πάντα δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν ποιοῦσι πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, πλατύνουσι γὰρ τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν καὶ μεγαλύνουσι τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἰματίων αὐτῶν, (Matthew 23:5)
Doing Religion to Be Watched
Matthew 23:5 comes from Jesus’ rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees for their performative religiosity. The verse is a grammatical snapshot of ostentatious piety: they do works not for God, but πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις — “to be seen by men.”
Jesus exposes their inner motives through Greek constructions, including:
– A purpose clause with the articular infinitive
– Present active verbs expressing habitual, ongoing action
– A revealing use of the accusative neuter plural to show totality
– Object elaboration through accusative noun phrases with possessive pronouns
Let’s examine the grammar through a detailed table.
Grammatical Analysis Table
| Greek Phrase | Form & Morphology | Function | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| πάντα δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν | Accusative neuter plural with adjective “all” + possessive pronoun | Direct object of ποιοῦσι | “But all their works” — emphasizes totality of their actions |
| ποιοῦσι | Present active indicative, 3rd person plural from ποιέω |
Main verb | “they do” — continuous present action |
| πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις | Preposition + article + aorist passive infinitive + dative plural | Articular infinitive of purpose | “in order to be seen by men” — reveals motive |
| πλατύνουσι τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν | Present active indicative + accusative plural noun + possessive | Specific action #1 | “they broaden their phylacteries” — exaggerating religious symbols |
| μεγαλύνουσι τὰ κράσπεδα τῶν ἰματίων αὐτῶν | Present active indicative + accusative object + genitive of possession | Specific action #2 | “they enlarge the tassels of their garments” — emphasis on public show |
Syntax of Showmanship
– The structure πρὸς τὸ + infinitive is a classic purpose clause in Greek. It signals intentionality, not accident.
– The verbs πλατύνουσι (“broaden”) and μεγαλύνουσι (“enlarge”) are present active, indicating these actions are ongoing practices, not one-time mistakes.
– The accusative neuter plural πάντα τὰ ἔργα frames the entire sentence: this is a habitual pattern of life, not an isolated event.
– The genitive τῶν ἰματίων αὐτῶν (“of their garments”) marks ownership, reinforcing that these are deliberate self-displays.
When Infinitives Reveal Intent
This verse teaches that not all good works are good — when done πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι, even religious acts become self-glorifying. The grammar exposes the heart:
– What they do (ποιοῦσι) is religious.
– Why they do it (πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι) is pride.
– How they do it (πλατύνουσι… μεγαλύνουσι) is exaggerated.
Greek makes it plain: this is not about the presence of piety, but the motive behind it. And in that motive, even the grammar calls them to repentance.
