Chapter XLVIII (continued, part 22)
of en v^', jealousy, or ill-will towards a neighbour; " pride,
loolisliness"—in the Old Testament sense of "folly;" i. e., criminal senselessness, the folly of the heart. How appalling is this blacli catalogue! 30. These are the things which defile a man r but to eat with nnwashen hands
deiiletlt not a man—Thus does our Lord sum up this
v. liole searching discourse.
21-28. The Woman of Canaan and her Daughter. For the exposition, see on Mark 7. 2i-.30.
29-39. Miracles of Healing—Four Thousand Miraculously Fed. For the exposition, see on Mark 7. 31;
8. 10. CHAPTER XVI.
Ver. 1-12. A Sign from Heaven Sought and RerrsED Caution against the Leaven of the Pharisees AND Sadducees. For the exposition, see on Mark
8. 11-21.
13-28. Peter's Noble Concession of Christ, and the Benediction Pronounced upon him — Christ's Fipsx Explicit Announcement of His Approaching .SofFEHiNGs, Death, and Resurrection—His Rebuke of Peter and Warning to all the Twelve. (-=Mark
life of God as in this His .Son—though doubtless without that distinct perception afterwards vouchsafed. 17. And Jesus answered and said unto him. Blessed art thou Though it is not to be doubted that Peter, in this noble testimony to Christ, only expressed the conviction of all the Twelve, yet since He alone seems to have had clear enough apprehensions to put that conviction in proper and suitable words, and courage enough to speak them out, and readiness enough to do this at the right time—so he only, of all the Twelve, seems to have.met the present want, and communicated to the saddened soul of the Redeemer at the critical moment that balm which was needed to cheer and refresh it. Nor is Jesus above giving indication of the deep satisfaction which this speech yielded Him, and hastening to respond to It by a signal acknowledgment of Peter in return. Simon-Barjona—
8. 27 ; 9. 1 ; Luke 9. 18-27.) The time of this section—which
Is beyond doubt, and will presently be mentioned—is of Immense importance, and throws a touching interest around the incidents which It records. Peter's Confession, and the Benediction pronounced upon him {v. 13-20). 13. When Jesus came into the coasts—
' the parts,' t. e., the territory or region. In Mark (8. 27) it is "the towns" or
villages.' of Cesarea Phlllppi—It lay at the foot of Mount Lebanon, near the sources of the Jordan, in the territory of Dan, and at the north-east extremity of Pal-
estine. It was originally called Panium (from a cavern In its neighbourhood dedicated to the god Pan) and
Panecus. Philip, the tetrarcli, the only good son of Herod the Great, in whose dominions Paneas lay, having beau-
tified and enlarged it, changed its name to Cesarea, in honour of the Roman emperor, and added Philippi after
Ills own name, to distinguish it from the otlier Cesarea
or, 'son of Jona' (John 1. 42), or Jonas (John 21. 15). This name, denoting his humble fleshly extraction, seems to liave been purposely here mentioned, to contrast the more vividly witli the spiritual elevation to which Divine illumination had raised him. for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee—'This is not the fruit of human teaching.' but my Father which is in heaven —In speaking of God, Jesus, it is to be observed, never calls Him, "Our Father" (see on John 20. 17), but eitlier "your Father"—when He would encourage His timid believing ones with the assurance that He was theirs, and teach themselves to call Him so—or, as here, " My Father," to signify some peculiar action or aspect of Him as " the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." 18. And I say also unto thee q. d., ' As thou hast borne such testimony to Me, even so in return do I to thee.' That thou art Peter—At his first calling, this new name was announced to him as an honour a/<eru)ar(ij to be conferred on him (John 1. 43). Now he gets it, with an explanation of what it was meant to convey, and upon this rock—As "Peter" and "Rock" are one word in the dialect familiarly spoken by our Lord—the Aramaic or Syro-Chaldalc, which was the mother tongue of the couu-
f Acts 10. 1) on the north-east coast of the Mediterranean
6i;a, (JosEPHUS, Antiquities, 15. 10, 3; 18. 2, 1.) This quiet and distant I'etreat Jesus appears to have sought with the view of talking over with the Twelve the fruit of His past labours, and breaking to them for the first time the sad intelligence of His approaching death, he asked hlg disciples—" by the way," says Mark (8. 27), and "as He was alone praying," says Luke (9. 18)—saying, Whom or more grammatically, " Who"—<lo men say that I the Son of man ami—[or, ' that the.Son of man Is'—the recent editors omitting here the TO« of Mark and Luke; though the evidence seems pretty nearly balanced]—7. d., 'What are the views generally entertained of Me, the Son of man, after going up and down among them so long?' He had now closed the first groat stage of His ministry, and was
just entering on *lie last dark one. His spirit, burdened, nought relief in letireraent, not only from the multitude, but even for a season from the Twelve. He retreated into "the secret place of the Most High," pouring out His •oul "In supplications and prayers, with strong crying and tears" (Hebrews 5. 7). On rejoining His disciples, und as thejwei'e pursuing tueir quiet Journey, He asked
Jc^-iiLS F(irc,<liou e li IHk Deulli. MATTHEW XVI. Peter Reproved by Him,
of God, but those that be of men—'Thou art carried away by human views of the way of setting up Messiah g kingdom, quite contrary to those of God.' This was kindly said, not to take off the sharp edge of the rebuke, but to explain and justily it, as it was evident Peter knew not wl'v*- was in the bosom of his rash speech. 34. TIicu said Jesus unto his disciples—Mark (8. 'M) Siiys, " When He had called the people unto Him, with His disciples also, He said unto tlieiii
try— this fXuMud play npon the word c;iii be fully seen only in langiiuKt's which have one wortl lor both. Even in llie
(ji eek it is iniptM leetly represented. In French, as WebSTEK and \ViLKi:<soN remark, it is perfect, Pierre—piei're. I will Itnlld iny CUurcli—not on the man Simon Barjona; but on him as tlie lieaveuly-tauglil confessor of a taith. "My Church," says our Lord, calling the Church His own; a magnificent expression, remarks Bkngel, regarding Himself—nowhere else occurring in
'—turning the rebuke of one into a warning to all—If any man will come after ine, let him deny himself, and lake up his cross, and follow nie. For whosoever will save—'is minded to save,' or bent on saving—liis life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it—See on ch. 10.38,39. 'A suttering and dying Messiah likuth you ill; but what if His servants shall meet the Siune tale? They may not; but who follows Me must be pri pared for the worst.' 'M. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose—or ' forfeit'—his own soul I or wliat sliall a man give in excliange for hig soul I—Instead of these weighty worils, whi<'h we find in Mark also, it is thus expressed, in Luke : "If he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away,'' or belter, 'If he gain the whole world, and destroy or forfeit him-
tile Gospels, and tlie gates of liell— 'of Hades,' or, the unseen world; meaning, the gates of Death: in other words, 'It sliall never perish.' Some explain it of 'the assaults of the powers of darkness;' but though that expresses a glorious trutli, probably the former is the sense here. 19. And I will give unto thee tlie keys of tlie kingdom of lieaven— tlie kingdom of God about to be set up on earth—and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven : and whatsoever thou Shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Whatever this mean, it was soon expressly extended to all the apostles (ch. 18. 18); so that the claim of supreme authority in the Church, made for Peter by the Church of Rome, and then arrogated to themselves by the popes as the legitimate successors of St. Peter, is baseless and impudent. As first in confessing Christ, Peter got this commission before the rest; and with these "keys," on the day of Pentecost, he first "opened the door of faith" to the Jews, and then, in the person of Cornelius, he was honoured to do the same to the Gentiles. Hence, in the lists of the apostles, Peter is always first named. See on eh. 18. IS. One thing is clear, that not in all the New Testament is there tlie vestige of any authority either claimed or exercised by Peter, or conceded to him, above' the rest of the apostles—a thing conclusive against the Romish claims in behalf of that apostle. 30. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no mail that he was Jesus the Clirist—Now that He had been so explicit, they might naturally think the tijne come for giving it out openly ; but here they are told
self.' How awful is the stake as here set forth ! If a man makes the present world—in its various forms of riches, honours, pleasures, and such like—the object of supreme pursuit, be it that he gains the world; yet along with it he forfeits his own soul. Not that any ever did, or ever will gain the whole world—a very small portion of it, indeed, falls to the lot of the most successful of the world's votaries—but to make the extravagant concession, that by giving himself entirely up to it, a man gains the whole world ; yet, setting over against this gain the forfeiture of his soul—neces.sarily following the surrender of his whole lieart to the world—what is he profited? But, if not the whole world, yet possibly something else may be conceived as an equivalent for tlie soul. Well, what is It?—"Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Thus, in language the weightiest, because the simplest, does our Lord shut up His hearers, and all who shall read these words to the end of the world, to the priceless value to every man of his own soul. In Mark and Luke the following words are added : "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words"—'shall be ashamed of belonging to Me, and ashamed of My Gospel,' "in this adulterous and sinful generation" (see on ch. 12. :J0), "of him shall the Sou of man be ashamed when He cometh in the glory of His Father, with the holy angels" (Mark 8. 38; Luke 9. 26). He will render back to that man his own treatment, disowning him before the most august of all assemblies, and putting him to"j/ianje and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12. 2).
