111. Tite Irresolute or Waverinc
The Lresolute Diiciple. MATTHEW IX. The Call of Maltheui. klDETdoiii of grace : To the one kingdom all the children his lower calling, with all Its prospects, for the hlglier. and at that time perilous, office to wliich he was called. What now is the bearing of tliese two cases? Did Elisha do wrong in bidding them farewell with whom he wa.^ associated in his early calling? Or, if not, would tiiis disciple have done wrong if lie had done the same thing, and in tlie same spirit, with Elislia? Clearly not. Elislia's doing it proved that he could with safety do it; and our I/ord's warning is not against bidding tliera farewell which were at home at his house, but against tire probable fatal consegucnces of that step ; lest the embraces of eartlily relationsliip sliould prove too strong for him, and hi' should never return to follow Christ. Accordingly, we have culled this the Irresolute or Wavering Disciple. of this world, even the most ungodly, are fully alive; to the other, only tlie children of light: The reigning IrreUgiou consists not in iiidifl'ereuce to the common humanities of sociiil life, but to things spiritual and eternal: Fear not, ilierelbre, that your father will in your absence be neglected, and that when he breathes his last there will not be relatives and friends ready enough to do to him the last otficos of kindness. Your wish to disciiarge these yourself is jiatural, and to be allowed to do it a privilege not liglitly to be foregone. But the kingdom of God lies now all neglected and needy: Its more exalted character few discern; toils paramount claims few are alive: and to "preach" it fewer still are qualified and 2.'!-27. JliSUS, CUOSStNG THE SEA OF GALILEE, MIRACULOUSLY .Stills a Tempest. (=Mark i. 3.3-11 ; Luke 8. 22- called: But thou art: The Lord therefore liath need of thee: Leave, then, tliose claims of nature, high though they be, to tliose wlio are dead to the still higher claims
2-5.) For the exposition, see on Mark 4. 35-41. of the kingdom of grace, which God is now erecting upon earth—Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preacli tlie kingdom of God.' And so have we here
2K-!!1. Jesus Heals the Gergesene Dejioniacs. (=Marlr 5. 1-20; Luke 8. 26-39.) For the exposition, see on Mark 5. 1-20. the genuine, but Procrastinating or Entangled Disciple. The next case is recorded only by Luke
CHAPTER IX.
Ver. 1-8. Healing of a Paralytic. (=Mark 2. 1-12; Luke 5. 17-26.) Tills incident appears to follow next in order of time to the cure of the leper (ch. 8. 1-3). For the exposition, see on Mark 2. 1-2.
111. Tite Irresolute or Waverinc/ Disciple (Luke 9. Ul, 62).
61. "And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but k t me first go bid them farewell which are at home at my house. 62. And Jesus said unto him. No man, having put his liand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." But for the very different replies given, we should hardlj'^ have discerned the difference between this and the second case: the one man called, indeed, and the other volunteering, as did the first; but both seemingly alike willing, and only having a difficulty
9-13. Matthew's Call and Feast. (=Mark 2.1-1-17; Lulie o. 27-32.) The call of MaUfiew (v. 9). 9. And as Jesoa p.isscd tbn'tli fi-om tlience i. e., from the scene of tlie paralytic's cure in Capernaum, towards the sliore of the Sea of Galilee, on wliieh that town lay. Mark, as usual, pictures tlie scene more in detail, thus (2.13): "And He went forth again by the sea-side ; and all the mulfcitudo resorted unto liim, and He taught them"—or, ' kept teaclxin their way just at that moment. But, by help of what is said respectively to each, we perceive the great difference between the two cases. From the warning given against "looking back," it is evident that this man's discipleship was not yet lliorough, his separation from the world not entire. It is not a case of going back, but of iiig Miem.' "And as he pa.ssed by" lie saw a m.nt, itnmed MaftJiew—the writer of this precious Goipol, who liere, with singular modesty and brevity, relates the story of his own calling. In Mark and Luke he is called Levi, which seems to have been his family name. In their looking back ; and as there is here a m,mifest reference to the case of "Lot's wife" (Genesis 19. 26; and see on Luke lists of the twelve apostles, however, Mark and Luke give liim the name of Matthew, vhich seems to have been tlie name by wliicli he was known as a disciple. While he himself sinks liis family name, he is careful not
