SEV Biblia, Chapter 23:5
Antes, todas sus obras hacen para ser mirados de los hombres; porque ensanchan sus filacterias, y extienden los flecos de sus mantos;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 23:5
Verse 5. All their works they do for to be seen of men] In pointing out the corruptions of these men, our Lord gives us the distinguishing characteristics of all false teachers, whether Jewish or Christian. 1. They live not according to the truths they preach. They say, and do not, ver. 3.
2. They are severe to others, point out the narrowest road to heaven, and walk in the broad road themselves. They bind on burdens, &c., ver. 4.
3. They affect to appear righteous, and are strict observers of certain rites, &c., while destitute of the power of godliness. They make broad their phylacteries, &c., ver. 5.
4. They love worldly entertainments, go to feast wherever they are asked, and seek Church preferments. They love the chief places at feasts, and chief seats in the synagogues, ver. 6.
5. They love and seek public respect and high titles, salutations in the market-place, (for they are seldom in their studies,) and to be called of men rabbi-eminent teacher, though they have no title to it, either from the excellence or fruit of their teaching. When these marks are found in a man who professes to be a minister of Christ, charity itself will assert he is a thief and a robber-he has climbed over the wall of the sheepfold, or broken it down in order to get in.
Phylacteries] fulakthria, from fulassw, to keep or preserve. These were small slips of parchment or vellum, on which certain portions of the law were written. The Jews tied these about their foreheads and arms, for three different purposes.
1. To put them in mind of those precepts which they should constantly observe.
2. To procure them reverence and respect in the sight of the heathen. And 3. To act as amulets or charms to drive away evil spirits.
The first use of these phylacteries is evident from their name.
The second use appears from what is said on the subject from the Gemara, Beracoth, chap. 1., quoted by Kypke. "Whence is it proved that phylacteries, ( ylypt , tephilin,) are the strength of Israel?-Ans. From what is written, Deut. xxviii. 10. All the, people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name [of hwhy Jehovah]-and they shall be afraid of thee.
The third use of them appears from the Targum, on Cant. So viii. 3. His left hand is under my head, &c. "The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on my left hand, and on my head, and the scroll is fixed to the right side of my gate, the third part of which looks to my bed-chamber, that DAEMONS may not be permitted to INJURE me." An original phylactery lies now before me. It is a piece of fine vellum, about eighteen inches long, and an inch and quarter broad. It is divided into four unequal compartments: in the first is written, in a very fair character, with many apices, after the mode of the German Jews, the first ten verses of Exod. 10, (Exod. xiii. 1-10); in the second compartment is written, from the eleventh to the sixteenth verse of the same chapter (Exod. xiii. 11-16), inclusive in the third, from the fourth to the ninth verse, inclusive, of Deut. 6., beginning with, Hear, O Israel, &c.; in the fourth, from the thirteenth to the twenty-first verse, inclusive, of Deut. xi.
These passages seem to be chosen in vindication of the use of the phylactery itself, as the reader will see on consulting them: Bind them for a SIGN upon thy HAND-and for FRONTLETS between thy EYES-write them upon the POSTS of thy HOUSE, and upon thy GATES; all which commands the Jews took in the most literal sense.
