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
FIRST
THE
TRANSLATOR’S
PREFACE
ALL the writings of JOHN CALVIN are marked by
extraordinary vigor, learning, and judgment. Few of them are so well known as
THE INSTITUTES OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION — a systematic treatise, which,
though written at the early age of twenty-four, was universally acknowledged to
be a production of the highest ability. Concise and luminous, powerful in
argument, scriptural, devout and practical, it has not been superseded by any
later work. But the fame which he acquired by THE INSTITUTES was fully sustained
by his expository writings, which possess at least equal claims on the attention
of divines. They contributed powerfully to diffuse the pure Gospel of Christ,
commanded the applause of all the Reformed Churches, and received even from
enemies no mean commendation. More than a century after his valuable life had
closed, they occupied a place in every theological library. The learned Matthew
Poole, in the preface to his Synopsis, apologizes for the small number of his
quotations from them, on the express ground that the Commentaries themselves, he
had every reason to believe, were in the hands of all his
readers.
This reputation, after having suffered a partial
eclipse, will soon, in all probability, regain its former brightness. The first
tendency to this improvement was discovered in a neighboring country, where the
distinguishing doctrines of Christianity had long been supplanted by a creed
little removed from infidelity. In Germany, Biblical criticism is almost a
national pursuit. That unconquerable industry which had already crowned her
scholars with laurels in Greek and Roman literature, has given them as
unquestionable a pre-eminence in the field of sacred philology. Had such rare
attainments been always consecrated to the honor of the Redeemer, every good man
would have rejoiced. Unhappily, they were but too frequently employed in
maintaining the most dangerous errors, in opposing every inspired statement
which the mind of man is unable fully to comprehend, in divesting religion of
its spiritual and heavenly character, and in undermining the whole fabric of
revealed truth. But a gracious Providence has raised up other men, whom, though
we may not feel ourselves at liberty to subscribe to all their views, we cannot
but hail as the friends of evangelical truth, and admire for their holy
fortitude in coming
to the help of the Lord,
to the help of the Lord against the mighty,
(<070523>Judges
5:23.)
At the head of this illustrious band it is almost
superfluous to name Professor Tholuck of Halle, admitted by the most competent
judges, both in Britain and on the Continent, to be one of the first biblical
scholars of the age. Having been led by his own researches, and by public
events, to examine the writings of the Reformer, he hastened to draw the
attention of his countrymen to the neglected treasures. His own Commentary on
the Epistle to the Romans afforded an opportunity which was eagerly embraced.
Not satisfied with this brief notice, he wrote an elaborate and masterly
dissertation on “The merits of Calvin as an Interpreter of the Holy
Scriptures,” a translation of which appeared shortly afterwards in the
(American) “Biblical Repository.” He superintended a handsome octavo
edition of Calvin’s Commentaries on the New Testament, printed at Berlin,
and sold at a moderate price. To another eminent interpreter he candidly awards
the honor of having led the way in this
undertaking.
f1a But he was one of the earliest to follow
in the path which had been marked out, and has labored, beyond all his
contemporaries, to make the Commentaries of Calvin more extensively known, and
more highly esteemed.
Our Author has exerted a powerful influence on all
succeeding expositors. They have found their interest in listening to his
instructions, and have been more deeply indebted to him than is generally known.
Many valuable interpretations of passages of Scripture appeared for the first
time in his writings, and have ever since been warmly approved. In other cases,
the views which had been previously held are placed by him in so strong a light
as to remove every doubt, and satisfy the most cautious inquiry. And yet the
stores, from which so much has been drawn, are far from being exhausted, nor is
their value greatly lowered by improvements which have been subsequently made.
The department of History presents an analogous case. Documents which had been
overlooked are carefully examined. Conflicting evidence is more accurately
weighed. Important transactions assume a new aspect, or, at least, are altered
in their subordinate details. Still, there are historians, in whose narrative
the great lines of truth are so powerfully drawn, that the feebler, though more
exact, delineations of other men cannot supply their place.
In the chief moral requisite for such a work Calvin
is excelled by none. He is an honest interpreter. No consideration would have
induced him to wrest the words of Scripture from their plain meaning. Those who
may question his conclusions cannot trace them to an unworthy motive. Timid
theologians will be occasionally startled by his expositions. Though they may
not absolutely impeach the soundness of his doctrine, they will tremble for the
fate of some favorite theory or ingenious argument. With such minds he has no
sympathy. He examines the Scriptures with the humility of one who inquires at
the oracle of God,
(<101623>2
Samuel 16:23,) and proclaims the reply with the faith of one who knows that the
word of the Lord is tried,
(<191830>Psalm
18:30.)
Intimately connected with this integrity of purpose
is the Catholic spirit which he constantly breathes. His labors are dedicated to
no sect, but to the cause of divine truth. If his opinions do not find equal
favor with all true Christians, they are made to feel that he addresses them as
brethren in Christ Jesus. In his eye the Church of Christ is one. He never
forgets the ties which unite all believers to each other and to their exalted
Head. Are there any whose sentiments are hardly distinguishable from those
things which are most surely believed among us,
(<420101>Luke
1:1,) and yet who associate with the name of Calvinism all that is stern
and repulsive? Let them follow the expositions of this master in Israel.
They will find the most remarkable peculiarities of his creed boldly avowed,
but accompanied by other revealed truths to which they had supposed him to be
indifferent, and by no ordinary earnestness of practical exhortation. Amidst his
severest denunciations of doctrinal error, they will not fail to discover the
same enlarged views and Christian forbearance which animated the great apostle
of the Gentiles. Rarely will they behold that sentiment more beautifully
exemplified,
Grace be to all them that
love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity,
(<490624>Ephesians
6:24.)
Learning ought not to be a prominent feature
in a work essentially popular. But the learning of Calvin manifests itself in
the most desirable manner, and adds great weight to his interpretations. Of his
acquaintance with Hebrew it is unnecessary now to speak. His familiarity with
the Greek language appears less in observations on phrases, or allusions to the
various renderings of some passages, than in a close adherence to those shades
of meaning which no translation of the Scriptures can convey. Even when he
appears to have overlooked or mistaken the words, a reference to the original,
which had been studiously kept out of view, will justify the unexpected
remark. f2a
Origen, Chrysostom, and other Greek Fathers, were
among his familiar authors. Classical writers are introduced on every proper
occasion, for illustrating a term, or a custom, or the general principles of
reasoning. Quotations are made from these writers, and from some of their
philosophical treatises, which are seldom even consulted except by those who can
read the language with considerable freedom. To say nothing of the Stagyrite,
every scholar knows, for example, that no Greek prose offers more serious
difficulties than the idiomatic, though fascinating, style of
Plato. f3a
In that minute analysis which is peculiar to modern
criticism, Calvin may have been deficient. That he wanted the skill necessary
for such investigations is not so manifest. The absence of those processes by
which he arrived at his conclusions makes it difficult to determine how far the
subtle elements of language had undergone his scrutiny. If we shall suppose him
to have neglected these matters, our astonishment must be the greater that the
deductions of recent inquirers should have been so largely anticipated.
Conjectures thrown out by Sir Isaac Newton were long afterwards verified by
experiments of extreme labor and delicacy. But Calvin speaks habitually with a
tone of confidence. We must therefore conclude that, like the shrewd remarks to
which the philosopher was pleased to give the name of conjectures, his
discoveries were reached by a shorter route, which other minds could with
difficulty follow. f4a
This extraordinary sagacity was accompanied by
another quality not less needed in an interpreter, a sound judgment, which
leaned neither to ancient usage nor to ingenious novelties, which refused to bow
to the authority of great names, and sternly rebuked the most plausible
sophistry when opposed to the plain and obvious meaning of Scripture. He took a
dispassionate and wide survey, not only of the passage immediately under
consideration, but of kindred expressions or sentiments that were found in any
of the inspired writers. It was left to the industry of later times to collect
parallels, and arrange them on the margin of our Bibles, as an invaluable aid to
interpretation. But his own perusal of the sacred volume supplied him largely
with such materials, and enabled him to draw them out with instinctive readiness
as occasion required.
As we pass along, we meet with direct quotations,
largely but appositely introduced, and tending to confirm the views which he had
adopted. Still more frequently we observe a copious use of that phraseology
which is peculiar to the sacred writers, and which falls on the pious ear with
refreshing melody. In him it rises higher than that felicitous application of
Scripture which our more elegant writers have cultivated for the purpose of
imparting a literary charm to their compositions; for those beauties came to him
unsought while he was aiming at something higher than the mere ornaments of
diction, and the language of Scripture had been so thoroughly interwoven with
his ordinary style, that he must have been frequently unconscious of its
presence. To aid the reader in discovering those allusions, the passages from
which they have been taken are generally marked. The references made by our
Author himself may be supposed to be abundant, and must have struck many persons
as a prominent feature of his writings; but in far more numerous cases, no clue
was given to his authorities, and some pains have been taken to supply the
omissions.
The Latin original has been scrupulously followed.
His own vernacular version gives us some idea of the freedom, spirit, and
elegance, with which he would have accommodated himself to the taste of the
English reader, if it had been executed in our language. But a translator is not
permitted to use the same liberties as the author, and faithfulness demands that
he shall adhere strictly to the copy which is set before him. The meaning has
been given without addition or omission, and even the structure of the sentences
has been followed, so far as that could be done without violating the purity of
English idiom. To exhibit the peculiar excellencies of such a writer, or, where
that could not be done, to find in a modern tongue a suitable equivalent, was no
easy task. His admirably concise diction, and rapid but masterly transitions,
and above all, that rare felicity of expression for which his severest judges
have given him credit, render it difficult to represent the style and manner of
so great a master of composition.
All the assistance that could be derived from our
Author’s French version has been thankfully accepted. It would have been
unwise as well as ungrateful to leave out of view so authoritative an exposition
of his meaning, or to disregard the production of one whose command of his
native tongue is acknowledged by the ablest critics to have anticipated the
elegancies of a later age. “He wrote in Latin,” says
D’Alembert, “as well as is possible in a dead language, and in
French with a purity which was extraordinary for his time. This purity, which is
to the present day admired by our skillful critics, renders his writings greatly
superior to almost all of the same age; as the works of Messieurs de Port Royal
are still distinguished on the same account from the barbarous rhapsodies of
their opponents and contemporaries.” Amidst the driest details of verbal
criticism, there are frequent glimpses of that eloquence which De Thou and other
great men regarded with admiration, and which, when aided by the living voice,
must have told powerfully on his hearers.
It must be observed, however, that the Latin and
French texts have been treated apart, as if they had not proceeded from the same
pen, and have been separated by a broad line which meets the eye of the reader.
The old translators sometimes proceeded as if they had not been aware of the
vernacular copy, and at other times blended it with the original in so strange a
manner, that they appear to follow a path of their own, while they are
faithfully tracking the Author’s footsteps. In the new translations
prepared for the CALVIN SOCIETY, care has been taken to adhere scrupulously to
the Latin text, and at the same time to give the English reader the full benefit
of those illustrations which the Author thought fit to employ in submitting the
work to the perusal of his countrymen. The French translation has been all along
collated with the original; and whenever it contained additional matter, or
removed obscurity by greater copiousness of language, or even when a striking
phrase occurred, the passages have been exhibited and translated at the bottom
of the page.
Notes, partly selected, but chiefly original,
have been added. Some are intended to illustrate a remote allusion, to prevent a
casual expression from being misunderstood, or to bring out more clearly the
Author’s meaning. Others are devoted to history, or to biblical criticism.
Those which have been written by myself, and for which I must be held
responsible, are marked. Ed. All questions of a doctrinal nature have been
excluded from these Notes. The publications of the CALVIN TRANSLATION
SOCIETY are addressed to the whole Church of Christ, and ought not to wear the
badge of any of the sections into which that Church is unhappily divided. In
every thing that relates to doctrine the Author has been left in full possession
of the field.
It will scarcely be supposed that every
interpretation contained in this work has my entire concurrence. The great
principles inculcated in the writings of Calvin have my cordial approbation;
and, indeed, I could scarcely name a writer with whose views of Divine truth I
more fully coincide. As a Commentator, ever since I became acquainted with him,
I have been accustomed to assign to him the highest rank, and to receive his
expositions with the deepest respect. My labors on this and on a former
occasion
f5aled me to examine his opinions more
closely than before, and have raised him still more highly in my estimation.
There are some points on which I feel assured that he mistook the meaning of
Scripture; but almost all of them had been little investigated in his day, and
do not appear to have been subjected to his usual severity of judgment. Many
will wonder that he should contend so earnestly for the identity of John’s
baptism with Christ’s baptism, instead of representing them to be two
distinct ordinances, instituted for separate purposes, and placed under totally
different regulations: but on this question the followers of Christ may agree to
differ. It will excite more general surprise to find the great Reformer
maintaining the right of the civil magistrate to punish heretics, and even to
inflict on them the last sentence of the law. Men far inferior to him in
learning and ability have avoided mistakes from which his powerful and
enlightened mind was not exempted. They ought to regard with admiration and
gratitude the conduct of a gracious Providence, which preserved his creed so
remarkably free from Romish errors, and enabled him to approach so closely to
the mind of the Holy Spirit.
A may be expected to resemble other works which bear
the same title. Our Author’s delight in brevity, and his extreme aversion
to repeat what he had said before, would aid the influence of other reasons for
adopting this plan, which are stated by himself towards the conclusion of The
Argument. To meet one obvious disadvantage of this arrangement, a Table of
the passages expounded, which may enable the reader easily to discover where the
exposition is to be found, becomes necessary. Such a Table, together with a list
of the passages taken from other books of Scripture which are quoted or
illustrated in this work, and a copious Index to the subjects of which it
treats, will be given in the Third volume.
The old translator of the Harmony, Eusebius Paget,
deserves to be honored by the admirers of Calvin. It was indeed to be expected
that, after the lapse of nearly three centuries, his version would be found
unsuitable to modern taste. But it is highly creditable to his scholarship, and
to his scrupulous fidelity to the original, for which his well known integrity,
and his warm attachment to the writings of the Reformer, were a sufficient
guarantee. His name has come down to us in connection with sermons and other
works, which appear to have been much esteemed, but are now little known.
“The History of the Bible, briefly collected, by way of Question and
Answer,” was one of his productions, and was printed at the end of
several of the old editions of the Bible.
This volume is adorned by a well-authenticated
likeness of the Reformer.
f6aMany will be surprised to trace the lines
of extreme old age in the countenance of one who died at the age of fifty-five.
But all his biographers agree in stating that, ere he had concluded his fortieth
year, the white locks, shrivelled features, and bent shoulders, bespoke Calvin
to be already an old man;
f7aand that long before other fifteen years
had run their course, he seemed as if threescore years and ten, or rather
fourscore years, had passed over him, and brought their usual attendants
of labor and sorrow,
(<199010>Psalm
90:10.) His friends observed with grief the forerunners of an event which, when
it arrived, they could not but mourn as the premature close of a life so highly
valued.
The quaint title-pages of two editions of the French
version, together with the “Epistle Dedicatory” of Eusebius Paget,
and a fac-simile of his title-page, immediately follow this
Preface.
It may be proper to state, in conclusion, that,
throughout this work, Calvin’s own version of THE THREE EVANGELISTS is
adopted, as nearly as the difference of the languages would allow, in preference
to our Authorized Version, which would not have rendered equal assistance to the
reader in understanding the expositions. Yet the singular coincidence between
the two Versions, interrupted chiefly by verbal differences which do not affect
the sense, lends countenance to the suggestion of an esteemed friend and
fellow-laborer, that King James’s Translators have been more deeply
indebted to the labors of Calvin than is generally believed.
W.
P.
AUCHTERARDER,
4th
January, 1845.
THE EPISTLE
DEDICATORY
TO THE OLD
TRANSLATION
TO THE RIGHT
HONORABLE
FRANCIS, EARL
OF BEDFORD,
OF THE NOBLE ORDER OF THE GARTER,
KNIGHT,
ONE OF THE LORDS OF HER MAJESTY’S
MOST HON. PRIVY COUNCIL;
GRACE AND PEACE FROM
GOD, WITH THE INCREASE OF THAT TRUE
HONOR WHICH
IS FROM GOD, AND LASTETH FOR EVER.
[Prefixed to the Original English Translation,
London, 1584 and 1610.]
THE choice (Right Honourable) which Luke the
Evangelist made in dedicating this History of the Gospel, which he wrote, to
that noble man Theophilus, and which that man of worthy memory, M. John Calvin,
took in dedicating these his labors to the Lords of Frankfort, driveth me to
dedicate this my small labor of translating this book into the English tongue.
And though it is but little that I have done, in comparison of the labors of the
other two, and not worth the offering to men of great estate; yet, lest that I
should seem singular in dissenting from these two singular instruments in the
Church of God, and that in one and the selfsame book I have presumed to
make bold of your Lordship’s name, hoping that your Honor will not mislike
to have it written in the forehead of this book with noble Theophilus and the
Lords of Frankfort; specially, sith that I do it in testimony of my dutiful love
to you, for the manifold grace of God in you, and benefits which I have received
from you. Men do commonly, in their Epistles, write either in the commendation
of the work, or in the praise of their patron, or in discharging of themselves
of the discredit which their enemies would lay upon them. But I crave pardon of
your Honor, if, in studying to be short, I omit these things.
For, first, the very name of THE GOSPEL OF JESUS
CHRIST and then the names of MATTHEW, MARK, and LUKE, the Evangelists, and of M.
CALVIN, the gatherer of The Harmony and the writer of The Commentary, do yield
more credit and commendation to the matter than all that I can say of it, all
the days of my life. Only this I say of M. CALVIN’S labors here, that in
my simple judgment it is one of the profitablest works for the Church that ever
he did write.
Next, for your praises, as you like not to hear them,
so I will not offend you in setting them down, nor give others occasion to
condemn me of flattery. They which have best known you say, that you began a
good course in your youth; that you witnessed a good confession in the late time
of persecution; that your constancy hath been testified by your troubles at home
and travels in foreign countries: You have continued your profession in the
midst of your dignity, lordships, and living, left by your parents, and in the
seat of government wherein our sovereign and most gracious Queen hath placed
you; not falling asleep, in security, in this so peaceable a
time.
My Lord, continue to the end, so shall you be safe. I
speak not this as if it were your own strength that hath holden you up all this
while; but meditate sometimes, I pray you, upon the seventy-first Psalm; and
pray that Lord, as David did, who kept you in your youth, that He will keep you
in your old age, now that your hair is hoar and hairs grey. And I beseech the
mighty Lord to thrust them forward which are drawn back by their youthly
affections, and to raise up them that fell away for fear of troubles, and to
waken those which in this quiet and calm time do sleep in security, or wax
wanton with the wealth of the world; that we may meet the Lord with true
humility and earnest repentance, to see if He will be intreated to continue His
mercies towards us; lest he turn his correcting rod, which he hath so oft shaken
over us, into a devouting sword to consume us.
Of myself I will say nothing. The mouths of the
wicked cannot be stopped. Their false tongues, I hope, shall teach me to walk
warily; and I have learned, I thank my God, to pass through good report and
through evil, and to commit myself and my cause to Him that judgeth
right.
The Lord of lords preserve your Honour in safety, and
multiply all spiritual blessings upon you and yours. From Kiltehampton, in
Cornwall, this 28th of, January, 1584.
The Lord’s most unworthy Minister,
lame
EUSEBIUS PAGET
THE
AUTHOR’S
EPISTLE DEDICATORY
TO
THE VERY NOBLE AND ILLUSTRIOUS
LORDS,
THE
BURGOMASTERS AND COUNCIL
OFTHE NOBLE CITY OF
FRANKFORT,
JOHN
CALVIN
IF virtuous examples were ever necessary to be held
out for imitation, in order to stimulate lazy, sluggish, or inactive persons,
the sloth, and—what is more—the indifference of this very corrupt
age makes it necessary that the greater part of men, who do not of their own
accord advance, but rather fall back, should at least be compelled by shame to
discharge their duty. All, indeed, are seen to be influenced, both in public and
in private, by a disgraceful emulation. There is not a king who does not labor
to show that he is equal to his neighbors in the address, or perseverance, or
energy, or courage, necessary for extending, by every possible method, the
bounds of his dominion. There is not a state or commonwealth that yields the
preference to others for cunning and all the arts of deception, nor a single
individual among the ranks of the ambitious who will acknowledge his inferiority
to others in wicked contrivances. In short, we would almost say that they had
entered into a silent but mutual conspiracy to challenge each other to a contest
of vices, and every man who carries wickedness to an extreme easily ruins a vast
multitude by his example; so that, amidst the general prevalence of crimes, very
few persons are to be found who exhibit a pattern of
uprightness.
For these reasons I reckon it to be the more
advantageous that those uncommon excellencies, by which eminent persons are
distinguished, should receive the commendations which they deserve, and should
be raised to an elevated situation so as to be seen at a great distance, that
the desire of imitating them may be awakened in many breasts. And this I
acknowledge, most honorable Lords, to be the principal reason why I am desirous
that this work of mine should be given to the world under the sanction of your
name. For though my undertaking will be regarded by me as having obtained a
distinguished reward, if your readiness to do good shall derive from it any
increase, yet I have had more particularly in my eye the other object which has
been mentioned, namely, that others may equal your progress, or at least may
follow the same course.
I have no intention, however, to frame a catalogue of
all the excellencies by which you are distinguished, but shall satisfy myself
for the present with mentioning, in terms of commendation, one excellence which
has bound to you myself and a great number of the servants of Christ by what may
be called a more sacred tie. It was a great matter that, more than five years
ago, when all were seized with dreadful alarm, when a fearful devastation of the
churches of Germany, and almost the destruction of the Gospel, was threatened by
the calamity which had occurred, you, on whom the first shower of darts fell,
stood firm in an open profession of the faith which was at that time extremely
odious, and steadily maintained the pure doctrine of godliness which you had
embraced, so as to make it evident that, amidst the greatest anxieties and
dangers, there is nothing which you value more highly than to fight under the
banner of Christ. But it is still more remarkable, and more worthy of being put
on record, that you not only maintain the pure worship of God among yourselves,
and faithfully endeavor to keep your fellow-citizens within the fold of Christ,
but that you collect as torn members those fragments of a dispersed church which
had been thrown out in other countries.
In the present melancholy state of affairs, it has
given me no small consolation to learn that devout worshippers of God, who had
come to you as exiles from England and from other places, were received by you
with warm hospitality; and that you not only opened your gates to them in their
wretched exile, but rendered deserved honor to the Son of God, by making his
Gospel to be distinctly heard in your city in foreign languages. A similar
instance of distinguished kindness was recently showed to the unhappy natives of
Locarno by the Council of Zurich, who not only threw open their city to
them, (when they were not permitted to worship Christ at home according to their
consciences) but even assigned to them a church for holding their religious
assemblies, and were not prevented by a diversity of language from desiring to
hear Christ talk Italian in their own city.
To return to yourselves: as soon as I heard that you
had had the kindness to allow persons who speak our language to found a church
amongst you, I considered that you had laid me under private obligations, and
resolved to take this opportunity of testifying my gratitude. For while there is
good reason for deploring the state of our nation to be such, that the
sacrilegious tyranny of Popery has made a residence in our own country to be
little else than a banishment from the kingdom of God, so, on the other hand, it
is a distinguished favor to have a habitation granted to us on a foreign soil,
where the lawful worship of God may be observed. This truly sacred
hospitality—which was rendered not to men, but rather to Christ
himself—will, I trust, add to your already prosperous condition fresh acts
of the divine kindness, and secure them to you in uninterrupted
succession.
For my own part at least, as I have just now
declared, such were my inducements to dedicate to you this work of mine. It is a
Harmony arranged out of Three Evangelists, and has been prepared by me
with the greatest fidelity and diligence. What toil I have bestowed on it would
serve no purpose to detail; and how far I have succeeded must be left to others
to decide. The readers to whom I refer are those honest, learned, and
well-disposed persons, whose desire of making progress is not retarded by a
barbarous shame at receiving instruction, and who feel an interest in the public
advantage. I do not trouble myself with mean and wicked scoundrels; and such I
call not only the hooded monks, who, in defending the tyranny of the Pope, carry
on open war with us, but those useless
dronesf1b
who, mixing with us, seize on every pretense for concealing their ignorance, and
would wish to have the light of doctrine wholly extinguished. Let them
impudently bark at me as much as they please: my reply will be always ready.
Neither divine nor human obligation subjects me to the judgment of those who
deserve the lash for their most disgraceful ignorance, as much as they deserve
the whip for their obstinate and hardened malice and insolence.
I may be allowed at least to say, without the
imputation of boasting, that I have faithfully endeavored to be of service to
the Church of God. Two years ago, John was published along with my
Commentary, which, I trust, was not without advantage. And thus like one of the
heralds,
f2bI have endeavored, to the utmost extent
that my ability allowed, to do honor to Christ riding magnificently in his royal
chariot drawn by four horses; and feel assured that candid readers, who have
derived advantage from my labors, will not be ashamed to acknowledge that the
success has, in some measure, corresponded to my wish. The evangelical history,
related by four witnesses divinely appointed, is justly compared by me to a
chariot drawn by four horses: for by this appropriate and just harmony God
appears to have expressly prepared for his Son a triumphal chariot, from which
he may make a magnificent display to the whole body of believers, and in which,
with rapid progress, he may review the world. Augustine, too, makes an apt
comparison of the Four Evangelists to trumpets, the sound of which fills every
region of the world, so that the Church, gathered from the East, and West, and
South, and North, flows into a holy unity of faith. So much the more intolerable
is the curiosity of those who, not satisfied with the heavenly heralds, obtrude
upon us, under the name of a Gospel, disgusting tales, which serve no other
purpose than to pollute the purity of faith, and to expose the name of Christ to
the sneers and ridicule of the ungodly.
With regard to yourselves, most noble Lords, as you
detest every kind of leaven, by which the native purity of the Gospel is
corrupted, and show that you have nothing more at heart than to defend and
maintain the pure doctrine, as it was delivered by Christ, I feel assured that
this production, which opens up the treasure of the Gospel, will receive your
warmest approbation, and trust that my dedication of it to you will be accepted
as a mark of my regard. Farewell, most illustrious Lords. May Christ always
direct you by his Spirit, support you by his power, defend you by his
protection, and enrich your city and commonwealth with all abundance of
blessings.
GENEVA, 1st August,
M.D.LV.
THE ARGUMENT
ON THE GOSPEL
OF JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW, MARK, AND
LUKE
IN order to read with profit the Evangelical history,
it is of great importance to understand the meaning of the word
Gospel.
f1cWe shall thus be enabled to ascertain what
design those heavenly witnesses had in writing, and to what object the events
related by them must be referred. That their histories did not receive this name
from others, but were so denominated by the Authors, is evident from Mark, who
expressly says (1:1) that he relates the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. There is one passage in the writings of Paul, from which above all
others a clear and certain definition of the word Gospel may be obtained,
where he tells us that it . .
was promised by God in
the Scriptures, through the prophets, concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the
Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of sanctification, by the
resurrection from the dead,
(<450102>Romans
1:2-4.)
First, this passage shows that the Gospel is a
testimony of the revealed salvation, which had been formerly promised to the
Fathers in an uninterrupted succession of ages. It points out, at the same time,
a distinction between the promises which kept the hope of the people in
suspense, and this joyful message, by which God declares that he has
accomplished those things which he had formerly required them to
expect.
f2cIn the same manner he states a little
afterwards, that in the Gospel
the righteousness of God
is openly manifested, which was testified by the Law and the Prophets,
(<450321>Romans
3:21.)
The same apostle calls it, in another passage, an
Embassy by which the reconciliation of the world to God, once
accomplished by the death of Christ, is daily offered to men,
(<470520>2
Corinthians 5:20.)
Secondly, Paul means not only that Christ is the
pledge of all the blessings that God has ever promised, but that we have in him
a full and complete exhibition of them; as he elsewhere declares that all the
promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen,
(<470120>2
Corinthians 1:20.) And, indeed, the freely bestowed adoption, by which we are
made sons of God, as it proceeds from the good pleasure which the Father had
from eternity, has been revealed to us in this respect, that Christ (who alone
is the Son of God by nature) has clothed himself with our flesh, and made us his
brethren. That satisfaction by which sins are blotted out, so that we are no
longer under the curse and the sentence of, death, is to be found nowhere else
than in the sacrifice of his death. Righteousness, and salvation, and perfect
happiness, are founded on his resurrection.
