Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
fit Tt.dchiny in Parables. MATTHEW Xiri. Parahh of the Tares and lite Wheat, human fact is represented as the fulfilment of a Divine purpose—" that seeing they may see, and not perceive." &c. The explanation of this lies in tlie statement of the foregoing verse—that, by a fixed law of the Divine administration, the duty men voluntarily refuse to do, and in point of fact do not do, they at length become morally incapable of doing. 14. And In them is fiillillea— rather, 'is fulfilling,' or is receiving its fultilineiit—the prophecy of £saias, which saith (Isaiali 6. 9, 10—here quoted according to the LXX.)—By hearing ye shall hear, and sisall not understand, &c.—'i'liey wi re thus judicially sealed up under the darkness and obduracy /which they deliberately preferred to the light and healing by each !i» aiding to tlio measure of his spiritual capacity.
3. Aiiitl Ite iptikc Dtuiiy tUiitgs nnto tliem In parables, aylns, &c.—These parables are seven in number; and
It is not a little remarkable that while this is the sacred mimber, tlie first four of tliem were spolten to the mixed inullitude, wliile the remaining three were spoken to the Twelve in private—these divisions, /our and t/irce, being tlieniselves notable In the symbolical arithmetic Cf '*criptiirc. Another thing remarkable in the structure of these parables is, that while the first of the Seven lliot of the Sower—is of the nature of an Introduction to the whr>le, the remaining Six consist of three pairs—the Second and Seventh, the Third and Fourth, and the Fifth and Sixth, corresponding to each other; each pair setting which Jesus brought nigh to them. 10. Hut l»lessed ai-e yonr eyes, for they see ; and your ears, lor they hear foi th the same general truths, but with a certain diversity
5. d., ' Happy ye, whose eyes and ears, voluntarily and gladlj' opened, are drinking in the light Divine.' 17. For verily 1 saynnto you. That manyprophets and righteous men have desired—rather, 'coveted'—to sec tiiose things %vhich ye see, and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them—Not only were the disciples blessed above the blinded just spoken of, but favoured above the most honoured and tlie best that lived under the old economy, who had but glimpses of the things of the new kingdom, just sufficient to kindle in them desires not to be fulfilled to any in their day. In Luke 10. 23, 24, where the same saying f>f a.«pei't. All tills can hardly be accidental. Mrsi Varable: THE SoWER (f. 3-9, lS-23). This parable may be entitled. The Effect of the Word Dependent ON THE Statk of THE HEART. For the exposition of this pai able, see on Mark i. 1-9, H-20.
Reason for Teaching in Parables {v. 10-17). 10. And tlie
came, and said unto Iilm—" they that were with Him, when they were alone" (Mark *I. 10)—Why speakebt tkou to tliein In parables I—Though before this He had couched some things in the parabolic form, for more vivid illustration, it would appear that He now, for the first time, formally employed this method of teach iii'^. 11. lie answered and said unto them, Bccnttae it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven — The word "mysteries" in Scripture is not used in its classical sense—of 'religious is repeated on the return of the Seventy — the words, instead of " many prophets and righteous men," are " many prophets and kings;" for several of the Old Testament saints were kings.
Second and Seventh Parables, or First Pair: The Wheat AND THE Tarf.s, and The Good and Bad Fish (v. 21-30; 36-43; and 47-50). The subject of both these Parables— which teach the same truth, with a slight diversity of aspect-is secrets,' nor yet of ' things Incomprehensible, or in their own nature difficult to be understood'—but in the sense of 'things of purely Divine revelation,' and, usually, ' things darkly announced under the ancient economy, and during all that period darkly understood, but fully published under the Gospel' (1 Corinthians 2. 6-10; Ephesians 3. 3-6,
The mixed CHARACTER of the Kingdom in its Present State, and the FINAL ABSOLUTE SEPARATION OF the Two Classes.
