(43) Ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues.—See Notes on Matthew 23:6-7.

Luke 11:43-44. Wo unto you, for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, &c. — Here he denounces the judgment of God against them for their pride, which was so excessive, that it appeared in their carriage in the streets, and at all public meetings. See on Matthew 23:6-7. Wo unto you, scribes and Pharisees — In this wo he joins the scribes with the Pharisees, and condemns the hypocrisy of both. For ye are as graves, &c. — Under a show of humility and contempt of the world, you are proud, voluptuous, and rapacious, and so resemble concealed graves, which are apt to pollute those who walk over them. Or, as graves appear not when overgrown with grass, so that men are not aware till they stumble upon them, and either hurt themselves, or, at least, are defiled by touching them, so your deceit, hypocrisy, and wickedness are not discovered, being hid under the appearance of strict sanctity which you put on; but, nevertheless, these your vices defile and injure many. On another occasion Christ compared them to whited sepulchres, fair without, but foul within. See on Matthew 23:27-28.

11:37-54 We should all look to our hearts, that they may be cleansed and new-created; and while we attend to the great things of the law and of the gospel, we must not neglect the smallest matter God has appointed. When any wait to catch something out of our mouths, that they may insnare us, O Lord, give us thy prudence and thy patience, and disappoint their evil purposes. Furnish us with such meekness and patience that we may glory in reproaches, for Christ's sake, and that thy Holy Spirit may rest upon us.See Matthew 23:6, Matthew 23:27. 43. uppermost seats—(See on [1644]Lu 14:7-11).

greetings—(See on [1645]Mt 23:7-10).

See Poole on "Matthew 23:6", See Poole on "Matthew 23:7". Their fault was not in their taking them, but in their affecting them, and in being ambitious of them. God is the God of order, and we are bound to give honour to whom honour belongs; but pride and ambition are detestable sins, especially in such as should be teachers of humility, and the vanity of all things below.

Woe unto you Pharisees, for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues,.... And also the uppermost rooms at feasts, Matthew 23:6

and greetings in the market; See Gill on Matthew 23:6 and See Gill on Matthew 23:7.

{12} Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

(12) Hypocrisy and ambition are commonly joined together.