The Gift or The Altar? - Matthew 23:19

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty”, and in chapter twenty-three and verse nineteen of his book Matthew shared how Jesus asked, “whether is greater, the gift or the altar” where we read:

You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

The verse reads, “You fools and blind:”. Matthew began with the words, you fools” which means “you impious, dull, stupid, heedless and absurd ones” “and blind” or “and mentally and opaquely seeing leaders of ignorance and inexperience”. Matthew shared how Jesus repeated His appraisal of the “scribes and Pharisees” who were “heedless, absurd and mentally not seeing leaders”.

The verse continues, “for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?” Matthew added the words, “for whether” which means “because, since, on account that and consequently which one” “is greater” which means “is of greater value and importance”, “the gift” or “the presents and sacrifices offered in expression of honor” “or the altar” which means “the altar of incense which stood in the sanctuary or the Holy Place” “that sanctifies” or “that renders, acknowledges, venerates or hallows” “the gift” which refers to “the presents and sacrifices offered in expression of honor”? Matthew shared how Jesus asked the “scribes and Pharisees” which one is “of more importance”, “the presents that sacrificed upon the altar” or the “altar” upon which they are sacrificed?

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see Jesus once again question the “religious leaders” about “swearing by” temporal and material things. “The altar” and “the gift” are for the earth, and valuable things are “eternal”. God desires a truthful, loving relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they “believe and trust” in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”, there is no need to “swear” by anything that is deemed greater than they. Simply, tell the truth, and rely upon God to help when there is a drive to “swear” by something greater.

Next time we see Matthew write how Jesus makes a statement about, “whosoever … shall swear by the altar”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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