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Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers . Public domain.
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Origen of Alexandria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 253
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
And in the prophetic writings, the historical sense is the body, the spiritual meaning is the soul; the sepulchres are the letter and books themselves of Scripture. They then who attend only to the historical meaning, honour the bodies of the Prophets, and set in the letter as in a sepulchre; and are called Pharisees, i. e. 'cut off,' as it were cutting off the soul of the Prophets from their body.
They fill up the measure of their fathers' sins by their not believing in Christ. And the cause of their unbelief was, that they looked only to the letter and the body, and would understand nothing spiritual in them.
Hilary of PoitiersAD 367
Commentary on Matthew 24.8
The form of judgment is perfect; the understanding and idea of equity are instilled in each of us by nature so that the more fully the ideal of equity is known, the less need there is for the forgiveness of iniquity. The people of the law killed all the prophets. They had become inflamed with hatred toward them because of the harshness of their reproaches, since the prophets had publicly called them thieves, murderers, adulterers and sacrilegious. Moreover, because they had denounced the Jews as unworthy of the kingdom of heaven and because they taught that the Gentiles would be the heirs of the covenant of God, they afflicted the prophets with a variety of other punishments. The descendants, however, repudiated the deeds of their fathers, honoring the prophets’ books, decorating their tombs, restoring their sepulchers and attesting by these forms of respect that they were not culpable of the crimes of their fathers.
Hilary of Poitiers (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 367
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
Because then they will fill up the measure of their fathers' purposes, therefore are they serpents, and an offspring of vipers.
That is, the Apostles, who, as foretelling things to come, are Prophets; as having knowledge of Christ, are wise men; as understanding the Law, are Scribes.
John ChrysostomAD 407
Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 74
Then, because He was searching their temper of mind, which is to the more part obscure, He doth, from those things also which they were about to perpetrate, which would be manifest to all, establish His words. For, because He had said, "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets," making it evident, that of their affinity in wickedness He is speaking, and that it was a pretense to say, "We should not have been partakers with them," He added, "Fill ye up therefore the measure of your fathers," not commanding, but declaring beforehand, what was to be, that is, His own murder.
Therefore, having brought in their refutation, and having shown that they were pretenses which they said in their own defense, as, for instance, "We would not have been partakers with them," (for they who refrain not from the Lord, how should they have refrained from the servants), He makes after this His language more condemnatory, calling them "serpents, and generation of vipers," and saying, "How shall ye escape the damnation of hell," at once perpetrating such things, and denying them, and dissembling your purpose?
Then rebuking them more exceedingly from another cause also, He Saith, "I will send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes, and some of them shall ye kill and crucify, and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues." For that they should not say, "Though we crucified the Lord, yet from the servants we should have refrained, if we had been then;" "Behold," He saith, "I send servants also to you, prophets likewise themselves, and neither will ye spare them." But these things He saith, showing that it was nothing strange, that He should be murdered by those sons, being both murderous and deceitful, and having much guile, and surpassing their fathers in their outrages.
And besides what hath been said, He shows them to be also exceedingly vainglorious. For when they say, "If we had been in the days of our fathers, we should not have been partakers with them," they spake out of vainglory, and were practising virtue in words only, but in their works doing the contrary.
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, that is, wicked sons of wicked men, and more wicked than those who begat them. For He showeth that they are committing greater crimes, both by their committing them after those others, and by their doing much more grievous things than they, and this, while positively affirming that they never would have fallen into the same. For they add that which is both the end and the crown of their evil deeds. For the others slew them that came to the vineyard, but these, both the son, and them that were bidding them to the wedding.
But these things He saith, to separate them off from the affinity to Abraham, and to show that they had no advantage from thence, unless they followed his works; wherefore also He adds, "How can ye flee from the damnation of hell," when following them that have committed such acts?
And here He recalls to their remembrance John's accusation, for he too called them by this name, and reminded them of the judgment to come. Then, because they are nothing alarmed by judgment and hell, by reason of their not believing them, and because the thing is future, He awes them by the things present, and saith, "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets and scribes: and some of them shall ye kill and crucify, and scourge; that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias the son of Barschias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, that all these things shall come upon this generation."
