111. Tite Irresolute or Waverinc (continued)
MUsion of the Twelve Apostles. MATTHEW X. Christ's Comuission to tJiem.
surname was Thaddcus— the same, without doubt, aa "Judas the brother of James," mentioned in both the strong a roseinblance to the Sermon on the Mount that many cri t ics take it to be the same. (See on Luke 6. 12-19 lists of Luke (6. 16; Acts 1. 13), while no one of the name of Lebbeus or Thaddeus is so. It is he who in John (14.
-nd on ch. 5., Introductory Remarks.) Soon after this, it Should seem, the multitudes still hanging on Him, Jesus
22) is sweetly called "Judas, not Iscariot." That he was the author of the Catholic Epistle of "Jude," and not " the Lord's brother" (ch. 13. 55), unless these be the same,
Is touched with their wretched and helpless condition, and acts as is now to be described. 36. But wlieii lie saw tbe multitudes, lie wa8 moved with, compassion oil
Is most likely. 4. Simon the Canaanlte; rather 'Kananite," but better still, 'the Zealot,' as he is called in Luke 6. 15, wliere the original term should not have been retained as in our version (" Simon, called Zelotes"), but rendered 'Simon, called the Zealot.' The word " Kananite" is just the Aramaic, or Syro-Chaldaic, term for 'Zealot.' Probably before his acquaintance with Jesus, he belonged to the sect of tlie Zealots, who bound themselves, as a sort of voluntary ecclesiastical police, to see that the law was not broken with impunity, and Judas Iscariot i.e., Judas of Kerioth, a town of Judah (Joshua tlicm, because tliey fainted—This reading, however, has hardly any autliority at all. The true reading doubtless
Is, 'were harassed,' and were scattered abroad—ratlier, 'lying about,' ' al Dandoned,' or ' neglected '— «s gbeep having no shepherd—their pitiable condition as wearied and couclilng under bodily fatigue, a vast disorganized mass, being but a faint picture of their wretchedness as the victims of pharlsaic guidance; their souls uncared for, yet drawn after and hanging upon Him. This moved the Redeemer's compassion. 37. Then saltli he unto his disciples, The harvest truly Is plenteous—His eye doubtless rested immediately on the Jewish field, but this he saw widening into the vast field of " the world" (ch. 13.
15. 25); so called to distinguish him from "Judas the brother of James" (Luke 6. 10). who also betrayed him a note of infamy attached to his name in all the catalogues of the Twelve.
38), teeming with souls having to be gathered to Him. but the labourei-8 — men divinely qualified and called to gatlier them in— are few. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest—the great Lord and Proprietor of
5-42. The Twelve Receive their Instructions. This Directory divides itself into three distinct parts. The first part—extending from t;. 5 to 15—contains directions lor the brief and temporary mission on wliicli they were now going forth, with respect to the places they were to go to, the works they were to do, the message they were to bear, and the manner in which they were to conduct themselves. The second part—extending from i>. 16 to 23— contains directions of no such limited and temporary nature, but opens out into the permanent exercise of the Gospel ministry. The third part—extending from u. 24 to 42—is of wider application still, reacliing not only to the ministry of the Gospel in every age, but to the service of Christ in the widest sense. It is a strong confirmation of all. Cf. John 15. 1, " I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." that he will send forth labourers Into his harvest — The word properly means ' thrust fortli ;' but this emphatic sense disappears in some places, as in V. 25, and John 10. 4—" When H e pu Ueth forth His own sheep." (See on ch. 4. 1.)
CHAPTER X.
Ver. l-o. Mission of the Twelve Apostles (=Mark 6. 7-13
Luke 9. 1-6). The last three verses of ch. 9. form the proper Introduction to the Mission of tie Twelve, as is evident from tlie remarkable fact that the Mission of the Seventy was prefaced by the very same words. (See on Luke 10. 2.) 1. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he Rave them power— The word signifies both 'power,' and 'authority' or 'right.' Even If it were not evident that here both ideas are Included, we find both words expressly used in the parallel passage of Luke (9.
this threefold division, that each part closes with the words, " Verily I say unto you" (u. 15, 23, 42).
Directions for the Present Mission (v. 5-15). 5. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded tliem, saying. Go not into tlie way of tlie Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not—The Samaritans were Gentiles by blood; but being the descendants of those whom the king of Assyria had transported from the East to supply the place of the ten tribes carried cap-
1)—" He gave them power aTad authority"—in other words, He botli qualified and authiirized them—against—or 'over' —unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease. 3. Wow the names of the twelve apostles are these—The Other Kvangelists enumerate the twelve in immediate connection witlj their appointment (Mark 3. 13-19; Luke tive, they had adopted the religion of the Jews, though with admixtures of their own : and, as the nearest neighbours of the Jews, they occupied a place intermediate between them and tho Gentiles. Accordingly, when this prohibition was to be taken off, on the etfusion of the Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles were told that they should be Christ's witnesses first "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea," then "in Samaria," and lastly, "unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1. 8). 6. But go rather to the lost sheep of tlie house of Israel—Until Clirlst'ii death, which broke down the middle wall of partition (Ephesians 2. 14), the Gospel commission was to the Jews only, who, though the visible people of God, were "lost sheep" not merely in the sense which all sinners are (Isaiah 53. 0; 1 Peter 2. 25; with Luke 19. 10), but as abandoned and left to wander from the right way by faithless shepherds (Jeremiah 50. 6, 17; Ezekiel 34. 2-6, &c.). 7. Aiid as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand—(See on ch. 3. 2.) 8. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, [raise the dead,] cast out devils—[The bracketed clause—" raise the dead"—is wanting in many MSS.] Here we have the first communication of supernatural power by Christ Himself to his followers—thus anticipating the gifts of Pentecost. And right roj-ally does he dispense it. freely ye have received, freely give—Divine saying, divinely said! (cf. Deuteronomy 15. 10, 11; Acts 3, 6j—an auple of gold in .a setting of silver (Proverbs 25. 11). It reminds us of that other golden saying of our Lord, rescued from oblivion by Paul, " It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20.45). Who can estimate what the world owes to such saying.s, and with what beautiful foliage and rich fruit such seeds have covered, and will yet cover, this earth! 9. Provide neither gold, nor silver, 35
6. 13-16). But our Evangelist, not intending to record the appointment, but only the Mission of the Twelve, gives their names liere. And as in the Acts (1. 13) we have a list of the Eleven who met daily in tlie upper room with the other disciples after their Master's ascension until the day of Pentecost, we have four catalogues in all for comparison. The first, Simon, who is called Peter (see on John 1. 42), and Andrew Ills brother ) James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother—named after James, as the younger of tlie two. 3. Philip and Bartholomew That this person is the same with " Nathanael of Cana in Galilee," is justly concluded for the three following reasons : First,because Bartholomew is not so properly a name as a family surname; next, because not only in this list, but In Mark's and Luke's, he follows the name of "Philip," who was the instrument of bringing Natiianael first to Jesus (John 1. 45); and again, when our Lord, after His resurrection, appeared at the Sea of Tiberias, "Nathanael of f'ana In Oiilllee" is mentioned along with six others, all of them apostles, as being present (John 21. 2). Matthew the publican — In none of the four lists of tlie Twelve is this apostle so branded but In his own one, as
If he would have all to know how deep a debtor he had been to his Lord. (See on ch. I. 3, 5, 6; 0. 9.) James the •on of AlplieuH—the same person apparently who is called CleojKU or Ctopus (Luke 21. 18; John 19. 25) ; and, as he was the husband of Mary, sister to the Virgin, James the Less must huv^- been our Lord's cousin, and Lcbbeus, whose
CkrlU Oiii joricth His Disciples MATTHEW X. against Persecuting Eneiute*.