it had not.
Announcement of His Approaching Death, and Rebuke of Peter {v.2l-£i). Tlie occasion here is evidently the same.
'Zl. From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples— i.e., with an explicitness and frequency He had never observed before—how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things ("and be rejected," Matt liew and Mark) of tlie elders and chief priests and Borlbcs—not as before, merely by not receiving Him, but by formal deeds—and be killed, and be raised again the third clay—Mark (8. 32) atlds, that "He spake that saying openly"-' explicitly,' or 'without disguise.' 3'4. Then Peter took him—[asidej, apart from the rest; presuming
' O sh.tme,' exclaims Bengki,, ' to be put to shame before God, Christ, and angels!" The sense of shame is founded on our love of reputation, which causes instinctive aversion to what is fitted to lower it, and was given us as a preservative from all that is properly shameful. To be lost to sha^ne is to be nearly past hope. (Zcplianiah 3.5; Jeremiah 0.15; 3.3.) But when Christ and " His words" are unpopular, thesanie Instinctive desire to stand well irith others begets that temptation to be ashamed of Him which only the 'expulsive powi'r* of a higher aH'ectlon can ell'ectually counteract. iiT. For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels—in the splendour of ilis Father's authority and with all His angelic ministers, ready to execute His pleasure—and then he shall rewartl, Ac. Verily I say un)o you, There be some standing here—'.some of those standing here'—which shall not taste of deatli,
(M1 the distinction just conferred on him; showing how unexpected and distasteful to them all was the announcement—and began to rebuke him—afTectionately, yet with a certain generous indignation, to chide him. saying, lie it far from thee : this shall not be unto thee—
i. e., ' If I can help it:' tlie same spirit that prompted him
ill tlie garden todraw the sword in His behalf (John 18. lU). 23. But he turned, and said—in the hearing of the rest;
for Mark (8.3.?) expressly says, "When lie had turne(l about and looked on His disciples. He rebuked Peter;" perceiving that he had but boldly uttered what others
felt, and that the check was needed by them also—Get thee behind me, Satan—the same words as He had addressed to the Tempter (Luke -1. 8); for He felt iti It asatanic lure, a whisper from hell, to move Him from His purpose to sufli r. So He shciok ofl" the Serpent, then coiling around Him, and " lelt no harm" (Acts 28.5). How quickly has the "rock" turned to a devil 1 The fruit of Divine
till they see the Son «f man coming in his kingdom
or, as in Mark (9.1), "till they .see the kingdom of God come with power;" or, as in Luke (9»27), more simply
ti'acliing the Lord delighted to honour in Peter; but the mouthpiece of hell, which he had in a moment of fol-getfulness become, the Lord shook oil" with horror, thou art an offence— ' a stumbling-blo(d('—unto inei "I'hou plnycst the Tempter, casting a stumbling-block In my way to the Cross. Could it succeed, where wert thou ? and bow should the Serjx'.it's head be iiruised ?' for thou Wtvourcat not— ' thou Ihinkest uut'-'-tiie things that be
still, " tin they see the kingdom of God." The reference, beyond doubt, is to the firm establishment and victorious progress, in the lifetime of some then present, of that new kingdom of Christ, which was destined to work the greatest of all changes on this earth, and be Che graud pledge of His final coming lu glory.
0ui»t ForeteUeth His Passion. MATTHEW XVII, XVIII. The Tribute Money.
not your master pay tribute t—The question seems to imply that the payment of this tax was voluntary, but ei-
j)«:«t'd ,• or what, in modern phrase, would be called a'voluntary assessment.' 35. He saitlt. yes—7. rf., ' To be sui'e He does;' as if eager to remove even the suspicion of the contrary. If Peter knew—ius surely he did—that there was at this time no money in the biig, this reply must be regarded as a great act of faith in his Master. Andtvhcn he was come into the house—Peter's—Jesus prevcjtled l»lm—'anticipated him;' according to the old sense of tlie word " prevent"—saying, Wliat tliinkest thou, Simon T —using his family name for familiarity, ofwhom do tlie kings of tine earth take custom—meaning custom on goods exported or impoited—or tribute—meaning the poll-tax, payable to the Romans by every one whose name was in the 'census.' This, therefore, it will be observed, was strictly a civil tax. of tlieir own cliililren, or of strangers—This cannot mean 'foreigners,' from whom sovereigns certainly do not raise taxes, but 'those who are not of their own family,' i. e., their subjects. 36. Peter saith unto him. Of strangers—or, 'Of those not their children.' Jesus saitli unto liim, Tlien are the citildren free—Bj' "the children" our Lord cannot here nie.an Himself and the Twelve together, in some loose sense of their near relationship to God as their common Father. For besides that our Lord never once mixes Himself up with His disciples in speaking of their relation to God, but ever studiously keeps His relation and
Ver. 1-13. Jesus is Transfigured—Conversation ABOUT Eli.vs. (=Mark 9. 2-13; Luke 9. 28-36.) Fortheex-
positioii, see on Luke 9. 28-36.
11-23. Healing of a Demoniac Boy—Second Explicit Announcement by our Ix)rd of His approaching Death and Resurrection. (=Mark 9. 14-32; Luke 9. 37-
*5.) The time of this section is sufficiently denoted by
the events which all the narratives show to have immediately preceded it—the first explicit announcement of His death, and the transfiguration—both being between His tliird and His fourth and last Passover.
Healing of the Demoniac and Lunatic Boy (v. 11-21). For the e-xpo.sition of this portion, see on Mark 9. 14-32.
