Matthew 23:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He declares judgment against them, not due to their construction of tombs for the prophets as a means of pleasing God, but because they do so with insincerity. While they criticize their ancestors, they engage in even greater evil, outdoing them in their depravity. They deceive themselves by claiming, “If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have slain the prophets,” all the while harboring intentions to murder the Lord of the prophets Himself.

Through insightful reasoning, He condemns them as descendants of murderers, as they, motivated by a desire for their own acclaim among the people and a facade of righteousness, build elaborate tombs for the prophets that their ancestors killed. They claim, "If we had lived during that time, we would not have acted as our forefathers did." Although they do not vocalize this assertion, their actions speak volumes; they proudly and ostentatiously construct monuments to those who have been slain, all the while acknowledging that their forebears were responsible for these deaths.

He laments, not for your actions or words, which may seem commendable. Rather, it is because in your actions, your speech, and your condemnation of your ancestors for their murderous deeds, you are actually moving towards the same fate, intent on bringing harm to both me and my followers. Furthermore, your manner of acting and speaking is empty and hypocritical, as you replicate the very behavior you condemn.

From the eastern courtyard of the temple, where the Lord delivered His stern admonitions to the Pharisees, one could see the Kidron valley; on the slopes of the Mount of Olives rested the burial sites of the prophets, with the southernmost site acknowledged today as the tomb of Zechariah the prophet. As He gazed upon these monuments, shifting His gaze from one grave to the next, the Lord began to proclaim once more: Woe unto you, O scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you erect tombs for the prophets, seeking to demonstrate to all that you honor the memories of those in the Old Testament who suffered for truth and righteousness, adorning the memorials of the prophets while pretending to condemn your forefathers who persecuted them.

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, for you hypocritically construct tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, whom your forebears have slain!

Woe to those who pretend to repent while they condemn their forefathers for striking the prophets. They harbor within them the same murderous spirit as their ancestors and exceed their predecessors' transgressions with even greater wickedness.

The scribes and Pharisees claimed to honor the prophets who had been murdered before them by constructing tombs for them. In this manner, they seemed to show reverence for these slain messengers of righteousness, portraying themselves as pious. However, this action also suggested a reproach toward their ancestors, who harmed the prophets and the righteous and participated in the wrongful spilling of prophetic blood. Their fervor in crafting and beautifying the graves and memorials for these prophets and righteous figures appeared to validate their declarations, misleading the people in the process. Yet, the Heart-bearer indicates that, in truth, they reveal themselves to be hypocrites; they are, in fact, more culpable than their forefathers. Jesus Christ states, "Woe to the scribes and Pharisees," not merely for erecting tombs and denouncing their ancestors, but for their duplicity in doing worse than those who came before them.

The One who breaks hearts, fully aware of the hidden motives and thoughts of the scribes and Pharisees, proclaimed woe upon them. As the blessed interpreter noted, this was not due to their construction of tombs for the prophets—a commendable endeavor—but rather because they acted with hypocrisy, condemning their ancestors while engaging in even greater wickedness. They deceived themselves with their claims, saying that had they lived during their forefather’s time, they would not have slain the prophets; yet they aimed to kill the Lord of the prophets Himself. Consequently, the Savior continued, "you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who persecuted the prophets,” revealing their lineage in staunch opposition to Divine revelation.