Matthew 23:17

KJV

[Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

KJV (with Strong's)

Ye fools {G3474} and {G2532} blind {G5185}: for {G1063} whether {G5101} is {G2076} greater {G3187}, the gold {G5557}, or {G2228} the temple {G3485} that sanctifieth {G37} the gold {G5557}?

Complete Jewish Bible

You blind fools! Which is more important? the gold? or the Temple which makes the gold holy?

Berean Standard Bible

You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes it sacred?

American Standard Version

Ye fools and blind: for which is greater, the gold, or the temple that hath sanctified the gold?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In Matthew 23:17, Jesus sharply rebukes the scribes and Pharisees, labeling them "fools and blind" for their distorted understanding of religious oaths. He exposes their hypocrisy by highlighting their teaching that an oath sworn by the Temple's gold was binding, while an oath sworn by the Temple itself was not. Jesus powerfully asserts that it is the Temple, as God's consecrated dwelling, that sanctifies the gold within it, thereby revealing their inverted priorities and profound spiritual misjudgment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within Jesus' final and most severe public denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, recorded in [Matthew chapter 23](/matthew/23 "Matthew 23 - Jesus Denounces the Scribes and Pharisees"). Specifically, it forms part of the third "woe" (verses 16-22), where Jesus meticulously dismantles their casuistic approach to oaths. The preceding woes address their hypocrisy in teaching without practicing, their love of honor, and their proselytizing efforts that lead converts astray. Here, Jesus targets their legalistic distinctions regarding oaths, which prioritized material wealth over the sacredness of God's dwelling place, exposing a deep-seated spiritual blindness that permeated their religious system.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In first-century Judaism, oath-taking was a common and serious practice, intended to invoke God's name to guarantee truthfulness. However, rabbinic traditions had developed complex hierarchies of oaths, sometimes creating loopholes or distinctions that allowed individuals to swear by lesser things without feeling truly bound. The Temple in Jerusalem was the epicenter of Jewish religious life, housing the Holy of Holies, where God's presence was believed to dwell. The Temple treasury contained immense wealth, including gold, often donated by worshippers. The Pharisees' teaching, as exposed by Jesus, suggested that the gold in the Temple had a greater binding power for an oath than the Temple itself, revealing a cultural inclination to value tangible assets over the intangible spiritual sanctity of God's presence.
* **Key Themes:** Matthew 23:17 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in Jesus' teachings and the Gospel of Matthew. The most prominent is **Spiritual Blindness and Hypocrisy**, as Jesus repeatedly condemns the religious leaders for their inability to discern true spiritual value, despite their outward piety. Their valuing of the gold over the Temple exemplifies their **Misplaced Priorities**, highlighting a system that elevated human traditions and material gain above God's divine order and holiness. This verse also underscores the theme of the **True Source of Sanctification**, asserting that holiness flows from God and His consecrated presence, not from the inherent value of an object, a principle seen throughout the Old Testament (e.g., [Exodus 29:37](/exodus/29-37 "Exodus 29:37 - Altar Sanctification")). Jesus consistently challenged the externalism of their religion, calling for genuine righteousness that originates from the heart, as emphasized in the Sermon on the Mount (e.g., [Matthew 5:20](/matthew/5-20 "Matthew 5:20 - Righteousness Exceeding the Scribes and Pharisees")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **fools (Greek, _mōrós'_):** Derived from a root suggesting dullness or stupidity, this term describes someone who is heedless, morally blockheaded, or absurd. Jesus uses it here not as a mere insult, but as a profound theological judgment, indicating a severe lack of spiritual discernment and an inability to grasp fundamental truths about God and holiness. It signifies a moral and intellectual obtuseness regarding divine realities.
* **blind (Greek, _typhlós'_):** This word literally means opaque or physically blind, but here it is used metaphorically to describe a spiritual inability to see or understand. The Pharisees, despite their religious learning, were spiritually sightless, unable to perceive the true nature of God's holiness and the proper order of spiritual values. Their blindness led them to pervert divine principles.
* **sanctifieth (Greek, _hagiázō'_):** Meaning "to make holy," "to set apart," or "to consecrate," this verb is crucial. Jesus uses it to clarify the source of holiness. The Temple, as the place consecrated by God's presence, is the entity that imparts holiness to the gold within it, not the other way around. This directly refutes the Pharisees' inverted logic and re-establishes the divine order of sanctification.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Ye fools and blind:"**: This is Jesus' direct and scathing indictment of the scribes and Pharisees. He is not merely name-calling but pronouncing a judgment on their spiritual condition. Their "foolishness" (G3474, _mōrós_) indicates a lack of moral and spiritual understanding, while their "blindness" (G5185, _typhlós_) signifies an inability to perceive spiritual truth, despite their claims to be guides of the blind (cf. [Romans 2:19](/romans/2-19 "Romans 2:19 - A Guide for the Blind")).
* **"for whether is greater, the gold,"**: Jesus introduces the specific example of their flawed reasoning regarding oaths. He presents their own distinction: oaths sworn by the gold in the Temple. The rhetorical question immediately challenges their prioritization, implying the absurdity of valuing the material gold more highly than the sacred space. This clause highlights their focus on tangible assets and their legalistic attempts to quantify spiritual commitments.
* **"or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?"**: This is Jesus' decisive counter-argument, exposing the logical and theological error of their position. He asserts that the Temple, as the consecrated dwelling place of God, is the source of holiness that "sanctifieth" (G37, _hagiázō_) or makes holy the gold within it. The gold's sacred value is derived from its association with the Temple, not from its intrinsic material worth. This statement re-establishes the correct hierarchy of value, emphasizing the spiritual over the material.