Second Announcement of His Death {v. 22, 23). 33. And while they abode In Galilee, Jesus said unto them Mark (.t. 30), a.s usual, is very precise here : "And they departed thence"—!, e., from the scene of the last miracle "and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it." So this was not a preaching, but
n private, journey through Galilee. Indeed, His public ministry in Galilee was now all but concluded. Tliough He sent out the Seventj' after this to preach and heal. Himself was little more in public there, and He was soon
to bid it a final adieu. Till this hour arrived He was
chiefly occupied with the Twelve, preparing them for the coming events. The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men . . . And they were exceeding sorry —Though the shock would not be so great as at the first announcement (ch. 16. 21. 22), their "sorrow" would not be the less, but probably the greater, the deeper the iiitellieence went down into their hearts, and a new wave dashing upon them by this repetition of the heavy tidings. Accordingly, Luke (9. 13, 44), connecting It with the scene of tile niiraclejust recorded, and the teaching which arose outof it—or possibly with all His recent teaching-says our Lord forewarned the Twelve that they would soon fland in need of all that teaching: "But while they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did. He said unto His disciples. Let these sayings sink down into your
t'leirs apart (see, for example, on the last words of this chapter)— this would be to teach the right of believers to exemption from the dues required for sacred services, in the teeth of all that Paul teaches and that He Himself indicates tliroughout. He can refer here, then, only to Himself; using the word "children" evidently in order to express the general principle observed by sovereigns, who do not draw taxes from their own children, and thus convey the truth respecting His own exemption the more strikingly: q. d., ' If the sovereign's own familj' be exempt, you know the inference in My case:' or to express it more nakedly than Jesus thought needful and fitting: 'This is a tax for upholding My Fatlior's House: As His Son, then, that tax is not due bj' Me—I am free.' 37. Notwitlistanding, lest we sliould olTend — or
e:ir8; for the .Son of man shall be delivered," &c. : * Be not
csirried off your feet by the grandeur you have lately seen In Me, but remember what I have told you, and now tell you again, that thatSuu in whose beams ye now rejoice is soon to set in midnight gloom.' Remarkable Is the antithesis in those words of our Lord preserved in all the three Narratives —" The Son of man shall be betrayed Into the hands of men." He adds (r. 45) that "they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not"—for the plainest statements, when they encounter long-continued and obstinate prejudices, are seen through a distorting and dulling medium—"and wer^ afraid to ask Him ;" deterred partly by the air of
' stumble'—them—all ignorant as they are of My relation to the Lord of the Temple, and should misconstrue a claim to exemption into indifference to His honour who dwells in it^—go thou to tlie sea—Capernaum, it will be remembered, lay on the Sea of Galilee—and cast an hook, and take up tlie iish that first coiiietli up ; and when tliou Iiast opened his mouth, thou slialt And a piece of money—'a stater.' So it should have been rendered, and not indefinitely, as in our version, for the coin was an Attic silver coin equal to two of the forementioned "didrachms" of half a shekel's value, and so, was the exact sum required for both. Accordingly, the Lord adds—tliat tAke, and give unto them tor me and thee —HI., 'instead of Me and thee;' perhaps because the payment was a redemption of the person paid for (Exodus 30. 12)—in which view Jesus certainly was "free." If the house was Peter's, this will account for payment being provided on this occasion, not for all the Twelve, but only for him and His Lord. Observe, our Lord does not say "for us," but "for Me and thee;" thus distinguishing the Exempted One and His non-exempted disciple.
lofty sadness with which doubtless these sayings were uttered, and on which thej' would be reluctant to break
in, and partly by the fear of laying themselves open to rebuke for their shallowness and timidity. How artless
l8 all this!
21-27. The Tribute Money. The time of this section
(s evidently in immediate succession to that of the prewding one. The brief but most pregnant incident which
It records is given by our Evangelist alone—for whom, no doubt, it would have a peculiar interest, from its relation to his own town and his own familiar lake. 3*. And when they were fM>me to Capernaum, they tliat received tribute money—'the double drachma;' a sum equal to two Attic drachma.s, and corresponding to the Jewish "half-shekel," payable, towards the maintenance of the temple and its services, by every male Jew of twenty years old and upward. For the origin of this annual t<ix, see Exodus 30. 13, 14 ; 2 Chronicles 24. 6, 9. Thus,
CHAPTEK XVIII.
Ver. 1-0. Strife among the Twelve Who should bk Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, with Relative Teaching. (—Mark 9. 33-^50; Luke 9.46-50.) For the exposition, see on Mark 9. .33-50.
10-35. Further Teaching on the same Subject, including the Parable of the Unmerciful Debtor.
It will be observed, it was not a civil, but an ecclesiastical
Same Subject (v. 10-20). 10. Take heed that ye despise—
lax. The tax mentioned in the next verse was a civil one. The whole teaching of this very remarkable scene de-
' stumble'—not one of these little ones ; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is In heaven—A difficult verse ; but perhaps the following may be more than an 11-
pends upon this distinction, came to Peter—at whose honse Jesus probably resided while at Capernaum. This (Kplains several things in the narrative, and said, Doth
The Disciples Warned to be Humble. MATTHEW XVIII. The Parable of the Unmaxiful Debtor.
