COMMENTARY
ON
A
HARMONY OF THE
EVANGELISTS,
MATTHEW, MARK, AND
LUKE,
BY JOHN
CALVIN
TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL LATIN,
AND COLLATED WITH
THE AUTHOR'S FRENCH
VERSION,
BY THE REV. WILLIAM
PRINGLE
VOLUME
SECOND
MARK 6:12-13; LUKE
7:9
|
MARK
6:12-13
|
LUKE
7:9
|
|
12. And they departed, and preached
f1 that men
should repent. 13. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with
oil many diseased persons, and healed them.
|
9. And they departed, and we went
round about through the villages
f2 preaching
the Gospel, and healing everywhere.
|
Mark 6:12.
And they departed, and
preached. Matthew silently passes over
what the Apostles did. Mark and Luke relate that they proceeded to execute the
commission which they had received; and from their statements it appears more
clearly, that the office which Christ at that time bestowed upon them, as I have
formerly mentioned, was temporary, and indeed lasted but a few days. They tell
us that the Apostles went through the cities and villages: and they
unquestionably returned in a short time to their Master, as we shall find to be
stated in another passage.
The only matter that requires exposition here is the
fact related by Mark, that they
anointed with oil many diseased
persons. Christ having conferred on them
the power of healing, it is asked, why did they apply oil? Some learned
persons suppose that it was a sort of medicine; and I acknowledge that in these
countries the use of oil was very common. But nothing is more
unreasonable than to imagine, that the Apostles employed ordinary and natural
remedies, which would have the effect of obscuring the miracles of Christ. They
were not instructed by our Lord in the art and science of healing, but, on the
contrary, were enjoined to perform miracles which would arouse all Judea. I
think, therefore, that this anointing was a visible token of spiritual
grace, by which the healing that was administered by them was declared to
proceed from the secret power of God; for under the Law oil was employed
to represent the grace of the Spirit. The absurdity of an attempt to imitate the
Apostles, by making the anointing of the sick a perpetual ordinance of
the Church, appears from the fact, that Christ bestowed on the Apostles the gift
of healing, not as an inheritance which they should hand down to posterity, but
as a temporary seal of the doctrine of the Gospel. In our own day, the
ignorance of the Papists is exceedingly ridiculous in maintaining that their
nasty unction,
f3 by
which they hurry to the grave persons who are fast dying, is a
Sacrament.
MATTHEW 11:1-6; LUKE
7:18-23
|
MATTHEW
11:1-6
|
LUKE
7:18-23
|
|
1.And it happened that when Jesus had made an
end of commanding his twelve disciples,
f4 he
departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. 2. Now when
John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,
3. And said to him, Art thou he who was to come, or do we look for
another? 4. And Jesus answering said to them, Go and relate to John
those things which you hear and see. 5. The blind receive their
sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead
are raised up, and the poor receive the message of the Gospel.
f5
6. And blessed is he who shall not be offended at
me.
|
18.And the disciples of John informed him of
all these things; 19. And John called to him two of his disciples
and sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he who was to come, or do we look for
another? (Shortly afterwards.) 21. And in the same hour he cured
many of diseases and plagues, and evil spirits, and to many who were blind he
gave sight. 22. And he answering said to them, Go and relate to
John those things which you have heard and seen, that the blind see, the lame
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor
the Gospel is preached. 23. And blessed is he who shall not be
offended at me. f6
|
Matthew 11:1.
And it happened that when
Jesus had made an end. In this passage
Matthew means nothing more than that Christ did not desist from the exercise of
his office, while the Apostles were laboring in another direction. As soon,
therefore, as he sent them away, with the necessary instructions, to perambulate
Judea, he performed the duties of a teacher in Galilee. The word commanding,
which Matthew employs, is emphatic; for he means that they did not receive a
commission to do what they pleased, but were restricted and enjoined as to the
statements which they should make, and the manner in which they should conduct
themselves.
2.
Now when John had
heard. The Evangelists do not mean that
John was excited by the miracles to acknowledge Christ at that time as Mediator;
but, perceiving that Christ had acquired great reputation, and concluding that
this was a fit and seasonable time for putting to the test his own declaration
concerning him, he sent to him his disciples. The opinion entertained by some,
that he sent them partly on his own account, is exceedingly foolish; as if he
had not been fully convinced, or obtained distinct information, that Jesus is
the Christ. Equally absurd is the speculation of those who imagine that the
Baptist was near death, and therefore inquired what message he should carry,
from Christ’s mouth as it were, to the deceased fathers. It is very
evident that the holy herald of Christ, perceiving that he was not far from the
end of his journey, and that his disciples, though he had bestowed great pains
in instructing them, still remained in a state of hesitation, resorted to this
last expedient for curing their weakness. He had faithfully labored, as I have
said, that his disciples should embrace Christ without delay. His continued
entreaties had produced so little effect, that he had good reason for dreading
that, after his death, they would entirely fall away; and therefore he earnestly
attempted to arouse them from their sloth by sending them to Christ. Besides,
the pastors of the Church are here reminded of their duty. They ought not to
endeavor to bind and attach disciples to themselves, but to direct them to
Christ, who is the only Teacher. From the beginning, John had openly avowed that
he was not the bridegroom,
(<430303>John
3:39.) As the faithful friend of the bridegroom he presents the bride
chaste and uncontaminated to Christ, who alone is the bridegroom of the
Church. Paul tells us that he kept the same object in view,
(<471102>2
Corinthians 11:2,) and the example of both is held out for imitation to all the
ministers of the Gospel.
3.
Art thou he who was to
come? John takes for granted what the
disciples had known from their childhood; for it was the first lesson of
religion, and common among all the Jews, that Christ was to come,
bringing salvation and perfect happiness. On this point, accordingly, he
does not raise a doubt, but only inquires if Jesus be that promised Redeemer;
for, having been persuaded of the redemption promised in the Law and the
Prophets, they were bound to receive it when exhibited in the person of Christ.
He adds, Do we look for
another? By this expression, he
indirectly glances at their sloth, which allowed them, after having been
distinctly informed, to remain so long in doubt and hesitation. At the same
time, he shows what is the nature and power of faith. Resting on the truth of
God, it does not gaze on all sides, does not vary, but is satisfied with Christ
alone, and will not be turned to another.
4.
Go and relate to
John. As John had assumed for the time a
new character, so Christ enjoins them to carry to him that message, which more
properly ought to have been addressed to his disciples. He gives an indirect
reply, and for two reasons: first, because it was better that the thing should
speak for itself; and, secondly, because he thus afforded to his herald a larger
subject of instruction. Nor does he merely supply him with bare and rough
materials in the miracles, but adapts the miracles to his purpose by quotations
from the Prophets. He notices more particularly one passage from the 35th, and
another from the 61st, chapter of Isaiah, for the purpose of informing
John’s disciples, that what the Prophets declared respecting the reign of
Christ was accomplished and fulfilled. The former passage contains a description
of Christ’s reign, under which God promises that he will be so kind and
gracious as to grant relief and assistance for every kind of disease. He speaks,
no doubt, of spiritual deliverance from all diseases and remedies; but under
outward symbols, as has been already mentioned, Christ shows that he came as a
spiritual physician to cure souls. The disciples would consequently go away
without any hesitation, having obtained a reply which was clear and free from
all ambiguity.
The latter passage resembles the former in this
respect. It shows that the treasures of the grace of God would be exhibited to
the world in Christ, and declares that Christ is expressly set apart for the
poor and afflicted. This passage is purposely quoted by Christ, partly to teach
all his followers the first lesson of humility, and partly to remove the offense
which the flesh and sense might be apt to raise against his despicable flock. We
are by nature proud, and scarcely anything is much valued by us, if it is not
attended by a great degree of outward show. But the Church of Christ is composed
of poor men, and nothing could be farther removed from dazzling or imposing
ornament. Hence many are led to despise the Gospel, because it is not embraced
by many persons of eminent station and exalted rank. How perverse and unjust
that opinion is, Christ shows from the very nature of the Gospel, since it was
designed only for the poor and despised. Hence it follows, that it is no new
occurrence, or one that ought to disturb our minds, if the Gospel is despised by
all the great, who, puffed up with their wealth, have no room to spare for the
grace of God. Nay, if it is rejected by the greater part of men, there is no
reason to wonder; for there is scarcely one person in a hundred who does not
swell with wicked confidence. As Christ here guards his Gospel against contempt,
he likewise reminds us who they are that are qualified to appreciate the grace
of salvation which it offers to them; and in this manner, kindly inviting
wretched sinners to the hope of salvation, raises them to full
confidence.
5.
The poor receive the message
of the Gospel. By the poor are
undoubtedly meant those whose condition is wretched and despicable, and who are
held in no estimation. However mean any person may be, his poverty is so far
from being a ground of despair, that it ought rather to animate him with courage
to seek Christ. But let us remember that none are accounted poor but
those who are really such, or, in other words, who lie low and overwhelmed by a
conviction of their poverty.
6.
And blessed is he who shall
not be offended in me. By this
concluding statement Christ intended to remind them, that he who would adhere
firmly and steadfastly to the faith of the Gospel must encounter offenses,
which will tend to interrupt the progress of faith. This is said by way of
anticipation, to fortify us against offenses; for we shall never want reasons
for rejecting it, until our minds are raised above every offense. The first
lesson, therefore, to be learned is, that we must contend with offenses,
if we would continue in the faith of Christ; for Christ himself is justly
denominated a
rock of offense and stone
of stumbling, by which many
fall,
(<600208>1
Peter 2:8.)
This happens, no doubt, through our own fault, but
that very fault is remedied, when he pronounces those to be
blessed who shall not be offended
in him; from which too we infer, that
unbelievers have no excuse, though they plead the existence of innumerable
offenses. For what hinders them from coming to Christ? Or what drives them to
revolt from Christ? It is because he appears with his cross, disfigured and
despised, and exposed to the reproaches of the world; because he calls us to
share in his afflictions; because his glory and majesty, being spiritual, are
despised by the world; and in a word, because his doctrine is totally at
variance with our senses. Again, it is because, through the stratagems of Satan,
many disturbances arise, with the view of slandering and rendering hateful the
name of Christ and the Gospel; and because every one, as if on purpose, rears up
a mass of offenses, being instigated by not less malignity than zeal to
withdraw from Christ.
f7
MATTHEW 11:7-15; LUKE
7:24-28
|
MATTHEW
11:7-15
|
LUKE
7:24-28
|
|
7. And as they were departing, Jesus
began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the
wilderness to see? A reed, which is shaken by the wind? 8. But what
went you out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?
f8 Lo, they
who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. 9. But what went
you out to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say to you, and higher than a Prophet.
10. For this is he of whom it is written, Lo, I send my messenger
before thy face, who will prepare the way before thee. 11. Verily,
I say to you, Among those who are born of women, there hath not arisen a greater
than John the Baptist: yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater
than he. 12. And from the days of John the Baptist to this day, the
kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13. For all the Prophets and the Law itself prophesied until John.
14. And if you are willing to receive it,
f11 he is
Elijah, who was to come. 15. He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear.
|
24. And when the messengers of John had
departed, he began to say to the multitude concerning John, What went you out
into the wilderness to see? A reed, which is shaken by the wind?
25. But what went you out to see? A man clothed with soft garments?
f9 Lo, they
that live in magnificent attire, and in delicacies, are in the courts of kings.
26. But what went you out to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say to you, and
more than a Prophet. 27. It is he of whom it is written, Lo, I send
my messenger
f10 before
my face, who will prepare the way before thee. 28. For I say to
you, Among those who are born of women, there is not a great Prophet than John
the Baptist; yet he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
LUKE
16:16
16. The Law and the Prophets (were) till
John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and all press violently
into it.
|
Matthew 11:7.
And while they were
departing. Christ praises John before
the people, in order that they may state from recollection what they have heard
from him, and may give credit to his testimony. For his name was widely
celebrated, and men spoke of him in lofty terms: but his doctrine was held in
less estimation, and there were even few that waited on his ministrations.
Christ reminds them, that those who
went out to see him in the
wilderness lost their pains, if they did
not devoutly apply their minds and faculties to his doctrine. The meaning of the
words, you went out into the wilderness, is this: “Your
journey would have been an act of foolish and ridiculous levity, if you had
not a fixed object in view. But it was neither worldly splendor nor any sort of
amusement
f12 that you
were in quest of: your design was, to hear the voice of God from the mouth of
the Prophet. If therefore you would reap advantage from your undertaking, it is
necessary that what he spoke should remain fixed in your
memory.”
8.
Clothed with soft
garments. Those who think that Christ
here condemns the extravagance of a court are mistaken. There are many other
passages in which luxury of dress, and excessive attention to outward
appearance, are censured. But this passage simply means, that there was nothing
in the wilderness to attract the people from every quarter; that every thing
there was rude and unpolished, and fitted only to inspire disgust; and that such
elegance of dress as delights the eyes is rather to be looked for in the courts
of kings. f13
11.
Verily I say to
you. These words not only maintain the
authority of John, but elevate his doctrine above the ancient prophets, that the
people may keep in view the right end of his ministry; for they mistook the
design of his mission, and, in consequence of this, derived almost no advantage
from his discourses. Accordingly, Christ extols and places him above the rank of
the prophets, and gives the people to understand that he had received a special
and more excellent commission. When he elsewhere says respecting himself that he
was not a Prophet,
(<430121>John
1:21,) this is not inconsistent with the designation here bestowed upon him by
Christ. He was, no doubt, a Prophet, like others whom God had appointed in his
Church to be expounders of the Law, and messengers of his will; but he was
more excellent than the Prophets in this respect, that he did not, like
them, make known redemption at a distance and obscurely under shadows, but
proclaimed that the time of redemption was now manifest and at hand. Such too is
the import of Malachi’s prediction,
(<390301>Malachi
3:1,) which is immediately added, that the pre-eminence of John consisted in his
being the herald and forerunner of Christ;
f14 for
although the ancient Prophets spoke of his kingdom, they were not, like John,
placed before his face, to point him out as present. As to the other
parts of the passage, the reader may consult what has been said on the first
chapter of Luke’s Gospel.
f15
There hath not
arisen. Our Lord proceeds farther, and
declares that the ministers of the Gospel will be as far superior to John as
John was superior to the Prophets. Those who think that Christ draws a
comparison between himself and John have fallen into a strange blunder; for
nothing is said here about personal rank, but commendation is bestowed on the
pre-eminence of office. This appears more clearly from the words employed by
Luke, there is not a greater
Prophet; for they expressly restrict his
eminence to the office of teaching. In a word, this magnificent eulogium is
bestowed on John, that the Jews may observe more attentively the commission
which he bore. Again, the teachers who were afterwards to follow are placed
above him, to show the surpassing majesty of the Gospel above the Law, and above
that preaching which came between them. Now, as Christ intended to prepare the
Jews for receiving the Gospel, we ought also, in the present day, to be aroused
to listen with reverence to Christ speaking to us from the lofty throne of his
heavenly glory; lest he take revenge for our contempt of him by that fearful
curse which he pronounces on unbelievers by Malachi in the same
passage.
The kingdom of heaven and the
kingdom of God denote the new condition
of the Church, as in other passages which have already occurred; for it was
promised that at the coming of Christ all things would be restored.
He that is least in the
kingdom. The Greek word
mikro>terov,
which I have rendered least, is in the comparative degree, and signifies
less; but the meaning is more clearly brought out, that all the ministers
of the Gospel are included. Many of them undoubtedly have received a small
portion of faith, and are therefore greatly inferior to John; but this does not
prevent their preaching from being superior to his, because it holds out Christ
as having rendered complete and eternal satisfaction by his one sacrifice, as
the conqueror of death and the Lord of life, and because it withdraws the vail,
and elevates believers to the heavenly sanctuary.
12.
Since the days of
John. I have no doubt that Christ speaks
honorably of the majesty of the Gospel on this ground, that many sought after it
with warm affection; for as God had raised up John to be the herald of the
kingdom of his Son, so the Spirit infused such efficacy into his doctrine, that
it entered deeply into the hearts of men and kindled that zeal. It appears,
therefore, that the Gospel, which comes forward in a manner so sudden and
extraordinary,
f16 and
awakens powerful emotions, must have proceeded from God. But in the second
clause is added this restriction, that
the violent take it by
force. The greater part of men were no
more excited than if the Prophets had never uttered a word about Christ, or if
John had never appeared as his witness; and therefore Christ reminds them, that
the violence, of which he had spoken, existed only in men of a particular
class. The meaning therefore is, A vast assembly of men is now collected, as if
men were rushing violently forward to seize the kingdom of God;
for, aroused by the voice of one man, they come together in crowds, and
receive, not only with eagerness, but with vehement impetuosity, the grace which
is offered to them. Although very many are asleep, and are no more affected than
if John in the wilderness were acting a play which had no reference to them, yet
many flock to him with ardent zeal. The tendency of our Lord’s statement
is to show, that those who pass by in a contemptuous manner, and as it were with
closed eyes, the power of God, which manifestly appears both in the teacher and
in the hearers, are inexcusable. Let us also learn from these words, what is the
true nature and operation of faith. It leads men not only to give, cold and
indifferent assent when God speaks, but to cherish warm affection towards Him,
and to rush forward as it were with a violent struggle.
Luke 16:16.
The Law and the Prophets were
till John. Our Lord had said that the
earnestness of the people was a prelude to those things which the Prophets
had foretold as to the future renovation of the Church. He now compares the
ministry of John to the Law and
the Prophets. “It is not
wonderful,” he tells us, “that God should now act so powerfully on
the minds of men; for he is not as formerly, seen at a distance under dark
shadows, but appears openly and at hand for the establishment of his
kingdom.” Hence it follows, that those who obstinately reject
John’s doctrine are less excusable than those who despised
the Law and the
Prophets.
Matthew 11:13.
All the Prophets and the Law
itself PROPHESIED. The word prophesied
is emphatic; for the Law and
the Prophets did not present God before
the eyes of men, but represented him under figures and shadows as absent. The
comparison, we now perceive, is intended to show, that it is highly criminal in
men to remain indifferent, when they have obtained a manifestation of the
presence of God, who held his ancient people in suspense by predictions. Christ
does not class John with the ministers of the Gospel, though he formerly
assigned to him an intermediate station between them and the Prophets.
But there is no inconsistency here: for although John’s preaching was
a part of the Gospel, it was little more than a first lesson.
14.
And if you are willing to
receive
it.
He now explains more clearly in what manner John began to preach
the kingdom of
God. It was in the character of that
Elijah,
who was to be sent before the face of God,
(<390405>Malachi
4:5.) Our Lord’s meaning therefore is, that the great and dreadful day
of the Lord, which Malachi described, is now beheld by the Jews, when
Elijah,
who was there promised, discharges his office as a herald. Again, by this
exception, if you are willing to
receive it, he glances at their hardened
obstinacy, in maliciously shutting their eyes against the clearest light. But
will he cease to be
Elijah,
if he shall not be received? Christ does not mean that John’s
official
character
f17 depends
on their approbation; but having declared that he is Elijah, he charges
them with carelessness and ingratitude, if he does not obtain that respect to
which he is entitled.
15.
He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear. We know that it is
customary with Christ to introduce this sentence, whenever he treats of subjects
which are highly important, and which deserve no ordinary attention.
f18 He
reminds us, at the same time, of the reason why the mysteries of which he speaks
are not received by all. It is because many of his hearers are deaf, or at least
have their ears closed. But now, as every man is hindered not only by his own
unbelief, but by the mutual influence which men exercise on each other, Christ
here exhorts the elect of God, whose ears have been pierced, to consider
attentively this remarkable secret of God, and not to remain deaf with
unbelievers.
MATTHEW 11:16-19;
LUKE
7:29-35
|
MATTHEW
11:16-19
|
LUKE
7:29-35
|
|
16. But to what shall I compare this
generation? It is like children, who sit in the market-place, and call out to
their companions, 17. And say, We have played on the flute to you,
and you have not danced; we have sung mournful airs to you, and you have not
lamented. 18. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they
say, He hath a devil. 19. The Son of man came eating and drinking,
and they say, Lo, a man who is a glutton and a wine-bibber,
f19 a friend
to publicans and sinners; and Wisdom is justified by her
children.
|
29. And all the people hearing, and the
publicans, justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
f20
30. But Pharisees and Lawyers
f21 despised
f22 the
counsel of God in themselves,
f23 having
not been baptized by him. 31. And the Lord said, To what then shall
I compare the men of this generation? and to what are they like?
32. They are like children sitting in the market-place, and calling out
to each other, and saying, We have played on the flute to you, and you have not
danced; we have sung mournful airs to you, and you have not wept.
33. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,
and you say, He hath a devil. 34. The Son of man came eating and
drinking, and you say, Lo, a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend to
publicans and sinners.
f24
35. And Wisdom is justified by all her children.
|
Luke 7:29.
And all the people
hearing. This part is left out by
Matthew, though it throws no small light on the connection of the words; for it
was this circumstance which gave rise to Christ’s expostulation, when he
perceived that the scribes persisted so obstinately in despising God. The
substance of this passage is, that the common people and the publicans
gave glory to God; while the Scribes, flattering themselves with
confidence in their own knowledge, cared little for what Christ said. At first
sight, this tends only to obscure, and even to disfigure, the glory of the
Gospel, that Christ could not gather disciples to himself, except from the dregs
and offscourings of the people; while he was rejected by those who had any
reputation for holiness or learning. But the Lord intended, from the beginning,
to hold out this example, that neither the men of that age, nor even posterity,
might judge of the Gospel by the approbation of men; for we are all by nature
inclined to this vice. And yet nothing is more unreasonable than to submit the
truth of God to the judgment of men, whose acuteness and sagacity amounts
to nothing more than mere vanity. Accordingly, as Paul says, “God
hath chosen that part which is weak and foolish in the eyes of the world,
that he may cast down from its height whatever appears to be mighty and
wise,”
(<460127>1
Corinthians 1:27.) Our duty is to prefer this foolishness of God, to use
Paul’s expression,
(<460125>1
Corinthians 1:25,) to all the display of human wisdom.
Justified
God. This is a very remarkable
expression. Those who respectfully embrace the Son of God, and assent to the
doctrine which he has brought, are said to ascribe righteousness to God. We need
not therefore wonder, if the Holy Spirit everywhere honors faith with remarkable
commendations, assigns to it the highest rank in the worship of God, and
declares that it is a very acceptable service. For what duty can be deemed more
sacred than to vindicate God’s righteousness? The word justify
applies generally, no doubt, to every thing connected with the praises of
God, and conveys the idea, that God is beheld with approbation, and crowned with
glory, by the people who embrace that doctrine of which He is the author. Now,
since faith justifies God, it is impossible, on the other hand, but that
unbelief must be blasphemy against him, and a disdainful withholding of that
praise which is due to his name. This expression also teaches us, that men are
never brought into complete subjection to the faith until, disregarding the
flesh and sense, they conclude that every thing which comes from God is just and
holy, and do not permit themselves to murmur against his word or his
works.
Having been baptized with the
baptism of John. Luke means that the
fruits of the baptism which they had received were then beginning to
appear; for it was a useful preparation to them for receiving the doctrine of
Christ. It was already an evidence of their piety that they presented themselves
to be baptized. Our Lord now leads them forward from that slender
instruction to a higher degree of progress, as the scribes, in despising the
baptism of John, shut against themselves, through their pride, the gate of
faith. If, therefore, we desire to rise to full perfection, let us first guard
against despising the very least of God’s invitations,
f25 and be
prepared in humility to commence with small and elementary instructions.
Secondly, let us endeavor that, if our faith shall have a feeble beginning, it
may regularly and gradually increase.
30.
Despised the counsel of God
within themselves. The counsel of God is
mentioned by way of respect, as contrasted with the wicked pride of the scribes;
for the term counsel carries along with it a dignity, which protects the
doctrine of God against the contempt of men. Literally, Luke says, that they
despised AGAINST THEMSELVES: and indeed I do not disapprove of the
meaning which is preferred by some, that the scribes were rebellious to their
own destruction. But as Luke’s narrative is simple, and as the preposition
eijv
is often used in the sense of
ejn I
have chosen rather to translate it,
within
themselves; as meaning, that although
they did not openly and expressly contradict, yet as they inwardly swelled with
hidden pride, they despised
within themselves.
31.
To what shall I
compare? He does not include all the men
of his age, but speaks particularly of the scribes and their followers. He
charges them with this reproach, that while the Lord endeavored, by various
methods, to draw them to himself, they repelled his grace with incorrigible
obstinacy. He employs a comparison, which was probably taken from a common
amusement of children; for there is probability in the conjecture, that the
children divided themselves into two bands, and sang in that manner. And,
indeed, I think that, in order to abase the pride of the scribes, Christ
intentionally borrowed from children the materials of his reproof: thus
declaring that, however distinguished they were, nothing more was necessary to
condemn them than a song which children were wont to sing in the market-place
for their amusement.
33.
For John the Baptist
came. Leading an austere life, he
thundered out repentance and severe reproofs, and sung, as it were, a plaintive
song; while the Lord endeavored, by a cheerful and sprightly song, to draw them
more gently to the Father. Neither of those methods had any success, and what
reason could be assigned except their hardened obstinacy? This passage also
shows us, why so wide a difference existed, as to outward life, between Christ
and the Baptist, though both had the same object in view. Our Lord intended, by
this diversity, and by assuming as it were a variety of characters, to convict
unbelievers more fully; since, while he yielded and accommodated himself to
their manners, he did not bend them to himself. But if the men of that age are
deprived of every excuse for repelling, with inveterate malice, a twofold
invitation which God had given them, we too are held guilty in their persons;
for God leaves not untried any sort of pleasing melody, or of plaintive and
harsh music, to draw us to himself, and yet we remain hard as stones. They
called John a demoniac, just as persons of unsound mind, or whose brain
is disturbed, are usually called madmen.
34.
The Son of man
came. To
eat and
drink means here nothing more than to
live in the customary way; as Christ says that John
came neither eating nor
drinking, because he confined himself to
a peculiar diet, and even abstained from ordinary food. This is more fully
expressed by the words of Luke,
neither eating bread nor drinking
wine. Those who think that the highest
perfection consists in outward austerity of life, and who pronounce it to be an
angelical life when a person is abstemious,
f26 or
mortifies himself by fasting, ought to attend to this passage. On this principle
John would rank higher than the Son of God; but, on the contrary, we ought to
maintain, that
bodily exercise profiteth
little, but godliness
is profitable
to all things,
(<540408>1
Timothy 4:8.)
And yet we must not make this a pretense for giving a
loose rein to the flesh, by indulging in luxuries and effeminacy: only we must
beware of superstition, lest foolish men, imagining that perfection lies in
matters of a purely elementary nature, neglect the spiritual worship of God.
Besides, while Christ accommodated himself to the usages of ordinary life, he
maintained a sobriety truly divine, and did not encourage the excesses of others
by his dissimulation or by his example.
35.
And Wisdom is
justified. This passage is variously
explained by commentators. Some maintain that Wisdom was acquitted
by the Jews, because, conscious of guilt, and judges of their own unbelief,
they were compelled to acknowledge, that the doctrine which they rejected was
good and holy. By the children of Wisdom they understand the Jews who
boasted of that title. Others think that it was spoken in irony: “It is in
this manner that you approve of the Wisdom of God, of which you boast
that you are the children?” But as the Greek preposition
ajpo>
f27 does not
properly relate to an agent, some explain it, that
Wisdom is acquitted by her
children, and is no longer under
obligation to them, in the same manner as when an inheritance is transferred to
another. Thus Paul says, that Christ was justified
(dedikai>wtai)
from sin,
(<450607>Romans
6:7,) because the curse of sin had no longer any power over
him.
Some interpret it more harshly, and with greater
excess of freedom, to mean that
Wisdom is estranged from her
children. But granting that this were
the import of the Greek preposition, I look upon the other meaning as more
appropriate, that Wisdom, however wickedly she may be slandered by her
own sons, loses nothing of her worth or rank, but remains unimpaired. The Jews,
and particularly the scribes, gave themselves out as children of the
Wisdom of God; and yet, when they trod their mother under their feet,
they not only flattered themselves amidst such heinous sacrilege, but desired
that Christ should fall by their decision. Christ maintains, on the contrary,
that, however wicked and depraved her children may be, Wisdom
remains entire, and that the malice of those who wickedly and malignantly
slander her takes nothing from her authority.
I have not yet brought forward that meaning which
appears to my own mind the most appropriate and natural. First, the words of
Christ contain an implied contrast between true children and bastards,
who hold but an empty title without the reality; and they amount to this:
“Let those who haughtily boast of being the children of
Wisdom proceed in their obstinacy: she will, notwithstanding, retain the
praise and support of her own children. Accordingly, Luke adds a term of
universality, by all her children; which means, that the reluctance of
the scribes will not prevent all the elect of God from remaining steadfast in
the faith of the Gospel. With respect to the Greek word
ajpo>,
it undoubtedly has sometimes the same meaning as
uJpo>.
Not to mention other instances, there is a passage in Luke’s Gospel,
(17:25,) where Christ says, that he must suffer many things,
kai< ajpodokimasqh~nai
ajpo< th~v genea~v tau>thv, and be
rejected BY this generation. Everybody will admit, that the form of
expression is the same as in the corresponding clause.
f28 Besides,
Chrysostom, whose native language was Greek, passes over this matter, as if
there were no room for debate. Not only is this meaning more appropriate, but it
corresponds to a former clause, in which it was said, that God was justified
by the people, (v. 29.) Although many apostates may revolt from the
Church of God, yet, among all the elect, who truly belong to the flock, the
faith of the Gospel will always remain uninjured.
LUKE 10:1-12
|
LUKE
10:1-12
|
|
1. And after these things the Lord
appointed other seventy also, and sent them two by two before his face into
every city and place, to which he was to come 2. He said, therefore
to them, The harvest is indeed abundant, but the laborers are few; pray ye,
therefore, the Lord of the harvest to send out the laborers into his harvest
3. Go: behold, I send you as lambs among wolves.
4. Carry neither purse, nor bag nor shoes, and salute no man by the
way. 5. Into whatsoever house you shall enter, first say, Peace be
to this house. 6. And if the son of peace will remain upon it: but
if not, it will return to you. 7. And remain in the same house
eating and drinking those things which shall be given by them;
f29
for the laborer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.
8. And into whatsoever city you shall enter, and they shall receive
you, eat those things which are set before you: 9. And cure the
diseased who are in it, and say to them, The kingdom of God is nigh to you.
10. And in whatsoever city you shall enter, and they shall not receive
you, go out into its streets and say, 11. Even the dust, which has
cleaved to us from your city, we wipe off against you: yet know this, that the
kingdom of God is nigh to you. 12. I say to you, That in that day it
will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that day.
|
Luke 10:1.
And after these things the
Lord appointed. That the Apostles had
returned to Christ before these seventy were substituted in their room,
may be inferred from many circumstances. The twelve, therefore, were sent to
awaken in the Jews the hope of an approaching salvation. After their return, as
it was necessary that higher expectation should be excited, others were sent in
greater numbers, as secondary heralds, to spread universally in every place the
report of Christ’s coming. Strictly speaking, they received no commission,
but were only sent by Christ as heralds, to prepare the minds of the people for
receiving his doctrine. As to the number seventy, he appears to have
followed that order to which the people had already been long accustomed. We
must bear in mind what has been already said about the twelve Apostles,
f30 that as
this was the number of the tribes when the people were in a flourishing
condition, so an equal number of apostles or patriarchs was chosen, to
reassemble the members of the lacerated body, that the restoration of the Church
might thus be complete.
There was a similar reason for these seventy.
We know that Moses, finding himself insufficient for the burden, took
seventy judges to be associated with him in governing the people,
(<021822>Exodus
18:22; 24:1.) But when the Jews returned from the Babylonish captivity, they had
a council or
sune>drion—which
was corrupted into Sanedrin
f31—consisting
of seventy-two judges. As usually happens with such numbers, when they spoke
of the council, they called them only the seventy judges; and Philo
assures us, that they were chosen out of the posterity of David, that there
might be some remaining authority in the royal line. After various calamities,
this was the finishing stroke, when Herod abolished that council, and thus
deprived the people of a legitimate share in the government. Now as the return
from Babylon prefigured a true and complete redemption, the reason why our Lord
chooses seventy heralds of his coming appears to be, to hold out the
restoration of their fallen state; and as the people were to be united under one
head, he does not give them authority as judges, but only commands them to go
before him, that he may possess the sole power.
And sent them by two and
two. He appears to have done so on
account of their weakness. There was reason to fear, that individually they
would not have the boldness necessary for the vigorous discharge of their
office; and therefore, that they may encourage one another, they are sent
by two and
two.
2.
The harvest is indeed
abundant. I have explained this passage
under the ninth chapter of Matthew;
f32 but it
was proper to insert it again in this place, because it is related for a
different purpose. In order to stimulate his disciples the more powerfully to
apply with diligence to their work, he declares that
the harvest is
abundant: and hence it follows, that
their labor will not be fruitless, but that they will find, in abundance,
opportunities of employment, and means of usefulness. He afterwards reminds them
of dangers, contests, and annoyances, and bids them go and prepare themselves
for traversing with speed the whole of Judea.
f33 In
short, he repeats the same injunctions which he had given to the Apostles; and,
therefore, it would serve no good purpose to trouble the reader here with many
words, since a full exposition of all these matters may be found in the passage
already quoted. We may notice briefly, however, the meaning of that expression,
salute no man by the way. It indicates extreme haste, when, on meeting a
person in the way, we pass on without speaking to him, lest he should
detain us even for a short time. Thus, when Elisha sent his servant to the
Shunamite woman, he charged him not to salute any person whom he
met:
if thou meet any man,
salute him not;
and if any salute
thee, answer not again,
(<120431>2
Kings 4:31.)
Christ does not intend that his disciples shall be so
unkind f34
as not to deign to salute persons whom they meet, but bids them hasten forward,
so as to pass by every thing that would detain them.
7.
Eating and drinking those
things which they shall give you. This
is another circumstance expressly mentioned by Luke. By these words Christ not
only enjoins them to be satisfied with ordinary and plain food, but allows them
to eat at another man’s table. Their plain and natural meaning is:
“you will be at liberty to live at the expense of others, so long as you
shall be on this journey; for it is proper that those for whose benefit you
labor should supply you with food.” Some think that they were intended to
remove scruples of conscience, that the disciples might not find fault with any
kind of food.
f35 But
nothing of this kind was intended, and it was not even his object to enjoin
frugality, but merely to permit them to accept of a reward, by living, during
this commission, at the expense of those by whom they were
entertained.
MATTHEW 11:20-24; LUKE
10:13-16
|
MATTHEW
11:20-24
|
LUKE
10:13-16
|
|
20. Then he began to upbraid the cities,
in which most of his mighty works were done, because they had not repented of
crimes: 21. Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee, Bethsaida! for if
the mighty works, which have been done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would have repented of their crimes long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22. But I say to you, It will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
f36 in the
day of judgment than for you. 23. And thou, Capernaum, which art
exalted even to heaven shall be cast down even to hell; for if the mighty works,
which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained
until this day. 24. But I say to you, That it will be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom
f37 in the
day of judgment than for thee.
|
13. Woe to thee, Chorazin! woe to thee,
Bethsaida! for if the might works, which have been done in you, had been done in
Tyre and Sidon, they would have long ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and
ashes. 14. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the
judgment than for you.
f38
15. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted even to heaven, shall be
cast down even to hell. 16. He that heareth you heareth me; and he
that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that
sent me.
|
Matthew 11:20.
Then he began to
upbraid. Luke states the time when, and
the reason why, Christ uttered such invectives against those cities. It was
while he was sending the disciples away into various parts of Judea, to
proclaim, as they passed along, that the kingdom of God was at hand. Reflecting
on the ingratitude of those among whom he had long discharged the office of a
prophet, and performed many wonderful works, without any good result, he broke
out into these words, announcing that the time was now come, when he should
depart to other cities, having learned, by experience, that the inhabitants of
the country adjoining that lake, among whom he had begun to preach the Gospel
and perform miracles, were full of obstinacy and of desperate malice. But he
says nothing about the doctrine, and reproaches them that his miracles had not
led them to repent.
f39 The
object which our Lord had in view, in exhibiting those manifestations of his
power, undoubtedly was to invite men to himself; but as all are by nature averse
to him, it is necessary to begin with repentance.
Chorazin
and
Bethsaida
are well known to have been cities which were situated on the lake of
Gennesareth.
21.
If those mighty works had
been done in Tyre and Sidon. As
Tyre
and
Sidon,
in consequence of their proximity, were at that time abhorred for their
ungodliness, pride, debauchery, and other vices, Christ employs this comparison
for the express purpose of making a deeper and more painful impression on his
Jewish countrymen. There was not one of them who did not look upon the
inhabitants of Tyre and
Sidon as abominable despisers of God. It
is, therefore, no small heightening of his curse, when Christ says, that there
would have been more hope of reformation from those places in which there was no
religion, than is to be seen in Judea itself.
Lest any should raise thorny questions
f40 about
the secret decrees of God, we must remember, that this discourse of our Lord is
accommodated to the ordinary capacity of the human mind.
f41
Comparing the citizens of
Bethsaida,
and their neighbors, with the inhabitants of
Tyre and
Sidon, he reasons, not of what God
foresaw would be done either by the one or by the other, but of what both
parties would have done, so far as could be judged from the facts. The
exceedingly corrupt morals and unrestrained debauchery of those cities might be
ascribed to ignorance; for there the voice of God had never been heard, nor had
miracles been performed, to warn them to repent. But in the cities of Galilee,
which Christ upbraids, there was a display of very hardened obstinacy in
despising miracles, of which they had seen a vast number without reaping any
advantage. In short, the words of Christ convey nothing more than that the
inhabitants of
Chorazin
and
Bethsaida
go beyond those of Tyre and
Sidon in malice and incurable contempt
of God.
And yet we have no right to contend with God, for
having passed by others of whom better hopes might have been entertained, and
displaying his power before some who were extremely wicked and altogether
desperate. Those on whom he does not bestow his mercy are justly appointed to
perdition. If he withhold his word from some, and allow them to perish, while,
in order to render others more inexcusable, he entreats and exhorts them, in a
variety of ways, to repentance, who shall charge him, on this account, with
injustice? Let us, therefore, aware of our own weakness, learn to contemplate
this height and depth
f42 with
reverence; for it is intolerable fretfulness and pride that is manifested by
those who cannot endure to ascribe praise to the righteousness of God, except so
far as it comes within the reach of their senses, and who disdainfully reject
those mysteries, which it was their duty to adore, simply because the reason of
them is not fully evident.
If the mighty works had been
done. We have said that these words
inform us concerning the right use of miracles, though they likewise include
doctrine; for Christ did not remain silent,
f43 while he
was holding out to their view the power of the Father; but, on the contrary,
miracles were added to the Gospel, that they might attend to what was spoken by
Christ.
In sackcloth and
ashes.
Repentance
is here described by outward signs, the use of which was at that time common
in the Church of God: not that Christ attaches importance to that matter, but
because he accommodates himself to the capacity of the common people. We know
that believers are not only required to exercise repentance for a few days, but
to cherish it incessantly till death. But there is no necessity, in the present
day, for being clothed with
sackcloth,
and sprinkled with
ashes;
and, therefore, there is not always occasion for that outward profession of
repentance, but only when, after some aggravated revolt, men turn to God.
Sackcloth and ashes
are, no doubt, indications of guilt, for the
purpose of turning away the wrath of the Judge;
f44and
therefore relate strictly to the beginning of conversion. But as men testify by
this ceremony their sorrow and grief, it must be preceded by hatred of sin, fear
of God, and mortification of the flesh, according to the words of Joel, (2:13,)
Rend your hearts and not your garments. We now see the reason why
sackcloth and
ashes are mentioned by Christ along with
repentance, when he speaks of
Tyre and Sidon,
to the inhabitants of which the Gospel could
not have been preached, without condemning their past life, leaving nothing for
them, but to betake themselves to the wretched apparel of criminals for the sake
of humbly beseeching pardon. Such, too, is the reference of the word sitting,
which is employed by Luke, SITTING
in sackcloth and
ashes; for it denotes “lying
prostrate on the ground,”—a posture adapted to express the grief
of wretched persons, as is evident from many passages of the
Prophets.
23.
And thou,
Capernaum. He expressly addresses the
city of
Capernaum,
in which he had resided so constantly, that many supposed it to be his
native place. It was indeed an inestimable honor, that the Son of God, when
about to commence his reign and priesthood, had chosen
Capernaum
for the seat of his palace and sanctuary. And yet it was as deeply plunged
in its filth, as if there had never been poured upon it a drop of Divine grace.
On this account, Christ declares, that the punishment awaiting it will be the
more dreadful, in proportion to the higher favors which it had received from
God. It deserves our earnest attention in this passage, that the profanation of
the gifts of God, as it involves sacrilege, will never pass unpunished; and that
the more eminent any one is, he will be punished with the greater severity, if
he shall basely pollute the gifts which God has bestowed upon him; and above
all, an awful vengeance awaits us, if, after having received the spiritual gifts
of Christ, we treat him and his Gospel with contempt.
If they had been done in
Sodom. We have already hinted, that
Christ speaks after the manner of men, and does not bring forth, as from the
heavenly sanctuary,
f45 what God
foresaw would happen if he had sent a Prophet to the inhabitants of Sodom.
But if quarrelsome persons are not satisfied with this answer, every ground
of objection is removed by this single consideration, that although God had a
remedy in his power for saving the inhabitants of Sodom, yet in
destroying them he was a just avenger.
f46
Luke 10:16.
He that heareth you heareth
me. It is a mistake to suppose that this
passage is a repetition of what we formerly met with in the Gospel of
<401040>Matthew
10:40 he that receiveth you
receiveth me.
f47 Then,
Christ was speaking of persons, but now, of doctrine. The former
receiving had a reference to offices of kindness; but now he
recommends faith, which receives God in his Word. The general meaning is, that
the godliness of men is ascertained by the obedience of faith;
f48 and that
those who reject the Gospel, though they may boast of being the most eminent of
the worshippers of God, give evidence that they wickedly despise
him.
We must now attend to the design of Christ. As a
considerable portion of the world foolishly estimates the Gospel according to
the rank of men, and despises it because it is professed by persons of mean and
despicable condition, our Lord here contradicts so perverse a judgment. Again,
almost all are so proud, that they do not willingly submit to their equals, or
to those whom they look down upon as inferior to them. God has determined, on
the other hand, to govern his Church by the ministry of men, and indeed
frequently selects the ministers of the Word from among the lowest dregs of the
people. It was, therefore, necessary to support the majesty of the Gospel, that
it might not appear to be degraded by proceeding from the lips of
men.
This is a remarkable commendation
f49 of the
outward ministry, when Christ declares, that whatever honor and respect is
rendered to the preaching of men, provided that the preaching be faithful, God
acknowledges as done to Himself. In two points of view, this recommendation is
useful. Nothing ought to be a stronger encouragement to us to embrace the
doctrine of the Gospel, than to learn that this is the highest worship of God,
and a sacrifice of the sweetest odor, to hear him speaking by human lips, and to
yield subjection to his word, which is brought to us by men, in the same manner
as if he were descending from heaven or making known his will to us by angels.
Again, our confidence is established, and all doubt is removed, when we learn,
that the testimony of our salvation, when delivered to us by men whom God has
sent, is not less worthy of credit, than if His voice resounded from heaven. To
deter us, on the other hand, from despising the Gospel, he adds a severe
threatening:
He that despiseth you despiseth me;
and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent
me. Those who disdain to listen to
ministers, however mean and contemptible they may be, offer an insult, not to
men only, but to Christ himself, and to God the Father. While a magnificent
eulogium is here pronounced on the rank of pastors, who honestly and faithfully
discharge their office, it is absurd in the Pope and his clergy to take this as
a pretense for cloaking their tyranny. Assuredly, Christ does not speak in such
a manner, as to surrender into the hands of men the power which the Father has
given him, but only to protect his Gospel against contempt. Hence it follows,
that he does not transfer to the persons of men the honor which is due to
himself, but only maintains that it cannot be separated from his Word. If the
Pope wishes to be received, let him bring forward the doctrine by which
he may be recognized as a minister of Christ; but so long as he continues to be
what he now is, a mortal enemy of Christ, and destitute of all resemblance to
the Apostles, let him cease to deck himself with borrowed
feathers.
LUKE 10:17-20
|
LUKE
10:17-20
|
|
17. And the seventy returned with joy,
saying, Lord, even the devils are subject to us in thy name.
f50
18. And he said to them, I beheld Satan falling from heaven like
lightning. 19. Lo, I give you power to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.
20. Nevertheless, rejoice not in this, that the spirits are subject to
you; but rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
|
17.
And the seventy
returned. It is evident, that the faith
of the
seventy
disciples in the words of Christ had not been full and complete, when they
returned,
exulting over it as a thing new and unexpected, that they had cast out
devils
by the power of Christ. Nay, they had received this power accompanied by a
command. At the same time, I have no doubt that, when they departed, they were
convinced that nothing which the Master had said to them would fail of its
accomplishment; but afterwards, when the matter proceeded to an extent which
surpassed their expectations, they were astonished at the sight.
f51 And this
is frequently the case with believers, that they receive from the word but a
slight perception of the Divine power, and are afterwards excited to admiration
by actual experience. What was the nature of that joy will more clearly appear
from Christ’s reply.
18.
I beheld
Satan. From one instance Christ leads
them to the whole class; for he commanded his Gospel to be published for the
very purpose of overturning Satan’s kingdom.
f52 So then,
while the disciples rested solely on that demonstration which they had obtained
from experience, Christ reminds them, that the power and efficacy of their
doctrine extends farther, and that its tendency is to extirpate the tyranny
which Satan exercises over the whole human race. We have now ascertained the
meaning of the words. When Christ commanded that his Gospel should be preached,
he did not at all attempt a matter of doubtful result, but foresaw the
approaching ruin of Satan.
f53 Now
since the Son of God cannot be deceived, and this exercise of his foresight
relates to the whole course of the Gospel, we have no reason to doubt, that
whenever he raises up faithful teachers, he will crown their labor with
prosperous success.
Hence we infer, that our deliverance from the bondage
of Satan is effected in no other way than through the Gospel; and that those
only make actual proficiency in the Gospel, in whom Satan loses his power, so
that sin is destroyed, and they begin to live to the righteousness of God. We
ought also to attend to the comparison which he employs, that the thunder of the
Gospel makes Satan fall like
lightning; for it expresses the divine
and astonishing power of the doctrine, which throws down, in a manner so sudden
and violent, the prince of the world armed with such abundant forces. It
expresses also the wretched condition of men, on whose heads fall the darts of
Satan, who rules in the air, and holds the world in subjection under his feet,
till Christ appear as a Deliverer.
19.
Lo, I give you
power. This is said by way of admission.
Christ does not affirm that the gift of which they now boast is not illustrious,
but reminds them, that they ought to keep their eye chiefly on something loftier
still, and not remain satisfied with outward miracles. He does not altogether
condemn their joy, as if it were groundless, but shows it to be faulty in this
respect, that they were immoderately delighted with a temporal favor, and did
not elevate their minds higher. To this disease even the godly are almost all
liable. Though the goodness of God is received by them with gratitude, yet the
acts of the Divine kindness do not assist them, as they ought to do, by becoming
ladders for ascending to heaven. This makes it necessary that the Lord should,
as it were, stretch out his hand to raise them up, that they may not rest
satisfied with the earth, but may aspire to heavenly renovation.
The power of the
enemy is the name given by him to every
kind of annoyance; for all that is hostile to us is wielded against us by Satan.
I do not mean that every thing which tends to injure men is placed at his
disposal; but that, being armed with the curse of God, he endeavors to turn to
our destruction all his chastisements, and seizes them as weapons for the
purpose of wounding us.
20.
Your names are
written. As it was the design of Christ
to withdraw his disciples from a transitory joy, that they might glory in
eternal life, he leads them to its origin and source, which is, that they were
chosen by God and adopted as his children. He might indeed have commanded them
to rejoice that they had been regenerated by the Spirit of God,
(<560305>Titus
3:5,) and become new creatures in Christ,
(<470517>2
Corinthians 5:17;) that they had been enlightened
(<490118>Ephesians
1:18) in the hope of salvation, and had received the earnest of the
inheritance,
(<490114>Ephesians
1:14.) But he intended to point out, that the source from which all these
benefits had flowed was the free election of God, that they might not claim any
thing for themselves. Reasons for praising God are no doubt furnished by those
acts of his kindness which we feel within us; but eternal election, which
is without us, shows more clearly that our salvation rests on the pure
goodness
f54 of God.
The metaphorical expression, your
names are written in
heaven, means, that they were
acknowledged by God as His children and heirs, as if they had been inscribed in
a register. f55
MATTHEW 11:25-29; LUKE
10:21-22
|
MATTHEW
11:25-29
|
LUKE
10:21-22
|
|
25. At that time Jesus answering said, I
acknowledge to thee,
f56 O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise
and prudent, and hast revealed them to little children.
26. Undoubtedly, O Father, such was thy good pleasure.
f57
27. All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and none knoweth
the Son but the Father; and none knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom
the Son has chosen to reveal him.
f58
28. Come to me, all that labor and are burdened, and I will relieve
you. 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, that I am meek and
lowly in heart, and you shall find rest in your souls. 30. For my
yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
|
21. In the same hour Jesus rejoiced in
spirit, and said, I acknowledge to thee,
f59 O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise
and prudent, and hast revealed them to little children: certainly, O Father, it
is because such was thy good pleasure. 22. All things have been
delivered to me by my Father, and none knoweth who the Son is but the Father,
and who the Father is but the Son, and he to whom the Son shall choose to reveal
him.
|
Matthew 11:25.
Jesus
answering. Though the Hebrew verb,
answer,
(hn[,)
is frequently employed even in the commencement of a discourse, yet in this
passage I consider it to be emphatic; for it was from the present occurrence
that Christ took occasion to speak. This is more fully confirmed by the words of
Luke, that in the same hour Jesus
rejoiced in spirit. Whence came that
rejoicing?
Was it not because the Church, composed of poor and despised persons, was viewed
by him as not less precious and valuable than if all the nobility and high rank
in the world had lent to it their brilliancy? Let it be observed, also, that the
discourse is addressed to the Father, and consequently is marked by
greater energy than if he had spoken to his disciples. It was on their behalf,
no doubt, and for their sake, that he gave thanks to the Father, that
they might not be displeased with the low and mean aspect of his
Church.
We are constantly looking for splendor; and nothing
appears to us more incongruous, than that the heavenly kingdom of the Son of
God, whose glory is so magnificently celebrated by the prophets, should consist
of the dregs and offscourings of the common people. And truly it is a wonderful
purpose of God, that though he has the whole world at his command, he chooses
rather to select a peculiar people to himself from among the contemptible
vulgar, than from the nobility, whose high rank would have been a greater
ornament to the name of Christ. But here Christ withdraws his disciples from a
proud and haughty imagination, that they may not venture to despise that mean
and obscure condition of his Church, in which he delights and rejoices.
To restrain more fully that curiosity which is constantly springing up in
the minds of men, he rises above the world, and contemplates the secret decrees
of God, that he may lead others to unite with him in admiring them. And
certainly, though this appointment of God contradicts our senses, we discover
not only blind arrogance, but excessive madness, if we murmur against it, while
Christ our Head adores it with reverence.
I acknowledge to thee, O
Father.
f60
By these words he declares his acquiescence in that decree of the Father,
which is so greatly at variance with human senses. There is an implied
contrast between this praise, which he ascribes to the Father, and the malicious
slanders, or even the impudent barkings, of the world. We must now inquire in
what respect he glorifies the Father. It is because, while he was Lord of
the whole world, he preferred
children and ignorant persons to
the wise. It has no small weight, as
connected with this subject, that he calls the
Father Lord of heaven and
earth; for in this manner he declares
that it is a distinction which depends entirely on the will of God,
f61 that the
wise remain blind, while the ignorant and unlearned receive the mysteries
of the Gospel. There are many other passages of a similar nature, in which God
points out to us, that those who arrive at salvation have been freely chosen by
him, because he is the Creator and Governor of the world, and all nations are
his.
This expression implies two things. First, that all
do not obey the Gospel arises from no want of power on the part of God, who
could easily have brought all the creatures into subjection to his government.
Secondly, that some arrive at faith, while others remain hardened and obstinate,
is accomplished by his free election; for, drawing some, and passing by others,
he alone makes a distinction among men, whose condition by nature is alike.
f62 In
choosing little
children rather than the wise, he
has a regard to his glory; for the flesh is too apt to rise, and if able and
learned men had led the way, it would soon have come to be the general
conviction, that men obtain faith by their skill, or industry, or learning. In
no other way can the mercy of God be so fully known as it ought to be, than by
making such a choice, from which it is evident, that whatever men bring from
themselves is nothing; and therefore human wisdom is justly thrown down, that it
may not obscure the praise of divine grace.
But it is asked, whom does Christ denominate wise?
And whom does he denominate
little
children? For experience plainly shows,
that not all the ignorant and unlearned on the one hand are enlightened to
believe, and that not all the
wise
or
learned
are left in their blindness. It follows, that those are called
wise and
prudent, who, swelled with diabolical
pride, cannot endure to hear Christ speaking to them from above. And yet it does
not always happen that God reprobates those who have a higher opinion of
themselves than they ought to have; as we learn from the instance of Paul, whose
fierceness Christ subdued. If we come down to the ignorant multitude, the
majority of whom display envenomed malice, we perceive that they are left to
their destruction equally with the nobles and great men. I do acknowledge, that
all unbelievers swell with a wicked confidence in themselves, whether their
pride be nourished by their wisdom, or by a reputation for integrity, or by
honors, or by riches. But I consider that Christ here includes all who are
eminent for abilities and learning, without charging them with any fault; as, on
the other hand, he does not represent it to be an excellence in any one that he
is a little child. True, humble persons have Christ for their master, and
the first lesson of faith is, Let no man presume on his wisdom. But Christ does
not speak here as to voluntary childhood. He magnifies the grace of the Father
on this ground, that he does not disdain to descend even to the lowest and most
abominable, that he may raise up the poor out of filth.
But here a question arises. As
prudence
is a gift of God, how comes it that it hinders us from perceiving the
brightness of God, which shines in the Gospel? We ought, indeed, to remember
what I have already said, that unbelievers corrupt all the
prudence
which they possess, and that men of distinguished abilities are often
hindered in this respect, that they cannot submit to be taught. But with respect
to the present passage I reply: Though the sagacity of the
prudent
does not stand in their way, they may notwithstanding be deprived of the
light of the Gospel. Since the condition of all is the same or alike, why may
not God take this or that person according to his pleasure? The reason why he
passes by the wise and the great is declared by Paul to be,
that
God hath chosen the weak
and foolish things of the world to confound the glory of the flesh,
(<460127>1
Corinthians 1:27.)
Hence also we infer, that the statement made by
Christ is not universal, when he says, that the mysteries of the Gospel are
hidden from the
wise. If out of five wise men
four reject the Gospel and one embraces it, and if, out of an equal number
of unlearned persons, two or three become disciples of Christ, this statement is
fulfilled. This is also confirmed by that passage in Paul’s writings,
which I lately quoted; for he does not exclude from the kingdom of God all the
wise, and noble, and mighty, but only declares that it does
not contain many of them.
The question is now solved. Prudence is not
condemned as far as it is a gift of God, but Christ merely declares that it has
no influence in procuring faith. On the other hand, he does not recommend
ignorance, as if it rendered men acceptable to God, but affirms that it does not
hinder mercy from enlightening ignorant and unlearned men with heavenly wisdom.
It now remains to explain what is meant by revealing and hiding.
That Christ does not speak of the outward preaching may be inferred with
certainty from this circumstance, that he presented himself as a Teacher to all
without distinction, and enjoined his Apostles to do the same. The meaning
therefore is, that no man can obtain faith by his own acuteness, but only by the
secret illumination of the Spirit.
26.
Undoubtedly, O
Father. This expression removes every
pretense for that licentiousness of inquiry, to which we are continually
excited. There is nothing which we yield to God with greater difficulty, than
that his will shall be regarded by us as the highest reason and justice.
f63 He
frequently repeats, that his judgments are a deep abyss,
(<193606>Psalm
36:6;) but we plunge with headlong violence into that depth,
f64 and if
there is any thing that does not please us, we gnash our teeth, or murmur
against him, and many even break out into open blasphemies. On the contrary, our
Lord lays down to us this rule, that whatever God has determined must be
regarded by us as right.
f65 This is
sober wisdom, to acquiesce in the good pleasure of God as alone equal to a
thousand arguments.
f66 Christ
might indeed have brought forward the causes of that distinction, if there were
any; but he is satisfied with the good pleasure of God, and inquires no farther
why he calls to salvation little children rather than others, and
composes his kingdom out of an obscure flock.
f67 Hence it
is evident, that men direct their fury against Christ, when, on learning that
some are freely chosen, and others are reprobated, by the will of God, they
storm because they find it unpleasant to yield to God.
f68
27.
All things have been
delivered to me. The connection of this
sentence with the preceding one is not correctly understood by those
commentators who think that Christ intends nothing more than to strengthen the
confidence of his disciples for preaching the Gospel. My opinion is, that Christ
spoke these words for another reason, and with another object in view. Having
formerly asserted that the Church proceeds from the secret source of God’s
free election, he now shows in what manner the grace of salvation comes to men.
Many persons, as soon as they learn that none are heirs of eternal life but
those whom God chose before the foundation of the world,
(<490104>Ephesians
1:4,) begin to inquire anxiously how they may be assured of God’s secret
purpose, and thus plunge into a labyrinth, from which they will find no escape.
Christ enjoins them to come direct to himself, in order to obtain certainty of
salvation. The meaning therefore is, that life is exhibited to us in Christ
himself, and that no man will partake of it who does not enter by the gate of
faith. We now see that he connects faith with the eternal predestination of
God,— two things which men foolishly and wickedly hold to be inconsistent
with each other. Though our salvation was always hidden with God, yet Christ is
the channel through which it flows to us, and we receive it by faith, that it
may be secure and ratified in our hearts. We are not at liberty then to turn
away from Christ, unless we choose to reject the salvation which he offers to
us.
None knoweth the
Son. He says this, that we may not be
guided by the judgment of men, and thus form an erroneous estimate of his
majesty. The meaning therefore is, that if we wish to know what is the character
of Christ, we must abide by the testimony of
the
Father, who alone can truly and
certainly inform us what authority he hath bestowed upon him. And, indeed, by
imagining him to be what our mind, according to its capacity, conceives of him,
we deprive him of a great part of his excellence, so that we cannot know him
aright but from the voice of the
Father. That voice alone would
undoubtedly be insufficient without the guidance of the Spirit; for the power of
Christ is too deep and hidden to be attained by men, until they have been
enlightened by the
Father.
We must understand him to mean, not that
the Father
knoweth for himself, but that He
knoweth for us to reveal him to us.
But the sentence appears to be incomplete, for the
two clauses do not correspond to each other. Of the Son it is said, that
none knoweth the Father except
himself, and he to whom he shall be pleased to reveal
him. Of the Father nothing more
is said than this, that He alone knoweth the Son. Nothing is said about
revelation. I reply, that it was unnecessary to repeat what he had already said;
for what else is contained in the previous thanksgiving, than that the Father
hath revealed the Son to those who approve of him? When it is now added that He
alone knoweth the Son, it appears to be the assigning of a reason; for
this thought might, have occurred, What neccessity was there that the Son,
who had openly exhibited himself to the view of men, should be
revealed by the
Father? We now perceive the reason why
it was said, that none knoweth
the Son but the Father only. It now
remains that we attend to the latter clause:
None knoweth the Father except the
Son, and he to whom the Son shall be pleased to reveal
him. This is a different kind of
knowledge from the former; for the Son is said to know the Father, not
because he reveals Him by his Spirit, but because, being the lively image of
Him, he represents Him visibly in his own person. At the same time, I do not
exclude the Spirit, but explain the revelation here mentioned as
referring to the manner of communicating information. This agrees most
completely with the context; for Christ confirms what he had formerly said,
that all things had been
delivered to him by his Father, by
informing us that the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth in him,
(<510209>Colossians
2:9.) The passage may be thus summed up:
f69 First,
it is the gift of the Father, that the Son is known, because by
his Spirit he opens the eyes of our mind to discern the glory of Christ, which
otherwise would have been hidden from us. Secondly, the Father, who
dwells in inaccessible light, and is in himself incomprehensible, is revealed to
us by the Son, because he is the lively image of Him, so that it is in vain to
seek for Him elsewhere.
f70
28.
Come to me all that
labor. He now kindly invites to himself
those whom he acknowledges to be fit for becoming his disciples. Though he is
ready to reveal the Father to all, yet the greater part are careless about
coming to him, because they are not affected by a conviction of their
necessities. Hypocrites give themselves no concern about Christ, because they
are intoxicated with their own righteousness, and neither hunger nor
thirst
(<400506>Matthew
5:6) for his grace. Those who are devoted to the world set no value on heavenly
life. It would be in vain, therefore, for Christ to invite either of these
classes, and therefore he turns to the wretched and afflicted. He speaks of them
as laboring, or groaning under a burden, and does not mean
generally those who are oppressed with grief and vexations, but those who are
overwhelmed by their sins, who are filled with alarm at the wrath of God, and
are ready to sink under so weighty a burden. There are various methods,
indeed, by which God humbles his elect; but as the greater part of those who are
loaded with afflictions still remain obstinate and rebellious, Christ means by
persons laboring and burdened, those whose consciences are distressed by
their exposure to eternal death, and who are inwardly so pressed down by their
miseries that they faint; for this very fainting prepares them for receiving his
grace. He tells us that the reason why most men despise his grace is, that they
are not sensible of their poverty; but that there is no reason why their pride
or folly should keep back afflicted souls that long for relief.
Let us therefore bid adieu to all who, entangled by
the snares of Satan, either are persuaded that they possess a righteousness out
of Christ, or imagine that they are happy in this world. Let our miseries drive
us to seek Christ; and as he admits none to the enjoyment of his rest but those
who sink under the burden, let us learn, that there is no venom more deadly than
that slothfulness which is produced in us, either by earthly happiness, or by a
false and deceitful opinion of our own righteousness and virtue. Let each of us
labor earnestly to arouse himself, first, by vigorously shaking off the luxuries
of the world; and, secondly, by laying aside every false confidence. Now
though this preparation for coming to Christ makes them as dead men,
f71 yet it
ought to be observed, that it is the gift of the Holy Spirit, because it is the
commencement of repentance, to which no man aspires in his own strength. Christ
did not intend to show what man can do of himself, but only to inform us what
must be the feelings of those who come to him.
They who limit the
burden
and the
labor
to ceremonies of the Law, take a very narrow view of Christ’s meaning.
I do acknowledge, that the Law was intolerably burdensome, and overwhelmed the
souls of worshippers; but we must bear in mind what I have said, that Christ
stretches out his hand to all the afflicted, and thus lays down a distinction
between his disciples and those who despise the Gospel. But we must attend to
the universality of the expression; for Christ included all, without exception,
who labor and are burdened, that no man may shut the gate against himself
by wicked doubts.
f72 And yet
all such persons are few in number; for, among the innumerable multitude of
those that perish, few are aware that they are perishing. The relief
which he promises consists in the free pardon of sins, which alone gives us
peace.
29.
Take my yoke upon
you. Many persons, we perceive, abuse
the grace of Christ by turning it into an indulgence of the flesh; and therefore
Christ, after promising joyful rest to wretchedly distressed consciences,
reminds them, at the same time, that he is their Deliverer on condition of their
submitting to his yoke. He does not, he tells us, absolve men from their sins in
such a manner, that, restored to the favor of God, they may sin with greater
freedom, but that, raised up by his grace, they may also
take his yoke upon
them, and that, being free in spirit,
they may restrain the licentiousness of their flesh. And hence we obtain a
definition of that rest of which he had spoken. It is not at all intended to
exempt the disciples of Christ from the warfare of the flesh, that they may
enjoy themselves at their ease, but to train them under the burden of
discipline, and keep them under the yoke.
Learn of
me. It is a mistake, I think, to suppose
that Christ here assures us of his meekness, lest his disciples, under
the influence of that fear which is usually experienced in approaching persons
of distinction, should remain at a distance from him on account of his Divine
glory. It is rather his design to form us to the imitation of himself, because
the obstinacy of the flesh leads us to shrink from his yoke as harsh and
uneasy. Shortly afterwards, he adds, (verse 30,)
my yoke is
easy. But how shall any man be brought
willingly and gently to bend his neck, unless, by putting on meekness, he be
conformed to Christ? That this is the meaning of the words is plain; for Christ,
after exhorting his disciples to bear his
yoke,
and desirous to prevent them from being deterred by its difficulty,
immediately adds, Learn of
me; thus declaring that, when his
example shall have accustomed us to
meekness
and humility, we shall no longer feel his yoke to be troublesome. To
the same purpose he adds, I will
relieve you. So long as the flesh kicks,
we rebel; and those who refuse the yoke of Christ, and endeavor to appease God
in any other manner, distress and waste themselves in vain. In this manner, we
see the Papists wretchedly torturing themselves, and silently enduring the
dreadful tyranny under which they groan, that they may not bow to the yoke
of Christ.
MATTHEW 12:1-7; MARK 2:23-28;
LUKE 6:1-5
|
MATTHEW
12:1-7
|
MARK
2:23-28
|
LUKE
6:1-5
|
|
1. At that time Jesus was passing through
the corn-fields on the Sabbath;
f73 and his
disciples were hungry, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, Lo, thy
disciples do what it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. 3. But he
said to them, Have you not read what David did, when he was hungry, and those
who were with him? 4. How he entered into the house of God, and ate
the shew-bread, which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were
with him, but for the priests alone? 5. Or have you not read in the
Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the temple, and are
free from blame?
f74
6. But I say to you, That one greater than the temple is in this
place. 7. But if you knew what that is, I choose mercy, and not
sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. 8. For the Son
of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
|
23. And it happened, that he was passing
through the corn-fields, and his disciples began to pluck the ears of corn as
they went along. 24. And the Pharisees said to him, Lo, why do they
on the Sabbath what is not lawful? 25. And he said to them, Have
you not read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry, and those who
were with him? 26. How he entered into the house of God in the time
of Abiathar, the high-priest, and ate the shew-bread, which it is not lawful to
eat but for the priests, and gave also
f75 to those
who were with him? 27. And he said to them, The Sabbath was made
for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28. Therefore the Son of man
is Lord even of the Sabbath.
|
1. And it happened that, on the
second-first Sabbath, he was passing through the cornfields; and his disciples
were plucking ears of corn, and were eating, rubbing them in their hands.
2. And some of the Pharisees said to them, Why do you do what it is
not lawful to do on the Sabbath? 3. And Jesus answering saith to
them, Have you not read even this which David did when he was hungry, and those
who were with him? 4. How he entered into the house of God, and took
the shew-bread, and ate it, and gave also to those who were with him, which it
is not lawful to eat but only for the priests? 5. And he said to
them, The Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.
|
Matthew 12:1.
Jesus was walking on the
Sabbath. It was the design of the
Evangelists, in this history, to show partly what a malicious disposition the
Pharisees had, and partly how superstitiously they were attached to outward and
slight matters, so as to make holiness to consist in them entirely. They blame
the disciples of Christ for
plucking the ears of corn on the
Sabbath, during their journey, when they were
pressed with hunger, as if, by so doing, they were violating the Sabbath.
The keeping of the Sabbath was, indeed, a holy thing, but not such a
manner of keeping it as they imagined, so that one could scarcely move a finger
without making the conscience to tremble.
f76 It was
hypocrisy, therefore, that made them so exact in trifling matters, while they
spared themselves in gross superstitions; as Christ elsewhere upbraids them
with
paying tithe of mint and
anise, and neglecting the
important
matters of the Law,
(<402323>Matthew
23:23.)
It is the invariable practice of hypocrites to allow
themselves liberty in matters of the greatest consequence, and to pay close
attention to ceremonial observances. Another reason why they demand that outward
rites should be more rigorously observed is, that they wish to make their duty
toward God to consist only in carnal worship. But it was malevolence and envy,
still more than superstition, that led them to this act of censure; for towards
others they would not have been equally stern. It is proper for us to observe
the feelings by which they were animated, lest any one should be distressed by
the fact, that the very Doctors of the Law were so hostile to
Christ.
Luke 6:1.
On the second-first
Sabbath. It is beyond all question that
this Sabbath belonged to some one of the festival-days which the Law enjoined to
be observed once every year. Some have thought that there were two festival-days
in immediate succession; but as the Jews had arranged their festival-days after
the Babylonish captivity so that one day always intervened between them, that
opinion is set aside. Others maintain with greater probability, that it was the
last day of the solemnity, which was as numerously attended as the first. I am
more inclined to favor those who understand by it the second festivity in the
year; and this agrees exceedingly well with the name given to it,
the second-first
Sabbath, because, among the great
Sabbaths which were annually observed, it was the second in the order of time.
Now the first was the Passover, and it is therefore probable that this
was the feast of first-fruits,
(<022315>Exodus
23:15, 16.)
Mark 2:24.
Why do they on the Sabbath
what is not lawful? The Pharisees do not
blame the disciples of Christ for
plucking ears of
corn from a field that was not their
own, but for violating the
Sabbath; as if there had been a precept
to this effect, that famishing men ought rather to die than to satisfy their
hunger. Now the only reason for keeping the Sabbath was, that the people, by
sanctifying themselves to God, might be employed in true and spiritual worship;
and next, that, being free from all worldly occupations, they might be more at
liberty to attend the holy assemblies. The lawful observation of it, therefore,
must have a reference to this object; for the Law ought to be interpreted
according to the design of the Legislator. But this shows clearly the malicious
and implacable nature of superstition, and particularly the proud and cruel
dispositions of hypocrites, when ambition is joined to hatred of the person. It
was not the mere affectation of pretended holiness, as I have said, that made
the Pharisees so stern and rigorous; but as they expressly wished to carp at
every thing that Christ said or did, they could not do otherwise than put a
wrong meaning in cases where there was nothing to blame, as usually happens with
prejudiced interpreters. The accusation was brought—according to Matthew
and Mark—against our Lord, and—according to Luke—against his
disciples. But there is no inconsistency here; for the disciples were in all
probability so harassed, that the charge was directed chiefly against the Master
himself. It is even possible that the Pharisees first wrangled with the
disciples, and afterwards with Christ, and that, in the rage of their malice,
they blamed him for remaining silent, and permitting his disciples to break the
Sabbath.
Matthew 12:3.
Have you not read what David
did? Christ employs five arguments to
refute their calumny. First, he apologizes for his disciples by pleading
the example of David,
(<092106>1
Samuel 21:6.) While David was fleeing from the rage of Saul, he applied for
provisions to the high-priest Ahimelech; and there being no ordinary food at
hand, he succeeded in obtaining a part of the holy bread. If David’s
necessity excused him, the same argument ought to be admitted in the case of
others. Hence it follows, that the ceremonies of the Law are not violated where
there is no infringement of godliness.
f77 Now
Christ takes for granted, that David was free from blame, because the Holy
Spirit bestows commendation on the priest who allowed him to partake of the holy
bread. When he says, that it was not lawful to eat that bread but for
the priests alone, we must understand him to refer to the ordinary
law:
they shall eat those
things wherewith the atonement was
made,
to consecrate and to
sanctify them; but a stranger shall
not
eat thereof, because they are
holy,
(<022933>Exodus
29:33.)
If David had attempted to do what was contrary to
law, it would have been in vain for Christ to plead his example; for what had
been prohibited for a particular end no necessity could make
lawful.
5.
That on the Sabbaths the
priests profane the Sabbath. This is the
second argument by which Christ proves that the violation of the Sabbath,
of which the Pharisees complained, was free from all blame; because on the
Sabbaths it is lawful to slay beasts for sacrifice, to circumcise infants,
and to do other things relating to the worship of God. Hence it follows, that
the duties of piety are in no degree inconsistent with each other.
f78 But if
the temple sanctifies manual operations connected with sacrifices, and
with the whole of the outward service, the holiness of the true and spiritual
temple has greater efficacy, in exempting its worshippers from all blame,
while they are discharging the duties of godliness.
f79 Now the
object which the disciples had in view was, to present to God souls which were
consecrated by the Gospel.
Matthew alone glances at this argument. When Christ
says, that the priests Profane
the Sabbath, the expression is not
strictly accurate, and is accommodated to his hearers; for when the Law enjoins
men to abstain from their employments, it does not forbid them to perform the
services of religion. But Christ admits that to be true which might appear to be
so in the eye of ignorant persons,
f80 and
rests satisfied with proving, that the labors performed in the temple are not
offensive to God.
7.
But if you
knew. This Third argument is also
mentioned by Matthew alone. Christ conveys an indirect reproof to the Pharisees,
for not considering why ceremonies were appointed, and to what object they are
directed. This has been a common fault in almost every age; and therefore the
prophet Hosea (6:6) exclaims against the men of his own age for being too much
attached to ceremonies, and caring little about the duties of kindness. But God
declares aloud, that he sets a higher value on mercy than on sacrifice,
employing the word mercy, by a figure of speech, for offices of kindness,
as sacrifices include the outward service of the Law. This statement
Christ applies to his own time, and charges the Pharisees with wickedly
torturing the Law of God out of its true meaning, with disregarding the second
table, and being entirely occupied with ceremonies.
But a question arises: Why does God declare that he
is indifferent about ceremonies, when he strictly enjoined in his Law that they
should be observed? The answer is easy. External rites are of no value in
themselves, and are demanded by God in so far only as they are directed to their
proper object. Besides, God does not absolutely reject them, but, by a
comparison with deeds of kindness, pronounces that they are inferior to the
latter in actual value. Nor is it inconsistent with this to say, that in the
perfection of righteousness the highest rank belongs to the worship of God, and
the duties which men owe to each other occupy the second rank. For, though piety
is justly reckoned to be as much superior to charity as God is higher than men,
yet as believers, by practicing justice towards each other, prove that their
service of God is sincere, it is not without reason that this subject is brought
under the notice of hypocrites, who imitate piety by outward signs, and yet
pervert it by confining their laborious efforts to the carnal worship alone.
f81 From the
testimony of the Prophet, Christ justly infers that no blame attaches to his
disciples; for while God trained his people in the rudiments of the Law, it was
far from being his design to kill wretched men with famine.
8.
For the Son of man is Lord
even of the Sabbath. Some connect this
sentence with a preceding statement,
that one greater than the temple
is in this place, (ver. 6;) but I look
upon them as different. In the former case, Christ, by an allusion to the
temple, affirmed that whatever was connected with his personal holiness was
not a transgression of the Law; but now, he declares that he has received
authority to exempt his followers from the necessity of observing the Sabbath.
The Son of
man, (he says,) in the exercise of his
authority, can relax the Sabbath in the same manner as other legal ceremonies.
And certainly out of Christ the bondage of the Law is wretched, from which he
alone delivers those on whom he bestows the free Spirit of adoption,
f82
(<450815>Romans
8:15.)
Mark 2:27.
The Sabbath was made for
man. This Fifth argument is
related by Mark alone. The general meaning is, that those persons judge amiss
who turn to man’s destruction,
f83 the
Sabbath which God appointed for his benefit. The Pharisees saw the disciples of
Christ employed in a holy work; they saw them worn out with the fatigue of the
journey, and partly with want of food; and yet are offended that, when they are
hungry, they take a few grains of corn for the support of their wearied bodies.
Is not this a foolish attempt to overturn the purpose of God, when they demand
to the injury of men that observation of the Sabbath which he intended to be
advantageous? But they are mistaken, I think, who suppose that in this passage
the Sabbath is entirely abolished; for Christ simply informs us what is the
proper use of it. Though he asserted, a little before, that he is
Lord of the
Sabbath, yet the full time for its
abolition
f84 was not
yet come, because the veil of the temple was not yet rent,
(<402751>Matthew
27:51.)
MATTHEW 12:9-13; MARK 3:1-5;
LUKE 6:610
|
MATTHEW
12:9-13
|
MARK
3:1-5
|
LUKE
6:6-10
|
|
9. And having departed thence, he came
into their synagogue: 10. And, lo, there was a man having a
withered hand, and they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbaths?
that they might accuse him. 11. But he said to them, What man shall
there be among you who shall have one sleep, and if it fall on the Sabbath into
a ditch, will not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12. How much
more then is a man better than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the
Sabbaths. 13. Then he saith to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And
he stretched it out, and it was restored to soundness like the
other.
|
1. And he entered again into the
synagogue, and there was a man there having a withered hand. 2. And
they watched him, if he would heal that man on the Sabbath, that they might
accuse him. 3. And he said to the man having the withered hand, Rise
up in the midst. 4. Whether is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good
or to do evil? to save life or to kill? But they were silent. 5. And
when he had looked round upon them with indignation, grieving on account of the
blindness of their heart, he saith to the man, Stretch out thy hand; and he
stretched it out, and his hand was restored to soundness like the
other.
|
6. And it happened also on another
Sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue, and taught; and there was a man
there whose right hand was withered. 7. And the scribes and
Pharisees watched him, if he would heal on the Sabbath, that they might find an
opportunity of accusing him. 8. But he knew their thoughts, and said
to the man that had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand in the midst. And he
rose up and stood. 9. Jesus therefore saith to them, I will ask you,
Whether is it lawful on the Sabbaths to do good or to do evil? to save life or
to destroy it? 10. And when he had looked round about upon them
all, he said to the man, Stretch out thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was
restored sound like the other.
|
Matthew 12:9.
And having departed
thence. This narrative and that which
immediately precedes it have the same object; which is to show, that the scribes
watched with a malicious eye for the purpose of turning into slander every thing
that Christ did, and consequently that we need not wonder if men, whose minds
were so depraved, were his implacable enemies. We see also, that it is usual
with hypocrites to pursue what is nothing more than a shadow of the
righteousness of the Law, and as the common saying is, to stickle more about the
form than about the substance. First, then, let us learn from this passage to
keep our minds pure, and free from every wicked disposition, when we are about
to form a decision on any question; for if hatred, or pride, or anything of that
description, reign within us, we will not only do injury to men, but will insult
God himself, and turn light into darkness. No man, who was free from malice,
would have refused to acknowledge that it was a Divine work, which those good
teachers do not scruple to condemn.
f85 Whence
comes such fury, but because all their senses are affected by a wicked hatred of
Christ, so that they are blind amidst the full brightness of the sun? We learn
also, that we ought to beware lest, by attaching undue importance to ceremonial
observances, we allow other things to be neglected, which are of far higher
value in the sight of God, and which Christ in another passage calls the more
important matters of the Law,
(<402323>Matthew
23:23.) For so strongly are we inclined to outward rites, that we shall never
preserve moderation in this respect, unless we constantly remember, that
whatever is enjoined respecting the worship of God is, in the first place,
spiritual; and, secondly, ought to be regulated by the rule which Christ has
laid down to us in this passage.
10.
They asked him,
saying. Mark and Luke say only that they
watched what our Lord would do; but Matthew states more clearly that they
also attacked him by words. It is probable, that some others had been previously
cured on Sabbath-days; and hence they take occasion to ask if he believes it to
be lawful for him to do again what he had formerly done. They ought to
have considered whether it was a work of God, or of man, to restore a withered
hand by a mere touch, or by a single word. When God appointed the Sabbath, he
did not lay down a law for himself, or impose upon himself any restraint from
performing operations on the Sabbath, when he saw it to be proper, in the same
manner as on other days. It was excessive folly, therefore, to call this in
question, and thus to prescribe rules for God himself, and to restrain the
freedom of his operations.
11.
What man shall there be among
you who shall have a sheep? Christ again
points out what is the true way of keeping the Sabbath; and, at the same time,
reproves them for slander, in bringing as a charge against him what was a
universal custom. For if any man’s
sheep had fallen into a
ditch, no person would have hindered it
from being taken out: but in proportion as
a man is of more value than a
sheep, so much the more are we at
liberty to assist him. It is plain, therefore, that if any man should relieve
the necessity of brethren, he did not, in any degree, violate the rest which the
Lord has enjoined. Mark and Luke take no notice of this comparison, but only
state that Christ inquired, Is it
lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil?
He who takes away the life of a man is held to be a
criminal; and there is little difference between manslaughter and the conduct of
him who does not concern himself about relieving a person in distress. So then
Christ indirectly charges them with endeavoring, under the pretense of a holy
act, to compel him to do evil; for sin is committed, as we have already
said, not only by him who does any thing contrary to the Law, but also by him
who neglects his duty. Hence also we perceive, that Christ did not always employ
the same arguments in refuting this slander; for he does not reason here about
his divinity as he does in the case mentioned by John, (v. 18.) Nor was there
any necessity for doing so; since the Pharisees were completely refuted by this
single defense, that nothing could be more unreasonable than to pronounce a man,
who imitated God, to be a transgressor of the Sabbath.
Luke 12:8.
But he knew their
thoughts. If Matthew states the truth,
they had openly declared by their language what was in their minds; and
therefore Christ replies not to their secret thoughts, but to express
words. But both may be true, that they spoke plainly, and yet that Christ
discerned their secret thoughts; for they did not openly avow
their designs, and Matthew himself tells us that their question was intended to
take Christ by surprise; and, consequently, Luke means nothing more than that
Christ was aware of their insidious designs, though not expressed in
words.
Mark 3:5.
And when he had looked around
upon them with indignation. To convince
us that this was a just and holy anger, Mark explains the reason of it to be,
that he was grieved on account of
the blindness of their hearts. First,
then, Christ is
grieved,
because men who have been instructed in the Law of God are so grossly
blind;
but as it was malice that
blinded
them, his
grief
is accompanied by
indignation.
This is the true moderation of zeal, to be distressed about the destruction
of wicked men, and, at the same time, to be filled with wrath at their
ungodliness. Again, as this passage assures us, that Christ was not free from
human passions, we infer from it, that the passions themselves are not sinful,
provided there be no excess. In consequence of the corruption of our nature, we
do not preserve moderation; and our anger, even when it rests on proper grounds,
is never free from sin. With Christ the case was different; for not only did his
nature retain its original purity, but he was a perfect pattern of
righteousness. We ought therefore to implore from heaven the Spirit of God to
correct our excesses.
MATTHEW 12:14-21; MARK 3:6-12;
LUKE 6:11
|
MATTHEW
12:14-21
|
MARK
3:6-12
|
LUKE
6:11
|
|
14. Then the Pharisees went out, and
took counsel against him, how they might destroy him.
f86
15. But when Jesus knew this, he withdrew from that place; and great
multitudes followed him, and he cured them all. 16. And he
threatened them,
f87 that
they should not make him known: 17. That it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet, who says, 18. Lo, my
servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will
put my Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim judgment to the Gentiles.
19. He shall not strive, nor cry, nor shall any man hear his voice in
the streets. 20. The bruised reed he will not break, and the
smoking flax he will not quench, till he send forth judgment into victory.
21. And in his name the Gentiles will trust.
|
6. And the Pharisees went out, and
immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, to destroy him.
7. And Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a vast
multitude followed him from Galilee, and from Judea. 8. And from
Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond Jordan; and a great multitude (of
men) who dwelt around Tyre and Sidon, who, when they had heard what he was
doing, came to him. 9. And he commanded his disciples, that a small
ship should wait upon him on account of the multitude, that they might not press
upon him. 10. For he had cured many; so that as many as were
afflicted pressed upon him to touch him. 11. And unclean spirits,
when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried out, saying, Thou art the Son
of God. 12. And he vehemently threatened the that they should not
make him known
|
11. And they were filled with madness,
and talked with each other what they should do to Jesus.
|
Matthew 12:14.
Then the Pharisees took
counsel. How obstinate is the rage which
drives the wicked to oppose God! Even after having been convinced, they pour out
their venom more and more. It is truly monstrous and shocking, that the most
distinguished teachers of the Law, who were entrusted with the government of the
Church, are engaged, like robbers, in contriving murder. But this must happen,
whenever the malice of men reaches such a height, that they wish to destroy
every thing that is opposed to their fancy, even though it may be from
God.
The circumstance of Christ’s making his escape
by flight must not be ascribed to fear; for he did not become more courageous by
the lapse of time, but was endued with the same fortitude of the Spirit at the
time when he fled, as when, at a later period, he voluntarily presented himself
to die. And this was a part of that emptying of himself which Paul
mentions,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7,) that when he could easily have protected his life by a miracle, he chose
rather to submit to our weakness by taking flight. The only reason why he
delayed to die was, that the seasonable time, which had been appointed by the
Father, was not yet come,
(<430730>John
7:30; 8:20.) And yet it is manifest, that he was preserved by heavenly power
rather than by flight; for it would not have been difficult for his enemies to
find out the place to which he had retired, and so far was he from shrouding
himself in darkness, that he carried a great company along with him, and
rendered that place illustrious by his miracles. He withdrew from their presence
for the sole purpose of not aggravating their rage.
Mark 3:6.
The Pharisees took counsel
with the Herodians. :Now they regarded the
Herodians with the fiercest hatred; for their eagerness to be considered the
guardians and protectors of public liberty made it necessary for them to make an
open profession of mortal hatred to the ministers of that tyrant. And yet this
aversion is counteracted by their hatred and fury against Christ,
f88 which
makes them not only enter into a conspiracy with foreigners, but insinuate
themselves into the good graces of those with whom, on other occasions, they
would have shrunk from intercourse. While ungodliness hurries men in various
directions, and drives them to different courses, it engages them, with one
consent, in a contest with God. No hostilities prevent them from giving their
hand to each other for opposing the truth of God.
16.
And he threatened
them. The expression used by Mark
conveys, in a still more pointed manner, that he restrained the
unclean
spirits,
f89
who were exclaiming, Thou art
the Son of God. We have formerly
explained the reason why he did not choose to have such witnesses.
f90 And yet
there is no room to doubt, that divine power extorted from the devils this
confession; but having made it evident that they were subject to his dominion,
Christ properly rejected their testimony. But Matthew goes farther, and
states, that Christ discharged them from spreading the fame of the miracles
which he was performing. Not that he wished that fame to be wholly repressed,
(as we have pointed out on other occasions,
f91 but to
allow it to strike root, that it might bring forth abundant fruit at the proper
season. We know that Christ did not perform miracles for the purpose of
amusement, but had a distinct object in view, which was to prove that he was the
Son of God, and the appointed Redeemer of the world. But he was manifested
gradually, and by regular steps, and was not revealed in his true
character
“until the time
appointed by the Father,”
(<480402>Galatians
4:2.)
At the same time, it deserves our attention, that
when wicked men do their utmost to extinguish the glory of God, they are so far
from gaining their wish, that, on the contrary, God turns their rebellious
designs in an opposite direction. Though Christ withdrew from a populous
district, yet in this very concealment
f92 his
glory continues to shine, and even bursts forth magnificently into its full
splendor.
17.
That it might be fulfilled
which was spoken. Matthew does not mean
that this prediction was entirely fulfilled by Christ’s prohibiting loud
and general reports to be circulated respecting his power
f93, but
that this was an exhibition of that mildness which Isaiah describes in the
person of the Messiah. Those wonderful works which Christ performed in presence
of a few, and which he did not wish to be announced in pompous terms, were
fitted to shake heaven and earth,
(<581226>Hebrews
12:26.) It was, therefore, no ordinary proof, how widely he was removed from the
pomp and ostentation of the world.
But it will be proper for us to examine more closely
the design of Matthew. By this circumstance he intended to show, that the glory
of Christ’s divinity ought not to be the less admired, because it appeared
under a vail of infirmity. This is unquestionably the very object to which the
Holy Spirit directed the eyes of the prophet. The flesh is constantly longing
for outward display, and to guard believers against seeking any thing of this
description in the Messiah, the Spirit of God declared that he would be totally
different from earthly kings, who, in order to draw admiration upon themselves,
produce great noises wherever they go, and fill cities and towns with commotion.
f94 We now
perceive how appropriately Matthew applies the prediction of the prophet to the
case in hand. God appointed for his Son a low and mean appearance, and that
ignorant persons may not take offense at an aspect which has no attraction, and
is fitted to awaken contempt, both the prophet and Matthew come forward to
declare, that it is not by accident, but in consequence of a decree of Heaven,
that he assumes such a character.
f95 Hence it
follows, that deep blame attaches to all who despise Christ, because his outward
condition does not correspond to the wishes of the flesh. We are not at liberty
to imagine to ourselves a Christ that corresponds to our fancy, but ought simply
to embrace him as he is offered by the Father. He who is offended by the low
condition of Christ, which God declares to be agreeable to his will, is unworthy
of salvation. I now come to examine the words of the prophet,
(<234201>Isaiah
42:1.)
18.
Lo, my servant, whom I have
chosen. To fix our attention more
closely on his will, God points out by the finger, as it were, the person whom
he is about to send; and this is the design of the exclamation, Lo! A similar
reason may be assigned for the epithets that follow, when God calls him
his servant, his elect in whom
his soul is well pleased. For whence
comes it, that men venture to measure Christ by their own sense, but because
they do not consider that their redemption depends exclusively on the grace of
God? When God offers to us an invaluable treasure, it is excessive and wicked
presumption to regulate our estimation of it by the disdainful views of our
flesh. He is called a servant, not as if he were of the ordinary rank,
but by way of eminence, and as the person to whom God has committed the charge
and office of redeeming his Church. As:
no man taketh this honor
to himself, but he who is called of God
(<580506>Hebrews
5:6)
is justly entitled to this rank, God declares that he
who comes forward in this character was elected by his decree.
f96 Hence it
follows, that men are not at liberty to reject him; because, by doing so, they
would be guilty of contempt and rebellion against God. And, indeed, it were the
height of absurdity that our choice or our pride should set aside that calling
of God which ought to be regarded as sacred and inviolable.
My beloved, in whom my soul is well
pleased. There is a still wider import
in this statement, which God next makes by the prophet, that the delight of his
soul dwells in Christ; for though the calling of each of us proceeds from the
free favor of God as its only source, yet in Christ there is this remarkable
peculiarity, that in his person God the Father embraces in his love the whole
Church. As we are all by nature enemies of God, his love will never come to us
till it first begin with the Head; which we have seen on a former occasion, and
will see again under another passage,
(<401705>Matthew
17:5.)
He will proclaim judgment to the
Gentiles. The prophet gives a brief
description of Christ’s office, when he foretells that
he will proclaim judgment to the
Gentiles. By the word judgment
the Jews understand a government which is correctly and properly arranged,
in which order and justice prevail. The design of the prophet is to inform us,
that a person will come who will restore justice that had fallen, who will be
the governor not of one nation only, but will also bring under subjection to God
the Gentiles, among whom dreadful confusion formerly prevailed. And this is the
import of the word bring forth, which the prophet employs; for it was the
office of Christ to spread throughout the whole world the kingdom of God, which
was at that time confined to the corner of Judea;
f97 as it is
said in another passage,
The Lord will send forth
the scepter of thy power out of
Zion,
(<19B002>Psalm
110:2.)
I will put my Spirit upon
him. This explains the manner in which
judgment shall be brought forth. It is no doubt true, that there never
was any portion whatever of righteousness in the world that did not
proceed from the Spirit of God, and that was not maintained by his heavenly
power; as none of the kings of the earth can frame or defend good order, except
so far as he shall be assisted by the same Spirit. But in
bringing forth
judgment Christ is greatly superior to
all others, for he has received the Spirit from the Father, that he may pour it
out on all his people; for not only does he by word or writing prescribe what is
proper, but inwardly forms the hearts of men, by the grace of his Spirit, to
preserve the rule of righteousness.
19.
He will not
strive. The general meaning is, that the
coming of Christ will not be attended by noise, will have nothing of royal
splendor and magnificence. He presently adds, that this will turn to the
advantage of men, by inducing them to love that mildness which the world
everywhere despises. And certainly it is an astonishing display of the folly of
men, that their sentiments with regard to Christ are less respectful, because he
mildly and voluntarily accommodates himself to their capacity. Were Christ to
appear in his glory, what else could be expected, but that it would altogether
swallow us up? What wickedness then is it to be less willing to receive him,
when on our account he descends from his elevation?
That the gentleness of Christ may awaken reverence in
believers, Isaiah reminds them how advantageous, and even how necessary that
gentleness must be. Each of us is conscious of his own weakness; and therefore
we ought to consider of what importance it is that Christ should treat us with
kindness. I speak not of unbelievers, who are entirely destitute of all the
graces of the Spirit; but with respect to those whom God has already called, are
they not like a half-broken
reed and a
smoking
lamp, till God kindle them to full
brightness, and supply them with perfect strength? When Christ is thus pleased
to condescend to our weakness, let his unspeakable goodness be embraced by us
with joy. Meanwhile, let none flatter himself in his vices, but let each of us
labor to make greater proficiency, that we may not be tossed about
(<490414>Ephesians
4:14) through our whole life, or bend, like reeds, to the slightest gale.
Let us grow to the stature of perfect men, that we may remain firm against the
diversified attacks of Satan, that our faith may not only emit slight sparks
encompassed by thick smoke, but may send out bright rays.
The example of Christ instructs all his ministers in
what manner they ought to conduct themselves. But as there are some who falsely
and absurdly maintain that mildness ought to be exercised indiscriminately
towards all, we must attend to the distinction which the prophet expressly makes
between weak and wicked persons. Those who are too stubborn need
to have their hardness beaten violently with a hammer; and those who endeavor to
spread darkness in every direction, or who act as torches to kindle
conflagrations, must have their smoke dispelled and their flame extinguished.
While the faithful ministers of the Word ought to endeavor to spare the weak,
and thus to cherish and increase that portion of the grace of God, however
small, which they possess, they must also exercise prudent caution, lest they
encourage the obstinate malice of those who have no resemblance to the
smoking lamp or bruised
reed.
20.
Till he send out judgment
into victory. The words of the prophet
are a little different, he will bring forth the judgment unto truth. But
the term employed by Matthew is very emphatic, and is intended to inform us,
that justice is not established in the world without a great struggle and
exertion. The devil throws all possible difficulties in the way, which cannot be
removed without violent opposition. This is confirmed by the word victory,
for victory is not obtained in any other way than by
fighting.
21.
And in his name shall the
Gentiles trust. Instead of these words
the prophet has, The isles shall wait for his law. But though Matthew has
changed the words, the meaning is the same, that the grace of Christ will be
shared by the Gentiles.
MATTHEW 12:22-24; MARK
3:20-22;
LUKE
11:14-15
|
MATTHEW
12:22-24
|
MARK
3:20-22
|
LUKE
11:14-15
|
|
22. Then was brought to him one who was
tormented by a devil, blind and dumb; and he cured him, so that the blind and
dumb person both spoke and saw. 23. And all the multitudes were
astonished, and said, Is not this the son of David? 24. But when
the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man doth not cast out devils but by
Beelzebub prince of the devils.
|
20. And they come into the house, and
immediately a multitude assembled, so that they could no even eat bread.
f98
21. And when those who were related to him heard it, they went out to
lay hands on him;
f99 for they
said, He is gone mad.
f101
22. And the Scribes, who had come down from Jerusalem, said, He hath
Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils he casteth out
devils.
|
14. And he was casting out a devil, and
it was dumb.
f100 And
when he had cast out the devil, the dumb person spoke, and the multitudes
wondered.
f102
15. And some of them said, By Beelzebub, the prince of the devils, he
casteth out devils.
f103
|
Mark 3:20.
And they come into the
house. Mark undoubtedly takes in a
somewhat extended period of time, when he passes from the miracles to that
wicked conspiracy which the relatives of Christ formed with each other, to bind
him as if he had been a madman. Matthew and Luke mention not more
than a single miracle, as having given to the Pharisees an opportunity of
slander; but as all the three agree in this last clause which is contained in
Mark’s narrative, I have thought it proper to insert it
here.
It is wonderful that such wickedness should have been
found among the relatives of Christ, who ought to have been the first to aid him
in advancing the kingdom of God. When they see that he has already obtained some
reputation, their ambition leads them to desire that he should be admired in
Jerusalem; for they exhort him to go up to that city,
that he may show himself
more openly,
(<430703>John
7:3,4.)
But now that they perceive him to be hated on one
side by the rulers, exposed on another to numerous slanders, and even despised
by the great body of the people--to prevent any injury, or envy, or dishonor,
from arising to the whole family, they form the design of laying hands on
him, and binding him at home, as if he had been a person who labored under
mental derangement; and, as appears from the words of the Evangelist, such was
their actual belief.
Hence we learn, first, how great is the blindness of
the human mind, in forming such perverse judgments about the glory of God when
openly displayed. Certainly, in all that Christ said and did, the power of the
Holy Spirit shone magnificently; and if others had not clearly perceived it, how
could it be unknown to his relatives, who were intimately acquainted with him?
But because Christ’s manner of acting does not please the world, and is so
far from gaining its good graces that it exposes him to the resentments of many,
they give out that he is deranged. Let us learn, in the second place, that the
light of faith does not proceed from flesh and blood, but from heavenly grace,
that no man may glory in any thing else than in the regeneration of the Spirit;
as Paul tells us,
If any man wishes to be
considered to be in Christ,
let
him be a new creature,
(<470517>2
Corinthians 5:17.)
Matthew 12:22.
Then was brought to
him. Luke explains from the effect, that
the devil by which the man was possessed was
dumb;
but Matthew says, that a twofold plague had been inflicted on the man. Many
persons, no doubt, are blind and deaf on account of natural defects; but it is
evident, that this man had become blind, and had been deprived of the use of
speech, though there was no defect in his optical nerves,
f104 or in
the proportion of his tongue. We need not wonder that so much liberty should be
allowed to Satan in injuring the bodily senses, when God justly permits him to
corrupt or pervert all the faculties of the soul.
23.
And all the people were
astonished. Hence we infer, that there
was a visible display of the power of God, which drew upon him the admiration of
the great body of the people, who were not at all actuated by any wicked
disposition. For how came it that all admired, but because the fact compelled
them to do so? And certainly there is not one of us, who does not see in this
narrative, as in a mirror, an unwonted power of God: and hence it follows, that
a diabolical venom must have seized the minds of the scribes, who were not
ashamed to slander so remarkable a work of God. But we must attend to the result
of the miracle. Moved with admiration, those who saw it ask each other,
Is not Jesus the
Christ? Acknowledging the power of God,
they are led, as it were by the hand, to faith. Not that they suddenly profited
as much as they ought to have done, (for they speak doubtfully;) but yet it is
no small proficiency to be aroused to consider more attentively the glory of
Christ. Some look upon this as a full affirmation, but the words convey no such
meaning; and the fact itself shows, that an unexpected occurrence had struck
them forcibly, and that they did not form a decided opinion, but only that it
occurred to them that he might be the Christ.
24.
But when the Pharisees heard
it. The scribes cannot withhold the
acknowledgment of a fact so open and manifest, and yet they maliciously carp
f103a at
what Christ did by Divine power. Not only do they obscure the praise of the
miracle, but endeavor to turn it into a reproach, as if it were performed by
magical enchantment; and that work, which could not be ascribed to a man, is
alleged by them to have the devil for its author. Of the word Beelzebub I
have spoken under the Tenth Chapter,
f104a and of
the prince of the devils I have said a little under the Ninth Chapter.
f105 The
opinion expressed by the scribes, that there is a prince among wicked
spirits, did not arise from a mistake of the common people, or from supposition,
but from a conviction entertained among the godly, that the reprobate have a
head, in the same manner as Christ is the Head of the Church.
MATTHEW 12:25-32; MARK
3:28-30;
LUKE 10:16-23;
12:10
|
MATTHEW
12:25-32
|
MARK
3:28-30
|
LUKE
10:16-23
|
|
25. But as Jesus knew their thoughts, he
said to them,
f106 Every
kingdom divided against itself shall be laid waste; and every city or house
divided against itself shall not stand. 26. And if Satan casteth
out Satan, he is divided against himself, and how then shall his kingdom stand?
27. And if I, by the assistance of Beelzebub, cast out devils, by
whose assistance do your children cast them out? therefore they shall judge
concerning you.
f107
28. But if by the Spirit of God I cast out devils, then the kingdom of
God has come to you. 29. Otherwise, how can a man enter into the
house of a strong man, and pillage his property, unless he first bind the strong
man, and then he will pillage his house? 30. He that is not with me
is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
31. Therefore I say to you, All sin and blasphemy
f108 shall
be forgiven to men; but the blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven
to men. 32. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of
man, it shall be forgiven him; but he who shall speak against the Holy Spirit,
it shall not be forgiven him, neither in the present life nor in the
future.
|
28. And having called them to him, he
spoke in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24. And if a
kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26. And if Satan hath risen up against himself, and is divided, he
cannot stand, but hath an end.
f109
27. No man can enter into the house of a strong man, and pillage his
property, unless he first bind the strong man, and then he will pillage his
house. 28. Verily I say to you, All sins shall be forgiven to the
sons of men, and blasphemies with which they shall blaspheme:
29. But he who shall speak blasphemy against the Holy Spirit hath not
forgiveness to eternity,
f112 but is
exposed to eternal judgment. 30. For they said, He hath an unclean
spirit. f113
|
16. And others tempting him sought from
him a sign from heaven. 17. But as he knew their thoughts,
f110 he said
to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a house against
a house falleth.
f111
18. But if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom
stand? for you say that by Beelzebub I cast out devils. 19. But if
I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out?
therefore they shall be your judges. 20. But if I cast out devils
by the finger of God, truly has the kingdom of God come to you.
21. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his property is at
peace; 22. But when a stronger than he cometh upon him, and
overcometh him, he taketh from him all his armor, in which he trusted, and
divideth his spoils. 23. He that is not with me is against me, and
he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
LUKE
12:10.
And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man,
it shall be forgiven him; but he who shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, it
shall not be forgiven him.
|
Matthew 12:25.
But as Jesus knew their
thoughts. Though Christ knew
sufficiently well, and had often learned by experience, that the scribes, in the
exercise of their malice
f114 were in
the habit of putting an unfavorable construction on every thing that he did, yet
Matthew and Luke, I have no doubt, mean that Christ was a discerner of their
hearts.
f115 And
indeed it is probable, that they spoke so openly against Christ, that their
calumnies reached his ears; but Christ knew by his Divine Spirit the
dispositions which led them to slander him. For it frequently happens that
erroneous judgments are formed by men who do not intentionally, after all,
oppose what is right, but err through ignorance; who do not cherish a hidden and
concealed venom, but whose rashness carries them headlong.
f116 The
meaning therefore is, that Christ reproved them with the greater severity,
because he was a witness and judge of their inward malice.
Every kingdom divided against
itself. In refuting the calumny
alleged against him, he first quotes a common proverb. This refutation may
appear to be not quite satisfactory. We know what subtle methods Satan sometimes
employs, presenting all the while an appearance of discord, in order to entrap
the minds of men by superstitions. Thus, for example, the exorcisms of Popery
are nothing else than feats of dexterity, in which Satan pretends to fight with
himself. But no suspicion of this nature fell on Christ; for he cast out devils
in such a manner, as to restore to God the men in whom they dwelt sound and
whole. Whenever Satan enters into a collusion with himself, he pretends to be
vanquished, and yet it is himself that triumphs. But Christ attacked Satan in
open combat, threw him down, and left him nothing remaining. He did not lay him
low in one respect, that he might give him greater stability in another, but
stripped him completely of all his armor. Christ therefore reasons justly, that
there is no community of interest between him and Satan, because that father of
cunning.
f117 keeps
one object in view the preservation of his kingdom.
But perhaps it will be objected, that the devils are
often hurried along, by giddiness and blind madness, to destroy themselves. The
answer is easy. The words of Christ mean nothing more than that it was absurd in
the scribes to maintain, that the devil, who endeavors by every method to make
men his slaves, should, of his own accord, destroy the power which he possessed
over them. Besides, it ought to be remembered, that common proverbs were
employed by Christ in such a manner, as to be merely probable conjectures, and
not solid arguments; and that, when he speaks of what is known and well
attested, he finds it easier to reach the conscience of his adversaries.
f118
Everybody knew that Christ had driven Satan from his possession, and nothing was
plainer than that all his miracles tended to this object; and hence it was easy
to conclude, that his power, which was so much opposed to Satan, was
divine.
27.
By whom do your children cast
them out? He charges them with passing
an unjust and malicious decision, because in the same case they did not decide
in a similar manner, but as they were affected towards the persons. Now this
inequality shows, that their prevailing motive was not a regard to what is just
and right, but blind love or hatred; and that it was even an evidence of wicked
self-love
(filauti>av)
and envy, to condemn in Christ what they praised in their own
children.
By your
children
some understand the children of the whole nation; and some think that the
Apostles are so called, because they were acknowledged to be
children,
while Christ was treated as if he had been a foreigner.
f119 Others
refer it to the ancient Prophets. I have no doubt that he means the
Exorcists, who were at that time generally employed among the Jews, as is
evident from the Acts of the Apostles, (19:19.) There is reason to believe, that
no greater kindness would be exercised in judging of the disciples of Christ
than of their Master; and to apply these words to the dead is a forced
construction, when they manifestly denote a comparison of the present
time.
There was indeed no statute of the Law for having
Exorcists among the Jews; but we know that God, in order to maintain
their fidelity to his covenant, and their purity of worship, often testified his
presence among them by a variety of miracles. It is even possible that there
were persons who cast out devils by calling on the name of the Lord; and the
people, having experienced such a display of the power of God, rashly concluded
that it was an ordinary office.
f120 The
Papists afterwards, resolving not to occupy a lower rank, imitated them by
creating Exorcists; and in this way were apes of apes. Besides, it was
not necessary that Christ should approve of those exorcisms, in order to
point out the malice of those who wished to have them regarded as sacred, and as
authorized by the name of God; for the objection was, as we say, of a personal
nature. f121
Therefore they shall judge
concerning you. These words are not to
be taken literally, but the meaning is: “We need not go far to seek
your condemnation. You attribute to Beelzebub the miracles which I have
performed, and you praise the same things in your own children. You have at home
what is sufficient to condemn you.” But if any one prefer to understand
them differently, as reproaching them with the grace of God, which was sometimes
exhibited through the Exorcists, I do not greatly object to that view. Though
they were greatly degenerated, yet the Lord was pleased not to leave them
altogether without evidences of his power, that there might be some testimony to
authorize the priesthood in general, and the service of the temple; for it was
of the highest importance that there should be evident marks to distinguish them
from the superstitions of the Gentiles. I look upon the former view, however, as
the natural one.