Even the phylactery became an important appendage to a Pharisee's character, insomuch that some of them wore them very broad, either that they might have the more written on them, or that, the characters being larger, they might be the more visible, and that they might hereby acquire greater esteem among the common people, as being more than ordinarily religious. For the same reason, they wore the fringes of their garments of an unusual length. Moses had commanded (Num. xv. 38, 39) the children of Israel to put fringes to the borders of their garments, that, when they looked upon even these distinct threads, they might remember, not only the law in general, but also the very minutiae, or smaller parts of all the precepts, rites, and ceremonies, belonging to it. As these hypocrites were destitute of all the life and power of religion within, they endeavoured to supply its place by phylacteries and fringes without. See the note on Exod. xiii. 9.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men , etc.] All their prayers, alms deeds, and fastings, were all done in a public manner, that men might behold them, and they might have applause and glory from them: they sought neither the glory of God, nor the good of their fellow creatures, nor any spiritual advantage and pleasure to themselves, in their performances; they neither attended to moral duties, nor ceremonious rites, nor the traditions of their fathers, any further than they could be seen by men in them, and keep up their credit and esteem among them. Hence, they make broad their phylacteries : these were four sections of the law, wrote on parchments, folded up in the skin of a clean beast, and tied to the head and hand. The four sections were these following, viz. the first, was ( Exodus 13:2-11) the second, was ( Exodus 13:11-17) the third, was ( Deuteronomy 6:4-10) the fourth, was ( Deuteronomy 11:13-22). Those that were for the head, were written and rolled up separately, and put in four distinct places, in one skin, which was fastened with strings to the crown of the head, towards the face, about the place where the hair ends, and where an infants brain is tender; and they took care to place them in the middle, that so they might be between the eyes. Those that were for the hand, were written in four columns, on one parchment, which being rolled up, was fastened to the inside of the left arm, where it is fleshy, between the shoulder and the elbow, that so it might be over against the heart f1229 . These, they imagined, were commanded them by God, in ( Exodus 13:16, Deuteronomy 6:8) whereas the sense of these passages only is, that the goodness of God in delivering them out of Egypt, and the words of the law, should be continually before them, in their minds and memories, as if they had tokens on their hands, and frontlets between their eyes; but they understood them literally, and observed them in the above manner. These the Jews call Tephillin, because they use them in time of prayer, and look upon them as useful, to put them in mind of that duty: they are here called phylacteries, because they thought they kept them in the fear of God, preserved in them the memory of the law, and them from sin; yea, from evil spirits, and diseases of the body. They imagined there was a great deal of holiness in, and valued themselves much upon the use of them f1230 ; and the Pharisees, because they would be thought to be more holy and religious, and more observant of the law than others, wore these things broader than the rest of the people; and enlarge the borders of their garments . These were the fringes which they put upon the borders of their garments, and on them a ribbon of blue, to put them in mind of the commandments, to obey them, ( Numbers 15:38, Deuteronomy 22:12). The observance of this law is of so much consequence with the Jews, that they make all the commandments to depend on it f1231 ; and say, that it is equal to them all, and that he that is guilty of the breach of it, is worthy of death f1232 : they ascribe the like virtue to these fringes, as to their phylacteries, and think themselves much the better for the wearing them; and the Pharisees, because they would appear with a greater air of sanctity and devotion than others, made theirs larger.
We read of one Ben Tzitzith Hacceseth, a man of this complexion, who was so called, because his Tzitzith, or fringes, were drawn upon, a pillow; and there are some that say, that the pillow was bore between the great men of Rome: it was drawn after him, not upon the ground, but upon a cloth or tapestry, and the train supported by noblemen, as is pretended.
This was one of those, that enlarged the Tzitzith, or fringes, beyond the ordinary size; hence Mark calls it, long clothing.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-12 - The scribes and Pharisees explained the law of Moses, and enforce obedience to it. They are charged with hypocrisy in religion. We can only judge according to outward appearance; but God searches the heart They made phylacteries. These were scrolls of paper or parchment wherein were written four paragraphs of the law, to be worn on their foreheads and left arms, Ex 13:2-10; 13:11-16; De 6:4-9; 11:13-21. The made these phylacteries broad, that they might be thought more zealou for the law than others. God appointed the Jews to make fringes upo their garments, Nu 15:38, to remind them of their being a peculia people; but the Pharisees made them larger than common, as if they wer thereby more religious than others. Pride was the darling, reigning sin of the Pharisees, the sin that most easily beset them, and which ou Lord Jesus takes all occasions to speak against. For him that is taugh in the word to give respect to him that teaches, is commendable; but for him that teaches, to demand it, to be puffed up with it, is sinful How much is all this against the spirit of Christianity! The consisten disciple of Christ is pained by being put into chief places. But wh that looks around on the visible church, would think this was the spirit required? It is plain that some measure of this antichristia spirit prevails in every religious society, and in every one of ou hearts.