The Gospel, therefore, is a public exhibition
of the Son of God manifested in the flesh, (1 Timothy 3:16,) to deliver a
ruined world, and to restore men from death to life. It is justly called a
good and joyful message, for it contains perfect happiness. Its
object is to commence the reign of God, and by means of our deliverance from the
corruption of the flesh, and of our renewal by the Spirit, to conduct us to the
heavenly glory. For this reason it is often called the kingdom of heaven,
and the restoration to a blessed life, which is brought to us by Christ, is
sometimes called the kingdom of God: as when Mark says that Joseph
waited for the kingdom of God,
(<411543>Mark
15:43,) he undoubtedly refers to the coming of the Messiah.
Hence it is evident that the word Gospel
applies properly to the New Testament, and that those writers are chargeable
with a want of precision,
f3cwho say that it was common to all ages,
and who suppose that the Prophets, equally with the Apostles, were ministers of
the Gospel. Widely different is the account which Christ gives us, when he says,
that
the law and the prophets
were TILL John, and that since that time the kingdom of God began to be
preached,
(<421616>Luke
16:16.)
Mark, too, as we mentioned a little ago, declares
that the preaching of John was the beginning of the Gospel,
(<430101>John
1:1.) Again, the four histories, which relate how Christ discharged the office
of Mediator, have with great propriety received this designation. As the birth,
death, and resurrection of Christ contain the whole of our salvation, and are
therefore the peculiar subject of the Gospel, the name of Evangelists
is justly and suitably applied to those who place before our eyes Christ who
has been sent by the Father, that our faith may acknowledge him to be the Author
of a blessed life.
The power and results of his coming are still more
fully expressed in other books of the New Testament. And even in this respect
John differs widely from the other three Evangelists: for he is almost wholly
occupied in explaining the power of Christ, and the advantages which we derive
from him; while they insist more fully on one point, that our Christ is that Son
of God who had been promised to be the Redeemer of the world. They interweave,
no doubt, the doctrine which relates to the office of Christ, and inform us what
is the nature of his grace, and for what purpose he has been given to us; but
they are principally employed, as I have said, in showing that in the person of
Jesus Christ has been fulfilled what God had promised from the
beginning.
f4cThey had no intention or design to abolish
by their writings the law and the prophets; as some fanatics dream that
the Old Testament is superfluous, now that the truth of heavenly wisdom has been
revealed to us by Christ and his Apostles. On the contrary, they point with the
finger to Christ, and admonish us to seek from him whatever is ascribed to him
by the law and the prophets. The full profit and advantage, therefore, to
be derived from the reading of the Gospel will only be obtained when we learn to
connect it with the ancient promises.
With regard to the three writers of the Evangelical
history, whom I undertake to expound, Matthew is sufficiently known.
Mark is generally supposed to have been the private friend and disciple
of Peter. It is even believed that he wrote the Gospel, as it was dictated to
him by Peter, and thus merely performed the office of an amanuensis or
clerk.
f5cBut on this subject we need not give
ourselves much trouble, for it is of little importance to us, provided only we
believe that he is a properly qualified and divinely appointed witness, who
committed nothing to writing, but as the Holy Spirit directed him and guided his
pen. There is no ground whatever for the statement of Jerome, that his Gospel is
an abridgment of the Gospel by Matthew. He does not everywhere adhere to the
order which Matthew observed, and from the very commencement handles the
subjects in a different manner. Some things, too, are related by him which the
other had omitted, and his narrative of the same event is sometimes more
detailed. It is more probable, in my opinion—and the nature of the case
warrants the conjecture—that he had not seen Matthew’s book when he
wrote his own; so far is he from having expressly intended to make an
abridgment.
I have the same observation to make respecting
Luke: for we will not say that the diversity which we perceive in the
three Evangelists was the object of express arrangement, but as they intended to
give an honest narrative of what they knew to be certain and undoubted, each
followed that method which he reckoned best. Now as this did not happen by
chance, but by the direction of Divine Providence, so under this diversity in
the manner of writing the Holy Spirit suggested to them an astonishing harmony,
which would almost be sufficient of itself to secure credit to them, if there
were not other and stronger evidences to support their
authority.
Luke asserts plainly enough that he is the person who
attended Paul. But it is a childish statement which Eusebius makes, that Paul is
the Author of the Gospel which bears the name of Luke, because in one passage he
mentions his
Gospel,
f6c(<550208>2
Timothy 2:8.) As if what follows did not make it clear that Paul is speaking of
his whole preaching, and not of a single book: for he adds,
for which I suffer trouble, even
to bonds,
(<550209>2
Timothy 2:9.) Now, it is certain that he was not held
guilty f7c
of having written a book, but of having administered and preached with the
living voice the doctrine of Christ. Eusebius, whose industry was great,
discovers here a singular want of judgment in collecting without discrimination
such gross absurdities. On this head I have thought it necessary to warn my
readers, that they may not be shocked at fooleries of the same description which
occur in every part of his history.
Of that method of interpretation which I have chosen
to adopt, and which it may be many persons, at first sight, will not approve, it
will be proper to give some account for the satisfaction of pious and candid
readers. First, it is beyond all dispute, that it is impossible to expound, in a
proper and successful manner, any one of the Evangelists, without comparing him
with the other two; and, accordingly, faithful and learned commentators spend a
very great portion of their labor on reconciling the narratives of the three
Evangelists. But as it frequently happens that persons of ordinary abilities
find the comparison to be no easy matter, when it is necessary to pass at every
turn from the one to the other, I thought that it might prove to be a seasonable
and useful abridgment of their labor, if I were to arrange the three histories
in one unbroken chain, or in a single picture, in which the reader may perceive
at a glance the resemblance or diversity that exists. In this way I shall leave
out nothing that has been written by any of the three Evangelists; and whatever
may be found in more than one of them will be collected into one
place.
Whether or not I have succeeded to my expectation,
the reader must decide by his own experience. So far from claiming the praise of
having brought out something new, I readily acknowledge, as becomes an honest
man, that I have adopted this method in imitation of others. Bucer, a man
of revered memory, and an eminent teacher of the Church of God, who above all
others appears to me to have labored successfully in this field, has been
especially my model. As he availed himself of the labors of the ancients who had
traveled this road before him, so my toils have been not a little alleviated by
his industry and application. Where I use the liberty of differing from him,
(which I have freely done, whenever it was necessary,) Bucer himself, if he were
still an inhabitant of the earth, would not be displeased.
COMMENTARY
ON A
HARMONY OF THE
EVANGELISTS
LUKE
1:1-4
|
LUKE
1:1-4
|
|
1. Forasmuch as many have
undertaken to compose a narrative of those things which are most surely believed
among us, 2. Even as they delivered them unto us, who from
the beginning were eye-witnesses and ministers of the Word;
3. It seemed good to me also, having carefully examined all
things from the beginning, to write to thee in detail, most excellent
Theophilus, 4. That thou mayest acknowledge the certainty of
those things whereof thou hast been instructed.
|
LUKE is the only Evangelist who makes a preface
to his Gospel, for the purpose of explaining briefly the motive which induced
him to write. By addressing a single individual he may appear to have acted
foolishly, instead of sounding the trumpet aloud, as was his duty, and inviting
all men to believe. It appears, therefore, to be unsuitable that the doctrine
which does not peculiarly belong to one person or to another, but is common to
all, should be privately sent to his friend Theophilus. Hence some have been led
to think that Theophilus is an appellative noun, and is applied to all
godly persons on account of their love of God; but the epithet which is
joined to it is inconsistent with that opinion. Nor is there any reason for
dreading the absurdity which drove them to adopt such an expedient. For it is
not less true that Paul’s doctrine belongs to all, though some of
his Epistles were addressed to certain cities, and others to certain men. Nay,
we must acknowledge, if we take into account the state of those times, that Luke
adopted a conscientious and prudent course. There were tyrants on every hand
who, by terror and alarm, were prepared to obstruct the progress of sound
doctrine. This gave occasion to Satan and his ministers for spreading abroad the
clouds of error, by which the pure light would be obscured. Now, as the great
body of men cared little about maintaining the purity of the Gospel, and few
considered attentively the inventions of Satan or the amount of danger that
lurked under such disguises, every one who excelled others by uncommon faith, or
by extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, was the more strongly bound to do his
utmost, by care and industry, for preserving the doctrine of godliness pure and
uncontaminated from every corruption. Such persons were chosen by God to be the
sacred keepers of the law, by whom the heavenly doctrine committed to them
should be honestly handed down to posterity. With this view therefore, Luke
dedicates his Gospel to Theophilus, that he might undertake the faithful
preservation of it; and the same duty Paul enjoins and recommends to Timothy,
(<550114>2
Timothy 1:14; 3:14.)
1.
Forasmuch as
many. He assigns a reason for writing which,
one would think, ought rather to have dissuaded him from writing. To compose a
history, which had already employed many authors, was unnecessary labor, at
least if they had faithfully discharged their duty. But no accusation of
imposture, or carelessness, or any other fault, is in the slightest degree
insinuated. It looks, therefore, as if he were expressing a resolution to do
what had been already done. I reply, though he deals gently with those who had
written before him, he does not altogether approve of their labors. He does not
expressly say that they had written on matters with which they were imperfectly
acquainted, but by laying claim to certainty as to the facts, he modestly denies
their title to full and unshaken confidence. It may be objected that, if they
made false statements, they ought rather to have been severely censured. I reply
again, they may not have been deeply in fault; they may have erred more from
want of consideration than from malice; and, consequently, there would be no
necessity for greater fierceness of attack. And certainly there is reason to
believe that these were little more than historical sketches which, though
comparatively harmless at the time, would afterwards, if they had not been
promptly counteracted, have done serious injury to the faith. But it is worthy
of remark that, in applying this remedy through Luke to unnecessary writings,
God had a wonderful design in view of obtaining, by universal consent, the
rejection of others, and thus securing undivided credit to those which reflect
brightly his adorable majesty. There is the less excuse for those silly people,
by whom disgusting stories, under the name of Nicodemus, or some other person,
are, at the present day, palmed upon the world.
Are most surely believed among
us. The participle
peplhroforhme>na,
which Luke employs, denotes things fully ascertained, and which do not admit of
doubt. The old translator has repeatedly fallen into mistakes about this word,
and through that ignorance has given us a corrupted sense of some very beautiful
passages. One of these occurs in the writings of Paul, where he enjoins every
man to be fully persuaded in his own mind,
(<451405>Romans
14:5,) that conscience may not hesitate and waver, tossed to and fro
(<490414>Ephesians
4:14) by doubtful opinions. Hence, too, is derived the word
plhrofori>a,
which he erroneously renders
fullness,
while it denotes that strong conviction springing from faith, in which godly
minds safely rest. There is still, as I have said, an implied contrast; for, by
claiming for himself the authority of a faithful witness, he destroys the credit
of others who give contrary statements.
Among
us f1
has the same meaning as with
us.
f2 He appears to make faith rest on a
weak foundation, its relation to men, while it ought to rest on the Word of God
only; and certainly the full
assurance
(plhrofori>a)
of faith is ascribed to the sealing of the Spirit,
(<520105>1
Thessalonians 1:5;
<581022>Hebrews
10:22.) I reply, if the Word of God does not hold the first rank, faith will not
be satisfied with any human testimonies, but, where the inward confirmation of
the Spirit has already taken place, it allows them some weight in the historical
knowledge of facts. By historical knowledge I mean that knowledge which we
obtain respecting events, either by our own observation or by the statement of
others. For, with respect to the visible works of God, it is equally proper to
listen to eye-witnesses
as to rely on experience. Besides, those
whom Luke follows were not private authors, but were also
ministers of the
Word. By this commendation he exalts
them above the rank of human authority; for he intimates that the persons from
whom he received his information had been divinely authorized to preach the
Gospel. Hence, too, that security which he shortly afterwards mentions, and
which, if it does not rest upon God, may soon be disturbed. There is great
weight in his denominating those from whom he received his Gospel
ministers of the
Word; for on that ground believers
conclude that the witnesses are beyond all exception, as the Lawyers express it,
and cannot lawfully be set aside.
Erasmus, who has borrowed from
Virgil f3
a phrase used in his version, did not sufficiently consider the estimation
and weight due to a Divine calling. Luke does not talk in a profane style, but
enjoins us in the person of his friend Theophilus to keep in view the command of
Christ, and to hear with reverence the Son of God speaking through his Apostles.
It is a great matter that he affirms them to have been
eye-witneses,
but, by calling them
ministers,
he takes them out of the common order of men, that our faith may have its
support in heaven and not in earth. In short, Luke’s meaning is this:
“that, since thou now hast those things committed faithfully to writing
which thou hadst formerly learned by oral statements, thou mayest place a
stronger reliance on the received doctrine.” It is thus evident that God
has employed every method to prevent our faith from being suspended on the
doubtful and shifting opinions of men. There is the less room for excusing the
ingratitude of the world, which, as if it openly preferred the uncertainty
arising out of vague and unfounded reports, turns from so great a Divine favor
with loathing. But let us attend to the remarkable distinction which our Lord
has laid down, that foolish credulity may not insinuate itself under the name of
faith. Meanwhile, let us allow the world to be allured, as it deserves, by the
deceitful baits of foolish curiosity, and even to surrender itself willingly to
the delusions of Satan.
3.
Having carefully examined all
things. The old translator has it,
having followed out all
things;
f4 and the Greek verb
parakolouqei~n
is taken metaphorically from those who tread in the footsteps of others,
that nothing may escape them. So that Luke intended to express his close and
laborious investigation, just as Demosthenes employs the same word, when, in
examining an embassy against which he brings an accusation, he boasts of his
diligence to have been such, that he perceived every thing that had been done as
well as if he had been a spectator.
LUKE 1:5-13
|
LUKE
1:5-13
|
|
5. In the days of Herod, king of
Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia; and
his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all
the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7. And
they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and they were now both at an
advanced age. 8. And it happened, while he was discharging
the priest's office in the order of his course before God,
9. According to the custom of the priest's office, it fell to
him by lot to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying
without at the time of incense. 11. And an angel of the Lord
appeared to him, standing at the right hand of the altar on which the incense
was burning. 12. And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him,
and fear fell upon him. 13. But the angel said to him, Fear
not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee
a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
|
Luke very properly begins his Gospel with John
the Baptist, just as a person who was going to speak about the daylight would
commence with the dawn. For, like the dawn, he went before the Sun of
Righteousness, which was shortly to arise. Others also mention him, but they
bring him forward as already discharging his office. Luke secures our respect
for him, while he is yet unborn, by announcing the miracles of divine power
which took place at the earliest period of his existence, and by showing that he
had a commission from heaven to be a prophet, ere it was possible for men to
know what would be his character. His object was that John might afterwards be
heard with more profound veneration, when he should come forth invested with a
public office to exhibit the glory of Christ.
5.
In the days of
Herod. This was the son of Antipater,
whom his father elevated to the throne, and labored with such assiduity and toil
to advance, that he was afterwards surnamed Herod
the
Great. Some think that he is here
mentioned by Luke, because he was their first foreign king; and that this was a
suitable time for their deliverance, because the scepter had passed into a
different nation. But they who speak in this manner do not correctly understand
Jacob’s prophecy,
(<014910>Genesis
49:10,) in which the advent of the Messiah is promised not merely after the
royal authority had been taken from the Jews, but after it had been removed from
the tribe of Judah. The holy patriarch did not even intimate that the tribe of
Judah would be stripped of its supremacy, but that the government of the people
would steadily remain in it until Christ, in whose person its permanency would
at length be secured. When the Maccabees flourished, the tribe of Judah was
reduced nearly to a private rank; and shortly afterwards, John, the latest
leader of that race, was slain. But even at that time, its power was not
completely annihilated; for there still remained the Sanhedrim, or Council
selected out of the family and descendants of David, which possessed great
authority, and lasted till the time of Herod, who, by a shocking slaughter of
the judges, revenged the punishment formerly inflicted on himself, when he was
condemned for murder, and forced to undergo voluntary exile, in order to escape
capital punishment.
It was not, therefore, because he was of foreign
extraction, that the reign of Herod broke the scepter of the tribe of Judah,
(<014910>Genesis
49:10;) but because whatever relics of superior rank still lingered in that
tribe were entirely carried off by his robbery. That its royal dignity had
crumbled down long before, and that by slow degrees its supremacy had nearly
given way, does not imply such a discontinuance as to be at variance with
Jacob’s prophecy. For God had promised two things seemingly opposite; that
the throne of
David would be eternal,
(<198929>Psalm
89:29, 36,) and that, after it had been destroyed, he would raise up its ruins,
(<300911>Amos
9:11;) that the sway of his kingly power would be eternal, and yet that there
should come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,
(<231101>Isaiah
11:1.) Both must be fulfilled. That supremacy, therefore, which God had bestowed
on the tribe of Judah, was suffered by him to be broken down for a time, that
the attention of the people might be more strongly directed to the expectation
of Christ’s reign. But when the destruction of the Sanhedrim appeared to
have cut off the hope of believers, suddenly the Lord shone forth. Now, it
belongs to the arrangement of history to mark the date of the transaction; but
for no light reason did the word
king
mark, at the same time, the wretchedness of that period, in order to remind
the Jews, that their eyes ought now to be turned to the Messiah, if they would
sincerely keep the covenant of God.
Zacharias, of the course of
Abia. We learn from sacred history,
(<132403>1
Chronicles 24:3, 31,) that the families of the priests were arranged by David in
certain classes. In this matter David attempted nothing contrary to what the law
enjoined. God had bestowed the priesthood on Aaron and his sons,
(<022801>Exodus
28:1.) The other Levites were set apart to inferior offices,
(<040309>Numbers
3:9.) David made no change in this respect; but his object was, partly to secure
that nothing should be done in tumult and disorder, partly to oppose ambition,
and at the same time to provide that it should not be in the power of a few
persons, by taking the whole service into their own hands, to leave the greater
number unemployed at home. Now in that arrangement,
Abijah,
son of Eleazar, held the eighth rank,
(<132410>1
Chronicles 24:10.) Zacharias, therefore, belonged to the priestly family, and to
the posterity of Eleazar who had succeeded his father in the high priest’s
office,
(<042028>Numbers
20:28.) In what manner Elisabeth, who was of the daughters of Aaron, could be
Mary’s
cousin,
(v. 36,) I will explain in the proper place. It is certainly by way of
respect that Luke mentions the genealogy of Elisabeth; for Zacharias was
permitted by the law to take to wife a daughter of any private Levite. From the
equal marriage, therefore, it is evident that he was a man respected among his
own rank.
6.
And they were both righteous
before God. He awards to them a noble
testimony, not only that among men they spent holy and upright lives, but also
that they were righteous before
God. This
righteousness
Luke defines briefly by saying that they
walked in all the commandments of
God. Both ought to be carefully
observed; for, although praise is bestowed on Zacharias and Elisabeth for the
purpose of showing us that the lamp, whose light went before the Son of God, was
taken not from an obscure house, but from an illustrious sanctuary, yet their
example exhibits to us, at the same time, the rule of a devout and righteous
life. In ordering our life,
(<193723>Psalm
37:23,) therefore, our first study ought to be to approve ourselves to God; and
we know that what he chiefly requires is a sincere heart and a pure conscience.
Whoever neglects uprightness of heart, and regulates his outward life only by
obedience to the law, neglects this order. For it ought to be remembered that
the heart, and not the outward mask of works, is chiefly regarded by God, to
whom we are commanded to look. Obedience occupies the second rank; that is, no
man must frame for himself, at his own pleasure, a new form of righteousness
unsupported by the Word of God, but we must allow ourselves to be governed by
divine authority. Nor ought we to neglect this definition, that they are
righteous
who regulate their life by the
commandments
of the law; which intimates that, to the eye of God, all acts of worship are
counterfeit, and the course of human life false and unsettled, so far as they
depart from his law.
Commandments
and
ordinances
differ thus. The latter term relates strictly to exercises of piety and of
divine worship; the latter is more general, and extends both to the worship of
God and to the duties of charity. For the Hebrew word
µyqh,
which signifies statutes or decrees, is rendered by the Greek translator
dikaiw>mata,
ordinances;
and in Scripture
µyqh
usually denotes those services which the people were accustomed to perform in
the worship of God and in the profession of their faith. Now, though hypocrites,
in that respect, are very careful and exact, they do not at all resemble
Zacharias and Elisabeth. For the sincere worshippers of God, such as these two
were, do not lay hold on naked and empty ceremonies, but, eagerly bent on the
truth, they observe them in a spiritual manner. Unholy and hypocritical persons,
though they bestow assiduous toil on outward ceremonies, are yet far from
observing them as they are enjoined by the Lord, and, consequently, do but lose
their labor. In short, under these two words Luke embraces the whole
law.
But if, in keeping the law, Zacharias and Elisabeth
were blameless, they had no need of the grace of Christ; for a full observance
of the law brings life, and, where there is no transgression of it, there is no
remaining guilt. I reply, those magnificent commendations, which are bestowed on
the servants of God, must be taken with some exception. For we ought to consider
in what manner God deals with them. It is according to the covenant which he has
made with them, the first clause of which is a free reconciliation and daily
pardon, by which he forgives their sins. They are accounted
righteous
and
blameless,
because their whole life testifies that they are devoted to righteousness,
that the fear of God dwells in them, so long as they give a holy example. But as
their pious endeavors fall very far short of perfection, they cannot please God
without obtaining pardon. The righteousness which is commended in them depends
on the gracious forbearance of God, who does not reckon to them their remaining
unrighteousness. In this manner we must explain whatever expressions are applied
in Scripture to the righteousness of men, so as not to overturn the forgiveness
of sins, on which it rests as a house does on its foundation. Those who explain
it to mean that Zacharias and Elisabeth were righteous by faith, simply because
they freely obtained the favor of God through the Mediator, torture and misapply
the words of Luke. With respect to the subject itself, they state a part of the
truth, but not the whole. I do own that the righteousness which is ascribed to
them ought to be regarded as obtained, not by the merit of works, but by the
grace of Christ; and yet, because the Lord has not imputed to them their sins,
he has been pleased to bestow on their holy, though imperfect life, the
appellation of
righteousness.
The folly of the Papists is easily refuted. With the righteousness of faith
they contrast this righteousness, which is ascribed to Zacharias, which
certainly springs from the former, and, therefore, must be subject, inferior,
and, to use a common expression, subordinate to it, so that there is no
collision between them. The false coloring, too which they give to a single word
is pitiful.
Ordinances,
they tell us, are called
commandments
of the law, and, therefore, they justify us. As if we asserted that true
righteousness is not laid down in the law, or complained that its instruction is
in fault for not justifying us, and not rather that it is weak through our
flesh,
(<450803>Romans
8:3.) In the commandments of God, as we have a hundred times acknowledged, life
is contained,
(<031805>Leviticus
18:5;
<401917>Matthew
19:17;) but this will be of no avail to men, who by nature were altogether
opposed to the law, and, now that they are regenerated by the Spirit of God, are
still very far from observing it in a perfect
manner.
7.
And they had no
child. By an extraordinary purpose of
God it was appointed that John should be born out of the common and ordinary
course of nature. The same thing happened with Isaac,
(<011717>Genesis
17:17;
<012101>Genesis
21:1-3,) in whom God had determined to give an uncommon and remarkable
demonstration of his favor. Elisabeth had been barren in the prime of life, and
now she is in old age, which of itself shuts up the womb. By two hinderances,
therefore, the Lord gives a twofold, surprising exhibition of his power, in
order to testify, by stretching out his hand, as it were, from heaven, that the
Prophet was sent by himself,
(<390301>Malachi
3:1;
<430106>John
1:6.) He is indeed a mortal man, born of earthly parents; but a supernatural
method, so to speak, recommends him strongly as if he had fallen from
heaven.
9.
According to the custom of
the priest’s office. The law
enjoined that incense should be offered twice every day, that is, every morning
and at even,
(<023007>Exodus
30:7, 8.) The order of courses among the priests had been appointed by David, as
we have already explained; and, consequently, what is here stated as to incense
was expressly enjoined by the law of God. The other matters had been arranged by
David,
(<132403>1
Chronicles 24:3,) that each family might have its own turn, though David
ordained nothing which was not prescribed by the law: he only pointed out a plan
by which they might individually perform the service which God had
commanded.
The word
temple
(na<ov)
is here put for the holy
place; which deserves attention, for it
sometimes includes the outer court. Now, Zacharias is spoken of as going into
the temple, which none but priests were permitted to enter. And so Luke says
that the people stood
without,
there being a great distance between them and the altar of incense; for the
altar on which the sacrifices were offered intervened. It ought to be observed
also that Luke says before
God: for whenever the priest entered
into the holy place, he went, as it were, into the presence of God, that he
might be a mediator between him and the people. For it was the will of the Lord
to have this impressed upon his people, that no mortal is allowed to have access
to heaven, without a priest going before; nay that, so long as men live on the
earth, they do not approach the heavenly throne, so as to find favor there, but
in the person of the Mediator. Now, as there were many priests, there were not
two of them permitted to discharge, at the same time, the solemn office of
intercession for the people; but they were so arranged in classes, that only one
entered the Holy Place, and thus there was but one priest at a time. The design
of the incense was to remind believers that the sweet savor of their prayers
does not ascend to heaven except through the sacrifice of the Mediator; and in
what manner those figures apply to us must be learned from the Epistle to the
Hebrews.
12.
Zacharias was
troubled. Though God does not appear to
his servants for the purpose of terrifying them, yet it is advantageous and even
necessary for them to be struck with awe,
(<193308>Psalm
33:8,) that, amidst their agitation, they may learn to give to God the glory due
unto his name,
(<192902>Psalm
29:2.) Nor does Luke relate only that Zacharias was terrified, but adds that
fear fell upon
him; intimating that he was so alarmed
as to give way to terror. The presence of God fills men with alarm, which not
only leads them to reverence, but humbles the pride of the flesh, naturally so
insolent that they never submit themselves to God until they have been overcome
by violence. Hence, too, we infer that it is only when God is absent,—or,
in other words, when they withdraw from his presence,—that they indulge in
pride and self-flattery; for if they had God as a Judge before their eyes, they
would at once and unavoidably fall prostrate. And if at the sight of an angel,
who is but a spark of the Divine light, this happened to Zacharias, on whom the
commendation of
righteousness
is bestowed, what shall become of us miserable creatures, if the majesty of
God shall overwhelm us with its brightness? We are taught by the example of the
holy fathers that those only are impressed with a lively sense of the Divine
presence who shake and tremble at beholding him, and that those are stupid and
insensible who hear his voice without
alarm.
13.
Fear not,
Zacharias. The glory of God, it ought to
be observed, is not so appalling to the saints as to swallow them up entirely
with dread, but only to cast them down from a foolish confidence, that they may
behold him with humility. As soon, therefore, as God has abased the pride of the
flesh in those who believe in him, he stretches out his hand to raise them up.
He acts differently towards the reprobate; for at whatever time they are dragged
before the tribunal of God, they are overwhelmed by absolute despair: and thus
does God justly reward their vain delights, in which they give themselves up to
the intoxicating antonness of sin. We ought, therefore, to accept this
consolation, with which the angel soothes Zacharias, that we have no reason to
fear, when God is gracious to us. For they are greatly mistaken who, in order to
enjoy peace, hide themselves from the face of God, whereas we ought to acquaint
ourselves with him and be at peace,
(<182221>Job
22:21.)
Thy prayer is
heard. Zacharias may seem to have acted
an improper part, and inconsistent with the nature of his office, if, on
entering the Holy Place in the name of all the people, he prayed as a private
man that he might obtain offspring; for, when the priest sustained a public
character, he ought, in forgetfulness as it were of himself, to offer prayers
for the general welfare of the Church. If we say that there was no absurdity in
Zacharias, after performing the chief part of the prayer, devoting the second
part of it to private meditations about himself, the reply will not be without
weight. But it is hardly probable that Zacharias did, at that time, pray to
obtain a son, of which he had despaired on account of his wife’s advanced
age; nor indeed can any precise moment be drawn from the words of the angel. I
interpret it, therefore, simply that his prayer was at length heard, which he
had poured out before God for a long period. That the desire of having children,
if it be not excessive, is consistent with piety and holiness, may be gathered
from Scripture, which assigns to it not the lowest place among the blessings of
God.
Thou shalt call his name
John. The name was given, I think, to
the Baptist in order to heighten the authority of his office.
ˆnhwhy,
(<130315>1
Chronicles 3:15,) for which the Greeks employ
jIwa>nnhv,
signifies in Hebrew the grace of
the Lord. Many suppose that the son of
Zacharias was so called, because he was beloved of God. I rather think that it
was intended to recommend not the grace which God bestowed upon him as a private
individual, but that grace which his mission would bring to all. The force and
weight of the name are increased by its date; for it was before he was born that
God inscribed on him this token of his favor.