28.
But if I cast out devils by
the Spirit of God. Luke
says, if I cast out devils by The
Finger of God; employing the word
Finger
metaphorically instead of the Spirit. As God works, and exerts his
power, by his Spirit, it is with propriety that the word
Finger
is applied to him. And this mode of expression was common among the Jews, as
Moses relates that Pharaoh’s magicians said,
This is the finger of
God. Now Christ infers from what he has
already stated, that the scribes prove themselves to be ungrateful to God, by
being unwilling that He should reign among them. Hitherto, he replied to their
idle calumny; but now, he treats them as convicted persons, and charges them not
to make ungodly opposition to the kingdom of God. He does not confine himself to
a single miracle, but takes occasion from it to discourse on the object of his
coming, reminds them that they ought not merely to look at one remarkable fact,
but at a far more important truth, that it was the will of God, by revealing His
Messiah, to raise up their salvation which was fallen, and to restore his
kingdom among them. Thus we see that Christ complains of their ingratitude, in
madly rejecting from the midst of them the inestimable grace of God.
The kingdom of God hath come to
you. The word come is emphatic,
and implies that, without any request from them, God appears as their Redeemer,
while they do everything that is in their power to drive him away, and, when he
is present and prepared for their salvation, refuse to give him a
place.
29.
How can any one enter into
the house of a strong man? Though the
Evangelists differ a little as to words, there is a perfect agreement among them
as to the substance of this discourse. Christ is pursuing the subject, on which
he had lately touched, about the
kingdom of God, and declares it to be necessary
that Satan be violently driven out, in order that God may establish his
kingdom among men. What he now states is nothing else than a
confirmation of the preceding statement. But to ascertain more fully the
intention of Christ, we must call to our recollection that analogy which Matthew
(8:17) traces between the visible and the spiritual layouts which Christ
bestows.
f122 Every
benefit which the bodies of men received from Christ was intended to have a
reference to their souls. Thus, in rescuing the bodily senses of men from the
tyranny of the devil, he proclaimed that the Father had sent him as a Deliverer,
to destroy his spiritual tyranny over their souls.
I now return to his words. He maintains that a
strong
and powerful tyrant cannot be deprived of his dominion,
till he is stripped of his
armor; for if he is not met by a force
superior to his own, he will never yield of his own accord. Why is this
asserted? First, we know that the devil is everywhere called
the prince of the
world. Now the tyranny which he
exercises is defended on every side by strong ramparts. His snares for
entrapping men are beyond all calculation; nay, men are already his slaves, and
so firmly bound by a variety of fetters, that they rather cherish the slavery,
to which they are devoted, than make any aspirations after freedom. There are
also innumerable evils which he inflicts upon them, by which he holds them in
wretched oppression under his feet. In short, there is nothing to prevent him
from tyrannizing over the world without control. Not that he can do anything
without the permission of the Creator, but because Adam, having withdrawn from
the dominion of God, has subjected all his posterity to this foreign
sway.
Now though it is contrary to nature that the devil
reigns, and though it is by, just punishment of God, on account of sin, that men
are subjected to his tyranny, yet he remains in quiet possession of his kingdom,
and may insult us at his pleasure, till a stronger than he shall rise up
against him. But this stronger person is not to be found on earth, for
men have not sufficient power to relieve themselves; and therefor it was
promised that a Redeemer would come from heaven. Now this kind of redemption
Christ shows to be necessary, in order to wrench from the devil, by main force,
what he will never quit till he is compelled. By these words he informs us, that
it is in vain for men to expect deliverance, till Satan has been subdued by a
violent struggle. f123
He expressly accuses the scribes of ignorance, in not
understanding the principles of the kingdom of God. But this reproof applies
almost equally to all, for all are chargeable with the same folly. There is no
man who does not loudly boast that he desires the kingdom of God; and yet we do
not permit Christ to fight boldly, as the occasion requires, in order to rescue
us from the power of our tyrant; just as if a sick man were to entreat the aid
of a physician, and then to refuse every remedy. We now see the reason why
Christ introduced this parable. It was to show, that the scribes were hostile to
the kingdom of God, the beginnings of which they maliciously resisted. Let us
also learn that, as we are all subject to the tyranny of Satan, there is no
other way in which he commences his reign within us, than when he rescues us, by
the powerful and victorious arm of Christ, from that wretched and accursed
bondage.
30.
He that is not with
me. There are two ways of explaining this
passage. Some suppose that it is an argument drawn from contraries, and that
Christ’s meaning is: “I cannot reign till the devil is
overthrown; for the object of all his attempts is, to scatter whatever I
gather.” And certainly we see abundant evidence of the earnestness
with which that enemy labors to destroy the kingdom of Christ. But I rather
agree in opinion with those who explain it to denote, that the scribes are
declared to be, in two respects, opposed to the kingdom of God, because they
intentionally hinder its progress. “It was your duty to
assist me, and to give me your hand in establishing the kingdom of God; for
whoever does not assist is, in some measure, opposed to me, or, at least,
deserves to be reckoned among enemies. What then shall be said of you, whose
furious rage drives you into avowed opposition?”
f124
And he that gathereth not with me
scattereth. The truth of this is
abundantly manifest from what has been already said; for so strong is our
propensity to evil, that the justice of God can have no place but in those who
apply to it in good earnest. This doctrine has a still more extensive bearing,
and implies that they are unworthy to be considered as belonging to the flock of
Christ, who do not apply to it all the means that are in their power; because
their indolence tends to retard and ruin the kingdom of God, which all of us are
called to advance.
31.
Therefore I say to
you. This inference ought not to be
confined to the clause immediately preceding, but depends on the whole
discourse. Having proved that the scribes could not blame him for casting out
devils, without opposing the kingdom of God, he at length concludes that it is
no light or ordinary offense, but an atrocious crime, knowingly and willingly to
pour contempt on the Spirit of God. We have already said, that Christ did not
pronounce this decision on the mere words which they uttered, but on their base
and wicked thought.
All sin and
blasphemy. As our Lord declares
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost to be more heinous than all other sins,
it is of importance to inquire what is the meaning of that term. Those who
define it to be impenitence
f125
may be refuted without any difficulty; for it would have been in vain and to
no purpose for Christ to say, that
it is not forgiven in the present
life. Besides, the word blasphemy
cannot be extended indiscriminately to every sort of crimes; but from the
comparison which Christ makes, we shall easily obtain the true definition. Why
is it said that he who blasphemes
against the Spirit is a more heinous
sinner than he who blasphemes
against Christ? Is it because the
majesty of the Spirit is greater, that a crime committed against him must be
punished with greater severity? Certainly that is not the reason; for as the
fullness of the Godhead
(<510209>Colossians
2:9) shines in Christ, he who pours contempt upon him overturns and destroys, as
far as it lies in his power, the whole glory of God. Now in what manner shall
Christ be separated from his Spirit, so that those who treat the Spirit with
contempt offer no injury or insult to Christ?
Already we begin to perceive, that the reason why
blasphemy against the
Spirit exceeds other sins, is not that
the Spirit is higher than Christ, but that those who rebel, after that the power
of God has been revealed, cannot be excused on the plea of ignorance. Besides,
it must be observed, that what is here said about blasphemy does not
refer merely to the essence of the Spirit, but to the grace which He has
bestowed upon us. Those who are destitute of the light of the Spirit, however
much they may detract from the glory of the Spirit, will not be held guilty of
this crime.
f126 We do
not maintain, that those persons are said to pour contempt on the Spirit of God,
who oppose his grace and power by hardened malice; and farther we maintain, that
this kind of sacrilege is committed only when we knowingly endeavor to
extinguish the Spirit who dwells in us.
The reason why contempt is said to be poured on the
Spirit, rather than on the Son or the Father, is this. By detracting from the
grace and power of God, we make a direct attack on the Spirit, from whom
they proceed, and in whom they are revealed to us. Shall any unbeliever curse
God? It is as if a blind man were dashing against a wall. But no man curses the
Spirit who is not enlightened by him, and conscious of ungodly rebellion against
him; for it is not a superfluous distinction. that all other blasphemies
shall be forgiven, except that one blasphemy which is directed
against the Spirit. If a man shall simply blaspheme against God, he is not
declared to be beyond the hope of pardon; but of those who have offered outrage
to the Spirit, it is said that God will never forgive them. Why is this,
but because those only are blasphemers against the Spirit, who slander
his gifts and power, contrary to the conviction of their own mind? Such also is
the import of the reason assigned by Mark for the extreme severity of
Christ’s threatening against the Pharisees;
because they had said that he had
the unclean spirit; for in this manner
they purposely and maliciously turned light into darkness; and, indeed, it is in
the manner of the giants,
f127
as the phrase is, to make war against God.
But here a question arises. Do men proceed to such a
pitch of madness as not to hesitate, knowingly and willfully, to rush against
God? for this appears to be monstrous and incredible. I reply: Such audacity
does indeed proceed from mad blindness, in which, at the same time, malice and
virulent rage predominate. Nor is it without reason that Paul says, that though
he was
a blasphemer, he obtained
pardon, because he had done it ignorantly in his unbelief,
(<540113>1
Timothy 1:13;)
for this term draws a distinction between his sin and
voluntary rebellion. This passage refutes also the error of those who imagine
that every sin which is voluntary, or which is committed in opposition to the
conscience, is unpardonable. On the contrary, Paul expressly limits that sin to
the First Table of the Law;
f128and our
Lord not less plainly applies the word blasphemy to a single description
of sin, and at the same time shows, that it is of a kind which is directly
opposed to the glory of God.
f129
From all that has been said, we may conclude that
those persons sin and blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, who maliciously turn to
his dishonor the perfections of God, which have been revealed to him by the
Spirit, in which His glory ought to be celebrated, and who, with Satan, their
leader, are avowed enemies of the glory of God. We need not then wonder, if for
such sacrilege there is no hope of pardon; for they must be desperate who turn
the only medicine of salvation into a deadly venom. Some consider this to be too
harsh, and betake themselves to the childish expedient, that it is said to be
unpardonable, because the pardon of it is rare and difficult to be obtained. But
the words of Christ are too precise to admit of so silly an evasion. It is
excessively foolish to argue that God will be cruel if he never pardon a sin,
the atrocity of which ought to excite in us astonishment and horror.
f130Those
who reason in that manner do not sufficiently consider what a monstrous crime it
is, not only to profane intentionally the sacred name of God, but to spit in his
face when he shines evidently before us. It shows equal ignorance to object,
that it would be absurd if even repentance could not obtain pardon; for
blasphemy against the
Spirit is a token of reprobation, and
hence it follows, that whoever have fallen into it, have been delivered over
to a reprobate mind,
(<450128>Romans
1:28.) As we maintain, that he who has been truly regenerated by the Spirit
cannot possibly fall into so horrid a crime, so, on the other hand, we must
believe that those who have fallen into it never rise again; nay, that in this
manner God punishes contempt of his grace, by hardening the hearts of the
reprobate, so that they never have any desire towards
repentance.
32.
Neither in the present
life. What these words mean, Mark
briefly explains by saying, that
those who have spoken against the Spirit are exposed to eternal
judgment. Every day we ask from God the
forgiveness of sins, and every day he reconciles us to Him; and, finally, at
death, he takes away all our sins, and declares that he is gracious to us. The
fruit of this mercy will appear at the last day. The meaning therefore
is:— “There is no reason to expect that those who shall have
blasphemed against the Spirit will obtain pardon in this life, or will be
acquitted in the last judgment.”
With regard to the inference drawn by the Papists,
that the sins of men are forgiven after death, there is no difficulty in
refuting their slander. First, they act foolishly in torturing the expression,
future life, to mean an intermediate period, while any one may perceive
that it denotes “the last judgment.” But it is likewise a proof of
their dishonesty; for the objection which they sophistically urge is
inconsistent with their own doctrine. Who knows not their distinction, that sins
are freely pardoned in respect of guilt, but that punishment and satisfaction
are demanded? This is an acknowledgment, that there is no hope of salvation to
any one whose guilt is not pardoned before death. To the dead, therefore, there
remains no forgiveness, except as regards punishment; and surely they will not
venture to deny that the subject of this discourse is guilt. Let them now go and
light their fire of purgatory with these cold materials, if ice can kindle a
flame. f131
MATTHEW
12:33-37
|
MATTHEW
12:33-37
|
|
33. Either make the tree good, and its
fruit good: or make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by
the fruit. 34. Offspring of vipers, how can you speak what is good,
when you are bad? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35. A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth
what is good, and a bad man, out of the bad treasure, bringeth forth what is
evil. 36. But I say to you, That men will give account, at the day
of judgment, for every idle word which they shall have spoken.
37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned.
|
33.
Either make the tree
good. It might look like absurdity, that
men should be allowed a choice of being
either good or
bad; but if we consider what sort of
persons Christ is addressing, the difficulty will be speedily resolved. We know
what opinion was generally entertained about the Pharisees; for their pretended
sanctity had so blinded the minds of the common people, that no one ventured to
pass sentence on their vices.
f132 Wishing
to remove this mask, Christ desires them to be
either good or
bad; or, in other words, declares that
nothing is more inconsistent with honesty than hypocrisy, and that it is in vain
for men to boast of pretensions to righteousness who are not sincere and
upright.
f133 So then
he puts nothing at their disposal, and withdraws no restraint from them, but
only reminds them that their empty professions will avail them nothing so long
as they are double, because they must be either
good or
bad.
From the expression,
make the
tree, some foolishly infer, that it is
in every man’s power to regulate his own life and conduct. It is a
rhetorical mode of speaking, by which Christ points out the scribes,
dispels—so to speak—the smoke of their hypocrisy, and recalls them
to pure and genuine uprightness. He afterwards explains the way and manner in
which they may show that they are
good or bad
trees; which is by yielding
good or bad
fruit: so that there is no ambiguity in
the meaning. The life of the scribes was not rendered infamous among men by
gross vices. Pride, ambition, and envy, displayed their venom in the
slanders which they uttered; but as that venom was not perceived by ignorant
people, Christ brings the concealed evil from its lurking-place, and drags it
forth to light.
But perhaps it will be objected that, in consequence
of the corruption of our nature, it is impossible to find any man who is
altogether upright, and free from every vice. The answer is ready. Christ does
not demand absolute and entire perfection, but only a sincere and unfeigned
disposition, which the Pharisees whom he addresses were far from possessing. As
Scripture applies the terms, bad and wicked, to those who are completely
given up to Satan, so the sincere worshippers of God, though they are
encompassed by the infirmity of their flesh and by many sins, and groan under
the burden, are called good. This arises from the undeserved kindness of
God, who bestows so honorable a designation on those who aim at
goodness.
34.
Offspring of vipers. The similarity
between the tree and the fruit is here applied by Christ to
nothing more than speech, because this afforded an opportunity of detecting the
inward and concealed malice of the scribes; and that is the reason why he dwells
so much on this one kind of sin. It is because their falsehood and slanders
betrayed what was not so visible in the rest of their life, that Christ attacks
them with such severity. “There is no reason to wonder,” he says,
“that you vomit out wicked words; for your heart is full of malice.”
Nor are we to suppose that he ought to have treated them with greater
gentleness, because some might regard this reproof as excessively severe. There
are other sins, no doubt, that call for harsh reproofs; but when hypocritical
persons pervert what is right, or put a false coloring on what is sinful, such
wickedness renders it necessary that God should thunder against it in a more
terrible manner than against other sins.
Now the design of Christ, suggested by the present
occurrence, was to condemn the wicked sophistry which turns light into darkness.
This passage shows how highly valuable in the sight of the Lord truth is, since
he maintains and defends it with such rigor. Would that this were earnestly
considered by those persons, whose ingenuity is too ready to be employed in
defending any cause, and whose venal tongue disguises impostures! In a
particular manner, Christ waxes wroth against those whom ambition, or envy, or
some other fraudulent design, prompts to slander, even when there is nothing
that their conscience condemns. Against the Pharisees, too, as his custom
was, Christ used greater harshness, because they were so captivated by an
unfounded conviction of their righteousness, that an ordinary warning had no
effect upon them. And till hypocrites are sharply pierced,
f134 all
that is said to them is treated with scorn and contempt.
How can you speak what is
good? We have formerly hinted, that
proverbial sayings ought not to be rigidly interpreted as an invariable rule,
for they state nothing more than the ordinary fact. Sometimes, no doubt, a cruel
man will deceive the simple by honied flatteries, a cunning man will cheat under
the garb of simplicity, and a man of very wicked thoughts will breathe almost
angelical purity of language.
f135 But the
ordinary practice demonstrates the truth of what Christ here says, that
out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaketh; agreeably to the old
proverb, which declared the tongue to be the index of the mind.
f136 And,
indeed, whatever hidden and crooked recesses may exist in the heart of man, and
whatever may be the amazing contrivances by which every man conceals his vices,
yet the Lord extorts from each of them some kind of confession, so that they
discover by the tongue their natural disposition and hidden feelings. We must
also observe the purpose for which Christ employs those parables; for he
reproaches the Pharisees with having manifested by words the malice which they
had inwardly conceived. Besides, knowing them to be sworn enemies, he takes
occasion from, single calumny to expose their whole life, and to destroy their
credit with the people, which gave them too great influence in deceiving and in
doing mischief. Though good speeches do not always proceed from the
inmost heart, but originate (as the phrase is) on the tip of the tongue, yet it
is an invariable truth, that bad speeches are indications of a bad
heart.
36.
Of every idle
word. This is an argument from the less
to the greater; for if every idle
word is to be called in question, how
would God spare the open blasphemies and sacrilegious insolence of those who
bark against his glory?
f137 An
idle word means one that is useless, or that yields no edification or
advantage. Many look upon this as too severe;
f138 but if
we consider the purpose for which our tongues were made, we will acknowledge,
that those men are justly held guilty who unthinkingly devote them to trifling
fooleries, and prostitute them to such a purpose. It is no light fault to abuse,
for frivolous purposes, the time, which Paul enjoins us to be careful to
redeem,
(<490516>Ephesians
5:16;
<510405>Colossians
4:5.)
Now since no man is so cautious in speech, or
maintains such a wise restraint upon himself, as never to allow some idle
words to escape him, there remains for all of us absolute despair, if the
Lord should treat us with rigor. But as the confident hope of our salvation
rests on the assurance that God will not enter into judgment with us,
(<19E302>Psalm
143:2,) but will bury in gracious forgetfulness the sins which deserve
innumerable deaths,
f139 we
entertain no doubt that, when he removes the condemnation of our whole life, he
will likewise pardon the guilt of idle talking. When the judgment of God is
mentioned in Scripture, it does not in any way set aside the forgiveness of
sins. And yet let no man indulge himself, but let every man earnestly endeavor
to bridle his tongue,
(<590126>James
1:26.) First, let us speak of the sacred mysteries of God with the utmost
reverence and sobriety; secondly, let us abstain from talkativeness, buffoonery,
and vain jests, and much more from slanderous attacks; and, lastly, let us
endeavor to have our speech seasoned with salt,
(<510406>Colossians
4:6.)
37.
By thy words thou shalt be
justified. This was a common proverb,
which he applied to the present subject; for I have no doubt that this was a
saying which the people had frequently in their mouths, that “every man is
condemned or acquitted by his own acknowledgment.” But Christ turns it to
a meaning somewhat different, that a wicked speech, being the indication of
concealed malice, is enough to condemn a man. The attempt which the Papists make
to torture this passage, so as to set aside the righteousness of faith, is
childish. A man is justified by
his words, not because his speech
is the ground of his justification, (for we obtain by faith the favor of
God, so that he reckons us to be righteous persons;) but because pure
speech
f140
absolves us in such a manner, that we are not condemned as wicked persons by
our tongue. Is it not absurd to infer from this, that men deserve a single drop
of righteousness in the sight of God? On the contrary, this passage upholds our
doctrine; for, although Christ does not here treat of the ground of our
justification, yet the contrast between the two words points out the meaning of
the word justify. The Papists reckon it absurd in us to say, that a man
is justified by faith, because they explain the word justified to mean,
that he becomes, and is, actually righteous; while we understand it to mean,
that he is accounted righteous, and is acquitted before the tribunal of
God, as is evident from numerous passages of Scripture. And is not the same
thing confirmed by Christ, when he draws a contrast between justified and
condemned?
MATTHEW 12:43-45; LUKE
11:24-26
|
MATTHEW
12:43-45
|
LUKE
11:24-26
|
|
43. But when the unclean spirit hath
gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth it
not. 44. Then he saith, I will return to my house, whence I came
out; and coming, he findeth it empty, and swept, and embellished.
45. Then he goeth away, and taketh with him seven other spirits more
wicked than himself; and entering, he dwelleth there: and the last state of that
man is worse than the first.
f141 So
shall it be also to this wicked generation.
|
24. When the unclean spirit hath gone
out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and not finding it,
he saith, I will return to my house, whence I came out. 25. And
when he is come, he findeth it swept and embellished. 26. Then he
goeth, and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and
entering, they dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the
first.
|
43.
But when the unclean spirit
hath gone out. He speaks of scribes and
hypocrites of a similar character, who, despising the grace of God, enter into a
conspiracy with the devil. Against such persons he pronounces that punishment
which their ingratitude deserves. To make his doctrine more extensively useful,
he points out, in a general manner, the condemnation that awaits those who,
despising the grace offered to them, again open the door to the devil. But as
almost every particle has great weight, there are some points that must be
noticed in their order, before we come to treat the substance of the
parable.
What Christ says about the going out of the
devil is intended to magnify the power and efficacy of the grace of God.
Whenever God draws near to us, and, above all, when he approaches us in the
person of his Son, the design is, to rescue us from the tyranny of the devil,
and to receive us into his favor. This had been openly declared by Christ in the
miracle which he had lately performed. As it is the peculiar office of Christ to
banish wicked spirits, that they may no longer reign over men, the devil is
justly said to go out of those men to whom Christ exhibits himself as a
Redeemer. Though the presence of Christ is not efficacious to all, because
unbelievers render it useless to them, yet he intended to point out why he
visits us, what is implied in his coming, and how it is regarded by wicked
spirits; for in every case in which Christ operates on men, the devils are drawn
into a contest with him, and sink beneath his power. Let us, therefore, hold it
to be a settled point, that the devil is cast out of us, whenever Christ shines
upon us, and displays his grace towards us by some
manifestation.
Secondly, the wretched condition of the
whole human race is here described to us; for it follows that the devil has a
residence within man, since he is driven from it by the Son of God. Now what is
here said relates not to one individual or to another, but to the whole
posterity of Adam. And this is the glory of our nature, that the devil has his
seat within us, and inhabits both the body and the soul. So much the more
illustrious is the display of the mercy of God, when we, who were the loathsome
dens of the devil, are made temples to Himself, and consecrated for a habitation
of His Spirit.
Thirdly, we have here a description of
Satan’s nature. He never ceases to do us injury, but is continually busy,
and moves from one place to another. In a word, he directs all his efforts to
accomplish our destruction; and above all, when he has been vanquished and put
to flight by Christ, it only tends more to whet his rage and keenness to do us
injury.
f142 Before
Christ makes us partakers of his energy, it seems as if it were in sport and
amusement that this enemy reigns over us;
f143 but
when he has been driven out, he conceives resentment at having lost his prey,
collects new forces, and arouses all his senses to attack us
anew.
He walketh through dry
places. This is a metaphorical
expression, and denotes that to dwell out of men is to him a wretched
banishment, and resembles a barren wilderness. Such, too, is the import of the
phrase, seeking rest, so long as he dwells out of men; for then he is
displeased and tormented, and ceases not to labor by one means or by another,
till he recover what he has lost.
f144 Let us,
therefore, learn that, as soon as Christ calls us, a sharper and fiercer contest
is prepared for us. Though he meditates the destruction of all, and though the
words of Peter apply to all without exception, that he
goeth about as a roaring
lion, and seeketh whom he may
devour,
(<600508>1
Peter 5:8,)
yet we are plainly taught by these words of Christ,
that Satan views with deeper hatred, and attacks with greater fierceness and
rage, those who have been rescued from his snares. Such an admonition, however,
ought not to inspire us with terror, but to arouse us to keep diligent watch,
and to put on the spiritual armor, that we may make a brave
resistance.
44.
He findeth it
empty. Christ is unquestionably
describing those who, being destitute of the Spirit of God, are prepared for
receiving the devil; for believers, in whom the Spirit of God efficaciously
dwells, are fortified on all sides, so that no opening is left for Satan. The
metaphor of a house swept
and embellished is taken from men who
find pleasure in the cleanness and neatness of their apartments; for to Satan no
sight is beautiful but deformity itself, and no smell is sweet but filth and
nastiness. The meaning therefore is, that Satan never finds a more appropriate
habitation within us, than when, having parted with Christ, we receive Satan as
a guest.
f145 His
highest delight is in that emptiness by which the neglect of divine grace
is followed. f146
45.
He taketh with him seven
other spirits. The number seven
is here used indefinitely, as in many other passages. By these words Christ
shows that if we fall from his grace, our subjection to Satan is doubled, so
that he treats us with greater cruelty than before, and that this is the just
punishment of our slothfulness.
f147 Let us
not then suppose that the devil has been vanquished by a single combat, because
he has once gone out of us. On the contrary, let us remember that, as his
lodgment within us was of old standing, ever since we were born, he has
knowledge and experience of all the approaches by which he may reach us; and
that, if there be no open and direct entrance, he has dexterity enough to creep
in by small holes or winding crevices.
f148 We
must, therefore, endeavor that Christ, holding his reign within us, may block up
all the entrances of his adversary. Whatever may be the fierceness or violence
of Satan’s attacks, they ought not to intimidate the sons of God, whom the
invincible power of the Holy Spirit preserves in safety. We know that the
punishment which is here threatened is addressed to none but those who despise
the grace of God, and who, by extinguishing the light of faith, and banishing
the desire of godliness,
f149 become
profane.
MATTHEW 12:46-50; MARK
3:31-35;
LUKE 11:27-28;
8:19-21
|
MATTHEW
12:46-50
|
MARK
3:31-35
|
LUKE
11:27-28
|
|
46. And while he was still talking to
the multitudes, lo, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak
to him. 47. And one said to him, Lo, thy mother and thy brethren
stand without, desiring to speak to thee. 48. But he answering said
to him who had told him, Who is my mother, or who are my brethren?
49. And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, Lo, my
mother and my brethren. 50. For whosoever shall do the will of my
Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and
mother.
|
31. And his mother and brethren came,
and standing without, sent to him to call him.
f150
32. And the multitude was sitting around him, and they say to him, Lo,
thy mother and thy brethren without seek thee. 33. And he answered,
saying to them, Who is my mother and my brethren? 34. And when he
had looked all around on the disciples sitting around him, he said, Lo, my
mother and my brethren. 35. For he who shall do the will of God is
my brother, and my sister, and mother.
|
27. And it happened while he was saying
these things, a certain woman from among the multitude, raising her voice, said
to him, Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the breasts which thou hath
sucked. 28. but he said, Nay, rather, blessed are they that hear
the word of God, and keep it.
LUKE 9:19-21
19. And his mother and his brethren came
to him, and could not reach him on account of the crowd. 20. And it
was related and told him, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to
see thee. 21. Who answering said to them, My mother and my brethren
are those who hear the word of God, and do it.
f151
|
Luke 11:27.
Blessed is the
womb. By this eulogium the woman
intended to magnify the excellence of Christ; for she had no reference to Mary,
f152 whom,
perhaps, she had never seen. And yet it tends in a high degree to illustrate the
glory of Christ, that she pronounces
the womb that bore
him to be noble and blessed. Nor
was the blessing inappropriate, but in strict accordance with the manner of
Scripture; for we know that offspring, and particularly when endued with
distinguished virtues, is declared to be a remarkable gift of God, preferable to
all others. It cannot even be denied that God conferred the highest honor on
Mary, by choosing and appointing her to be the mother of his Son. And yet
Christ’s reply is so far from assenting to this female voice, that it
contains an indirect reproof.
Nay, rather, blessed are they that
hear the word of God. We see that Christ
treats almost as a matter of indifference that point on which the woman had set
a high value. And undoubtedly what she supposed to be Mary’s highest honor
was far inferior to the other favors which she had received; for it was of
vastly greater importance to be regenerated by the Spirit of God than to
conceive Christ, according to the flesh, in her womb; to have Christ living
spiritually within her than to suckle him with her breasts. In a word, the
highest happiness and glory of the holy Virgin consisted in her being a member
of his Son, so that the heavenly Father reckoned her in the number of new
creatures.
In my opinion, however, it was for another reason,
and with a view to another object, that Christ now corrected the saying of the
woman. It was because men are commonly chargeable with neglecting even those
gifts of God, on which they gaze with astonishment, and bestow the highest
praise. This woman, in applauding Christ, had left out what was of the very
highest consequence, that in him salvation is exhibited to all; and, therefore,
it was a feeble commendation, that made no mention of his grace and power, which
is extended to all. Christ justly claims for himself another kind of praise, not
that his mother alone is reckoned blessed, but that he brings to us all
perfect and eternal happiness. We never form a just estimate of the excellence
of Christ, till we consider for what purpose he was given to us by the Father,
and perceive the benefits which he has brought to us, so that we who are
wretched in ourselves may become happy in him. But why does he say nothing about
himself, and mention only the word of God? It is because in this way he opens to
us all his treasures; for without the word he has no intercourse with us,
nor we with him. Communicating himself to us by the word, he rightly
and properly calls us to hear and keep it, that by faith he may become
ours.
We now see the difference between Christ’s
reply and the woman’s commendation; for the blessedness, which she
had limited to his own relatives, is a favor which he offers freely to all. He
shows that we ought to entertain no ordinary esteem for him, because he has all
the treasures of life, blessedness, and glory, hidden in him,
(<510203>Colossians
2:3,) which he dispenses by the word, that they may be communicated to those who
embrace the word by faith; for God’s free adoption of us, which we
obtain by faith, is the key to the kingdom of heaven. The connection between the
two things must also be observed. We must first hear, and then keep;
for as faith cometh by hearing,
(<451017>Romans
10:17,) it is in this way that the spiritual life must be commenced. Now as the
simple hearing is like a transitory looking into a mirror,
f153
as James says, (1:23,) he likewise adds, the keeping of the word,
which means the effectual reception of it, when it strikes its roots deep
into our hearts, and yields its fruit. The forgetful hearer, whose ears alone
are struck by the outward doctrine, gains no advantage. On the other hand, they
who boast that they are satisfied with the secret inspiration, and on this
ground disregard the outward preaching, shut themselves out from the heavenly
life. What the Son of God hath joined let not men, with wicked rashness,
put asunder,
(<401906>Matthew
19:6.) The Papists discover amazing stupidity by singing, in honor of Mary,
those very words by which their superstition is expressly condemned, and who, in
giving thanks, detach the woman’s saying, and leave out the correction.
f154 But it
was proper that such a universal stupefaction should come upon those who
intentionally profane, at their pleasure, the sacred word of
God.
Luke 8:19.
And his mother and his
brethren came to him. There is an
apparent discrepancy here between Luke and the other two Evangelists; for,
according to their arrangement of the narrative, they represent Christ’s
mother and cousins as having come, while he was discoursing about the unclean
spirit, while he refers to a different occasion, and mentions only the
woman’s exclamation, which we have just now explained. But we know that
the Evangelists were not very exact as to the order of dates, or even in
detailing minutely every thing that Christ did or said, so that the difficulty
is soon removed. Luke does not state at what precise time Christ’s mother
came to him; but what the other two Evangelists relate before the parable of the
sower he introduces after it. The account which he gives of the exclamation of
the woman from among the multitude bears some resemblance to this narrative; for
inconsiderate zeal may have led her to exalt to the highest pitch what she
imagined that Christ had unduly lowered.
All the three Evangelists agree in stating, that
while Christ was discoursing in the midst of a crowd of people, his
mother and brethren came to
him. The reason must have been either
that they were anxious about him, or that they were desirous of instruction; for
it is not without some good reason that they endeavor to approach him, and it is
not probable that those who accompanied the holy mother were unbelievers.
Ambrose and Chrysostom accuse Mary of ambition, but without any probability.
What necessity is there for such a conjecture, when the testimony of the Spirit
everywhere bestows commendation on her distinguished piety and modesty? The
warmth of natural affection may have carried them beyond the bounds of
propriety: this I do not deny, but I have no doubt that they were led by pious
zeal to seek his society. Matthew relates that the message respecting their
arrival was brought by one individual: Mark and Luke say that he was
informed by many persons. But there is no inconsistency here; for the message
which his mother sent to call him would be communicated, as usually happens,
from one hand to another, till at length it reached him.
Matthew 12:48.
Who is my
mother? These words were unquestionably
intended to reprove Mary’s eagerness, and she certainly acted improperly
in attempting to interrupt the progress of his discourse.
f155 At the
same time, by disparaging the relationship of flesh and blood, our Lord teaches
a very useful doctrine; for he admits all his disciples and all believers to the
same honorable rank, as if they were his nearest relatives, or rather he places
them in the room of his mother
and brethren. Now this statement is
closely connected with the office of Christ; for he tells us that he has been
given, not to a small number of individuals, but to all the godly, who are
united in one body with him by faith. He tells us also, that there is no tie of
relationship more sacred than spiritual relationship, because we ought not to
think of him according to the flesh, but according to the power of his Spirit
which he has received from the Father to renew men, so that those who are by
nature the polluted and accursed seed of Abraham begin to be by grace the holy
and heavenly sons of God. In like manner, Paul affirms that to know Christ
after the flesh is not to know him properly,
(<470516>2
Corinthians 5:16,) because we ought rather to consider that renovation of the
world, which far exceeds human power, and which takes place when he forms us
anew by his Spirit to the image of God. To sum up the whole, this passage,
first, teaches us to behold Christ with the eyes of faith; and, secondly, it
informs us, that every one who is regenerated by the Spirit, and gives himself
up entirely to God for true justification, is thus admitted to the closest union
with Christ, and becomes one with him.
50.
For whosoever shall do the
will of my Father who is in heaven. When
he says that they do the will of
his Father, he does not mean that they
fulfill, in a perfect manner, the whole righteousness of the law; for in that
sense the name brother, which is here given by him to his disciples,
would not apply to any man.
f156 But his
design is, to bestow the highest commendation on faith, which is the source and
origin of holy obedience, and at the same time covers the defects and sins of
the flesh, that they may not be imputed. This, says Christ in a
well-known passage,
is the will of my Father,
that whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may not perish, but have
eternal
life,
(<430640>John
6:40.)
Although these words seem to imply that Christ has no
regard to the ties of blood, yet we know that in reality he paid the strictest
attention to human order,
f157 and
discharged his lawful duties towards relatives; but points out that, in
comparison of spiritual relationship, no regard, or very little, is due to the
relationship of the flesh. Let us therefore attend to this comparison, so as to
perform all that nature can justly claim, and, at the same time, not to be too
strongly attached to flesh and blood. Again, as Christ bestows on the disciples
of his Gospel the inestimable honor of being reckoned as his brethren, we must
be held guilty of the basest ingratitude, if we do not disregard all the desires
of the flesh, and direct every effort towards this object.
MATTHEW 12:38-42; LUKE 11:16,
29-32
|
MATTHEW
12:38-42
|
LUKE 11:16,
29-32
|
|
38. Then some of the scribes and
Pharisees asked him, saying, Master, we desire to see a sign from thee.
39. But he answering said to them, A wicked and adulterous generation
seeketh a sign,
f158 and a
sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
40. For as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three
nights, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of
the earth. 41. The men of Nineveh will rise in judgment with this
generation, and will condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and, lo, a greater than Jonah is here.
f159
42. The queen of the south will rise in judgment with this generation,
and will condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom
of Solomon; and, lo, a greater than Solomon is here.
f160
|
16. And others tempting sought form him
a sign form heaven. — (A little after.) 29. And while the
multitudes were crowding together, he began to say, This is a wicked generation:
it seeketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given to it, except the sign of Jonah
the prophet. 30. For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so shall
the Son of man be also to this nation. 31. The queen of the south
will rise in judgment with the men of this nation, and will condemn them: for
she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, lo, a
great than Solomon is here. 32. The men of this nation, and will
condemn it: for they were brought to repentance by the preaching of Jonah; and,
lo, a greater than Jonah is here.
|
Luke 11:16.
And others tempting sought
from him a sign. Something similar to
this is afterwards related by Matthew, (16:4,) and by Mark, (8:11, 12.) Hence it
is evident, that Christ repeatedly attacked them on this subject, so that there
was no end to the wickedness of those men who had once resolved
f161 to
oppose the truth. There can be no doubt that they ask a sign, in order to plead,
as a plausible pretense for their unbelief, that Christ’s calling has not
been duly attested. They do not express such submissiveness as to be prepared to
yield to two or three miracles, and still less to be satisfied with a single
miracle; but as I hinted a little before, they apologize for not believing the
Gospel on this pretense, that Christ shows no sign of it from heaven.
f162 He had
already performed miracles before their eyes sufficiently numerous and manifest;
but as if these were not enough for the confirmation of doctrine, they wish to
have something exhibited from heaven, by which God will, as it were, make a
visible appearance. They call him Master, according to custom; for such
was the appellation given at that time to all scribes and expounders of the law.
But they do not acknowledge him to be a prophet of God, till he produce a
testimony from heaven. The meaning therefore is: “Since thou
professest to be a teacher and Master, if thou desirest that we should be thy
disciples, let God declare from heaven that He is the Author of thy teaching,
and let Him confirm thy calling by a miracle.”
Matthew 12:39.
A wicked
generation. He does not merely charge
that age with malice, but pronounces the Jews—or at least the scribes, and
those who resembled them—to be a wicked nation; thus declaring that
they labored under a hereditary disease of obstinacy. The word
genea>
sometimes denotes an age, and sometimes a people or nation.
He calls them adulterous, that is, spurious or illegitimate,
f163 because
they were degenerated from the holy fathers; as the prophets reproach the men of
their age with being not the descendants of Abraham, but the ungodly seed of
Canaan.
Seeks a
sign. This leads to the inquiry, Does
Christ address them with such harshness of language, because they wished to have
a sign given them? for on other occasions God manifests that He is not so much
displeased on this account. Gideon asks a sign,
(<070617>Judges
6:17,) and God is not angry, but grants his request; and though Gideon becomes
importunate and asks another sign, yet God condescends to his weakness. Hezekiah
does not ask a sign, and it is offered to him, though unsolicited,
(<233807>Isaiah
38:7,8.) Ahaz is severely blamed for refusing to ask a sign, as the prophet had
enjoined him to do,
(<230711>Isaiah
7:11.) It is not solely, therefore, because they ask a sign, that Christ
makes this attack upon the scribes, but because they are ungrateful to God,
wickedly despise so many of his wonderful works, and try to find a subterfuge
for not obeying his word. What a display was this, I do not say of indifference,
but of malice, in shutting their eyes against so many signs! There was,
therefore, no proper ground for this annoyance; and they had no other object in
view than to appear to have a good reason for rejecting Christ. Paul condemns
their posterity for the same crime, when he says that the Jews require a
sign, (1 Corinthians 1:22.)
A sign shall not be given to
it. They had already been convicted by
various miracles, and Christ does not abstain from exerting his power among
them, for the purpose of rendering them inexcusable, but only means that one
sign would stand for all, because they were unworthy of having their ungodly
desire granted. “Let them rest satisfied,” says he, “with
this sign, that as Jonah, brought up from the bottom of the sea, preached to
the Ninevites, so they will hear the voice of a prophet risen from the
dead.” The most of commentators, I am aware, display greater ingenuity in
expounding this passage; but as the resemblance between Christ and Jonah does
not hold at every point, we must inquire in what respect Christ compares himself
to Jonah. For my own part, leaving the speculations of other men, I think that
Christ intends to mark out that single point of resemblance which I have already
hinted, that he will be their prophet after that he is risen from the dead.
“You despise,” he says, “the Son of God, who has come down to
you from heaven: but I am yet to die, and to rise from the grave, and to speak
to you after my resurrection, as Jonah came from the bottom of the sea to
Nineveh.” In this manner our Lord cuts off every pretense for their wicked
demands, by threatening that he will be their Prophet after his resurrection,
since they do not receive him while clothed with mortal flesh.
Luke 11:30.
As Jonah was a sign to the
Ninevites. He declares that he will be
a sign to them, as Jonah was to the inhabitants of Nineveh. But
the word sign is not taken in its ordinary sense, as pointing out
something, but as denoting what is widely removed from the ordinary course of
nature. In this sense Jonah’s mission was miraculous, when he was brought
out of the belly of the fish, as if from the grave, to call the Ninevites
to repentance. Three days and
three nights. This is in accordance with
a well-known figure of speech.
f164 As the
night is an appendage to the day, or rather, as the day consists
of two parts, light and darkness, he expresses a day by a day and a night, and
where there was half a day, he puts down a whole day.
Matthew 12:41.
The men of Nineveh will rise
in judgment. Having spoken of the
Ninevites, Christ takes occasion to show that the scribes and others, by whom
his doctrine is rejected, are worse than the Ninevites were. “Ungodly
men,” he says, “who never had heard a word of the true God, repented
at the voice of an unknown and foreign person who came to them; while this
country, which is the sanctuary of heavenly doctrine, hears not the Son of God,
and the promised Redeemer.” Here lies the contrast which is implied in the
comparison. We know who the Ninevites were, men altogether unaccustomed to hear
prophets, and destitute of the true doctrine. Jonah had no rank to secure
their respect, but was likely to be rejected as a foreigner. The Jews, on the
other hand, boasted that among them the Word of God had its seat and habitation.
If they had beheld Christ with pure eyes,
f165 they
must have acknowledged, not only that he was a teacher sent from heaven, but
that he was the Messiah, and the promised Author of Salvation. But if that
nation was convicted of desperate ungodliness, for despising Christ while he
spoke to them on earth, we are worse than all the unbelievers that ever existed,
if the Son of God, now that he inhabits his sanctuary in heaven, and addresses
us with a heavenly voice, does not bring us to obey him. Whether
the men of
Nineveh were truly and perfectly turned
to God I judge it unnecessary to inquire. It is enough for the present purpose
that they were so deeply affected by the teaching of Jonah, as to have their
minds directed to repentance.
42.
The queen of the
south. As Ethiopia lies in a southerly
direction from Judea, I willingly concur with Josephus and other writers, who
assert that she was the queen of Ethiopia. In sacred history she is called
the queen of Sheba,
(<140901>2
Chronicles 9:1.) We must not suppose this Sheba to be the country of
Saba, which rather lay toward the east, but a town situated in Meroe, an
island on the Nile, which was the metropolis of the kingdom. Here, too, we must
attend to the points of contrast. A woman who had not been at all educated in
the school of God, was induced, by the desire of instruction, to come from a
distant region to Solomon, an earthly king; while the Jews, who had been
instructed in the divine law, reject their highest and only teacher, the Prince
of all the prophets. The word condemn relates not to the persons, but to
the fact itself, and the example which it yields.
MATTHEW 13:1-17; MARK 4:1-12,
24-25;
LUKE 8:1-10, 18;
10:23-24
|
MATTHEW
13:1-17
|
MARK 4:1-12,
24-25
|
LUKE 8:1-10,
18
|
|
1. And on the same day Jesus went out of
the house, and sat down near the sea. 2. And great multitudes were
gathered to him, so that he entered into a ship, and sat down, and the whole
multitude was standing on the shore. 3. And he said many things to
them by parables, saying, Lo, one who was sowing, some seeds fell near the road,
and the birds came and devoured them. 5. And some fell on stony
places, where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprang up, because
they had not depth of earth. 6. But when the sun rose, they were
burnt up, and because they had not a root, they withered away.
7. Others again fell on thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked
them. 8. And others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some a
hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold. 9. He that hath
ears to hear, let him hear. 10. And the disciples approaching said
to him, Why dost thou speak to them by parables? 11. But he
answering, said to them, To you it is given to know the mysteries
f166 of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given, 12. For whosoever
hath, it shall be given to him, and he shall be rendered more wealthy;
f167 and
whosoever hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him.
13. For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they
do not see, and hearing, they do not hear nor understand. 14. And
in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, With the ears you
shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing, you shall see, and shall not
perceive. 15. For the heart of this people hath become gross, and
with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have shut, lest at
any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and
understand with the heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
16. But your eyes are blessed for they see; and your ears, for they
hear. 17. Verily, I say to you, That many prophets and righteous
men have desired to see the things which you see, and have not seen them, and to
hear the things which you hear, and have not heard them.
|
1. And again he began to teach near the
sea, and a great multitude was gathered to him, so that, entering into a ship,
he sat on the sea, and the whole multitude was near the sea on land.
2. And he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in
his doctrine: 3. Hear, lo, a sower went out to sow.
4. And it happened while he was sowing, some fell closer to the
road; and the fowls of heaven came and ate them up. 5. And some fell
on stony places, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang up,
because it had not depth of earth. 6. And when the sun had risen, it
was scorched; and because it had not a root, it withered. 7. And
some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew, and choked it, and it did not yield
fruit. 8. And some fell on good soil, and yielded fruit springing up
and growing, and produced some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.
9. And he said to them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10. And when he began to be alone, those who were around him, with the
twelve, asked him about the parable. 11. And he said to them, To
you it is given to know the mystery
f169 of the
kingdom of God, but to those who are without all things are done by parables:
12. That seeing, they may see and may not perceive, and hearing,
they may hear and may not understand, lest at any time they may be converted,
and their sins may be forgiven them. — (A little after,)
24. And he said to them, Observe what you hear: with what measure, the
same admeasurement shall be made to you, and it shall be added to you who shall
hear. 25. For to him who hath it shall be given; and he that hath
not, even that which he hath shall be taken away from him.
|
1. And it happened afterwards, and he was
traveling through each city and village,
f168
preaching and proclaiming the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; and the twelve
were with him, 2. And likewise some women, who had been cured of
evil spirits and diseases, Mary, who is called Magdalene, out of whom had gone
seven devils, 3. And Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s
steward, and Susanna, and many others, who assisted him out of their property
4. And while a very great multitude was assembling, and while they
were crowding to him out of each city, he said by a parable: 5. One
who sowed went out to sow his seed, and while he was sowing, some fell near the
road, and the fowls of heaven ate it up. 6. And some fell on a rock,
and when it was sprung up, it withered, because it hath not moisture.
7. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns springing up along
with it, choked it. 8. And some fell on a good soil, and, springing
up, produced fruit a hundred-fold. Saying these things, he exclaimed, He that
hath ears to hear, let him hear. 9. And his disciples asked him,
saying, What was this parable?
f170
10. But he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries
f171 of the
kingdom of God, but to the rest by parables; that seeing, they may not see, and
hearing, they may not understand. — (A little after,)
18. Consider then how you hear. For whosoever hath, it shall be given
to him; and whosoever hath not, even that which he thinketh that he hath shall
be taken from him.
LUKE 10:23-24.
23. And turning to his disciples, he
said to them privately, Blessed are the eyes that see the things which you see.
24. For I say to you, That many prophets and kings have desired to
see the things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things
which you hear, and have not heard them.
|
What I have here introduced from Luke belongs,
perhaps, to another time; but I saw no necessity for separating what he has
placed in immediate connection. First, he says that the
twelve
apostles preached the kingdom
of God along with Christ; from which we
infer that, though the ordinary office of teaching had not yet been committed to
them, they constantly attended as heralds to procure an audience for their
Master; and, therefore, though they held an inferior rank, they are said to have
been Christ’s assistants. Next, he adds, that among those who accompanied
Christ were certain women, who
had been cured of evil spirits and diseases,
such as Mary
Magdalene, who had been tormented
by seven
devils. To be associated with such
persons might be thought dishonorable; for what could be more unworthy of the
Son of God than to lead about with him women who were marked with infamy? But
this enables us more clearly to perceive that the crimes with which we were
loaded before we believed, are so far from diminishing the glory of Christ, that
they tend rather to raise it to a higher pitch. And, certainly, it is not said,
that the Church which he elected was found by him to be without spot and
blemish, but that he cleansed it with his blood, and made it pure and
fair.
The wretched and disgraceful condition of those
women, now that they had been delivered from it, redounded greatly to the glory
of Christ, by holding out public manifestations of his power and grace. At the
same time, Luke applauds their gratitude in following their Deliverer, and
disregarding the ridicule of the world.
f172 Beyond
all question, they were pointed at with the finger on every side, and the
presence of Christ served for a platform to exhibit them; but they do not refuse
to have their own shame made generally known, provided that the grace of Christ
be not concealed. On the contrary, they willingly endure to be humbled, in order
to become a mirror, by which he may be illustriously displayed.
In Mary, the boundless goodness of Christ was
displayed in an astonishing manner. A woman, who had been possessed by seven
devils, and might be said to have been the meanest slave of Satan, was not
merely honored to be his disciple, but admitted to enjoy his society. Luke adds
the surname Magdalene, to distinguish her from the sister of Martha, and
other persons of the name of Mary, who are mentioned in other passages,
(<431101>John
11:1; 19:25.)
Luke 8:3.
Joanna, the wife of
Chuza. It is uncertain whether or not
Luke intended his statement to be applied to those women in the same manner as
to Mary. To me it appears probable that she is placed first in order, as
a person in whom Christ had given a signal display of his power; and that
the wife of Chuza, and
Susanna, matrons of respectability and
of spotless reputation, are mentioned afterwards, because they had only been
cured of ordinary diseases. Those matrons being wealthy and of high rank, it
reflects higher commendation on their pious zeal, that they supply
Christ’s expenses out of their own property, and, not satisfied with so
doing, leave the care of their household affairs, and choose to follow him,
attended by reproach and many other inconveniences, through various and
uncertain habitations, instead of living quietly and at ease in their own
houses. It is even possible, that
Chuza, Herod’s
steward, being too like his master, was
strongly opposed to what his wife did in this matter, but that the pious woman
overcame this opposition by the ardor and constancy of her
zeal.
Matthew 13:2.
And great multitudes were
gathered together to him. It is not
without good reason that the Evangelists begin with informing us that, a vast
multitude had assembled, and that when Christ beheld them, he was led to compare
his doctrine to
seed.
That
multitude
had been collected from various places: all were held in suspense; all were
alike eager to hear, but not equally desirous to receive instruction. The design
of the parable was to inform them, that the
seed
of doctrine, which is scattered far and wide, is not everywhere productive;
because it does not always find a fertile and well cultivated soil. Christ
declared that he was there in the capacity of a husbandman, who was going out
to sow seed,
but that many of his hearers resembled an
uncultivated and parched soil, while others resembled a thorny soil; so that the
labor and the very seed were thrown away. I forbear to make any farther inquiry
into the meaning of the parable, till we come to the explanation of it; which,
as we shall find, is shortly afterwards given by our Lord. It may only be
necessary, for the present, to remind the reader, that if those who ran from
distant places to Christ, like hungry persons, are compared to an unproductive
and barren soil, we need not wonder if, in our own day, the Gospel does not
yield fruit in many, of whom some are lazy and sluggish, others hear with
indifference, and others are scarcely drawn even to hear.
9.
He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear. These words were intended partly
to show that all were not endued with true understanding to comprehend what he
said, and partly to arouse his disciples to consider attentively that doctrine
which is not readily and easily understood by all. Indeed, he makes a
distinction among the hearers, by pronouncing some to have ears, and others to
be deaf. If it is next inquired, how it comes to pass that the former have ears,
Scripture testifies in other passages, that it is the Lord who pierces the
ears,
(<194007>Psalm
40:7,)and that no man obtains or accomplishes this by his own
industry.
10.
The disciples approaching
said to him. From the words of Matthew
it is evident, that the disciples did not merely look to themselves, but wished
also to consult the benefit of others. Being unable to comprehend the parable,
they concluded that it would be as little understood by the people; and,
therefore, they complain that Christ employed language from which his hearers
could derive no profit. Now though parables are generally found to illustrate
the subject of which they treat, yet the uninterrupted course of a metaphor may
lead to obscurity.
f173 So then
Christ, in delivering this parable, intended to wrap up, in an allegory, what he
might have said more plainly and fully, without a figure.
f173a But
now that the exposition is added, the figurative discourse has greater energy
and force than if it had been simple: by which is meant, that it is not only
fitted to produce a more powerful impression on the mind, but is also more
clear. So highly important is the manner in which any thing is said.
f174
11.
To you it is given to know
the mysteries
f175
of the kingdom of
heaven. From this reply of Christ we
learn, that the doctrine of salvation is proclaimed by God to men for various
purposes; for Christ declares that he intentionally spoke obscurely, in order
that his discourse might be a riddle to many, and might only strike their ears
with a confused and doubtful sound. It will perhaps be objected, that this is
inconsistent with that prophecy,
I have not spoken in
secret, nor in a dark corner: I said not in vain to the seed of Jacob, Seek me,
(<234519>Isaiah
45:19;)
or with the commendations which David pronounces on
the Law, that it
is a lamp to the feet,
and that it giveth wisdom to little children
(Psalm
119:105,130.)
But the answer is easy: the word of God, in its own
nature, is always bright,
f176 but its
light is choked by the darkness of men. Though the Law was concealed, as it
were, by a kind of veil, yet the truth, of God shone brightly in it, if the eyes
of many had not been blinded. With respect to the Gospel, Paul affirms with
truth, that it is hidden to none but to the reprobate, and to those who
are devoted to destruction, whose minds Satan hath blinded,
(<470403>2
Corinthians 4:3,4.) Besides, it ought to be understood, that the power of
enlightening which David mentions, and the familiar manner of teaching which
Isaiah predicts, refer exclusively to the elect people.
Still it remains a fixed principle, that the word of
God is not obscure, except so far as the world darkens it by its own blindness.
And yet the Lord conceals its mysteries, so that the perception of them may not
reach the reprobate.
f177 There
are two ways in which he deprives them of the light of his doctrine. Sometimes
he states, in a dark manner, what might be more clearly expressed; and sometimes
he explains his mind fully, without ambiguity and without metaphor, but strikes
their senses with dulness and their minds with stupidity, so that they are blind
amidst bright sunshine.
Such is the import of those dreadful threatenings, in
which Isaiah forewarns, that he will be to the people a barbarian, speaking in a
foreign and unknown language; that the prophetical visions will be to the
learned a shut and sealed book, in which they cannot read; and that when the
book shall be opened, all will be unlearned, and will remain in
amazement, through inability to read,
(<232811>Isaiah
28:11; 29:11.) Now since Christ has purposely dispensed his doctrine in such a
manner, that it might be profitable only to a small number, being firmly seated
in their minds, and might hold others in suspense and perplexity, it follows
that, by divine appointment, the doctrine of salvation is not proclaimed to all
for the same end, but is so regulated by his wonderful purpose, that it is not
less a savor of death to death to the reprobate than a life-giving
savor to the elect,
(<470215>2
Corinthians 2:15,16.) And that no one may dare to murmur, Paul declares, in that
passage that whatever may be the effect of the Gospel, its savor, though
deadly, is always a sweet savor to God.
To ascertain fully the meaning of the present
passage, we must examine more closely the design of Christ, the reason why, and
the purpose for which, these words were spoken. First, the comparison is
undoubtedly intended by Christ to exhibit the magnitude of the grace bestowed on
his disciples, in having specially received what was not given indiscriminately
to all. If it is asked, why this privilege was peculiar to the apostles,
f178 the
reason certainly will not be found in themselves, and Christ, by declaring that
it was given to them, excludes all merit.
f179 Christ
declares that there are certain and elect men, on whom God specially bestows
this honor of revealing to them his secrets, and that others are deprived
of this grace. No other reason will be found for this distinction, except that
God calls to himself those whom he has gratuitously elected.
12.
For whosoever hath, it shall
be given to him. Christ pursues the
subject which I have just mentioned; for he reminds his disciples how kindly God
acts towards them, that they may more highly prize his grace, and may
acknowledge themselves to be under deeper obligations to his kindness. The same
words he afterwards repeats, but in a different sense,
(<402529>Matthew
25:29;) for on that occasion the discourse relates to the lawful use of gifts.
f180 But
here he simply teaches, that more is given to the apostles than to the
generality of men, because the heavenly Father is pleased to display in
perfection his kindness towards them.
He does not forsake the
work of his own
hand,
(<19D808>Psalm
138:8.)
Those whom he has once begun to form are continually
polished more and more, till they are at length brought to the highest
perfection. The multiplied favors which are continually flowing from him to us,
and the joyful progress which we make, spring from God’s contemplation of
his own liberality, which prompts him to an uninterrupted course of bounty. And
as his riches are inexhaustible,
f181 so he
is never wearied with enriching his children. Whenever he advances us to a
higher degree, let us remember that every increase of the favors which we daily
receive from him flows from this source, that it is his purpose to complete the
work, of our salvation already commenced. On the other hand, Christ declares
that the reprobate are continually proceeding from bad to worse, till, at length
exhausted, they waste away in their own poverty.
And he that hath not, even that
which he hath shall be taken from him.
This may appear to be a harsh expression; but instead of saying, that
what the ungodly have not is taken from them, Luke softens the
harshness and removes the ambiguity by a slight change of the words:
and whosoever hath not, even that
which he thinketh that he hath shall be taken from
him. And indeed it frequently happens,
that the reprobate are endued with eminent gifts, and appear to resemble the
children of God: but there is nothing of real value about them; for their mind
is destitute of piety, and has only the glitter of an empty show. Matthew
is therefore justified in saying that they have nothing; for what
they have is of no value in the sight of God, and has no permanency within.
Equally appropriate is the statement of Luke, that the gifts, with which
they have been endued, are corrupted by them, so that they shine only in the
eyes of men, but have nothing more than splendor and empty display. Hence, also
let us learn to aim at progress throughout our whole life; for God grants to us
the taste of his heavenly doctrine on the express condition, that we feed on it
abundantly from day to day, till we come to be fully satiated with
it.
The manner in which Mark introduces this
sentence has some appearance of confusion. Consider, says our Lord,
what you hear; and then, if they make due progress, he holds out the
expectation of more plentiful grace:
it shall be added to you that
hear. Lastly, follows the clause which
agrees with the words of Matthew, but is inserted in the middle of a
sentence which I expounded under the seventh chapter of Matthew;
f182
for it is not probable that they are here placed in their proper order. The
Evangelists, as we have remarked on former occasions, were not very exact in
arranging Christ’s discourses, but frequently throw together a variety of
sayings uttered by him. Luke mixes this sentence with other discourses of
Christ spoken at different times, and likewise points out a different purpose
for which Christ used these words. It was that they might be attentive to his
doctrine, and not permit the seed of life to pass away unimproved, which ought
to be cordially received, and take root in their minds. “Beware,” he
says, “lest what has been given be taken away from you, if it yield no
fruit.”
13.
For this reason I speak by
parables. He says that he speaks to the
multitude in an obscure manner, because they are not partakers of the true
light. And yet, while he declares that a veil is spread over the blind, that
they may remain in their darkness, he does not ascribe the blame of this to
themselves, but takes occasion to commend more highly the grace bestowed on the
Apostles, because it is not equally communicated to all. He assigns no cause for
it, except the secret purpose of God; for which, as we shall afterwards see more
fully, there is a good reason, though it has been concealed from us. It is not
the only design of a parable to state, in an obscure manner, what God is
not pleased to reveal clearly; but we have said that the parable now
under our consideration was delivered by Christ, in order that the form of an
allegory might present a doubtful riddle.
14.
And in them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah. He confirms his
statement by a prediction of Isaiah, that it is far from being a new
thing, if many persons derive no advantage from the word of God, which was
formerly appointed to the ancient people, for the purpose of inducing greater
blindness. This passage of the Prophet is quoted, in a variety of ways, in the
New Testament. Paul quotes it
(<442826>Acts
28:26) to charge the Jews with obstinate malice, and says that they were blinded
by the light of the Gospel, because they were bitter and rebellious against God.
There he points out the immediate cause which appeared in the men themselves.
But in the Epistle to the Romans (11:7) he draws the distinction from a deeper
and more hidden source; for he tells us, that the remnant was saved according
to the election of grace, and that the rest were blinded, according as it
is written. The contrast must there be observed; for if it is the
election of God, and an undeserved election, which alone saves any
remnant of the people, it follows that all others perish by a hidden, though
just, judgment of God. Who are the rest, whom Paul contrasts with the
elect remnant, but those on whom God has not bestowed a special
salvation?
Similar reasoning may be applied to the passage in
John, (12:38;) for he says that many believed not, because no man
believes, except he to whom God reveals his arm, and immediately adds,
that they could not believe, because it is again written, Blind the heart of
this people. Such, too is the object which Christ has in view, when he
ascribes it to the secret purpose of God, that the truth of the Gospel is not
revealed indiscriminately to all, but is exhibited at a distance under obscure
forms, so as to have no other effect than to overspread the minds of the people
with grosser darkness.
f183 In all
cases, I admit, those whom God blinds will be found to deserve this
condemnation; but as the immediate cause is not always obvious in the persons of
men, let it be held as a fixed principle, that God enlightens to salvation, and
that by a peculiar gift, those whom He has freely chosen; and that all the
reprobate are deprived of the light of life, whether God withholds his word from
them, or keeps their eyes and ears closed, that they do not hear or
see.
Hearing you shall
hear. We now perceive the manner in
which Christ applies the prediction of the prophet to the present occasion. He
does not quote the prophet’s words, nor was it necessary; for Christ
reckoned it enough to show, that it was no new or uncommon occurrence, if many
were hardened by the word of God. The words of the prophet
were,
Go, blind their minds,
and harden their hearts,
(<230610>Isaiah
6:10.)
Matthew ascribes this to the hearers, that they may
endure the blame of their own blindness and hardness; for the one cannot be
separated from the other. All who have been given over to a reprobate mind
(<450128>Romans
1:28) do voluntarily, and from inward malice, blind and harden themselves. Nor
can it be otherwise, wherever the Spirit of God does not reign, by whom the
elect alone are governed. Let us, therefore, attend to this connection, that all
whom God does not enlighten with the Spirit of adoption are men of unsound mind;
and that, while they are more and more blinded by the word of God, the blame
rests wholly on themselves, because this blindness is voluntary. Again, the
ministers of the word ought to seek consolation from this passage, if the
success of their labors does not always correspond to their wish. Many are so
far from profiting by their instruction, that they are rendered worse by it.
What has befallen them was experienced by a Prophet,
f184 to whom
they are not superior. It were, indeed, to be wished, that they should bring all
under subjection to God; and they ought to labor and strive for that end. But
let them not wonder if that judgment, which God anciently displayed through the
ministration of the Prophet, is likewise fulfilled at the present day. At the
same time, we ought to be extremely careful, that the fruit of the Gospel be not
lost through our negligence.
Mark 4:12.
That seeing, they may see,
and not perceive. Here it may suffice to
state briefly what has already been fully explained, that the doctrine is not,
strictly speaking, or by itself, or in its own nature, but by accident, the
cause of blindness. When persons of a weak sight come out into sunshine, their
eyes become dimmer than before, and that defect is in no way attributed to the
sun, but to their eyes. In like manner, when the word of God blinds and hardens
the reprobate, as this takes place through their own depravity, it belongs truly
and naturally to themselves, but is accidental, as respects the
word.
Lest at any time they should be
converted. This clause points out the
advantage that is gained by
seeing and
understanding. It is, that men, having
been converted to God, are restored to his favor, and, being reconciled
to him, enjoy prosperity and happiness. The true end for which
God desires that his word should be preached is, to
reconcile men to himself by renewing their minds and hearts. With respect to the
reprobate, on the other hand, Isaiah here declares that the stony hardness
remains in them, so that they do not obtain mercy, and that the word fails to
produce its effect upon them, so as to soften their minds to
repentance.
Matthew 13:15.
Lest I should heal
them. In the word healing,
Matthew, as well as the Prophet, includes deliverance from every evil; for a
people afflicted by the hand of God is metaphorically compared by them to a sick
man. They say that healing is bestowed,
f185 when
the Lord releases from punishment. But as this healing depends on the pardon of
sins, Mark describes appropriately and justly its cause and source,
lest they should be converted,
and their sins should be forgiven them.
For whence comes the mitigation of chastisements, but because God has been
reconciled to us, and makes us the objects of his blessing? Sometimes, no doubt,
after removing our guilt, he continues to punish us, either with the view of
humbling us the more, or of making us more cautious for the future. And yet, not
only does he show evidences of his favor by restoring us to life and health; but
as punishments usually terminate when the guilt is removed,
healing
and
forgiveness
are properly introduced together. It must not, however, be concluded, that
repentance is the cause of pardon, as if God received into his favor
converted
men, because they deserved it;
f186 for
conversion
itself is a mark of God’s free favor. Nothing more is expressed than
such an order and connection, that God does not forgive the sins of any but
those who are dissatisfied with themselves.
Matthew 13:16.
But blessed are your
eyes. Luke appears to represent this
statement as having been spoken at another time; but this is easily explained,
for in that passage he throws together a variety of our Lord’s sayings,
without attending to the order of dates. We shall, therefore, follow the text of
Matthew, who explains more clearly the circumstances from which Christ took
occasion to utter these words. Having formerly reminded them of the
extraordinary favor which they had received, in being separated by our Lord from
the common people, and familiarly admitted to the mysteries of his kingdom, he
now magnifies that grace by another comparison, which is, that they excel
ancient
Prophets
and holy
Kings.
This is a far loftier distinction than to be preferred to an unbelieving
multitude. Christ does not mean any kind of
hearing,
or the mere
beholding
of the flesh, but pronounces their
eyes
to be
blessed,
because they perceive in him a glory which is worthy of the only-begotten
Son of God, so as to acknowledge him as the Redeemer; because they perceive
shining in him the lively image of God, by which they obtain salvation and
perfect happiness; and because in them is fulfilled what had been spoken by the
Prophets, that those who have been truly and perfectly taught by the Lord
(<235413>Isaiah
54:13) do not need to learn every man from his neighbor,
(<243134>Jeremiah
31:34.)
This furnishes a reply to an objection that might be
drawn from another saying of Christ, that
blessed are they who have
not seen, and yet have
believed,
(<432029>John
20:29;)
for there he describes that kind of seeing
which Thomas desired in consequence of his gross apprehension.
f187 But
that
seeing,
of which Christ now speaks, has been enjoyed by believers in every age in
common with the Apostles. We do not see Christ, and yet we see him; we do not
hear Christ, and yet we hear him: for in the Gospel we behold him, as Paul
says,
face to face, so as to be
transformed into his
image,
(<470318>2
Corinthians 3:18;)
and the perfection of wisdom, righteousness, and
life, which was formerly exhibited in him, shines there
continually.
Luke 10:24.
Many Prophets and Kings have
desired to see. The condition of the
Church, at the present day, is justly pronounced to be preferable to that of the
holy fathers, who lived under the Law; because to them was exhibited, under
shadows and figures only, what is now openly manifested in the shining face of
Christ. The vail of the temple
being rent,
(<402751>Matthew
27:51,) we enter by faith into the heavenly sanctuary, and are freely permitted
to approach to God. Although the fathers were satisfied with their lot, and
enjoyed a blessed peace in their own minds, yet this did not prevent their
desires from extending farther. Thus, Abraham
saw the day of
Christ afar off,
and
rejoice,
(<430856>John
8:56,) and yet longed to enjoy a nearer view, but did not obtain his wish.
Simeon spoke the sentiments of all,
f188 when he
said, Now thou sendest thy
servant away in peace,
(<420229>Luke
2:29.) And indeed it was impossible that, under the burden of that curse by
which the human race is crushed, they should be otherwise than altogether
inflamed with the desire of a promised deliverance.
f189 Let us
therefore learn, that they breathed after Christ, like hungry persons, and yet
possessed a serene faith; so that they did not murmur against God, but kept
their minds in patient expectation till the full time of
revelation.
MATTHEW 13:18-23; MARK
4:13-20; LUKE 8:11-15
|
MATTHEW
13:18-23
|
MARK
4:13-20
|
LUKE
8:11-15
|
|
18. Hear therefore the parable of the
sower. 19. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and
understandeth not, that wicked one cometh, and taketh away what was sown in the
heart. This is he who received seed near the road. 20. But he that
received the seed thrown into stony places, is he that heareth the word, and
immediately receiveth it with joy: 21. But hath not root in
himself, but is of short duration: when affliction or persecution ariseth on
account of the word, immediately he is offended. 22. And he that
received the seed among thorns is he that heareth the word, and the care of this
life, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and it becometh
unfruitful. 23. But he who receiveth seed into a good soil is he
that heareth the word and understandeth it, and who afterwards yieldeth and
produceth fruit,
f191 some a
hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold.
|
13. And he said to them, Know you not
this parable? and how shall you know all parables? 14. The sower is
he that soweth the word. 15. And there are some that (receive the
seed) near the road, in whom the word is sown; and when they have heard,
immediately Satan cometh, and taketh away the word which was sown in their
hearts. 16. And in like manner there are others who receive the
seed into stony places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive
it with joy; 17. And have not root in themselves, but are of short
duration: afterwards, when affliction or persecution ariseth on account of the
words, immediately they are offended. 18. And there are others who
receive the seed among thorns: these are they that hear the word,
19. And the anxieties of this life, and the deceitfulness of riches,
and the desires of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it is rendered
unfruitful. 20. There are others who have received the seed into a
good soil, who hear the word, and receive it, and bear fruit, some thirty, some
sixty, some a hundred.
|
11. Now the parable is this: The seed is
the word of God. 12. And they that (received the seed) near the
road are those who hear: afterwards cometh the devil, and taketh the word out of
their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 13. For they
that are on the rock are those who, when they have heard, receive the word with
joy: but these have not roots, who for a time believe, and in the time of
temptation fall away. 14. And what fell among thorns are those who
have heard, and, going away, are choked by the anxieties, and riches, and
pleasures of life, and do not yield fruit. 15. And what fell into a
good soil are those who, with a good and upright heart, keep it, and yield fruit
with patience.
|
According to Matthew and Luke, Christ explains the
parable to his disciples simply, and unaccompanied by a reproof; but according
to Mark, he indirectly blames them for being slow of apprehension, because those
who were to be the teachers of all did not run before others.
f192 The
general truth conveyed is, that the doctrine of the Gospel, when it is scattered
like seed,
f193 is not
everywhere fruitful; because it does not always meet with a fertile and well
cultivated soil. He enumerates four kinds of hearers: the first of which do not
receive the seed;
f194 the
second appear, indeed, to receive it,
f195 but in
such a manner that it does not take deep root; in the third, the corn is choked;
f196 and so
there remains a fourth part, which produces fruit. Not that one hearer only out
of four, or ten out of forty, embrace the doctrine, and yield fruit; for Christ
did not intend here to fix down an exact number, or to arrange the persons, of
whom he speaks, in equal divisions; and, indeed, where the word is sown, the
produce of faith is not always alike, but is sometimes more abundant, and at
other times more scanty. He only intended to warn us, that, in many persons, the
seed of life is lost on account of various defects, in consequence of which it
is either destroyed immediately, or it withers, or it gradually degenerates.
That we may derive the greater advantage from this warning, we ought to bear in
mind, that he makes no mention of despisers who openly reject the word of God,
but describes those only in whom there is some appearance of docility. But if
the greater part of such men perish, what shall become of the rest of the world,
by whom the doctrine of salvation is openly rejected? I now come down to each
class.
Matthew 13:19.
When any one heareth the word
of the kingdom, and understandeth it not.
He mentions, in the first place, the barren and uncultivated, who do not
receive the seed within, because there is no preparation in their hearts. Such
persons he compares to a stiff and dry soil, like what we find on a public road,
which is trodden down, and becomes hard, like a pavement. I wish that we had not
occasion to see so many of this class at the present day, who come forward to
hear, but remain in a state of amazement, and acquire no relish for the word,
and in the end differ little from blocks or stones. Need we wonder that they
utterly vanish away?
That which was sown in their
heart. This expression, which Christ
employs, is not strictly accurate, and yet it is not without meaning; for the
wickedness and depravity of men do not make the word to lose its own nature, or
to cease to have the character of seed. This must be carefully observed, that we
may not suppose the favors of God to cease to be what they are, though the good
effect of them does not reach us. With respect to God, the word
is sown in the
hearts, but it is far from being true,
that the hearts of all receive with meekness what is planted in them, as
James (1:21) exhorts us to receive the word. So then the Gospel is always
a fruitful seed as to its power, but not as to its produce.
f197
Luke adds, that
the
devil
f198
taketh away the seed out of their heart, that they may not believe and be
saved. Hence we infer that, as hungry
birds are wont to do at the time of sowing, this enemy of our salvation, as soon
as the doctrine is delivered, watches and rushes forth to seize it, before it
acquires moisture and springs up. It is no ordinary praise of the word, when it
is pronounced to be the cause of our salvation.
20.
But he that received the seed
thrown into stony places. This class
differs from the former; for temporary faith, being a sort of vegetation of the
seed, f199
promises at first some fruit; but their hearts are not so properly and
thoroughly subdued, as to have the softness necessary for their continued
nourishment.
f200 We see
too many of this class in our own day, who eagerly embrace the Gospel, and
shortly afterwards fall off; for they have not the lively affection that is
necessary to give them firmness and perseverance. Let every one then examine
himself thoroughly, that the alacrity which gives out a bright flame may not
quickly go out, as the saying is, like a fire of tow;
f201 for if
the word does not fully penetrate the whole heart, and strike its roots deep,
faith will want the supply of moisture that is necessary for perseverance. Great
commendation is due, no doubt, to that promptitude, which receives the word of
God with joy, and without delay, as soon as it is published; but let us learn,
that nothing has been done, till faith acquires true firmness, that it may not
wither in the first blade.
21.
When affliction or
persecution ariseth on account of the word.
By way of example, Christ says that such persons are made uneasy by the
offense of the cross. And certainly, as the heat of the sun discovers the
barrenness of the soil, so persecution and the cross lay open the vanity
of those, who are slightly influenced by I know not what desire, but are not
actually moved by earnest feelings of piety. Such persons, according to Matthew
and Mark, are temporary,
f202
not only because, having professed, for a time, that they are the disciples
of Christ, they afterwards fall away through temptation, but because they
imagine that they have true faith. According to Luke, Christ says that they
believe for a time; because that honor which they render to the Gospel
resembles faith.
f203 At the
same time we ought to learn, that they are not truly regenerated by the
incorruptible seed, which never fadeth, as Peter tells us,
(<600104>1
Peter 1:4;) for he says that these words of Isaiah, The word of God endureth
for ever,
(<234008>Isaiah
40:8;
<600125>1
Peter 1:25,) are fulfilled in the hearts of believers, in whom the truth of God,
once fixed, never passes away, but retains its vigor to the end. Still, those
persons who take delight in the word of God, and cherish some reverence for it,
do in some manner believe; for they are widely different from
unbelievers, who give no credit to God when he speaks, or who reject his word.
In a word, let us learn that none are partakers of true faith, except those who
are scaled with the Spirit of adoption, and who sincerely call on God as their
Father; and as that Spirit is never extinguished, so it is impossible that the
faith, which he has once engraven on the hearts of the godly, shall pass away or
be destroyed.
22.
And he who received the seed
among thorns. He places in the third
class, those who would have been disposed to receive the seed within, if they
had not permitted other
things to corrupt and render it
degenerate. Christ compares to
thorns
the pleasures of this life, or wicked desires, and covetousness, and the
other anxieties of the flesh. Matthew mentions only the
care of this
life, along with covetousness, but the
meaning is the same; for under that term he includes the allurements of
pleasures, which Luke mentions, and every kind of desire. As corn, which
otherwise might have been productive, no sooner rises into the stalk than it is
choked by thorns and other matters injurious to its growth; so the sinful
affections of the flesh prevail over the hearts of men, and overcome faith, and
thus destroy the force of the heavenly doctrine, before it has reached
maturity.
Now though sinful desires exert their power on the
hearts of men, before the word of the Lord springs up into the blade, yet, at
first, their influence is not perceived, and it is only when the corn has grown
up, and given promise of fruit, that they gradually make their appearance. Each
of us ought to endeavor to tear the thorns out of his heart, if we do not
choose that the word of God should be choked; for there is not one of us
whose heart is not filled with a vast quantity, and, as I may say, a thick
forest, of thorns. And, indeed, we perceive how few there are that reach
maturity; for there is scarcely one individual out of ten that labors, I do not
say to root out, but even to cut down the thorns. Nay more, the very
number of the thorns, which is so prodigious that it ought to shake off
our sloth, is the reason why most people give themselves no trouble about
them.
The deceitfulness of
riches. Christ employs this phrase to
denote
covetousness.
He expressly says, that riches are imposing or
deceitful,
in order that men may be more desirous to guard against falling into their
snares. Let us remember that the affections of our flesh, the number and variety
of which are incalculable, are so many injurious influences to corrupt
the
seed of life.
23.
But he that received the seed
into a good soil. None are compared by Christ to a good and fertile
soil, but those in whom the word of God
not only strikes its roots deep and solid, but overcomes every obstacle that
would prevent it from yielding fruit. Is it objected that it is impossible to
find any one who is pure and free from thorns? It is easy to reply, that Christ
does not now speak of the perfection of faith, but only points out those in whom
the word of God yields fruit. Though the produce may not be great, yet every one
who does not fall off from the sincere worship of God is reckoned a
good and fertile
soil. We ought to labor, no doubt, to
pull out the thorns; but as our utmost exertion will never succeed so
well, but that there will always be some remaining behind, let each of us
endeavor, at least, to deaden them, that they may not hinder the fruit of the
word. This statement is confirmed by what immediately follows, when Christ
informs us that all do not yield fruit in an equal degree.
Some a hundred-fold, and some
sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold. Though
the fertility of that soil, which yields a
thirty-fold
produce, is small, compared with that which yields a
hundred-fold,
yet we perceive that our Lord classes together all kinds of soil which do
not entirely disappoint the labors and expectation of the husbandman.
f204 Hence
too we learn, that we have no right to despise those who occupy a lower degree
of excellence; for the master of the house himself, though he gives to one the
preference above another on account of more abundant produce, yet bestows the
general designation, good, even on inferior soils. Those three gradations
are absurdly tortured by Jerome, to denote virgins, widows, and married
persons; as if that produce which the Lord demands from us belonged to celibacy
alone, and as if the piety of married persons did not, in many cases, yield more
abundantly every fruit of virtue. It must also be observed, in passing, that
what Christ says about a hundred-fold produce is not hyperbolical; for
such was at that time the fertility of some countries, as we learn from many
historians, who give their report as eye-witnesses.
MATTHEW 13:24-30,
36-43
|
MATTHEW 13:24-30,
36-43
|
|
24. He put forth to them another
parable, saying, The kingdom of heaven is compared to a man sowing good seed in
his field. 25. But while men were asleep, his enemy came, and sowed
tares among the wheat, and went away. 26. And when the blade sprang
up, and yielded fruit, then appeared also the tares. 27. And the
servants of the household approaching, said to him, Lord, didst not thou sow
good seed in thy field? Whence then hath it tares?
f205
28. And he said to them, An enemy
f206 hath
done this. And his servants said to him, Is it thy will then that we go away and
gather them? 29. But he said, No; lest, while you are gathering the
tares, you root out along with them the wheat also. 30. Allow both
to grow together till the harvest; and at the time of harvest I will say to the
reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but
collect the wheat into my barn.—(A little after.) 36. Then
Jesus sent the multitude away, and came into the house, and his disciples
approached him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
37. But he answering, said to them, He that soweth the good seed is the
Son of man. 38. And the field is the world. The good seed is the
children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of that wicked one.
39. And the enemy that soweth them is the devil; the harvest is the end
of the world, and the reapers are the angels. 40. So then as the
tares are gathered, and are burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of
this world. 41. The Son of man will send his angels, and will
gather out of his kingdom all stumbling-blocks, and those who commit iniquity.
42. And they will east them into a furnace of fire: there shall be
lamentation and gnashing of teeth. 43. Then the righteous will
shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear.
|
In order to reap the advantage of this parable, it is
necessary to ascertain the object which Christ had in view. Some think that, to
guard a mixed multitude against satisfying themselves with an outward profession
of the Gospel,
f207 he told
them, that in his own field bad seed is often mixed with the good, but that a
day is coming, when the tares shall be separated from the wheat.
f208 They
accordingly connect this parable with the one immediately preceding, as if the
design of both had been the same. For my own part, I take a different view. He
speaks of a separation, in order to prevent the minds of the godly from giving
way to uneasiness or despondency, when they perceive a confused mixture of the
good along with the bad. Although Christ has cleansed the Church with his own
blood, that it may be without spot or blemish, yet hitherto he suffers it to be
polluted by many stains. I speak not of the remaining infirmities of the flesh,
to which every believer is liable, even after that he has been renewed by the
Holy Spirit. But as soon as Christ has gathered a small flock for himself, many
hypocrites mingle with it, persons of immoral lives creep in, nay, many wicked
men insinuate themselves; in consequence of which, numerous stains pollute that
holy assembly, which Christ has separated for himself. Many persons, too, look
upon it as exceedingly absurd, that ungodly, or profane or unprincipled men
should be cherished within the bosom of the Church. Add to this, that very many,
under the pretense of zeal, are excessively displeased, when every thing is not
conducted to their wish, and, because absolute purity is nowhere to be found,
withdraw from the Church in a disorderly manner, or subvert and destroy it by
unreasonable severity.
In my opinion, the design of the parable is simply
this: So long as the pilgrimage of the Church in this world continues, bad men
and hypocrites will mingle in it with those who are good and upright, that the
children of God may be armed with patience and, in the midst of offenses which
are fitted to disturb them, may preserve unbroken stedfastness of faith. It is
an appropriate comparison, when the Lord calls the Church
his
field, for believers are the seed of it;
and though Christ afterwards adds that
the field is the
world, yet he undoubtedly intended to
apply this designation, in a peculiar manner, to the Church, about which he had
commenced the discourse. But as he was about to drive his plough through every
country of the world, so as to cultivate fields, and scatter the seed of life,
throughout the whole world, he has employed a
synecdoche,
to make the world denote what more strictly belonged only to a part
of it.
We must now inquire what he means by the
wheat,
and what by the
tares.
These terms cannot be explained as referring to doctrine, as if the meaning
had been that, when the Gospel is
sown, it is immediately corrupted and
adulterated by wicked inventions; for Christ would never have forbidden them to
labor strenuously to purge out that kind of corruption. With respect to morals,
those faults of men which cannot be corrected must be endured; but we are not at
liberty to extend such a toleration to wicked errors, which corrupt the purity
of faith.
f209
Besides, Christ removes all doubt, by saying expressly, that
the tares are the children of the
wicked one. And yet it must also be
remarked, that this cannot be understood simply of the persons of men, as if by
creation God sowed good men and the devil sowed bad men. I advert to this,
because the present passage has been abused by the Manicheans, for the purpose
of lending support to their notion of two principles. But we know that whatever
sin exists, either in the devil or in men, is nothing else than the corruption
of the whole nature. As it is not by creation that God makes his elect, who have
been tainted with original sin, to become a good seed, but by regenerating them
through the grace of his Spirit; so wicked men are not created by the devil,
but, having been created by God, are corrupted by the devil, and thrown into the
Lord’s field, in order to corrupt the pure seed.
37.
He that soweth the good
seed. He had formerly said that
the kingdom of heaven resembles a
man sowing. The mode of expression is
unusual, but plainly means, that the same thing happens with the preaching of
the Gospel as usually takes place in the sowing of fields;
the tares grow, up along with the
wheat. One peculiarity, however, is
pointed out by him, when he says that the sowing of tares in the field was
effected by the trick of an enemy. This is intended to inform us that,
when many wicked men are mingled with believers, this is no accidental or
natural occurrence, as if they were the same seed, but that we must learn to
charge the blame of this evil on the devil. Not that, by condemning him, men are
acquitted of guilt; but, in the first place, that no blame whatever may be laid
on God on account of this fault which arose from the agency of another; and,
secondly, that we may not be surprised to find tares frequently growing
in the Lord’s field, since Satan is always on the watch to do mischief.
Again, when Christ says, not that the ministers of the word sow, but that he
alone sows, this is not without meaning; for though this cannot be supposed to
be restricted to his person, yet as he makes use of our exertions, and employs
us as his instruments, for cultivating his field, so that He alone acts by us
and in us, he justly claims for himself what is, in some respects, common to his
ministers. Let us, therefore, remember, that the Gospel is preached, not only by
Christ’s command, but by his authority. and direction; in short, that we
are only his hand, and that He alone is the Author of the work.
39.
The harvest is the end of the
world. This is, no doubt, a very
distressing consideration, that the Church is burdened with the reprobate to the
very end of the
world; but Christ enjoins on us to
exercise patience till that time, that we may not deceive ourselves with a vain
hope. Pastors ought to labor strenuously to purify the Church; and all the
godly, so far as their respective callings enable them, ought to lend assistance
in this matter; but when all shall have devoted their united exertions to the
general advantage, they will not succeed in such a manner as to purify the
Church entirely from every defilement. Let us therefore hold, that nothing was
farther from the design of Christ than to encourage pollution by lending
countenance to it. All that he intended was, to exhort those who believed in him
not to lose courage, because they are under the necessity of retaining wicked
men among them; and, next, to restrain and moderate the zeal of those who fancy
that they are not at liberty to join in a society with any but pure angels.
f210
This passage has been most improperly abused by the
Anabaptists, and by others like them,
f211 to take
from the Church the power of the sword. But it is easy to refute them; for since
they approve of excommunication, which cuts off, at least for a time, the bad
and reprobate, why may not godly magistrates, when necessity calls for it, use
the sword against wicked men? They reply that, when the punishment is not
capital,
f212 there
is room allowed for repentance; as if the thief on the cross
(<422342>Luke
23:42) did not find the means of salvation. I shall satisfy myself with
replying, that Christ does not now speak of the office of pastors or of
magistrates, but removes the offense which is apt to disturb weak minds, when
they perceive that the Church is composed not only of the elect, but of the
polluted dregs of society.
The reapers are the
angels. This term must be viewed in
reference to the present subject. In another passage, the Apostles are called
reapers, as compared with the Prophets, because they have entered into
their labors,
(<430438>John
4:38,) and it is enjoined on all the ministers of the word,
that they should bring
forth fruit, and that their fruit should remain,
(<431516>John
15:16.)
Such also is the import of that statement, that
the fields are white, and are in want of reapers,
(<430435>John
4:35;) and again, that
the harvest is abundant,
but the laborers are
few,
(<400937>Matthew
9:37.)
But here the comparison is applied in a different
manner; for those who occupy a place in the Church are said to be planted in the
Lord’s field. Nor is this inconsistent with what is said elsewhere, that
Christ, as soon as he comes forth with his Gospel,
hath a winnowing-fan in
his hand, and will
thoroughly
cleanse his
thrashing-floor,
(<400312>Matthew
3:12.)
These words describe the commencement of that
cleansing, which, this passage declares, will not take place before the last
day, because not till then will it be fully completed. Christ will put the last
hand to the cleansing of the Church by means of angels, but he now begins
to do the work by means of pious teachers. He assigns this office to angels,
because they will not remain idle spectators before his tribunal,
f213 but
will hold themselves in readiness to execute his commands. It follows, that
those who proceed, with undue haste, to root out whatever displeases them,
prevent, as far as lies in their power, the sentence of Christ, deprive
angels of their office, and rashly take that office on
themselves.
41.
They shall gather out of his
kingdom all stumbling-blocks. The words
that follow, and those who commit
iniquity, are added for the sake of
exposition; for it is not intended to point out two different things, but to
state, that then will be the full and seasonable time, when all things shall be
restored to regular order, and when the wicked shall be removed, who are
now
stumbling-blocks.
They are so called, because not only are their own lives wicked, but they
undermine the faith of many, retard others in the right course, draw some
entirely aside, and drive others headlong. We ought to draw from this a useful
admonition, not to become indolent and careless on account of our being
surrounded by so many
stumbling-blocks,
but to be zealous and active in guarding against them. It reproves also the
effeminacy of those who are so delicate, that the smallest possible
stumbling-blocks
make them turn back.
f214 It is
difficult, I admit, not to stumble frequently, and even sometimes to fall, when
stumbling-blocks
without number lie across our path. But our minds ought to be fortified with
confidence; for the Son of God, who commands his followers to walk in the midst
of
stumbling-blocks,
will unquestionably give us strength to overcome them all. He pronounces
likewise an awful punishment against any hypocrites and reprobate persons, who
now appear to be the most distinguished citizens of the Church.
42.
And shall cast them into a
furnace of fire. This is a metaphorical
expression; for, as the infinite glory which is laid up for the sons of God so
far exceeds all our senses, that we cannot find words to express it, so the
punishment which awaits the reprobate is incomprehensible, and is therefore
shadowed out according to the measure of our capacity. From ignorance of this,
the Sophists have tortured themselves, to no purpose, by fruitless disputes, as
we have already hinted on a former occasion.
f215 Some
commentators, I am aware, carry their ingenious inquiries into every minute
phrase; but as there is reason to fear that subtleties, which rest on no solid
grounds, may lead us into idle fooleries, I choose to philosophize more
sparingly, and to rest satisfied with the plain and natural meaning. If we put a
question to those who are so delighted with matters of curiosity, how it comes
about that, while Christ is asleep, and unacquainted with the affair, the
devil sows tares among the good seed, they will have nothing to reply; but while
I desire to exercise caution, I have endeavored to leave out nothing that is
useful and necessary to be known.
43.
Then will the righteous
shine. What a remarkable consolation!
The sons of God, who now lie covered with dust, or are held in no estimation, or
even are loaded with reproaches, will then shine in full brightness, as
when the sky is serene, and every cloud has been dispelled. The adverb then
(to>te)
is emphatic; for it contains an implied contrast between their present state and
the ultimate restoration, by the expectation of which Christ animates those who
believe in him. The meaning therefore is, Though many wicked men now hold a high
rank in the Church, yet that blessed day is assuredly to be expected, when the
Son of God shall raise his followers on high, and remove every thing that now
tends to dim or conceal their brightness. It is no doubt true, that the future
glory is promised to none but those in whom the image of God already shines, and
who are transformed into it by continued advances of glory. But as the life of
the godly is now hidden, and as their salvation is invisible, because it
consists in hope, Christ properly directs the attention of believers to heaven,
where they will find the glory that is promised to them.
In order to make a deeper impression on his hearers,
our Lord unquestionably refers here to a passage in Daniel,
(12:3,)
And they that are wise
shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.
“The Prophet,” he seems to say,
“when he predicts a future brightness, intimates also that there is
a temporary obscurity: and so, if we admit the prediction, we ought to endure
patiently that mixture which, for a time, classes the elect of God with the
reprobate.” By comparing this glory to the sun, he does not
determine that it will be alike in all. As Christ now distributes his gifts
variously
f216 among
believers, in like manner will he crown these gifts at the last day. But we must
recollect what I have said, that the restoration, which is delayed till the last
coming of Christ, is compared with the cloudy state of the world.
f217
The kingdom of the
Father, as the inheritance of the godly,
is contrasted with the earth, to remind them that here they are pilgrims, and
therefore ought to look upwards towards heaven. In another passage, the
kingdom of God is said to be within us,
(<421721>Luke
17:21,) but we shall not obtain the full enjoyment of it till God be
all in all,
(<461528>1
Corinthians 15:28.)
MATTHEW 13:31-35; MARK
4:26-34;
LUKE
13:18-22
|
MATTHEW
13:31-35
|
MARK
4:26-34
|
LUKE
13:18-22
|
|
31. He delivered another parable to
them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard, which a man took
and sowed in his field: 32. Which indeed is the least of all seeds:
but when it is grown up, it is the largest among herbs,
f218 and
becometh a tree, so that the fowls of heaven come and make their nests among its
branches. 33. He spake another parable to them: The kingdom of
heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid among three measures of meal,
till the whole was leavenened. 34. All these things Jesus spoke in
parables to the multitudes, and without a parable he spoke nothing to them.
35. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, who
saith, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been
hidden from the foundation of the world.
|
26. And he said, The kingdom of God is
as if a man should cast seed into the ground, 27. And sleep, and
rise by night and day, and the corn should spring and grow up, while knoweth not
how. 28. For the earth yieldeth fruit of itself, first the blade,
then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear. 29. And when the
fruit is matured, he immediately applieth the sickle, because the harvest is at
hand. 30. And he said, To what shall we say that the kingdom of God
is like? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31. As a
grain of mustard, which, when it is sown in the earth, is smaller than all the
seeds which are in the earth; 32. And when it is sown, it springs
up, and is larger than all herbs,
f219 and
putteth forth great branches, so that the fowls of heaven can make their nests
under its shadow. 33. And by such parables he spake the word to
them, as they were able to bear it: 34. But without a parable he
did not speak to them, but he explained all things to his disciples when they
were apart.
|
18. Therefore he said, To what is the
kingdom of God like? and to what shall I compare it? 19. It is like
a grain of mustard, which a man took and cast into his garden, and it grew, and
became a large tree, and the fowls of the air made their nests among its
branches. 20. And again he said, To what shall I compare the
kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures
of meal, till the whole was leavened. 22. And he went through the
cities and villages, teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem.
|
By these parables Christ encourages his disciples not
to be offended and turn back on account of the mean beginnings of the Gospel. We
see how haughtily profane men despise the Gospel, and even turn it into
ridicule, because the ministers by whom it is preached are men of slender
reputation and of low rank; because it is not instantly received with applause
by the whole world; and because the few disciples whom it does obtain are, for
the most part, men of no weight or consideration, and belong to the common
people. This leads weak minds to despair of its success, which they are apt to
estimate from the manner of its commencement. On the contrary, the Lord opens
his reign with a feeble and despicable commencement, for the express purpose,
that his power may be more fully illustrated by its unexpected progress.
f220
The kingdom of
God is compared to
a grain of mustard, which is the
smallest among the seeds, but grows to
such a height that it becomes a shrub,
in which the birds build their
nests. It is likewise compared to
leaven, which, though it may be small in amount, spreads its influence in
such a manner, as to impart its bitterness to a large quantity of meal.
f221 If the
aspect of Christ’s kingdom be despicable in the eyes of the flesh, let us
learn to raise our minds to the boundless and incalculable power of God, which
at once created all things out of nothing, and every day raises up things
that are not,
(<460128>1
Corinthians 1:28,) in a manner which exceeds the capacity of the human senses.
Let us leave to proud men their disdainful laugh, till the Lord, at an
unexpected hour, shall strike them with amazement. Meanwhile, let us not
despond, but rise by faith against the pride of the world, till the Lord give us
that astonishing display of his power,
f222 of
which he speaks in this passage.
The word leaven is sometimes taken in a bad
sense, as when Christ warns them to
beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the
Sadducees,
(<401611>Matthew
16:11;)
and when Paul says, that
a little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump,
(<460506>1
Corinthians 5:6.)
But here the term must be understood simply as
applying to the present subject. As to the meaning of the phrase,
the kingdom of God, and the
kingdom of heaven, we have spoken on
former occasions.
Mark 4:26.
So is the kingdom of
God. Though this comparison has the same
object with the two immediately preceding, yet Christ appears to direct his
discourse purposely to the ministers of the word, that they may not grow
indifferent about the discharge of their duty, because the fruit of their labor
does not immediately appear. He holds out for their imitation the example of
husbandmen, who throw seed into
the ground with the expectation of
reaping, and do not torment themselves with uneasiness and anxiety, but go to
bed and rise again; or, in other words, pursue their ordinary and daily toil,
till the corn arrive at maturity in due season. In like manner, though the seed
of the word be concealed and choked for a time, Christ enjoins pious teachers to
be of good courage, and not to allow their alacrity to be slackened through
distrust.
Matthew 13:34.
All these things Jesus spoke
in parables. Though Mark expressly says, that
Christ spoke the word to them as they were able to bear it, yet I think
it probable that he continued to employ parables, not so much for the
purpose of instruction, as to keep the attention of his hearers awake till a
more convenient time. For why did he explain them familiarly to his disciples
when they were apart? Was it because they were more slow of apprehension than
the great body of the people? No; but because he wished to convey to them
privately a knowledge of his meaning, and to allow others to remain in a state
of suspense, till a fitter opportunity should arrive. These were only a sort of
introduction to the Gospel, the full brightness and publication of which was
delayed till the proper time.
There is an apparent contradiction between this
statement of Matthew and the prediction of Isaiah, which was quoted a little
before. But this is easily removed; for, though he withdrew the light of
doctrine from the reprobate, yet this did not prevent him from accommodating
himself to their capacity, so as to render them inexcusable. He therefore
adopted a method of teaching which was proper and suitable to hearers, whom he
knew to be not yet sufficiently prepared to receive
instruction.
35.
That it might be
fulfilled. Matthew does not mean, that
the psalm, which he quotes, is a prediction which relates peculiarly to Christ,
but that, as the majesty of the Spirit was displayed in the discourse of the
Prophet, in the same manner was his power manifested in the discourse of Christ.
The Prophet, when he is about to speak of God’s covenant, by which he
adopted the seed of Abraham, of the benefits which he continued to bestow upon
his people, and of the whole government of the Church, introduces his subject in
lofty terms, I will open my mouth in parables,
(<197802>Psalm
78:2:) that is, “I will not speak of trifling matters, but will handle
with becoming gravity subjects of the highest importance.” When he adds,
I will utter dark
sayings, the meaning is the same; such
repetitions being very frequent in the Psalms. The Hebrew word
µylçm,
(Meshalim) signifies comparisons; and it came afterwards to be
applied to “weighty sentences,” because comparisons generally
impart beauty and energy to a discourse. The word
twdyj
(Chidoth) sometimes denotes “riddles,” and at other
times, “short sayings.”
Now though Matthew seems to allude to the word
parable, he undoubtedly means, that Christ spoke figuratively, in order
that his very style, being more brilliant than ordinary discourse, might carry
more weight and dignity. In short, he says that what is contained in the psalm
was fulfilled; because the use of allegories and figures tended to show,
that Christ was treating of the hidden mysteries of God, and to prevent his
doctrine from being despised. Hence, too, we infer, that there was no
inconsistency in the various objects which Christ had in view, when he spoke to
the people in a dark manner. Though he intended to conceal from the reprobate
what he was saying, yet he labored to make them feel, even in the midst of their
amazement, that there was something heavenly and divine in his language.
f223
Luke 13:22.
Journeying towards
Jerusalem. It is uncertain whether Luke
speaks only of one journey, or means that, while Christ walked throughout Judea,
and visited each part of it for the purpose of teaching, he was wont to
go up to
Jerusalem at the festivals. The former
clause, certainly, appears to describe that course of life which Christ
invariably pursued, from the time that he began to discharge the office which
had been committed to him by the Father. To make the latter clause agree with
this, the meaning will be, that, when the festivals were at hand, he attended,
along with others,
f224 the
holy assemblies.
MATTHEW
13:44-52
|
MATTHEW
13:44-52
|
|
44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like
a treasure hid in a field, which when found a man hideth,
f225 and for
the joy which he hath on account of it, goeth away, and selleth all that he
hath, and buyeth that field. 45. Again, the kingdom of heaven is
like a merchant, seeking beautiful pearls,
f226
46. Who, having found one valuable pearl, went away, and sold all that
he possessed, and bought it. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is
like a net east into the sea, and collecting of every kind,
f227
48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and
collected the good into vessels, but cast away the bad.
f228
49. So shall it be at the end of the world: the Angels will come, and
will separate the bad from the midst of the righteous, 50. And will
cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be lamentation and gnashing of
teeth. 51. Jesus saith to them, Have you understood all these
things? They say to him, Yes, Lord. 52. But he said to them,
Therefore every scribe instructed in reference to the kingdom of heaven
f229 is like
a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and
old.
|
The first two of these parables are intended to
instruct believers to prefer the
Kingdom of heaven to the whole world,
and therefore to deny themselves and all the desires of the flesh, that nothing
may prevent them from obtaining so valuable a possession. We are greatly in need
of such a warning; for we are so captivated by the allurements of the world,
that eternal life fades from our view;
f230 and in
consequence of our carnality, the spiritual graces of God are far from being
held by us in the estimation which they deserve. Justly, therefore, does Christ
speak in such lofty terms of the excellence of eternal life, that we ought not
to feel uneasiness at relinquishing, on account of it, whatever we reckon in
other respects to be valuable.
First, he says, that
the kingdom of heaven is like a
hidden treasure. We commonly set a high
value on what is visible, and therefore the new and spiritual life, which is
held out to us in the Gospel, is little esteemed by us, because it is
hidden,
and lies in hope. There is the highest appropriateness in comparing it to
a
treasure,
the value of which is in no degree diminished, though it may be buried in
the earth, and withdrawn from the eyes of men. These words teach us, that we
ought not to estimate the riches of the grace of God according to the views of
our flesh, or according to their outward display, but in the same manner as a
treasure,
though it be
hidden,
is preferred to a vain appearance of wealth. The same instruction is
conveyed by the other parable.
One pearl, though it be small, is so
highly valued, that a skillful merchant does not hesitate to sell
houses and lands in order to purchase it. The excellence of the heavenly
life is not perceived, indeed, by the sense of the flesh; and yet we do not
esteem it according to its real worth, unless we are prepared to deny, on
account of it, all that glitters in our eyes.
We now perceive the leading object of both parables.
It is to inform us, that none are qualified for receiving the grace of the
Gospel but those who disregard all other desires, and devote all their
exertions, and all their faculties, to obtain it. It deserves our attention,
also, that Christ does not pronounce the
hidden
treasure, or the
pearl,
to be so highly valued by all. The
treasure
is ascertained to be valuable, after that it has been found and
known; and it is the skillful merchant that forms such an opinion about
the
pearl.
f231
These words denote the knowledge of faith. “The heavenly
kingdom,” Christ tells us, “is commonly held as of no
account, because men are incapable of relishing it, and do not perceive the
inestimable value of that treasure which the Lord offers to us in the
Gospel.”
But it is asked, is it necessary that we abandon
every other possession, in order that we may enjoy eternal life? I answer
briefly. The natural meaning of the words is, that the Gospel does not receive
from us the respect which it deserves, unless we prefer it to all the riches,
pleasures, honors, and advantages of the world, and to such an extent, that we
are satisfied with the spiritual blessings which it promises, and throw aside
every thing that would keep us from enjoying them; for those who aspire to
heaven must be disengaged from every thing that would retard their progress.
Christ exhorts those who believe in him to deny those things only which are
injurious to godliness; and, at the same time, permits them to use and enjoy
God’s temporal favors, as if they did not use them.
46.
And bought
it. By the word buy Christ does
not mean, that men bring any price, with which they may purchase for themselves
the heavenly life; for we know on what condition the Lord invites believers in
the book of Isaiah, (55:1,) Come and buy wine and milk without money and
without price. But though the heavenly life, and every thing that belongs to
it, is the free gift of God, yet we are said to buy it, when we
cheerfully relinquish the desires of the flesh, that nothing may prevent us from
obtaining it; as Paul says, that he
reckoned all things to be
loss and dung, that he might gain Christ,
(<500308>Philippians
3:8.)
47.
Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like a net. No new instruction is
here given by Christ; but what he formerly taught is confirmed by another
parable, that the Church of God, so long as it exists in the world, is a mixture
of the good with the bad, and is never free from stains and pollutions. And yet
the design of this parable is perhaps different. It may be that Christ intends
not only to remove the offense which perplexes many weak minds, because they do
not find in the world all the purity that might be desired, but likewise to
employ the influence of fear and modesty, in restraining his disciples from
delighting themselves with the empty title, or mere profession, of faith. For my
own part, I cheerfully adopt both views. Christ informs us, that a mixture of
the good and the bad must be patiently endured till the end of the word;
because, till that time, a true and perfect restoration of the Church will
not take place. Again, he warns us, that it is not enough, and—what is
more—that it is of little consequence to us, to be gathered into the fold,
unless we are his true and chosen sheep. To this effect is the saying of
Paul,
The Lord knoweth who are
his; and let every one that calleth on the name of the Lord depart from
iniquity,
(<550219>2
Timothy 2:19.)
The preaching of the Gospel is justly compared to a
net sunk beneath the water, to inform us that the present state of the
Church is confused.
Our God is the God of
order, and not of
confusion,
(<461433>1
Corinthians 14:33,)
and, therefore, recommends to us discipline; but he
permits hypocrites to remain for a time among believers, till the last day, when
he will bring his kingdom to a state of perfection. So far as lies in our power,
let us endeavor to correct vices, and let us exercise severity in removing
pollutions; but the Church will not be free from every spot and blemish, until
Christ shall have separated the sheep from the goats,
(<402532>Matthew
25:32.)
51.
Have you understood all these
things? We must keep in recollection
what we have formerly seen, that all the parables of Christ were explained in
private. And now the Lord, after having taught them in this kind and familiar
manner, warns them at the same time, that his object, in taking so much pains to
instruct them, was not merely that they might be well informed,
f232 but
that they might communicate to others what they had received. In this way he
whets and excites their minds more and more to desire instruction. He says that
teachers are like
householders, who are not only careful
about their own food, but have a store laid up for the nourishment of others;
and who do not live at ease as to the passing day, but make provision for a
future and distant period. The meaning, therefore, is, that the teachers of the
Church ought to be prepared by long study for giving to the people, as out of a
storehouse,
f233 a
variety of instruction concerning the word of God, as the necessity of the case
may require. Many of the ancient expositors understand by things new and old
the Law and the Gospel; but this appears to me to be forced. I understand
them simply to mean a varied and manifold distribution, wisely and properly
adapted to the capacity of every individual.
LUKE 7:36-50
|
LUKE
7:36-50
|
|
36. And one of the Pharisees requested
him to take food with him; and he entered into the house of the Pharisee, and
sat down at table. 37. And, lo, a woman in the city, who was a
sinner, when she knew that he sat at table in the house of the Pharisee, brought
an alabaster box of ointment:
f234
38. And sitting at his feet behind him, and weeping, she began to wash
his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his
feet, and anointed them with ointment.
f235
39. And the Pharisee, who had invited him, seeing it, said, speaking
within himself, If this man were a Prophet, he would certainly know who and what
sort of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner.
f236
40. And Jesus answering, said to him, Simon, I have something to say to
thee. And he said, Master, say on. 41. A certain creditor had two
debtors: one owed five hundred pence, and another fifty. 42. And
when they had nothing to pay, he forgave them both. Tell me then, which of them
will love him more? 43. Simon answering said, I suppose that it
will be he to whom he forgave more. And he said to him, Thou hast decided
aright. 44. And turning to the woman, he said to Simon, Seest thou
this woman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest not water for my feet; but she
hath moistened my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45. Thou gavest me not a kiss; but she, since the time that I
entered, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 47. For which reason I
say to thee, Her many sins are forgiven, for she hath loved much; but he to whom
less is forgiven loveth less. 48. And he said to her, Thy sins are
forgiven thee. 49. And those who sat at table with him began to say
within themselves, Who is this that even forgiveth sins? 50. And he
said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
|
36.