8, 9). "The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven," then, mean those glorious Gospel truths which at that time only the more advanced disciples could appreciate, and they but partially, but to them it is not given—(See on ch. 11. 2.J.) Parables serve the double purpose of revealing Kud concealing ; presenting ' the mysteries of the kingdom' to those wlio know and relish them, though in never so Bmall adegree,in a newand attractive light; but to those who are insensible to spiritual things yielding only, as so many tales, some temporary entertainment. 13. For whosoever hath—». e., keeps; as a thing which he values —to hiiti shall be given, and he shall have moi-e abundance—he will be rewarded by an increase of what he so much prizes—but whosoever hath not—who lets this go or lie unused, a,s a thing on which he sets no value—from
The Tares and the Wheat {v. 21-;!( 30 13). '24. Another paral>le put he fortik unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man ^vhich sowed good seed In his fleld—Happily for us, these exquisite parables are, with like charming simplicity and clearness, expounded to us by the Great Preacher Himst lf. Accordingly, we pass to 1;. 38-38. Then Jesus sent tJie inxiltitudei away, and went Into the house : and his diitciplca' came iinto him, saying. Declare unto us the parablec of the tares of the field, &c.—In the parable of th* Sower, " the seed is the word of God" (Luke S. 11). But here that word has been received into the heart, and has converted him that received it into a new creature, a "child of the kingdom," according to that saying oS James (1. 18), "Of His own will begat He us with tho word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruitsof His creatures." It is worthy of notice tbat this vast fleld of the world is here said to be Christ's own— "His field," says the parable. (See Psalm. 2. 8.) 35*. But while men slept, his enemy came aiad sowed tares among tlte wheat, and went his way. 38. Thetare». are the children of tlie wicked one. As this sowing.', could only be "while men slept," no blame seems intended, and certainly none is charged upon "the servants ;"
Itira shall be taken away even that he hath—or as it is in Luke (8. 18), " what he seemeth to have," or ' thinketh he hath.' This is a principle of immense importance, and, like other weighty sayings, appears to have been uttered by our Lord on more than one occasion, and in different connections. (See on ch. 2.5. 9.) As a great ethical principle, we see it in operation everywhere, under the general law of habit; in virtue of which moral principles become stronger by exercise, while by disuse, or the exercise of their contraries, they wax weaker, and at length expire. The same principle reigns in the intellectual world, and even in the animal—if not in the vegetable it is probably just the dress of the parable. 39. The en- - emy that sowed them Is the devil—emphatically "//<« enemy" (r. 25). See Genesis 3. 15; 1 John 3. 8. By "tares'" al.so—a-s the facts of physiology suf Hciently prove. Here, however, it Is viewed as a Divine ordination, as a Judicial retribution in continual operation under the Divine administration. 13. Therefore speak I to them in parables—which our Lord, be it observed, did not begin to do is meant, not what in our husbandry is so called, but some noxious plant, probably darnel. "The tares are the children of the wicked one ;" and by their being sown, "among the wheat" is meant their being deposited within; the territory of the visible Church. As they resemble thet children of the kingdom, so they are produced, it seems, by a similar process of " sowing"—the seeds of evil being scattered and lodging in the soil of ; those hejirts upon which falls the seed of the word. The enemy, alter sowing his "tares," "went his way"—his dark work soon done, but taking time to develop its true cliaracter. 30. But when the blade was sprung, up, and brought till Ills miracles were malignantly ascribed to Satan, becaiiiie they seeing, see not—They "saw," for the light shone on them as never light shone before; but they "saw not," for they closed their eyes—and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand—They "heard," for He taught them who "spake as never man spake;" but they "heard not," for they took nothing in, apprehending not the soul-penetrating, life-giving words addressed to tUem. In Mark and Luke, what U here expressed as a
Parable of the Wheat and the Tares. MATTHEW Xlll. Parable of the Muatarn forth fmlt, then appeared the tares also—the growth In drag-net, which draws everything after it, suffering nothing toescape,as distinguished from' ,\ca*ting-net,"!>\-Ax'k bolli cases running parallel, as antagonistic principles are seen to do. 27. So the servants of the householder came— (. e., Christ's ministers—and said unto him, Sir, didst not thon sow good seed In thy fleld! from whence then hath It tares I—This well expresses the surprise.disappointment.and anxiety of Christ's faithful servants and people at tlie discovery of "false brethren" among the members of the Church. 28. He said nnto them. An enemy hath done this—Kind words these from a good Husbandman, honourably clearing His faith-
1.16,18. The far-reaching el Bcacy of the Gospel is Miusi denoted. This Gospel net "gathered of every kind," meaning every variety of character. 48. Which, whi u It was full, they drew to shore—for the separation will not be made till the number of the elect is accomplished — and sat down — expressing the deliberateness with which the judicial separation will at length be made— and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away— ZiV., ' the rotten,' but here meaning, 'the loul' or ful servants of the wrong done to his field. The ser>-ants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up!—Cf. with tliis the question of James and John (Luke 9. .>1), "'Lord, wilt thou that we command tire to come down from heaven and consume" those Siimiiritans? In this kind of zeal there is usually a large mixture of carnal heat. (See James 1. 20.) 29, But he said. Nay—'It will be done in due time, but not now, nor is it your business.' lest, while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them—Nothing could more clearly or forcibly teach the difficulty of distinguishing the two classes, and the high probability that in the attempt to do so these will be confounded. 30, 39. Let hoth grow together i.e., in the visible Church—until the harvest—till the one have ripened for full salvation, the other for destruction. The harvest is the end of the world—the period of Christ's second coming, and of the
' worthless' fish : corresponding to the " tares" of tlie other parable. 40. So shall it be at the end of the world, ^^c. —See on v. 42. We have said that each of these two parables holds forth the same truth under a slight diversity of aspect. What is that diversity? First, the bad, in the former parable, are represented as vile seed sown amongst tlie wheat by the enemy of .souls; in the latter, as foul ti>h drawn lorth out of the great sea of human beings by the Gospel net itself. Both are important truths—that the Gospel draws williin its pale, and into the communion of the visible Church, multitudes who are Christians only in name; and that the injury thus done to the Church oij earth is to be traced to the wicked one. But further, while the former parable gives chief prominence to the present mixture of good and liad, in the latter, the prominence is given to the future separation of the two classes.
