Matthew Chapter 23, Verse 27
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27: ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι παρομοιαζετε ταφοις κεκονιαμενοις οιτινες εξωθεν μεν φαινονται ωραιοι εσωθεν δε γεμουσιν οστεων νεκρων και πασης ακαθαρσιας
27: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are
like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful
outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all
uncleanness.
27: Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are
like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful but
within are full of dead men's bones and of all filthiness.
Like unto whited sepulchres. For the construction of sepulchres, See Barnes "Mt 8:28".
Those tombs were annually white- washed, to prevent the people from accidentally coming in contact with them as they went up to Jerusalem, The law considered those persons unclean who had touched anything belonging to the dead, Num 19:16. Sepulchres were therefore often whitewashed, that they might be distinctly seen. Thus "whited," they appeared beautiful; but within they contained the bones and corrupting bodies of the dead. So the Pharisees. Their outward conduct appeared well; but their hearts were full of hypocrisy, envy, pride, lust, and malice - fitly represented by the corruption within a whited tomb.
