Matius 22:1--24:51
Konteks22:1 Jesus spoke 1 to them again in parables, saying: 22:2 “The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 22:3 He sent his slaves 2 to summon those who had been invited to the banquet, but they would not come. 22:4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Look! The feast I have prepared for you is ready. 3 My oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.”’ 22:5 But they were indifferent and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 22:6 The 4 rest seized his slaves, insolently mistreated them, and killed them. 22:7 The 5 king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death 6 and set their city 7 on fire. 22:8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but the ones who had been invited were not worthy. 22:9 So go into the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 22:10 And those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all they found, both bad and good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. 22:11 But when the king came in to see the wedding guests, he saw a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 22:12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But he had nothing to say. 8 22:13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!’ 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
22:15 Then the Pharisees 9 went out and planned together to entrap him with his own words. 10 22:16 They sent to him their disciples along with the Herodians, 11 saying, “Teacher, we know that you are truthful, and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 12 You do not court anyone’s favor because you show no partiality. 13 22:17 Tell us then, what do you think? Is it right 14 to pay taxes 15 to Caesar 16 or not?”
22:18 But Jesus realized their evil intentions and said, “Hypocrites! Why are you testing me? 22:19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” So 17 they brought him a denarius. 18 22:20 Jesus 19 said to them, “Whose image 20 is this, and whose inscription?” 22:21 They replied, 21 “Caesar’s.” He said to them, 22 “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 23 22:22 Now when they heard this they were stunned, 24 and they left him and went away.
22:23 The same day Sadducees 25 (who say there is no resurrection) 26 came to him and asked him, 27 22:24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and father children 28 for his brother.’ 29 22:25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children he left his wife to his brother. 22:26 The second did the same, and the third, down to the seventh. 22:27 Last 30 of all, the woman died. 22:28 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.” 31 22:29 Jesus 32 answered them, “You are deceived, 33 because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God. 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels 34 in heaven. 22:31 Now as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, 35 22:32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 36 He is not the God of the dead but of the living!” 37 22:33 When the crowds heard this, they were amazed at his teaching.
22:34 Now when the Pharisees 38 heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, 39 they assembled together. 40 22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, 41 asked him a question to test 42 him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 43 22:37 Jesus 44 said to him, “‘Love 45 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 46 22:38 This is the first and greatest 47 commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 48 22:40 All the law and the prophets depend 49 on these two commandments.”
22:41 While 50 the Pharisees 51 were assembled, Jesus asked them a question: 52 22:42 “What do you think about the Christ? 53 Whose son is he?” They said, “The son of David.” 54 22:43 He said to them, “How then does David by the Spirit call him ‘Lord,’ saying,
22:44 ‘The Lord said to my lord, 55
“Sit at my right hand,
until I put your enemies under your feet”’? 56
22:45 If David then calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 57 22:46 No one 58 was able to answer him a word, and from that day on no one dared to question him any longer.
23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 23:2 “The 59 experts in the law 60 and the Pharisees 61 sit on Moses’ seat. 23:3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 62 23:4 They 63 tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 23:5 They 64 do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries 65 wide and their tassels 66 long. 23:6 They 67 love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 68 23:7 and elaborate greetings 69 in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ 23:8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 23:9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 23:10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. 70 23:11 The 71 greatest among you will be your servant. 23:12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
23:13 “But woe to you, experts in the law 72 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! 73 You keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! 74 For you neither enter nor permit those trying to enter to go in.
23:14 [[EMPTY]] 7523:15 “Woe to you, experts in the law 76 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, 77 and when you get one, 78 you make him twice as much a child of hell 79 as yourselves!
23:16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. 80 But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ 23:17 Blind fools! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 23:18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. 81 But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ 23:19 You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 23:20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 23:21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. 23:22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.
23:23 “Woe to you, experts in the law 82 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth 83 of mint, dill, and cumin, 84 yet you neglect what is more important in the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness! You 85 should have done these things without neglecting the others. 23:24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel! 86
23:25 “Woe to you, experts in the law 87 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, 88 so that the outside may become clean too!
