*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
Lawyers - Men learned in the law; but it is not known in what way the lawyers differed from the "scribes," or whether they were Pharisees or Sadducees.
Thus saying, thou - He felt that the remarks of Jesus about loving the chief seats, etc., applied to them as well as to the Pharisees. His conscience told him that if "they" were to blame, "he" was also, and he therefore applied the discourse to himself.
Reproachest - Accusest. Dost calumniate or blame us, for we do the same things. Sinners often consider "faithfulness" as "reproach" - they know not how to separate them. Jesus did "not" reproach or abuse them. He dealt faithfully with them; reproved them; told them the unvarnished truth. Such faithfulness is rare; but when it "is" used, we must expect that people will flinch, perhaps be enraged. Though their consciences tell them they are "guilty," still they will consider it as abuse.
Thou reproachest us - He alone who searches the heart could unmask these hypocrites; and he did it so effectually that their own consciences acknowledged the guilt, and re-echoed their own reproach.
(14) Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.
(14) Hypocrites are very severe against other men, but think that all things are lawful for themselves.
Then answered one of the lawyers,.... Or Scribes, as the Syriac and Persic versions read: and so the Ethiopic version calls him, "a Scribe of the city": the Scribes and lawyers were the same sort of persons who were interpreters of the law, and equally tenacious of the traditions of the elders Christ had referred to, as the Pharisees, and in general were Pharisees; though some of them might be of the sect of the Sadducees. This man observing that Christ, in his last words, joined the Scribes and Pharisees together, and charged them both with hypocrisy, and pronounced a woe upon them, was very uneasy at it:
and saith unto him, master, thus saying, thou reproachest us also; us lawyers, or Scribes also; both by mentioning their names, and accusing the Pharisees of the same things, which they must be conscious to themselves they were equally guilty of; so that if the one were criminal, the others were also. The Ethiopic version reads by way of interrogation, "what thou sayest, does it not injure us?"
One of the lawyers - That is scribes; expounders of the law.
*More commentary available at chapter level.