nor brass In—'for'—your pui-ges lit., 'your belts,' In which tliey kept their money. 10. IVor scrip for your Joxirucy— tlie wallet used by travelers for holding provisions, ntitlier two coats—or tunics, worn next the Skin. The meaning is. Take no change of dress, no additional articles, neither shoes i. e., change of them, nor yet staves — The received text here has 'a staff,'
Alone, the wisdom of the serpent Is mere cunning, and the harmlessness of the dove little better than weakness: but in combination, the wisdom of the serpent would save them from unnecessary expos'ire to danger; the harmlessness of the dove, from sinful expedients to escape it. In the apostolic age of Christianity, how harmoniously were these qualities displayed ! Instead of the fanatical thirst for martyrdom, to which a later age gave birth, there was a manly combination of unflinching zeal and calm discretion, before which nothing was able to stand. 17. But beware of men; for they will deliver you up to the councils—the local courts, used here for civil magistrates In general, and they will scourge you in their synagogues—By this is meant persecution at the hands of the ecclesiastics. 18. And ye shall be brought before governors—or provincial rulers-and kings—the highest tribunals—for my sake, for a testimony against them—rather, 'to them,' in order to bear testimony to the truth and its glorious effects—and [to] the Gentiles—a hint that their message would not long be confined to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The Acts of the Apostles are the best commentary on these warnings. 19. But when they deliver you tip, take no tliought— ' be not solicitous ' or ' anxious.' (See on ch. 6.
liut our version follows another reading, 'staves,' which is found in the received text of Luke (9. 3). The true reading, however, evidently is 'a staff'—meaning, that they wore not to procure even thus much expressly for tin 1 missionary journey, bat to go with what they had. No doutjt it was the misunderstanding of this that gave rise to the reading "staves" In so many MSS. Even if this reading were genuine, it could not mean 'more than one;' for wiio, as Alford well asks, would think of taliing a spare staff? for the workman is worthy of his meat—his 'food' or 'maintenance;' a principle which, being universally recognized In secular affairs, is licre authoritatively applied to the services of the Lord's workmen, and by Paul repeatedly and touchingly employed in his appeals to the churches (Romans 15. 27;
1 Corinthians 9.11; Galatians 6.6), and once as "Scripture" (1 Timothy 5.18). 11. And into whatsoever city or town—
' town or village'—ye shall enter [carefully] inquire wlio in it is worthy—or 'meet' to entertain such messengers; not in point of rank, of course, but of cougenial disposition, and there abide till ye go thciice—not shifting about, as if discontented, but returning the welcome given them with a courteous, contented, accommodating disposition. 13. And when ye come into an house—or 'the house,' but it means not the worthy house, but the house ye first enter, to try if it be worthy, salute it—show It the usual civilities. 13. And if tlie house be wortliy—showing this by giving you a welcome—let your peace come upon it—This is best explained by the Injunction to the Seventy, "And Into whatsoever housaye enter, first say. Peace be to this house" (Luke 10. 5). This was the ancient salutation of the East, and it prevails to this day. But from the lips of Christ and his messengers, it means something far higlier, both in the gift and the giving of it, than in the current salutation. (See on John 14. 27.) but if it be not wort Jiy, let your peace return to you—If your peace finds a slnit instead of an open door in the heart of any household, take it back to yourselves, who know how to value it, and it will taste the sweeter to yon for having been offered, even tliough rejected. 14-. And whosoe-ver Rltnll not i-ecelve you, nor hear your words, wlien ye depart ont of that house or city—for possibly a whole town might not furnish one "worthy"—shake oif the dust of your feet—"for a testimony against them," as Mark and Luke add. By this symbolical action they vividly shook themselves from all connection 'with such, and all responslliiliiy for the guilt of rejecting them and their message. Such symbolical actions were common in ancient times, even among others than the Jews, as strikingly appears in Pilate (ch. 27. 24). And even to this day it prevails in the East. 15. "Verily I say unto you. It Rlmll bf more tolerable—more bearable—for Sodom and Ciomovrnh in the day of Judgment, titan for tliat city—Those Cili(>s of the Plain, which were given to the flames for their loathsome impurities, shall be treated as less criminal, we are here taught, than those places which, tliough morally respectable, reject the Gospel message and ad'ront those that bear it.
25.) how or what ye shall speak—i. c, citlier in what manner ye shall make your defence, or of whatniti Wer it shall consist—for it shall be given you In that same hour what ye shall speak—(See Exodus 4. 12; Jeremiah
1. 7.) 20. For it Is not ye that speak, but Ihe Spirit of your Slather whicli speaketh In you—How l emarkably tliis has been verified, the whole history of persecution thrillingly proclaims—from the Acts of the Apostles to the latest martyrology. 31. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child i and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause tikem to be put to death—for example, by lodging information against them with the authorities. The deep and virulent hostility of the old nature and life to the new—as of Belial to Christ—was to Issue in awful wrenches of the dearest ties; and the disciples, in the prospect of their cause and themselves being launched upon society, are here prepared for the worst. 23. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake—The universality of this hatred would make it evident to them, that since it would not be owing to any temporary excitement, local virulence, or personal prejudice, on the part of their enemies, so no amount of discretion on their part, consistent with entire fidelity to the truth, would avail to stifle that enmity—though it might soften its violence, and in some cases avert the outward manifestations of i t. but he that endureth to the end shall be saved—a great saying, repeated, in connection with similar warnings. In the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem (ch. 24. 13); and often reiterated by the apostle as a warning against "drawing back unto perdition." (Hebrews 3. 6, 13; 6. 4-6; 10. 23, 26-29, 38, 39; &c.) As "drawing back unto perdition" is merely the palpable evidence of the want of "root" from the first in the Christian profession (Luke 8.13), so "enduring to the end" is just the proper evidence of its reality and solidity. 33. But when they persecute you in this city, floe ye Into another— ' into the other.' This, though applicable to all time, and exemplified by our Lord Himself once and again, had special reference to the brief opportunities which Israel was to have of " knowing the time of his visitations." for verily I say unto you—what will startle you, but at the same time show you the solemnity of your mission, and the need of economizing the time for it—Ye shall not have gone over—'Ye shall in nowise have completed
Dirrction.1 for the Future and Permanent Exercise of the Cliristinn Ministry (v. 16-23). 16. Behold, I send you forth-The "I" here Is emphatic, holding up Himself ns the Fountain of the Gospel ministry, as He is also the Great Harden of it. as sheep—defenceless—In the midst of wolves—ready to make a prey of you (John 10. 12). To be left exposed, as sheep to wolves, would have been startling enougli ; but that the sheep should be sent among the wolves would sound strange Indeed. No wonder this announcement begins with the exclamation, "Behold." be ye therefore wise as 8eri>entH, and harmless as doves—Wonderful combination this I
'—the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be couie—To understand this—as Lanok and others do—in the first instance, of Christ's own peregrinations, as If He had said, 'Waste not your time upon liostilo places, for 1 myself will bo after you ere your work be over'—seems almost trifling. "The coming of the Son of man" has a fixed doctrinal sen.se, here referring imme<llately to the crisis of Israel's history as the visible kingdom of God, When Ciii'iiit was to come and judge It; when " the wrdtU
(Tfi'f'i rroteclion Promisel MATTHEW X. to IIU Failhftd Minislen.
ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows—Was ever language of such .simplicity felt to carry such weight as this does? But here lies much or the charmand power of our Lord's teaching. 33. Whosoever titerefore shall confess me before men—" despising the shame"—him will 1 confess also before my Father which is in heaven— I will not be ashamed of him, but will own him before the most august of all assemblies. 33. But whosoever shall deny me before men, liim will I also deny before my Fatlier which is In heaven —before that same assembly: 'He shall have from Me his own treatment of Me on the earth.' But see on ch. 16. 27. 34. Think not that I am come to send peace on earth i 1 came not to send peace, but a sword—strife, discord, conflict; deadly opposition between eternally hostile principles, penetrating into and rending asunder the dearest ties. 35. For I am come to set a man at variance against his fatlier, and the daugliter against lier motlier, and tlie daughter-lii-law aga inst her motlierIn-law—See on Luke 12. olSi. 30. And a man's foes shall l»e they of his own honscliold— Tliis sa.ving, which is quoted, as is the whole verse, from Micah 7. 6, is but an extension of the Psalmist's complaint. Psalm 41.
w(.nld come npon it to the uttermost;" and when, on the ruins of Jerusalem and the old economy, He would establish His own kingdom. This, in the uniform language of Scriptuie, is more immediately " the coming of the Son of nuiti," " the day of vengeance of our God " (ch. 16. 28;
27, .3J; with Hebrews 10.25; James 5. 7-9)—but oiily as being such a lively anticipation of His second coming for vengeance and deliverance. So understood, it is parallel with cli. 24. U (on which see).
IMrertinns for Vie Service of Christ in it.i vridest sense {v. 24-
42). 24. TIte (llticiple Is not above his master—'teacher'
- -nor the serv.mt above his Liord—another maxim which our Lord repeats in various connections (Luke 6.
iO; John n. 10; 15. 20). 85. It is enougit for the disciple tliat he be »s his blaster, and the servant as his Loi-d. If titey have ra Ueil tlie master of the house Beelzebub —All tlie Greek MSS. wi'ite "Beelzebul," which undoubtedly is the right form of this word. The other reading came in no doubt from the Old Testament "Baalzebub," the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1. 2), which it was designed to express. As all idolatry was regarded as devil-worship (Leviticus 17. 7; Deuteronomy 32. 17; Psalm 106. 37; 1 Corinthians 10. 20), so there .seems to have been something peculiarly safanic about the worship of this hateful god, which caused his name to be a synonym of Satan. Tliougli we nowhere read that our Lord was actually called " Beelzebul," He was charged witli being in league with Satan tinder that hateful name (oh. 12. 24, 26), and more than once Himself was charged with "having a devil" or "demon" (Mark 3. 30; John 7. 20; 8.48). Here it is used
9; 55. 12-14, wliich had its most affecting illustration in the treason of Judas against our Lord Himself (John 13.
18; Mattliew 26.48-50). Hence would arise the necessity of a choice between Christ and the nearest relations, whicli would put them to the severest test. 37. He that loveth father or mother more tlian me, is not wortliy of inc; and he tliat loveth son or dangliter more than me, is not wortliy of me—Cf. Deuteronomy 33. 9. As to ilenote the most opprobrious language which could be applied by one to another, how much more [sitall they call] them of his household T — 'the inmates.' Three relations in which Christ stands to his people are here mentioned: He is their Teacher—they Ilis disciples; He tlie preference of the one would, in the ease supposed, necessitate the abandonment of the other, our Lord here, with a sublime, yet awful self-respect, asserts His own claims to supreme affection. 38. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me—a saying whicli our Lord once and again empliatically reiterates (ch. 16. 24; Luk(^9. 23; 14.27). We have become so accustomed to this expression—"taking up one's cross"—in the sense of ' being prepared for trials in general for Christ's sake,' tliat we are apt to lose sight of
Is their Lord—they His servants ; He is the Master of the household—they its inmates. In all these relations, He Bays here. He and they are so bound up together that they cannot look to fare better than He, and should think it enough if they fare no worse. 26. Pear them not therefore : for tStere is nothing covered that slinll not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known: fj.d., 'There is no use, and no need, of concealing anytliing; right and wrong, truth and error, are about to come into open and deadly collision ; and the day is coming when its primary and proper sense here—'a preparedness to go forth even to crucifixion,' as when our Lord had to bear His own cross on His way to Calvary—a saying the more remarkable as our Lord had not as yet given a hint tliat He would die this death, nor was crucifixion a Jewish mode of capital punishment. 3?. He that tlndeth lila life sliall lose It : and he that loseth his life for my sake sliall find Itr—another of those pregnant sayings which our Lord so often reiterates (ch. 16. 2.5; Luke 17. 33; John 12. 25). The pith of such paradoxical maxims depends on the double sense attached to the word " life"— all hidden things shall be disclosed, everything seen as it
Is, and every one have his due' (1 Corinthians 4.5). 37. What I tell you in darkness—in the privacy of a teaching for which men are not yet ripe—that speak ye in the light—for when ye go forth all will be ready—and wliat ye hear in the ear, that preach ye npon the housetops!—Give tree and fearless utterance to all that I have taught you while yet with you. Objaction: But this may cost us our life? Answer: It may, but there their power ends: .\nd fear not them wiiich kill the l>ody, Imt are not able to kill the soul—In Luke 12. 4, "and after that have no more that they can do." but ratlier fear him—in Luke this is peculiarlj' solemn, "I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear." even Him—which is able to destroy botit soul and body in hell—A decisive proof this that there is a hell for the body as well as the soul in the eternal world ; in otlier words, that the torment that awaits the lost will have elements of suffering fulapted to the mriterial as well as the spiritual part of our nature, both of which, we are assured, will exist for ever. In the corresponding waniing contained in Luke, Jesus calls His disciples "My friends," as if He had felt that such Kufferlngs constituted a hond of peculiar lendorne.is between Him and them. 39. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing T—In Luke (12.6) it lower and a higher, the natural and the spiritual, the temporal and eternal. An entire sacrifice of the lower, with all its relationships and interests—or, which is the same thing, a willingness to make it—is indispensable to the preservation of the higher life; and he who cannot bring himself to surrender the one for the sake of the other shall eventually lose both. 40. He that receiveth—or
' entertaiueth'—you, receiveth me ; and he that receivetii me, receiveth him that sent me—As the treatment which an ambassador receives is understood and regarded as expressing the light in which he that sends him Is viewed, so, says our Lord here, ' Your authority is mine, as mine is my Father's,' 41. He that receiveth a prophet —one divinely commissioned to deliver a message from heaven. Predicting future events was no necessary part of a prophet's of Hce, especially as the word is used in the New Testament, in the name of a prophet—for his oflici>' sake and love to his master. (See 2 Kings 4. 9, 10.) shall receive a prophet's reward—What an encouragement to those who are not prophets ! (.See John 3. 5-8.) and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man—from sympathy with his character and esteem for himself as such—shall receive a righteous man's reward—for he must himself have the seed of righteousness who has any real sympathy with it and complacency in him who possesses it. 43. And whosoever shall give 37
Is "Five sparrows for two farthings;" so that, if the purchaser took two farthings' worth, he got one in addition—of sudi small value were they, and one of them shall not fall bn the gi-onnd—exhausted or killed —without your Father—" Not one of them is forgotten before God." as it is In Luke. 30. But the very hairs of yonr head are all numbered—See Luke 21. 18 (and cf. ior the language 1 Samuel 14. 45; Acts 27.34). 31. Fear fohn Sendeth his Disciples to Christ. MATTHEW XL The Gospel Revealed to the Simj.
