Matthew 23:4

They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses the crowds and his disciples regarding the scribes and Pharisees, immediately following his warning to follow their instruction but reject their hypocrisy.

The words — δεσμεῦουσιν (desmeuousin) means "they tie up" or bind, and ἐπιτίθησιν (epitithēsin) means "they lay upon" or place. These verbs describe the literal action of forcing heavy, hard-to-bear loads onto others.

The thread — This pattern of imposing unmanageable demands appears in Luke 11:46, Acts 15:10, and Galatians 6:13. Each text highlights religious authorities who enforce burdens they refuse to bear themselves or never observed.

Why it lands — The text demands that teachers align their commands with their own practice and refuse to impose rules they will not follow. Readers must examine whether their own expectations of others match the weight they are willing to carry.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Cross-references

Luke 11:46 “Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “For you weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.
Acts 15:10 Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?
Galatians 6:13 For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.
Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Revelation 2:24 But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned the so-called deep things of Satan: I will place no further burden upon you
Acts 15:28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond these essential requirements: