Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam stood at his left side.
• Malachi 2:7Priests should help people to know the truth about God. People should ask the priests to teach them, because the Lord Almighty has chosen priests to speak his message.
• Mark 12:38As Jesus was teaching the people, he said, ‘Be careful not to do the same as the teachers of God's Law. They want people to think that they are important. So they walk about in beautiful long clothes. They like people to praise them in the market place.
• Luke 20:46‘Be careful not to do the same as the teachers of God's Law. They want people to think that they are important. So they walk about in beautiful long clothes. They like people to praise them in the market place. They choose to sit in the best seats in the meeting place. They like to sit in the most important places at special meals.

Commentaries on Matthew 23:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat - . - They sat there formerly by Divine appointment: they sit there now by Divine permission. What our Lord says here refers to their expounding the Scriptures, for it was the custom of the Jewish doctors to sit while they expounded the law and prophets, ( Matthew 5:1; Luke 4:20-22;), and to stand up when they read them. By the seat of Moses, we are to understand authority to teach the law. Moses was the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Scribes and Pharisees - See the notes at Matthew 3:7. Moses‘ seat - Moses was the great legislator of the Jews. By him the Law was given. The office of explaining that Law among the Jews devolved on the scribes and Pharisees. In the synagogues they sat while expounding the Law, and rose when they read it. By “sitting in the seat of Moses” we are to understand authority to teach the Law; or, as he taught the nation by giving the Law, so they taught it by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: This means that they give authoritative explanations about the law of Moses. They passed down oral traditions associated with the law and thought to be from Moses. They judged religious and social issues based on these traditions (see Matthew 15:2).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit--The Jewish teachers stood to read, but sat to expound the Scriptures, as will be seen by comparing Lu 4:16 with Lu 4:20. in Moses' seat--that is, as interpreters of the law given by Moses.Read the comment

Topics related to Matthew 23:2

• Church
• Ecclesiasticism
• Example
• Hypocrisy
• Oppression
• Pharisees
• Satire
• Scribe (S)
• Teachers

In the dictionaries

• Moses
• Abase
• Bewray
• Devour
• Exalt
• Fill
• Gnat
• Ought
• Partaker
• Pentateuch

Commentaries on Matthew 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings