“But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,”
They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. The performance motivation: all their deeds done to be seen (theaomai — the same root as theater). The expanded phylacteries (the boxes containing Scripture passages strapped to the forehead and arm for prayer) and the lengthened fringes (the tassels on the prayer garment) are the visible religious practices that signal devotion while communicating status.
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