Texts in Conversation
Matthew’s description of the Pharisees sitting on Moses’ seat is similar to Rabbinic tradition such as Pesikta D’Rav Kahanna. Both describe a special teaching seat used to express authority when teaching and interpreting the Torah.
Share:
2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Matthew 23:2
New Testament
1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. 6 They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ 8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.
Date: 70–90 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Pesikta D'Rav Kahanna 1:7
Midrash
Rabbinic
In further comment, the six correspond to the six steps of the king’s throne. What significance did each step have? When the king set foot on the first step as he was going up to his seat, a herald came forth and cried: He shall not multiply wives to himself. When the king set foot on the second step as he was going up to his seat, a herald came forth and cried: He shall not multiply horses to himself. When the king set foot on the third step, a herald came forth and cried: Neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. When he set foot on the fourth step, a herald came forth and cried: Thou shalt not wrest judgment. When he set foot on the fifth step, a herald came forth and cried: Thou shalt not respect persons. When he set foot on the sixth step, a herald came forth and cried: Neither shalt thou take a gift. And when he was about to sit down, after having set foot on the seventh step, he was told: Know before Whom you are about to sit down. And the top of the throne was round behind (Kings 10:19) means, according to R. Aha, that the throne resembled the seat of Moses: And there were arms on either side of the throne by the place of the seat
Date: 400–700 CE (based on scholarly estimates)
Search:
Notes and References
"... Jesus’ education and understanding of Torah was in agreement with the Pharisees’ norms, based on both the Written and Oral Torah (Luke 2:41-47). He even taught his disciples and followers: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in the seat of Moses, so be careful to observe everything they tell you” (Matt. 23:2-3). The expression “seat of Moses” is also found in midrashic literature and such seats have actually been found in ancient synagogues. Jesus, however, warned the people not to behave like the Pharisees, because “they say, but do not do” (Matt. 23:3) ..."
Shmuel Safrai, “Jesus and the Hasidim,” Jerusalem Perspective (1994): 3–22.
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
Your Feedback:
Leave a Comment
Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.
User Comments
,