And one of the Pharisees
requested him. This narrative shows the
captious disposition, not only to take, but to seek out, offenses, which was
manifested by those who did not know the office of Christ. A
Pharisee
invites Christ; from which we infer, that he was not one of those who
furiously and violently opposed, nor of those who haughtily despised his
doctrine. But whatever might be his mildness, he is presently offended when he
sees Christ bestow a gracious reception on a woman who, in his opinion, ought
not to have been permitted to approach or to converse with him; and,
accordingly, disowns him as a prophet, because he does not acknowledge
him to be the Mediator, whose peculiar office it was to bring miserable sinners
into a state of reconciliation with God. It was something, no doubt, to bestow
on Christ the honor due to a prophet; but he ought also to have inquired for
what purpose he was sent, what he brought, and what commission he had received
from the Father. Overlooking the grace of reconciliation, which was the main
feature to be looked for in Christ, the Pharisee concluded that he was
not a
prophet. And, certainly, had it not been
that through the grace of Christ this woman had obtained the forgiveness of her
sins, and a new righteousness, she ought to have been rejected.
Simon’s mistake lies only in this: Not
considering that Christ came to save what was lost, he rashly concludes that
Christ does not distinguish between the worthy and the unworthy. That we may not
share in this dislike, let us learn, first, that Christ was given as a Deliverer
to miserable and lost men,
f237 and to
restore them from death to life. Secondly, let every man examine himself and his
life, and then we will not wonder that others are admitted along with us, for no
one will dare to place himself above others. It is hypocrisy alone that leads
men to be careless about themselves,
f238 and
haughtily to despise others.
37.
A woman who was a
sinner. The words stand literally as I
have translated them,(h[tiv h=n
aJmaztwlo<v.) Erasmus has chosen to take
the pluperfect tense, who Had
Been a sinner,
f239
lest any one should suppose that at that time she still
was a
sinner. But by so doing, he departed
from the natural meaning; for Luke intended to express the place which the woman
held in society, and the opinion universally entertained respecting her. Though
her sudden conversion had rendered her a different person in the sight of God
from what she had previously been, yet among men the disgrace attaching to her
former life had not yet been effaced. She was, therefore, in the general
estimation of men a sinner, that is, a woman of wicked and infamous life;
and this led Simon to conclude, though erroneously, that Christ had not
the Spirit of discernment, since he was unacquainted with that infamy which was
generally known. f240
40.
And Jesus answering
said. By this reply Christ shows how
egregiously Simon was mistaken. Exposing to public view his silent and concealed
thought, he proves himself to possess something more excellent than what
belonged to the Prophets; for he does not reply to his words, but refutes
the sentiment which he kept hidden within his breast. Nor was it only on
Simon’s account that this was done, but in order to assure every one of
us, that we have no reason to fear lest any sinner be rejected by him, who not
only gives them kind and friendly invitations, but is prepared with equal
liberality, and—as we might say—with outstretched arms, to receive
them all.
41.
A certain creditor had two
debtors. The scope of this parable is to
demonstrate, that Simon is wrong in condemning the woman who is acquitted by the
heavenly judge. He proves that she is righteous, not because she pleased God,
but because her sins were
forgiven; for otherwise her case would
not correspond to the parable, in which Christ expressly states, that the
creditor freely forgave the
debtors who were not able to pay. We
cannot avoid wondering, therefore, that the greater part of commentators
have fallen into so gross a blunder as to imagine that this woman, by her
tears, and her anointing, and her
kissing his
feet, deserved the pardon of her sins.
The argument which Christ employs was taken, not from the cause, but from the
effect; for, until a favor has been received, it cannot awaken gratitude,
f241 and the
cause of reciprocal love is here declared to be a free forgiveness. In a word,
Christ argues from the fruits or effects that follow it, that this woman has
been reconciled to God.
44.
And turning to the
woman. The Lord appears to compare Simon
with the woman, in such a manner as to make him chargeable with nothing more
than light offenses. But this is spoken only in the way of concession.
“Suppose now, Simon,” he says, “that the guilt from which God
discharges thee was light,
f242 and
that this woman has been guilty of many and very heinous offenses. Yet you see
how she proves by the effect that she has obtained pardon. For what mean those
profuse tears, those frequent kisses of the feet, that precious ointment? What
mean they but to acknowledge, that she had been weighed down by an enormous
burden of condemnation? And now she regards the mercy of God with fervor of love
proportioned to her conviction that her necessity had been
great.”
From the words of Christ, therefore, we are not at
liberty to infer, that Simon had been a debtor to a small amount, or that he was
absolved from guilt.
f243 It is
more probable that, as he was a blind hypocrite, he was still plunged in the
filth of his sins. But Christ insists on this single point, that, however wicked
the woman may have been, she gave undoubted proofs of her righteousness, by
leaving no kind of duty undone to testify her gratitude, and by acknowledging,
in every possible way, her vast obligations to God. At the same time, Christ
reminds Simon, that he has no right to flatter himself, as if he were free from
all blame; for that he too needed mercy; and that if even he does not obtain the
favor of God without pardon, he ought to look upon this woman’s gifts,
whatever might have been her former sins, as evidences of repentance and
gratitude.
We must attend to the points of contrast, in which
the woman is preferred to Simon. She
moistened his feet with tears,
and wiped them with the hairs of her head;
while he did not even order water
to be given, according to custom. She
did not cease to kiss his
feet, while he did not deign to
receive Christ with the kiss of hospitality.
f244 She
poured precious ointment on
his feet, while he did not even
anoint his head with
oil. But why did our Lord, who was a
model of frugality and economy, permit the expense of the ointment? It
was because, in this way, the wretched sinner testified that she owed all to
him. He had no desire of such luxuries, was not gratified by the sweet odor, and
did not approve of gaudy dress. But he looked only at her extraordinary zeal to
testify her repentance, which is also held out to us by Luke as an example; for
her sorrow, which is the commencement of repentance, was proved by her tears. By
placing herself at Christ’s
feet behind him, and there lying on the
ground, she discovered her modesty and humility. By the ointment, she
declared that she offered, as a sacrifice to Christ, herself and all that she
possessed. Every one of these things it is our duty to imitate; but the pouring
of the ointment was an extraordinary act, which it would be improper to
consider as a rule.
f245
47.
Her many sins are
forgiven. Some interpret the verb
differently, may her many sins be
forgiven, and bring out the following
meaning:— “As this woman evinces by remarkable actions, that she is
full of ardent love to Christ, it would be improper for the Church to act
harshly and severely towards her; but, on the contrary, she ought to be treated
with gentleness, whatever may have been the aggravations of her offenses.”
But as
ajfe>wntai
is used, in accordance with the Athic dialect, for
ajfei~ntai,
we must dispense with that subtlety of exposition which is disapproved by
the context; for a little after, Christ uses the same words in his address to
the woman, where the imperative mood would not apply. Here, too is added a
corresponding clause, that he to
whom less is forgiven loveth
less.
The verb, which is in the present tense, must, no
doubt, be resolved into a preterite.
f246 From
the eager desire which she had manifested to discharge all the duties of piety,
Christ infers that, although this woman might have been guilty of many sins, the
mercy of God was so abundant towards her, that she ought no longer to be
regarded as a sinner. Again, loving is not here said to be the cause of
pardon,
f247 but a
subsequent manifestation, as I have formerly mentioned; for the meaning of the
words is this:—“They who perceive the display of deep piety in the
woman form an erroneous judgment, if they do not conclude that God is already
reconciled to her;” so that the free pardon of sins comes first in order.
Christ does not inquire at what price men may purchase the favor of God, but
argues that God has already forgiven this wretched sinner, and that, therefore,
a mortal man ought not to treat her with severity.
48.
Thy sins are
forgiven. It may be asked, why does
Christ now promise to her the pardon which she had obtained, and of which she
had been assured? Some reply that these words were uttered, not so much on her
own account, as for the sake of others. For my own part, I have no doubt that it
was chiefly on her own account; and this appears more clearly from the words
that follow. Nor ought we to wonder, that the voice of Christ again pronounces
an absolution of the woman, who had already tasted his grace, and who was even
convinced that he was her only refuge of salvation. Thus, at the present day,
faith is previously necessary, when we pray that the Lord would forgive our
sins; and yet this is not a useless or superfluous prayer, but the object of it
is, that the heavenly Judge may more and more seal his mercy on our hearts, and
in this manner may give us peace. Though this woman had brought with her a
confident reliance on that grace which she had obtained, yet this promise was
not superfluous, but contributed greatly to the confirmation of her
faith.
49.
And those who sat at table
with him began to say within themselves.
Hence we again learn, that ignorance of Christ’s office constantly
leads men to conceive new grounds of offense. The root of the evil is, that no
one examines his own wretched condition, which undoubtedly would arouse every
man to seek a remedy. There is no reason to wonder that hypocrites, who slumber
amidst their vices,
f248should
murmur at it as a thing new and unexpected, when Christ forgives
sins.
50.
Thy faith hath saved
thee. To repress those murmurings,
f249 and, at
the same time, to confirm the woman, Christ commends her faith. Let others
grumble as they may, but do thou adhere steadfastly to that faith which has
brought thee an undoubted salvation.
f250 At the
same time, Christ claims for himself the authority which had been given to him
by the Father; for, as he possesses the power of healing, to him faith is
properly directed. And this intimates that the woman was not led by rashness or
mistake to come to him, but that, through the guidance of the Spirit, she had
preserved the straight road of faith. Hence it follows, that we cannot believe
in any other than the Son of God, without considering that person to have the
disposal of life and death. If the true reason for believing in Christ be, that
God hath given him authority to forgive sins, whenever faith is rendered to
another, that honor which is due to Christ must of necessity be taken from him.
This saying refutes also the error of those who imagine that the forgiveness of
sins is purchased by charity; for Christ lays down a quite different method,
which is, that we embrace by faith the offered mercy. The last clause,
Go in
peace, denotes that inestimable fruit of
faith which is so frequently commended in Scripture. It brings peace and
joy to the consciences, and prevents them from being driven hither and thither
by uneasiness and alarm.
LUKE 10:38-42
|
LUKE
10:38-42
|
|
38. And it happened, while they were
traveling, that he entered into a certain village; and a certain woman, called
Martha, received him into her house. 39. And she had a sister
called Mary, who also, sitting at the feet of Jesus, heard his word.
40. And Martha was cumbered about much serving; who stood, and said,
Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her
therefore assist me. 41. And Jesus answering said to her, Martha,
Martha, thou art anxious and distressed about many things. 42 But one
thing is necessary: Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken
from her.
|
38.
And it happened that he
entered into a certain village. This
narrative shows, that Christ, wherever he came, did not devote himself to his
private concerns, or consult his own ease or comfort; but that the single object
which he kept in view was, to do good to others, and to discharge the office
which had been committed to him by the Father. Luke relates that, having been
hospitably received by Martha, as soon as he entered the house, he began to
teach and exhort. As this passage has been basely distorted into the
commendation of what is called a Contemplative life, we must inquire into its
true meaning, from which it will appear, that nothing was farther from the
design of Christ, than to encourage his disciples to indulge in indolence, or in
useless speculations. It is, no doubt, an old error
f251, that
those who withdraw from business, and devote themselves entirely to a
contemplative, lead an Angelical life. For the absurdities which the
Sorbonnists
f252
utter on this subject they appear to have been indebted to Aristotle, who
places the highest good, and ultimate end, of human life in contemplation,
which, according to him, is the enjoyment of virtue. When some men were driven
by ambition to withdraw from the ordinary intercourse of life, or when peevish
men gave themselves up to solitude and indolence, the resolution to adopt that
course was followed by such pride, that they imagined themselves to be like the
angels, because they did nothing; for they entertained as great a contempt for
active life, as if it had kept them back from heaven. On the contrary, we know
that men were created for the express purpose of being employed in labor of
various kinds, and that no sacrifice is more pleasing to God, than when every
man applies diligently to his own calling, and endeavors to live in such a
manner as to contribute to the general advantage.
f253
How absurdly they have perverted the words of Christ
to support their own contrivance, will appear manifest when we have ascertained
the natural meaning. Luke says that
Mary sat at the feet of
Jesus. Does he mean that she did nothing
else throughout her whole life? On the contrary, the Lord enjoins his followers
to make such a distribution of their time, that he who desires to make
proficiency in the school of Christ shall not always be an idle hearer but shall
put in practice what he has learned; for there is a time to hear, and a time to
act. f254
It is, therefore, a foolish attempt of the monks to take hold of this passage,
as if Christ were drawing a comparison between a contemplative and an active
life, while Christ simply informs us for what end, and in what manner, he wishes
to be received.
Though the hospitality of Martha deserved
commendation, and is commended, yet there were two faults in it which are
pointed out by Christ. The first is, that Martha carried her activity beyond
proper bounds; for Christ would rather have chosen to be entertained in a frugal
manner, and at moderate expense, than that the holy woman should have submitted
to so much toil. The second fault was, that Martha, by distracting her
attention, and undertaking more labor than was necessary, deprived herself of
the advantage of Christ’s visit. The excess is pointed out by Luke, when
he speaks of much serving; for Christ was satisfied with little. It was
just as if one were to give a magnificent reception to a prophet, and yet not to
care about hearing him, but, on the contrary, to make so great and unnecessary
preparations as to bury all the instruction. But the true way of receiving
prophets is, to accept the advantage which God presents and offers to us through
their agency.
We now see that the kind attention of Martha, though
it deserved praise, was not without its blemishes. There was this additional
evil, that Martha was so delighted with her own bustling operations, as to
despise her sister’s pious eagerness to receive instruction.
f255 This
example warns us, that, in doing what is right, we must take care not to think
more highly of ourselves than of others.
42.
But one thing is
necessary. Some give a very meager
interpretation of these words, as if they meant that one sort of dish is enough.
f256Others
make ingenious inquiries, but beside the purpose, about Unity.
f257 But
Christ had quite another design, which was, that whatever believers may
undertake to do, and in whatever employments they may engage, there is one
object to which every thing ought to be referred. In a word, we do but wander to
no purpose, if we do not direct all our actions to a fixed object. The
hospitality of Martha was faulty in this respect, that she neglected the main
business, and devoted herself entirely to household affairs. And yet Christ does
not mean that every thing else, with the exception of this one thing, is
of no importance, but that we must pay a proper attention to order, lest what is
accessory—as the phrase is—become our chief
concern.
Mary hath chosen the good
part. There is no comparison here, as
unskillful and mistaken interpreters dream. Christ only declares, that Mary is
engaged in a holy and profitable employment, in which she ought not to be
disturbed. “You would have a good right,” he says, “to blame
your sister, if she indulged in ease, or gave herself up to trifling
occupations, or aimed at something unsuitable to her station, and left to you
the whole charge of the household affairs. But now, when she is properly and
usefully employed in hearing, it would be an act of injustice to withdraw her
from it; for an opportunity so favorable is not always in her power.”
There are some, indeed, who give a different interpretation to the latter
clause, which shall not be taken
away from her, as if Christ intended to
say, that Mary hath chosen the
good part, because the fruit of heavenly
doctrine can never perish. For my own part, I have no objection to that opinion,
but have followed the view which appeared to me to be more in accordance with
Christ’s design.
f258
LUKE 12:13-21
|
LUKE
12:13-21
|
|
13. And one out of the multitude said to
him, Master, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me. 14. And
he said to him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
15. And he said to them, Take heed and beware of covetousness; for the
life of any man does not consist in the abundance of those things which he
possesseth.
f259
16. And he spoke a parable to them, saying, The field of a certain rich
man yielded an abundant produce. 17. And he thought within himself,
saying, What shall I do? for I have no place in which I can collect my fruits.
18. And he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and
will build larger ones, and there I will collect all my fruits and my goods.
19. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast many goods laid up for
many, years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and enjoy thyself.
f260
20. But God said to him, Fool, this night they shall demand thy soul
from thee;
f261 and as
to the things which thou hast provided, to whom shall they go?
21. So is he that layeth up for himself:
f262 and is
not rich toward God.
|
13.
Bid my brother
divide. Our Lord, when requested to
undertake the office of dividing
an inheritance, refuses to do so. Now as
this tended to promote brotherly harmony, and as Christ’s office was, not
only to reconcile men to God, but to bring them into a state of agreement with
one another, what hindered him from settling the dispute between the two
brothers?
f263 There
appear to have been chiefly two reasons why he declined the office of a
judge. First, as the Jews imagined that the Messiah would have an earthly
kingdom,
f264 he
wished to guard against doing any thing that might countenance this error. If
they had seen him divide inheritances, the report of that proceeding
would immediately have been circulated. Many would have been led to expect a
carnal redemption, which they too ardently desired; and wicked men would have
loudly declared, that he was effecting a revolution in the state, and
overturning the Roman Empire. Nothing could be more appropriate, therefore, than
this reply, by which all would be informed, that the kingdom of Christ is
spiritual. Let us learn from this to regulate our conduct by prudence, and to
undertake nothing which may admit of an unfavorable
construction.
Secondly, our Lord intended to draw a distinction
between the political kingdoms of this world and the government of his Church;
for he had been appointed by the Father to be a Teacher, who
should
divide asunder, by the
sword of the word, the thoughts and feelings, and penetrate into the souls of
men,
(<580412>Hebrews
4:12,)
but was not a magistrate to
divide
inheritances. This condemns the robbery
of the Pope and his clergy, who, while they give themselves out to be pastors of
the Church, have dared to usurp an earthly and secular jurisdiction, which is
inconsistent with their office; for what is in itself lawful may be improper in
certain persons.
There was also in my opinion, a third reason of great
weight. Christ saw that this man was neglecting doctrine, and was looking only
to his private concerns. This is too common a disease. Many who profess the
Gospel do not scruple to make use of it as a false pretense for advancing their
private interests, and to plead the authority of Christ as an apology for their
gains. From the exhortations
f265 which
is immediately added, we may readily draw this inference; for if that man had
not availed himself of the Gospel as a pretext for his own emolument, Christ
would not have taken occasion to give this warning against
covetousness.
The context, therefore, makes it sufficiently evident, that this was a
pretended disciple, whose mind was entirely occupied with lands or
money.
It is highly absurd in the Anabaptists to infer from
this reply, that no Christian man has a right to
divide
inheritances, to take a part in legal
decisions, or to discharge any public office. Christ does not argue from the
nature of the thing itself, but from his own calling. Having been appointed by
the Father for a different purpose, he declares that he is not a judge,
because he has received no such command. Let us hold by this rule, that
every one keep within the limits of the calling which God has given
him.
15.
Take heed and beware of
covetousness. Christ first guards his
followers against covetousness, and next, in order to cure their minds
entirely of this disease, he declares, that
our life consisteth not in
abundance. These words point out the
inward fountain and source, from which flows the mad eagerness for gain. It is
because the general belief is, that a man is happy in proportion as he possesses
much, and that the happiness of life is produced by riches. Hence arise those
immoderate desires, which, like a fiery furnace, send forth their flames, and
yet cease not to burn within. If we were convinced that riches, and any kind of
abundance, are evils of the present life, which the Lord bestows upon us
with his own hand, and the use of which is accompanied by his blessing, this
single consideration would have a powerful influence in restraining all wicked
desires; and this is what believers have come to learn from their own
experience.
f266 For
whence comes it, that they moderate their wishes, and depend on God alone, but
because they do not look upon their life as necessarily connected with
abundance, or dependent upon it, but rely on the providence of God, who
alone upholds us by his power, and supplies us with whatever is
necessary?
16.
And he spoke a parable to
them. This parable presents to us, as in
a mirror, a lively portrait of this sentiment, that men
do not live by their
abundance. Since the life even of the
richest men is taken away in a moment, what avails it that they have accumulated
great wealth? All acknowledge it to be true, so that Christ says nothing here
but what is perfectly common, and what every man has constantly in his mouth.
But where is the man that honestly believes it? Do not all, on the contrary,
regulate their life, and arrange their schemes and employments in such a manner
as to withdraw to the greatest distance from God, making their life to
rest on a present abundance of good things? It is therefore necessary that all
should immediately arouse themselves, lest, by imagining their happiness to
consist in riches, they entangle themselves in the snares of
covetousness.
This parable shows us, first, that the present life
is short and transitory. Secondly, it points out to us, that riches are of no
avail for prolonging life. We must add a third, which is not expressed, but may
easily be inferred from the other two; that it is a most excellent remedy for
believers, to ask from the Lord their daily bread, and to rely on his providence
alone, whether they are rich or poor.
17.
What shall I do?
Wicked men are driven to perplexity in their
deliberations, because they do not know how any thing is to be lawfully used;
f267 and,
next, because they are intoxicated with a foolish confidence which makes them
forget themselves. Thus we find that this rich man lengthens out his
expectation of life in proportion to his large income, and drives far away from
him the remembrance of death. And yet this pride is accompanied by distrust; for
those men, when they have had their fill, are still agitated by insatiable
desire, like this rich
man, who enlarges his barns, as
if his belly, which had been filled with his former
barns,
had not got enough. At the same time, Christ does not expressly condemn this
man for acting the part of a careful householder in storing up his produce, but
because his ravenous desire, like a deep whirlpool, swallows up and devours many
barns; from which it follows that he does not comprehend the proper use
of an abundant produce.
19.
Take thine ease, eat, drink,
enjoy thyself. When he exhorts himself
to eat and drink, he no longer remembers that he is a man, but swells
into pride by relying on his abundance. We daily perceive striking instances of
this disdainful conduct
f268 in
irreligious men, who hold up the mass of their riches, as if it were nothing
less than a brazen rampart against death. When he says,
Eat, my soul, and enjoy
thyself, there is an emphatic meaning in
this Hebrew idiom;
f269 for he
addresses himself in such a manner as to imply, that he has all that is
necessary for gratifying all his senses and all his desires.
20.
Fool, this night they will
demand thy soul from thee. The word
soul carries an allusion. Formerly, the rich man addressed his
soul as the seat of all the affections: but now, he speaks of the life
itself, or the vital spirit. The words,
they will demand,
(ajpaitou~sin)
though in the plural number, are used indefinitely, and mean nothing more
than that the life of the rich man, which he imagined to be in his
own power, was at the disposal of another. I advert to this, because some take
occasion from them to make unfounded speculations about angels. The design of
Christ is simply to show that the life of men, which they imagine to be strongly
protected by the fortress of their riches, is every moment
f270 taken
away. The rich man is thus convicted of folly, in not knowing that his
life depended on another.
21.
So is he that layeth up for
himself. As the two clauses are evidently
contrasted, the one must be taken into account for the exposition of the other.
Let us ascertain, therefore, what is meant by being rich in God, or,
“towards God” or, “with respect to God.” Those who are
tolerably acquainted with the Scriptures know that the preposition
eijv
not unfrequently takes the sense of
ejn.
But whether it be understood in the one sense or in the other, is of little
consequence; for the meaning comes to this, that they are
rich according to
God, who do not trust to earthly things,
but depend solely on his providence. It matters not whether they are in
abundance or in want, provided that both classes present their sincere prayers
to the Lord for their daily bread. The corresponding phrase,
layeth up for
himself, conveys the idea that this man
paid no attention to the blessing of God, but anxiously heaped up an immense
store, so that his confidence was shut up in his barns.
f272
Hence we may easily conclude that the parable was intended to show, that
vain are the deliberations and foolish attempts of those who, trusting to the
abundance of their wealth, do not rely on God alone, and are not satisfied with
their own share, or prepared for whatever may befall them;
f273 and,
finally, that such persons will suffer the penalty of their own
folly.
LUKE 13:1-9
|
LUKE
13:1-9
|
|
1. And at that time some were present,
who told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their
sacrifices. 2. And Jesus answering said to them, Do you imagine that
these Galileans were sinners beyond all the Galileans, because they suffered
such things? 3. I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you will all
perish in like manner. 4. Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in
Siloah fell and slew them, do you imagine that they were debtors beyond all men
that dwell in Jerusalem?
f274
5. I tell you, no; but unless you repent, you shall all perish in
like manner. 6. And he spake this parable: A certain man had a
fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and came seeking fruit on it, and did not find
it. 7. And he said to the vine-dresser, Lo, there are three years
that I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why does
it even occupy the ground?
f275
8. But he answering, said to him, Lord, let it alone this year also,
till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9. And if it bear fruit:
f276 but if
not, afterwards thou shalt cut it down.
|
2.
Do you imagine?
etc. This passage is highly useful, were
it for no other reason than that this disease is almost natural to us, to be too
rigorous and severe in judging of others, and too much disposed to flatter our
own faults. The consequence is, that we not only censure with excessive severity
the offenses of our brethren; but whenever they meet with any calamity, we
condemn them as wicked and reprobate persons. On the other hand, every man that
is not sorely pressed by the hand of God slumbers at ease in the midst of his
sins, as if God were favorable and reconciled to him. This involves a double
fault; for when God chastises any one before our eyes, he warns us of his
judgments, that each of us may examine himself, and consider what he deserves.
If he spares us for a time, we are so far from having a right to take such
kindness and forbearance as an opportunity for slumber, that we ought to regard
it as an invitation to repentance.
To correct the false and cruel judgment which we are
accustomed to pass on wretched sufferers, and, at the same time, to shake off
the indulgence which every man cherishes towards himself, he shows, first, that
those who are treated with severity are not the most wicked of all men; because
God administers his judgments in such a manner, that some are instantly seized
and punished, and others are permitted to remain long in the enjoyment of ease
and luxury, Secondly, he declares that all the calamities which happen in the
world are so many demonstrations of the wrath of God; and hence we learn what an
awful destruction awaits us,
f277 if we
do not avert it.
The immediate occasion for this exhortation was, that
some told him that Pilate had
mingled human blood with sacrifices, in
order that so shocking an event might bring sacrifices into abhorrence.
As it is probable that this outrage was committed on the Samaritans, who had
departed from the pure service of the Law, the Jews would easily and readily be
disposed to condemn the Samaritans, and by so doing to applaud themselves. But
our Lord applies it to a different purpose. As that whole nation was hated and
detested by them on account of ungodliness, he puts the question, “Do you
imagine that those wretched persons, who have been put to death by Pilate, were
worse than others? You are perfectly aware, that that country is full of ungodly
men, and that many who deserved the same punishment are still alive. He is a
blind and wicked judge who decides as to the sins of all men by the punishments
which they now endure. It is not always the most wicked man who is first dragged
to punishment; but when God selects a few out of a large number to be punished,
he holds out in their person a threatening that he will take vengeance on the
remainder, in order that all may be alarmed.”
Having spoken of the Samaritans, he now approaches
more closely to the Jews
themselves. Eighteen
men had at that time been killed by the
fall of a tower in Jerusalem. He declares that those men were not more
wicked than others, but that their death was held out to all as a ground of
alarm; for if in them God gave a display of his judgment, no more would others,
though they might be spared for a time, escape his hand. Christ does not,
however, forbid believers to consider attentively the judgments of God, but
enjoins them to observe this order, to begin with their own sins. They will thus
obtain the highest advantage; for they will avert God’s chastisements by
voluntary repentance. To the same purpose is the warning which Paul
gives,
Let no man deceive you
with vain words; for on account of these things the wrath of God cometh against
the
rebellious,
(<490506>Ephesians
5:6.)
6.
He spoke also this
parable. The substance of it is, that
many are endured for a time who deserve to be cut off; but that they gain
nothing by the delay, if they persist in their obstinacy. The wicked flattery,
by which hypocrites are hardened, and become more obstinate, arises from this
cause, that they do not think of their sins till they are compelled; and,
therefore, so long as God winks at these, and delays his chastisements, they
imagine that he is well satisfied with them. Thus they indulge themselves more
freely, as if, to use the words of Isaiah, (28:15,) they had made a covenant
with death, and were in friendship with the grave. And this is the reason
why Paul denounces them in such earnestness of language for
treasuring up to
themselves the wrath of God against the last day,
(<450205>Romans
2:5.)
It is well known that trees are sometimes preserved,
not because their owners find them to be useful and productive, but because the
careful and industrious husbandman makes every possible trial and experiment
before he determines to remove them out of the field or vineyard. This teaches
us that, when the Lord does not immediately take vengeance on the reprobate, but
delays to punish them, there are the best reasons for his forbearance. Such
considerations serve to restrain human rashness, that no man may dare to murmur
against the supreme Judge of all, if He does not always execute his judgments in
one uniform manner. A comparison is here drawn between the
owner
and the
vine-dresser:
not that God’s ministers go beyond him in gentleness and forbearance,
but because the Lord not only prolongs the life of sinners, but likewise
cultivates them in a variety of ways, that they may yield better
fruit.
LUKE 13:10-17
|
LUKE
13:10-17
|
|
10. And he was teaching in one of the
synagogues on the Sabbath. 11. And, lo, a woman who had a spirit of
infirmity during eighteen years, and was bent down, and was altogether unable to
lift up her head.
f278
12. Whom when Jesus saw, he called her to him, and said to her, Woman,
thou art delivered from thine infirmity. 13. And he laid his hands
on her, and immediately she stood upright, and glorified God.
14. And the ruler of the synagogue answering, being offended because
Christ had performed a cure on the Sabbath, said to the multitude, There are six
days on which we ought to work: on them therefore come, and you shall be cured,
and not on the Sabbath-day. 15. And the Lord answering said to her,
Doth not each of you, on the Sabbath, loose his ox or his ass from the stall,
and lead him away to watering? 16. And must not this daughter of
Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on
the Sabbath-day? 17. And while he was saying these things, all his
adversaries were ashamed, and all the people rejoiced on account of all the
glorious actions which were done by him.
|
I have resolved to place in immediate connection some
events which are detailed by Luke alone, without a direct reference to dates;
for on that point, as we have formerly mentioned, the Evangelists did not care
much about exactness. We shall afterwards find a more suitable time for
returning to the Harmony of the Three Evangelists.
11.
And, lo, a
woman. Here is related a miracle
performed on a woman who was cured, and the offense which the malignity of the
Jews led them to take up, because our Lord had cured her on a
Sabbath-day. Luke says that the woman was held by a
spirit of
infirmity, so that her body was bent by
the contraction of her nerves. As the nature of the disease is no farther
described, it is probable that it was not one of an ordinary kind, or which was
understood by physicians; and, therefore, he calls it a spirit of
infirmity.
We know that diseases of an unusual and extraordinary kind are, for the most
part, inflicted on men through the agency of the devil; and this gave the more
striking display of the divine power of Christ, which triumphed over Satan. Not
that Satan rules over men according to his pleasure, but only so far as God
grants to him permission to injure them. Besides, as the Lord, from whom alone
all our blessings flow, makes his glory to shine with peculiar brightness in
those blessings which are more remarkable, and of rare occurrence; so, on the
other hand, it is his will that the power and tyranny of Satan should be chiefly
regarded in extraordinary chastisements, though his agency is likewise employed
in those more gentle applications of the rod, which we experience from day to
day.
12.
Woman, thou art
delivered. In this miracle, as well as
in others, Christ exhibited a proof both of his power and of his grace; for in
this manner he testified that he had come for the purpose of granting relief to
the wretched. His power is expressed in these words,
Woman, thou art
delivered; for he authoritatively
declares that deliverance was at his own disposal, and employs, at the same
time, the outward sign, the use of which we have explained on a former
occasion.
13.
And glorified
God. As to the people
glorifying
God, it is mentioned in order to inform
us, that this was distinctly perceived to be a heavenly blessing. It was not
some doubtful work which allowed room for argument on either side, but one which
afforded ample and undoubted grounds for praising God. This discovers more
strongly the malignity of the
ruler of the
synagogue.
14.
There are six
days. This reprover does not venture to
pass censure openly on Christ, but points the venom of his dislike to another
quarter, and indirectly condemns Christ in the person of the multitude. What an
astonishing display of furious malice!
Six
days, he tells them, were set apart for
labor; but how incorrectly and foolishly does he define that work, which
is not permitted but on six
days! Why does he not likewise forbid
them to enter the synagogue, lest they should violate the Sabbath? Why does he
not order them to refrain from all the exercises of godliness? But granting that
men are restrained from following their own employments on
the
Sabbath-day, how unreasonable is it that
the grace of God should be limited in that manner!
On them, therefore, come and you
shall be cured. He bids them come on the
other days to seek a cure, as if the power of God lay asleep on
Sabbath, and were not rather exerted chiefly on that day for the salvation
of his people. What purpose is to be served by the holy assemblies, except to
give an opportunity to believers for entreating the Divine assistance? That
ungodly hypocrite talks as if the lawful observation of the Sabbath
interrupted the course of God’s favors, hindered men from calling upon
him, and took away from them all feeling of his kindness.
15.
Doth not every one of you?
etc. Such a combination of malice and
stupidity might easily have been exposed in many ways, but Christ satisfied
himself with this single argument. If it be lawful on the Sabbath, to
perform the offices of humanity to cattle, it is ridiculous to imagine that the
due observance of it will prevent assistance from being granted to the children
of God. The words of Christ present a twofold comparison: that of the cattle
with the daughter of
Abraham, and that of the halter by which
the ass or the ox is tied to its stall with the chains of
Satan, by which he holds men bound to their destruction. “You,” says
he, “who are so scrupulous about observing the Sabbath, venture to
loose oxen and asses, and lead
them away to watering. And why may not I
be permitted to perform a similar office of kindness to the elect people of God;
especially when the necessity is more urgent, when some one is to be delivered
from the snares of Satan?”
Now though the wicked reprover was struck dumb with
shame, yet we perceive that Christ never performed any work, however
illustrious, which wicked men did not seize as an occasion for slander. Nor need
we wonder that Satan labored, with incessant zeal and exertions, to subvert the
glory of Christ; for he is constantly employed in spreading his clouds, in order
to darken the holy actions of believers.
LUKE 13:31-33
|
LUKE
13:31-33
|
|
31. The same day some of the Pharisees
came, saying to him, Depart, and go hence: for Herod intends to kill thee.
32. And he said to them, Go, tell that fox, Lo, I cast out devils, and
I perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am completed.
f279
33. But yet I must walk today and tomorrow, and the following day; for
it is not a usual occurrence that a prophet perish anywhere else than in
Jerusalem. f280
|
It deserves our attention, that Christ gives the
designation, daughter of
Abraham, to one whose body had
been enslaved by Satan during
eighteen years. She was so called, not only in
reference to her lineage, as all the Jews without exception gloried in this
title, but because she was one of the true and actual members of the Church.
Here we perceive also what Paul tells us, that some are
delivered to Satan for
the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the
Lord
Jesus,
(<460505>1
Corinthians 5:5.)
And the length of time points out to us that, though
the Lord does not immediately relieve our distresses, yet we ought not to
despair.
It is difficult to ascertain the precise time when
this happened, farther than that Christ was at that time residing in Galilee, as
during the whole period of his public calling he remained longer there than in
any other place. Certain persons, wishing to be considered as his friends,
advise him that, if he wishes to be in safety, he should go beyond the
boundaries of Herod’s jurisdiction. In what manner those who gave that
advice were affected towards him we have no means of knowing; but I am strongly
inclined to conjecture, that they attempted to drive him to some other place,
because they saw that the greater part of the people in that place were attached
to Christ, so that the Gospel was generally received. We must observe who those
advisers were. Luke says that they were
some of the
Pharisees. Now we know that that sect
was not so favorable to Christ as to make it probable that those men were
anxious about his life. What then? Their design was, to awaken in him such fears
as would drive him to some place of concealment; for they expected that, in a
short time, his authority would decline, and that his whole doctrine would
vanish away. But we must also direct our attention to the first originator and
contriver of this scheme, Satan; for, as he endeavored at that time to interrupt
the progress of the Gospel, by terrifying the Son of God, so he constantly
invents and hatches up new grounds of alarm, to strike the ministers of Christ
with dismay, and to constrain them to turn aside.
32.
Go, tell that
fox. It is certain, that the person here
spoken of is Herod Antipas. Though he had throughout the character of a
fox,
and was as remarkable for servility as for cunning, I do not think that the
term,
fox,
is intended to refer generally to the cunning of his whole life, but rather
to the insidious methods by which he labored to undermine the doctrine of the
Gospel, when he did not venture to attack it openly. Christ tells him that, with
all his craftiness, he will gain nothing by his schemes. “Whatever
artifices he may devise,” says Christ,
“today and
tomorrow I will discharge the office
which God has enjoined upon me; and when I shall have reached the end of my
course, I shall then be offered in sacrifice.” That we may perceive more
clearly the meaning of the words, Christ acknowledges, in the former part of his
message, that on the third day—that is, within a very short
time—he must die; and in this way shows, that he could not be deterred
from his duty by any fear of death, to which he advanced boldly, with fixed
purpose of mind.
33.
It does not usually happen,
etc. He next adds, that it is an idle
bugbear, which is held out by false and hypocritical advisers; because there is
no danger of death anywhere else
than at Jerusalem. In this second clause
he sharply attacks the Pharisees. “Is it you, who—I
foresee—will be my executioners, that advise me to beware of
Herod?” The reproof extends, indeed, much farther; for he
says, not only that preparations had been made for his own death in
Jerusalem, but that it might be said to have been, for a long period, a
den of robbers, in which almost all the prophets had been murdered. Many
had, no doubt, been slain in other places, and particularly at the time when
that cruel fury,
f281
Jezebel,
(<111902>1
Kings 19:2,) raged against them; but because in no other place had the
prophets, at any time, been fiercely tormented, Christ justly brings this
reproach against the ungodly inhabitants of the holy city.
It usually
happened that the prophets were slain
there; because not only was it the source of all the ungodliness which spread
over the whole of Judea, but it was also the field on which God trained his
prophets.
f282
We know that the more brightly the light of doctrine shines, so as to press
more closely on wicked men, they are driven to a greater pitch of madness. What
a dreadful example was it, that a place which had been chosen to be the
sanctuary of divine worship, and the residence of the Law and of heavenly
wisdom, should be polluted not by one or another murder,, but by a regular
butchery of the prophets! It undoubtedly shows how obstinate is the
rebellion of the world in rejecting sound doctrine.
The exclamation which immediately follows in Luke,
(13:34,) appears to be connected in such a manner, as if Christ had taken
occasion from the present occurrence to inveigh, at this time, against
Jerusalem.
But for my own part, I rather think, that Luke, having said that
Jerusalem
had been formerly stained by the blood of the
prophets,
nay, had been, through an uninterrupted succession of many ages, the
slaughter-place, where the prophets were cruelly and wickedly put to death,
immediately inserts, according to his custom, a statement which harmonized with
that discourse. We have seen, on former occasions, that it is by no means
unusual with him to introduce into one place a collection of Christ’s
sayings, which were uttered at various times.
LUKE 11:37-41
|
LUKE
11:37-41
|
|
37. And while he was speaking, a certain
Pharisee requested him to dine with him; and he entered and sat down at table.
38. And when the Pharisee saw it, he wondered that he had not first
washed before dinner. 39. And the Lord said to him, Now you
Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate; and what is within
you is full of cruelty and wickedness. 40. Fools, did not he who
made what is without make also what is within? 41. But out of what
you have
f283 give
alms; and, lo, all things are clean to you.
|
This narrative agrees in some respects, but not
entirely, with the doctrine laid down by Matthew, (10:1-20,) that Christ, in
order to correct the superstition of the people, and particularly of the
scribes, intentionally disregarded outward ceremonies of human invention, which
the Jews were too solicitous to observe. God had prescribed in his Law certain
kinds of washings, that by means of them he might train his people
usefully to the consideration of true purity. The Jews, not satisfied with this
moderate portion had added many other washings, and more especially, that no
person should partake of food till he had been washed with the water of
purification, as Mark relates more minutely, (12:3,4,) and as is also evident
from John, (2:6.) This fault was accompanied by wicked confidence; for they
cared little about the spiritual worship of God, and thought that they had
perfectly discharged their duty, when the figure was substituted in the place of
God. Christ is fully aware that his neglect of this ceremony will give offense,
but he declines to observe it, in order to show that God sets very little value
on outward cleanness, but demands the spiritual righteousness of the
heart.
39.
Now you
Pharisees. Christ does not here charge
the Pharisees, as in Matthew, (15:1-20,) and Mark, (12:2-13,) with
serving God in an improper manner by human inventions, and breaking the law of
God for the sake of their traditions; but merely glances at their hypocrisy, in
having no desire of purity except before the eyes of men, as if they had not to
deal with God. Now this reproof applies to all hypocrites, even to those who
believe that righteousness consists in ceremonies appointed by God. Christ
includes more than if he had said, that it is in vain to serve God by the
commandments of men,
(<410707>Mark
7:7;) for he condemns generally the error of worshipping God by ceremonies, and
not spiritually, by faith and a pure affection of the heart.
On this point the prophets had always contended
earnestly with the Jews; but, as the minds of men are strongly inclined to
hypocrisy, they proudly and obstinately adhered to the conviction, that God is
pleased with external worship, even when it is not accompanied by faith. But in
the time of Christ, they had sunk to such depth of folly, that they made
religion to consist entirely in absolute trifles. Accordingly, he directs his
accusation against the Pharisees, for being extremely careful to
wash
cups, and cherishing
within their hearts the most
abominable filth of cruelty and wickedness.
He charges them with folly on this ground, that God, who created
that which is within the
man, his soul, as truly as the body,
cannot be satisfied with a mere external appearance. The chief reason why men
are deceived is, that they do not consider that they have to deal with God, or,
they transform Him according to the vanity of their senses, as if there were no
difference between Him and a mortal man.
41.
But out of what you have,
give alms. Christ, according to his
custom, withdraws the Pharisees from ceremonies to charity, declaring that it is
not water, but liberality,
f284 that
cleanses both men and food. By these words he does not disparage the grace of
God, or reject the ceremonies of the Law as vain and useless; but addresses his
discourse to those who feel confident that God will be amused by mere signs.
“It is the lawful use alone,” he says, “that sanctifies food.
But food is rightly and properly used by those who supply from their abundance
the necessities of the poor. It would therefore be better
to give alms out of what you
have, than to be careful about washing
hands and cups, and to neglect the poor.”
The inference which the Papists draw from these
words, that alms are satisfactions, by which we are cleansed from our
sins, is too absurd to require a lengthened refutation. Christ does not here
inform us by what price we must purchase the forgiveness of sins, but says that
those persons eat their bread with cleanness, who bestow a part of it on the
poor. I understand the words,
ta<
ejno>nta, to mean “the present
supply,”
f284a and
not, as Erasmus and the old translator render them, “what remains
over.” f284b
The reproofs which immediately follow may be
reserved, with greater propriety, for another occasion. I do not think it
probable that Christ, while sitting at table, indulged in this continuous strain
of invective against scribes and Pharisees, but that Luke has introduced
here what was spoken at another time; for the Evangelists, as we have frequently
mentioned, paid little attention to the order of dates.
LUKE 14:1-6
|
LUKE
14:1-6
|
|
1. And it happened that he entered into
the house of a certain ruler of the Pharisees on a Sabbath, to take food, and
they watched him. 2. And, lo, a certain man who had a dropsy was
before him, 3. And Jesus answering said to the lawyers
f284c and
Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath? 4. But they
were silent; and he took and cured him, and sent him away. 5. And he
answering to them said, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox that shall fall
into a pit, and will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath-day?
6. And they could not answer him to these things.
|
This narrative contains nothing more than a miracle
which Christ performed, in order to correct the superstitious observance of the
Sabbath. For he did not, intend, as some imagine, absolutely to abolish the
Sabbath, but only to point out, that neither the works of God, nor the duties of
charity, violate the holy rest which is enjoined by the law. Whether or not
those very persons had purposely brought the dropsical man to that place cannot
be known with certainty. He unquestionably could not be present at the table by
accident, nor break into a private dwelling without the permission and consent
of the owner. It is therefore probable, that he was placed there with the
concealed design of tempting Christ, which, on their part, was as foolish an
action as it was wicked; for they had already known by experience what Christ
was accustomed to do, whenever a similar occasion presented
itself.
3.
Is it lawful to cure on
Sabbath? The meaning of this question is, ought
the curing of a man to be reckoned among the works which violate the
Sabbath? If they had said that the observance of the Sabbath is violated in this
way, the reply was obvious, that it is a work of God. Now the law of the Sabbath
goes no farther, than that men shall rest from their own works. Christ first
puts the question to them, and he does so for the purpose of guarding against
offense. It would not have been necessary for him to pacify them, if they had
not been instigated by hardened malice. Not that he always laid himself under
this restriction; for in many cases he did what had been enjoined on him by the
Father, without attending to the offense that might arise from it. But he
intended to show by this example, that he did not inconsiderately perform
miracles on Sabbath, because he was prepared to assign a reason for what he did.
They, on the other hand, make it evident by their silence, that their desire of
finding fault is stronger than their zeal for the law; and therefore Christ
treats with utter indifference their opinion about his action, because it was
evident that they intentionally sought out an occasion of
offense.
5.
Which of you shall have an ox
or an ass? Though they did not deserve
that Christ should take pains to remove the offense, yet he shows that he did
nothing inconsistent with the observance of the Sabbath. And this he undoubtedly
does, not so much with the view of instructing them, as of protecting himself
against their slanders; for he knew that they were too much blinded by virulent
hatred to yield submissively, to argument, but wished to triumph over their
malice, by compelling them through shame to be silent. If we are at liberty to
relieve brute animals on Sabbath, it would be unreasonable that we should not
perform a similar office of kindness to man, who is formed after the image of
God.
LUKE 14:7-14
|
LUKE
14:7-14
|
|
7. And he spoke a parable to those who
were invited, observing how they chose the first seats, saying to them:
8. When thou shalt be invited by any one to a marriage, do not sit
at table in the first seat, lest perhaps a more honorable person than thyself be
invited by him, 9. And he who invited thee and him come and say to
thee, Give place to this man, and thou begin then with shame to occupy the
lowest place. 10. But on the contrary, when thou shalt be invited,
go, and sit at table in the lowest place, that when he who hath invited thee
shall come, he may say to thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have honor
in presence of those who sit at table with thee. 11. For every one
that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be
exalted. 12. And he said to him by whom he had been invited, When
thou makest a dinner or supper, invite not thy friends, nor thy brethren, nor
thy relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also in their turn invite thee, and
a recompense be made thee. 13. But when thou makest a banquet,
invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. 14. And thou
shalt be blessed, because they cannot recompense thee; for thou shalt be
recompensed at the resurrection of the righteous.
|
7.
And he spoke a parable to
those who were invited. We know to what an
extent ambition prevailed among the Pharisees and all the scribes. While they
desired to exercise a haughty dominion over all other men, the superiority among
themselves was likewise an object of emulation. It is constantly the case with
men who are desirous of empty applause, that they cherish envy towards each
other, every one endeavoring to draw to himself what others imagine to be due to
them. Thus the Pharisees and scribes, while they were all equally disposed, in
presence of the people, to glory in the title of holy order, are now disputing
among themselves about the degree of honor, because every one claims for himself
the highest place.
This ambition of theirs Christ exposes to ridicule by
an appropriate parable. If any one sitting at another man’s table were to
occupy the highest place, and were afterwards compelled to give way to a
more
honorable person, it would not be
without shame and dishonor that he was ordered by the master of the feast to
take a different place. But the same thing must happen to all who proudly give
themselves out as superior to others; for God will bring upon them disgrace and
contempt. It must be observed, that Christ is not now speaking of outward and
civil modesty; for we often see that the haughtiest men excel in this respect,
and civilly, as the phrase is, profess great modesty. But by a comparison
taken from men, he describes what we ought to be inwardly before God.
“Were it to happen that a guest should foolishly take possession of the
highest place, and should, on that account, be put down to the lowest, he would
be so completely overpowered with shame as to wish that he had never gone
higher. Lest the same thing should happen to you, that God would punish your
arrogance with the deepest disgrace, resolve, of your own accord, to be humble
and modest.”
11.
For every one that exalteth
himself shall be humbled. This clause
makes it evident that ambition was the subject of which Christ was speaking; for
he does not state what usually happens in the ordinary life of men, but declares
that God will be their Judge, who
resisteth the
proud, and humbleth their haughtiness,
but giveth grace to the humble,
(<590406>James
4:6;
<600505>1
Peter 5:5;
<19D806>Psalm
138:6.) Scripture is full of similar testimonies, that God is an enemy to all
who desire to exalt themselves, as all who claim for themselves any merit must
of necessity make war with Him. It is a manifestation of pride to boast of the
gifts of God, as if there were any excellence in ourselves, that would exalt us
on the ground of our own merit. Humility, on the other hand, must be not only an
unfeigned abasement, but a real annihilation of ourselves, proceeding from a
thorough knowledge of our own weakness, the entire absence of lofty pretensions,
and a conviction that whatever excellence we possess comes from the grace of God
alone.
12.
When thou makest a
dinner. Those who think that this is an
absolute condemnation of entertainments given by relatives and friends to each
other, take away a part of civility from among men. It were not only unfeeling,
but barbarous, to exclude relatives from the hospitable table, and to class them
only with strangers. Christ did not intend to dissuade us from every thing
courteous, but merely to show, that acts of civility, which are customary among
men, are no proof whatever of charity. To perform any act, in the hope of a
reward, to rich men, from whom we expect a similar return, is not generosity,
but a system of commercial exchange; and, in like manner, kind offices, rendered
from mercenary views, are of no account in the sight of God, and do not deserve
to be ascribed to charity. If I entertain at supper my relatives or rich
friends, the act of civility ought not in itself to be condemned, but, as a
proof of charity, it will have no value whatever; for we frequently see that
persons who are extremely selfish grudge no expense or luxury in treating their
friends. What then? You may spread a table for the rich, but, at the same time,
you must not neglect the poor; you may feast with your friends and relatives,
but you must not shut out strangers, if they shall happen to be poor, and if you
shall have the means of relieving their wants. In a word, the meaning of the
passage is, that those who are kind to relatives and friends, but are niggardly
towards the poor, are entitled to no commend-ation; because they do not exercise
charity, but consult only their own gain or ambition.
Christ addresses, in a particular manner, the person
who had invited him; because he perceived that he was too much addicted to pomp
and luxury, and was so desirous to obtain the applause and favor of the rich,
that he cared very little about the poor. Accordingly, in the person of one man,
this reproof is directed against all those who spend their wealth in ambitious
display, or who bargain for mutual compensation, but leave nothing over for the
poor, as if they were afraid that whatever is gratuitously bestowed would be
lost.
14.
And thou shalt be
blessed. Christ pronounces those to be
blessed who exercise liberality without any expectation of earthly
reward; for they manifestly look to God. Those who constantly keep in view their
own advantage, or who are driven by the gale of popularity, have no right to
expect a reward from God.
MATTHEW 22:1-24; LUKE
14:15-24
|
MATTHEW
12:1-14
|
LUKE
14:15-24
|
|
1. And Jesus answering, spoke again by
parables, and said, 2. The kingdom of heaven is like a human king
who made a marriage for his son, 3. And sent out his servants to
call those who were invited to the marriage, and they refused to come.
4. Again he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are
invited, Lo, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all
things are ready: come to the marriage. 5. But they treated it with
indifference, and went away, one to his farm, and another to his merchandise:
6. And the rest took his servants, and abused and killed them.
7. But when the king heard it, he was angry, and sent his soldiers,
and slew these murderers, and burnt up their city. 8. Then he said
to his servants, The marriage is indeed ready, but those who were invited were
not worthy. 9. Go then to the highways, and whomsoever you shall
find invite to the marriage. 10. And his servants went out to the
roads, and collected all that they found, both bad and good, so that the
marriage-apartment was filled with guests. 11. And the king, having
come in to see the guests, when he saw there a man not wearing the wedding
garment, 12. Said to him, Friend, how camest thou hither, not
having the wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13. Then said
the king to his attendants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into outer
darkness: weeping and gnashing of teeth will be there. 14. For many
are called, but few are chosen.
|
15. And when one of those who sat at
table with him heard these things, he said to him, Blessed is he that eateth
f285 bread
in the kingdom of God. 16. But he said to him, A certain man had
prepared a great supper, and had invited many. 17. And he sent his
servant at the hour of supper to say to those who were invited, Come; for all
things are now ready. 18. And they all began together
f286 to
excuse themselves. 19. The first said to him, I have purchased an
estate, and I must go and see it: I beseech thee hold me excused.
20. And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot
come. 21. And the servant returned, and brought back these things
to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant,
Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the
poor, and the maimed, and the lame, and the blind. 22. And the
servant said, Sir, it is done as thou hast commanded, and still there is room.
23. And the master said to the servant, Go out to the roads and
hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
24. For I say to you, That none of those men who were invited shall
taste of my supper.
|
Matthew 22:1.
And Jesus
answering. Though Matthew relates
this parable among other discourses which were delivered by Christ about the
time of the last Passover, yet as he does not specify any particular time, and
as Luke expressly affirms that Christ delivered this discourse
while he sat at table in the
house of a Pharisee, I have thought it
better to follow this order. The design which Matthew had in view was, to point
out the reasons why the scribes were excited to the highest pitch of fury; and
therefore he properly placed it in the midst of those discourses which were
hateful to them, and interwove it with those discourses, without attending to
the order of time. But we must attend to Luke’s narrative, who says
that, when one of those who sat
at table with him said, Blessed is he that eateth bread in the kingdom of
God, Christ took occasion from it to
upbraid the Jews with ingratitude. It is by no means probable, that the guest
and friend of a Pharisee broke out into this exclamation from any sincere
feeling of piety. Still, I do not look upon it as having been spoken in
derision; but, as persons who have a moderate knowledge of the faith, and are
not openly wicked, are in the habit of indulging, amidst their cups, in idle
talk about eternal life, I think that this man threw out a remark about future
blessedness, in order to draw out some observation in return from Christ. And
his words make it manifest, that he had nothing in view beyond what was gross
and earthly; for he did not employ the phrase, eat bread, as a metaphor
for enjoy eternal
life, but appears to have dreamed of I
know not what state, filled with prosperity and abundance of all things. The
meaning is, Blessed shall they be who shall eat the bread of God,
f287
after that he has collected his children into his
kingdom.
2.
The kingdom of heaven is like
a human king. As it was long ago said by
a Spartan, that the Athenians knew what was right, but did not choose to
practice it; so Christ now brings it as a reproach against the Jews, that they
gave utterance to beautiful expressions about the
kingdom of
God, but, when God kindly and gently
invited them, they rejected his grace with disdain. There is no room to doubt
that the discourse is expressly levelled against the Jews, as will more plainly
appear a little afterwards.
Matthew and Luke differ in this
respect, that Matthew details many circumstances, while Luke
states the matter summarily, and in a general manner. Thus, Matthew
says that a king made
a marriage for his son: Luke only
mentions a great
supper. The former speaks of
many
servants, while the latter refers to no
more than one
servant; the former describes many
messages, the latter mentions one only; the former says that some of
the servants were abused or slain, the latter speaks only of their being
treated with contempt. Lastly, the former relates that a man was cast out, who
had
gone in to the marriage
without a wedding garment, of which Luke
makes no mention. But we have formerly pointed out a similar distinction, that
Matthew, in explaining the same thing, is more copious, and enters into
fuller details. There is a remarkable agreement between them on the main points
of the parable.
God bestowed on the Jews distinguished honor, by
providing for them, as it were, a hospitable table; but they despised the honor
which had been conferred upon them. The marriage of the king’s son is
explained by many commentators to mean, that Christ is the end of the Law,
(<451004>Romans
10:4.) and that God had no other design in his covenant, than to make him the
Governor of his people, and to unite the Church to him by the sacred bond of a
spiritual marriage. I have no objection to that view. But when he says, that the
servants were sent to call those
who were invited, these words are
intended to point out a double favor which the Jews had received from God;
first, in being preferred to other nations; and, secondly, in having their
adoption made known to them by the prophets. The allusion is to a practice
customary among men, that those who intended to
make a
marriage drew up a list of the persons
whom they intended to have as guests, and afterwards sent invitations to them by
their servants. In like manner, God elected the Jews in preference to others, as
if they had been his familiar friends, and afterwards
called them
by the prophets to partake of the promised
redemption, which was, as it were, to feast
at a
marriage. It is true that those who were
first invited did not live till the coming of Christ; but we know that all
received an offer of the same salvation, of which they were deprived by their
ingratitude and malice; for from the commencement, God’s invitation was
impiously despised by that people.
f288
4.
Again he sent other
servants. He speaks as if it had been
the same persons who were invited, for it was one body of the people. The
meaning is, that when the happy and joyful day of redemption drew near, they
were warned to be ready; for they had been long ago informed as to the time. But
now Christ told them that, at the very hour, fresh messengers were sent to
entreat them to come with haste; for the first invitation which he mentions
includes all the former prophecies, down to the publication of the Gospel. For a
long period, they exercised cruelty on the prophets; but their fury grew as the
time advanced, and at length spent all its force on Christ and the apostles. For
this reason, he charges the ancient people with nothing more than contempt and
pride, but says, that the servants who had been last sent, and who arrived at
the hour of supper, were abused or slain. That people arrived at
the highest pitch of their crimes, when their haughty rejection of his grace was
followed by the madness of cruelty. And yet he does not charge all of them
equally with crime; for even at the latest call, which was given by the Gospel,
the grace of God was in part ridiculed by careless despisers, and in part was
furiously rejected by hypocrites. And thus it usually happens, that ungodly men
break out into fiercer rage against God, in proportion to the earnestness with
which he invites them to salvation.
We must now consider that part of doctrine which is
conveyed both by Matthew and by Luke.
One went to his field, and
another to his merchandise; or, as Luke
expresses it, one pleaded that he
had married a wife; another that he had
purchased a
field; and another that he had bought
five yoke of oxen. By these words Christ pronounces the Jews to have been so
entirely devoted to the world and to earthly things, that no man found leisure
to approach to God; for the cares of this world, when we become entangled by
them, are so many impediments in our way to keep us back from the kingdom of
God. It is truly base and shameful, that men who were created for a heavenly
life, should be under the influence of such brutish stupidity, as to be entirely
carried away after transitory things. But this disease is universally prevalent;
so that hardly one person in a hundred can be found, who prefers the kingdom of
God to fading riches, or to any other kind of advantages. Though all are not
infected with the same disease, every man is led away by his desires; in
consequence of which, all are wandering in various directions.
Besides, it deserves our attention, that ungodly men
hold out fair pretences for rejecting the grace of God; as if their indolence
might be excused, because they are entirely occupied with the affairs of the
present life, and care little about a heavenly inheritance. But we see how
Christ takes from us all such excuses, that no man may imagine it to be of any
advantage for him to plead that he is detained by engagements of an earthly
nature. On the contrary, men commit a double fault, when they allow themselves
to be retarded by those things which are in themselves lawful, and which ought
rather to have aided their progress. For why does God allow us the conveniences
of the present life, but in order to draw us to himself? And yet so far is it
from being true, that all have earnest desires towards heaven, in proportion as
they are assisted by acts of the Divine kindness, that even holy marriage, and
fields, and other riches, are so many snares to bind every man more closely to
the earth.
7.
But when the king heard
it. This punishment is mentioned by
Matthew alone; for Luke makes no mention of any outrage committed on the
servants. Both concur in stating, that those who did not come at the appointed
time were shut out, and deprived of the honor of being present at the banquet.
But this doctrine applies equally to us; for the same destruction which Christ
denounces against the Jews awaits all the ungodly, who violently oppose the
ministers of the Gospel. Those who are so entirely occupied with earthly cares,
as to set no value on the divine invitation, will at length perish miserably in
famine and want; and therefore, whenever God calls us, let us be prepared and
ready to follow.
9.
Go therefore to the highways. Having
shown that they are unworthy of the grace of God who disdainfully reject it when
offered to them, he now says that their place is supplied by others, by the mean
and despised common people. And here is described the calling of the Gentiles,
which is to excite the Jews to jealousy, as we have it in the Song of
Moses;
They have provoked me by
those who are not gods, and I will provoke them by that which is not a people,
and by a foolish nation will I enrage them,
(<053221>Deuteronomy
32:21.)
Having been first elected, they imagined that the
grace of God was bound to them, as if God could not want them; and how haughtily
they despised all others is well known. Thus by way of admission, he compares
the Gentiles to the poor, the blind, and the lame. He says that
they are called from the cross-roads, and from the streets, as
strangers and unknown persons; but yet declares that they will occupy that place
which friends and domestics had treated with indifference. What the prophets had
obscurely foretold about creating a new church is now plainly expressed. This
dishonor was the completion of the divine vengeance on the Jews, when
God
cut them off, and
ingrafted wild branches into
the
stock of the olive-tree,
(<451117>Romans
11:17;)
when he threw them off, and received the polluted and
filthy Gentiles into his house. But if at that time he spared not the natural
branches,
(<451121>Romans
11:21,) the same punishment will this day be inflicted on us, if we do not
answer to his call. The supper which had been prepared for us will not be lost,
but God will invite other guests.
Luke 14:23.
Compel them to come
in. This expression means, that the
master of the house would give orders to make use, as it were, of violence for
compelling the attendance of the poor, and to leave out none of the lowest dregs
of the people. By these words Christ declares that he would rake together all
the offscourings of the world, rather than he would ever admit such ungrateful
persons to his table. The allusion appears to be to the manner in which the
Gospel invites us; for the grace of God is not merely offered to us, but
doctrine is accompanied by exhortations fitted to arouse our minds. This is a
display of the astonishing goodness of God, who, after freely inviting
us, and perceiving that we give ourselves up to sleep, addresses our
slothfulness by earnest entreaties, and not only arouses us by exhortations, but
even compels us by threatenings to draw near to him. At the same time, I
do not disapprove of the use which Augustine frequently made of this passage
against the Donatists, to prove that godly princes may lawfully issue edicts,
for compelling obstinate and rebellious persons to worship the true God,
and to maintain the unity of the faith; for, though faith is voluntary, yet we
see that such methods are useful for subduing the obstinacy of those who will
not yield until they are compelled.
Matthew 22:11.
And the king, having come in
to see the guests. Here Christ does not
reproach the Jews with having wickedly despised the grace and calling of
God; but gives early warning to those who would be placed in their room, not to
pollute with their filth the holy marriage, when God shall bestow upon them
admission to his table. Hitherto he has taught that the Jews, on account of
their ungodly and disdainful conduct, would be deprived of the peculiar honor
and privilege which they had enjoyed; and that from among the irreligious and
abhorred Gentiles would men be called to occupy their place. But now he
threatens that, out of this very number, those who bring reproach upon the
Church will be expelled; for God invites all indiscriminately by the Gospel, and
thus many unholy and abominable persons creep in, who, though for a time they
are admitted along with others, yet, when God reviews the guests, will be thrown
out and dragged to punishment. The general truth conveyed is, that not all who
have once entered the Church will become partakers of everlasting life, but only
those who are found to wear the dress which befits the heavenly
palace.
As to the
wedding
garment, is it faith, or is it a holy
life? This is a useless controversy; for faith cannot be separated from good
works, nor do good works proceed from any other source than from faith. But
Christ intended only to state, that the Lord calls us on the express condition
of our being renewed by the Spirit after his image; and that, in order to our
remaining permanently in his house, we must put off the old man with his
pollutions,
(<510309>Colossians
3:9;
<490422>Ephesians
4:22,) and lead a new life, that the garment may correspond to so
honorable a calling. But a question arises, how comes it that a beggar is
punished so severely for not bringing a wedding garment; as if it were
unusual to see the wretched people, who beg their bread on the public roads,
wearing tattered and ugly clothes? I reply, the question is not as to the manner
in which the garment is to be procured; for whomsoever the Lord invites
he at the same time supplies with clothing, and in all of us is fulfilled what
Ezekiel says, (16:6-14,) that God finds nothing in us but wretchedness, and
nakedness, and abominable filth, but adorns us with magnificent attire. We know
also, that there is no other way in which we are formed anew after the image of
God, but by putting on Christ,
(<451314>Romans
13:14;
<480327>Galatians
3:27.) It is not, therefore, the declaration of Christ, that the sentence of
casting them into outer darkness will be executed on wretched men who did
not bring a costly garment taken from their own wardrobe, but on those
who shall be found in their pollution, when God shall come to make a scrutiny of
his guests.
14.
For many are called, but few
are chosen. The object of the parable is
pointed out by the conclusion, that
few are
chosen, though
many are
called; from which we infer, that we
ought not to attempt an ingenious explanation of every minute clause. But
lately, Christ did not threaten that the greater part would be thrown out, but
mentioned one man only; and now we learn from him, that out of a large number
few will be retained. And certainly, though in the present day a more numerous
body of men is collected into the Church by the Gospel than was formerly
collected by the Law, it is but a small portion of them whose faith is evinced
by newness of life. Let us not flatter ourselves with the empty title of faith,
but let every man seriously examine himself, that at the final review he may be
pronounced to be one of the lawful guests; for, as Paul reminds us, that the
vessels in the Lord’s house are not all of the same kind,
so
let every one that
calleth on the name of the
Lord
depart from iniquity,
(<550219>2
Timothy 2:19,20.)
I enter no farther, at present, into the question
about the eternal election of God; for the words of Christ mean nothing more
than this, that the external profession of faith is not a sufficient proof that
God will acknowledge as his people all who appear to have accepted of his
invitation. f289
LUKE 16:1-15
|
LUKE
16:1-15
|
|
1. And he said also to his disciples,
There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and he was accused to him that
he was wasting his estate. 2. And he called him, and said to him,
What is this that I hear of thee? render an account of thy stewardship, for thou
shalt no longer have it in thy power to be steward. 3. And the
steward said within himself, What shall I do, since my master taketh from me my
stewardship? I cannot dig, and am ashamed to beg. 4. I know what I
shall do, that, when I shall be dismissed from the stewardship, they may receive
me f290
into their houses. 5. Having therefore sent for each of his
master’s debtors, he said to the first, How much owest thou to my master?
6. And he said, A hundred baths of oil. And he said to him, Take thy
bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
f291
7. Then he said to another, And how much owest thou? Who said, A
hundred measures of barley. He saith to him, Take thy bill, and write eighty.
8. And the master commended the unjust steward, because he had acted
prudently; for the children of this world are more prudent in their generation
than the children of light. 9. And I say to you, Make to yourselves
friends of the unjust mammon, that, when you shall fail, they may receive you
into eternal habitations. 10. He that is faithful in that which is
least is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in that which is least is
unjust also in much. 11. If therefore you have not been faithful in
the unjust mammon, who shall entrust to you what is true?
f292
12. And if you have not been faithful in what belongs to another, who
will give you what is your own?—(A little after.) 14. And the
Pharisees, who were covetous, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him.
15. And he said to them, It is you that, justify yourselves in the
sight of men: but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed
among men is abomination in the sight of God.
|
The leading object of this parable is, to show that
we ought to deal kindly and generously with our neighbors; that, when we come to
the judgment seat of God, we may reap the fruit of our liberality. Though the
parable appears to be harsh and far-fetched, yet the conclusion makes it
evident, that the design of Christ was nothing else than what I have stated. And
hence we see, that to inquire with great exactness into every minute part of a
parable is an absurd mode of philosophizing. Christ does not advise us to
purchase by large donations the forgiveness of fraud, and of extortion, and of
wasteful expenditure, and of the other crimes associated with unfaithful
administration. But as all the blessings which God confers upon us are committed
by Him to our administration, our Lord now lays down a method of procedure,
which will protect us against being treated with rigor, when we come to render
our account.
They who imagine that alms are a sufficient
compensation for sensuality and debauchery, do not sufficiently consider, that
the first injunction given us is, to live in sobriety and temperance; and that
the next is, that the streams which flow to us come from a pure fountain. It is
certain that no man is so frugal, as not sometimes to waste the property which
has been entrusted to him; and that even those who practice the most rigid
economy are not entirely free from the charge of unfaithful stewardship.
Add to this, that there are so many ways of abusing the gifts of God, that
some incur guilt in one way, and some in another. I do not even deny, that the
very consciousness of our own faulty stewardship ought to be felt by us
as an additional excitement to kind actions.
But we ought to have quite another object in view,
than to escape the judgment of God by paying a price for our redemption; and
that object is, first, that seasonable and well-judged liberality may have the
effect of restraining and moderating unnecessary expenses; and, secondly, that
our kindness to our brethren may draw down upon us the mercy of God. It is very
far from being the intention of Christ to point out to his disciples a way of
escape, when the heavenly Judge shall require them to give their account; but he
warns them to lose no time in guarding against the punishment which will await
their cruelty, if they are found to have swallowed up the gifts of God, and to
have paid no attention to acts of
beneficence.f293
We must always attend to this maxim, that
with what measure a man
measures, it shall be recompensed to him again,
(<400702>Matthew
7:2.)
8.
And the master commended the
unjust steward. Here it is obvious that
if we were to attempt to find a meaning for every minute circumstance, we would
act absurdly. To make donations out of what belongs to another man, is an action
which is very far from deserving applause; and who would patiently endure that
an unprincipled villain should rob him of his property, and give it away
according to his own fancy? It were indeed the grossest stupidity, if that man
who beheld a portion of his substance taken away, should
commend
the person who stole the remainder of it and bestowed it on others. But
Christ only meant what he adds a little afterwards, that ungodly and worldly men
are more industrious and skillful in conducting the affairs of this fading life,
than the children of God are anxious to obtain the heavenly and eternal life, or
careful to make it the subject of their study and meditation.
By this comparison he charges us with highly criminal
indifference, in not providing for the future, with at least as much earnestness
as ungodly men display by attending to their own interests in this world. How
disgraceful is it that the
children of light, whom God enlightens
by his Spirit and word, should slumber and neglect the hope of eternal
blessedness held out to them, while worldly men are so eagerly bent on their own
accommodations, and so provident and sagacious! Hence we infer, that our Lord
does not intend to compare the wisdom of the Spirit to the wisdom of the flesh,
(which could not have been done without pouring contempt on God himself,) but
only to arouse believers to consider more attentively what belongs to the future
life, and not to shut their eyes against the light of the Gospel, when they
perceive that even the blind, amidst their darkness, see more clearly. And,
indeed, the children of
light ought to be more powerfully
excited, when they behold
the
children of this
world making provision against a distant
period, for a life which is fading, and which passes in a
moment.
9.
Make to yourselves
friends. As in the words which were last
considered Christ did not enjoin us to offer sacrifices to God out of the fruits
of extortion, so now he does not mean that we ought to search for defenders or
advocates, who will throw around us the shield of their protection; but teaches
us that by acts of charity we obtain favor with God, who has promised, that
to the merciful he will show himself merciful,
(<191825>Psalm
18:25.) It is highly foolish and absurd to infer from this passage, that the
prayers or approbation of the dead are of service to us: for, on that
supposition, all that is bestowed on unworthy persons would be thrown away; but
the depravity of men does not prevent the Lord from placing on his records all
that we have expended on the poor. The Lord looks not to the persons, but to the
work itself, so that our liberality, though it may happen to be exercised
towards ungrateful men, will be of avail to us in the sight of God. But then he
appears to intimate that eternal life depends on our merits. I reply: it is
sufficiently plain from the context that he speaks after the manner of men. One
who possesses extensive influence or wealth, if he procure friends during his
prosperity, has persons who will support him when he is visited by adversity. In
like manner, our kindness to the poor will be a seasonable relief to us; for
whatever any man may have generously bestowed on his neighbors the Lord
acknowledges as if it had been done to himself.
When you
fail. By this word he expresses the time
of death, and reminds us that the time of our administration will be short, lest
the confident expectation of a longer continuance of life should make us take a
firmer grasp. The greater part are sunk in slumber through their wealth; many
squander what they have on superfluities; while the niggardliness of others
keeps it back, and deprives both themselves and others of the benefit. Whence
comes all this, but because they are led astray by an unfounded expectation of
long life, and give themselves up to every kind of indulgence?
Of the mammon of
unrighteousness. By giving this name to
riches, he intends to render them an object of our suspicion, because for the
most part they involve their possessors in
unrighteousness.
Though in themselves they are not evil, yet as it rarely happens that they
are obtained without deceit, or violence, or some other unlawful expedient, or
that the enjoyment of them is unaccompanied by pride, or luxury, or some other
wicked disposition, Christ justly represents them as worthy of our suspicion;
just as on another occasion he called them thorns,
(<401307>Matthew
13:7,22.) It would appear that a contrast, though not expressed, is intended to
be supplied, to this effect; that riches, which otherwise, in consequence of
wicked abuse, polluted their possessors, and are almost in every ease
allurements of sin, ought to be directed to a contrary object, to be the means
of procuring favor for us. Let us also remember what I have formerly stated,
that God does not demand sacrifice to be made from booty unjustly acquired, as
if he were the partner of thieves, and that it is rather a warning given to
believers to keep themselves free from
unrighteousness.
10.
He who is faithful in that
which is least. Those maxims are
proverbs taken from ordinary practice and experience, and it is quite enough if
they are generally true. It will sometimes happen, no doubt, that a deceiver,
who had disregarded a small gain, shall display his wickedness in a matter of
importance. Nay, many persons, by affecting honesty in trifling matters, are
only in pursuit of an enormous gain;
f294 as that
author f295
says: “Fraud establishes confidence in itself in small matters, that, when
a fit opportunity shall arrive, it may deceive with vast advantage.” And
yet the statement of Christ is not inaccurate; for in proverbs, as I have
mentioned, we attend only to what usually happens.
Christ, therefore, exhorts his disciples to act
faithfully in small matters, in order to prepare themselves for the exercise of
fidelity in matters of the highest importance. He next applies this doctrine to
the proper stewardship of spiritual graces, which the world, indeed, does
not estimate according to their value, but which far surpass, beyond all
question, the fading riches of this world. Those persons, he tells us, who act
improperly and unfaithfully in things of small value, such as the transitory
riches of the world, do not deserve that God should entrust to them the
inestimable treasure of the Gospel, and of similar gifts. There is, therefore,
in these words an implied threatening, that there is reason to fear lest, on
account of our abuse of an earthly stewardship, we fail to obtain
heavenly gifts. In this sense, what is true is contrasted with riches,
as what is solid and lasting is contrasted with what is shadowy and fading.
f296
12.
And if you have not been
faithful in what belongs to another. By
the expression, what belongs to
another, he means what is not within
man; for God does not bestow riches upon us on condition that we shall be
attached to them, but makes us
stewards
of them in such a manner, that they may not bind us with their chains. And,
indeed, it is impossible that our minds should be free and disengaged for
dwelling in heaven, if we did not look upon every thing that is in the world as
belonging to
another.
Who shall entrust to you what is
your own? Spiritual riches, on the other
hand, which relate to a future life, are pronounced by him to be our own,
because the enjoyment of them is everlasting. But now he employs a different
comparison. There is no reason, he tells us, to expect that we shall make a
proper and moderate use of our own property, if we have acted improperly
or unfaithfully in what belonged
to another. Men usually care less about
abusing, and allow themselves greater liberty in squandering, their own
property, because they are not afraid that any person will find fault with
them; but when a thing has been entrusted to them either in charge or in loan,
and of which they must afterwards render an account, they are more cautious and
more timid.
We thus ascertain Christ’s meaning to be, that
they who are bad stewards of earthly blessings would not be faithful
guardians of spiritual gifts. He next introduces a sentence:
You cannot serve God and
mammon; which I have explained at
<400624>Matthew
6:24. There the reader will find an explanation of the word
Mammon.
f297
14.
And the Pharisees, who were
covetous, heard all these things. They who
imagine that Christ was ridiculed by the Pharisees, because he chose to
employ a plain and familiar style, and made no use of swelling words,
f298 do not
sufficiently comprehend what Luke means. Haughty and disdainful men, I do
acknowledge, view the doctrine of the Gospel with contempt; but Luke expressly
declares the reason why Christ was the object of their derision to have been,
that they were
covetous. Entertaining a firm and
deep-seated conviction that the rich are happy, and that there is nothing better
for men than to increase their wealth by every possible method, and earnestly to
guard whatever they have acquired, they reject as foolish paradoxes
f299 all the
sayings of Christ which had a contrary tendency. And, certainly, any one that
speaks of despising riches, or bestowing alms on the poor, is regarded by the
covetous as a madman. Horace’s words on this subject are well
known: f300
“The people hiss at me, but I am well satisfied with myself.”
f301 But if,
even when they are condemned by universal opinion, they continue to flatter
themselves, how much more will they ridicule as a fable that philosophy of
Christ which is far removed from the ordinary belief?
Some other pretense, I have no doubt, was held out by
the Pharisees for ridiculing and evading a doctrine which opposed their vice.
But we must attend to the motive by which they were actuated; for it is a
disease which almost always prevails in the world, that the greater part of men
affect to despise whatever does not fall in with their corrupt morals. Hence the
ridicule, and jest, and merriment, with which the word of God is frequently
assailed; for every man fights in defense of his own vices, and all imagine that
their witticisms will serve for a cloud to screen their
criminality.
15.
It is you that justify
yourselves before men. We see that
Christ does not give way to their disdainful conduct, but constantly maintains
the authority of his doctrine in opposition to their mockery; and it is the duty
of all the ministers of the Gospel to pursue the same course, by meeting ungodly
despisers with the dreadful. judgment of God. He declares that the hypocrisy,
with which they deceive the eyes of men, will be of no avail to them at the
judgment-seat of God. They were unwilling to have it thought that their mockery
was intended as a defense of their covetousness. But Christ affirms that
this venom breaks out from a concealed ulcer; just as if one were to tell the
mitred prelates of our own day, that their hostility to the Gospel arises from
the severity with which it attacks their hidden vices.
But God knoweth your
hearts. He says that they reckon it
enough if they appear to be good in the eyes of men, and if they can boast of a
pretended sanctity; but that God,
who knoweth the hearts, is well
acquainted with the vices which they conceal from the view of the world. And
here we must attend to the distinction between the judgments of God and the
judgments of men; for men bestow approbation on outward appearances, but at the
judgment-seat of God nothing is approved but an upright heart. There is added a
striking observation:
What is highly esteemed by men is
abomination in the sight of God. Not
that God rejects those virtues, the approbation of which He hath engraved on the
hearts of men; but that God detests whatever men are disposed, of their own
accord, to applaud. Hence it is evident in what light we ought to view all
pretended acts of worship which the world contrives according to its own fancy.
How much soever they may please their inventors, Christ pronounces that they are
not only vain and worthless, but are even detestable.
LUKE 16:19-31
|
LUKE
16:19-31
|
|
19. There was a certain rich man, who
was clothed in purple and fine linen,
f302 and
feasted sumptuously every day: 20. And there was a certain beggar,
named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores, 21. And desiring
to be fed from the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: and even
the dogs came and licked his sores. 22. And it happened that the
beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich
man also died, and was buried; 23. And, lifting up his eyes in
hell, when he was in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his
bosom. 24. And he, crying out, said, Father Abraham, have
compassion on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water, and
cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25. And Abraham
said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and
Lazarus likewise evil things: but now he enjoys comfort, and thou art tormented.
26. And besides all these things, a vast gulf lieth between us and
you; so that they who wish to pass hence to you cannot, nor can they pass to us
thence. 27. And he said, I beseech thee, therefore, father, to send
him to my father’s house: 28. For I have five brothers, that
he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29. Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets: let them
hear them. 30. But he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went to
them from the dead, they will repent. 31. And he said to him, If
they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one
rose from the dead.
|
Though Luke introduces some things between them,
there can be no doubt that this example was intended by Christ to confirm the
discourse which we have last examined. He points out what condition awaits those
f303 who
neglect the care of the poor, and indulge in all manner of gluttony; who give
themselves up to drunkenness and other pleasures, and allow their neighbors to
pine with hunger; nay, who cruelly kill with famine those whom they ought to
have relieved, when the means of doing so were in their power. Some look upon it
as a simple parable; but, as the name Lazarus occurs in it, I rather
consider it to be the narrative of an actual fact. But that is of little
consequence, provided that the reader comprehends the doctrine which it
contains.
19.
There was a certain rich
man. He is, first of all, described as
clothed in purple and fine
linen, and enjoying every day splendor
and luxury. This denotes a life spent amidst delicacies, and superfluity, and
pomp. Not that all elegance and ornaments of dress are in themselves displeasing
to God, or that all the care bestowed on preparing victuals ought to be
condemned; but because it seldom happens that such things are kept in
moderation. He who has a liking for fine dress will constantly increase his
luxury by fresh additions; and it is scarcely possible that he who indulges in
sumptuous and well garnished tables shall avoid falling into intemperance. But
the chief accusation brought against this man is his cruelty in suffering
Lazarus, poor and full of
sores, to lie out of doors
at his gate.
These two clauses Christ has exhibited in contrast.
The rich man, devoted to the pleasures of the table and to display,
swallowed up, like an unsatiable gulf, his enormous wealth, but remained unmoved
by the poverty and distresses of Lazarus, and knowingly and willingly
suffered him to pine away with hunger, cold, and the offensive smell of his
sores. In this manner Ezekiel (16:49) accuses Sodom of not
stretching out her hand to the poor amidst fullness of bread and wine.
The fine linen, which is a peculiarly delicate fabric, is well-known to
have been used by the inhabitants of eastern countries for elegance and
splendor; a fashion which the Popish priests have imitated in what they call
their surplices.
21.
And even the dogs
came. It was quite enough to prove the
hardened cruelty of the rich man, that the sight of wretchedness like
this did not move him to compassion. Had there been a drop of humanity in him,
he ought at least to have ordered a supply from his kitchen for the unhappy man.
But the crowning exhibition of his wicked, and savage, and worse than brutal
disposition was, that he did not learn pity even from
the
dogs. There can be no doubt that those
dogs
were guided by the secret purpose of God, to condemn that man by their
example. Christ certainly produces them here as witnesses to convict him of
unfeeling and detestable cruelty. What could be more monstrous than to see
the
dogs taking charge of a man, to whom his
neighbor is paying no attention; and, what is more, to see the very crumbs of
bread refused to a man perishing of hunger, while
the dogs
are giving him the service of their tongues for
the purpose of healing his sores? When strangers, or even brute animals,
supply our place, by performing an office which ought rather to have been
discharged by ourselves, let us conclude that they are so many witnesses and
judges appointed by God, to make our criminality the more
manifest.
22.
And it happened that the
beggar died. Christ here points out the
vast change which death effected in the condition of the two men. Death was no
doubt common to both; but to be after death
carried by angels into
Abraham’s bosom was a happiness
more desirable than all the kingdoms of the world. On the other hand, to be
sentenced to everlasting torments is a dreadful thing, for avoiding which a
hundred lives, if it were possible, ought to be employed. In the person of
Lazarus there is held out to us a striking proof that we ought not to
pronounce men to be accursed by God, because they drag out, in incessant pain, a
life which is full of distresses. In him the grace of God was so entirely
hidden, and buried by the deformity and shame of the cross, that to the eye of
the flesh nothing presented itself except the curse; and yet we see that in a
body which was loathsome and full of rottenness there was lodged a soul
unspeakably precious, which is
carried by
angels to a blessed life. It was no loss
to him that he was forsaken, and despised, and destitute of every human comfort,
when heavenly spirits deign to accompany him on his removal from the prison of
the flesh.
And the rich man also died, and was
buried. In
the rich
man we see, as in a bright mirror, how
undesirable is that temporal happiness which ends in everlasting destruction. It
deserves our attention, that Christ expressly mentions the
burial of the rich
man, but says nothing of what was done
to Lazarus. Not that his dead body was exposed to wild beasts, or lay in
the open air, but because it was thrown carelessly, and without the slightest
attention, into a ditch; for it may naturally be inferred from the corresponding
clause, that no more attention was paid to him when he was dead than when he was
alive. The rich
man, on the other hand, buried
magnificently according to his wealth, still retains some remnant of his former
pride. f304
In this respect, we see ungodly men striving, as it were, against nature, by
affecting a pompous and splendid funeral for the sake of preserving their
superiority after death; but their souls in hell attest the folly and
mockery of this ambition.
And Lazarus was carried by
angels. When he says that Lazarus was
carried, it is a figure of speech by which a part is taken for the whole;
for the soul being the nobler part of man, properly takes the name of the whole
man. f305
This office is, not without reason, assigned by Christ to angels, who, we are
aware, have been appointed to be ministering spirits
(<580114>Hebrews
1:14) to believers, that they may devote their care and labor to their
salvation.
Into Abraham’s
bosom. To detail the variety of
speculations about
Abraham’s
bosom, in which many commentators of
Scripture have indulged, is unnecessary, and, in my opinion, would serve no good
purpose. It is quite enough that we receive what readers well acquainted with
Scripture will acknowledge to be the natural meaning. As Abraham is called
the father of believers, because to him was committed the covenant of
eternal life, that he might first preserve it faithfully for his own children,
and afterwards transmit it to all nations, and as all who are heirs of the same
promise are called his
children; so those who receive along
with him the fruit of the same faith are said, after death, to be collected into
his bosom. The metaphor is taken from a father
f306, in
whose
bosom,
as it were, the children meet, when they all return home in the evening from
the labors of the day. The children of God are scattered during their pilgrimage
in this world; but as, in their present course, they follow the faith of their
father
Abraham,
so they are received at death into that blessed rest, in which he awaits
their arrival. It is not necessary to suppose that reference is made here to any
one place; but the assemblage of which I have spoken is described, for the
purpose of assuring believers, that they have not been fruitlessly employed in
fighting for the faith under the banner of
Abraham,
for they enjoy the same habitation in heaven.
It will perhaps be asked, Is the same condition
reserved after death for the godly of our own day, or did Christ, when he rose,
open his bosom to admit
Abraham
himself, as well as all the godly? I reply briefly: As the grace of God is
more clearly revealed to us in the Gospel, and as Christ himself, the Sun of
Righteousness,
(<390402>Malachi
4:2,) has brought to us that salvation, which the fathers were formerly
permitted to behold at a distance and under dark shadows, so there cannot be a
doubt that believers, when they die, make a nearer approach to the enjoyment of
the heavenly life. Still, it must be understood, that the glory of immortality
is delayed till the last day of redemption. So far as relates to the word
bosom, that quiet harbor at which believers arrive after the navigation
of the present life, may be called either
Abraham’s
bosom or
Christ’s
bosom; but, as we have advanced farther
than the fathers did under the Law, this distinction will be more properly
expressed by saying, that the members of Christ are associated with their Head;
and thus there will be an end of the metaphor about
Abraham’s
bosom, as the brightness of the sun,
when he is risen, makes all the stars to disappear. From the mode of expression
which Christ has here employed, we may, in the meantime, draw the inference,
that the fathers under the Law embraced by faith, while they lived, that
inheritance of the heavenly life into which they were admitted at
death.
23.
And, lifting up, his eyes in
hell. Though Christ is relating a
history, yet he describes spiritual things under figures, which he knew to be
adapted to our senses. Souls have neither
fingers
nor
eyes,
and are not liable to thirst, nor do they hold such conversations among
themselves as are here described to have taken place between Abraham and
the rich man; but our Lord has here drawn a picture, which represents the
condition of the life to come according to the measure of our capacity. The
general truth conveyed is, that believing souls, when they have left their
bodies, lead a joyful and blessed life out of this world, and that for the
reprobate there are prepared dreadful torments, which can no more be conceived
by our minds than the boundless glory of the heavens. As it is only in a small
measure—only so far as we are enlightened by the Spirit of God—that
we taste by hope the glory promised to us, which far exceeds all our senses, let
it be reckoned enough that the inconceivable vengeance of God, which awaits the
ungodly, is communicated to us in an obscure manner, so far as is necessary to
strike terror into our minds.
On these subjects the words of Christ give us slender
information, and in a manner which is fitted to restrain curiosity. The wicked
are described as fearfully tormented by the misery which they feel; as desiring
some relief, but cut off from hope, and thus experiencing a double torment; and
as having their anguish increased by being compelled to remember their crimes,
and to compare the present blessedness of believers with their own miserable and
lost condition. In connection with this a conversation is related, as if persons
who have no intercourse with each other were supposed to talk together. When
the rich
man says,
Father
Abraham, this expresses an additional
torment, that he perceives, when it is too late, that he is cut off from the
number of the children of
Abraham.
25.
Son,
remember. The word
son
appears to be used ironically, as a sharp and piercing reproof to
the rich
man, who falsely boasted in his lifetime
that he was one of the
sons
of Abraham. It seems as if pain inflicted by a hot iron wounded his mind,
when his hypocrisy and false confidence are placed before his eyes. When it is
said that he is tormented in hell, because he
had received his good things in
his lifetime, we must not understand the
meaning to be, that eternal destruction awaits all who have enjoyed prosperity
in the world. On the contrary, as Augustine has judiciously observed, poor
Lazarus was carried into the bosom of rich Abraham, to inform us, that riches do
not shut against any man the gate of the kingdom of heaven, but that it is open
alike to all who have either made a sober use of riches, or patiently endured
the want of them. All that is meant is, that the rich man, who yielded to
the allurements of the present life, abandoned himself entirely to earthly
enjoyments, and despised God and His kingdom, now suffers the punishment of his
own neglect.
Receivedst THY good
things. The pronoun thy is
emphatic, as if Abraham had said: Thou wast created for an immortal life, and
the Law of God raised time on high to the contemplation of the heavenly life;
but thou, forgetting so exalted a condition, didst choose to resemble a sow or a
dog, and thou therefore receivest a reward which befits brutal pleasures.
But now he enjoys
comfort. When it is said of Lazarus, on
the other hand, that he
enjoys
comfort, because he had suffered many
distresses in the world, it would be idle to apply this to all whose condition
is wretched; because their afflictions, in many cases, are so far from having
been of service to them, that they ought rather to bring upon them severer
punishment. But Lazarus is commended for patient endurance of the cross,
which always springs from faith and a genuine fear of God; for he who
obstinately resists his sufferings, and whose ferocity remains unsubdued, has no
claim to be rewarded for patience, by receiving from God comfort in
exchange for the cross.
To sum up the whole, they who have patiently endured
the burden of the cross laid upon them, and have not been rebellious against the
yoke and chastisements of God, but, amidst uninterrupted sufferings, have
cherished the hope of a better life, have a rest laid up for them in heaven,
when the period of their warfare shall be terminated. On the contrary, wicked
despisers of God, who are wholly engrossed in the pleasures of the flesh, and
who by a sort of mental intoxication, drown every feeling of piety, will
experience, immediately after death, such torments as will efface their empty
enjoyments. It must also be recollected, that this
comfort,
which the sons of God enjoy, lies in this, that they perceive a crown of
glory prepared for them, and rest in the joyful expectation of it; as, on the
other hand, the wicked are tormented by the apprehension of the future judgment,
which they see coming upon them.
26.
A vast gulf
lieth. These words describe the
permanency of the future state, and denote, that the boundaries which separate
the reprobate from the elect can never be broken through. And thus we are
reminded to return early to the path, while there is yet time, lest we rush
headlong into that abyss, from which it will be impossible to rise. The words
must not be strictly interpreted, when it is said, that no one is permitted to
pass who would wish to descend from heaven to hell; for it is certain, that none
of the righteous entertain any such desire.
27.
I beseech thee,
father. To bring the narrative into more
full accordance with our modes of thinking, he describes
the rich
man as wishing that his brothers, who
were still alive, should be warned by Lazarus. Here the Papists exercise
their ingenuity very foolishly, by attempting to prove that the dead feel
solicitude about the living. Any thing more ridiculous than this sophistry
cannot be conceived; for with equal plausibility I might undertake to prove,
that believing souls are not satisfied with the place assigned to them, and are
actuated by a desire of removing from it to hell, were it not that they are
prevented by a vast gulf. If no man holds such extravagant views, the
Papists are not entitled to congratulate themselves on the other supposition. It
is not my intention, however, to debate the point, or to defend either one side
or another; but I thought it right to advert, in passing, to the futility of the
arguments on which they rest their belief that the dead intercede with God on
our behalf. I now return to the plain and natural meaning of this
passage.
29.
They have Moses and the
prophets. In the persons of the rich
man and Abraham Christ reminds us, that we have received an undoubted
rule of life, and that therefore we have no right to expect that the dead will
rise to instruct and persuade us.
Moses and the
prophets were appointed to instruct,
while they lived, the men of their own age; but it was with the design, that the
same advantage should be derived by posterity from their writings. As it is the
will of God that we should receive instructions, in this manner, about a holy
life, there is no reason why the dead should assure us of the rewards and
punishments of the future state; nor is there any excuse for the indifference of
those who shelter themselves under the pretext, that they do not know what is
going on beyond this world. Among irreligious men, we are aware, is frequently
heard this wicked saying, or rather this grunting of hogs, that it is foolish in
men to distress themselves with fears about a matter of uncertainty, since no
one has ever returned to bring us tidings about hell.
With the view of counteracting every enchantment of
Satan of this description, Christ draws their attention to the Law and the
Prophets, agreeably to that passage in the writings of Moses:
It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest
say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear
it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall
go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
But the word is very nigh unto thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that
thou shouldest do it,
(<053012>Deuteronomy
30:12-14.)
They who ridicule as fabulous what Scripture
testifies as to the future judgment, will one day feel how shocking is the
wickedness of giving the lie to the holy oracles of God. From such lethargy
Christ arouses his followers, that they may not be deceived by the hope of
escaping punishment, and thus fail to improve the time allowed for
repentance.
Abraham’s reply amounts to this: By
Moses and the
prophets God had sufficiently made known
to his people the doctrine of salvation, and nothing remains for us but that it
obtain the assent of all. So thoroughly infected is the mind of man with a
depraved curiosity, that the greater part of men are always gaping after new
revelations. Now as nothing is more displeasing to God than when men are so
eager to go beyond due bounds, he forbids them to inquire at magicians and
soothsayers respecting the truth, and to consult pretended oracles after the
manner of the Gentiles; and in order to restrain that itching curiosity, he
promises, at the same time, that he will give
prophets,
from whom the people may learn whatever is necessary to be known for
salvation,
(<051809>Deuteronomy
18:9,15.) But if the
prophets
were sent for the express purpose; that God might keep his people under the
guidance of his word, he who is not satisfied with this method of instruction is
not actuated by a desire to learn, but tickled by ungodly wantonness; and
therefore God complains that He is insulted, when He alone is not heard from
the living to the dead,
(<230819>Isaiah
8:19.)
The division of the word of God, which Abraham makes,
into the Law and the Prophets, refers to the time of the Old Testament. Now that
the more ample explanation of the Gospel has been added, there is still less
excuse for our wickedness, if our dislike of that doctrine hurries us in every
possible direction, and, in a word, if we do not permit ourselves to be
regulated by the word of God. Hence too we infer how solid is the faith of
Papists about purgatory and such fooleries, when it rests on nothing but
phantoms. f307
30.
Nay, father
Abraham. This is a personification, as
we have said, which expresses rather the feelings of the living than the anxiety
of the dead. The doctrine of the Law is little esteemed by the world, the
Prophets are neglected, and no man submits to hear God speaking in his
own manner. Some would desire that angels should descend from heaven; others,
that the dead should come out of their graves; others, that new miracles should
be performed every day to sanction what they hear; and others, that voices
should be heard from the sky.
f308 But if
God were pleased to comply with all their foolish wishes, it would be of no
advantage to them; for God has included in his word all that is necessary to be
known, and the authority of this word has been attested and proved by authentic
seals. Besides, faith does not depend on miracles, or any extraordinary sign,
but is the peculiar gift of the Spirit, and is produced by means of the word.
Lastly, it is the prerogative of God to draw us to himself, and he is pleased to
work effectually through his own word. There is not the slightest reason,
therefore, to expect that those means, which withdraw us from obedience to the
word, will be of any service to us. I freely acknowledge, that there is nothing
to which the flesh is more strongly inclined than to listen to vain revelations;
and we see how eagerly those men, to whom the whole of Scripture is an object of
dislike, throw themselves into the snares of Satan. Hence have arisen necromancy
and other delusions, which the world not only receives with avidity, but runs
after with furious rage. But all that is here affirmed by Christ is, that even
the dead could not reform,
f310 or
bring to a sound mind, those who are deaf and obstinate against the instructions
of the law.
LUKE 17:7-10
|
LUKE
17:7-10
|
|
7. But which of you that hath a servant
ploughing or feeding, when he hath returned from the field, will immediately say
to him, Come
f311 and sit
down at table? 8. And doth not rather say to him, Prepare supper for
me, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunk, and, after
that, eat and drink thou.
f312
9. Doth he thank that servant,
f313 because
he did the things which were commanded him? I suppose not. 10. So
likewise, when you shall have done those things which were commanded you, do you
say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done what we were bound to
do.
|
The object of this parable is to show that God claims
all that belongs to us as his property, and possesses an entire control over our
persons and services; and, therefore, that all the zeal that may be manifested
by us in discharging our duty does not lay him under obligation to us by any
sort of merit; for, as we are his property, so he on his part can owe us
nothing.
f314 He
adduces the comparison of a
servant, who, after having spent the day
in severe toil, returns home in the evening, and continues his labors till his
master is pleased to relieve him.
f315 Christ
speaks not of such servants as we have in the present day, who work for hire,
but of the slaves that lived in ancient times, whose condition in society was
such, that they gained nothing for themselves, but all that belonged to
them—their toil, and application, and industry, even to their very
blood—was the property of their masters. Christ now shows that a bond of
servitude not less rigorous binds and obliges us to serve God; from which he
infers, that we have no means of laying Him under obligations to
us.
It is an argument drawn from the less to the greater;
for if a mortal man is permitted to hold such power over another man, as to
enjoin upon him uninterrupted services by night and by day, and yet contract no
sort of mutual obligation, as if he were that man’s debtor, how much more
shall God have a right to demand the services of our whole life, to the utmost
extent that our ability allows, and yet be in no degree indebted to us? We see
then that all are held guilty of wicked arrogance who imagine that they deserve
any thing from God, or that he is bound to them in any way. And yet no crime is
more generally practiced than this kind of arrogance; for there is no man that
would not willingly call God to account, and hence the notion of merits has
prevailed in almost every age.
But we must attend more closely to the statement made
by Christ, that we render nothing to God beyond what he has a right to claim,
but are so strongly bound to his service, that we owe him every thing that lies
in our power. It consists of two clauses. First, our life, even to the very end
of our course, belongs entirely to God; so that, if a person were to spend a
part of it in obedience to God, he would have no right to bargain that he should
rest for the remainder of the time; as a considerable number of men, after
serving as soldiers for ten years, would gladly apply for a discharge. Then
follows the second clause, on which we have already touched, that God is not
bound to pay us hire for any of our services. Let each of us remember, that he
has been created by God for the purpose of laboring, and of being vigorously
employed in his work; and that not only for a limited time, but till death
itself, and, what is more, that he shall not only live, but die, to God,
(<451408>Romans
14:8.)
With respect to merit, we must remove the difficulty
by which many are perplexed; for Scripture so frequently promises a reward to
our works, that they think it allows them some merit. The reply is easy. A
reward is promised, not as a debt, but from the mere good pleasure of God. It is
a great mistake to suppose that there is a mutual relation between Reward and
Merit; for it is by his own undeserved favor, and not by the value of our works,
that God is induced to reward them. By the engagements of the Law
f316, I
readily acknowledge, God is bound to men, if they were to discharge fully all
that is required from them; but still, as this is a voluntary obligation, it
remains a fixed principle, that man can demand nothing from God, as if he had
merited any thing. And thus the arrogance of the flesh falls to the ground; for,
granting that any man fulfilled the Law, he cannot plead that he has any claims
on God, having done no more than he was bound to do. When he says that
we are unprofitable
servants, his meaning is, that God
receives from us nothing beyond what is justly due but only collects the lawful
revenues of his dominion.
There are two principles, therefore, that must be
maintained: first, that God naturally owes us nothing, and that all the services
which we render to him are not worth a single straw; secondly, that, according
to the engagements of the Law, a reward is attached to works, not on account of
their value, but because God is graciously pleased to become our debtor.
f317 It
would evince intolerable ingratitude, if on such a ground any person should
indulge in proud vaunting. The kindness and liberality which God exercises
towards us are so far from giving us a right to swell with foolish confidence,
that we are only laid under deeper obligations to Him. Whenever we meet with the
word reward, or whenever it occurs to our recollection, let us look upon
this as the crowning act of the goodness of God to us, that, though we are
completely in his debt, he condescends to enter into a bargain with us. So much
the more detestable is the invention of the Sophists, who have had the
effrontery to forge a kind of merit, which professes to be founded on a just
claim. f318
The word merit, taken by itself, was sufficiently profane and
inconsistent with the standard of piety; but to intoxicate men with diabolical
pride, as if they could merit any thing by a just claim, is far
worse.
10.
We have done what we were
bound to do. That is, “we have
brought nothing of our own, but have only done what we were bound by the law to
do.” Christ speaks here of an entire observance of the law,
which is nowhere to be found; for the most perfect of all men is still at a
great distance from that righteousness which the law demands. The present
question is not, Are we justified by works? but, Is the observance of the law
meritorious of any reward from God? This latter question is answered in the
negative; for God holds us for his slaves, and therefore reckons all that can
proceed from us to be his just right. Nay, though it were true, that a reward is
due to the observance of the law in respect of merit, it will not therefore
follow that any man is justified by the merits of works; for we all fail: and
not only is our obedience imperfect, but there is not a single part of it that
corresponds exactly to the judgment of God.
LUKE 18:1-8
|
LUKE
18:1-8
|
|
1. And he spake also a parable to them,
that they ought always to pray, and not to grow weary: 2. Saying,
There was a judge in a city, who neither feared God, nor regarded man.
3. And there was a widow in that city, who came to him, saying, Do
me justice on my adversary. 4. And he refused for some time,
f319 but
afterwards said within himself, Though I neither fear God, nor regard man,
5. Yet because this widow is troublesome to me,
f320 I will
do her justice, lest by coming perpetually she weary me out.
f321
6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
7. And will not God avenge his elect, who cry to him night and day,
even though he forbear with respect to them?
f322
8. I tell you that he will speedily avenge them. But when the Son of
man shall come, will he find faith on the earth?
f323
|
We know that perseverance in prayer is a rare and
difficult attainment; and it is a manifestation of our unbelief that, when our
first prayers are not successful, we immediately throw away not only hope, but
all the ardor of prayer. But it is an undoubted evidence of our Faith, if we are
disappointed of our wish, and yet do not lose courage. Most properly, therefore,
does Christ recommend to his disciples to persevere in praying.
The parable which he employs, though
apparently harsh, was admirably fitted to instruct his disciples, that they
ought to be importunate in their prayers to God the Father, till they at length
draw from him what He would otherwise appear to be unwilling to give. Not that
by our prayers we gain a victory over God, and bend him slowly and reluctantly
to compassion, but because the actual facts do not all at once make it evident
that he graciously listens to our prayers. In the parable Christ
describes to us a widow, who obtained what she wanted from an unjust and
cruel judge, because she did not cease to make earnest demands. The
leading truth conveyed is, that God does not all at once grant assistance to his
people, because he chooses to be, as it were, wearied out by prayers; and that,
however wretched and despicable may be the condition of those who pray to him,
yet if they do not desist from the uninterrupted exercise of prayer, he will at
length regard them and relieve their necessities.
The parties between whom the comparison is drawn are,
indeed, by no means equal; for there is a wide difference between a wicked and
cruel man and God, who is naturally inclined to mercy. But Christ intended to
assure believers that they have no reason to fear lest their persevering
entreaties to the Father of mercy should be refused, since by importunate
supplication they prevail on men who are given to cruelty. The wicked and
iron-hearted
judge
could not avoid yielding at length, though reluctantly, to the earnest
solicitations of the widow: how then shall the prayers of believers, when
perseveringly maintained, be without effect? If exhaustion and weakness are felt
by us when we give way after a slight exertion, or if the ardor of prayer
languishes because God appears to lend a deaf ear, let us rest assured of our
ultimate success, though it may not be immediately apparent. Entertaining this
conviction, let us contend against our impatience, so that the long delay may
not induce us to discontinue our prayers.
7.
And shall not God avenge his
elect? That
judge,
whom Christ has described to us as altogether desperate, as not only
hardened against the contemplation of God, but so entirely devoid of shame, that
he had no anxiety about his reputation, at length opened his eyes to the
distresses of the
widow.
We have no reason to doubt that believers will derive, at least, equal
advantage from their prayers, provided they do not cease to plead earnestly with
God. Yet it must be observed that, while Christ applies the parable to his
subject, he does not make God to resemble a wicked and cruel
judge,
but points out a very different reason why those who believe in him are kept
long in suspense, and why he does not actually and at once stretch out his hand
to them: it is because he
forbears.
If at any time God winks at the injuries done to us longer than we would
wish, let us know that this is done with a fatherly intention—to train us
to patience. A temporary overlooking of crimes is very different from allowing
them to remain for ever unpunished. The promise which he makes, that
God will speedily avenge
them, must be referred to his
providence; for our hasty tempers and carnal apprehension lead us to conclude
that he does not come quickly enough to grant relief. But if we could penetrate
into his design, we would learn that his assistance is always ready and
seasonable, as the case demands, and is not delayed for a single moment, but
comes at the exact time.
But it is asked, How does Christ instruct his
disciples to seek vengeance, while he exhorts them on another occasion, pray
for those who injure and persecute you,
(<400544>Matthew
5:44.) I reply: what Christ says here about vengeance does not at all interfere
with his former doctrine. God declares that he will avenge believers, not for
the purpose of giving a loose rein to their carnal affections, but in order to
convince them that their salvation is dear and precious in his sight, and in
this manner to induce them to rely on his protection. If, laying aside hatred,
pure and free from every wicked desire of revenge, and influenced by proper and
well-regulated dispositions, they implore divine assistance, it will be a lawful
and holy wish, and God himself will listen to it. But as nothing is more
difficult than to divest ourselves of sinful affections, if we would offer pure
and sincere prayers, we must ask the Lord to guide and direct our hearts by his
Spirit. Then shall we lawfully call on God to be our avenger, and he will answer
our prayers.
8.