#### Literary Devices
Jesus employs several potent literary devices in Matthew 23:17 to underscore His condemnation. The most prominent is the **Rhetorical Question**, "whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?" Jesus does not ask this question for information, but to expose the absurdity and spiritual illogic of the Pharisees' teaching. The question is designed to elicit a self-evident answer from any spiritually discerning listener, thereby highlighting the Pharisees' profound error. Closely related is **Irony**, as Jesus labels these religious leaders, who prided themselves on their spiritual insight and guidance, as "fools and blind." This ironic reversal of expectations powerfully emphasizes their spiritual deficiency. Furthermore, there is a clear use of **Contrast**, pitting the material "gold" against the sacred "temple that sanctifieth the gold." This stark juxtaposition serves to highlight the Pharisees' inverted values and their failure to grasp the true source of holiness.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 23:17 profoundly reveals a core theological error: the confusion of the created with the Creator, or the means with the source of holiness. The Pharisees' teaching fundamentally misunderstood the nature of sanctification, believing that the value of the gold could somehow supersede or exist independently of the Temple's inherent holiness, which was derived from God's presence within it. This verse serves as a timeless warning against any system or mindset that prioritizes external forms, material possessions, or human traditions over the true spiritual reality of God's presence and His divine order. It underscores that genuine holiness and spiritual value flow from God alone, and that true reverence involves discerning and honoring His presence above all else, rather than becoming entangled in legalistic distinctions that obscure divine truth.

* [Matthew 6:24](/matthew/6-24 "Matthew 6:24 - No One Can Serve Two Masters")
* [Isaiah 5:20](/isaiah/5-20 "Isaiah 5:20 - Woe to Those Who Call Evil Good")
* [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "1 Samuel 15:22 - Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 23:17 offers a piercing challenge for contemporary believers to examine the priorities and values that shape their spiritual lives. Like the Pharisees, we can easily fall into the trap of prioritizing outward appearances, material possessions, or human-made systems and traditions over the genuine, transformative power of God's presence and His truth. This verse compels us to ask: Are we, perhaps inadvertently, valuing the "gold" (e.g., wealth, status, comfort, religious rituals without heart) more than the "Temple" (God's presence, His Word, His transformative power)? It calls us to cultivate spiritual discernment, to see beyond the superficial and recognize the true source of holiness and value. Genuine spiritual maturity involves understanding that all true worth and sanctification originate from God, and our lives should reflect a deep reverence for Him and His kingdom above all else. This means seeking first His righteousness and allowing His presence to sanctify every aspect of our being, rather than relying on external measures or inverted logic.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be prioritizing external or material things over true spiritual holiness and God's presence?**
* **How might I be spiritually "blind" to God's true values or priorities, similar to the Pharisees' misjudgment of the Temple and its gold?**
* **What does this verse teach me about the true source of holiness, and how can I better align my values with God's perspective?**

### FAQ

**Why did the Pharisees make such a distinction between an oath sworn by the Temple and one sworn by its gold?**

Answer: The Pharisees, in their pursuit of meticulous legalism, developed a complex system of oaths with varying degrees of binding power. Their distinction between the Temple and its gold likely stemmed from a desire to create loopholes or to elevate certain aspects of the Temple (like its treasury, which might have been under their control or influence) for their own benefit or perceived authority. By declaring an oath sworn by the gold more binding, they inverted the logical and theological order, prioritizing the material asset over the sacred space that gave the gold its consecrated value. This casuistry allowed them to manipulate religious obligations for personal advantage or to avoid perceived inconveniences.

**Does this verse imply that the Temple or gold had no value in God's eyes?**

Answer: No, the verse does not imply that the Temple or gold had no value. On the contrary, the Temple was immensely valuable as the consecrated dwelling place of God's presence, and the gold within it was valuable both materially and as an offering to God. Jesus' point is not to devalue these things but to correct the Pharisees' inverted understanding of their *source of value and holiness*. The Temple's holiness was intrinsic because of God's presence, and it was this holiness that extended to and "sanctified" the gold within it. The gold's value in an oath derived *from* its association with the holy Temple, not from its intrinsic material worth or from any independent power it possessed. Jesus was clarifying the proper hierarchy of spiritual truth, emphasizing that the greater (the Temple, representing God's presence) sanctifies the lesser (the gold).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 23:17, with its exposure of misplaced priorities and spiritual blindness, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament Temple, which the Pharisees so gravely misunderstood, was itself a shadow and a type pointing to the coming Messiah. Jesus Himself declared that something "greater than the temple" was present in Him ([Matthew 12:6](/matthew/12-6 "Matthew 12:6 - Something Greater Than the Temple")). He is the true and ultimate Temple, the very dwelling place of God among humanity, as beautifully articulated in [John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh"). Just as the Temple sanctified the gold, Jesus is the one who truly sanctifies and makes holy. Our holiness does not come from external rituals, material possessions, or human-made distinctions, but from being "in Christ" ([1 Corinthians 1:30](/1_corinthians/1-30 "1 Corinthians 1:30 - Christ Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption")). He exposes the superficiality of external religion and calls us to a genuine, internal transformation that He alone can provide through His perfect sacrifice ([Hebrews 10:10-14](/hebrews/10-10-14 "Hebrews 10:10-14 - Christ's One Sacrifice Perfects Forever")). The Pharisees' blindness to the Temple's true significance foreshadows their greater blindness to Christ, the very embodiment of God's presence and the source of all true sanctification.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 23:19

[Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Numbers 16:38

The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates [for] a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

Numbers 16:39

And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad [plates for] a covering of the altar:

Exodus 30:26

And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,

Exodus 30:29

And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

Psalms 94:8

Understand, ye brutish among the people: and [ye] fools, when will ye be wise?