Third and Fourth Parables, or Second Pair: Tjik Mustard Seed and The Leaven (v. 31-3;5). The subject of both those parables, as of the first pair, is the same, but under a slight diversity of aspect, namely judicial separation of the righteous and the wicked. Till then, no attempt is to be made to efl Tect such separation. But to stretch this so far as to justify allowing openly scandalous persons to remain in the communion of tlie Church, is to wrest the teaching of this parable to other than its proper design, and go in the teeth of apostolic injunctions (1 Corinthians 5). and in the time of harvest
The GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM from the smallest BEGINNINGS TO ULTIMATE UNIVERSALITY.
The MiLitard iSeed (v. 31, 32). 31. Anotlter parable put he forth unto them, saying, Tlie ktngflom of heaven
I will say to the reapers. And the reapers are the angels—But whose angels are they 7 " Tlie Son of man shall send forth His angels" (v. 41). Cf. 1 Peter 3.22, "Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God ; angels and authorities and powers being made suljject unto him." Oather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them—" in the fire" (v. 40)—but gatlier tl»e wheat into my barn—Christ, as the Judge, is like to a grain of mustard seed, wliich a man took, and sowed in his field; 32. Which Indeed is the least of all seeds—not absolutely, but popularly and proverbially, as in Luke 17. 6, " If ye had faith as » grain of mustard seed," f. e., ' never so little faith.' but when it i» grown, It is the greatest amoug herbs—not absolutely, but ill relation to the small size of the seed, and in M arm latitudes proverbially great, and becometh a tree, so that the birds oftlte air come and lodge In the branches thereof—This is added, no doubt, to express the amplitude of the tree. But as this .seed has a hot, fiery vigour, gives out its best virtues when bruised, and is grateful to the taste of birds, which are accordingly attracted to its branches both for shelter and food, is it straining the parwill separate the two classes (as in ch. 25.32). It will be observed that the tares are burned be/ore the wheat is housed ; in the exposition of the parable (v. 41, 43) the same order is observed : and the same in ch. 25. 46—as if, in some literal sense, "with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked" (Psalm 91.8). 41. The Son of man sitnll send forth his angels, and they shall gather outofhis kingdom—to which they never really belonged. They usurped their place and name and outward privileges; but "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners [abide] in the congregation of the righteous" (Psalm 1.5). all things that ol Tend—all those who have provfd a stumbling-block to others—and them which do Iniquity—The former class, as the worst, are mentioned at)le, asks Trench, to suppase that, besides the wonderful growth of His kingdom, our Lord selected this seed to illustrate further the slielter, repose and blessedness it is destined to aflord to the nations of the world?
