{The old is good} (Ho palaios chr(8873)tos estin). So the best
MSS. rather that chr(8873)toteros, comparative (better). Westcott
and Hort wrongly bracket the whole verse, though occurring in
Aleph, B C L and most of the old documents. It is absent in D and
some of the old Latin MSS. It is the philosophy of the
obscurantist, that is here pictured by Christ. "The prejudiced
person will not even try the new, or admit that it has any
merits. He knows that the old is pleasant, and suits him; and
that is enough; he is not going to change" (Plummer). This is
Christ's picture of the reactionary Pharisees.