When the Son of man shall
come. By these words Christ informs us
that there will be no reason to wonder if men shall afterwards sink under their
calamities: it will be because they neglect the true remedy. He intended to
obviate an offense which we are daily apt to take, when we see all things in
shameful confusion. Treachery, cruelty, imposture, deceit, and violence, abound
on every hand; there is no regard to justice, and no shame; the poor groan under
their oppressors; the innocent are abused or insulted; while God appears to be
asleep in heaven. This is the reason why the flesh imagines that the government
of fortune is blind. But Christ here reminds us that men are justly deprived of
heavenly aid, on which they have neither knowledge nor inclination to place
reliance. They who do nothing but murmur against the Lord in their hearts, and
who allow no place for his providence, cannot reasonably expect that the Lord
will assist them.
Shall he find faith on the
earth? Christ expressly foretells that,
from his ascension to heaven till his return, unbelievers will abound; meaning
by these words that, if the Redeemer does not so speedily appear, the blame of
the delay will attach to men, because there will be almost none to look for him.
Would that we did not behold so manifest a fulfillment of this prediction! But
experience proves that though the world is oppressed and overwhelmed by a huge
mass of calamities, there are few indeed in whom the least spark of faith
can be discerned. Others understand the word faith to denote
uprightness, but the former meaning is more agreeable to the
context.
LUKE 18:9-14
|
LUKE
18:9-14
|
|
9. And he spoke also this parable to some
who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and
the other a publican. 11. The Pharisee standing
f324 prayed
these things within himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men,
extortioners, unjust, adulterous, or even as this publican. 12. I
fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13. And the publican standing at a distance, did not even wish to raise
his eyes towards heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, Lord, be reconciled
to me a sinner. 14. I say to you, this man went down into his house
justified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be
humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
|
Christ now gives directions about another virtue,
which is necessary to acceptable prayer. Believers must not come into the
presence of God but with humility and abasement. No disease is more dangerous
than arrogance; and yet all have it so deeply fixed in the marrow of their
bones, that it can scarcely be removed or extirpated by any remedy. It is no
doubt strange that men should be so mad as to venture to raise their crests
against God, and to plead their own merits before him. Though men are carried
away by their ambition, yet when we come into the presence of God, all
presumption ought to be laid aside; and yet every man thinks that he has
sufficiently humbled himself, if he only presents a hypocritical prayer for
forgiveness. Hence we infer that this warning which our Lord gives was far from
being unnecessary.
There are two faults at which Christ glances, and
which he intended to condemn,—wicked confidence in ourselves, and the
pride of despising brethren, the one of which springs out of the other. It is
impossible that he who deceives himself with vain confidence should not lift
himself up above his brethren. Nor is it wonderful that it should be so; for how
should that man not despise his equals, who vaunts against God himself? Every
man that is puffed up with self-confidence carries on open war with God, to whom
we cannot be reconciled in any other way than by denial of ourselves; that is,
by laying aside all confidence in our own virtue and righteousness, and relying
on his mercy alone.
10.
Two men went
up. Christ makes a comparison between
the two men, both of whom, by
going up to
pray, seem to manifest the same ardor of
piety, while yet they are exceedingly unlike.
The
Pharisee, possessing outward sanctity,
approaches to God with a commendation which he pronounces on his whole life, and
as if he had an undoubted right to offer the sacrifice of praise.
The
publican, on the other hand, as if he
had been some outcast, and knew that he was unworthy to approach, presents
himself with trembling and with humble confession. Christ affirms that
the
Pharisee was rejected, and that the
prayers of the
publican were acceptable to God. The
reasons why the Pharisee was rejected are stated to be these two:
he trusted in himself that he was
righteous, and despised
others.
11.
God, I thank
thee. And yet he is not blamed for
boasting of the strength of his free-will, but for trusting that God was
reconciled to him by the merits of his works. For this thanksgiving, which is
presented exclusively in his own name, does not at all imply that he boasted of
his own virtue, as if he had obtained righteousness from himself, or merited any
thing by his own industry. On the contrary, he ascribes it to the grace of God
that he is righteous. Now though his thanksgiving to God implies an
acknowledgment, that all the good works which he possessed were purely the gift
of God, yet as he places reliance on works, and prefers himself to others,
himself and his prayer are alike rejected. Hence we infer that men are not truly
and properly humbled, though they are convinced that they can do nothing, unless
they likewise distrust the merits of works, and learn to place their salvation
in the undeserved goodness of God, so as to rest upon it all their
confidence.
This is a remarkable passage; for some think it
enough if they take from man the glory of good works, so far as they are the
gifts of the Holy Spirit; and accordingly they admit that we are justified
freely, because God finds in us no righteousness but what he bestowed. But
Christ goes farther, not only ascribing to the grace of the Spirit the power of
acting aright, but stripping us of all confidence in works; for the Pharisee is
not blamed on the ground of claiming for himself what belongs to God, but
because he trusts to his works, that God will be reconciled to him, because he
deserves it. Let us therefore know that, though a man may ascribe to God the
praise of works, yet if he imagines the righteousness of those works to be the
cause of his salvation, or rests upon it, he is condemned for wicked arrogance.
And observe, that he is not charged with the vainglorious ambition of those who
indulge in boasting before men, while they are inwardly conscious of their own
wickedness, but is charged with concealed hypocrisy; for he is not said to have
been the herald of his own praises, but to have prayed silently within himself.
Though he did not proclaim aloud the honor of his own righteousness, his
internal pride was abominable in the sight of God. His boasting consists of two
parts: first, he acquits himself of that guilt in which all men are involved;
and, secondly, he brings forward his virtues. He asserts that he is
not as other
men, because he is not chargeable with
crimes which everywhere prevail in the world.
12.
I fast twice in the week, I
give tithes of all that I possess. This
is equivalent to saying that he performed more than the law required; just as
the Popish monks talk loftily of their works of supererogation, as if
they found no great difficulty in fulfilling the law of God. It must be admitted
that each of us, according to the measure of the virtues which God has bestowed
upon him, is the more strongly bound to thank the Author of them; and that it is
an exercise of holy meditation for each of us to ponder on the benefits which he
has received, so as not to bury in ingratitude the kindness of God. But there
are two things here that must be observed: we must not swell with confidence, as
if we had satisfied God; and, next, we must not look down with disdainful
contempt upon our brethren. In both respects the Pharisee erred; for, by falsely
claiming righteousness for himself, he left nothing to the mercy of God; and,
next, he despised all others in comparison of himself. And, indeed, that
thanksgiving would not have been disapproved by Christ, if it had not labored
under these two defects;
f325but as
the proud hypocrite, by winking at his sins, met the justice of God with a
pretense of complete and perfect righteousness, his wicked and detestable
hardihood could not but make him fall. For the only hope of the godly, so long
as they labor under the weakness of the flesh, is, after acknowledging what is
good in them,
f326 to
betake themselves to the mercy of God alone, and to rest their salvation on
prayer for forgiveness.
f327
But it may be asked, how did this man, who was
blinded by wicked pride, maintain such sanctity of life; for such integrity
proceeds only from the Spirit of God, who, we are certain, does not reign in
hypocrites? I reply: he trusted only to outward appearance, as if the hidden and
inward uncleanness of the heart would not be taken into the account. Though he
was full of wicked desires within, yet as he looks only at the appearance, he
boldly maintains his innocence.
Our Lord does not, indeed, accuse him of vanity, in
falsely claiming for himself what he does not possess; but it ought to be
believed that no man is pure from extortion, injustice, uncleanness, and other
vices, unless he is governed by the Spirit of God.
The word
Sabbath
(sa>bbaton)
denotes in this passage, as in many others,
a
week. But God never enjoined in the Law
that his servants should fast
every week; so that this
fasting
and the tithes were voluntary exercises beyond the prescriptions of the Law.
f328
13.
The publican standing at a
distance. Here Christ did not intend to
lay down a general rule, as if it were necessary, whenever we pray, to cast down
our eyes to the ground. He merely describes the tokens of humility, which alone
he recommends to his disciples. Now humility lies in not refusing to acknowledge
our sins, but condemning ourselves, and thus anticipating the judgment of God;
and, with the view of being reconciled to God, in making an honest confession of
guilt. Such, too, is the cause of that shame which always accompanies
repentance; for Christ insists chiefly on this point, that the
publican
sincerely acknowledged himself to be miserable and lost, and fled to the
mercy of God. Though he is a sinner, he trusts to a free pardon, and hopes that
God will be gracious to him. In a word, in order to obtain favor, he owns that
he does not deserve it. And, certainly, since it is the forgiveness of sins that
alone reconciles God to us,
f329 we must
begin with this, if we desire that he would accept our prayers. He who
acknowledges that he is guilty and convicted, and then proceeds to implore
pardon, disavows all confidence in works; and Christ’s object was to show
that God will not be gracious to any but those who betake themselves with
trembling to his mercy alone.
f330
14.
This man went down
justified. The comparison is not exact;
for Christ does not merely assign to
the
publican a certain degree of
superiority, as if
righteousness
had belonged alike to both, but means
that the publican
was accepted by God, while
the
Pharisee was totally rejected. And this
passage shows plainly what is the strict meaning of the word justified:
it means, to stand before God as if we were righteous. For it is not said
that the
publican was justified, because he
suddenly acquired some new quality, but that he obtained grace, because his
guilt was blotted out, and his sins were washed away. Hence it follows, that
righteousness
consists in the forgiveness of sins. As the virtues of
the
Pharisee were defiled and polluted by
unfounded confidence, so that his integrity, which deserved commendation before
the world, was of no value in the sight of God; so
the
publican, relying on no merits of works,
obtained righteousness solely by imploring pardon,
f331 because
he had no other ground of hope than the pure mercy of God.
But it may be thought absurd, that all should be
reduced to the same level, since the purity of saints is widely different from
that of the
publican. I reply: whatever proficiency
any man may have made in the worship of God and in true holiness, yet if he
consider how far he is still deficient, there is no other form of prayer which
he can properly use than to begin with the acknowledgment of guilt; for though
some are more, and others less, yet all are universally guilty. We cannot doubt,
therefore, that Christ now lays down a rule for all to this effect, that God
will not be pacified towards us, unless we distrust works, and pray that we may
be freely reconciled. And, indeed, the Papists are compelled to acknowledge this
in part, but immediately afterwards they debase this doctrine by a wicked
invention. They admit that all need the remedy of forgiveness, because no man is
perfect; but they first intoxicate wretched men with reliance on what they call
imperfect righteousness, and next add satisfactions, in order to blot out
their guilt. But our faith needs no other support than this, that God has
accepted us, not because we deserved it, but because he does not impute our
sins.
LUKE 17:11-21
|
LUKE
17:11-21
|
|
11. And it happened, while he was going
to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and of Galilee.
12. And as he was entering into a certain village, there met him ten
men, lepers, who stood at a distance; 13. And, lifting up their
voice, said, Jesus, Master, take pity on us. 14. When he saw them,
he said, Go, show yourselves to the priests. And it happened that, while they
were going, they were cleansed. 15. And one of them, when he saw
that he was cleansed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,
16. And fell on his face
f331A at his
feet, thanking him: and he was a Samaritan. 17. And Jesus answering
said, Were not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18. None are
found that have returned to give glory to God except this stranger.
19. And he saith to him, Arise, go, thy faith hath saved thee.
f332
20. And being interrogated by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God
would come, he replied to them and said, The kingdom of God will not come with
observation;
f333
21. For they shall not say, Lo, he is here! or, Lo, he is there! for,
lo, the kingdom of God is within you.
|
As, on a former occasion, Matthew and the other two
Evangelists
(<400801>Matthew
8:1;
<410140>Mark
1:40;
<420512>Luke
5:12) related that a
leper had been
cleansed
by Christ, so Luke mentions that the same miracle of healing was performed
on ten
lepers. The object of this narrative,
however, is different; for it describes the base and incredible ingratitude of
the Jewish nation, to prevent us from wondering that so many of Christ’s
favors had been suppressed, and so many of his wonderful works buried, among
them. One circumstance, too, is added, which greatly heightens the infamy of
their crime. Our Lord had cured
nine Jews: yet not one of them returned
thanks, but, with the view of obliterating the remembrance of their disease,
they privately stole away. One man only—a Samaritan—acknowledged his
obligation to Christ. There is, therefore, on the one hand, a display of
Christ’s divine power; and, on the other hand, a reproof of the impiety of
the Jews, in consequence of which so remarkable a miracle as this received
scarcely any attention.
13.
Jesus,
Master.
f334
It is evident that all of them possessed some measure of faith, not only
because they implore Christ’s assistance, but because they honor him with
the title of
Master.
That they made use of that expression sincerely, and not in hypocrisy, may
be inferred from their ready obedience; for, although they perceive that the
filthy scab still remains in their flesh, yet as soon as they are commanded to
show themselves to the
priests, they do not refuse to obey. Add
to this that, but for the influence of faith, they would never have set out to
show themselves to the
priests; for it would have been absurd
to present themselves to the judges of leprosy, for the purpose of attesting
that they had been cleansed, if the promise of Christ had been regarded by them
as of no more value than a mere inspection of the disease. They bear a visible
leprosy in their flesh; and yet, trusting to Christ’s word alone, they
have no scruple about declaring that they are clean. It cannot therefore be
denied, that some seed of faith had been implanted in their hearts. Now though
it is certain that they were not regenerated by the Spirit of adoption, yet
there is no absurdity in supposing that they had some beginnings of piety. There
is the greater reason to fear that sparks of faith, which make their appearance
in us, may be extinguished; for, although lively faith, which has its roots
deeply fixed by the Spirit of regeneration, never dies, yet we have seen
formerly that many conceive a temporary faith, which immediately disappears.
Above all, it is too common a disease that, when we are urged by strong
necessity, and when the Lord himself prompts us by a secret movement of the
Spirit, we seek God, but, when we have obtained our wishes, ungrateful
forgetfulness swallows up that feeling of piety. Thus poverty and hunger beget
faith, but abundance kills it.
14.
Show yourselves to the
priests. This reply was equivalent to
saying, “You are clean;” for we know that the
discernment of leprosy belonged to
the
priests, who were enjoined in the law to
distinguish between the clean and the unclean,
(<031402>Leviticus
14:2.) Thus Christ preserves their right entire, and appeals to them as
witnesses for approving of the miracle which he had wrought; and we have
accordingly said, that pious and devout sentiments concerning Christ must have
been entertained by those men who were instantly led, by his bare word, to
entertain the hope of a cure.
On this passage the Papists absurdly build their
auricular confession. The lepers, I admit, were sent by Christ to the
priests; but it was not for the purpose of vomiting out their sins into their
ears. On the contrary, they were sent to offer a sacrifice, as the Law had
enjoined. They were not sent to cleanse themselves, as the Papists imagine that
cleanness is produced by confession, but to
show to the
priests that they were already clean. It
is an additional proof of the folly of the Papists, that they do not consider
what a foul stain of infamy they throw on their confession; for, according to
their reasoning, it will be quite enough if, out of the whole troop of those who
have gone to the
priests, a tenth part only shall return
to Christ, and all the rest shall wickedly revolt. They cannot plead this
passage in behalf of their confession, without giving us liberty to throw back
upon them this advantage which it yields, that none return from the priests
to give glory to
God. But, not to dwell on these
fooleries, we have ascertained the reason why the priests were
mentioned.
It happened that, while they were
going, they were cleansed. Here was
displayed the divine power of Christ and of his words, and there was also a
proof of the high estimation in which God holds the obedience of faith; for the
great suddenness of the cure arose from the confident hope which induced them to
undertake the journey, without hesitation, at the command of Christ. But if that
transitory faith—which wanted a living root, and produced nothing more
than the blade—was honored by God with a remarkable effect, how much more
valuable is the reward that awaits our faith, if it is sincerely and permanently
fixed on God? Though the nine lepers derived no advantage to salvation
from the cure of the flesh, but only obtained a temporary gift by means of a
fleeting and transitory faith, yet this figure points out to us the great
efficacy which will attend true faith.
15.
And one of them,
etc. It is uncertain if he returned when
they were halfway, and Luke’s words appear to imply this; but I think it
more probable, that it was not till he had heard the decision of the priests
that he returned to give thanks. He must have obtained permission from the
priests to return to the ordinary intercourse of life; and he had no right to
neglect the command of Christ, and to defraud the temple of God of a sacrifice.
Some will perhaps be better pleased with a different conjecture, that as soon as
he saw that he was cleansed, and before he applied to the priests for a
testimony, he was seized with a devout and holy zeal, and returned to the Author
of the cure, so as to commence his sacrifice with thanksgiving. The words of
Christ contain an expostulation with the whole nation; for it is by way of
reproach that he draws a comparison between one stranger and many Jews, because
it was customary with them to swallow up God’s favors without any feeling
of piety. And this was the reason why Christ gained hardly any reputation among
them by miracles so numerous and so splendid. Let us learn that this complaint
is brought generally against all of us, if we do not at least repay the divine
favors by the duty of gratitude.
19.
Thy faith hath saved
thee. The word save is restricted
by some commentators to the cleanness of the flesh.
f335 But if
this be the case, since Christ commends the lively faith of this Samaritan, it
may be asked, how were the other nine
saved?
for all of them without exception obtained the same cure.
f336 We must
therefore arrive at the conclusion, that Christ has here pronounced a different
estimate of the gift of God from that which is usually pronounced by ungodly
men; namely, that it was a token or pledge of God’s fatherly love. The
nine lepers were
cured; but as they wickedly efface the
remembrance of the grace of God, the cure itself is debased and contaminated by
their ingratitude, so that they do not derive from it the advantage which they
ought. It is faith alone that sanctifies the gifts of God to us, so that they
become pure, and, united to the lawful use of them, contribute to our salvation.
Lastly, by this word Christ has informed us in what manner we lawfully enjoy
divine favors. Hence we infer, that he included the eternal salvation of the
soul along with the temporal gift. The
Samaritan
was
saved
by his
faith.
How? Certainly not because he was cured of leprosy, (for this was likewise
obtained by the rest,) but because he was admitted into the number of the
children of God, and received from His hand a pledge of fatherly
kindness.
20.
And being interrogated by the
Pharisees. This question was undoubtedly
put in mockery; for, since Christ was continually speaking of the kingdom of God
as at hand, while no change was taking place in the outward condition of the
Jews, wicked and malicious persons looked upon this as a plausible excuse for
harassing him. As if all that Christ said about the kingdom of God were idle
talk and mere trifling, they put a sarcastic question to him, “When shall
that kingdom come?” If any one shall consider this question to have been
put on account of the grossness of their own views, rather than for the sake of
jeering, I have no objection.
The kingdom of God will not come
with observation. My opinion is, that
Christ now disregards those dogs, and accommodates this reply to the disciples;
just as on many other occasions, when he was provoked by wicked men, and seized
the opportunity of giving instruction. In this manner God disappoints their
malice, while the truth, which is maintained in opposition to their sophistry,
is the more fully displayed.
The word
observation
is here employed by Christ to denote extraordinary splendor;
f337 and he
declares, that the kingdom of God will not make its appearance at a distance, or
attended by pompous display. He means, that they are greatly mistaken who seek
with the eyes of the flesh the
kingdom of God, which is in no respect
carnal or earthly, for it is nothing else than the inward and spiritual renewal
of the soul. From the nature of the kingdom itself he shows that they are
altogether in the wrong, who look around here or
there,
in order to observe visible marks. “That restoration of the
Church,” he tells us, “which God has promised, must be looked for
within;
for, by quickening his elect into a heavenly newness of life, he establishes
his kingdom within
them.” And thus he indirectly
reproves the stupidity of the Pharisees, because they aimed at nothing but what
was earthly and fading. It must be observed, however, that Christ speaks only of
the beginnings of the kingdom of God; for we now begin to be formed anew by the
Spirit after the image of God, in order that our entire renovation, and that of
the whole world, may afterwards follow in due time.
MATTHEW 13:53-58; MARK
6:1-6
|
MATTHEW
13:53-58
|
MARK
6:1-6
|
|
53. And it happened, when Jesus had
concluded these discourses,
f338 that he
departed thence. 54. And when he was come into his own country, he
taught them in their synagogue, so that they were amazed, and said, Whence hath
this man this wisdom and these miracles? 55. Is not this the
carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James,
and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56. And his sisters, do not they
all live amongst us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57. And they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is
not destitute of honor, except in his own country and in his own house.
58. And he did not perform many miracles there on account of their
unbelief.
|
1. And he departed thence, and came into
his own country, and his disciples followed him. 2. And when it was
Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing were amazed,
saying, Whence hath this man these things?
f339 And
what is the wisdom that hath been given to him, so that such miracles are done
by his hands? 3. Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the
brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? Are not his sisters also here
with us? And they were offended at him. 4. And Jesus said to them, A
prophet is not devoid of honor,
f340 except
in his own country, and among his relatives, and in his own family.
5. And he could not perform any miracle there, except that he cured
a few sick persons by laying his hands on them. 6. And he wondered
at their unbelief, and walked about through the surrounding villages
teaching.
|
Matthew 13:53.
When Jesus had
concluded. Matthew does not mean, that
immediately after delivering these discourses, he came into his own country; for
it is evident from Mark, that some interval of time elapsed. But the
meaning is, that after having taught for some time in Judea, he returned again
to the Galileans, but did not receive from them kind treatment. A narrative
which Luke gives (4:22) is nearly similar, but is not the same. Nor ought we to
wonder that Christ’s countrymen, when they perceived that his family was
mean and despised, and that he had been poorly educated, were at first so much
offended as to murmur at his doctrine, and afterwards persevered in the same
malice to such an extent, that they did not cease to slander him, when he chose
to discharge the office of a prophet amongst them. This second rejection of
Christ shows that the space of time which had intervened had not effected a
reformation on the inhabitants of Nazareth, but that the same contempt was
constantly thrown as an obstacle in the way, to prevent them from hearing
Christ. f341
54.
So that they were
amazed. They are struck with
amazement at the novelty of the occurrence, that Christ, who had not
learned letters, but had been employed from youth to manhood in a mechanical
occupation, is so eminent a teacher, and is filled with divine wisdom. In this
miracle they ought to have perceived the hand of God; but their ingratitude made
them cover themselves with darkness.
f342 They
are compelled to admire him, whether they will or not; and yet they treat him
with contempt. And what is this but to reject a prophet whom God has taught,
because he has not been educated by men? They cut their throat by means of their
own acknowledgment, when they render so honorable a testimony to the doctrine of
Christ, which after all has no influence on them, because it does not take its
origin, in the usual way, from the earth. Why do they not rather lift their eyes
to heaven, and learn that what exceeds human reason must have come from
God?
Besides, the miracles, which were added to the
doctrine, ought to have affected them the more powerfully, or at least to have
aroused them from their excessive carelessness and stupidity to glorify God; for
certainly, when God adopts unwonted methods of procedure, so much the more
clearly does he display the power of his hand. And yet this was the very reason
why the inhabitants of Nazareth maliciously drew a veil over their eyes. We see,
then, that it is not mere ignorance that hinders men, but that, of their own
accord, they search after grounds of offense, to prevent them from following the
path to which God invites. We ought rather to argue in the opposite way, that,
when human means fail, the power of God is clearly revealed to us, and ought to
receive undivided praise.
55.
Is not this the
carpenter’s son? It was, we are
aware, by the wonderful purpose of God, that Christ remained in private life
till he was thirty years of age. Most improperly and unjustly, therefore, were
the inhabitants of Nazareth offended on this account; for they ought rather to
have received him with reverence, as one who had suddenly come down from heaven.
They see God working in Christ, and intentionally turn away their eyes from this
sight, to behold Joseph, and Mary, and all his relatives; thus interposing a
veil to shut out the clearest light. The word
brothers,
we have formerly mentioned, is employed, agreeably to the Hebrew idiom, to
denote any relatives whatever; and, accordingly, Helvidius displayed
excessive ignorance in concluding that Mary must have had many sons, because
Christ’s brothers are sometimes mentioned.
f344
57.
A prophet is not devoid of
honor. I have explained this statement
at considerable length, where it occurs in the Gospel of John,
f345 (4:44.)
It may, no doubt, be a general proverb, that those who are distinguished by
eminent gifts are nowhere held in less estimation than
in their own
country; and this manifests the
ingratitude of men, who, in proportion to the greater familiarity with which God
exhibits himself to them, are the more bold to reject him in the influences of
his Spirit. I readily agree, however, with Chrysostom, who thinks that this
proverb was applied in a peculiar manner to the Jews. But what was usually
spoken against the whole nation, Christ now asserts with special reference to
his Galilean countrymen; for nowhere did he receive less honor than on his
native soil. There were good grounds for the charge which he brings against
them, that, instead of being the first to accept the grace offered to them, as
they ought to have been, they drive him to a distance from them; for it is truly
extraordinary that a prophet of God, whom others warmly receive as a
newly-arrived stranger, should be despised in the place where he was
born.
58.
And he did not perform many
miracles in that place. Mark states it
more emphatically, that he could
not perform any miracle. But they are
perfectly agreed as to the substance of what is said, that it was the impiety of
Christ’s countrymen that closed the door against the performance of a
greater number of miracles among them. He had already given them some taste of
his power; but they willingly stupify themselves, so as to have no relish for
it. Accordingly, Augustine justly compares faith to the open mouth of a
vessel, while he speaks of faith as resembling a stopper, by which the vessel is
closed, so as not to receive the liquor
f346 which
God pours into it. And undoubtedly this is the case; for when the Lord perceives
that his power is not accepted by us, he at length withdraws it; and yet we
complain that we are deprived of his aid, which our unbelief rejects and drives
far from us.
When Mark declares that Christ
could not perform any
miracles, he represents the aggravated
guilt of those by whom his goodness was prevented; for certainly unbelievers, as
far as lies in their power, bind up the hands of God by their obstinacy; not
that God is overcome, as if he were an inferior, but because they do not permit
him to display his power. We must observe, however, what Mark adds, that
some sick
people, notwithstanding,
were
cured; for hence we infer, that the
goodness of Christ strove with their malice, and triumphed over every obstacle.
f347 We have
experience of the same thing daily with respect to God; for, though he justly
and reluctantly restrains his power, because the entrance to us is shut against
him, yet we see that he opens up a path for himself where none exists, and
ceases not to bestow favors upon us. What an amazing contest, that while we are
endeavoring by every possible method to hinder the grace of God from coming to
us, it rises victorious, and displays its efficacy in spite of all our
exertions!
MATTHEW 14:1-2; MARK 6:14-16;
LUKE 9:7-9
|
MATTHEW
14:1-2
|
MARK
6:14-16
|
LUKE
9:7-9
|
|
1. At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard
of the fame of Jesus, 2. And said to his servants, This is John the
Baptist: he is raised from the dead, and therefore miracles work in
him.
|
14. And king Herod heard of him, (for
his name had become celebrated,) and said, John, who baptized, hath risen from
the dead, and therefore miracles are performed by him. 15. Others
said, I tis Elijah; and others said, It is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
16. But when Herod heard that, he said, It is John whom I beheaded,
he hath rasen from the dead.
|
7. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all
that was done by him, and was perplexed, because it was said by some that Christ
had risen from the dead; 8. And by some, that Elijah had appeared;
and by others, that one of the ancient prophets had risen again.
9. And Herod said, John have I beheaded, but who is this of whom I
hear such things? And he desired to see him.
|
The reason why the Evangelists relate this occurrence
is, to inform us that the name of Christ was universally celebrated, and,
therefore, the Jews could not be excused on the plea of ignorance. Many might
otherwise have been perplexed by this question, “How came it that, while
Christ dwelt on the earth, Judea remained in a profound sleep, as if he had
withdrawn into some corner, and had displayed to none his divine power?”
The Evangelists accordingly state, that the report concerning him was everywhere
spread abroad, and penetrated even into the court of Herod.
2.
And said to his
servants. From the words of Luke it may
be inferred, that Herod did not of his own accord adopt this conjecture, but
that it was suggested to him by a report which was current among the people.
And, indeed, I have no doubt that the hatred which they bore to the tyrant, and
their detestation of so shocking a murder, gave rise, as is commonly the ease,
to those rumors. It was a superstition deeply rooted, as we have formerly
mentioned, in the minds of men, that the dead return to life in a different
person. Nearly akin to this is the opinion which they now adopt, that Herod,
when he cruelly put to death the holy man, was far from obtaining what he
expected; because he had suddenly risen from the dead by the miraculous power of
God, and would oppose and attack his enemies with greater severity than
ever.
Mark and Luke, however, show that men
spoke variously on this subject: some thought that he was
Elijah,
and others that he was one of
the prophets, or that he was so
eminently endued with the gifts of the Spirit, that he might be compared to
the
prophets. The reason why they thought
that he might be
Elijah,
rather than any other prophet, has been already stated. Malachi having
predicted (4:5,6) that Elijah would come to gather the scattered Church,
they misunderstood that prediction as relating to the person of
Elijah,
instead of being a simple comparison to the following effect: “That
the coming of Messiah may not be unknown, and that the people may not remain
ignorant of the grace of redemption, there will be an
Elijah
to go before, like him who of old raised up that which was fallen, and the
worship of God which had been overthrown. He will go before, by a
remarkable power of the Spirit, to proclaim the great and dreadful day of the
Lord.” The Jews, with their usual grossness of interpretation, had
applied this to Elijah the Tishbite, (1 Kings 17:1,) as if he were to
appear again and discharge the office of a prophet. Others again conjecture,
either that some one of the ancient prophets had risen, or that he was some
great man, who approached to them in excellence.
It was astonishing that, amidst the diversity of
views which were suggested, the true interpretation did not occur to any one;
more especially as the state of matters at that very time directed them to
Christ. God had promised to them a Redeemer, who would relieve them when they
were distressed and in despair. The extremity of affliction into which they had
been plunged was a loud call for divine assistance. The Redeemer is at hand, who
had been so clearly pointed out by the preaching of John, and who himself
testifies respecting his office. They are compelled to acknowledge that some
divine power belongs to him, and yet they fall into their own fancies, and
change him into the persons of other men. It is thus that the world is wont, in
base ingratitude, to obliterate the remembrance of the favors which God has
bestowed.
With respect to Herod himself, as I hinted, little
ago, the conjecture that John had risen did not at first occur to himself; but
as bad consciences are wont to tremble and hesitate, and turn with every wind,
he readily believed what he dreaded. With such blind terrors God frequently
alarms wicked men; so that, after all the pains they take to harden themselves,
and to escape agitation, their internal executioner gives them no rest, but
chastises them with severity.
And therefore miracles work in
him. We naturally wonder what reasoning
could have led them to this conclusion. John had performed no miracle during the
whole course of his preaching. There appears to be no probability, therefore, in
the conjecture, that it was John whom they saw performing extraordinary
miracles. But they imagine that miracles are now performed by him for the first
time, in order to prove his resurrection, and to show that the holy prophet of
God had been wickedly put to death by Herod, and now came forward with a visible
and divine protection, that no man might afterwards venture to assail him. They
think that miracles
work
(ejnezgou~sin)
in
him; that is, are powerfully displayed,
so as to give him greater authority, and make it evident that the Lord is with
him.
MATTHEW 14:3-12; MARK
6:17-29
|
MATTHEW
14:3-12
|
MARK
6:17-29
|
|
3. For Herod had seized John, and bound
him, and put him in prison, on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother
Philip. 4. For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have
her. 5. And though he wished to put him to death, he feared the
multitude, because they accounted him a prophet. 6. But when
Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before the
company, and pleased Herod. 7. And therefore he promised with an
oath, that he would give her whatever she would ask. 8. But she,
after having been instructed by her mother, said Give me here in a dish the head
of John the Baptist. 9. And the king was sorry, yet on account of
the oath, and of those who sat with him at table, he commanded that it should be
given. 10. And he sent and beheaded John in the prison. And his
head was brought in a dish and given to the girl, and she carried it to her
mother. 12. And his disciples came and carried away the body, and
buried it, and went and told Jesus.
|
17. For Herod himself had sent, and
seized John, and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, the wife of his
brother Philip, because he had married her. 18. For John said to
Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.
19. And Herodias lay in wait for him, and wished to kill him, and could
not. 20. For Herod dreaded John, knowing that he was a just and
holy man, and observed him, and, having heard him, did many things, and heard
him gladly. 21. And when a convenient day came, when Herod on his
birthday made a supper to the nobles, and captains, and distinguished men of
Galilee; 22. And when the daughter of Herodias entered, and danced,
and pleased Herod, and those who sat at table with him, the king said to the
girl, Ask any thing from me,
f348 and I
will give it to thee. 23. And he swore to her, Whatever thou shalt
ask of me, I will give to thee, even to the half of my kingdom.
24. But she went out and said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she
said, The head of John the Baptist. 25. And she went in immediately
with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I wish that thou wouldst give to me
immediately in a dish the head of John the Baptist. 26. And the
king being sorry on account of the oath, and of those who sat at table with him,
would not refuse her.
f349
27. And he immediately sent a spearman,
f350 and
commanded that his head should be brought: and he went, and beheaded him in the
prison. 28. And he brought his head in a dish, and gave it to the
girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29. And when his
disciples heard of this, they carne and carried off his body, and laid it in a
tomb.
|
This narrative is at present omitted by Luke, because
he had explained it on a former occasion; and for my own part, as I am unwilling
to annoy my readers by writing the same thing twice, I shall handle this passage
with greater brevity
f351 The
Evangelists relate that John was seized, because he had openly condemned
Herod
for carrying off Herodias, and for his incestuous marriage with her.
Josephus assigns a different reason, namely, that Herod, dreading on his own
account a change of affairs, regarded John with suspicion, (Ant. 18. 5:2;) and
it is possible that this may have been the pretext on which the tyrant excused
his crime, or that such a report may have been in circulation; for it frequently
happens that various motives are assigned for unjust violence and cruelty. The
true state of the fact, however, is pointed out by the Evangelists: Herod was
offended at the holy man, because he had been reproved by him.
Josephus is mistaken in supposing that Herodias was
carried off, not from his brother Philip, but from Herod, King of Chalcis, his
uncle, (Ant. 18:5:4.) For not only was the crime still recent when the
Evangelists wrote, but it was committed before the eyes of all. What is
elsewhere stated by Josephus, (Ant. 18:4:6,) that Philip was a person of amiable
dispositions, emboldened Herod, I have no doubt, to expect that an outrage
committed on a mild, gentle, and peaceable man, would pass with impunity.
Another probable conjecture may be mentioned. There is greater reason to suppose
that Herodias was married to her uncle Philip than to her grand-uncle, her
grandfather’s brother, who must have been at that time in the decrepitude
of old age. Now Herod Antipas (who is here mentioned) and Philip were not
brothers by the same mother; for Herod was the son of Marthaca, third wife of
Herod the Great, and Philip was the son of Cleopatra.
f352
To return to the Evangelists, they tell us that John
was thrown into prison, because he had reproved Herod’s crime with greater
freedom than the ferocity of the tyrant would endure. The atrocious character of
the deed was in itself sufficiently detestable and infamous; for not only did he
keep in his own house another man’s wife, whom he had torn away from
lawful wedlock, but the person on whom he had committed this outrage was his own
brother. When, in addition to this, he is freely reproved by John, Herod has
some reason to fear that sedition will suddenly break out. His lust did not
allow him to correct his fault; but having imprisoned the prophet of God, he
promises to himself repose and liberty.
f353
Ignorance of history has led many persons into a
fruitless debate; “Have I a right to marry the woman who was formerly
married to my brother?” Though the modesty of nature recoils from such a
marriage,
f354 yet
John condemns the rape still more than the incest; for it was by violence or by
stratagem
f355 that
Herod had deprived his brother of his lawful wife: and otherwise it would have
been less lawful for him to marry his niece than to marry his brother’s
widow. There cannot be a doubt, that a crime so flagrant was universally blamed.
But others loaded Herod with their curses in his absence. John alone comes into
his presence, and reproves him boldly to his face, if by any means he may be
brought to repentance. Hence we learn with what unshaken fortitude the servants
of God ought to be armed when they have to do with princes; for in almost every
court hypocrisy and servile flattery are prevalent; and the ears of princes,
having been accustomed to this smooth language, do not tolerate any voice which
reproves their vices with any severity. But as a prophet of God ought not to
overlook so shocking a crime, John steps forward, though a disagreeable and
unwelcome adviser, and, rather than fail in his duty, scruples not to incur the
frown of the tyrant, even though he knew Herod to be so strongly held by the
snares of the prostitute, that he could scarcely be moved from his
purpose.
5.
And though he wished to put him
to death. There is some appearance of
contradiction between the words of Matthew and Mark: for the
former says that Herod was desirous to commit this shocking murder, but was
restrained by the fear of the people; while the latter charges Herodias alone
with this cruelty. But the difficulty is soon removed. At first Herod would have
been unwilling, if a stronger necessity had not compelled him reluctantly to do
so, to put to death the holy man; because he regarded him with reverence, and,
indeed, was prevented by religious scruples from practising such atrocious
cruelty against a prophet of God; and that he afterwards shook off this fear of
God, in consequence of the incessant urgency of Herodias; but that afterwards,
when infuriated by that demon he longed for the death of the holy man, he was
withheld by a new restraint, because he dreaded on his own account a popular
commotion. And here we must attend to the words of Mark,
Herodias lay in wait for
him;
f356
which imply, that as Herod was not of himself sufficiently disposed to
commit the murder, she either attempted to gain him over by indirect wiles, or
labored to find some secret method of putting the holy man to death. I am more
disposed to adopt the former view, that she employed stratagems for influencing
the mind of her husband, but did not succeed, so long as Herod was prevented by
remorse of conscience from pronouncing sentence of death on the holy man. Next
followed another fear that the business of his death should excite the people to
some insurrection. But Mark glances only at what prevented Herod from yielding
immediately to the entreaties of the prostitute; for Herodias would have wished
that, as soon as John was thrown into prison, he should be privately executed.
Herod, on the contrary, reverenced the holy man, so far as even to comply
willingly with his advises: Herod
feared John. Now the fear which
is here mentioned, was not a dread arising from a mistaken opinion, as we
dread those who have obtained some authority over us, though we reckon
them to be unworthy of the honor. But this fear was a voluntary respect;
for Herod was convinced that he was a holy man and a faithful servant of God,
and therefore did not dare to despise him.
f357 And
this deserves our attention; for though John knew by experience that it was, in
many respects, advantageous for him to have some share in the good wishes of the
tetrarch,
f358 yet he
was not afraid to offend him, when he could find no other way of securing that
favor, than by wickedly conniving at a known and disgraceful crime. He might
indeed have protested that he did not at all consult his private interests, and
that he had no other object in view than the public advantage; for it is certain
that he requested nothing from motives of ambition
f359 but
that Herod yielded to his holy counsels, which had a reference to the lawful
administration of the kingdom. But as he perceives that he has no right to
accept this kind of compensation,
f360which
would procure for him some kind offices by betraying the truth, he chooses
rather to turn a friend into an enemy than to encourage, by flattery or silence,
an evil which he is laid under the necessity of reproving with
severity.
John has thus, by his example, furnished an undoubted
rule for pious teachers, not to wink at the faults of princes, so as to purchase
their favor at this price, how advantageous soever that favor might appear to be
to the public interests.
f361 In
Herod, on the other hand, the Spirit of God exhibits, as in a mirror, how
frequently it happens that those who do not sincerely worship God are
nevertheless willing, in some measure, to obey His commands, provided that He
will grant them some indulgence or abatement. But whenever they are hard
pressed, they throw off the yoke, and break out not only into obstinacy, but
into rage. There is no reason, therefore, why they who comply with many sound
advises should be well satisfied with themselves, till they have learned to
yield and surrender themselves unreservedly to God.
6.
And when Herod’s
birthday was kept. The Evangelists now
begin to relate the stratagem by which Herodias at length succeeded in a design
which she had long meditated, the taking away of John’s life. The
opportunity was afforded to her by an annual festival, when Herod was
celebrating his birthday. It is scarcely possible that such magnificent
preparations should not draw luxury, pride, unbridled merriment, and other
crimes, and likewise many other evils, along with them. Not that there is any
thing wrong in the mere act of preparing an expensive banquet; but such is the
tendency of the human mind to licentiousness, that when the reins are loosened,
they quickly go astray. The ancient custom of observing a birthday every year as
an occasion of joy cannot in itself be disapproved; for that day, as
often as it returns, reminds each of us to give thanks to God, who brought us
into this world, and has permitted us, in his kindness, to spend many years in
it; next, to bring to our recollection how improperly and uselessly the time
which God granted to us has been permitted to pass away; and, lastly, that we
ought to commit ourselves to the protection of the same God for the remainder of
our life.
But nothing is so pure that the world shall not taint
it with its own vices. A birthday, which ought to have been held sacred,
is profaned by the greater part of men with disgraceful abuses; and there is
scarcely a single entertainment at all costly that is free from wicked
debauchery. First, men drink more freely; next, the door is opened to filthy and
immodest conversation; and, lastly, no moderation is observed. This was the
reason why the patriarch Job was in the habit of offering sacrifices, while his
sons were feasting alternately in each other’s houses,
(<180105>Job
1:5.) It was because he thought that, when the guests invite one another to
mirth, they are far from maintaining due moderation, and sin in a variety of
ways.
Thus it happened that Herod, intending to give a rich
entertainment to his guests, permitted his wife’s daughter to dance.
Hence, too, it appears what sort of discipline existed at his court; for, though
most people at that time thought themselves at liberty to dance, yet for a
marriageable young woman to dance was a shameful display of the impudence of the
strumpet. But the unchaste Herodias had moulded her daughter Salome to her own
manners in such a manner that she might not bring disgrace upon her.
f362 And
what was the consequence? The wicked murder of a holy prophet. The heat of wine
had such an influence on Herod, that, forgetting gravity and prudence, he
promised to a dancing girl, that he would give her
even to the half of his
kingdom. A shameful example truly, that
a drunken king not only permits himself to behold with approbation a spectacle
f363 which
was disgraceful to his family, but holds out such a reward! Let us therefore
learn to be careful in anticipating and resisting the devil, lest he entangle us
in such snares.
Mark 6:24.
And she went out, and said to her
mother. We need not wonder that Herodias
attached so much importance to John’s death.
f364 The
conjecture thrown out by some—that she was actuated by revenge,—is
not at all probable. It was rather the dread of being cast off that inflamed and
tormented her; as it usually happens that, when adulterers are visited with
feelings of uneasiness, they become ashamed of their own lust. But she hoped
that this crime would bind Herod more closely to her than ever, if the disgrace
of a pretended marriage were washed out by the blood of the prophet. That her
power might be more secure for the future, she longed for the death of that man
whom she imagined to be her only opponent; and this shows us the wretched
anxiety by which a bad conscience is always tormented. John was detained in
prison, and the haughty and cruel woman might have issued orders that no man
should converse with or approach him; and yet she has no rest, but is oppressed
with anxiety and alarm, till the prophet be removed out of the way. This
likewise serves to show the power of the word of God, that the voice of the holy
man, even when shut up in prison, wounds and tortures in the keenest manner the
mind of the king’s wife.
f365
26.
And the king being sorry. His heart, as
we have said, was no longer influenced by religious sentiments; but, foreseeing
the detestation that will be excited by such a crime, he dreads both the loss of
character and positive harm, and consequently repents of his levity. And yet he
has not the courage to give a refusal to a dancing girl, lest he should incur
the reproach of unsteadiness; as if it were more dishonorable to retract a rash
and foolish promise than to persist in a heinous crime. With the wonted vanity
of kings, he does not choose that what he has once uttered shall be recalled,
and orders that the prophet shall be instantly slain. We infer that Herod was at
that time supping in the castle of Macherus, where, Josephus tells us, John was
imprisoned, (Ant. 18. 5:2.)
On account of the oath, and of
those who sat at table with him. It
deserves our attention that the Evangelists state this to be the reason of his
grief; and hence we infer that, though he had sworn a hundred times, yet if
there had been no witness, he would not have held by his oath. No inward
feelings of religion constrained Herod to do this, but the mere love of power
drove him headlong; for he reckoned that he would sink in the estimation of
those who were present, if he did not fulfill his engagement. Thus it frequently
happens that ungodly men fail to perform their duty, because they do not look to
God, but are only intent on this object, that they may not incur the reproaches
of men.
f366 But
though Herod had kept before his eyes the sacredness of an oath alone, and not
the dread of the opinion of men, he committed a more heinous offense in
fulfilling a foolish promise than if he had violated his oath. First, he was
deeply in fault for such haste in swearing; for the design of an oath is to
confirm a promise in a doubtful matter. Next, when it appeared that he could not
be relieved from his engagement without involving himself in an aggravated
crime, he had no right to implicate the sacred name of God in such wickedness;
for what could be more at variance with the nature of God than to lend his
countenance to a shocking murder? If a private loss is at stake, let him who has
made a rash oath suffer the punishment of his folly; but, when a man has taken
the name of God in vain, let him beware of doubling his guilt by employing this
as a pretense for committing some enormous crime. Hence it follows, that
monastic vows, which are attended by open impiety, do not bind the conscience
any more than the enchantments of magicians; for it is not the will of God that
his sacred name shall give support to what is sinful. But this passage teaches
us, that we ought to beware of making promises without consideration; and next,
that lightness must not be followed by obstinacy.
28.
And gave it to the
girl. It was an additional aggravation
of this detestable crime, that the head of the holy man was made, after his
death, a matter of sport. But in this way the Lord sometimes gives up his people
to the pride of wicked men, till he at length makes it evident that their blood
is precious in his sight
(<19B615>Psalm
116:15.)
Herodias
is delighted with the thought of having gained her wicked purpose, and
cruelly triumphs over her reprover; but when afterwards, stripped of her wealth,
and not only deprived of the title of queen, but driven from her native country,
and destitute of all means of support, she dragged out a wretched life in
poverty and banishment, she presented a spectacle gratifying to angels and to
all good people. When we perceive that the guests are compelled to pollute their
eyes by beholding this detestable exhibition, let us learn from it, that those
who sit at the tables of kings are often involved in many crimes; for, granting
that the table is not stained by murder, every thing partakes so largely of all
sorts of wickedness, that they who approach to it must be at least given up to
debauchery.
29.
His disciples
came. One thing only remained to
complete the woman’s cruelty. It was, to leave the corpse of the holy man
unburied; for there is reason to believe that, when
his
disciples performed this duty, the
attendants of the tyrant had thrown out the corpse. Though the honor of burial
is of no importance to the dead, yet it is the will of the Lord that we should
observe this ceremony as a token of the last resurrection; and therefore God was
pleased with the carefulness which was manifested by the disciples, when they
came to commit to the tomb the body of their master. Moreover, it was an
attestation of their piety; for in this way they declared that the doctrine of
their master continued to have a firm hold of their hearts after his death. This
confession was therefore worthy of praise, more especially as it was not without
danger; for they could not do honor to a man who had been put to death by the
executioner without exciting against themselves the rage of the
tyrant.
MATTHEW 14:13-21; MARK
6:30-44;
LUKE
9:10-17
|
MATTHEW
14:13-21
|
MARK
6:30-44
|
LUKE
9:10-17
|
|
13. When Jesus heard this, he departed
thence to a ship to a desert place apart; and when the multitudes heard it, they
followed him on foot out of the cities. 14. And Jesus, when leaving
(the ship,) saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion towards them,
and healed of such of them as were diseased. 15. And when the
evening was drawing on, his disciples came to him, saying, It is a desert place,
and the time is now past: send the multitudes away, that they may go into the
village, and purchase victuals for themselves. 16. And Jesus said
to them, It is not necessary that they should go away: give you to them
something to eat. 17. And they say to him, We have nothing here but
five loaves and two fishes. 18. And he said, Bring them hither to
me. 19. And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass,
and, taking the five loaves and the two fishes, and raising his eyes to heaven,
he blessed.
f370 And
when he had broken the loaves, he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples
to the multitudes. 20. And they all ate, and were satisfied, and
carried away what remained of the fragments
f371 twelve
baskets full. 21. And they who had eaten were nearly five thousand
men, besides women and children.
|
30. And the Apostles assembled to Jesus,
and related to him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.
f367
31. And he said to them, Come you apart into a desert place, and rest
for a little. For there were many who were coming and going, so that there was
not even leisure to take food.
f368.
32. And he went into a desert place by ship apart. 33. And
the multitude saw them departing, and many recognized him, and ran hither on
foot out of all the cities, and went before them, and came together to him.
34. And Jesus, as he was leaving (the ship,) saw a great multitude, and
was moved with compassion towards them, because they were as sheep not having a
shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35. And when a
great part of the day was already past, his disciples came to him, saying, It is
a desert place, and the day is now far advanced. 36. Send them
away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and villages and purchase
bread for themselves; for they having nothing to eat. 37. And he
answering said to them, Give you to them something to eat. And they said to him
Shall we go and purchase bread for two hundred pence, and give them something to
eat? 38. And he said to them, How many loaves have you? Go and see.
And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 39. And he
commanded them to make them all sit down, arranging the guests on the green
grass. 40. And they sat down, arranged in hundreds, and fifties.
41. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes,
raising his eyes to heaven, he blessed,
f372 and
brake the loaves, and gave to the disciples to set before them, and divided the
two fishes among them all. 42. And they all ate, and were
satisfied. 43. And they carried away twelve baskets full of the
fragments and of the fishes. 44. Now they who had eaten were about
five thousand men.
|
10. And the Apostles, having returned,
f369 related
to him all that they had done. And he took them, and withdrew apart into a
desert place, near a city which is called Bethsaida. 11. And when
the multitudes knew it, they followed him; and he received them, and spoke to
them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
12. And the day began to decline; and the twelve approached and said to
him, Send away the multitudes, that they may go into the neighboring towns and
villages, and procure food; for we are here in a desert place.
13. And he said to them, Give you to them something to eat. And they
said, We have no more than five loaves and two fishes; unless we go and buy food
for all this people. 14. Now they were about five thousand men. And
he saith to his disciples, Make them sit down, fifty in each division.
15. And they did so, and made them all sit down. 16. And,
taking the five loaves and the two fishes, he raised his eyes to heaven, and
blessed them, and broke them,
f373 and
gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude. 17. And
they all ate, and were satisfied; and there was carried away what was left of
the fragments twelve baskets.
|
Matthew 14:13.
When Jesus heard it.
John, who relates the same narrative,
does not mention the reason why Jesus crossed over to the opposite bank, (6: 5.)
Mark and Luke differ somewhat from Matthew; for they
describe the occasion of the journey to have been to give some repose to his
disciples, after that they had returned from their embassy. But there is no
contradiction here; for it is possible that he intended to withdraw his
disciples into a desert place, in order that he might be more at leisure to
train them for higher labors, and that, about the same time, an additional
reason arose out of the death of John. Minds which were still feeble might have
been terrified by the death of John, learning from the melancholy end of that
eminent prophet what condition awaited them all. Certainly, as it was formerly
related that, when John was imprisoned, Christ removed from Herod’s
territory, in order to avoid his fury for the time, so we may now infer that
Christ, in order to keep his trembling disciples at a distance from the flame,
withdrew into a desert
place.
How long the Apostles were employed in their first
embassy it is not in our power to determine; for the Evangelists, as we have
formerly remarked, either did not attend to dates, or did not observe them with
great exactness. I think it highly probable that their commission to proclaim
the kingdom of Christ was not confined to a single occasion, but that, as
opportunities were offered, they either repeated their visit to some places, or
went to others after a lapse of time. The words,
they came together to
him, I look upon as meaning that ever
afterwards they were his constant attendants; as if the Evangelist had said,
that they did not leave their Master so as to be individually and constantly
employed in the ordinary office of teaching, but that, having discharged a
temporary commission, they went back to school to make greater advances in
learning.
They followed him on foot out of
the cities. Though Christ, who foresaw
all things before they happened, was in no respect ignorant of what would take
place, yet he wished, as a man, to forewarn his disciples, that the fact might
testify the anxiety which he had about them. The vast crowd that had assembled
shows how widely his fame was spread in every direction: and this left the Jews
without excuse in depriving themselves, by their own carelessness, of the
salvation which was offered to them; for even out of this great multitude, which
was inflamed by a sudden zeal to follow Christ, it is evident from what is
stated by John, (6:66, 12:37) that not more than a very small number yielded a
true and steady adherence to his doctrine.
14.
He was moved with compassion
towards them. The other two Evangelists, and
particularly Mark, state more clearly the reason why this
compassion
(sumpa>qeia)
was awakened in the mind of Christ. It was because he saw famishing souls,
whom the warmth of zeal had carried away from their homes and led into a
desert
place. This scarcity of teaching
indicated a wretched state of disorder; and accordingly Mark says that
Jesus was moved with compassion
towards them, because they were as sheep not having a
shepherd. Not that, as to his Divine
nature, he looked upon them all as sheep, but that, as man, he judged according
to the present aspect of the case. It was no small manifestation of piety that
they left their own homes, and flocked in crowds to the Prophet of God, though
he purposely concealed himself from them. Besides, it ought to be remarked, that
Christ was mindful of the character which he sustained; for he had been
commanded to discharge the duties of a public teacher, and was therefore bound
to look upon all the Jews, for the time being, as belonging to the flock of God
and to the Church, till they withdrew from it.
So strongly was Christ moved by this feeling of
compassion,
that though, in common with his disciples, he was fatigued and almost worn
out by uninterrupted toil, he did not spare himself. He had endeavored to obtain
some relaxation, and that on his own account as well as for the sake of his
disciples; but when urgent duty calls him to additional labor, he willingly lays
aside that private consideration,
f374 and
devotes himself to teaching the multitudes. Although he has now laid aside those
feelings which belonged to him as a mortal man, yet there is no reason to doubt
that he looks down from heaven on poor sheep that have no shepherd, provided
they ask relief of their wants. Mark says, that
he began to teach them MANY
things; that is, he spent a long time in
preaching, that they might reap some lasting advantage. Luke says, that he
spoke to them concerning the
Kingdom of God, which amounts to the
same thing. Matthew makes no mention of any thing but miracles, because they
were of great importance in establishing Christ’s reputation; but it may
naturally be concluded that he did not leave out doctrine, which was a matter of
the highest importance.
15.
When the evening was drawing
on. The disciples had now lost their
object, and they see that Christ is again absorbed in teaching, while the
multitudes are so eager to receive instruction that they do not think of
retiring. They therefore advise that for the sake of attending to their
bodily wants, Christ should send
them away into the neighboring villages.
He had purposely delayed till now the miracle which he intended to perform;
first, that his disciples might consider it more attentively, and might thus
derive from it greater advantage; and next, that the very circumstance of the
time might convince them that, though he does not prevent, and even does not
immediately supply, the wants of his people, yet he never ceases to care for
them, but has always at hand the assistance which he affords at the very time
when it is required.
16.
Give you to them something to
eat. As a fuller exposition of this
miracle will be found at the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, instead of
troubling my readers with a repetition of what I have said, I would rather send
them to that exposition; but rather than pass over this passage entirely, I
shall offer a brief recapitulation. Hitherto Christ had bestowed his whole
attention on feeding souls, but now he includes within his duties as a shepherd
the care even of their bodies. And in this way he confirms his own saying, that
to those who
seek the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness,
all other
things will be added,
(<400633>Matthew
6:33.)
We have no right, indeed, to expect that Christ will
always follow this method of supplying the hungry and thirsty with food; but it
is certain that he will never permit his own people to want the necessaries of
life, but will stretch out his hand from heaven, whenever he shall see it to be
necessary to relieve their necessities. Those who wish to have Christ for their
provider, must first learn not to long for refined luxuries, but to be satisfied
with barley-bread.
Christ commanded that the people should sit down
in
companies; and he did so, first, that by
this arrangement of the ranks the miracle might be more manifest; secondly, that
the number of the men might be more easily ascertained, and that, while they
looked at each other, they might in their turn bear testimony to this heavenly
favor. Thirdly, perceiving that his disciples were anxious, he intended to make
trial of their obedience by giving them an injunction which at first sight
appeared to be absurd; for, as no provisions were at hand, there was reason to
wonder why Christ was making arrangements that resembled a feast. To the same
purpose is what follows, that he
gave them the loaves, in order that in
their hands the astonishing increase might take place, and that they might thus
be the ministers of Christ’s divine power; for as if it had been of small
importance that they should be eye-witnesses, Christ determined that his power
should be handled by them.
f375
Two hundred
pence, according to the computation of
Budaeus, are worth about thirty-four French livres;
f376
and so when the disciples speak of what is
sufficient for them, that every
one of them may take a little, they
calculate at the rate of a farthing for each individual. Forming so high an
estimate of the sum of money that would be required to purchase bread barely
sufficient for procuring a morsel to the people, they are entitled to no small
praise for their obedience, when they implicitly comply with the command of
Christ, and leave the result to his disposal.
19.
He
blessed. In this passage, as in many
others, blessing denotes thanksgiving. Now Christ has taught us, by his
example, that we cannot partake of our food with holiness and purity, unless we
express our gratitude to God, from whose hand it comes to us. Accordingly, Paul
tells us, that every kind of food which God bestows upon us is sanctifed by
the word of God and prayer,
(<540405>1
Timothy 4:5;) by which he means, that brutal men, who do not regard by faith the
blessing of God, and do not offer to him thanksgiving, corrupt and pollute by
the filth of their unbelief all that is by nature pure; and, on the other hand,
that they are corrupted and defiled by the food which they swallow, because to
unbelievers nothing is clean. Christ has therefore laid down for his followers
the proper manner of taking food, that they may not profane their own persons
and the gifts of God by wicked sacrilege.
Raising his eyes towards
heaven. This expresses warm and earnest
supplication. Not that such an attitude is at all times necessary when we pray,
but because the Son of God did not choose to disregard the outward forms which
are fitted to aid human weakness. It ought also to be taken into account, that
to raise the
eyes upwards is an excitement well
fitted to arouse us from sloth, when our minds are too strongly fixed on the
earth.
20.
And carried away what was
left. The fragments that remained
after satisfying so vast a multitude of men were more than twelve times larger
in quantity than what was at first put into their hands, and this contributed
not a little to the splendor of the miracle. In this way all came to know that
the power of Christ had not only created out of nothing the food that was
necessary for immediate use, but that, if it should be required, there was also
provision for future wants; and, in a word, Christ intended that, after the
miracle had been wrought, a striking proof of it should still remain, which,
after being refreshed by food, they might contemplate at
leisure.
Now though Christ does not every day multiply our
bread, or feed men without the labor of their hands or the cultivation of their
fields, the advantage of this narrative extends even to us. If we do not
perceive that it is the blessing of God which multiplies the corn, that we may
have a sufficiency of food, the only obstacle is, our own indolence and
ingratitude. That, after we have been supported by the annual produce, there
remains seed for the following year, and that this could not have happened but
for an increase from heaven, each of us would easily perceive, were he not
hindered by that very depravity which blinds the eyes both of the mind and of
the flesh, so as not to see a manifest work of God. Christ intended to declare
that, as all things have been delivered into his hands by the Father, so the
food which we eat proceeds from his grace.
MATTHEW 14:22-33; MARK
6:45-52
|
MATTHEW
14:22-33
|
MARK
6:45-52
|
|
22. And immediately Jesus constrained
his disciples to embark, and to go before him to the opposite bank, till he had
sent away the multitudes. 23. And when he had sent away the
multitudes, he went up into a mountain alone to pray; and when the evening came,
he was there alone. 24. But the ship was now in the midst of the
sea, tossed with waves; for the wind was contrary. 25. And about
the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
26. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
terrified, saying, It is an apparition, and cried out for fear.
27. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Take courage; it is I,
be not afraid. 28. And Peter replying to him said, Lord, if it be
thou, bid me come to thee on the water. 29. And he said, Come. And
when Peter had come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to
Jesus. 30. But when he perceived the wind to be boisterous, he was
afraid; and when he began to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31. And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and
said to him, O man of little faith, why didst thou doubt? 32. And
when they had entered into the ship, the wind ceased. 33. Then they
that were in the ship approached and worshipped him, saying, Truly thou art the
Son of God.
|
45. And immediately he constrained his
disciples to embark, and to go before him, across the lake, to Bethsaida, while
he sent away the multitude. 46. And when he had sent them away, he
went into the mountain
f377 to
pray. 47. And when the evening came, the ship was in the midst of
the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48. And he saw that they had
difficulty in rowing, (for the wind was contrary to them;) and about the fourth
watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and intended to pass by
them. 49. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought
that it was an apparition, and cried out; 50. For they all saw him,
and were alarmed. And immediately he spoke to them, and said to them, Take
courage; it is I, be not afraid. 51. And he went up to them into
the ship, and the wind ceased; and they were greatly astonished within
themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52. For they had not
understood about the loaves; for their heart was blinded.
f378
|
Matthew 14:22.
And immediately Jesus
constrained his disciples. They must
have been
constrained;
for they would never, of their own accord, have left him, and gone to the
other side. Now in this they testify their great veneration for him, when,
contrary to their own opinions, they yield to his command and obey it. And,
indeed, it had an appearance of absurdity, that he should remain alone
in a desert
place, when night was approaching. But
so much the greater commendation is due to the submissiveness of those who set a
higher value on the authority of their heavenly teacher than on all that could
be pleaded on the other side. And, indeed, we do not truly and perfectly obey
God, unless we implicitly follow whatever he commands, though our feelings may
be opposed to it. There is always the best reason, no doubt, for every thing
that God does; but he often conceals it from us for a time, in order to instruct
us not to be wise in ourselves, but to depend entirely on the expression of his
will. And thus Christ constrained
his disciples to cross over, in order to
train them to that rule of obedience which I have mentioned; though there cannot
be a doubt that he intended to prepare the way for the miracle which will
immediately come under our consideration.
23.
He went up into a mountain
alone. It is probable that the Son of
God, who was fully aware of the tempest that was coming on, did not neglect the
safety of his disciples in his prayers; and yet we naturally wonder that he did
not rather prevent the danger than employ himself in prayer. But in discharging
all the parts of his office as Mediator, he showed himself to be God and man,
and exhibited proofs of both natures, as opportunities occurred. Though he had
all things at his disposal, he showed himself to be a man by praying; and this
he did not hypocritically, but manifested sincere and human affection towards
us. In this manner his divine majesty was for a time concealed, but was
afterwards displayed at the proper time.
In
going up into the
mountain he consulted his convenience,
that he might have more leisure for praying when removed from all noise. We know
how easily the slightest interruptions destroy the ardor of prayer, or at least
make it languish and cool. Though Christ was in no danger of this fault, yet he
intended to warn us by his example, that we ought to be exceedingly careful to
avail ourselves of every assistance for setting our minds free from all the
snares of the world, that we may look direct towards heaven. Now in this respect
solitude has a powerful influence, by disposing those who engage in prayer, when
God is their only witness, to be more on their guard, to pour their heart into
his bosom, to be more diligent in self-examination; and, in a
word—remembering that they have to do with God—to rise above
themselves. At the same time, it must be observed, that he did not lay down a
fixed rule, as if we were never permitted to pray except in retirement; for Paul
enjoins us to pray everywhere, lifting up clean hands,
(<540208>1
Timothy 2:8;) and Christ himself sometimes prayed in presence of others, and
even instructed his disciples to assemble together for offering social prayer.
But that permission to pray in all places does not hinder them from engaging in
secret prayer at proper seasons.
24.
The ship was now in the midst
of the sea. The reader will find this
narrative expounded by me at the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel, and
therefore I shall treat it more briefly here. When Christ permitted his
disciples to be tossed about in a perilous condition, for a time, by an opposing
storm, it was to fix their attention more powerfully on the assistance which he
brought to them. For the adverse wind arose about midnight, or at least a little
before it, and Christ appears about the fourth watch, that is, three
hours before sunrise. Their arms were not more fatigued by rowing than their
faith was shaken by grievous terrors. But when they were urged by strong
necessity to desire the presence of their Master, it showed very extraordinary
stupidity to be alarmed at his appearance as if he had been a
ghost.
For this reason Mark tells us,
that their heart was
blinded, and
that they understood not about
the loaves; for that miracle had given
abundant evidence that Christ possessed divine power to assist his followers,
and that he was careful to assist them, when necessity required. Justly,
therefore, are they now charged with stupidity in not immediately recollecting
that heavenly power, having beheld, on the preceding day, so astonishing a proof
of it, which ought to have been still before their eyes. It is, no doubt, true,
that their blameworthy slowness of apprehension was the reason why they were
astonished; for they had not profited, as they ought to have done, by other and
preceding miracles. But the principal charge brought against them is
blindness,
in allowing so recent an exhibition to fade from their memory, or rather in
not directing their mind to the contemplation of Christ’s divinity, of
which the multiplication of the loaves was a sufficiently bright
mirror.
Two things are expressed by the words of Mark; first,
that they did not properly consider the glory of Christ, which was exhibited in
the multiplication of the loaves; and, secondly, a reason is assigned, that
their heart was
blinded. This appears to have been
added, not only as an aggravation of their fault, but as a warning to us
respecting the corruption of our understanding, that we may seek from the Lord
new eyes. It certainly was a proof—as I have lately mentioned—of
brutal ignorance, that they did not perceive the power of God, when they might
almost feel it with their hands; but as the whole human race labors under the
same disease, Mark purposely mentions blindness, in order to inform us
that it is no new thing if men have their eyes closed against the manifest works
of God, till they are enlightened from above; as Moses also
said,
The Lord hath not yet
given thee a heart to understand,
(<052904>Deuteronomy
29:4.)
Now though the word heart more frequently
denotes the will or the seat of the affections, yet here, as in that passage
which I have now quoted from Moses, it is put for the
understanding.
27.
But immediately Jesus spake
to them. As Christ is not known to be a
Deliverer till he actually makes his appearance, he speaks, and desires his
disciples to recognize him. That confidence, to which he exhorts them, is
represented by him as founded on his presence; plainly implying that, since they
perceive him to be present with them, there are abundant grounds of hope. But as
terror had already overpowered their minds, he corrects that terror, lest it
should hinder or abate their confidence: not that they could all at once lay
aside fear and experience unmingled joy, but because it was necessary that the
fear which had seized them should be allayed, that it might not destroy their
confidence. Although to the reprobate the voice of the Son of God is deadly, and
his presence appalling, yet the effect which they produce on believers is here
described to us as widely different. They cause inward peace and strong
confidence to hold the sway over our hearts, that we may not yield to carnal
fears. But the reason why we are disturbed by unfounded and sudden alarms is,
that our ingratitude and wickedness prevent us from employing as shields the
innumerable gifts of God, which, if they were turned to proper account, would
give us all necessary support. Now though Christ appeared at the proper time for
rendering assistance, yet the storm did not immediately cease, till the
disciples were more fully aroused both to desire and to expect his grace. And
this deserves our attention, as conveying the instruction, that there are good
reasons why the Lord frequently delays to bestow that deliverance which he has
ready at hand.
28.
And Peter
answering. The condition which he lays
down shows that his faith was not yet fully settled.
If it is thou, says he, bid me
come to thee on the water. But he had
heard Christ speak. Why then does he still argue with himself under doubt and
perplexity? While his faith is so small and weak, a wish not well considered
bursts into a flame. He ought rather to have judged of himself according to his
capacity, and to have supplicated from Christ an increase of faith, that by its
guidance and direction he might walk over seas and mountains. But now, without
the wings of faith, he desires to fly at will; and though the voice of Christ
has not its due weight in his heart, he desires that the waters should be firm
under his feet. And yet there is no room to doubt that this longing sprung from
a good principle; but as it degenerates into a faulty excess, it cannot be
applauded as good.
Hence too it happens that Peter immediately begins to
smart for his rashness. Let believers, therefore, instructed by his example,
beware of excessive haste. Wherever the Lord calls, we ought to run with
alacrity; but whoever proceeds farther, will learn from the mournful result what
it is to overleap the bounds which the Lord has prescribed. Yet it may be asked,
Why does Christ comply with Peter’s wish? for by so doing he seems to
approve of it. But the answer is obvious. In many eases God promotes our
interests better by refusing our requests; but at times he yields to us, that by
experience we may be the more fully convinced of our own folly. In this manner,
it happens every day that, by granting to those who believe in him more than is
actually needed, he trains them to modesty and sober-mindedness for the future.
Besides, this was of advantage to Peter and to the other disciples, and it is of
advantage to us at the present day. The power of Christ shone more brightly in
the person of Peter, when he admitted him as a companion, than if he had walked
alone on the waters. But Peter knows, and the rest see plainly, that, when he
does not rest with a firm faith, and rely on the Lord, the secret power of God,
which formerly made the water solid, begins to disappear; and yet Christ dealt
gently with him by not permitting him to sink entirely under the waters.
f379 Both of
these things happen to us; for as Peter was no sooner seized with fear than he
began to sink, so the fleeting and transitory thoughts of the flesh immediately
cause us to sink in the midst of our course of employments.
f380
Meanwhile, the Lord indulges our weakness, and stretches out his hand, that the
waters may not swallow us up altogether. It must also be observed that Peter,
when he perceives the unhappy and painful consequences of his rashness, betakes
himself to the mercy of Christ. And we too, though enduring just punishment,
ought to betake ourselves to him, that he may have compassion on us, and bestow
the aid of which we are unworthy.
31.
O man of little
faith. While our Lord kindly preserves
Peter, he does not connive at Peter’s fault. Such is the object of the
chastisement administered, when Peter is blamed for the weakness of his faith.
But a question arises, Does every kind of fear give evidence of a weakness of
faith? for Christ’s words seem to imply that, where faith reigns, there is
no room for doubt.
f381 I
reply: Christ reproves here that kind of doubt which was directly opposed to
faith. A man may sometimes doubt without any fault on his part; and that is,
when the word of the Lord does not speak with certainty on the matter. But the
case was quite different with Peter, who had received an express command from
Christ, and had already experienced his power, and yet leaves that twofold
support, and falls into foolish and wicked fear.
33.
They that were in the
ship. I understand these words to refer
not only to the disciples, but to the sailors and other passengers. So then
those who had not yet declared that he was their Master, instantly acknowledge
that he is the Son of God, and by this term render to him the honor of the
Messiah. Though at that time this lofty mystery was not generally known,
how God was to be manifested in the flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16,) yet as they had learned from the prophets, that he who was to be
the Redeemer would be called the Son of God, those who under this designation
proclaim the glory of Christ, declare their belief that he is the Christ.
f382
MATTHEW 14:34-36; MARK
6:53-56
|
MATTHEW
14:34-36
|
MARK
6:53-56
|
|
34. And when they had passed over, they
came into the country of Gennesareth. 35. And when the men of that
place had recognized him, they sent messengers into all the surrounding country,
and brought to him all that were diseased. 36. And besought him
that they might ouch only the fringe of his robe; and as many as touched were
made whole.
|
53. And when they had passed over, they
came into the country of Gennesareth, and landed. 54. And when they
had left the ship, they immediately knew him.
f383
55. And, running through all that country round about, they began to
carry to him in beds those that were sick, wheresoever they heard that he was.
56. And to what place, soever he went, into villages, or into
cities, or into towns, they laid the diseased in the streets, and besought him
that they might touch only the fringe of his robe; and as many as touched him
were healed.
|
Matthew 14:34.
They came into the country of
Gennesareth. The Evangelists give that
designation to the country which borrowed its name from the lake, though it is
uncertain if it was not rather the name of the country that was bestowed on the
lake; but that is a matter of little consequence. Our chief business is, to
attend to the object which the Evangelists have in view. It is, to show that the
glory of Christ was attested not by one or by another miracle, but that this
part of Judea was filled with innumerable proofs of it, the report of which
might easily be carried to Jerusalem and to other towns in every direction.
Hence we infer, that singularly base and wicked must have been the ingratitude
of that nation which wickedly shut its eyes from perceiving, and even
endeavored, as far as lay in its power, to extinguish the brightness of the
divine glory which was exhibited before them. Our present business is, to
perceive, amidst so large an assemblage of miracles, the reason why
Christ came, which was, that he might offer himself as a physician to heal all
the diseases of all men
f384 For we
must bear in mind what Matthew had formerly quoted from the Prophet Isaiah,
(53:4,) that in healing bodies he shadowed out something greater, namely, that
he restores our souls to health, and that it is his peculiar office to remove
spiritual diseases.
f385 He is
not now an inhabitant of the earth; but it is certain that, now that he is in
heaven, he is authorized to bestow those favors of which he then exhibited a
visible proof. Now as we labor under every kind of diseases till he heal us, let
each of us not only present himself to him, but endeavor to bring others who
need the same remedy.
That they might touch the
fringe. There is reason to believe that
they were under the influence of some superstition, when they limited the grace
of Christ to a touch of his robe; at least, they defrauded him of a part of his
honor, since they did not expect any efficacy
f386 to be
derived from his bare word. But that he may not quench the smoking flax,
(<234203>Isaiah
42:3,) he accommodates himself to their ignorance. Yet there is nothing here
that lends countenance to the views of those who seek the grace of God in wood,
or nails, or robes; while Scripture expressly declares, that we have no right to
form any conception respecting Christ but what is spiritual and consistent with
his heavenly glory. The weakness of those who, not knowing that Christ is God,
desired to make a nearer approach to him, was endured for a time. Now that he
fills heaven and earth with the sweet savor of his grace, we must
embrace—not with hands or eyes, but by faith—the salvation which he
offers to us from heaven.
MATTHEW 15:1-9; MARK
7:1-13
|
MATTHEW
15:1-9
|
MARK
7:1-13
|
|
1. Then scribes and Pharisees, who had
come from Jerusalem, approach to Jesus, saying, 2. Why do thy
disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands
when they eat bread. 3. But he answering said to them, Why do you
also transgress the commandment of God on account of
f387 your
tradition? 4. For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and
mother; and, He that curseth father or mother, dying let him die.
5. But you say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother,
Whatever is a gift from me shall profit thee; and shall not honor his father or
his mother. 6. Therefore you have annulled the commandment of God on
account of your tradition. 7. Hypocrites, Isaiah hath justly
prophesied concerning you, saying, 8. This people draw nigh to me
with their mouth, and honor me with the lips; but their heart is far distant
from me. 9. But in vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines,
commandments of men.
|
1. And the Pharisees, and some of the
scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, assemble to him. 2. And when
they saw some of his disciples eat bread with common, that is to say, with
unwashen hands, they found fault. 3. For the Pharisees. and all the
Jews, do not take food without frequently washing their hands, holding the
traditions of the elders; 4. And returning from market, they eat not
till they have washed; and many other things are there which they have
undertaken to keep, namely, the washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels,
and beds. 5. Then the Pharisees and scribes ask him, saying, Why do
not thy disciples walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread
with unwashen hands? 6. And he answering said to them, Well hath
Isaiah prophesied concerning you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honor
me with the lips, but their heart is far from me. 7. But in vain do
they worship me, teaching doctrines, commandments of men. 8. For,
laying aside the commandments of God, you keep a tradition of men, the washings
of pots and cups, and many other things similar to these you do.
9. And he said to them, Well do you reject the commandment of God,
that you may keep your own tradition. 10. For Moses said, Honor thy
father and mother; and, He that curseth father or mother, dying let him die.
11. But you say, If a man shall say to his father and mother, Every
Corban (that is, gift) that cometh from me shall profit thee.
12. And you do not permit him to do any thing more to his father or his
mother. 13. Annulling the word of God by your tradition, which you
have delivered; and many things similar to this you do.
|
Matthew 15:1.
Then scribes and
Pharisees. As the fault that is here
corrected is not only common but highly dangerous, the passage is particularly
worthy of our attention. We see the extraordinary insolence that is displayed by
men as to the form and manner of worshipping God; for they are perpetually
contriving new modes of worship, and when any one wishes to be thought wiser
than others, he displays his ingenuity on this subject. I speak not of
foreigners, but of the very domestics of the Church, on whom God has conferred
the peculiar honor of declaring with their lips the rule of godliness. God has
laid down the manner in which he wishes that we should worship him, and has
included in his law the perfection of holiness. Yet a vast number of men, as if
it were a light and trivial matter to obey God and to keep what he enjoins,
collect for themselves, on every hand, many additions. Those who occupy places
of authority bring forward their inventions for this purpose, as if they were in
possession of something more perfect than the word of the Lord. This is followed
by the slow growth of tyranny; for, when men have once assumed to themselves the
right to issue commands, they demand a rigid adherence to their laws, and do not
allow the smallest iota to be left out, either through contempt or through
forgetfulness. The world cannot endure lawful authority, and most violently
rebels against enduring the Lord’s yoke, and yet easily and willingly
becomes entangled in the snares of vain traditions; nay, such bondage appears to
be, in the case of many, an object of desire. Meanwhile, the worship of God is
corrupted, of which the first and leading principle is obedience. The authority
of men is preferred to the command of God. Sternly, and therefore tyrannically,
are the common people compelled to give their whole attention to trifles. This
passage teaches us, first, that all modes of worship invented by men are
displeasing to God, because he chooses that he alone shall be heard, in order to
train and instruct us in true godliness according to his own pleasure; secondly,
that those who are not satisfied with the only law of God, and weary themselves
by attending to the traditions of men, are uselessly employed; thirdly, that an
outrage is committed against God, when the inventions of men are so highly
extolled, that the majesty of his law is almost lowered, or at least the
reverence for it is abated.
Scribes who had come from
Jerusalem. With what design those
scribes came to Jesus is not stated; but I think it probable that their
attention was excited by his fame, and that they came with the desire of
receiving instruction, provided that they should approve of him as a competent
teacher;
f388 though
it is possible that they were sent to spy. However that may be, as they had
brought their haughty disdain along with them, they are easily provoked by the
slightest offense to bite or snarl at Christ. Hence we see with what difficulty
those who are influenced by ambition and the lust of power are brought to submit
to sound doctrine. Those especially whose attachment to ceremonies has been
strengthened by long practice cannot endure any novelty, but loudly condemn
every thing to which they have not been accustomed. In short, any thing more
haughty or more disdainful than this class of men cannot be
imagined.
Both Evangelists mention that they were
scribes and
Pharisees; but Matthew puts the
scribes
first, and Mark puts them second. They convey the same meaning, that the
scribes
belonged to various sects, but that the
Pharisees
were the leaders, because they occupied an honorable station, and at that
time held the government. That the Pharisees should be the first to take offense
at disregard of the laws of which they were authors ought not to excite
surprise; for, as we have said, though they boasted that they were expounders of
the law, and though their name was derived from that circumstance,
f389 they
had corrupted by their inventions the purity of the word of God. All the
traditions that then existed among the Jews had come out of their workshop;
f390 and
this was the reason why they displayed more than ordinary zeal and bitterness in
defending them.
2.
Why do thy disciples
transgress? When we speak of human
traditions, this question has no reference to political laws, the use and object
of which are widely different from enjoining the manner in which we ought to
worship God. But as there are various kinds of human traditions, we must make
some distinction among them. Some are manifestly wicked, for they inculcate acts
of worship which are wicked and diametrically opposed to the word of God. Others
of them mingle profane trifles with the worship of God, and corrupt its purity.
Others, which are more plausible, and are not chargeable with any remarkable
fault, are condemned on this ground., that they are imagined to be necessary to
the worship of God; and thus there is a departure from sincere obedience to God
alone, and a snare is laid for the conscience.
To this last description the present passage
unquestionably relates; for the
washing of
hands, on which the Pharisees insisted,
could not in itself be charged with wicked superstition; otherwise Christ would
not have permitted the water-pots to be used at the marriage,
(<430206>John
2:6,) if it had not been an allowable ceremony; but the fault lay in this, that
they did not think that God could be properly worshipped in any other way. It
was not without a specious pretext that the practice of
washings
was first introduced. We know how rigidly the Law of God demands outward
cleanness; not that the Lord intended that this should occupy the whole
attention of his servants, but that they might be more careful to guard against
every spiritual defilement. But in
washings
the Law preserved some moderation. Next came teachers, who thought that they
would not be reckoned sufficiently acute, if they did not make some appendage to
the word of God;
f391 and
hence arose
washings
of which no mention was made in the Law. The legislators themselves did not
give out that they delivered any thing new,
f392 but
only that they administered cautions, which would be of service to assist in
keeping the Law of God. But this was immediately followed by great abuse, when
ceremonies introduced by men began to be regarded as a part of divine worship;
and again, when in matters that were free and voluntary uniformity was
absolutely enjoined. For it was always the will of God, as we have already said,
that he should be worshipped according to the rule laid down in his word, and
therefore no addition to his Law can be endured. Now as he permits believers to
have outward ceremonies, by means of which they may perform the exercises of
godliness, so he does not suffer them to mix up those ceremonies with his own
word, as if religion consisted in them.
f393
For they wash not their
hands. The ground of offense is
explained more fully by Mark; but the substance of his explanation is, that many
things were practiced by the
scribes, which they had voluntarily
undertaken to keep. They were secondary laws invented by the curiosity of men,
as if the plain command of God were not enough. God commanded that those who had
contracted any defilement should wash themselves,
(<031125>Leviticus
11:25,28;) and this extended to cups, and pots, and raiment, and other articles
of household furniture,
(<031132>Leviticus
11:32,) that they might not touch any thing that was polluted or unclean. But to
invent other ablutions was idle and useless.
f394 They
were not destitute of plausibility, as Paul tells us that the inventions of men
have an appearance of wisdom,
(<510223>Colossians
2:23;) but if they had rested in the Law of God alone, that modesty would have
been more agreeable to Him than solicitude about small matters.
They were desirous to warn a person not to take food
while he was unclean, through want of consideration; but the Lord reckoned it
enough to wash away those defilements of which they were aware. Besides, no end
or limit could be set to such cautions; for they could scarcely move a finger
without contracting some new spot or stain. But a far worse abuse lay in this,
that the consciences of men were tormented with scruples which led them to
regard every person as chargeable with pollution, who did not on every occasion
wash his body with water. In persons who belonged to a private rank they would
perhaps have overlooked the neglect of this ceremony; but as they had expected
from Christ and his disciples something uncommon and extraordinary, they
reckoned it unbecoming that ceremonies, which were
traditions of the
elders, and the practice of which was
held sacred by the scribes, should not be observed by the disciples of a
master who undertook to reform the existing state of things.
It is a great mistake to compare the sprinkling of
the water of purification, or, as the Papists call it, blessed water,
with the Jewish washing; for, by repeating so frequently the one
baptism,
f395 Papists
do all that is in their power to efface it. Besides, this absurd sprinkling is
used for exorcising.
f396 But if
it were lawful in itself, and were not accompanied by so many abuses, still we
must always condemn the urgency with which they demand it as if it were
indispensable.
3.
Why do you also
transgress? There are here two answers
that are given by Christ, the former of which is addressed, as we say, to the
person; while the latter decides as to the fact and the question in hand.
Mark inverts that order; for he first represents Christ as speaking on
the whole subject, and afterwards adds the reproof which is directed against
hypocrites. We shall follow the narrative of Matthew. When the Lord, in his
turn, puts the question to the scribes why they break the Law of God on
account of their traditions, he does not as yet pronounce a direct acquittal of
his disciples from the crime charged against them; but only points out how
improper and unwarrantable is this readiness to take offense. They are
displeased when the commandments
of men are not observed with exactness;
and how much more criminal is it to spend the whole time in observing them, to
the disregard of the law of God? It is manifest, therefore, that their wrath is
kindled rather by ambition than by a proper kind of zeal, when they thus prefer
men to God.
When he says that they
transgress the commandments of
God, the meaning of the expression is
easily learned from the context. They did not openly or professedly set aside
the law of God, so as to look upon any thing as lawful which the law had
forbidden; but there was an indirect
transgression
of it, for they permitted duties which God had enjoined to be neglected with
impunity. A plain and familiar instance is adduced by Christ. The commandment
of God is, that children shall honor their parents,
(<022012>Exodus
20:12.) Now as the sacred offerings yielded emolument to the priests, the
observance of them was so rigidly enforced, that men were taught to regard it as
a more heinous sin not to make a free-will offering than to defraud a parent of
what was justly due to him. In short, what the Law of God declared to be
voluntary was, in the estimation of the scribes, of higher value than one of the
most important of the commandments of God. Whenever we are so eager to keep the
laws of men as to bestow less care and attention on keeping the law of God
itself, we are held as transgressing it. Shortly afterwards he says, that
they had annulled the commandment
of God on account of the traditions of men;
for the scribes led the people to entertain so strong an attachment to their
own injunctions, that they did not allow them leisure to attend to the word of
God. Again, as they reckoned those persons to have discharged their duty well
who obeyed these injunctions to the letter, hence arose a liberty to commit sin;
for whenever holiness is made to consist in any thing else than in observing the
Law of God, men are led to believe that the law may be violated without
danger.
Let any man now consider whether this wickedness does
not at present abound more among the Papists than it formerly did among the
Jews. It is not indeed denied by the Pope, or by the whole of his filthy clergy,
that we ought to obey God; but when we come to the point, we find that they
consider the act of eating a morsel of flesh as nothing less than a capital
crime, while theft or fornication is regarded as a venial fault, and thus, on
account of their traditions, they overturn the Law of God; for it is utterly
insufferable that the enactments of men shall withdraw any part of that
obedience which is due to God alone. Besides, the honor which God commands to be
yielded to parents extends to all the duties of filial piety.
f397 The
latter clause which Christ adds, that
he who curseth father or
mother deserves to be put to death, is
intended to inform us, that it is no light or unimportant precept to honor
parents, since the violation of it is so severely punished. And this is no
small aggravation of the guilt of the scribes, that so severe a threatening does
not terrify them from granting an extension of liberty to those who despised
their parents.
5.
But you say,
etc. The mode of expression is
defective, and is more fully exhibited by Mark, who adds,
you suffer them not to do
anything more to their father or to their
mother. The meaning is, that the scribes
were altogether wrong in acquitting those persons who fail to perform their
duties to their parents, provided that this deficiency be supplied, on their
part, by a voluntary sacrifice, which might have been omitted without offending
God. For we must not understand Christ’s words to bear that the scribes
had forbidden men to render all proper obedience;
f398 but
they were so eager to pursue their own gain, that children were allowed, in the
meantime, to neglect their duties to their parents.
7.
Well hath Isaiah prophesied
concerning you. Our Lord now proceeds
farther; for he decides on the question in hand, which he divides into two
clauses. The first is, that they relied on outward ceremonies alone, and set no
value on true holiness, which consists in sincere uprightness of heart; and the
second is, that they worshipped God in a wrong way, according to their own
fancy. Now though his reproof of pretended and hypocritical holiness appears
hitherto to be restricted to persons, yet it includes the substance of this
doctrine, from which the full conclusion was, first, that the worship of God is
spiritual, and does not consist in the sprinkling of water, or in any other
ceremony; and, secondly, that there is no reasonable worship of God but what is
directed by the rule of his word. Although Isaiah (29:13) did not prophesy for
futurity alone, but had regard to the men of his own age, yet Christ says that
this prediction relates to the Pharisees and scribes, because they resemble
those ancient hypocrites with whom the prophet had to contend. Christ does not
quote that passage exactly as it stands; but the prophet expressly mentions two
offenses by which the Jews provoked against themselves the divine vengeance.
With their
lips only, and by an outward profession,
they made a pretense of godliness; and, next, they turned aside to modes of
worship invented by men. First, then, it is wicked hypocrisy, when the honor
which men render to God is only in outward appearance; for to
approach to God with the mouth,
and to honor him with the lips, would
not be in itself evil, provided that the heart went before. The substance of
what our Lord states on this subject is, that, since the worship of God is
spiritual, and as nothing pleases him that is not accompanied by the inward
sincerity of the heart, they who make holiness to consist in outward display are
hypocrites.
9.
But in vain do they worship
me. The words of the prophet run
literally thus: their fear toward me has been taught by the precept of men.
But Christ has faithfully and accurately given the meaning, that in
vain is God
worshipped, when the will of men is
substituted in the room of doctrine. By these words, all kinds of
will-worship,
(ejqeloqzhskei>a,)
as Paul calls it,
(<510223>Colossians
2:23,) are plainly condemned. For, as we have said, since God chooses to be
worshipped in no other way than according to his own appointment, he cannot
endure new modes of worship to be devised. As soon as men allow themselves to
wander beyond the limits of the Word of God, the more labor and anxiety they
display in worshipping him, the heavier is the condemnation which they draw down
upon themselves; for by such inventions religion is dishonored.
Teaching doctrines, commandments of
men. In these words there is what is
called apposition;
f399
for Christ declares them to be mistaken who bring forward, in the room of
doctrine, the commandments of
men, or who seek to obtain from them the
rule for worshipping God. Let it therefore be held as a settled principle, that,
since obedience is more highly esteemed by God than sacrifices,
(<091522>1
Samuel 15:22,23,) all kinds of worship invented by men are of no estimation in
his sight; nay more, that, as the prophet declares, they are accursed and
detestable.
MATTHEW 15:10-20; MARK
7:14-23; LUKE 6:39
|
MATTHEW
15:10-20
|
MARK
7:14-23
|
LUKE
6:39
|
|
10. And having called the multitudes to
him, he said to them, Hear and understand. 11. What entereth into
the mouth polluteth not the man, but what goes out of the mouth polluteth the
man. 12. Then his disciples approaching said to him, Knowest thou
that the Pharisees were offended when they heard that saying?
13. But he answering, said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath
not planted shall be rooted up. 14. Let them alone: they are blind
leaders of the blind. And if a blind man shall lead a blind man, both will fall
into the ditch. 15. And Peter answering said to him, Explain to us
that parable. 16. And Jesus said, Are you also still void of
understanding? 17. Do you not yet understand that whatever entereth
into the mouth passeth into the belly, and is thrown into the sink?
18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart
itself, and they pollute the man. 19. For our of the heart proceed
wicked thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies,
calumnies. 20. These are the things which pollute the man. But to
take food with unwashed hands polluteth not the man.
|
14. And when he had called to him the
whole multitude, he said to them, Listen to me, all of you, and understand.
15. There is nothing from without a man which, entering nto him, can
pollute him; but those things which come out of a man are the things which
pollute a man. 16. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
17. And when he had entered into the house, and withdrawn from the
multitude, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18. And
he saith to them, Are you also void of understanding? Do you not yet understand
that whatsoever entereth into a man from without cannot pollute him?
19. Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and
goeth out into the sink, purifying all the food? 20. And he said,
It is what goeth out of a man that polluteth him. 21. For from
within, out of the heart of man proceed wicked thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, 22. Thefts, evil desires, frauds, deceit,
wantonness, an evil eye, calumnies, pride, foolishness: 23. All
these evil things proceed from within, and pollute the man.
|
39. And he spoke a parable to them,
f400 Can a
blind man lead a blind man? Will not both fall into the ditch?
|
Matthew 15:10.
And having called the
multitudes to him. Here Christ turns
f401 to
those who are ready to receive instruction, and explains more fully the truth at
which he had formerly glanced, that the kingdom of God does not consist in
meat and drink, as Paul also teaches us,
(<451417>Romans
14:17;) for, since outward things are by nature pure, the use of them is free
and pure, and uncleanness is not contracted from the good creatures of God. It
is therefore a general statement, that pollution does not come from without into
a man, but that the fountain is concealed within him. Now when he says that all
the evil actions which any man performs come
out of the mouth of
man, he employs a synecdoche;
f402
for he says so by way of allusion to the subject in hand, and conveys this
instruction, that we do not draw uncleanness into our mouth along with
meat and
drink, but that every kind of defilement
proceeds from ourselves.
Knowest thou that the Pharisees
were offended? As the scribes were
presumptuous and rebellious, Christ did not take great pains to pacify them, but
satisfied himself with repelling their hypocrisy and pride. The offense which
they had formerly taken up was doubled, when they perceived that—not
through oversight, but seemingly on purpose—Christ despised their
washings as trifles. Now when Christ did not hesitate to inflame still
more, by keen provocation, wicked and malicious persons, let us learn from his
example, that we ought not to be exceedingly solicitous to please every one by
what we say and do. His disciples, however—as is usually the case with
ignorant and unlearned people—no sooner perceive the result to be
unfavorable, than they conclude that Christ’s reply had been unseasonable
and improper.
f403 For the
object of their advice was, to persuade Christ to soothe the rage of the
Pharisees by softening the harsh expression which he had employed.
f404
It almost always happens with weak persons, that they
form an unfavorable judgment about a doctrine, as soon as they find that it is
regarded with doubt or meets with opposition. And certainly it were to be
wished, that it should give no offense, but receive the calm approbation of all;
but, as the minds of many are blinded, and even their hearts are kindled into
rage, by Satan, and as many souls are held under the benumbing influence of
brutal stupidity, it is impossible that all should relish the true doctrine of
salvation. Above all, we ought not to be surprised to behold the rage of those
who inwardly nourish the venom of malice and obstinacy. Yet we ought to take
care that, so far as may be in our power, our manner of teaching shall give no
offense; but it would be the height of madness to think of exercising greater
moderation than we have been taught to do by our heavenly Master. We see how his
discourse was made an occasion of offense by wicked and obstinate men; and we
see at the same time, how that kind of offense which arose from malignity was
treated by him with contempt.
13.
Every
plant. As the indifferent success of the
doctrine had wounded their weak minds, Christ intended to remedy this evil. Now
the remedy which he proposes is, that good men ought not to be distressed, or
entertain less reverence for the doctrine, though to many it be an occasion of
death. It is a mistaken view of this passage which some have adopted, that all
the inventions of men, and every thing that has not proceeded from the mouth of
God, must be rooted up and perish; for it was rather to men that Christ
referred, and the meaning is, that there is no reason to wonder if the doctrine
of salvation shall prove deadly to the reprobate, because they are always
carried headlong to the destruction to which they are doomed.
By the persons that have been planted by the
hand of God we are to understand those who, by his free adoption, have been
ingrafted into the tree of life, as Isaiah also, when speaking of the Church
renewed by the grace of God, calls it a branch planted by the Lord,
(<236021>Isaiah
60:21.) Now as salvation depends solely on the election of God, the reprobate
must perish, in whatever way this may be effected; not that they are innocent,
and free from all blame, when God destroys them, but because, by their own
malice, they turn to their destruction all that is offered to them, however
salutary it may be. To those who willingly perish the Gospel thus becomes, as
Paul assures us, the savor of death unto death,
(<470216>2
Corinthians 2:16;) for, though it is offered to all for salvation, it does not
yield this fruit in any but the elect. It belongs to a faithful and honest
teacher to regulate every thing which he brings forward by a regard to the
advantage of all; but whenever the result is different, let us take comfort from
Christ’s reply. It is beautifully expressed by the parable, that the cause
of perdition does not lie in the doctrine, but that the reprobate who have no
root in God, when the doctrine is presented to them, throw out their hidden
venom, and thus accelerate that death to which they were already
doomed.
Which my heavenly Father hath not
planted. Hypocrites, who appear for a
time to have been planted like good trees, are particularly described by
Christ; for Epicureans, who are noted for open and shameful contempt of God,
cannot properly be said to resemble trees, but the description must be intended
to apply to those who have acquired celebrity by some vain appearance of
godliness. Such were the scribes, who towered in the Church of God like
the cedars in Lebanon, and whose revolt might on that account appear the more
strange. Christ might have said that it is right that those should perish who
disdainfully reject salvation; but he rises higher, and asserts that no man will
remain steadfast, unless his salvation be secured by the election of God. By
these words he expressly declares, that the first origin of our salvation flows
from that grace by which God elected us to be his children before we were
created.
14.
Let them
alone. He sets them aside as unworthy of
notice, and concludes that the offense which they take ought not to give us much
uneasiness. Hence has arisen the distinction, of which we hear so much, about
avoiding offenses, that we ought to beware of offending the weak, but if any
obstinate and malicious person take offense, we ought not to be uneasy; for, if
we determined to satisfy all obstinate people, we must bury Christ, who is
the stone of offense,
(<600208>1
Peter 2:8.) Weak persons, who are offended through ignorance, and afterwards
return to just views, must be distinguished from haughty and disdainful men who
are themselves the authors of offenses. It is of importance to attend to this
distinction, in order that no one who is weak may be distressed through our
fault. But when wicked men dash themselves through their obstinacy, let us walk
on unmoved in the midst of offenses; for he who spares not weak brethren
tramples, as it were, under foot those to whom we are commanded to stretch out
the hand. It would be idle to attend to others, whom we cannot avoid offending,
if we wish to keep the right path; and when, under the pretext of taking
offense, they happen to fall off and revolt from Christ, we must let them
alone, that they may not drag us along with them.
f405
They are blind leaders of the
blind. Christ means that all who allow
themselves to be driven hither and thither at the disposal of those men will
miserably perish; for when they stumble on a plain road, it is evident that they
are willfully blind. Why then should any one allow himself to be directed by
them, except that he might fall into the same ditch? Now Christ, who has risen
upon us as the Sun of righteousness,
(<390402>Malachi
4:2,) and not only points out the road to us by the torch of his Gospel,
but desires that we should keep it before us, justly calls on his disciples to
shake off that slothfulness, and not to wander, as it were, in the dark, for the
sake of gratifying the blind.
f406 Hence
also we infer that all who, under the pretense of simplicity or modesty, give
themselves up to be deceived or ensnared by errors, are without
excuse.
Luke 6:39.
And he spake to them a
parable. Luke relates this saying without
mentioning any occurrence, but states generally, that Christ made use of this
parable; as in recording many of Christ’s discourses he says
nothing as to the occasion on which they were delivered. It is no doubt possible
that Christ may have spoken this parable more than once; but, as no place more
appropriate was to be found, I have not hesitated to insert here what Luke
relates without fixing the time.
Matthew 15:15.
And Peter answering
said. As the disciples betray excessive
ignorance, Christ justly reproves and upbraids them for being
still void of
understanding, and yet does not fail to
act as their teacher. What Matthew ascribes in a peculiar manner to Peter is
related by Mark, in the same sense, as a question put by them all; and this is
evident from Christ’s reply, in which he reproves the ignorance, not of
Peter only, but of all of them alike. The general meaning is, that men are not
polluted by food, but that they have within themselves the pollution of sins,
which afterwards shows itself in the outward actions. Is it objected that
intemperance in eating is defilement? The solution is easy. Christ speaks only
of the proper and lawful use of those things which God has put in our power. To
eat and drink are things in their own nature free and indifferent: if any
corruption be added, it proceeds from the man himself, and therefore must be
regarded not as external, but internal.
f407
19.
For out of the heart proceed
wicked thoughts. Hence we infer that the
word mouth, as I have mentioned, was used by Christ in a former verse by
way of allusion to the context; for now he makes no mention of the mouth,
but merely says that out of
the heart of man proceeds all that is
sinful and that corrupts by its pollution. Mark differs from Matthew in this
respect, that he gives a larger catalogue of sins, such as lusts, or
irregular desires. The Greek word
(pleonexi>ai)
is by some rendered covetousness; but I have preferred to take it in
a general acceptation. Next come fraud and intemperance, and those which
immediately follow. Though the mode of expression be figurative, it is enough to
understand Christ’s meaning to be, that all sins proceed from the wicked
and corrupt affections of the heart. To say that
an evil
eye proceeds from the heart is not
strictly accurate, but it involves nothing that is absurd or ambiguous; for it
means, that an unholy heart pollutes the eyes by making them the ministers, or
organs, of wicked desires. And yet Christ does not speak as if every thing that
is evil in man were confined to open sins; but, in order to show more clearly
that the heart of man is the abode of all evils,
f408 he says
that the proofs and results appear in the sins themselves.
And pollute the
man. Instead of the verb
pollute,
the Greek term is
koinoi~,
make
common; as Mark, a little before, (7:2,)
used the phrase, koinai~v
cersi<, with COMMON hands, for
with UNCLEAN hands.
f409
It is a Hebrew phrase;
f410 for,
since God had set apart the Jews on the condition that they should separate
themselves from all the pollutions of the Gentiles, everything that was
inconsistent with this holiness was called common, that is,
profane.
MATTHEW 15:21-28; MARK
7:24-30
|
MATTHEW
15:21-28
|
MARK
7:24-30
|
|
21. And Jesus departing thence withdrew
into the territories of Tyre and Sidon. 22. And, lo, a woman of
Canaan, who had come from those territories, cried saying, Have compassion on
me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously afflicted by a devil.
23. But he made no reply to her, and his disciples approaching
implored him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24. But he answering said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel. 25. And she came and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
help me. 26. But he answering said, It is not seemly to take the
children’s bread, and throw it to the dogs. 27. But she said,
Certainly, O Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of
their masters. 28. Then Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great
is thy faith; be it to thee as thou desirest. And her daughter was cured from
that time. f411
|
24. And he arose and departed thence
into the borders of Tyre and Sidon; and, entering into a house, he wished that
no man should know it, but he could not be concealed. 25. For a
woman, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, no sooner heard of him than she
came and fell at his feet, 26. (For the woman was a Greek, A
Syrophenician by birth,) and implored him to cast the devil out of her daughter.
27. And Jesus said to her, Allow the children to be first
satisfied; for it is not seemly to take the children’s bread, and throw it
to the dogs. 28. But she replied and said to him, Certainly, O
Lord; for even the dogs
f412 under
the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29. And he said to
her, On account of that saying go away, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
30. And when she had gone to her own house, she found that the
devil had gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.
|
In this miracle we are informed in what manner the
grace of Christ began to flow to the Gentiles; for, though the full time was not
yet come when Christ would make himself known to the whole world, yet he
intended to give some early manifestations of the common mercy which was at
length offered indiscriminately to Jews and Gentiles after his resurrection. A
remarkable picture of faith is presented to us in the woman of Canaan, for the
purpose of instructing us by means of comparison, that the Jews were justly
deprived of the promised redemption, since their impiety was so
shameful.
The
woman,
whom Matthew describes as of
Canaan,
is said by Mark to have been
a
Greek, and a
Syrophenician by
birth. But there is no contradiction
here; for we know that it was the prevailing custom among the Jews to call all
foreign nations
Greeks,
and hence that contrast between Greeks and Jews, which occurs
so frequently in the writings of Paul. As she was a native of the territories
of Tyre and Sidon, we need not wonder that she is called a
Syrophenician;
for that country was called Syria, and formed part of Phenicia.
The Jews disdainfully gave the name of Canaanites to all the
inhabitants of that district; and it is probable that the majority of them were
descended from the tribes of Canaan, who when banished from their native
country, fled to a sort of retreat in the neighborhood. Both agree in this
point, that the woman was a native of a heathen nation, that she had not been
instructed in the doctrine of the law, and that she came of her own accord to
Christ, humbly to entreat his aid.
Mark
7:24. He wished that no man
should know it. We must attend to this
circumstance, which is mentioned by Mark, that when Christ came to that place,
he did not erect his banner, but endeavored to remain concealed for a time, in
that obscure situation, like a private individual. Mark speaks according to the
ordinary perception of the flesh; for, although Christ by his divine Spirit
foresaw what would happen, yet so far as he was the minister and ambassador of
the Father, he kept himself, as his human nature might have led us to expect,
within the limits of that calling which God had given him; and in that respect
it is said that what he wished, as man, he was unable to accomplish.
Meanwhile, this occurrence, as I have said, tends powerfully to condemn the
Jews, who—though they boasted that they were the heirs of the covenant of
the Lord, his peculiar people, and a royal priesthood—were blind and deaf
when Christ, with a loud voice and with the addition of miracles, offered to
them the promised redemption; while this woman, who had no relationship with the
children of Abraham, and to whom, at first sight, the covenant did not at all
belong, came of her own accord to Christ, without having heard his voice or seen
his miracles.
Matthew 15:22.
Have compassion on me, O
Lord. Though this woman was an alien,
and did not belong to the Lord’s flock, yet she had acquired some taste of
piety; f413
for, without some knowledge of the promises, she would not have called Christ
the Son of
David. The Jews indeed had almost
entirely departed, or at least had greatly turned aside, from the pure and sound
doctrine of the Gospel; but a report of the promised redemption was extensively
prevalent. As the restoration of the Church depended on the reign of David,
whenever they spoke of the Messiah, it was customary for them to employ the
name, Son of
David; and indeed this confession was
heard from the lips of all. But when the true faith had died out amongst them,
it was an amazing and incredible display of the goodness of God that the sweet
savor of the promises reached the neighboring nations. Though this woman had not
been regularly educated by any teacher, yet her faith in Christ was not a notion
adopted by her at random, but was formed out of the law and the prophets. It was
therefore not less absurd than wicked in that dog, Servetus, to abuse this
example for the purpose of proving that faith may exist without promises. I do
not deny that, in this sense, there may sometimes be a sort of implicit faith,
that is, a faith which is not accompanied by a full and distinct knowledge of
sound doctrine; provided we also hold that faith always springs from the word of
God, and takes its origin from true principles, and therefore is always found in
connection with some light of knowledge.
23.
But he made no reply to
her. In various ways the Evangelists
bestow commendation on the faith of this woman. Here they bring before us her
unshaken constancy; for the silence of Christ was a sort of refusal, and there
is reason to wonder that she was not cast down by this trial, but her
continuance in prayer was a proof of her perseverance. This appears, however, to
be inconsistent with the nature of faith and of calling upon God,
as it is described by Paul, who assures us that no man can pray aright till
he has heard the word of God.
How shall they call on
him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard?
(<451014>Romans
10:14.)
Who then will say that this woman had faith, who
takes courage from her own feelings, though Christ is silent? But as Christ has
two ways of speaking and of being silent, it must be observed, that though he
withheld at that time the words of his mouth, yet he spoke within to the mind of
the woman, and so this secret inspiration was a substitute for the outward
preaching. Besides, her prayer arose out of the hearing of faith,
(<451017>Romans
10:17;) and, therefore, though Christ does not immediately reply, she
continually hears the sound of that doctrine
f414 which
she had already learned, that Christ came as a Redeemer. In this way the Lord
often acts towards those who believe in him; he speaks to them, and yet is
silent. Relying on the testimonies of Scripture, where they hear him speaking,
they firmly believe that he will be gracious to them; and yet he does not
immediately reply to their wishes and prayers, but, on the contrary, seems as if
he did not hear. We see then that the design of Christ’s silence was not
to extinguish the woman’s faith, but rather to whet her zeal and inflame
her ardor. But if a small seed of doctrine in
a woman of
Canaan yielded such abundant fruit, it
ill becomes us to be dejected, if at any time he delays and does not immediately
grant a favorable answer.
