Matthew 23:35

Matthew 23:35

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

a. NLT: As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous unto the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar. [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: That on you may come all the righteous blood being poured out on the earth from the blood of Abel the righteous, unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the sanctuary and the altar: [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified: So that upon your heads may come all the blood of the righteous ([m]those who correspond to the divine standard of right) shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar [of burnt offering]. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

1. “That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth…”

a. That [Strong: 3704. hopos hop'-oce from 3739 and 4459; what(-ever) how, i.e. in the manner that (as adverb or conjunction of coincidence, intentional or actual):--because, how, (so) that, to, when.]

b. upon [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

c. you [Strong: 5209. humas hoo-mas' accusative case of 5210; you (as the objective of a verb or preposition):--ye, you (+ -ward), your (+ own).]

d. [may] come [Strong: 2064. erchomai er'-khom-ahee middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred (middle voice) eleuthomai el-yoo'-thom-ahee, or (active) eltho el'-tho, which do not otherwise occur) to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively):--accompany, appear, bring, come, enter, fall out, go, grow, X light, X next, pass, resort, be set.]

e. all [Strong: 3956. pas pas including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole:--all (manner of, means), alway(-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no(-thing), X thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.]

f. [the] righteous [Strong: 1342. dikaios dik'-ah-yos from 1349; equitable (in character or act); by implication, innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively):--just, meet, right(-eous).]

g. blood [Strong: 129. haima hah'-ee-mah of uncertain derivation; blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred:--blood.]

h. shed [Strong: 1632. ekcheo ek-kheh'-o, or (by variation) ekchuno ek-khoo'-no from 1537 and cheo (to pour); to pour forth; figuratively, to bestow:--gush (pour) out, run greedily (out), shed (abroad, forth), spill.]

i. upon [Strong: 1909. epi ep-ee' a primary preposition; properly, meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution (with the genitive case), i.e. over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.:--about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, (where-))fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-)on (behalf of), over, (by, for) the space of, through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).]

j. the [Strong: 3588. [tes] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tes] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

k. earth [Strong: 1093. ge ghay contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application):--country, earth(-ly), ground, land, world.]

2. “…from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.”

a. from [Strong: 575. apo apo' a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):--(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.]

b. the [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

c. blood [Strong: 129. haima hah'-ee-mah of uncertain derivation; blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred:--blood.]

d. [of] righteous [Strong: 1342. dikaios dik'-ah-yos from 1349; equitable (in character or act); by implication, innocent, holy (absolutely or relatively):--just, meet, right(-eous).]

e. Abel [Strong: 6. Abel ab'-el of Hebrew origin (1893); Abel, the son of Adam:--Abel.]

f. unto [Strong: 2193. heos heh'-oce of uncertain affinity; a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place):--even (until, unto), (as) far (as), how long, (un-)til(-l), (hither-, un-, up) to, while(-s).]

g. the [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

h. blood [Strong: 129. haima hah'-ee-mah of uncertain derivation; blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred:--blood.]

i. [of] Zacharias [Strong: 2197. Zacharias dzakh-ar-ee'-as of Hebrew origin (2148); Zacharias (i.e. Zechariah), the name of two Israelites:--Zacharias.]

j. son [Strong: 5207. huios hwee-os' apparently a primary word; a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship:--child, foal, son.]

k. [of] Barachias [Strong: 914. Barachias bar-akh-ee'-as of Hebrew origin (1296); Barachias (i.e. Berechijah), an Israelite:--Barachias.]

l. whom [Strong: 3739. hos hos, including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

m. [ye] slew [Strong: 5407. phoneuo fon-yoo'-o from 5406; to be a murderer (of):--kill, do murder, slay.]

n. between [Strong: 3342. metaxu met-ax-oo' from 3326 and a form of 4862; betwixt (of place or person); (of time) as adjective, intervening, or (by implication) adjoining:--between, mean while, next.]

o. the [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

p. temple [Strong: 3485. naos nah-os' from a primary naio (to dwell); a fane, shrine, temple :--shrine, temple.]

q. and [Strong: 2532. kai kahee apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

r. the [Strong: 3588. [tou] ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tou] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.]

s. altar [Strong: 2379. thusiasterion thoo-see-as-tay'-ree-on from a derivative of 2378; a place of sacrifice, i.e. an altar (special or genitive case, literal or figurative):--altar.]