LUKE 1:14-17
|
LUKE
1:14-17
|
|
14. And he shall be to thee joy
and exultation, and many shall rejoice on account of his birth.
15. For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even
from his mother's womb. 16. And many of the children of
Israel shall he bring back to the Lord their God. 17. And he
shall go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, that he may bring back
the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of
the just, that he may make ready a people prepared for the
Lord.
|
14.
He shall be to thee
joy. The angel describes a greater joy
than what Zacharias could derive from the recent birth of a child; for he
informs him that he would have such a son as he had not even ventured to wish.
He even proceeds farther to state that the joy would not be domestic, enjoyed by
the parents alone, or confined within private walls, but shared alike by
strangers, to whom the advantage of his birth should be made known. It is as if
the angel had said that a son would be born not to Zacharias alone, but would be
the Teacher and Prophet of the whole people. The Papists have abused this
passage for the purpose of introducing a profane custom in celebrating the
birth-day of John. I pass over the disorderly scene of a procession accompanied
by dancing and leaping, and licentiousness of every description, strangely
enough employed in observing a day which they pretend to hold sacred, and even
the amusements authorized on that day taken from magical arts and diabolical
tricks, closely resembling the mysteries of the goddess Ceres. It is enough for
me, at present, to show briefly that they absurdly torture the words of the
angel to mean the annual joy of a birth-day, while the angel restricts his
commendation to that joy which all godly persons would derive from the advantage
of his instruction. They rejoiced that a prophet was born to them, by whose
ministry they were led to the hope of
salvation,
15.
For he shall be
great. He confirms what he said
about
joy, for John had been selected for a
great and extraordinary purpose. These words are not so much intended to extol
his eminent virtues as to proclaim his great and glorious office; as Christ,
when he declares that among them
that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the
Baptist,
(<401111>Matthew
11:11,) refers less to the holiness of his life than to his ministry. What
follows immediately afterwards,
he shall drink neither wine nor
strong drink, must not be understood to
mean that John’s abstemiousness was a singular virtue, but that God was
pleased to distinguish his servant by this visible token, by which the world
would acknowledge him to be a continual Nazarite. The priests too abstained from
wine and strong drink, while they were performing their duties in the temple,
(<031009>Leviticus
10:9.) The same abstinence was enjoined on the Nazarites,
(<040603>Numbers
6:3,) until their vow should be fulfilled. By a striking mark God showed that
John was dedicated to him to be a Nazarite for his whole life, as we learn was
also the case with Samson,
(<071303>Judges
13:3, 4.) But we must not on this ground imagine that the worship of God
consists in abstinence from wine, as apish copyists select some part of the
actions of the fathers for an object of imitation. Only let all practice
temperance, let those who conceive it to be injurious to drink wine abstain of
their own accord, and let those who have it not endure the want with
contentment. As to the word
si>kera,
I fully agree with those who think that, like the Hebrew word
rkç,
it denotes any sort of manufactured wine.
He shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost. These words, I think, convey
nothing more than that John would manifest such a disposition as would hold out
the hope of future greatness. By disposition I mean not such as is found even in
ungodly men, but what corresponds to the excellence of his office. The meaning
is, the power and grace of the Spirit will appear in him not only when he shall
enter upon his public employment, but even from the womb he shall excel in the
gifts of the Spirit, which will be a token and pledge of his future character.
From the
womb, means from his earliest infancy.
The power of the Spirit, I acknowledge, did operate in John, while he was yet in
his mother’s womb; but here, in my opinion, the angel meant something
else, that John, even when a child, would be brought forward to the public gaze,
accompanied by extraordinary commendation of the grace of God. As to
fullness,
there is no occasion for entering into the subtle disputations, or rather
the trifling, of the sophists; for Scripture conveys nothing more by this word
than the pre-eminent and very uncommon abundance of the gifts of the Spirit. We
know, that to Christ alone the Spirit was given without measure,
(<430334>John
3:34,)that we may draw out of his fullness,
(<430116>John
1:16 ;) while to others it is distributed according to a fixed measure,
(<461211>1
Corinthians 12:11;
<490407>Ephesians
4:7.) But those who are more plentifully endued with grace beyond the ordinary
capacity, are said to be full of the Holy Ghost. Now, as the more plentiful
influence of the Spirit was in John an extraordinary gift of God, it ought to be
observed that the Spirit is not bestowed on all from their very infancy, but
only when it pleases God. John bore from the womb a token of future rank. Saul,
while tending the herd, remained long without any mark of royalty, and, when at
length chosen to be king, was suddenly turned into another man,
(<091006>1
Samuel 10:6.) Let us learn by this example that, from the earliest infancy to
the latest old age, the operation of the Spirit in men is
free.
16.
And many of the children of
Israel shall he bring back. These words
show the shamefully dissolute conduct which then prevailed in the Church, for
those in whom conversion to God could take place must have been apostates. And
certainly corrupt doctrine, depraved morals, and disorderly government, were
such as to render it next to a miracle that a very few continued in godliness.
But if the ancient Church was so awfully dissolute, it is a frivolous pretext by
which the Papists defend their own superstitions, that it is impossible for the
Church to err, particularly since they include under this designation not the
genuine and elect children of God, but the crowd of the
ungodly.
But John appears to have more ascribed to him here
than belongs to man. For conversion to God renews men to a spiritual fife, and
therefore is not only God’s own work, but surpasses even the creation of
men. In this way ministers might seem to be made equal, and even superior, to
God viewed as Creator; since to be born again to a heavenly life is a greater
work than to be born as mortals on the earth. The answer is easy; for when the
Lord bestows so great praise on the outward doctrine, he does not separate it
from the secret influence of his Spirit. As God chooses men to be his ministers
whose services he employs for the edification of his Church, he at the same time
operates by them, through the secret influence of his Spirit, that their labors
may be efficacious and fruitful. Wherever Scripture applauds this efficacy in
the ministry of men, let us learn to attribute it to the grace of the Spirit,
without which the voice of man would have spent itself uselessly in the air.
Thus, when Paul boasts that he is a minister of the Spirit,
(<470306>2
Corinthians 3:6,) he claims nothing separately for himself, as if by his voice
he penetrated into the hearts of men, but asserts the power and grace of the
Spirit in his ministry. These expressions are worthy of remark; because Satan
labors, with amazing contrivance, to lower the effect of doctrine, in order that
the grace of the Spirit connected with it may be weakened. The outward
preaching, I acknowledge, can do nothing separately or by itself; but as it is
an instrument of divine power for our salvation, and through the grace of the
spirit an efficacious instrument,
what God hath joined together let
us not put asunder,
(<401906>Matthew
19:6.)
That the glory of conversion and faith, on the other
hand, may remain undivided with God alone, Scripture frequently reminds us that
ministers are nothing in themselves; but in such cases he compares them with
God,
that no one may wickedly steal the honor from God and convey it to them. In
short, those whom God, by the aid of the minister, converts to himself, are said
to be converted by the minister, because he is nothing more than the hand of
God; and both are expressly asserted in this passage. Of the efficacy of the
doctrine we have now said enough. That it lies not in the will and power of the
minister to bring men back to God, we conclude from this that John did not
indiscriminately bring all back, (which he would unquestionably have done, if
every thing had yielded to his wish,) but only brought those back whom it
pleased the Lord effectually to call. In a word, what is here taught by the
angel is laid down by Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, that faith cometh by
hearing,
(<451017>Romans
10:17,) but that those only to whom the Lord inwardly reveals his arm
(<235301>Isaiah
53:1;
<431238>John
12:38) are so enlightened as to believe.
17.
And he shall go before
him. By these words he points out what
would be John’s office, and distinguishes him by this mark from the other
prophets, who received a certain and peculiar commission, while John was sent
for the sole object of going before Christ, as a herald before a king. Thus also
the Lord speaks by Malachi,
“Behold, I will
send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me,”
(<390301>Malachi
3:1.)
In short, the calling of John had no other design
than to secure for Christ a willing ear, and to prepare for him disciples. As to
the angel making no express mention of Christ in this passage, but declaring
John to be the usher or standard-bearer of the eternal God, we learn from it the
eternal divinity of Christ. With
the spirit and power of Elijah. By the
words spirit and
power, I understand the power or
excellency of the Spirit, with which Elijah was endued; for we must not here
indulge in a dream like that of Pythagoras, that the soul of the prophet passed
into the body of John, but the same Spirit of God, who had acted efficaciously
in Elijah, afterwards exerted a similar power and efficacy in the Baptist. The
latter term,
power,
is added, by way of exposition, to denote the kind of grace which was the
loftiest distinction of Elijah, that, furnished with heavenly power, he restored
in a wonderful manner the decayed worship of God; for such a restoration was
beyond human ability. What John undertook was not less astonishing; and,
therefore, we ought not to wonder if it was necessary for him to enjoy the same
gift.
That he may bring back the hearts
of the fathers. Here the angel points
out the chief resemblance between John and Elijah. He declares that he was sent
to collect the scattered people into the unity of faith: for to
bring back the hearts of the
fathers is to restore them from discord
to reconciliation; from which it follows, that there had been some division
which rent and tore asunder the people. We know how dreadful was the revolt of
the people in the time of Elijah, how basely they had degenerated from the
fathers, so as hardly to deserve to be reckoned the children of Abraham. Those
who were thus disunited Elijah brought into holy harmony. Such was the reunion
of parents with children, which was begun by John, and at length finished by
Christ. Accordingly, when Malachi speaks of “turning the hearts of the
fathers to the children,”
(<390405>Malachi
4:5,) he intimates that the Church would be in a state of confusion when another
Elijah should appear; and what was that state is plain enough from history, and
will more fully appear in the proper place. The doctrine of Scripture had
degenerated through countless inventions, the worship of God was corrupted by
very gross superstition, religion was divided into various sects, priests were
openly wicked and Epicureans, the people indulged in every kind of wickedness;
in short, nothing remained sound. The expression,
bring back the hearts of the
fathers to the children, is not
literally true; for it was rather the
children
who had broken the covenant and departed from the right faith of their
fathers, that needed to be
brought
back. But though the Evangelist does not
so literally express that order of
bringing
back, the meaning is abundantly obvious,
that, by the instrumentality of John, God would again unite in holy harmony
those who had previously been disunited. Both clauses occur in the prophet
Malachi, who meant nothing more than to express a mutual
agreement.
But as men frequently enter into mutual conspiracies
which drive them farther from God, the angel explains, at the same time, the
nature of that bringing
back which he predicts,
the disobedient to the wisdom of
the just. This deserves attention, that
we may not foolishly allow ourselves to be classed with ungodly men under a
false pretense of harmony. Peace is a sounding and imposing term, and, whenever
the Papists meet with it in scripture, they eagerly seize upon it for the
purpose of raising dislike against us, as if we, who are endeavoring to withdraw
the world from its base revolt, and bring it back to Christ, were the authors of
divisions. But this passage affords a fine exposure of their folly, when the
angel explains the manner of a genuine and proper conversion; and declares its
support and link to be the wisdom
of the just. Accursed then be the peace
and unity by which men agree among themselves apart from God.
By the
wisdom of the just is unquestionably
meant Faith, as, on the contrary, by the
disobedient
are meant Unbelievers. And certainly this is a remarkable encomium on faith,
by which we are instructed, that then only are we truly wise unto righteousness
when we obey the word of the Lord. The world too has its wisdom, but a perverse
and therefore destructive wisdom, which is ever pronounced to be vanity; though
the angel indirectly asserts that the shadowy wisdom, in which the children of
the world delight, is depraved and accursed before God. This is therefore a
settled point, that, with the view of becoming reconciled to each other, men
ought first to return to peace with God.
What immediately follows about
making ready a people prepared
for the Lord, agrees with that clause,
that John, as the herald of Christ, would
go
before his face,
(<390301>Malachi
3:1 ;) for the design of his preaching was to make the people attentive to hear
the instruction of Christ. The Greek participle
kateskeuasme>non,
it is true, does not so properly mean perfection as the form and adaptation by
which things are fitted for their use. This meaning will not agree ill with the
present passage. John was commissioned to fit or mould to Christ a people which,
formerly ignorant and uneducated, had never shown a desire to
learn.
LUKE 1:18-20
|
LUKE
1:18-20
|
|
18. And Zacharias said to the
angel, How shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is at an advanced
age. 19. And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel,
who stand before God, and have been sent to speak to thee, and to convey to thee
these glad tidings. 20. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and
shalt not be able to speak, until the day when these things shall happen;
because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their
time,
|
And Zacharias said to the
angel. Next follows the doubt of
Zacharias, and the punishment which the Lord inflicted on his unbelief. He had
prayed that he might obtain offspring, and now that it is promised, he
distrusts, as if he had forgotten his own prayers and faith. It might, at first
sight, appear harsh that God is so much offended by his reply. He brings forward
his old age as an objection. Abraham did the same; and yet his faith is so
highly applauded that Paul declares, he
“considered not his
own body now dead, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb,”
(<450419>Romans
4:19,)
but unhesitatingly relied on the truth and power of
God. Zacharias inquires how, or by what proof, he might arrive at certainty. But
Gideon was not blamed for twice asking a sign,
(<070617>Judges
6:17, 37, 39.) Nay more, we are shortly after this informed of Mary’s
objection, How shall this be,
since I know not a man? (ver.
34,) which the angel passes over as if it contained nothing wrong. How comes
it then that God punishes Zacharias so severely, as if he had been guilty of a
very heinous sin? I do acknowledge that, if the words only are considered,
either all were equally to blame, or Zacharias did nothing wrong. But as the
actions and words of men must be judged from the state of the heart, we ought
rather to abide by the judgment of God, to whom the hidden secrets of the heart
are naked and opened,
(<580413>Hebrews
4:13.)
Unquestionably, the Lord beheld in Zacharias
something worse than his words may bear, and therefore his anger was kindled
against him for throwing back with distrust the promised favor. We have no
right, indeed, to lay down a law to God which would not leave him free to punish
in one the fault which he pardons in others. But it is very evident that the
case of Zacharias was widely different from that of Abraham, or Gideon, or Mary.
This does not appear in the words; and therefore the knowledge of it must be
left to God, whose eyes pierce the depths of the heart. Thus God distinguishes
between Sarah’s laugh
(<011812>Genesis
18:12) and Abraham’s,
(<011717>Genesis
17:17,) though the one apparently does not differ from the other. The reason why
Zacharias doubted was, that, stopping at the ordinary course of nature, he
ascribed less than he ought to have done to the power of God. They take a narrow
and disparaging view of the works of God, who believe that he will do no more
than nature holds out to be probable, as if his hand were limited to our senses
or confined to earthly means. But it belongs to faith to believe that more can
be done than carnal reason admits. Zacharias had no hesitation with regard to
its being the voice of God, but as he looked too exclusively at the world, an
indirect doubt arose in his mind if what he had heard would really happen. In
that respect he did no slight injury to God, for he went so far as to reason
with himself, whether God, who had undoubtedly spoken to him, should be regarded
as worthy of credit.
At the same time, we ought to know that Zacharias was
not so unbelieving as to turn aside wholly from the faith; for there is a
general faith which embraces the promise of eternal salvation and the testimony
of a free adoption. On the other hand, when God has once received us into favor,
he gives us many special promises,—that he will feed us, will deliver us
from dangers, will vindicate our reputation, will protect our life;—and so
there is a special faith which answers particularly to each of these promises.
Thus, it will sometimes happen, that one who trusts in God for the pardon of his
sins, and for salvation, will waver on some point,—will be too much
alarmed by the dread of death, too solicitous about daily food, or too anxious
about his plans. Such was the unbelief of Zacharias; for while he held the root
and foundation of faith, he hesitated only on one point, whether God would give
to him a son. Let us know, therefore, that those who are perplexed or disturbed
by weakness on some particular occasion do not entirely depart or fall off from
the faith, and that, though the branches of faith are agitated by various
tempests, it does not give way at the root. Besides, nothing was farther from
the intention of Zacharias than to call in question the truth of a divine
promise; but while he was convinced generally that God is faithful, he was
cunningly drawn by the craft and wiles of Satan to draw a wicked distinction. It
is all the more necessary for us to keep diligent watch: for which of us shall
be secure against the snares of the devil, when we learn that a man so eminently
holy, who had all his life maintained strict watchfulness over himself, was
overtaken by them?
19. I
am
Gabriel. By these words the angel
intimates that it was not his veracity, but that of God who sent him, and whose
message he brought, that had been questioned; and so he charges Zacharias with
having offered an insult to God. To
stand before
God signifies to be ready to yield
obedience. It implies that he is not a mortal man, but a heavenly
spirits—that he did not fly hither at random, but, as became a servant of
God, had faithfully performed his duty: and hence it follows that
God,
the author of the promise, had been treated with indignity and contempt in
the person of his ambassador. Of similar import is the declaration of Christ,
“he that despiseth you
despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent
me,”
(<421016>Luke
10:16.) Although the preaching of the gospel is not brought to us from
heaven by angels, yet, since God attested by so many miracles that he was its
author, and since Christ, the Prince and Lord of angels, once published it with
his own mouth,
(<580102>Hebrews
1:2,) that he might give it a perpetual sanction, its majesty ought to make as
deep an impression upon us, as if all the angels were heard loudly proclaiming
its attestation from heaven. Nay, the apostle, in the Epistle to the Hebrews,
not satisfied with elevating the word of the gospel, which speaks by the mouth
of men, to an equality with the law brought by angels, draws an argument from
the less to the greater.
“If the word spoken
by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just
recompence of rewards”
(<580202>Hebrews
2:2,)
“of
how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath
trodden under foot the Son of
God,”
(<581029>Hebrews
10:29,)
whose “voice shakes not the earth only, but
also heaven?”
(<581226>Hebrews
12:26.) Let us learn to render to God the obedience of faith, which he values
more highly than all sacrifices.
Gabriel
means the strength, or power, or pre-eminence of God, and this name is given
to the angel on our account, to instruct us that we must not ascribe to angels
any thing of their own, for whatever excellence they possess is from God. The
Greek participle,
paresthkw<v,
(standing,)
is in the past tense, but everybody knows that the past tense of such verbs
is often taken for the present, and particularly when a continued act is
expressed. The word
eujaggeli>sasqai
(to convey glad tidings)
aggravates the crime of Zacharias; for
he was ungrateful to God, who kindly promised a joyful and desirable
event.
20.
And, behold, thou shalt be
dumb. It was suitable that this kind of
punishment should be inflicted on Zacharias, that, being dumb, he might await
the fulfillment of the promise, which, instead of interrupting it by noisy
murmurs, he ought to have heard in silence. Faith has its silence to lend an ear
to the Word of God. It has afterwards its turn to speak and to answer Amen,
according to that passage,
“I will say to
them, Thou art my people, and they shall
say,
Thou art my God,”
(<280223>Hosea
2:23.)
But as Zacharias had rashly interrupted the Word of
God, he is not allowed this favor of breaking out immediately in thanksgiving,
but is denied for a time the use of his tongue, which had been too forward. Yet
God is pleased graciously to mitigate the punishment, first, by limiting its
duration to ten months, and next by not withholding from Zacharias the favor
which he was unworthy to enjoy. With the same gentleness does he treat us every
day: for when our faith is weak, and we throw out many obstacles, the truth of
God, in continuing to flow toward us, must of necessity break through them with
a kind of violence. That is the angel’s meaning, when he reproaches
Zacharias with unbelief, and yet declares that those things which Zacharias did
not believe would be accomplished
in due time. And so Zacharias is not a
little relieved by learning that his fault has not made void the promise of God,
which will afterwards be displayed in a more remarkable manner. It does
sometimes happen that, notwithstanding the opposition made by unbelievers, the
Lord bestows and fulfils what he had promised to them. We have a remarkable
instance of this in King Ahaz, who rejected the promised safety, and yet was
delivered from his enemies,
(<230712>Isaiah
7:12.) But that resulted, without any advantage to him, in the salvation of the
chosen people. It was otherwise with Zacharias, in whom the Lord chastises, and
at the same time pardons, the weakness of faith.
LUKE 1:21-25
|
LUKE
1:21-25
|
|
21. And the people were waiting
for Zacharias, and wondered that he tarried in the temple.
22. And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and
they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made them to
understand by signs, f5
and remained speechless.
23. And it happened, when the days of his office were
fulfilled, he departed to his own house. 24. Now after these
days Elisabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25. Thus hath the Lord done to me in the days when he looked,
that he might take away my reproach among men.
|
21.
And the people were
waiting. Luke now relates that the
people were witnesses of this vision. Zacharias had tarried in the temple longer
than usual. This leads to the supposition that something uncommon has happened
to him. When he comes out, he makes known, by looks and gestures, that he has
been struck dumb. There is reason to believe, also, that there were traces of
alarm in his countenance. Hence they conclude that God has appeared to him.
True, there were few or no visions in that age, but the people remembered that
formerly, in the time of their fathers, they were of frequent occurrence. It is
not without reason, therefore, that they draw this conclusion from obvious
symptoms: for it was not an ordinary occurrence, [it was not a common accident,
but rather an astonishing work of God,
f6] that he became suddenly dumb
without disease, and after a more than ordinary delay came out of the temple in
a state of amazement. The word
temple,
as we have already mentioned, is put for the sanctuary, where the altar of
incense stood,
(<023001>Exodus
30:1.) From this place the priests, after performing their sacred functions,
were wont to go out into their own court, for the purpose of blessing the
people.
23.
When the days were
fulfilled.
Leitourgi>a
is employed by Luke to denote a charge or office, which passed, as we have
said, to each of them in regular order,
(<132403>1
Chronicles 24:3.) We are told that, when the time of his office had expired,
Zacharias returned home. Hence we conclude that, so long as the priests were
attending in their turns, they did not enter their own houses, that they might
be entirely devoted and attached to the worship of God. For this purpose
galleries were constructed around the walls of the temple, in which they had
“chambers,”
(<110605>1
Kings 6:5.) The law did not, indeed, forbid a priest to enter his house, but, as
it did not permit those who ate the show-bread to come near their wives,
(<092104>1
Samuel 21:4,) and as many persons were disposed to treat sacred things in an
irreverent manner, this was probably discovered to be a remedy, that, being
removed from all temptations, they might preserve themselves pure and clear from
every defilement. And they were not only discharged from intercourse with their
wives, but from the use of wine and every kind of intoxicating drink,
(<031009>Leviticus
10:9.) While they were commanded to change their mode of living, it was
advantageous for them not to depart from the temple, that the very sight of the
place might remind them to cultivate such purity as the Lord had enjoined. It
was proper also to withdraw every means of gratification, that they might devote
themselves more unreservedly to their office.
The Papists of the present day employ this as a
pretense for defending the tyrannical law of celibacy. They argue thus. The
priests were formerly enjoined to withdraw from their wives, while they were
engaged in religious services. Most properly is perpetual continence now
demanded from the priests, who not in their turn, but every day, offer
sacrifices; more especially since the importance of religious services is far
higher than it was under the law. But I should like to know why they do not also
abstain from wine and strong drink. For we are not at liberty to separate
commandments which God has joined, so as to keep the one half and disregard the
other. Intercourse with wives is not so expressly forbidden as the drinking of
wine,
(<264421>Ezekiel
44:21.) If, under the pretense of the law, the Pope enjoins celibacy on his
priests, why does he allow them wine? Nay, on this principle, all priests ought
to be thrown into some retired apartments of the churches, to pass their whole
life immured in prisons, and excluded from the society of women and of the
people.
It is now abundantly clear that they wickedly shelter
themselves under the law of God, to which they do not adhere. But the full
solution of the difficulty depends on the distinction between the law and the
gospel. A priest stood in the presence of God, to expiate the sins of the
people, to be, as it were, a mediator between God and men. He who sustained that
character ought to have had something peculiar about him, that he might be
distinguished from the common rank of men, and recognised as a figure of the
true Mediator. Such, too, was the design of the holy garments and the anointing.
In our day the public ministers and pastors of the church have nothing of this
description. I speak of the ministers whom Christ has appointed to feed his
flock, not of those whom the Pope commissions, as executioners rather than
priests, to murder Christ. Let us therefore rest in the decision of the Spirit,
which pronounces that “marriage is honorable in all,”
(<581304>Hebrews
13:4.)
24.
And hid
herself. This appears very strange, as
if she had been ashamed of the blessing of God. Some think that she did not,
venture to appear in public, so long as the matter was uncertain, for fear of
exposing herself to ridicule, if her expectation were disappointed. In my
opinion, she was so fully convinced of the promise made to her, that she had no
doubt of its accomplishment. When she saw a severe punishment inflicted on her
husband for “speaking unadvisedly with his lips,”
(<19A633>Psalm
106:33,) did she, for five successive months, cherish in her mind a similar
doubt? But her words show clearly that her expectation was not doubtful or
uncertain. By saying, thus hath
the Lord done to me, she expressly and
boldly affirms that his favor was ascertained. There might be two reasons for
the delay. Until this extraordinary work of God was manifest, she might hesitate
to expose it to the diversified opinions of men, for the world frequently
indulges in light, rash, and irreverent talking about the works of God. Another
reason might be that, when she was all at once discovered to be pregnant, men
might be more powerfully excited to praise God. [For, when the works of God show
themselves gradually, in process of time we make less account of them than if
the thing had been accomplished all at once, without our having ever heard of
it—Fr.] It was not, therefore, on her own account, but rather with a view
to others, that Elisabeth hid
herself.
25.
Thus hath the Lord done to
me. She extols in private the goodness
of God, until the time is fully come for making it generally known. There is
reason to believe that her husband had informed her by writing of the promised
offspring, in consequence of which she affirms with greater certainty and
freedom that God was the author of this favor. This is confirmed by the
following words, when he looked,
that he might take away my reproach; for
she assigns it as the cause of her barrenness that the favor of God had been at
that time withdrawn from her. Among earthly blessings, Scripture speaks in the
highest terms of the gift of offspring. And justly: for, if the productiveness
of the inferior animals is his blessing, the increase and fruitfulness of the
human race ought to be reckoned a much higher favor. It is no small or mean
honor, that God, who alone is entitled to be regarded as a Father, admits the
children of the dust to share with him this title. Let us, therefore, hold this
doctrine, that
“children are an
heritage of the Lord,
and the fruit
of the womb is his reward,”
(<19C703>Psalm
127:3.)
But Elisabeth looked farther; for, though barren and
old, she had conceived by a remarkable miracle, and contrary to the ordinary
course of nature.
That he might take away my
reproach. Not without reason has
barrenness been always accounted a
reproach:
for the blessing of the womb is enumerated among the signal instances of the
divine kindness. Some think that this was peculiar to the ancient people:
because Christ was to come from the seed of Abraham. But this had no reference,
except to the tribe of Judah. Others think more correctly that the
multiplication of the holy people was happy and blessed, as was said to Abraham,
“I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth,”
(<011316>Genesis
13:16;) and again,
“Tell the stars, if
thou be able to number them: so shall thy seed be,”
(<011505>Genesis
15:5.)
But we ought to connect the universal blessing, which
extends to the whole human race, with the promise made to Abraham, which is
peculiar to the church of God,
(<011315>Genesis
13:15.) Let parents learn to be thankful to God for the children which he has
given them, and let those who have no offspring acknowledge that God has humbled
them in this matter. Elisabeth speaks of it exclusively as a reproach
among
men: for it is a temporal chastisement,
from which we will suffer no loss in the kingdom of heaven.
LUKE 1:26-33
|
LUKE
1:26-33
|
|
26. Now in the sixth month the
angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27. To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of
the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28. And
the angel, coming in to her, said, Hail, thou who hast found favor, the Lord is
with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29. But when she had
seen him, she was agitated by his address, and was considering what that
salutation would be. 30. And the angel saith to her, Fear
not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. 31. Behold,
thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt
call his name JESUS. 32. He shall be great, and shall be
called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of
David his father: 33. And he shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
|
26. Now
in the sixth
month. It was a wonderful dispensation
of the divine purpose, and far removed from the ordinary judgment of men, that
God determined to make the beginning of the generation of the herald more
illustrious than that of his own Son. The prophecy respecting John was published
in the temple and universally known: Christ is promised to a virgin in an
obscure town of Judea, and this prophecy remains buried in the breast of a young
woman. But it was proper that, even from the birth of Christ, that saying should
be fulfilled,
“it
pleased God by foolishness to save them that
believe,”
(<460121>1
Corinthians 1:21.)