to driiik unto one of these little ones—Beautiful epl Vhet ! originally taken from Zecliarlah 13.7. The reference prophecy, and once and again fulfilled by victorious enemies. Yet they were rebuilt, aud at this time were in a flourishing condition, they would have repented long ago In sackcloth and ashes — Remarkable language, showing that they had done less violence to conscience, and so, in God's sight, were less criminal than the region here spoken of. ii'Z, But I say unto you. It shall be more tolerable—more 'endurable'—for Tyre and SIdon at tlie day of Judgment, than for you. ^3. And thou, Capernaum—(see on ch, 4. 13)—which art exalted unto heaven—Not even of Chorazin and Bethsaida is this said. For since at Capernaum Jesus had His stated abode during the whole period of His public life which He spent in Galilee, it was the most favoured spot vpon earth, the most exalted in privilege, shall be brought down to Itell : for If the mighty works, which have been done In thee, had been done in Sodom—<lestroyed for
Is to their lowliness in spirit, their littleness in the eyes of an undisceruing world, while high in Heaven's esteem, a cup of cold water only—meaning, the smallest service, in tiie name of a disciple—or, as it is in Mark (9. 41), because ye are Christ's: fiom love to Me, ami to him from his connection with me—verily I say unto you, lie shall in no wise lose his reward—There is here a descending climax—"a prophet," "a righteous man," "a little one;" signifying that however low we come down in our services to those that are Christ's, all that is done for His sake, and that bears the stamp of love to His blessed name, shall be divinely appreciated and owned and rewarded.
CHAPTER XI.
its pollutions—It would have remained until tills day —having done no such violence to conscience, and so incurred unspeakably less guilt. 34. But I say unto you, Tliat It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom In the day ofjudgment, than for thee—
Ver. 1-19. The Imprisoned Baptist's Message to his Master—The Reply, and Discourse, on the Departure OF THE Messengers, regarding John and his Mission. (=Luke 7. 18-35.) 1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his—rather,
' It has been indeed,' says Dr. Stanley, 'more tolerable, in one sense, in the day of its earthly judgment, for the land of Sodom than for Capernaum; for the name, and perhaps even the remains of Sodom are still to be found on the shores of the Dead Sea; whilst that of Capernaum has, on the Lake of Gennesareth, been utterly lost.' But the judgment of which our Lord here speaks is still future; a judgment not on material cities, but their responsible inhabitants —a jndgment final and irretrievable. 35. At that time Jesus answered and said—We are not to understand by
' the'—twelve disciples, he departed tlience to teach and to preach In their cities—This was scarcely a fourth circuit—if we may judge from the less formal way in which it was expressed—but, perhaps, a set of visits paid to certain places, either not reached at all, or too rapidly passed through before, in order to fill up the time till the return of the Twelve. As to their labours, nothing is said of them by our Evangelist. But Luke (9. 6) says, "They departed, and went through the towns," or 'villages,'
' preaching the Gospel, and healing everywliere." Mark
(6. 12, 13), as usual, is more explicit: "And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out this, that the previous discourse had been concluded; and that this is a record only of something said about the same period. For the connection is most close, and the word "answered" — which, when there is no one to answer, refers to something just before said, or rising lu the mind of the speaker in consequence of something said—confirms this. What Jesus here " answered" evidently was the melancholy results of His ministry, lamented over in the foregoing verses. It is as if He had said, 'Yes; but there is a brighter side of the picture; even in those who have rejected the message of eternal many devils (or 'demons'), and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." Though this "anointing with oil" was not mentioned in our Lord's instructions—at least In any of the records of them—we know it to have been practised long after this in the apostolic Church (see James 5. 14, and cf. Mark 6. 12, 13)—not medicinally, but as a sign of the healing virtue which was communicated by their hands, and a symbol of something still more precious. It was unction, Indeed, but, as Bengel remarks, it was something very different from wliat Romanists call extreme unction. He adds, what is very probable, that they do not appear to have carried the oil about with them, but, as the Jews used oil as a medicine, to have employed it just as they found it with the sick, in their own higher way. !J. Now when John had heard In the prison—For the account of tills imprisonment, see on Mark 6. 17-20. the works of Christ, he sent, Ac—On the whole passage, see on Luke 7. 18-35.
life, it is the pride of their own hearts only which has blinded tliem, and the glory of the truth does but the more appear in their inability to receiye it: Nor have all rejected it even here ; souls thirsting for salvation have drawn water with joy from the wells of salvation ; the weary have found rest; the hungry have been filled with good things, while the rich have been sent empty away.* I tliank tiiee—rather, ' I assent to thee.' But this is not strong enough. The idea of 'full' or ' cordial' concurrence
20-30. Outburst of Feeling, suggested to the mind of Jesus by the result of His labours in Galilee. The connection of this with what goes before is convej'ed by the preposition. The thing expressed is adoring acquiescence, holy satisfaction with that law of the Divine procedure about to be mentioned. Aud as, when He afterwards uttered the same words, He " exulted in spirit" (see on Luke 10. '21), probably He did the same now, though not recorded. O Father, Lord of heaven and earth—He so styles His Father here, to signify that from Him of right emanates all such high arrangements, because tliou hast iiid tliese things the knowledge of these saving truths—from the wise and prmleikt. The former of these terms points to the men who pride themselves upon their speculative or philosophical attainments; the latter to the men of worldly shrewdness—the clever, the sharp-witted, the men of aflikirs. The distinction is a natural one, and was well understood. (See 1 Corinthians 1. 19, *c.) But why had the Father hid from such the things that belonged
It, and the similarity of its tone, makes it evident, we think, that it was delivered on the same occasion, and that It is but a new and more comprehensive series of reflections in the same strain. 30. Then began he to apbrald the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. HI, Woe unto tliee, Chorazln I—not elsewhere mentioned, but it must have lain near Capernaum, woe unto thee, Bethsalda I {' hunting' or ' fishing-house'—'a fishing station']—on the western side of the Sea of Galilee, and to the north of Capernaum ; the birth-place of three of the apostles—the brothers Andrew and Peter, and Philip. These two cities appear to be singled out to denote the whole region in which they lay—a region favoured with the Redeemer's presence, teaching, and works above every other, for If the mighty works •the miracles'—which were done In you had been done in Tyre and Stdon—ancient and celebrated commercial to their peace, and why did Jesus so emphatically set His seal to this arrangement? Because It is not for the ofl'ending and revolted to speak or to speculate, but to listen to Him from whom we have broken loose, that we may learn whether there be any r<'covery for us at all and if there be, on what principles—of what nature—to what ends. To bring our own " wisdom and prudence" to such questions is impertinent and presumptuous; and cities, on the north-eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea, lying north of Palestine, and the latter the northernmost. As their wealth and prosperity engendered luxury and Its concomitant evils—irrellglon and moral degenercy—their overthrow was repeatedly foretold in ancient if the truth regarding them, or the glory of it, be "hid"
Chixsd ImdUiX'wn to the Weary. MATTHEW XII. The Blindness of the rharisecs Reproved.
