Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Christ's Final Depmture from Galilee. MATTHEW XIX, XX. The Parable of the Labourers.
twain shall be one flesh? &c.—Jesus here sends them back to the original constitution of man as one pair, a male and a female; to tlieir marriage, as such, by Divine appointment ; and to the purpose of God, expressed by the sacred historian, that in all time one man and one woman should by marriage become one flesh—so to continue as long as both are in the flesh. This being God's constitution, let not man break It up by causeless divorces. 7. Tliey say unto him, Wliy did Closes tlien command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away I 8. He salth unto them, Moses—as a civil lawgiver, because of—or ' having respect to'—the hardness of your hearts—looking to your low moral siate,and your inabilwas just an acknowledgment of the justice of the claim made agaiusl him, aud a piteous imploration of mercy.
27. Then tlie Lord of tlkat servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt—Payiueut belug hopeless, the Master is first moved with compassion ; next, liberates his debtor from prison and then cancels the debt freely. 28. But the same servant wrnt out, and found one of his fellow-servants—Mai Ij tlie difference here. The first case is that of master and servant ; in this case, both are on a footing of equality. (See v. .SS, below.) wlilch owed him an hundred pence—If Jewish money is intended, this debt was to the other less than one to a million, and he laid bands on him, and took him by the throat— ity to endure the strictness of tlie original law— suffered you to put away your wives—tolerated a relaxation of the strictness of tlie marriage bond—not as approving of
' lie seized and tlirottled him'—saying, Pay me that thou owest— Mark the mercilessiiess even of the tone. 29. And his fellow-ser^'nnt fell down at his feet, and besouglit him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay it, but to prevent still greater evils. But from the beginning It was not so—This is repeated, in order to imjiress upon His audience the temporary aud purely civil character of this Jlosaic relaxation. 9. And I say unto yon, Whosoever sUuIl put away his wife, except, itc.—See on ch. 5. 32. 10. His disciples say unto him. If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry —q. d., 'In tills view of marriage, surely it must prove a snare rather than a blessing, and hud better be avoided altogether.' 11. Ilut he said unto tliem. All men cannot receive tliU saying, save they to wl,iOirt It is given —q. d., 'That the unmarried state is better, is a saying not tlice all—The same attitude, aud the same words wiiicli drew compassion from his master, are here employed towards himself by his fellow-servant. 30. And he would not ; but went aud cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt, &c.—Jesus here vividly conveys the intolerable injustice and impudence whicli even the servants saw in this act on the part of one so recently laid under the heaviest obligations to their common master. 32, 33. Then IlIs lord, after tliat he had called him, said iiuto him, O tltou wicked servant, &o.—Before bringing down his vengeance upon him, he calmly points out to him how shamefully unreasonable and heartless his conduct was; which would give the punishment infor every one, and indeed only for such as it is divinely intended for.' But who are these'/ they would naturally ask; and this our Lord proceeds to tell them in three particulars. 12. For there are some eunuclts wliich were so born from their mother's womb — persons constitutionally eitlier incapable of or indisposed to marriage—and tliere are some eunuclis wliitli were made eunuchs of men-persons rendered incapable by others and there be eunuclis whlcIi have made tlieniselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake—persons who, to do God's work better, deliberately choose tills state. Such was Paul (1 Corinthians 7. 7). He that is able to receive it, let him receive it— flicted on him a double sting. 34. And his lord was wrotli, aud delivered him to the tormentors — more tliau Jailers; denoting the severity of the treatment which lie thought such a case demanded, till he should pay all t1?Mt w as due unto him, 35. So likewise—in this spirit, or on tliis principle—shall my heavenly Father do also onto you, If ye from your hearts forgive not every one lUs brother their trespasses.
' He who feels this to be his proper vocation, let him embrace it;' which, of course,
CHAPTER XIX.
is as much as to say—
Ver. 1-12. Final Departure from Galilee-Divorce. '—Mark 10. 1-12; Luke 9. 51.) farewell to Galilee. 1. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee—This marks a very solemn period in our Lord's public ministry. So sligiitly is it touched here, and in the corresponding passage of Mark (10. 1), that few readers probably note it as the Redeemer's Farewell to Galilee, which however it was. See on the sublime statement of Lake (9. 51), which relates to the same transition-stage In the progress of our Lord's work, and came into tlie coasts—or
' he only.' Thus, all Is left free in this matter.
13-15. Little Children Brought to Christ. (=Mark
10. 13-16; Luke 18. 15-17.) For the exposition, see on Luke
18. 15-17.
10-30. The Rich Young Rulek. (=Mark 10. 17-31 ; Luke
18. 18-30.) For the exposition, see on Luke 18. 18-30.
CHAPTEE XX.
Ver. 1-16. Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard. This parable, recorded only by Matthew, is closely connected with the end of ch. 19., being spoken with reference to Peter's question, How it should tare with thost who, like himself, had left all for Christ? It is designed to show that while they would be richly rewarded, a certain equity would still be observed towards later convert-s and workmen in His service. 1. For the kingdom of Iieaven is like unto a man that is an householder, &c.—The figure of a vineyard, to represent the rearing of souls for heaven, the culture required and provided lol
' lioundaries'—of Judea beyond Jordan—i.e., to the further, or east side of the Jordan, into Perea, tlie dominions of Herod Antipas. But though one might conclude from our Evangelist that our Lord went straight from the one region to the other, we know from the other Gospels tliat a considerable time elapsed between the departure from the one and tlie arrival at the other, during whicli many of tlie most important events in our Lord's public life occurred—probably a large part of what is recorded in Luke 9. 51, onward to ch. 18. 15, and part of John 7. 2-11, 51. 2. And great multitudes followed Ikim ; and lie healed them there—Mark says further (10. 1), tliat "as He was wont. He tauglit them there." What we now have on the suljject of Divorce is some of that teaching.
tliat purpose, and the care and pains which God takes in that whole matter, is familiar to every reader of the Bible. (Psalm 80. 8-10; Isaiah 5. 1-7; Jeremiah 2. 21; Luke 20. 9-
16 ; John 15. 1-8.) At vintage-time, as Webster and Wilkinson remark, labour was scarce, and masters were obliged to be early in the market to secure it. Perhaps tho pressing nature of the work of the Gospel, and the comparative paucity of labourers, may-be incidentally sug gested, cli. !). 37, 3S. The "labourers," as in cli. 9. 38, are
Divorce (v. 3-12j. 3. Is It lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause 'i Two rival schools (us we saw jn ch. 5. .31) were divided on this question—a delicate one, AS De Wettk pertinently remarks, in the dominipns of
Herod Antipiis. 4. An<l he answered and said unto them. Have ye not read, that He which made them at (he beginning made them male and f«male-or better.perliaps, 'He tlial made llicm made them from the beginning a male and a female.' 9. And said, For this cause-to follow out this Divine iippointinent. shall a ntan leave father Bad uiollier, and shall cleave to his wife : and they first, the ojl Hcial servants of the Church, but after them and along witli them all the servants of Christ, whom he has laid under the weightiest obligation to work in His service. 2. And when he hod agreed with the labourers for a penny—a usual day's hire (the amount of wliich will be found in the margin of our Bibles)—he sent them Into