Matthew 23 17

Matthew 23:17 kjv

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Matthew 23:17 nkjv

Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold?

Matthew 23:17 niv

You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

Matthew 23:17 esv

You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

Matthew 23:17 nlt

Blind fools! Which is more important ? the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?

Matthew 23 verses

Matthew 23 17 Meaning

Jesus here exposes the spiritual blindness and distorted priorities of the scribes and Pharisees. They engaged in a casuistry concerning oaths, claiming that oaths made by the gold in the temple were binding, while oaths by the temple itself were not, or similarly with the gift on the altar versus the altar. Jesus challenges their perverse logic, pointing out that the material elements (gold, gift) derive their sanctity from the holy place (the Temple, the Altar), not the other way around. He calls them "foolish and blind" because they failed to recognize the true source of holiness and attributed greater value to the accessory than to the primary, holy object which consecrates it. Their teaching fostered deceit and financial manipulation rather than promoting truth and reverence for God.

Matthew 23 17 Context

This verse is part of Jesus' scathing denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, delivered in the Temple courts during his final week in Jerusalem, known as the "Woes to the Pharisees" (Matthew 23:13-36). This specific woe (23:16-22) addresses their warped teaching regarding oaths. They taught that swearing by the Temple itself or the altar was not binding, but swearing by the gold in the Temple or the gift on the altar was. This intricate system was a form of self-serving casuistry designed to provide loopholes for people to break oaths while still appearing religious, often motivated by financial gain related to temple offerings. Jesus highlights their fundamental spiritual blindness; they inverted the true order of sanctity. Historically, Jewish oral traditions (which later formed part of the Mishnah) discussed in detail the various types of oaths and their binding nature, and the Pharisees had evidently developed highly technical and sometimes illogical interpretations that Jesus here forcefully exposes as foolish and perverse.

Matthew 23 17 Word analysis

• "Foolish ones" (μωροὶ - mōroi): This term goes beyond simple lack of intelligence; it signifies a moral and spiritual deficiency, an absurdity that leads to acting wrongly or even destructively. In the Septuagint, mōros often describes someone morally depraved, a sinner or an unbeliever who fails to discern God's will. Here, it conveys a profound lack of spiritual discernment. Their foolishness isn't a mere mistake but a fundamental perversion of truth rooted in spiritual blindness.

• "and blind" (καὶ τυφλοί - kai typhloi): This directly describes their spiritual condition. They are incapable of perceiving spiritual truth, of distinguishing right from wrong in God's eyes, and of recognizing the true source of holiness and authority. This spiritual blindness is a recurring charge against them, especially by Jesus, implying they intentionally close their eyes to God's revelation.

• "For which is greater," (Τίς γὰρ μείζων, - Tis gar meizōn,): This interrogative phrase highlights their misguided evaluative system. Jesus challenges their flawed sense of priority and value. They were applying worldly logic to sacred matters, seeking to control God's truth through their own definitions of "greater" or "lesser."

• "the gold," (ὁ χρυσός, - ho chrysos,): This refers to the gold consecrated and contained within the Temple, possibly items within the treasury or decorations on the Temple structure. For the Pharisees, swearing by this gold was deemed binding because it was an offering and possessed inherent monetary value, making an oath involving it significant.

• "or the temple" (ἢ ὁ ναός - ē ho naos): This refers to the sacred edifice itself, the physical structure, specifically the sanctuary (the holy place and Holy of Holies). The Temple, as the dwelling place for God's presence, consecrated the items within it. Yet, the Pharisees dismissed oaths by the Temple itself as non-binding in certain contexts, which was spiritually illogical and contemptuous of God's presence.

• "that sanctifies" (ὁ ἁγιάζων - ho hagiazōn): This participle ("the one sanctifying") is crucial. It directly states the source of holiness. "Sanctify" means to set apart as holy, to consecrate, to make pure for God's use. Jesus argues that it is the Temple (representing God's dwelling and presence) that consecrates the gold, making it holy. The gold does not, by its material nature, make the Temple holy. Their teaching reversed the true order of consecration and reverence.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Foolish and blind": This phrase functions as a stinging indictment, combining moral culpability with intellectual deficiency regarding spiritual matters. It's a statement about their entire spiritual state, not just a casual insult. They are morally corrupt because they are spiritually blind; their teaching is rooted in this corrupted discernment. This phrase serves as Jesus' direct judgment on their theological errors and self-serving interpretations.
  • "the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?": This specific phrasing unveils the core of their theological perversion. Their argument implied that the value of the offering or the gold derived its sanctity intrinsically or from its material worth, rather than from its association with the sacred space of God's presence (the Temple/Altar). Jesus clarifies that the Temple/Altar, by virtue of God's presence and dedication, is the superior entity and the true source of sanctification. They had placed the accessory above the divine source, demonstrating their prioritization of wealth and external rituals over true reverence.

Matthew 23 17 Bonus section

This specific type of casuistry regarding oaths, where greater binding power was assigned to specific parts or contents of a holy place rather than the place itself, is also found discussed in early rabbinic literature, specifically the Mishnah (e.g., Mishnah Shevu'ot 4:7 and Nedarim 1:3). This historical detail validates Jesus's critique; he was addressing actual, commonly held (and misguided) interpretations by the religious leaders of his day. Their concern seems to have been whether an oath would truly obligate someone if they tried to wiggle out of it. By claiming oaths made by "the Temple" were not always binding but those by "the gold of the Temple" were, they provided avenues for deception, potentially profiting from certain types of offerings. Jesus cuts through this legalistic hair-splitting to reveal the corrupt heart and inverted priorities behind it: they exalted the material and man-made stipulations over the sacred reality of God's presence. This exposes a boundary condition for religious law: when interpretations move away from fundamental spiritual truth and righteousness, they become instruments of hypocrisy and sin.

Matthew 23 17 Commentary

Matthew 23:17 succinctly encapsulates Jesus' profound critique of the scribes and Pharisees' twisted legalism and spiritual hypocrisy. They, as spiritual guides, were profoundly "foolish and blind," unable to grasp fundamental spiritual truths concerning God's holiness and the source of sanctity. Their elaborate system of oath-taking, particularly the distinction they made between oaths sworn by the Temple itself and those by the gold within it, exposed a deep moral and theological error. They prioritised the material—the gold—over the sacred, which inherently bestows holiness. The Temple was holy because God resided there, and by virtue of its sanctity, anything consecrated within it became holy. The Pharisees inverted this truth, creating loopholes that benefited them or allowed people to break their word while maintaining a facade of piety. Jesus forcefully challenges this perversion, asserting that the sacred dwelling (the Temple/Altar) is undeniably greater than the objects it consecrates. This verse reveals their valuing of financial considerations and external rituals over the integrity of truth and genuine reverence for God, leading them to be deceptive guides for the people. It calls believers to discernment, valuing true spiritual realities above material gain or superficial piety.