Note 12 at Mt. 23:15: The Greek noun translated "proselyte" here is "proselutos." It comes from a verb meaning "to approach" and is used to designate a stranger from a foreign region (Ex. 22:21; 23:9; Dt. 10:19). The law of Moses permitted certain rights to strangers living in Israel but obligated them to comply to certain religious laws.

They were not to blaspheme God's name (Lev. 24:16), indulge in idolatrous worship (Lev. 20:2), work on the sabbath (Ex. 20:10), eat leavened bread during the passover (Ex. 12:19), or eat blood or the bodies of animals that had died of natural death or were torn by wild beasts (Lev. 17:10,15). If a stranger wanted to become a citizen, he was to be circumcised and come under the observance of the whole law (Ex. 12:48-49). Exceptions to this were the Ammonites and Moabites (Dt. 23:3).

The wide usage of the word "proselyte" in the New Testament meant "a convert to Judaism" (Mt. 23:15; Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43). Its general meaning is a convert from one religion to another.

Note 13 at Mt. 23:15: Jesus bore witness to the evangelistic zeal of the scribes and Pharisees. However, they were not converting people to the Lord but rather to follow their own traditions. Likewise today, many religious groups appear zealous for God but if their intentions were analyzed, they would be just like this group that Jesus is rebuking.

Most people are motivated to tell others of Jesus by preaching that scares or condemns them for failure to do so. They don't witness, but instead, what comes across is harsh legalism which always accompanies "works-oriented" religion.

The individual receiving the witness might accept the Lord in spite of the motives behind the witness, but if he continues to associate with that group, he will be poisoned by these hypocritical motives.