The treasure of this mystery was committed by him to
a virgin in such a manner, that at length, when the proper time came, it might
be communicated to all the godly. It was, I own, a mean kind of guardianship;
but whether for trying the humility of faith, or restraining the pride of the
ungodly, it was the best adapted. Let us learn, even when the reason does not
immediately appear, to submit modestly to God, and let us not be ashamed to
receive instruction from her who carried in her womb Christ the eternal
“wisdom of God,”
(<460124>1
Corinthians 1:24.) There is nothing which we should more carefully avoid than
the proud contempt that would deprive us of the knowledge of the inestimable
secret, which God has purposely
“hid from the wise
and prudent, and revealed” to the humble
and “to
babes,”
(<421021>Luke
10:21.)
It was, I think, for the same reason that he chose
a virgin betrothed to a
man. There is no foundation for
Origen’s opinion, that he did this for the purpose of concealing from
Satan the salvation which he was preparing to bestow on men. The marriage was a
veil held out before the eyes of the world, that he who was commonly
“supposed to be the
son of Joseph”
(<420323>Luke
3:23) might at length be believed and acknowledged by the godly to be the
Son of God. Yet the entrance of Christ into the world was not destitute of
glory; for the splendor of his Godhead was manifested from the commencement by
his heavenly Father. Angels announced that
“a Savior was
born,”
(<420211>Luke
2:11;) but their voice was only heard by the shepherds, and traveled no
farther. One miracle,—everywhere published by
“the wise men who
came from the east,”
(<400201>Matthew
2:1) that they had seen a star which proclaimed the birth of the Highest
King,—may have been highly celebrated. Yet we see how God kept his Son, as
it were, in concealment, until the time of his full manifestation arrived, and
then erected for him a platform, that he might be beheld by
all.
The participle
memnhsteume>nhn,
which is employed by the Evangelist, signifies that the virgin had then been
engaged to her bridegroom, but was not yet given as a wife to her husband. For
it was customary among Jewish parents to keep their daughters some time at home,
after they had been betrothed to men; otherwise, the law relating to the
seduction of a “betrothed damsel”
(<052223>Deuteronomy
22:23) would have been unnecessary. Luke says that
Joseph was of the house of
David; for families are usually reckoned
by the names of the men; but on this point we shall speak more fully in another
place.
28.
Hail, thou who hast obtained
favor. The angel’s commission
being of an astonishing and almost incredible description, he opens it with a
commendation of the grace of God. And certainly, since our limited capacities
admit too slender a portion of knowledge for comprehending the vast greatness of
the works of God, our best remedy is, to elevate them to meditation on his
boundless grace. A conviction of the Divine goodness is the entrance of faith,
and the angel properly observes this order, that, after preparing the heart of
the virgin by meditation on the grace of God, he may enlarge it to receive an
incomprehensible mystery. For the participle
kecaritwme>nh,
which Luke employs, denotes the undeserved favor of God. This appears more
clearly from the Epistle to the Ephesians, (1:6,) where, speaking of our
reconciliation to
God,
Paul says, God “hath made us accepted
(ejcari>twsen)
in the Beloved:” that is, he has received into his favor, and embraced
with kindness, us who were formerly his enemies.
The angel adds,
the Lord is with
thee. To those on whom he has once
bestowed his love God shows himself gracious and kind, follows and
“crowns them with loving-kindness,”
(<19A304>Psalm
103:4.) Next comes the third clause, that she is
blessed among women.
Blessing is here put down as the result
and proof of the Divine kindness. The word
Blessed
does not, in my opinion, mean, Worthy of praise; but rather means, Happy.
Thus,
Paul often supplicates for believers, first “grace” and then
“peace,” (Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:2,) that is, every kind of
blessings; implying that we shall then be truly happy and rich, when we are
beloved by God, from whom all blessings proceed. But if Mary’s happiness,
righteousness, and life, flow from the undeserved love of God, if her virtues
and all her excellence are nothing more than the Divine kindness, it is the
height of absurdity to tell us that we should seek from her what she derives
from another quarter in the same manner as ourselves. With extraordinary
ignorance have the Papists, by an enchanter’s trick, changed this
salutation into a prayer, and have carried their folly so far, that their
preachers are not permitted, in the pulpit, to implore the grace of the Spirit,
except through their Hail,
Mary.
f7 But not only are these words a
simple congratulation. They unwarrantably assume an office which does not belong
to them, and which God committed to none but an angel. Their silly ambition
leads them into a second blunder, for they salute a person who is
absent.
29.
When she had seen him, she
was agitated. Luke does not say that
she was
agitated by the presence of the angel,
but by his
address. Why then does he also mention
his presence?
f8 The reason, I think, is this.
Perceiving in the angel something of heavenly glory, she was seized with sudden
dread arising out of reverence for God.
She was
agitated, because she felt that she had
received a salutation, not from a mortal man, but from an angel of God. But Luke
does not say that she was so
agitated
as to have lost recollection. On the contrary, he mentions an indication of
an attentive and composed mind; for he afterwards adds,
and was considering what that
salutation would be: that is, what was
its object, and what was its meaning. It instantly occurred to her that the
angel had not been sent for a trifling purpose. This example reminds us, first,
that we ought not to be careless observers of the works of God; and, secondly,
that our consideration of them ought to be regulated by fear and
reverence.
30.
Fear not,
Mary. He bids her lay aside fear. Let us
always remember—what arises from the weakness of the flesh—that,
whenever the feeblest ray of the Divine glory bursts upon us, we cannot avoid
being alarmed. When we become aware, in good earnest, of the presence of
God,
we cannot think of it apart from its
effects.
f9 Accordingly, as we are all amenable
to his tribunal, fear gives rise to trembling, until God manifests himself as a
Father. The holy virgin saw in her own nation such a mass of crimes, that she
had good reason for dreading heavier punishments. To remove this fear, the angel
declares that he has come to certify and announce an inestimable blessing. The
Hebrew idiom, Thou hast found
favor, is used by Luke instead of,
“God has been merciful to thee:” for a person is said to
find
favor, not when he has sought it, but
when it has been freely offered to him. Instances of this are so well known,
that it would be of no use to quote them.
31.
Behold, thou shalt conceive
in thy womb. The angel adapts his words,
first to Isaiah’s prophecy,
(<230714>Isaiah
7:14,) and next to other passages of the Prophets, with the view of affecting
more powerfully the mind of the virgin: for such prophecies were well known and
highly esteemed among the godly. At the same time, it ought to be observed that
the angel did not merely speak in private to the ear of the virgin, but brought
glad
tidings,
(eujagge>lion,)
which were shortly afterwards to be published throughout the whole world. It
was not without the purpose of God, that the agreement, between ancient
prophecies and the present message respecting the manifestation of Christ, was
so clearly pointed out. The word
conceive
is enough to set aside the dream of Marcion and Manichaeus: for it is easy
to gather from it that Mary brought forth not an ethereal body or phantom, but
the fruit which she had previously conceived in her womb.
Thou shalt call his name
Jesus. The reason of the name is given
by Matthew: for he shall save his
people from their sins,
(<400121>Matthew
1:21.) And so the name contains a promise of salvation, and points out the
object for which
Christ
was sent by the Father into the world, as he tells us that he “came
not to judge the world, but to save the world,”
(<431247>John
12:47.) Let us remember that not by the will of men, but by the command of God,
was this name given to him by the angel, that our faith may have its foundation,
not in earth, but in heaven. It is derived from the Hebrew word
[çy,
salvation, from which comes
[yçwh,
which signifies to save. It is a waste of ingenuity to contend that it differs
from the Hebrew name
[wçwhy,
(Jehoshua or Joshua.) The Rabbins everywhere write the word
Jesu;
and they do this with evident malice, that they may not bestow on Christ an
honorable name, but, on the contrary, may insinuate that he is some pretended
Jew. Their manner of writing it, accordingly, is of no more importance than the
barking of a dog. The objection that it is far beneath the dignity of the Son of
God to have a name in common with others, might equally apply to the name
Christ,
or
Anointed.
But the solution of both is easy. What was exhibited in shadow under the law
is fully and actually manifested in the Son of God; or, what was then a figure
is in him a substance. There is another objection of as little weight. They
assert that the name of Jesus is not worthy of veneration and awe, that at the
name of Jesus every knee should bow,
(<502609>Philippians
2:9, 10,) if it does not belong exclusively to the Son of God. For Paul does not
attribute to him a magical name, as if in its very syllables majesty resided,
but his language simply means that Christ has received from the Father the
highest authority, to which the whole world ought to submit. Let us then bid
adieu to such imaginations, and know, that the name
Jesus
was given to Christ, in order that believers may be instructed to seek in
him what had formerly been shadowed out under the
Law.
32.
He shall be
great. The angel had said the same thing
about John the Baptist, and yet did not intend to make him equal to Christ. But
the Baptist is great in his own class, while the greatness of Christ is
immediately explained to be such as raises him above all creatures. For to him
alone this belongs as his own peculiar prerogative to be called the Son of God.
So the apostle argues.
Unto which of the angels
said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?
(<580105>Hebrews
1:5.)
Angels and kings, I admit, are sometimes dignified
with this title in Scripture; but they are denominated in common the sons of
God, on account of their high rank. But it is perfectly clear and certain, that
God distinguishes his own Son from all the others, when he thus addresses him
particularly, Thou art my Son,
(<190207>Psalm
2:7.) Christ is not confounded either with angels or with men, so as to be one
of the multitude of the sons of God; but what is given to him no other has a
right to claim. The sons of God are kings, not certainly by natural right, but
because God has bestowed on them so great an honor. Even angels have no right to
this distinction, except on account of their high rank among creatures, in
subordination to the Great Head,
(<490121>Ephesians
1:21.) We too are sons, but by adoption, which we obtain by faith; for we have
it not from nature: Christ is the only Son, the only-begotten of the Father,
(<430114>John
1:14.)
The future tense of the verb, he SHALL BE CALLED
the Son of the
Highest, is tortured by that filthy
dog f10
Servetus to prove that Christ is not the eternal Son of
God,
but began to be so considered, when he took upon him our flesh. This is an
intolerable slander. He argues that Christ was not the Son of God before he
appeared in the world clothed with flesh; because the angel says,
He shall be
called. On the contrary, I maintain, the
words of the angel mean nothing more than that he, who had been the Son of God
from eternity, would be manifested as such in the flesh, (1 Timothy 3:16;) for
to be
called denotes clear knowledge. There is
a wide difference between the two statements,—that Christ began to be the
Son of God, which he was not before,—and that he was manifested among men,
in order that they might know him to be the person who had been formerly
promised. Certainly, in every age God has been addressed by his people as a
Father, and hence it follows, that he had a Son in heaven, from whom and by whom
men obtained the sonship. For men take too much upon them, if they venture to
boast of being the sons of God, in any other respect than as members of the
only-begotten Son,
(<430118>John
1:18.) Certain it is, that confidence in the Son alone, as Mediator, inspired
the holy fathers with confidence to employ so honorable an address. That more
complete knowledge, of which we are now speaking, is elsewhere explained by Paul
to mean, that we are now at liberty not only to call God our Father, but boldly
to cry, Abba, Father,
(<450815>Romans
8:15;
<480406>Galatians
4:6.)
The Lord God will give unto him the
throne of his father David. We have said
that the angel borrows from the prophets the titles which he bestows on Christ,
in order that the holy virgin might more readily acknowledge him to be the
Redeemer formerly promised to the fathers. Whenever the prophets speak of the
restoration of the church, they direct all the hope of believers to the kingdom
of David, so that it became a common maxim among the Jews, that the safety of
the church would depend on the prosperous condition of that kingdom, and that
nothing was more fitting and suitable to the office of the Messiah than to raise
up anew the kingdom of David. Accordingly, the name of David is sometimes
applied to the Messiah. “They shall serve the Lord their
God, and David their king,”
(<243009>Jeremiah
30:9.) Again, “my servant David shall be a prince among them,”
(<263424>Ezekiel
34:24; 37:24.) “They shall seek the Lord their God, and David their
king,”
(<280305>Hosea
3:5.) The passages in which he is called “the son of
David” are sufficiently well known. In a word, the angel declares that in
the person of Christ would be fulfilled the prediction of Amos, “In
that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen,”
(<300911>Amos
9:11.)
33.
And he shall reign over the
house of Jacob. As salvation was
promised, in a peculiar manner, to the Jews, (the covenant having been made with
their father Abraham,
<011707>Genesis
17:7,) and Christ, as Paul informs us, “was a minister of the
circumcision,”
(<451508>Romans
15:8,) the angel properly fixed his reign in that nation, as its peculiar seat
and residence. But this is in perfect accordance with other predictions, which
spread and extend the kingdom of Christ to the utmost limits of the earth. By a
new and wonderful adoption, God has admitted into the family of Jacob the
Gentiles, who formerly were strangers; though in such a manner that the Jews, as
the first-born, held a preferable rank; as it is said, “The Lord shall
send the rod of thy strength out of Zion,”
(<19B003>Psalm
110:3.) Christ’s throne was, therefore, erected among the people of
Israel, that he might thence subdue the whole world. All whom he has joined by
faith to the children of Abraham are accounted the true Israel. Though the Jews,
by their revolt, have separated themselves from the church of God, yet the Lord
will always preserve till the end some “remnants”
(<451105>Romans
11:5;) for his “calling is without repentances”
(<451129>Romans
11:29.) The body of the people is apparently cut off; but we ought to remember
the
mystery
of which Paul speaks,
(<451125>Romans
11:25,) that God will at length gather some of the Jews out of the dispersion.
Meanwhile, the church, which is scattered through the whole world, is the
spiritual house of
Jacob; for it drew its origin from
Zion.
For
ever. The angel points out the sense in
which it was so frequently predicted by the prophets that the kingdom of David
would be without end. It was only during his own reign and that of Solomon, that
it remained wealthy and powerful Rehoboam, the third successor, hardly retained
a tribe and a half. The angel now declares that, when it has been established in
the person of Christ, it will not be liable to destruction, and, to prove this,
employs the words of Daniel, (7:14,)
of his kingdom there shall be no
end.
f11 Though the meaning of the words
is, that God will for ever protect and defend the kingdom of Christ and the
church, so that it shall not perish on the earth “as long as the sun and
moon endure,”
(<197205>Psalm
72:5, 17,) yet its true perpetuity relates to the glory to come. So then,
believers follow each other in this life, by an uninterrupted succession, till
at length they are gathered together in heaven, where they shall reign without
end.
LUKE 1:34-38
|
LUKE
1:34-38
|
|
34. And Mary said to the angel,
How shall this be, since I know not a man? 35. And the angel
answering said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee: wherefore also the holy thing which shall be born
shall be called the Son of God. 36. And, behold, Elisabeth
thy cousin, even she hath conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth
month to her who was called barren: 37. For no word shall be
impossible with God. 38. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid
of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from
her.
|
34.
How shall this
be? The holy virgin appears to confine
the power of God within as narrow limits as Zacharias had formerly done; for
what is beyond the common order of nature, she concludes to be impossible. She
reasons in this manner. I know
not a man: how then can I believe that
what you tell me will happen? We ought not to give ourselves very much
trouble, f12
to acquit her of all blame. She ought immediately to have risen by faith to the
boundless power of God, which is not at all lettered to natural means, but sways
the whole world. Instead of this, she stops at the ordinary way of generation.
Still, it must be admitted that she does not hesitate or inquire in such a
manner as to lower the power of God to the level of her senses; but is only
carried away by a sudden impulse of astonishment to put this question. That she
readily embraced the promise may be concluded from this, that, though many
things presented themselves on the opposite side, she has no doubt but on one
point.
She might instantly have objected, where was that
throne of
David? for all the rank of kingly power
had been long ago set aside, and all the luster of royal descent had been
extinguished. Unquestionably, if she had formed her opinion of the matter
according to the judgment of the flesh, she would have treated as a fable what
the angel had told her. There can be no doubt that she was fully convinced of
the restoration of the church, and easily gave way to what the flesh would have
pronounced to be incredible. And then it is probable that the attention of the
public was everywhere directed at that time to the prediction of Isaiah,
in which God promises that he would raise up a rod out of the despised
stem of Jesse,
(<231101>Isaiah
11:1.) That persuasion of the kindness of God, which had been formed in the mind
of the virgin, led her to admit, in the fullest manner, that she had received a
message as to raising up anew the throne of David. If it be objected that there
was also another prediction, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
(<230714>Isaiah
7:14,) I reply, that this mystery was then very imperfectly understood. True,
the Fathers expected the birth of a King, under whose reign the people of God
would be happy and prosperous; but the manner of its accomplishment lay
concealed, as if it had been hidden by a veil. There is no wonder,
therefore, if the holy virgin puts a question on a subject hitherto unknown to
her.
The conjecture which some have drawn from these
words, that she had formed a vow of perpetual virginity, is unfounded and
altogether absurd. She would, in that case, have committed treachery by allowing
herself to be united to a husband, and would have poured contempt on the holy
covenant of marriage; which could not have been done without mockery of God.
Although the Papists have exercised barbarous tyranny on this subject, yet they
have never proceeded so far as to allow the wife to form a vow of continence at
her own pleasure. Besides, it is an idle and unfounded supposition that a
monastic life existed among the Jews.
We must reply, however, to another objection, that
the virgin refers to the future, and so declares that she will have no
intercourse with a man. The probable and simple explanation is, that the
greatness or rather majesty of the subject made so powerful an impression on the
virgin, that all her senses were bound and locked up in astonishment. When she
is informed that the Son of God will be born, she imagines something unusual,
and for that reason leaves conjugal intercourse out of view. Hence she breaks
out in amazement, How shall this
be? And so God graciously forgives her,
and replies kindly and gently by the angel, because, in a devout and serious
manner, and with admiration of a divine work, she had inquired
how that would
be, which, she was convinced, went
beyond the common and ordinary course of nature. In a word, this question was
not so contrary to faith, because it arose rather from admiration than from
distrust.
35.
The Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee. The angel does not explain
the manner, so as to satisfy curiosity, which there was no necessity for doing.
He only leads the virgin to contemplate the power of the Holy Spirit, and to
surrender herself silently and calmly to his guidance. The word
ejpeleu>setai,
shall come
upon, denotes that this would be an
extraordinary work, in which natural means have no place. The next clause is
added by way of exposition, and
the power of the Highest shall overshadow
thee: for the Spirit may be regarded as
the essential power of God, whose energy is manifested and exerted in the entire
government of the world, as well as in miraculous events. There is an elegant
metaphor in the word
ejpiskia>sei,
overshadow.
The
power
of God, by which he guards and protects his own people, is frequently
compared in Scripture to a
shadow,
(Psalm 17:8; 57:1; 91:1.) But it appears to have another and peculiar
meaning in this passage. The operation of the Spirit would be secret, as if an
intervening cloud did not permit it to be beheld by the eyes of men. Now, as
God, in performing miracles, withholds from us the manner of his proceedings, so
what he chooses to conceal from us ought to be viewed, on our part, with
seriousness and adoration.
Therefore also the holy thing which
shall be born. This is a confirmation of
the preceding clause: for the angel shows that Christ must not be born by
ordinary generation,
f13 that he may be
holy,
and that he may be the Son of
God; that is, that in holiness and glory
he may be high above all creatures, and may not hold an ordinary rank among men.
Heretics, who imagine that he became the Son of God after his human generation,
seize on the particle
therefore
as meaning that he would be called the Son of God,
because
he was conceived in a remarkable manner by the power of the Holy Spirit. But
this is a false conclusion: for, though he was manifested to be the Son of God
in the flesh, it does not follow that he was not the Word begotten of the Father
before the ages. On the contrary, he who had been the Son of God in his eternal
Godhead, appeared also as the Son of God in human flesh. This passage not only
expresses a unity of person in Christ, but at the same time points out that, in
clothing himself with human flesh, Christ is the Son of God. As the name, Son
of
God, belonged to the divine essence of
Christ from the beginning, so now it is applied unitedly to both natures,
because the secret and heavenly manner of generation has separated him from the
ordinary rank of men. In other passages, indeed, with the view of asserting that
he is truly man, he calls himself the Son of man,
(<430527>John
5:27;) but the truth of his human nature is not inconsistent with his deriving
peculiar honor above all others from his divine generation, having been
conceived out of the ordinary way of nature by the Holy Spirit. This gives us
good reason for growing confidence, that we may venture more freely to call God
our Father, because his only Son, in order that we might have a Father in common
with him, chose to be our brother.
It ought to be observed also that Christ, because he
was conceived by a spiritual power, is called
the holy
seed. For, as it was necessary that he
should be a real man, in order that he might expiate our sins, and vanquish
death and Satan in our flesh; so was it necessary, in order to his cleansing
others, that he should be free from every spot and blemish,
(<600119>1
Peter 1:19.) Though Christ was formed of the seed of Abraham, yet he contracted
no defilement from a sinful nature; for the Spirit of God kept him pure from the
very commencement: and this was done not merely that he might abound in personal
holiness, but chiefly that he might sanctify his own people. The manner of
conception, therefore, assures us that we have a Mediator separate from sinners,
(<580726>Hebrews
7:26.)
36.
And, behold, Elisabeth thy
cousin. By an instance taken from her
own relatives, the angel encourages the faith of Mary to expect a miracle. If
neither the barrenness nor the old age of Elisabeth could prevent God from
making her a mother, there was no better reason why Mary should confine her view
within the ordinary limits of nature, when she beheld such a demonstration of
divine power in her
cousin.
He mentions expressly the
sixth month; because in the fifth month
a woman usually feels the child quicken in the womb, so that the
sixth
month removes all doubt. True, Mary
ought to have placed such a reliance on the bare word of God as to require no
support to her faith from any other quarter; but, to prevent farther hesitation,
the Lord condescends to strengthen his promise by this new aid. With equal
indulgence does he cheer and support us every day; nay, with greater indulgence,
because our faith is weaker. That we may not doubt his truth, testimonies to
confirm it are brought by him from every direction.
A question arises, how Elisabeth, who was
of the daughters of
Aaron, (ver. 5,) and Mary, who was
descended from the stock of David, could be
cousins.
This appears to be at variance with the law, which prohibited women from
marrying into a different tribe from their own,
(<043606>Numbers
36:6.) With respect to the law, if we look at its object, it forbade those
intermarriages only which might “remove inheritances from tribe to
tribe,”
(<043607>Numbers
36:7.) No such danger existed, if any woman of the tribe of Judah married a
priest, to whom an inheritance could not be conveyed. The same argument would
hold if a woman of the tribe of Levi passed into another tribe. It is possible
that the mother of the holy virgin might be descended from the family of Aaron,
and so her daughter might be
cousin
to Elisabeth.
37.
For no word shall be
impossible with God. If we choose to
take
rJh~ma,
word,
in its strict and native sense, the meaning is, that God will do what he
hath promised, for no hinderance can resist his power. The argument will be, God
hath promised, and therefore he will accomplish it; for we ought not to allege
any impossibility in opposition to his
word.
But as a
word
often means a
thing
in the idiom of the Hebrew language, (which the Evangelists followed, though
they wrote in Greek,
f14 ) we explain it more simply, that
nothing is impossible with
God. We ought always, in- deed, to hold
it as a maxim, that they wander widely from the truth who, at their pleasure,
imagine the power of God to be something beyond his
word;
for we ought always to contemplate his boundless power, that it may
strengthen our hope and confidence. But it is idle, and unprofitable, and even
dangerous, to argue what God can do unless we also take into account what he
resolves to do. The angel does here what God frequently does in Scripture,
employs a general doctrine to confirm one kind of promise. This is the true and
proper use of a general doctrine, to apply its scattered promises to the present
subject, whenever we are uneasy or distressed; for so long as they retain their
general form, they make little impression upon us. We need not wonder if Mary is
reminded by the angel of the power of God; for our distrust of it diminishes
very greatly our confidence in the promises. All acknowledge in words that God
is Almighty; but, if he promises any thing beyond what we are able to
comprehend, we remain in doubt.
f15 Whence comes this but from our
ascribing to his power nothing more than what our senses receive? Thus Paul,
commending the faith of Abraham, says, that he
“gave glory to God,
being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to
perform,”
(<450420>Romans
4:20, 21.)
In another passage, speaking of the hope of eternal
life, he sets before him the promise of God. “I know,” says
he,
“whom I have
believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him,”
(<550112>2
Timothy 1:12.)
This may seem to be a small portion of faith; for no
man, however wicked, openly denies God’s claim to be Almighty. But he who
has the power of God firmly and thoroughly fixed in his heart will easily
surmount the other obstacles which present themselves to faith. It ought to be
observed, however, that the power of God is viewed by true faith, if I may use
the expression, as
efficacious.
f16 For God is and wishes to be
acknowledged as powerful, that by the accomplishment itself he may prove his
faithfulness.
38.
Behold the handmaid of the
Lord. The holy virgin does not allow
herself to dispute any farther: and yet many things might unquestionably have
obtruded themselves, to repress that faith, and even to draw off her attention
from what was said to her by the angel. But she stops the entrance of opposing
arguments, and compels herself to obey. This is the real proof of faith, when we
restrain our minds, and, as it were, hold them captive, so that they dare not
reply this or that to God: for boldness in disputing, on the other hand, is the
mother of unbelief. These are weighty expressions,
Behold the handmaid of the
Lord: for she gives and devotes herself
unreservedly to God, that he may freely dispose of her according to his
pleasure. Unbelievers withdraw from his hand, and, as far as lies in their
power, obstruct his work: but faith presents us before God, that we may be ready
to yield obedience. But if the holy virgin was
the handmaid of the
Lord, because she yielded herself
submissively to his authority, there cannot be worse obstinacy than to fly from
him, and to refuse that obedience which he deserves and requires. In a word, as
faith alone makes us obedient servants to God, and gives us up to his power, so
unbelief makes us rebels and deserters.
Be it unto
me. This clause may be interpreted in
two ways. Either the holy virgin, leaving her former
subject,
f17 betakes herself suddenly to
prayers and supplications; or, she proceeds in the same
strain
f18 to yield and surrender herself to
God. I interpret it simply that she is convinced of the power of God, follows
cheerfully where he calls, trusts also to his promise, and not only expects, but
eagerly desires, its accomplishment. [We must also observe that she is convinced
on the word of the angel, because she knows that it proceeded from God: valuing
its credit, not with reference to him who was its messenger, but with reference
to him who was its author.
f19 ]
LUKE 1:39-45
|
LUKE
1:39-45
|
|
39. And Mary arising in those days
went into the mountainous parts
f20
with haste, into a city of Judah,
40. And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted
Elisabeth. 41. And it happened, when Elisabeth heard the
salutation of Mary, the babe started
f21
in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the
Holy Ghost, 42. And exclaimed with a loud voice, and said,
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord
should come to me? 44. For lo, when the voice of thy
salutation was made
f22
in my ears, the babe started for joy in my
womb. 45. And blessed is she who believed: for there shall be
a fulfillment
f23
to those things which have been told her by the
Lord.
f24
|
39.
And Mary
arising. This departure mentioned by
Luke proves that Mary’s faith was not of a transitory nature: for the
promise of God does not fade away with the presence of the angel, but is
impressed upon her mind. The
haste
indicates a sincere and strong affection. We may infer from it that the
Virgin disregarded every thing else and formed a just estimate of this grace of
God. But it may be inquired, what was her object in undertaking this journey? It
certainly was not made for the mere purpose of inquiry: for she cherished in her
heart by faith the Son of God as already conceived in her womb. Nor do I agree
with those who think that she came for the purpose of congratulating
Elisabeth.
f25 I think it more probable that her
object was, partly to increase and strengthen her faith, and partly to celebrate
the grace of God which both had received.
f26
There is no absurdity in supposing, that she sought
to confirm her faith by a view of the miracle, which had been adduced to her
with no small effect by the angel. For, though believers are satisfied with the
bare word of God, yet they do not disregard any of his works which they find to
be conducive to strengthen their faith. Mary was particularly bound to receive
the assistance which had been offered, unless she chose to reject what the Lord
had freely given to her. Besides, the mutual interview might arouse both
Elisabeth and herself to higher gratitude, as is evident from what follows. The
power of God became more remarkable and striking by taking in at one view both
favors, the very comparison of which gave no small additional luster. Luke does
not name the city in which Zacharias dwelt, but only mentions that it belonged
to the tribe of Judah, and that it was situated in a hilly district. Hence we
infer that it was farther distant than Jerusalem was from the town of
Nazareth.
41.
When Elisabeth
heard. It is natural that sudden joy, on
the part of a pregnant woman, should cause a motion of the child in her womb;
but Luke intended to express an extraordinary occurrence. No good purpose would
be served by involving ourselves in intricate questions, if the child was aware
of the presence of Christ, or felt an emotion of piety: it is enough for us that
the babe
started by a secret movement of the
Spirit. Luke does not say that the feeling belonged to the child, but rather
intimates that this part of the Divine operation took place in the mother
herself, that the babe started in
her womb. The expression, she
was filled with the Holy
Ghost, means that she was suddenly
endued with the gift of prophecy to an unusual extent: for the gifts of the
Spirit had not formerly been wanting in her, but their power then appeared more
abundant and extraordinary.
