{In the hearing of all the people} (akouontos pantos tou
laou). Genitive absolute, "while all the people were listening"
(present active participle). That is the time to speak. The
details in this verse and verse  47  are precisely those given in
 Mr 12:38f. , which see for discussion of details.  Mt 23:1-39 
has a very full and rich description of this last phase of the
debate in the temple where Jesus drew a full-length portrait of
the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes in their presence. It
was a solemn climax to this last public appearance of Christ in
the temple when Jesus poured out the vials of his indignation as
he had done before ( Mt 16:2  Lu 11:37-54  12-1 ).