Send her
away. The disciples present no request in favor
of the woman, but as they are annoyed by her importunity, they desire that, in
some way or other, she may be dismissed. It is a childish contrivance, which the
Papists have endeavored to support by means of this passage, that departed
saints are allowed to plead for us; for, granting that this woman solicited the
disciples to give her some favor or assistance — which, however, cannot be
proved from the passage — still there is a wide difference between the
dead and living. It must be also observed, that, if they really intended to aid
her by their advocacy, they obtain nothing.
24.
I am not
sent. He informs the Apostles that his reason
for refusing the woman of Canaan arises out of his desire to devote himself
entirely to the Jews to whom alone he was appointed to be a minister of the
grace of God. He argues from the call and the command of the Father, that he
must not yield any assistance to strangers; not that the power of Christ was
always confined within so narrow limits, but because present circumstances
rendered it necessary that he should begin with the Jews, and at that time
devote himself to them in a peculiar manner. For as I have said in expounding
<401005>Matthew
10:5, the middle wall of partition
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14) was not thrown down till after Christ’s resurrection that he might
proclaim peace to the nations which were aliens from the kingdom of God: and
therefore he prohibited the Apostles, at that time, from scattering anywhere but
in Judea the first seed of doctrine. Justly therefore, does he affirm that, on
this occasion, he was sent to the Jews only, till the Gentiles also followed in
the proper order.
To the lost sheep of the house of
Israel. He bestows the designation of
sheep of the house of
Israel not on the elect only, but on all
who were descended from the holy fathers; for the Lord had included all in the
covenant, and was promised indiscriminately to all as a Redeemer, as he also
revealed and offered himself to all without exception. It is worthy of
observation, that he declares himself to have been
sent to LOST
sheep, as he assures us in another
passage that he came to save that which was lost,
(<401811>Matthew
18:11.) Now as we enjoy this favor, at the present day, in common with the Jews,
we learn what our condition is till he appear as our Savior.
25.
And she came and worshipped
him. We might be apt to think that this
woman contends with some measure of obstinacy, as if she would extort something
from Christ in spite of him; but there is no reason to doubt that she was
animated by the conviction which she entertained as to the kindness of the
Messiah. When Christ expressly declared that it did not belong to his office,
she was not intimidated by that refusal, and did not desist from her purpose.
The reason was, that she adhered firmly to that previous sentiment of faith
which I have mentioned, and admitted nothing that was opposed to her hope. And
this is the sure test of faith, that we do not suffer that general commencement
of our salvation, which is founded on the word of God, to be in any way torn
from us.
26.
It is not
seemly. Christ’s reply is harsher
than ever, and one would think that he intended by it to cut off all hope; for
not only does he declare that all the grace which he has received from the
Father belongs to the Jews, and must be bestowed on them, otherwise they will be
defrauded of their just rights; but he disdainfully compares the woman herself
to a dog, thus implying that she is unworthy of being a partaker
of his grace. To make the meaning plain to us, it must be understood that the
appellation of the
children’s bread is here given,
not to the gifts of God of whatever description, but only to those which were
bestowed in a peculiar manner on Abraham and his posterity. For since the
beginning of the world, the goodness of God was everywhere diffused—nay,
filled heaven and earth—so that all mortal men felt that God was their
Father. But as the children of Abraham had been more highly honored than the
rest of mankind, the
children’s bread is a name given
to everything that, relates peculiarly to the adoption by which the Jews alone
were elected to be children. The light of the sun, the breath of
life, and the productions of the soil, were enjoyed by the Gentiles equally with
the Jews; but the blessing which was to be expected in Christ dwelt exclusively
in the family of Abraham. To lay open without distinction that which God had
conferred as a peculiar privilege on a single nation, was nothing short of
setting aside the covenant of God; for in this way the Jews, who ought to have
the preference, were placed on a level with the Gentiles.
And to throw it to the
dogs. By using the word throw,
Christ intimates that what is taken from the Church of God and given to
heathens is not well bestowed. But this must be restricted to that time when it
was in Judea only that men called on God; for, since the Gentiles were admitted
to partake of the same salvations—which took place when Christ diffused
everywhere the light of his Gospel—the distinction was removed, and those
who were formerly dogs are now reckoned among the children. The pride of
the flesh must fall down, when we learn that by nature we are dogs.
At first, no doubt, human nature, in which the image of God brightly shone,
occupied so high a station that this opprobrious epithet did not apply to all
nations, and even to kings, on whom God confers the honor of bearing his name.
f415 But the
treachery and revolt of Adam made it proper that the Lord should send to the
stable, along with dogs, those who through the guilt of our first
parent became bastards; more especially when a comparison is made between the
Jews, who were exempted from the common lot, and the Gentiles, who were banished
from the kingdom of God.
Christ’s meaning is more fully unfolded by
Mark, who gives these words,
Allow the children first to be
satisfied. He tells the
woman of
Canaan that she acts presumptuously in
proceeding—as it were, in the midst of the supper—to seize on what
was on the table.
f416 His
chief design was, to make trial of the woman’s faith; but he also pointed
out the dreadful vengeance that would overtake the Jews, who rejected an
inestimable benefit which was freely offered to them, and which they refused to
those who sought it with warmth and earnestness.
27.
Certainly, Lord.
The woman’s reply showed that she was not
hurried along by a blind or thoughtless impulse to offer a flat contradiction
f417 to what
Christ had said. As God preferred the Jews to other nations, she does not
dispute with them the honor of adoption, and declares, that she has no objection
whatever that Christ should
satisfy
them according to the order which God had prescribed. She only asks that
some
crumbs—falling,
as it were, accidentally—should come within the reach of
the
dogs. And at no time, certainly, did God
shut up his grace among the Jews in such a manner as not to bestow a small taste
of them on the Gentiles. No terms could have been employed that would have
described more appropriately, or more justly, that dispensation of the grace of
God which was at that time in full operation.
28.
Great is thy
faith. He first applauds the
woman’s faith, and next declares, that on account of her
faith he grants her prayer. The greatness of her faith appeared
chiefly in this respect, that by the aid of nothing more than a feeble spark of
doctrine, she not only recognized the actual office of Christ, and ascribed to
him heavenly power, but pursued her course steadily through formidable
opposition; suffered herself to be annihilated, provided that she held by her
conviction that she would not fail to obtain Christ’s assistance; and, in
a word, so tempered her confidence with humility, that, while she advanced no
unfounded claim, neither did she shut against her the fountain of the grace of
Christ, by a sense of her own unworthiness. This commendation, bestowed on a
woman who had been a heathen,
f418
condemns the ingratitude of that nation which boasted that it was consecrated to
God.
But how can the woman be said to believe
aright, who not only receives no promise from Christ, but is driven back by
his declaration to the contrary? On that point I have already spoken. Though he
appears to give a harsh refusal to her prayers, yet, convinced that God would
grant the salvation which he had promised through the Messiah, she ceases not to
entertain favorable hopes; and therefore she concludes, that the door is shut
against her, not for the purpose of excluding her altogether, but that, by a
more strenuous effort of faith, she may force her way, as it were, through the
chinks. Be it unto thee as thou desirest. This latter clause
contains a useful doctrine, that faith will obtain anything from the Lord; for
so highly does he value it, that he is always prepared to comply with our
wishes, so far as it may be for our advantage.
MATTHEW 15:29-39; MARK
7:31-37, 8:1-10
|
MATTHEW
15:29-39
|
MARK
7:31-37
|
|
29. And Jesus departing thence, came
near the sea of Galilee, and he went up into the mountain, and sat down there.
30. And great multitudes came to him, bringing with them the lame,
the blind, the dumb, the maimed, and many others, and laid them at the feet of
Jesus; and he cured them: 31. So that the multitudes wondered, when
they perceived the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, the
blind to see; and they glorified the God of Israel. 32. And Jesus,
having called his disciples to him, said, I have compassion on the multitude,
because they have now remained with me three days, and have nothing to eat; and
I do not choose to send them away fasting, lest they faint by the way.
33. His disciples say to him, Whence shall we obtain so many loaves in
a solitary place as to satisfy so great a multitude? 34. And Jesus
saith to them, How many loaves have you? And they say, Seven, and a few small
fishes. 35. And he commanded the multitudes to sit down on the
ground. 36. And he took those seven loaves, and the fishes, and
after that he had given thanks, he broke and gave to his disciples, and the
disciples to the multitude. 37. And they all ate, and were
satisfied; and they took up of the fragments that were left seven baskets full.
38. And they who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women
and children. 39. And having sent away the multitudes, he embarked,
and came to the borders of Magdala.
|
31. And again, departing from the
territories of Tyre and Sidon, he came to the sea of Galilee, through the midst
of the territories of Decapolis. 32. And they bring to him one who
was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech, and implore him to lay his hand
on him. 33. And when he had taken him aside from the multitude, he
put his fingers into his ears, and spat, and touched his tongue;
34. And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, Ephphatha,
that is, Be opened. 35. And immediately his ears were opened, and
the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke distinctly.
36. Then he enjoined them not to tell it to any person; but the more he
enjoined them, so much the more the published it: 37. And were
amazed beyond measure, saying, He hath done all things well; he maketh both the
deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.
MARK
8:1-10
1. In those days, when there wa a very
great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him,
and said to them, 2. I am moved with compassion towards the
multitude, because they have now remained with me three days, and have nothing
to eat. 3. And if I shall send them home fasting, they will faint by
the way; for some of them have come from a distance. 4. And his
disciples answered him, Whence shall any man be able to satisfy those persons
with bread in this solitary place? 5. And he asked them, How many
loaves have you? And they said, Seven. 6. And he commanded the
multitude to sit down on the ground; and took the seven loaves, and, when he had
given thanks, brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them, and they set
them before the multitude. 7. And they had a few small fishes; and
when he had blessed, he ordered these likewise to be set before them.
8. And they ate, and were satisfied; and of the fragments that
remained they carried away seven baskets full. 9. And they that had
eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away. 10. And
immediately embarking, he came with his disciples to the coasts of
Dalmanutha.
|
Matthew 15:29.
And Jesus departing
thence. Though it is unquestionably the
same journey of Christ, on his return from the neighborhood of Sidon, that is
related by Matthew and by Mark, yet in some points they do not quite agree. It
is of little moment that the one says he
came to the borders of
Magdala, and the other, that
he came to the coasts of
Dalmanutha; for the cities were
adjacent, being situated on the lake of Gennesareth, and we need not wonder that
the district which lay between them received both names.
f419
Decapolis was so called from its containing
(de>ka
po>leiv) ten cities; and as it was
contiguous to Phenicia and to that part of Galilee which lay towards the sea,
Christ must have passed through it, when he returned from Phenicia into Galilee
of Judea. There is a greater appearance of contradiction in another part of the
narrative, where Matthew says that our Lord cured many who labored
under various diseases, while Mark takes no notice of any but of one
deaf man. But this difficulty need not detain us; for Mark
selected for description a miracle which was performed during the journey,
and the report of which was no sooner circulated than it aroused the inhabitants
of every part of that country to bring many persons to Christ to be
cured. Now we know that the Evangelists are not anxious to relate all that
Christ did, and are so far from dwelling largely on miracles, that they only
glance at a few by way of example. Besides, Mark was satisfied with
producing one instance, in which the power of Christ is as brightly displayed as
in others of the same sort which followed shortly afterwards.
Mark 7:32.
And they bring to him one who
was deaf. The reason why
they implored him to lay his
hands upon him may be learned from
passages which we have already considered; for the
laying on of
hands was a solemn symbol of
consecration,
f420and by
means of it, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were also bestowed. And there is no
doubt that this ceremony was frequently used by Christ; so that those men
requested nothing but what they knew that he had been formerly in the habit of
doing. On the present occasion, Christ employs other symbols; for he puts his
spittle on the tongue of the
dumb man, and puts his fingers
into his ears. The
laying on of
hands would of itself have been
sufficiently efficacious, and even, without moving a finger, he might have
accomplished it by a single act of his will; but it is evident that he made
abundant use of outward signs, when they were found to be advantageous. Thus, by
touching the tongue with spittle, he intended to point out
that the faculty of speech was communicated by himself alone; and by
putting his finger into the
ears, he showed that it belonged to his
office to pierce the ears of the deaf. There is no necessity for having recourse
to allegories; and we find that those who have amused themselves with ingenious
discussions on this subject, are so far from bringing forward any thing of real
value, that they tend rather to hold up the Scriptures to ridicule. Readers of
sobriety and judgment will be satisfied with this single instruction, that we
obtain from Christ, in answer to our prayers, both speech and hearing; for he
pours his energy into our tongues, and pierces our ears with his
fingers.
33.
And when he had taken him
aside from the multitude. This was done,
partly to afford to those who were ignorant, and not yet sufficiently qualified
for becoming witnesses, an opportunity of perceiving at a distance the glory of
his Divine nature, and partly that he might have a better opportunity of pouring
out earnest prayer. When he
looked up to heaven and
sighed, it was an expression of strong
feeling; and this enables us to perceive the vehemence of his love towards men,
for whose miseries he feels so much compassion. Nor can it be doubted, that by
conveying the spittle from his own mouth to the mouth of another, and by
putting his fingers into his
ears, he intended to manifest and
express the same feeling of kindness. Yet that he has supreme power to remove
all our defects, and restore us to health, is proclaimed by him when he simply
orders the tongue and ears to be
opened; for it was not without a good
reason that Mark inserted that Chaldaic word,
(ejffaqa>)
Ephphatha, be opened, but to testify the divine power of
Christ. Among other fooleries with which baptism has been debased by foolish
men, the ceremony used by our Lord is turned into a piece of buffoonery; and
this instance shows us that there is no end to licentiousness, when men wantonly
change at their own pleasure the mysteries of God.
36.
Then he enjoined them not to
tell it to any person. Many commentators
torture these injunctions to an opposite meaning, as if Christ had
purposely excited them to spread abroad the fame of the miracle; but I prefer a
more natural interpretation which I have formerly stated,
f421 that
Christ only intended to delay the publication of it till a more proper and
convenient time. I have no doubt, therefore, that their zeal was unseasonable,
when, though enjoined to be silent, they were in haste to speak. We need
not wonder that men unaccustomed to the doctrine of Christ are carried away by
immoderate zeal, when it is not called for. Yet what they unwisely attempted to
do, was made by Christ to promote his own glory; for not only was the miracle
made known, but the whole of that district, in despising the Author of heavenly
gifts, was rendered inexcusable.
37.
He hath done all things
well. Matthew, after collecting many
miracles, concludes by saying that
the multitudes wondered, and
glorified the God of Israel; that is,
because God, taking unusual methods of illustrating his power, had called up the
remembrance of his covenant. But the words of Mark contain perhaps an implied
contrast; for the reports concerning Christ were various, and the word
multitude
or
crowd
(o]clov)
may be intended to mean that it was only wicked and malicious persons who
slandered his actions, since all that he did was so far from exposing him to
calumny that it deserved the highest praise. But we know, and it is what nature
teaches us, that nothing is more unjust than to make the bestowal of favors an
occasion of envy and ill-will.
Matthew 15:32.
I have compassion on the
multitude. Here a miracle is related not
unlike another which we have lately explained. The only difference is, that on
the former occasion Christ satisfied
five thousand
men with
five loaves and two
fishes, while, on the present
occasion, four thousand
men are fed with
seven loaves and a few small
fishes; and that
twelve
baskets were then filled with fragments,
while out of a greater abundance a smaller portion is left. Let us learn from
this, that the power of God is not restricted to means or outward assistance,
and that it is all one with Him whether there be much or little, as Jonathan
f422 said
when speaking of his own moderate army and the vast multitude of
enemies:
there is no restraint to
the Lord to save by many or by
few,
(<091406>1
Samuel 14:6.)
As the blessing of God can make one loaf suffice as
well as twenty for satisfying a great multitude, so, if that be wanting, a
hundred loaves will not be a sufficient meal for ten men; for when the staff
of bread is broken,
(<032626>Leviticus
26:26,) though the flour should come in full weight from the mill, and the bread
from the oven, it will serve no purpose to stuff the belly. The
three days’
fasting, of which Christ speaks, must
not be understood to mean that they had eaten nothing for three days; but that
in desert places they had few conveniences, and must have wanted their ordinary
food. Besides, in those warm countries, hunger is less keen than in our thick
and cold atmosphere; and, therefore, we need not wonder that they should abstain
longer from food.
33.
Whence shall we obtain so
many loaves in a solitary place? The
disciples manifest excessive stupidity in not remembering, at least, that
earlier proof of the power and grace of Christ, which they might have applied to
the case in hand. As if they had never seen any thing of the same sort, they
forget to apply to him for relief. There is not a day on which a similar
indifference does not steal upon us; and we ought to be the more careful not to
allow our minds to be drawn away from the contemplation of divine benefits, that
the experience of the past may lead us to expect for the future the same
assistance which God has already on one or more occasions bestowed upon
us.
MATTHEW 16:1-4; MARK 8:11-13;
LUKE 12:54-57
|
MATTHEW
16:1-4
|
MARK
8:11-13
|
LUKE
12:54-57
|
|
1. And the Pharisees, together with the
Sadducees, came, and tempting desired that he would show them a sign from
heaven. 2. But he answering said to them, About the commencement of
the evening you say, It will be fine weather; for the sky is red.
3. And in the morning, There will be a storm today; for the sky is
red and lowering. Hypocrites, you can judge aright of the face of the sky; but
can you not judge of the signs of the times? 4. A wicked and
adulterous nation demandeth a sign, and no sign shall be given to it but the
sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them, and departed.
|
11. And the Pharisees came, and began to
dispute with him, requesting from him a sign from heaven tempting him.
12. And he groaned in his spirit, and said, Why doth this generation
ask a sign? Verily, I say to you, That no sign shall be given to this
generation. 13. And he left them, and returned to the ship, and
departed across the lake.
|
54. And he said also to the multitudes,
When you see a cloud rising out of the west, you immediately say, A shower is
coming; and so it is. 55. And when you perceive the south wind
blowing, you say that there will be hot weather; and so it is.
56. Hypocrites, you know how to judge of the appearance of the sky and
of the earth, and how comes it that you do not understand this time?
57. And why even of yourselves do you not judge what is
right?
|
Matthew 16:1.
And the Pharisees
came. Mark says that they began to
dispute, from which we may conjecture that, when they had been
vanquished in argument, this was their last resource; as obstinate men, whenever
they are reduced to extremities, to avoid being compelled to yield to the truth,
are accustomed to introduce something which is foreign to the subject. Though
the nature of the dispute is not expressed, yet I think it probable that they
debated about the calling of Christ, why he ventured to make any innovation, and
why he made such lofty pretensions, as if by his coming he had fully restored
the kingdom of God. Having nothing farther to object against his doctrine, they
demand that he shall give them a
sign from heaven. But it is certain that
a hundred signs would have no greater effect than the testimonies of
Scripture. Besides, many miracles already performed had placed before their eyes
the power of Christ, and had almost enabled them to touch it with their hands.
Signs, by which Christ made himself familiarly known, are despised
by them; and how much less will they derive advantage from a distant and obscure
sign? Thus the Papists of our own day, as if the doctrine of the Gospel
had not yet been proved, demand that it be ascertained by means of new
miracles.
The Pharisees, together with the
Sadducees. It deserves our attention
that, though the
Sadducees
and the
Pharisees
looked upon each other as enemies, and not only cherished bitter hatred, but
were continually engaged in hostilities, yet they enter into a mutual league
against Christ. In like manner, though ungodly men quarrel among themselves,
their internal broils never prevent them from conspiring against God, and
entering into a compact for joining their hands in persecuting the
truth.
Tempting.
By this word the Evangelists mean that it was not with honest intentions,
nor from a desire of instruction, but by cunning and deceit, that they demanded
what they thought that Christ would refuse, or at least what they imagined was
not in his power. Regarding him as utterly mean and despicable, they had no
other design than to expose his weakness, and to destroy all the applause which
he had hitherto obtained among the people. In this manner unbelievers are said
to tempt God, when they murmur at being denied what their fancy prompted
them to ask, and charge God with want of power.
2.
About the commencement of the
evening. By these words Christ reminds
them that his power had been sufficiently manifested, so that they must have
recognised the time of their visitation,
(<421944>Luke
19:44,) had they not of their own accord shut their eyes, and refused to admit
the clearest light. The comparison which he employs is beautiful and highly
appropriate; for, though the aspect of the sky is changeable, so that sometimes
a storm unexpectedly arises, and sometimes fair weather springs up when it was
not expected, yet the instructions of nature are sufficient to enable men to
predict from signs whether the day will be fair or cloudy. Christ
therefore asks why they do not recognize the kingdom of God, when it is made
known by signs not less manifest; for this proved clearly that they were
excessively occupied with earthly and transitory advantages, and cared little
about any thing that related to the heavenly and spiritual life, and were
blinded not so much by mistake as by voluntary malice.
3.
Hypocrites, you can
judge. He calls them
hypocrites, because they pretend to ask that which, if it were
exhibited to them, they are resolved not to observe. The same reproof applies
nearly to the whole world; for men direct their ingenuity, and apply their
senses, to immediate advantage; and therefore there is scarcely any man who is
not sufficiently well qualified in this respect, or at least who is not
tolerably acquainted with the means of gaining his object. How comes it then
that we feel no concern about the signs by which God invites us to
himself? Is it not because every man gives himself up to willing indifference,
and extinguishes the light which is offered to him? The calling of Christ, and
the immediate exhibition of eternal salvation, were exhibited to the scribes
both by the Law and the Prophets, and by his own doctrine, to which miracles
were added.
There are many persons of the same description in the
present day, who plead that on intricate subjects they have a good right to
suspend their judgment, because they must wait till the matter is fully
ascertained. They go farther, and believe that it is a mark of prudence
purposely to avoid all inquiry into the truth; as if it were not an instance of
shameful sloth that, while they are so eagerly solicitous about the objects of
the flesh and of the earth, they neglect the eternal salvation of their souls,
and at the same time contrive vain excuses for gross and stupid
ignorance.
A very absurd inference is drawn by some ignorant
persons from this passage, that we are not at liberty to predict from the aspect
of the sky whether we shall have fair or stormy weather. It is rather an
argument which Christ founds on the regular course of nature, that those men
deserve to perish for their ingratitude, who, while they are sufficiently acute
in matters of the present life, yet knowingly and willfully quench the heavenly
light by their stupidity.
Mark 8:12.
And groaning in his
spirit. By these words Mark informs us
that it occasioned grief and bitter vexation to our Lord, when he saw those
ungrateful men obstinately resist God. And certainly all who are desirous to
promote the glory of God, and who feel concern about the salvation of men, ought
to have such feelings that nothing would inflict on their hearts a deeper wound
than to see unbelievers purposely blocking up against themselves the way of
believing, and employing all their ingenuity in obscuring by their clouds the
brightness of the word and works of God. The words,
in his
spirit, appear to me to be added
emphatically, to inform us that this groan proceeded from the deepest affection
of his heart, and that no sophist might allege that Christ resorted to outward
attitudes to express a grief which he did not inwardly feel; for that holy soul,
which was guided by the zeal of the Spirit, must have been moved by deep sadness
at the sight of such wicked obstinacy.
Luke 12:57.
And why even of yourselves,
etc.? Here Christ opens up the source of
the evil, and, as it were, applies the lancet to the ulcer. He tells them that
they do not descend into their consciences, and there examine with themselves,
as in the presence of God, what is right. The reason why hypocrites are so much
disposed to make objections is, that they throw their swelling words into the
air without any concern, and never exercise calm thought, or place themselves at
the tribunal of God, that the truth, when once ascertained, may be fully
embraced. When Luke says that this was
spoken to the
multitudes, he does not contradict the
narrative of Matthew and Mark; for it is probable that Christ adapted his style
generally to the followers and disciples of the scribes, and to other despisers
of God who resembled them, of whom he perceived that there were too many; as the
present complaint or expostulation was applicable to the whole of that
rabble.
Matthew 16:4.
A wicked and adulterous
nation. This passage was explained
f423 under
<401238>Matthew
12:38. The general meaning is, that the Jews are never satisfied with any
signs, but are continually tickled by a wicked desire to tempt
God. He does not call them an
adulterous nation merely because they demand
some kind of sign, (for the Lord sometimes permitted his people to do this,) but
because they deliberately provoke God; and therefore he threatens that, after he
has risen from the dead, he will be a prophet like Jonah. So Matthew at least
says — for Mark does not mention Jonah — but the meaning is the
same; for, strictly speaking, this was intended to serve as a sign to
them, that Christ, when he had risen from the dead, would in every place cause
the voice of his Gospel to be distinctly heard.
MATTHEW 16:5-12; MARK 8:14-21;
LUKE 12:1
|
MATTHEW
16:5-12
|
MARK
8:14-21
|
LUKE
12:1
|
|
5. And his disciples, when they had come
to the opposite bank, through neglect had not taken bread.
f424
6. And Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 7. But they considered within
themselves, saying, We have not taken bread.
f425
8. And when Jesus knew this, he said to them, Why do you think
within yourselves, O you of little faith, that you have not taken bread?
9. Do you not yet understand, and do you not remember those five
loaves, when there were five thousand men, and how many baskets you carried
away? 10. Nor those seven loaves, when there were four thousand
men, and how many baskets you carried away? 11. How comes it that
you do not understand that it was not about bread that I told you to beware of
the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12. Then they
understood that he did not bid them beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees and
of the Sadducees.
|
14. And they had neglected to take
bread, and had not more than one loaf with them in the ship.
15. And he charged them saying, Take heed and beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. 16. And they reasoned
within themselves, saying, We have not bread.
f425a
17. And Jesus, perceiving this, said to them, Why do you reason that
you have no bread? Do you not yet consider or understand? Have you your heart
yet blinded? 18. Having eyes, do you not see? and having ears, do
you not hear? and do you not remember? 19. When I broke the five
thousand men, how many baskets full of fragments did you carry away? They say to
him, Twelve. 20. And when [I broke] the seven among four thousand,
how many baskets of the remains of the fragments did you carry away? And they
said, Seven. 21. And he said to them, How is it that you do not
understand?
|
1. And when an innumerable multitude had
assembled,
f426 so that
they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples, Above all, beware
f427 of the
leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy
|
Matthew 15:5.
And when his disciples
came. Here Christ takes occasion from
the circumstance that had just occurred
f428 to
exhort his disciples to beware of every abuse that makes an inroad on sincere
piety. The Pharisees had come a little before; the Sadducees joined them; and
apart from them stood Herod, a very wicked man, and an opponent and corrupter of
sound doctrine. In the midst of these dangers it was very necessary to warn his
disciples to be on their guard; for, since the human mind has a natural
inclination towards vanity and errors, when we are surrounded by wicked
inventions, spurious doctrines, and other plagues of the same sort, nothing is
more easy than to depart from the true and simple purity of the word of God; and
if we once become entangled in these things, it will never be possible for the
true religion to hold an entire sway over us. But to make the matter more clear,
let us examine closely the words of Christ.
Beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees. Along with the
Pharisees
Matthew mentions the
Sadducees. Instead of the latter, Mark
speaks of
Herod.
Luke takes no notice of any but the
Pharisees,
(though it is not absolutely certain that it is the same discourse of Christ
which Luke relates,) and explains
the
leaven to be
hypocrisy.
In short, he glances briefly at this sentence, as if there were no ambiguity
in the words. Now the metaphor of leaven, which is here applied to
false doctrine, might have been employed, at another time, to denote the
hypocrisy of life and conduct, or the same words might even have been repeated a
second time. But there is no absurdity in saying, that those circumstances which
are more copiously detailed by the other two Evangelists, in the order in which
they took place, are slightly noticed by Luke in a manner somewhat different,
and out of their proper place or order, but without any real contradiction. If
we choose to adopt this conjecture,
hypocrisy
will denote here something different from a pretended and false appearance
of wisdom. It will denote the very source and occasion of empty display, which,
though it holds out an imposing aspect to the eyes of men, is of no estimation
in the sight of God. For, as Jeremiah (5:3) tells us that the eyes of the
Lord behold the truth, so they that believe in his word are
instructed to maintain true godliness in such a manner as to cleave to
righteousness with an honest and perfect heart; as in these
words,
An now, O Israel, what
doth the Lord require from thee, but that thou shouldst cleave to him with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul?
(<051012>Deuteronomy
10:12.)
On the other hand, the traditions of men, while they
set aside spiritual worship, wear a temporary disguise, as if God could be
imposed upon by such deceptions; for to whatever extent outward ceremonies may
be carried, they are, in the sight of God, nothing more than childish trifles,
unless so far as they assist us in the exercise of true piety.
We now perceive the reason why hypocrisy was
viewed by Luke as equivalent to doctrines invented by men, and why he included
under this name the leavens of men, which only puff up, and in the sight
of God contain nothing solid, and which even draw aside the minds of men from
the right study of piety to empty and insignificant ceremonies. But it will be
better to abide by the narrative of Matthew, which is more copious. The
disciples, after having been reproved by our Lord, came at length to understand
that he had charged them to be on their guard against certain doctrine. It was
plainly, therefore, the intention of Christ to fortify them against prevailing
abuses, by which they were attacked on all sides. The
Pharisees
and
Sadducees
were expressly named, because those two sects maintained at that time a
tyrannical sway in the Church, and held opinions so utterly subversive of the
doctrine of the Law and the Prophets, that almost nothing remained pure and
entire.
But Herod did not in any way profess to teach;
and a question arises, why does Mark class him with false teachers?
Beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees, and OF THE LEAVEN OF HEROD. I
reply: he was half a Jew, was mean and treacherous, and availed himself
of every contrivance that was within his reach to draw the people to his side;
for it is customary with all apostates to contrive some mixture, for the purpose
of establishing a new religion by which the former may be abolished. It was
because he was laboring craftily to subvert the principles of true and ancient
piety, and thus to give currency to a religion that would be exceedingly adapted
to his tyranny, or rather because he was endeavoring to introduce some new form
of Judaism, that our Lord most properly charged them to
beware of his
leaven. From the temple of God the
scribes disseminated their errors, and the court of
Herod
was another workshop of Satan, in which errors of a different kind were
manufactured.
Thus in our own day we find that not only from Popish
temples, and from the dens of sophists and monks, does Antichrist vomit out her
impostures, but that there is a Theology of the Court, which lends its aid to
prop up the throne of Antichrist, so that no stratagem is left untried. But as
Christ opposed the evils which then prevailed, and as he aroused the minds of
his followers to guard against those which were the most dangerous, let us learn
from his example to make a prudent inquiry what are the abuses that may now do
us injury. Sooner shall water mix with fire than any man shall succeed in
reconciling the inventions of the Pope with the Gospel. Whoever desires to
become honestly a disciple of Christ, must be careful to keep his mind pure from
those leavens; and if he has already imbibed them, he must labor to
purify himself till none of their polluting effects remain. There are restless
men, on the other hand, who have endeavored in various ways to corrupt sound
doctrine, and, in guarding also against such impostures, believers must maintain
a strict watch, that they may keep a perpetual Passover
with the unleavened bread
of sincerity and
truth,
(<460508>1
Corinthians 5:8.)
And as on every hand there now rages an impiety like
that of Lucian,
f429 a most
pernicious leaven, or rather a worse than deadly poison, let them exercise this
very needful caution, and apply to it all their senses.
8.
Why do you think within
yourselves, etc.? The disciples again
show how little they had profited by the instructions of their Master, and by
his wonderful works. What he had said about being on their guard against the
leaven is rashly interpreted by them as if Christ intended only to withdraw
them from outward intercourse. As it was customary among the Jews not to take
food in company with irreligious men, the disciples imagine that the Pharisees
were classed with such persons. This ignorance might perhaps have been endured;
but they are forgetful of a favor which they lately received, and do not
consider that Christ has the remedy his power to hinder them from being
compelled to pollute themselves by meat and drink, and therefore he reproves
them sharply, as they deserved. And certainly it was shameful ingratitude that,
after having seen bread created out of nothing, and in such abundance as to
satisfy many thousands of men, and after having seen this done twice, they are
now anxious about bread, as if their Master did not always possess the same
power. From these words we infer that all who have once or twice experienced the
power of God, and distrust it for the future are convicted of unbelief; for it
is faith that cherishes in our hearts the remembrance of the gifts of God, and
faith must have been laid asleep, if we allow them to be
forgotten.
12.
Then they
understood. The word leaven is
very evidently used by Christ as contrasted with the pure and uncorrupted word
of God. In a former passage,
(<401333>Matthew
13:33,) Christ had used the word in a good sense, when he said that the Gospel
resembled leaven;
f430but for
the most part this word is employed in Scripture to denote some foreign
substance, by which the native purity of any thing is impaired. In this passage,
the naked truth of God, and the inventions which men contrive out of their own
brain, are unquestionably the two things that are contrasted. The sophist must
not hope to escape by saying that this ought not to be understood as applicable
to every kind of doctrine; for it will be impossible to find any doctrine but
what has come from God that deserves the name of pure and unleavened.
Hence it follows that leaven is the name given to every foreign
admixture; as Paul also tells us that faith is rendered spurious, as soon as we
are
drawn aside from the
simplicity of
Christ,
(<471103>2
Corinthians 11:3.)
It must now be apparent who are the persons of whose
doctrine our Lord charges us to beware. The ordinary government of the Church
was at that time in the hands of the scribes and priests, among whom the
Pharisees held the highest rank. As Christ expressly charges his followers to
beware of their doctrine, it follows that all who mingle their own
inventions with the word of God, or who advance any thing that does not belong
to it, must be rejected, how honorable soever may be their rank, or whatever
proud titles they may wear. Accursed and rebellious, therefore, is the obedience
of those who voluntarily submit to the inventions and laws of the
Pope.
MARK 8:22-26
|
MARK
8:22-26
|
|
22. And he cometh to Bethsaida, and they
bring to him a blind man, and implore him to touch him. 23. Then
taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the village. And when he had
spat on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw any thing.
24. And he looking up said, I see men; for I perceive them walking
as if they were trees. 25. Then he again laid his hands upon his
eyes, and desired him to look; and he was restored, so that he saw them all
clearly. 26. And he sent him away to his own house, saying, Neither
enter into the village, nor tell it to any one in the village.
|
This miracle, which is omitted by the other two
Evangelists, appears to have been related by Mark chiefly on account of this
circumstance, that Christ
restored
sight to the blind
man, not in an instant, as he was
generally accustomed to do, but in a gradual manner. He did so most probably for
the purpose of proving, in the case of this man, that he had full liberty as to
his method of proceeding, and was not restricted to a fixed rule, so as not to
resort to a variety of methods in exercising his power. On this account, he does
not all at once enlighten the eyes of
the blind
man, and fit them for performing their
office, but communicates to them at first a dark and confused perception, and
afterwards, by laying on his hands a second time, enables them to see perfectly.
And so the grace of Christ, which had formerly been poured out suddenly on
others, flowed by drops, as it were, on this man.
Mark 8:24.
I see
men. Our Lord had put the question to
the blind man for the sake of his disciples, to inform them that the man
had received something, but that hitherto nothing more than a slight
commencement of the cure had been effected. The reply is, that he sees
men, because he perceives some persons walking who are upright
like trees. By these words he acknowledges that his sight is not
yet so clear as to distinguish men from trees, but that he
has already obtained some power of seeing, because he conjectures from the
motion that those whom he perceives to be in an erect posture are men; and it is
in this respect that he says they are like trees. We see then that
he speaks only by conjecture when he says that he sees
men.
26.
And he sent him away to his
house. Christ does not suffer him to
return to Bethsaida, where there were many that had beheld the
miracle. This is conjectured by some to have been done, because Christ intended
to punish the inhabitants of that place by depriving them of the enjoyment of
his favor. Whatever might be the reason, it is certain that no miracle was
performed by him in order to remain perpetually buried, but that he intended to
have it concealed along with many others, till, after having expiated by his
death the sins of the world,
f431 he
should ascend to the glory of the Father.
MATTHEW 16:13-19; MARK
8:27-29;
LUKE
9:18-20
|
MATTHEW
16:13-19
|
MARK
8:27-29
|
LUKE
9:18-20
|
|
13. And when Jesus came to the coasts of
Cesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son
of man am? 14. And they said, Some [say,] John the Baptist; and
other, Elijah; and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 15. He
saith to them, But who do you say that I am? 16. And Simon Peter
answering said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17. And Jesus answering said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona;
f432 for
flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
18. But I say to thee, That thou art Peter, and on this rock will I
build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatseover
thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
|
27. And Jesus departed, and his
disciples, into the villages of Cesarea, which is called, Philippi; and by the
way he asked his disciples, saying to them, Who do men say that I am?
28. And they replied, John the Baptist; and some, Elijah; and others,
One of the prophets, 29. And he saith to them, But who do you say
that I am? And Peter answering saith to him, Thou art the
Christ.
|
18. And it happened, when he was alone
praying, his disciples also were with him, and he asked them, saying, Who do the
multitudes say that I am? 19. And they answering said, John the
Baptist; and others, Elijah; and others, that one of the ancient prophets hath
risen. 20. And he said to them, And who do you say that I am? Simon
Peter answering said, The Christ of God.
|
Matthew 16:13.
And when Jesus came to the
coasts of Cesarea Philippi. Mark says
that this conversation took place during the journey. Luke says that it took
place while he was praying, and while there were none in company with him but
his disciples. Matthew is not so exact in mentioning the time. All the three
unquestionably relate the same narrative; and it is possible that Christ may
have stopped at a certain place during that journey to pray, and that afterwards
he may have put the question to his disciples. There were two towns
called Cesarea, of which the former was more celebrated, and had
been anciently called The Tower of Strato; while the latter, which is
mentioned here, was situated at the foot of Mount Lebanon, not far from the
river Jordan. It is for the sake of distinguishing between these two towns that
Philippi is added to the name; for though it is conjectured by some to
have been built on the same spot where the town of Dan formerly stood, yet, as
it had lately been rebuilt by Philip the Tetrarch, it was called
Philippi. f433
Who do men say that I
am? This might be supposed to mean, What
was the current rumor about the Redeemer, who became
the Son of
man? But the question is quite
different, What do men think about Jesus the Son of Mary? He calls himself,
according to custom, the Son of
man, as much as to say, Now that clothed
in flesh I inhabit the earth like other men, what is the opinion entertained
respecting me? The design of Christ was, to confirm his disciples fully in the
true faith, that they might not be tossed about amidst various reports, as we
shall presently see.
14.
Some [say,] John the
Baptist. This inquiry does not relate to
the open enemies of Christ, nor to ungodly scoffers, but to the sounder and
better part of the people, who might be called the choice and flower of the
Church. Those only are mentioned by the disciples who spoke of Christ with
respect; and yet, though they aimed at the truth, not one of them reaches that
point, but all go astray in their vain fancies. Hence we perceive how great is
the weakness of the human mind; for not only is it unable of itself to
understand what is right or true, but even out of true principles it coins
errors. Besides, though Christ is the only standard of harmony and peace, by
which God gathers the whole world to himself, the greater part of men seize on
this subject as the occasion of prolonged strife. Among the Jews, certainly, the
unity of faith related solely to Christ; and yet they who formerly appeared to
have some sort of agreement among themselves now split into a variety of
sects.
We see too how one error quickly produces another;
for a preconceived opinion, which had taken a firm hold of the minds of the
common people, that souls passed from one body to another, made them more ready
to adopt this groundless fancy. But though, at the time of Christ’s
coming, the Jews were divided in this manner, such a diversity of opinions ought
not to have hindered the godly from desiring to attain the pure knowledge of
him. For if any man, under such a pretense, had given himself up to sloth, and
neglected to seek Christ, we would have been forced to declare that there was no
excuse for him. Much less then will any man escape the judgment of God who is
led by the variety of sects to entertain a dislike of Christ, or who, disgusted
by the false opinions of men, does not deign to attach himself to
Christ.
15.
But who do you say that I
am? Here Christ distinguishes his
disciples from the rest of the crowd, to make it more fully evident that,
whatever differences may exist among others, we at least ought not to be led
aside from the unity of faith. They who shall honestly submit to Christ, and
shall not attempt to mix with the Gospel any inventions of their own brain, will
never want the true light. But here the greatest vigilance is necessary, that,
though the whole world may be carried away by its own inventions, believers may
continually adhere to Christ. As Satan could not rob the Jews of the conviction
which they derived from the Law and the Prophets, that Christ would come, he
changed him into various shapes, and, as it were, cut him in pieces. His next
scheme was, to bring forward many pretended Christs, that they might lose sight
of the true Redeemer. By similar contrivances, he continued ever afterwards
either to tear Christ in pieces, or to exhibit him under a false character.
Among the confused and discordant voices of the world, let this voice of Christ
perpetually sound in our ears, which calls us away from unsettled and wavering
men, that we may not follow the multitude, and that our faith may not be tossed
about amongst the billows of contending opinions.
16.
Thou art the
Christ. The confession is short, but it
embraces all that is contained in our salvation; for the designation
Christ,
or
Anointed,
includes both an everlasting Kingdom and an everlasting Priesthood, to
reconcile us to God, and, by expiating our sins through his sacrifice, to obtain
for us a perfect righteousness, and, having received us under his protection, to
uphold and supply and enrich us with every description of blessings. Mark says
only, Thou art the
Christ. Luke says,
Thou art the Christ of
God. But the meaning is the same; for
the
Christs
(cristoi>)
of
God was the appellation anciently
bestowed on kings, who had been anointed by the divine command.
f434 And
this phrase had been previously employed by Luke, (2:26,) when he said that
Simeon had been informed by a revelation from heaven that he would not see
death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. For the redemption,
which God manifested by the hand of his Son, was clearly divine; and therefore
it was necessary that he who was to be the Redeemer should come from heaven,
bearing the impress of the anointing of God. Matthew expresses it still
more clearly, Thou art the Son of
the living God; for, though Peter did
not yet understand distinctly in what way Christ was the begotten of God, he was
so fully persuaded of the dignity of Christ, that he believed him to come from
God, not like other men, but by the inhabitation of the true and living Godhead
in his flesh. When the attribute living is ascribed to God, it is for the
purpose of distinguishing between Him and dead idols, who are nothing,
(<460804>1
Corinthians 8:4.)
17.
Blessed art thou, Simon
Bar-Jona. As
this is life eternal, to
know the only true God,
and him
whom he hath sent, Jesus Christ,
(<431703>John
17:3,)
Christ justly pronounces him to be blessed who
has honestly made such a confession. This was not spoken in a peculiar manner to
Peter alone, but our Lord’s purpose was, to show in what the only
happiness of the whole world consists. That every one may approach him with
greater courage, we must first learn that all are by nature miserable and
accursed, till they find a remedy in Christ. Next, we must add, that whoever has
obtained Christ wants nothing that is necessary to perfect happiness, since we
have no right to desire any thing better than the eternal glory of God, of which
Christ puts us in possession.
Flesh and blood hath not revealed
it to thee. In the person of one man
Christ reminds all that we must ask faith from the Father, and acknowledge it to
the praise of his grace; for the special illumination of God is here contrasted
with flesh and
blood. Hence we infer, that the minds of
men are destitute of that sagacity which is necessary for perceiving the
mysteries of heavenly wisdom which are hidden in Christ; and even that all the
senses of men are deficient in this respect, till God opens our eyes to perceive
his glory in Christ. Let no man, therefore, in proud reliance on his own
abilities, attempt to reach it, but let us humbly suffer ourselves to be
inwardly taught by the Father of Lights,
(<590117>James
1:17,) that his Spirit alone may enlighten our darkness. And let those who have
received faith, acknowledging the blindness which was natural to them, learn to
render to God the glory that is due to Him.
18.
And I say to
thee. By these words Christ declares how
highly he is delighted with the confession of Peter, since he bestows upon it so
large a reward. For, though he had already given to his disciple, Simon, the
name of Peter,
(<401002>Matthew
10:2;
<430142>John
1:42,) and had, out of his undeserved goodness, appointed him to be an apostle,
yet these gifts, though freely bestowed,
f435 are
here ascribed to faith as if they had been a reward, which we not unfrequently
find in Scripture. Peter receives a twofold honor, the former part of which
relates to his personal advantage, and the latter to his office as an
Apostle.
Thou art
Peter. By these words our Lord assures
him that it was not without a good reason that he had formerly given him this
name, because, as a living stone
(<600205>1
Peter 2:5) in the temple of God, he retains his stedfastness. This extends, no
doubt, to all believers, each of whom is a temple of God, (l Corinthians 6:19,)
and who, united to each other by faith, make together one temple,
(<490221>Ephesians
2:21.) But it denotes also the distinguished excellence of Peter above the rest,
as each in his own order receives more or less, according to the measure of
the gift of Christ,
(<490407>Ephesians
4:7.)
And on this
rock. Hence it is evident how the name
Peter comes to be applied both to Simon individually, and to other
believers. It is because they are founded on the faith of Christ, and joined
together, by a holy consent, into a spiritual building, that God may dwell in
the midst of them,
(<264307>Ezekiel
43:7.) For Christ, by announcing that this would be the common foundation of the
whole Church, intended to associate with Peter all the godly that would ever
exist in the world. “You are now,” said he, “a very small
number of men, and therefore the confession which you have now made is not at
present supposed to have much weight; but ere long a time will arrive when that
confession shall assume a lofty character, and shall be much more widely
spread.” And this was eminently fitted to excite his disciples to
perseverance, that though their faith was little known and little esteemed, yet
they had been chosen by the Lord as the first-fruits, that out of this mean
commencement there might arise a new Church, which would prove victorious
against all the machinations of hell.
Shall not prevail against
it. The pronoun it
(aujth~v)
may refer either to faith or to the Church; but the latter meaning
is more appropriate. Against all the power of Satan the firmness of the Church
will prove to be invincible, because the truth of God, on which the faith of the
Church rests, will ever remain unshaken. And to this statement corresponds that
saying of John,
This is the victory which
overcometh the world, your
faith,
(<620504>1
John 5:4.)
It is a promise which eminently deserves our
observation, that all who are united to Christ, and acknowledge him to be Christ
and Mediator, will remain to the end safe from all danger; for what is said of
the body of the Church belongs to each of its members, since they are one in
Christ. Yet this passage also instructs us, that so long as the Church shall
continue to be a pilgrim on the earth, she will never enjoy rest, but will be
exposed to many attacks; for, when it is declared that Satan will not conquer,
this implies that he will be her constant enemy. While, therefore, we rely on
this promise of Christ, feel ourselves at liberty to boast against Satan, and
already triumph by faith over all his forces; let us learn, on the other hand,
that this promise is, as it were, the sound of a trumpet, calling us to be
always ready and prepared for battle. By the word gates
(pu>lai)
is unquestionably meant every kind of power and of weapons of
war.
19.
And I will give thee the
keys. Here Christ begins now to speak of
the public office, that is, of the Apostleship, which he dignifies with a
twofold title. First, he says that the ministers of the Gospel are porters, so
to speak, of the kingdom of heaven, because they carry its keys; and,
secondly, he adds, that they are invested with a power of
binding and
loosing, which is ratified in heaven.
f436 The
comparison of the keys is very properly applied to the office of
teaching; as when Christ says
(<421152>Luke
11:52) that the scribes and Pharisees, in like manner, have the key of
the kingdom of heaven, because they are expounders of the law. We know that
there is no other way in which the gate of life is opened to us than by the word
of God; and hence it follows that the key is placed, as it were, in the hands of
the ministers of the word.
Those who think that the word keys is here
used in the plural number, because the Apostles received a commission not only
to open but also to shut, have some probability on their
side; but if any person choose to take a more simple view of the meaning, let
him enjoy his own opinion.
f437 Here a
question arises, Why does the Lord promise that he will give to Peter what he
appeared to have formerly given him by making him an Apostle? But this question
has been already answered,
f438 when I
said that the twelve were at first
(<401005>Matthew
10:5) nothing more than temporary preachers,
f439 and so,
when they returned to Christ, they had executed their commission; but after that
Christ had risen from the dead, they then began to be appointed to be ordinary
teachers of the Church. It is in this sense that the honor is now bestowed for
the future.
Whatsoever thou shalt bind on
earth. The second metaphor, or
comparison, is intended directly to point out the forgiveness of sins; for
Christ, in delivering us, by his Gospel, from the condemnation of eternal death,
looses the cords of the curse by which we are held bound. The doctrine of
the Gospel is, therefore, declared to be appointed for loosing our bonds, that,
being loosed on earth by the voice and testimony of men, we may be actually
loosed in heaven. But as there are many who not only are guilty of
wickedly rejecting the deliverance that is offered to them, but by their
obstinacy bring down on themselves a heavier judgment, the power and authority
to bind is likewise granted to the ministers of the Gospel. It must be
observed, however, that this does not belong to the nature of the Gospel, but is
accidental; as Paul also informs us, when, speaking of the vengeance
which he tells us that he has it in his power to execute against all
unbelievers and rebels, he immediately adds,
When your obedience shall
have been
fulfilled,
(<471006>2
Corinthians 10:6.)
For were it not that the reprobate, through their own
fault, turn life into death, the Gospel would be to all the power of God to
salvation,
(<450116>Romans
1:16;) but as many persons no sooner hear it than their impiety openly breaks
out, and provokes against them more and more the wrath of God, to such persons
its savor must be deadly,
(<470216>2
Corinthians 2:16.)
The substance of this statement is, that Christ
intended to assure his followers of the salvation promised to them in the
Gospel, that they might expect it as firmly as if he were himself to descend
from heaven to bear testimony concerning it; and, on the other hand, to strike
despisers with terror, that they might not expect their mockery of the ministers
of the word to remain unpunished. Both are exceedingly necessary; for the
inestimable treasure of life is exhibited to us in earthen
vessels,
(<470407>2
Corinthians 4:7,) and had not the authority of the doctrine been established in
this manner, the faith of it would have been, almost every moment, ready to give
way. f440
The reason why the ungodly become so daring and presumptuous is, that they
imagine they have to deal with men. Christ therefore declares that, by the
preaching of the Gospel, is revealed on the earth what will be the heavenly
judgment of God, and that the certainty of life or death is not to be obtained
from any other source.
This is a great honor, that we are God’s
messengers to assure the world of its salvation. It is the highest honor
conferred on the Gospel, that it is declared to be the embassy of mutual
reconciliation between God and men,
(<470520>2
Corinthians 5:20.) In a word, it is a wonderful consolation to devout minds to
know that the message of salvation brought to them by a poor mortal man is
ratified before God. Meanwhile, let the ungodly ridicule, as they may think fit,
the doctrine which is preached to them by the command of God, they will one day
learn with what truth and seriousness God threatened them by the mouth of men.
Finally, let pious teachers, resting on this assurance, encourage themselves and
others to defend with boldness the life-giving grace of God, and yet let them
not the less boldly thunder against the hardened despisers of their
doctrine.
Hitherto I have given a plain exposition of the
native meaning of the words, so that nothing farther could have been desired,
had it not been that the Roman Antichrist, wishing to cloak his tyranny, has
wickedly and dishonestly dared to pervert the whole of this passage. The light
of the true interpretation which I have stated would be of itself sufficient,
one would think, for dispelling his darkness; but that pious readers may feel no
uneasiness, I shall briefly refute his disgusting calumnies. First, he alleges
that Peter is declared to be the foundation of the Church. But who does not see
that what he applies to the person of a man is said in reference to
Peter’s faith in Christ? There is no difference of meaning, I acknowledge,
between the two Greek words
Pe>trov
(Peter) and
pe>tra,
(petra, a stone or rock,)
f441
except that the former belongs to the Attic, and the latter to the ordinary
dialect. But we are not to suppose that Matthew had not a good reason for
employing this diversity of expression. On the contrary, the gender of the noun
was intentionally changed, to show that he was now speaking of something
different.
f442A
distinction of the same sort, I have no doubt, was pointed out by Christ in his
own language;
f443 and
therefore Augustine judiciously reminds the reader that it is not
pe>tra
(petra, a stone or rock) that is derived from
Pe>trov,
(Peter,) but
Pe>trov
(Peter) that is derived from
pe>tra,
(petra, a stone or rock.)
But not to be tedious, as we must acknowledge the
truth and certainty of the declaration of Paul, that the Church can have no
other foundation than Christ alone,
(<460311>1
Corinthians 3:11;
<490220>Ephesians
2:20,) it can be nothing less than blasphemy and sacrilege when the Pope has
contrived another foundation. And certainly no words can express
the detestation with which we ought to regard the tyranny of the Papal system on
this single account, that, in order to maintain it, the foundation of the Church
has been subverted, that the mouth of hell might be opened and swallow up
wretched souls. Besides, as I have already hinted, that part does not refer to
Peter’s public office, but only assigns to him a distinguished place among
the sacred stones of the temple. The commendations that follow relate to the
Apostolic office; and hence we conclude that nothing is here said to Peter which
does not apply equally to the others who were his companions, for if the rank of
apostleship was common to them all, whatever was connected with it must also
have been held in common.
But it will be said, Christ addresses Peter alone: he
does so, because Peter alone, in the name of all, had confessed Christ to be
the Son of God, and to him alone is addressed the discourse, which
applies equally to the rest. And the reason adduced by Cyprian and others is not
to be despised, that Christ spake to all in the person of one man, in order to
recommend the unity of the Church. They reply,
f444 that he
to whom this privilege was granted in a peculiar manner is preferred to all
others. But that is equivalent to saying that he was more an apostle than his
companions; for the power to bind and to loose can no more be
separated from the office of teaching and the Apostleship than light or heat can
be separated from the sun. And even granting that something more was bestowed on
Peter than on the rest, that he might hold a distinguished place among the
Apostles, it is a foolish inference of the Papists, that he received the
primacy, and became the universal head of the whole Church. Rank is a different
thing from power, and to be elevated to the highest place of honor among a few
persons is a different thing from embracing the whole world under his dominion.
And in fact, Christ laid no heavier burden on him than he was able to bear. He
is ordered to be the porter of the kingdom of heaven; he is ordered to dispense
the grace of God by binding and loosing; that is, as far as the
power of a mortal man reaches. All that was given to him, therefore, must be
limited to the measure of grace which he received for the edification of the
Church; and so that vast dominion, which the Papists claim for him, falls to the
ground.
But though there were no strife or controversy about
Peter, f445
still this passage would not lend countenance to the tyranny of the Pope. For no
man in his senses will admit the principle which the Papists take for granted,
that what is here granted to Peter was intended to be transmitted by him to
posterity by hereditary right; for he does not receive permission to give any
thing to his successors. So then the Papists make him bountiful with what is not
his own. Finally, though the uninterrupted succession were fully established,
still the Pope will gain nothing by it till he has proved himself to be
Peter’s lawful successor. And how does he prove it? Because Peter died at
Rome; as if Rome, by the detestable murder of the Apostle, had procured for
herself the primacy. But they allege that he was also bishop there. How
frivolous
f446 that
allegation is, I have made abundantly evident in my Institutes,
(Book 4, Chapter 6,) to which I would willingly send my reader for a
complete discussion of this argument, rather than annoy or weary him by
repeating it in this place. Yet I would add a few words. Though the Bishop of
Rome had been the lawful successor of Peter, since by his own treachery he has
deprived himself of so high an honor, all that Christ bestowed on the successors
of Peter avails him nothing. That the Pope’s court resides at Rome is
sufficiently known, but no mark of a Church there can be pointed out. As to the
pastoral office, his eagerness to shun it is equal to the ardor with which he
contends for his own dominion. Certainly, if it were true that Christ has left
nothing undone to exalt the heirs of Peter, still he was not so lavish as to
part with his own honor to bestow it on apostates.
MATTHEW 16:20-28; MARK
8:30-38, 9:1;
LUKE
9:21-27
|
MATTHEW
16:20-28
|
MARK
8:30-37
|
LUKE
9:21-27
|
|
20. Then he charged his disciples
f447 not to
tell any one that he was Jesus the Christ. 21. From that time Jesus
began to make known to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things from the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be
killed, and be raised again on the third day. 22. And Peter, taking
him aside,
f448 began
to rebuke him, saying, Lord, spare thyself;
f449 this
shall not happen to thee. 23. But he turning said to Peter, Get
thee behind me, Satan, thou art an offense to me; for thou relishest not those
things which are of God, but those which are of men. 24. Then Jesus
said to his disciples, If any man chooses to come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25. For whosoever
would save his life shall lose it; and on the other hand, whosoever shall lose
his life on my account shall find it. 26. For what doth it profit a
man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a
man give, that, in exchange for it, he may redeem his soul? 27. For
the Son of man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then
will he render to every one according to his actions. 28. Verily I
say to you, There are some standing here, who will not taste death till they
have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
|
30. And he threatened, and forbade them
to tell any one concerning him.
f450
31. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many
things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32. And he spoke
that saying openly, and Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33. But he turning and looking upon his disciples, rebuked Peter,
saying, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou relishest not the things that are of
God, but those that are of men. 34. And when he had called the
multitude to him along with his disciples, he said to them, Whosoever would
follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever
shall lose his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, shall save it,
36. For what will it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole
world, and lose his soul? 37. Or what shall a man give as a ransom
for his soul? 38. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my
words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him likewise will the Son of
man be ashamed, when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy
angels.
MARK
9:11. And he said to them, Verily,
I say to you, There are some among those who stand here
f453 that
will not taste death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with
power.
|
21. And he threatening charged them not
to tell this to any one,
f451
22. Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by
the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and rise again on the third
day. 23. And he said to all, If any man would come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up hi cross daily,
f452 and
follow me. 24. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and
whosoever shall lose his life on my account shall save it. 25. For
what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and be ruined and lost?
26. For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my saying, of him
likewise will the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own majesty,
and in the majesty of his Father, and of the holy angels. 27. And I
say to you, There truly are some standing here who will not taste death, till
they see the kingdom of God.
f454
|
Having given a proof of his future glory, Christ
reminds his disciples of what he
must suffer, that they also may be
prepared to bear the
cross; for the time was at hand when
they must enter into the contest, to which he knew them to be altogether
unequal, if they had not been fortified by fresh courage. And first of all, it
was necessary to inform them that Christ must commence his reign, not with gaudy
display, not with the magnificence of riches, not with the loud applause of the
world, but with an ignominious death. But nothing was harder than to rise
superior to such an offense; particularly if we consider the opinion which they
firmly entertained respecting their Master; for they imagined that he would
procure for them earthly happiness. This unfounded expectation held them in
suspense, and they eagerly looked forward to the hour when Christ would suddenly
reveal the glory of his reign. So far were they from having ever adverted to the
ignominy of the cross, that they considered it to be utterly unsuitable that he
should be placed in any circumstances from which he did not receive honor.
f455 To them
it was a distressing occurrence that he should
be rejected by the elders and the
scribes, who held the government of the
Church; and hence we may readily conclude that this admonition was highly
necessary. But as the bare mention of the cross must, of necessity, have
occasioned heavy distress to their weak minds, he presently heals the wound by
saying, that on the third day he
will rise again from the dead. And
certainly, as there is nothing to be seen in the cross but the weakness of the
flesh, till we come to his resurrection, in which the power of the Spirit shines
brightly, our faith will find no encouragement or support. In like manner, all
ministers of the Word, who desire that their preaching may be profitable, ought
to be exceedingly careful that the glory of his resurrection should be always
exhibited by them in connection with the ignominy of his death.
But we naturally wonder why Christ refuses to accept
as witnesses the Apostles, whom he had already appointed to that office; for why
were they sent but to be the heralds of that redemption which depended on the
coming of Christ? The answer is not difficult, if we keep in mind the
explanations which I have given on this subject: first, that they were not
appointed teachers for the purpose of bearing full and certain testimony to
Christ, but only to procure disciples for their Master; that is, to induce those
who were too much the victims of sloth to become teachable and attentive; and;
secondly, that their commission was temporary, for it ended when Christ himself
began to preach. As the time of his death was now at hand, and as they were not
yet fully prepared to testify their faith, but, on the contrary, were so weak in
faith, that their confession of it would have exposed them to ridicule, the Lord
enjoins them to remain silent till others shall have acknowledged him to be the
conqueror of death, and till he shall have endued them with increased
firmness.
Matthew 16:22.
And Peter, taking him aside,
began to rebuke him. It is a proof of
the excessive zeal of Peter, that he reproves his Master; though it would appear
that the respect he entertained for him was his reason for
taking him
aside, because he did not venture to
reprove him in presence of others. Still, it was highly presumptuous in Peter to
advise our Lord to spare himself, as if he had been deficient in
prudence or self-command. But so completely are men hurried on and driven
headlong by inconsiderate zeal, that they do not hesitate to pass judgment on
God himself, according to their own fancy. Peter views it as absurd, that the
Son of God, who was to be the Redeemer of the nation, should be
crucified by the
elders, and that he who was the Author
of life should be condemned to die. He therefore endeavors to restrain Christ
from exposing himself to death. The reasoning is plausible; but we ought without
hesitation to yield greater deference to the opinion of Christ than to the zeal
of Peter, whatever excuse he may plead.
And here we learn what estimation in the sight of God
belongs to what are called good intentions. So deeply is pride
rooted in the hearts of men, that they think wrong is done them, and complain,
if God does not comply with every thing that they consider to be right. With
what obstinacy do we see the Papists boasting of their devotions! But while they
applaud themselves in this daring manner, God not only rejects what they believe
to be worthy of the highest praise, but even pronounces a severe censure on its
folly and wickedness. Certainly, if the feeling and judgment of the flesh be
admitted, Peter’s intention was pious, or at least it looked well. And yet
Christ could not have conveyed his censure in harsher or more disdainful
language. Tell me, what is the meaning of that stern reply? How comes it that he
who so mildly on all occasions guarded against breaking even a bruised
reed,
(<234203>Isaiah
42:3,) thunders so dismally against a chosen disciple? The reason is obvious,
that in the person of one man he intended to restrain all from gratifying their
own passions. Though the lusts of the flesh, as they resemble wild beasts, are
difficult to be restrained, yet there is no beast more furious than the wisdom
of the flesh. It is on this account that Christ reproves it so sharply, and
bruises it, as it were, with an iron hammer, to teach us that it is only from
the word of God that we ought to be wise.
23.
Get thee behind me,
Satan. It is idle to speculate, as some
have done, about the word
(ojpi>sw)
behind; as if Peter were ordered to follow, and not to go before; for, in
a passage which we have already considered, Luke (4:8) informs us that our Lord
used those very words in repelling the attacks of Satan, and the verb
u[page
(from which the Latin word Apage is derived) signifies to
withdraw.
f456
Christ therefore throws his disciple to a distance from him, because, in his
inconsiderate zeal, he acted the part of Satan; for he does not simply
call him adversary, but gives him the name of the devil, as an
expression of the greatest abhorrence.
Thou art an offense to me; for thou
relishest not those things which are of God, but those which are of
men. We must attend to this as the
reason assigned by our Lord for sending Peter away from him. Peter was an
offense to Christ, so long as he opposed his calling; for, when Peter
attempted to stop the course of his Master, it was not owing to him that he did
not deprive himself and all mankind of eternal salvation. This single word,
therefore, shows with what care we ought to avoid every thing that withdraws us
from obedience to God. And Christ opens up the original source of the whole
evil, when he says that Peter
relishes those things which are
of men.
f457
Lest we and our intentions should be sent away by our heavenly Judge to the
devil, f458
let us learn not to be too much attached to our own views, but submissively to
embrace whatever the Lord approves. Let the Papists now go and extol their
notions to the skies. They will one day learn, when they appear before the
judgment-seat of God, what is the value of their boasting, which Christ declares
to be from Satan. And with regard to ourselves, if we do not, of
our own accord, resolve to shut ourselves out from the way of salvation by
deadly obstacles, let us not desire to be wise in any other manner than from the
mouth of God.
24.
Then Jesus said to his
disciples. As Christ saw that Peter had a dread
of the
cross, and that all the rest were
affected in the same way, he enters into a general discourse about
bearing the
cross, and does not limit his address to
the twelve apostles, but lays down the same law for all the godly.
f458a We
have already met with a statement nearly similar,
(<401038>Matthew
10:38.)
f459 But in
that passage the apostles were only reminded of the persecution which awaited
them, as soon as they should begin to discharge their office; while a general
instruction is here conveyed, and the initiatory lessons, so to speak,
inculcated on all who profess to believe the Gospel.
If any man will come after
me. These words are used for the express
purpose of refuting the false views of Peter
f460
Presenting himself to every one as an example of self-denial and of patience, he
first shows that it was necessary for him to endure what Peter reckoned to be
inconsistent with his character, and next invites every member of his body to
imitate him. The words must be explained in this manner: “If any man would
be my disciple, let him follow me
by denying himself and taking up his cross,
or, let him conform himself to my example.” The meaning is, that none
can be reckoned to be the disciples of Christ unless they are true imitators of
him, and are willing to pursue the same course.
He lays down a brief rule for our imitation, in order
to make us acquainted with the chief points in which he wishes us to resemble
him. It consists of two parts, self-denial and a voluntary
bearing of the cross. Let him
deny himself. This self-denial is
very extensive, and implies that we ought to give up our natural inclinations,
and part with all the affections of the flesh, and thus give our consent to be
reduced to nothing, provided that God lives and reigns in us. We know with what
blind love men naturally regard themselves, how much they are devoted to
themselves, how highly they estimate themselves. But if we desire to enter into
the school of Christ, we must begin with that folly to which Paul
(<460318>1
Corinthians 3:18) exhorts us, becoming fools, that we may be wise;
and next we must control and subdue all our affections.
And let him take up his
cross. He lays down this injunction,
because, though there are common miseries to which the life of men is
indiscriminately subjected, yet as God trains his people in a peculiar manner,
in order that they may be
conformed to the image of his
Son, we need not wonder that this rule
is strictly addressed to them. It may be added that, though God lays both on
good and bad men the burden of the cross, yet unless they willingly bend their
shoulders to it, they are not said to
bear the
cross; for a wild and refractory horse
cannot be said to admit his rider, though he carries him. The patience of the
saints, therefore, consists in bearing willingly
the
cross which has been laid on them.
f461Luke
adds the word
daily
— let him take up his
cross DAILY — which is very
emphatic; for Christ’s meaning is, that there will be no end to our
warfare till we leave the world. Let it be the uninterrupted exercise of the
godly, that when many afflictions have run their course, they may be prepared to
endure fresh afflictions.
25.
For he that would save his
life shall lose it. It is a most
appropriate consolation, that they who willingly suffer death for the sake of
Christ f462
do actually obtain life; for Mark expressly states this as the motive to
believers in dying — for my
sake, and for the sake of the Gospel —
and in the words of Matthew the same thing must be understood. It
frequently happens that irreligious men are prompted by ambition or despair to
despise life; and to such persons it will be no advantage that they are
courageous in meeting death. The threatening, which is contrasted with the
promise, has also a powerful tendency to shake off carnal sloth, when he reminds
men who are desirous of the present life, that the only advantage which they
reap is, to lose life. There is a contrast intended here between temporal
and eternal death, as we have explained under
<401039>Matthew
10:39, where the reader will find the rest of this subject.
f463
26.
For what doth it profit a
man? The word soul is here used
in the strictest sense. Christ reminds them that the soul of man was not
created merely to enjoy the world for a few days, but to obtain at length its
immortality in heaven. What carelessness and what brutal stupidity is this, that
men are so strongly attached to the world, and so much occupied with its
affairs, as not to consider why they were born, and that God gave them an
immortal soul, in order that, when the course of the earthly life was finished,
they might live eternally in heaven! And, indeed, it is universally
acknowledged, that the soul is of higher value than all the riches and
enjoyments of the world; but yet men are so blinded by carnal views, that they
knowingly and willfully abandon their souls to destruction. That the world may
not fascinate us by its allurements, let us remember the surpassing worth of our
soul; for if this be seriously considered, it will easily dispel the vain
imaginations of earthly happiness.
27.
For the Son of man will
come. That the doctrine which has just
been laid down may more deeply affect our minds, Christ places before our eyes
the future judgment; for if we would perceive the worthlessness of this fading
life, we must be deeply affected by the view of the heavenly life. So tardy and
sluggish is our mind, that it needs to be aided by looking towards heaven.
Christ summons believers to his judgment-seat, to lead them to reflect at all
times that they lived for no other object than to long after that blessed
redemption, which will be revealed at the proper time. The admonition is
intended to inform us, that they do not strive in vain who set a higher value on
the confession of faith than on their own life. “Place your lives
fearlessly,” says he, “in my hand, and under my protection; for I
will at length appear as your avenger, and will fully restore you, though for
the time you may seem to have perished.”
In the glory of the Father, with
his angels. These are mentioned to guard
his disciples against judging of his kingdom from present appearances; for
hitherto he was unknown and despised, being concealed under the form and
condition of a servant. He assures them that it will be far otherwise when he
shall appear as the Judge of the world. As to the remaining part of the passage
in Mark and Luke, the reader will find it explained under the tenth chapter of
Matthew. f464
And then will he render to every
one according to his actions. The reward
of works has been treated by me as fully as was necessary under another passage.
f465 It
amounts to this: When a reward is promised to good works, their merit is
not contrasted with the justification which is freely bestowed on us through
faith; nor is it pointed out as the cause of our salvation, but is only held out
to excite believers to aim at doing what is right,
f466 by
assuring them that their labor will not be lost. There is a perfect agreement,
therefore, between these two statements, that we are justified freely,
(<450324>Romans
3:24,) because we are received into God’s favor without any merit;
f467 and yet
that God, of his own good pleasure, bestows on our works a reward which
we did not deserve.
28.
Verily, I say to
you. As the disciples might still
hesitate and inquire when that day would be, our Lord animates them by the
immediate assurance, that he will presently give them a proof of his future
glory. We know the truth of the common proverb, that to one who is in
expectation even speed looks like delay; but never does it hold more true, than
when we are told to wait for our salvation till the coming of Christ. To
support his disciples in the meantime, our Lord holds out to them, for
confirmation, an intermediate period; as much as to say, “If it seem too
long to wait for the day of my coming, I will provide against this in good time;
for before you come to die, you will see with your eyes that kingdom of God, of
which I bid you entertain a confident hope.” This is the natural import of
the words; for the notion adopted by some, that they were intended to apply to
John, is ridiculous.
Coming in his
kingdom. By the
coming of the kingdom of
God we are to understand the
manifestation of heavenly glory, which Christ began to make at his resurrection,
and which he afterwards made more fully by sending the Holy Spirit, and by the
performance of miracles; for by those beginnings he gave his people a taste of
the newness of the heavenly life, when they perceived, by certain and undoubted
proofs, that he was sitting at the right hand of the Father.
MATTHEW 17:1-8; MARK 9:2-8;
LUKE 9:28-36
|
MATTHEW
17:1-8
|
MARK
9:2-8
|
LUKE
9:28-36
|
|
1. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter,
and James, and John his brother, and leadeth them to a high mountain apart;
2. And was transfigured before them: and his face shone as the sun,
and his garments became white as the light. 3. And, lo, there
appeared to them
f468 Moses
and Elijah talking with him. 4. And Peter answering said to Jesus,
Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
5. While he was speaking, lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and,
lo, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased; hear him. 6. And having heard this, the disciples fell
on their face,
f470 and
were exceedingly afraid. 7. Then Jesus approaching touched them, and
said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8. And when they had lifted up their
eyes, they saw no man but Jesus only.
|
2. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter,
and James, and John, and leadeth them to a high mountain apart by themselves,
and was transfigured before them. 3. And his garments became
shining, exceedingly white as snow, so white as no fuller on earth could make
them. 4. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were
conversing with Jesus. 5. And Peter answering said to Jesus, Rabbi,
it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee,
and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. 6. For he knew not what he
said; for they were terrified. 7. And there came a cloud that
overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved
Son; hear him. 8. And suddenly, when they looked around, they saw no
other person, but Jesus alone with them.
|
28. And it happened about eight days
after these words, and he took Peter, and James, and John, and went up to a
mountain to pray. 29. And while he was praying, the appearance of
his countenance was changed, and his raiment became white and dazzling.
f469
30. And, lo, two men talked with him; who were Moses and Elijah;
31. Who appeared in a majestic form, and spoke of the decease which he
would accomplish at Jerusalem. 32. And Peter, and they that were
with him, were overpowered with sleep; and when they awoke, they saw his glory,
and the two men who were with him. 33. And it happened, while they
were departing from him,
f471 Peter
said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing
what he said. 34. And while he was speaking these words, a cloud
came and overshadowed them; and they were afraid as they entered into the cloud.
35. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved
Son; hear him. 36. And while the voice was uttered, Jesus was found
alone.
|
Matthew 17:1.
And after six
days. We must first inquire for what
purpose Christ clothed himself with heavenly glory for a short time, and why he
did not admit more than three of his disciples to be spectators. Some think that
he did so, in order to fortify them against the trial which they were soon to
meet with, arising from his death. That does not appear to me to be a probable
reason; for why should he have deprived the rest of the same remedy, or rather,
why does he expressly forbid them to make known what they had seen till after
his resurrection, but because the result of the vision would be later than his
death? I have no doubt whatever that Christ intended to show that he was not
dragged unwillingly to death, but that he came forward of his own accord, to
offer to the Father the sacrifice of obedience. The disciples were not made
aware of this till Christ rose; nor was it even necessary that, at the very
moment of his death, they should perceive the divine power of Christ, so as to
acknowledge it to be victorious on the cross; but the instruction which they now
received was intended to be useful at a future period both to themselves and to
us, that no man might take offense at the weakness of Christ, as if it were by
force and necessity that he had suffered.
f472 It
would manifestly have been quite as easy for Christ to protect his body from
death as to clothe it with heavenly glory.
We are thus taught that he was subjected to death,
because he wished it to be so; that he was crucified, because he offered
himself. That same flesh, which was sacrificed on the cross and lay in the
grave, might have been exempted from death and the grave; for it had already
partaken of the heavenly glory. We are also taught that, so long as Christ
remained in the world, bearing the form of a servant, and so long as his majesty
was concealed under the weakness of the flesh, nothing had been taken from him,
for it was of his own accord that he emptied himself,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7;) but now his resurrection has drawn aside that veil by which his power had
been concealed for a time.
Our Lord reckoned it enough to select
three
witnesses, because that is the number
which the Law has laid down for proving any thing;
at the mouth of two
witnesses or three
witnesses,
(<051706>Deuteronomy
17:6.)
The difference as to time ought not to give us
uneasiness. Matthew and Mark reckon
six
entire
days,
which had elapsed between the events. Luke says that it
happened
about eight days
afterwards, including both the
day on which Christ spake these words, and
the
day on which he was transfigured. We see
then that, under a diversity of expression, there is a perfect agreement as to
the meaning.
2.
And was transfigured before
them. Luke says that this
happened while he was
praying; and from the circumstances of
time and place, we may infer that he had prayed for what he now obtained, that
in the brightness of an unusual form his Godhead might become visible; not that
he needed to ask by prayer from another what he did not possess, or that he
doubted his Father’s willingness, but because, during the whole course of
his humiliation, he always ascribed to the Father whatever he did as a divine
Person, and because he intended to excite us to prayer by his
example.
His transfiguration did not altogether enable
his disciples to see Christ, as he now is in heaven, but gave them a taste of
his boundless glory, such as they were able to comprehend. Then
his face shone as the sun;
but now he is far beyond the sun in brightness.
In his raiment an unusual and dazzling whiteness appeared; but now
without raiment a divine majesty shines in his whole body. Thus in
ancient times God appeared to the holy fathers, not as He was in Himself, but so
far as they could endure the rays of His infinite brightness; for John declares
that not until
they are like him will
they see him as he is,
(<620302>1
John 3:2.)
There is no necessity for entering here into
ingenious inquiries as to the
whiteness
of his
garments,
or the
brightness
of his
countenance;
for this was not a complete exhibition of the heavenly glory of Christ, but,
under symbols which were adapted to the capacity of the flesh, he enabled them
to taste in part what could not be fully comprehended.
3.
And, lo, there appeared to
them Moses and Elijah. It is asked, Were
Moses and
Elijah actually present? or was it only
an apparition that was exhibited to the disciples, as the prophets frequently
beheld visions of things that were absent? Though the subject admits, as we say,
of arguments on both sides, yet I think it more probable that they were actually
brought to that place. There is no absurdity in this supposition; for God has
bodies and souls in his hand, and can restore the dead to life at his pleasure,
whenever he sees it to be necessary.
Moses and
Elijah did not then rise on their own
account,
f473but in
order to wait upon Christ. It will next be asked, How came the apostles to know
Moses and
Elijah, whom they had never seen? The
answer is easy. God, who brought them forward, gave also signs and tokens by
which they were enabled to know them. It was thus by an extraordinary revelation
that they obtained the certain knowledge that they were
Moses and
Elijah.
But why did these two appear rather than others who
equally belonged to the company of the holy fathers? It was intended to
demonstrate that Christ alone is the end of the Law and of the Prophets; and
that single reason ought to satisfy us: for it was of the utmost importance to
our faith that Christ did not come into our world without a testimony, but with
commendations which God had formerly bestowed. I have no objection, however, to
the reason which is commonly adduced, that
Elijah
was selected, in preference to others, as the representative of all the
Prophets; because, though he left nothing in writing, yet next to Moses he was
the most distinguished of their number, restored the worship of God which had
been corrupted, and stood unrivaled in his exertions for vindicating the Law and
true godliness, which was at that time almost extinct.
And they conversed with
Jesus. When they
appeared
along with Christ, and held
conversation
with him, this was a declaration of their being agreed. The subject on which
they conversed is stated by Luke only: they
talked of the
decease which awaited Christ
at
Jerusalem. This must not be understood
to refer to them as private individuals, but rather to the commission which they
had formerly received. Though it was now a long time since they had died and
finished the course of their calling, yet our Lord intended once more to ratify
by their voice what they had taught during their life, in order to inform us
that the same salvation, through the sacrifice of Christ, is held out to us in
common with the holy fathers. At the time when the ancient prophets uttered
their predictions concerning the death of Christ, he himself, who was the
eternal wisdom of God, was sitting on the invisible throne of his glory. Hence
it follows that, when he was clothed in flesh, he was not liable to death any
farther than as he submitted to it of his own free will.
4.
Lord, it is good for us to be
here. Luke tells us that Peter uttered
these words while Moses and
Elijah were departing; and hence we
infer that he was afraid lest, at their departure, that pleasant and delightful
exhibition should vanish away. We need not wonder that Peter was so captivated
by the loveliness of what he beheld, as to lose sight of every other person, and
rest satisfied with the mere enjoyment of it; as it is said in the
psalm,
In thy presence is
fulnessess of joy,
(<191611>Psalm
16:11.)
But his desire was foolish; first, because he did not
comprehend the design of the vision; secondly, because he absurdly put the
servants on a level with their Lord; and, thirdly, he was mistaken in proposing
to build fading tabernacles
f474for men
who had been already admitted to the glory of heaven and of the
angels.
I have said that he did not understand the design of
the vision; for, while he was hearing, from the mouth of Moses and
Elijah, that the time of Christ’s death was at hand, he
foolishly dreamed that his present aspect, which was temporary, would endure for
ever. And what if the kingdom of Christ had been confined in this way to the
narrow limits of twenty or thirty feet? Where would have been the redemption of
the whole world? Where would have been the communication of eternal salvation?
It was also highly absurd to conceive of
Moses and
Elijah as companions of the Son of God,
as if it had not been proper that all should be reduced to a lower rank, that he
alone may have the pre-eminence. And if Peter is satisfied with his present
condition, why does he suppose that earthly supports were needed by those
persons, the very sight of whom, he imagined, was enough to make him
happy?
Justly, therefore, is it stated by two of the
Evangelists, that he knew not
what he said; and Mark assigns the
reason, that they were
afraid; for God did not intend that the
apostles should, at that time, derive any advantage from it beyond that of
beholding for a moment, as in a bright mirror, the divinity of his Son. At a
later period, he pointed out to them the fruit of the vision, and corrected the
error of their judgment. What is stated by Mark must therefore mean, that Peter
was carried away by frenzy, and spoke like a man who had lost his
senses.
5.
Lo, a bright cloud
overshadowed them. Their eyes were
covered by a cloud, in order to inform them, that they were not
yet prepared for beholding the brightness of the heavenly glory. For, when the
Lord gave tokens of his presence, he employed, at the same time, some coverings
to restrain the arrogance of the human mind. So now, with the view of teaching
his disciples a lesson of humility, he withdraws from their eyes the sight of
the heavenly glory. This admonition is likewise addressed to us, that we may not
seek to pry into the secrets which lie beyond our senses, but, on the contrary,
that every man may keep within the limits of sobriety, according to the measure
of his faith. In a word, this cloud ought to serve us as a bridle, that
our curiosity may not indulge in undue wantonness. The disciples, too, were
warned that they must return to their former warfare, and therefore must not
expect a triumph before the time.
And, lo, a voice from the
cloud. It deserves our attention, that
the voice of God was heard from the
cloud,
but that neither a body nor a face was seen. Let us therefore remember the
warning which Moses gives us, that God has no visible shape, lest we should
deceive ourselves by imagining that He resembled a man,
(<050415>Deuteronomy
4:15.) There were, no doubt, various appearances under which God made himself
known to the holy fathers in ancient times; but in all cases he refrained from
using signs which might induce them to make for themselves idols. And certainly,
as the minds of men are too strongly inclined to foolish imaginations, there was
no necessity for throwing oil upon the flame.
f475 This
manifestation of the glory of God was remarkable above all others. When he makes
a cloud to pass between Him and us, and invites us to himself by His voice, what
madness is it to attempt to place Him before our eyes by a block of wood or of
stone? Let us therefore endeavor to enter by faith alone, and not by the eyes of
flesh, into that inaccessible light in which God dwells.
The
voice came
from the
cloud, that the disciples, knowing it to
have proceeded from God, might receive it with due reverence.
This is my beloved
Son. I willingly concur with those who
think that there is an implied contrast of
Moses and
Elijah with Christ, and that the
disciples of God’s own Son are here charged to seek no other teacher. The
word Son is emphatic, and raises him above servants. There are two titles
here bestowed upon Christ, which are not more fitted to do honor to him than to
aid our faith: a beloved
Son, and a Master. The Father calls him
my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased, and thus declares him to be the
Mediator, by whom he reconciles the world to himself. When he enjoins us to
hear him, he appoints him to be the supreme and only teacher of
his Church. It was his design to distinguish Christ from all the rest, as we
truly and strictly infer from those words, that by nature he was God’s
only Son. In like manner, we learn that he alone is beloved
by the Father, and that he alone is appointed to be our Teacher, that in him
all authority may dwell.
But it will perhaps be objected, Does not God love
angels and men? It is easy to reply, that the fatherly love of God, which is
spread over angels and men, proceeds from him as its source. The
Son
is
beloved
by the Father, not so as to make other creatures the objects of his hatred,
but so that he communicates to them what belongs to himself. There is a
difference, no doubt, between our condition and that of the angels; for they
never were alienated from God, and therefore needed not that he should reconcile
them; while we are enemies on account of sin, till Christ procure for us his
favor. Still, it is a fixed principle that God is gracious to both, only so far
as he embraces us in Christ; for even the angels would not be firmly united to
God if Christ were not their Head. It may also be observed that, since the
Father here speaks of himself as different from the Son, there is a distinction
of persons; for they are one in essence and alike in glory.
Hear
him. I mentioned a little ago, that
these words were intended to draw the attention of the Church to Christ as the
only Teacher, that on his mouth alone it may depend. For, though Christ came to
maintain the authority of the Law and the Prophets,
(<400517>Matthew
5:17,) yet he holds the highest rank, so that, by the brightness of his gospel,
he causes those sparks which shone in the Old Testament to disappear. He is
the Sun of
righteousness, whose arrival brought the
full light of day. And this is the reason why the Apostle says
(<580101>Hebrews
1:1) that
God, who at sundry times and in various
ways spoke formerly by the Prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his
beloved Son.
In short, Christ is as truly heard at the present day
in the Law and in the Prophets as in his Gospel; so that in him dwells the
authority of a Master, which he claims for himself alone, saying,
One is your Master, even Christ,
(<402308>Matthew
23:8.) But his authority is not fully acknowledged, unless all the tongues of
men are silent. If we would submit to his doctrine, all that has been invented
by men must be thrown down and destroyed. He is every day, no doubt, sending out
teachers, but it is to state purely and honestly what they have learned from
him, and not to corrupt the gospel by their own additions. In a word, no man can
be regarded a faithful teacher of the Church, unless he be himself a disciple of
Christ, and bring others to be taught by him.
6.
And having heard
this. God intended that the disciples
should be struck with this terror, in order to impress more fully on their
hearts the remembrance of the vision. Yet we see how great is the weakness of
our nature, which trembles in this manner at hearing the voice of God. If
ungodly men mock at God, or despise him without concern, it is because God does
not address them so as to cause his presence to be felt; but the majesty of God,
as soon as we perceive him, must unavoidably cast us down.
7.
Then Jesus approaching
touched them. Christ raises them up when
they had fallen, and by so doing performs his office; for he came down to us for
this very purpose, that by his guidance believers might boldly enter into the
presence of God, and that his majesty, which otherwise would swallow up all
flesh, might no longer fill them with terror. Nor is it only by his words that
he comforts, but by touching also that he encourages
them.
8.
They saw no man but Jesus
only. When it is said that in the end
they saw Christ alone, this means that the Law and the Prophets
had a temporary glory, that Christ alone might remain fully in view. If we would
properly avail ourselves of the aid of Moses, we must not stop with him, but
must endeavor to be conducted by his hand to Christ, of whom both he and all the
rest are ministers. This passage may also be applied to condemn the
superstitions of those who confound Christ not only with prophets and apostles,
but with saints of the lowest rank, in such a manner as to make him nothing more
than one of their number. But when the saints of God are eminent in graces, it
is for a totally different purpose than that they should defraud Christ of a
part of his honor, and appropriate it to themselves. In the disciples themselves
we may see the origin of the mistake; for so long as they were terrified by the
majesty of God, their minds wandered in search of men, but when Christ gently
raised them up, they saw him alone. If we are made to experience
that consolation by which Christ relieves us of our fears, all those foolish
affections, which distract us on every hand, will vanish away.
MATTHEW 17:9-13; MARK9:9-13;
LUKE 9:36
|
MATTHEW
17:9-13
|
MARK
9:9-13
|
LUKE
9:36
|
|
9. And as they were going down from the
mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, till the Son
of man be risen from the dead. 10. And his disciples asked him,
saying, Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?
11. And Jesus answering said to them, Elijah indeed will come first,
and restore all things. 12. But I say to you, That Elijah is come
already, and they did not know him, but have done to him whatever they pleased:
thus also will the Son of man suffer from them. 13. Then the
disciples understood that he had spoken to them concerning John the Baptist.
f476
|
9. And when they were going down from the
mountain, he charged them not to tell any man those things which they had seen,
till the Son of man had risen from the dead. 10. And they kept this
saying among themselves, disputing with each other what was the meaning of the
expression which he had used, To rise from the dead. 11 And they asked
him, saying, Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?
12. And he answering said to them, Elijah indeed will come first, and
restore all things; and, as it is written, the Son of man must suffer many
things and be despised. 13. But I say to you, That Elijah is come,
and they have done to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of
him.
|
36. And they kept silence, and told no
man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
|
Matthew 17:9.
And as they were going down
from the mountain. We have said that the
time for making known the vision was not yet fully come; and, indeed, the
disciples would not have believed it, if Christ had not given a more striking
proof of his glory in his resurrection. But after that his divine power had been
openly displayed, that temporary exhibition of his glory began to be admitted,
so as to make it fully evident that, even during the time that he emptied
himself,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7,) he continued to retain his divinity entire, though it was concealed under
the veil of the flesh. There are good reasons, therefore, why he enjoins his
disciples to keep silence, till he be risen from the
dead.
10.
And his disciples asked him,
saying. No sooner is the resurrection
mentioned than the disciples imagine that the reign of Christ is commenced;
f477for they
explain this word to mean that the world would acknowledge him to be the
Messiah. That they imagined the resurrection to be something totally different
from what Christ meant, is evident from what is stated by Mark, that
they disputed with each other
what was the meaning of that expression which he had used, To rise from the
dead. Perhaps, too, they were already
under the influence of that dream which is now held as an undoubted oracle among
the Rabbins, that there would be a first and a second coming of the Messiah;
that in the first he would be mean and despised, but that this would be shortly
afterwards followed by his royal dignity. And, indeed, there is some
plausibility in that error, for it springs from a true principle. The Scripture,
too, speaks of a first and a second coming of the Messiah; for it promises that
he will be a Redeemer, to expiate by his sacrifice the sins of the world
f478 And
such is the import of the following prophecies:
Rejoice, daughter of
Zion, behold, thy King cometh, poor, sitting on an ass,
(<380909>Zechariah
9:9.)
We beheld him, and he had
no form or beauty, and he resembled a leper, so that we had no esteem for him,
(<235303>Isaiah
53:3,4.)
Again, Scripture represents him as victorious over
death, and as subjecting all things to his dominion. But we see how the Rabbins
corrupt the pure word of God by their inventions; and as every thing was greatly
corrupted in the time of our Lord, it is probable that the people had also
embraced this foolish notion.
Why do the scribes say that Elijah
must come first? The gross mistakes
which they committed as to the person of
Elijah
have been pointed out on two or three occasions.
f479
Perhaps, too, they cunningly and wickedly endeavored to lessen the authority of
Christ by bringing forward
Elijah;
for as it had been promised that
Elijah
would come as the forerunner of Messiah, to prepare the way before
him,
(<390301>Malachi
3:1; 4:5,) it was easy to excite a prejudice against Christ, by saying that he
came unaccompanied by Elijah. By a trick closely
resembling this, the devil enchants the Papists of the present day not to expect
the day of judgment till Elijah and Enoch have appeared.
f480 It may
not usually be conjectured that this expedient was purposely resorted to by the
scribes, in order to represent Christ as unworthy of confidence, because he
wanted the legitimate badge of the Messiah.
11.
Elijah indeed will come
first. We have stated elsewhere the origin of
that error which prevailed among the Jews. As John the Baptist was to resemble
Elijah
by restoring the fallen condition of the Church, the prophet Malachi
(4:5,6)had even given to him the name of
Elijah;
and this had been rashly interpreted by the scribes, as if Elijah the
Tishbite
(<111701>1
Kings 17:1) were to return a second time to the world. Christ now declares that
every thing which Malachi uttered was true, but that his prediction had been
misunderstood and distorted from its true meaning. “The
promise,” says he, “that Eliah would come was true, and
has been already fulfilled; but the scribes have already rejected Elijah, whose
name they idly and falsely plead in opposing me.”
And will restore all
things. This does not mean that John
the Baptist restored them perfectly, but that he conveyed and handed them
over to Christ, who would complete the work which he had begun. Now as the
scribes had shamefully rejected John, Christ reminds his disciples that the
impostures of such men ought not to give them uneasiness, and that it ought not
to be reckoned strange, if, after having rejected the servant, they should, with
equal disdain, reject his Master. And that no one might be distressed by a
proceeding so strange, our Lord mentions that the Scripture contained
predictions of both events, that the Redeemer of the world, and Elijah his
forerunner, would be rejected by false and wicked teachers.
MATTHEW 17:14-18; MARK
9:14-27;
LUKE
9:37-43
|
MATTHEW
17:14-18
|
MARK
9:14-27
|
LUKE
9:37-43
|
|
14. And when they were come to the
multitude, a man came to him, kneeling before him, 15. And saying,
Lord, have compassion on my son, for he is lunatic, and is grievously
distressed; for frequently he falleth into the fire, and frequently into the
water. 16. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not
cure him. 17. And Jesus answering said, O unbelieving and perverse
nation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? Bring him
hither to me. 18. And Jesus rebuked the devil, who went out of him;
and from that instant the child was cured.
|
14. And when he came to the disciples,
he saw a great multitude around them, and the scribes disputing with them.
15. And the whole multitude, as soon as they saw him, were astonished,
and, running to him, saluted him. 16. And he asked the scribes,
What do you dispute among yourselves? 17. And one of the multitude
answering said, Master, I have brought to thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit;
18. And wheresoever it seizeth him, it teareth him, and he foameth,
and gnasheth with his teeth, and languished: and I spoke to thy disciples to
cast him out, and they could not. 19. And he, answering, saith to
him, O unbelieving nation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer
you? Bring him to me. 20. And they brought him to him; and as soon
as he saw him, the spirit tore him, and he lay on the ground, and rolled about,
foaming. 21. And he asked hi father, How long is it since this
happened to him? And he said, From a child. 22. And frequently it
hath thrown him into the fire, and into the water, to destroy him: but if thou
canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. 23. And
Jesus said, If thou canst believe it, all things are possible to him that
believeth. 24. And immediately the father of the child, exclaiming
with tears, said, Lord, I believe; aid thou my unbelief. 25. And
when Jesus saw that the multitude were crowding upon him, he rebuked the unclean
spirit, saying to him, Dumb and deaf spirit, I command thee, go out of him, and
enter no more into him. 26. And when the spirit had cried out, and
torn him greatly, he went out of him; and he became like a dead person, so that
many said, He is dead. 27. But Jesus stretched out his hand, and
raised him; and he stood up.
|
37. And it happened on the following
day, while they were going down from the mountain, a great multitude met him.
38. And, lo, a man, who was one of the multitude, cried out,
saying, Master, I beseech thee, look to my son; for he is my only son.
39. And, lo, a spirit seizeth him, and teareth him foaming, and
bruising him, hardly departeth from him. 40. And I besought thy
disciples to cast him out, and they could not. 41. And Jesus
answering said, O unbelieving and perverse nation, how long shall I be with you,
and suffer you? Bring thy son hither. 42. And while he was still
approaching, the devil tore him, and threw him down; and Jesus rebuked the
unclean spirit, and cured the child, and restored him to his father.
43. And they were all astonished at the mighty power of
God.
|
As Mark is more full, and explains the circumstances
very minutely, we shall follow the order of his narrative. And first he points
out clearly the reason why Christ uses a harshness so unusual with him, when he
exclaims that the Jews, on account of their perverse malice, do not deserve to
be any longer endured. We know how gently he was wont to receive them, even when
their requests were excessively importunate.
f481 A
father here entreats in behalf of an only son, the necessity is extremely
urgent, and a modest and humble appeal is made to the compassion of Christ. Why
then does he, contrary to his custom, break out suddenly into passion, and
declare that they can be endured no longer? As the narrative of Matthew and Luke
does not enable us to discover the reason of this great severity, some
commentators have fallen into the mistake of supposing that this rebuke was
directed either against the disciples, or against the father of the afflicted
child. But if we duly consider all the circumstances of the case, as they are
related by Mark, there will be no difficulty in arriving at the conclusion, that
the indignation of Christ was directed against the malice of the scribes, and
that he did not intend to treat the ignorant and weak with such
harshness.
During Christ’s absence, a
lunatic
child had been brought forward. The scribes, regarding this as a plausible
occasion for giving annoyance, seized upon it eagerly, and entreated the
disciples that, if they had any power, they would exercise it in curing the
child. It is probable that the disciples made an attempt, and that their efforts
were unavailing; upon which the scribes raise the shout of victory, and not only
ridicule the disciples, but break out against Christ, as if in their person his
power had been baffled. It was an extraordinary display of outrageous impiety
united with equally base ingratitude, maliciously to keep out of view so many
miracles, from which they had learned the amazing power of Christ; for they
manifestly endeavored to extinguish the light which was placed before their
eyes. With good reason, therefore, does Christ exclaim that they could no longer
be endured, and pronounce them to be
an unbelieving and perverse
nation; for the numerous proofs which they had
formerly beheld ought at least to have had the effect of preventing them from
seeking occasion of disparagement.
f482
Mark 9:14.
He saw a great multitude
around them. The disciples were, no
doubt, held up to public gaze; as the enemies of the truth are wont, on
occasions of triumph, to assemble a crowd about a trifle. The scribes had made
such a noise about it, as to draw down on the disciples the ridicule of many
persons. And yet it appears that there were some who were not ill disposed; for,
as soon as they see Jesus, they salute him; and even the insolence of the
scribes is restrained by his presence, for, when they are asked what is the
matter in dispute, they have not a word to say.
17.
Master, I have brought to
thee my son. Matthew describes a
different sort of disease from what is described by Mark, for he says that the
man was
lunatic.
But both agree as to these two points, that he was
dumb,
and that at certain intervals he became furious. The term
lunatic
is applied to those who, about the waning of the moon, are
seized with epilepsy, or afflicted with giddiness. I do not admit the fanciful
notion of Chrysostom, that the word
lunatic
was invented by a trick of Satan, in order to throw disgrace on the good
creatures of God; for we learn from undoubted experience, that the course of the
moon affects the increase or decline of these diseases.
f483 And yet
this does not prevent Satan from mixing up his attacks with natural means. I am
of opinion, therefore, that the man was not naturally deaf and
dumb, but that Satan had taken possession of his tongue and ears;
and that, as the weakness of his brain and nerves made him liable to epilepsy,
Satan availed himself of this for aggravating the disease. The consequence was,
that he was exposed to danger on every hand, and was thrown into violent
convulsions, which left him lying on the ground, in a fainting state, and like a
dead man.
Let us learn from this how many ways Satan has of
injuring us, were it not that he is restrained by the hand of God. Our
infirmities both of soul and body, which we feel to be innumerable, are so many
darts with which Satan is supplied for wounding us. We are worse than stupid, if
a condition so wretched does not, arouse us to prayer. But in this we see also
an amazing display of the goodness of God, that, though we are liable to such a
variety of dangers,
f484 he
surrounds us with his protection; particularly if we consider with what
eagerness our enemy is bent on our destruction. We ought also to call to
remembrance the consoling truth, that Christ has come to bridle his rage, and
that we are safe in the midst of so many dangers, because our diseases are
effectually counteracted by heavenly medicine.
We must attend also to the circumstance of the time.
The father replies, that his son had been subject to this grievous disease from
his infancy. If Satan was permitted to exert his power, to such an
extent, on a person of that tender age, what reason have not we to fear, who are
continually exposing ourselves by our crimes to deadly strokes, who even supply
our enemy with darts, and on whom he might justly be permitted to spend his
rage, if it were not kept under restraint by the astonishing goodness of
God?
Matthew 17:17.
O unbelieving and rebellious
nation. Though Christ appears to direct
his discourse to the father of the lunatic, yet there can be no
doubt that he refers to the scribes, as I have lately explained; for it is
certain that the reproof is directed, not against ignorant and weak persons, but
against those who, through inveterate malice, obstinately resist God. This is
the reason why Christ declares that they are no longer worthy to be endured, and
threatens that ere long he will separate from them. But nothing worse could
happen to them than that Christ should leave them, and it was no light reproach
that they rejected so disdainfully the grace of their visitation. We must also
observe here, that we ought to treat men in various ways, each according to his
natural disposition. For, while our Lord attracts to him the teachable by the
utmost mildness, supports the weak, and gently arouses even the sluggish, he
does not spare those crooked serpents, on whom he perceives that no remedies can
effect a cure.
Mark 9:20.
And as soon as he saw
him. That the devil should rage with
more than ordinary cruelty against the man, when he is brought to Christ, ought
not to excite surprise; for in proportion as the grace of Christ is seen to be
nearer at hand, and acts more powerfully, the fury of Satan is the more highly
excited. The presence of Christ awakens him like the sound of a trumpet. He
raises as violent a storm as he can, and contends with all his might. We ought
to be prepared beforehand with such meditations, that our faith may not be
disturbed, when the approach of the grace of Christ is met by more than ordinary
violence on the part of our enemy. Nor ought we to lose sight of another point,
that the true commencement of our cure is, when our affliction is so heavy that
we are almost at the point of death. It must also be taken into account that, by
means of the furious attack of Satan, our Lord lights a torch to cause his grace
to be seen; for, when the spectators were appalled at the dreadful spectacle,
the display of the power of Christ, which immediately followed, was more
distinctly perceived.
21.
From a
child. Hence we infer that this
punishment was not inflicted on account of the sins of the individual, but was a
secret judgment of God. True indeed, even infants, as soon as they have come out
of the womb, are not innocent in the sight of God, or free from guilt; but
God’s chastisements have sometimes hidden causes, and are intended to try
our obedience. We do not render to God the honor which is due to Him, unless
with reverence and modesty we adore His justice, when it is concealed from us.
Whoever wishes to obtain more full information on this point, may consult my
Commentary on these words, Neither hath this man sinned, nor
his parents,
(<430903>John
9:3.)
22.
If thou canst do any thing,
have compassion on us, and help us. We
see how little honor he renders to Christ; for, supposing him to be some
prophet, whose power was limited, he approaches to him with hesitation. On the
other hand, the first foundation of faith is, to embrace the boundless power of
God; and the first step to prayer is, to raise it above all opposition by the
firm belief that our prayers are not in vain. As this man did not suppose Christ
to be at all different from other men, his false opinion is corrected; for our
faith must be so formed as to be capable and prepared for receiving the desired
favor. In his reply Christ does not administer a direct reproof, but indirectly
reminding the man of what he had said amiss, points out to him his fault, and
informs him how a remedy may be obtained.
23.
If thou canst
believe. “You ask me,” says
he, “to aid you as far as I can; but you will find in me an inexhaustible
fountain of power, provided that the faith which you bring be sufficiently
large.” Hence may be learned a useful doctrine, which will apply equally
to all of us, that it is not the Lord that prevents his benefits from flowing to
us in large abundance, but that it must be attributed to the narrowness of our
faith, that it comes to us only in drops, and that frequently we do not feel
even a drop, because unbelief shuts up our heart. It is an idle exercise of
ingenuity to prove Christ’s meaning to be, that a man can believe of
himself: for nothing more was intended than to throw back on men the blame of
their poverty, whenever they disparage the power of God by their
unbelief.
All things are possible to him that
believeth. Christ undoubtedly intended
to teach that the fullness of all blessings has been given to us by the Father,
and that every kind of assistance must be expected from him alone in the same
manner as we expect it from the hand of God. “Only exercise,” says
he, “a firm belief, and you will obtain.” In what manner faith
obtains any thing for us we shall immediately see.
24.
Lord, I
believe. He declares that he
believes,
and yet acknowledges himself to have unbelief. These two
statements may appear to contradict each other, but there is none of us that
does not experience both of them in himself. As our faith is never
perfect, it follows that we are partly unbelievers; but God forgives us,
and exercises such forbearance towards us, as to reckon us believers on account
of a small portion of faith. It is our duty, in the meantime, carefully to shake
off the remains of infidelity which adhere to us, to strive against them, and to
pray to God to correct them, and, as often as we are engaged in this conflict,
to fly to him for aid. If we duly inquire what portion has been bestowed on
each, it will evidently appear that there are very few who are eminent in faith,
few who have a moderate portion, and very many who have but a small
measure.
MATTHEW 17:19-21; MARK
9:28-29; LUKE 17:5-6
|
MATTHEW
17:19-21
|
MARK
9:28-29
|
LUKE
17:5-6
|
|
19. Then the disciples, coming to Jesus
apart, said, Why could not we cast it out? 20. And Jesus said to
them, On account of your unbelief; for verily I say to you, If you have faith as
a grain of mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain. Remove thou hence, and
it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. 21. But
this kind
f485 goeth
not out but by prayer and fasting.
|
28. And when he had entered into the
house, his disciples asked him apart, Why could not we cast out?
29. And he said to them, This kind
f486 cannot
go out in any other way than by prayer and fasting.
|
5. And the apostles said to the Lord,
Increase our faith. 6. And the Lord said, If you had faith as a
grain of mustard-seed, you might say to this sycamore tree. Be thou rooted up
and planted in the sea; and it would obey you.
|
Matthew 17:19.
Then the disciples
coming. The disciples wonder that the
power which they once possessed has been taken from them; but they had lost it
by their own fault. Christ therefore attributes this want of ability to their
unbelief, and repeats and illustrates more largely the statement which he had
previously made, that nothing is impossible to faith. It is a
hyperbolical mode of expression, no doubt, when he declares that faith
removes trees and mountains; but the meaning amounts to this, that God
will never forsake us, if we keep the door open for receiving his grace. He does
not mean that God will give us every thing that we may mention, or that may
strike our minds at random. On the contrary, as nothing is more at variance with
faith than the foolish and irregular desires of our flesh, it follows that those
in whom faith reigns do not desire every thing without discrimination, but only
that which the Lord promises to give. Let us therefore maintain such moderation
as to desire nothing beyond what he has promised to us, and to confine our
prayers within that rule which he has laid down.
But it may be objected, that the disciples did not
know whether or not the Lord was pleased to cure the lunatic. It
is easy to reply, that it was their own fault if they did not know; for Christ
is now speaking expressly about special
faith,
which had its secret instincts, as the circumstances of the case required.
And this is the
faith
of which Paul speaks,
(<461209>1
Corinthians 12:9.) How then came it that the apostles were deprived of the power
of the Spirit, which they had formerly exercised in working miracles, but
because they had quenched it by their indolence? But what Christ said about
special
faith,
in reference to this particular event, may be extended to the common
faith
of the whole Church.
21.
This kind goeth not
out,
f487 By this
expression Christ reproved the negligence of certain persons, in order to inform
them that it was not an ordinary
faith
which was required; for otherwise they might have replied that they were not
altogether destitute of
faith.
The meaning therefore is, that it is not every kind of
faith
that will suffice, when we have to enter into a serious conflict with Satan,
but that vigorous efforts are indispensably necessary. For the weakness of
faith
he prescribes
prayer
as a remedy, to which he adds fasting by way of an auxiliary.
“You are effeminate exorcist,” said he, “and seem as if you
were engaged in a mock-battle got up for amusement;
f488 but you
have to deal with a powerful adversary, who will not yield till the battle has
been fought out. Your faith must therefore be excited by
prayer,
and as you are slow and languid in
prayer,
you must resort to
fasting
as an assistance.”
f489 Hence
it is very evident how absurdly the Papists represent
fasting
to be the specific method of driving away devils, since our Lord refers to
it for no other reason than to stimulate the earnestness of prayer. When he says
that this kind of devils
cannot be cast out in any other
way than by prayer and fasting, he means
that, when Satan has taken deep root in any one, and has been confirmed by long
possession, or when he rages with unbridled fury, the victory is difficult and
painful, and therefore the contest must be maintained with all our
might.
MATTHEW 17:22-23, 18:1-5; MARK
9:30-37;
LUKE
9:43-48
|
MATTHEW
17:22-23
|
MARK
9:30-36
|
LUKE
9:43-48
|
|
22. And while they remained in Galilee,
Jesus said to them, The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men:
23. And they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.
And they were deeply grieved.