23:27 “Woe to you, experts in the law 89 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. 90 23:28 In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
23:29 “Woe to you, experts in the law 91 and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You 92 build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves 93 of the righteous. 23:30 And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, 94 we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ 23:31 By saying this you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 23:32 Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! 23:33 You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 95
23:34 “For this reason I 96 am sending you prophets and wise men and experts in the law, 97 some of whom you will kill and crucify, 98 and some you will flog 99 in your synagogues 100 and pursue from town to town, 23:35 so that on you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, 101 whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 23:36 I tell you the truth, 102 this generation will be held responsible for all these things! 103
23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 104 you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! 105 How often I have longed 106 to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but 107 you would have none of it! 108 23:38 Look, your house is left to you desolate! 23:39 For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” 109
24:1 Now 110 as Jesus was going out of the temple courts and walking away, his disciples came to show him the temple buildings. 111 24:2 And he said to them, 112 “Do you see all these things? I tell you the truth, 113 not one stone will be left on another. 114 All will be torn down!” 115
24:3 As 116 he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, his disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will these things 117 happen? And what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 24:4 Jesus answered them, 118 “Watch out 119 that no one misleads you. 24:5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ 120 and they will mislead many. 24:6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Make sure that you are not alarmed, for this must happen, but the end is still to come. 121 24:7 For nation will rise up in arms 122 against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines 123 and earthquakes 124 in various places. 24:8 All 125 these things are the beginning of birth pains.
24:9 “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations 126 because of my name. 127 24:10 Then many will be led into sin, 128 and they will betray one another and hate one another. 24:11 And many false prophets will appear and deceive 129 many, 24:12 and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold. 24:13 But the person who endures to the end will be saved. 130 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, 131 and then the end will come.
24:15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation 132 – spoken about by Daniel the prophet – standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 24:16 then those in Judea must flee 133 to the mountains. 24:17 The one on the roof 134 must not come down 135 to take anything out of his house, 24:18 and the one in the field must not turn back to get his cloak. 24:19 Woe 136 to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing their babies in those days! 24:20 Pray 137 that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 24:21 For then there will be great suffering 138 unlike anything that has happened 139 from the beginning of the world until now, or ever will happen. 24:22 And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ 140 or ‘There he is!’ do not believe him. 24:24 For false messiahs 141 and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 24:25 Remember, 142 I have told you ahead of time. 24:26 So then, if someone 143 says to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ 144 do not go out, or ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe him. 24:27 For just like the lightning 145 comes from the east and flashes to the west, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:28 Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures 146 will gather. 147
24:29 “Immediately 148 after the suffering 149 of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. 150 24:30 Then 151 the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, 152 and 153 all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They 154 will see the Son of Man arriving on the clouds of heaven 155 with power and great glory. 24:31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven 156 to the other.
24:32 “Learn 157 this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 24:33 So also you, when you see all these things, know 158 that he is near, right at the door. 24:34 I tell you the truth, 159 this generation 160 will not pass away until all these things take place. 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 161
24:36 “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven 162 – except the Father alone. 24:37 For just like the days of Noah 163 were, so the coming of the Son of Man will be. 24:38 For in those days before the flood, people 164 were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark. 24:39 And they knew nothing until the flood came and took them all away. 165 It will be the same at the coming of the Son of Man. 166 24:40 Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one left. 167 24:41 There will be two women grinding grain with a mill; 168 one will be taken and one left.
24:42 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know on what day 169 your Lord will come. 24:43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief 170 was coming, he would have been alert and would not have let his house be broken into. 24:44 Therefore you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 171
24:45 “Who then is the faithful and wise slave, 172 whom the master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves 173 their food at the proper time? 24:46 Blessed is that slave whom the master finds at work 174 when he comes. 24:47 I tell you the truth, 175 the master 176 will put him in charge of all his possessions. 24:48 But if 177 that evil slave should say to himself, 178 ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 24:49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 24:50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, 24:51 and will cut him in two, 179 and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[22:1] 1 tn Grk “And answering again, Jesus spoke.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
[22:3] 2 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[22:4] 3 tn Grk “Behold, I have prepared my dinner.” In some contexts, however, to translate ἄριστον (ariston) as “dinner” somewhat misses the point. L&N 23.22 here suggests, “See now, the feast I have prepared (for you is ready).”
[22:6] 4 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:7] 5 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:7] 6 tn Grk “he sent his soldiers, destroyed those murderers.” The verb ἀπώλεσεν (apwlesen) is causative, indicating that the king was the one behind the execution of the murderers. In English the causative idea is not expressed naturally here; either a purpose clause (“he sent his soldiers to put those murderers to death”) or a relative clause (“he sent his soldier who put those murderers to death”) is preferred.
