Matthew 23:1 Then spake Emmanuel to the multitude and to his disciples.(Acts 1:15),

Matthew 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.

They.claimed to comprehend enough of the Mosaic Law to be qualified in the positions they held over the teaching of others.

Matthew 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you to observe, that observe and do.(the Mosaic Law was still extant at this time, as Emmanuel had not yet been crucified and resurrected, so if they quoted from that law {Acts 17:11}, Emmanuel says observe and do it), but do not you after their works.(Matthew 7:20). For they say and do not.

They were hypocrites. Be wise enough to not follow their example because though they may know some truth, they themselves do not follow it:.Matthew 16:12.

And, don't go along with anything that may cause you or others harm, such as the covid con was.

Matthew 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Similar to selfish governing groups today wanting advantages not for those who have most of the burden forced upon them through oppressive policies, such as 'go to war because we the leaders tell you to' and too bad, endure the financial and emotional heartaches that come with it, such as being away from family with risk of coming back maimed, if at all. They do the same regarding other satanic things; also Matthew 3:7. The purpose of such satanically influenced ones is to somehow jack up themselves at your expense. These care not for you and are out to subjugate you.

Matthew 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men; they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments.

They did this so they would be noticed as being great, special and powerful and worthy of your worship, all the while despising you as being lower than an insect. Satanic ones relish the approbation of others..

Clarke's Commentary:."The Scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses and enforced obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. The phylacteries they made were scrolls of paper or parchment, on which were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms. They made these phylacteries broad, so that they might be thought more zealous for the law than others. God appointed the ancient people of Judah to make fringes upon their garments (Numbers 15:38) to remind them of their being a particular people, but the Pharisees made them larger than was common, as if they were by it more religious than others. Pride was the darling reigning sin of the Pharisees, which Emmanuel takes all occasions to speak against. It is commendable for him who is taught in the word to give respect to him who teaches, but it is not right for him who teaches to demand it and to be puffed up.(1Corinthians 4:6 "...that no one of you be puffed up for one against another." 1John 1:7).with it. How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity!"

Matthew 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues.

Matthew 23:7 And greetings in the markets and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Original is 'Master, Master', akin to.aggrandizing in a name that can connote.superiority, such as doctor, Ph.D, etc.

Matthew 23:8 But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your Master.(original 'one having the knowledge to teach others', 'to lead in spirituality' and this master is of the Silence), even Christ.(note, it was Emmanuel saying this {verse 1 above} about Christ, why?).and all you are brethren.

A brother is an equal member of the family by birth, has the same parent(s).

Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the Earth, for one is your Father which is in heaven.

It means to not regard anyone as being superior to the Great Father of the multiverse.or superior to yourself once you are in the same high consciousness as the Father. It's what's in your heart and what your belief is that's important.
Exodus 20:12 "Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which God gives you."
Matthew 15:4 "For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother and, He that curses father or mother, let him die the death."
Ephesians 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise, that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth."

Matthew 23:10 Neither be you called masters.(in this context, master, in the original, means a guide and teacher over your life, that is, you regard their control over you as absolute). For one is your Master, even Christ.

Matthew 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Be of great service to others, is what is being said here.

Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Matthew 6:1-6.

Matthew 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men.(Emmanuel was saying to these corrupt leaders, that you don't make truth known to you, available to the people; in other words, like many in governement today, they believe in having no transparency, so no one knows what selfish deceitful things they are up to; what did Emmanuel think about this?.Luke 11:52; and what did Paul think about these sorts of things?.Acts 13:7-11), for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer.(allow).you them that are entering to go in..(?)

Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you devour widows' houses and for a pretence make long prayer, therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.

Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.(*).

Matthew 23:16 Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Matthew 23:17,18 You fools and blind, for whether is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing, but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Matthew 23:19 You fools and blind, for whether is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

Matthew 23:20,21 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it and by all things thereon. And whoso shall swear by the temple, swears by it and by him that dwells therein. 

Matthew 23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him that sits thereon.

Matthew 23:23.Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin and have omitted the weightier matters of the law.(showing that tithing was a matter of law, the old, now done away Mosaic Law in effect until done away in Christ, but not the weighter matters), judgment, mercy and faith.(people often lack acting in faith, relying instead upon:.Proverbs 3:5). These ought you to have done and not to leave the other undone.

'the other' being tithing, as it was still the time of and part of the Mosaic Law that was soon to be completely abolished.

Matthew 23:24 You blind guides, which strain at a gnat.(original 'strain out a gnat' {various small, biting, two-winged flies, such as a punkie or black fly}) and swallow a camel.

They just couldn't see past the punctilious details of the Old Testament law they espoused.in order to see the weighter matters of judgment, mercy, faith, etc.

Matthew 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Matthew 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Matthew 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness.

Emmanuel was saying that they were filthy inside.

Matthew 23:28 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Matthew 23:29-32 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore you be witnesses unto yourselves, that you are the children of them which killed the prophets and you continue carrying on filling up the measure of your fathers evils. 

Matthew 23:33 You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?.(?)

Matthew 23:34,35 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them you shall.(on the word 'shall').kill and crucify and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues and persecute them from city to city; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the Earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar..

Perhaps Emmanuel was thinking at this time about what happened to ancient Jehoash, king of Judah.

Matthew 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem that kills the prophets and stones those which are sent unto you, how often would I have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings but you would not!

Here Emmanuel laments over what was to come upon the city of Jerusalem because of how many of the people were like. Compare the differences between how the Creator was with those coming out of Egypt in the Old Testament:.Exodus 19:4. Here in this New Testament a 'hen' is likened to someone who cares and strives to help others be their best. The Creator changes His plan and approach as the world goes along, because He has given us to be creators along with Him.

Matthew 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

Matthew 23:39 For I say unto you, You shall not see me henceforth, till you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

....continues to Chapter 24

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