Matthew 23:24

"“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone."

Key Reflection

Jesus criticizes the scribes and Pharisees for focusing on minor details like tithe calculations while neglecting more essential aspects of the law such as justice, mercy, and faith. This highlights the spiritual priority of heart over ritualistic obedience, emphasizing that true worship involves ethical living and compassion.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 24. Which strain at a gnat, etc. This is a proverb. There is, however, a mistranslation or misprint here, which makes the verse unmeaning. To strain AT a gnat conveys no sense. It should have been, to strain OUT a gnat; and so it is printed in some of the earlier versions; and so it was undoubtedly rendered by the translators. The common reading is a misprint, and should be corrected. The Greek means, to strain out by a cloth or sieve. A gnat. The gnat has its origin in the water, not in great rivers, but in pools and marshes. In the stagnant waters they appear in the form of small grubs, or larvae.

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