[22:7] 7 tn The Greek text reads here πόλις (polis), which could be translated “town” or “city.” The prophetic reference is to the city of Jerusalem, so “city” is more appropriate here.
[22:12] 8 tn Grk “he was silent.”
[22:15] 9 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:15] 10 tn Grk “trap him in word.”
[22:16] 11 sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some
[22:16] 12 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question of the Pharisees and Herodians was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
[22:16] 13 tn Grk “And it is not a concern to you about anyone because you do not see the face of men.”
[22:17] 14 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
[22:17] 15 tn According to L&N 57.180 the term κῆνσος (khnso") was borrowed from Latin and referred to a poll tax, a tax paid by each adult male to the Roman government.
[22:17] sn This question concerning taxes was specifically designed to trap Jesus. If he answered yes, then his opponents could publicly discredit him as a sympathizer with Rome. If he answered no, then they could go to the Roman governor and accuse Jesus of rebellion.
[22:17] 16 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[22:19] 17 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate their response to Jesus’ request for a coin.
[22:19] 18 tn Here the specific name of the coin was retained in the translation, because not all coins in circulation in Palestine at the time carried the image of Caesar. In other places δηνάριον (dhnarion) has been translated simply as “silver coin” with an explanatory note.
[22:19] sn A denarius was a silver coin worth approximately one day’s wage for a laborer. The fact that they had such a coin showed that they already operated in the economic world of Rome. The denarius would have had a picture of Tiberius Caesar stamped on it.
[22:20] 19 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[22:20] 20 tn Or “whose likeness.”
[22:20] sn In this passage Jesus points to the image (Grk εἰκών, eikwn) of Caesar on the coin. This same Greek word is used in Gen 1:26 (LXX) to state that humanity is made in the “image” of God. Jesus is making a subtle yet powerful contrast: Caesar’s image is on the denarius, so he can lay claim to money through taxation, but God’s image is on humanity, so he can lay claim to each individual life.
[22:21] 21 tn Grk “they said to him.”
[22:21] 22 tn Grk “then he said to them.” τότε (tote) has not been translated to avoid redundancy.
[22:21] 23 sn Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So he slipped out of their trap.
[22:22] 24 tn Grk “they were amazed; they marveled.”
[22:23] 25 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
[22:23] 26 sn This remark is best regarded as a parenthetical note by the author.
[22:23] 27 tn Grk “and asked him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:24] 28 tn Grk “and raise up seed,” an idiom for fathering children (L&N 23.59).
[22:24] 29 sn A quotation from Deut 25:5. This practice is called levirate marriage (see also Ruth 4:1-12; Mishnah, m. Yevamot; Josephus, Ant. 4.8.23 [4.254-256]). The levirate law is described in Deut 25:5-10. The brother of a man who died without a son had an obligation to marry his brother’s widow. This served several purposes: It provided for the widow in a society where a widow with no children to care for her would be reduced to begging, and it preserved the name of the deceased, who would be regarded as the legal father of the first son produced from that marriage.
[22:27] 30 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:28] 31 tn Grk “For all had her.”
[22:29] 32 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[22:29] 33 tn Or “mistaken” (cf. BDAG 822 s.v. πλανάω 2.c.γ).
[22:30] 34 tc Most witnesses have “of God” after “angels,” although some
[22:30] sn Angels do not die, nor do they eat according to Jewish tradition (1 En. 15:6; 51:4; Wis 5:5; 2 Bar. 51:10; 1QH 3.21-23).
[22:31] 35 tn Grk “spoken to you by God, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:32] 36 sn A quotation from Exod 3:6.
[22:32] 37 sn He is not God of the dead but of the living. Jesus’ point was that if God could identify himself as God of the three old patriarchs, then they must still be alive when God spoke to Moses; and so they must be raised.
[22:34] 38 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:34] 39 sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.
[22:34] 40 tn Grk “for the same.” That is, for the same purpose that the Sadducees had of testing Jesus.
[22:35] 41 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.
[22:35] 42 tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.
[22:36] 43 tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”
[22:37] 44 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:37] 45 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
[22:37] 46 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The threefold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
[22:38] 47 tn Grk “the great and first.”
[22:39] 48 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[22:40] 49 tn Grk “hang.” The verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannumi) is used here with a figurative meaning (cf. BDAG 566 s.v. 2.b).
