Matthew Episodes

Thursday, 22 October 2026 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you resemble tombs having been whitewashed, which outwardly, indeed, they appear beautiful. Inwardly, also, they swell – ‘bones, dead’ and all impurity.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus finished His sixth woe to th...

Wednesday, 21 October 2026 Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Matthew 23:26 “‘Pharisee, blind’! You cleanse first the ‘within the cup and the side-dish’ that it might be, also the outward of them, clean.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus chided the hypocritical Pharisees for cleaning the outside of the cup and side-dish while the inside was full of pillage and unrestraint. He continues that now, saying, “‘Pharisee, blind’...

Tuesday, 20 October 2026 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Matthew 23:25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you cleanse the ‘outwardly, the cup and the side-dish’. Inwardly, also, they swell from pillage and unrestraint.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus finished His fifth woe pronouncement upon the scribes and Pharisees. With that complete, He immedi...

Monday, 19 October 2026 Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Matthew 23:24 “‘Guides, blind’! The ‘through-filtering the gnat’, the ‘also camel gulping’.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus began His fifth woe against the scribes and Pharisees, noting that they paid tithes of the little things but forsook the weightier things expected of them. He next chastises them for this conduct, beginning with, “‘Guides, blind’!” Jesus has already used this same thought against Israel’...

Sunday, 18 October 2026 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees! Hypocrites! Because you tithe the mint, and the dill, and the cummin, and you left the ‘weightier, the law’: the judgment, and the mercy, and the faith. These, also, it necessitated...

Saturday, 17 October 2026 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it. Matthew 23:22 “And the ‘having sworn in the heaven’, he swears in the ‘throne, the God’ and in the ‘sitting atop it’.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus told the people that he who swears by the temple swears by it and all that is atop it. He next says, “And the ‘having sworn in the heaven’.” The incorrect thinking of the scribes and Pharisees continues to be highlighted. They might ...

Friday, 16 October 2026 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. Matthew 23:21 “And the ‘having sworn in the temple’, he swears in it and in the ‘dwelling, it’.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus said that he who swears by the altar swears by everything on it. He next says, “And the ‘having sworn in the temple’.” Jesus elevates the matter of sanctification from the altar to the temple. The altar is a part of the temple. The scope of the sanctification of the alt...

Thursday, 15 October 2026 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it. Matthew 23:20 “The ‘therefore having sworn in the altar’, he swears in it and in all those atop it.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus asked the question as to which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift. The answer is obvious. The altar is greater. Jesus next says, “The ‘therefore having sworn in the altar’.” This refers to the person, identified as “who” in the first c...

Wednesday, 14 October 2026 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? Matthew 23:19 “Moronics and blind! Which, indeed – greater: the gift or the altar the ‘hallowing the gift’?” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus recalled the unsound teaching of the scribes and Pharisees who said that swearing by the altar, it is nothing, but swearing by the gift on it obliged the person to perform their vow. Jesus next says, “Moronics and blind!” Jesus’ words indi...

Tuesday, 13 October 2026 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ Matthew 23:18 “And who, if he should swear ‘in the altar’, nothing, it is. Who, also, if he should swear ‘in the gift’, the ‘atop it’, he is obligated.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus said to the Pharisees, “Moronics and blind! Which, indeed, greater, it is, the gold or the temple, the ‘having hallowed the gold’?” He next turns to more illog...

Monday, 12 October 2026 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? Matthew 23:17 “Moronics and blind! Which, indeed, greater, it is, the gold or the temple, the ‘having hallowed the gold’?” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus scolded the scribes and Pharisees, calling them blind guides because of their illogical thinking concerning swearing an oath. He now continues that, saying, “Moronics and blind!” The adjective móros, moronic, has been seen a co...

Sunday, 11 October 2026 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ Matthew 23:16 “Woe to you, ‘conductors, blind’! Those saying, ‘Who, if he should swear ‘in the temple’, nothing, it is. Who, also, if he should swear ‘in the gold, the temple’, he is obligated.’” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus gave a third woe to the scribes and Pharisees concerning their gaining converts. He n...

