The Matthean Misrepresentation of Tephillîn

Abstract

In the fifth verse of the twenty-third chapter of Matthew, one of the strongest of the anti-pharisaic passages in the Bible, we find: But all their works they do to be seen of men; they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments. The common acceptance of the alleged hypocrisy of the Pharisees owes much to this statement; there is probably not a book written on the religious attitude of the Pharisees which does not quote it. An examination of the use of the word phylakte'ria and of the place of the tephillin in the Jewish religious consciousness is highly interesting. The word phylacteries comes to us, of course, from the Greek. In the first century the meaning of the word was or charm, something that possessed the magical power of protecting the wearer or holder against evil spirits or other malign influences. There were many different kinds of amulets, among them slips of parchment upon which were written words of magic that were placed in cases and hung around the neck, called paridpton and peridmma, words synonymous with phylaktiria. While it was true that a pious Jew who wore his tephillin might have felt himself safe from demons, evil spirits, and harm, it was not because he had on his person what he would have considered a heathen amulet or charm.' The tephillin were inscribed with passages from the Torah, that same Holy Writ which contained promises from God that he would protect Israel and those of his children who trusted in him and observed his commandments. Such promises of protection were: shall observe to do therefore as the your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the thy God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess (Deut. 5:29-30), and Hear therefore 0 Israel, and observe to do it [God's statutes and commandments] that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily (Deut. 6:3). There was no mystery or magic about this; again and again was the promise reiterated that if Israel observed the statutes which his God had given him, and for the exemplification and the preservation of which he had been chosen, he be blessed in his own land, where he will eat without scarceness, he lack nothing . . .. , he eat and be satisfied and bless the Lord (Deut. 8:9-10). The feeling of security that a pious person has because of faith in God and in his promises, whether the individual lived