See by how many things He has warned them. He said, Ye condemn your fathers, in that ye say, "We would not have been partakers with them;" and this is no little thing to shame them. He said, While ye condemn them, ye do worse things, even ye yourselves; and this is sufficient to cover them with disgrace. He said, These things shall not be without punishment; and hence he implants in them fear beyond words. He hath reminded them at least of hell. Then because that was to come, He brought home to them the terrors as even present. "For all these things shall come," He saith, "upon this generation."
He added also unspeakable severity to the vengeance, saying, that they shall suffer more grievous things than all; yet by none of these things did they become better. But if any one say, And why do they suffer more grievously than all? we would say, Because they have first committed more grievous things than all, and by none of the things that have been done to them have they been brought to a sound mind.
Heardest thou not Lamech saying, "Of Lamech vengeance shall be taken seventy times sevenfold;" that is, "I am deserving of more punishment than Cain." Why could this be? Yet he did not slay his brother; but because not even by his example was he brought to a better mind. And this is what God saith elsewhere, "Requiting the sins of fathers upon children for the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Not as though one were to suffer punishment for the crimes committed by others, but inasmuch as they who, after many sin and have been punished, yet have not grown better, but have committed the same offenses, are justly worthy to suffer their punishments also.
But see how seasonably he also mentioned Abel, indicating that this murder likewise is of envy. What then have ye to say? Know ye not what Cain suffered? Did God hold His peace at his deeds? Did He not exact the severest penalty? Heard ye not what things your fathers suffered, when they slew the prophets; were they not delivered over to punishments, and inflictions of vengeance without number? How then did ye not become better? And why do I speak of the punishments of your fathers, and what they suffered? Thou who thyself condemnest thy fathers, how is it thou doest worse? For moreover even ye yourselves have declared that "He will miserably destroy those wicked men." What favor then will ye have after this, committing such things after such a sentence?
But who is this Zacharias? Some say, the father of John; some, the prophet; some, a priest with two different names, whom the Scripture also calls, the son of Jehoiada.
But do thou mark this, that the outrage was twofold. For not only did they slay holy men, but also in a holy place. And saying these things, He did not only alarm them, but also comfort His disciples, showing that the righteous men also who were before them suffered these things. But these He alarmed, foretelling that like as they paid their penalty, even so should these too suffer the utmost extremities. Therefore He calls them "prophets, and wise men, and scribes," even hereby again taking away every plea of theirs. "For ye cannot say," He saith, "Thou didst send from among the Gentiles, and therefore we were offended;" but they were led on unto this by being murderous, and thirsting for blood. Wherefore He also said beforehand, "For this cause do I send prophets and scribes." This did the prophets also lay to their charge, saying, "They mingle blood with blood," and that they are men of blood. Therefore also did He command the blood to be offered to Him, showing that if in a brute it be thus precious, much more in a man. Which He saith to Noah likewise, "I will require all blood that is shed." And ten thousand other such things might one find Him enjoining with regard to their not committing murder; wherefore He commanded them not even to eat that which was strangled.
Oh the love of God towards man! that though He foreknew they would profit nothing, He still doeth His part. For I will send, He saith, and this knowing they would be slain. So that even hereby they were convicted of saying vainly, "We should not have been partakers with our fathers." For these too slew prophets even in their synagogues, and reverenced neither the place, nor the dignity of the persons. For not merely ordinary persons did they slay, but prophets and wise men, such that they had nothing to lay to their charge. And by these He meaneth the apostles, and those after them, for, indeed, many prophesied. Then, willing to aggravate their fears, He saith, "Verily, verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation;" that is, I will bring all upon your heads, and will make the vengeance sore. For he that knew many to have sinned, and was not sobered, but himself hath committed the same sins again, and not the same only, but also far more grievous, would justly deserve to suffer a far more grievous punishment than they. For like as, if he had been minded, he would have gained greatly, had he grown better by their examples, even so, since he continued without amendment, he is liable to a heavier vengeance, as having had the benefit of more warning by them who had sinned before and been punished, and having reaped no advantage.
John Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 407
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
He had said against the Scribes and Pharisees, that they were the children of those who killed the Prophets; now therefore He shows that they were like them in wickedness, and that that was false that they said, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets. Wherefore He now says, Fill ye up the measure of your fathers. This is not a command, but a prophecy of what is to be.