42.
Blessed art
thou. She seems to put Mary and Christ
on an equal footing, which would have been highly improper. But I cheerfully
agree with those who think that the second clause assigns the reason; for
and
often signifies
because.
Accordingly, Elisabeth affirms, that her cousin was
blessed
on account of the blessedness of her child. To carry Christ in her womb was
not Mary’s first
blessedness,
but was greatly inferior to the distinction of being born again by the
Spirit of God to a new life. Yet she is justly called
blessed,
on whom God bestowed the remarkable honor of bringing into the world his own
Son, through whom she had been spiritually renewed. And at this day, the
blessedness brought to us by Christ cannot be the subject of our praise, without
reminding us, at the same time, of the distinguished honor which God was pleased
to bestow on Mary, in making her the mother of his Only Begotten
Son.
43.
And whence is this to
me? The happy medium observed by
Elisabeth is worthy of notice. She thinks very highly of the favors bestowed by
God on Mary, and gives them just commendation, but yet does not praise them more
highly than was proper, which would have been a dishonor to God. For such is the
native depravity of the world, that there are few persons who are not chargeable
with one of these two faults. Some, delighted beyond measure with themselves,
and desirous to shine alone, enviously despise the gifts of God in their
brethren; while others praise them in so superstitious a manner as to convert
them into idols. The consequence has been, that the first rank is assigned to
Mary, and Christ is lowered as it were to the
footstool
f27 . Elisabeth, again, while she
praises her, is so far from hiding the Divine glory, that she ascribes
everything to God. And yet, though she acknowledges the superiority of Mary to
herself and to others, she does not envy her the higher distinction, but
modestly declares that she had obtained more than she deserved.
She calls Mary
the mother of her
Lord. This denotes a unity of person in
the two natures of Christ; as if she had said, that he who was begotten a mortal
man in the womb of Mary is, at the same time, the eternal God. For we must bear
in mind, that she does not speak like an ordinary woman at her own suggestion,
but merely utters what was dictated by the Holy Spirit. This name
Lord
strictly belongs to the Son of God “manifested in the flesh,”
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16,) who has received from the Father all power, and has been
appointed the highest ruler of heaven and earth, that by his agency God may
govern all things. Still, he is in a peculiar manner the
Lord
of believers, who yield willingly and cheerfully to his authority; for it is
only of “his body” that he is “the head,”
(<490122>Ephesians
1:22, 23.) And so Paul says, “though there be lords many, yet to
us,” that is, to the servants of faith, “there is one Lord,”
(<460805>1
Corinthians 8:5, 6.) By mentioning the sudden movement of the babe which she
carried in her womb, (ver. 44,) as heightening that divine favor of which she is
speaking, she unquestionably intended to affirm that she felt something
supernatural and divine.
45.
And blessed is she that
believed. It was by a hidden movement of
the Spirit, as is evident from a former statement of Luke, that Elisabeth spoke.
The same Spirit declares that Mary is
blessed
because she
believed,
and by commending Mary’s faith, informs us generally in what the true
happiness of men consists. Mary was
blessed,
because, embracing in her heart the promise of God, she conceived and
brought forth a Savior to herself and to the whole which the Judges occupied; as
when Cicero proposes to appeal from the Senate to the popular assembly,”a
subselliis in rem deferre.” Calvin may have had in his eye such a phrase
as “imi subsellii vir,” and his meaning is fully brought out by his
own version, “sur le marchepied.” —
Ed.
world. This was peculiar to her: but as we have not a drop of righteousness,
life, or any other benefit, except so far as the Lord presents them to us in his
Word, it is faith alone that rescues us from the lowest poverty and misery, and
makes us partakers of true happiness.
There is great weight in this clause,
for there shall be a fulfillment
to those things which have been told her.
The meaning is, faith gives way to the divine promises, that they may obtain
their accomplishment in us. The truth of God certainly does not depend on the
will of men, but God remains always true,
(<450304>Romans
3:4,) though the whole world—unbelievers and liars—should attempt to
ruin his veracity. Yet, as unbelievers are unworthy to obtain the fruit of the
promises, so Scripture teaches us, that by faith alone they are powerful for our
salvation. God offers his benefits indiscriminately to all, and faith opens its
bosom f28
to receive them; while unbelief allows them to pass away, so as not to reach
us. If there had been any unbelief in Mary, that could not prevent God from
accomplishing his work in any other way which he might choose. But she is called
blessed,
because she received by faith the blessing offered to her, and opened up the
way to God for its accomplishment; while faith, on the other hand, shuts the
gate, and restrains his hand from working, that they who refuse the praise due
to its power may not feel its saving effect. We must observe also the relation
between the
word
and
faith,
from which we learn that, in the act of believing, we give our assent to God
who speaks to us, and hold for certain what he has promised to us that he will
do. The phrase, by the
Lord, is of the same import with an
expression in common use, on the
part of God; for the promise had been
brought by the angel, but proceeded from God alone. Hence we infer that, whether
God employs the ministrations of angels or of men, he wishes equal honor to be
paid to his Word as if he were visibly descending from heaven.
LUKE 1:46-50
|
LUKE
1:46-50
|
|
46. And Mary saith, My soul
magnifieth the Lord, 47. And my spirit hath
rejoiced
f29
in God my Savior.
48. Because he hath looked upon the low condition of his
handmaid: for from this time all generations shall call me blessed,
49. Because he who is mighty hath done to me
wonderful
f30
things: and holy is his name.
50. And his mercy is from generation to generation to them
that fear him.
|
Now follows a remarkable and interesting song of
the holy virgin, which plainly shows how eminent were her attainments in the
grace of the Spirit. There are three clauses in this song. First, Mary offers
solemn thanksgiving for that mercy of God which she had experienced in her own
person. Next, she celebrates in general terms God’s power and judgments.
Lastly, she applies these to the matter in hand, treating of the redemption
formerly promised, and now granted to the church.
46. My
soul
magnifieth. Here Mary testifies her
gratitude, as we have already said. But as hypocrites, for the most part, sing
the praises of God with open mouth, unaccompanied by any affection of the heart,
Mary says that she praises God from an inward feeling of the mind. And certainly
they who pronounce his glory, not from the mind, but with the tongue alone, do
nothing more than profane his holy name. The words
soul
and
spirit
are used in Scripture in various senses, but, when employed together, they
denote chiefly two faculties of the soul;
spirit
being taken for the understanding, and
soul
for the seat of the affections. To comprehend the meaning of the holy
virgin, it must be observed that what is here placed second is first in order;
for the excitement of the will of man to praise God must be preceded by a
rejoicing of the
spirit,
f31 as James says, “Is any
merry? let him sing psalms,”
(<590513>James
5:13.) Sadness and anxiety lock up the soul, and restrain the tongue from
celebrating the goodness of God. When the soul of Mary exults with joy, the
heart breaks out in praising God. It is with great propriety, in speaking of the
joy of her heart, that she gives to God the appellation of
Savior.
Till God has been recognised as a
Savior,
the minds of men are not free to indulge in true and full joy, but will
remain in doubt and anxiety. It is God’s fatherly kindness alone, and the
salvation flowing from it, that fill the soul with joy. In a word, the first
thing necessary for believers is, to be able to rejoice that they have their
salvation in God. The next ought to follow, that, having experienced God to be a
kind Father, they may “offer to him thanksgiving,”
(<195014>Psalm
50:14.) The Greek word
swth<r,
Savior,
has a more extensive signification than the Latin word
Servator;
for it means not only that he once delivers, but that he is “the
Author of eternal salvations”
(<580509>Hebrews
5:9.)
48.
Because he hath
looked. She explains the reason why the
joy of her heart was founded in God to be, that out of free grace he had looked
upon her. By calling herself
low
she disclaims all merit, and ascribes to the undeserved goodness of God
every occasion of boasting. For
tapei>nwsiv,
lowness,
does not here denote—as ignorant and uneducated men have foolishly
imagined—”submission, or modesty, or a quality of the mind,”
but signifies
“a
mean and despicable condition.”
f32 The meaning is,
“I
was unknown and despised, but that did not prevent God from deigning to cast
his eyes upon me.” But if Mary’s
lowness
is contrasted with excellence—as the matter itself and the Greek word
make abundantly plain—we see how Mary makes herself nothing, and praises
God alone. And this was not the loud cry of a pretended humility, but the plain
and honest statement of that conviction which was engraven on her mind; for she
was of no account in the eyes of the world, and her estimation of herself was
nothing more.
From this
time. She announces that this kindness
of God will be kept in remembrance throughout
all
generations. But if it is so remarkable,
that it ought to be proclaimed every where by the lips of all men, silence
regarding it would have been highly improper in Mary, on whom it was bestowed.
Now observe, that Mary makes her happiness to consist in nothing else, but in
what she acknowledges to have been bestowed upon her by
God,
and mentions as the gift of his grace. “I shall be
reckoned blessed,” she says, “through all ages.”
Was it because she sought this praise by her own power or exertion? On the
contrary, she makes mention of nothing but of the work of God. Hence we see how
widely the Papists differ from her, who idly adorn her with their empty devices,
and reckon almost as nothing the benefits which she received from
God. f33
They heap up an abundance of magnificent and very presumptuous titles, such
as, “Queen of Heaven, Star of Salvation, Gate of Life,
Sweetness, Hope, and Salvation.” Nay more, to such a pitch of insolence
and fury have they been hurried by Satan, that they give her authority over
Christ;
f34 for this is their pretty song,
“Beseech the Father, Order the
Son.”
f35 None of these modes of expression,
it is evident, proceeded from the Lord. All are disclaimed by the holy virgin in
a single word, when she makes her whole glory to consist in acts of the divine
kindness. If it was her duty to praise the name of God alone, who
had done to her wonderful
things, no room is left for the
pretended titles, which come from another quarter. Besides, nothing could be
more disrespectful to her, than to rob the Son of God of what is his own, to
clothe her with the sacrilegious plunder.
Let Papists now go, and hold us out as doing injury
to the mother of Christ, because we reject the falsehoods of men, and extol in
her nothing more than the kindness of God. Nay, what is most of all honorable to
her we grant, and those absurd worshippers
refuse.
f36 We cheerfully acknowledge her as
our teacher, and obey her instruction and commands. There certainly is no
obscurity in what she says here; but the Papists throw it aside, trample it as
it were under foot, and do all they can to destroy the credit of her
statements
f37 ? Let us remember that, in
praising both men and angels, there is a general rule laid down, to extol in
them the grace of God; as nothing is at all worthy of praise which did not
proceed from Him.
He who is mighty hath done to me
wonderful things. She informs us, that
the reason why God did not in this case employ the assistance of others was, to
make his own power more illustrious. And here we must recall what she formerly
said, that God had looked upon
her, though she was mean and despicable.
Hence it follows, that those praises of Mary are absurd and spurious which do
not altogether exalt the power and free grace of
God.
49. And
holy is his
name. This is the second part of the
song, in which the holy virgin celebrates in general terms the power, judgments,
and mercy of God. This clause must not be viewed as a part of the preceding one,
but must be read separately. Mary had extolled the grace of God, which she had
experienced in her own person. Hence she takes occasion to exclaim, that
holy is his name, and his mercy
endures throughout all generations. The
name of God is called
holy,
because it is entitled to the highest reverence; and whenever the name of
God is mentioned, it ought immediately to remind us of his adorable
majesty.
The next clause, which celebrates the perpetuity of
the Divine mercy, is taken from that solemn form of covenant,
“I
will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in
their generations, for an everlasting
covenant,”
(<011707>Genesis
17:7)
and again,
“who keepeth
covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a
thousand generations,”
(<050709>Deuteronomy
7:9.)
By these words, he not only declares, that he will
always be like himself, but expresses the favor which he continues to manifest
towards his own people after their death, loving their children, and their
children’s children, and all their posterity. Thus he followed the
posterity of Abraham with uninterrupted kindness; for, having once received
their father Abraham into favor, he had made with him “an everlasting
covenant.”
But as not all who are descended from Abraham
according to the flesh are the true children of Abraham, Mary confines the
accomplishment of the promise to the true worshippers of God, to
them that fear
him: as David also
does:
“The mercy of the
Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his
righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and
to those that remember his commandments to do them,”
(<19A317>Psalm
103:17,18.)
While God promises that he will be merciful to the
children of the saints through all generations, this gives no support to the
vain confidence of hypocrites: for falsely and groundlessly do they boast of God
as their Father, who are the spurious children of the saints, and have departed
from their faith and godliness.
f38 This exception sets aside the
falsehood and arrogance of those who, while they are destitute of faith, are
puffed up with false pretenses to the favor of God. A universal covenant of
salvation had been made by God with the posterity of Abraham; but, as stones
moistened by the rain do not become soft, so the promised righteousness and
salvation are prevented from reaching unbelievers through their own hardness of
heart. Meanwhile, to maintain the truth and firmness of his, promise, God has
preserved “a seed,”
(<450929>Romans
9:29.)
Under the
fear
of the Lord is included the whole of godliness and religion, and this cannot
exist without faith. But here an objection may be urged. What avails it that God
is called merciful, if no man finds him to be so unless he deserves his favor?
For, if the mercy of God is upon
them that fear him, godliness and a good
conscience procure his grace to men, and in this way men go before his grace by
their own merits. I reply, this is a part of his mercy, that he bestows on the
children of the godly fear and reverence for his majesty. This does not point
out the commencement of his grace, as if God were idly looking down from heaven,
to see who are worthy of it. All that is intended is, to shake off the perverse
confidence of hypocrites, that they may not imagine God to be bound to them,
because they are the children of saints according to the flesh: the divine
covenant having another and very different object, that God may have always a
people in the world, by whom he is sincerely worshipped.
LUKE 1:51-55
|
LUKE
1:51-55
|
|
51. He hath done
might
f39
with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in
the thought of their heart. 52. He hath cast down the nobles
from their thrones, and hath exalted mean persons. 53. He
hath filled the hungry with good things, and hath sent the rich away empty.
54. He hath lifed up his servant Israel, so as to be mindful
of his mercy, 55. As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and
to his seed for ever.
|
51.
He hath done
might. This means, “he hath
wrought powerfully.” The
arm
of God is contrasted with every other aid: as in Isaiah, “I
looked, and there was none to help,”
(<236305>Isaiah
63:5;)
“therefore,”
says he elsewhere,
“his arm brought
salvation unto him;
and his
righteousness, it sustained him,”
(<235916>Isaiah
59:16.)
Mary therefore means: God rested satisfied with his
own power, employed no companions in the work, called none to afford him aid.
What immediately follows about
the
proud may be supposed to be added for
one of two reasons: either because
the
proud gain nothing by endeavoring, like
the giants of old, to oppose God; or, because God does not display the power of
his arm for salvation, except in the case of the
humble,
while the
proud, who arrogate much to themselves,
are thrown
down. To this relates the exhortation of
Peter,
“Humble yourselves
under the mighty hand of
God,”
(<600506>1
Peter 5:6.)
He hath
scattered
f40
the proud in the thought of
their
heart.
f41 This expression is worthy of
notice: for as their pride and ambition are outrageous, as their covetousness is
insatiable, they pile up their deliberations to form an immense heap, and, to
say all in a single word, they build the tower of Babel,
(<011109>Genesis
11:9.) Not satisfied with having made one or another foolish attempt beyond
their strength, or with their former schemes of mad presumption, they still add
to their amount. When God has for a time looked down from heaven, in silent
mockery, on their splendid preparations, he unexpectedly scatters the whole
mass: just as when a building is overturned, and its parts, which had formerly
been bound together by a strong and firm union, are widely scattered in every
direction.
52.
He hath cast down the
nobles. This translation has been
adopted, for the sake of avoiding ambiguity: for though the Greek word
duna>stai
is derived from
du>namiv,
power,
it denotes governors and eminent rulers.
f42 Many persons think that
duna>stav
is a participle. They are said by Mary to be
cast down from their
thrones, that obscure and unknown
persons may be elevated in their room; and so she ascribes to the providence and
judgments of God what ungodly men can the game of
Fortune.
f43 Let us understand, that she does
not ascribe to God a despotic power,—as if men were tossed and thrown up
and down like balls by a tyrannical authority,—but a just government,
founded on the best reasons, though they frequently escape our notice. God does
not delight in changes, or elevate in mockery to a lofty station, those whom he
has determined immediately to throw down.
f44 It is rather the depravity of men
that overturns the state of things, because nobody acknowledges that the
disposal of every one is placed in His will and power.
Those who occupy a higher station than others are not
only chargeable with disdainfully and cruelly insulting their neighbors, but act
in a daring manner towards Him to whom they owe their elevation. To instruct us
by facts, that whatever is lofty and elevated in the world is subject to God,
and that the whole world is governed by his dominion, some are exalted to high
honor, while others either come down in a gradual manner, or else fall headlong
from their thrones. Such is the cause and object of the changes which is
assigned by David, “He poureth contempt upon princes,”
(<19A739>Psalm
107:39;) and by Daniel,
“He changeth the
times and the seasons:
he removeth
kings, and setteth up kings,”
(<270221>Daniel
2:21.)
We see, indeed, how the princes of the world grow
extravagantly insolent, indulge in luxury, swell with pride, and are intoxicated
with the sweets of prosperity. If the Lord cannot tolerate such ingratitude, we
need not be surprised.
The usual consequence is, that those whom God has
raised to a high estate do not occupy it long. Again, the dazzling luster of
kings and princes so overpowers the multitude, that there are few who consider
that there is a God above. But if princes brought a scepter with them from the
womb, and if the stability of their thrones were perpetual, all acknowledgment
of God and of his providence would immediately disappear. When the Lord raises
mean persons to exalted rank, he triumphs over the pride of the world, and at
the same time encourages simplicity and modesty in his own
people.
Thus, when Mary says, that it is God who
casteth down nobles from their
thrones, and exalteth mean persons, she
teaches us, that the world does not move and revolve by a blind impulse of
Fortune, but that all the revolutions observed in it are brought about by the
Providence of God, and that those judgments, which appear to us to disturb and
overthrow the entire framework of soclety, are regulated by God with unerring
justice. This is confirmed by the following verse,
He hath filled the hungry with
good things, and hath sent the rich away
empty: for hence we infer that it is not
in themselves, but for a good reason, that God takes pleasure in these changes.
It is because the great, and rich, and powerful, lifted up by their abundance,
ascribe all the praise to themselves, and leave nothing to God. We ought
therefore to be scrupulously on our guard against being carried away by
prosperity, and against a vain satisfaction of the flesh, lest God suddenly
deprive us of what we enjoy. To such godly persons as feel poverty and almost
famine, and lift up their cry to God, no small consolation is afforded by this
doctrine, that he filleth the
hungry with good
things.
54.
He hath lifted up his servant
Israel. In this last clause the general
statements are applied by Mary to the present occasion. The meaning is, God has
now granted the salvation which he had formerly promised to the holy fathers.
And first, the verb
ajntilamza>nesqai,
to lift
up, contains an elegant
metaphor:
f45 for the state of the nation was so
fallen, that its entire restoration could not be expected on ordinary
principles. And then God is said to have
lifted up
Israel, because he stretched out his
hand, and lifted him up when lying prostrate. Religion had been polluted in
innumerable ways. The public instruction retained almost nothing pure. The
government of the Church was in the greatest confusion, and breathed nothing but
shocking barbarity. The order of civil society no longer subsisted. The great
body of the people were torn like wild beasts by the Romans and Herod. So much
the more glorious was the restoration, which a state of affairs so desperate did
not allow them to expect.
Paido<v
may here be taken either for
child
or for
servant:
but the latter signification is more appropriate.
Israel
is called, in this as in many other places, the
servant
of God, because he had been received into the family of
God.
So as to be
mindful. Mary assigns the reason why the
nation, when verging to ruin, was received by God; or rather, why God lifted it
up when already fallen. It was to give an illustration of his
mercy
in its preservation. She expressly mentions that God had
remembered
his mercy, which he might appear in some sort to have forgotten, when he
permitted his people to be so fearfully distressed and afflicted. It is
customary to ascribe affections to God, as men conclude from the event itself,
that he is offended with them, or that he is reconciled. Now, as the human mind
forms no conception of the divine mercy, except so far as it is presented and
declared in his own word, Mary directs her own attention and that of others to
the promises,
f46 and shows that, in the
accomplishment of them, God has been true and faithful. In this sense, Scripture
makes frequent mention of God’s mercy and truth,
(<330720>Micah
7:20;) because we shall never be convinced of his fatherly kindness toward us,
unless his word, by which he hath bound himself to us, be present to our
recollection, and unless it occupy, as it were, an interterm is here, as at
<442035>Acts
20:35, and often in the classical writers, used metaphorically in the sense of
to protect, support.”—Bloomfield. mediate position between us, to
link the goodness of God with our own individual salvation. By these words
Mary
shows, that the covenant which God had made with the fathers was of free
grace; for she traces the salvation promised in it to the fountain of unmixed
mercy.
Hence too we infer, that she was well acquainted with the doctrine of
Scripture. The expectation of the Messiah was at that time, indeed, very
general, but few had their faith established on so pure a knowledge of
Scripture.
55.
To Abraham and to his
seed. If you read these words in close
connection with the close of the former verse, there appears to be an improper
change of the case. Instead of tw~
jAbraa<m kai< tw~ spe>rmati, it ought to
have been
(pro<v)to<n
jAbraa<m kai< to< spe>rma,,
as he spake
TO
our
fathers, TO
Abraham
and TO
his
seed.
f47 But, in my opinion, there is no
such close connection. Mary does not merely explain who the Fathers were to whom
God spake, but extends the power and result of the promises to all his
posterity, provided they are the true seed of Abraham. Hence it follows, that
the matter now in hand is, the solemn covenant which had been made, in a
peculiar manner, with Abraham and his descendants. For other promises, which had
been given to Adam, and Noah, and others, referred indiscriminately to all
nations. As many of the children of Abraham, according to the flesh, have been
cut off by their unbelief, and have been thrown out as degenerate from the
family of Abraham, so we, who were strangers, are admitted to it by faith, and
regarded as the true seed of Abraham. Let us therefore hold that, in consequence
of God having formerly spoken to
the fathers, the grace offered to them
belongs equally to their posterity; and also, that the adoption has been
extended to all nations, so that those, who were not by nature children of
Abraham, may be his spiritual
seed.
LUKE 1:56-66
|
LUKE
1:56-66
|
|
56. And Mary abode with her about
three months, and returned to her own house. 57. And
Elisabeth's time of bringing forth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.
58. And her neighbors and relatives heard, that the Lord had
wonderfully exercised his mercy toward her, and they congratulated her.
59. And it happened on the eighth day, when they came to
circumcise the child, and they called him Zacharias, by the name of his father.
60. And his mother answering
said,
f48
By no means, but he shall be called John.
61. And they said to her, There is none among thy kindred who
is called by that name. 62. And they made signs to his father
how he wished him to be called. 63. And having asked for
writing tables, he wrote, saying, John is his name: and all wondered.
64. And his mouth was instantly opened, and he spake,
blessing God. 65. And fear fell upon all their neighbors, and
in all the mountainous district of Judea all these words were made known.
66. And all who had heard put them in their heart, saying,
What (or Who) shall this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with
him.
|
The amount of this narrative is, that the birth
of John was distinguished by various miracles, which gave reason to expect, that
something great and remarkable would appear in the child himself at a future
period. For the Lord determined to confer upon him from the womb remarkable
tokens, that he might not afterwards come forward, as an obscure and unknown
person, from the crowd, to discharge the office of a Prophet. First Luke
relates, that Mary remained about three months with her cousin,—or, in
other words, till the birth of the child: for it is probable that she had no
other reason for staying so long, but to enjoy the exhibition of divine grace,
which had been suggested to her by the angel for the confirmation of her
faith.
58.
And her neighbors and
relatives heard. It may admit of doubt,
whether the wonderful kindness of God was estimated by those persons from the
simple fact of her being blessed with a child, or whether they had previously
heard that an angel appeared to Zacharias, and promised to him a son. This was
certainly no ordinary divine favor, that, out of the course of nature, a barren
woman at a very advanced age had brought forth a child. It is possible that, on
this ground alone, they magnified the divine goodness. On the eighth day, from a
sense of duty or from courtesy, as is customary on such occasions, some people
assemble; but God takes occasion from it to make them witnesses and spectators
of his power and glory. There can be no doubt but the extraordinary birth
brought a greater crowd. They had reckoned it a prodigy to see an old and barren
woman suddenly become pregnant; and now that the child is born, their
astonishment is renewed and increased. We infer from the words of Luke that,
though they circumcised their children at home, they were not wont to do so
without collecting a numerous assembly: and with good reason, for it was a
common sacrament of the church, and it was not proper to administer it in a
secret or private manner.
59.
And they called him
Zacharias, by the name of his father. We
know that names were originally given to men, either from some occurrence, or
even by prophetic inspiration, to point out some secret work of God. After a
long period, when there was such a profusion of names, that it became
inconvenient to form new ones every day, people satisfied themselves with the
old and received names, and called their children by the names of their
ancestors. Thus before the father of John, there were many called Zacharias, and
perhaps they were the descendants of the
“son of
Barachias,”
(<402335>Matthew
23:35.) Use and wont, we are aware, is generally taken for law, and so these
persons contended that the prevailing custom should be observed as to the name
of the child. Though we must not imagine that there is any sacredness in names,
yet no judicious person will deny that, in this matter, believers ought to make
a godly and profitable selection. They ought to give their children such names
as may serve to instruct and admonish them, and consequently to take the names
of holy fathers—for the purpose of exciting their children to imitate
them—rather than adopt those of ungodly
persons.
60.
And his mother answering
said. It is uncertain if Elisabeth spoke
this by inspiration. But when Zacharias saw the punishment inflicted on him for
being too slow in believing, he probably informed his wife by writing what the
angel had enjoined respecting the name, (ver. 13:) otherwise he would not have
obeyed the command of God. Why this name was given to the Baptist by divine
authority, I have already explained. The relatives, though unacquainted with the
reason, are affected by the strangeness of the occurrence, particularly as they
conjecture it did not take place without
design.
64.
And his mouth was instantly
opened. God puts honor on the birth of
his prophet by restoring speech to his father: for there can be no doubt that
this benefit was delayed till that day with the express object and design of
fixing the eyes of men upon John. Zacharias
spake, blessing
God. He did so, not only for the purpose
of testifying his gratitude, but to inform his relatives and neighbors, that
this punishment had been inflicted on him, because he had been too slow to
believe: for he was not ashamed to unite with his own dishonor the praises of
the divine glory. Thus it became universally known, that the birth of the child
was not an accidental or ordinary event, but had been promised by an
announcement from heaven.
f49
65.
And fear fell upon
all. This fear mentioned by Luke
proceeded from a feeling of the divine power: for the works of God ought to be
contemplated by us with such reverence as to affect our minds with
seriousness.
f50 God does not amuse us with his
miracles, but arouses the senses of men, which he perceives to be in a dormant
state.
f51 Luke says also that the report of
those things was circulated in
all the mountainous district of Judea.
And yet many derived no advantage from the temporary impression of the power
of God: for, when John began to exercise his office as an instructor, there were
few that remembered what wonders had attended his birth. It was not merely,
however, for the sake of those who heard them, that God determined to spread
abroad the report of those events, but to establish, in all ages, the certainty
of the miracle, which was then universally known. Meanwhile, a general mirror of
human ingratitude is here placed before our eyes: for, while trifling and
frivolous occurrences remain firmly in our minds, those which ought to produce a
constant recollection of divine favors immediately fade and
disappear.
Luke does not speak of stupid men, or actual
despisers of God: for he says that they
put them in their
heart: that is, they applied eagerly to
the consideration of them. Some probably continued to remember, but the greater
part rapidly shook off the fear which they had experienced. It deserves our
notice that they were far from mistaking the design, when they interpreted the
miracles which they saw as relating to the future excellence of the child: for
such, we have said, was the design of God, that John should afterwards come
forth with the highest reputation.
And the hand of the Lord was with
him. The meaning is, that the grace of
God was strikingly visible in many respects, and showed manifestly that he was
not an ordinary person. It is a figurative mode of expression, and denotes that
the power of God was as fully manifested as if his hand had been visibly seen,
so that all readily acknowledged the presence of God.