MATTHEW 18:1-5
1. At that time the disciples came to
Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2. And
Jesus, having called a little child to him, placed him in the midst of them,
3. And said, Verily I say to you, Unless you be converted, and
become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4. Whosoever then shall humble himself like this little child, he is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5. And whosoever shall
receive such a little child in my name receiveth me.
|
30. And departing thence, they passed
through Galilee, and he was desirous that nobody should know it.
31. For he taught his disciples, and said to them, The Son of man is
delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and, after being
killed, he will arise on the third day. 32. but they knew not what
he said, and were afraid to ask him. 33. And he came to Capernaum;
f490 and
when he was come into the house, he asked them, What were you disputing about
among yourselves on the road? 34. But they were silent; for they
had disputed among themselves by the way who was the greatest.
35. And when he had sat down, he called the twelve, and said to them,
If any man choose to be first, he shall be last of all,
f491 and
servant of all. 36. And he took a child, and placed him in the
midst of them; and when he had taken him in his arms, he said to them,
37. Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name receiveth
me; and whosoever receiveth me receiveth not me, but him that sent
me.
|
43. But while all were wondering at
everything that he did, he said to his disciples, 44. Put these
words in your ears; for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.
45. But they understood not that saying, and it was hidden from
them, so that they did not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him
concerning this saying. 46. And a dispute arose among them, which
of them was the greatest. 47. But Jesus, seeing the thought of
their heart, took a child, and placed him near him, 48. And said to
them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me; and whosoever
shall receive me receiveth him that sent me; for he that is least among you all
shall be great.
|
Matthew 17:22.
And while they remained in
Galilee. The nearer that the time of his
death approached, the more frequently did Christ warn his disciples, lest that
melancholy spectacle might give a violent shock to their faith. It was shortly
after the miracle had been performed that this discourse was delivered; for Mark
says that he went from that place to Galilee, in order to spend there the
intervening time in privacy; for he had resolved to come to Jerusalem on the day
of the annual sacrifice, because he was to be sacrificed at the approaching
Passover.
The disciples had previously received several
intimations on this subject, and yet they are as much alarmed as if nothing
relating to it had ever reached their ears. So great is the influence of
preconceived opinion, that it brings darkness over the mind in the midst of the
clearest light. The apostles had imagined that the state of Christ’s
kingdom would be prosperous and delightful, and that, as soon as he made himself
known, he would be universally received with the highest approbation. They never
thought it possible that the priests, and scribes, and other rulers of the
Church, would oppose him. Under the influence of this prejudice, they admit
nothing that is said on the other side; for Mark says that they understood
not what our Lord meant. Whence came it that a discourse so clear and
distinct was not understood, but because their minds were covered by the thick
veil of a foolish imagination?
They did not venture to make any farther inquiry.
This must have been owing, in part, to their reverence for their Master; but I
have no doubt that their grief and astonishment at what they had heard kept them
silent. Such bashfulness was not altogether commendable; for it kept them in
doubt, and hesitation, and sinful grief. In the meantime, a confused principle
of piety, rather than a clear knowledge of the truth, kept them attached to
Christ, and prevented them from leaving his school. A certain commencement of
faith and right understanding had been implanted in their hearts, which made
their zeal in following Christ not very different from the implicit faith
of the Papists; but as they had not yet made such progress as to become
acquainted with the nature of the kingdom of God and of the renewal which had
been promised in Christ, I say that they were guided by zeal for piety rather
than by distinct knowledge.
In this way we come to see what there was in them
that deserved praise or blame. But though their stupidity could not entirely be
excused, we have no reason to wonder that a plain and distinct announcement of
the cross of their Master, and of the ignominy to which he would be subjected,
appeared to them a riddle; not only because they reckoned it to be inconsistent
with the glory of the Son of God that he should be rejected and condemned, but
because it appeared to them to be highly improbable that the grace which was
promised in a peculiar manner to the Jews should be set at naught by the rulers
of the nation. But as the immoderate dread of the cross, which had suddenly
seized upon them, shut the door against the consolation which was immediately
added, arising out of the hope of the resurrection, let us learn that, when the
death of Christ is mentioned, we ought always to take into view at once the
whole of the three days, that his death and burial may lead us to a blessed
triumph and to a new life.
Matthew 18:1.
At that time the disciples
came to Jesus. It is evident from the
other two Evangelists, that the disciples did not come to Christ of their own
accord, but that, having secretly
disputed on the
road, they were brought out of their
lurking-places, and dragged forth to light. There is nothing inconsistent with
this in the account given by Matthew, who hastens to Christ’s reply, and
does not relate all the circumstances of the case, but passes over the
commencement, and relates in a summary manner the reason why Christ rebuked the
foolish ambition of his disciples for the highest rank. When Christ makes
inquiry about a secret conversation, and forces the disciples to acknowledge
what they would willingly have kept back, this teaches us that we ought to
beware of all ambition, however carefully it may be concealed. We must also
attend to the time at which this occurred. The prediction of his death had made
them sad and perplexed; but as if they had received from it unmingled delight,
as if they had tasted of the nectar which the poets feign,
f492 they
immediately enter into a dispute about the highest rank.
f493 How was
it possible that their distress of mind vanished in a moment, but because the
minds of men are so devoted to ambition, that, forgetful of their present state
of warfare, they continually rush forward, under the delusive influence of a
false imagination, to obtain a triumph? And if the apostles so soon forgot a
discourse which they had lately heard, what will become of us if, dismissing for
a long period meditation on the cross, we give ourselves up to indifference and
sloth, or to idle speculations?
But it is asked, what occasioned the dispute among
the disciples? I reply, as the flesh willingly shakes off all uneasiness, they
left out of view every thing that had given rise to grief, and fixed on what had
been said about the resurrection; and out of this a debate sprung up among idle
persons. And as they refuse the first part of the doctrine, for which the flesh
has no relish, God permits them to fall into a mistake about the resurrection,
and to dream of what would never take place, that, by mere preaching, Christ
would obtain a kingdom, an earthly kingdom, and would immediately rise to the
highest prosperity and wealth.
There were two faults in this debate. First, the
apostles were to blame for laying aside anxiety about the warfare to which they
had been called, and for demanding beforehand repose, and wages, and honors, as
if they had been soldiers that had served their time. The second fault is, that,
instead of laboring with one consent, as they ought to have done, to render
mutual assistance, and to secure for their brethren as large a share of honors
as for themselves, they strove with wicked ambition to excel each other. If we
wish that our manner of life should receive the approbation of the Lord, we must
learn to bear patiently the burden of the cross that has been laid on us, till
the proper time arrive for obtaining the crown, and, as Paul exhorts, in
honor preferring one another,
(<451210>Romans
12:10.) To the first of these faults is closely allied the vain curiosity of
those persons in the present day, who, leaving the proper duties of their
calling, eagerly attempt to fly above the clouds. The Lord, who in the Gospel
invites us to his kingdom, points out to us the road by which we are to reach
it. Fickle persons, who give themselves no concern about faith, patience,
calling on God, and other exercises of religion, dispute about what is going on
in heaven; as if a man who was about to commence a journey made inquiry where a
lodging-place was situated, but did not move a step. Since we are commanded by
the Lord to walk on the earth, those who make the condition of departed saints
in heaven the subject of eager debate will be found, in so doing, to retard
their own progress towards heaven.
2.
And Jesus called a child to
him. The general meaning is, that those
who desire to obtain greatness by rising above their brethren, will be so far
from gaining their object that they do not even deserve to occupy the lowest
corner. He reasons from contraries, because it is humility alone that exalts us.
As we are more powerfully affected by appearances presented to the eyes, he
holds up to them a little child
as an emblem of humility. When he enjoins his
followers to become like a
child, this does not extend
indiscriminately to all points. We know that in children there are many things
faulty; and accordingly Paul bids us be children, not in
understanding, but in malice,
(<461420>1
Corinthians 14:20;) and in another passage he exhorts us to strive to reach the
state of a perfect man,
(<490413>Ephesians
4:13.) But as children know nothing about being preferred to each other,
or about contending for the highest rank, Christ desires that their example
should banish from the minds of his followers those eager longings after
distinction, which wicked men and the children of the world continually indulge,
that they may not be allured by any kind of ambition.
It will perhaps be objected, that children, even from
the womb, have a native pride, which leads them to desire the highest honor and
distinction; but the reply is obvious, that comparisons must not be too closely
or too exactly carried out, so as to apply at all points. The tender age of
little children is distinguished by simplicity to such an extent, that they are
unacquainted with the degrees of honor, and with all the incentives to pride; so
that they are properly and justly held out by Christ as an
example.
3.
Unless you are
converted, To the example of little
children must be referred the conversion of which he now speaks.
Hitherto they had been too much habituated to the ordinary customs of men; and
if they would gain their object, they must pursue a totally different course.
f494 Every
one wished for himself the first or the second rank; but Christ does not allot
even the lowest place to any man who does not lose sight of distinctions and
humble himself. On the contrary, he says,
4.
Whosoever shall humble
himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven. This is intended to guard us
against supposing that we degrade ourselves in any measure by freely
surrendering every kind of distinction. And hence we may obtain a short
definition
f495 of
humility. That man is truly humble who neither claims any personal merit in the
sight of God, nor proudly despises brethren, or aims at being thought superior
to them, but reckons it enough that he is one of the members of Christ, and
desires nothing more than that the Head alone should be
exalted.
5.
And he that shall receive
such a child. The term children
is now applied metaphorically by Christ to those who have laid aside lofty
looks, and who conduct themselves with modesty and humility. This is added by
way of consolation, that we may not account it troublesome or disagreeable to
exercise humility, by means of which Christ not only receives us under his
protection, but likewise recommends us to the favor of men. And thus believers
are taught in what way they ought to esteem each other: it is by every one
humbling
himself. How is mutual friendship
usually maintained among the children of the world but by every man complying
with the wishes of another? The more desirous a man is to obtain renown, the
more insolently does he grasp at power, that he may be raised to a lofty
station, and that others may be ridiculed or despised; but Christ enjoins that
the more a man abases himself, the more highly shall he be honored. Such, too,
is the import of the words given by Luke,
he that is least among you shall
be great; for our Lord does not enjoin
us to think more highly of those who justly deserve to be despised, but of those
who divest themselves of all pride, and are perfectly willing to occupy the
lowest place.
MATTHEW 18:6-10; MARK 9:42-48;
LUKE 17:1-2
|
MATTHEW
18:6-10
|
MARK
9:42-48
|
LUKE
17:1-2
|
|
6. But whosoever shall offend one of
those little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck, and that he were sunk to the bottom of the sea.
7. Woe to the world on account of offenses! for offenses must come;
but woe to the man by whom the offense cometh! 8. But if thy hand or
thy foot offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee;
f496 for it
is better for thee to enter lame or maimed into life, than that, having two
hands or two feet, thou shouldst be cast into the everlasting fire.
9. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee; f498
for it is better that thou shouldst enter into life having one eye, than that,
having two eyes, thou shouldst be cast into hell-fire. 10. Beware
of despising one of these little ones; for I say to you, That their angels
always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
|
42. And whosoever shall offend one of
the little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were
hung around his neck, and that he were thrown into the sea. 43. And
if thy hand shall offend thee, cut it off; for it were better for thee to enter
lame into life, than that, having two hands, thou shouldst go into hell, into
the unquenchable fire:
f497
44. Where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.
45. And if thy foot shall offend thee, cut if off; for it were better
for thee to enter lame into life, than that, having two feet, thou shouldst be
cast into hell, into the unquenchable fire: 46. Where their worm
dieth not, and their fire is not quenched. 47. And if thine eye
offend thee, pluck it out; for it were better for thee to enter with one eye
into the kingdom of God than that, having two eyes, thou shouldst be cast into
hell-fire: 48. Where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not
quenched.
|
1. And he said to his disciples, It is
impossible but that offenses will come; but woe to him by whom they come!
2. It were better for him that a millstone were hung around his
neck, and that he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of
these little ones.
|
Matthew 18:6.
But whosoever shall offend
one of those little ones. This appears
to be added for the consolation of the godly, that they may not be rendered
uneasy by their condition, if they are despised by the world. It is a powerful
obstruction to the voluntary exercise of modesty, when they imagine, that by so
doing they expose themselves to contempt; and it is hard to be not only treated
disdainfully, but almost trodden under foot, by haughty men. Christ therefore
encourages his disciples by the consoling truth, that, if their mean condition
draws upon them the insults of the world, God does not despise
them.
But he appears to have had likewise another object in
view; for a dispute had arisen amongst them as to the first place of honor, from
which it might naturally have been inferred that the Apostles were tainted with
sinful ambition. Every man who thinks too highly of himself, or desires to be
preferred to others, must necessarily treat his brethren with disdain. To cure
this disease, Christ threatens a dreadful punishment, if any man in his pride
shall throw down those who are oppressed with poverty, or who in heart are
already humbled.
Under the word
offend
he includes more than if he had forbidden them to despise their
brethren; though the man who gives himself no concern about
offending
the weak, does so for no other reason, than because he does not render to
them the honor to which they are entitled. Now as there are various kinds of
offenses,
it will be proper to explain generally what is meant by
offending.
If any man through our fault either stumbles, or is drawn aside from the
right course, or retarded in it, we are said to
offend
him.
f499 Whoever
then desires to escape that fearful punishment which Christ denounces, let him
stretch out his hand to the
little
ones who are despised by the world, and
let him kindly assist them in keeping the path of duty; for Christ recommends
them to our notice, that they may lead us to exercise voluntary humility; as
Paul enjoins the children of God to
condescend to men of low
estate,
(<451216>Romans
12:16,)
and again says that
we ought not to please
ourselves,
(<451501>Romans
15:1.)
To
hang a millstone about
a man’s
neck, and drown him in the
sea, was the punishment then reckoned
the most appalling, and which was inflicted on the most atrocious malefactors.
When our Lord alludes to this punishment, we are enabled to perceive how dear
and precious those persons are in the sight of God, who are mean and despised in
the eyes of the world.
7.
Woe to the world on account
of offenses! This passage may be
explained in two ways. It may be taken
actively,
as meaning that Christ pronounces a curse on the authors of
offenses;
and then by the term
world,
we must understand all unbelievers. Or it may be taken
passively,
as meaning that Christ deplores the evils which he perceives to be rapidly
coming on the world on account of
offenses; as if he had said, that no
plague will be more destructive, or attended by more fearful calamities, than
the alarm or desertion of many on
account of offenses. The latter meaning
is more appropriate; for I have no doubt that our Lord, who had spoken on
another occasion about offenses, proceeded to discourse more largely on this
subject; in order to make his disciples more attentive and watchful in guarding
against them. That Satan may not gain advantage over us through our
sluggishness, our Lord breaks out into an exclamation, that there is nothing
which we ought to dread more than
offenses;
for as Satan has innumerable kinds of them in his hand, he constantly, and
at almost every step, throws new difficulties in our way; while we, through
excessive tenderness or sloth, are too ready to yield. The consequence is, that
there are few who make tolerable progress in the faith of Christ; and of the few
who have begun to walk in the way of salvation, there is scarcely one in ten who
has the courage to persevere till he reaches the goal.
f500 Now
since Christ intended to strike his disciples with terror
on account of
offenses, and thus to arouse them to
exertion,
woe
to our indifference, if each of us does not earnestly apply himself to
overcome those
offenses.
For offenses must
come. To awaken more powerfully their
care and anxiety, our Lord reminds his disciples that there is no possibility of
walking but in the midst of various
offenses;
as much as to say, that this is an evil which cannot be avoided. Thus he
confirms the former statement; for Christ shows us how great are the
inconveniences which arise from
offenses,
since the Church never will be, and indeed never can be, free from this
evil. But he does not state the reason of this necessity, as Paul does, when,
speaking of heresies, he says that they arise, that the good may be made
manifest,
(<461119>1
Corinthians 11:19.) It must be held by us as a fixed principle, that it is the
will of God to leave his people exposed to
offense,
in order to exercise their faith, and to separate believers, as the refuse
and the chaff, from the pure wheat. Does any one object or complain, that blame
attaches to our Lord for giving loose reins to Satan, to accomplish the
destruction of wretched men? It is our duty to think and speak with the deepest
reverence of the secret purposes of God, of which this is one, that the world
must be disturbed by offenses.
But woe to the man by whom the
offense cometh. After having exhorted
his disciples to beware of offenses, he again breaks out against
those who occasion them. To impart the greater vehemence to the threatening, he
adds, that neither a right eye nor a right hand ought to be
spared, if they occasion offense to us; for I explain these words as
added for the purpose of amplification. Their meaning is, that we ought to be so
constant and so zealous in opposing offenses, that we would rather
choose to pluck out our eyes, or
cut off our hands, than give
encouragement to offenses; for if any man hesitate to incur the loss of
his limbs, he spares them at the risk of throwing himself into eternal
perdition. What dreadful vengeance then awaits those who by offenses
shall bring ruin on their brethren!
f501 As
those two verses have been already explained
f502 under
<400529>Matthew
5:29,30, it was sufficient, on the present occasion, to glance at the reason why
Christ repeats here the same statement.
10.
Beware of despising one of
these little ones. As pride is the
mother of disdain, and as contempt hardens men in giving offense,
our Lord, for the purpose of applying an appropriate remedy for curing this
disease, forbids his disciples to
despise the little
ones. And certainly, as we have already
hinted, no man who has a proper care for his brethren will ever allow himself,
on light grounds, to give them offense. This conclusion of our
Lord’s discourse has the same tendency as the commencement of it, to
remind us that we ought to strive with each other who shall be most submissive
and modest; for God embraces with wonderful love the little ones.
It would be strange indeed that a mortal man should despise,
or treat as of no account, those whom God holds in such high esteem. He
proves this love from the fact, that angels, who are ministers of their
salvation, enjoy intimately the presence of God. Yet I do not think that he
intended merely to show what honor God confers on them by appointing angels
to be their guardians, but likewise to threaten those who despise
them; as if he had said, that it is no light matter to despise those
who have angels for their companions and friends, to take vengeance in
their behalf. We ought therefore to
beware of
despising their salvation, which even
angels have been commissioned to advance.
The interpretation given to this passage by some
commentators, as if God assigned to each believer his own angel,
does not rest on solid grounds. For the words of Christ do not mean that a
single
angel
is continually occupied with this or the other person;
f503 and
such an idea is inconsistent with the whole doctrine of Scripture, which
declares that the angels encamp around
(<193407>Psalm
34:7) the godly, and that not one
angel
only, but many, have been commissioned to guard every one of the faithful.
Away, then, with the fanciful notion of a good and evil angel, and let us rest
satisfied with holding that the care of the whole Church is committed to
angels,
to assist each member as his necessities shall require. It will perhaps be
asked, Do the angels occupy a station inferior to ours, because they have been
appointed to be our ministers? I reply, Though by nature they take rank above
us, this does not prevent them from rendering service to God
f504 in
dispensing the favor which he freely bestows upon us. For this reason they are
called our
angels, because their labors are
bestowed on us.
MATTHEW 18:11-14; LUKE
15:1-10
|
MATTHEW
18:11-14
|
LUKE
15:1-10
|
|
11. For the Son of man is come to save
that which was lost. 12. What think you? If a man shall have a
hundred sheep, and one of them shall go astray, doth he not leave the
ninety-nine, and go to the mountains, and seek that which had gone astray?
13. And if he happen to find it, verily, I say to you, he rejoiceth
more on account of that sheep than on account of the ninety-nine which had gone
astray. 14. So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven,
that one of those little ones should perish.
|
1. And all the publicans and sinners drew
near to him to hear him. 2. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured,
saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3. And he
spoke to them a parable, saying, 4. What man is there among you, who
hath a hundred sheep, and, if he shall lose one of them, doth not leave the
ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after that which was lost, till he find
it? 5. And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders,
rejoicing: 6. And coming home, he calleth his friends and neighbors,
saying to them, Rejoice with me; for I have found the sheep which was lost.
7. I say to you, that in like manner there will be greater joy in
heaven over one repenting sinner, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do
not need repentance. 8. Or what woman having ten pieces of money,
f505 if she
shall lose one piece, doth no light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek
diligently until she find it? 9. And when she hath found it, she
calleth together her friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have
found the piece which I had lost. 10. In like manner, I tell you,
there will be joy in the presence of the angels of God over one repenting
sinner.
|
Matthew 18:11.
For the Son of man
cometh. Christ now employs his own
example in persuading his disciples to honor even weak and despised brethren;
for he came down from heaven to save not them only, but even the dead who were
lost. It is in the highest degree unreasonable that we should
disdainfully reject those whom the Son of God has so highly esteemed. And even
if the weak labor under imperfections which may expose them to contempt, our
pride is not on that account to be excused; for we ought to esteem them not for
the value of their virtues, but for the sake of Christ; and he who will not
conform himself to Christ’s example is too saucy and
proud.
12.
What think
you? Luke carries the occasion of this
parable still farther back, as having arisen from the
murmurings
of the Pharisees and
scribes against our Lord, whom they saw
conversing daily with sinners. Christ therefore intended to show that a good
teacher ought not to labor less to recover those that are lost,
than to preserve those which are in his possession; though according to
Matthew the comparison proceeds farther, and teaches us not only that we ought
to treat with kindness the disciples of Christ, but that we ought to bear with
their imperfections, and endeavor, when they wander, to bring them back to the
road. For, though they happen sometimes to wander, yet as they are sheep
over which God has appointed his Son to be shepherd, so far are we from
having a right to chase or drive them away roughly, that we ought to gather them
from their wanderings; for the object of the discourse is to lead us to beware
of
losing
what God wishes to be
saved.
The narrative of Luke presents to us a somewhat different object. It is,
that the whole human race belongs to God, and that therefore we ought to gather
those that have gone astray, and that we ought to rejoice as much, when they
that are lost return to the path of duty, as a man would do who, beyond
his expectation, recovered something the loss of which had grieved
him.
Luke 15:10.
There will be joy in the
presence of the angels. If angels
mutually rejoice with each other in heaven, when they see that what had
wandered is restored to the fold, we too, who have the same cause in common with
them, ought to be partakers of the same joy. But. how does he say
that the
repentance
of one ungodly man yields greater joy than the perseverance of many
righteous
men to
angels,
whose highest delight is in a continued and uninterrupted course of
righteousness?
I reply, though it would be more agreeable to the wishes of
angels
(as it is also more desirable) that men should always remain in perfect
integrity, yet as in the deliverance of a sinner, who had been already devoted
to destruction, and had been cut off as a rotten member from the body, the mercy
of God shines more brightly, he attributes to angels, after the
manner of men, a greater joy arising out of an unexpected
good.
Over one repenting
sinner. The word repentance is
specially limited to the conversion of those who, having altogether turned aside
from God, rise as it were from death to life; for otherwise the exercise of
repentance ought to be uninterrupted throughout our whole life,
f506 and no
man is exempted from this necessity, since every one is reminded by his
imperfections that he ought to aim at daily progress. But it is one thing, when
a man, who has already entered upon the right course, though he stumble, or
fall, or even go astray, endeavors to reach the goal; and another thing, when a
man leaves a road which was entirely wrong, or only starts in the right course.
f507 Those
who have already begun to regulate their life by the standard of the divine law,
do not need that kind of repentance which consists in beginning to lead a
holy and pious life, though they must groan
f508 under
the infirmities of the flesh, and labor to correct them.
LUKE 15:11-24
|
LUKE
15:11-24
|
|
11. And he said,
f509 A
certain man had two sons: 12. And the younger of them said to his
father, Father, give me the portion of property which falls to me. And he
divided between them the property. 13. And not many days
afterwards,
f510 the
younger son, having gathered all together, set out on a journey to a distant
country, and there wasted his property by living extravagantly.
14. But when he had spent all, a sore famine arose in that country; and
he began to be in want. 15. And he went and entered into the
service of one of the inhabitants of that country; and he sent him into his
field to feed swine. 16. And he was desirous to fill his belly with
the husks on which the swine were feeding: and no man gave to him.
f511
17. And when he came to himself, he said, How many hirelings of my
father have abundance of bread,
f512 while I
perish with hunger! 18. I will arise, and go to my father,
f513 and
will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19. And am no longer worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy
hirelings. 20. And he arose, and came to his father. And while he
was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran,
and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21. And the son said to him,
Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no longer worthy
to be called thy son. 22. And the father said to his servants,
Bring out the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and
shoes on his feet: 23. And bring the fatted calf, and kill it; and
let us feast, and be merry: 24. For this my son was dead, and is
alive again; he was lost, and is found.
f514 And
they began to be merry.
|
This parable is nothing else than a confirmation of
the preceding doctrine.
f515 In the
first part is shown how readily God is disposed to pardon our sins, and in the
second part (which we shall afterwards treat in the proper place) is shown the
great malignity and obstinacy of those who murmur at his compassion. In the
person of a young prodigal who, after having been reduced to the deepest poverty
by luxury and extravagance, returns as a suppliant to his father,
f516 to whom
he had been disobedient and rebellious, Christ describes all sinners who,
wearied of their folly, apply to the grace of God. To the kind father,
f517 on the
other hand, who not only pardons the crimes of his son, but of his own accord
meets him when returning, he compares God, who is not satisfied with pardoning
those who pray to him, but even advances to meet them with the compassion of a
father.
f518 Let us
now examine the parable in detail.
Luke 15:12.
And the younger of them said
to his father. The parable opens by
describing a mark of wicked arrogance in the youth, which appears in his being
desirous to leave his father, and in thinking that he cannot be right without
being permitted to indulge in debauchery, free from his father’s control.
There is also ingratitude in leaving the old man,
f519 and not
only withholding the performance of the duties which be owed to him, but
crippling and diminishing the wealth of his house.
f520 This is
at length followed by wasteful luxury and wicked extravagance, by which he
squanders all that he had.
f521 After
so many offenses he deserved to find his father implacable.
f522
Under this image our Lord unquestionably depicts to
us the boundless goodness and inestimable forbearance of God, that no crimes,
however aggravated, may deter us from the hope of obtaining pardon, There would
be some foundation for the analogy, if we were to say that this foolish and
insolent youth resembles those persons who, enjoying at the hand of God a great
abundance of good things, are moved by a blind and mad ambition to be separated
from Him, that they may enjoy perfect freedom; as if it were not more desirable
than all the kingdoms of the world to live under the fatherly care and
government of God. But as I am afraid that this allusion may be thought
overstrained, I shall satisfy myself with the literal meaning; not that I
disapprove of the opinion, that under this figure is reproved the madness of
those who imagine that it will be advantageous for them to have something of
their own, and to be rich apart from the heavenly Father; but that I now confine
myself within the limits of a Commentator.
f523
Christ here describes what usually happens with young
men, when they are carried away by their natural disposition. Destitute of sound
judgment, and maddened by passion, they are ill fitted for governing themselves,
and are not restrained by fear or shame. It is therefore impossible but that
they shall abandon themselves to every thing to which their sinful inclination
prompts them, and rush on in a disgraceful course, till they are involved in
shameful poverty. He afterwards describes the punishment which, in the righteous
judgment of God, generally overtakes spendthrifts and prodigals. After having
wickedly squandered their means, they are left to pine in hunger, and not having
known how to use in moderation an abundant supply of the best bread, they are
reduced to eat acorns and husks. In short, they become the
companions of swine, and are made to feel that they are unworthy
to partake of human food; for it is swinish gluttony
f524 to
squander wickedly what was given for the support of life.
f525 As to
the ingenious exposition which some have brought forward, that it is the just
punishment of wicked scorn, when those who have rejected delicious bread in the
house of our heavenly Father are driven by hunger to eat husks, it
is a true and useful doctrine; but in the meantime, we must bear in mind the
difference that exists between allegories and the natural meaning.
f526
And was desirous to fill his
belly. This means that, in consequence
of hunger, he no longer thought of his former luxuries, but greedily devoured
husks; for of that kind of food he could not be in want, when he was
giving it to the swine. There is a well-known saying of Cyrus who,
having for a long time suffered hunger during a flight, and having been slightly
refreshed by eating coarse black bread, declared that he had never tasted savory
bread till now; so the young man who is here mentioned was compelled by
necessity to betake himself with appetite to
husks.
The reason is added, because
no man gave to him; for the copulative
conjunction and
(kai<)
must, in my opinion, signify
because,
f527
and what is here said does not refer to husks, which he had at
hand, but I understand the meaning to be, that no man pitied his poverty; for
prodigals who throw away the whole of their property are persons whom no man
thinks himself bound to relieve, — nay more, as they have been accustomed
to squander every thing, men think that nothing ought to be given to them.
f528
17.
And when he came to
himself. Here is described to us the way
in which God invites men to repentance. If of their own accord they were wise,
and became submissive, he would draw them more gently; but as they never stoop
to obedience, till they have been subdued by the rod, he chastises them
severely. Accordingly, to this young man, whom abundance
f529
rendered fierce and rebellious, hunger proved to be the best teacher. Instructed
by this example, let us not imagine that God deals cruelly with us, if at any
time he visits us with heavy afflictions; for in this manner those who were
obstinate and intoxicated with mirth are taught by him to be obedient. In short,
all the miseries which we endure are a profitable invitation to repentance.
f530 But as
we are slow, we scarcely ever regain a sound mind, unless when we
are forced by extreme distress; for until we are pressed by difficulties on
every hand, and shut up to despair, the flesh always indulges in gaiety, or at
least recoils. Hence we infer, that there is no reason to wonder, if the Lord
often uses violent and even repeated strokes, in order to subdue our obstinacy,
and, as the proverb runs, applies hard wedges to hard knots. It must also be
observed, that the hope of bettering his condition, if he returned to his
father, gave this young man courage to repent; for no severity of punishment
will soften our depravity, or make us displeased with our sins, till we perceive
some advantage. As this young man, therefore, is induced by confidence in his
father’s kindness to seek reconciliation, so the beginning of our
repentance must be an acknowledgment of the mercy of God to excite in us
favorable hopes.
20.
And while he was still afar
off. This is the main point of the
parable. If men, who are by nature prone to revenge, and too tenacious of their
own rights, are moved by fatherly love kindly to forgive their children, and
freely to bring them back, when they are sunk in wretchedness, God, whose
boundless goodness exceeds all the affection of parents,
f531 will
not treat us more harshly.
f532 And
certainly nothing is here attributed to an earthly father which God does not
promise with respect to himself. Before they call, says he, I
will answer,
(<236524>Isaiah
65:24.) That passage too of David is well known,
I said, I will
acknowledge against me my unrighteousness to the Lord and thou forgavest the
iniquity of my
sin,
(<193205>Psalm
32:5.)
As this father, therefore, is not merely pacified by
the entreaties of his son, but meets him when he is coming, and before he has
heard a word, embraces him, filthy and ugly as he is, so God does not wait for a
long prayer, but of his own free will meets the sinner as soon as he proposes to
confess his fault.
It is wretched sophistry to infer from this, that the
grace of God is not exhibited to sinners until they anticipate it by their
repentance. “Here,” say they, “is held out to us a father
ready to pardon, but it is after that his son has begun to return to him; and
therefore God does not look, and does not bestow his grace, on any but those who
begin to seek him.” It is, no doubt, true that, in order to his obtaining
pardon, the sinner is required to have grief of conscience, and to be
dissatisfied with himself; but it is wrong to infer from this, that repentance,
which is the gift of God, is yielded by men from their own movement of their
heart. And in this respect it would be improper to compare a mortal man to God;
for it is not in the power of an earthly father to renew the stubborn heart of
his son, as God changes hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. In short, the
question here is not whether a man is converted by himself, and returns to him;
but only under the figure of a man is commended the fatherly gentleness of God,
and his readiness to grant forgiveness.
21.
Father, I have sinned against
heaven. Here is pointed out another
branch of repentance, namely, such a conviction of sin as is accompanied by
grief and shame. For he who is not grieved for having sinned, and whose offense
is not placed before his eyes, will sooner attempt any thing than think of
returning to the path of duty. Displeasure with sin must therefore go before
repentance. And there is great emphasis in this expression, that the young man
is said to have come to himself, as one whom the wanderings of wild
desires had hurried away into forgetfulness of himself. And certainly so far
astray are the impulses of the flesh, that any one who gives himself up to them
may be said to have gone out of himself, and to have lost his
senses. For this reason transgressors are commanded to return to the
heart,
f533
(<234608>Isaiah
46:8.) Next follows a confession,
f534 not
such a one as the Pope has contrived, but one by which the son appeases his
offended father; for this humility is absolutely necessary in order to
obtain forgiveness of sins. This mode of expression,
I have sinned against heaven, and
before thee, is of the same import as if
he had said, that God was offended in the person of an earthly father. And
certainly this is the dictate of nature, that every one who rebels against a
father rises wickedly also against God, who has placed children in
subjection to parents.
22.
Bring out the best
robe. Although in parables (as we have
frequently observed) it would be idle to follow out every minute circumstance,
yet it will be no violence to the literal meaning, if we say, that our heavenly
Father not only pardons our sins in such a manner as to bury the remembrance of
them, but even restores those gifts of which we had been deprived; as, on the
other hand, by taking them from us, he chastises our ingratitude in order to
make us feel ashamed at the reproach and disgrace of our
nakedness.
LUKE 15:25-32
|
LUKE
15:25-32
|
|
25. Now his elder son was in the field;
and when he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
26. And he called one of his servants, and asked what those things
were. f535
27. And he said to him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath
killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
f536
28. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore his father went
out, and entreated him. 29. But he answering said to his father,
Behold, during so many years I serve thee, and never have I transgressed thy
commandment; and thou never gavest me a kid, that I might be merry with my
friends: 30. But after that this thy son, who hath devoured thy
property with harlots, is come, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31. But he said to him, Son,
f537 thou
art always with me, and all my property is thine. 32. But it was
proper that we should be merry and rejoice; because this thy brother was dead,
and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.
|
This latter portion of the parable charges those
persons with cruelty, who would wickedly choose to set limits to the grace of
God, as if they envied the salvation of wretched sinners. For we know that this
is pointed at the haughtiness of the scribes,
f538 who did
not think that they received the reward due to their merits, if Christ admitted
publicans and the common people to the hope of the eternal inheritance. The
substance of it therefore is, that, if we are desirous to be reckoned the
children of God, we must forgive in a brotherly manner the faults of brethren,
which He forgives with fatherly kindness.
25.
And his elder son was in the
field. Those who think that, under the
figure of the first-born
son, the Jewish nation is described,
have indeed some argument on their side; but I do not think that they attend
sufficiently to the whole of the passage. For the discourse was occasioned by
the murmuring of the
scribes, who took offense at the
kindness of Christ towards wretched persons who had led a wicked life. He
therefore compares the scribes, who were swelled with presumption, to good and
modest men, who had always lived with decency and sobriety, and had honorably
supported their family; nay, even to obedient children, who throughout their
whole life had patiently submitted to their father’s control. And though
they were utterly unworthy of this commendation, yet Christ, speaking according
to their belief, attributes to them, by way of concession, their pretended
holiness, as if it had been virtue; as if he had said, Though I were to grant to
you what you falsely boast of, that you have always been obedient children to
God, still you ought not so haughtily and cruelly to reject your brethren, when
they repent of their wicked life.
28.
Therefore his father went
out. By these words he reproaches
hypocrites with intolerable pride, which makes it necessary that the Father
should entreat them not to envy the compassion manifested to their brethren. Now
though God does not entreat, yet by his example he exhorts us to bear with the
faults of our brethren. And in order to take away every excuse from wicked
severity, he not only introduces hypocrites as speaking, whose false boasting
might be confuted, but even affirms that, though any man had discharged, in the
most perfect manner, all the duties of piety towards the Father, yet he has no
just reason to complain because his brother obtains pardon. It is certain,
indeed, that the sincere worshippers of God are always pure and free from this
malignant disposition; but the design of Christ is, to show that it would be
unjust in any man to murmur on account of his brother having been received into
favor, even though he were not inferior in holiness to the
angels.
31.
Son,
f539
thou art always with
me. This answer consists of two parts.
The first is, that the first-born son has no reason to be angry, when he
sees his brother kindly received without any loss to himself;
f540 and the
second is, that, without paying any regard to his brother’s safety, he is
grieved on account of the rejoicing occasioned by his return.
All my
property, says he,
is
thine: that is, “Though thou hast
hitherto carried nothing away out of my house, it has been no loss to the for
all is reserved for thee undiminished.”
f541
Besides, why art thou offended at our joy, in which thou oughtest to have
shared? for it was proper that thy brother, who we thought had been lost, should
now be congratulated on his safety and return. Those two reasons deserve our
attention; for, on the one hand, it is no loss to us,
f542 if God
graciously receives into favor those who had been at variance with him on
account of their sins; and, on the other hand, it is wicked hardness of heart
not to rejoice, when we see our brethren returned from death to life.
f543
MATTHEW 18:15-20; LUKE
17:3
|
MATTHEW
18:15-20
|
LUKE
17:3
|
|
15. But if thy brother hath sinned
against thee, go and reprove him between thee and him alone: if he shall hear
thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16. But if he shall not hear
thee, take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three
witnesses every word may be confirmed: and if he shall not hear them, tell the
church. 17. And if he shall not hear the church, let him be to thee
as a heathen and a publican. 18. Verily, I say to thee, What things
soever you shall bind on earth
f544 shall
be bound also in heaven; and what things soever you shall loose on earth shall
be loosed also in heaven. 19. Again, I say to you, That if two of
you shall agree on earth as to every thing which they shall ask,
f545 it will
be done to them by any Father who is in heaven. 20. For where two
or three are assembled
f546 in my
name, there am I in the midst of them.
|
3. Be on your guard. If thy brother shall
sin against thee, reprove him; and if he shall repent, forgive
him.
|
Matthew 18:15.
But if thy brother shall sin
against thee. As he had discoursed about
bearing the infirmities of brethren, he now shows more clearly in what manner,
and for what purpose, and to what extent, we ought to bear with them. For
otherwise it would have been easy to reply, that there is no other way of
avoiding offenses, than by every man winking at the faults of others, and thus
what is evil would be encouraged by forbearance. Christ therefore prescribes a
middle course, which does not give too great offense to the weak, and yet is
adapted to cure their diseases; for that severity which is employed as a
medicine is profitable and worthy of praise. In short, Christ enjoins his
disciples to forgive one another, but to do so in such a manner as to endeavor
to correct their faults. It is necessary that this be wisely observed; for
nothing is more difficult than to exercise forbearance towards men, and, at the
same time, not to neglect the freedom necessary in reproving them.
f547 Almost
all lean to the one side or to the other, either to deceive themselves mutually
by deadly flatteries, or to pursue with excessive bitterness those whom they
ought to cure. But Christ recommends to his disciples a mutual love, which is
widely distant from flattery; only he enjoins them to season their admonitions
with moderation, lest, by excessive severity and harshness, they discourage the
weak.
Now he distinctly lays down three steps of brotherly
correction. The first is, to give a private advice to the person who has
offended. The second is, if he shall give any sign of obstinacy, to advise him
again in presence of witnesses. The third is, if no advantage
shall be obtained in that way, to deliver him up to the public decision of
the Church. The design of this, as I have said, is, to hinder
charity from being violated under the pretence of fervent zeal. As the greater
part of men are driven by ambition to publish with excessive eagerness the
faults of their brethren, Christ seasonably meets this fault by enjoining us to
cover the faults of brethren, as far as lies in our power; for those who take
pleasure in the disgrace and infamy of brethren are unquestionably carried away
by hatred and malice, since, if they were under the influence of charity, they
would endeavor to prevent the shame of their brethren.
But it is asked, Ought this rule to be extended
indiscriminately to every kind of offense? For there are very many who do not
allow any public censures, till the offender has been privately
admonished. But there is an obvious limitation in the words of Christ; for he
does not simply, and without exception, order us to advise or reprove privately,
and in the absence of witnesses, all who have offended, but bids
us attempt this method, when we have been offended in private; by which
is meant, not that it is a business of our own, but that we ought to be wounded
and grieved whenever God is offended. And Christ does not now
speak about bearing injuries, but teaches us in general to cultivate such
meekness towards each other, as not to ruin by harsh treatment those whom we
ought to save. f548
Against
thee. This expression, as is evident
from what we have said, does not denote an injury committed against any one, but
distinguishes between secret and open sins.
f549 For if
any man shall offend against the whole Church, Paul enjoins that he be
publicly reproved, so that even elders shall not be spared; for it is in
reference to them that he expressly enjoins Timothy, to
rebuke them publicly in
presence of all, and thus to make them a general example to others,
(<540520>1
Timothy 5:20.)
And certainly it would be absurd that he who has
committed a public offense, so that the disgrace of it is generally known,
should be admonished by individuals; for if a thousand persons are aware of it,
he ought to receive a thousand admonitions. The distinction, therefore, which
Christ expressly lays down, ought to be kept in mind, that no man may bring
disgrace upon his brother, by rashly, and without necessity,
divulging secret offenses.
If he shall hear thee, thou hast
gained thy brother. Christ confirms his
doctrine by its usefulness and advantage; for it is no small matter to gain
to God a soul which had been the slave of Satan. And how comes it that those
who have fallen do not often repent, but because they are regarded with hatred,
and treated as enemies, and thus acquire a character of hardened obstinacy?
Nothing, therefore, is more appropriate than meekness, which reconciles to God
those who had departed from him. On the other hand, he who inconsiderately
indulges in foolish flattery willingly places in jeopardy the salvation of a
brother, which he had in his hand.
According to Luke, Christ expressly
enjoins us to be satisfied with a private reproof, if the brother be
brought to repentance. Hence, too, we infer how necessary it is
that mutual freedom of reproof should subsist among believers. For, since each
of us in many ways commits daily offenses, it would be outrageous cruelty to
betray, by our silence and concealment, the salvation of those whom we might, by
mild reproof, rescue from perdition. Though it does not always succeed, yet he
is chargeable with heinous guilt, who has neglected the remedy which the Lord
prescribes for promoting the salvation of the brethren. It is also worthy of
notice, that the Lord, in order to render us more zealous in performing our
duty, ascribes to us that honor which is his own; for to him alone, and to no
other, does it belong to convert a man; and yet he bestows on us this applause,
though we did not deserve it, that we
gain a
brother who was lost.
16.
But if he shall not hear
thee. The second step is, that he who
displayed obstinacy, or refused to yield to one man, should be again admonished
in presence of
witnesses.
Here some object, that it will serve no purpose to call
witnesses,
if we have to deal with an obstinate and rebellious man, because their
presence will be so far from leading him to acknowledge his guilt, that he will
only make a more wicked denial. But this difficulty will be speedily removed, if
we distinguish between
denial
and
evasion.
He who explicitly denies the fact, and declares that he is falsely and
calumniously accused, must be left alone; for it would be ill vain to press him
by calling
witnesses.
But as, in most cases, men shamelessly evade, or impudently excuse, the
improper and unjust actions which they have committed, till greater authority is
employed, towards such persons it is useful to observe this
method.
That Christ’s discourse ought to be understood
in this sense is evident from the word used,
e]legxon,
reprove, or argue; for to argue is to convince by
demonstration.
f550 And how
could I argue with a man
f551 who
boldly denies the whole matter? for he who has the effrontery to deny the crime
which he has committed shuts the door against a second
admonition.
We now perceive for what purpose Christ proposes to
call witnesses. It is, to give greater weight and impressiveness
to the admonition. As to the slightly different meaning to which he has turned
the words of Moses, it involves no absurdity. Moses forbids sentence to be
pronounced on a matter that is unknown, and defines this to be the lawful mode
of proving, that it be established by the testimony
of
two or three witnesses.
At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the
matter be established,
(<051915>Deuteronomy
19:15.)
Alluding to that law, Christ says that, when two or
three witnesses shall rise up to condemn the obstinacy of the man, the case will
be clear, at least till the Church be prepared to take cognizance of it; for he
who refuses to hear two or three witnesses
f552
will have no reason to complain that he is dragged forth to
light.
Tell it to the
Church. It is asked, what does he mean
by the term
Church?
For Paul orders
(<460505>1
Corinthians 5:5) that the incestuous Corinthian shall be excommunicated, not by
a certain chosen number, but by the whole assembly of the godly; and therefore
it might appear to be probable that the power of judging is bestowed on the
whole of the people. But as at that time no
Church
as yet was in existence, which acknowledged the authority of Christ, and no
such order had been established, and as our Lord employs the ordinary and
received forms of expression, there can be no doubt that he alludes to the order
of the ancient
Church,
as in other places also he accommodates his modes of expression to what was
known and customary.
f553 When he
commands that:
the offering, which we intend to
present, shall be left at the altar, till we are reconciled to an offended
brother,
(<400523>Matthew
5:23,)
he unquestionably intends, by means of that form of
the worship of God which was then in existence and in force, to teach us, that
we cannot in a right manner either pray, or offer any thing to God, so long as
we are at variance with our brethren. So then he now looked at the form of
discipline which was observed among the Jews; for it would have been absurd to
propose an appeal to the judgment of a
Church
which was not yet in existence.
Now since among the Jews the power of excommunication
belonged to the elders, who held the government of the whole
Church,
Christ speaks appropriately when he says that they who sinned must at length
be brought forward publicly to the
Church,
if they either despise haughtily, or ridicule and evade, the private
admonitions. We know that, after the Jews returned from the Babylonish
captivity, a council was formed, which they called Sanhedrim, and
in Greek Synedrion,
(sune>drion)
and that to this council was committed the superintendence of morals and of
doctrine. This government was lawful and approved by God, and was a bridle to
restrain within their duty the dissolute and incorrigible.
It will perhaps be objected that, in the time of
Christ, every thing was corrupt and perverted, so that this tyranny was very far
from deserving to be accounted the judgment of
the
Church. But the reply is easy. Though
the method of procedure was at that time depraved and perverted, yet Christ
justly praises that order, such as it had been handed down to them from the
fathers. And when, shortly afterwards, he erected a Church, while
he removed the abuse, he restored the proper use of excommunication. Yet there
is no reason to doubt that the form of discipline, which prevailed in the
kingdom of Christ, succeeded in the room of that ancient discipline. And
certainly, since even heathen nations maintained a shadowy form of
excommunication, it appears that, from the beginning, this was impressed by God
on the minds of men, that those who were impure and polluted ought to be
excluded from religious services.
f554 It
would therefore have been highly disgraceful to the people of God to have been
altogether destitute of that discipline, some trace of which remained among the
Gentiles. But what had been preserved under the Law Christ has conveyed to us,
because we hold the same rank with the ancient fathers. For it was not the
intention of Christ to send his disciples to the synagogue, which, while it
willingly cherished in its bosom disgraceful filth, excommunicated the true and
sincere worshippers of God; but he reminded us that the order, which had been
formerly established in a holy manner under the Law, must be maintained in his
Church.
Let him be to thee as a heathen and
a publican. What is here added as to
heathens and
publicans confirms the interpretation
which I have given. For heathens
and publicans having been at that time
regarded by the Jews with the greatest hatred and detestation, he compares to
them unholy and irreclaimable men, who yield to no admonitions. Certainly he did
not intend to enjoin them to avoid the society of
heathens,
of whom the
Church was afterwards composed; nor is
there any reason at the present day why believers should shrink from associating
with
publicans.
But in order that he might be more easily understood by the ignorant, Christ
borrowed a mode of expression from what was then customary among his nation;
f555and the
meaning is, that we ought to have no intercourse with the despisers of
the
Church till they
repent.
18.
What things soever you shall
bind. He now repeats the same words
which he had formerly used,
(<401619>Matthew
16:19,) but in a different sense; for there he intended to maintain their
authority in doctrine, but here he appoints discipline, which is an appendage to
doctrine. There Christ declared that the preaching of the Gospel would not be
without effect, but that the odor of it would either be life-giving
or deadly,
(<470215>2
Corinthians 2:15,16:) here he affirms that, though wicked men ridicule the
judgment of the Church, it will not be ineffectual. We must attend
to this distinction, that there our Lord’s discourse relates to the
preached word, but here to public censures and discipline. Let the reader
go to that passage for the import of the metaphor, binding and loosing.
f556
The substance of it is this: Whoever, after
committing a crime, humbly confesses his fault, and entreats
the
Church to forgive him, is absolved not
only by men, but by God himself; and, on the other hand, whoever treats with
ridicule the reproofs and threatenings of
the
Church, if he is condemned by her, the
decision which men have given will be ratified in heaven. If it be objected,
that in this way God is made a sort of petty judge, who concurs in the sentence
of mortal men, the reply is at hand. For when Christ maintains the authority of
his Church, he does not diminish his own power or that of his Father, but, on
the contrary, supports the majesty of his word. As in the former case
(<401619>Matthew
16:19) he did not intend to confirm indiscriminately every kind of doctrine, but
only that which had proceeded out of his mouth, so neither does he say in this
place that every kind of decision will be approved and ratified, but only that
in which he presides, and that too not only by his Spirit, but by his word.
Hence it follows, that men do no injury to the authority of God, when they
pronounce nothing but what comes from his mouth, and only endeavor faithfully to
execute what he has commanded. For, though Christ alone is the Judge of the
world, yet he chooses to have ministers to proclaim his word.
f557
Besides, he wishes that his own decision should be pronounced by the Church; and
thus he takes nothing from his own authority by employing the ministry of men,
but it is Himself alone that
looses and
binds.
But here a question arises. Since the Church endures
many hypocrites, and likewise
absolves
(or
looses)
many whose professions of repentance are hypocritical, does it follow that
such persons will be
absolved
(or
loosed)
in heaven? I reply, the discourse is addressed to those only who are truly
and sincerely reconciled to the Church. For Christ, wishing to administer
comfort to trembling consciences, and to relieve them from fear, declares that
any who may have offended are freed from guilt in the sight of God, provided
that they be reconciled to the
Church. For he has appointed this as the
pledge of heavenly grace, which has no reference to hypocrites, who pervert the
proper use of reconciliation, but awakens in the godly no ordinary confidence,
when they hear that their sins are blotted out before God and angels, as soon as
they have obtained forgiveness from the Church.
In the other clause, Christ’s meaning is not at
all ambiguous; for, since obstinate and haughty men are strongly inclined to
despise the decision of the Church on this pretense, that they refuse to be
subject to men — as wicked profligates often make bold appeals to the
heavenly tribunal
f558 —
Christ, in order to subdue this obstinacy by terror, threatens that the
condemnation, which is now despised by them, will be ratified in heaven. He
encourages his followers, at the same time, to maintain proper severity, and not
to yield to the wicked obstinacy of those who reject or shake off discipline.
f559
Hence, too, we may see how absurdly the Papists
torture this passage to cloak every species of tyranny. That the right of
excommunication is granted to the Church is certain, and is acknowledged by
every person of sound judgment; but does it follow that any individual, even
though not called by the Church, but elected
f560by a
mitered and disguised beast, shall at his own caprice throw out the useless
squibs of excommunications?
f561 On the
contrary, it is evident that the lawful government of the Church is committed to
elders, and not only to the ministers of the word, but to those also who, taken
from among the people, have been added to them for the superintendence of
morals. And yet, not satisfied with this impudence, they endeavor even to prove
from this passage that we must bear all the burdens which they shall impose. I
do not mention that the power which has been granted to the Church is basely
seized and carried off by those outrageous enemies of the Church; and I only
mention that, since Christ speaks only about correcting offenders,
those who by their laws ensnare souls are chargeable with not less folly
than wickedness in abusing this passage. Of the same stamp is their defense of
their auricular confession on this pretense; for if Christ intended that those
who by their own fault had been brought even to a public sentence should be
reconciled to the Church, he does not therefore lay an obligations
f562on every
individual to pour his sins into the ear of the priest. But their fooleries are
so ridiculous, that it is unnecessary to spend any longer time in refuting
them.
19.
Again I say to
you. He confirms the former statement;
for not only will God bestow the spirit of wisdom and prudence on those who ask
it, but he will also provide that not one thing which they shall do according to
his word shall want its power and effect. By uniting agreement with
prayer, he reminds us with what moderation and humility believers ought
to conduct themselves in all religious acts.
f563 The
offender must be admonished, and, if he does not receive correction, he
must be excommunicated. Here it is not only necessary to ask counsel at the
sacred mouth of God, so that nothing may be determined but by his word, but it
is proper at the same time to begin with prayer. Hence appears more clearly what
I have formerly stated, that men are not allowed the liberty of doing whatever
they please,
f564but that
God is declared to have the sole claim to the government of the
Church, so that he approves and ratifies the decisions of which he
is himself the Author. Meanwhile, when believers assemble, they are taught to
unite their prayers and to pray in common, not only to testify the unity of
faith, but that God may listen to the agreement of them all. So then, as
God frequently promises in other passages that he will graciously listen to the
private requests of each individual, so here Christ makes a remarkable promise
to public prayers, in order to invite us more earnestly to the practice of
them.
20.
For where two or three are
assembled in my name. This promise is
more extensive than the former; for the Lord declares that he will be
present,
wherever two or three are
met together in his name,
to guide
them by his counsel,
(<197324>Psalm
73:24,)
and to conduct to a prosperous result whatever they
shall undertake. There is therefore no reason to doubt that those who give
themselves up to his direction will derive most desirable advantage from his
presence. And since it is an invaluable blessing to have Christ for our director
in all our affairs, to bless our deliberations and their results; and since, on
the other hand, nothing can be more miserable than to be deprived of his grace,
this promise ought to add no small excitement to us to unite with each other in
piety and holiness.
f565For
whoever either disregards the holy assemblies, or separates himself from
brethren, and takes little interest in the cultivation of unity, by this alone
makes it evident that he sets no value on the presence of
Christ.
But we must take care, first of all, that those who
are desirous to have Christ present with them shall assemble in his name;
and we must likewise understand what is the meaning of this expression; for
we perceive how ungodly men falsely and impudently, as well as wickedly, cover
their conspiracies with his sacred name. If therefore we do not wish to expose
Christ to their ridicule, and at the same time to overturn what he has here
promised, we must know first of all what is meant by this phrase. It means that
those who are assembled
together, laying aside every thing that
hinders them from approaching to Christ, shall sincerely raise their desires to
him, shall yield obedience to his word, and allow themselves to be governed by
the Spirit. Where this simplicity prevails, there is no reason to fear that
Christ will not make it manifest that it was not in vain for the assembly to
meet in his name.
In this is displayed the gross ignorance of the
Papists, who exclaim that Councils could not err, and that all ought to abide by
their decisions, because, as
often as two or three are assembled in the name of Christ, he is in the midst of
them. But we ought first of all to
inquire whether those persons, as to whose faith, and doctrine, and
dispositions, we are in doubt, were
assembled in the name of
Christ. When the Papists leave out or
perplex this matter, who does not see that they dexteroasly confound the
distinction between holy and profane assemblies, so that the power of doing any
thing is taken from the Church and conveyed to the sworn enemies of Christ? Let
us therefore know that none but the pious worshippers of God, who sincerely seek
Christ, are encouraged to entertain the confident hope that he will never leave
them. Disregarding the bastard and abortive Councils, which out of their own
head have woven a web, let Christ alone, with the doctrine of his Gospel, be
always exalted amongst us.
MATTHEW 18:21-35 LUKE
17:4
|
MATTHEW
18:21-35
|
LUKE
17:4
|
|
21. Then Peter approaching him said,
Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? Till
seven times? 22. Jesus saith to him, I say not to thee till seven
times, but till seventy times seven. 23. Therefore the kingdom of
heaven is compared to a king, who wished to make a reckoning with his servants.
24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought to him who
owed ten thousand talents. 25. But as he was unable to pay, his
master commanded him to be sold, and his wife and children, and all that he had,
and payment to be made. 26. And that servant falling down,
entreated him, saying, Master, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27. And his master, pitying that servant, forgave him, and
acquitted him of the debt. 28. But that servant, having gone out,
found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence: and laying hands
on him, saying, Pay me what thou owest. 29. And his fellow-servant,
fallind down, entreated him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee
all. 30. But he would not, but went out, and threw him into prison,
till he should pay the debt. 31. And when his fellow-servants saw
what was done, they were deeply grieved, and came, and related to their master
all that had been done. 32. Then his master called him, and said to
him, Wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou didst implore
me: 33. Oughtest not thou also to pity thy fellow-servant, even as
I pitied thee? 34. And his master, being enraged, delivered him to
the tormentors, till he should pay all that he owed him. 35. So
likewise shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his
brother from your hearts their offenses.
|
4. And if seven times in a day he shall
offend against thee, and seven times in a day he shall turn to thee, saying, I
repent, forgive him.
|
Matthew 18:21.
Lord, how often shall my
brother offend against me? Peter made this
objection according to the natural feelings and disposition of the flesh. It is
natural to all men to wish to be forgiven; and, therefore, if any man does not
immediately obtain forgiveness, he complains that he is treated with sternness
and cruelty. But those who demand to be treated gently are far from being
equally gentle towards others; and therefore, when our Lord exhorted his
disciples to meekness, this doubt occurred to Peter: “If we be so strongly
disposed to grant forgiveness, what will be the consequence, but that our lenity
shall be an inducement to offend?”
f566He asks,
therefore, if it be proper frequently to forgive offenders; for, since the
number seven is taken for a large number, the force of the adverb,
(eJpta>kiv)
seven
times, is the same as if he had said,
“How long, Lord, dost thou wish that offenders be received into favor? for
it is unreasonable, and by no means advantageous, that they should, in every
case, find us willing to be reconciled.” But Christ is so far from
yielding to this objection, that he expressly declares that there ought to be no
limit to forgiving; f567
for he did not intend to lay down a fixed number, but
rather to enjoin us never to become wearied.
Luke differs somewhat from Matthew;
for he states the command of Christ to be simply, that we should be prepared
to forgive seven
times; but the meaning is the same, that
we ought to be ready and prepared to grant forgiveness not once or twice, but as
often as the sinner shall repent. There is only this difference
between them, that, according to Matthew, our Lord, in reproving Peter for
taking too limited a view, employs hyperbolically a larger number, which of
itself is sufficient to point out the substance of what is intended. For when
Peter asked if he should forgive
seven times, it was not because he did
not choose to go any farther, but, by presenting the appearance of a great
absurdity, to withdraw Christ from his opinion, as I have lately hinted. So then
he who shall be prepared to
forgive seven
times will be willing to be reconciled
as far as to the seventieth offense.
But the words of Luke give rise to another question;
for Christ does not order us to grant
forgiveness,
till the offender
turn to us and give evidence of
repentance.
f567a
I reply, there are two ways in which offenses are
forgiven.
If a man shall do me an injury, and I, laying
aside the desire of revenge, do not cease to love him, but even repay kindness
in place of injury, though I entertain an unfavorable opinion of him, as he
deserves, still I am said to
forgive
him. For when God commands us to wish
well to our enemies, He does not therefore demand that we approve in them what
He condemns, but only desires that our minds shall be purified from all hatred.
In this kind of pardon, so far are we from having any right to wait till he who
has offended shall return of his own accord to be reconciled to us, that we
ought to love those who deliberately provoke us, who spurn reconciliation, and
add to the load of former offenses. A second kind of
forgiving
is, when we receive a
brother
into favor, so as to think favorably respecting him, and to be convinced
that the remembrance of his offense is blotted out in the sight of God. And this
is what I have formerly remarked, that in this passage Christ does not speak
only of injuries which have been done to us, but of every kind of offenses; for
he desires that, by our compassion, we shall raise up those who have fallen.
f568 This
doctrine is very necessary, because naturally almost all of us are peevish
beyond measure; and Satan, under the pretense of severity, drives us to cruel
rigor, so that wretched men, to whom pardon is refused, are swallowed up by
grief and despair.
But here another question arises. As soon as a man by
words makes profession of
repentance,
are we bound to believe him? Were this done, we must of necessity go
willingly and knowingly into mistake; for where will be discretion, if any man
may freely impose on us, even to the hundredth offense? I answer,
.first, the discourse relates here to daily faults, in which every
man, even the best, needs forgiveness.
f569 Since,
then, amidst such infirmity of the flesh, our road is so slippery, and snares
and attacks so numerous what will be the consequence if, at the second or third
fall, the hope of
forgiveness is cut off? We must add,
secondly,
that Christ does not deprive believers of the exercise of judgment, so as to
yield a foolish readiness of belief to every slight expression, but only desires
us to be so candid and merciful, as to stretch out the hand to
offenders,
provided there be evidence that they are sincerely dissatisfied with their
sins. For repentance is a sacred thing, and therefore needs careful examination;
but as soon as the offender gives probable evidence of conversion, Christ
desires that he shall be admitted to reconciliation, lest, on being repulsed, he
lose courage and fall back.
Thirdly, It must be observed that, when
any man, through his light and unsteady behavior, has exposed himself to
suspicion, we may grant pardon when he asks it, and yet may do so in such a
manner as to watch over his conduct for the future, that our forbearance and
meekness, which proceed from the Spirit of Christ, may not become the subject of
his ridicule. For we must observe the design of our Lord himself, that we ought,
by our gentleness, to assist those who have fallen to rise again. And certainly
we ought to imitate the goodness of our heavenly Father, who meets sinners at a
distance to invite them to salvation. Besides, as repentance is a wonderful work
of the Spirit, and is the creation of the new man, if we despise it, we offer an
insult to God himself.
23.
The kingdom of heaven is
compared. As it is difficult to bend us
to mercy, and as we are quickly seized with weariness, particularly when we have
to bear with many faults of brethren, our Lord confirms this doctrine by a most
appropriate parable, the substance of which is, that those who will not yield to
pardon the faults of brethren judge very ill for themselves, and subject
themselves to a very hard and severe law; for they will find God to be equally
stern and inexorable towards themselves. There are three parts in which the
resemblance mainly consists; for the
master
is contrasted with the
servant,
the large sum of money with small or ordinary sums, and extraordinary
kindness with extreme cruelty. By attending to these three points, it will be
easy to ascertain Christ’s meaning; for what are we, if we are compared
with God? And how large is the sum which every one of us owes to God? Lastly,
how inconsiderable are the offenses, with which brethren are chargeable towards
us, if we take into account our obligation to God? How ill then does that man
deserve the compassion of God, who, though oppressed with an immense load,
implacably refuses to forgive even the smallest offenses to men like himself? So
far as regards the words, the
kingdom of heaven here denotes the
spiritual condition of the Church; as if Christ had said, that the state of
matters between God and men, in regard to the soul and the nature of spiritual
life, is the same as between an ordinary or earthly master and his
servants, in regard to money and the affairs of the present
life.
25.
His master ordered him to be
sold. It would be an idle exercise of
ingenuity to examine here every minute clause. For God does not always display
severity at first, till, constrained to pray, we implore pardon, but rather
meets us with undeserved goodness. But Christ only shows what will become of us,
if God shall treat us with the utmost severity; and again, if He shall choose to
demand from us what we owe, how necessary it is for us to betake ourselves to
prayer, because this is the only refuge that remains for transgressors. We must
also attend to the wide difference of the sums; for, since one
talent
is worth more than a hundred
pence, what proportion will
a hundred
pence bear to
ten thousand
talents?
31.
When his fellow-servants saw
what was done. Though we ought not to
search for mystery in these words — because they contain nothing but what
nature teaches, and what we learn by daily experience — we ought to know
that the men who live among us will be so many witnesses against us before God;
for it is impossible but that cruelty shall excite in them displeasure and
hatred, more especially, since every man is afraid that what he sees done to
others will fall upon his own head. As to the clause which immediately follows,
it is foolish to inquire how God punishes those sins
f570 which
he has already forgiven; for the simple meaning is this: though he offers mercy
to all, yet severe creditors, from whom no forgiveness can be obtained, are
unworthy of enjoying it.
34.
Delivered him to the
tormentors, till he should pay all that he
owed. The Papists are very ridiculous in
endeavoring to light the fire of purgatory by the word till; for
it is certain that Christ here points out not temporal death, by which the
judgment of God may be satisfied, but eternal death.
MATTHEW
17:24-27
|
MATTHEW
17:24-27
|
|
24. And when they came to Capernaum,
those who received the didrachma came to Peter, and said, Does not your Master
pay the didrachma? 25. He saith, Yes. And when he came into the
house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? From whom do
the kings of the earth receive tribute or custom? From their own children, or
from strangers? 26. Peter saith to him, From strangers. Jesus saith
to him, Then are the children free. 27. But that we may not offend
them, go thou to the sea, throw a hook, and take that fish which cometh first
up; and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou wilt find a stater: take that, and
give it for me and for thee.
|
Matthew 17:24.
And when they came to
Capernaum. We must attend, first of all,
to the design of this narrative; which is, that Christ, by paying tribute of his
own accord, declared his subjection, as he had taken upon him the form of a
servant,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7,) but at the same time showed, both by words and by the miracle, that it was
not by obligation or necessity, but by a free and voluntary submission, that he
had reduced himself so low that the world looked upon him as nothing more than
one of the common people. This was not a tax which was wont to be demanded on
crossing the sea,
f571but an
annual tribute laid individually on every man among the Jews, so that they paid
to tyrants what they were formerly in the habit of paying to God alone. For we
know that this tax was imposed on them by the Law, that, by paying every year
half a stater,
(<023013>Exodus
30:13,) they might acknowledge that God, by whom they had been redeemed, was
their supreme King. When the kings of Asia appropriated this to themselves, the
Romans followed their example. Thus the Jews, as if they had disowned the
government of God, paid to profane tyrants the sacred tax required by the Law.
But it might appear unreasonable that Christ, when he appeared as the Redeemer
of his people, should not himself be exempted from paying tribute.
To remove that offense, he taught by words, that it was only by his will
that he was bound; and he proved the same thing by a miracle, for he who had
dominion over the sea and the fishes might have released himself from earthly
government. f572
Doth not your Master
pay? Some think that the collectors of
the tribute intended to throw blame on Christ, as if he were claiming
exemption from the common law. For my own part, as men of that class are
insolent and abusive, I interpret these words as having been spoken by way of
reproach. It was customary for every man to be enrolled in his own city; but we
know that Christ had no fixed habitation in one place. Those people therefore
inquire if he be exempted from the law on the ground of his frequent removals
from place to place.
f573
25.
He saith, Yes.
Peter’s reply contains a modest
excuse
f574to
satisfy them: “he will pay,”
f575says he;
from which we infer that Christ had formerly been accustomed to pay, for
Peter
promises it as a thing about which there was no doubt. That they address him
rather than the other disciples was, as I conjecture, because Christ lived with
him; for if all had occupied the same habitation, the demand would have been
made on all alike. It is therefore very ridiculous in the Papists, on so
frivolous a pretense, to make
Peter
a partner in the dignity of Christ. “He chose him (they say) to be his
vicar, and bestowed on him equal honors, by making him equal to
himself in the payment of tribute.” But in this way they will make all
swine-herds vicars of Christ, for they paid as much as he did. And if the
primacy of
Peter
was manifested in the paying of tribute, whence comes that exemption which
they claim for themselves? But this is the necessary result of the shameful
trifling of those who corrupt Scripture according to their own
fancy.
What thinkest thou,
Simon? In this Christ gave a proof of
his Divinity, by showing that nothing was unknown to him. But what is the object
of his discourse? Is it to exempt himself and his followers from subjection to
the laws? Some explain it thus, that Christians have a right to be exempted, but
that they voluntarily subject themselves to the ordinary government, because
otherwise human society cannot be maintained. To me, however, the meaning
appears to be more simple; for there was danger lest the disciples might think
that Christ had come in vain, because, by paying tribute cut off the hope of
deliverance; and therefore he simply affirms that he pays tribute, solely
because he voluntarily refrains from exercising his right and power. Hence it is
inferred that this takes nothing from his reign. But why does he not openly
claim his right? It is because his kingly power was unknown to the collectors of
the tribute. For, though his kingdom be spiritual, still we must maintain, that
as he is the only Son of God, he is also the heir of the whole world, so that
all things ought to be subject to him, and to acknowledge his authority. The
meaning, therefore, is, that God has not appointed kings, and established
governments over mankind, in such a manner as to place him who is the Son in the
same rank indiscriminately with others, but yet that, of his own accord, he will
be a servant along with others, till the glory of his kingdom be
displayed.
The Pope has not less foolishly than successfully
abused this passage to exempt his clergy from the laws; as if the shaving of the
head made them sons of God, and exempted them from tributes and taxes. But
nothing else was intended by Christ than to claim for himself the honor of a
King’s Son, so as to have at least a home privileged and exempted from the
common law. And therefore it is also highly foolish in the Anabaptists to
torture these words for overturning political order, since it is more than
certain, that Christ does not say any thing about a privilege common to
believers, but only draws a comparison from the sons of kings, who, together
with their domestics, are exempted.
f576
27.
Throw a
hook. Though I acknowledge that Christ
had not always full coffers, yet I think that he was not compelled by poverty to
give this order to Peter, but that he did so in order to prove by a miracle,
that he had a more extensive dominion than all earthly kings, since he had even
fishes for his tributaries. And we do not read that this was done more
than once, because one proof was enough for his whole life.
Thou wilt find a
stater. A stater was of the same value
as a shekel, namely, four drachms or two didrachma.
f577
MATTHEW 19:1-2; MARK 9:38-40,
10:1; LUKE 9:49-56
|
MATTHEW
19:1-2
|
MARK
9:38-40
|
LUKE
9:49-56
|
|
1. And it happened, when Jesus had
finished these discourses, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of
Judea beyond Jordan. 2. And great multitudes followed him, and he
cured them there.
|
38. And John answered him, saying,
Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us; and
we forbade him, because he followeth him, because he followeth not us.
39. And Jesus said, Forbid him not; for there is no man who, if he has
performed a miracle in my name, can easily speak evil of me.
40. For he who is not against us is for us.
MARK
10:1
1. And when he had risen thence, he came
into the coasts of Judea, through the district which is beyond Jordan. And again
the multitudes assemble to him, and again he taught them, as he was
accustomed.
|
49. And John answering said, Master, we
saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth
not with us. 50. And Jesus said to him, Forbid him not; for he who
is not against us is for us. 51. And it happened, when the days of
his being received up were in course of being fulfilled, and he set his face
steadfastly to go to Jerusalem. 52. And he sent messengers before
his face; and they went and entered into a town of the Samaritans, to make ready
for him: 53. And they did not receive him, because his face was as
if he were going to Jerusalem.
f578
54. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, Lord, wilt
thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as
Elijah did? 55. And Jesus, turning, rebuked them, saying, You know
not of what spirit you are. 56. For the Son of man is not come to
destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went into another
village.
|
Mark 9:38.
Master, we saw
one. Hence it is evident that the
name of Christ was at that time so celebrated, that persons who were not
of the number of his intimate disciples used that name, or perhaps
even abused it, for I will not venture to avouch any thing on this point as
certain. It is possible that he who is here mentioned had embraced the doctrine
of Christ, and betaken himself to the performance of miracles with no bad
intention; but as Christ bestowed this power on none but those whom he had
chosen to be heralds of his Gospel, I think that he had rashly taken, or rather
seized upon, this office. Now though he was wrong in making this attempt, and in
venturing to imitate the disciples without receiving a command to do so, yet his
boldness was not without success: for the Lord was pleased, in this way also, to
throw luster around his name,
f579 as he
sometimes does by means of those of whose ministry he does not approve as
lawful. It is not inconsistent with this to say, that one who was endued with
special faith followed a blind impulse, and thus proceeded inconsiderately to
work miracles.
I now come to John and his companions. They
say that they
forbade
a man to work
miracles. Why did they not first ask
whether or not he was authorized? For now being in a state of doubt and
suspense, they ask the opinion of their Master. Hence it follows, that they had
rashly taken on themselves the right to
forbid;
and therefore every man who undertakes more than he knows that he is
permitted to do by the word of God is chargeable with rashness. Besides, there
is reason to suspect the disciples of Christ of ambition, because they are
anxious to maintain their privilege and honor. For how comes it that they all at
once
forbid
a man who is unknown to them to work miracles, but because they wish to be
the sole possessors of this right? For they assign the reason, that he
followeth not Christ; as much as to say, “He is not one of thy
associates, as we are: why then shall he possess equal
honor?”
39.
Forbid him
not. Christ did not wish that he should
be
forbidden;
not that he had given him authority, or approved of what he did, or even
wished his disciples to approve of it, but because, when by any occurrence God
is glorified, we ought to bear with it and rejoice. Thus Paul,
(<500118>Philippians
1:18,) though he disapproves of the dispositions of those who used the Gospel as
a pretense for aggrandizing themselves, yet rejoices that by this occurrence the
glory of Christ is advanced. We must attend also to the reason which is added,
that it is impossible for any man
who works miracles in the name of Christ to speak evil of
Christ, and therefore this ought to be
reckoned as gain; for hence it follows, that if the disciples had not been more
devoted to their own glory than anxious and desirous to promote the glory of
their Master, they would not have been offended when they saw that glory
heightened and enlarged in another direction. And yet Christ declares that we
ought to reckon as friends those who are not open enemies.
40.
For he who is not against us
is for us. He does not enjoin us to give
a loose rein to rash men, and to be silent while they intermeddle with this and
the other matter, according to their own fancy, and disturb the whole order of
the Church: for such licentiousness, so far as our calling allows, must be
restrained. He only affirms that they act improperly, who unseasonably prevent
the kingdom of God from being advanced by any means whatever. And yet he does
not acknowledge as his disciples, or reckon as belonging to his flock, those who
hold an intermediate place between enemies and friends, but means that,. so far
as they do no harm, they are useful and profitable: for it is a proverbial
saying, which reminds us that we ought not to raise a quarrel till we are
constrained.
Luke
9:51. While the days of his
being received up, etc. Luke alone
relates this narrative, which, however, is highly useful on many accounts. For,
first, it describes the divine courage and firmness of Christ
f580in
despising death; secondly, what deadly enmities are produced by differences
about religion; thirdly, with what headlong ardor the nature of man is hurried
on to impatience; next, how ready we are to fall into mistakes in imitating the
saints; and, lastly, by the example of Christ we are called to the exercise of
meekness. The death of Christ is called his
being received
up,
(ajna>lhyiv)
not only because he was then withdrawn from the midst of us,
f581 but
because, leaving the mean prison of the flesh, he ascended on
high.
52.
And he sent
messengers. It is probable that our Lord
was, at that time, attended by a great multitude of followers; for the
messengers were not sent to prepare a splendid banquet, or to
select some magnificent palace, but only to tell that a vast number of guests
were approaching. They again, when excluded and repulsed, wait for their Master.
Hence, too, we learn, what I remarked in the second place,
f582that
when men differ among themselves about the doctrines of religion, they readily
break out into hatred of each other; for it was an evidence of very bitter
hatred to withhold food from the hungry, and lodging from those who were
fatigued. But the Samaritans have such a dislike and enmity at the Jewish
religion, that they look upon all who follow it as unworthy of any kindness.
Perhaps, too, they were tormented with vexation at being despised; for they knew
that their temple was detested by the Jews as profane, and that they were
considered to be spurious and corrupt worshippers of God. But as the
superstition once admitted kept so firm a hold of them, they strove, with wicked
emulation, to maintain it to the last. At length the contention grew so hot,
that it consumed both nations in one conflagration; for Josephus assures us that
it was the torch which kindled the Jewish war. Now though Christ might easily
have avoided that dislike, he chooses rather to profess himself to be a Jew,
than by an indirect denial to procure a lodging.
53.
He steadfastly set his
face. By this expression Luke has
informed us that Christ, when he had death before his eyes, rose above the fear
of it, and went forward to meet it; but, at the same time, points out that he
had a struggle, and that, having vanquished terror,
f583 he
boldly presented himself to die. For if no dread, no difficulty, no struggle, no
anxiety, had been present to his mind, what need was there that he should
set his face
steadfastly?
f584
But as he was neither devoid of feeling, nor under the influence of foolish
hardihood, he must have been affected by the cruel and bitter death, or rather
the shocking and dreadful agony, which he knew would overtake him from the
rigorous judgment of God; and so far is this from obscuring or diminishing his
glory, that it is a remarkable proof of his unbounded love to us; for laying
aside a regard to himself that he might devote himself to our salvation, through
the midst of terrors he hastened to death, the time of which he knew to be at
hand.
54.
And when His disciples James
and John saw it. The country itself had perhaps
suggested to them the desire of thundering immediately against the ungodly; for
it was there that Elijah had formerly destroyed, by a fire from heaven,
the king’s soldiers who had been sent to apprehend him,
(<120110>2
Kings 1:10.) It therefore occurred to them that the Samaritans, who so basely
rejected the Son of God, were at that time devoted to a similar destruction. And
here we see to what we are driven by a foolish imitation
f585 of the
holy fathers. James and John plead the example of Elijah,
but they do not consider how far they differ from Elijah; they
do not examine properly their own intemperate zeal, nor do they look at the
calling of God. Under a pretext equally plausible did the Samaritans cloak their
idolatry, our fathers worshipped in this mountain,
(<430420>John
4:20.) But both were in the wrong; for, neglecting the exercise of judgment,
they were apes rather than imitators of the holy fathers. Now though it is
doubtful whether they think that they have the power in their own hand, or ask
Christ to give it to them, I think it more probable that, elated with foolish
confidence, they entertain no doubt that they are able to execute vengeance,
provided that Christ give his consent.
55.
You know not of what spirit
you are. By this reply he not only
restrained the unbridled fury of the two disciples, but laid down a rule to all
of us not to indulge our temper. For whoever undertakes any thing, ought to be
fully aware that he has the authority and guidance of the Spirit of God, and
that he is actuated by proper and holy dispositions. Many will be impelled by
the warmth of their zeal, but if the spirit of prudence be wanting, their
ebullitions end in foam. Frequently, too, it happens, that the impure feelings
of the flesh are mingled with their zeal, and that those who appear to be the
keenest zealots for the glory of God are blinded by the private feelings of the
flesh. And therefore, unless our zeal be directed by the Spirit of God, it will
be of no avail to plead in our behalf, that we undertook nothing but from proper
zeal. But the Spirit himself will guide us by wisdom and prudence, that we may
do nothing contrary to our duty, or beyond our calling, nothing, in short, but
what is prudent and seasonable; and, by removing all the filth of the flesh, he
may impart to our minds proper feelings, that we may desire nothing but what God
shall suggest. Christ likewise blames his disciples because, though they
are widely distant from the
spirit of
Elijah,
f586
they rashly take upon themselves to do what he did. For
Elijah
executed the judgment of God, which had been committed to him by the Spirit;
but they rush to vengeance, not by the command of God, but by the movement of
the flesh. And therefore the examples of the saints are no defense to us, unless
the same Spirit that directed them dwell in us.
MATTHEW 19:3-9; MARK
10:2-12
|
MATTHEW
19:3-9
|
MARK
10:2-12
|
|
3. And the Pharisees came to him,
tempting him, and saying to him, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for
any cause whatever? 4. Who answering said to them, Have you not
read, that he who made them at first,
f587 made
them male and female? 5. And he said, Therefore shall a man leave
his father and mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall be one flesh.
6. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh: what God therefore
hath joined, let not man separate. 7. They say to him, Why then did
Moses order to give a letter of divorcement, and send her away?
8. He said to them, Moses, for the hardness of your heart, permitted
you to divorce your wives; but at the beginning it was not so.
9. And I say to you, That whosoever shall divorce his wife, except
for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery; and whosoever
shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
|
2. And the Pharisees, coming to him,
asked him, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife? tempting him.
3. But he answering said to them, What did Moses command you?
4. And they said, Moses permitted to write a letter of divorcement,
and to send her away. 5. And Jesus answering said to them, For the
hardness of your heart he wrote to you this commandment. 6. But at
the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7. For
this reason shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife;
8. And they shall be one flesh: therefore now they are not two, but
one flesh. 9. What therefore God hath joined together let not man
separate. 10. And in the house his disciples again asked him about
the same subject. 11. And he saith to them, Whososever shall
divorce his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.
12. And if a woman shall divorce her husband, and shall be married to
another, she committeth adultery.
|
Matthew 19:3.
And the Pharisees came to
him, tempting him. Though the Pharisees
lay snares for Christ, and cunningly endeavor to impose upon him, yet their
malice proves to be highly useful to us; as the Lord knows how to turn, in a
wonderful manner, to the advantage of his people all the contrivances of wicked
men to overthrow sound doctrine. For, by means of this occurrence, a
question arising out of the liberty of divorce was settled, and a fixed law was
laid down as to the sacred and indissoluble bond of marriage. The occasion of
this quibbling was, that the reply, in whatever way it were given, could not, as
they thought, fail to be offensive.
They ask,
Is it lawful for a man to divorce
his wife for any cause whatever? If
Christ reply in the negative, they will exclaim that he wickedly abolishes the
Law; and if in the affirmative, they will give out that he is not a prophet of
God, but rather a pander, who lends such countenance to the lust of men. Such
were the calculations which they had made in their own minds; but the Son of
God, who knew how to take the wise in their own craftiness,
(<180513>Job
5:13,) disappointed them, sternly opposing unlawful divorces, and at the same
time showing that he brings forward nothing which is inconsistent with the Law.
For he includes the whole question under two heads: that the order of creation
ought to serve for a law, that the husband should maintain conjugal fidelity
during the whole of life; and that divorces were permitted, not
because they were lawful, but because Moses had to deal with a rebellious and
intractable nation.
4.
Have you not
read? Christ does not indeed reply
directly to what was asked, but he fully meets the question which was proposed;
just as if a person now interrogated about the Mass were to explain faithfully
the mystery of the Holy Supper, and at length to conclude, that they are guilty
of sacrilege and forgery who venture either to add or to take away any thing
from the pure institution of the Lord, he would plainly overturn the pretended
sacrifice of the Mass. Now Christ assumes as an admitted principle, that at the
beginning God joined the male to
the female, so that the two made an
entire man; and therefore he who
divorces his wife
tears from him, as it were, the half of
himself. But nature does not allow any man to tear in pieces his own
body.
He adds another argument drawn from the less to the
greater. The bond of marriage is more sacred than that which binds children to
their parents. But piety binds children to their parents by a link which cannot
be broken. Much less then can the husband renounce his wife. Hence it follows,
that a chain which God made is burst asunder, if the husband divorce his wife.
f588
Now the meaning of the words is this: God, who
created the human race, made them
male and female, so that every man might
be satisfied with his own wife, and might not desire more. For he insists on the
number two, as the prophet Malachi, (2:15,)when he remonstrates
against polygamy, employs the same argument, that God, whose
Spirit was so
abundant that He had it in His power to
create more, yet made but one
man, that is, such a man as Christ here
describes. And thus from the order of creation is proved the inviolable union of
one husband with one wife. If it be objected, that in this way it will not be
lawful, after the first wife is dead, to take another, the reply is easy, that
not only is the bond dissolved by death, but the second wife is substituted by
God in the room of the first, as if she had been one and the same
woman.
5.
Therefore shall a man leave
his father and mother. It is uncertain
whether Moses represents Adam or God as speaking these words; but it is of
little consequence to the present passage which of these meanings you choose,
for it was enough to quote the decision which God had pronounced, though it
might have been uttered by the mouth of Adam. Now he who marries a wife is not
commanded absolutely to leave his
father; for God would contradict
himself, if by marriage He set aside those duties which He enjoins on children
towards their parents; but when a comparison is made between the claims, the
wife
is preferred to the father
and mother. But if any man abandon his
father, and shake off the yoke by which he is bound, no man will own such a
monster;
f589 much
less will he be at liberty to dissolve a marriage.
And the two shall be one
flesh. This expression condemns polygamy
not less than it condemns unrestrained liberty in divorcing wives; for, if the
mutual union of two persons was consecrated by the Lord, the mixture of three or
four persons is unauthorized.
f590 But
Christ, as I stated a little ago, applies it in a different manner to his
purpose; namely, to show that whoever divorces his wife tears himself in pieces,
because such is the force of holy marriage, that the husband and wife become one
man. For it was not the design of Christ to introduce the impure and filthy
speculation of Plato, but he spoke with reverence of the order which God has
established. Let the husband and wife, therefore, live together in such a
manner, that each shall cherish the other in the same manner as if they were the
half of themselves. Let the husband rule, so as to be the head, and not the
tyrant, of his wife; and let the woman, on the other hand, yield modestly to his
commands.
6.
What God therefore hath
joined. By this sentence Christ
restrains the caprice of husbands, that they may not, by divorcing their wives,
burst asunder the sacred knot. And as he declares that it is not in the power of
the husband to dissolve the marriage, so likewise he forbids all others to
confirm by their authority unlawful divorces; for the magistrate abuses his
power when he grants permission to the husband to divorce his wife. But the
object which Christ had directly in view was, that every man should sacredly
observe the promise which he has given, and that those who are tempted, by
wantonness or wicked dispositions, to divorce, may reflect thus with themselves:
“Who, art thou that allowest thyself to
burst asunder what God hath
joined?” But this doctrine
may be still farther extended. The Papists, contriving for us a church separated
from Christ the Head, leave us an imperfect and mutilated body. In the Holy
Supper, Christ joined the bread and the wine; but they have dared to withhold
from all the people the use of the cup. To these diabolical corruptions we shall
be at liberty to oppose these words,
What God hath joined let not man
separate.
7.
Why then did Moses
order? They had thought of this calumny,
f591if,
which was more probable, Christ should demand a proper cause to be shown in
cases of divorce; for it appears that whatever God permits by his law, whose
will alone establishes the distinction between what is good or evil, is lawful.
But Christ disarms the falsehood and slander by the appropriate reply, that
Moses permitted it on account of their obstinacy, and not because he approved of
it as lawful. And he confirms his opinion by the best argument,
because it was not so at the
beginning. He takes for granted that,
when God at first instituted marriage, he established a perpetual law, which
ought to remain in force till the end of the world. And if the institution of
marriage is to be reckoned an inviolable law, it follows that whatever swerves
from it does not arise from its pure nature, but from the depravity of
men.
But it is asked, Ought Moses to have permitted what
was in itself bad and sinful? I reply, That, in an unusual sense of the word, he
is said to have permitted what he did not severely forbid;
f592 for he
did not lay down a law about divorces, so as to give them the seal of his
approbation, but as the wickedness of men could not be restrained in any other
way, he applied what was the most admissible remedy, that the husband should, at
least, attest the chastity of his wife. For the law was made solely for the
protection of the women, that they might not suffer any disgrace after they had
been unjustly rejected. Hence we infer, that it was rather a punishment
inflicted on the husbands, than an indulgence or permission fitted to
inflame their lust. Besides, political and outward order is widely different
from spiritual government. What is lawful and proper the Lord has comprehended
under the ten words.
f593
Now as it is possible that many things, for which every man’s
conscience reproves and charges him, may not be called in question at a human
tribunal, it is not wonderful if those things are connived at by political
laws.
Let us take a familiar instance. The laws grant to us
a greater liberty of litigation than the law of charity allows. Why is this?
Because the right cannot be conferred on individuals, unless there be an open
door for demanding it; and yet the inward law of God declares that we ought to
follow what charity shall dictate. And yet there is no reason why magistrates
should make this an excuse for their indolence, if they voluntarily abstain from
correcting vices, or neglect what the nature of their office demands. But let
men in a private station beware of doubling the criminality of the magistrates,
by screening their own vices under the protection of the laws. For here the Lord
indirectly reproves the Jews for not, reckoning it enough that their
stubbornness was allowed to pass unpunished, if they did not implicate God as
defending their iniquity. And if the rule of a holy and pious life is not
always, or in all places, to be sought from political laws, much less ought we
to seek it from custom.
9.
But I say to
you. Mark relates that this was spoken
to the disciples apart, when they had come
into the
house; but Matthew,
leaving out this circumstance, gives it as a part of the discourse, as the
Evangelists frequently leave out some intermediate occurrence, because they
reckon it enough to sum up the leading points. There is therefore no difference,
except that the one explains the matter more distinctly than the other. The
substance of it is: though the Law does not punish divorces, which are at
variance with God’s first institution, yet he is an adulterer who rejects
his wife and takes another. For it is not in the power of a man to dissolve the
engagement of marriage, which the Lord wishes to remain inviolate; and so the
woman who occupies the bed of a lawful wife is a concubine.
But an exception is added; for the woman, by
fornication, cuts herself off, as a rotten member, from her husband, and sets
him at liberty. Those who search for other reasons ought justly to be set at
nought, because they choose to be wise above the heavenly teacher. They say that
leprosy is a proper ground for divorce, because the contagion of the
disease affects not only the husband, but likewise the children. For my own
part, while I advise a religious man not to touch a woman afflicted with
leprosy, I do not pronounce him to be at liberty to divorce her. If it be
objected, that they who cannot live unmarried need a remedy, that they may not
be burned, I answer, that what is sought in opposition to the word
of God is not a remedy. I add too, that if they give themselves up to be guided
by the Lord, they will never want continence, for they follow what he has
prescribed. One man shall contract such a dislike of his wife, that he cannot
endure to keep company with her: will polygamy cure this evil? Another
man’s wife shall fall into palsy or apoplexy, or be afflicted with some
other incurable disease, shall the husband reject her under the pretense of
incontinency? We know, on the contrary, that none of those who walk in their
ways are ever left destitute of the assistance of the Spirit.
For the sake of avoiding fornication,
says Paul, let every man marry a wife,
(<460702>1
Corinthians 7:2.) He who has done so, though he may not succeed to his wish, has
done his duty; and, therefore, if any thing be wanting, he will be supported by
divine aid. To go beyond this is nothing else than to tempt God. When Paul
mentions another reason, namely, that when, through a dislike of godliness,
wives happen to be rejected by unbelievers, a godly brother or sister is
not, in such a case, liable to bondage,
(<460712>1
Corinthians 7:12,15,) this is not inconsistent with Christ’s meaning. For
he does not there inquire into the proper grounds of divorce, but only whether a
woman continues to be bound to an unbelieving husband, after that, through
hatred of God, she has been wickedly rejected, and cannot be reconciled to him
in any other way than by forsaking God; and therefore we need not wonder if Paul
think it better that she should part with a mortal man than that she should be
at variance with God.
But the exception which Christ states appears to be
superfluous. For, if the adulteress deserve to be punished with death, what
purpose does it serve to talk of divorces? But as it was the duty of the husband
to prosecute his wife for adultery, in order to purge his house from infamy,
whatever might be the result, the husband, who convicts his wife of uncleanness,
is here freed by Christ from the bond. It is even possible that, among a corrupt
and degenerate people, this crime remained to a great extent unpunished; as, in
our own day, the wicked forbearance of magistrates makes it necessary for
husbands to put away unchaste wives, because adulterers are not punished. It
must also be observed, that the right belongs equally and mutually to both
sides, as there is a mutual and equal obligation to fidelity. For, though in
other matters the husband holds the superiority, as to the marriage bed, the
wife has an equal right: for he is not the lord of his body; and therefore when,
by committing adultery, he has dissolved the marriage, the wife is set at
liberty.
And whosoever shall marry her that
is divorced. This clause has been very
ill explained by many commentators; for they have thought that generally, and
without exception, celibacy is enjoined in all cases when a divorce has taken
place; and, therefore, if a husband should put away an adulteress, both would be
laid under the necessity of remaining unmarried. As if this liberty of divorce
meant only not to lie with his wife; and as if Christ did not evidently grant
permission in this case to do what the Jews were wont indiscriminately to do at
their pleasure. It was therefore a gross error; for, though Christ condemns as
an adulterer the man who shall
marry a wife that has been divorced,
this is undoubtedly restricted to unlawful and frivolous divorces. In like
manner, Paul enjoins those who have been so dismissed
to remain unmarried, or
to be reconciled to their
husbands,
(<460711>1
Corinthians 7:11;)
that is, because quarrels and differences do not
dissolve a marriage. This is clearly made out from the passage in Mark, where
express mention is made of the wife who has left her husband:
and if the wife shall divorce her
husband. Not that wives were permitted
to give their husbands a letter of divorcement, unless so far as the Jews had
been contaminated by foreign customs; but Mark intended to show that our Lord
condemned the corruption which was at that time universal, that, after voluntary
divorces, they entered on both sides into new marriages; and therefore he makes
no mention of adultery.
MATTHEW
19:10-12
|
MATTHEW
19:10-12
|
|
10. His disciples say to him, If such be
the case of the man with his wife,
f594 it is
not expedient to enter into marriage. 11. Who said to them,
f595 All are
not capable of receiving this saying, but those to whom it is given.
12. For there are eunuchs, who were so born from their mother’s
womb; and there are eunuchs, who have been made eunuchs by men; and there are
eunuchs, who have castrated themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He
who can receive it,
f596 let him
receive it.
|
10.
His disciples say to
him. As if it were a hard condition for
husbands to be so bound to their wives, that, so long as they remain chaste,
they are compelled to endure every thing rather than leave them, the disciples,
roused by this answer of Christ, reply, that it is better to want wives than to
submit to a knot of this kind.
f597But why
do they not, on the other hand, consider how hard is the bondage of wives,
f598 but
because, devoted to themselves and their own convenience, they are driven by the
feeling of the flesh to disregard others, and to think only of what is
advantageous for themselves? Meanwhile, it is a display of base ingratitude
that, from the dread or dislike of a single inconvenience, they reject a
wonderful gift of God. It is better, according to them, to avoid marriage than
to bind one’s self by the bond of living always together.
f599 But if
God has ordained marriage for the general advantage of mankind, though it may be
attended by some things that are disagreeable, it is not on that account to be
despised. Let us therefore learn not to be delicate and saucy, but to use with
reverence the gifts of God, even if there be something in them that does not
please us. Above all, let us guard against this wickedness in reference to holy
marriage; for, in consequence of its being attended by many annoyances, Satan
has always endeavored to make it an object of hatred and detestation, in order
to withdraw men from it. And Jerome has given too manifest a proof of a
malicious and wicked disposition, in not only loading with calumnies that sacred
and divinely appointed condition of life, but in collecting as many terms of
reproach
(loidori>av)
as he could from profane authors, in order to take away its respectability.
But let us recollect that whatever annoyances belong to marriage are accidental,
for they arise out of the depravity of man. Let us remember that, since our
nature was corrupted, marriage began to be a medicine, and therefore we need not
wonder if it have a bitter taste mixed with its sweetness. But we must see how
our Lord confutes this folly.
11.
All are not capable of
receiving this saying. By this he means,
that the choice is not placed in our hands, as if we were to deliberate on a
matter submitted to us. If any man thinks it advantageous for him to want a
wife, and, without making any inquiry, lays upon himself an obligation to
celibacy,
f600 he is
widely mistaken. God, who has declared it to be good that a man should have a
woman to be his helper, will punish the contempt of his own appointment; for
mortals take too much on themselves, when they endeavor to exempt themselves
from the heavenly calling. But Christ proves that it is not free to all to make
what choice they please, because the gift of continence is a special gift; for
when he says that all are not
capable of receiving it, but those to whom it is
given, he plainly shows that it was not
given to all. And this reproves the pride of those who do not hesitate to claim
for themselves what Christ so manifestly refuses to them.
12.
For there are
eunuchs. Christ distinguishes three
kinds of eunuchs. Those who are so by nature, or who have been
castrated by men, are debarred from marriage by this defect, for they are not
men. He says that there are other eunuchs, who have castrated
themselves, that they may be more at liberty to serve God; and these he exempts
from the obligation to marry. Hence it follows, that all others who avoid
marriage fight against God with sacrilegious hardihood, after the manner of the
giants. When Papists urge the word castrate,
(eujnou~cisan)
as if at their own pleasure men might lay themselves under obligation to
continence, it is too frivolous. For Christ has already declared, that God gives
it to whom he chooses; and, a little afterwards, we shall find him maintaining,
that it is folly in any man to choose to live unmarried, when he has not
received this special gift. This castration, therefore, is not left to free
will; but the plain meaning is, while some men are by nature fit to marry,
though they abstain, they do not tempt God, because God grants them exemption.
f601
For the sake of the kingdom of
heaven. Many foolishly explain this as
meaning, in order to deserve
eternal life; as if celibacy contained within
itself some meritorious service, as the Papists imagine that it is an angelical
state. But Christ meant nothing more than that persons unmarried ought to have
this for their object, that, being freed from all cares, they may apply
themselves more readily to the duties of piety. It is, therefore, a foolish
imagination, that celibacy is a virtue; for it is not in itself more pleasing to
God than fasting, and is not entitled to be reckoned among the duties which he
requires from us, but ought to have a reference to another object. Nay more,
Christ expressly intended to declare that, though a man be pure from
fornication, yet his celibacy is not approved by God, if he only consults his
own ease and comfort, but that he is excused on this single ground, that he aims
at a free and unrestrained meditation on the heavenly life. In short, Christ
teaches us, that it is not enough, if unmarried men live chastely, unless they
abstain from having wives, for the express purpose of devoting themselves to
better employments.
f602
He that can receive it, let him
receive it. By this conclusion Christ
warns them, that the use of marriage is not to be despised, unless we intend,
with blind rashness, to rush headlong to destruction: for it became necessary to
restrain the disciples, whom he saw acting inconsiderately and without judgment.
But the warning is useful to all; for, in selecting a manner of life, few
consider what has been given to them, but men rush forward, without
discrimination, in whatever direction inconsiderate zeal prompts them. And I
wish that the warning had been attended to in past times; but men’s ears
are stopped by I know not what enchantments of Satan, so that, contrary to
nature, and, at it were, in spite of God, those whom God called to marriage have
bound themselves by the cord of perpetual virginity.
f603
Next came the deadly cord of a vow, by which wretched souls were bound,
f604so that
they never rose out of the ditch.
MATTHEW 19:13-15; MARK
10:13-16;
LUKE
18:15-17
|
MATTHEW
19:13-15
|
MARK
10:13-16
|
LUKE
18:15-17
|
|
13. Then were presented to him children,
that he might lay hands on them and pray; but the disciples rebuked them.
14. And Jesus said to them, Suffer children, and forbid them not, to
come to me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. 15. And when he
had laid hands on them, he departed thence.
|
13. And they brought to him children,
that he might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who presented them.
14. And when Jesus saw it, he was displeased, and said to them,
Suffer children to come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the
kingdom of heaven. 15. Verily I say to you, Whosoever shall not
receive the kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it.
16. And when he had taken them in his arms, he laid hands on them, and
blessed them.
|
15. And they presented to him also
infants, that he might touch them; which, when the disciples saw, they rebuked
them. 16. But Jesus, when he had called them to him, said, Suffer
children to come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of
God. 17. Verily I say to you, Whosoever shall not receive the
kingdom of God as a child shall not enter into it.
|
This narrative is highly useful; for it shows that
Christ receives not only those who, moved by holy desire and faith, freely
approach to him, but those who are not yet of age to know how much they need his
grace. Those little
children have not yet any understanding
to desire his blessing; but when they are presented to him, he gently and kindly
receives them, and dedicates them to the Father
f605 by a
solemn act of blessing. We must observe the intention of those who present the
children; for if there had not been a deep-rooted conviction in their minds,
that the power of the Spirit was at his disposal, that he might pour it out on
the people of God, it would have been unreasonable to present their children.
There is no room, therefore, to doubt, that they ask for them a participation of
his grace; and so, by way of amplification, Luke adds the particle
also; as if he had said that, after they had experienced the
various ways in which he assisted adults, they formed an expectation likewise in
regard to children, that, if he
laid hands on
them, they would not leave him without
having received some of the gifts of the Spirit. The
laying on of
hands (as we have said on a former
occasion) was an ancient and well known sign of
blessing;
and so there is no reason to wonder, if they desire that Christ, while
employing that solemn ceremony, should pray for the children. At
the same time, as the inferior are blessed by the better,
(<580707>Hebrews
7:7,) they ascribe to him the power and honor of the highest
Prophet.
Matthew 19:13.
But the disciples rebuked
them. If a crown
f606 had
been put on his head, they would have admitted it willingly, and with
approbation; for they did not yet comprehend his actual office. But they reckon
it unworthy of his character to receive children; and their error wanted
not plausibility; for what has the highest Prophet and the Son of God to do with
infants? But hence we learn, that they who judge of Christ according to
the feeling of their flesh are unfair judges; for they constantly deprive him of
his peculiar excellencies, and, on the other hand, ascribe, under the appearance
of honor, what does not at all belong to him. Hence arose an immense mass of
superstitions, which presented to the world a fancied Christ.
f607 And
therefore let us learn not to think of him otherwise than what himself teaches,
and not to assign to him a character different from what he has received from
the Father. We see what happened with Popery. They thought that they were
conferring a great honor on Christ, if they bowed down before a small piece of
bread; but in the sight of God it was an offensive abomination. Again, because
they did not think it sufficiently honorable to him to perform the office of an
Advocate for us, they made for themselves innumerable intercessors; but in this
way they deprived him of the honor of Mediator.
14.
Suffer children.
He declares that he wishes to receive
children;
and at length, taking them in
his arms, he not only embraces, but
blesses
them by the laying on of
hand; from which we infer that his grace
is extended even to those who are of that age. And no wonder; for since the
whole race of Adam is shut up under the sentence of death, all from the least
even to the greatest must perish, except those who are rescued by the only
Redeemer. To exclude from the grace of redemption those who are of that age
would be too cruel; and therefore it is not without reason that we employ this
passage as a shield against the Anabaptists. They refuse baptism to
infants,
because infants are incapable of understanding that mystery which is denoted
by it. We, on the other hand, maintain that, since baptism is the pledge and
figure of the forgiveness of sins, and likewise of adoption by God, it ought not
to be denied to
infants,
whom God adopts and washes with the blood of his Son. Their objection, that
repentance and newness of life are also denoted by it, is easily answered.
Infants
are renewed by the Spirit of God, according to the capacity of their age,
till that power which was concealed within them grows by degrees, and becomes
fully manifest at the proper time. Again, when they argue that there is no other
way in which we are reconciled to God, and become heirs of adoption, than by
faith, we admit this as to adults, but, with respect to
infants,
this passage demonstrates it to be false. Certainly, the
laying on of
hands was not a trifling or empty sign,
and the prayers of Christ were not idly wasted in air. But he could not present
the infants solemnly to God without giving them purity. And for what did he pray
for them, but that they might be received into the number of the children of
God? Hence it follows, that they were renewed by the Spirit to the hope of
salvation. In short, by embracing them, he testified that they were reckoned by
Christ among his flock. And if they were partakers of the spiritual gifts, which
are represented by Baptism, it is unreasonable that they should be deprived of
the outward sign. But it is presumption and sacrilege to drive far from the fold
of Christ those whom he cherishes in his bosom, and to shut the door, and
exclude as strangers those whom he does not wish to be forbidden to come to
him.
For of such is the kingdom of
heaven. Under this term he includes both
little children and those who resemble them; for the Anabaptists
foolishly exclude children, with whom the subject must have commenced; but at
the same time, taking occasion from the present occurrence, he intended to
exhort his disciples to lay aside malice and pride, and put on the nature of
children.
Accordingly, it is added by Mark and Luke, that no man
can enter into the kingdom of
heaven unless he be made to resemble a
child. But we must attend to Paul’s admonition,
not to be children in
understanding, but in
malice,
(<461420>1
Corinthians 14:20.)
MATTHEW 19:16-22; MARK
10:17-22;
LUKE
18:18-23
|
MATTHEW
19:16-22
|
MARK
10:17-22
|
LUKE
18:18-23
|
|
16. And, lo, one came and said to him,
Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17. Who said to him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but
God alone?
f608 but if
thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18. He saith to
him, Which? And Jesus said, Thou shalt not murder, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19
Honor thy father and mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
20. The young man saith to him, All these things have I kept from my
youth: what do I still want? 21. Jesus saith to him, If thou wilt
be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have a
treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 22. And when the young man
heard that saying, he went away sorrowful; for he had many possessions.
f609
|
17. And as he was going out into the
road, one ran, and, when he had kneeled down, asked him, Good Master, what shall
I do, that I may obtain eternal life? 18. And Jesus said to him,
Why callest thou me good? There is none good but God alone.
19. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill,
Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honor thy father and
mother. 20. But he answering said to him, Master, all these things
have I kept from my youth. 21. And Jesus, beholding him, loved him,
and said to him, Thou art in want of one thing, go sell what thou hast, and give
to the poor, and thou shalt have a treasure in heaven; and come, follow me,
taking the cross on thy shoulders. 22. But he, affected with
uneasiness on account of the saying, went away sorrowful; for he had many
possessions.
|
18. And a certain ruler asked him,
saying, Good Master, what shall I do, that I may obtain eternal life?
19. And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? None is good but
God alone. 20. Thou knowest the commandments, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false
witness. Honor thy father and thy mother. 21. And he said, All
these things have I kept from my youth. 22. Having heard this,
Jesus said to him, Yet one thing thou wantest; sell all that thou hast, and give
to the poor, and thou shalt have a treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.
23. Having heard these things, he was grieved; for he was very
rich.
|
Matthew 19:16.
And, lo,
one. Luke says that he was a
ruler,
(a]rcwn,)
that is, a man of very high authority, not one of the common people.
f610And
though riches procure respect,
f611 yet he
appears to be here represented to have been held in high estimation as a good
man. For my own part, after weighing all the circumstances, I have no doubt
that, though he is called a young
man, he belonged to the class of those
who upheld the integrity of the
Elders,
by a sober and regular life.
f612 He did
not come treacherously, as the scribes were wont to do, but from a desire of
instruction; and, accordingly, both by words and by
kneeling,
he testifies his reverence for Christ as a faithful teacher. But, on the
other hand, a blind confidence in his works hindered him from profiting under
Christ, to whom, in other respects, he wished to be submissive. Thus, in our own
day, we find some who are not ill-disposed, but who, under the influence of I
know not what shadowy holiness,
f613 hardly
relish the doctrine of the Gospel.
But, in order to form a more correct judgment of the
meaning of the answer, we must attend to the form of the question. He does not
simply ask how and by what means he shall reach life, but
what good thing he shall do, in
order to obtain it. He therefore dreams
of merits, on account of which he may receive eternal life as a reward
due; and therefore Christ appropriately sends him to the keeping of the law,
which unquestionably is the way of life, as I shall explain more
fully afterwards.
17.
