Matthew 23:31-32
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Jesus is pointing out that their supposed honor for the prophets, by building tombs, actually reveals they inherited the same murderous spirit as those who killed them. They're not just descended from the prophets' killers; their actions prove they are like them.
Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy, pointing out how they honor dead prophets with tombs while rejecting the living ones. In response, they claim they would not have acted like their ancestors if they had lived then. Jesus turns their own words back on them, stating that their actions of building tombs while persecuting him actually prove they are indeed the spiritual descendants of those who killed the prophets.
You might think building monuments for heroes honors them. But Jesus saw it differently, revealing a deeper, darker truth about those who decorate graves while despising the message.
Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees for their outward show of reverence towards prophets by building and decorating their tombs. He argues that this isn't genuine honor, but rather a hollow pretense that actually testifies against them.
Ever said, 'If I lived back then, I'd never have done that!'? Jesus calls out this very temptation, showing how it blinds us to our present-day failures.
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The scribes and Pharisees, by building tombs for the prophets, were indirectly saying, 'If we had lived in our fathers' days, we would not have joined them in killing the prophets.' Jesus uses this hypothetical statement to expose their self-deception.
Understand the original words
huios · Greek Noun
Individuals who claim to be part of a particular lineage or spiritual heritage; in this context, it refers to those who share the character, actions, and historical guilt of their ancestors.
metron · Greek Noun
Refers to the assigned limit or quota of sins that must be reached before divine judgment falls, often signifying a point of no return in biblical history.
Jesus' condemnation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23 is rooted in a long history of Israel's rejection of God's messengers. By building tombs for past prophets while persecuting Jesus and his followers, they demonstrate a tragic pattern of their ancestors, making themselves witnesses to their own spiritual lineage of opposition to God's truth.
c. 931 BC
Division of the United Monarchy
Following Solomon's reign, the kingdom of Israel splits into two: the Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This division leads to increased political instability and religious deviation.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the Northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the deportation of its people and the loss of the ten tribes. This event serves as a stark warning to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling a significant portion of the Judean population. This catastrophic event marks a turning point, shaping Jewish identity and their understanding of God's judgment.
c. 4th-1st century BC
Intertestamental Period and Second Temple Judaism
A period of foreign rule (Persian, Greek, Roman) and internal religious development. The rebuilding of the Temple and the development of scribal and Pharisaic traditions occur during this era.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus proclaims the Kingdom of God, teaches with authority, and confronts the religious leaders, including the scribes and Pharisees, challenging their hypocrisy and traditions.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified in Jerusalem. His resurrection, according to Christian belief, validates his claims and marks a pivotal moment in salvation history.
c. AD 70
Destruction of the Second Temple
The Roman Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Second Temple in response to a Jewish revolt. This event represents the culmination of Jesus' prophecies about the city's judgment and has profound implications for Jewish and Christian history.
This passage echoes Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees, highlighting their hypocrisy in honoring the tombs of prophets while persecuting those who deliver God's message.
Acts 7:52Stephen directly accuses his accusers of being like their ancestors, those who persecuted and killed the prophets, drawing a clear parallel to Jesus' words.
2 Chronicles 24:21-22This Old Testament account describes the stoning of Zechariah, the prophet Jesus mentions (Matthew 23:35), serving as a historical example of the murderous spirit Jesus is condemning.
Hebrews 11:37This chapter lists many faithful individuals who were 'stoned, sawn in two, killed with the sword,' demonstrating the long history of persecution against God's messengers that Jesus is referencing.
calvinMatthew 23:29-39: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,"
- Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the sepulchers of the prophets and embellish the monuments of the righteous, 30. And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been their associates in the blood of the prophets. 31. Thus you testify against yourselves, that you are the children of thos…
henryMatthew 23:13-33: "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in."
23:13-33 The scribes and Pharisees were enemies to the gospel of Christ, and therefore to the salvation of the souls of men. It is bad to keep away from Christ ourselves, but worse also to keep others from him. Yet it is no new thing for the show and form of godliness to be made a cloak to t…
Jesus is pointing out that their supposed honor for the prophets, by building tombs, actually reveals they inherited the same murderous spirit as those who killed them. They're not just descended from the prophets' killers; their actions prove they are like them.
Jesus has just rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy, pointing out how they honor dead prophets with tombs while rejecting the living ones. In response, they claim they would not have acted like their ancestors if they had lived then. Jesus turns their own words back on them, stating that their actions of building tombs while persecuting him actually prove they are indeed the spiritual descendants of those who killed the prophets.
Jesus has just rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy, pointing out how they honor dead prophets with tombs while rejecting the living ones. In response, they claim they would not have acted like their ancestors if they had lived then. Jesus turns their own words back on them, stating that their actions of building tombs while persecuting him actually prove they are indeed the spiritual descendants of those who killed the prophets.
"Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers." — Jesus is pointing out that their supposed honor for the prophets, by building tombs, actually reveals they inherited the same murderous spirit as those who killed them. They're not just descended f…
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Last reviewed October 2026