from us, it. is hut a fitting retribution, to which all the rlghl-minde.d will set their seal aloug with Jesus. But, Thou Iiast revealed them unto babes—to babelilie men ; men ol unassuming docility, men who, conscious that they know nothing, and have no right to sit in Judgment on the things tliat belong to their peace, determine simply to "hear what Go<l the Lord will speak." Such are well ral'ed "babes." (See Hebrews 5. 13; 1 Corinthians li 11 ; IS. 20 ; &c.) 36. Even so, Father ; for 80 It seemed lto€>d—the emphatic and chosen term for expressing any object of" Divine complacency; whether Christ Himself (see on ch. 3. 17), or God's gracious eternal arrangements cided with the Passover-season, as the wheat harvest with Pentecost. But in Luke(6. l)we have a still more definite note of time. If we could be certain of the meaning of the peculiar term which lie employs to express it. " It came to pass (he says) on the sabbath, which was the first-seeond," for that is the proper rendering of the word, and not " the second sabbath after the first," as in our version. Of the various conjectures what this may mean, thatof ScAi/- IGER is the most approved, and, as we think, the freest from difllculty, viz., 'the first sabbath after the second day of the Passover;' i. e., the first of the seven sabbaths which were to be reckoned from the second day of the Passover, which was itself a sabbath, until the next feast, the feast of Pentecost (Leviticus 23.15, 16; Deuteronomy
(see on Philippians 2. 13)—in thy sight—This is just a Rublime echo of the foregoing words; as If Jesus, when He uttered them, had paused to reflect on it, and as if the glory of it—not so much in the light of its own reasonableness as of God's aljsolute will that so It should be—had
16. 9, 10). In this case, the day meant by the Evangelist is the first of those seven sabbaths intervening between Passover and Pentecost. And if we are right in regarding the " feast" mentioned in John 5. 1 as a Passover, and consequently the second during our Lord's public ministry (see on that passage), this plucking of the ears of corn must have occurred Immediately after the scene and the Discourse recorded in John .5., which, doubtless, would induce our Lord to hasten His departure for the north, to avoid the wrath of the Pharisees, which He had kindled at Jerusalem. Here, accordingly, we find Him in the fields—on His way probably to Galilee. 1. At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the com "the corn-fields" (Mark 2.23; Luke 6.1). and his disci-- pies were an hungered—not as one may be before his regular meals ; but evidently from shortness of provisions: for Jesus defends their plucking the corn-ears and eating them on the plea of necessity, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat—"rubbing them in their hands" (Luke 6. 1). 2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him. Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon tlie sabbatltday The act itself was expressly permitted (Deuteronomy 23.
filled His soul. 27. All things are delivered unto me ot my Father—He does not say. They are revealed—as to one who knew them not, and was an entire stranger to them save as they were discovered to him—but, They are 'delivered over,' or ' committed,' to me of my Father; meaning the whole administration of the kingdom of grace. So in John 3. 35, "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hand" (see on that verse). But Ihougli the "all things" in Ijoth these passages refer properly to the kingdom of grace, they of course Include all things necessary to the full execution of that trust that Is, unliiniled power. (So ch. 28. 18 ; John 17. 2 ; EpheEians 1. 22.) and ito man knoweth the Son, but the Father ; neither knotveth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will—or 'willeth'—to reveal him-What a saying is this, that •the Fatlier and the Son are mutually and exclusively known to each other!' A higher claim to equality with the Father cannot be conceived. Either, then, we have here one of the most revolting assumptions ever uttered, or the proper Divinity of Christ sliould to Christians be beyond dispute. ' But alas for me !' may some burdened Boul, sighing for relief, here exclaim. If it be thus with us, what can any poor creature do but lie down in passive despair, unless he could dare to hope that he may be one of the favoured class 'to whom the Son Is willing to reveal the Father?' But nay. This testimony to the sovereignty of that gracious " will," on which alone men's salvation depends, is designed but to reveal the source and ehhance the glory of it when once imparted—not to paralyze or shut the soul up in despair. Hear, accordingly, what follows: 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest —Incomparable, ravishing sounds these — if ever such were heard in this weary, groaning world! What gentleness, what sweetness is there in the very style of the <.uvitatlon—'Hither to Me:' and in the words, 'AH ye that toil and are burdened,' the universal wretchedness of man is depicted, on both Its sides—the active and the passive forms of i t. 29. Take my yoke upon you—the yoke of subjection to Jesus—and learn of me t for I am meek and lowly lu heart t and ye shall flnd rest unto your souls—As Christ's willingness to empty Himself to
25). But as being "servile work," which was prohibited on the sabbath day, it was regarded as sinful. 3. But he said unto them. Have ye not read—or, as Mark has it, "Have ye never read"—what David did (1 Samuel 21. 1-6) when he was an hungered, and tliey that were with him ; 4. How he entered Into the hoiise of God, and did eat the showbread, which was not laivful for him to eat, neither for them wliich were witli liim, but only for the priests 1 No example could be more apposite than this. The man after God's own heart, of whom the Jews ever boasted, when suflering in God's cause and straitened for provisions, asked and obtained from the high priest what, according to the law. It was Illegal for any one save the priests to touch. Mark (2. 26) says this occurred "in the days of Abiathar the high priest." But this means not during his liigh priesthood —for It was under that of his father Ahlmelecli—but simply. In his time. Ahimelech was soon succeeded by Abiathar, whose connection with David, and prominence during his reign, may account for his name, rather than his father's, being here introduced. Yet tliere is not a little confusion In what Is said of these priests in different parts of the Old Testament. Thus he is called. both the son and the father of Ahimelech (1 Samuel 22.20; 2 Samuel 8. 17); and Ahimelech is called Aliiah (1 Samuel the uttermost of His Father's requirements was the dpring of ineffable repose to His own Spirit, so In the kame track does He invite all to follow Him, with the assurance of the same experience. 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is llglit—Matchless paradox, even amongst the paradoxically couched maxims In which our Lord deliglits! ffhat rest which the soul experiences when once safe under Christ's wing makes all yokes easy, all burdens light.
14.3), and Ahimelech (1 Chronicles 18. 16). 5. Or liave ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbntii days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath —by doing "servile work"—and are blameless 1—The double offerings required on the sabbath day (Numbers 28.9) could not be presented, and the new-baked showbread (Leviticus 24.5; 1 Chronicles 9. 32) could not be prepared and presented every sabbath morning, without a good deal of servile work on the part of the priests; not to speak of circumcision, which, when the child's eighth day happened to fall on a sabbatli, had to be performed by the priests on that day. (See on Jolin 7. 22, 23.) G. But I say unto you. That in this place Is One greater than the temple—or rather, according to the reading which is best supported, ' something greater.' The argument stand* thus : 'The ordinary rules for the observance of the sab-
CHAPTER XII.