Why callest thou me
good? I do not understand this correction in so
refined a sense as is given by a good part of interpreters, as if Christ
intended to suggest his Divinity; for they imagine that these words mean,
“If thou perceivest in me nothing more exalted than human nature,
thou falsely appliest to me the epithet good, which belongs to
God alone.” I do acknowledge that, strictly speaking, men
and even angels do not deserve so honorable a title; because they have not a
drop of goodness in themselves, but borrowed from God; and because in the
former, goodness is only begun, and is not perfect. But Christ had no other
intention than to maintain the truth of his doctrine; as if he had said,
“Thou falsely callest me a
good Master, unless thou
acknowledgest that I have come from God.” The essence of his Godhead,
therefore, is not here maintained, but the
young
man is directed to admit the truth of
the doctrine. He had already felt some disposition to obey; but Christ wishes
him to rise higher, that he may hear God speaking. For — as it is
customary with men to make angels of those who are devils — they
indiscriminately give the appellation of
good
teachers to those in whom they perceive
nothing divine; but those modes of speaking are only profanations of the gifts
of God. We need not wonder, therefore, if Christ, in order to maintain the
authority of his doctrine, directs the young
man
to God.
Keep the
commandments. This passage was
erroneously interpreted by some of the ancients, whom the Papists have followed,
as if Christ taught that, by beeping the law, we may merit eternal
life. On the contrary, Christ did not take into consideration what
men can do, but replied to the question, What is the righteousness of works? or,
What does the Law require? And certainly we ought to believe that God
comprehended in his law the way of living holily and righteously, in which
righteousness is included; for not without reason did Moses make this
statement,
He that does these things
shall live in them,
(<031805>Leviticus
18:5;)
and again,
I call heaven and earth
to witness that l have
this day
showed you life,
(<053019>Deuteronomy
30:19.)
We have no right, therefore, to deny that the keeping
of the law is righteousness, by which any man who kept the law perfectly —
if there were such a man — would obtain life for himself. But as we are
all destitute of the glory of God,
(<450323>Romans
3:23,) nothing but cursing will be found in the law; and nothing remains for us
but to betake ourselves to the undeserved gift of righteousness. And therefore
Paul lays down a twofold righteousness, the righteousness of the law,
(<451005>Romans
10:5,) and the righteousness of faith,
(<451006>Romans
10:6.) He makes the first to consist in works, and the second, in the free grace
of Christ.
Hence we infer, that this reply of Christ is legal,
because it was proper that the young man who inquired about the
righteousness of works should first be taught that no man is accounted righteous
before God unless he has fulfilled the law,
f614 (which
is impossible,) that, convinced of his weakness, he might betake himself to the
assistance of faith. I acknowledge, therefore, that, as God has promised the
reward of eternal life to those who keep his law, we ought to hold by
this way, if the weakness of our flesh did not prevent; but Scripture teaches
us, that it is through our own fault that it becomes necessary for us to receive
as a gift what we cannot obtain by works. If it be objected, that it is in vain
to hold out to us the righteousness which is in the law,
(<451005>Romans
10:5,) which no man will ever be able to reach, I reply, since it is the first
part of instruction, by which we are led to the righteousness which is obtained
by prayer, it is far from being superfluous; and, therefore, when Paul says,
that the doers of the law are justified,
(<450213>Romans
2:13,) he excludes all from the righteousness of the
law.
This passage sets aside all the inventions which the
Papists have contrived in order to obtain salvation. For not only are they
mistaken in wishing to lay God under obligation to them by their good works, to
bestow salvation as a debt; but when they apply themselves to do what is right,
they leave out of view the doctrine of the law, and attend chiefly to their
pretended devotions, as they call them, not that they openly
reject the law of God, but that they greatly prefer human traditions.
f615 But
what does Christ say? That the only worship of which God approves is that which
he has prescribed; because obedience is better to him than all
sacrifices,
f616
(<091522>1
Samuel 15:22.) So then, while the Papists are employed in frivolous
traditions, let every man who endeavors to regulate his life by obedience to
Christ direct his whole attention to
keep the
commandments of the
law.
18.
Thou shalt not
murder. It is surprising that, though
Christ intended to show that we are bound to obey the whole law, he should
mention the second table only; but he did so, because from the duties of charity
the disposition of every man is better ascertained. Piety towards God holds, no
doubt, a higher rank;
f617 but as
the observation of the first table is often feigned by hypocrites, the second
table is better adapted for making a scrutiny.
f618 Let us
know, therefore, that Christ selected those commandments in which is contained a
proof of true righteousness; but by a synecdoche he takes a part for the
whole. As to the circumstance of his placing that commandment last which speaks
of honoring parents, it is of no consequence, for he paid no attention to
the regular order. Yet it is worthy of notice, that this commandment is declared
to belong to the second table, that no one may be led astray by the error of
Josephus, who thought that it belonged to the first table.
f619 What is
added at the end, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor, contains nothing different
from the former commandments, but is, general explanation of them
all.
The young man saith to
him. The law must have been dead to him,
when he vainly imagined that he was so righteous; for if he had not flattered
himself through hypocrisy, it was an excellent advice to him to learn humility,
to contemplate his spots and blemishes in the mirror of the law. But,
intoxicated with foolish confidence, he fearlessly boasts that he has discharged
his duty properly from his childhood. Paul acknowledges that the same thing
happened to himself, that, so long as the power of the law was unknown to
him, he believed that he was alive; but that, after he knew what the
law could do, a deadly wound was inflicted on him,
(<450709>Romans
7:9.) So the reply of Christ, which follows, was suited to the man’s
disposition. And yet Christ does not demand any thing beyond the commandments of
the law, but, as the bare recital had not affected him, Christ employed other
words for detecting the hidden disease of avarice.
I confess that we are nowhere commanded in the law to
sell all; but as the design of the law is, to bring men to self-denial,
and as it expressly condemns covetousness, we see that Christ had no other
object in view than to correct the false conviction of the young man.
f620
for if he had known himself thoroughly, as soon as he heard the mention of
the law, he would have acknowledged that he was liable to the
judgment of God; but now, when the bare words of the law do not sufficiently
convince him of his guilt, the inward meaning is expressed by other words. If
Christ now demanded any thing beyond the commandments of the law, he would be at
variance with himself. He just now taught that perfect righteousness is
comprehended in the commandments of the law: how then will it agree with
this to charge the law with deficiency? Besides, the protestation of Moses,
(<053015>Deuteronomy
30:15,)which I formerly quoted, would be false.
Mark 10:21.
One thing thou
wantest. Christ therefore does not mean
that the young man
wanted one THING beyond the keeping of
the law, but in the very keeping of the law. For though the law nowhere obliges
us to sell all, yet as it represses all sinful desires, and
teaches us to bear the
cross, as it bids us be prepared for
hunger and poverty, the young man is very far from keeping it fully, so
long as he is attached to his riches, and burns with covetousness. And he says
that one thing is
wanting, because he does not need to
preach to him about fornication and murder, but to point out a particular
disease, as if he were laying his finger on the sore.
It ought also to be observed, that he does not only
enjoin him to
sell, but likewise to
give to the
poor; for to part with riches would not
be in itself a virtue, but rather a vain ambition. Profane historians applaud
Crates, a Theban, because he threw into the sea his money and all that he
reckoned valuable; for he did not think that he could save himself unless his
wealth were lost; as if it would not have been better to bestow on others what
he imagined to be more than he needed. Certainly, as charity is the bond of
perfection,
(<510314>Colossians
3:14,) he who deprives others, along with himself, of the use of money, deserves
no praise; and therefore Christ applauds not simply the selling
but liberality in assisting the poor.
The mortification of the flesh is still more strongly
urged by Christ, when he says,
Follow
me. For he enjoins him not only to
become his disciple, but to submit his shoulders to
bear the
cross, as Mark expressly states. And it
was necessary that such an excitement should be applied; for, having been
accustomed to the ease, and leisure and conveniences, of home, he had never
experienced, in the smallest degree, what it was to crucify the old man, and to
subdue the desires of the flesh. But it is excessively ridiculous in the monks,
under the pretense of this passage, to claim for themselves state of perfection.
First, it is easy to infer, that Christ does not command all without exception
to sell all that they
have; for the husbandman, who had been
accustomed to live by his labor, and to support his children, would do wrong in
selling his possession, if he were not constrained to it by any necessity. To
keep what God has put in our power, provided that, by maintaining ourselves and
our family in sober and frugal manner, we bestow some portion on the poor, is a
greater virtue than to squander all. But what sort of thing is that famous
selling, on which the monks plume themselves? A good part of them,
finding no provision at home, plunge themselves into monasteries as well-stocked
hog-styes. All take such good care of themselves, that they feed in idleness on
the bread of others. A rare exchange truly, when those who are ordered to give
to the poor what they justly possess are not satisfied with their own, but seize
on the property of others.
Jesus beholding him, loved
him. The inference which the Papists
draw from this, that works morally good — that is, works which are not
performed by the impulse of the Spirit, but go before regeneration — have
the merit of congruity, is an excessively childish contrivance.
For if merit be alleged to be the consequence of the love of God, we must
then say that frogs and fleas have merit, because all the creatures of God,
without exception, are the objects of his love. To distinguish the degrees of
love is, therefore, a matter of importance.
f621 As to
the present passage, it may be enough to state briefly, that God embraces in
fatherly love none but his children, whom he has regenerated with the Spirit of
adoption, and that it is in consequence of this love that they are accepted at
his tribunal. In this sense, to be loved by God, and to be justified in his
sight, are synonymous terms.
f622
But God is sometimes said to love those whom
he does not approve or justify; for, since the preservation of the human race is
agreeable to Him — which consists in justice, uprightness, moderation,
prudence, fidelity, and temperance — he is said to love the
political virtues; not that they are meritorious of salvation or of grace, but
that they have reference to an end of which he approves. In this sense, under
various points of view, God loved Aristides and Fabricius, and also
hated them; for, in so far as he had bestowed on them outward
righteousness, and that for the general advantage, he loved his own work
in them; but as their heart was impure, the outward semblance of righteousness
was of no avail for obtaining righteousness. For we know that by faith alone
hearts are purified, and that the Spirit of uprightness is given to the members
of Christ alone. Thus the question is answered, How was it possible that Christ
should love a man who was proud and a hypocrite, while nothing is more
hateful to God than these two vices? For it is not inconsistent, that the good
seed, which God has implanted in some natures, shall be loved by Him, and
yet that He should reject their persons and works on account of
corruption.
Matthew 19:22.
He went away
sorrowful. The result at length showed
how widely distant the young man was from that perfection to which Christ
had called him; for how comes it that he withdraws from the school of Christ,
but because he finds it uneasy to be stripped of his riches? But if we are not
prepared to endure poverty, it is manifest that covetousness reigns in us. And
this is what I said at the outset, that the order which Christ gave, to
sell all that he
had, was not an addition to the law, but
the scrutiny of a concealed vice.
f623 For the
more deeply a man is tainted by this or the other vice, the more strikingly will
it be dragged forth to light by being reproved. We are reminded also by this
example that, if we would persevere steadily in the school of Christ, we must
renounce the flesh. This young man, who had brought both a desire
to learn and modesty, withdrew from Christ, because it was hard to part with a
darling vice. The same thing will happen to us, unless the sweetness of the
grace of Christ render all the allurements of the flesh distasteful to us.
Whether or not this temptation was temporary, so that the young man
afterwards repented, we know not; but it may be conjectured with
probability, that his covetousness kept him back from making any
proficiency.
MATTHEW 19:23-26; MARK
10:23-27;
LUKE
18:24-27
|
Matthew
19:23-26
|
Mark
10:23-27
|
Luke
18:24-27
|
|
23. And Jesus said to his disciples,
Verily I say to you, A rich man will with difficulty enter into the kingdom of
heaven. 24. Again I say to you, It is easier for a camel
f624 to pass
through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of
God. 25. And his disciples, when they had heard these things, were
greatly amazed,
f625 saying,
Who then can be saved? 26. And Jesus, beholding them, said to them,
With men this is impossible; but with God all things are
possible.
|
23. And when Jesus had looked around, he
said to his disciples, With what difficulty shall they who have riches enter
into the kingdom of God! 24. And the disciples were astonished at
his words. But Jesus again replying, said to them, Children, how difficult is it
for those who have confidence in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
25. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26. And they
wondered beyond measure, saying within themselves, And who can be saved?
27. And Jesus beholding them saith, With men it is impossible, but not
with God: for all things are possible with God.
|
24. And Jesus, perceiving that he was
sorrowful, said, With what difficulty shall they who have riches enter into the
kingdom of God! 25. For it is easier for a camel to pass through
the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
26. And they that heard it said, And who can be saved?
f626
27. But he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible
with God.
|
Matthew 19:23.
A rich man will with
difficulty enter. Christ warns them, not only
how dangerous and how deadly a plague avarice is, but also how great an obstacle
is presented by riches. In Mark, indeed, he mitigates the harshness of his
expression, by restricting it to those only
who place confidence in
riches. But these words are, I think,
intended to confirm, rather than correct, the former statement, as if he had
affirmed that they ought not to think it strange, that he made the
entrance into the kingdom of
heaven so difficult for the rich,
because it is an evil almost common to all to
trust in their
riches. Yet this doctrine is highly
useful to all; to the
rich, that, being warned of their
danger, they may be on their guard; to the poor, that, satisfied with their lot,
they may not so eagerly desire what would bring more damage than gain. It is
true indeed, that
riches
do not, in their own nature, hinder us from following God; but, in
consequence of the depravity of the human mind, it is scarcely possible for
those who have a great abundance to avoid being intoxicated by them. So they who
are exceedingly rich are held by Satan bound, as it were, in chains, that
they may not raise their thoughts to heaven; nay more, they bury and entangle
themselves, and became utter slaves to the earth. The comparison of the
camel., which is soon after added, is intended to amplify the
difficulty; for it means that the rich are so swelled with pride
and presumption, that they cannot endure to be reduced to the straits through
which God makes his people to pass. The word camel denotes, I think, a
rope used by sailors, rather than the animal so named.
f627
25.
And his disciples, when they
heard these things, were greatly amazed. The disciples are
astonished, because it ought to awaken
in us no little anxiety, that riches obstruct the entrance into the
kingdom of God; for, wherever we turn our eyes, a thousand obstacles will
present themselves. But let us observe that, while they were struck with
astonishment, they did not shrink from the doctrines of Christ. The case was
different with him who was lately mentioned; for he was so much alarmed by the
severity of the commandment, that he separated from Christ; while they, though
trembling, and inquiring, who can
be saved? do not break off in an
opposite direction, but are desirous to conquer despair. Thus it will be of
service to us to tremble at the threatenings of God: whenever he denounces any
thing that is gloomy or dreadful, provided that our minds are not discouraged,
but rather aroused.
26.
With men this is
impossible. Christ does not entirely
free the minds of his disciples from all anxiety; for it is proper that they
should perceive how difficult it is to ascend to heaven; first, that they may
direct all their efforts to this object; and next, that, distrusting themselves,
they may implore strength from heaven. We see how great is our indolence and
carelessness; and what the consequence would be if believers thought that they
had to walk at ease, for pastime, along a smooth and cheerful plain. Such is the
reason why Christ does not extenuate the danger — though he perceives the
terror which it excited in his disciples — but rather increases it; for
though formerly he said only that it was
difficult,
he now affirms it to be impossible. Hence it is evident, that
those teachers are guilty of gross impropriety, who are so much afraid to speak
harshly, that they give indulgence to the slothfulness of the flesh. They ought
to follow, on the contrary, the rule of Christ, who so regulates his style that,
after men have been bowed down within themselves, he teaches them to rely on the
grace of God alone, and, at the same time, excites them to prayer. In this
manner, the weakness of men is seasonably relieved, not by ascribing anything to
them, but by arousing their minds to expect the grace of God. By this reply of
Christ is also refuted that widely embraced principle — which the Papists
have borrowed from Jerome — “Whoever shall say that it is impossible
to keep the law, let him be accursed. “For Christ plainly declares, that
it is not possible for men to keep the way of salvation, except so far as the
grace of God assists them.
MATTHEW 19:27-30; MARK
10:28-31;
LUKE 18:28-30;
22:28-30
|
MATTHEW
19:27-30
|
MARK
10:28-31
|
LUKE
18:28-30
|
|
27. Then Peter answering said to him,
Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?
28. And Jesus said to them, Verily I say to you, That you who have
followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of
his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel. 29. And whosoever shall leave houses, or brothers, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for the sake of
my name, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall obtain eternal life.
30. And many that are first shall be last, and the last first.
f630
|
28. And Peter began to say to him, Lo,
we have left all, and have followed thee. 29. And Jesus answering
said, Verily I say to you, There is no man that hath left house, or brothers, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or fields, for my sake, and
(for the sake) of the Gospel,
f628
30. But shall receive a hundred-fold now at this time, houses, and
brothers, and sister, and mothers, and children, and fields, with persecution,
and in the world to come eternal life. 31. But many that are first
shall be last, and the last first.
f630A
|
28. And Peter said, Lo, we have left
all, and have followed thee. 29. Who said to them, Verily I say to
you, There is no man who hath left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or
children, on account of the kingdom of God, 30. Who shall not
receive much more at this time, and in the world to come eternal life.
LUKE
22:28-30
28. You are they that have continued with
me in my temptations:
f629
29. And I appoint to you the kingdom,
f631 as my
Father hath appointed it to me; 30. That you may eat and drink at
my table in my kingdom and may sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel.
|
Matthew 19:27.
Then Peter answering said to
him.
Peter
tacitly compares himself and the other disciples to the
rich
man, whom the world had turned aside from Christ. As they had led a poor and
wandering
f632 life,
which was not unaccompanied by disgrace and by annoyances, and as no better
condition for the future presented itself, he properly inquires if it be to no
purpose that they have left all their property, and devoted themselves to
Christ; for it would be unreasonable if, after having been stripped of their
property by the Lord, they should not be restored to a better
condition.
Lo, we have left
all. But what were those
all
things? for, being mean and very poor
men, they scarcely had a home to leave, and therefore this boasting might appear
to be ridiculous. And certainly experience shows how large an estimate men
commonly form of their duties towards God, as at this day, among the Papists,
those who were little else than beggars make it a subject of haughty reproach
that they have sustained great damage for the sake of the Gospel. But the
disciples may be excused on this ground, that, though their wealth was not
magnificent, they subsisted at home, by their manual labors, not less cheerfully
than the richest man. And we know that men of humble condition, who have been
accustomed to a quiet and modest life, reckon it a greater hardship to be torn
from their wives and children than those who are led by ambition, or who are
carried in various directions by the gale of prosperity. Certainly, if some
reward had not been reserved for the disciples, it would have been foolish in
them to have changed their course of life.
f633 But
though on that ground they might be excused, they err in this respect, that they
demand a triumph to be given them, before they have finished their warfare. If
we ever experience such uneasiness at delay, and if we are tempted by
impatience, let us learn first to reflect on the comforts by which the Lord
soothes the bitterness of the cup in this world, and next elevate our minds to
the hope of the heavenly life; for these two points embrace the answer of
Christ.
28.
Verily I say to
you. That the disciples may not think
that they have lost their pains, and repent of having begun the course, Christ
warns them that the glory of his kingdom, which at that time was still hidden,
was about to be revealed. As if he had said, “There is no reason
why that mean condition should discourage you; for I, who am scarcely equal to
the lowest, will at length ascend to my throne of majesty. Endure then for a
little, till the time arrive for revealing nay glory.” And what does he
then promise to them? That they shall be partakers of the same
glory.
You also shall sit on twelve
thrones. By assigning to them
thrones, from which they may
judge the twelve tribes of
Israel, he compares them to assessors,
or first councilors and judges, who occupy the highest seats in the royal
council. We know that the number of those who were chosen to be apostles was
twelve, in order to testify that, by the agency of Christ, God
purposed to collect the remnant of his people which was scattered. This was a
very high rank, but hitherto was concealed; and therefore Christ holds their
wishes in suspense till the latest revelation of his kingdom, when they will
fully receive the fruit of their election. And though the kingdom of Christ is,
in some respects, manifested by the preaching of the Gospel, there is no doubt
that Christ here speaks of the last day.
In the
regeneration. Some connect this term
with the following clause. In this sense,
regeneration
would be nothing else than the renovation which shall follow our
restoration, when life shall swallow up what is mortal, and when our mean body
shall be transformed into the heavenly glory of Christ. But I rather explain
regeneration
as referring to the first coming of Christ; for then the world began to be
renewed, and arose out of the darkness of death into the light of life. And this
way of speaking occurs frequently in the Prophets, and is exceedingly adapted to
the connection of this passage. For the renovation of the Church, which had been
so frequently promised, had raised an expectation of wonderful happiness, as
soon as the Messiah should appear; and therefore, in order to guard against that
error, Christ distinguishes between the beginning and the completion of his
reign.
Luke 22:28.
You are they who have
continued with me. Although Luke appears
to relate a different discourse of Christ, and one which was delivered at a
different time, yet I have no doubt that it refers to the same time. For it is
not a continued discourse of Christ that is here related, but detached
sentences, without any regard to the order of time, as we shall shortly
afterwards have occasion to state. But he employs more words than Matthew; for
he declares that, as the apostles had accompanied him, and had
remained steadfastly in his
temptations, they would also be
partakers of his glory. It is asked, in what sense does he call them his
temptations?
I think that he means the contests by which God tried him and the apostles
in common. And properly did he use the word
temptations;
for, according to the feeling of human nature, his faith and patience were
actually tried.
29.
And I appoint to you the
kingdom. Here he makes them not only
judges, but
kings;
for he shares with them the
kingdom which he received from
the
Father. There is an emphasis in the word
appoint,
that they may not, by warmth and vehemence of desire, hasten too eagerly to
possess the
kingdom of which he alone has the lawful
right to dispose. By his own example, also, he exhorts them to patience; for,
though he was ordained by the
Father
to be a King, yet he was not immediately raised to his glory, but even
emptied Himself,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7,) and by the ignominy of the cross obtained kingly honor. To
eat and drink at his
table is put metaphorically for being
made partakers of the same glory.
Matthew 19:29.
And whosoever shall
forsake. After having raised the
expectation of his followers to the hope of a future life, he supports them by
immediate consolations,
f634 and
strengthens them for bearing the cross. For though God permit his people to be
severely afflicted, he never abandons them, so as not to recompense their
distresses by his assistance. And here he does not merely address the apostles,
but takes occasion to direct his discourse generally to all the godly. The
substance of it is this: Those who shall willingly lose all for the sake
of Christ, will be more happy even in this life than if they had retained the
full possession of them; but the chief reward is laid up for them in
heaven.
But what he promises about recompensing them a
hundredfold appears not at all to agree with experience; for in the greater
number of cases, those who have been deprived of their parents, or children, and
other relatives — who have been reduced to widowhood, and stripped of
their wealth, for the testimony of Christ — are so far from recovering
their property, that in exile, solitude and desertion, they have a hard struggle
with severe poverty. I reply, if any man estimate aright the immediate grace of
God, by which he relieves the sorrows of his people, he will acknowledge that it
is justly preferred to all the riches of the world. For though unbelievers
flourish,
(<199207>Psalm
92:7,) yet as they know not what awaits them on the morrow
(<590414>James
4:14,) they must be always tossed about in perplexity and terror, and it is only
by stupefying themselves in some sort that they can at all enjoy prosperity.
f635 Yet God
gladdens his people, so that the small portion of good which they enjoy is more
highly valued by them, and far sweeter, than if out of Christ they had enjoyed
an unlimited abundance of good things. In this sense I interpret the expression
used by Mark, with persecutions; as if Christ had said, Though
persecutions always await the godly in this world, and though the cross,
as it were, is attached to their back, yet so sweet is the seasoning of the
grace of God, which gladdens them, that their condition is more desirable than
the luxuries of kings.
30.
And many that are first shall
be last. This sentence was added in
order to shake off the indolence of the flesh. The apostles, though they had
scarcely begun the course, were hastening to demand the prize. And such is the
disposition of almost all of us, that, when a month has elapsed, we ask, like
soldiers who have served their time, to receive a discharge. But Christ exhorts
those who have begun well
(<480303>Galatians
3:3; 5:7) to vigorous perseverance, and at the same time gives warning, that it
will be of no avail to runners to have begun with alacrity, if they lose
courage in the midst of the course. In like manner Paul also warns us, that
not all who run obtain t/re prize,
(<460924>1
Corinthians 9:24;) and in another passage he exhorts believers, by referring to
his own example, to:
forget those things which
are behind, and press forward to the remaining portion of their course,
(<500313>Philippians
3:13,14.)
As often, therefore, as we call to mind the heavenly
crown, we ought, as it were, to feel the application of fresh spurs, that we may
not be more indolent for the future.
MATTHEW
20:1-16
|
MATTHEW
20:1-16
|
|
1. For the kingdom of heaven is like a
householder, who went out at break of day to hire laborers into his vineyard.
2. And having made an agreement with the laborers for a penny a day,
he sent them into his vineyard. 3. And having gone out about the
third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market-place. 4. And
he said to them, Go you also into the vineyard, and whatever shall be right I
will give you. 5. And they went away. And again he went out about
the sixth and ninth hour, and acted in the same manner. 6. And about
the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them,
Why stand you here all the day idle? 7. They say to him, Because
nobody hath hired us. He saith to them, Go you also into the vineyard, and you
will receive what shall be right. 8. And when the evening was come,
the master of the vineyard saith to his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them
their hire, beginning with the last even to the first. 9. And when
they came who had come about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10. And they who had come first thought that they would receive
more, and they also received every man a penny. 11. And when they
had received it, they murmured against the householder, 12. Saying,
These last have been but one hour at work, and thou hast made them equal to us,
who have endured the burden of the day and the heat. 13. But he
answering one of them, said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree
with me for a penny? 14. Take what is thine, and go away: and I
intend to give to this last as much as to thee. 15. Is it not
lawful for me to do what I will with my own property? Is thy eye evil, because I
am good? 16. So the last shall be first, and the first shall be
last: for many are called, but few are chosen.
|
As this parable is nothing else than a confirmation
of the preceding sentence, the
last shall be
first, it now remains to see in what
manner it ought to be applied. Some commentators reduce it to this general
proposition, that the glory of all; will be equal, because the heavenly
inheritance is not obtained by the merits of works, but is bestowed freely. But
Christ does not here argue either about the equality of the heavenly glory, or
about the future condition of the godly. He only declares that those who were
first in point of time have no right to boast or to insult others; because the
Lord, whenever he pleases, may call those whom he appeared for a time to
disregard, and may make them equal, or even superior, to the first. If any man
should resolve to sift out with exactness every portion of this parable, his
curiosity would be useless; and therefore we have nothing more to inquire than
what was the design of Christ to teach. Now we have already said that he had no
other object in view than to excite his people by continual spurs to make
progress. We know that indolence almost always springs from excessive
confidence; and this is the reason why many, as if they had reached the goal,
stop short in the middle of the course. Thus Paul enjoins us to forget the
things which are behind,
(<500313>Philippians
3:13,) that, reflecting on what yet remains for us, we may arouse ourselves to
persevere in running. But there will be no harm in examining the words, that the
doctrine may be more clearly evinced.
Matthew 20:1.
For the kingdom of heaven is
like a householder. The meaning is, that
such is the nature of the divine calling, as if a man were, early in the
morning, to hire laborers for the cultivation of his vineyard at a fixed price,
and were afterwards to employ others without an agreement, but to give them an
equal hire. He uses the phrase,
kingdom of
heaven, because he compares the
spiritual life to the earthly life, and the reward of eternal life to money
which men pay in return for work that has been done for them. There are some who
give an ingenious interpretation to this passage, as if Christ were
distinguishing between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews, they tell us, were called
at the first
hour, with an agreement as to the hire;
for the Lord promised to them eternal life, on the condition that they should
fulfill the law; while, in calling the Gentiles, no bargain was made at least as
to works, for salvation was freely offered to them in Christ. But all subtleties
of that sort are unseasonable; for the Lord makes no distinction in the bargain,
but only in the time; because those who entered last, and in the
evening, into the vineyard, receive the same hire with the
first. Though, in the Law, God formerly promised to the Jews the hire
of works,
(<031805>Leviticus
18:5,) yet we know that this was without effect, because no man ever obtained
salvation by his merits.
Why then, it will be said, does Christ expressly
mention a bargain
f636 in
reference to the first, but make no mention of it in reference to
the others? It was in order to show that, without doing injury to any one, as
much honor is conferred on the last, as if they had been called at
the beginning. For strictly speaking, he owes no man any thing, and from us, who
are devoted to his service, he demands, as a matter of right, all the duties
which are incumbent on us. But as he freely offers to us a reward,
he is said to hire the labors which, on other grounds, were due to
him. This is also the reason why he gives the name of a hire to the crown
which he bestows freely. Again, in order to show that we have no right to
complain of God, if he make us companions in honor with those who followed us
after a long interval, he borrowed a comparison from the ordinary custom of men,
who bargain about the hire, before they send laborers to their
work.
If any man infer from this, that men are created for
the purpose of doing something, and that every man has his province assigned him
by God, that they may not sit down in idleness, he will offer no violence to the
words of Christ.
f636a We are
also at liberty to infer, that our whole life is unprofitable, and that we are
justly accused of indolence, until each of us regulate his life by the command
and calling of God. Hence it follows, that they labor to no purpose, who rashly
undertake this or that course of life, and do not wait for the intimation of the
call of God. Lastly, we learn from the words of Christ, that those only are
pleasing to God, who labor for the advantage of their brethren.
A
penny (which was rather more than four
times the value of a French carolus,)
f637was
probably the ordinary hire for a day’s work. The
third,
sixth,
and ninth
hour, are expressly mentioned, because,
while the ancients were wont to divide the day into twelve hours, from sunrise
to sunset, there was another division of the day into every three hours; as,
again, the night was divided into four
watches;
and so the eleventh
hour means the close of the
day.
8.
And when the evening was
come. It would be improper to look for a
mystery in the injunction of the
householder to begin with the
last, as if God crowned those first
who were last in the order of time; for such a notion would not at all agree
with the doctrine of Paul. They that are alive, he says, at the
coming of Christ will not come before those who previously fell asleep in
Christ, but will follow,
(<520415>1
Thessalonians 4:15.) But Christ observes a different order in this passage,
because he could not otherwise have expressed — what he afterwards adds
— that the first murmured, because they did not
receive
more.
f638
Besides, he did not intend to say that this
murmuring will take place at the last day, but merely to affirm that
there will be no occasion for murmuring. The personification
(proswpopoi`>a)
which he employs throws no small light on this doctrine, that men have no right
to complain of the bounty of God, when he honors unworthy persons by large
rewards beyond what they deserve. There is no foundation, therefore, for what
some have imagined, that these words are directed against the Jews, who were
full of malice and envy towards the Gentiles; for it would be absurd to say that
such persons receive an equal hire with the children of God, and this
malignity, which leads men to exclaim against God, does not apply to believers.
But the plain meaning is, that, since God defrauds no man of a just
hire, He is at liberty to bestow on those whom He has lately
called an undeserved reward.
16.
So the first shall be
last. He does not now compare the Jews
to the Gentiles, (as in another passages) nor the reprobate, who swerve from the
faith, to the elect who persevere; and therefore the sentence which is
introduced by some interpreters,
many are called, but few are
chosen, does not apply to that point.
Christ only meant to say that every one who has been called before others ought
to run with so much the greater alacrity, and, next, to exhort all men to be
modest, not to give themselves the preference above others, but willingly to
share with them a common prize. As the apostles were the first-fruits of the
whole church, they appeared to possess some superiority; and Christ did not deny
that they would sit as judges to
govern the twelve tribes of Israel. But
that they might not be carried away by ambition or vain confidence in
themselves, it was necessary also to remind them that others, who would long
afterwards be called, would be partakers of the same glory, because God is not
limited to any person, but calls freely whomsoever He pleases, and bestows on
those who are called whatever rewards He thinks fit.
MATTHEW 20:17-19; MARK
10:32-34;
LUKE
18:31-34
|
MATTHEW
20:17-19
|
MARK
10:32-34
|
LUKE
18:31-34
|
|
17. And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem,
took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said to them,
18. Lo, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to
the chief priests and scribes; and they will condemn him to death.
19. And they will deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge,
and to crucify him;
f639 and on
the third day he will rise again.
|
32. And they were in the way going up to
Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and, while they
followed him, where afraid. And having again taken aside the twelve, he began to
tell them what things would happen to him: 33. Lo, we go up to
Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and
scribes; and they will condemn him to death, and will deliver him to the
Gentiles: 34. And will mock him, and scourge him, and spit upon
him, and kill him; and on the third day he will rise again.
|
31. And Jesus took the twelve, and said
to them, Lo, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things which have been written by
the prophets concerning the Son of man will be accomplished.
32. For he will be delivered to the Gentiles, and mocked, and insulted,
and spat on;. And after having scourged, they will kill him; and on the
third day he will rise again. 34. And they understood none of these
things; and this saying was hidden from them, and they understood not the things
which were spoken. f640
|
Though the apostles had been previously informed what
kind of death awaited our Lord, yet as they had not sufficiently profited by it,
he now repeats anew what he had frequently said. He sees that the day of his
death is at hand; nay more, he is already in a state of readiness to offer
himself to be sacrificed; and, on the other hand, he sees the disciples not only
afraid, but overwhelmed by blind alarm. He therefore exhorts them to steadiness,
that they may not immediately yield to temptation. Now there are two methods by
which he confirms them; for, by foretelling what would happen, he not only
fortifies them, that they may not give way, when a calamity, which
has arisen suddenly and contrary to expectation, takes them by surprise, but
meets the offense of the cross by a proof of his .Divinity, that they may not
lose courage at beholding his short abasement, when they are convinced that he
is the Son of God, and therefore will be victorious over death. The second
method of confirmation is taken from his approaching
resurrection.
But it will be proper to look more closely at the
words. Mark states — what is omitted by the other two Evangelists —
that, before our Lord explained to his disciples in private that he was going
straight to the sacrifice of death, not only they, but also the rest of his
followers, were sorrowful and trembling. Now why they were
seized with this fear it is not easy to say, if it was not because they had
already learned that they had dangerous adversaries at Jerusalem, and
would therefore have wished that Christ should remain in some quiet retreat
beyond the reach of the darts, rather than voluntarily expose himself to such
inveterate enemies. Although this fear was in many respects improper, yet the
circumstance of their following Christ is a proof of no ordinary respect and
obedience. It would indeed have been far better to hasten cheerfully and without
regret, wheresoever the Son of God chose to lead them; but commendation is due
to their reverence for his person, which appears in choosing to do violence to
their own feelings rather than to forsake him.
Matthew 20:17.
Took the twelve disciples
apart in the way. It may appear
surprising that he makes the
twelve alone acquainted with his secret,
since all have need of consolation, for all had been alike seized with fear. I
consider the reason why he did not publish his death to have been, that the
report might not spread too widely before the time. Besides, as he did not
expect that the warning would be of immediate advantage, he reckoned it enough
to entrust it to a few, who were afterwards to be his witnesses. For, as the
seed thrown into the earth does not immediately spring up, so we know that
Christ said many things to the apostles which did not immediately yield fruit.
And if he had admitted all indiscriminately to this discourse, it was possible
that many persons, seized with alarm, might flee, and fill the ears of the
public with this report; and thus the death of Christ would have lost its glory,
because he would have appeared to have rashly brought it on himself. Secretly,
therefore, he addresses the apostles, and does not even select them as qualified
to receive profit by it, but, as I lately hinted, that they may afterwards be
witnesses.
On this subject Luke is more full than the others;
for he relates not only that Christ predicted the events which were near at
hand, but also that he added the doctrine, that
those things which had been
written by the prophets would be accomplished in the Son of
man. It was an excellent remedy for
overcoming temptation, to perceive in the very ignominy of the cross the marks
by which the Prophets had pointed out the promised Author of salvation. There
can be no doubt that our Lord pointed out also from the Prophets what kind of
fruit they ought to expect from his death; for the Prophets do not only teach
that Christ must suffer, but add the reason, that he may reconcile the world to
God.
18.
Lo, we go up to
Jerusalem. Hence we perceive that Christ was
endued with divine fortitude for overcoming the terrors of death, for he
knowingly and willingly hastens to undergo it.
f641 For why
does he, without any constraint, march forward to suffer a shocking murder, but
because the invincible power of the Spirit enabled him to subdue fear, and
raised him above all human feelings? By a minute detail of the circumstances, he
gives a still more evident proof of his Divinity. For he could not — as
man — have foreseen that, after having been
condemned by the chief priests
and scribes, he would be
delivered up to the
Gentiles, and spat on, and
mocked in various ways, and scourged, and at length dragged
to the punishment of the cross. Yet it must be observed that,
though our Lord was fully acquainted with the weakness of his disciples, he does
not conceal from them a very grievous offense. For — as we have said on a
former occasion
f642 —
nothing could at that time have happened more powerfully calculated to shake the
minds of the godly, than to see the whole of the sacred order of the Church
opposed to Christ.
And yet he does not spare their weakness by deceiving
them, but, candidly declaring the whole matter, points out the way to overcome
temptation; namely, by looking forward with certainty to his resurrection. But
as it was necessary that His death should go before, he makes their triumph, in
the meantime, to consist in hope.
Luke 18:34.
And they understood none of
these things. What stupidity was this,
not to understand what Christ said to them in a plain and familiar manner, on a
subject not too lofty or intricate, but of which they had, at their own
suggestion, entertained some suspicion! But it is proper also to bear in mind
— what I have formerly observed — the reason why they were held in
such gross ignorance, which was, that they had formed the expectation of a
joyful and prosperous advancement, and therefore reckoned it to be in the
highest degree absurd, that Christ should be ignominiously crucified. Hence we
infer with what madness the minds of men are seized through a false imagination;
and therefore we ought to be the more careful not to yield to any foolish
thoughts, and shut our eyes against the light.
MATTHEW 20:20-23; MARK
10:35-40
|
MATTHEW
20:20-23
|
MARK
10:35-40
|
|
20. Then came to him the mother of
Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping,
f643 and
asking something from him. 21. And he said to her, What wilt thou?
She saith to him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, one at thy right hand,
and the other at the left, in thy kingdom. 22. And Jesus answering
said, You know not what you ask. Can you drink the cup which I shall drink, and
be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized? They say to him, We can.
23. He saith to them, You shall indeed drink my cup, and you shall
be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized; but to sit at my right
hand, and at my left, is not mine to give; but it shall fall to those for whom
it is prepared by my Father.
f644
|
35. And James and John, sons of Zebedee,
came to him, saying, Master, we desire that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever
we shall ask. 36. And he said to them, What do you wish that I
should do for you? 37. And they said, Grant to us that we may sit,
on at thy right hand, and the other at thy left, in thy glory.
38. And Jesus said to them, You know not what you ask. Can you drink
the cup which I drink, and be baptized with the baptism with which I am
baptized? 39. And they said to him, We can. And Jesus said to them,
You shall indeed drink the cup which I drink, and you shall be baptized with the
baptism with which I am baptized: 40. But to sit at my right hand,
and at my left is not mine to give; but it shall fall to those for whom it is
prepared. f645
|
Matthew 20:20.
Then came to him the mother
of Zebedee’s children. This
narrative contains a bright mirror of human vanity; for it shows that proper and
holy zeal is often accompanied by ambition, or some other vice of the flesh, so
that they who follow Christ have a different object in view from what they ought
to have. They who are not satisfied with himself alone, but seek this or the
other thing apart from him and his promises, wander egregiously from the right
path. Nor is it enough that, at the commencement, we sincerely apply our minds
to Christ, if we do not stead-lastly maintain the same purity; for frequently,
in the midst of the course, there spring up sinful affections by which we are
led astray. In this way it is probable that the two sons of Zebedee were,
at first, sincere in their adherence to Christ; but when they see that they have
no ordinary share of his favor, and hear his reign spoken of as near at hand,
their minds are immediately led to wicked ambition, and they are greatly
distressed at the thought of remaining in their present situation. If this
happens to two excellent disciples, with what care ought we to walk, if we do
not wish to turn aside from the right path! More especially, when any plausible
occasion presents itself, we ought to be on our guard, lest the desire of honors
corrupt the feeling of piety.
Though Matthew and Mark differ somewhat
in the words, yet they agree as to the substance of the matter. Matthew
says that the wife of
Zebedee
came, and asked for her
sons that they might hold the highest
places in the
kingdom of Christ. Mark represents
themselves as making the request. But it is probable that, being restrained by
bashfulness, they had the dexterity to employ their mother, who would present
the request with greater boldness. That the wish came originally from themselves
may be inferred from this circumstance, that Christ replied to them, and not to
their mother. Besides, when their mother,
bowing
down, states that she has something to
ask, and when themselves, according to Mark, apply for a general
engagement, that whatever they
ask shall be granted to them, this timid
insinuation proves that they were conscious of something wrong.
f646
21.
In the
kingdom. It was worthy of commendation
in the sons of Zebedee, that they expected some kingdom of
Christ, of which not even the slightest trace was then visible. They see Christ
exposed to contempt under the mean aspect of a servant; nay more, they see him
despised and loaded with many reproaches by the world; but they are convinced
that he will soon become a magnificent king, for so he had taught them. It is
unquestionably a noble specimen of faith; but hence we perceive how easily the
pure seed is no sooner implanted in our hearts than it becomes degenerate and
corrupted; for they imagined to themselves a kingdom which had no
existence, and presently committed the folly of desiring the highest places.
Since, therefore, this wicked ambition flowed from a general principle of faith,
which in itself was highly commendable, we ought to pray, not only that the Lord
would open the eyes of our mind, but that he would give us continual direction,
and keep our minds fixed on the proper object. We ought also to pray, not only
that he would bestow faith upon us, but that he would keep it pure from all
mixture.
22.
You know not what you
ask. Their ignorance was worthy of blame
on two accounts; first, because their ambition led them to desire more than was
proper; and, secondly, because, instead of the heavenly kingdom of Christ, they
had formed the idea of a phantom in the air. As to the first of those reasons,
whoever is not satisfied with the free adoption of God, and desires to raise
himself, such a person wanders beyond his limits, and, by unseasonably pressing
himself forward beyond what was proper for him to do, is ungrateful to God. Now
to estimate the spiritual kingdom of Christ according to the feeling of our
flesh is highly perverse. And, indeed, the greater the delight which the mind of
man takes in idle speculations, the more carefully ought we to guard against
them; as we see that the books of the sophists are stuffed with useless notions
of this sort.
Can you drink the cup which I shall
drink? To correct their ambition, and to
withdraw them from this wicked desire, he holds out to them the cross, and all
the annoyances which the children of God must endure. As if he had said,
“Does your present warfare allow you so much leisure, that you are now
making arrangements for a triumphal procession?” For if they had been
earnestly employed in the duties of their calling, they would never have given
way to this wicked imagination. In these words, therefore, those who are
desirous to obtain the prize before the proper time are enjoined by Christ to
employ themselves in attending to the duties of piety. And certainly this is an
excellent bridle for restraining ambition; for, so long as we are pilgrims in
this world, our condition is such as ought to banish vain luxuries. We are
surrounded by a thousand dangers. Sometimes the enemy assails us by ambush, and
that in a variety of ways; and sometimes he attacks us by open violence. Is he
not worse than stupid who, amidst so many deaths, entertains himself at his ease
by drawing pictures of a triumph?
Our Lord enjoins his followers, indeed, to feel
assured of victory, and to sing a triumphal song in the midst of death; for
otherwise they would not have courage to fight valiantly. But it is one thing to
advance manfully to the battle, in reliance on the reward which God has promised
to them, and to labor with their whole might for this object; and it is another
thing to forget the contest, to turn aside from the enemy, to lose sight of
dangers, and to rush forward to triumph, for which they ought to wait till the
proper time. Besides, this foolish speed, for the most part, draws men aside
from their calling; for as in battle the greatest coward is the keenest to seize
the booty, so in the kingdom of Christ none are more eager to obtain the
superiority than those who shrink from all the annoyance which attends toil.
Most properly, therefore, does Christ enjoin those who were puffed up with vain
glory to keep by their post.
f647 The sum
of the whole is, that for none but him who has fought lawfully is the crown
prepared; and especially, that none will be a partaker of the life and the
kingdom of Christ who has not previously shared in his sufferings and
death.
In the word
baptism
the force of the metaphor is very evident; for we know that by
baptism
believers are instructed to
deny
themselves, (Matthew 45:24;) to
crucify the old man,
(<450606>Romans
6:6;) and, in short, to bear the
cross. It is uncertain if, by the word
cup,
(poth>rion,)
our Lord alluded to the mystery of the Holy Supper; but as it had not yet
come into use, I choose to interpret it more simply as denoting the measure of
afflictions which God appoints to every one. For as it is his right to lay on
every one his own burden according to his pleasure, in the same manner as a
householder distributes and allots the portions of the members of his family, so
He is said to give them a cup to
drink.
f648
These words contain no ordinary consolation for
alleviating the bitterness of the
cross, when in the
cross
Christ associates himself with us. And what could be more desirable than to
have every thing in common with the Son of God? for thus are those things which
at first sight appear to be deadly made to yield to us salvation and life. On
the other hand, how shall he be reckoned among the disciples of Christ, who
desires to be wholly exempted from the cross? For such person refuses to submit
to the baptism of Christ, which is nothing else than to withdraw from the
earliest lessons.
f649 Now
whenever baptism is mentioned, let us recollect that we were baptized on this
condition, and for this purpose, that the cross may be attached to our
shoulders.
The boast made with so much confidence by John and
James, that they are prepared to
drink the
cup, manifests the presumption of the
flesh; for, when we are beyond the reach of darts, we think nothing impossible.
And not long afterwards, the melancholy result exposed their rashness; but in so
far it was good in them that, when they were free to make a choice, they
presented themselves to bear the cross.
23.
You shall indeed drink my
cup. As they were disciples, it was
proper that they should be assimilated to their Master. Christ warns them of
what will take place, that they may be prepared to endure it with patience; and,
in the persons of two men, he addresses all his followers. For though many
believers die a natural death, and without violence or shedding of blood, yet it
is common to all of them, as Paul informs us,
(<450829>Romans
8:29;
<470318>2
Corinthians 3:18,) to be conformed to the image of Christ; and,
therefore,
during their whole life,
they are sheep appointed to the slaughter,
(<450836>Romans
8:36.)
Is not mine to
give.
f650
By this reply Christ surrenders nothing, but only states that the Father had
not assigned to him this office of appointing to each person his own peculiar
place in the kingdom of heaven. He came, indeed, in order to bring all his
people to eternal life; but we ought to reckon it enough that the inheritance
obtained by his blood awaits us. As to the degree in which some men rise above
others, it is not our business to inquire, and God did not intend that it should
be revealed to us by Christ, but that it should be reserved till the latest
revelation. We have now ascertained Christ’s meaning; for he does not here
reason as to his power, but only desires us to consider for what purpose he was
sent by the Father, and what corresponds to his calling, and therefore
distinguishes between the secret purpose of God and the nature of that teaching
which had been enjoined on him. It is a useful warning, that we may learn to be
wise with sobriety, and may not attempt to force our way into the hidden
mysteries of God, and more especially, that we may not indulge excessive
curiosity in our inquiries about the future state; for
It hath not yet appeared
what we shall be,
till God shall
make us like himself,
(<620302>1
John 3:2.
It is also worthy of our notice, that these words do
not imply that there will be equality among the children of God, after they have
been admitted to the heavenly glory, but rather that to each is promised that
degree of honor to which he has been set apart by the eternal purpose of
God.
MATTHEW 20:24-28; MARK
10:41-45;
LUKE
22:24-27
|
MATTHEW
20:24-27
|
MARK
10:41-45
|
LUKE
22:24-27
|
|
24. And when the ten heard it,
f651 they
were displeased with the two brethren. 25. And Jesus called them to
him, and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles rule over them, and
they who are great exercise authority over them. 26. It shall not
be so among you: but whoever wishes to be great among you, let him be your
minister; 27. And he that wishes to be chief among you, let him be
your servant: 28. Even as the Son of man came not that he might be
served, but that he might serve, and that he might give his life a ransom for
many.
|
41. And when the ten heard it, they
began to be displeased with James and John. 42. And Jesus, when he
had called them to him, saith to them, You know that they who appear to rule
over the Gentiles exercise dominion over them; and they who are princes among
them exercise power over them. 43. But it shall not be so among
you; but whoever wishes to become great among you, shall be your
minister;. And whoever wishes to be chief among you, shall be your servant.
45. For even the Son of man came not that he might be served, but
that he might serve, and that he might give his life a ransom for
many.
|
24. And there arose also a dispute among
them, which of them appeared to be greatest. 25. And he said to
them, The kings of the Gentiles rule over them; and they that have power over
them are called benefactors. 26. But you are not so: but he that is
greatest among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is ruler, as he
that serves. 27. For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or
her that serveth? Is it not he that sitteth at table? But I am in the midst of
you as he that serveth.
|
Matthew 20:24.
And when the ten heard
it.
f651A
Luke appears to refer this dispute to a different time. But any one who
shall carefully examine that twenty-second chapter will plainly see that
discourses delivered at different times are there brought together, without any
regard to order. The dispute about the primacy, therefore which Luke mentions,
flowed from this source, that the
sons of Zebedee aspired to the first places in
the kingdom of Christ. And yet the displeasure of the rest was far from being
well-founded; for, while the foolish ambition of the two disciples was so
severely blamed, that they retired from Christ with disgrace, what injury was it
to the other ten, that those disciples foolishly wished what they
did not obtain?
f652 For
though they had a good right to be offended at the ambition of those disciples,
yet when it was put down they ought to have been satisfied. But our Lord
intended to seize on this occasion for laying open a disease which was lurking
within them; for there was not one of them who would willingly yield to others,
but every one secretly cherished within himself the expectation of the primacy;
in consequence of which, they envy and dispute with one another, and yet in all
there reigns wicked ambition. And if this fault was found to be natural to
uneducated men of ordinary rank, and if it broke out on a slight occasion, and
almost without any occasion at all, how much more ought we to be on our guard,
when there is abundance of fuel to feed a concealed flame? We see then how
ambition springs up in any man who has great power and honors, and sends out its
flames far and wide, unless the spirit of modesty, coming from heaven,
extinguish the pride which has a firm hold of the nature of
man.
25.
You know that the princes of
the Gentiles rule over them. It is first
said that Christ called them to
him, that he might reprove them in
private; and next we learn from it that, being ashamed of their ambition, they
did not openly complain, but that a sort of hollow murmur arose, and every one
secretly preferred himself to the rest. He does not explain generally how deadly
a plague ambition is, but simply warns them, that nothing is more foolish than
to fight about nothing.
f653 He
shows that the primacy, which was the occasion of dispute among them, has no
existence in his kingdom. Those persons, therefore, who extend this saying
indiscriminately to all the godly are mistaken; for Christ only takes occasion
from the present occurrence to show that it is absurd in the apostles to dispute
about the degree of power and honor in their own rank, because the office of
teaching, to which they were appointed, has no resemblance to the governments of
the world. I do acknowledge that this doctrine applies both to private persons
and to kings and magistrates; for no man deserves to be reckoned one of
Christ’s flock, unless he has made such proficiency under the teacher of
humility, as to claim nothing for himself, but condescend to cultivate brotherly
love. This is, no doubt, true; but the design of Christ was, as I have said, to
distinguish between the spiritual government of his Church and the empires of
the world, that the apostles might not look for the favors of a court; for in
proportion as any of the nobles is loved by kings, he rises to wealth and
distinction. But Christ appoints pastors of his Church, not to rule,
but to serve.
This reflects the error of the Anabaptists, who
exclude kings and magistrates from the Church of God, because Christ declares
f654 that
they are not like his disciples; though the comparison is here made not between
Christians and ungodly men, but between the nature of their offices. Besides,
Christ did not look so much at the persons of men as at the condition of his
Church. For it was possible that one who was governor of a village or of a city
might, in a case of urgent necessity, discharge also the office of teaching; but
Christ satisfied himself with explaining what belongs to the apostolic office
and what is at variance with it.
But a question arises, Why does Christ, who appointed
separate orders in his Church, disown in this passage all degrees? For he
appears to throw them all down, or, at least, to place them on a level, so that
not one rises above the rest. But natural reason prescribes a very different
method; and Paul, when describing the government of the Church,
(<490411>Ephesians
4:11,) enumerates the various departments of the ministry, in such a manner as
to make the rank of apostleship higher than the office of pastors. Timothy and
Titus also, are unquestionably enjoined by him to exercise authoritative
superintendence over others, according to the command of God. I reply, if we
carefully examine the whole, it will be found that even kings do not rule justly
or lawfully, unless they serve; but that the apostolic office differs from
earthly government in this respect, that the manner in which kings and
magistrates serve does not prevent them from governing, or indeed from rising
above their subjects in magnificent pomp and splendor. Thus David, Hezekiah, and
others of the same class, while they were the willing servants of all, used a
scepter, a crown, a throne, and other emblems of royalty. But the government of
the Church admits nothing of this sort; for Christ allowed the pastors nothing
more than to be ministers, and to abstain entirely from the exercise of
authority. Here, to it ought to be observed, that the discourse relates to the
thing itself rather than to the disposition. Christ distinguishes between the
apostles and the rank of kings, not because kings have a right to act haughtily,
but because the station of royalty is different from the apostolic office.
While, therefore, both ought to be humble, it is the duty of the apostles always
to consider what form of government the Lord has appointed for his
Church.
As to the words which Matthew employs,
the princes of the Gentiles rule
over them, Luke conveys the same import
by saying, they are called
benefactors; which means, that kings
possess great wealth and abundance, in order that they may be generous and
bountiful. For though kings have greater delight in their power, and a stronger
desire that it should be formidable, than that it should be founded in the
consent of the people, still they desire the praise of munificence.
f655 Hence,
too, they take the name in the Hebrew language,
µybydn,
(nedibim.) They are so called from
bestowing
gifts;
f656
for taxes and tributes are paid to them for no other purpose than to furnish
the expense necessary to the magnificence of their rank.
26.
It shall not be so among
you. There can be no doubt that Christ
refers to the foolish imagination by which he saw that the apostles were
deceived. “It is foolish and improper in you,” he says,
“to imagine a kingdom, which is unsuitable to me; and therefore, if
you desire to serve me faithfully, you must resort to a different method, which
is, that each of you may strive to serve others.”
f657
But whoever wishes to be great
among you, let him be ,your servant.
These words are employed in an unusual sense; for ambition does not allow a
man to be devoted, or, rather, to be
subject
to his brethren. Abject flattery, I do acknowledge, is practiced by those
who aspire to honors, but nothing is farther from their intention than to
serve. But Christ’s meaning is not difficult to be
perceived. As every man is carried away by a love of himself, he declares that
this passion ought to be directed to a different object. Let the only greatness,
eminence, and rank, which you desire, be, to submit to your brethren; and let
this be your primacy, to be the servants of all.
28.
As the Son of
man. Christ confirms the preceding
doctrine by his own example; for he voluntarily took upon himself the form of
a servant, and emptied himself, as Paul also informs us,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7.) To prove more clearly how far he was from indulging in lofty views, he
reminds them of his death. “Because I have chosen you to the honor of
being near me, you are seized by a wicked ambition to reign. But I — by
whose example you ought to regulate your life — came not to exalt myself,
or to claim any royal dignity. On the contrary, I took upon me, along with the
mean and despised form of the flesh, the ignominy of the cross. “If it be
objected, that Christ was:
exalted by the Father, in
order that every knee might bow to him,
(<502609>Philippians
2:9,10,)
it is easy to reply, that what he now says refers to
the period of his humiliation. Accordingly, Luke adds, that he lived among them,
as if he were a servant: not that in appearance, or in name, or in
reality, he was inferior to them, (for he always wished to be acknowledged as
their Master and Lord,) but because from the heavenly glory he descended to such
meekness, that he submitted to bear their infirmities. Besides, it ought to be
remembered that a comparison is here made between the greater and the less, as
in that passage,
If I, who am your Master
and Lord, have washed your feet, much more ought you to perform this service to
one
another,
(<431314>John
13:14.)
And to give his life a ransom for
many. Christ mentioned his death, as we
have said, in order to withdraw his disciples from the foolish imagination of an
earthly kingdom. But it is a just and appropriate statement of its power and
results, when he declares that his life is the price of our redemption; whence
it follows, that we obtain an undeserved reconciliation with God, the price of
which is to be found nowhere else than in the death of Christ. Wherefore, this
single word overturns all the idle talk of the Papists about their abominable
satisfactions. Again, while Christ has purchased us by his death
to be his property, this submission, of which he speaks, is so far from
diminishing his boundless glory, that it greatly increases its splendor. The
word many
(pollw~n)
is not put definitely for a fixed number, but for a large number; for he
contrasts himself with all others.
f658 And in
this sense it is used in
<450515>Romans
5:15, where Paul does not speak of any part of men, but embraces the whole human
race.
MATTHEW 20:29-34; MARK
10:46-52;
LUKE
18:35-43
|
MATTHEW
20:29-34
|
MARK
10:46-52
|
LUKE
18:35-43
|
|
29. And while they were departing from
Jericho, a great multitude followed him. 30. And, lo, two blind men
sitting near the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried aloud,
saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 31. And the
multitude rebuked them, that they might be silent; but they cried out the more,
saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. 32. And Jesus
stood, and called them, and said, What do you wish that I should do to you?
33. They say to him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
34. And Jesus, moved with compassion, touched their eyes; and
immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
|
46. And they come to Jericho: and while
they was departing from the city Jericho, and his disciples, and a great
multitude, Bartimeus, son of Timeus, a blind man, was sitting hear the road
begging. 47. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he
began to cry aloud, and to say, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
48. And many rebuked him, that he might be silent: but he cried out so
much the more, Son of David, have mercy on me. 49. And Jesus stood,
and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying to him, Be
of good courage, rise; he calleth thee. 50. And he, throwing away
his mantle, arose, and came to Jesus. 51. And Jesus answering,
saith to him, What dost thou wish that I should do to thee? And the blind man
said to him, Master,
f659 that I
may receive sight. 52 And Jesus said to him, Go away; thy faith hath
cured thee. And immediately he received sight, and followed Jesus in the
way.
|
35. And it happened that, while he was
approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting near the road begging:
36. And when he heard a multitude passing by, he asked what it was.
37. And they said to him, that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
38. And he cried out, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.
39. And they that were going before rebuked him, that he might be
silent: but he cried out so much the more, Son of David, have mercy on me.
40. And Jesus, standing still, commanded him to be brought to him: and
while he was approaching, he asked him, 41. Saying, What dost thou
wish that I should do to thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive sight.
42. Then Jesus said to him, Receive sight: thy faith hath cured thee.
43. And immediately he received sight, and followed him, glorifying
God: and all the people when they saw it, gave praise to God.
|
Matthew 20:29.
And while they were departing
from Jericho. Osiander has resolved to
display his ingenuity by making four blind men out of one. But nothing can be
more frivolous than this supposition. Having observed that the Evangelists
differ in a few expressions, he imagined that
one blind man received
sight when they were entering into the
city, and that the second, and other two,
received
sight when Christ
was departing from
it. But all the circumstances agree so
completely, that no person of sound judgment will believe them to be different
narratives. Not to mention other matters, when Christ’s followers had
endeavored to put the first to silence, and saw him cured contrary to their
expectation, would they immediately have made the same attempt with the other
three? But it is unnecessary to go into particulars, from which any man may
easily infer that it is one and the same event which is
related.
But there is a puzzling contradiction in this
respect, that Matthew and Mark say that the miracle was performed
on one or on two blind
men, when Christ had already
departed from the
city; while Luke relates that it was
done before he came to the city. Besides, Mark and Luke speak of
not more than one blind
man, while Matthew mentions
two. But as we know that it frequently occurs in the Evangelists,
that in the same narrative one passes by what is mentioned by the others, and,
on the other hand, states more clearly what they have omitted, it ought not to
be looked upon as strange or unusual in the present passage. My conjecture is,
that, while Christ was approaching to the city, the
blind man cried
out, but that, as he was not heard on
account of the noise, he placed himself in the way,
as they were departing from the
city,
f660
and then was at length called by Christ. And so Luke, commencing with
what was true, does not follow out the whole narrative, but passes over
Christ’s stay in the city; while the other Evangelists attend only to the
time which was nearer to the miracle. There is probability in the conjecture
that, as Christ frequently, when he wished to try the faith of men, delayed for
a short time to relieve them, so he subjected this blind man to the same
scrutiny.
The second difficulty may be speedily removed; for we
have seen, on a former occasion, that Mark and Luke speak of one
demoniac as having been cured, while Matthew, as in the
present instance, mentions two,
(<400828>Matthew
8:28;
<410502>Mark
5:2;
<420827>Luke
8:27 f661)
And yet this involves no contradiction between them; but it may rather be
conjectured with probability, that at first one blind man implored the
favor of Christ, and that another was excited by his example, and that in this
way
two
persons received
sight. Mark and Luke speak of
one only, either because he was better known, or because in him the
demonstration of Christ’s power was not less remarkable than it was in
both. It certainly appears to have been on account of his having been
extensively known that he was selected by Mark, who gives both his
own name and that of his father:
Bartimeus, son of
Timeus. By doing so, he does not claim
for him either illustrious descent or wealth; for he was a beggar of the lowest
class. Hence it appears that the miracle was more remarkable in his person,
because his calamity had been generally known. This appears to me to be the
reason why Mark and Luke mention him only, and say nothing about
the other, who was a sort of inferior appendage. But Matthew, who
was an eye-witness,
f662 did not
choose to pass by even this person, though less known.
30.
Have mercy on me, O
Lord. I stated, a little ago, that there
was at first but one who cried out, but the other was
induced by a similar necessity to join him. They confer on Christ no ordinary
honor, when they request him to have mercy, and relieve them; for
they must have been convinced that he had in his power the assistance or remedy
which they needed. But their faith is still more clearly exhibited by their
acknowledgment of him as Messiah, to whom we know that the Jews gave this
designation, Son of David. They therefore apply to Christ, not
only as some Prophet, but as that person whom God had promised to be the only
Author of salvation. The cry proved the ardor of the desire; for, though
they knew that what they said exposed them to the hatred of many, who were
highly displeased with the honor done to Christ, their fear was overcome by the
ardor of desire, so that they did not refrain, on this account, from raising
their voice aloud.
31.
And the multitude reproved
them. It is surprising that the
disciples of Christ, who follow him through a sense of duty and of respect,
should wish to drive wretched men from the favor of Christ, and, so far as lies
in them, to prevent the exercise of his power. But it frequently happens that
the greater part of those who profess the name of Christ, instead of inviting us
to him, rather hinder or delay our approach. If Satan endeavored to throw
obstacles in the way of two blind
men, by means of pious and simple
persons, who were induced by some sentiments of religion to follow Christ, how
much more will he succeed in accomplishing it by means of hypocrites and
traitors, if we be not strictly on our guard. Perseverance is therefore
necessary to overcome every difficulty, and the more numerous the obstacles are
which Satan throws in the way, the more powerfully ought we to be excited to
earnestness in prayer, as we see that the blind men redoubled their
cry.
32.
What do you wish that I
should do to you? He gently and kindly
asks what they desire; for he had determined to grant their requests. There is
no reason to doubt that they prayed by a special movement of the Holy Spirit;
for, as the Lord does not intend to grant to all persons deliverance from bodily
diseases, so neither does he permit them simply to pray for it. A rule has been
prescribed for us what we ought to ask, and in what manner, and to what extent;
and we are not at liberty to depart from that rule, unless the Lord, by a secret
movement of the Spirit, suggest to us some special prayer, which rarely happens.
Christ puts the question to them, not for their sake as individuals, but for the
sake of all the people; for we know how the world swallows God’s benefits
without perceiving them, unless they are stimulated and aroused. Christ,
therefore, by his voice, awakens the assembled crowd to observe the miracle, as
he awakens them shortly afterwards by a visible sign, when he opens their eyes
by touching them.
34.
And Jesus, moved with
compassion, etc..
Splagcnisqei>v,
moved with
compassion, is not the participle of the
same verb which Matthew had just now employed in reference to the
blind
man,
ejle>hson,
have
mercy.
f663
They implored the mercy of Christ, that he might relieve their
wretchedness; but now the Evangelist expresses that Christ was induced to cure
them, not only by undeserved goodness, but because he pitied their distress. For
the metaphor is taken from the bowels,
(spla>gcna,)
in which dwells that kindness and mutual compassion which prompts us to assist
our neighbors.
Mark 10:52.
Thy faith hath saved
thee. By the
word faith
is meant not only a confident hope of
recovering sight, but a loftier conviction, which was, that this
blind
man had acknowledged Jesus to be the
Messiah whom God had promised. Nor must we imagine that it was only some
confused knowledge; for we have already seen that this confession was taken from
the Law and the Prophets. For the
blind
man did not at random bestow on Christ
the name of Son of
David, but embraced him as that person
whose coming he had been taught by the divine predictions to expect. Now Christ
attributes it to faith that the
blind man received sight; for, though
the power and grace of God sometimes extend even to unbelievers, yet no man
enjoys His benefits in a right and profitable manner, unless he receive them by
faith; nay, the use of the gifts of God is so far from being advantageous to
unbelievers, that it is even hurtful. And therefore, when Christ says,
thy faith hath saved
thee, the word
saved
is not limited to an outward cure, but includes also the
health
and
safety
of the soul; as if Christ had said, that by
faith
the blind man obtained that God was gracious to him, and granted his wish.
And if it was in regard to
faith
that God bestowed his favor on the blind man, it follows that he was
justified by
faith.
Matthew 20:34.
And followed
him. This was an expression of
gratitude,
f664 when
the blind men became
followers
of Christ; for, though it is uncertain how long they discharged this duty,
yet it showed a grateful mind, that they presented themselves to many, in that
journey, as mirrors of the grace of Christ. Luke adds, that
the people gave praise to
God, which tends to prove the certainty
of the miracle.
LUKE 19:1-10
|
LUKE
19:1-10
|
|
1. And having entered, he passeth through
Jericho.
f665
2. And, lo, a man named Zaccheus, and he was chief of the publicans,
and was rich. 3. And he sought to see Jesus who he was,
f666 and
could not on account of the multitude; for he was of small stature.
4. And running before, he climbed up into a sycamore tree to see
him; for he was to pass that way. 5. And when Jesus came to the
place, he looked up, and saw him, and said to him, Zaccheus, make haste, and
come down; for today I must abide at thy house. 6. And he made
haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7. And when they
saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he had gone to lodge with a man who is a
sinner. 8. And Zaccheus stood, and said to the Lord, Lo, O Lord, the
half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any man in any
thing, I restore fourfold.
f667
9. Jesus said to him, Today is salvation come to this house,
inasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
f668
10. For the Son of man came to seek and save what was
lost.
|
This shows how little attention Luke paid to
observing the order of dates; for, after having detailed the miracle, he now
relates what happened in the city of
Jericho.
He tells us that, while Christ presented himself to the view of all, as he
went along the streets,
Zaccheus
alone was very desirous to see him. For it was an evidence of intense desire
that he climbed up a
tree; since rich men are, for the
most part, haughty, and plume themselves on affected gravity. It is possible,
indeed, that others entertained the same wish, but this man was most properly
singled out by Luke, both on account of his rank, and on account of his
wonderful conversion, which took place suddenly. Now, though faith was not yet
formed in
Zaccheus,
yet this was a sort of preparation for it; for it was not without a heavenly
inspiration that he desired so earnestly to get a sight of Christ; I mean, in
reference to that design which immediately appeared. Some were led, no doubt, by
vain curiosity to run even from distant places, for the purpose of seeing
Christ, but the event showed that the mind of
Zaccheus
contained some seed of piety. In this manner, before revealing himself to
men, the Lord frequently communicates to them a secret desire, by which they are
led to Him, while he is still concealed and unknown; and, though they have no
fixed object in view, He does not disappoint them, but manifests himself in due
time.
5.
Zaccheus, make haste, and
come down. It is a remarkable instance
of favor, that the Lord anticipates
Zaccheus,
and does not wait for his invitation, but of his own accord asks lodging at
his house. We know how hateful, nay, how detestable the name of
publican
at that time was; and we shall find that this is shortly afterwards
mentioned by Luke. It is therefore astonishing kindness in the Son of God to
approach a man, from whom the great body of men recoil, and that before he is
requested to do so. But we need not wonder, if he bestows this honor on one who
was already drawn to him by a secret movement of the Spirit; for it was a more
valuable gift to dwell in his heart than to enter his house. But by this
expression he made it evident, that he is never sought in vain by those who
sincerely desire to know him; for
Zaccheus
obtained vastly more than he had expected. Besides, the great readiness of
Zaccheus
to obey, his hastening to
come down from the tree, and his
joy
in
receiving
Christ, exhibit still more clearly the power and guidance of the Holy
Spirit; for, though he did not yet possess a pure faith, yet this submissiveness
and obedience must be regarded as the beginning of faith.
7.
And when they saw it, they
all murmured. The inhabitants of the
town — and, perhaps, some of Christ’s followers —
murmur
that he goes to lodge with a
man who is looked upon as wicked and
infamous, even though nobody invited him. It is thus that the world disregards
the offer of the grace of God, but complains bitterly
f668a when
it is conveyed to others. But let us consider how unjust this murmuring was.
They think it unreasonable that Christ should bestows so great an honor on a
wicked man; for in this passage, as in many others, the word sinner is
not taken in the ordinary sense,
f669
but denotes a man of disgraceful and scandalous life. Let us suppose that
Zaccheus
was a person of this description. Still, we ought first to inquire for what
purpose Christ chose to become his guest; for, while out of doors men are
murmuring, within the house God displays magnificently the glory of this
name, and refutes their wicked calumny.
The conversion of
Zaccheus
was an astonishing work of God, and yet there was no good reason why
Zacheus
should be marked with infamy. He had the charge of collecting the taxes. Now
to collect taxes was no crime in itself, but men of that class were exceedingly
despised and hated by the Jews, because they reckoned it to be in the highest
degree unjust that they should pay tribute. But whatever might be the character
of
Zaccheus,
still the kindness of Christ ought not to be blamed, but commended, in not
refusing his assistance to a wretched man, to rescue him from destruction, and
bring him to salvation. And therefore the offense which was wickedly taken did
not hinder him from proceeding to execute his Father’s command. With such
magnanimity ought all his ministers to be endued, as to think more highly of the
salvation of one soul than of the murmurs which all ignorant persons may utter,
and not to desist from their duty, even though all their actions and words may
expose them to reproaches.
8.
And Zaccheus stood, and
said. From this result they ought to
have formed their opinion of what Christ did; but men are so hasty and
precipitate, that they do not take time to wait for God.
f670 The
conversion of Zaceheus is described by fruits and outward signs. As it was
probable that he had enriched himself to the injury of others,
if he had wronged any
man, he was ready to restore fourfold. Besides, the half of his goods he
dedicates to the poor. A man might indeed bestow all his goods on the poor,
(<461303>1
Corinthians 13:3,)
and yet his generosity might be of no value in the
sight of God; but, though no mention is here made of inward repentance, yet Luke
means that the godly zeal, which he commends in
Zaccheus,
proceeded from that living root. In like manner, Paul, when treating of
repentance, exhorts us to those duties, by which men may learn that we are
changed for the better.
Let him that stole steal
no more; but rather let him labor with his hands, that he may assist the poor
and
needy,
(<490428>Ephesians
4:28.)
We ought therefore to begin with the heart, but our
repentance ought also to be evinced by works.
Now let us observe that
Zaccheus
does not make a present to God out of his extortions, as many rich men give
to God a portion of what they have obtained by dishonesty, that they may the
more freely pillage in future, and that they may be acquitted of the wrongs
which they have formerly done. But
Zaccheus
devotes the half of his
goods to God in such a manner, as to
give, at the same time, compensation for whatever wrongs he has done; and hence
we infer that the riches which he possessed were not the fruit of dishonest
gain. Thus
Zaccheus
is not only ready to give satisfaction, if he
has taken any thing by
fraud, but shares his lawful possessions
with the poor; by which he shows that he is changed from a wolf not only into a
sheep, but even into a shepherd. And while he corrects the faults which had been
formerly committed, he renounces wicked practices for the future, as God demands
from his people, first of all, that they abstain from doing any act of injury.
Zaccheus
has not laid others under obligation, by his example, to strip themselves of
the half of their
goods; but we have only to observe the
rule which the Lord prescribes, that we dedicate ourselves, and all that we
have, to holy and lawful purposes.
9.
Today is salvation come to
this house. Christ, bearing testimony to
Zaccheus, declares that his professions were not hypocritical. And yet he does
not ascribe to the good works of Zaccheus the cause of
salvation;
but, as that conversion was an undoubted pledge of the divine adoption, he
justly concludes from it that
this
house is a possessor of
salvation.
Such, to is the import of the words for, since Zaccheus is one of the
children of
Abraham, he argues that his house
is saved. In order that any man may be reckoned among the
children of
Abraham, it is necessary for him to
imitate
Abraham’s
faith; nay, Scripture expressly bestows on faith this commendation, that it
distinguishes the genuine
children of
Abraham from strangers. Let us therefore
know that in Zaccheus faith is chiefly commended, on account of which his good
works were acceptable to God. Nor is there reason to doubt that the doctrine of
Christ went before the conversion of Zaccheus; and, consequently, the
commencement of his salvation was, to hear Christ discoursing on the undeserved
mercy of God, and on the reconciliation of men to Him, and on the redemption of
the Church, and to embrace this doctrine by faith.
In consequence of the Greek word
oi]kov;
(house) being of the masculine gender, this passage is explained in two
ways. The old translator
f671 has
made the reference to be to Zaccheus, which I also prefer.
f672
Erastians has chosen to render it, inasmuch as THE HOUSE,
itself is a DAUGHTER of Abraham;
f673
and although I do not disapprove of this, I think it more natural to explain
it as referring to Zaccheus. For, since God, when he adopts
the head of a family, promises that He will be a God even to his whole house,
salvation
is, with propriety, extended from the head to the whole body. Now the
particle
kai<
(also) is emphatic; for Christ means, that
Zaccheus,
not less than the other Jews who haughtily detested him, is
a son of
Abraham. And that his former life may
not seem to have shut against him the gate of salvation, Christ argues from his
own office, that there is nothing in this change at which any man ought to take
offense, since he was sent by the Father to
save those who were
lost.
MATTHEW 25:14-30; LUKE
19:11-28
|
MATTHEW
25:14-30
|
LUKE
19:11-28
|
|
14. For as a certain man, setting out on
a journey, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods.
15. And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another
one; to every one according to his own ability; and immediately set out.
16. And he who had received five talents went away and traded with
them, and amassed other five talents. 17. And likewise he who had
received two, he also gained other two. 18. But he who had received
one went away, and dug in the earth, and hid his master’s money.
19. And after a long time the master of those servant cometh, and
reckoneth with them. 20. And he who had received five talents,
saying, Master, thou deliveredst to me five talents: lo, I have gained by them
other five talents. 21. His master saith to him, Well done, good
and faithful servant; thou has tbeen faithful over a few things, I will place
thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy master.
22. And he also who had received two talents came, and said, Master,
thou deliveredst to me two talents: lo, I have gained by them other two.
23. His master saith to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou
hast been faithful over a few things: enter thou into the joy of thy master.
24. But he who had received one talent came and said, Master, knew thee
that thou art a harsh man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where
didst not scatter: 25. And, being afraid, I went away, and hid thy
talent in the earth: lo, thou hast what is thine. 26. And his
master answering said to him, Wicked and slothful servant, thou knowest that I
reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter:
27. Thou oughtest therefore to have given my money to the bankers, and,
when I came, I would have received my own with usury. 28. Take away
then from him the talent, and give it to him who hath ten talents.
29. For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound; but
he that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him.
30. And cast out the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, where
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
|
11. While they were hearing these
things, he added, and spoke a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and
because they thought that the kingdom of God would immediately be revealed.
12. He said therefore, A certain nobleman set out for a distant
country, to receive for himself a kingdom,
f674 and to
return. 13. And, having called his ten servants, he gave to them
ten pounds, and said to them, Trade till I come. 14. And his
citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this
man to reign over us. 15. And it happened that he returned, after
having obtained the kingdom,
f675 and
commanded those servants to be called to him, to whom he had given money, that
he might know how much everyone had gained by trading. 16. And the
first came, saying, Master, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17. And he said to him, Well done, good servant; because thou hast been
faithful in a very small matter, have though power over ten cities.
18. And another came, saying, Master, thy pound hath gained five
pounds. 19. And he said to him, And be thou ruler over five cities.
20. And another came, saying, Master, lo, thy pound, which I have
kept laid up in a napkin: 21. For I feared thee, because thou art a
harsh man: thou takest up what thou didst not lay down, and reapest what thou
didst not sow. 22. He saith to him, Out of thy mouth will I judge
thee, wicked servant. Thou knewest that I am a harsh man, taking up what I did
not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow: 23. And why didst not
thou give my money to the bank, and, when I came, I would have demanded it with
usury? 24. And to those who stood by he said, Take from him the
pound, and give it to him who hath ten pounds. 25. And they said to
him, Master, he hath ten pounds. 26. For I say to you, That to him
that hath it shall be given; but from him who hath not, even what he hath shall
be taken away. 27. But bring hither those my enemies, who refused
that I should reign over them, and slay them before me. 28. And,
having said these things, he went before, to go up to
Jerusalem.
|
Luke 19:11.
While they were hearing these
things. It was next to a prodigy that
the disciples, after having been so frequently warned as to the approaching
death of Christ, flew aside from it to think of his kingdom. There were two
mistakes; first, that they pictured to themselves rest and happiness without the
cross; secondly, that they judged of
the kingdom of
God according to their own carnal sense.
Hence it appears how slight and obscure their faith was; for though they had
entertained a hope of the resurrection, yet the taste was too slight for forming
a fixed and decided opinion about Christ. They believe him to be the Redeemer
who had been formerly promised, and hence they conceive a hope that the Church
will be renewed; but that knowledge immediately degenerates into vain
imaginations, which either overturn or obscure the power of his kingdom. But the
strangest thing of all was, that so many warnings should have passed away from
their recollection without yielding any advantage. At least, it was brutal
stupidity that, though Christ had lately declared, in express terms, that he was
just about to undergo a bitter and ignominious death, they not only remained
unconcerned, but rushed forward, as if to a joyful triumph.
12.
A certain
nobleman. Matthew interweaves this
parable with others, without attending to the order of time; but, as his
intention was, in the twenty-second chapter, to make a collection of
Christ’s latest discourses, readers ought not to trouble themselves
greatly with the inquiry which of them was delivered on the first, or the
second, or the third day within that short period. But it is proper to observe
the difference between Matthew and Luke; for, while the former
touches only on one point, the latter embraces two. This point is common to
both, that Christ resembles a nobleman, who, undertaking a
long
.journey for the sake of
obtaining a
kingdom, has entrusted his money
to the management of his servants, and so on. The other point
is peculiar to Luke, that the subjects abused the absence of the prince, and
raised a tumult in order to shake off his yoke. In both parts Christ intended to
show, that the disciples were greatly mistaken in supposing that his royal
authority was already established, and that he was coming to
Jerusalem, in order to commence immediately a course of prosperity.
Thus by taking away the expectation of an immediate kingdom,
he exhorts them to hope and patience; for he tells them that they must long
and steadily endure many toils, before they enjoy that glory for which they pant
too earnestly.
Into a distant
country. As the disciples thought that
Christ was now about to enter into the possession of his kingdom, he first
corrects this mistake by informing them, that he must undertake
a long
journey, in order to
obtain the
kingdom.
f676
As to what is meant by the
distant
country, I leave it to the ingenious
expositions of those who are fond of subtleties. For my own part, I think that
Christ expresses nothing more than his long absence, which would extend from the
time of his death to his last coming. For, though he sits at the right hand of
the Father, and holds the government of heaven and earth, and though, from the
time that he ascended to heaven, all power was given to him,
(<402818>Matthew
28:18,) that every knee might bow before him,
(<502910>Philippians
2:10;) yet as he has not yet subdued his enemies — has not yet appeared as
Judge of the world, or revealed his majesty — it is not without propriety
that he is said to be absent from his people, till he return again, clothed with
his new sovereignty. It is true, indeed, that he now reigns, while he
regenerates his people to the heavenly life, forms them anew to the image of
God, and associates them with angels; while he governs the Church by his word,
guards it by his protection, enriches it with the gifts of the Spirit, nourishes
it by his grace, and maintains it by his power, and, in short, supplies it with
all that is necessary for salvation; while he restrains the fury of Satan and of
all the ungodly, and defeats all their schemes. But as this way of reigning is
concealed from the flesh, his manifestation is properly said to be delayed till
the last day. Since, therefore, the apostles foolishly aimed at the shadow of a
kingdom, our Lord declares that he must go to seek a distant kingdom,
that, they may learn to endure delay.
f677
13.
And having called his ten
servants. We must not inquire anxiously
into the number of the servants, or into the sums of money. For Matthew, by
expressing various sums, includes a more extensive doctrine, namely, that Christ
does not lay on all an equal charge of trafficking, but commits to one a small,
and to another a larger sum of money. Both agree in this, that till the last day
of the resurrection Christ, in some respects, goes to a distance from his
people, but yet that it would be highly improper for them to sit down in
idleness and do no good; for each has a certain office enjoined him, in which he
ought to be employed, and, therefore, they ought to be diligent in
trading, that they may be careful to increase their Lord’s
property.
Luke says simply, that to each he gave a pound;
because, whether more or less may be committed to us by our Lord, every man
must equally give account for himself. Matthew, as I have said, is more full and
copious; for he states various degrees. Let us know that the Lord does not
bestow on all indiscriminately the same measure of gifts,
(<490407>Ephesians
4:7,) but
distributes them
variously as he thinks
proper,
(<461211>1
Corinthians 12:11,)
so that some excel others. But whatever gifts the
Lord has bestowed upon us, let us know that it is committed to us as so much
money, that it may yield some gain; for nothing could be more unreasonable than
that we should allow to remain buried, or should apply to no use, God’s
favors, the value of which consists in yielding fruit.
Matthew 25:15.
To every one according to his
own ability. By this term Christ does
not distinguish between natural gifts and the gifts of the Spirit; for we have
neither power nor skill
f678 which
ought not to be acknowledged as having been received from God; and, therefore,
whoever shall determine to give God his share will leave nothing for himself.
What then is meant by saying, that the master of the house gives to each person
more or less, according to his
own ability? It is because God, as he
has assigned to every one his place, and has bestowed on him natural gifts,
gives him also this or the other injunction, employs him in the management of
affairs, raises him to various offices, furnishes him with abundant means of
eminent usefulness, and presents to him the opportunity.
It is absurd, however, in the Papists to infer from
this, that the gifts of God are conferred on every man according to the measure
which he deserves. For, though the old translator,
f679
employed the word virtus,
f680
he did not mean that God bestows his gifts, according as men have acquitted
themselves well, and obtained the praise of virtue, but only so
far as the master of the house has judged them to be suitable. Now we know that
no man is found by God to be suitable till He has made him so; and the Greek
word
du>namiv,
(power, ability,) which Christ employed, is free from all
ambiguity.
20.
And he who had received five
talents. Those who employ usefully
whatever God has committed to them are said to be engaged in trading.
The life of the godly,
f681 is
justly compared to trading, for they ought naturally to exchange
and barter with each other, in order to maintain intercourse; and the industry
with which every mall discharges the office assigned him, the calling itself,
the power of acting properly, and other gifts, are reckoned to be so many kinds
of merchandise; because the use or object which they have in view is, to
promote mutual intercourse among men.
Now the gain which Christ mentions is general
usefulness,
f682 which
illustrates the glory of God. For, though God is not enriched, and makes no
gain, by our labors, yet when every one is highly profitable to
his brethren, and applies advantageously, for their salvation, the gifts which
he has received from God, he is said to yield profit, or
gain, to God himself. So highly does our heavenly Father value the
salvation of men, that whatever contributes to it he chooses to place to his own
account. That we may not become weary in doing well,
(<480609>Galatians
6:9,) Christ declares that the labor of those who are faithfully employed in
their calling will not be useless.
According to Luke, he says that
he who gained five pounds obtains
the government of five cities; by which
words he informs them, that the glory of his kingdom will be very different at
his last coming from what it now appears. For now
f683 we have
labor and anxiety in managing, as it were, the affairs of an absent master; but
then he will have at his command an ample and copious supply of honors, to
ennoble and enrich us. The form of expression employed by Matthew is more
simple, Enter thou into the joy
of thy master; by which he means that
faithful servants, whose discharge of duty shall meet with his approbation, will
share with himself a blessed abundance of all good things.
But it is asked, What is meant by what is added,
Take from him the talent, arid
give it to him who hath ten talents? For
every kind of trading will then be at an end. I reply, We ought to keep
in remembrance what I formerly mentioned, that those who insist on explaining,
with exactness, every minute phrase, are mistaken. The true meaning is, though
slothful and unprofitable servants are now endued with the gifts of the Spirit,
yet they will at length be deprived of them all, that their wretched and
shameful poverty may redound to the glory of the good. Now these slothful
persons, Christ tells us, hide either the talent or the pound
in the earth; because, while they consult their own ease and gratifications,
they refuse to submit to any uneasiness; as we see very many who, while they are
privately devoted to themselves and to their own advantage, avoid all the duties
of charity, and have no regard to the general edification. When it is said that
the master of the house, after his return, called the servants to account; as
this ought to impart courage to the good, when they understand that they do not
lose their pains, so the indolent and careless, on the other hand, ought to be
struck with no small terror. Let us therefore learn to call ourselves daily to
account, before the Lord come, and make a reckoning with
us.
24.
I knew thee, that thou art a
harsh man. This harshness has
nothing to do with the substance of the parable; and it is an idle speculation
in which those indulge, who reason from this passage, how severely and
rigorously God deals with his own people. For Christ did not intend to describe
such rigor, any more than to applaud usury, when he
represents the master of the house as saying, that the money ought to have been
deposited with a banker, that it might, at least, gain
interest. Christ only means, that there will be no excuse for the
indolence of those who both conceal the gifts of God, and waste their time in
idleness. Hence also we infer that no manner of life is more praiseworthy in the
sight of God, than that which yields some advantage to human
society.
29.
To every one that hath shall
be given has been explained
f684 under
<401312>Matthew
13:12.
30.
And cast the unprofitable
servant into outer darkness. We have also
explained,
f685 under
<400812>Matthew
8:12, that outer
darkness is contrasted with the light
which is within the house;
f686 for, as
banquets were anciently held, for the most part, at night, and were illuminated
by numerous torches and lamps, of those who are banished from the kingdom of
God, Christ says, that they are cast
without into
darkness.
Luke 19:27.
But those my
enemies. In this second part, he appears
to glance principally at the Jews, but includes all who in the absence of their
master, determine to revolt. Now Christ’s intention was, not only to
terrify such persons by threatening an awful punishment, but also to keep his
own people in faithful subjection; for it was no small temptation to see the
kingdom of God scattered by the treachery and rebellion of many. In order then
that we may preserve our composure in the midst of troubles, Christ informs us
that he will return, and that at his coming he will punish wicked rebellion.
f687
MATTHEW 21:1-9; MARK 11:1-10;
LUKE 19:29-38
|
MATTHEW
21:1-9
|
MARK
11:1-10
|
LUKE
19:29-38
|
|
1. And when they approached Jerusalem,
and were come to Bethphage, to the mountain of Olives, then Jesus sent two
disciples,
f689
2. Saying to them, Go into the village which is opposite to you, and
immediately you will find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and
bring them to me. 3. And if any man shall say anything to you, say,
The Lord hath need of them; and immediately he will send them.
f690
4. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophet, saying, 5. Say to the daughter of Zion, Lo,
thy King cometh to thee, meek, and sitting on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of
one that is under the yoke.
f691
6. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus had commanded them.
7. And they brought the ass and the colt, and laid on them their
garments, and placed him upon them.
f692
8. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and
others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried,
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed be he
f693 that
cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
f694
|
1. And as they approach Jerusalem, at
Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain of Olives, he sendeth two of his
disciples. 2. And saith to them, Go away into the village which is
opposite to you, and, just as you are entering into it, you will find a colt
tied, on which no man ever sat; loose him, and bring him. 3. And if
any man shall say to you, Why do you this? say, Because the Lord hath need of
him; and immediately he will send him hither. 4 And they went away, and
found a colt tied near a door where two ways meet, and they loose him.
5. And some of those who stood there said to them, What do you,
f695 loosing
the colt? 6. And they said to them as Jesus had commanded, and they
allowed them.
f696
7. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and threw their garments on
him, and he sat upon him, 8. And many spread their garments in the
way; and others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9. And they that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,
Blessed be he
f693A that
cometh in the name of the Lord: 10. Blessed be the kingdom of our
father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
f694A
|
29. And it happened, when he approached
Bethphage and Bethany, near the mountain which is called the mountain of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples, 30. Saying, Go into the village which
is opposite; and, as you enter into it, you will find a colt tied, on which no
man ever sat; loose him, and bring him. 31. And if any man shall
ask you, Why do you loose him? thus shall you say to him, Because the Lord hath
need of him. 32. And they that were sent went away, and found as he
had said to them. 33. And while they were loosing the colt, its
owners f697
said to them, Why do you loose the colt? 34. And they said, The
Lord hath need of him. 35. And they brought him to Jesus; and,
having thrown their garments on the colt, they set Jesus upon it.
36. And while he was going, they strawed their garments in the way.
37. And when he was already of the mountain of Olives, the whole
multitude of the disciples, rejoicing, began to praise God with a loud voice,
for all the miracles which they had seen, 38. Saying, Blessed be
the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the
highest. f694B
|
Matthew 21:1.
Then Jesus sent two
disciples. Jesus sends his
disciples to bring an ass to him, not because he was wearied with
the journey, but for a different reason; for, in consequence of the time of his
death being at hand, he intended to show, by a solemn performance, what was the
nature of his kingdom. He had begun, indeed, to do this at his baptism, but it
remained that this demonstration should be given by him towards the end of his
calling: for why did he hitherto refrain from the title of King, and now
at length openly declare himself to be a King, but because he is not far
from the end of his course?
f698 So
then, as his removal to heaven was at hand, he intended to commence his reign
openly on earth.
This would have been a ridiculous display, if it had
not been in accordance with the prediction of Zechariah, (9:9.) In order to lay
claim to the honors of royalty, he enters Jerusalem,
riding an
ass. A magnificent display, truly! more
especially when the
ass was borrowed from some person, and
when the want of a saddle and of accouterments compelled the disciples to
throw their garments on
it, which was mark of mean and
disgraceful poverty. He is attended, I admit, by a large retinue; but of what
sort of people? Of those who had hastily assembled from the neighboring
villages. Sounds of loud and joyful welcome are heard;
f699 but
from whom? From the very poorest, and from those who belong to the despised
multitude. One might think, therefore, that he intentionally exposed himself to
the ridicule of all. But as he had two things to do at the same time, — as
he had to exhibit some proof of his kingdom, and to show that it does not
resemble earthly kingdoms, and does not consist of the fading riches of this
world, it was altogether necessary for him to take this method.
To wicked men, no doubt, this might be very
unacceptable, had not God long before testified by his Prophet that such would
be the king who would come to restore the salvation of his people. In order,
therefore, that the mean aspect of Christ may not hinder us from perceiving in
this exhibition,
f700 his
spiritual kingdom, let us keep before our eyes the heavenly prediction, by which
God conferred more honor on his Son under the revolting aspect of a beggar, than
if he had been decorated with all the dazzling ornaments of kings. Without this
seasoning, we shall never have any relish for this history; and therefore there
is great weight in the words of Matthew, when he says, that
the prediction of the Prophet was
fulfilled.
f701
Perceiving that it was hardly possible that men, who are too much devoted to
wealth and splendor, should derive any advantage from this narrative, when
viewed according to the feeling of the flesh, he leads them away from the simple
contemplation of the fact to the consideration of the prophecy.
2.
Go into the
village. As he was at Bethany,
he did not ask for an ass to relieve the fatigue of traveling; for he
could easily have performed the rest of the journey on foot.
f702 But as
kings are wont to ascend their chariots, from which they may be easily seen, so
the Lord intended to turn the eyes of the people on himself, and to place some
mark of approbation on the applauses of his followers, lest any might think that
he unwillingly received the honor of a king.
f703
From what place he ordered the ass to be
brought is uncertain, except, what may naturally be inferred, that it was some
village adjoining to the city; for the allegorical exposition of it, which some
give, as applying to Jerusalem, is ridiculous. Not a whit more admissible is the
allegory which certain persons have contrived about the ass and the
colt. “The she-ass,” they tell us, “is a
figure of the Jewish nation, which had been long subdued, and accustomed to the
yoke of the Law. The Gentiles, again, are represented by
the colt, on which no man ever
sat. Christ sat first on the ass
for this reason, that it was proper for him to begin with the Jews; and
afterwards he passed over to the colt, because he was appointed to
govern the Gentiles also in the second place.” And indeed Matthew appears
to say that he rode on both of them; but as instances of Synecdoche occur
frequently in Scripture, we need not wonder if he mentions two instead of one.
From the other Evangelists it appears manifestly that the colt only was
used by Christ; and all doubt is removed by Zechariah, (9:9,)who twice repeats
the same thing, according to the ordinary custom of the Hebrew language.
f704
And immediately you will
find. That the disciples may feel no
hesitation about immediate compliance, our Lord anticipates and replies to their
questions. First, he explains that he does not send them away at random, and
this he does by saying that, at the very entrance into the village, they will
find an ass-colt with its
mother; and, secondly, that nobody will
hinder them from leading him away, if they only reply that He
hath need of
him. In this way he proved his Divinity;
for both to know absent matters, and to bend the hearts of men to compliance,
f705
belonged to God alone. It was, no doubt, possible that the owner of the ass,
entertaining no unfavorable opinion of Christ, would cheerfully grant it; but to
foresee if he would be at home, if it would then be convenient for him, or if he
would place confidence in unknown persons, was not in the power of a mortal man.
Again, as Christ strengthens the disciples, that they may be more ready to obey,
so we see how they, on the other hand, yield submission. The result shows that
the whole of this affair was directed by God.
5.
Say to the daughter of
Zion. This is not found, word for word,
in Zechariah; but what God commanded one Prophet to proclaim, the Evangelist
justly and appropriately applies to all godly teachers; for the only hope, on
which the children of God ought both to build and to rely, was, that the
Redeemer would at length come. Accordingly, the Prophet shows that the coming of
Christ yields to believers a full and complete ground of joy; for, since God is
not reconciled to them in any other way than through the agency of the Mediator,
and as it is the same Mediator who delivers his people from all evils, what can
there be, apart from him, that is fitted to cheer men ruined by their sins, and
oppressed by troubles? And as we must be altogether overwhelmed with grief when
Christ is absent, so on the other hand, the Prophet reminds believers that, when
the Redeemer is present with them, they ought to be perfectly joyful. Now though
he bestows on Christ other commendations — namely, that
he is just, and having
salvation — Matthew has taken but
a single portion, which applied to the object he had in view, which is, that
Christ will come, poor or meek; or in other words, that he will be
unlike earthly kings, whose apparel is very magnificent and costly. Another mark
of poverty is added, that he will
ride on an ass, or
the foal of an
ass; for there can be no doubt that the
manner of riding which belongs to the common people is contrasted with
royal splendor.
6.
And the disciples
went. It was just now remarked, that the
zeal and readiness of the disciples to obey are here mentioned with
commendation; for the influence of Christ was not so great, that his name alone
would be sufficient to produce an impression on unknown persons; and besides,
there was reason to fear that they would be blamed for theft. It is therefore a
proof of the deference which they paid to their Master, when they make no reply,
but proceed readily towards that place to which he has ordered them to go,
relying on his command and promise. Let us also learn by their example to press
forward through every kind of difficulty, so as to render to the Lord the
obedience which he demands from us; for he will remove obstacles, and open up a
path, and will not permit our endeavors to be unavailing.
8.
And a very great
multitude. Here the Evangelists relate
that Christ was acknowledged as a king by the people. It might, indeed, appear
to be a ludicrous exhibition,
f706 that a
multitude of obscure persons, by
cutting down trees, and strawing
their garments, bestowed on Christ the
empty title of King; but as they did this in good earnest, and as they
gave an honest testimony of their reverence, so Christ looked upon them as fit
heralds of his kingdom. Nor ought we to wonder at such a beginning, when even in
the present day, while sitting at the right hand of the Father, he commissions
from the heavenly throne obscure men, by whom his majesty is celebrated in a
despicable manner. I do not think it probable that the
branches of
palm-trees were cut down, as some
interpreters conjecture, in accordance with an ancient and solemn rite appointed
for that day. On the contrary, it would seem to have been by a sudden movement
of the Spirit that this honor was rendered to Christ, when nothing of this
nature had been intended by the disciples, whom the rest of the multitude
imitated by doing the same thing; for this also may be inferred from the words
of Luke.
9.
Hosanna to the Son of
David. This prayer is taken from
<19B825>Psalm
118:25. Matthew relates expressly the Hebrew words, in order to inform us, that
these applauses were not rashly bestowed on Christ, and that the disciples did
not utter without consideration the prayers which came to their lips, but that
they followed with reverence the form of prayer, which the Holy Spirit had
prescribed to the whole Church by the mouth of the Prophet. For, though he
speaks there of his own kingdom, yet there is no reason to doubt that he
principally looks, and intends others to look, to the eternal succession, which
the Lord had promised to him. He drew up a perpetual form of prayer, which would
be observed, even when the wealth of the kingdom was decayed; and therefore it
was a prevailing custom, that prayers for the promised redemption were generally
presented in these words. And the design of Matthew was, as we have just hinted,
to quote in Hebrew a well-known psalm, for the purpose of showing that Christ
was acknowledged by the multitude as a Redeemer. The pronunciation of the words,
indeed, is somewhat changed; for it ought rather to have been written,
Hoshiana, (an
[yçwh)
Save now, we beseech
thee; but we know that it is scarcely
possible to take a word from one language into another, without making some
alteration in the sound. Nor was it only the ancient people whom God enjoined to
pray daily for the kingdom of Christ, but the same rule is now laid down for us.
And certainly, as it is the will of God to reign only in the person of his Son,
when we say, May thy kingdom
come, under this petition is conveyed
the same thing which is expressed more clearly in the psalm. Besides, when we
pray to God to maintain his Son as our King, we acknowledge that this kingdom
was not erected by men, and is not upheld by the power of men, but remains
invincible through heavenly protection.
In the name of the
Lord. He is said to come in
the name of
God, who not only conducts himself, but
receives the kingdom, by the command and appointment of God. This may be more
certainly inferred from the words of MARK, where another exclamation is
added, Blessed be the kingdom of
our father David, which cometh in the name of the
Lord; for they speak thus in reference
to the promises; because the Lord had testified that he would at length be a
deliverer of that nation, and had appointed as the means the restoration of the
kingdom of David. We see then that the honor of Mediator, from whom the
restoration of all things and of salvation was to be expected, is ascribed to
Christ. Now as it was mean and uneducated men by whom the kingdom of Christ was
called the kingdom of
David, let us hence learn that this
doctrine was at that time well known, which in the present day appears to many
to be forced and harsh, because they are not well acquainted with
Scripture.
Luke adds a few words,
Peace in heaven, and glory in the
highest;
f707
in which there would be no obscurity, were it not that they do not
correspond to the song of the angels,
(<420214>Luke
2:14;) for there the angels ascribe to God
glory in
heaven, and to men
peace on
earth; while here both peace and
glory are ascribed to God. But there is no contradiction in the meaning;
for, though the angels state more distinctly the reason why we ought to sing,
Glory to
God — namely, because
through his mercy men enjoy peace in this world — yet the meaning is the
same with what is now declared by the multitude, that there is
peace in
heaven; for we know that there is no
other way in which wretched souls find rest in the world, than by God
reconciling himself to them out of heaven.
LUKE 19:41-44
|
LUKE
19:41-44
|
|
41. And when he came near, he beheld the
city, and wept over it, saying, 42. O if even thou, and at least in
this thy day, hadst known and considered the things which belong to thy peace!
but now they are hid from thy eyes. 43. For the days will come upon
thee, and thy enemies will encompass thee with a rampart;
f708 and
will enclose thee, and will shut thee in on all sides; 44. And will
level thee with the ground, and thy children who are within thee; and will not
leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou didst not know the time of
thy visitation.
|
41.
And wept over
it. As there was nothing which Christ
more ardently desired than to execute the office which the Father had committed
to him, and as he knew that the end of his calling was to gather
the lost sheep of the house of
Israel,
(<401524>Matthew
15:24,) he wished that his coming might bring salvation to all. This was the
reason why he was moved with compassion, and wept over the approaching
destruction of the city of Jerusalem. For while he reflected that this was the
sacred abode which God had chosen, in which the covenant of eternal salvation
should dwell — the sanctuary from which salvation would go forth to the
whole world, it was impossible that he should not deeply deplore its ruin. And
when he saw the people, who had been adopted to the hope of eternal life, perish
miserably through their ingratitude and wickedness, we need not wonder if he
could not refrain from tears.
As to those who think it strange that Christ should
bewail an evil which he had it in his power to remedy, this difficulty is
quickly removed. For as he came down from heaven, that, clothed in human flesh,
he might be the witness and minister of the salvation which comes from God, so
he actually took upon him human feelings, as far as the office which he had
undertaken allowed. And it is necessary that we should always give due
consideration to the character which he sustains, when he speaks, or when he is
employed in accomplishing the salvation of men; as in this passage, in order
that he may execute faithfully his Father’s commission, he must
necessarily desire that the fruit of the redemption should come to the whole
body of the elect people. Since, therefore, he was given to this people as a
minister for salvation, it is in accordance with the nature of his office that
he should deplore its destruction. He was God, I acknowledge; but on all
occasions when it was necessary that he should perform the office of teacher,
his divinity rested, and was in a manner concealed, that it might not hinder
what belonged to him as Mediator. By this weeping he proved not only that
he loved, like a brother, those for whose sake he became man, but also that God
made to flow into human nature the Spirit of fatherly love.
42.
O if even thou hadst
known! The discourse is pathetic, and
therefore abrupt; for we know that by those who are under the influence of
vehement passion their feelings are not more than half-expressed. Besides, two
feelings are here mingled; for not only does Christ bewail the destruction of
the city, but he likewise reproaches the ungrateful people with the deepest
guilt, in rejecting the salvation which was offered to them, and drawing down on
themselves a dreadful judgment of God. The word even, which is
interwoven with it, is emphatic; for Christ silently contrasts Jerusalem with
the other cities of Judea, or rather, of the whole world, and the meaning is:
“If EVEN thou, who art distinguished by a remarkable
privilege above the whole world, — if
thou at
least, (I say,) who art a heavenly
sanctuary in the earth, hadst known.” This is immediately
followed by another amplification taken from the time: “Though hitherto
thou hast wickedly and outrageously rebelled against God, now at least
there is time for repentance.” For he means that the day is now at
hand, which had been appointed by the eternal purpose of God for the salvation
of Jerusalem, and had been foretold by the prophets. Thus (says Isaiah)
is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation,
(<234908>Isaiah
49:8;
<470602>2
Corinthians 6:2.)
Seek the Lord while he
may be found; call upon him while he is near,
(<235506>Isaiah
55:6.)
The things which belong to thy
peace. Under the word peace he
includes, according to the meaning of the Hebrew phrase, all that is essential
to happiness. Nor does he simply say, that Jerusalem did not
know her peace, but the things
which belonged to her peace; for it
frequently happens that men are far from being unacquainted with their
happiness, but they are ignorant of the way and means, (as we say,) because they
are blinded by their wickedness. Now since the compassion is mingled with
reproach, let us observe, that men deserve the heavier punishment in proportion
to the excellence of the gifts which they have received, because to other sins
there is added an impious profanation of heavenly grace. Secondly, let us
observe, that the nearer God approaches to us, and holds out the light of sound
doctrine, the less excusable are we, if we neglect this opportunity. The gate of
salvation, indeed, is always open; but as God is sometimes silent, it is no
ordinary privilege, when He invites us to himself with a loud voice, and in a
familiar manner, and therefore the contempt will be visited by severer
punishment.
But now they are hid from thy
eyes. This is not said for the purpose
of extenuating the guilt of Jerusalem; for, on the contrary, it marks with
disgrace the monstrous stupidity of that city, that, when God is present, it
does not perceive him. I do acknowledge that it belongs to God alone to open the
eyes of the blind, and that no man is qualified for understanding the mysteries
of the heavenly kingdom, unless God enlighten him inwardly by his Spirit; but it
does not follow from this that they who perish through their own brutal
blindness are excusable. Christ intended also to remove an offense, which might
otherwise have perplexed the ignorant and weak; for when the eyes of all were
directed to that city, his example might have very great influence in both
respects, either for evil or for good. That no man then may be perplexed by its
unbelief and proud contempt of the Gospel, Jerusalem is condemned for
disgraceful blindness.
43.
For the days shall come upon
thee. He now assumes, as it were, the
character of a judge, and addresses Jerusalem with greater severity. In like
manner the prophets also, though they shed tears over the destruction of those
about whom they ought to feel anxiety, yet they summon up courage to pronounce
severe threatenings, because they know that not only are they commanded to watch
over the salvation of men, but that they have also been appointed to be the
heralds of the judgment of God. Under these terms Jesus declares that Jerusalem
will suffer dreadful punishment,
because she did not know the time
of her visitation; that is, because she
despised the Redeemer who had been exhibited to her, and did not embrace his
grace. Let the fearful nature of the punishments which she endured now alarm us,
that we may not, by our carelessness, extinguish the light of salvation, but may
be careful to receive the grace of God, and may even run with rigor to meet
it.