[22:41] 50 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[22:41] 51 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[22:41] 52 tn Grk “asked them a question, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is somewhat redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[22:42] 53 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[22:42] sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
[22:42] 54 sn It was a common belief in Judaism that Messiah would be the son of David in that he would come from the lineage of David. On this point the Pharisees agreed and were correct. But their understanding was nonetheless incomplete, for Messiah is also David’s Lord. With this statement Jesus was affirming that, as the Messiah, he is both God and man.
[22:44] 55 sn The Lord said to my Lord. With David being the speaker, this indicates his respect for his descendant (referred to as my Lord). Jesus was arguing, as the ancient exposition assumed, that the passage is about the Lord’s anointed. The passage looks at an enthronement of this figure and a declaration of honor for him as he takes his place at the side of God. In Jerusalem, the king’s palace was located to the right of the temple to indicate this kind of relationship. Jesus was pressing the language here to get his opponents to reflect on how great Messiah is.
[22:44] 56 sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.
[22:45] 57 tn Grk “how is he his son?”
[22:46] 58 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[23:2] 59 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[23:2] 60 tn Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:2] 61 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
[23:3] 62 tn Grk “for they say and do not do.”
[23:4] 63 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:5] 64 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:5] 65 sn Phylacteries were small leather cases containing OT scripture verses, worn on the arm and forehead by Jews, especially when praying. The custom was derived from such OT passages as Exod 13:9; 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18.
[23:5] 66 tn The term κράσπεδον (kraspedon) in some contexts could refer to the outer fringe of the garment (possibly in Mark 6:56). This edge could have been plain or decorated. L&N 6.180 states, “In Mt 23:5 κράσπεδον denotes the tassels worn at the four corners of the outer garment (see 6.194).”
[23:5] sn Tassels refer to the tassels that a male Israelite was obligated to wear on the four corners of his outer garment according to the Mosaic law (Num 15:38; Deut 22:12).
[23:6] 67 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:6] 68 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[23:7] 69 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
[23:10] 70 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[23:10] sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
[23:11] 71 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[23:13] 72 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:13] 73 tn Grk “Woe to you…because you…” The causal particle ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated here for rhetorical effect (and so throughout this chapter).
[23:13] 74 tn Grk “because you are closing the kingdom of heaven before people.”
[23:14] 75 tc The most important
[23:15] 76 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:15] 77 tn Or “one proselyte.”
[23:15] 78 tn Grk “when he becomes [one].”
[23:15] 79 tn Grk “a son of Gehenna.” Expressions constructed with υἱός (Juios) followed by a genitive of class or kind denote a person belonging to the class or kind specified by the following genitive (L&N 9.4). Thus the phrase here means “a person who belongs to hell.”
[23:15] sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
[23:16] 80 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing.”
[23:18] 81 tn Grk “Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing.”
[23:23] 82 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:23] 83 tn Or “you tithe mint.”
[23:23] 84 sn Cumin (alternately spelled cummin) was an aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean region. Its seeds were used for seasoning.
[23:23] 85 tc ‡ Many witnesses (B C K L W Δ 0102 33 565 892 pm) have δέ (de, “but”) after ταῦτα (tauta, “these things”), while many others lack it (א D Γ Θ Ë1,13 579 700 1241 1424 pm). Since asyndeton was relatively rare in Koine Greek, the conjunction may be an intentional alteration, and is thus omitted from the present translation. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
[23:24] 86 tn Grk “Blind guides who strain out a gnat yet who swallow a camel!”
[23:25] 87 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:26] 88 tc A very difficult textual problem is found here. The most important Alexandrian and Byzantine, as well as significant Western, witnesses (א B C L W 0102 0281 Ë13 33 Ï lat co) have “and the dish” (καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, kai th" paroyido") after “cup,” while few important witnesses (D Θ Ë1 700 and some versional and patristic authorities) omit the phrase. On the one hand, scribes sometimes tended to eliminate redundancy; since “and the dish” is already present in v. 25, it may have been deleted in v. 26 by well-meaning scribes. On the other hand, as B. M. Metzger notes, the singular pronoun αὐτοῦ (autou, “its”) with τὸ ἐκτός (to ekto", “the outside”) in some of the same witnesses that have the longer reading (viz., B* Ë13 al) hints that their archetype lacked the words (TCGNT 50). Further, scribes would be motivated both to add the phrase from v. 25 and to change αὐτοῦ to the plural pronoun αὐτῶν (aujtwn, “their”). Although the external evidence for the shorter reading is not compelling in itself, combined with these two prongs of internal evidence, it is to be slightly preferred.