Then to show them that they should not do this without punishment, He holds out an unspeakable terror over them, That upon you may come all the righteous blood.
Moreover, He names Abel, to show that it would be out of envy that they would kill Christ and His disciples. He names Zacharias, because there was a twofold resemblance in his case, the sacred place, as well as the sacred person.
And to take away all excuse from them that they might not say, Because you sent them to the Gentiles thereat were we offended, He foretels that His disciples should be sent to them, and it is of their punishment that He adds, Verily I say unto you, all these things shall come upon this generation.
Otherwise; Because He delayed the punishment of hell which He had threatened them with, He pronounces against them threats of present evil, saying, All these things shall come upon this generation.
For he who having seen many sinning yet remains uncorrected, but rather does the same or worse, is obnoxious to heavier punishment.
Jerome (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 420
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
The same had been said by John the Baptist. Wherefore as of vipers are born vipers, so of your fathers who were murderers are you born murderers.
Or, as the Apostle writes to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12.) that there are various gifts among Christ's disciples; some Prophets, who foretel things to come; some wise men, who know when they ought to speak; others Scribes taught in the Law; of whom Stephen was stoned, Paul killed, Peter crucified, and the disciples of the Apostles beaten, in the Acts; and they persecuted them from city to city, driving them out of Judæa, that they might go to the Gentiles.
Concerning the Abel here spoken of, there is no doubt that it is he whom his brother Cain murdered. He is proved to have been righteous, not only by this judgment of the Lord, but by the passage in Genesis, which says that his offerings were accepted by God. But we must enquire who is this Zacharias, son of Barachias, because we read of many Zachariases; and that we might not mistake, here it is added, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Some say that it is that Zacharias who is the eleventh among the twelve Prophets, and his father's name agrees to this, but when he was slain between the temple and the altar, Scripture does not mention; but above all, in his time there were scarce 'even the ruins of the temple. Others will have it to be Zacharias the father of John.
But as this has no Scripture authority, it is as readily despised as offered. Others will have it to be that Zacharias who was killed by Joas, king of Judah, between the temple and the altar, that is, in the court of the temple. (2 Chron. 24:21.) But that Zacharias was not the son of Barachias, but of Jehoiada the Priest. But Barachias in our language is interpreted 'Blessed of the Lord,' so that the righteousness of Joiada the Priest is expressed by this Hebrew word. But in the Gospel which the Nazarenes use, we find written 'son of Joiada' instead of son of Barachias.
The rule of the Scriptures is only to know two generations, one of good the other of bad. Of the generation of the good it is said, The generation of the righteous shall be blessed. (Ps. 112:2.) And of the bad it is said in the present passage, Generation of vipers. These then, because they did against the Apostles like things as Cain and Joas, are described as of one generation.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Matthew
(Verse 29 onwards) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, and you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partners with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' Thus you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. In the most skillful syllogism, they are proven to be the offspring of murderers, while they themselves, by the opinion of goodness and glory among the people, build tombs for the prophets whom their forefathers killed, and they say, 'If we had lived in that time, we would not have done what our fathers did.' However, even if they do not say it in words, they speak through their actions by ambitiously and magnificently building monuments to the slain, whom they do not deny were killed by their forefathers.
And you, fulfill the measure of your fathers. Having proven with the previous words that they were the children of murderers and those who killed the prophets, he now concludes what he wanted and puts forth the final part of the syllogism. And you, fulfill the measure of your fathers. What was lacking for them, you complete. They killed the servants, you crucify the Lord. They killed the prophets, you kill him who was preached by the prophets.
Pseudo-Chrysostom (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 500
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
He foretels, that as their fathers killed the Prophets, so they also should kill Christ, and the Apostles, and other holy men. As suppose you had a quarrel with some one, you might say to your adversary, Do to me what you are about to do; but you do not therein bid him do it, but show him that you are aware of his manæuvres. And in fact they went beyond the measure of their fathers; for they put to death only men, these crucified God. But because He stooped to death of His own free choice, He does not lay on them the sin of His death, but only the death of the Apostles and other holy men. Whence also He said, Fill up, and not Fill over; for a just and merciful Judge overlooks his own wrongs, and only punishes those done to others.