FOOTNOTES
ft1 “Eux
donc estans partis prescherent;” — “they then having set out,
preached.”
ft2 “Eux
donc estans partis alloyent de village en village a l’entour;”
— “they then having set out, went from village to village round
about.”
ft3 The
allusion is to extreme unction, (or last anointing,) which is one
of the Seven Sacraments recognized by the Church of Rome. —
Ed.
ft4
“Quand Iesus eut acheve de donner mandemens a ses douze disciples;”
— “when Jesus had finished giving injunctions to his twelve
disciples.”
ft5 “Et
l”Evangile est annonce aux poures;”—“and the Gospel is
preached to the poor.”
ft6 “Qui
ne sera point scandalize, ou offense, en moy;”—“who
shall not be scandalized, or offended, at me.”
ft7
“Pource que tous non seulement sont bien aises de se retirer de Christ,
mais aussi tachent malicieusement d’entrouver les
moyens;”—“because not only are all strongly disposed to
withdraw from Christ, but they even endeavor maliciously to discover the means
of doing so.”
ft8 “Un
homme vestu de precieux vestemens?”—“A man clothed with costly
garments?”
ft9
“Vestu de precieux vestemens?”—“clothed with costly
garments?”
ft10 Mon
messager, ou, Angel;”—“my messenger, or,
Angel.”
ft11 “Si
vous le voulez recevoir, ou, et si vous voulez recevoir mon
dire;”—“if you are willing to receive it, or, and if you
are willing to receive my saying.”
ft12 “Ni
autre passe-temps et amusement vain;”—“nor other pastime nor
vain amusement.”
ft13
“Que pour voir de beaux vestemens et autres choses agencees bien
proprement il faut plustost aller es Cours des Rois;” — “that
in order to see fine dresses, and other things very neatly arranged, we must
rather go to the courts of kings.”
ft14
“Pource qu’il est le Heraut marchant devant Christ pour luy faire
honneur;”—“because he is the Herald marching before Christ to
do him honor.”
ft15.Harmony,
volume 1. p.20.
ft16.“Laquelle
tant soudainement gaigne les coeurs des hommes d’une facon non
accoustumee, et y cause des mouvemens merveilleux;”—“which so
suddenly gains the hearts of men in an unusual manner, and excites in them
wonderful emotions.”
ft17
“L’estat et la commission de Iean;”—“John’s
rank and commission.”
ft18 “Et
qui ne doit pas estre escoutee par acquit;”—“and which ought
not to be listened to in an indifferent manner.”
ft19
“Gourmand et; yvrongne;”—“a glutton and a
drunkard.”
ft20 “Et
tout le peuple qui oyoit cela, et les Peagers qui estoyent baptizez du baptesme
de Iean, iustiferent Dieu.” — “And all the people who heard
that, and the publicans who were baptized with the baptism of John, justified
God.”
ft21
“Les Docteurs de la Loy;”—“the Doctors of the
Law.”
ft22
“Reietterent le conseil de Dieu;”—“rejected the counsel
of God.”
ft23 “En
eux-mesmes, ou, a l’encontre
d’eux-mesmes;”—“in themselves, or, against
themselves.”
ft24
”Ami des Peagers et gens du mauvaise vie;”—“a friend of
publican and persons of wicked life.”
ft25
“Gardons premierement de mespriser un seul moyen par lequel Die nous
convie;”—“let us first guard against despising a single method
by which God invites us.”
ft26
“Quand un homme ne boira point de vin;”—“when a person
will drink no wine.”
ft27 “Le
mot Grec que nous avons rendu par De;”—“the
Greek word which we have translated by.”
ft28 “On
void bien que la ce mot De se rapporte a la personne qui fait, et non pas
a celuy qui souffre;”—“It is very evident that the word BY
relates to the person that acts, and not to him who
suffers.”
ft29
“Mangeans et beuvans de ce qui sera mis devant
vous;”—“eating and drinking of what shall be set before
you.”
ft30 Harmony,
volume 1 p. 438.
ft31
“Lequel les Grecs nomment Synedrion, et eux l’appeloyent par
une prononciation corrompue Sanedrin;”—“which
the Greeks denominate Synedrion, and which they, by a corrupt
pronunciation, called Sanedrin.”
ft32 Harmony,
volume 1 p. 421.
ft33 ”Et
leur commande d’aller alaigrement et en diligence, a fin que bien tost ils
ayent fait une course par tout le pays de Iudee;”—“and
commands them to go with alacrity and diligence, that they may soon have
performed a circuit through the whole country of Judea.”
ft34 “Si
inhumains et mal-gracieux;”—“so barbarous and
uncivil.”
ft35 ”A
fin que les disciples ne facent conscience d’aucune sorte de
viande;”—“in order that the disciples may not make conscience
of any kind of food.”
ft36
“Que Tyr et Sidon seront plus doucement traittez;”—“that
Tyre and Sidon will be treated more gently.”
ft37
“Que ceux de Sodome seront traittez plus
doucement;”—“that those of Sodom will be treated more
gently.”
ft38
“Pourtant Tyr et Sidon seront plus doucement traittez au Iugementque
vous;”—“therefore Tyre and Sidon will be more gently treated
in the Judgment than you.”
ft39
“Que par les miracles ils n’ont point esmeus pour se convertir a
repentance;”—“that by the miracles they were not moved to be
converted to repentance.”
ft40
“Des questions curieuses et difficiles;”—“curious and
difficult questions.”
ft41 “A
la capacite et apprehension commune de l’entendement
humain;”—“to the ordinary capacity and apprehension of the
human understanding.”
ft42
“Ceste hautesse et profondeur des iugemens de
Dieu;”—“this height and depth of the judgments of
God.”
ft43
“N’a pas eu cependant sa bouche close;”—“did not
in the meantime keep his mouth shut.”
ft44 “A
fin d’adoucir le Iuge, et destourner son iuste
courroux;”—“in order to pacify the Judge, and to turn away his
just wrath.”
ft45 “Il
ne vent point ici amener le conseil secret de Dieu;”—“he does
not intend here to exhibit the secret purpose of God.”
ft46
“Que toutesfois, en les destruisant et damnant, il n’a rien fait qui
empesche qu’il ne soit tousiours recognue iuste en sa punition et sa
vengeance;” — “that notwithstanding, in destroying and
condemning them, He has done nothing to prevent Him from being always
acknowledged to be righteous in His unishment and in His
vengeance.”
ft47 Harmony,
volume 1 p. 4715.
ft48
“Que la crainte de Dieu qui est es hommes, se monstre par
l’obeissance de la foy;”—“that the fear of God which is
in men is manifested by the obedience of faith.”
ft49
“C’est donc une louange et recommendation
singuliere;”—“it is then a singular praise and
recommendation.”
ft50
“Par ton Nom;”—“by thy Name.”
ft51
“Ils furent esmerveillez et esbahis de voir cela
advenir;”—“they were astonished and overwhelmed at seeing that
happen.”
ft52 “A
ceste fin de renverser et destruire;”—“for the very purpose of
overthrowing and destroying.”
ft53
“Christ n’a point entreprins, ou essaye une chose a
l’aventure, et de laquelle l’issue fust incertaine: mais a veu que
la ruine de Satan s’en en-suyvroit;”—“Christ did not
undertake or attempt a thing at random, and the result of which was uncertain;
but saw that the ruin of Satan would follow from it.”
ft54 “La
pure et simple bonte;”—“the pure and simple
goodness.”
ft55
“Comme s’ils estoyent escrits en une rolle, ou enregistrez en
quelque livre;”—“as if they were written in a roll, or
registered in some book.”
ft56 “Ie
te ren graces;”—“I give thee thanks.”
ft57 “Il
est ainsi, Pere, pourtant que ton bon plaisir a este tel;”—“it
i so, O Father, because thy good pleasure was such.”
ft58 “Le
Fils le vent reveler, ou, donner a cognoistre;” —“the
Son chooses to reveal him, or, to make him known.”
ft59 “Ie
to ren graces;”—“I give thee thanks.”
ft60 “Ie
to ren graces, que tu as cache;”—“I thank thee,
that thou hast concealed.”
ft61
“Qu’il n’y a que le bon plaisir et vouloir de Dieu qui soit
cause de ceste diversit,”—“that it is only the good pleasure
and will of God that is the cause of this diversity.”
ft62
“Desquels tous la condition est semblable de
nature;”—“of all of whom the condition by nature is
alike.”
ft63
“Pour la derniere et souveraine raison, et pour Justice
parfaite;”—“for the last and supreme reason, and for perfect
justice.”
ft64
“Pour sonder ce qui y est;”—“to sound what is in
it.”
ft65
“Que tout ce que Dieu a determine est bon et
droict;”—“that all that God has determined is good and
right.”
ft66 “Et
cela est estre sage a sobriete, d’acquiescer au seul bon plaisir de Dieu,
et nous y arrester paisiblement, plus que s’il y avoit dix mille raisons
devant nos yeux;”—“and this is to be wise to sobriety, to
acquiesce in the good pleasure of God, and to rest calmly upon it, more than if
there were ten thousand arguments before our eyes.”
ft67
“D’une troupe de gens incognus, et de petite
estime;”—“from a flock of persons unknown and little
esteemed.”
ft68
“Vienent incontinent a tempester, pource quil leur fasche que Dieu ait le
dernier mot;”—“come immediately to storm, because it gives
them uneasiness that God should have the last word.”
ft69
“Tout ce passage revient a ces deux points;”—“the whole
of this passage amounts to these two points.”
ft70 “En
sorte que c’est temps perdu de le chercher ailleurs;” —
“so to que c’ est temps perdu de le chercher
ailleurs;”—“so that it is lost time to seek him
elsewhere.”
ft71
“Combien que ceste preparation a recevoir la grace de Christ despouille
desia entierement les hommes, et monstre qu’ils sont du tout vuides de
vertu;”—“though this preparation for receiving the grace of
Christ already strips men entirely, and shows that they are wholly devoid of
virtue.”
ft72
“Par une desfiance et facon perverse de douter;”—“by a
distrust and wicked manner of doubting.”
ft73 “Un
iour du Sabbath;”—“on a Sabbath-day.”
ft74 “Et
n’en sont point reprehensibles;”—“and are not blameable
for it.”
ft75 “Et
en donna aussi;”—“and gave of it also.”
ft76
“Avec tremblement et incertitude de conscience;”—“with
trembling and uncertainty of conscience.”
ft77
“Quand on ne derogue rien a la reverence deue, a
Dieu;”—“when nothing is taken away from the reverence that is
due to God.”
ft78
“Que les exercices de piete ne sont point contraires les uns aux autres,
mais s’accordent bien ensemble;”—“that the exercises of
godliness are not opposed to each other, but agree well
together.”
ft79
“Quand ils s’employent a oeuvres qui tendent a l’honneur de
Dieu;”—“when they are employed in works which tend to the
honor of God.”
ft80
“Ainsi Christ accorde estre vray, ce qui ne l’est pas de faict, mais
qui pourroit sembler l’estre en apparence a gens qui ne scavent pas bien
iuger et discerner les choses;” — “thus Christ admits that to
be true which is not so in reality, but which might appear to be so to persons
who do not know how to judge and distinguish matters
properly.”
ft81 “Et
cependant neantmoins la renversent et falsifient, s’arrestans au seul
service charnel, auquel ils prenent grande peine” — “and yet
nevertheless overthrow and falsify it, confining themselves to the carnal
service alone, on which they bestow great pains.”
ft82
“Ausquels il donne l’Esprit d’adoption, qui est l’Esprit
de la liberte;”—“to whom he gives the Spirit of adoption which
is the Spirit of liberty.”
ft83
“Lesquels convertissent au dommage et a la ruine de
l’homme;”— “who turn to the injury and to the ruin of
man.”
ft84 “La
vraye saison et le temps opportun de l’abolissement
d’iceluy;”— “the true season and appropriate time for
the abolition of it.”
ft85
“N’ont point de honte de condamner;”—“are not
ashamed to condemn.”
ft86
“Comment ils le mettroyent a mort;”—“how they should put
him to death.”
ft87”Et
aveques menaces leur defendit;”—“and with threatenings
prohibited them.”
ft88
“Toutesfois la haine enragee qu’ils ont contre Christ, surmonte
toutes leurs autres meschantes affections;”—“and yet the
enraged hatred which they have against Christ rises above all their other wicked
dispositions.”
ft89 “A
scavoir qu’il menacoit et faisoit taire les esprits
immondes;”— “namely, that he threatened and silenced the
unclean spirits.”
ft90 Harmony,
volume 1 p. 246.
ft91 Harmony,
volume 1. pp. 374, 418.
ft92
“Toutesfois mesmes en ceste cachete, (par maniere de
dire;”)—“yet even in this hiding place, (so to
speak.”)
ft93
“Les miracles et signes qu’il faisoit par sa vertu
Divine;”—“the miracles and signs which he performed by his
Divine power.”
ft94
“Ils font faire de grans bruits: il semble que les villes et citez doyvent
tourner ce que dessus dessous, tant y a grande
esmotion;”—“they cause great noises to be made; and so great
is the commotion, that it would seem as if towns and cities were to be turned
upside down.”
ft95
“Quand Christ vient au monde sans pompe
exterieure;”—“when Christ comes into the world without
external pomp.”
ft96
“Dieu prononce que par son ordonnance il a eleu celuy qu’on verra
venir ayant les marques qu’il met la;”—“God declares
that, by his decree, he hath elected him who will be seen coming, attended by
the marks which he there describes.”
ft97
“Qui estoit pour lors comme enclos en un anglet au pays de Iudee;”
—“which was then shut up, as it were in a corner, in the country of
Judea.”
ft98
“Ils ne pouvoyent pas mesme prendre leur repas;”—“they
could not even take their meal.”
ft99
“Ils sortirent pour le saisir;”—“they went out to seize
him.”
ft100
“Un diable qui estoit muet;”—“a devil which was
dumb.”
ft101
“Car ils disoyent qu’il estoit hors du sens;”—“for
they said that he was out of his senses.”
ft102
“Dont les troupes s’emerveillerent;”—“at which the
multitudes wondered.”
ft103
C’est par Beel-zebub, prince des diables, qu’il iette hors les
diables;”—“it is by Beelzebub, prince of the devils, that he
casteth out devils.”
ft104
“Aux nerfs appelez Optiques, qui sont les conduits de la
veue;”— “in what are called the Optical nerves, which are the
conductors of vision.”
ft103A
“Ils ne laissent pas toutesfois de ronger, comme par despit et d’un
vouloir malicieux ;”—“and yet they do not fall to carp as with
spite, and with a wicked disposition.”
ft104A
Harmony, volume 1.p. 459.
ft105 Harmony,
volume 1:p. 419. The reader must have observed that, when our Author has
explained a phrase or illustrated a fact, he seldom repeats what he had said,
but refers to the earlier portions of his work, in which the information may be
found. It is not improbable that this may have been his leading motive for
adopting the plan of a Harmony, instead of writing a separate Commentary
on each Gospel. He had made some observations on
<400934>Matthew
9:34, But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils by the prince of the
devils; and takes for granted, that the terms which occur in that passage
require no farther elucidation. But it would appear to have escaped his
recollection that, on the occasion alluded to, he satisfied himself with general
remarks on the “wicked slander” of the Pharisees, and took no notice
of the phrase, prince of the devils. The deficiency is partly supplied by
an explanation which he now makes. ---Ed.
ft106
”Mais Iesus, cognoissant leurs pensees, leur dit;”—“but
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said to them.”
ft107
“Parquoy iceux seront vos iuges;”—“therefore they shall
be your judges.”
ft108
“Toute sorte de peche et blaspheme;”—“every description
of sin and blasphemy.”
ft109
“Ains il prend fin;”—“and so he comes to an
end.”
ft110
“Mais luy cognoissant leurs pensees;”—“but he knowing
their thoughts.”
ft111
“Et ‘toute’ maison ‘divisee’ contre soy-mesme
dechet;”— “and every house divided against itself
falleth.”
ft112
“N’aura point de remission eternellement;”—“will
have no forgiveness eternally.”
ft113
“Il a l’esprit immonde;”—“he hath the unclean
spirit.”
ft114
“Comme c’estoyent gens tout pleins d’un malin
vouloir;”—“as they were people entirely full of a wicked
disposition.
ft115
”Que Christ a cognu ce qui estoit cache dedans leur
coeurs;”—“that Christ knew what was concealed within their
hearts.”
ft116
”Mais se laissent trop aisement transporter d’une temerite ne voyans
pas le mal qu’ils font;”—“but allow themselves too
easily to be carried away by rashness, not perceiving the evil that they
do.”
ft117
“Ce pere de toute finesse et malice;”—“that father of
all dexterity and malice.”
ft118
“Il ne va pas chercher fort loin les choses pour poindre les consciences
de ses adversaires;”—“he does not go far to see things fitted
to affect the consciences of his adversaries.”
ft119
“Et cependant les scribes tenoyent Christ pour
estranger;”—“and yet the scribes held Christ to be a
foreigner.”
ft120
“Le peuple en a fait un office ordinaire sans regarder
comment;”— “the people made it to be an ordinary office,
without considering in what manner.”
ft121
“Car l’objection s’addresse a la personne, comme on dit, et
non pas a la chose: c’est a dire, Christ ne regarde point ce qu’a la
verite il falloit dire de ces Exorcistes, mais ce qu’en pensoyent les
scribes;”—“for the objection is addressed to the person, as we
say, and not to the thing: that is to say, Christ does not consider what in
truth ought to be said of these Exorcists, but what the Jews thought of
them.”
ft122 Harmony,
volume 1 p. 251.
ft123
“Que c’est folie aux hommes d’attendre deliverance, si Satan
n’est premierement mis bas en choquant a bon escient contre
luy;”—“that it is folly in men to expect deliverance, if Satan
is not first put down by encountering him in good
earnest.”
ft124 “A
batailler ouvertement contre Dieu;”—“to fight openly against
God.”
ft125
“Quant a ceux qui disent que c’est un endurcissement jusqu’a
la mort;”—“as to those who say that it is hardened obstinacy
even to death.”
ft126
“Ne seront pas toutesfois tenus coulpables de ce grand crime duquel il est
ici parle;”—“will not, on that account, be held guilty of the
great crime here spoken of.”
ft127
“Et cela c’est desfier Dieu, et luy faire la guerre, comme les Geans
des Poetes, ainsique porte le proverbe Latin;”—“and that is to
defy God, and make war with him, like the Giants of the Poets, as the Latin
proverb bears.”
ft128
“Restreint nommement a la Premiere Table de la Loy ce peche contre
l’Esprit;”—“expressly limits to the First Table of the
Law this sin against the Spirit.”
ft129
“Que c’est un peche qui battaille directement contre la gloire de
Dieu;”—“that it is a sin which fights directly against the
glory of God.”
ft130
“Veu que l’horreur d’iceluy nous devroit a tous faire dresser
les cheveux en la teste;”—“since the horror at it ought to
have such an effect on all of us, as to make the hair stand on our
head.”
ft131
“Voire s’i1 est possible de tant souffler la glace, qu’on la
face flamber;”—“that is, if it be possible to blow upon the
ice in such a manner as to produce a flame.”
ft132
“Que nul n’osoit parler de leurs vices, et les
condamner;”—“that none dared to speak of their vices, or to
condemn them.”
ft133
”Lesquels ne vont point rondement, et n’ont une affection
droite;”—“who do not go straight forward, and have not an
upright disposition.”
ft134
“Iusques a ce qu’ils sentent qu’on le poigne a bon
escient;”—“till they feel that they are pierced in good
earnest.”
ft135
“Il semblera, a l’ouir parler, qu’il ait une purete
Angelique;”—“to hear him speak, you would imagine that he has
the purity of an Angel.”
ft136
“Comme aussi le proverbe ancien portoit, Que la langue est le charactere
ou pourtrait du coeur;”—“as also the old proverb bore, That
the tongue is the type or portrait of the heart.”
ft137
“Qui abbayent contre sa gloire, comme chiens
mastins;”—“who bark against his glory, like
mastiff-dogs.”
ft138
“Ceci semble a plusieurs estre trop extreme et
rigoureux;”— “this appears to many to be too extreme and
rigorous.”
ft139
”Qui meritent dix mille morts;”—“which deserve ten
thousand deaths.”
ft140
“La parole pure, droite, et honneste;”—“pure, upright,
and becoming speech.”
ft141
“La fin de cest homme est pire que le
commencement;”—“the end of that man is worse than the
beginning.”
ft142
“Il aiguise tant plus son appetit enrage de nous
mal-faire;”—“so much the more does it whet his enraged
appetite to do us injury.”
ft143
“Ce mal-heureux ennemi nous manie tout a son aise, et regne en nous comme
en se iouant;”—“this unhappy foe governs us altogether at his
ease, and reigns over us, as it were, in sport.”
ft144
“Iusques a ce qu’il retrouve la proye qu’on luy a ostee
d’entremains;”—“till he recover the prey that has been
snatched out of his hands.”
ft145
“Que quand, laissans Christ, et nous esloignans de luy, nous attirons
c’est hoste a nous;”—“that when leaving Christ, and
withdrawing from him, we entice this guest.”
ft146
“Ce qu’il aime donc le plus, et ou il prend un souverain plaisir,
c’est ceste place vuide qui se fait quand l’homme ne tient conte de
la grace de Dieu, et est nonchalant d’en bien
user;”—“that which he loves most, and in which he takes a
supreme pleasure, is the emptiness which is produced, when man sets no value on
the grace of God, and is indifferent about making a good use of
it.”
ft147
“En sorte qu’il nous tient le pied sur la gorge plus estroitement
que devant: et qu’en cela nous recevons une iuste recompense et punition
de nostre nonchalance;”—“so that he holds his foot upon our
throat more straitly than before; and that in this we have a just reward of our
indifference.”
ft148
“Et s’il n’y pent entrer de front et apertement, il est assez
fin pour s’y fourrer secretement par dessous terre, ou par quelque fente a
coste;”— “and if he cannot enter it in front and openly, he is
cunning enough to dig into it secretly below ground, or by some chink in the
side.”
ft149
“Et effacans l’amour de la crainte de Dieu;”—“and
effacing the love of the fear of God.”
ft150
“Et estans dehors envoyerent quelques uns vers luy pour
l’appeler;”—“and being without, sent some persons to him
to call him.”
ft151
“Mais luy respondant leur dit, Ceux-la sont ma mere et mes freres, qui
oyent la parole de Dieu, et la mettent en effect;”—“but he
answering said to them, Those are my mother and my brethren, who hear the word
of God, and put it in practice.”
ft152
“Il ne faut pas penser qu’elle eust regard a
Marie;”—“we must not suppose that she had reference to
Mary.”
ft153
“Autant que l’ouye simple est comme quand on regarde en un mirroir,
et que la memoire s’en escoule incontinent;”—“since the
simple hearing is as when we look into a mirror, and the remembrance of it
immediately passes away.”
ft154
“Et en leurs graces apres le repas, ils prenent le dire de la femme,
laissans la correction qui estoit le principal;”—“and in their
thanksgivings after a meal, they employ the woman’s saying leaving out the
correction, which was the most important matter,”
ft155
“Et de faict, c’estoit mal avise a elle de vouloir ainsi rompre son
propos, lors qu’il enseignoit;”—“and in fact, it was
foolish in her to wish to break off his discourse in this manner, while he was
teaching.”
ft156
“Ne conviendroit a homme vivant;”—“would not apply to
any man living.”
ft157
“Qu’a la verite il a observe et entretenu en toute sainctete
l’ordre qui est entre les hommes;”—“that in reality he
observed and maintained.”
ft158
“Ausquels il respondit, et leur dit, La nation meschante et adultere
(ou, bastarde) requiert un signe;”—“to whom he
answered, and said to them, The wicked and adulterous (or, bastard)
nation demandeth a sign.”
ft159
“Et voyci, il y a ici plus que Ionas;”—“and, lo, there
is here a greater than Jonah.”
ft160
“Et voyci, il y a ici plus que Salomon;”—“and, lo, there
is here a greater than Solomon.”
ft161
“Qui une fois s’estoyent endurcis;”—“who had once
become hardened.”
ft162
“Que Christ ne leur monstre aucun signe d’enhaut qui soit pour
seelet ceste doctrine;”—“that Christ shows them no sign from
above that is sufficient to seal this doctrine.”
ft163 Il
entend qu’ils sont enfans bastars;”—“he means that they
are bastard children.”
ft164
“Quant aux trois nuits, il y a ici (cornme on scait bien) une
figure que les Grecs et Latins appellent Synecdoche;”—“as to
the three nights, there is here (as is well known) a figure which the
Greek and Latin writers call Synecdoche.”
ft165
“D’un oeil pur, et sans mauvaise affection;”—“with
a pure eye, and without evil disposition.”
ft166
“De cognoistre les secrets;”—“to know the
secrets.”
ft167
“Et en aura tant plus;”—“and he shall have so much the
more of it.”
ft168
“Il alloit de ville en ville, et de village en
village;”—“he was going from town to town, and from village to
village.”
ft169
“De cognoistre le secret;”—“to know the
secret.”
ft170
“Et ses disciples l’interroguerent, dema, dans quelle estoit ceste
similitude;”—“and his disciples interrogated him, asking what
was this parable.”
ft171
“De cognoistre les secrets;”—“to know the
secrets.”
ft172
“D’autant qu’elles ont suyvi leur Liberateur, nonobstant
l’ignominie du monde qu’il leur faloit endurer en ce
faisant;”—“because they followed their Deliverer,
notwithstanding the ignominy of the world which they must endure by so
doing.”
ft173
“Si est-ce toutesfois qu’elles sont obscures et enveloppees, quand
on continue tousiours la metaphore sans rien y
entremesler;”—“yet they are obscure and involved, when the
metaphor is constantly pursued, without any thing being intermingled with
it.”
ft173a
“En usant de termes communs;”—“by using ordinary
terms.”
ft174
“Voyla comme il y a bien a regarder comment on couche ou on deduit un
propos;”—“this shows us the great attention that is due to the
manner in which a discourse is expressed or conveyed.”
ft175
“De cognoistre les secrets;”—“to know the
secrets.”
ft176
“La parole de Dieu de sa nature est tousiours pleine de lumiere et
clairte;”—“the word of God in its own nature is always full of
light and brightness.”
ft177
“Cependant neantmoins il ne laisse point d’estre vray, que le
Seigneur tient ses secrets cachez, a fin que le goust et la fruition
d’iceux ne parviene aux reprouvez;”—“yet, nevertheless,
it does not cease to be true, that the Lord keeps its secrets hidden, in order
that the relish and enjoyment of them may not reach the
reprobate.”
ft178
“Si on demande d’ou venoit un tel privilege et honneur aux Apostres
plustost aux autres;”—“if it is asked, whence came such a
privilege and honor to the Apostles rather than to the
others.”
ft179
“Exclud toute merite de sa part;”—“excludes all merit on
their part.”
ft180
“Car la le propos sera touchant le droict et legitime usage des dons de
Dieu;”—“for there the discourse will relate to the right and
lawful use of the gifts of God.”
ft181
“Et comme ses richesses sont infinies, et ne se peuvent
espuiser;”— “and as his riches are infinite, and cannot be
exhausted.”
ft182 Harmony,
volume 1:p. 315.
ft183
“En sorte que c’estoit tousiours pour esblouir de plus en plus les
yeux de l entendement du peuple;”—“so that it was always to
dazzle more and more the eyes of the understanding of the
people.”
ft184
“Il leur advient ce que le Prophete Isaie a
experimente;”—“it happens to them what the Prophet Isaiah
experienced.”
ft185
“Ils disent qu’il guarit, et remet en
sante;”—“they say that he heals, and restores to
health.”
ft186
“Il ne faut pas conclurre par cela que la repentance, ou conversion, soit
cause de nous faire avoir remission et pardon de nos pechez; comme si Dieu
prenoit a merci ceux qui se convertissent, pource qu’ils en sont dignes,
et le meritent;”—“we must not therefore conclude, that
repentance, or conversion, is the cause of making us have forgiveness and pardon
of our sins; as if God exercised mercy towards those who are converted, because
they are worthy of it, and deserve it.”
ft187
“Selon son apprehension carnale et
grossiere;”—“according to his carnal and gross
apprehension.”
ft188 “Simeon disoit selon
l’affection de tours les
Peres;”—“Simeon spoke according to the
feeling of all the Fathers.”
ft189
“Et de faict, il ne se pouvoit faire que ces bons personnages ne fussent
tous ravis, et comme enflambez d’un grand desir de la delivrance
promise.”—“And indeed it was impossible that those good men
should not be altogether transported, and as it were inflamed with a great
desire of the promised deliverance.”
ft191
“Celuy qui oit la Parole, et l’entend, a scavoir celuy qui porte et
produit fruict;”—“he who heareth the word, and understandeth
it, that is he who beareth and produceth fruit.”
ft192
“Ne passent autrement les autres pour leur monstrer le
chemin;”— “did not go beyond others to show them the
road.”
ft193
“Estant espandue ca et la comme le b1e qu’on iette en
terre;”— “being scattered here and there, like the corn which
is thrown into the earth.”
ft194
“Desquels les premiers ne retienent pas la semence en leurs coeurs pour
germer;”—“the first of which do not retain the seed in their
hearts so as to spring up.”
ft195
“Les seconds semblent bien l’avoir gardee iusques a venir a
germer;”—“the second appear to have kept it till it came to
spring up.”
ft196
“Aux troisiemes, le ble estant en herbe est
estouffe;”—“in the third, the corn, while yet in the blade, is
choked.”
ft197
“Mais non pas a ce qui s’accomplit es
hommes;”—“but not as to what is accomplished in
men.”
ft198
“Le mauvais;”—“the wicked one.”
ft199
“La foy temporelle, qui est comme le germe de la semence;”—
“temporary faith, which is as it were the germ of the
seed.”
ft200
“Mais les coeurs ne sont point tellement cultivez et preparez,
qu’ils ayant une douceur pour nourrir et entretenir ce qui est
commence;”—“but the hearts are not so cultivated and prepared,
as to have a softness for nourishing and supporting what is
begun.”
ft201
“De peur que ceste ardeur et alaigrete qui est de grand monstre pour le
commencement, ne s’en aille bien tost en fumee comme un feu
d’estouppes, ainsi que porte le proverbe commun;”—“lest
that ardor and alacrity, which makes a great show at the beginning, may soon
vanish into smoke, like a fire of tow, as the common proverb
goes.”
ft202
“Temporels, c’est a dire, de petite
duree;”—“temporary, that is to say, of short
duration.”
ft203
“Ressemble aucunement a la foy;”—“somewhat resembles
faith.”
ft204
“Esquelles le laboureur ne perd pas du tout sa
peine;”—“in which the husbandman does not entirely lose his
trouble.”
ft205
“D’ou vient donc qu’il y a de
l’yvroye?”—“Whence comes it then that there are
tares?”
ft206
“L’homme ennemi, (ou, quelque
ennemi;)”—“the enemy, (or, some
enemy.)”
ft207
“Pour retirer le commun populaire d’une folle presomption, a cause
qu’en apparence externe ils faisoyent quelque profession de
l’Evangile;”— “to withdraw the common people from a
foolish presumption, because in outward appearance they made some profession of
the Gospel.”
ft208
“Qu’on separera l’yvroye d’avec le bon
ble;”—“when the tares shall be separated from the good
corn.”
ft209
“Mais c’est autre chose de la doctrine: car il ne faut iamais
endurer les erreurs meschantes qui corrompent la purete de la
foy;”—“but it is quite otherwise with doctrine; for we must
never tolerate the wicked errors which corrupt the purity of
faith.”
ft210
“Qui ne pensent point qu’il soit bon de s’adioindre a la
compagnie des fideles, sinon que tout y soit pur comme entre les
Anges;”— “who do not think that it is proper to join
themselves to the society of believers, unless every thing in it be as pure as
among the Angels.”
ft211
“Et semblables reveurs;”—“and similar
dreamers.”
ft212
“Quand la peine n’est pas a mort (comme est
l’excommunication;)”—“when the punishment, as in the
case of excommunication, is not to death.”
ft213
“Devant le siege iudicial de sa maieste;”—“before the
judgment- seat of his majesty.”
ft214
“Ils tournent incontinent bride;”—“they immediately
wheel about.”
ft215 Harmony,
volume 1:p. 200.
ft216
“Diversement, aux uns plus, aux autres
moins;”—“variously, to some more, to others
less.”
ft217
“Avec l’estat present du monde, qui est comme tout obscurci de
brouillars;”—“with the present state of the world, which is
entirely, so to speak, obscured by mists.”
ft218
“Il est plus grand que les autres herbes;”—“it is larger
than the other herbs.”
ft219
“Que toute autre herbe;”—“than every other
herb.”
ft220 “A
fin que sa puissance soit tant mieux cognue, quand on verra les avancemens
qu’on n’avoit iamais attendus;”—“in order that his
power may be so much the better known, when the progress, which had not been
anticipated, shall be seen.”
ft221
“Qu’il fait aigrir et lever une grande quantite de
paste;”—“that it embitters and causes to rise a large quantity
of paste.”
ft222
“Iuques a ce que le Seigneur nous face sentir l’effect de cette
vertu incomprehensible ;”—“till the Lord make us feel the
effect of that incomprehensible power.”
ft223 Car
combien qu’il voulust parler en telle sorte que les reprouvez n’y
entendissent rien, il a toutesfois tellement modere son style, qu’en leur
stupidite ils ont senti que son parler avoit quelque vertu celeste et
Divine;” — “for, though he intended to speak in such a manner,
that the reprobate might understand nothing of it, yet he was so regulated in
his style that, amidst their stupidity, they felt that his manner of speaking
had some Divine and heavenly power.”
ft224
“Sa coustume estoit de se trouver;”—“his custom was to
be present.”
ft225
“Que quelqu’un a trouve et cache;”—“which some one
hath found and hidden.”
ft226
“Qui cherche de bonnes perles;”—“who seeks good
pearls.”
ft227
“De toutes sortes de choses ;”—“of all sorts of
things.”
ft228
“Lequel estant plein, ‘les pescheurs’ le tirent en haut sur la
rive: et estant assis mettent le bon a part en leurs vaisseaux, et iettent hors
ce qui ne vaut rien;”—“which being full, ‘the
fishers’ draw it upwards on the bank; and sitting down, put the good aside
in their vessels, and throw away what is worth nothing.”
ft229
“Quant au royaume des cieux;”—“as to the kingdom of
heaven.”
ft230
“Que nous venons a oublier la vie eternelle;”—“that we
come to forget eternal life.”
ft231
“C’est le bon marchand qui fait telle estime de la
perle;”—“it is the good merchant who sets so
high a value on the pearl.”
ft232
“Qu’ils gardent ceste cognoissance pour eux-mesmes
seulement;”—“that they may keep that knowledge for themselves
only.”
ft233
“Commoe nous voyons que le pere de famille tire de son cellier ou grenier
toutes sortes de provisions;”—“as we see that the master of a
family draws from his cellar or granary all kinds of
provisions.”
ft234
“Or voyci il y avoit une femme de la ville qui avoit este de mauvaise vie,
laquelle ayant cognu qu’il estoit assis a table en la maison du Pharisien,
apporta une boiste d’ongnement;”—“but, lo, there was a
woman of the city who was of wicked life, who, having learned that he sat at
table in the house of the Pharisee, brought a box of
ointment.”
ft235
“Et les frottoit d’ongnement;”—“and rubbed them
with ointment.”
ft236
“Car elle est de mauvaise vie;”—“for she is of wicked
life.”
ft237
“Que Christ a este donne pour liberateur au genre humain, miserable et
perdu;”—“that Christ was given as a deliverer to the human
race, miserable and lost.”
ft238
“Qui fait que les hommes se me cognoissent;”—“which
makes men forget themselves.”
ft239
”Quoe fuerat peccatrix.
ft240
“Veu qu’il ne cognoist point l’infamie de la vie de ceste
femme qui estoit notoire a un chacun;”—“since he does not know
the infamy of the life of this woman, which was notorious to every
one.”
ft241
“Veu que le remerciment presuppose tousiours qu’on ait avant
receuquelque bien;”—“since gratitude always presupposes that
some favor has been received.”
ft242
“Mettons le cas, Simon, que le fardeau des pechez, desquels Dieu t’a
descharge fust petit;”—“let us put the case, Simon, that the
burden of the sins, from which God has discharged thee, was
small.”
ft243
“Et s’il avoit este absous de la condamnation qu’il avoit
encourue;” —“and if he had been absolved from the condemnation
which he had incurred.”
ft244
“En lieu que l’autre n’a pas mesme daigne le baiser par une
facon commune de civilite;”—“whereas the other did not even
deign to kiss him, according to an ordinary custom of
civility.”
ft245 “A
este un acte special et extraordinaire, duquel si on vouloit faire une reigle
generale, ce seroit un abus;”—“was a special and extraordinary
act, of which, if we wished to make a general rule, it would be a
mistake.”
ft246
“Combien qu’il faut resoudre le verbe du temps present en un temps
passe: comme quand il dit, Ses pechez luy sont pardonnez: il faut
entendre, Ont este pardonnez;”—“though the verb must be
resolved from the present tense into a past tense: as when he says, Her sins
are forgiven, we must understand it to mean, Have been
forgiven.”
ft247
“Il n’est pas dit ici que la dilection ou amour des hommes envers
Dieu soit la cause de la remission des pechez;”—“it is not
here said that the loving, or the love of men towards God, is the cause
of the forgiveness of sins.”
ft248
“Qui se plaisent et fiattent en leurs vices;”—“who
please and flatter themselves amidst their vices.”
ft249
“Pour reprimer les murmures de ces gens;”—“to repress
the mur- murings of those people.”
ft250
“Qui t’a apporte certitude de salut;”—“which has
brought thee certainty of salvation.”
ft251
“Il est vray que ceste erreur n’est pas d’auiourd’huy,
mais est bien ancien;”—“it is true that this error is not of
today, but is very old.”
ft252
“Some readers may happen to ask, Who were the Sorbonnists, or, as
they are often called, the Doctors of the Sorbonne? In reply, I take the
liberty of extracting from a volume, which I gave to the world a few years ago,
a few remarks on this subject.”—“The College of the
Sorbonne, in Paris, takes its name from Robert de Sorbonne, who
founded it in the middle of the thirteenth century. Its reputation for
theological learning, philosophy, classical literature, and all that formerly
constituted a liberal education, was deservedly high. In the Doctors of the
Sorbonne the Reformation found powerful adversaries. The very name of this
University, to which the greatest scholars in Europe were accustomed to pay
deference, would be regarded by the multitude with blind veneration. If such men
as Calvin, Beza, Melancthon, and Luther, were prepared by talents and
acquirements of the first order to brave the terrors of that name, they must
have frequently lamented its influence on many of their hearers. Yet our author
meets undaunted this formidable array, and enters the field with the full
assurance of victory. Despising, as we naturally do, the weak superstitions and
absurd tenets held by the Church of Rome, we are apt to underrate our
obligations to the early champions of the Reformed faith, who encountered with
success those veteran warriors, and contended earnestly (Jude, verse 3)
for the faith which was once delivered to the
saints.”—(Biblical Cabinet, volume 30:p.
140.)—Ed.
ft253 Met
peine de vivre en sorte qu’ il apporte quelque profit a la societe commune
des hommes;”—“endeavors to live so as to yield some advantage
to the general society of men.”
ft254
“Car il y a temps d’ouir, et temps de faire, et de mettre la main a
la besongne;”—“for there is a time to hear, and a time to act,
and to put the hand to the work.”
ft255
“En la conduite du banquet, et bruit de mesnage;”—“in
the preparation of the entertainment, and the noise of household
affairs.”
ft256
“Comme si Christ entendoit qu’il y a assez d’un mets, ou
d’une sorte de viande;”—“as if Christ meant that one
dish, or one sort of food, is enough.”
ft257
“De Monade.”—“Les autres plus subtilement, mais
mal a propos, traittans ici de l’unite: comme si par ce mot de Un, Iesus
Christ eust voulu exlurre tout nombre;”—“others more
ingeniously, but inappro- tended to exclude all diversity of
employment.”
ft258 CALVIN
appears to interpret the words, which shall not be taken from her, not as
a doctrinal statement, but as a command, or, at least, as marking out the line
of conduct which ought to be pursued by Martha and others towards
Mary. The good part, or, as he explains it, “the holy and
profitable employment,” shall not be take, from her. “She
ought not to be disturbed,” and “it would be an act of injustice to
withdraw her from it.”—Ed.
ft259
“Car encore que ‘les biens’ abondent a quelqu’un, si
n’a-il pas vie par les biens;”—“for though a man may
abound in wealth, yet he has no, life by his wealth.”
ft260
“Et fay grand’chere;”—“and make great
cheer.”
ft261
“En ceste nuict ton ame to sera ostee, ou, on to redemandera ton
ame;”—“this night thy soul shall be taken from thee,
or, thy soul shall be asked again from thee.”
ft262
“Ainsi est celuy qui thesaurize (ou, a fait grand areas de biens)
pour soy;”—“so is he that hoards up (or, has formed a
great heap of goods) for himself.”
ft263
“On pourroit demander qui a empesche qu’il ne se soit entremis
d’oster toute occasion de debat entre deux freres?”—“It
might be asked, what hindered him from undertaking to remove all ground of
quarrel between two brothers?”
ft264
“Que le Messias regneroit a la facon des princes
terriens;”—”that the Messiah would reign in the manner of
earthly princes.”
ft265
“En considerant la circonstance de l’exhortation qui est ici
adioustee, il est aise a iuger que cestuy-ci estoit mene d’une telle
affection perverse;” —“by considering the circumstance of the
exhortation which is here added, it may easily be inferred that this man was
under the influence of such a wicked disposition.”
ft266
“Ce que les fideles experimentent ton les iours en eux-mesmes estre
vray;”—“which believers every day experience in themselves to
be true.”
ft267
“Pource qu’ils ne scavent point quel est le droit et legitime usage
des creatures de Dieu;”—“because they know not what is the
proper and lawful use of the creatures of God.”
ft268
“D’une telle mecognoissance et fierte;”—“of such
ingratitude and pride.”
ft269
“En ceste locution Hebraique il y a une vehemence et proprie plus que les
mots n’emportent de prime face;”—”in that Hebrew form of
expression there is greater force and propriety than the words at first sight
bear.”
ft270
“Que d’heure en heure la vie est ostee aux
hommes;”—“that from hour to hour the life of man is taken
away.”
ft272
“En sorte que la fiance de l’homme est en ses greniers, ou en ses
coffres;”—“so that the confidence of the man is in his
granaries, or in his chests.”
ft273
“Estans prests a recevoir ce qu’il plaira a Dieu leur
envoyer;”—“being prepared to receive what God may be pleased
to send to them.”
ft274
“Eussent offense plus que tous les habitans de
Ierusalem;”—“had offended more than all the inhabitants of
Jerusalem.”
ft275 “A
quel propos aussi empesche-t-il la terre?”—“for what end does
it even cumber the ground?”
ft276
“Que s’il fait fruict, ‘bien:’ sinon tu le couperas
ci-apres;”—“and if it bears fruit, ‘well:’ if not,
thou shalt cut it down afterwards.”
ft277
“Dont nous avons a penser quelle punition et damnation nous
sentirons;”— “by which we are led to consider what punishment
and condemnation we shall receive.”
ft278
“Laquelle estoit courbe, et ne pouvoit aucunement se
dresser;”— “who was bent down, and was quite unable to stand
upright.”
ft279
“Et au troisieme iour ie pren fin;”—“and on the
third day I conclude.”
ft280
“Car il n’advient point qu’aucun Prophete meure hors de
Ierusalem;”—“for it does not happen that any Prophet dies out
of Jerusalem.”
ft281
“Cette cruelle diablesse;”—“that cruel female
devil.”
ft282
“Auquel Dieu a voulu que ses Prophetes ayent soustenu de grans combats et
rudes alarmes;”—“on which God determined that his Prophets
should sustain powerful combats and fierce alarms.”
ft283
“Des choses presentes, ou, de ce que vous avez;”
—“of present things, or, of what you
have.”
ft284
“Mais que c’est une prompte affection de faire bien a ceux qui sont
en necessite;”—“but that it is an active disposition to do
good to those who are in want.”
ft284a
“Les presentes choses, comme aussi ie l’ay traduit au
texte;”—“the present things, as also I have translated
it in the text.”
ft284b It
seems quite as natural to suppose, with other interpreters, that
ta<
ejno>nta answers to
to<
e]swqen in the 39th and 40th verses.
Plh<n
(kata<)
ta<
ejno>nta will thus be equivalent to
plh<n
(kata<)
to<
e]swqen
(tou~
pothri>ou)
do>te
ejlehmosu>nhn, but as to what is
within the cup give alms out of it. The next, clause commences with
kai<,
followed by an ellipsis of
(kata<),
to< e]xwqen
(tou~
pothri>ou)
mh<
merimnh>shte, and give yourselves no concern
about what is outside of the cup; for, lo, all things are clean to you.
—Ed.
ft284c
“Aux Docteurs de la Loy;”—“to the Doctors of the
Law.”
ft285
“Bien-hereux sera celuy qui mangera;”—“blessed shall he
be who shall eat.”
ft286
“D’un accord;”—“with one
accord.”
ft287
“Qui seront nourris de Dieu;”— “who shall be fed by
God.”
ft288
“Ce peuple-la a vileinement et meschamment mesprise l’honneur auquel
Dieu le convioit;”—“that people basely and wickedly despised
the honor to which God invited them.”
ft289
“Tous ceux qui semblent s’estre rangez sous son
enseigne;”—“all those who appear to have ranked themselves
under his banner.”
ft290
“Que ‘quelques uns’ me recoyvent;”—“that
‘some persons’ may receive me.”
ft291
“Et en escri cinquante;”—“and write fifty of
them.”
ft292
“Du vray ’thresor’ qui s’en fiera en
vous?”—“who shall entrust to you the true
(treasure?)”
ft293
“S’il est trouve qu’ils n’ayent en aucun soin
d’exercer charite envers leurs prochains, et n’ayent pense
qu’a despendre en tout exces et a leur plaisir, les biens de
Dieu;”—“if it is found that they have given themselves no
concern about exercising charity to their neighbors, and have thought only of
spending in every excess, and at their own pleasure, the gifts of
God.”
ft294
“Et mesmes plusieurs sont contens d’user de simplicite et fidelite
en de petites choses, a fin d’attraper puis apres un grand profit tout
d’un coup;”—“and many are even willing to
practice honesty and fidelity in small matters, in order afterwards to seize all
at once on a large profit.”
ft295
Livy.
ft296
“D’une chose caduque, et qui n’est qu’une
ombre;”—“with a fading thing, and which is only a
shadow.”
ft297
“Et 1a aussi on trouvera la signification de ce mot Mammona, lequel est
ici mis, et que nous avons traduit
Richesses.”—“And there will also be found
the meaning of the word Mammon, which is used here, and which we have
translated Riches.”—In an earlier portion of
this Commentary, to which our author refers, (Harmony, vol. 1 p. 337,) no direct
or formal explanation of the word Mammon is to be found; but a careful
reader of the expository remarks on
<400624>Matthew
6:24 will easily perceive that CALVIN understands riches to be one of the
two masters spoken of in that passage. An indirect definition of the term
is afforded by his French version of the text, both in Matth. 6:24, and in
<421613>Luke
16:13, “Vous ne pouvez servir a Dieu et aux
richesses;”—“you cannot serve God and
riches.”
ft298
“En affectant des termes exquis, et bien remplissans la
bouehe;”— “by affecting nicely chosen words, and that fill the
mouth well.”
ft299
“Comme choses absurdes, et contre l’opinion
commune;”—“as absurd statements, and opposed to the common
belief.”
ft300
“Horace, Poete Latin, dit parlant en la personne d’un
avaricieux;”—“Horace, a Latin Poet, says, speaking in the
person of a covetous man.”
ft301
“Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo.”— Sat. 1.
1:66.
ft302
“De pourpre et de soye;”—“in purple and
silk.”
ft303
“Quelle sera hors de ce monde la condition de
ceux;”—“what will be out of this world the condition of
those.”
ft304
“De l’orgueil de sa vie passee;”—“of the pride of
his past life.”
ft305 “A
bon droict on dit simplement, L’homme, encore que cela ne convient
qu’a l’ame;”—“we properly say simply Man,
though it applies only to the soul.”
ft306
“D’un pere terrien;”—“from an earthly
father.”
ft307
“Veu qu’elle n’est appuyee et fondee qu’en des
apparitions et vaines imaginations d’aucuns cerveaux
esventez;”—“since it rests and is founded only on apparitions
and vain imaginations of certain giddy brains.”
ft308
“Les autres, que Dieu parlast a eux du ciel en personne;”—
“others, that God would speak to them from heaven in
person.”
ft310
“Ne s’amenderont point, mesmes quand les morts viendroyent parler a
eux, et les advertir;”—“will not reform, even though the dead
should come to talk to them and warn them.”
ft311
“Avance-toy incontinent;”—“come forward
immediately.”
ft312
“Et apres cela tu mangeras et boiras;”—“and after that
thou shalt eat and drink.”
ft313
“Scait-il gre a ce serviteur-la?“—“does he feel obliged
to that servant?”
ft314
“Il ne pent pas estre nostre deteur;”—“he cannot be our
debtor.”
ft315
“Iusqu’a ce qu’il se soit acquitte au bon plaisir du maistre;
et qu’on luy dise, C’est assez;”—“till he is
discharged at the good pleasure of the master; and till he is told, It is
enough.”
ft316
“Selon les conventions contenus en la Loy;”—“according
to the engagements contained in the Law.”
ft317
“Mais en telle sorte que Dieu se rend volontairement deteur, sans
qu’il y soit tenu;”—“but in such a manner that God
voluntarily becomes our debtor, though he is under no obligation to do
so.”
ft318
“Et d’antant plus est detestable la sophisterie des Theologiens
Scho- lastiques, ou Sorbonnistes, lesquels ont ose forger leur merite,
qu’ils appellent De condigno;”—“And so much the more
detestable is the sophistry of the Scholastic Theologians, or Sorbonnists,
(see p. 142, n. 2, of this volume,) who have dared to forge their
merit, which they call De condigno.” The reader will find
not only the general doctrine of merit, but this particular aspect of it,
fully treated by our Author in his Institutes of the Christian Religion,
Book III. ch. 15:
ft319
“Et par un temps il n’en voulut rien faire;”—“and
for a time he would do nothing in it.”
ft320
“Pourtant que ceste vefue me donne fascherie;” —“because
this widow gives me annoyance.”
ft321
“Et me rompe la teste.”.
ft322
“Combien qu’il il differe de se courroucer pour eux; ou,
et aura-il patience quant a eux?”—“Though
he delay to be offended on their account; or, and will he have patience in
reference to them?”
ft323
“Pensez-vous qu’il trouve foy en terre?“—“Do you
think that he will find faith on the earth?”
ft324
“Le Pharisien se tenant l’a;”—“the Pharisee
standing there.”
ft325
“Si ces deux vices n’y estoyent, qui gastent
tout;”—“if those two faults had not been in it, which spoil
the whole.”
ft326
“Apres avoir recognu le bien qui est en eux par la grace de Dieu;”
— “after having acknowledged the good that is in them by the grace
of God.”
ft327
“Et mettre leur salut en la confession de leurs pechez, et remission
d’iceux;”—“and to place their salvation in the
confession of their sins, and forgiveness of them.”
ft328
“Estoyent des exercises volontaires, et inventez a
plaisir;”—“were voluntary exercises, and invented at
pleasure.”
ft329
“Qui nous rende agreables a Dieu;”—“which renders us
acceptable to God.”
ft330
“Qui tremblans a cause d’un vray sentiment de leur pechez,
recourront a sa seule misericorde;” —“who, trembling on
account of a true conviction of their sins, shall have recourse to his mercy
alone.”
ft331
“Seulement en confessant sa faute, et demandant pardon;”—
“solely by confessing his faults and asking
pardon.”
ft331A
“Et se ietta en terre sur sa face;”—“and threw himself
on the ground on his face.”
ft332
“Ta foy t’a guairi, ou, sauve;”—“thy faith
hath healed, or, saved thee.”
ft333
“Le regne de Dieu ne viendra point a veue d’oeil, ou, avec
apparence;”—“the kingdom of God will not come visibly,
or, maniifestly.”
ft334
“Iesus, nostre Maistre;”—”Jesus,our
Master.”
ft335
“Le mot dont a ici use l’Evangeliste est celuy mesme que quasi par
tout on tourne, Sauver.”—“The word which the
Evangelist has here employed
(se>swke)
is the same word which is almost always rendered
save.”
ft336
“Une mesme guairison corporelle;”—“the same bodily
cure.”
ft337
“La ou nous avons traduit, a veue d’oeil, le Grec a mot a mot
avec observation; c’est a dire, avec quelque grande
apparence, en sorte qu’un chacun y puisse prendre
garde.”—“Where we have rendered, visibly, the Greek
literally runs, with observation; that is to say, with some great
display, so that every person may take notice of it.”
ft338
“Quand Iesus ent acheve ces similitudes-ci;”—“when Jesus
had concluded these parables.”
ft339
“D’ou vienent ces choses a cestuy-ci?”—“Whence
comes these things to this man?”
ft340
“Un prophete n’est deshonore;”—“a prophet is not
dishonored.”
ft341 “A
fin de n’approcher de luy, et de ne recevoir sa
doctrine;”—“that they might not approach to him, and might not
receive his doctrine.”
ft342
“Mais par leur ingratitude ils se sont eblouis l’entendement, a fin
de ne faire leur profit de ce qu’ils voyoyent devant leurs
yeux;”—“but by their ingratitude their understanding was
dazzled, so that they did not derive advantage from what they saw before their
eyes.”
ft344
Jerome replied to Helvidius in a work entitled, Contra
Helvidium de Beatoe Marioe Virginitate. CAVIN has formerly alluded to
the controversy between these two authors, (Harmony, vol. 1.p.
107.)—Ed.
ft345 Our
Author’s Preface to his Commentary on John’s Gospel is dated 1st
January 1553; while the Preface to the Harmony is dated 1st August 1555. This
accounts for the former being always referred to as an earlier
work.—Ed.
ft346
“La bonne liqueur;”—“the good
liquor.”
ft347
“En sorte que quelques empeschemens qu’ils ayent scen y mettre,
encore est—elle venue au dessus, et s’est monstree en quelque
maniere.” —“So that, whatever obstacles they might be able to
throw in the way, still it rose above them, and was in some measure
displayed.”
ft348
“Demande-moy ce que tu voudras;”—“ask of me what thou
wilt.”
ft349
“Le roy estant fort marri, ne la voulut point’ toutesfois’
esconduire ou reietter ;”—“The king being very angry,
did not wish, however, to deny or refuse her.”
ft350
“Ainsi envoy, incontinent le bourreau;” —“so he
immediately sent the executioner.”
ft351 The
allusion is to his exposition of Luke iii. 19, 20, which will be found in
Harmony, vol. 1.p. 222.—Ed.
ft352
“The apparent discrepancy between Josephus and the sacred historians is
removed, as was formerly suggested, (Harmony, vol. 1. p. 223, n. 1,) by a
hypothesis which appears to be generally admitted, that the name of the person
in question was Herod-Philip.—Ed.
ft353
“Il se fait accroire qu’il sera en repos, et qu’il pourra
continuer sa meschancete sans aucune crainte;”—“he makes
himself believe that he will be at ease, and that he will have it in his power
to continue his wickedness without any dread.”
ft354
“Combien que l’honneste naturelle condamne un tel
marriage;”—“though natural decency condemns such a
marriage.”
ft355
“Ou par force et violence, ou par quelque ruse et moyen
subtil;”—“either by force and violence, or by some trick and
cunning method.”
ft356
“Herodias cherchoit occasion;”—“Herodias sought an
opportunity.”
ft357
“Estoit aucunement contreint en soy mesme de luv porter l’honneur,
et ne l’osoit pas mespriser;”—“was somewhat constrained
in himself to bear respect towards him, and did not dare to despise
him.”
ft358
“Qu’il eust quelque entree en la Cour, et que le Roy l’eust
aucunement agreable;”—“that he should have some access to the
Court, and that the King should be somewhat favorable to
him.”
ft359
“Qu’il n’a rien demande au Roy pour se faire valoir, ou pour
monstrer son credit;”—“that he asked nothing from the King to
put himself’ forward, or to display his influence.”
ft360
“Que ceste facon de compensation n’est point honneste, ne selon
Dieu;”—“that this kind of compensation is not honorable, nor
according to God.”
ft361
“Encore qu’ils ne la cherchent point pour leur regard particulier,
mais seulement pour avoir occasion de profiter plus en d’autres
endroits;” —“even though they do not seek it for their private
interest, but solely in order to have an opportunity of doing more good in other
respects.”
ft362
“Si elle eust mieux fallu que sa mere;”—“if she were
more highly esteemed than her mother.”
ft363
“Non seulement prend plaisir a un fol passe-temps;”—“not
only takes pleasure in a foolish pastime.”
ft364
“De ce qu’ Herodias a estime un grand avantage pour elle de faire
mourir Iean;”—“that Herodias reckoned it a great advantage to
her to put John to death.”
ft365
“Ne laisse pas d’espouvanter asprement, et navrer au vif le coeur de
ceste femme;”—“fails not vehmently to alarm and cut to the
quick the heart of the woman.”
ft366
“Et ne se soucient seulement que d’eviter le blasme et la moquerie
des hommes;”— “and are only anxious to avoid the censure and
ridicule of men.”
ft367
“Tout ce qu’ils avoyent fait et enseigne;”—“all
that they had done and taught.”
ft368
“Tellement qu’ils n’avoyent pas mesmes loisir de
manger;”—“so that they had not even leisure to
eat.”
ft369
“Quand les Apostres furent retournez;”—“when the
Apostles were returned.”
ft370
“Rendit graces;”—“gave thanks.”
ft371
“Puis recueillerent le residu des pieces des
pains;”—“then gathered what was left of the pieces of
bread.”
ft372
“Rendit graces;”—“gave thanks.”
ft373
“Les benit, et les rompit.”
ft374
“Mettant arriere ceste consideration particuliere de donner repos au
corps;”— “setting aside that private consideration of giving
rest to the body.”
ft375
“Car Christ ne se contentant point de leur faire voir de leurs propres
yeux sa vertu, a voulu mesme qu’elle passast par leurs mains, et
qu’ils la touchassent;”— “for Christ, not satisfied with
making them see his power with their own eyes, determined even that it should
pass through theirhands, and that they should touch it.”
ft376 The
value of a livre was so much affected both by time and by place, that it
is not easy to determine with exactness how it was rated by BUDAEUS or CALVIN.
Most probably, the reference is to la livre Parisis, which was three
times the value of a franc, or about two shillings and sixpence sterling;
and thirty-four of these would amount to four pounds, five shillings,
sterling. Now reckoning the Roman denarius, or the eighth part of an
ounce of silver, to be worth sevenpence halfpenny of our own money, une livre
Parisis must have been equal to four denarii, and therefore two
hundred denarii must have been worth—not thirty-four but
fifty livres Parisis, or six pounds, five shillings,
sterling.—Ed.
ft377
“En la montagne.”
ft378
“Car ils n’avoyent point entendu le faict des pains, d’autant
que leur coeur estoit aveugle, ou, estourdi;”—“for they
had not understood what happened as to the loaves, because their heart was
blinded, or, bewildered.”
ft379
“Ne permettant qu’il enfondre du tout en l’eau, et se
noye;”—“not allowing him to sink entirely in the water, and be
drowned.”
ft380
“Ainsi les vaines et folles pensees de la chair font qu’a tous coups
nous defaillons au milieu des affaires, comme si nous estions plongez en
l’eau iusques par dessus la teste;”—“so the vain and
foolish thoughts of the flesh cause us to stumble at every step in the midst of
business, as if we were plunged in the water over the
head.”
ft381
“Que Doute et Crainte ne peuvent avoir lieu ou la foy
regne;”—“that Doubt and Fear cannot have place where faith
reigns.”
ft382
“Declarent qu’ils croyent qu’il est le Christ et le
Messins;”—“declare that they believe that he is the Christ and
the Messiah.”
ft383
“(Les gens) le cognurent incontinent;”—“(the people)
immediately knew him.”
ft384
“En guairissant toutes sortes de maladies en toutes
personnes;”—“by healing all kinds of diseases in all
persons.”
ft385 See
Harmony, vol. 1. p. 251.
ft386
“Veu qu’ils n’esperoyent point de sentir aucun secours de sa
vertu;”—“since they did not hope to experience any relief from
his power.”
ft387
“Propter;”—“par vostre
ordonnance;”—“by your statute.”
ft388
“En cas qu’ils l’eussent trouve bon maistre a leur
gre;”—“provided that they should find him to be a good master
to their liking.”
ft389 See
Harmony, vol. 1. p. 281.
ft390
“Elles avoyent este forgees en leur boutique;”—“they had
been manufactured in their workshop.”
ft391
“Sinon qu’ils adioustassent a la parole de Dieu quelques
repetasseries de leur invention;”—“if they did not add to the
word of God some patches of their own invention.”
ft392
“Les premiers autheurs de ces loix ne disoyent pas qu’ils voulussent
commander rien de nouveau;”—“the first authors of these laws
did not say that they intended to issue any new command.”
ft393
“Qu’elles soyent meslees avec sa Parole, et mises en mesme rang,
comme si quelque partie du service de Dieu gisoit en
icelles;”—“that they should be mixed with his Word, and put in
the same rank, as if any part of the worship of God lay in
them.”
ft394
“C’a este un amusement de gens oisifs, et qui ne scavoyent que
faire;”—“it was an amusement of persons that were idles and
did not know what to do.”
ft395
“Le Baptesme, qui suffit une fois receu;”—“Baptism,
which is enough when once received.”
ft396
“En apres, ceste badinerie d’eau beniste est appliquee a faire
exorcismes et coniurations, et ils croyent fermement qu’elle a vertu
d’effacer les pechez;”—“Besides, this foolery of
blessed water is applied to exorcising and conjuring, and they firmly
believe that it has power to blot out sins.”
ft397
“Comprend tous devoirs d’obeissance, secours, et
soulagement;”—“includes every duty of obedience, assistance,
and relief.”
ft398
“De faire aucune assistance au pere et a la mere;”—“to
grant any relief to their father or mother.”
ft399
“C’est une figure et facon de parler que les Latins nomment
Apposition;”—“it is a figure and mode of speech which the
Latins call Apposition.”—“The Latin Grammarians employ the
word Appositio to denote a figure, by which two words, denoting the same
thing, are put in the same case, such as, Urbs Roma, Fluvius Sequana. In
the same sense the Greek word
ejpexh>ghsiv
was often used.—Ed.
ft400
“Pareillement il leur disoit une similitude;”—“in like
manner he spoke to them a parable.”
ft401
“Christ laissant la ces orgueilleux, se retourne vers les
dociles;”—“Christ, leaving there these proud men, turns
towards the teachable.”
ft402
“Au reste, quand il dit que les maux qu’un chacun fait procedent
de la bouche, c’est autant comme s’il disoit qu’ils
procedent de la personne mesme; et c’est une figure et maniere de parler
qu’on appelle Synecdoche, quand on prend une partie pour le
tout;”—“besides, when he says that the evils which any man
does proceed out of the mouth, it is as much as if he said that they
proceed from the person himself; and it is a figure and way of speaking that is
called Synecdoche, when a part is taken for the
whole.”
ft403
“Voyans que le propos n’avoit pas este bien prins, il leur semble
avis que Christ a respondu peu autrement qu’il ne
faloit;”—“perceiving that the discourse was not well taken,
they conclude that Christ had replied somewhat differently from what he ought to
have done.”
ft404
“En redressant ce qu’il avoit dit un peu trop asprement, comme il
leur sembloit;”—“by correcting what he had said a little too
harshly, as they imagined.”
ft405
“De peur qu’ils nous tirent en perdition avec
eux;”—“lest they draw us to perdition along with
them.”
ft406 “A
bon droict retire ses disciples de ceste nonchalance et stupidite de suyvre les
aveugles, et pour leur faire plaisir d’aller tastonnant en tenebres comme
eux;”—“properly withdraws his disciples from that indifference
and stupidity in following the blind, and—for the sake of gratifying
them—in groping in the dark like them.”
ft407
“Et pourtant le vice est tousiours interieur, et ne vient point
d’ailleurs;”—“and therefore sin is always internal, and
does not come from without.”
ft408
“Que le coeur de l’homme est le siege et la source de tous
maux;”—“that the heart of man is the seat and the source of
all evils.”
ft409
“Les mains communes pour souillees et non
lavees;”—“common hands for polluted and
not washed.”
ft410
“C’est une facon de parler propre aux
Hebrieux;”—“it is a mode of speaking peculiar to the
Hebrews.”
ft411
“Et des ce mesme instant sa fille fut guairie;”—“and
from that very instant her daughter was cured.”
ft412
“Car les chiens mangent, ou, mais aussi les chiens
mangent;”—“for the dogs eat, or, but even the dogs
eat.”
ft413
“Quelque goust de piete et vraye religion;”—“some taste
of piety and true religion.”
ft414
“Toutesfois ceste doctrine ne laisse pas tousiours de retentir en son
coeur;”—“yet that doctrine does not fail to resound
continually in her heart.”
ft415 This is
probably an allusion to
<198206>Psalm
82:6, I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are CHILDREN
OF THE MOST HIGH.—Ed.
ft416
”De vouloir ainsi mettre la main sur la table des enfans, au milieu de
souper;”—“in wishing thus to put her hand to the
children’s table in the midst of the
supper.”
ft417
”Pour se rebequer et heurter directement;”—“to give a
saucy and open contradiction.”
ft418
“Ceste femme, profane de nation;”—“that woman, a heathen
as to her nation.”
ft419
“Est nomme maintenant de l’une, maintenant de l’autre
ville;”—“was named sometimes from the one, and sometimes from
the other town.”
ft420
“Pour dedier et eonsacrer les personnes ;” — “for
dedicating and con-secrating persons.”
ft421 Harmony,
vol. 1. p. 374.
ft422 Instead
of Jonathan, the French copy mentions Asa, whose
words are similar, and were uttered on a similar occasion: Lord, it
is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them
that have no power,
(<141411>2
Chronicles 14:11.) — Ed.
ft423 See page
93 of this volume.
ft424
“Et quand les disciples furent venus outre, ils avoyent oublie a prendre
les pains;” — “and when the disciples were come across, they
had forgotten to take bread.”
ft425
“[C’est pource que] nous n’avons point prins de pains;”
— “[it is because] we have not taken bread.”
ft425A
“[C’est pource que] nous n’avons point prins de pains;”
— “[it is because] we have not taken bread.”
ft426
“Cependant une multitude s’estant assemblee a milliers;”
— “mean while, a multitude having assembled by
thousands.”
ft427
“En premier lieu, donnez-vous garde;” — “in the first
place, beware.”
ft428
“Ici Christ prenant occasion des propos precedens;” —
“here Christ taking occasion from the former
discourse.”
ft429
“L’mpiete des Lucianistes et des Atheistes;” —
“the impiety of the Lucianists and Atheists.” Lucian,
a celebrated Greek writer, of the second century of the Christian era,
author of Dialogues of the Dead, is here alluded to as the type of
scoffers and Atheists. His subject naturally led him to treat with
sportive humor the solenmities of death and the future judgment; and the wit and
elegance of his pen, had it been guided by ordinary caution, would have been
readily — far too readily — sustained as an apology for the tone of
his work. But in defiance of the ordinary feelings of mankind, he attacked so
fearlessly the most sacred truths, and offended the ear of modesty by such
indecent allusions, that his character as a man has been stamped with infamy.
Modern times have scarcely produced so daring an infidel, with the exception
perhaps of Voltaire, who took no pains to conceal his intense
hatred of Christianity and of good men. Had he appeared earlier, his name might
perhaps have been substituted for that of Lucian, as the
representative of his class. — Ed.
ft430 See page
127 of this volume.
ft431
“Iusques a ce qu’ayant par sa mort accompli la satisfaction des
pechez du monde;” — “till having by his death rendered full
satisfaction for the sins of the world.”
ft432
“Simon, fils de Iona;” — “Simon, son of
Jonah.”
ft433
“On la nommoit Cesaree de Philippe;” — “it was named
Cesarea of Philip.”
ft434 See
Harmony, vol. 1.p. 92, n. 2; p. 142, n. 2.
ft435
“Ces dons qui estoyent procedez de sa pure liberalite;” —
“those gifts which had proceeded altogether from his
liberality.”
ft436
“Laquelle est receue et advouee es cieux;” — “which is
received and acknowledged in heaven.”
ft437
“Ie n’y contredi point;” — “I do not contradict
him in it.”
ft438 Harmony,
vol. 1.p. 437.
ft439
“Ambassadeurs ou prescheurs temporels;” — “temporary
messengers or preachers.”
ft440
“D’heure en heure elle seroit revoquee en doute;” —
“from hour to hour it would be called in question.”
ft441
“Ie confesse bien qu’en la langue Grecque il n’y a pas grande
difference entre le mot qui signifie une pierre, et celuy qui signifie un homme
nomme Pierre;” — “I readily acknowledge that, in the Greek
language, there is no great difference between the word that signifies a
stone, and that which signifies a man named
Peter.”
ft442 “A
fin de monstrer qu’au second lieu il parloit de quelque autre chose que de
la personne de Pierre;” — “in order to show that, in the
latter clause, he was speaking of something totally different from the person of
Peter.”
ft443 By
Christ’s own language is meant the Syriac — a dialect
of Hebrew — which is supposed to have been the vernacular language
of Palestine in the time of our Lord, and consequently to have been spoken by
him and his apostles. It is enough for our present purpose that CALVIN adopted
this hypothesis, whatever may be the result of a controversy in which the claims
of the Greek language above the Syriac, as familiarly
spoken and written in Syria at that period, have been urged with vast learning
and ability. — Ed.
ft444
“Les Romanisques repliquent a l’encontre;” — “the
Romanists reply on the other hand.”
ft445
“Mais mettons le cas que ce qu’ils disent de Pierre soit hors de
doute;” — “but let us suppose that what they say about Peter
were beyond a doubt.”
ft446
“Combien cela est faux et frivole;” — “how false and
frivolous it is.”
ft447
“Lors il commanda expressement a ses disciples;” — “then
he expressly commanded his disciples.”
ft448
“L’ayant prins a part;” — “have taken him
aside.”
ft449
“Seigneur, aye pitie de toy;” — “Lord, have pity on
thyself.”
ft450
“Et il leur defendit avec menace qu’ils ne dissent [cela] de luy a
personne;” — “and he forbade them with threatening to tell
[this] concerning him to any one.”
ft451
“Adonc usant de menaces il leur commanda qu’ils ne le dissent a
personne;” — “Then employing threatenings, he commanded them
not to tell it to any one.”
ft452
“De iour en iour;” — “day by
day.”
ft453
“I1 y en d’aucuns de ceux qui sont ici presens;” —
“there are some of those who are here present.”
ft454
“Iusqu’a taut qu’ils ayent veu le regne de Dieu;”
— “till they have seen the kingdom of God.”
ft455
“Que rien luy peust advenir qui ne fust honorable et magnifique;”
— “that any thing should happen to him which was not honorable and
magnificent.”
ft456
“Le mot Grec signifie simplement se reculer et s’en aller;”
— “the Greek word simply means to withdraw and go
away.”
ft457
“Que Pierre s’arreste a la sagesse de l’homme;” —
“that Peter rests satisfied with the wisdom of
man.”
ft458
“Et pourtant de peur que le Iuge celeste ne nous renvoye au diable avec
nos bonnes affections et intentions;” — “and then lest our
heavenly Judge should send us away to the devil with our good feelings and
intentions.”
ft458a
“A tous fideles;” — “to all
believers.”
ft459 Harmony,
vol. 1 p. 472.
ft460
“Pour refuter l’imagination que Pierre avoit en son corveau;”
— “to refute the imagination which Peter had in his
brain.”
ft461 “A
porter la croix qua Dieu leur met sur les epaules;” — “in
bearing the cross which God lays on their shoulders.”
ft462
“Ceux qui meurent alaigrement pour Christ;” — “those who
die cheerfully for Christ.”
ft463 Harmony,
vol. 1 p. 472.
ft464 Harmony,
vol. 1 p. 466.
ft465
“Alibi is a general reference, but en un autre passage is
more specific; and the passage to which he probably refers the reader for a
distinct exhibition of his views, and in which, so far as I remember, he handles
this subject more fully than in any other part of the Gospels, is
<430436>John
4:36.” — Ed.
ft466 “A
faire bonnes oeuvres;” — “to do good
works.”
ft467
“Sans que nous en soyons dignes, ou l’ayons meritd;” —
“without being worthy of it, or having deserved
it.”
ft468
“Et voyci, ils veirent Moyse et Elie parlans avec luy” —
“and, lo, they saw Moses and Elijah talking with
him.”
ft469
“Resplendissant comme un esclair;” — “dazzling like
lightning.”
ft470
“Ce qu’ayant ouy les disciples cheurent sur leur face en
terre;” — “which the disciples having heard, fell on their
face to the earth.”
ft471
“Et adveint quarid ceux-la furent departis d’avec luy;”
— “and it happened when those men had departed from
him.”
ft472
“Comme si par force et contreinte il fust renu endurer la mort;”
— “as if by force and constraint he had come to suffer
death.”
ft473
“Moise et Elie ne sont pas lors ressuscitez pour eux, et pour le regard de
la resurrection derniere;” — “Moses and Elijah did not then
rise for themselves, and with respect to the last
resurrection.”
ft474
“Des tabernacles terriens” — “earthly
tabernacles.”
ft475
“Il n’estoit ia besoin de ietter de l’huile au feu pour
enflamber davantage le mal;” — “there was no necessity for
throwing oil on the fire to inflame the evil still more.”
ft476
“Que c’estoit de Iean Baptiste qu’il leur avoit parle;”
— “that it was of John the Baptist that he had spoken to
them.”
ft477
“Ils imaginent que c’est l’entree du regne de Christ, et leur
semble qu’ils y sont desia;” — “they imagine that it is
the commencement of the kingdom of Christ, and think that they are already in
it.”
ft478
“Faisant par son sacrifice satisfaction pour les pechez du monde;”
— “making satisfaction by his sacrifice for the sins of the
world.”
ft479 Among
other passages in which our Author has treated of the erroneous notions
entertained by the Jews respecting Elijah, the reader may consult
his Commentary on John 1:21,25. — Ed.
ft480
“Iusques a ce qu’on voye Elie et Henoch retourner en ce
monde;” — “till Elijah and Enoch are seen returning to this
world.”
ft481
“Encores mesme qu’ils se monstrassent import uns et facheux en leurs
requestes;” — “even though they showed themselves to be
importunate and troublesome in their requests.”
ft482
“Qu’ils n’allassent plus chercher des cavillations et moyens
obliques pour luy resister;” — “not to resort any more to
cavils and indirect methods of opposing him.”
ft483 On the
opinion expressed by CALVIN, as to the influence of the moon on these
diseases, the reader may consult Harmony, vol. 1 p. 245, n.l.
— Ed.
ft484
“Combien que nous soyons subiets a mille dangers et inconveniens;”
— “though we are liable to a thousand dangers and
inconveniences.”
ft485
“Mais ceste sorte [de diables] ne sort point;” — “but
this kind [of devils] goeth not out.”
ft486
“Ceste espece [de diables] ne sort point;” — “this kind
[of devils] goeth not out.”
ft487
“Cest espece [de diablos] ne sort point;” — “this kind
[of devils] goeth not out.”
ft488
“Vous y venez ainsi qu’a un combat de petits enfans, et comme
s’il n’estoit question que de s’escarmoucher pour
passe-temps.” — “You come to it as if it were to a fight of
little children, and as if you had nothing to do but to skirmish for
amusement.”
ft489
“Comme une aide pour vous exciter et enflamber;” — “as
an assistance to excite and inflame you.”
ft490
“Apres ces choses il veint en Capernaum;” — “after these
things he came to Capernaum.”
ft491
“Il sera (ou, qu’il soit) le dernier de
tous;” — “he shall be (or, let him be)
servant of all.”
ft492
“Comme si tout alloit a souhait et comme si ce qu’on leur a dit
estoit aussi doux a avaller que sucre;” — “as if every thing
went to their wish, and as if what was said to them were as pleasant to swallow
as sugar.”
ft493
“De la primaute;” — “about the
primacy.”
ft494
“Il leur est besoin de tourner bride, et de s’accoustumer a tout
cela;” — “they must wheel round, and get accustomed to all
this.”
ft495
“La vraye definition;” — “the true
definition.”
ft496
“Et le iette [arriere] de toy;” — “and cast it behind
thee.”
ft497
“Au feu qui ne s’esteint point;” — “into the fire
which is not quenched.”
ft498
“Et le iette [arriere] de toy;” — “and cast it behind
thee.”
ft499
“L’Escriture dit que nous oftensons ou scandalizons cestuy
la.” — “Scripture says that we give offense or
scandal to that man.”
ft500
“Qui persevere courageusement iusqu’a la fin;” —
“who perseveres courageously to the end.”
ft501
“Lesquels par scandales auront donne occasion de faire perdre et damner
leurs freres;” — “who by offenses shall have given occasion to
bring ruin and damnation on their brethren.”
ft502 Harmony,
vol. 1 p. 291.
ft503
“Les mots n’emportent pas qu’un Ange n’ait autre charge
que de veiller tousiours sur cestuy-ci ou sur cestuy-la;” —
“the words do not bear that one Angel has nothing else to do than to watch
continually over this or that man.”
ft504
“Cela n’empesche point que Dieu n’use de leur service;”
— “that does not hinder God from employing their
services.”
ft505
“Dix drachmes;” — “ten
drachmas.”’
ft506
“Tant que nous sommes en ce monde;” — “as long as we are
in this world.”
ft507
“Quand celuy qui estoit du tout esgare tourne bride pour commencer a bien
faire;” — “when he who had altogether gone astray turns round
to begin to do well.”
ft508
“Combien qu’il soit tousiours necessaire de gemir;” —
“though it be necessary for them always to groan.”
ft509
“Il dit aussi;” — “he said also.”
ft510
“Et peu de iours apres;” — “and a few days
after.”
ft511
“Et (ou, mais) personne ne luy donnoit;”
— “and (or, but) nobody gave to
him.”
ft512
“Combien y-a-il de mercenaires en la maison de mon pere, qui ont force
pain;” — “how may hirelings are there in my father’s
house, who have plenty of bread.”
ft513
“Ie partiray d’icy, et m’en iray a mon pere;” —
“I will depart hence, and will go away to my
father.”
ft514
“Car mon fils que voyci estoit mort, et il est retourne a vie: il estoit
perdu, mais il est retrouve;” — “for this is my son who was
dead, and he is returned to life; he was lost, but he is found
again.”
ft515
“De la doctrine que nous venons de voir;” — “of the
doctrine which we have just now seen.”
ft516
“Retourne pour demander pardon a son pere;” — “returns
to ask pardon from his father.”
ft517
“Aussi en la personne de ce bon pere il nous propose l’affection de
Dieu;” — “also in the person of this good father he holds out
to us the affection of God.”
ft518
“Mais les previent par sa bonte et misericorde paternelle;” —
“but anticipates them by his fatherly goodness and
compassion.”
ft519
“Delaissant le bon vieil hemme de pere;” — “leaving the
good old man his father.”
ft520
“Mais aussi diminue le bien de la maison, et en emporte une bonne
partie;” — “but also diminishes the wealth of the house, and
carries off a good part of it.”
ft521
“Tout ce qu’il avoit eu du pere;” — “all that he
had got from his father.”
ft522
“Il avoit bien merite de trouver puis apres un pere rigoreux, et qui teint
son coeur contre luy iusqu’au bout;” — “he had well
deserved to find afterwards a father who was severe, and who kept his heart shut
against him to the end.”
ft523
“Pource que ie me tien maintenant dans mes limites, et ne veux point
passer l’office d’expositeur;” — “because I now
keep myself within my limits, and do not wish to go beyond the duty of an
expositor.”
ft524
“C’est une gourmandise plustost convenable a des porceaux qu’a
des hommes;” — “it is a gluttony more suitable to swine than
to men.”
ft525
“Pour subvenir aux necessitez de ceste vie;” — “to
supply the necessities of this life.”
ft526
“Mais cependant il faut tousiours aviser quelle difference il y a entre
les allegories et le vray sens naturel d’un passage;” —
“but yet we must always consider what difference there is between
allegories and the true natural meaning of a passage.”
ft527
“Car selon mon avis ce mot ET se doit resoudre en Car, ou Pource
que;” — “for in my opinion this word AND must mean
For, or Because.”
ft528
“Il semble que ce qu’on leur donne soit autant de perdu;”
— “what is given to them appears to be as good as thrown
away.”
ft529
“L’aise et la trop grande abondance;” — “ease and
too great abundance.”
ft530
“Ce sont autant d’avertissemens proufitables, par lequel Dieu nous
convie a repentance;” — “they are so many profitable warnings,
by which God invites us to repentance.”
ft531
“L’amour de tous les peres de ce monde;” — “the
love of all the fathers in the world.”
ft532
“Sera bien pour le moins aussi debonnaire envers nous;” —
“will be at least as gentle towards us.”
ft533 “A
ceste cause en l’Escriture Dieu commande aux transgresseurs de retourner a
leur coeur;” — “For this reason, in Scripture God commands
transgressors to return to their heart.” In the authorized version the
passage runs thus: Bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
— Ed.
ft534
“Apres la cognoissance du peche s’ensuit aussi la confession;”
— “after the knowledge of sin there follows also
confession.”
ft535
“Et l’interroga que c’estoit;” — “and asked
him what it was.”
ft536 The two
adjectives, safe and sound, which occur in the authorized version,
are here retained as the translation of “incolumem,” which
conveys both ideas; and this is fully justified by our author’s
vernacular,”pourtant qu’il l’a recouvre SAIN ET
SAUF;” — because he hath received him back SOUND AND
SAFE.” — Ed.
ft537
“Mon enfant;” — “my child.”
ft538
“L’orgueil et la presomption des Scribes;” — “the
pride and presumption of the Scribes.”
ft539
“Mon enfant;” — “my
child.”
ft540
“Veu qu’il n’y perd rien;” — “since he loses
nothing by it.”
ft541
“Ta condition n’en est pas pire; car ie te garde tousiours ton
droict entier;” — “thy condition is not the worse for it; for
I always preserve thy rights entire.”
ft542
“Nous n’y perdons rien;” — “we lose nothing by
it.”
ft543
“Voyans nos freres estre tirez de la mort, et ramenez au chemin de
vie;” — “perceiving our brethren to be drawn from death, and
led into the way of life.”
ft544
“Toutes choses que vous lierez sur la terre;” — “all
things which you shall bind on earth.”
ft545
“De toutes choses qu’ils demanderont;” — “of all
things which they shall ask.”
ft546
“Ou il y en a deux ou trois assemblez;” — “where there
are two or three of them assembled.”
ft547
“Que toutesfois on retiene tousiours ceste liberte de reprendre ce qui est
a condamner;” — “so as at the same time to reserve always that
liberty of reproving what is worthy of condemnation.”
ft548
“Lesquels nous devions plustost tascher d’amener a salut;”
— “whom we ought rather to attempt to lead to
salvation.”
ft549
“Mais pour distinguer et mettre difference entre les pechez secrets, et
les offenses manifestes;” — “but to distinguish and put a
difference between secret sins and open offenses.”
ft550
“Car arguer signifie convaincre par argumens, et remonstrer par bonnes
raisons;” — “for to argue signifies to convince by
arguments, and to show by good reasons.”
ft551
“Or comment pourroit on arguer ou convaincre un homme, que ce
qu’il a fait est mauvais?” — “Now how could we argue
or convince a man that what he has done is wrong?”
ft552
“Veu qu’il n’a pas voulu recevoir l’admonition qui luy a
este faite en prive par deux ou trois;” — “since he did not
choose to receive the admonition which was given to him in private by two or
three.”
ft553
“Comme aussi en d’autres passages il s’accomodi a ce qui
estoit lors ordinaire, et use des termes communes;” — “as also
in other passages he adapts himself to what was then customary, and employs
common terms.”
ft554
“Ne devoycnt estre receus a participer aux choses sacrees appartenantes au
sarvice de Dieu;” — “ought not to be admitted to take part in
the sacred things belonging to the service of God.”
ft555 “A
use d’un terme convenable a la coustume du pays;” —
“used a term in accordance with the custom of the
country.”
ft556 See page
293 of this volume.
ft557
“Il vent toutesfois cependant que les ministres soyent ambassadeurs pour
porter et publier sa parole;” — “yet he wishes that ministers
should be ambassadors to carry and publish his word.”
ft558
“Comme souventesfois on verra de meschans garnemens sans crainte de Dieu,
qui diront tout haut et hardiment qu’ils appellent au jugement
celeste;” — “as we shall often see wicked profligates without
the fear of God, who will quite loudly and boldly say that they appeal to the
heavenly tribunal.”
ft559
“Qui reietteront la discipline, et n’y voudront ployer le
col;” — “who will reject discipline, and will refuse to bend
the neck to it.”
ft560
“Mais estant cree et ordonne;” — “but being created and
appointed.”
ft561
“Et les face peter pour faire peur a qui bon luy semble;” —
“and make them crack to frighten whomsoever he
pleases.”
ft562
“Il ne s’ensuit pas pourtant qu’il ait impose
loy.”
ft563
“En tous actes concernans la service et la parolle de Dieu;” —
“in all acts relating to the service and the word of
God.”
ft564
“Tout ce que bon leur semble;” — “whatever they think
right.”
ft565 “A
nous lier les uns avec les autres en toute sainctete et crainte de Dieu;”
— “to link ourselves with each other in all holiness and fear of
God.”
ft566
“Incitera les autres a mal faire, et a nous offenser;” —
“shall induce others to do ill, and to offend us.”
ft567
“Mais tant s’en faut que Christ ait esgard a ceste objection pour
lascher quelque chose de son dire, que mesmes il dit notamment et expressement
que sans fin ne terme on doit tousiours pardonner;” — “but so
far was Christ from paying regard to that objection, to extenuate any thing that
he had said, that he even says plainly and expressly, that without end or limit
we must always forgive.”
ft567a In the
French copy he adds: — “Car il semble par ce moyen qu’il
commande aux siens de tenir leur coeur contre les pervers, et leur refuser
pardon;” — “for it appears in this way that he commands his
followers to shut their heart against the obstinate, and to refuse them
pardon.”
ft568
“Ceux qui sont cheus et ont failli;” — “those who are
fallen and have transgressed.”
ft569
“Esquelles les plus parfaits mesmes ont besoin d’estre supportez, et
qu’on leur pardonner;” — “which even the most perfect
need to be borne with and forgiven.”
ft570
“Comment il est possible que Dieu punisse;” — “how it is
possible for God to punish.”
ft571
“LES DIDRACHMES, dont est yci parle, n’estoit pas un peage
qu’on payast a passer d’un coste en autre de la mer;” —
“The didrachma, which are here spoken of, were not a
custom paid on crossing from one side of the sea to the
other.”
ft572
“Pouvoit bien, s’il eust voulu, s’exempter de la suiection des
princes terriens;” — “might easily, if he had chosen, have
exempted himself from subjection to earthly princes.”
ft573
“Si par ce moyen qu’il est maintenant ci, maintenant la, il faudra
qu’il eschappe sans rien payer;” — “if, because he is
sometimes here, and sometimes there, he must escape without paying
anything.”
ft574
“Une excuse bien modeste et honneste;” — “a very modest
and civil excuse.”
ft575
“Oui, (dit-il,) il payera;” — “Yes, (says
he,) he will pay.”
ft576
“Lesquels sont exempts de tous imposts, eux et leurs domestiques;”
— “who are exempted from all taxes, they and their
domestics.”
ft577 The
didrachmon weighed two drachms, and the stater,
which weighed two didrachma, or four drachms,
was worth about two shillings and sixpence of our money. —
Ed.
ft578
“Pourtant que sa face estoit tournee pour aller en Ierusalem;”
— “because his face was turned to go to
Jerusalem.”
ft579
“Pour avancer la gloire de son nom;” — “to advance the
glory of his name.”
ft580
“La magnanimite et constance admirable de Iesus Christ;” —
“the wonderful magnanimity and firmness of Jesus
Christ.”
ft581
“Non pas seulement pource qu il a lors este enleve et comme retranche du
milieu des hommes;” — “not only because he was then raised up,
and, as it were, withdrawn from the midst of men.”
ft582 See our
Author’s observations above on Luke 9:51.
ft583
“Estans victorieux par dessus ceste frayeur naturelle;” —
“being victorious over that natural dread.”
ft584
“Quel besoin estoit il qu’il prinst sa resolution, et par maniere de
dire s’obstinast en soy-mesme?” — “What need was there
that he should take his resolution, and, so to speak, persist in his own
mind?”
ft585
“Une folle et inconsideree imitation des saincts peres;” —
“a foolish and ill-considered imitation of the holy
fathers.”
ft586
“De l’esprit et affection d’Elie;” — “from
the spirit and disposition of Elijah.”
ft587
“Qui feit l’homme des le commencement” —
“who made man from the beginning.”
ft588
“Que le mari qui se separe d’avecques sa femme rompt le lien dupuel
Dieu estoit autheur;” — “that the husband, who separates from
his wife, bursts the chain of which God was the author.”
ft589
“Il n’y a celuy qui ne fust estonne d’un tel monstre;”
— “there is no man who would not be astonished at such a
monster.”
ft590
“C’est un meslinge faux et pervers;” — “it is a
false and wicked mixture.”
ft591
“Ils avoyent songe ceste calomnie pour l’avoir toute preste;”
— “they had thought of this calumny, to have it all
ready.”
ft592
“Ie repond, Qu’a parler proprement, il ne l’a pas permis: mais
d’autant qu’il ne l’a pas defendu estroittement, il est dit
qu’il l’a permis;” — “I reply, That, strictly
speaking, he did not permit it; but in so far as he did not strictly
forbid it, he is said to have permitted it.”
ft593 Where
the English version gives the words, ten commandments, the phrase
in the original Hebrew is,
µyrbdh
trç[, the ten words,
(<023428>Exodus
34:28;
<050413>Deuteronomy
4:13; 10:4.) — Ed.
ft594
“Avec sa femme.”
ft595
“Il leur dit;” — “he said to
them.”
ft596
“Qui peut comprendre ceci;” — “he who can receive
this.”
ft597
“Que de se mettre en une telle necessite et suiection;” —
“than to place one’s self under such restraint and
subjection.”
ft598
“La servitude que les femmes ont a porter;” — “the
bondage of which wives have to endure.”
ft599
“De vivre tousiours avec une femme;” — “of living always
with one wife.”
ft600
“S’il s’astreigne a n’estre point marie;” —
“if he bind himself not to be married.”
ft601
“Pource qu’il leur permet de s’en passer, et leur baille un
privilege par dessus les autres;” — “because he allows them to
abstain from it, and grants them a privilege above
others.”
ft602
“Afin d’estre plus libres pour s’employer a meilleures choses
a la gloire de Dieu;” — “in order to be more free for being
employed in better things for the glory of God.”
ft603
“De perpetuelle virginite, comme on dit;” — “of
perpetual virginity, as it is called.”
ft604
“Le voeu qui a este comme un licol pour tenir les poures ames enserrees de
court;” — “the vow, which was like a halter to keep poor souls
firmly bound.”
ft605 “A
Dieu son Pere;” — “to God his Father.”
ft606
“Une couronne royale;” — “a royal
crown.”
ft607
“Un Christ faict a la fantasie des hommes;” — “a Christ
made according to the fancy of men.”
ft608
“Il n’y a nul bon, sinon un seul, c’est Dieu:” —
”There is none good but one only, it is God.”
ft609
“Car il avoit beaucoup de richesses;” — “for he had much
wealth.”
ft610
“Que c’estoit un PRINCE ou seigneur; c’est a dire, un homme
d’estat et de grande authorite;” — “that he was a PRINCE
or lord; that is to say, a man of rank and of great
authority.”
ft611
“Combien que les richesses rendent un homme honorable au monde; —
“though riches render a man honorable in the
world.”
ft612
“Non point par trahison, et pour surprendre Christ;” —
“not by treachery, and to take Christ by surprise.”
ft613
”Pource qu’ils sont enveloppez de ie ne scay quelle ombre de
sainctete;” — “because they are covered by I know not what
shadow of holiness.”
ft614
“Sinon qu'il ait accompli toute la loy de poinct en poinct;” —
“unless he has fulfilled all the law in every point."
ft615
“D’autant qu’ils font bien plus grand cas de leurs traditions
humaines, que des commandemens de Dieu;” — “because they set
far higher value on their human traditions than on the commandments of
God.”
ft616
“Pource qu’il estime plus obeissance que tous les sacrifices du
monde;” — “because he esteems obedience more than all the
sacrifices in the world.”
ft617
“Vray est qu’entre les commandemens ceux qui parlent de la
recognoissance que nous devons a Dieu tienent le premier degre;” —
“it is true that, among the commandments, those which speak of the
acknowledgment which we owe to God hold the first rank.”
ft618 “A
faire examen pour cognoistre les personnes;” — “to make a
scrutiny for knowing persons.”
ft619 Josephus
says that there were five on each table, from which it must be
inferred, that he considered the Fifth commandment as belonging to the First
Table. His words are: He showed them the two tables, with the
ten commandments engraven upon them, Five upon each table; and
the writin was by the hand of God. — (Ant.
3. 6, 8.) — Ed.
ft620
“La fausse persuasion et presomption de ee ieune homme;” —
“the false conviction and presumption of this young
man.”
ft621
“Parquoy il est besoin de mettre quelque distinction, et recognoistre
qu’il y a divers degrez d’amour en Dieu;” —
“wherefore it is necessary to state some distinction, and to observe that
there are various degrees of love in God.”
ft622
“Signifient du tout une mesme chose;” — “mean entirely
the same thing.”
ft623 Que
c’a este pour sonder et descouvrir un vice cache;” —
“that it was to search and discover a concealed
vice.”
ft624
“Il est plus facile qu’un Chable passe;” — “it is
easier for a CABLE to pass.”
ft625
“S’estonnerent grandement;” — “were greatly
astonished.”
ft626
“Qui pent donc estre sauve?” — “Who can then be
saved?”
ft627
“Vray est que le mot CAMELUS, dont a use l’Evangeliste, significant
un chameau qu’un chable: mats i’aime mieux le prendre en la derniere
signification pour une grosse carde de nayire.” — “It is true
that the word
ka>mhlov
which the Evangelist has employed, means both a camel and a cable;
but I prefer taking it in the latter signification for a large rope used
by sailors.” The two English words camel and cable
closely resemble each other, and the corresponding Greek words differ only
by a single vowel;
ka>mhlov,
denoting a camel, and
ka>milov
a cable or rope. It does not appear that CALVIN; relied on
certain Manuscripts of no good authority, which substitute
kami>lon,
for
kamh>lon.
But he adopted the notion equally unfounded, that Greek writers sometimes used
ka>mhlov,
in the sense of
ka>milov.
Had due allowance been made for the boldness of Eastern imagery, the supposed
difficulty would have disappeared, and the most refined taste would have been
fully gratified. The poet Southey has seized the true spirit of the passage:
— “S. The camel and the needle, Is that then
in your mind? “T. Even so. The text Is gospel wisdom. I would ride the
camel, — Yea leap him flying, through the needle’s
eye, As easily as such a pampered soul Could pass the narrow
gate.” At one period, critics showed a strong leaning to the idea of
cable, which our Author favors, but have now very generally
abandoned it, and returned to the true reading. —
Ed.
ft628
“Pour l’amour de moy et de l’Evangile;” —
“for the love of me and of the Gospel.”
ft629
“Qui avez persevere avec moy;” — “who have persevered
with me.”
ft630
“Et les derniers seront premiers;” — “and the last shall
be first.”
ft630A
“Et les derniers seront premiers;” — “and the last shall
be first.”
ft631
“Le royaume.”
ft632
“Et suiete a changer souvent de demeurance;” — “and
liable to change their residence frequently.”
ft633
“D’avoir change d’estat et de facon de vivre;” —
“for having changed their condition and their way of
living.”
ft634
“De consolations de la vie presente;” — “by consolations
of the pre- sent life.”
ft635
“Ils ne peuvent iouir a leur aise des biens qu’ils ont, sinon
qu’ils en-trent comme en une stupidite, et effacent tout sentiment de leur
conscience;” — “they cannot enjoy at their ease the good
things which they possess, unless they become, as it were, stupid, and destroy
every feeling of their conscience.”
ft636
“Un pris conveml;” — “a price agreed
upon.”
ft636a
“Cela ne sera point tirer trop loin les parollcs de Christ;” —
”this will not be straining too far the words of
Christ.”
ft637 A
penny
(dhna>rion)
was worth about sevenpence-halfpenny of our money. —
Ed.
ft638
“Pource qu’on ne leur donnoit non plus qu’aux derniers;”
— “because no more was given to them than to the
last.”
ft639
“Pour estre mocque, et flagelle, et crucifie;” — “to be
mocked, and scourged, and crucified.”
ft640
“Et ne pouvoyent entendre ce qu’il leur disoit;” —
“and they could not understand what he said to
them.”
ft641
“Veu qu’il se haste pour s’y presenter de son bon gre, et
seachant bien ce qu’il avoit a endurer;” — “since he
hastens to present himself to it of his own accord, and knowing well what he had
to endure.”
ft642 See p.
301 of this volume.
ft643
“S’enclinant a luy;” — “bowing down to
him.”
ft644
“Mais ceux ausquels il est apparelle de mon l’ere
[l’auront];” — “but those for whom it is prepared by my
Father [shall have it.]”
ft645
“Mais il sera [donne] a ceux ausquels il est prepare;” —
“but it shall be given to those for whom it is
prepared.”
ft646
“Monstre que leur conscience les redarguoit;” —
“shows that their conscience was reproving them.”
ft647 “A
bon droict done Christ royant ses deux disciples eslevez d’une vaine
gloire, les arreste a penser aux choses qui concernent le devoir de leur
vocation;” — “with good reason, then, does Christ, seeing his
two disciples carried away by vain glory, make them stop to consider the things
which belong to the duty of their calling.”
ft648
“Il est dit pour ceste cause, que Dieu donne la coupe a boire;”
— “for this reason it is said that God gives the cup to
drink.”
ft649
“Car cela n’est proprement autre chose que se retirer des
commencemens, et ne vouloir entrer a la premiere lecon de son eschole;”
— “for that is properly nothing else than to withdraw at the
beginning, and to refuse to enter into the first lesson of his
school.”
ft650
“Ce n’est pas a moy a le dormer;” — “ it does
not belong to me to give it.”
ft651
“Les dix autres ayans ouy cela;” — “the
other ten having heard that.”
ft651A
“Les dix autres ayans ouy cela;” — “the
other ten having heard that.”
ft652
“Avoyent follement desire une chose qu’ils n’ont peu
obtenir;” — “had foolishly desired a thing which they could
not obtain.”
ft653
“Qu’il n’y a point de folie plus grande, que de debattre
d’une chose qui n’est point;” — “that there is no
greater folly than to debate about a thing which does not
exist.”
ft654
“Sous couleur de ce que Christ dit;” — “under the
pretense of what Christ says.”
ft655
“Toutesfois ils appetent d’avoir la louange d’estre
magnifiques et liberaux;” — “yet they desire to have the
praise of being sumptuous and liberal.”
ft656
bydn
(nadib,)alvrince, which is derived from
bdn
(nadab,) to be bountiful, is the very word to which allusion is
supposed to be made in the passage,
(<422225>Luke
22:25,) where it is said that the name princes
(µybydn,
nedibim) signifies benefactors. — Ed.
ft657
“De se rendre serviteur a ses compagnons;” — “to become
a servant to his companions.”
ft658
“Il prend PLUSIEURS, non pas pour quelque certain nombre, mais pour les
autres: car il fait une comparaison de sa personne a tout le reste des
hommes;” — “He takes MANY, not for any fixed number, but for
the others; for he makes a comparison of his person with all the rest of
men.”
ft659
“Rabboni;” — “Maistre.”
ft660
“Mais pource qu’il ne peut estre ouy a cause du bruit du peuple,
qu’il s’en alla , l’autre porte de la ville par laquelle
Christ devoit sortir, pour l’attendre la au chemln;” —
”but, because he could not be heard on account of the noise of the people,
that he went away to the other gate by which Christ was to go out, to wait for
him there on the road.”
ft661 See
Harmony, vol. 1 p. 428.
ft662
“Qui avoit este present au miracle;” — “who had been
present at the miracle.”
ft663
“Quand ils disoyent, Fils de David, aye misericorde de
nous;” — “when they said, Son of David, have
mercy on us.”
ft664
“Ceci a este un signe de recognoissance du bien receu de Christ;”
— “this was an expression of gratitude for the favor received from
Christ.”
ft665
“Estant entre en Iericho, il alloit par la ville;” —
“having entered into Jericho, he went through the
town.”
ft666
“Et taschoit a veoir lequel estoit Iesus;” — “and
endeavored to see who Jesus was.”
ft667
“I’en rend quatre fois autant;” — “I restore four
times as much for it.”
ft668
“Poutrtant que ceste-ci aussi est fille d’Abraham, ou,
cestuy-ci aussi est fils d’Abraham;” —
“because this also is a daughter of Abraham, or, this
also is a son of Abraham.”
ft668a
“Et cependant est envieux et marri;” — “and yet is
envious and offended.”
ft669
“Et ne signifie pas ce que communeement nous appelons
pecheur;” — “and does not mean what we usually call
a sinner.”
ft670
“Qu’ils n’ont pas la patience d’attendre que Dieu
monstre ce qu’il vent faire;” — “that they have not
patience to wait till God show what he intends to do.”
ft671
“Le translateur Latin ancien;” — “the old Latin
translator.”
ft672 The
question is, whether the antecedent to
aujto>v
be
Zakcai~ov
or oJ
oi]kov. On the former supposition, our English
version will be approved HE also (namely, Zaccheus) is a son of
Abraham. On the latter supposition, the translation will run thus: IT
also (namely, the house)is a child of Abraham; or — carrying
out the metaphor as Erasmus has done — IT also is a DAUGHTER
of Abraham. — Ed.
ft673
“Eo quod ipsu domus sit filia
Abrahae.”
ft674
“Pour conquester un royaurae;” — “to conquer a
kingdom.”
ft675
“Apres avoir conqueste le royaume;” — “after having
conquered the kingdom.”
ft676
“Pour conquester ce royaurae;” — “to conquer this
kingdom.’
ft677
“Qu’ils apprenent de porter patiemment la longue attente;”
— “that they may learn to endure patiently the long
delay.”
ft678
“Il n’y a ne puissance, ne industrie, ou dexterit;” —
“there is neither power, nor industry, nor skill.”
ft679
“Le translateur Latin ancien;” — “the old Latin
translator.”
ft680 An
interpreter who was willing to twist a passage, so as to bring out of it any
meaning that he chose, would find the vagueness of the Latin word virtus
to be well suited to his purpose. Its derivation from vir, a
man, shows that it originally signified manliness, from which
it easily passed to denote courage, and, from the high estimation
in which courage was held among warlike nations, became the general
expression for moral excellence, out of which arose the
application of it to other kinds of excellence, as in the phrase,
virtutes orationis, the ornaments of style. Again, from
denoting manly vigor it came naturally to denote ability; and it
is undoubtedly in this sense, with which our English version accords, that
rirtus is employed by the Vulgate in this passage. —
Ed.
ft681
“Des fideles;” — “of believers.”
ft682
“C’est le profit ou l’avancement de toute la compagnie des
fideles en commun;”~”it is the profit or advancement of the whole
company of believers in common.”
ft683
“En ce monde;” — “in this world.”
ft684 See p.
104 of this volume.
ft685
Harmony, vol. 1.p. 384.
ft686
“De la lumiere et clarte qui est en la maison;” — “with
the light and brightness that is within the house.”
ft687
“Il se vengera contre les traistres, et les punira de leur
rebellion;” — “he will take vengeance on traitors, and will
punish them for their rebellion.”
ft689
“Deux de ses disciples;” — “two of his
disciples?”
ft690
“Et incontinent les laissera aller;” — “and immediately
he will allow them to go.”
ft691
“Et la petit asnon de celle qui est sous le ioug;” —
“and the young ass-colt of her that is under the yoke.”
— Campbell brings out, in the same manner, the force of Greek,
“even the colt of a laboring beast.” —
Ed.
ft692
“Et le feirent asseoir sur iceux vestemens;” —
“and made him sit on these garments.”
ft693
“Benit soil celuy;” — “blessed be
he.”
ft694
“Es tres-hauts lieux;” — “ in the very high
places.”
ft693A
“Benit soil celuy;” — “blessed be
he.”
ft694A
“Es tres-hauts lieux;” — “ in the very high
places.”
ft694B
“Es tres-hauts lieux;” — “ in the very high
places.”
ft695
“Que voulez-vous faire?” — “Witat do you wish
to do?”
ft696
“Et ceux-la les laisserent aller;” —
“and those men allowed them to
go.”
ft697
“Ceux a qui il estoit;” — “those to whom it
belonged.”
ft698
“Pource qu’il se voit estre bien pres du but de sa course;”
— “because he sees that he is very near the end of his
course.”
ft699
“Les voix retentissent pour luy faire honneur, et le recevoir en grande
ioye et triomphe;” — “voices resound to do him honor, and to
receive him in great joy and triumph.”
ft700
“Sous la couverture des choses yci recitees;” — “under
the disguise of the things here related.”
ft701
“Quand il dit que tout cela se faisoit afin que ce qui avoit este dit
loaf le Prophete fust accompli;” — “when he says that
all this was done, in order that what had been said by the Prophet
might be fulfilled.”
ft702
“Car il y avoit si pen de la iusques en Ierusalem, qu’il y fust
aisee-merit alle a pied;” — “for it was so short a distance
from that place to Jerusalem, that he would easily have gone thither on
foot.”
ft703
“Afin qu’on ne pensast point qu’il prinst cela a desplaisir,
et qu’on lui attribuast l’honneur de Roy contre son vouloir;”
— “that it might not be thought that he took offense at this, and
that the honor of King was given to him in opposition to his
will.”
ft704
“Car voyla ses mots, Estant monte sur an asne, et sur un
asnon poullain d’asnesse;” — “for his words
are these, Sitting on an ass, and on an ass-colt, the
foal of an ass.”
ft705
“Et de faire flechir les coeurs des hommes, pour accorder ce qu’il
luy plaist;” — “and to bend the hearts of men to grant what he
pleases.”
ft706
“Vray est qu’il pouvoit sembler que c’estoit un ieu de petits
enfans;” — “true, it might be thought that it was a game of
little children.”
ft707
“Es lieux tres-hauts;” — “in the very high
places.”
ft708
“T’assiegeront de rempars;” — “will besiege thee
with ramparts.”