Matthew 23:29-39 Lesson 48

Matthew 23:29-39
Lesson 48

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

A continuation of lessons 46 and 47. This entire passage is Jesus speaking.

"How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" (23:33)

For the seventh time in twenty-seven verses, Jesus calls the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites.

Jesus rebuking the scribes and Pharisees.

Illustration for Bible Picture Book (circa 1880)

Study Tip:

The Bible is a complex book, so it helps to study more than one translation.
As you read, scroll back and forth between the "King James" text and the "New Living Translation" below.

Also, click on the links and check the "Margin notes."

Who was -

Abel - Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:2) and a shepherd. He honored God by offering "the firstlings of his flock" (Genesis 4:4) as a sacrifice for atonement. Abel's sacrifice pleased God, which made his older brother Cain jealous. In a fit of rage, Cain killed Abel, making him the first murder victim in history (Genesis 4:8). Jesus refers to "the blood of Abel" in Luke 11:51 and calls Abel "righteous" below in verse 23:35. You can read more about Abel in Genesis 4:1-17.

Zacharias - Also known as Zechariah, Zacharias was the son of Barachias (Matthew 23:35). He was a man of God and an Old Testament prophet who was stoned to death by a mob of individuals who believed they were doing God's work. Zacharias was the last in a long line of prophets to be murdered in the Old Testament. You can learn more about him by reading 2 Chronicles 24:20-22.

The Gospel According to St. Matthew

The King James Bible

Matthew 23:29-39
Jesus warns the scribes and Pharisees

29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

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.

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

35 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 ye slew between the temple and the altar.

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

37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Margin notes:

"Ye build tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous." (23:29) - The scribes and Pharisees built monuments to the prophets their forefathers killed and honored them by decorating their tombs (23:31; Luke 11:47).

"If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets." (23:30) - "If we had lived in our fathers time, we wouldn't have taken part in killing the prophets." Nice words from the scribes and Pharisees, but in a few days, they will demand Jesus be crucified.

"Ye be witnesses unto yourselves." (23:31) - "You're witnesses against yourselves."

"Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers." (23:32) - "Finish then what your forefathers started." In a few days, they will finish what their fathers started. They will crucify Jesus.

"Serpents, ye generation of vipers." (23:33) - "Snakes, you sons of vipers." This curse resembles one found in the Talmud, which the scribes and Pharisees would have been familiar with and offended by. It reads, "Woe to the house of Annas! Woe to their serpent-like hissings." Additionally, Jesus referred to the Pharisees as a "generation of vipers" in Matthew 12:34, a sentiment echoed by John the Baptist in Matthew 3:7.

"Some of them ye shall kill." (23:34) - Jesus is telling HIs disciples that some of them will face death because of their commitment to Him. Their murderers will think they are doing God a service (John 16:2). Shortly after Jesus' crucifixion, Stephen became the first martyr (Acts 7:54-60).

"Some of them shall ye scourge." (23:34) - Just as Jesus said, the Pharisees had His disciples beaten for spreading the faith (Acts 5:40).

"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (23:38) - Just as God said in 1 Kings 9:7-8 and Jeremiah 22:5.

"Ye shall not see me henceforth." (23:39) - "You won't see me again."

"Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (23:29) - Jesus is quoting the anonymous writer of Psalm 118:26.

New Living Translation

Matthew 23:29-39

29 "What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you build tombs for the prophets your ancestors killed, and you decorate the monuments of the godly people your ancestors destroyed.

30 Then you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would never have joined them in killing the prophets.'

31 "But in saying that, you testify against yourselves that you are indeed the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.

32 Go ahead and finish what your ancestors started.

33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

34 "Therefore, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers of religious law. But you will kill some by crucifixion, and you will flog others with whips in your synagogues, chasing them from city to city.

35 As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time-from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar.

36 I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.

Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem

37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me.

38 And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate.

39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!"

The "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word-for-word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's Question:

1. Why didn't God protect HIs prophets? (23:37)

“We are saved by faith alone (not our works), but not by faith that remains alone.”

Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. God could have protected His prophets and saved their lives. But He wants people to accept His messengers because they believe, not because He intervened. God is looking for sincere, loving hearts created by faith.

Application thought for the day:

The Seven Woes:
Beginning with Matthew 23:13 (lesson 47), Jesus outlined seven ways the scribes and Pharisees angered God. Which of these apply to religious leaders today?

1) Leading a life that keeps them from entering the Kingdom of heaven and leading others astray (23:13).
2) Leading people, not to God, but to be a sinner like them (23:15).
3) Encouraging people to follow man-made laws instead of the word of God (23:16-22).
4) Concentrating on the minor details of religion while neglecting the important lessons, like justice, mercy, and faith (23:23-24).
5) Keeping up false appearances to hide their hypocrisy (23:25-26).
6) Acting holy while concealing their sins (23:27-28).
7) Pretending to have learned from the past but living like they've learned nothing (23:29-36).

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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen, published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series," published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur, published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham, published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Atlas of the Bible" edited by Joseph L. Gardner, published by Readers Digest, Pleasantville, New York; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible," published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The New Testament" Recovery Version, published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, California; "The Living New Testament," published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation," published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; the "Life Application Study Bible," published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible," published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The New Scofield Reference Bible," published by Oxford University Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course, the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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