Ver. 1-8. PLUCKiito Corn-ears on the Sabbath day. (—Mark 2. 2:5-28 ; Luke 6. l-o.) The season of the year when this occurred is determined by the event Itself. Ripe corn-ears are only found in the fields Just before harvest. Tie barley harvest seems clearly Intended here, at the Ciuwi of our Marcb and beginning; of our April. It coin-
3t)
T7ie Healing of a Withered Hand. MATTHEW XII. Jesm Retires lo Avoid IhnKjer, bath give way before the requirements of the temple ; but there are riglits here before which the temple itself must give way.' Thus indirectly, but not the less decidedly, does our Lord put in Ills own claims to consideration in this question—claims to be presently put in even more nakedly. 7. But If ye Had known wlxat [this] meanpears from the "grief" which mingled with it at "the hardness of their hearts." 13. Then sulth he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And lie stretched It forth—the power to obey going forth with the word of command. and It was restored whole, like as th« other—The poor man, having faith In this wonderfa Healer—which no doubt the whole scene would singular ly help to strengthen—disregarded the proud and venomous Pharisees, and thus gloriously put them to shame, 14. Then tile Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him—This Is the first explicit mention of their murderous designs against our Lord. Luke (6. 11) says, "they were filled with madness, and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus." But their doubt was not, whether to get rid of Him, but hoiv to compass it. Mark (3. 6), as usual, is more definite: "The Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him." These Herodians were supporters of Herod's dynasty, created by Ctesar a political rather than religious party. The Pharisees regarded them as untrue to their religion and country. But here we see them combining together against Christ as a common enemy. So on a subsequent occasion, ch, etli, I will liave mercy, and not sacrifice—(Hosea 6.6; Mioah 6. 6-S, &c.) See on ch. 9. 13. ye would not have condemned the gwi Uless—5. rf., 'Had ye understood the great principle of all religion, which the .Scripture everywhere recognizes—that ceremonial observances must give way before moral duties, and particularly the necessities of nature—ye would have refrained from these captious complaints against men who in this matter are blameless.' But our Lord added a specific application of this groat principle to the law of the sabbath, preserved only in Mark : "And he said unto them, the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath" (Mark 2. 27). A glorious and far-reaching maxim, alike for the permanent establishment of the sabbath and the true freedom of its observance. 8. For tlie Son of man Is Iord [even] ofthesabbatliday—In what sense now is the Son of man Lord of the .sabbath day? Not surely to abolish it—that surely were a strange lordship, especially just after saying that it was made or instituted for man—but to own it, to interpret it, to preside over it, and to ennoble it, by merging
22. 15, 16. Jesus Retires to Avoid Danger (v. 15-21). 15. But when Jesus knew It, he withdrew himself from titeiice whither, our Evangelist says not; but Mark (.3.7) says "it was lo the sea"—to some distance, no doubt, from the scene of the miracle, the madness, and the plotting just recoriled. and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all—Mark gives the following interesting detsiils: "A great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan ; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard wliat great things he did, came unto Him. And he spake to His disciples, th.at a small ship"—or ' wherry'—" should wait on Him because of the multitude, lest they should throng Him. For He had healed many; Insomuch that the}' pres.sed upon Him for to touch Him, as many as had plagues. And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying. Thou art the Son of God. And He straitly charged them that they should not make Him known" (Mark 3. 7-12). How glorious this extorted homage to the Son of God ! But as this was not the time, so neither were they the fitting preachers, as Bengel says. (See on Mark 1. 2.5, and cf. James 2. 19.) Coming back now to our Evangelist: after saying, "Ho healed them all," he continues : 16. And charged them —the healed—that they sliould not make lilm known -<See on ch. 8. 4.) IT.'That It might be full Uled wlilch was spoken by Ksalas the prophet, saying (Isaiah 42.
It in the "Lord's Day" (Revelation 1. 10), breathing into it an air of liberty and love neces.sarily unknown before, and thus making it the nearest resemblance to the eternal sabbatism.
9-21. The Healing of a Withered Hand on the Sabbath Day, and Retirement of Jesus to avoid DANGEii. (=Mark 3. 1-12; Luke 6. 6-U.) Healing of a Withered Hand (v. 9-14). 9. And when he was departed thence—but "on another .sabbath" (Luke 6. 6)—he went Into their synagogue—"and tauglit." He had now, no doubt, arrived in Galilee; but this, it would appear, did not occur at Capernaum, for after it was over He " withdrew Himself," it is said, "to the sea" (Mark 3. 7), whereas Capernaum was at the sea. And, behold, there was a man which l»ad his hand withered—disabled by paralysis (as 1 Kings 13. -1). It was his right hand, as Luke graphically notes. And they asked him, saying. Is It lawful to heal on the sabbath days I that they might accuse him—Matthew and Luke say they "watched Him whether lie would heal on the sabbath day." They were now come to the length of dogging His steps, to collect materials for a charge of impiety against Him. It is probable that it was to their thouf/hts rather than their words that Jesus addressed Himself in what follows. 11. And he snid unto them, What man shall there be among you that sliall have one sheep, and If It fall Into a pit on the sabbath day, will lie not lay hold on It, and lift it out T 1'4. How much then is a man better than a sheep ;—Resistless appeal! "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" (Proverbs 12. 10), and would instinctively rescue it from deatii or sut Tering on the sabbath day; how much more his nobler fellow-man! But the reasoning, as given in the other two Gospels, is singularly striking: "But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand. Rise up, and stand
1), 18. Behold my servant, whom I have chosen \ my beloved, in whom my soul Is well pleased i I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall show ,1udgmei>t to tlie Gentiles. 19. He shall not strive nor cry ) neither shall any man hear his voice In the streets. '.20. A bruised reed sitall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth Judgment unto victory—"unto truth," says the Hebrew original, and the LXX. also. But our Evangelist merely seizes the fortli in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save spirit. Instead of the letter of the prediction In this point. The grandeur and completeness of Messiah's victories would prove, it seems, not more wonderful than the unobtrusive nolselessness with which they were to be achieved. And whereas one rought touch will break a bruised reed, and quench the flickering, smoking flax, His It should be, with matchless tenderness, love, and life or to destroy it?" (Luke 6. 8, 9) or as In Mark (3. 4), "to kill?" He thus shuts them up to this startling alternat Ive : ' Not to do good, when It is in the power of our hand to do it, is to do evil ; not to save life, when wc can, is to kill'—and must tlie letter of the sabbath rest be kept at skill, to lift up the meek, to strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feel)Ie knees, to comfort all that mourn, tills expense? This unexpected thrust shutthelr mouths. By this great ethical principle our Lord, we see, held Himself bound, as man. But here we must turn to Mark, whose graphic details make the second Gospel so exceedingly precious. "When He had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts. He s;\ith unto the man" (Mark 3. 5). This Is one of the very few passages In the Gospel history which reveal our Lord's feelinrjs. How holy this anger was ap40 to say to t*em that are of a fearful heart, IU> strong, fear not. 21. And In his name shall the (•entiles trust Part of His present audience were Gentiles-from Tyro and Sldon—ftrst-frults of the great Gentile harvest contonplated In the prophecy.
