Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 23:30
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.
And say … – This they professed to say by rebuilding their tombs. They also, probably, publicly expressed their disapprobation of the conduct of their fathers. All this, in building and ornamenting tombs, was a profession of extraordinary piety. Our Lord showed them it was mere pretence.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 30. We would not have been partakers] They imagined themselves much better than their ancestors; but our Lord, who knew what they would do, uncovers their hearts, and shows them that they are about to be more abundantly vile than all who had ever preceded them.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And say, if we had been in the days of our fathers,…. Their ancestors and predecessors: signifying, that if they had lived in the times they did, or had been in the same post and office with them, they should have opposed, at least not consented to their measures:
we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets; would not have joined them in persecuting the prophets, and in shedding their blood, and putting them to death; but would have received them as the prophets of the Lord, have hearkened to their advice and message, and have honoured and obeyed them as such; and this they thought they sufficiently declared, by building and adorning their tombs.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
30. If we had been in the days of our fathers. Not without good reason did Christ introduce this sentiment; for though he does not blame them for the conduct of their fathers, and does not make it the chief ground of accusation that they are the children of murderers: yet he takes a passing glance of their foolish boasting, in being accustomed to glory in their ancestors, while they were descended from the bloody enemies of God. The appeal may be thus stated: “You look upon the veneration which you pay to the deceased prophets as some sort of expiation for the wickedness of your fathers. Now then I have this to urge, that it is in vain for you to boast of a sacred ancestry, since you are descended from wicked and ungodly parents. Go now, and screen your crimes by the piety of those whose hands, you acknowledge, were stained with innocent blood. But it is an additional and far more heinous crime, that the sacrilegious fury of the fathers, which you condemn by raising sepulchers for the dead, is imitated by you in the murder of the living.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(30) If we had been in the days . . .There is no necessity for assuming that the Pharisees did not mean what they said. It was simply an instance of the unconscious hypocrisy of which every generation has more or less been guilty, when it has condemned the wrong-doing of the pastits bigotry, or luxury, or greedand then has yielded to the same sins itself.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
30. If we in the days of our fathers They little realized how dark a picture history would draw of themselves, 32. Fill measure of your fathers Our Lord judicially gives them over, (just as Jehovah gives the devil over,) to do what he knows they will do.
Gen 15:16.
The meaning of these two verses may thus be summed: Inasmuch as, even in the condemnation of your fathers, you confess yourselves their sons, there is no obstacle to your supplying all they lacked in wickedness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
30 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.
Ver. 30. If we had been in the days ] Either these men grossly dissembled, or their hearts greatly deceived them; for certainly a Herod and Herodias to John Baptist would have been an Ahab and Jezebel to Elias. But as it was said of Demosthenes, that he was excellent at praising the worthy acts of ancestors, not so at imitating of them. a In like sort may we say of the Pharisees, they could well declaim against their forefathers’ cruelties, but not so well disclaim them. They were adversus sua ipsorum vitia facundi satis, as one speaketh in a like case. They are shrill accusers of themselves.
a . Plutarch.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 23:30 . : they not merely thought, or said by deed, but actually so pointed the moral of their action, not trusting to others to draw the inference. , not in classics, the usual form of sing. in N. T. being also rare; the imperfect, but must be translated in our tongue, “if we had been”. For the imperfect, used when we should use a pluperfect, vide Mat 14:4 , and consult Burton, 29. , the indicative with , as usual in suppositions contrary to fact, vide Burton, 248.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
If, &c. The condition being assumed as an actual fact.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 23:30. , ye say) By your public protestation.- , …, we would not have been, etc.) Such was their self-confidence.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
the blood: Mat 23:34, Mat 23:35, Mat 21:35, Mat 21:36, 2Ch 36:15, Jer 2:30
Reciprocal: 2Ki 21:16 – Manasseh 2Ch 29:6 – For our fathers Ezr 9:7 – Since the days Psa 37:14 – slay Psa 50:18 – partaker Psa 72:14 – precious Ecc 1:10 – it hath Jer 26:15 – ye shall Zec 1:2 – Lord Mat 23:37 – thou Mat 27:25 – His Luk 20:11 – entreated Rev 16:6 – they have Rev 18:4 – partakers
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:30
Neither would there have been anything objectionable about what they said regarding the history connected with those prophets, had the remarks been in harmony with their own conduct in the same matters which were the subject of the history.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 23:30. And say. By the act of building the tombs, and also in word.
If we had been in the days of our fathers, etc. Their fathers by natural lineage. The moral relationship they deny, but our Lord affirms it (Mat 23:31).