Luke 11:43

Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(43) Ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues.—See Notes on Matthew 23:6-7.

Benson Commentary

Luke 11:43-44. Wo unto you, for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, &c. — Here he denounces the judgment of God against them for their pride, which was so excessive, that it appeared in their carriage in the streets, and at all public meetings. See on Matthew 23:6-7. Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees — In this wo he joins the scribes with the Pharisees, and condemns the hypocrisy of both. For ye are as graves, &c. — Under a show of humility and contempt of the world, you are proud, voluptuous, and rapacious, and so resemble concealed graves, which are apt to pollute those who walk over them. Or, as graves appear not when overgrown with grass, so that men are not aware till they stumble upon them, and either hurt themselves, or, at least, are defiled by touching them, so your deceit, hypocrisy, and wickedness are not discovered, being hid under the appearance of strict sanctity which you put on; but, nevertheless, these your vices defile and injure many. On another occasion Christ compared them to whited sepulchres, fair without, but foul within. See on Matthew 23:27-28.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:37-54 We should all look to our hearts, that they may be cleansed and new-created; and while we attend to the great things of the law and of the gospel, we must not neglect the smallest matter God has appointed. When any wait to catch something out of our mouths, that they may insnare us, O Lord, give us thy prudence and thy patience, and disappoint their evil purposes. Furnish us with such meekness and patience that we may glory in reproaches, for Christ's sake, and that thy Holy Spirit may rest upon us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See Matthew 23:6, Matthew 23:27.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

43. uppermost seats—(See on [1644]Lu 14:7-11).

greetings—(See on [1645]Mt 23:7-10).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Matthew 23:6", See Poole on "Matthew 23:7". Their fault was not in their taking them, but in their affecting them, and in being ambitious of them. God is the God of order, and we are bound to give honour to whom honour belongs; but pride and ambition are detestable sins, especially in such as should be teachers of humility, and the vanity of all things below.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Woe unto you Pharisees, for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues,.... And also the uppermost rooms at feasts, Matthew 23:6

and greetings in the market; See Gill on Matthew 23:6 and See Gill on Matthew 23:7.

Geneva Study Bible

{12} Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

(12) Hypocrisy and ambition are commonly joined together.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 11:43. Pharisaic ostentation is very gently dealt with here compared with the vivid picture in Matthew 23:5-7, partly out of regard to the restraint imposed by the supposed situation, Jesus a guest, partly because some of the details (phylacteries, e.g.) lacked interest for Gentile readers.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

43. uppermost seats] These were places in the synagogue in a conspicuous semicircle facing the congregation, and round the bema of the reader, Luke 14:7-11; Matthew 23:6.

greetings in the markets] in which they addressed one another by extravagant titles, and required from their followers an exaggerated reverence.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 43. - Ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues. These seats were in a semicircle round the pulpit or lectern of the reader; they faced the congregation. And greetings in the markets. The love of these Jews in the time of our Lord for exaggerated titles of respect and honor is well known. Luke 11:43

Vincent's Word Studies

Pharisees (τοῖς Φαρισαίοις)

Luke's form of expression differs from that of Matthew, who says, "ye Pharisees; while Luke has "woe unto you, the Pharisees," marking them by the article as a well-known religious body.