Greek Textus Receptus
παντα 3956 A-APN δε 1161 CONJ τα 3588 T-APN εργα 2041 N-APN αυτων 846 P-GPM ποιουσιν 4160 5719 V-PAI-3P προς 4314 PREP το 3588 T-ASN θεαθηναι 2300 5683 V-APN τοις 3588 T-DPM ανθρωποις 444 N-DPM πλατυνουσιν 4115 5719 V-PAI-3P δε 1161 CONJ τα 3588 T-APN φυλακτηρια 5440 N-APN αυτων 846 P-GPM και 2532 CONJ μεγαλυνουσιν 3170 5719 V-PAI-3P τα 3588 T-APN κρασπεδα 2899 N-APN των 3588 T-GPN ιματιων 2440 N-GPN αυτων 846 P-GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. To be seen (prov to qeaqhnai). See vi. 1, where the same word occurs. The scribes and Pharisees deport themselves with a view to being contemplated as actors in a theatre; so that men may fix their gaze upon them admiringly.Phylacteries-Borders of their garments (fulakthriakraspeda). Phylacteries, called by the Rabbis tephillin, prayer-fillets, were worn on the left arm, toward the heart, and on the forehead. They were capsules containing on parchment these four passages of Scripture: Exod. xiii. 1-10; xiii. 11-16; Deut. vi. 4-9; xi. 13-21. That for the head was to consist of a box with four compartments, each containing a slip of parchment inscribed with one of the four passages. Each of these slips was to be tied up with well-washed hair from a calf's tail; lest, if tied with wool or thread, any fungoid growth should ever pollute them. The phylactery of the arm was to contain a single slip, with the same our passages written in four columns of seven lines each. The black leather straps by which they were fastened were wound seven times round the arm and three times round the hand. They were reverenced by the Rabbis as highly as the scriptures, and, like them, might be rescued from the flames on a Sabbath. They profanely imagined that God wore the tephillin.
The Greek word transcribed phylacteries in our version is from fulassw, to watch or guard. It means originally a guarded post, a fort; then, generally, a safeguard or preservative, and therefore an amulet. Sir J. Cheke renders guards. They were treated as such by the Rabbis. It is said, for instance, that the courtiers of a certain king, intending to kill a Rabbi, were deterred by seeing that the straps of his phylacteries shone like bands of fire. It was also said that they prevented all hostile demons from injuring any Israelite. See on Matt. ix. 20, for borders.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
23:5 {To be seen of men} (pros to theathnai tois anthr"pois). See #6:1 where this same idiom occurs. Ostentation regulates the conduct of the rabbis. {Phylacteries} (fulakteria). An adjective from phulaktr, fulassw (to guard). So a fortified place, station for garrison, qen a safeguard, protecting charm or amulet. The rabbis wore tephillin or prayer-fillets, small leather cases with four strips of parchment on which were written the words of #Ex 13:1-10,11-16; De 6:4-9; 11:13-21. They took literally the words about "a sign unto thy hand,"a memorial between thine eyes," and "frontlets."That for the head was to consist of a box with four compartments, each containing a slip of parchment inscribed with one of the four passages. Each of these strips was to be tied up with a well-washed hair from a calf's tail; lest, if tied with wool or thread, any fungoid growth should ever pollute them. The phylactery of the arm was to contain a single slip, with the same four passages written in four columns of seven lines each. The black leather straps by which they were fastened were wound seven times round the arm and three times round the hand. They were reverenced by the rabbis as highly as the scriptures, and, like them, might be rescued from the flames on a sabbath. They profanely imagined that God wore the _tephillin_" (Vincent). It is small wonder that Jesus ridiculed such minute concern for pretentious externalism and literalism. These _tephillin_ "are still worn at the present day on the forehead and left arm by Jews at the daily Morning Prayer" (McNeile) . "The size of the phylacteries indexed the measure of zeal, and the wearing of large ones was apt to take the place of obedience" (Bruce). Hence they made them "broad." The superstitious would wear them as mere charms to ward off evil. {Enlarge the borders} (megalunousin ta kraspeda). In #9:20 we see that Jesus, like the Jews generally, wore a tassel or tuft, hem or border, a fringe on the outer garment according to #Nu 15:38. Here again the Jewish rabbi had minute rules about the number of the fringes and the knots (see on 9:20). They made a virtue of the size of the fringes also. "Such things were useful as reminders; they were fatal when they were regarded as charms" (Plummer).
