IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Religious Leaders Must Not Seek Marks of Honor (23:5)
Resources chevron-right IVP New Testament Commentary Series chevron-right Matthew chevron-right THE FUTURE AND THE KINGDOM (23:1-25:46) chevron-right Judgment on the Religious Elite (23:1-39) chevron-right Religion for Show (23:1-12) chevron-right Religious Leaders Must Not Seek Marks of Honor (23:5)
Religious Leaders Must Not Seek Marks of Honor (23:5)

Many Greek philosophical teachers wore identifying apparel that elicited respectful greetings (as in Justin Dial. 1), and Jewish scribes may have preferred identifying raiment as well (see b. Baba Batra 98a). Whereas phylacteries were supposed to glorify God (Bonsirven 1964:61), the wearers here use them to draw attention to themselves. Jewish sources associated phylacteries, tepillin, with sissim, tassels or fringes attached to the outer cloak's four corners (Num 15:38-40; Deut 22:12). Following the law, Jesus himself presumably wore sissim (9:20; 14:36) and used tepillin. The issue here is not about wearing fringes or not, but whether we seek honor for ourselves or for God alone.

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