LUKE 1:67-75
|
LUKE
1:67-75
|
|
67. And Zacharias his father was
filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying:
68. Blessed be the Lord God of israel, because he hath
visited, and hath brought redemption to his people: 69. And
he hath raised up the horn
f52
of salvation to us in the house of his servant
David, (70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,
who have been from every age,
f53
) 71. Salvation from our
enemies, and from the hand of all who hated us: 72. To
perform the mercy to our fathers, and to have remembrance of his holy covenant,
73. According to the oath,
f54
which he sware to Abraham our father, to give
to us, 74. That, being delivered out of the hand of our
enemies, we may serve him without fear, 75. In holiness and
righteousness before him all the days of our life.
|
67.
Zacharias was filled with the
Holy Ghost. We have lately explained
this phrase to mean, that the servants of God received more abundantly the grace
of the Spirit, of which, at other times, they were not destitute. Thus we read,
that the Spirit was given to the prophets: not that on other occasions they
wanted it, but that the power of the Spirit was more fully exerted in them, when
the hand of God, as it were, brought them into public view, for the discharge of
their office. We must observe, therefore, the manner in which Luke connects the
two clauses: he was filled with
the Holy Ghost, and prophesied. This
implies that divine inspiration, at that time, rested upon him in an
extraordinary measure, in consequence of which he did not speak like a man or
private person, but all that he uttered was heavenly instruction. Thus also Paul
connects prophecy with the Spirit.
“Quench not the
Spirit: despise not
prophesyings,”
(<520519>1
Thessalonians 5:19, 20.)
which teaches us that to despise instruction is to
“quench”
the light of “the Spirit.” This was a remarkable instance
of the goodness of God, that not only did Zacharias recover the power of speech,
which he had not enjoyed for nine months, but his tongue became the organ of the
Holy Spirit.
68.
Blessed be the Lord
God. Zacharias commences with
thanksgiving, and in the raptures of the prophetic spirit describes the
fulfillment of the redemption formerly promised in Christ, on which the safety
and prosperity of the church depended. The reason why
the
Lord, to whose government the whole
world is subject, is here called
the God of
Israel, will more fully appear from what
follows, that to the seed of Abraham, in a peculiar manner, the Redeemer had
been promised. Since, therefore, God had deposited with one nation only his
covenant, of which Zacharias was about to speak, he properly mentions the name
of that nation, for which the grace of salvation was especially, or at all
events in the first instance, designed.
The word
ejpeske>yato,
he hath
visited, contains an implied contrast:
for the face of God had been turned away for a time from the unhappy children of
Abraham. To such a depth of calamity had they sunk, and with such a mass of
distresses were they overwhelmed, that no one entertained the thought that the
eye of God was upon them. This visitation of God, which Zacharias mentions, is
declared to be the cause and origin of redemption. The statement may be resolved
in this manner. God looked
upon
(ejpeske>yato)
his people, that he might
redeem them. Now, as those whom God
redeems must be prisoners, and as this redemption is spiritual in its nature, we
conclude from this passage, that even the holy fathers were made free from the
yoke of sin and the tyranny of death, only through the grace of Christ; for it
is said that Christ was sent as a Redeemer to the holy and elect people of God.
But it will be objected, if redemption was brought by Christ at that time when
he appeared clothed in flesh, it follows, that those believers who died before
he came into the world were “all their lifetime” slaves of sin and
death: which would be highly absurd. I reply, the power and efficacy of that
redemption, which was once exhibited in Christ, have been the same in all
ages.
69.
He hath raised up the horn of
salvation. That is, saving
power:
f55 for, when the throne of David was
cast down, and the people scattered, the hope of salvation had to all appearance
perished. Zacharias alludes to the predictions of the prophets, which hold out
that a sudden revival would take place, when the state of affairs should have
become melancholy and desperate. This mode of expression is borrowed from the
passage,
“There will I make
the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed,”
(<19D217>Psalm
132:17.)
But if it is only in Christ that God has put forth
his power to save us, we are not at liberty to depart from that method,
if we desire to obtain salvation from God. Let it be also observed, that this
horn
brings
salvation
to believers, but terror to the ungodly, whom it scatters, or bruises and
lays prostrate.
Of his servant
David. He is so denominated, not only
because, like any one of the godly, he worshipped God, but for this other
reason, that he was his chosen servant to rule and save his people, and thus to
represent, along with his successors, the person and office of Christ. Though
there remained among the Jews, at that time, no trace of a kingdom, Zacharias,
resting on the promises of God, does not hesitate to call David the
servant
of God, in whom God gave an example of the salvation which was to
come. f56
Now that the throne of Christ is erected amongst us, that thence he may
govern us, it follows that he is actually appointed to us the author of
salvation.
70.
As he
spake. That the salvation which is said
to have been brought by Christ may not be thought doubtful on the score of
novelty, he adduces as witnesses all the
Prophets,
who, though they were raised up at different times, yet with one consent
teach, that salvation is to be expected from Christ alone. Nor was it the sole
design of Zacharias to celebrate the truth and faithfulness of God, in
performing and fulfilling what he formerly promised. His object rather was to
draw the attention of believers to the ancient predictions, that they might
embrace, with greater certainty and cheerfulness, the salvation offered to them,
of which the Prophets from the beginning had testified. When Christ comes forth
adorned,
f57 with the testimonies of all the
Prophets, our faith in him rests on a truly solid foundation.
He calls them
holy
prophets, to secure for their words
greater authority and reverence. They were not inconsiderable or ordinary
witnesses, but were of the first rank,
f58 and furnished with a public
commission, having been separated from the common people, for that purpose, by
divine authority. To inquire minutely how each of the prophets gave testimony to
Christ, would lead us into a long dissertation. Let it suffice for the present
to say, that they all uniformly make the hope of the people, that God would be
gracious to them, to rest entirely on that covenant between God and them which
was founded on Christ, and thus speak plainly enough of the future redemption,
which was manifested in Christ. To this purpose are many striking passages,
which contain no dark prophecies respecting Christ, but point him out, as it
were, with the finger. But our chief attention is due to the signature of the
divine covenant; for he that neglects this will never understand any thing in
the prophets: as the Jews wander wretchedly
f59 in reading the Scripture, in
consequence of giving their whole study to words, and wandering from the main
design.
71.
Salvation from our
enemies. Zacharias explains more clearly
the power and office of Christ. And certainly it would be of little or no
advantage to learn that Christ was given to us, unless we also knew what he
bestows. For this reason he states more fully the purpose for which the
horn of
salvation was
raised
up: that believers may obtain
salvation from their
enemies. Unquestionably, Zacharias was
well aware, that the principal war of the church of God is not with flesh and
blood, but with Satan and all his armament, by which he labors to accomplish our
everlasting ruin. Though the Church is also attacked by outward foes, and is
delivered from them by Christ, yet, as the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, it is
chiefly to Satan, the prince of this world, and all his legions, that the
present discourse relates. Our attention is also directed to the miserable
condition of men out of Christ, lying prostrate under the tyranny of the devil:
otherwise, out of his hand, out of his power, Christ would not deliver his own
people. This passage reminds us that, so long as the Church continues her
pilgrimage in the world, she lives amongst her foes, and would be exposed to
their violence, if Christ were not always at hand to grant assistance. But such
is the inestimable grace of Christ, that, though we are surrounded on every side
by enemies, we enjoy a sure and undoubted salvation. The mode of expression may
seem harsh, salvation from our
enemies; but the meaning is obvious. No
machinations or power, no wiles, no attacks will prevent our being delivered
from them and saved “in the Lord with an everlasting
salvatlon,”
(<234517>Isaiah
45:17.)
72.
To perform the
mercy. Zacharias again points out the
fountain from which redemption flowed, the
mercy
and gracious
covenant
of God. He assigns the reason why God was pleased to save his people. It was
because, being mindful of his promise, he displayed his mercy. He is said to
have remembrance of his
covenant, because there might be some
appearance of forgetfulness during that long delay, in which he allowed his
people to languish under the weight of very heavy calamities. We must carefully
attend to this order. First, God was moved by pure mercy to make a covenant with
the fathers. Secondly, He has linked the salvation of men with his own
word. f60
Thirdly, He has exhibited in Christ every blessing, so as to ratify all his
promises: as, indeed, their truth is only confirmed to us when we see their
fulfillment in Christ. Forgiveness of sins is promised in the covenant, but it
is in the blood of Christ. Righteousness is promised, but it is offered through
the atonement of Christ. Life is promised, but it must be sought only in the
death and resurrection of Christ. This too is the reason why God commanded of
old, that the book of the law should be sprinkled with the blood of the
sacrifice,
(<022408>Exodus
24:8;
<580919>Hebrews
9:19, 20.) It is also worthy of notice, that Zacharias speaks of the mercy
performed
in his own age, as extending to the fathers who were dead, and who equally
shared in its results. Hence it follows, that the grace and power of Christ are
not confined by the narrow limits of this fading life, but are everlasting; that
they are not terminated by the death of the flesh, for the soul survives the
death of the body, and the destruction of the flesh is followed by the
resurrection. As neither Abraham, nor any of the saints, could procure salvation
to himself by his own power or merits, so to all believers, whether living or
dead, the same salvation has been exhibited in
Christ.
73.
According to the
oath. There is no word in the Greek
original for the preposition
according
to: but it is a common and well
understood principle of language, that when the accusative case is put
absolutely, there is a preposition to be understood, by which it is governed.
The
oath is mentioned, for the purpose of
expressing more fully the firmness and sacredness of his truth: for such is his
gracious condescension, that he deigns to employ his name for the support of our
weakness. If his bare promises do not satisfy us, let us at least remember this
confirmation of them; and if it does not remove all doubt, we are chargeable
with heinous ingratitude to God, and insult to his holy name.
To give to
us. Zacharias does not enumerate the
several points of God’s covenant, but shows that God’s purpose, in
dealing so kindly and mercifully with his people, was to redeem
them.
74.
That being delivered out of
the hand of our enemies. His purpose
was, that, being redeemed, they might dedicate and consecrate themselves
entirely to the Author of their salvation. As the efficient cause of human
salvation was the undeserved goodness of God, so its final cause is, that, by a
godly and holy life, men may glorify his name. This deserves careful attention,
that we may remember our calling, and so learn to apply the grace of God to its
proper use. We must meditate on such declarations as these:
“God hath
not called us unto uncleanness, but unto
holiness,”
(<520407>1
Thessalonians 4:7.)
We are “redeemed with a great price,”
(<460620>1
Corinthians 6:20,) “the precious blood of Christ,”
(<600118>1
Peter 1:18,19,) not that we may serve “the lusts of the flesh,”
(<610218>2
Peter 2:18,) or indulge in unbridled licentiousness, but that Christ may reign
in us. We are admitted by adoption into the family of God, that we, on our part,
may yield obedience as children to a father. For “the kindness and
love
(filanqrwpi>a)
of God our Savior toward man,”
(<560304>Titus
3:4,) “hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness
and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly,”
(<560211>Titus
2:11,12.) And so Paul, when he wishes powerfully to exhort believers to
consecrate themselves to God, “in newness of life,”
(<450604>Romans
6:4,) and, “putting off, concerning the former conversation, the old
man,”
(<490422>Ephesians
4:22,) to render to him a “reasonable service,” “beseeches
them by the mercies of God,”
(<451201>Romans
12:1.) Scripture is full of declarations of this nature, which show that we
“frustrate the grace”
(<480221>Galatians
2:21) of Christ, if we do not follow out this design.
That we may serve him without
fear. This deserves our attention: for
it implies that we cannot worship God in a proper manner without composure of
mind. Those who are ill at ease, who have an inward struggle, whether God is
favorable or hostile to them, whether he accepts or rejects their
services,—in a word, who fluctuate in uncertainty between hope and fear,
will sometimes labor anxiously in the worship of God, but never will sincerely
or honestly obey him. Alarm and dread make them turn from him with horror; and
so, if it were possible, they would desire that there were, “no
God,”
(<191401>Psalm
14:1.) But we know, that no sacrifice is acceptable to God, which is not offered
willingly, and with a cheerful heart. Before men can truly worship
God,
they must obtain peace of conscience, as David speaks, “There is
forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared,”
(<19D004>Psalm
130:4:) for those to whom God has given peace are graciously invited and led to
approach him willingly and with a cheerful desire to worship him. Hence too Paul
deduces that maxim, that “whatsoever is undertaken without faith is
sin,”
(<451423>Romans
14:23.) But since God reconciles men to himself in Christ, since by his
protection he keeps them safe from all fear, since he has committed their
salvation to his own hand and guardianship, we are justly declared by Zacharias
to be delivered by his grace from fear. And so the prophets describe it as
peculiar to his reign, that,
“they shall sit
every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree, and none shall make them
afraid,”
(<330404>Micah
4:4.)
75.
In holiness and
righteousness. As the rule of a good
life has been reduced by God to two tables,
(<023118>Exodus
31:18; 34:1,) so Zacharias here declares, that we serve God in a proper manner,
when our life has been framed to
holiness and righteousness.
Holiness, beyond all question,
denotes—as even Plato knew the duties of
godliness,
f61 which relate to the first table of
the law.
Righteousness,
again, extends to all the duties of charity: for God requires nothing more
from us in the second table of the law, than to render to every one what belongs
to him. It is added, before
him, to instruct believers, that it is
not enough if their lives are decently regulated before the eyes of men, and
their hands, and feet, and whole body, restrained from every kind of open
wickedness: but they must live according to the will of God, who is not
satisfied with professions of holiness, but looks chiefly on the
heart.
Lastly, That no man may consider his duties to be at
an end, when he has worshipped God for a certain period, Zacharias declares that
men have been redeemed on the condition
f62 that they shall continue to devote
themselves to the worship of God
all the days
of their
life.
And certainly, as redemption is eternal, the remembrance of it ought never
to pass away; as God adopts men into his family for ever, their gratitude ought
not to be transitory or of short continuance; and, in a word, as “Christ
both died and rose, and revived” for them, it is proper that he should be
“Lord both of the dead and living,”
(<451409>Romans
14:9.) So Paul, in a passage which I lately quoted, enjoins us
to
“live soberly,
righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; who
gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto
himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works,”
(<560212>Titus
2:12-14.)
LUKE 1:76-80
|
LUKE
1:76-80
|
|
76. And thou, child, shalt be
called the Prophet of the Highest. for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways, 77. To give knowledge of salvation to
his people by the forgiveness of their sins: 78. Through the
bowels of the mercy of our God, by which the Eastern
sky
f63
hath visited us, 79. That he
might give light to those who were sitting in darkness and the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80. And the child
grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his
showing unto Israel.
|
76.
And thou,
child. Zacharias again returns to
commend the grace of Christ, but does this, as it were, in the person of his
son, by describing briefly the office to which he had been appointed as an
instructor. Though in a little infant eight days old he does not yet observe
prophetical endowments, yet turning his eyes to the purpose of God, he speaks of
it as a thing already known. To
be called means here to be
considered and openly
acknowledged as the prophet of God. A
secret calling of God had already taken place. It only remained that the nature
of that calling should be manifested to men. But as the name
Prophet
is general, Zacharias, following the revelation brought to him by the angel,
affirms that he would be the usher
f64 or herald of Christ. He says,
thou shalt go before the face of
the Lord: that is, thou shalt discharge
the office of turning men by thy preaching to hear the Lord. The reason why
John, when he had nearly finished his course, affirmed that he was not a
prophet
of God, is explained by me at the proper place,
(<430121>John
1:21,) and in what manner he was
to prepare his
ways we shall afterwards
see.
77.
To give knowledge of
salvation. Zacharias now touches the
principal subject of the gospel, when he says that the
knowledge of
salvation consists in
the forgiveness of
sins. As we are all “by nature the
children of wraths”
(<490203>Ephesians
2:3,) it follows, that we are by nature condemned and ruined: and the ground of
our condemnation is, that we are chargeable with unrighteousness. There is,
therefore, no other provision for escaping eternal
death f65
but by God
“reconciling us
unto himself, not imputing our trespasses unto
us,”
(<470519>2
Corinthians 5:19.)
That this is the only righteousness which remains to
us before God, may be easily gathered from the words of Zacharias. For whence
comes salvation, but from righteousness? But if the children of God have no
other way of obtaining the
knowledge of
salvation except
through the forgiveness of
sins, it follows, that righteousness
must not be sought in any other quarter. Proud men attempt to forge and
manufacture a righteousness out of the merits of good works. True righteousness
is nothing else than the imputation of righteousness, when God, out of free
grace, acquits us from guilt. Besides, it ought to be observed that Zacharias is
not speaking of “strangers from the covenants of
promise,”
(<490212>Ephesians
2:12) but of the people of God. Hence it follows, that not only does the
commencement of righteousness depend on the
forgiveness of
sins, but it is by
imputation
f66 that believers are righteous
before God to the very end: for they cannot appear before his tribunal in any
other way than by betaking themselves daily to a free
reconciliation.
78.
Through the
bowels
f67
of
mercy. In so great a benefit Zacharias
justly extols the mercy of God, and not satisfied with merely calling it the
salvation which was brought by Christ, he employs more emphatic language, and
says that it proceeded from the very
bowels of the
mercy of God. He then tells us
metaphorically, that the great mercy of God has made the day to
give light to those who were
sitting in darkness. Oriens, in the
Latin version of this passage, is not a participle: for the Greek word is
ajnatolh>,
that is, the Eastern region, as contrasted with the West. Zacharias extols
the
mercy
of God, as manifested in dispelling the darkness of death, and restoring to
the people of God the light of life. In this way, whenever our salvation is the
subject, we ought to raise our minds to the contemplation of the divine mercy.
There appears to be an allusion to a prediction of Malachi, in which Christ is
called “the Sun of Righteousness,” and is said to “arise with
healing in his wing,”
(<390402>Malachi
4:2,) that is, to bring health in his
rays.
79.
That he might give light to
those who were sitting in darkness. As
to
light
and
darkness,
there are similar modes of expression in Isaiah: such as,
“The people that
walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined,”
(<230901>Isaiah
9:1;)
and in many other passages. These words show, that
out of Christ there is no life-giving light in the world, but every thing is
covered by the appalling darkness of death. Thus, in another passage, Isaiah
testifies that this privilege belongs peculiarly to the church
alone.
“Behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord
shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee,”
(<236002>Isaiah
60:2.)
But how could it be said that the Israelites, on
whose hearts the Lord always shone by faith,
were sitting in the shadow of
death? I reply, the godly, who lived
under the law were surrounded on every side by the darkness of death, and beheld
at a distance, in the coming of Christ, the light that cheered and preserved
them from being overwhelmed by present death. Zacharias may have had in view the
wretched condition of his own age. But it is a general truth, that on all the
godly, who had ever lived, or who were afterwards to live, there arose in the
coming of Christ a light to impart life: for it even diffused life over the
dead. To
sit
is of the same import as to
lie:
f68 and so Isaiah enjoins the Church,
“Arise, for thy light is come,”
(<236001>Isaiah
60:1.)
To guide our
feet. By this expression Zacharias
points out, that the highest perfection of all excellence and happiness is to be
found in Christ alone. The word
Peace
might indeed be taken in its literal sense, which would not be unsuitable:
for the illumination brought by Christ tends to pacify the minds of men. But as
the Hebrew word
µwlç,
peace,
denotes every kind of prosperity, Zacharias intended, I doubt not, to
represent Christ as the author of perfect blessedness, that we may not seek the
smallest portion of happiness elsewhere, but may rest on Christ alone, from a
full conviction that in him we are entirely and completely happy. To this
purpose are those words of Isaiah,
“The sun
shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give
light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy
God thy glory,”
(<236019>Isaiah
60:19.)
But if the mere sight of his Son, while still a
child, led Zacharias to discourse in so lofty a strain respecting the grace and
power of Christ, before he was born, are not they so much the more ungrateful,
who, now that Christ has died, and risen, and ascended to heaven, and sat down
at his Father’s right hand, speak disrespectfully of him and of his power,
to which the Holy Spirit bore testimony, while he was still in his
mother’s womb? We must bear in mind what I have already mentioned, that
Zacharias spake not from himself, but that the Spirit of God directed his
tongue.
And the child
grew. This is added by Luke for
continuing the thread of the history.
First,
he mentions that John became
strong in spirit: which implies that the
great and uncommon excellence of the child gave proof that there dwelt in him a
Heavenly Spirit. Next, he tells us, that John remained unknown in the deserts
till the day of his
showing, that is, till the day on which
the Lord had pur-posed to bring him into public view. Hence we conclude, that
John, though he was fully aware of his calling, made no advances before the
appointed time, but awaited the call of God.
MATTHEW 1:1-17; LUKE
3:23-38
|
MATTHEW
1:1-17
|
LUKE
3:23-38
|
|
1. The book of the generation of
Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2. And
Abraham began Isaac. And Issac begat Jacob. And Jacob begat Judah and his
brethren. 3. And Judah begat Pharez and Zarah by Tamar. And
Pharez begat Hezron. and Hezron begat Ram. 4. And Ram begat
Amminadab. And Amminadab begat Nahshon. And Nahshon begat Salma.
5. And Salma begat Boaz by Rahab. And Boaz begat Obed by
Ruth. And Obed begat Jesse. 6. And Jesse begat David the
king. And David the king begat Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
7. And Solomon begat Rehoboam. And Rehoboam begat Abijah. And
Abijah begat Asa. 8. And Asa begat Jehoshaphat. And
Jehoshaphat begat Jorem. And Joram begat Uzziah. 9. And
Uzziah begat Jotham. And Jotham begat Ahaz. And Ahaz begat Hezekiah.
10. And Hezekiah begat Manasseh. And Manasseh begat Amon. And
Amon begat Josiah. 11. And Josiah begat Jeconiah and his
brethren, about the Babylonish exile. 12. And after the
Babylonish exile, Jeconiah begat Salathiel. And Salathiel begat Zerubbabel.
13. And Zerubbabel begat Abiud. And Abiud begat Eliakim. And
Eliakim begat Azor. 14. And Azor begat Zadok. And Zadok begat
Achim. And Achim begat Eliud. 15. And Eliud begat Eleazar.
And Eleazar begat Matthan. And Matthan begat Jacob. 16. And
Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called
Christ. 17. Therefore all the generations from Abraham till
David are fourteen generations; and from David till the Babylonish migration are
fourteen generations; and from the Babylonish migration till Christ are fourteen
generations.
|
23. Jesus was supposed to be the
son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli, 24. Who was the son
of Matthat, who was the son of Levi, who was the son of Melchi, who was the son
of Janna, who was the son of Joseph, 25. Who was the son of
Matthias, who was the son of Amos, who was the son of Nahum, who was the son of
Esli, who was the son of Nagge, 26. Who was the son of Maath,
who was the son of Mattahtias, who was the son of Semei, who was the son of
Joseph, who was the son of Judah, 27. Who was the son of
Joanna, who was the son of Rhesa, who was the son of Zerubbabel, who was the son
of Salathiel, who was the son of Neri, 28. Who was the son of
Melchi, who was the son of Addi, who was the son of Cosam, who was the son of
Elmodam, who was the son, of Er, 29. Who was the son of of
Joses, who was the son of Eliezer, who was the son of Joriam, who was the son of
Matthat, who was the son of Levi, 30. Who was the son of
Simeon, who was the son of Judah, who was the son of Joseph, who was the son of
Jonan, who was the son of Eliakim, 31. Who was the son of
Meleah, who was the son of Mainan, who was the son of Mattatha, who was the son
of Nathan, who was the son of David, 32. Who was the son of
Jesse, who was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz, who was the son of
Salmah, who was the son of Nahshon, 33. Who was the son of
Amminadab, who was the son of Ram, who was the son of Hezron, who was the son of
Pharez, who was the son of Judah, 34. Who was the son of
Jacob, who was the son of Isaac, who was the son of Abraham, who was the son of
Terah, who was the son of Nahor, 35. Who was the son of
Serug, who was the son of Reu, who was the son of Peleg, who was the son of
Heber, who was the son of Salah, 36. Who was the son of
Cainan, who was the son of Arphaxad, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of
Noah, who was the son of Lamech, 37. Who was the son of
Methuselah, who was the son of Enoch, who was the son of Jared, who was the son
of Mahalaleel, who was the son of Cainan, 38. Who was the son
of Enos, who was the son of Seth, who was the son of Adam, who was the son of
God.
|
As all are not agreed about these two
genealogies, which are given by Matthew and Luke, we must first see whether both
trace the genealogy of Christ from Joseph, or whether Matthew only traces it
from Joseph, and Luke from Mary. Those who are of this latter opinion have a
plausible ground for their distinction in the diversity of the names: and
certainly, at first sight, nothing seems more improbable than that Matthew and
Luke,
who differ so widely from each other, give one and the same genealogy. For
from David to Salathiel, and again from Zerubbabel till Joseph, the names are
totally different.
Again, it is alleged, that it would have been idle to
bestow so great pains on a thing of no use, in relating a second time the
genealogy of Joseph, who after all was not the father of Christ. “Why this
repetition,” say they, “which proves nothing that contributes much
to the edification of faith? If nothing more be known than this, that Joseph was
one of the descendants and family of David, the genealogy of Christ will still
remain doubtful.” In their opinion, therefore, it would have been
superfluous that two Evangelists should apply themselves to this subject. They
excuse Matthew for laying down the ancestry of Joseph, on the ground, that he
did it for the sake of many persons, who were still of opinion that he was the
father of Christ. But it would have been foolish to hold out such an
encouragement to a dangerous error: and what follows is at total variance with
the supposition. For as soon as he comes to the close of the genealogy, Matthew
points out that Christ was conceived in the womb of the virgin, not from the
seed of Joseph, but by the secret power of the Spirit. If their argument were
good, Matthew might be charged with folly or inadvertence, in laboring to no
purpose to establish the genealogy of Joseph.
But we have not yet replied to their objection, that
the ancestry of Joseph has nothing to do with Christ. The common and well-known
reply is, that in the person of Joseph the genealogy of Mary also is included,
because the law enjoined every man to marry from his own tribe. It is objected,
on the other hand, that at almost no period had that law been observed: but the
arguments on which that assertion rests are frivolous. They quote the instance
of the eleven tribes binding themselves by an oath, that they would not give a
wife to the Benjamites,
(<072101>Judges
21:1.) If this matter, say they, had been settled by law, there would have been
no need for a new enactment. I reply, this extraordinary occurrence is
erroneously and ignorantly converted by them into a general rule: for if one
tribe had been cut off, the body of the people must have been incomplete if some
remedy had not been applied to a case of extreme necessity. We must not,
therefore, look to this passage for ascertaining the common
law.
Again, it is objected, that Mary, the mother of
Christ, was Elisabeth’s cousin, though Luke has formerly stated that she
was of the daughters of Aaron,
(<420105>Luke
1:5.) The reply is easy. The daughters of the tribe of Judah, or of any other
tribe, were at liberty to marry into the tribe of the priesthood: for they were
not prevented by that reason, which is expressed in the law, that no woman
should “remove her inheritance” to those who were of a different
tribe from her own,
(<043606>Numbers
36:6-9.) Thus, the wife of Jehoiada, the high priest, is declared by the sacred
historian to have belonged to the royal family,—
“Jehoshabeath, the
daughter of Jehoram,
the wife of
Jehoiada the priest,”
(<142211>2
Chronicles 22:11.)
It was, therefore, nothing wonderful or uncommon, if
the mother of Elisabeth were married to a priest. Should any one allege, that
this does not enable us to decide, with perfect certainty, that Mary was of the
same tribe with Joseph, because she was his wife, I grant that the bare
narrative, as it stands, would not prove it without the aid of other
circumstances.
But, in the first place, we must observe, that
the Evangelists do not speak of events known in their own age. When the ancestry
of Joseph had been carried up as far as David, every one could easily make out
the ancestry of Mary. The Evangelists, trusting to what was generally understood
in their own day, were, no doubt, less solicitous on that point: for, if any one
entertained doubts, the research was neither difficult nor
tedious.
f69 Besides, they took for granted,
that Joseph, as a man of good character and behavior, had obeyed the injunction
of the law in marrying a wife from his own tribe. That general rule would not,
indeed, be sufficient to prove Mary’s royal descent; for she might have
belonged to the tribe of Judah, and yet not have been a descendant of the family
of David.
My opinion is this. The Evangelists had in their eye
godly persons, who entered into no obstinate dispute, but in the person of
Joseph acknowledged the descent of Mary; particularly since, as we have said, no
doubt was entertained about it in that age. One matter, however, might appear
incredible, that this very poor and despised couple belonged to the posterity of
David, and to that royal seed, from which the Redeemer was to spring. If any one
inquire whether or not the genealogy traced by Matthew and Luke proves clearly
and beyond controversy that Mary was descended from the family of David, I own
that it cannot be inferred with certainty; but as the relationship between Mary
and Joseph was at that time well known, the Evangelists were more at ease on
that subject. Meanwhile, it was the design of both Evangelists to remove the
stumbling-block arising from the fact, that both Joseph and Mary were unknown,
and despised, and poor, and gave not the slightest indication of
royalty.
