Matthew 23:5-7
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Jesus highlights how the Pharisees twisted religious symbols, meant to keep God's commands in mind, into a spectacle. By making their phylacteries and fringes conspicuously large, they weren't demonstrating devotion, but rather staging a performance for human approval. This reveals a critical insight: even outward acts of obedience can be hollow if the heart's true motivation is to be noticed by people rather than to please God.
They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is directly addressing the crowds and his disciples about the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. He has just rebuked them for their inconsistent behavior – demanding others follow heavy rules while not lifting a finger themselves. Now, he exposes their motivation: they perform all their religious acts not for God, but for public recognition and admiration, using outward displays like broad phylacteries and long fringes as proof.
Why did Jesus call out the Pharisees for their broad phylacteries and long fringes? It wasn't about the size, but the why behind the size.
Jesus exposes the core issue with the scribes and Pharisees: their actions, even those that mimicked piety, were performed for human recognition, not for God's glory.
The Heart of the Matter
Those ancient prayer boxes and tassels might seem irrelevant, but their story warns us about the subtle ways we can turn faith into a performance.
The Pharisees' ostentatious religious practices served as public advertisements of their supposed piety. Jesus points out these specific examples to show how even God-given commands can be distorted for personal gain.
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The Misuse of Sacred Symbols
Understand the original words
phylaktērion · Greek Noun
Small leather boxes containing parchment scrolls with Torah passages, worn on the forehead and arm during prayer. In biblical times, they were intended to be a constant reminder of God's Word, though here they are used as objects of ostentatious display.
kraspedon · Greek Noun
Tassels attached to the corners of garments, commanded in the Law (Numbers 15:38) as a reminder to keep the Lord's commandments. Making them 'long' was a sign of exaggerated outward piety.
prōtoklisia · Greek Noun
A posture, position, or place of prominence, status, or distinction that carries social or hierarchical significance. In a biblical context, it often refers to seeking human praise or status over humble service.
sunagōgē · Greek Noun
A formal assembly, gathering, or assembly place for the Jewish community, focused on the reading and study of the Scriptures. It became a primary setting for religious instruction and social influence during the Second Temple period.
rhabbi · Greek Noun
A title of respect, literally meaning 'my great one' or 'my master,' used for authoritative teachers of the Jewish law. Jesus forbids this title among his disciples to emphasize that he is the sole source of divine authority.
The verses describe Jesus' critique of the Pharisees who exaggerated religious symbols like phylacteries and fringes. This practice evolved over centuries from clear divine commands into a means of self-glorification, demonstrating how outward religious expression can become divorced from inner devotion.
c. 1400 BC
Fringes Commanded
God instructs the Israelites to make fringes (tzitzit) on the borders of their garments to remind them of His commandments.
c. 1400 BC
Phylacteries Commanded
God instructs the Israelites to bind His words as a sign on their hands and as frontlets between their eyes (phylacteries).
c. 458 BC
Ezra Reintroduces the Law
Ezra the scribe leads a revival, reintroducing the people to the Law of Moses after their return from exile.
c. 2nd century BC
Phylacteries Become Prominent
The practice of wearing phylacteries (tefillin) becomes widespread among observant Jews, often enclosed in decorative boxes.
c. 1st century BC - 1st century AD
Pharisees Emphasize External Rituals
The Pharisee sect, dedicated to strict observance of the Law, grows in influence, often emphasizing visible acts of piety.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus Condemns Hypocrisy
Jesus publicly denounces the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, ostentatious displays of piety, and burdening people with man-made rules.
This passage explains the origin of the phylacteries and fringes, highlighting their original purpose as reminders of God's commands, contrasting with the Pharisees' outward display.
1 Samuel 16:7This verse emphasizes God's focus on the heart rather than outward appearance, directly opposing the Pharisees' superficial actions motivated by the desire to be seen.
Matthew 6:1-4Jesus directly addresses the issue of performing righteous acts for human recognition, providing a parallel teaching to Matthew 23:5 about the wrong motivation for religious practices.
Luke 18:9-14The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector illustrates the stark difference between self-righteous pride displayed outwardly and true humility before God, mirroring the critique in Matthew 23:5.
Galatians 5:6This verse states that in Christ, 'faith working through love' is what counts, underscoring that mere outward actions, no matter how elaborately displayed, are meaningless without genuine inward transformation and love.
vincentMatthew 23:5: "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,"
To be seen (πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι)See Matthew 6:1, 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 (φυλακτήρια - κράσπεδα)Phylacteries, called by the Rabbis tephillin, prayer-fil…
calvinMatthew 23:1-12: "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,"
- Then Jesus spoke to the multitude, and to his disciples, 2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in the chair of Moses. 3. Observe and do, therefore, all things whatever they command you to observe; but do not according to their works; for they say and do not. 4. For they bind heavy and intolerable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they refuse to touch them with their finger. 5. And they do all their…
Jesus highlights how the Pharisees twisted religious symbols, meant to keep God's commands in mind, into a spectacle. By making their phylacteries and fringes conspicuously large, they weren't demonstrating devotion, but rather staging a performance for human approval. This reveals a critical insight: even outward acts of obedience can be hollow if the heart's true motivation is to be noticed by people rather than to please God.
Jesus is directly addressing the crowds and his disciples about the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. He has just rebuked them for their inconsistent behavior – demanding others follow heavy rules while not lifting a finger themselves. Now, he exposes their motivation: they perform all their religious acts not for God, but for public recognition and admiration, using outward displays like broad phylacteries and long fringes as proof.
Jesus is directly addressing the crowds and his disciples about the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. He has just rebuked them for their inconsistent behavior – demanding others follow heavy rules while not lifting a finger themselves. Now, he exposes their motivation: they perform all their religious acts not for God, but for public recognition and admiration, using outward displays like broad phylacteries and long fringes as proof.
"They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called…" — Jesus highlights how the Pharisees twisted religious symbols, meant to keep God's commands in mind, into a spectacle. By making their phylacteries and fringes conspicuously large, they weren't demons…
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Last reviewed October 2026
