Phylactery
What Phylacteries Are
A phylactery (known in Hebrew as tefillin) is a small leather box containing parchment inscribed with specific passages of Scripture. Two phylacteries are worn during weekday morning prayers: one bound to the inner side of the left arm near the elbow, with the strap wound down the arm and around the middle finger, and one placed on the forehead between the eyes. The arm phylactery contains a single parchment with all four prescribed passages, while the head phylactery is divided into four compartments, each holding one passage. The four texts are Exodus 13:1-10, Exodus 13:11-16, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, and Deuteronomy 11:13-21.
The Biblical Basis
The practice of wearing phylacteries is derived from several Old Testament passages. In Exodus 13:9, God commands regarding the Passover observance: "It shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth." Similar language appears in Exodus 13:16, Deuteronomy 6:8 ("You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes"), and Deuteronomy 11:18. Whether these commands were originally intended to be taken literally or figuratively has been debated. Many scholars believe the original intent was metaphorical — that God's commands should be as close and constant as something bound to the hand or placed before the eyes. Over time, however, the Jewish tradition interpreted these commands literally, resulting in the physical practice of wearing tefillin.
Jesus' Critique in Matthew 23
The only New Testament reference to phylacteries comes in Jesus' denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:5: "They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long." Jesus' criticism was not directed at the practice of wearing phylacteries itself but at the motivation behind making them conspicuously large. The Pharisees whom Jesus criticized used religious observance as a means of gaining public admiration rather than as a genuine expression of devotion to God. By making their phylacteries wider and more visible than necessary, they turned a private act of devotion into a public advertisement of their piety.
The Meaning Behind the Practice
At its best, the wearing of phylacteries expresses a profound spiritual truth: God's word should be bound to every action (the hand) and every thought (the forehead). The practice is meant to be a physical reminder that the believer's entire life — what they do and what they think — belongs to God. The Shema, one of the passages contained in the phylacteries, declares: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The phylacteries serve as a daily, tangible link to this foundational confession of faith.
Archaeological Discoveries
Remarkably, actual phylacteries from the time of Jesus have been discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran. These tiny leather cases, dating from the second century BC to the first century AD, contain the expected Scripture passages and confirm that the practice was well established before and during Jesus' lifetime. Some of the Qumran phylacteries include additional passages beyond the standard four, suggesting that the exact contents were not yet fully standardized in the Second Temple period. These archaeological finds provide direct physical evidence for a practice that might otherwise be known only from literary sources.
Biblical Context
Phylacteries are directly mentioned only in Matthew 23:5 in the New Testament. The Old Testament basis for the practice is found in Exodus 13:9, 16; Deuteronomy 6:8; and Deuteronomy 11:18. These passages command Israel to bind God's words as a sign on the hand and as frontlets between the eyes. The practice connects to the broader biblical theme of remembering God's law and commands (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 3:3; 7:3).
Theological Significance
The phylactery illustrates the tension between external religious practice and internal devotion. Jesus' critique in Matthew 23 warns against performative religion — doing spiritual things for human approval rather than out of genuine love for God. At the same time, the underlying principle of the phylactery is deeply biblical: God's word should permeate every aspect of life. The challenge Jesus poses is not whether to be devoted but whether devotion is genuine or merely a show.
Historical Background
Archaeological evidence from Qumran confirms that phylacteries were in use from at least the second century BC. The Dead Sea Scrolls community preserved numerous phylactery cases and parchments. Rabbinic literature (Mishnah, Talmud) extensively discusses the regulations surrounding tefillin, including their construction, the order of passages, and the proper manner of wearing them. The Greek word phylakterion means 'guard' or 'safeguard,' suggesting that some may have viewed phylacteries as protective amulets, a tendency that Jewish authorities sought to discourage. The practice of wearing tefillin continues in observant Jewish communities worldwide to this day.