He calls them offspring of vipers, because the nature of vipers is such that the young burst the womb of their dam, and so come forth; and in like manner the Jews condemned their fathers, finding fault with their deeds. He says, How shall ye escape the damnation of hell? By building the tombs of the saints? But the first step of piety is to love holiness, the next, to love the saints; for it is not reasonable in him to honour the righteous, who despises righteousness. The saints cannot be friends to those to whom God is an enemy. Shall ye be saved by a mere name, because ye seem to be among God's people! Forasmuch as an open enemy is better than a false friend, so is he more hateful to God, who calls himself the servant of God, and does the commands of the Devil. Indeed, before God he who has resolved to kill a worm is a murderer before the deed is done, for it is the will that is rewarded for good, or punished for evil. Deeds are evidence of the will. God then does not require deeds on His own account that He may know how to judge, but for the sake of other men, that they may perceive that God is righteous. And God affords the opportunity of sin to the wicked, not to make them sin, but to manifest the sinner; and also to the good He gives opportunity to show the purpose of their will. In this way then He gave the Scribes and Pharisees opportunity of showing their purposes, Behold, I send unto you Prophets, and wise men, and Scribes.
As all the good things which had been merited by all the saints in each generation since the foundation of the world were bestowed upon that last generation which received Christ; so all the evil that all the wicked in every generation from the foundation of the world had deserved to suffer, came upon that last generation of the Jews which rejected Christ. Or thus; Assail the righteous of former saints, yea, of all the saints, could not merit that so great grace as was given to men in Christ; so the sins of all the wicked could not deserve so much evil as came upon the Jews, that they should suffer such things as these suffered from the Romans, and that in after time every generation of them to the end of the world should be cast off from God, and be made a mock by all the Gentiles. For what is there worse than to reject and in such sort to put to death the Son coming in mercy and lowliness! Or thus; Nations and states when they sin are not thereupon immediately punished by God, but He waits for many generations; but when He sees fit to destroy that state or nation, He then seems to visit upon them the sins of all former generations, and one generation suffers the accumulation of all that former generations have deserved. Thus this generation of the Jews seems to have been punished for their fathers; but in truth they suffered not for others, but on their own account.
Remigius of Rheims (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 533
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
It should be enquired too how He says, to the blood of Zacharias, since the blood of many more saints was afterwards shed. This is thus explained. Abel a keeper of sheep was killed in the field, Zacharias a priest was slain in the court of the temple. The Lord therefore names these two, because by these all holy martyrs are denoted, both of lay and priestly order.
Rabanus Maurus (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 856
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
That is, all the vengeance due for the shedding of the blood of the righteous.
Glossa Ordinaria (as quoted by Aquinas, AD 1274)AD 1274
Catena Aurea by Aquinas
(ord.) He means not only those there present, but the whole generation before and after, for all were one city and one body of the Devil.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
In Matthew 23:32, Jesus delivers a profoundly ironic and condemnatory declaration to the scribes and Pharisees, urging them to "fill up then the measure of your fathers." This statement, part of His final public discourse and a series of "woes" against the religious leadership, is not a literal command to sin but a prophetic indictment. It signifies that their persistent rejection of God's messengers, culminating in their opposition to Jesus Himself, was bringing to completion the historical accumulation of Israel's corporate sin, thereby sealing their judgment and the impending divine wrath upon that generation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Matthew 23:32 employs several potent literary devices to convey Jesus' message. The most prominent is Irony, specifically sarcasm. Jesus' "command" to "fill ye up" is not a genuine instruction but a bitter, ironic challenge, highlighting the absurdity and gravity of their ongoing rebellion. He is essentially saying, "Go ahead, finish what your ancestors started; you're already doing it." This sarcasm underscores the depth of their spiritual depravity and the inevitability of divine judgment. Closely related is Hyperbole, as the idea of "filling up" a "measure" of sin, while rooted in a theological concept, is presented with an exaggerated intensity to emphasize the overwhelming accumulation of wickedness. The verse also functions as a Prophetic Declaration, as Jesus is not merely commenting on their past but declaring the future consequences of their actions. He foresees the culmination of their sin leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the judgment upon that generation. This prophetic element adds a layer of solemnity and warning to the otherwise sarcastic tone.