lustration:—Among men, those wl)f> nurse and rear the royal eliildreu, however humble in themselves, are allowed tree entrance with their charge, and a degree of familiarity which even the highest state ministers dare not assume. Probably our Lord means that, in virtue of their charge over His disciples (Hebrews 1. 13; John 1.51), the angels have errands to the throne, a welcome there,
number. He gives the utmost conceivable er-couragement to union in this exercise. But what kind of union? Not an agreement merely to pray in concert, but to pray for some definite thing. "As touching anytliing which they shall ask," says our Lord—anything they shall agree to ask in concert. At the same time, it is plain He had certain things at that moment in His eye, as most fitting aud needful sulyects for such concerted prayei'. The Twelve had l)een "falling out by the way" about the miserable question of precedence in their Master's kingdom, and this, as it stirred their corruptions, had given rise—or aJ
iuid a dear familiarity in dealing with "His Fatlier which
is in lieaveu," which on their own matters they could not assume. 11. For tbe Sou of man Is come to save tUat
-wliicli was—or 'is'—lost—A golden saying, once and again repeated in different forms. Here the connection seems to be, 'Since the whole object and errand of the Sou of man into the world is to save the lost, take hoed
least was in danger of giving rise—to " offences" perilonn to their souls. The Lord Himself had been directing them how to deal with one another about such matters. " Bui now shows He unto them a more excellent way." Lei them bring all such jnatters—yea, and everything whatsoever by wliicli either their own loving relationship to eacli other, or the good of His liingdom at large, might be affected—to their Father in heaven; and if they be but agreed in petitioning Him about that thing, it shall be done for them of His Fatlier which is in heaven. But further, it is not merely union in prayer for the same thing—for that might be with very jarring ideas of the thing to be desired—but it is to symphonious prayer, to prayer by kindred spirits, members of one family, servants of one Lord, constrained by the same love, fighting under one banner, cheered by assurances of the .same victory; a living and loving union, whose voice in the Divine ear is as the sound of many waters. Accordingl.y, what they ask " on earth" is done for them, says Jesus, "of my Father which is in heaven." Not for nothing does He say, "of my Father"—not "Youii Fatheb;" as is evident from what follows: "For where two or three are gathered together unto mi> na)ne"—the "My" is emphatic, "there ayn I in the midst of them." As His name would prove a spell to draw together many clusters of His dear disciples, so if there should be but two or three, that will attract Himself down into the midst of them ; and related as He is to both the parties, the petitioners and tlie Petitioned—to the one on earth by the tie of His assumed
lest, by causing offences, ye lose the saved.' That this
is tlie idea intended we may gather from v. 14. 13, 13. How tltliik yeT If a man have an Iiuiidi-ecl sUeep, ami one of tlieiu be gone astray, &c.—This is auotlier of those pregnant sayings which our Lord uttered more than once. See on the delightful parable of tlie lost sheep in Luke 15. 4-7. Only the object there is to show what the good Shepherd will do, when even one of His sheep is
lost, toflnd it; here the object is to show, when found, how reluctant He is to lose it. Accordingly, it is added—w. 14. Even so it is not tUe will of your Father which is in heaven that one of tlkese little ones should perish How, then, can He but visit for those "offences" which whit-h endanger the souls of these little ones? 15. Moreover, if thy brotlier shall trespass against thee, go asid tell liim liis fault between tliee and
Iiiin alone : if lie sliall hear thee, thou hast gained
tliy brotJier, etc.—Probably our Lord had reference still
to tiie hue dispute. Who should be the greatest? After the rebuke—so gentle and captivating, yet so dignified and Divine—under which they would doubtless be smart-
ing, perhaps uach would be saying. It was not / that began it, it was not I that threw out unworthy and irritating insinuations against my brethren. Be it so, says our Lord ; but as such things will often arise, I will direct you how to proceed. First, Neither harbour a grudge against your offending brother, nor break forth upon him in presence of the unbelieving, but take him aside, show him his fault, and if lie own and make reparation
flesli, and to the other in heaven by the tie of His eternal Spirit—their symphonious prayers on earth would thrill upward through Him to heaven, be carried by Him into the holiest of all, and so reach the Throne. Thus will Ke
for it, you have done more service to hiui than even jus-
tice to yourself. Next, If this fail, take two or three to witness how just your complaint is, and how brotherly your spirit in dealing with him. Af/ain, If this fail, bring him before the Church or congregation to which both belong. Lastly, If even this fail, regard him as no longer a, brother Christian, but as one "without"—as the Jews did Gentiles and publicans. 18. Verily X say unto you, Whntsoever ye shall hind on earth sitall be bound in Iieaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on eartli sl>nll be loosed iii heaven—Hei-e, what had been granted but a short time before to Peter only (see on ch.
1)6 the living Conductor of the prayer upward, and the answer downward.
Parable of tlie Unmerciful Debtor [v. 21-^5). ai. Tlien came Peter to liim, and said, Lord, how oft sliall my brotlier sin against me, and I forgive him ! In the recent dispute, Peter had probably been an object of special envy, and his forwardness in continually answering fo^
all the rest would likel.y be cast up to him—and if so, probably by Judas—notwithstanding his Master's commendations. And as such insinuations were perhaps made once and again, he wished to know how often and how long he was to stand it. till seven times! This being the sacred and complete number, perhaps his meaning was. Is there to be a limit at wliic^h the needful forbearance will be ftillf Hi. .Jesus snith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times | but. Until seventy times seven i. e., so long as it shall be needed and
16. 19) is plainly extended to all the Twelve; so that whatever it means, it means nothing peculiar to Peter, far less to his pretended successors at Rome. It has to do with admission to and rejection from the membership of the Church. Hut see on John 20. 'iS. 19. Again I say unto you, Tiiat if two of you sliall agree on earth as tonclitng anything tliat they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father witicit is in Itenven. 30. For where two orthree are gathered togetlier in—or 'unto' —my name, iiierc am I in tlie midst of tliein — On this passage— so full of sublime encouragement to Christian union in action and prayer—observe, rtrst, the connection in rvliich it stands. Our Lord had been speaking of church-meetings before which the obstinate perversity of a brotlier was in the last resort to be brought, and whose decision was to be flnal—such honour does the Lord of the ClTurch put upon its lawful assemblies. But not these assemblies only does He deign to countenance and lionour. For even two uniting to bring any matter before Him sliall find that they are not alone, for My Father is with tliem, says Jesus. Next, observe thejwe-
.souglit: you are never to come to the point of refusing forgiveness sincerely asked, (See on Luke 17. 3, -1.) 23. Therefore—
' witli reference to this matter'—is the Uingdom of heaven Ilht ned unto a eertniu king, which would take aeeount «i.f his servants—or, would scrutinize tlie accomils of his revenue-collectors. 31. And when he had begtaii to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand tnlents— If Attic talents are here meant, 10,000 of them would amount to above (7. million and a. half sterling; if Jewish talents, to a much larger sum. '35. Hint forasmucli as he had not to pay, his lonl coinmaiide<l him to be sold, and his wll'j aud children, and all that he had, and payment to b« made—(See 2 Kings 4. I; Nehemiah 5.8; Levi tic is 25. 39 l 30. The sei-vaiit therefore fell down, and worshipped him—or did hiniible obeisance to him—snylng, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all —Tins
viiuni here put upon union in prayer. As this cannot exist With few(>r tlian two, so by letting it down so low as that m
Christ's Final Depmture from Galilee. MATTHEW XIX, XX. The Parable of the Labourers.
twain shall be one flesh? &c.—Jesus here sends them back to the original constitution of man as one pair, a male and a female; to tlieir marriage, as such, by Divine appointment ; and to the purpose of God, expressed by the sacred historian, that in all time one man and one woman should by marriage become one flesh—so to continue as long as both are in the flesh. This being God's constitution, let not man break It up by causeless divorces. 7. Tliey say unto him, Wliy did Closes tlien command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away I 8. He salth unto them, Moses—as a civil lawgiver, because of—or ' having respect to'—the hardness of your hearts—looking to your low moral siate,and your inabil-
was just an acknowledgment of the justice of the claim made agaiusl him, aud a piteous imploration of mercy.