[23:27] 89 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:27] 90 sn This was an idiom for hypocrisy – just as the wall was painted on the outside but something different on the inside, so this person was not what he appeared or pretended to be (for discussion of a similar metaphor, see L&N 88.234; BDAG 1010 s.v. τοῖχος). See Deut 28:22; Ezek 13:10-16; Acts 23:3.
[23:29] 91 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:29] 92 tn Grk “Because you.” Here ὅτι (Joti) has not been translated.
[23:29] 93 tn Or perhaps “the monuments” (see L&N 7.75-76).
[23:30] 94 tn Grk “fathers” (so also in v. 32).
[23:33] 95 tn Grk “the judgment of Gehenna.”
[23:33] sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
[23:34] 96 tn Grk “behold I am sending.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[23:34] 97 tn Or “scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
[23:34] 98 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
[23:34] 99 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
[23:34] 100 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
[23:35] 101 sn Spelling of this name (Βαραχίου, Baraciou) varies among the English versions: “Barachiah” (RSV, NRSV); “Berechiah” (NASB); “Berachiah” (NIV).
[23:36] 102 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[23:36] 103 tn Grk “all these things will come on this generation.”
[23:37] 104 sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.
[23:37] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[23:37] 105 tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).
[23:37] 106 sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.
[23:37] 107 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[23:37] 108 tn Grk “you were not willing.”
[23:39] 109 sn A quotation from Ps 118:26.
[24:1] 110 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[24:1] 111 sn The Jerusalem temple was widely admired around the world. See Josephus, Ant. 15.11 [15.380-425]; J. W. 5.5 [5.184-227] and Tacitus, History 5.8, who called it “immensely opulent.” Josephus compared it to a beautiful snowcapped mountain.
[24:2] 112 tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (ajpokriqei") is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[24:2] 113 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[24:2] 114 sn With the statement not one stone will be left on another Jesus predicted the total destruction of the temple, something that did occur in
[24:2] 115 tn Grk “not one stone will be left here on another which will not be thrown down.”
[24:3] 116 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:3] 117 sn Because the phrase these things is plural, more than the temple’s destruction is in view. The question may presuppose that such a catastrophe signals the end.
[24:4] 118 tn Grk “answering, Jesus said to them.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation.
[24:4] 119 tn Or “Be on guard.”
[24:5] 120 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:5] sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
[24:6] 121 tn Grk “it is not yet the end.”
[24:7] 122 tn For the translation “rise up in arms” see L&N 55.2.
[24:7] 123 sn See Isa 5:13-14; 13:6-16; Hag 2:6-7; Zech 14:4.
[24:7] 124 tc Most witnesses (C Θ 0102 Ë1,13 Ï) have “and plagues” (καὶ λοιμοί, kai loimoi) between “famines” (λιμοί, limoi) and “earthquakes” (σεισμοί, seismoi), while others have “plagues and famines and earthquakes” (L W 33 pc lat). The similarities between λιμοί and λοιμοί could explain how καὶ λοιμοί might have accidentally dropped out, but since the Lukan parallel has both terms (and W lat have the order λοιμοὶ καὶ λιμοί there too, as they do in Matthew), it seems more likely that scribes added the phrase here. The shorter reading does not enjoy overwhelming support ([א] B D 892 pc, as well as versional witnesses), but it is nevertheless significant; coupled with the internal evidence it should be given preference.
[24:8] 125 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:9] 126 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “nations” or “Gentiles”).
[24:9] 127 sn See Matt 5:10-12; 1 Cor 1:25-31.
[24:10] 128 tn Or “many will fall away.” This could also refer to apostasy.
[24:11] 129 tn Or “and lead many astray.”
[24:13] 130 sn But the person who endures to the end will be saved. Jesus was not claiming here that salvation is by works. He was simply arguing that genuine faith evidences itself in persistence through even the worst of trials.
[24:14] 131 tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “nations” or “Gentiles”).
[24:15] 132 sn The reference to the abomination of desolation is an allusion to Dan 9:27. Though some have seen the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in the actions of Antiochus IV (or a representative of his) in 167
[24:16] 133 sn Fleeing to the mountains is a key OT image: Gen 19:17; Judg 6:2; Isa 15:5; Jer 16:16; Zech 14:5.