17. S2), we see that it is not actual return to the world that we have here to deal with, but a reluctance to break with it. The figure of putting one's hand to the plough and looklug back is an exceedingly vivid one, and to an agricultural people most impressive. As ploughing requires an eye intent on the furrow to be made, and is marred tlie instant due turns about, so will they come short of salvation who prosecute the work of God with a distracted atteution, a divided heart. The reference may be chiefly to s'.nli his occupation, the obnoxious associations with whicli he v/ould place over against tlie grace that called him from it, and made him an apostle. (.See on ch. 10. 3.) Marlt alone tells us (2. 14j that lie was "the son of Alpheus"—the same, probably, witli the father of James the Less. From this and other considerations it is pretty certain that he must at least have heard of our Lord beto ministers; but the application at least is general. As the image seems plainly to have been suggested by tlie case of Klijali and Klisha, a difficulty may be raised, requiring a moment's attention. Wlien Elijali cast his mantle about Klisha, which the youth quite understood fore this meeting. Unnecessary doubts, even from an early period, liave been raised about the identity of Levi and Matthew. No Englisli jury, with the evidence before them which we have in tlie Gospels, would hesitate in giving in a unanimous verdict of identity, gittiiig at tJie receipt of custom—as a publican, which Li;ke (.3. 27) culls him. It means the place of receipt, the toll-house or booth in which the collector sat. Being iu to mean appointing him his successor, lie was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen, the last pair held by himself. Leaving his oxen, lie ran after the prophet, and said, " Let nie, I pray lliee, kiss my father and my mother, and [then] I will follow thee." Was this said in Die same spirit with tlie same speech uttered by our disciple? Let us see. "And Elijali said unto him, Go back again: for what have tills case by the sea-side, it might be tlie ferry tax for the transit of ijer.sons and goods across the lake, wliich he collected. (See on ch.o.-lB.) aud lie saltli iiuto Ulm,'Follow iiie—Wi telling words these, from thelipsof Himwho never employed them without giving tlieiii resistless efficacy ill tlie hearts of those tliey were spoken to. Aiid Ue " left all" (Luke 5. 28), arose and followed Iiim.
I done to thee." Commentators take this to mean that Elijali had really done nothing to hinder him from going on with all his ordinary duties. But to us it seems clear tliat Elijah's intention was to try what manner of spirit
J'/ic Feast (v. 10-13). 10. And It came to pass, as Jesuu sat at meat In tlie liouse—The modesty of our Evangelist signally appears here. Luke says (v. 29) that " Levi made Him ai/reat feast," or 'reception,' wliile Jlatliicw merely the youlli was of:—'Kiss thy father and mother? And why not? By all means, go home and stay with them; for what have I done to thee? I did but throw a mantle about thee; but what of that?' If this was his meaning, Ellsha thoroughly apprehended and nobly met it. "He returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and blew them, and boiled their flesh with the Instruments of the oxen [tlie wood of his ploughing Implements], and gave unto the people, and tlieydid eat: then he arose, and went aftiu Eiijah, and ministered unto him" (1 Kings 19. says, "He sat at meat;" and Mark and Luke say that It
W.1S in Levi's "own house," while Matthew merely says, "He .s.at at meat in the house." Whether this feast was made now, or not till afterwards, is a point of some importance in the order of events, and not agreed among harmonists. The probability is that it did not talce place till a considerable time afterwards. For Matthew, who 21). We know not if even his fatlier and mother had ouglit surely to know wliat took place while his Lord was speakiug at liisown table, tells us that tlie visit of Jairua, tiiCM to be called to this hasty feast. But this mucli is plai.'i, tliat, though in affluent circumistaaces, he gave up