27. Then tlie Lord of tlkat servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt—Payiueut belug hopeless, the Master is first moved with compassion ; next, liberates his debtor from prison
and then cancels the debt freely. 28. But the same servant wrnt out, and found one of his fellow-servants—Mai Ij tlie difference here. The first case is that of master and servant ; in this case, both are on a footing
of equality. (See v. .SS, below.) wlilch owed him an hundred pence—If Jewish money is intended, this debt was to the other less than one to a million, and he laid bands on him, and took him by the throat—
ity to endure the strictness of tlie original law— suffered you to put away your wives—tolerated a relaxation of the strictness of tlie marriage bond—not as approving of
' lie seized and tlirottled him'—saying, Pay me that thou owest— Mark the mercilessiiess even of the tone. 29. And his fellow-ser^'nnt fell down at his feet, and besouglit him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay
it, but to prevent still greater evils. But from the beginning It was not so—This is repeated, in order to imjiress upon His audience the temporary aud purely civil character of this Jlosaic relaxation. 9. And I say unto yon, Whosoever sUuIl put away his wife, except, itc.—See on ch. 5. 32. 10. His disciples say unto him. If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry —q. d., 'In tills view of marriage, surely it must prove a snare rather than a blessing, and hud better be avoided altogether.' 11. Ilut he said unto tliem. All men cannot receive tliU saying, save they to wl,iOirt It is given —q. d., 'That the unmarried state is better, is a saying not
tlice all—The same attitude, aud the same words wiiicli drew compassion from his master, are here employed towards himself by his fellow-servant. 30. And he would not ; but went aud cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt, &c.—Jesus here vividly conveys the intolerable injustice and impudence whicli even the servants saw in this act on the part of one so recently laid under the heaviest obligations to their common master. 32, 33. Then IlIs lord, after tliat he had called him, said iiuto him, O tltou wicked servant, &o.—Before bringing down his vengeance upon him, he calmly points out to him how shamefully unreasonable and heartless his conduct was; which would give the punishment in-
for every one, and indeed only for such as it is divinely intended for.' But who are these'/ they would naturally ask; and this our Lord proceeds to tell them in three particulars. 12. For there are some eunuclts wliich were so born from their mother's womb — persons constitutionally eitlier incapable of or indisposed to marriage—and tliere are some eunuclis wliitli were made eunuchs of men-persons rendered incapable by others and there be eunuclis whlcIi have made tlieniselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake—persons who, to do God's work better, deliberately choose tills state. Such was Paul (1 Corinthians 7. 7). He that is able to receive it, let him receive it—
flicted on him a double sting. 34. And his lord was wrotli, aud delivered him to the tormentors — more
tliau Jailers; denoting the severity of the treatment which
lie thought such a case demanded, till he should pay all
t1?Mt w as due unto him, 35. So likewise—in this spirit, or on tliis principle—shall my heavenly Father do also onto you, If ye from your hearts forgive not every one lUs brother their trespasses.
' He who feels this to be his proper vocation, let him embrace it;' which, of course,
is as much as to say—
Ver. 1-12. Final Departure from Galilee-Divorce. '—Mark 10. 1-12; Luke 9. 51.) farewell to Galilee. 1. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee—This marks a very solemn period in our Lord's public ministry. So sligiitly is it touched here, and in the corresponding passage of Mark (10. 1), that few readers probably note it as the Redeemer's Farewell to Galilee, which however it was. See on the sublime statement of Lake (9. 51), which relates to the same transition-stage In the progress of our Lord's work, and came into tlie coasts—or
' he only.' Thus, all Is left free in this matter.
13-15. Little Children Brought to Christ. (=Mark
10. 13-16; Luke 18. 15-17.) For the exposition, see on Luke
18. 15-17.
10-30. The Rich Young Rulek. (=Mark 10. 17-31 ; Luke
18. 18-30.) For the exposition, see on Luke 18. 18-30.
CHAPTEE XX.
Ver. 1-16. Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard. This parable, recorded only by Matthew, is closely connected with the end of ch. 19., being spoken with reference to Peter's question, How it should tare with thost who, like himself, had left all for Christ? It is designed to show that while they would be richly rewarded, a certain equity would still be observed towards later convert-s and workmen in His service. 1. For the kingdom of Iieaven is like unto a man that is an householder, &c.—The figure of a vineyard, to represent the rearing of souls for heaven, the culture required and provided lol
' lioundaries'—of Judea beyond Jordan—i.e., to the further, or east side of the Jordan, into Perea, tlie dominions of Herod Antipas. But though one might conclude from our Evangelist that our Lord went straight from the one region to the other, we know from the other Gospels tliat a considerable time elapsed between the departure from the one and tlie arrival at the other, during whicli many of tlie most important events in our Lord's public life occurred—probably a large part of what
is recorded in Luke 9. 51, onward to ch. 18. 15, and part of John 7. 2-11, 51. 2. And great multitudes followed Ikim ; and lie healed them there—Mark says further (10. 1), tliat "as He was wont. He tauglit them there." What we now have on the suljject of Divorce is some of that teaching.
tliat purpose, and the care and pains which God takes in that whole matter, is familiar to every reader of the Bible. (Psalm 80. 8-10; Isaiah 5. 1-7; Jeremiah 2. 21; Luke 20. 9-
16 ; John 15. 1-8.) At vintage-time, as Webster and Wilkinson remark, labour was scarce, and masters were obliged to be early in the market to secure it. Perhaps tho pressing nature of the work of the Gospel, and the comparative paucity of labourers, may-be incidentally sug gested, cli. !). 37, 3S. The "labourers," as in cli. 9. 38, are
Divorce (v. 3-12j. 3. Is It lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause 'i Two rival schools (us we saw jn ch. 5. .31) were divided on this question—a delicate one, AS De Wettk pertinently remarks, in the dominipns of
Herod Antipiis. 4. An<l he answered and said unto them. Have ye not read, that He which made them at (he beginning made them male and f«male-or better.perliaps, 'He tlial made llicm made them from the beginning a male and a female.' 9. And said, For this cause-to follow out this Divine iippointinent. shall a ntan leave father Bad uiollier, and shall cleave to his wife : and they
first, the ojlHcial servants of the Church, but after them and along witli them all the servants of Christ, whom he has laid under the weightiest obligation to work in His service. 2. And when he hod agreed with the labourers for a penny—a usual day's hire (the amount of wliich will be found in the margin of our Bibles)—he sent them Into
The Parable of the Labourers. MATTHEW XXI. The Authority of Jtsus Questioned.
his vineyard. 3. And lie went out about the third hour—about uine o'clock, or after a fourth of the working day had expired: the day of twelve hours was reckoned from six to six. and saw others standing Idle—' unemployed'—in the market-place. 4. And said unto them, Go j e also into tlie vineyard j and whatsoever Is riglit —'just,' 'equitable,' iu proportion to their time—I will givt you. And they went their way. 5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour—about noon, and about three o'clock afternoon—and did likewise—hiring and sending into his vineyard fresh labourers each time. 6. And about the eleventh hour—but one hour before the close of the working day; a most unusual hour both for offering and engaging—and found others standing Idle, and saith, Why stand ye here all the day idle I Oi course they had not been there, or not been disposed to offer themselves at the proper time ; but as they were «ow willing, and the day was not over, and "yet there
have wrought in Christ's service all their days may, by the spirit which they manifest at the last, make it too evident that, as between God and their own souls, they never were chosen workmen at all.
17-28. Third explicit Announcement of His approaching Sufferings, Death, and Resurrection— The Ambitious Request of James and John,'and thb Reply. (=Mark 10. 32-45; Luke 18. 31-34.) P'or the exposition, see on Mark 10. 32-45.
29-34. Two Blind Men Healed. (=Mark 10. 46-52; Luke 18. 35-13.) For the exposition, see on Luke 18. 35-^
Ver. 1-9. Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem ON THE First day of the Week. (=Mark 11. 1-11; Luke 19. 29-10; John 12. 12-19.) For the exposition of this majestic scene—recorded, as will be seen, by all the Evangelists—see on Luke 19. 29-40.
was room," they also are engaged, and on similar terms with all the rest. 8. So when even was come—i.e., the reckoning - time between masters and labourers (see Deuteronomy 24. 15); pointing to the day of final account—the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward — answering to Christ Himself, represented "as a Son over His own house " (Hebrews 3. 6 ; see ch. 11. 27 ; John 3.
