Bible Strands
Matthew 23:6
They love the places of honor at banquets, the chief seats in the synagogues,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the crowds and His disciples while condemning the religious leaders for performing righteous acts solely to gain public approval. He identifies their pursuit of social prestige as a direct contradiction to genuine piety.
The words — The text highlights πρωτοκλισίαν (prōtoklisian), literally "chief place," and φιλοῦσιν (philousin), meaning "they love." These terms describe a deliberate preference for positions of authority and recognition.
The thread — This pursuit of elevated seating and public acclaim recurs in Mark 12:38, Luke 11:43, and 3 John 1:9, where similar figures seek primacy and formal recognition. The pattern consistently links religious or social status-seeking with performative devotion.
Why it lands — The passage demands self-examination of motives behind public religious or social actions. It requires readers to reject the pursuit of visible honor and align conduct with private accountability rather than external validation.
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
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Cross-references
- 3 John 1:9 I have written to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not accept our instruction.
- Mark 12:38 In 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 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces.
- Proverbs 25:6 Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men;
- Luke 14:7 When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable:
- James 2:1 My brothers, as you hold out your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, do not show favoritism.
- Luke 20:46 “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.
- Matthew 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.”
- Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.