A Bmnh and Dumb Demoniac Hkai.ed. and Reply to TTiK Malignant e;.ti»lanation i-l't m*oN it,
Blind and Dumb Demoniac Sealed, MATTHEW XII. The Sin against the Holy Gliost, destined to supplant his is already rising on its ruing, ao. Or else how can one enter into a—or rather, ' the'— strong man's house, and spoil Iiis goods, except he first bind the strong man! and then he will spoil his house. 30. He tiiat is not with me is against me ; and lie that gatheretli not with me scatteretli alti-ond—On this important parable, in connection with the corresponding one, V. 43-45, see on Luke 11. 21-26. 31, Wherefore I say unto you. All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men—Tiie word " blasphemy" properly signifies 'detraction,' or 'slander.' In the New Testament it is applied, as it is hei-e, to vituperation directed against God as well as against men ; and in this sense it is to be understood as an aggravated form of sin. Well, says our Lord, all sin—whether in its ordinary or
(—Mark 3. 20-30; Luke 11. 14-23.) The precise time of this
Bection is uncertaiu. Judging from the statements with which Mark introduces it, we should conclude that it was when our Lord's popularity was approaching its zenith, and so before the feeding of the five thousand. But, ou the other hand, tlie advanced state of the charges brouglit against our Lord, and the plainness of His warnings add denunciations in reply, seem to favour the later period at which Luke introduces it. "And the multitude," says Mark (3. 20, 21), "cometh together again," referring back to the Immense gathering which Mark had before recorded (ch. 2. 2)—" so that they could not so much as eat bread. And when His friends"—or rather, 'relatives,' as appears from i'. 31, and see on ch. 12. 46—" heard of It, they went out to lay liold on Him; for they said, He is beside Himself." Cf. 2 Corinthians 5.13, "For whether we be beside ourselves, it Is to God." aa. Then was brought unto him one possessed with a defU—or 'a demonized person'—blind and dumb, and he healed him, insomnoh that the blind and the dumb both spalie nnd saw. as. And all tlie people were amazed, and said.
its more aggravated forms—shall find forgiveness with God. Accordingly, in Mark (3. 28) the language is still stronger : " All sin shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme.'' There Is no sin whatever, it seems, of which it maj' be said, 'That is not a pardonable sin.' This glorious assurance is not to be limited by what follows ; but, ou the contrary, what follows is to be expliiiued by this, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 3a. And wliosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it slsall be forgiven him : but wltosoever speaketh against tlie Holy Ghost,
Is not this the son of David I—The form of the interrogative requires this to be rendered, ' Is this the Son of David ?' And as questions put in this form (In Greek) suppose doubt, and expect rather a negative answer, the meaning
Is, 'Can it possibly be?'—the people thus indicating their secret impression that this mmt be He; yet saving themselves from the wrath of the ecclesiastics, which a direct assertion of it would have brought upon them. (See on a similar question in John 4. 29; and on the phrase, "Son of David," on ch. 9. 27.) SJ*. But when the Pliarisees heard It—Mark (3. 22) says, " the scribes which came down from Jerusalem ;" so that this had been a hostile party of the ecclesiastics, who had come all the way from Jerusalem to collect materials for a charge against Him. (See on V. 14.) they said, This fellow—an expression of contempt—doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub rather, Beelzebul (see on ch. 10.25)—the prince of tlie devils—Two things are here Implied—first, that the bitit sliall not be forgiven him, neltlker in tliis world, neither In the world to come—In Mark the language is awfully strong, " hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation"—or rather, according to what appears to be the preferable though very unusual reading, 'in danger of eternal guilt'—a guilt which he will underlie for ever. Mark has the important addition (v. 30), "Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." (See on ch. 10. 25.) What, then, is this sin against the Holy Ghost —the unpardonable sin? One thing is clear: Its unpardonableness cannot arise from anything in the nature of sin itself; for that would be a naked contradiction to the emphatic declaration of v. 31, that all manner of sin is pardonable. And what is this but the fundamental truth of the Gospel? (See Acts 13.38,39; Romans 3. 22,24; 1 John 1. 7, &c.) Then, again, when it is said (v. 32), tliat to speak against or blaspheme the Son-of man is pardonable, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is not pardonable, it is not to be conceived that this arises fiom any greater sanctity in the one blessed Person than the other. These remarks so narrow the question that the true sense of our Lord's words seem to disclose themselves at once. It is a contrast between slandering "the Son of man" in His veiled condition and unfinished work— which might be done "ignorantly, in unbelief" (1 Timothy 1. 13), and slandering the same blessed Person after the blaze of glory which the Holy Ohost was soon to thi-ow around His claims, and in the full knowledge of all that. This would be to slander Him with eyes open, or to do It "presumptuously." To blaspheme Christ in the former condition—when even the apostles stumbled at many things-left them still open to conviction on fuller light: but to blaspheme Him in the latter condition would be to hate the light the clearer it became, and resolutely to shut it out; which, of course, precludes salvation. (See on Hebrews 10. 26-29.) The Pharisees had not as yet done this; but in charging Jesus with being in league with hell they were displaying beforehand a malignant determination to shut their eyes to all evidence, and so, bordering upon, anA in spirit committing the unpardonable sin. 33. Either make the tree good, &c. 34. O generation of vipers (see on ch. 3.7), how can ye, bring evil, speak good things 1 for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh—a principle obvious enough, yet of deepest significance and vast application. In Luke 6. 45 we find it uttered as part of the discourse delivered after the choice of the apostles. 35. A good man, out of the good treasure of the heart, briiigeth —or ' putteth' forth good things : and an evil man, out of tlie evil treasure, brlngeth—or 'putteth' fortli evil things—The word ' putteth' indicates the spontaneousness terest enemies of our Lord were unable to deny the reality of His miracles; and next, that they believed in an organized infernal kingdom of evil, under one chief. This belief would be of small consequence, had not our Lord set His seal to it; but this He Immediately does. Stung by the unsophisticated testimony of "all the people," they had no way of holding out against His claims but by the desperate shift of ascribing His miracles to Satan. 2,5. And Jesus knew their thou^^hts—"called them" (Mark 3. 23), and said unto them, Everj' Iciugdom divided against itself is brought to desolation ) and every city or house—t. e., houseliold — divided against itself shall not stand: a6. And if Satan cast out Satan, he Is divided against himself | how sltall tlien his kingdom standi—The argument here is irresistible. 'No organized society can stand—whether kingdom, city, or household—when turned against itself; such Intestine war is suicidal : But the works I do are destructive of Satan's kingdom : That I should be In league with jatan, therefore, is incredible and absurd.' 87. And if I ay Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your cliildren— ' your sons,' meaning here the 'disciples' or pupils of the Pharisees, who were so termed after the familiar language of the Old Testament In speaking of the sons of the prophets. (1 Kings 20. 35 ; 2 Kings 2. 3, &c.) Our Lord here seems to admit that such works were wrought by them; in which case the Pharisees stood self-condemned, as expressed In Luke (11. 19), "Therefore shall they be your Judges." a8. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God—In Luke (11. 20) it is, " with (or ' by') the finger of God." This latter expression Is Just a flguriitlve way of representing the pon cr of God, while the former tells us the living Personal Agent was made use of by the Lord Jesus In every exercise of lliat power, then—"no doubt" (Luke U. 20)—the kingdom of God is come unto you—rather upon you,' as tlie same expression is rendered In Luke
d., ' If this expulsion of Satan is, and can be, by no uo other than the Spirit of God, then is his Destroyer already in the midst of you, and that kingdom which is
A Sign Demanded, and the Reply. MATTHEW XIII. Jesus Teaches by rardblog.