10-22. Stir about Him in the City—Second Cleansing OF the Temple, and Miracles there—Glorious Vindication of the Children's Testimony—The Barren Fig Tree Cursed, with Lessons from it. (=Mark
II. 11-26; Luke 19. 45-^8.) For the exposition, see Luke 19. after v. 44 ; and on Mark 11. 12-26.
S5; 5. 27)—Call the labourers and give them their liire, begiuning from the last unto the first—Remarkable direction tliis— ' last hired, first paid.' 9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny—a full day's wages. 10. But when llie first came, they supposed that they should have received more—This is that calculating, mercenary spirit which had peeped out—though perhaps very sliglitly—iu Peter's question (ch. 19. 27), and which this parable was designed once for all to put down among the servants of Christ. 11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of tlie house—rather, 'the householder,' the word being tlie same as in v. 1 Vi, Saying, These last have wrougiit [but] one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto
2;i-l6. The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and the Reply—The Parables of the Two Sons, and of the Wicked Husbandman. (—Mark 11. 27-12.12; Luke 20.
1-19.) Now commences, as Alford remarks, that series of parables and discourses of our Lord with His enemies, in which He develops, more completely than ever before, His hostility to their hypocrisy and iniquity: and so they are stirred up to compass His death.
The Authority of Jesus Questioned, and the Reply (v. Zi-Z7), 23. By what aiithority doest thou tliese thljigs !—referring particularly to the expulsion of the buyers and sellers from the temple— and who gave tliee this autliority J 24. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing . . . 25. The baptism of John—meaning, his whole mission and ministry, of which baptism was the proper character—witence was it 1 from heaven, or of men 1—What wisdom there was in this way of meeting their question will best appear by tlieir reply. If we shall say, From heaven ; he will say unto us, Wliy did ye not tlien believe him 7—'Why did ye not believe the testimony which he bore to Me, as tlie promised and expected Messiah?' for that was the burden of liis whole testimony. 26. But If we shall say, Of men ; we feai
US, which have borne the burden and heat—
' the burning heat '—of the day—who have wrought not only longer but during a more trying period of the day. 13. But he answered one of them—doubtless the spokesman of the complaining party — and said. Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny 7
. . . 15. f N it not lawful for me to do what 1 will with mine own 1 Is thine eye evil, because I am good \—q. d., 'You appeal to justice, and by that your mouth is sliut;
tl»e people—rather the multitude. In Luke (20. 6) it is, "all the people will stone us"—'stone us to death'—for all holfl John as a prophet—Crooked, cringing hypocrites! No wonder Jesus gave you no answer. 27. And they answered Jesus, and said. We cannot tell—Evidently their difficulty was, how to answer, so as neither to shake their determination to reject the claims of Christ nor damage their reputation with the people. For the truth itself they cared nothing whatever. Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things—What composure and dignity of wisdom does our Lord here display, as He turns their question upon themselves, and, while revealing his knowledge of their hypocrisy, closes their mouths! Taking advantage of the surprise, silence, and awe produced by this reply, our Lord followed it Immediately up by the two following parables.
fbr the sum you agreed for is paid you. Your case being disposed of, with the terms I make with other labourers you+iave notliing to do; and to grudge the benevolence shown to others, wlien by your own admission you have been honourably dealt with, is both unworthy envy of your neighbour, and discontent with the goodness that engnged and rewarded you in his service at all.' 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last q.d., 'Take heed lest by indulging the spirit of these "murmurers" at the " penny " given to the last hired, ye miss your own
penny, though first in the vineyard; while the consciousness of having come in so late may inspire these last with such a humble frame, and such admiration of the grace that lias hired and rewarded them at all, as will put them into the foremost place in the end.' for many be ealletl, but few chos»-n—Tliis is another of our Lord's terse and pregnant sayings, more than once uttered in dilTel-ent connections. (See ch. 19.30; 22.14.) The "calling" of which the New Testament almost invariably speaks Is what divines call c^ec<«aZ calling, carrying with it a supernatural openvt ion on the will to secure Us consent. IJut that cannot be the njeanlng of it here ; the " called " being emphatically distiiiguislied from the "chosen." It can only mean here the ' invited.' And so the sense is. Many receive the invitations of the Gospel whom God has never "chosen to salvation tlirough s.-uictlflcation of the Bpiritnnd Ijelief of the trutli " (2 Thpssalonlans 2. 13). But what, it may be asked, has this to do with the subject of our parable? Probably this—to teaoh us that men wlio 52
I^arable of the Two Sons (v. 2S-32). 28. But wliat think yet A certain man liad two sons ; and lie cnme to the first aitd said. Son, go work to-day in my vineyard for true religion is a practical thing, -i "l)ringing forth fruit unto God." 29. lie answered and said, I will not -Trench notices the rudeness of this answer, and the total absence of any attempt to e.xcusesuch disobedience, both characteristic; representing careless, reckless sinners resisting God to His face. 30. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and snld, I [go], sir—' I, sir.' The emphatic " I," here, denotes the self-righteous complacency which says, "God, I thank thee that J am not as other men " (Luke 18. 11). and went not—He did not "afterward repent" and refuse to go;
I7j€ Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen, MATTHEW XXII. who Slew such ax were Stat unto Ihem.
reverentially welcoming God's Son. 38. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves —Cf. Genesis 37.18-20; John 11. 47-53 — This is the heirSublime expression this of the great trutli, tliat God's inheritance was destined for, and in due time is to come Into the possession of. His own Son in our ?ir(/it) e (Hebrews
Tor there was here no intention to go. It Is the class that "say and rto not" (ch. 23. 3)—a falseness more abominable
to God, says Stier, than any " I will not." 31. WhetUer of tJiem twnin dl»l the -will of hiU Father J They say luito him, The llrst—Now comes the application. Jesus •Hith unto them, Verily I gay unto you, That the publIcAns and the harlots go—or 'are going;' even now en-
1. 2). come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance—that so, from mere servants, we may become
tering, while ye hold back—Into the kingdom of God before you—The publicans and the harlots were the first eon, who, when told to work In the Lord's vineyard,
lords. This is the deep aim of the depraved heart; this is emphatically "the root of all evil." 39. And tliey caught him, and cast him out of tlie vineyard—cf. Hebrews 13. 11-13 (" without thegate—without the camp"); 1 Kings 21.
said, I will not; but afterwards repented and went. Their early life was a flat and flagrant refusal to do what they were commanded; it was one continued rebellion against the authority of God. " The chief priests and the elders of the people," with whom our Lord was now speaking, were the second son, wlio said, I go, sir, but went not They were early called, and all their life long professed obedience to God, but never rendered it; their
13; John 19. 17—and slew him. 40. Wlien tlte lord therefore of the vineyard cometh—This represents 'tlie settling time,' which, in the case of tlie Jewish ecclesias-
tics, was that judicial trial of the nation and its leaders which issued in the destruction of their whole state, wliat will he do unto those husbandmen I 41. Tliey say unto him. He will, miserably destroy those wicked men—an emphatic alliteration not easily conveyed in En.i;lisl!