TIte Leaven (v. 33). 33. Anotlker parable spake he unto them; Tiie kingdom of lieaven is like unto leaven, wliich n woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened—This parable, will In first. 'I'i, And shall cast them into a furnace—rather, it teaches the same general truth as the foregoing one, holds forth, perhaps, rather the iinvard growth of the kingdom, while "the Mustard Seed" seems to poiiit chiefly to the outward. It being a woman's work lo knead, it seems a refinement to saj' that "the woman" here represents the Church, ns the Instrument of depositing the leaven. Nor d(x?s It yield much satisfaction lo understand the " three measur«;s of meal" of that threefold division of our nature into "spirit, .soul, and b<vl.v," alluded to in 1 Tliessalonlans 5. 2:}, or of the threefold partition of the world among the three sons of Noah (Genesis
' the furnace'—offlre : there shall be wailing and gnaslt Ing of teeth-What terrific strength of language— the " casting" or " flinging" expressive of indignation, abhorrence, contempt (cf. Psalm 9. 17 ; Daniel 12. 2): " the furnace
Df fire" denoting the fierceness of the torment : the " walling" signifying the anguish thiscauses; while the "gnashing of teeth" is a graphic way of expressing the despair in which its remedilessness Issues (see on ch. 8. 12)! 4.3. Tlien shall the righteous shine forth as the sun In the Jcingdom of their Father-as if they had been under a cloud during their present association with ungodly pretenders to their character, and claimants of their privi-
10.32), as some do. It yields more real satisfaction to see in this brief parable Just the all-penetrating and assimilating quality of the Gospel, by virtue of which it will yet mould all institutions and tribes of men, and exhibit over the whole earth one "kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ." 34. All these things spake Jesus unto th« multitude In parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them—t. e., on this occasion ; refraining not only from all naked discourse, but even from all interpretation of these parables to the mixed uultltudc. 3ft> leges, and obstructors of their course. Who hath ears to tieitr, let iilm hear—(See on Mark 4.9.)
Tlic (iooa and Bad Pish {v. 47-50). The object of this brief iparable is the same with that of the Tares and Wheat,
as Its details are fewer, so its teaching is less rich and vnriol. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven Is like unto a ikct.thal was cast Into the sea, and gathered of every kind—The word here rendered " net" signifies, a large
Parable of (he Pearl of Great Price. MATTHEW XIV. ChritI Contemned by His Cowntryrtitn.
called Mary!—'Do wp not know all about His parent* age? Has He not grown up In the midst of us? Are not all His relatives our own townsfolk? "Whence, liien, such wisdom and such miracles?' These particulars of our Lord's human history constitute the most valuable testimony, first, to His true and real humanity—for they prove that during all His first thirty years His townsmen had discovered nothing about Him difl Serent from other men; secondly, to the Divine character of His mission—for these Nazarenes proclaim both the unparalleled character of His teaching and the reality and glory of His miracles, as transcending liuman ability; and thirdly, to His wonderful humility and self-denial—in that when He was such as they now saw Him to be. He yet never gave any indications of it for thirty years, because "His hour was not yet come." And his brethren, .Tames, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas! 56. And his sisters, are tliey not all with us ! Whence then liath this [man] all these things! 'An exceedingly difficult question here arises — What were these "brethren" and "sisters" to Jesus? Were iiiey, First, His full brothers and sisters?
That It might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saylug—(Psalm 78. 2, nearly as in LXX.)—I will opcit my mouth in parables, &c. Though the Psalm
Beem.'! to contain only a summary of Israelltish history, the Psalmist himself calls It "a parable," and "dark sayings from of old"—as containing, undemeaih the history, truths for all time, not fully brought to light till the Gos-
I)el-day.
Fifth and Sixth Parables, or Third Pair: The Hidden Tkeascre and The Peakl of Gbeat Pkicb (u. 44-16). The
BUbjeol of this last pair, as of the two former. Is the same, but alw) under a slight diversity of aspect: namely—
The priceless VALUE of the Blessings of the KiNGfDOM. And while the one parable represents the Kingdom as found without seeking, the other holds forth the Kingdom as sought andfound.
The Hidden Treasure iv. 44). 44:. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like imto treasure hid in a fleld—no uncommon thing in unsettled and half-civilized countries, even now as well as in ancient times, when there was no other way of securing it from the rapacity of neighbours or marauders. (Jeremiah 41. 8; Job 3. 21; Proverbs 2. 4.) the which when a man hath found i. e., unexpectedly found—he hideth, and for joy thereof—on perceiving what a treasure he had lighted on, passing the worth of or. Secondly, Were they His step-brothers and step-sisters, children of Joseph by a former marriage? or, Thirdly, Were tliey His cousins, according to a common way of spealting among tlie Jews respecting persons of collateral descent? On this subject an immense deal has been written, nor are opinions yet by any means agreed. For tlie second opinion there Is no ground but a vague tradition, arising probably from the wish for some such explanation. The first opinion undoubtedly suits the text Ijesl in all he possessed—goeth and sellcth all that he hath, and bnyeth that field—in which case, by Jewish law, the treasure would become his own.
