whited) The Jews used to whiten their sepulchres with chalk.
28. 'Avoftias, unrighteousness) This is strictly opposed to righteousness.
29. l "Or; oixodo/AtTre — ruv fftfjntt — -/.off/j,s?Tt — TUV dixaiuv, because ye build — of the prophets — and garnish — of the righteous) (see ver 35). This was all that they did in memorial of the ancient prophets and righteous men, without observing their words or imitating their deeds ; with a resemblance to their fathers in their dispositions ; with a contempt of the Messiah, to whom those prophets had borne witness. Understand, therefore, only, as in ch. xxiv. 38. Scripture is wont to call those who have died in the Lord righteous, rather than saints ;2 see Luke xiv. 14, and Heb. xii. 23.
30. Asyen, ye say) By your public protestation. — ovx av r\^v, x.r.X., we would not have been, etc.) Such was their self-confidence.
31. MotprvpsTre, ye bear witness) sc. by your deeds, ver. 29, by your words, ver. 30.
32. Ka/ vpsTs vXripuaars, Jill ye up then) The pronoun ty/,f%, you, is not only introduced in contrast to your fathers, but also shows that there is an indicative force in the imperative crX^w- aars, Jill ye up ; q.d. ye imlljill up, Jill ye up therefore ; cf. John xiii. 27. Fill ye up whenever ye will, be ye no longer hindered ; be ye left to yourselves : perform then with the hand that which you cherish in the heart. — rl fterpov, the measure) As there is a measure of life and of suffering, so is there also of sin, when, for example, to three transgressions is added a fourth ; see Amos i. 3, etc.
33. 'E^idvuv, of vipers) Which are mentioned in ver. 30, 31, 32. — TWJ puyjjrs, how can ye escape) The subjunctive.
34. A/d roDro, jc.r.X., wherefore, etc.) A corollary of the eighth woe. — 'Eyw, 7) In the parallel passage of St Luke, xi. 49, we read, dia rouro xai i] eoficx, roD Qzov ti-Trtv, ' AvoanXu, x.r.X., wherefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send, etc. The first chapter of the second book of Esdras3 and this passage have a wonder-
1 OTI oUo^otu.slri) A hypocrite brings guilt on himself, even in respect to those things which are not unrighteous or wrong in themselves. — V. g.
2 In Latin, u saint " and " holy " are both expressed by the same word, u sanctus." — (I. B.)
3 In the original, " Liber iv. Esrae, cap. i." — (I. B.)