Again, the supposition that Luke passes by the
descent of Joseph, and relates that of Mary, is easily refuted; for he expressly
says, that Jesus was supposed to
be the son of Joseph, etc. Certainly,
neither the father nor the grandfather of Christ is mentioned, but the ancestry
of Joseph himself is carefully explained. I am well aware of the manner in which
they attempt to solve this difficulty. The word
son,
they allege, is put for
son-in-law,
and the interpretation they give to Joseph being called the son of Heli is,
that he had married Heli’s daughter. But this does not agree with the
order of nature, and is nowhere countenanced by any example in
Scripture.
If Solomon is struck out of Mary’s genealogy,
Christ will no longer be Christ; for all inquiry as to his descent is founded on
that solemn promise,
“I will set up thy
seed after thee; I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be
his father, and he shall be my
son,”
(<100712>2
Samuel 7:12-14.)
“The Lord hath
sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body
will I set upon thy
throne,”
(<19D211>Psalm
132:11.)
Solomon was, beyond controversy, the type of this
eternal King who was promised to David; nor can the promise be applied to
Christ, except in so far as its truth was shadowed out in Solomon,
(<132805>1
Chronicles 28:5.) Now if the descent is not traced to him, how, or by what
argument, shall he be proved to be “the son of David”? Whoever
expunges Solomon from Christ’s genealogy does at the same time, obliterate
and destroy those promises by which he must be acknowledged to be the son of
David. In what way Luke, tracing the line of descent from Nathan, does not
exclude Solomon, will afterwards be seen at the proper place.
Not to be too tedious, those two genealogies agree
substantially with each other, but we must attend to four points of difference.
The first is; Luke ascends by a retrograde order, from the last to the
first, while Matthew begins with the source of the genealogy. The second
is; Matthew does not carry his narrative beyond the holy and elect race of
Abraham, f70
while Luke proceeds as far as Adam. The third is; Matthew treats of his
legal descent, and allows himself to make some omissions in the line of
ancestors, choosing to assist the reader’s memory by arranging them under
three fourteens; while Luke follows the natural descent with greater exactness.
The fourth and last is; when they are speaking of the same persons, they
sometimes give them different names.
It would be superfluous to say more about the
first point of difference, for it presents no difficulty. The second
is not without a very good reason: for, as God had chosen for himself the
family of Abraham, from which the Redeemer of the world would be born, and as
the promise of salvation had been, in some sort, shut up in that family till the
coming of Christ, Matthew does not pass beyond the limits which God had
prescribed. We must attend to what Paul says,
“that Jesus Christ
was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises
made unto the fathers,”
(<451508>Romans
15:8)
with which agrees that saying of Christ,
“Salvation is of the Jews,”
(<430422>John
4:22.) Matthew, therefore, presents him to our contemplation as belonging to
that holy race, to which he had been expressly appointed. In Matthew’s
catalogue we must look at the covenant of God, by which he adopted the seed of
Abraham as his people, separating them, by a “middle wall of
partition,”
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14,) from the rest of the nations. Luke directed his view to a higher point;
for though, from the time that God had made his covenant with Abraham, a
Redeemer was promised, in a peculiar manner, to his seed, yet we know that,
since the transgression of the first man, all needed a Redeemer, and he was
accordingly appointed for the whole world. It was by a wonderful purpose of God,
that Luke exhibited Christ to us as the son of Adam, while Matthew confined him
within the single family of Abraham. For it would be of no advantage to us, that
Christ was given by the Father as “the author of eternal salvations”
(<580509>Hebrews
5:9,) unless he had been given indiscriminately to all. Besides, that saying of
the Apostle would not be true, that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
and to-day, and for ever,”
(<581308>Hebrews
13:8,) if his power and grace had not reached to all ages from the very creation
of the world. Let us know; therefore, that to the whole human race there has
been manifested and exhibited salvation through Christ; for not without reason
is he called the son of Noah, and the son of Adam. But as we must seek him in
the word of God, the Spirit wisely directs us, through another Evangelist, to
the holy race of Abraham, to whose hands the treasure of eternal life, along
with Christ, was committed for a time,
(<450301>Romans
3:1.)
We come now to the third point of difference.
Matthew and Luke unquestionably do not observe the same order; for immediately
after David the one puts Solomon, and the other, Nathan; which makes it
perfectly clear that they follow different lines. This sort of contradiction is
reconciled by good and learned interpreters in the following manner. Matthew,
departing from the natural lineage, which is followed by Luke, reckons up the
legal genealogy. I call it the legal genealogy, because the right to the
throne passed into the hands of Salathiel. Eusebius, in the first book of his
Ecclesiastical History, adopting the opinion of Africanus, prefers applying the
epithet legal to the genealogy which is traced by Luke. But it amounts to
the same thing: for he means nothing more than this, that the kingdom, which had
been established in the person of Solomon, passed in a lawful manner to
Salathiel. But it is more correct and appropriate to say, that Matthew has
exhibited the legal order: because, by naming Solomon immediately after David,
he attends, not to the persons from whom in a regular line, according to the
flesh, Christ derived his birth, but to the manner in which he was descended
from Solomon and other kings, so as to be their lawful successor, in whose hand
God would “stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever,”
(<100713>2
Samuel 7:13.)
There is probability in the opinion that, at the
death of Ahaziah, the lineal descent from Solomon was closed. As to the command
given by David — for which some persons quote the authority of Jewish
Commentators — that should the line from Solomon fail, the royal power
would pass to the descendants of Nathan, I leave it undetermined; holding this
only for certain, that the succession to the kingdom was not confused, but
regulated by fixed degrees of kindred. Now, as the sacred history relates that,
after the murder of Ahaziah, the throne was occupied, and all the seed-royal
destroyed “by his mother Athaliah,
(<121101>2
Kings 11:1,) it is more than probable that this woman, from an eager desire of
power, had perpetrated those wicked and horrible murders that she might not be
reduced to a private rank, and see the throne transferred to another. If there
had been a son of Ahaziah still alive, the grandmother would willingly have been
allowed to reign in peace, without envy or danger, under the mask of being his
tutor. When she proceeds to such enormous crimes as to draw upon herself infamy
and hatred, it is a proof of desperation arising from her being unable any
longer to keep the royal authority in her house.
As to Joash being called “the son of
Ahaziah,”
(<142211>2
Chronicles 22:11,) the reason is, that he was the nearest relative, and was
justly considered to be the true and direct heir of the crown. Not to mention
that Athaliah (if we shall suppose her to be his grandmother)would gladly have
availed herself of her relation to the child, will any person of ordinary
understanding think it probable, that an actual son of the king could be so
concealed by “Jehoiada the priest,” as not to excite the grandmother
to more diligent search? If all is carefully weighed, there will be no
hesitation in concluding, that the next heir of the crown belonged to a
different line. And this is the meaning of Jehoiada’s
words,
“Behold,
the king’s son shall reign, as the Lord hath said of the sons of
David,”
(<142303>2
Chronicles 23:3.)
He considered it to be shameful and intolerable, that
a woman, who was a stranger by blood, should violently seize the scepter, which
God had commanded to remain in the family of David.
There is no absurdity in supposing, that Luke traces
the descent of Christ from Nathan: for it is possible that the line of Solomon,
so far as relates to the succession of the throne, may have been broken off. It
may be objected, that Jesus cannot be acknowledged as the promised Messiah, if
he be not a descendant of Solomon, who was an undoubted type of Christ.
But the answer is easy. Though he was not naturally descended from Solomon,
yet he was reckoned his son by legal succession, because he was descended from
kings.
The fourth point of difference is the great
diversity of the names. Many look upon this as a great difficulty: for from
David till Joseph, with the exception of Salathiel and Zerubbabel, none of the
names are alike in the two Evangelists. The excuse commonly offered, that the
diversity arose from its being very customary among the Jews to have two names,
appears to many persons not quite satisfactory. But as we are now unacquainted
with the method, which was followed by Matthew in drawing up and arranging the
genealogy, there is no reason to wonder, if we are unable to determine how far
both of them agree or differ as to individual names. It cannot be doubted that,
after the Babylonish captivity, the same persons are mentioned under different
names. In the case of Salathiel and Zerubbabel, the same names, I think, were
purposely retained, on account of the change which had taken place in the
nation: because the royal authority was then extinguished. Even while a feeble
shadow of power remained, a striking change was visible, which warned believers,
that they ought to expect another and more excellent kingdom than that of
Solomon, which had flourished but for a short time.
It is also worthy of remark, that the additional
number in Luke’s catalogue to that of Matthew is nothing strange; for the
number of persons in the natural line of descent is usually greater than in the
legal line. Besides, Matthew chose to divide the genealogy of Christ into three
departments, and to make each department to contain fourteen persons. In this
way, he felt himself at liberty to pass by some names, which Luke could not with
propriety omit, not having restricted himself by that rule.
Thus have I discussed the genealogy of Christ, as far
as it appeared to be generally useful. If any one is
tickled
f71 by a keener curiosity, I remember
Paul’s admonition, and prefer sobriety and modesty to trifling and useless
disputes. It is a noted passage, in which he enjoins us to avoid excessive
keenness in disputing about “genealogies, as unprofitable and vain,”
(<560309>Titus
3:9.)
It now remains to inquire, lastly, why Matthew
included the whole genealogy of Christ in
three
classes, and assigned to each class
fourteen persons. Those who think that he did so, in order to aid the memory of
his readers, state a part of the reason, but not the whole. It is true, indeed,
that a catalogue, divided into three equal numbers, is more easily remembered.
But it is also evident that this division is intended to point out a threefold
condition of the nation, from the time when Christ was promised to Abraham, to
“the fullness of the time”
(<480404>Galatians
4:4) when he was “manifested in the flesh,”
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16.) Previous to the time of David, the tribe of Judah, though it
occupied a higher rank than the other tribes, held no power. In David the royal
authority burst upon the eyes of all with unexpected splendor, and remained till
the time of Jeconiah. After that period, there still lingered in the tribe of
Judah a portion of rank and government, which sustained the expectations of the
godly till the coming of the Messiah.
1.
The book of the
generation. Some commentators give
themselves unnecessary trouble, in order to excuse Matthew for giving to his
whole history this title, which applies only to the half of a single chapter.
For this
ejpigrafh>,
or title, does not extend to the whole book of Matthew: but the word
bi>zlov,
book, is put for catalogue: as if he had said, “Here
follows the catalogue of the generation of Christ.” It is with
reference to the promise, that Christ is called
the son of David, the son of
Abraham: for God had promised to Abraham
that he would give him a seed, “in whom all the families of the earth
should be blessed,”
(<011203>Genesis
12:3.) David received a still clearer promise, that God would “stablish
the throne of his kingdom for ever,”
(<100713>2
Samuel 7:13;) that one of his posterity would be king “as long as the sun
and moon endure,”
(<197205>Psalm
72:5;) and that “his throne should be as the days of heaven,”
(<198929>Psalm
89:29.) And so it became a customary way of speaking among the Jews to call
Christ the son of
David.
2.
Jacob begat Judah and his
brethren. While Matthew passes by in
silence Ishmael, Abraham’s first-born, and Esau, who was Jacob’s
elder brother, he properly assigns a place in the genealogy to the Twelve
Patriarchs, on all of whom God had bestowed a similar favor of adoption. He
therefore intimates, that the blessing promised in Christ does not refer to the
tribe of Judah alone, but belongs equally to all the children of Jacob, whom God
gathered into his Church, while Ishmael and Esau were treated as
strangers.
f72
3.
Judah begat Pharez and Zarah
by Tamar. This was a prelude to that
emptying of himself, f73
of which Paul speaks,
(<502007>Philippians
2:7). The Son of God might have kept his descent unspotted and pure from every
reproach or mark of infamy. But he came into the world to
“empty himself, and
take upon him the form of a servant,”
(<500207>Philippians
2:7)
to be
“a worm, and no
man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people,”
(<192206>Psalm
22:6)
and at length to undergo the accursed death of the
cross. He therefore did not refuse to admit a stain into his genealogy, arising
from incestuous intercourse which took place among his ancestors. Though Tamar
was not impelled by lust to seek connection with her father-in-law, yet it was
in an unlawful manner that she attempted to revenge the injury which she had
received. Judah again intended to commit fornication, and unknowingly to
himself, met with his daughter-in-law.
f74 But the astonishing goodness of
God strove with the sin of both; so that, nevertheless, this adulterous seed
came to possess the scepter.
f75
6.
Begat David the
King. In this genealogy, the designation
of
King
is bestowed on David alone, because in his person God exhibited a type of
the future leader of his people, the Messiah. The kingly office had been
formerly held by Saul; but, as he reached it through tumult and the ungodly
wishes of the people, the lawful possession of the office is supposed to have
commenced with David, more especially in reference to the covenant of God, who
promised that “his throne should be established for ever,”
(<100716>2
Samuel 7:16.) When the people shook off the yoke of God, and unhappily and
wickedly asked a king, saying, “Give us a king to judge us,”
(<090805>1
Samuel 8:5,) Saul was granted for short time. But his kingdom was shortly
afterwards established by God, as a pledge of true prosperity, in the hand of
David. Let this expression, David
the King, be understood by us as
pointing out the prosperous condition of the people, which the Lord had
appointed.
Meanwhile, the Evangelist adds a human disgrace,
which might almost bring a stain on the glory of this divine blessing.
David the King begat Solomon by
her that had been the wife of Uriah; by
Bathsheba, whom he wickedly tore from her husband, and for the sake of enjoying
whom, he basely surrendered an innocent man to be murdered by the swords of the
enemy,
(<101115>2
Samuel 11:15.) This taint, at the commencement of the kingdom, ought to have
taught the
Jews
not to glory in the flesh. It was the design of God to show that, in
establishing this kingdom, nothing depended on human merits.
Comparing the inspired history with the succession
described by Matthew, it is evident that he has omitted three
kings.
f76 Those who say that he did so
through forgetfulness, cannot be listened to for a moment. Nor is it probable
that they were thrown out, because they were unworthy to occupy a place in the
genealogy of Christ; for the same reason would equally apply to many others, who
are indiscriminately brought forward by Matthew, along with pious and holy
persons. A more correct account is, that he resolved to confine the list of each
class to fourteen kings, and gave himself little concern in making the
selection, because he had an adequate succession of the genealogy to place
before the eyes of his readers, down to the close of the kingdom. As to there
being only thirteen in the list, it probably arose from the blunders and
carelessness of transcribers. Epiphanius, in his First Book against Heresies,
assigns this reason, that the name of Jeconiah had been twice put down, and
unlearned
f77 persons ventured to strike out the
repetition of it as superfluous; which, he tells us, ought not to have been
done, because Jehoiakim, the father of king Jehoiakim, had the name Jeconiah, in
common with his son,
(<130317>1
Chronicles 3:17;
<122415>2
Kings 24:15;
<242720>Jeremiah
27:20; 28:4.) Robert Stephens quotes a Greek manuscript, in which the name of
Jehoiakim is introduced.
f78
12.
After the Babylonish
exile. That is, after the Jews were
carried into captivity: for the Evangelist means, that the descendants of David,
from being kings, then became exiles and slaves. As that captivity was a sort of
destruction, it came to be wonderfully arranged by Divine providence, not only
that the Jews again united in one body, but even that some vestiges of dominion
remained in the family of David. For those who returned home submitted, of their
own accord, to the authority of Zerubbabel. In this manner, the fragments of the
royal scepter
f79 lasted till the coming of Christ
was at hand, agreeably to the prediction of Jacob, “The scepter shall not
depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh
come,”
(<014910>Genesis
49:10.) And even during that wretched and melancholy dispersion, the nation
never ceased to be illuminated by some rays of the grace of God. The Greek word
metoikesi>a,
which the old translator renders
transmigration,
and Erasmus renders
exile,
literally signifies a change
of habitation. The meaning is, that the
Jews were compelled to leave their country, and to dwell as “strangers in
a land that was not theirs,”
(<011513>Genesis
15:13.)
16.
.Jesus, who is called
Christ. By the surname
Christ,
Anointed, Matthew points out his office,
to inform the readers that this was not a private person, but one divinely
anointed
to perform the office of Redeemer. What that anointing was, and to what it
referred, I shall not now illustrate at great length. As to the word itself, it
is only necessary to say that, after the royal authority was abolished, it began
to be applied exclusively to Him, from whom they were taught to expect a full
recovery of the lost salvation. So long as any splendor of royalty continued in
the family of David, the kings were wont to be called
cristoi>,
anointed.
f80 But that the fearful desolation
which followed might not throw the minds of the godly into despair, it pleased
God to appropriate the name of
Messiah,
Anointed, to the Redeemer alone: as is
evident from Daniel, (9:25, 26.) The evangelical history everywhere shows that
this was an ordinary way of speaking, at the time when the Son of God was
“manifested in the
flesh,”(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16.)
MATTHEW
1:18-25
|
MATTHEW
1:18-25
|
|
18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ
was in this manner. For when his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before
they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
19. And Joseph her husband, as he was a just man, and was
unwilling to injure her reputation, intended to send her away secretly.
20. And while he was considering these things, lo, the angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, fear not
to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is by the
Holy Spirit. 21. And she shall bear a son, and thou shalt
call his name JESUS. For he shall save his people from their sins.
22. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a
son, and they shall call his name Immanuel: which, if one interprets it, means,
God is with us. 24. Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did
as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and took unto him his wife:
25. And knew her not, till she brought forth her first-born
son: and called his name JESUS.
|
18.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ. Matthew
does not as yet relate the place or manner of Christ’s birth, but the way
in which his heavenly generation was made known to Joseph. First, he says that
Mary was found to be with child
by the Holy Spirit. Not that this secret
work of God was generally known: but the historian mixes up, with the knowledge
of men,
f81 the power of the Spirit, which was
still unknown. He points out the time:
When she was espoused to
Joseph, and
before they came
together. So far as respects conjugal
fidelity, from the time that a young woman was betrothed to a man, she was
regarded by the Jews as his lawful wife. When a “damsel betrothed to an
husband” was convicted of being unchaste, the law condemned both of the
guilty parties as adulterers:
“the damsel,
because she cried not, being in the
city;
and the man, because he hath
humbled his neighbor’s
wife,”
(<052223>Deuteronomy
22:23, 24.)
The phrase employed by the Evangelist,
before they came
together, is either a modest appellation
for conjugal intercourse, or simply means, “before they came to dwell
together as husband and wife, and to make one home and family.” The
meaning will thus be, that the virgin had not yet been delivered by her parents
into the hands of her husband, but still remained under their
roof.
19.
As he was a just
man. Some commentators explain this to
mean, that Joseph,
because
he was a just man, determined to spare his
wife: f82
taking
justice
to be only another name for humanity, or, a gentle and merciful disposition.
But others more correctly read the two clauses as contrasted with each other:
that Joseph was a just
man, but yet that he was anxious about
the reputation of his wife. That justice, on which a commendation is here
bestowed, consisted in hatred and abhorrence of crime. Suspecting his wife of
adultery, and even convinced that she was an adulterer, he was unwilling to hold
out the encouragement of lenity to such a
crime.
f83 And certainly he is but a
pander
f84 to his wife, who connives at her
unchastity. Not only is such wickedness regarded with abhorrence by good and
honorable minds, but that winking at crime which I have mentioned is marked by
the laws with infamy.
Joseph, therefore, moved by an ardent love
of
justice, condemned the crime of which he
supposed his wife to have been guilty; while the gentleness of his disposition
prevented him from going to the utmost rigor of law. It was a moderate and
calmer method to depart privately, and remove to a distant
place.
f85 Hence we infer, that he was not of
so soft and effeminate a disposition, as to screen and promote uncleanness under
the pretense of merciful dealing: he only made some abatement from stern
justice, so as not to expose his wife to evil report. Nor ought we to have any
hesitation in believing, that his mind was restrained by a secret inspiration of
the Spirit. We know how weak jealousy is, and to what violence it hurries its
possessor. Though Joseph did not proceed to rash and headlong conduct, yet he
was wonderfully preserved from many imminent dangers, which would have sprung
out of his resolution to depart.
The same remark is applicable to Mary’s
silence. Granting that modest reserve prevented her from venturing to tell her
husband, that she was with child
by the Holy Spirit, it was not so much
by her own choice, as by the providence of God that she was restrained. Let us
suppose her to have spoken. The nature of the case made it little short of
incredible. Joseph would have thought himself ridiculed, and everybody would
have treated the matter as a laughing-stock: after which the Divine
announcement, if it had followed, would have been of less importance. The Lord
permitted his servant Joseph to be betrayed by ignorance into an erroneous
conclusion, that, by his own voice, he might bring him back to the right
path.
Yet it is proper for us to know, that this was done
more on our account than for his personal advantage: for every necessary method
was adopted by God, to prevent unfavorable suspicion from falling on the
heavenly message. When the angel approaches Joseph, who is still unacquainted
with the whole matter, wicked men have no reason to charge him with being
influenced by prejudice to listen to the voice of God. He was not overcome by
the insinuating address of his wife. His previously formed opinion was not
shaken by entreaties. He was not induced by human arguments to take the opposite
side. But, while the groundless accusation of his wife was still rankling in his
mind, God interposed between them, that we might regard Joseph as a more
competent witness, and possessing greater authority, as a messenger sent to us
from heaven. We see how God chose to employ an angel in informing his servant
Joseph, that to others he might be a heavenly herald, and that the intelligence
which he conveyed might not be borrowed from his wife, or from any
mortal.
The reason why this mystery was not immediately made
known to a greater number of persons appears to be this. It was proper that this
inestimable treasure should remain concealed, and that the knowledge of it
should be imparted to none but the children of God. Nor is it absurd to say,
that the Lord intended, as he frequently does, to put the faith and obedience of
his own people to the trial. Most certainly, if any man shall maliciously refuse
to believe and obey God in this matter, he will have abundant reason to be
satisfied with the proofs by which this article of our faith is supported. For
the same reason, the Lord permitted Mary to enter into the married state, that
under the veil of marriage, till the full time for revealing it, the heavenly
conception of the virgin might be concealed. Meanwhile, the knowledge of it was
withheld from unbelievers, as their ingratitude and malice
deserved.
20.
And while he was considering
these things. We see here how
seasonably, and, as we would say, at the very point, the Lord usually aids his
people. Hence too we infer that, when he appears not to observe our cares and
distresses, we are still under his eye. He may, indeed, hide himself, and remain
silent; but, when our patience has been subjected to the trial, he will aid us
at the time which his own wisdom has selected. How slow or late soever his
assistance may be thought to be, it is for our advantage that it is thus
delayed.
The angel of the Lord appeared to
him in a dream. This is one of two
ordinary kinds of revelations mentioned in the book of Numbers, where the Lord
thus speaks:
“If there be a
prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and
will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so. With him will I
speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speechess,”
(<041206>Numbers
12:6-8.)
But we must understand that dreams of this sort
differ widely from natural dreams; for they have a character of certainty
engraven on them, and are impressed with a divine seal, so that there is not the
slightest doubt of their truth. The dreams which men commonly have, arise either
from the thoughts of the
day,
or from their natural temperament, or from bodily indisposition, or from
similar causes: while the dreams which come from God are accompanied by the
testimony of the Spirit, which puts beyond a doubt that it is God who
speaks.
Son of David, fear
not. This exhortation shows, that Joseph
was perplexed with the fear of sharing in the criminality of his wife, by
enduring her adultery. The angel removes his suspicion of guilt, with the view
of enabling him to dwell with his wife with a safe conscience. The appellation,
Son of
David, was employed on the present
occasion, in order to elevate his mind to that lofty mystery; for he belonged to
that family, and was one of the surviving few,
f86 from whom the salvation promised
to the world could proceed. When he heard the name of
David,
from whom he was
descended,
Joseph ought to have remembered that remarkable promise of God which related
to the establishment of the kingdom, so as to acknowledge that there was nothing
new in what was now told him. The predictions of the prophets were, in effect,
brought forward by the angel, to prepare the mind of Joseph for receiving the
present favor.
21.
And thou shalt call his
name JESUS. I have already explained
briefly, but as far as was necessary, the meaning of that word. At present I
shall only add, that the words of the angel set aside the dream of those who
derive it from the essential name of God, Jehovah; for the angel expresses the
reason why the Son of God is so called,
Because he
shall SAVE
his
people; which suggests quite a different
etymology from what they have contrived. It is justly and appropriately added,
they tell us, that Christ will be the author of salvation, because he is the
Eternal God. But in vain do they attempt to escape by this subterfuge; for the
nature of the blessing which God bestows upon us is not all that is here stated.
This office was conferred upon his Son from the fact, from the command which had
been given to him by the Father, from the office with which he was invested when
he came down to us from heaven. Besides, the two words
jIhsou~v
and
hwhy,
Jesus
and
Jehovah,
agree but in two letters, and differ in all the rest; which makes it
exceedingly absurd to allege any affinity whatever between them, as if they were
but one name. Such mixtures I leave to the alchymists, or to those who closely
resemble them, the Cabalists who contrive for us those trifling and affected
refinements.
When the Son of God came to us clothed in flesh, he
received from the Father a name which plainly told for what purpose he came,
what was his power, and what we had a right to expect from him. for the name
Jesus
is derived from the Hebrew verb, in the Hiphil conjugation,
[yçwh,
which signifies to
save. In Hebrew it is pronounced
differently,
Jehoshua;
but the Evangelists, who wrote in Greek, followed the customary mode of
pronunciation; for in the writings of Moses, and in the other books of the Old
Testament, the Hebrew word
[wçwhy,
Jehoshua,
or
Joshua,
is rendered by the Greek translators
jIhsou~v,
Jesus.
But I must mention another instance of the ignorance of those who
derive—or, I would rather say, who forcibly tear—the name
Jesus
from
Jehovah.
They hold it to be in the highest degree improper that any mortal man should
share this name in common with the Son of God, and make a strange outcry that
Christ would never allow his name to be so profaned. As if the reply were not at
hand, that the name
Jesus
was quite as commonly used in those days as the name
Joshua.
Now, as it is sufficiently clear that the name
Jesus
presents to us the Son of God as the Author of salvation, let us examine
more closely the words of the angel.
He shall save his people from their
sins. The first truth taught us by these
words is, that those whom Christ is sent to save are in themselves lost. But he
is expressly called the Savior of the Church. If those whom God admits to
fellowship with himself were sunk in death and ruin till they were restored to
life by Christ, what shall we say of “strangers”
(<490212>Ephesians
2:12) who have never been illuminated by the hope of life? When salvation is
declared to be shut up in Christ, it clearly implies that the whole human race
is devoted to destruction. The cause of this destruction ought also to be
observed; for it is not unjustly, or without good reason, that the Heavenly
Judge pronounces us to be accursed. The angel declares that we have perished,
and are overwhelmed by an awful condemnation, because we stand excluded from
life by our sins. Thus we obtain a view of our corruption and depravity; for if
any man lived a perfectly holy life, he might do without Christ as a Redeemer.
But all to a man need his grace; and, therefore, it follows that they are the
slaves of sin, and are destitute of true righteousness.
Hence, too, we learn in what way or manner Christ
saves; he delivers us from sins. This deliverance consists of two parts.
Having made a complete atonement, he brings us a free pardon, which delivers us
from condemnation to death, and reconciles us to God. Again, by the sanctifying
influences of his Spirit, he frees us from the tyranny of Satan, that we may
live “unto righteousness,”
(<600224>1
Peter 2:24.) Christ is not truly acknowledged as a Savior, till, on the one
hand, we learn to receive a free pardon of our sins, and know that we are
accounted righteous before God, because we are free from guilt; and till, on the
other hand, we ask from him the Spirit of righteousness and holiness, having no
confidence whatever in our own works or power. By Christ’s
people
the angel unquestionably means the Jews, to whom he was appointed as Head
and King; but as the Gentiles were shortly afterwards to be ingrafted into the
stock of Abraham,
(<451117>Romans
11:17,) this promise of
salvation
is extended indiscriminately to all who are incorporated by faith in the
“one body”
(<461220>1
Corinthians 12:20) of the Church.
22.
Now all this was
done. It is ignorant and childish
trifling to argue, that the name
Jesus
is given to the Son of God, because he is called
Immanuel.