The Peart of Great Price (u. 45, 46). 45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls. 46. Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it The oue pearl of great price. Instead of being found by accident, as la the former case. Is found by one whose business it Is to seek for such, and whc finds all tlie places where the parties are certainly referred to
(ch. 12. 46; and its parallels, Mark 3. 31, and Luke 8. 19; our present passage, and its parallel, Mark 6. 3; John 2. 12;
7. 3, 5,10; Acts 1.14). But, in addition to other objections, many of the best interpreters, thinking it in tlie
It just in the way of searching for such treasures. But In both cases the surpassing value of the treasure Is alike recognized, and in both all Is parted with for it. 51. Jesus last degree improbable that our Lord, when hanging on the cross, would have committed His mother to John if He had had full brothers of His own then alive, prefer the third opinion ; although, on the other hand, It is not to be doubted that our Lord might have good reasons for entrusting the guardianship of His doubly widowed mother to the beloved disciple In preference even to full brotliers of His own. Thus dubiousty we prefer to leave this vexed question, encompassed as it is with difficulsaifh unto them—t. e., to the Twelve. He had spoken the first four in the hearing of the mixed multitude: the last t?iree He reserved till, on the dismissal of the mixed audience, He and the Twelve were alone {v. 36, Ac). Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Iiord. 5'3. Then said he unto them, Tlierefore or as we should say. Well, then, every scril»e—or Christian teacher: here so called from that well-known class among the Jews. (See ch. 23, 34.) which is Instructed nnto the kingdom of heaven—himself taught in tlie mysteries of the Gospel which he has to teach to others, ties. As to the names here mentioned, the first of them, "James," is afterwards called "the Lord's brother" (see on Galatians 1. 19), but Is perhaps not tg be confounded with "James the son of Alpheus," one of the Twelve, though many think their identity beyond dispute. This question also is one of considerable difficulty, and not without importance; since the James who occupies so prominent a place in the Church of Jerusalem, in the latter part of the Acts, was appiirently tlie apostle, but is by many regarded as " the Lord's brother," while others think their identity best suits all the statements. The second of those here named, " JosES" (or Joseph), must not be confounded with "Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus" (Acts 1. 2!); and the third here named, "Simon," Is not to be confounded with Simon the Kananite or Zealot (see on ch. 10. 4). These three are nowhere else mentioned in tlie New Testament. The fourth and last-named, "Judas," can hardly be identical with the apostle of that name—though the brothers of both wore of the name of "James"—nor (unless the two be Identical, was this Judas) with tlie author of the cathla like unto a man that is an householder which bringeth forth— ' turnetli' or 'dealeth out'—out of his treasure—his store of Divine truth—things new and old —old truths in ever-new forms, aspects, applications, and •with ever-new illustrations.
53-58. How Jescts was Regarded by His Relatives. (=Mark 6. 1-6; Luke 4. 16-.S0.) 53. And it came to pass, that, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed theitce. 54. And when he was come Into his own country—i. e., Nazareth; as Is plain from Mark 6. 1. See on John 4.43, where also the same phrase occurs. This, according to the majority of Harmonists, was the second of two visits which our Lord paid to Nazareth during His public ministry; but In our view it Wiis His first and only visit to it. See on ch. 4. 13; and for the reasons, see on Luke 4. 10-30. Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works! — 'these miracles.' These surely are not like the questions of people who had asked precisely the same questions before, who from astonishment had proceeded to rage, and In their rage had hurried Him out of the synagogue, and away to tlie brow of the hill whereon their city was built, to thrust Him down headlong, and who had been foiled even in that object by His passing through the midst of them, and going His way. But see on Luke 4. 10, <tc. 55. Is not this the carpenter's son 1 In Mark (6. 3) the question is, " Is not this the rirpenter?" In all likelihood, our Lord, iuring His stay under the roof of His earthly parents, urrouihl along with His legal father, is not his mother olic Epistle so called. 58. And he did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief-" save that He laid His hands on a few sick folk, and healed them" (Mark 6. 5). See on Luke 4. 16-30.
CHAPTER XIV.
Ver. 1-12. Hekod .thinks Jesus a Resurrection of THE Murdered Baptist-Account of his Imprisonment and Death. (-Mark 6.14-29; Luke 9.7-9.) The time of this alarm of Herod Antipas appears to have been during the mission of the Twelve, and shortly after the