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 23:32 serves as a stark reminder of God's patient long-suffering and the ultimate limits of that patience in the face of persistent rebellion. It underscores the concept of corporate sin and the cumulative nature of rejecting divine truth. While God is merciful and desires repentance, there comes a point when a people's rejection of His overtures, particularly His ultimate revelation in Christ, reaches a "full measure," necessitating judgment. This verse highlights the profound responsibility that comes with receiving God's revelation and the severe consequences of rejecting it, especially for those in spiritual leadership. It also foreshadows the impending judgment upon Jerusalem in A.D. 70, viewing it as the culmination of centuries of national apostasy.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 23:32, though directed at the religious leaders of Jesus' day, carries profound implications for believers today. It serves as a sobering warning against hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and the danger of rejecting God's truth, especially when it challenges our comfortable traditions or preconceived notions. We are called to humility and genuine repentance, recognizing that outward religious observance without inward transformation is anathema to Christ. This verse reminds us that there is a limit to divine patience, and continued rebellion or spiritual apathy will inevitably lead to consequences, both individually and corporately. It compels us to examine our own hearts: Are we truly open to God's Word, even when it convicts us? Are we actively participating in the kingdom of God, or are we, like the Pharisees, hindering others from entering? We must learn from history, embracing God's messengers and His truth, lest we, too, contribute to a "measure" of unfaithfulness that incurs divine displeasure.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Jesus literally commanding the Pharisees to sin more?
Answer: No, Jesus was not literally commanding the Pharisees to sin more. His statement, "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers," is a powerful example of sarcasm and irony. It functions as a prophetic indictment, acknowledging that their current actions—especially their rejection of Him, the Messiah—were already actively completing the historical pattern of national rebellion against God's messengers. It was a declaration that they were bringing the accumulated sin of their ancestors to its full, ripe "measure," thereby sealing their own judgment. It's similar to saying, "Go ahead, finish what you've started," when someone is clearly on a destructive path.
What is meant by "the measure of your fathers"?
Answer: "The measure of your fathers" refers to the accumulated quota or full extent of sin and rebellion against God that had been building up through generations of Israel's history. This "measure" was particularly characterized by the persecution and murder of God's prophets, as highlighted in Matthew 23:31 and Matthew 23:34-36. The idea is that God's patience, while vast, has a limit. Once this "measure" of iniquity is full, divine judgment becomes inevitable. The current generation of Pharisees, by rejecting Jesus, were bringing this historical pattern to its climax, thus filling the "measure" and incurring the full weight of judgment. This concept is also seen in Genesis 15:16, where God states the Amorites' iniquity was "not yet full."
What judgment is implied by "filling up the measure"?
Answer: The judgment implied by "filling up the measure" is the full outpouring of God's wrath upon that generation for their persistent rejection of His truth and His Son. This judgment culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple in A.D. 70 by the Roman armies, an event Jesus prophesies in detail elsewhere (e.g., Matthew 24). It signifies the end of an era for the nation of Israel under the old covenant, as their corporate sin reached its historical climax. This judgment was not merely for their own sins but for the "righteous blood shed on earth" from Abel to Zechariah, which would "come upon this generation" (Matthew 23:35-36).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 23:32 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus Himself as the ultimate and final prophet, whose rejection by the religious leaders brought the "measure of sin" to its absolute fullness. Israel's history was a long narrative of rejecting God's messengers, but in Jesus, God sent His own Son (Matthew 21:33-41). The Pharisees' decision to oppose and ultimately orchestrate the crucifixion of Jesus was the quintessential act that "filled up the measure" of their fathers' rebellion. In His death, Jesus not only became the ultimate victim of this accumulated sin but also the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). His suffering and death, while a consequence of their sin, simultaneously became the means by which the "measure" of God's wrath against sin could be poured out upon Him, the innocent substitute, rather than upon humanity (Romans 3:25). Thus, the very act that completed the measure of human sin also provided the perfect sacrifice to atone for it, opening the way for all who believe to receive forgiveness and escape the judgment that such a "full measure" would otherwise entail (Romans 5:8-9).