Matthew 23:25-26
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Jesus highlights that the "cup" and "plate" are metaphors for their lives; their outward cleanliness (religious practices) was meticulously maintained, but the very "contents" (their inner motives and actions) were corrupted by greed and uncontrolled desires. This shows their external show of piety was built upon a foundation of injustice and self-indulgence, a total disconnect between appearance and reality.
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is in the midst of delivering a series of "woes" to the scribes and Pharisees, directly challenging their hypocrisy. He's already condemned them for their focus on outward religious observances while neglecting the core principles of God's law. This verse continues that critique by illustrating their empty external piety with the metaphor of meticulously cleaned dishes that are secretly filled with defilement.
Jesus unleashes a powerful "Woe!" on the scribes and Pharisees, comparing them to cups and plates that look clean but are rotten within. What does this shocking image reveal about true righteousness?
Jesus uses the imagery of a cup and platter to expose the heart of hypocrisy. The Pharisees were meticulous about outward religious rituals – washing, purification, and adhering to traditions. They made sure their ceremonial vessels, and by extension their public appearance, were spotless.
The Exterior Show
The Interior Decay
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Jesus condemns this superficiality. True righteousness isn't about a clean outer shell; it's about the inner condition of the heart.
The Pharisees were zealous for tiny details of the Law, but Jesus points out they missed the whole point. What did they sacrifice in their pursuit of external perfection?
Jesus's critique of the scribes and Pharisees isn't just about outward appearance; it's about a skewed sense of priorities. They meticulously followed minor regulations while neglecting the core principles of God's Law.
The Trivial and the Essential
The True Measure of Righteousness
By focusing on the external, the Pharisees missed the very heart of what it means to follow God.
Understand the original words
harpagēs · Greek Noun
An intense craving for more, specifically wealth or possessions. It is condemned in Scripture as a form of idolatry that prioritizes material gain over the worship and service of God.
akrasias · Greek Noun
The lack of restraint or self-control regarding desires and passions. It reflects a life driven by personal indulgence rather than submission to the Holy Spirit and divine wisdom.
Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees' hypocrisy highlights a long-standing tension between external religious observance and internal spiritual reality that intensified in the centuries leading up to and following the Second Temple period.
c. 450 BC
Ezra and Nehemiah return to Jerusalem
Ezra and Nehemiah led significant groups of returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem, seeking to re-establish Jewish law and identity in the province of Yehud under Persian rule.
c. 400 BC
Development of Oral Law
Following the return from exile, the scribes began to meticulously interpret and expand upon the written Torah, developing a complex body of oral traditions and legal rulings.
c. 150 BC - AD 70
Pharisaic movement gains prominence
The Pharisees emerged as a significant religious and political force, emphasizing strict adherence to both the written Law and the oral traditions, gaining widespread popularity among the common people.
c. 4 BC - AD 30/33— this verse
Jesus' public ministry
Jesus traveled throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and challenging the religious authorities, including the scribes and Pharisees, on their interpretation and practice of the Law.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' confrontation with religious leaders
Jesus directly confronted the scribes and Pharisees, delivering strong rebukes, such as the 'woes' in Matthew 23, for their hypocrisy and misapplication of religious law.
AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the Second Temple, a catastrophic event that significantly impacted Jewish religious life and led to the further development and divergence of Jewish sects, including Rabbinic Judaism.
This passage directly parallels Matthew 23:25, with Jesus using a similar metaphor to rebuke the Pharisees for their outward cleanliness while their inner lives are corrupt.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse highlights God's perspective, emphasizing that He looks at the heart, not outward appearances, which directly contrasts with the Pharisees' focus on external purity.
Matthew 23:27This verse, spoken immediately after, uses the metaphor of whitewashed tombs to further illustrate the same point: a beautiful exterior hiding inner corruption and decay.
Titus 1:15This verse describes those who claim to know God but deny Him by their actions, stating their minds and consciences are defiled, mirroring the internal corruption Jesus condemns in the Pharisees.
Psalm 51:6This verse expresses a desire for God's wisdom that produces true inner purity ('inwardly'), showing the contrast between David's plea for genuine heart change and the Pharisees' superficial efforts.
vincentMatthew 23:25: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."
Platter (παροψίδος)παρά, beside, ὄψον, meat. A side-dish, with the accompanying sense of something dainty; later, as here, the dish itself as distinguished from its contents.Excess (ἀκρασίας)ἀ, not, κράτος, power. Hence conduct which shows a want of power over one's self' incontinence or intemperance.
barnesMatthew 23:25: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."
The cup and the platter - The drinking-cup and the dish containing food. The Pharisees were diligent in observing all the washings and obligations required by their traditions. See the notes at Mark 7:4 . Full of extortion and excess - The outside appeared well; the inside was filled with the fruit of extortion, oppressi…
Jesus highlights that the "cup" and "plate" are metaphors for their lives; their outward cleanliness (religious practices) was meticulously maintained, but the very "contents" (their inner motives and actions) were corrupted by greed and uncontrolled desires. This shows their external show of piety was built upon a foundation of injustice and self-indulgence, a total disconnect between appearance and reality.
Jesus is in the midst of delivering a series of "woes" to the scribes and Pharisees, directly challenging their hypocrisy. He's already condemned them for their focus on outward religious observances while neglecting the core principles of God's law. This verse continues that critique by illustrating their empty external piety with the metaphor of meticulously cleaned dishes that are secretly filled with defilement.
Jesus is in the midst of delivering a series of "woes" to the scribes and Pharisees, directly challenging their hypocrisy. He's already condemned them for their focus on outward religious observances while neglecting the core principles of God's law. This verse continues that critique by illustrating their empty external piety with the metaphor of meticulously cleaned dishes that are secretly filled with defilement.
"“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outsid…" — Jesus highlights that the "cup" and "plate" are metaphors for their lives; their outward cleanliness (religious practices) was meticulously maintained, but the very "contents" (their inner motives an…
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Last reviewed October 2026
