Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 23:17
[Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
The temple that sanctifieth the gold – To sanctify is to make holy. The gold had no holiness but what it derived from the temple. If in any other place, it would be no more holy than any other gold. It was foolish, then, to suppose that that was more holy than the temple, from which it received all the sanctity which it possessed.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Ye fools, and blind,…. That argue after so ridiculous a manner, that make use of such thin sophistry, that everybody may see through it; who must be stupid and sottish to the last degree, and their minds foolishly blinded with avarice; as to please and satisfy themselves: with so poor a distinction; that would by no means serve them, but make against them:
for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? The temple, to be sure: for that was the seat of the divine majesty; built for him to dwell in, and in which he took up his residence; and was dedicated to his service, and in it was divine worship performed unto him. The temple was sanctified by the presence of God in it; and the gold sanctified by the temple, being devoted to the service of it: whatever holiness it had, it had it from the temple, and therefore the temple must be greater than that; and consequently it must be most extravagantly ridiculous and foolish in them, to make oaths by the gold of the temple, and gifts dedicated to its service, and on that score sanctified by it, more binding and sacred than such as were by the temple itself.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ye fools (). In 5:22 Jesus had warned against calling a man in a rage, but here he so terms the blind Pharisees for their stupidity, description of the class. “It shows that not the word but the spirit in which it is uttered is what matters” (McNeile).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
17. Temple that sanctifieth the gold That renders the gold deposit sacred.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Mat 23:17-22. Ye fools and blind The Apostle’s words, Heb 6:16 are a proper comment on the 17th verse, for men verily swear by the greater. Whoso shall swear by the altar, says our Saviour (Mat 23:20.) sweareth by it, and by all things thereon; consequently the oath is an invocation of his wrath, to whom the altar, and the gifts on the altar, are sacred, in case of falsehood or breach of vows. The particular species of wrath invoked in this oath, is God’s rejecting the swearer’s sacrifice, and denying him the pardon of sinHe adds, Mat 23:21. Whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it and by him that dwelleth therein; consequently the oath is a solemn wishing that he who dwelleth in the temple may hinder the person from ever worshipping there, if he is telling a falsehood, or neglects his vow. And lastly, Mat 23:22. He that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, &c. and therefore his oath is a solemn wishing, that God who dwells in heaven may exclude him from that blessed place for ever, if he falsifies his oath.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 23:17 ff. ] Justifies the preceding epithets.
] of greater consequence , and consequently more binding, as being a more sacred object by which to swear. The reason of the lies in , according to which the consecrated relation is conceived of as one between the temple and the gold, that has been brought about (otherwise if be read) by the connecting of the latter with the former.
] the offering (Mat 5:23 ), as laid upon the altar, it belongs to God.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Ver. 17. Whether is greater, the gold, &c. ] The cause must needs be more noble than the effect. But the dust of covetousness had put out the eyes of these buzzards, and expectorated their understandings. It is a besotting sin, and bereaves a man of right reason. Avidus a non videndo. Papists, our modern Pharisees, are most corrupt in those things where their honour, ease, or profit is engaged. In the doctrine of the Trinity that toucheth not upon these, they are sound enough.
Or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? ] Solomen’s temple was stone without and gold within, to show, saith one, the resplendent glory of Divine Majesty lurking within a human and humbled body. Quid est templi illius aurum sive aurea claritas, nisi ad dextram patris sedentis immortalitas atque impassibilitas? saith Rupertus, what is the gold of the temple but the glory of Christ at God’s right hand?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 23:17 . : Jesus answers this question by asserting the opposite principle to that laid down by the Rabbis: the general includes and is more important than the particular, which He applies to all the three cases (Mat 23:17 ; Mat 23:19 ; Mat 23:22 ). This is the more logical position, but the main point of difference is moral . The tendency of the Rabbis was to enlarge the sphere of insincere, idle, meaningless speech. Christ’s aim was to inculcate absolute sincerity = always mean what you say; let none of your utterances be merely conventional generalities. Be as much in earnest when you say “by the temple” as when you say “by the gold of the temple”; rather be so truthful that you shall not need to say either.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 23:17. , fools and blind) They sinned even against common sense; according to the judgment of which that thing, on account of which another thing is of a certain character, must be much more so, than that which merely derives its character inferentially therefrom.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Ye fools: Psa 94:8
or: Mat 23:19, Exo 30:26-29, Num 16:38, Num 16:39
Reciprocal: Exo 29:37 – it shall be an Exo 30:29 – whatsoever Lev 21:18 – a blind man Psa 53:4 – Have Eze 44:19 – sanctify Zec 11:15 – a foolish Mat 12:6 – General Mat 23:16 – ye blind Luk 11:40 – fools
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:17
Jesus showed their inconsistency in that if the gold was sacred it was the temple that made it so, being attached to and forming a part of the structure.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 23:17. Fools and blind. The distinction was foolish and false, revealing the character of those making it.
The temple that hath sanctified the gold. Any sanctity in the gold came from the temple, and the sanctity of the temple came from God. No inanimate thing can witness an oath. Hence Mat 23:20-22 declare that every oath is an oath by God. Pharisees reversed the order of the hallowed things. Their casuistry is rebuked, but neither of the oaths is sanctioned.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
23:17 [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that {r} sanctifieth the gold?
(r) Causes the gold which is dedicated to a holy use to be considered holy.