1). The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict, Josh McDowell. “With these words Jesus confirms his witness to the extent of the Old Testament canon. Abel was the first martyr recorded in Scripture (Genesis 4:8), and Zechariah the last martyr to be named in the Hebrew Old Testament order, having been stoned while prophesying to the people “in the court of the house of the LORD” (2 Chronicles 24:21). Genesis was the first book in the Hebrew canon, and Chronicles the last. So Jesus was basically saying “from Genesis to Chronicles,” or according to our order, “from Genesis to Malachi,” thereby confirming the divine authority and inspiration of the entire Hebrew canon.” 

2). The Hebrew Bible begins with Genesis and ends with Chronicles. Abel was slain in Genesis 4:8 while Zacharias was slain in 2 Chronicles 24:20, 21. This was the equivalent of us saying from Genesis to Revelation. The only problem with this is Jesus said Zecharias was the son of Barachias and in 2 Chronicles 24 it clearly says Zecharias was the son of Jehoiada. This leads one scholar [Dake] to declare that the Zecharias to which Jesus referred was actually the prophet Zecharias whose father was named Berechiah [a slight variation in spelling], not the Zecharias of 2 Chronicles, which would in effect cast doubt on the belief Jesus was setting the bounds of the Old Testament with his statement.

a). Dake’s Notes on Matthew 23:35: This was no doubt Zechariah the prophet (Zechariah 1:1). Here we learn of his death in the temple. It could not be the one in 2 Chronicles 24:20, 21 who was the son of Jehoiada.

b). Dake’s notes are conflicting for in his note on 2 Chronicles 24:20 apparently after further research he says the following: “The Zechariah who was stoned here was not the prophet who wrote the book of Zechariah, for he did not live until after the Babylonian captivities (Zechariah 1:1; 3:1; 4:8, 9; Compare with Haggai 1:12-15). This prophet was the son of Jehoiada and lived at least 150-170 years before the captivity (v. 20). Both men were stoned, one in the court of the temple (v. 21, 22; Matthew 23:35.”

c). Scofield Reference Bible places the Zechariah who was stoned in 2 Chronicles 24:20, 21 in the middle of the ninth century B.C. (850). It places the prophet Zechariah toward the end of the 6th century B.C. (519).  

d). Unger’s Bible Dictionary has this note: “Son of the high priest Jehoiada in the reign of Joash, king of Judah (II Chronicles 24:20), and therefore the king's cousin. After the death of Jehoiada, Zechariah probably succeeded to his office, and in attempting to check the reaction in favor of idolatry which immediately followed, he fell victim to a conspiracy formed against him by the king, and was stoned in the court of the temple, B.C. 836. It is probable that Zacharias, the son of Barachias,” who was slain between the temple and the altar (Matthew 23:35), is the same as Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, and that the name of Barachias as his father crept into the text from a marginal gloss, the writer confusing this Zechariah either with Zechariah, or with another Zechariah, the son of Jeberechiah (Isaiah 8:2).”   

3). This excludes all the inter-testamental books, the Apocrypha: I & II Esdras, Tobit, Judith, Additions to Esther, Wisdom, Ecclesiasticus, Baruch, Letter of Jeremiah, Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, Susanna, Bel and the Dragon, Prayer of Manasseh, I, II, III, & IV Maccabees. None of these books were considered Scripture by Christ Jesus or the Jews. So we shouldn’t either. Jesus also agreed with and gave testimony concerning the three divisions the Hebrew Bible was divided. 

a). Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.