life was one of continued disobedience. 33. For John came unto you In the way of righteousness—i. e., ' calling you to repentance;' as Noah is styled 'a preacher of righteousness' (2 Peter 2. 5), when like the Baptist he warned the old world to "flee from the wrath to come." and yo believed him not—"They did not reject him;"
' He will badly destroy those bad men,' or ' miserably destroy those miseral)le men,' is sometliing lilce it. and will let out Ills vineyard unto other husbnndincn, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons— If this answer was given by the Pharisees, to wliom our Lord addressed the parable, they thus unwittingly pronounced their own condemnation: as did David to Nathan the prophet (2 Samuel 12. 5-7), and Simon the Pharisee to our Lord (Luke 7.43, &e.). But if it was given, as the two other Evangelists agree in representing it, by our Lord Himself, and the explicitness of the answer would seem to favour that supposition, then we can better explain the exclamation of the Pharisees which followed it, in Luke's report—"And when they heard it, tliey said, God forbid" — His whole meaning now burAng upon them. 4t3. Jesus salth unto them, Did ye never rea<l
n.Ty, they "were willing for a season to rejoice in his
light" (John 5.3.5); but they would not receive his testimony to Jesus, but the publicans and the harlots believed him—Of the publicans this Is twice expressly recorded, Luke 3. 12; 7.29. Of the harlots, then, the same maybe taken for granted, though the fact is not expressly recorded. These outcasts gladly believed the testimony of John to the coming Saviour, and so hastened to Jesus when He came. See Luke 7. 37; 15. 1, &c. and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him—Instead of being " provoked to jealousy" by their example, ye have seen them flocking to the Saviour and getting to heaven, unmoved.
111 the Scriptures (Psalm 118. 22, 23), The stone which the builders rejected, &c. A bright Messianic prophecy, which reappears in various forms (Isaiah 28. l(i, &c.), and was made glorious use of by Peter before tlie Sanhedrim (Acts 4. 11). He recurs to it in his first epistle (1 Peter 2.
Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (v. 33-46). 33. Hear auntlier paraltle : There was a certain householder, wlticlt planted a vineyard— See on Luke 13. 6 — and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower—These details are taken, as is the basis of the parable itself, from that beautiful parable of Isaiah 5. 1-7, in order to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testament authority, and let it out to husbandmen — These are Just the ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the
4-6). 43. Tlierefore say I unto you. The kingdom of God— God's visible Kingdom, or Churcli, upon earth, which up to this time stood in the seed ofAbraham—shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fi-ults thereof—i. e., the great evangelical community of the faithful, which, after the extrusion of tlie Jewish nation, would consist chiefly of Gentiles, until "all Israel should be saved" (IJomans 11. 25, 26). This vastly important statement is given by Matthew only. 44. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken : but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder—The Kingdom of God is here a Temple,
fruits of righteousness are expected to spring up. and went Into a far country—"for a long time" (Luke '20. 9), leaving the vineyard to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole time of the Jewish economy. On this phraseology, see on Mark 4.26. 34. And when
tlie time of tlie fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen—By these "servants" are meant the prophets and other extraordinary messengers, raised up from time to time. See on ch. ^. 37. that they might receive the fruits of it—See again on Luke 13. 6. 35. And the husbandmen took his servants, aitd beat one—see Jeremiah .37. 15; 3S. 6—and killed another—see Jeremiah
In the erection of which a certain stone, rejected as unsuitable by the spiritual builders, is, by the great Lord of the House, made the key-stone of the whole. On that Stone the builders were now "falling" and being "broken"' (Isaiah 8. 15). They were sustaining great spiritual hurt; but soon that Stone should "fall upon them" and "grind them to powder" (Daniel 2. 34, 85; Zechariah 12. 2)—in ihelr corporate capacity, in the tremendous destruction of Jerusalem, hut personally, as unbelievers, in a more awful sense still. 45. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard lUs parables—referring to that of the Two Sons and this one of the Wicked Husbandmen—they perceived that he spake of them. 4C. But when they sougltt to lay hands on him—which Luke (20. 19) says they did " the same hour," hardly able to restrain their rage — they feared the multitude — rather, 'the multitudes'—because they took him for a prophet—just as they feared to say John's baptism was of men, because the masses took him for a prophet (u. 26). Miserable creatures! So, for this time, "they left Him and went their way" (Mark 12. 12).
26. 20-23— and stoned another— see 2 Chronicles 21. 21. Compare with this whole verse ch. 23. 37, where our Lord reiterates these charges in the most melting strain. 36. Again, he scut other servants more than tlie first ; and they did unto them likewise—see 2 Kings 17. 13 ; 2 Chron-
icles 36. 16, 18; Nehemiah 9.26. 37. But last of all he •ent unto them his son, saying. They will reverence my son—In Mark (12.6) this is most touch ingly expressed
"Having yet therefore one son, His well-beloved, He Bent Him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son." Luke's version of It too (20. 13) is striking
"Then said the lord of the vineyard. What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: It may be they will reverence Him when they see Him." Who does not see that our Lord here severs Hitriself, by the sharpest line of demarkBtion, from all merely human messengers, and claims for Himself iS»n«/ii/) in Its loftiest sense? (Cf. Hebrews 3. 3-6.) The expression, "It may be they will reverence my son,"
Ver. 1-14. Parable of the Markiaoe of the Kmf'» Son. This Is a diflerent parable from that of the Ureiu
Is deslgued to leach the almosi/ unimaginable guilt of not
Marriage of the Kinrfs Son. MATTHEW XXIII. The Calling oj the Gentile*.
Go ye therefore into the highways—the great outlets and thoroughfares, whether of town or country, where
Supper, in Ijtike 14. 15, &c., and is recorded by Mattliew nloiie. -Z. Tln! kingdom of Iieaveii is like unto a certain! king, wliicU inntle a marriage for his son—'In
human beings are to be found, and as many as ye shall llnd bid to the marriage—i.e., just as tliey are. 10. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered togetlicr all as many as tliey found, botlii bad and good—». e., without making any distinction between open sinners and the morally correct. The Gospel call fetched in Jews, Samaritans, and outlying hcalhen alike. Thus far the parable answers to tliat of 'the Great Supper,' Luke 14. 16, 6ic. But the distinguishing feature of our parable is what follows: 11. And when the king came in to see tlie guestsSolemn expression this, of that omniscient inspection of every professed disciple of the Lord Jesus from age to age, in virtue of which his true character will hereafter be judicially proclaimed ! lie saw tlkere a man—This shows that it is the judgment of individuals which is intended in this latter part of the parable: the first part represents rather national judgment—which had not on a wedding garment—The language here Is drawn from the following remarkable passage in Zephaniah 1. 7, 8:—" Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God ; for the day of the Lord is at hand : for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice. He hath bid His guests. And it sliall come to pass in the day of ihe Lord's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with sti'auge apparel." The custom in the East of presenting festival garments (see Geuesis 45. 22 ; 2 Kings 5. 22), even though not clearly proved, is certainly presupposed here. It undoubtedly means something which they bring not of their own—for how could they have any such dress who were gathered in from the highways indiscriminalclj' 7—but which they receive as their appropriate dress. And what can tliat be but what is meant by "putting on the Lord Jesus," as "The Lord OUR Righteousness ?" (See Psalm 45. 13, 14.) Kor could such language be strange to those in whose ears had so long resounded those words of prophetic joy: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God ; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isaiah 61. 10).