Saturday, 10 October 2026 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. Matthew 23:15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you traverse the sea and the arid to make one proselyte, and when he might become, you make him ‘son, Gehenna’ two-fold yourselves.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus pronounced a second woe on the scribes and Pharisees because the...

Friday, 9 October 2026 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. Matthew 23:14 “Woe, also, to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour the ‘houses, the widows’, and pretense – lengthy praying. Through this, you will receive superabundant judgment.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus told the scribes and Pharisees that they were hypocrites who shut up the king...

Thursday, 8 October 2026 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Matthew 23:13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you close the ‘kingdom, the heavens’ before the ‘men’. You, indeed, neither enter, nor those entering you permit to enter.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus noted that the one who will elevate himself will be humbl...

Wednesday, 7 October 2026 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Matthew 23:12 “Who, also, he will elevate himself, he will be humbled, and who, he will humble himself, he will be elevated.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus said that the greatest among them shall be their servant. He next says, “Who, also, he will elevate himself, he will be humbled.” This truth in God’s economy is not to be missed. Adonijah exalted himself, claiming he would...

Tuesday, 6 October 2026 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 23:11 “The ‘also Greater’ of you, He will be your Attendant.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus told His hearers not to be called guides because there is One Guide, Christ. He next says, “The ‘also Greater’ of you, He will be your Attendant.” The words are reminiscent of what He said in Matthew 20 – “Not thus, also, it will be in you, but whoever, if he wills in you to ‘great, become’, let him be your at...

Monday, 5 October 2026 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. Matthew 23:10 “Not also you should be called guides. One, indeed, of you, He is the Guide: the Christ.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus told His hearers not to call anyone on earth their father, for they have one Father in the celestial. He continues now, saying, “Not also you should be called guides.” This is the same word introduced into some manuscripts of verse 8, kathégétés, a guide. For other m...

Sunday, 4 October 2026 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. Matthew 23:9 “And ‘father’, none you should call, of you, upon the earth. One, indeed, He is the Father of you, the ‘in the celestial’.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus instructed those in attendance not to be called Rabbi. There was to be one Guide for them. Next, Jesus continues in the context of instruction, saying, “And ‘father’, none you should call, of you, upon the earth.” Th...

Saturday, 3 October 2026 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Matthew 23:8 “You, also, not you should be called ‘Rabbi.’ One, indeed, He is of you the Guide: the Christ. All, also you, brothers – you are.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus mentioned that the scribes and Pharisees love the greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called Rabbi, Rabbi by men. He next says words that bear emphasis, “You, also, not you should be called ‘...

Friday, 2 October 2026 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ Matthew 23:7 “And the greetings in the markets, and to be called by the ‘men’, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus noted that the scribes and the Pharisees affectionated the first-reclining in the suppers, and the first-sittings in the synagogues. He next says, “and the greetings in the markets.” This is always enjoyable. When you are recognized by someone in public, it makes you fee...

Thursday, 1 October 2026 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, Matthew 23:6 “They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers, and the first-sittings in the synagogues.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus noted how the scribes and Pharisees widened their phylacteries and enlarged the tassels of their garments. He continues with their self-serving attitude, saying, “They affectionate, also, the first-reclining in the suppers.” There are a couple of n...

Wednesday, 30 September 2026 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. Matthew 23:5 “All, also, the ‘deeds, theirs’, they do to ‘see’, the men. They widen, also, the ‘phylacteries, theirs’, and they enlarge the ‘tassels, the cloaks, theirs’.” (CG) In the previous verse, Jesus noted that the scribes and Pharisees bind heavy burdens on the shoulders of men, but they are unwilling to move them with one of their ow...

Tuesday, 29 September 2026 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Matthew 23:4 “They bind, indeed, burdens, weighty and oppressive, and they lay upon the ‘shoulders, the men’. The, also ‘finger, theirs’, not they will to stir them.” (CG). In the previous verse, Jesus told those He was talking to that they were to guard and do the things the scribes and Pharisees told them to do, but they sho...