[24:17] 134 sn On the roof. Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.
[24:17] 135 sn The swiftness and devastation of the judgment will require a swift escape. There will be no time to come down from the roof and pick up anything from inside one’s home.
[24:19] 136 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:20] 137 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:21] 138 tn Traditionally, “great tribulation.”
[24:21] 139 sn Suffering unlike anything that has happened. Some refer this event to the destruction of Jerusalem in
[24:23] 140 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:23] sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
[24:24] 141 tn Or “false christs”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[24:25] 142 tn Or “Pay attention!” Grk “Behold.”
[24:26] 143 tn Grk “they say.” The third person plural is used here as an indefinite and translated “someone” (ExSyn 402).
[24:26] 144 tn Or “in the desert.”
[24:27] 145 sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.
[24:28] 146 tn The same Greek term can refer to “eagles” or “vultures” (L&N 4.42; BDAG 22 s.v. ἀετός), but in this context it must mean vultures because the gruesome image is one of dead bodies being consumed by scavengers.
[24:28] sn Jesus’ answer is that when the judgment comes, the scenes of death will be obvious and so will the location of the judgment. See also Luke 17:37.
[24:28] 147 tn Grk “will be gathered.” The passive construction has been translated as an active one in English.
[24:29] 148 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:29] 149 tn Traditionally, “tribulation.”
[24:29] 150 sn An allusion to Isa 13:10, 34:4 (LXX); Joel 2:10. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.
[24:30] 151 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[24:30] 152 tn Or “in the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
[24:30] 153 tn Here τότε (tote, “then”) has not been translated to avoid redundancy in English.
[24:30] 154 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
[24:30] 155 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13. Here is Jesus returning with full authority to judge.
[24:31] 156 tn Or “of the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context.
[24:32] 157 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[24:33] 158 tn The verb γινώσκετε (ginwskete, “know”) can be parsed as either present indicative or present imperative. In this context the imperative fits better, since the movement is from analogy (trees and seasons) to the future (the signs of the coming of the kingdom) and since the emphasis is on preparation for this event.
[24:34] 159 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[24:34] 160 sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (v. 30), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.
[24:35] 161 sn The words that Jesus predicts here will never pass away. They are more stable and lasting than creation itself. For this kind of image, see Isa 40:8; 55:10-11.
[24:36] 162 tc ‡ Some important witnesses, including early Alexandrian and Western
[24:37] 163 sn Like the days of Noah, the time of the flood in Gen 6:5-8:22, the judgment will come as a surprise as people live their day to day lives.
[24:38] 164 tn Grk “they,” but in an indefinite sense, “people.”
[24:39] 165 sn Like the flood that came and took them all away, the coming judgment associated with the Son of Man will condemn many.
[24:39] 166 tn Grk “So also will be the coming of the Son of Man.”
[24:40] 167 sn There is debate among commentators and scholars over the phrase one will be taken and one left about whether one is taken for judgment or for salvation. If the imagery is patterned after the rescue of Noah from the flood, as some suggest, the ones taken are the saved (as Noah was) andthose left behind are judged. The imagery, however, is not directly tied to theidentification of the two groups. Its primary purposein context is topicture the sudden, surprisingseparation of the righteous and the judged (i.e., condemned) at the return of the Son of Man.
[24:41] 168 tn According to L&N 46.16, this refers to a hand mill normally operated by two women.
[24:42] 169 tc Most later
[24:43] 170 sn On Jesus pictured as a returning thief, see 1 Thess 5:2, 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.
[24:44] 171 sn Jesus made clear that his coming could not be timed, and suggested it would take some time – so long, in fact, that some will not be looking for him any longer (at an hour when you do not expect him).
[24:45] 172 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
[24:45] 173 tn Grk “give them.”
[24:46] 174 tn That is, doing his job, doing what he is supposed to be doing.
[24:47] 175 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[24:47] 176 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[24:48] 177 tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).
[24:48] 178 tn Grk “should say in his heart.”
[24:51] 179 tn The verb διχοτομέω (dicotomew) means to cut an object into two parts (L&N 19.19). This is an extremely severe punishment compared to the other two later punishments. To translate it simply as “punish” is too mild. If taken literally this servant is dismembered, although it is possible to view the stated punishment as hyperbole (L&N 38.12).
