Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
These men bore the name hypocrite without shame, and our Lord's courage in rebuking them so freely shows His power over those who held great credit with the people. The whitened sepulchres they resemble are marked with lime so that the unwary might avoid them and escape defilement; their outward show conceals the corruption within.
AI summary
Verse 26. Cleanse first, etc. Let them be filled with the fruits of honest industry, and then the outside and the inside will be really clean. By this allusion to the cup and platter, he taught them that it was necessary to cleanse the heart first, that the external conduct might be really pure and holy.
Clean the inside first, and the outside will follow. He Who made the outer life demands mastery of the inner man equally; but these Pharisees reverse it, polishing the vessel while their hearts remain foul. Give alms instead of hoarding, and your meals will be eaten with hands truly clean.
AI summary