Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 23].
23:33 {Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers} (\opheis genn•mata
echidn•n\). These blistering words come as a climax and remind
one of the Baptist (3:17) and of the time when the Pharisees
accused Jesus of being in league with Beelzebub (12:34). They
cut to the bone like whip-cords. {How shall ye escape} (\p•s
phug•te\). Deliberate subjunctive. There is a curse in the Talmud
somewhat like this: "Woe to the house of Annas! Woe to their
serpent-like hissings."
23:35 {Zachariah son of Barachiah} (\Zachariou huiou Barachiou\).
Broadus gives well the various alternatives in understanding and
explaining the presence of "son of Barachiah" here which is not
in Lu 11:51. The usual explanation is that the reference is to
Zachariah the son of Jehoiada the priest who was slain in the
court of the temple (2Ch 24:20ff.). How the words, "son of
Barachiah," got into Matthew we do not know. A half-dozen
possibilities can be suggested. In the case of Abel a reckoning
for the shedding of his blood was foretold (Ge 4:10) and the
same thing was true of the slaying of Zachariah (2Ch 24:22).
23:37 {How often would I have gathered} (\posakis •thel•sa
episunagein\). More exactly, how often did I long to gather to
myself (double compound infinitive). The same verb (\episunagei\)
is used of the hen with the compound preposition \hupokat•\.
Everyone has seen the hen quickly get together the chicks under
her wings in the time of danger. These words naturally suggest
previous visits to Jerusalem made plain by John's Gospel.
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Matthew: Chapter 23)