lliis par;ible,' as Trench admirably remarks, ' we see how the Lord is revealing Himself in ever clearer light as the central Person of the kingdom, giving here a far plainer hint than in the last parable of the nobility of His descent. There He was Indeed the Son, the only and beloved one (Mark 12. 6), of the Householder; but here His race is royal, and He appears as Himself at once the King and the King's Son. (Psalm 72. 1.) The last was a parable of the Old Testament history; and Christ is rather the last and greatest of the line of its prophets and teachers than the Founder of a new kingdom. In thiit, God appears demanding something from men; in this, a parable of grace, God appears more as jrivuifir something to them. Thus, as often, tlie two complete each other: this taking up the matter where the other left It.' Thfe "marriage" of Jehovah to His people Israel was familiar to Jewish ears ; and in Psalm 45. this marriage is seen consummated in the Person of Messiah 'the King,' Himself addressed as ' God' and yet as anointed by ' His God' with the oil of gladness above His fellows. These apparent contradictories (see on Luke 20. 41-44) are resolved in this parable; and Jesus, in claiming to be this King's Son, serves Him-
self Heir to all that the prophets and sweet singers of Israel held forth as to Jehovah's ineffably near and endearing union
to His people. But observe carefully, that the Bride does not come into view In this parable ; its design being to teach certain truths under the figure ot guests at a wedding feast, and the want of a wedding garment, which would not have harmonized with the introduction of the Bride. 3. and sent fortli his servants—representing all preachera of the Gospel—to call them that were bidden —here n^tining the Jews, who were "bidden," from the
first choice of them onwards through every summons addressed to them by the prophets to hold themselves in readiness for the appearing of their King—to the wedding—or the marriage festivities, when the preparations were all concluded, and they would not come—as the Issue of the whole ministry of the Baptist, our Lord Him-
self, and His apostles thereafter, too sadly showed. 4. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all tilings are ready; come unto the marriage—This points to those Gospel calls after Christ's death, resurrection, ascension, and effusion of the Spirit, to which the parable could not directly allude, but when only it could be said, with strict propriety, "that all things were ready." Cf. 1 Corinthians 5.7,8, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore, let us keep the feast:" also John 6.51, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven:
\'Z. Friend, liow earnest tliou in liither, not Ikavlng a wedding garment! And lie was speechless—being self-condemned. 13. Tl»cn said the king to the servants—the angelic ministers of Divine vengeance (as in ch. 13. 41>—Bind him hand and foot—putting it out of his power to resist—and take lilm away, and cast lilm ln<o outer darkness. So ch. 8. 12; 25. 30. The expression
is empliatic—'The darkness which is outside.' To be
'outside' at all—or, in the language of Kevelation 22. 15, to be 'without' the heavenly city, excluded from its joyous nuptials and gladsome festivities—is sad enough of itself, without anything else. But to find themselves not only excluded from the brightness and glory and joy and
if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread which I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 5. But they made light of It, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to Ills merchandise : G. And tite remnant took Itis servants, and entreated them spitefully—
' insulted them'—and slew them—These are two dillerent classes of unbelievers: the one s\mp\y indifferent ; the other absolutely hostile—
felicity of the kingdom above, but tlirust into a region of "darkness," Willi all its horrors, this is the dismal retribution here announced', that awaits the unworthy at the great day. [tlicre]—in that region and condition—shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. See on ch. 13. 12. 14. Vov many are called, but few are cliosen—So ch. 19. 30. See on ch. '20. 16.
the one, contemptuous scorners; the other, bitter /)c?-«ccutms. 7. But when the king—the Great God, who is the Fatlier of our Lord Jesus Clirist. heard tliereof, he was wroth—at tlie aflfrout put both on His Son, and on Him-
self who had deigned to invite them, and he sent forth his armies—The Romans are here styled God's armies, just as the Assyrian is styled "the rod of His anger" (Isaiah 10. 5), as being the executors of His judicial vengeance, and destroyed those murderers—and in what vast numbers did they do it! and burned up tlteir city —Ah ! Jerusalem, once " thecity of the Great King" (Psalm
15-40. Eniwngling Questions about Tribute, thk Resurrection, and the Great Commandment, with THE Replies. ( — Mark 12. 13-34 ; Luke 20. 20-40.) For the exposition, see on Mark 12. 13-34.
41-46. Christ Baffi.es the Pharisees by a Question ABOliT David and Messiah. (=- Mark 1'2. 3.'i-<il Luko 20. 41-44.) For the exposition, see on Mark 12. 35-37.
48. 2), and even up almost to this time (ch. 5. 35) ; but now
It Is " their city"—Just as our Lord, a dajor two after this, said of the temple, wliere God had so long dwelt, " Behold
Ver. 1-39. Denunciation OF the Scribes and Pharisees—Lamentation OVER Jerusalem, .\nd FaicgwblIi to the Temple. ( — Mark 12. 38-40; Luke 20.45-47.) For this long and terrible discourse we are Indebted, with th« exception of a few verses in Mark and Luke, to Matthew
j/oitr house is k it unto you desolate" (cli. 38)! Cf. Luko
ly. 43, 44. t^. The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy—for how should those be deemed worthy to sit down at His table who had affronted Him by their traatment of HlB gracious Invitation? 9 54
Denunciation of the Sa ibes and Pharisees. MATTHEW XXIII. Woes Threatened against their Sin».
men : in Luke 11. 52 they are charged with what WM worse, taking away the key—" the key of knowledge"— which means, not the key to open knowledge, but knowledge as the only key to open heaven. A right knowledge of God's revealed word is eternal life, as our Lord says (John 17. 3 and 5. 39); but this they took away from the people, substituting for it their wretched traditions. H. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites > for ye devour widows' houses, &c.—Taking advantage of the helpless condition and confiding character of "widows," they contrived to ot:)tain possession of tlieir property, wliile by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much "the greater damnation" awaits them. Wliat a lifelike description of tlie Romish clergy, the true successors of those scribes ! 15. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites ! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte-from heathenism. We have evidence of this in Josephus. and when he is made, j't make him two-fold more the cliild of liell tlian yourselves—condemned, for the hypocrisy he would learn to practice, botli by the religion he left and that he embraced. 16. Woe unto you, ye blind guides—Striliing expression this of tlie ruinous effects of erroneous teaching. Our Lord, here and in some following verses, condemns the subtle distinctions they made as to the sanctity of oaths—distinctions invent.ed only to promote their own avaricious purposes, which say. Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing—he has incurred no debt—but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple—meaning not the gold that adorned the temple it-
alone. But, as it l.s only an extended repetition of denun-
ciations uttered not long before at the table of a Pharisee, and recorded by Luke (11.37-61), we may take both together in the exposition.
Denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees (v. 1-36). The
first twelve verses were addressed more Immediately to
the disciples, the rest to the scribes and Pharisees. 1. Then spake .Testis to the mixltltude—
' to the multitudes' —anil to his disciples. 3. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees slt^The Jewish teachers stood to read, but sai
to expound the Scriptures, as will be seen by comparing Luke 4. 16 with t,'. 20—li» Moses' seat i. e., as interpreters
of the law given by Moses. 3. All tlierefore—i. e., all which, as sitting in that seat and teaching out of that law— they bid you observe, that observe and do—The word "therefore" is thus, it will be seen, of great importance, as limiting those injunctions wliich He would have them obey to what they fetched from the law itself. In requiring implicit obedience to such injunctions. He would have them to recognize the authority with which they taught over and above the obligations of tlie law itself— an important principle truly ; but He who denounced the traditions of such teachers (ch. 15. 3) cannot have meant here to throw His shield over these. It is remarked by Webster and Wii^kinson that tlie warning to beware of the scribes is given by Mark and Luke witliout any qualification : the charge to respect and o6ey them being reported by Matthew alone, indicating for whom