They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
Parallel translations
- WEB and love the place of honor at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
- KJV And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
- NKJV They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
- NASB And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,
- NLT And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
They crave the seats of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues. It exposes a love of status that corrupts religious leadership.
Overview
The Pharisees delighted in public recognition and prestige. Their hunger for honor revealed hearts set on self rather than on serving God and others. Jesus, by contrast, took the lowest place, washing his disciples' feet and giving his life, showing that greatness in God's kingdom is found in humble service.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 3 Jn 1:9I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.
- Mark 12:38–39In His teaching Jesus also said, “Watch out for the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, to receive greetings in the marketplaces,
- Luke 11:43–54Woe to you Pharisees! You love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
- Luke 14:7–11When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
- Prov 25:6–7Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;
- Jas 2:1–4My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
- Luke 20:46–47“Beware of the scribes. They like to walk around in long robes, and they love the greetings in the marketplaces, the chief seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.
- Rom 12:10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
- Matt 20:21“What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 23:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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