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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Part 2: Their fringes are long and their phylacteries are big - Jesus...

In Part 1 of this study, it was learned what phylacteries were, http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2011/01/their-fringes-are-long.html.

What are the fringes that Jesus spoke of in the verse below?:
[5] They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, (Matthew 23:5 ESV)


Fringes were tassels woven with blue cord that hung from the four corners of a Jewish man's outer garment. These were worn as reminders to follow God's commandments and to stay holy in the Word. The idea for these tassels are found in the following Bible verses:

[37] The LORD said to Moses, [38] “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. [39] And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. [40] So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. [41] I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD your God.” (Numbers 15:37-41 ESV)

[12] “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself. (Deuteronomy 22:12 ESV)

Even today, fringes are worn by the observant Orthodox Jewish man. The Jewish name for the fringes is 'Tzitzit'.

Tzitzit or Fringes on the prayer shawl of a Jewish man.


The point of Jesus' criticism of the Pharisee's "long fringes" was that they were more obvious in long length on their garments, so that everyone could see how holy and observant they were. Everything about the Pharisees was in showing others how religious they were, in very bold and highly visible ways. We know that Jesus wore "fringes" based on the following verses, [20] And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, [21] for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” (Matthew 9:20-21 ESV) and this verse, She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. (Luke 8:44 ESV)

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