a mere man, though a gifted one, and was transported with wonder at what she saw and heard (1 Kings 10. 1-9). They, when a Greater than Solomon had come to them, despised and rejected, slighted and slandered Hiin. 4345. Wlien tlte unclean spirit is gone out of a man, &o.—On this important parable, in connection with the corresponding one—u. 29—see on Luke 11. 21-20. A charnc Ing little Incident, given only in Luke 11. 27, 28, seems to have its proper place here. "And it came to pass, as Ho spake these things, a certain woman of the company"— of what comes from the heart; for It Is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh. We have here a new application of a former saying (see on ch. 7. 16-
20). Here, the sentiment is, ' There are but two kingdoms, interests, parties—with the proper workings of eaoh : If I promote 'he one, I cannot belong to the other; but they that set themselves in wilful opposition to the kingdom of light openly proclaim to what other kingdom they belong. As for you, in what ye have now uttered, ye have but revealed the venomous malignity of your hearts.' 36. But I say Hiito you, That every Idle word that men shall speak, they sliall give account thereof In the day of judgment—They might say, ' It was nothing : we meant no evil ; we merely threw out a supposition, as one way of accounting for the miracle we witnessed ; if it
' out of the crowd'—"lifted up her voice and said unto Him, Blessed is the womb that bare Thee, and the paps which Thou hast sucked." With true womanly feeling she envies the mother of such a wonderful Teacher. And a higher and better than she had said as much before her (see on Luke 1. 28). 42. How does our Lord, then, treat it? He is far from condemning It. He only holds up as "blessed rather" another class: "But he said. Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it"—in other words, the humblest real saint of God. How utterly alien will not stand, let it go ; why make so much of it, and bear down with such severity for It?' Jesus replies, 'It was not nothing, and at the great day will not be treated as nothing: Words, as the index of the heart, however
Idle they may seem, will be taken accoi'.nt of, whether good or bad, in estimating character In the day of judgment.'
is this sentiment from the teaching of the Church of Rome, which would doubtless excommunicate any one of its members that dared to talk In such a str.ain ! Hu Mother and Brethren Seek to Speak with Him, and the Answer (v. 46-50). 46. AVhile he yet talked to tlie people,
38-50. A Sign Demanded, and the Beply—His Mother AND Brethren seek to Speak with Him, and the Ans-wer. (=Luke 11. 16, 24-36; Mark 3. 31-35; Luke 8. 19-
21.) A Sign demanded, and the Reply 38-45.) The occasion of this section was manifestly the same with that of the preceding. 38. Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master — 'Teacher,' equivalent to ' Rabbi'—we would see a sign from thee— "a sign from heaven" (Luke 11. 16); something of an immediate and decisive nature, to show, not that his miracles were reaZ—that they seemed willing to concede—but that they were from above, not from beneath. These were not the same class with those who charged Him with being in league with Satan (as we see from Luke 11. 15, 16); but as the spirit of both was similar, the tone of severe rebuke behold, his mother and his brethren (see on ch. 13. 55,
56) stood without, desiring to speak with him—" and could not come at Him for the press" (Luke 8. 19). For what purpose these came, we learn from Jark 3. 20, 21. In His zeal and ardour He seemed indifferent both to food and repose, ano 'they went to lay hold of Him" as one "beside himsell. Mark says graphically, "And the multitude sat about Him"—or 'around Him.' 47. Then one said unto liim. Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee, &c.—Absorbed in the awful warnings He was pouring forth, He felt this to be an unseasonable interruption,
Is continued. 39. But he answered and said unto them —"when the people were gathered thick together" (Luke fitted to dissipate the impression made upon the large audience—such an interruption as duty to the nearest relatives did not require Him to give way to. But instead of a direct rebuke, He seizes on the incident to convey a sublime lesson, expressed in a style of inimitable condescension. 49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples. How graphic Is this ! It is the language evidently of an eje-witness — and said, Behold my mother and my brethren ! 50. For whosoever shall do the -will of my Father M-hich Is in lieavcti, the same Is my brother, and sister, and mother — q. d., 'There stand here the members of a family transcending and surviving this of earth : Filial subjection to the will of my Father in heaven Is the Indissoluble bond of union between Me and all Its members ; and whosoever enters
11. 29)—an evil and adulterous generation—This latter expression is best explained by Jeremiah 3. 20, " Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treachei'ously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." For this -was the relationship in which He stood to the covenant people—" I am married unto you" (Jeremiah 3. 14). seelteth after a sign — In the eye of Jesus this class were but the spokesmen of their generation, the exponents of the reigning spirit of unbelief, and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of tlie propltet Jonas. 40. For as Jonas was— "a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation" (Luke 11. 3U). For as Jonas was three days and three nlglits in the whale's belly (Jonah 1. 17), so shall this hallowed circle becomes to Me brother, and sister, and mother!'
tlie Son of man be three days and three niglits in tlie heart of tlie earth — This was the second public announcement of His resurrection three days after His death. (For the first, see John 2. 19.) Jonah's case was analogous to this, as being a signal judgment of God ; reversed in three days; and followed by a glorious mission
CHAPTER XIII.
Ver. 1-52. Jestts Teaches by Parables. (=Mark 4,
1-34; Luke 8. 4-18; 13. 18-20.) Introduction {v. 1-3). 1. Tlie same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea-[slde.] 'i. And great multitudes were gathered togetlier unto him, so tJiat he went into a ship— the article in the received text wants authority—and sat| anil tlie whole multitude stood on the shore — How graphic this picture!—no doubt from the pen of an eye« witness, himself Impressed with the scene. It was " the same day" on which the foregoing solemn discourse was discovered, when His kindred thought Him " beside Himto the Gentiles. The expression " In the heart of the earth," suggested by the expression of Jonah with respect to the sea (2. 3, in LXX.), means simply the grave, but this considered as the most emphatic expression of real and total entombment. The period during which He was to lie in the grave is here expressed In round numbers, according to the Jewish way of speaking, which was to regard any part of a day, however small, Included within a period of days, as a full day. (See 1 Samuel 30. 12, 13; Esther 4. 16; 5. 1; ch. 27. 63, 61, &c.) 41. The men of NIncvelksliall rise in Judgment with this generation, &c.—The Ninevites, though heathens, repented at a man's preaching; while they, God's covenant people, repented not at the preaching of the Son of God—whose supreme dignity is rather implied here than expressed. 43. Tlie queen of the south shall rise up in the Judgment witli tills generation, Ac—The queen of Sliebna tract self" for His indifference to food and repose—that same day retiring to the sca-shoreof Galilee, and there seating Himself, perhaps for coolness and rest, the crowds again fiock around Him, and He Is fain to push off from thorn. In the boat usually kept in readiness for Him; yet only to begin, without waiting to rest, a new course of teaching by parabits to the eager multitudes that lined the shore. To the parables of our Lord there is nothing In all language to bo compared, for simplicity, grace, fulnesi*, and variety of spiritual teaching. They are adapted to
In Arabia, near the shores of the Red Sea—came from a remote country, "south" of Judea, to hear the wisdom of all classes and stages of advancement, being understood