For Matthew does not confine this assertion to the single fact of the name,
but includes whatever is heavenly and divine in the conception of Christ; and
that is the reason why he employs the general term
all.
We must now see how appropriately the prediction of Isaiah is applied. It is
a well-known and remarkable passage,
(<230714>Isaiah
7:14,) but perverted by the Jews with their accustomed malice; though the hatred
of Christ and of truth, which they thus discover, is as blind and foolish as it
is wicked. To such a pitch of impudence have many of their Rabbins proceeded, as
to explain it in reference to King Hezekiah, who was then about fifteen years of
age. And what, I ask, must be their rage for lying, when, in order to prevent
the admission of clear light, they invert the order of nature, and shut up a
youth in his mother’s womb, that he may be born sixteen years old? But the
enemies of Christ deserve that God should strike them with a spirit of giddiness
and insensibility, should
“pour out upon them
a spirit of deep sleep and close their eyes,”
(<232910>Isaiah
29:10.)
Others apply it to a creature of their own fancy,
some unknown son of Ahaz, whose birth Isaiah predicted. But with what propriety
was he called
Immanuel,
or the land subjected to his sway, who closed his life in a private station
and without honor? for shortly afterwards the prophet tells us that this child,
whoever he was, would be ruler of the land. Equally absurd is the notion that
this passage relates to the prophet’s son. On this subject we may remark,
that Christian writers have very strangely misapprehended the prediction
contained in the next chapter, by applying it to Christ. The prophet there says,
that, instructed by a vision, he “went unto the prophetess; and she
conceived, and bare a son,” and that the child whom she bore was named by
Divine command,”Maher-shalal-hash-baz,” “Making speed to the
spoil, hasten the prey,”
(<230803>Isaiah
8:3.) All that is there described is approaching war, accompanied by fearful
desolation; which makes it very manifest that the subjects are totally
different.
Let us now, therefore, investigate the true meaning
of this passage. The city of Jerusalem is besieged. Ahaz trembles, and is almost
dead with terror. The prophet is sent to assure him that God will protect the
city. But a simple promise is not sufficient to compose his agitated mind. The
prophet is sent to him, saying,
“Ask thee a sign of
the Lord thy God;
ask it either in
the depth, or in the height
above,”
(<230711>Isaiah
7:11.)
That wicked hypocrite, concealing his unbelief,
disdains to ask a sign. The prophet rebukes him sharply, and at length
adds,
“The Lord himself
shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name
Immanuel,”
(<230714>Isaiah
7:14.)
We expound this as relating to Christ in the
following manner: “You, the whole posterity of David, as far as lies in
your power, endeavor to nullify the grace which is promised to you;” (for
the prophet expressly calls them, by way of disgrace, the house of David,
<230713>Isaiah
7:13;) “but your base infidelity will never prevent the truth of God from
proving to be victorious. God promises that the city will be preserved safe and
unhurt from its enemies. If his word is not enough, he is ready to give you the
confirmation of such a sign as you may demand. You reject both favors, and spurn
them from you; but God will remain steady to his engagement. For the promised
Redeemer will come, in whom God will show himself to be fully present to his
people.”
The Jews reply, that Isaiah would have been at
variance with everything like reason or probability, if he had given to the men
of that age a sign, which was not to be exhibited till after the lapse of nearly
eight hundred years. And then they assume the airs of haughty
triumph,
f87 as if this objection of the
Christians had originated in ignorance or thoughtlessness, and were now
forgotten and buried. But the solution, I think, is easy; provided we keep in
view that a covenant of adoption was given to the Jews, on which the other acts
of the divine kindness depended. There was then a general promise, by which God
adopted the children of Abraham as a nation, and on which were founded all the
special promises. Again, the foundation of this covenant was the Messiah. Now we
hold, that the reason for delivering the city was, that it was the sanctuary of
God, and out of it the Redeemer would come. But for this, Jerusalem would a
hundred times have perished.
Let pious readers now consider, when the royal family
had openly rejected the sign which God had offered to them, if it was not
suitable that the prophet should pass all at once to the Messiah, and address
them in this manner: “Though this age is unworthy of the deliverance of
which God has given me a promise, yet God is mindful of his covenant, and will
rescue this city from its enemies. While he grants no particular sign to testify
his grace, this one sign ought to be deemed more than sufficient to meet your
wishes. from the stock of David the Messiah will arise.” Yet it must be
observed that, when the prophet reminds unbelievers of the general covenant, it
is a sort of reproof, because they did not accept of a particular sign. I have
now, I think, proved that, when the door was shut against every kind of miracle,
the prophet made an appropriate transition to Christ, for the purpose of leading
unbelievers to reflect, that the only cause of the deliverance was the covenant
that had been made with their fathers. And by this remarkable example has God
been pleased to testify to all ages, that he followed with uninterrupted
kindness the children of Abraham, only because in Christ, and not through their
own merits, he had made with them a gracious covenant.
There is another piece of sophistry by which the Jews
endeavor to parry our argument. Immediately after the words in question, the
prophet adds:
“Before the child
shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest
shall be forsaken of both her kings,”
(<230716>Isaiah
7:16.)
Hence they infer, that the promised birth of the
child would be delayed for a very short time; otherwise, it would not agree with
the rapidly approaching change of the kingdoms, which, the prophet announeed,
would take place before that child should have passed half the period of
infancy. I reply, when Isaiah has given a sign of the future Savior, and
declared that a child will be born, who is the true Immanuel, or—to
use Paul’s language—God manifest in the flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16,) he proceeds to speak, in general terms, of all the children of
his own time. A strong proof of this readily presents itself; for, after having
spoken of the general promise of God, he returns to the special promise, which
he had been commissioned to declare. The former passage, which relates to a
final and complete redemption, describes one particular child, to whom alone
belongs the name of God; while the latter passage, which relates to a special
benefit then close at hand, determines the time by the childhood of those who
were recently born, or would be born shortly afterwards.
Hitherto, if I mistake not, I have refuted, by strong
and conclusive arguments, the calumnies of the Jews, by which they endeavor to
prevent the glory of Christ from appearing, with resplendent luster, in this
prediction. It now remains for us to refute their sophistical reasoning about
the Hebrew word
hml[,
virgin.
f88 They wantonly persecute Matthew
for proving that Christ was born of a virgin,
f89 while the Hebrew noun merely
signifies a young
woman; and ridicule us for being led
astray by the wrong translation
f90 of a word, to believe that he was
born by the Holy Spirit, of whom the prophet asserts no more than that he would
be the son of a young woman. And, first, they display an excessive eagerness for
disputation, by laboring
f91 to prove that a word, which is
uniformly applied in Scripture to
virgins,
denotes here a young woman who had known a man. The etymology too agrees
with Matthew’s translation of the word: for it means
hiding,
f92 which expresses the modesty that
becomes a virgin.
f93 They produce a passage from the
book of Proverbs, “the way of a man with a maids,”
hml[b,
(<203019>Proverbs
30:19.) But it does not at all support their views. Solomon speaks there of a
young woman who has obtained the affections of a young man: but it does not
follow as a matter of course, that the young man has seduced the object of his
regard; or rather, the probability leans much more strongly to the other
side. f94
But granting all that they ask as to the meaning of
the word, the subject demonstrates, and compels the acknowledgment, that the
prophet is speaking of a miraculous and extraordinary birth. He exclaims that he
is bringing a sign from the Lord, and not an ordinary sign, but one superior to
every other.
The Lord himself shall
give you a sign.
Behold, a virgin
shall conceive,
(<230714>Isaiah
7:14.)
If he were only to say, that a woman would bear a
child, how ridiculous would that magnificent preface have been? Thus we see,
that the insolence of the Jews exposes not only themselves, but the sacred
mysteries of God, to scorn.
Besides, a powerful argument may be drawn from the
whole strain of the passage.
Behold, a virgin shall
conceive. Why is no mention made of a
man? It is because the prophet draws our attention to something very uncommon.
Again, the virgin is commanded to name the child.
Thou shalt call his name
Immanuel. In this respect, also, the
prophet expresses something extraordinary: for, though it is frequently related
in Scripture, that the names were given to children by their mothers, yet it was
done by the authority of the fathers. When the prophet addresses his discourse
to the virgin, he takes away from men, in respect to this child, that authority
which is conferred upon them by the order of nature. Let this, therefore, be
regarded as an established truth, that the prophet here refers to a remarkable
miracle of God, and recommends it to the attentive and devout consideration of
all the godly,—a miracle which is basely profaned by the Jews, who apply
to the ordinary method of conception what is said in reference to the secret
power of the Spirit.
23.
His name
Immanuel. The phrase,
God is with
us, is no doubt frequently employed in
Scripture to denote, that he is present with us by his assistance and grace, and
displays the power of his hand in our defense. But here we are instructed as to
the manner in which God communicates with men. For out of Christ we are
alienated from him; but through Christ we are not only received into his favor,
but are made one with him. When Paul says, that the Jews under the law were
nigh to God,
(<490217>Ephesians
2:17,) and that a deadly enmity
(<490215>Ephesians
2:15) subsisted between him and the Gentiles, he means only that, by shadows and
figures, God then gave to the people whom he had adopted the tokens of his
presence. That promise was still in force, “The Lord thy God is among
you,”
(<050721>Deuteronomy
7:21,) and, “This is my rest for ever,”
(<19D214>Psalm
132:14.) But while the familiar intercourse between God and the people depended
on a Mediator, what had not yet fully taken place was shadowed out by symbols.
His seat and residence is placed “between the Cherubim,”
(<198001>Psalm
80:1,) because the ark was the figure and visible pledge of his
glory.
But in Christ the actual presence of God with his
people, and not, as before, his shadowy presence, has been
exhibited.
f95 This is the reason, why Paul says,
that “in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily,”
(<510209>Colossians
2:9.) And certainly he would not be a properly qualified Mediator, if he did not
unite both natures in his person, and thus bring men into an alliance with God.
Nor is there any force in the objection, about which the Jews make a good deal
of noise, that the name of God is frequently applied to those memorials, by
which he testified that he was present with believers.
For it cannot be denied, that this name,
Immanuel,
contains an implied contrast between the presence of God, as exhibited in
Christ, with every other kind of presence, which was manifested to the ancient
people before his coming. If the reason of this name began to be actually true,
when Christ appeared in the flesh, it follows that it was not completely, but
only in part, that God was formerly united with the Fathers.
Hence arises another proof, that Christ is God
manifested in the flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16.) He discharged, indeed, the office of Mediator from the beginning
of the world; but as this depended wholly on the latest revelation, he is justly
called Immanuel at that time, when clothed, as it were, with a new character, he
appears in public as a Priest, to atone for the sins of men by the sacrifice of
his body, to reconcile them to the Father by the price of his blood, and, in a
word, to fulfill every part of the salvation of
men. f96
The first thing which we ought to consider in this name is the divine
majesty of Christ, so as to yield to him the reverence which is due to the only
and eternal God. But we must not, at the same time, forget the fruit which God
intended that we should collect and receive from this name. For whenever we
contemplate the one person of Christ as God-man, we ought to hold it for certain
that, if we are united to Christ by faith, we possess God.
In the words,
they shall
call, there is a change of the number.
But this is not at all at variance with what I have already said. True, the
prophet addresses the virgin alone, and therefore uses the second person,
Thou shalt
call. But from the time that this name
was published, all the godly have an equal right to make this confession, that
God has given himself to us to be enjoyed in
Christ.
f97
24.
Joseph, being raised from
sleep. The ready performance, which is
here described, serves not less to attest the certainty of Joseph’s faith,
than to commend his obedience. For, if every scruple had not been removed, and
his conscience fully pacified, he would never have proceeded so cheerfully, on a
sudden change of opinion, to take
unto him his wife, whose society, he
lately thought, would pollute him.
f98 The dream must have carried some
mark of Divinity, which did not allow his mind to hesitate. Next followed the
effect of faith. Having learned the will of God, he instantly prepared himself
to obey.
25.
And knew her
not. This passage afforded the pretext
for great disturbances, which were introduced into the Church, at a former
period, by Helvidius. The inference he drew from it was, that Mary remained a
virgin no longer than till her first birth, and that afterwards she had other
children by her husband. Jerome, on the other hand, earnestly and copiously
defended Mary’s perpetual virginity. Let us rest satisfied with this, that
no just and well-grounded inference can be drawn from these words of the
Evangelist, as to what took place after the birth of Christ. He is called
first-born;
but it is for the sole purpose of informing us that he was born of a
virgin.
f99 It is said that Joseph
knew her not till she had brought
forth her first-born son: but this is
limited to that very time. What took place afterwards, the historian does not
inform us. Such is well known to have been the practice of the inspired writers.
Certainly, no man will ever raise a question on this subject, except from
curiosity; and no man will obstinately keep up the argument, except from an
extreme fondness for disputation.
LUKE 2:1-7
|
LUKE
2:1-7
|
|
1. Now it happened in those days,
an edict came out from Augustus Caesar, that the whole world should be
registered.
f100
2. This first
registration
f101
was made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
3. And all went to make the
return,
f102
each in his own city. 4. And
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, into
the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the
house and lineage of David,) 5. To make the return with
Mary
f103
his betrothed wife, who was pregnant.
6. And it happened while they were there, the days of
bringing forth were fulfilled.
f104
7. And she brought forth her
first-born son, and wrapped him in bandages,
f105
and laid him in a
manger;
f106
because there was no room for them in the
inn.
|
Luke relates how it happened, that Christ was
born in the city of Bethlehem, as his mother was living at a distance from her
home, when she was approaching to her confinement. And first he sets aside the
idea of human contrivance,
f107 by saying, that Joseph and Mary
had left home, and came to that place to make the return according to their
family and tribe. If intentionally and on
purpose
f108 they had changed their residence
that Mary might bring forth her child in Bethlehem, we would have looked only at
the human beings concerned. But as they have no other design than to obey the
edict of Augustus, we readily acknowledge, that they were led like blind
persons, by the hand of God, to the place where Christ must be born. This may
appear to be accidental, as everything else, which does not proceed from a
direct human intention, is ascribed by irreligious men to Fortune. But we must
not attend merely to the events themselves. We must remember also the prediction
which was uttered by the prophet many centuries before. A comparison will
clearly show it to have been accomplished by the wonderful Providence of God,
that a registration was then enacted by Augustus Caesar, and that Joseph and
Mary set out from home, so as to arrive in Bethlehem at the very point of
time.
Thus we see that the holy servants of God, even
though they wander from their design, unconscious where they are going, still
keep the right path, because God directs their steps. Nor is the Providence of
God less wonderful in employing the mandate of a tyrant to draw Mary from home,
that the prophecy may be fulfilled. God had marked out by his prophet—as
we shall afterwards see—the place where he determined that his Son should
be born. If Mary had not been constrained to do otherwise, she would have chosen
to bring forth her child at home. Augustus orders a registration to take place
in Judea, and each person to give his name, that they may afterwards pay an
annual tax, which they were formerly accustomed to pay to God. Thus an ungodly
man takes forcible possession of that which God was accustomed to demand from
his people. It was, in effect, reducing the Jews to entire subjection, and
forbidding them to be thenceforth reckoned as the people of
God.
Matters have been brought, in this way, to the last
extremity, and the Jews appear to be cut off and alienated for ever from the
covenant of God. At that very time does God suddenly, and contrary to universal
expectation, afford a remedy. What is more, he employs that wicked tyranny for
the redemption of his people. For the governor, (or whoever was employed by
Caesar for the purpose,) while he executes the commission entrusted to him, is,
unknown to himself, God’s herald, to call Mary to the place which God had
appointed. And certainly Luke’s whole narrative may well lead believers to
acknowledge, that Christ was led by the hand of God “from his
mother’s belly,”
(<192210>Psalm
22:10.) Nor is it of small consequence
f109 to the certainty of faith to
know, that Mary was drawn suddenly, and contrary to her own intention, to
Bethlehem, that “out of it might come forth”
(<330502>Micah
5:2) the Redeemer, as he had been formerly promised.
1.
The whole
world. This figure of
speech
f110 (by which the whole is taken for
a part, or a part for the whole) was in constant use among the Roman authors,
and ought not to be reckoned harsh. That this registration might be more
tolerable and less odious, it was extended equally, I have no doubt, to all the
provinces; though the rate of taxation may have been different. I consider
this first
registration to mean, that the Jews,
being completely subdued, were then loaded with a new and unwonted yoke. Others
read it, that this registration
was first made when Cyrenius was
governor of
Syria;
f111 but there is no probability in
that view. The tax was, indeed, annual; but the registration did not take place
every year. The meaning is, that the Jews were far more heavily oppressed than
they had formerly been.
There is a diversity as to the name of the Proconsul.
Some call him
Cyrenius,
(Kurh>niov,)
and others,
Quirinus
or
Quirinius.
But there is nothing strange in this;for we know that the Greeks, when they
translate Latin names, almost always make some change in the pronunciation. But
a far greater difficulty springs up in another direction. Josephus says that,
while Archelaus was a prisoner at Vienna, (Ant. 17:13. 2,) Quirinus came as
Proconsul, with instructions to annex Judea to the province of Syria, (xviii.
1.1.) Now, historians are agreed, that Archelaus reigned nine years after the
death of his father Herod. It would therefore appear, that there was an interval
of about thirteen years between the birth of Christ and this registration; for
almost all assent to the account given by Epiphanius, that Christ was born in
the thirty-third year of Herod: that is, four years before his
death.
Another circumstance not a little perplexing is, that
the same Josephus speaks of this registration as having happened in the
thirty-seventh year after the victory at
Actium,
f112 (Ant. 18:2. 1.) If this be true,
Augustus lived, at the utmost, not more than seven years after this event; which
makes a deduction of eight or nine years from his age: for it is plain from the
third chapter of Luke’s Gospel, that he was at that time only in his
fifteenth year. But, as the age of Christ is too well known to be called in
question, it is highly probable that, in this and many other passages of
Josephus’s History, his recollection had failed him. Historians are agreed
that Quirinus was Consul nineteen years, or thereby, before the victory over
Antony, which gave Augustus the entire command of the empire: and so he must
have been sent into the province at a very advanced age. Besides, the same
Josephus enumerates four governors of Judea within eight years; while he
acknowledges that the fifth was governor for fifteen years. That was Valerius
Gratus, who was succeeded by Pontius Pilate.
Another solution may be offered. It might be found
impracticable to effect the registration immediately after the edict had been
issued: for Josephus relates, that Coponius was sent with an army to reduce the
Jews to subjection, (Ant. 18:2.2 :) from which it may easily be inferred, that
the registration was prevented, for a time, by popular tumult. The words of Luke
bear this sense, that, about the time of our Lord’s birth, an edict came
out to have the people registered, but that the registration could not take
place till after a change of the kingdom, when Judea had been annexed to another
province. This clause is accordingly added by way of correction.
This first registration was made
when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
That is, it was then first carried into
effect. f113
But the whole question is not yet answered: for,
while Herod was king of Judea, what purpose did it serve to register a people
who paid no tribute to the Roman Empire? I reply: there is no absurdity in
supposing that Augustus, by way of accustoming the Jews to the yoke, (for their
obstinacy was abundantly well-known,) chose to have them registered, even under
the reign of Herod.
f114 Nor did Herod’s peculiar
authority as king make it inconsistent that the Jews should pay to the Roman
Empire a stipulated sum for each man under the name of a tax: for we know that
Herod, though he was called a king, held nothing more than a borrowed power, and
was little better than a slave. On what authority Eusebius states that this
registration took place by an order of the Roman Senate, I know
not.
7.
Because there was no room for
them in the inn. We see here not only
the great poverty of Joseph, but the cruel tyranny which admitted of no excuse,
but compelled Joseph to bring his wife along with him, at an inconvenient
season, when she was near the time of her delivery. Indeed, it is probable that
those who were the descendants of the royal family were treated more harshly and
disdainfully than the rest. Joseph was not so devoid of feeling as to have no
concern about his wife’s delivery. He would gladly have avoided this
necessity: but, as that is impossible, he is forced to
yield,
f115 and commends himself to God. We
see, at the same time, what sort of beginning the life of the Son of God had,
and in what cradle
f116 he was placed. Such was his
condition at his birth, because he had taken upon him our flesh for this
purpose, that he might, empty himself”
(<502007>Philippians
2:7) on our account. When he was thrown into a stable, and placed in a manger,
and a lodging refused him among men, it was that heaven might be opened to us,
not as a temporary lodging,
f117 but as our eternal country and
inheritance, and that angels might receive us into their abode.
LUKE 2:8-14
|
LUKE
2:8-14
|
|
8. And there were shepherds in the
same country abiding in the fields,
f118
and watching by night over their
flock.
f119
9. And, lo, the angel of the
Lord came upon them: and the glory
f120
of the Lord shone round about them, and they
feared with a great fear. 10. And the angel said to them,
Fear not: for, lo, I announce to you great joy, which shall be to all the
people: 11. For this day is born to you a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord, in the city of David. 12. And this shall be
a sign to you :
f121
you shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling-bands
f122
laid in a manger: 13. And
suddenly there was present with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host,
f123
praising God, and saying,
14. Glory in the highest
f124
to God, and on earth peace, among men
good-will. f125
|
8.
And there were
shepherds. It would have been to no
purpose that Christ was born in Bethlehem, if it had not been made known to the
world. But the method of doing so, which is described by Luke, appears to the
view of men very unsuitable. First, Christ is revealed but to a few witnesses,
and that too amidst the darkness of night. Again, though God had, at his
command, many honorable and distinguished witnesses, he passed by them, and
chose shepherds, persons of humble rank, and of no account among men. Here the
reason and wisdom of the flesh must prove to be foolishness; and we must
acknowledge, that “the foolishness of God”
(<460125>1
Corinthians 1:25) excels all the wisdom that exists, or appears to exist, in the
world. But this too was a part of the “emptying of himself,”
(<501706>Philippians
2:6:) not that any part of Christ’s glory should be taken away by it, but
that it should lie in concealment for a time. Again, as Paul reminds us, that
the gospel is mean according to the flesh, “that our faith should
stand” in the power of the Spirit, not in the
“lofty
f126 words of human wisdom,” or
in any worldly splendor,
f127
(<460204>1
Corinthians 2:4,5;) so this inestimable “treasure” has been
deposited by God, from the beginning, “in earthen vessels,”
(<470407>2
Corinthians 4:7,) that he might more fully try the obedience of our faith. If
then we desire to come to Christ, let us not be ashamed to follow those whom the
Lord, in order to cast down the pride of the world, has taken, from among the
dung f128
of cattle, to be our instructors.
9.
And, lo, the angel of the
Lord came upon them. He says, that
the glory of the
Lord
f129
shone
around the shepherds, by which they
perceived him to be an angel.
f130 For it would have been of little
avail to be told by an angel what is related by Luke, if God had not testified,
by some outward sign, that what they heard proceeded from Him. The angel
appeared, not in an ordinary form, or without majesty, but surrounded with the
brightness of heavenly glory, to affect powerfully the minds of the shepherds,
that they might receive the discourse which was addressed to them, as coming
from the mouth of God himself. Hence the
fear,
of which Luke shortly afterwards speaks, by which God usually humbles the
hearts of men, (as I have formerly explained,) and disposes them to receive his
word with reverence.
10.
Fear
not. The design of this exhortation is
to alleviate their fear. For, though it is profitable for the minds of men to be
struck with awe, that they may learn to “give unto the Lord the glory due
unto his name,”
(<192902>Psalm
29:2;) yet they have need, at the same time, of consolation, that they may not
be altogether overwhelmed. For the majesty of God could not but swallow up the
whole world, if there were not some mildness to mitigate the terror which it
brings. And so the reprobate fall down lifeless at the sight of God, because he
appears to them in no other character than that of a judge. But to revive the
minds of the shepherds, the angel declares that he was sent to them for a
different purpose, to announce to
them the mercy of God. When men hear
this single word, that God is reconciled to them, it not only raises up those
who are fallen down, but restores those who were ruined, and recalls them from
death to life.
The angel opens his discourse by saying, that he
announces great
joy; and next assigns the ground or
matter of joy, that a Savior is
born. These words show us, first, that,
until men have peace with God, and are reconciled to him through the grace of
Christ, all the joy that they experience is deceitful, and of short
duration.
f131 Ungodly men frequently indulge in
frantic and intoxicating mirth; but if there be none to make peace between them
and God, the hidden stings of conscience must produce fearful torment. Besides,
to whatever extent they may flatter themselves in luxurious indulgence, their
own lusts are so many tormentors. The commencement of solid joy is, to perceive
the fatherly love of God toward us, which alone gives tranquillity to our minds.
And this “joy,” in which, Paul tells us, “the kingdom of
God” consists, is “in the Holy Spirit,”
(<451417>Romans
14:17.) By calling it great
joy, he shows us, not only that we
ought, above all things, to rejoice in the salvation brought us by Christ, but
that this blessing is so great and boundless, as fully to compensate for all the
pains, distresses, and anxieties of the present life. Let us learn to be so
delighted with Christ alone, that the perception of his grace may overcome, and
at length remove from us, all the distresses of the
flesh. f132
Which shall be to all the
people. Though the angel addresses the
shepherds alone, yet he plainly states, that the message of salvation which he
brings is of wider extent, so that not only they, in their private capacity, may
hear it, but that others may also hear. Now let it be understood, that this joy
was common to all people, because, it was indiscriminately offered to all. For
God had promised Christ, not to one person or to another, but to the whole seed
of Abraham. If the Jews were deprived, for the most part, of the joy that was
offered to them, it arose from their unbelief; just as, at the present day, God
invites all indiscriminately to salvation through the Gospel, but the
ingratitude of the world is the reason why this grace, which is equally offered
to all, is enjoyed by few. Although this joy is confined to a few persons, yet,
with respect to God, it is said to be common. When the angel says that this
joy shall be to all the
people, he speaks of the chosen people
only; but now that, the middle wall of partition”
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14) has been thrown down, the same message has reference to the whole human
race.
f133 For Christ proclaims peace, not
only, to them that are nigh,”but to them that are, far off,”
(<490217>Ephesians
2:17,) to “strangers”
(<490212>Ephesians
2:12) equally with citizens. But as the peculiar covenant with the Jews lasted
till the resurrection of Christ, so the angel separates them from the rest of
the nations.
11.
This day is born to
you. Here, as we lately hinted, the
angel expresses the cause of the joy.
This day is
born the Redeemer long ago promised, who
was to restore the Church of God to its proper condition. The angel does not
speak of it as a thing altogether unknown. He opens his embassy by referring to
the Law and the Prophets; for had he been addressing heathens or irreligious
persons, it would have been of no use to employ this mode of speaking:
this day is born to you a Savior,
who is Christ the Lord. For the same
reason, he mentions that he was born
in the city of
David, which could serve no purpose, but
to recall the remembrance of those promises which were universally known among
the Jews. Lastly, the angel adapted his discourse to hearers who were not
altogether unacquainted with the promised redemption. With the doctrine of the
Law and the Prophets he joined the Gospel, as emanating from the same source.
Now, since the Greek word Greek, as Cicero assures us, has a more extensive
meaning than the Latin word Servator, and as there is no Latin noun that
corresponds to it, I thought it better to employ a barbarous term, than to take
anything away from the power of Christ. And I have no doubt, that the author of
the Vulgate, and the ancient doctors of the Church, had the same
intention.
f134 Christ is called
Savior,
f135 because he bestows a complete
salvation. The pronoun to
you
f136 is very emphatic; for it would
have given no great delight to hear that the Author of salvation was
born,
unless each person believed that for himself he was born. In the same manner
Isaiah says, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given,”
(<230906>Isaiah
9:6;) and Zechariah, “Behold, thy King cometh unto thee lowly,”
(<380909>Zechariah
9:9.)
12.
And this shall be a sign to
you.
f137 The angel meets the prejudice
which might naturally hinder the faith of the shepherds; for what a mockery is
it, that he, whom God has sent to be the King, and the only Savior, is seen
lying in a manger! That the mean and despicable condition in which Christ was
might not deter the shepherds from believing in Christ, the angel tells them
beforehand what they would see. This method of proceeding, which might appear,
to the view of men, absurd and almost ridiculous, the Lord pursues toward us
every day. Sending down to us from heaven the word of the Gospel, he enjoins us
to embrace Christ crucified, and holds out to us
signs
in earthly and fading elements, which raise us to the glory of a blessed
immortality. Having promised to us spiritual righteousness, he places before our
eyes a little water: by a small portion of bread and wine, he
seals,
f138 the eternal life of the
soul.
f139 But if the stable gave no offense
whatever to the shepherds, so as to prevent them from going to Christ to obtain
salvation, or from yielding to his authority, while he was yet a child; no sign,
however mean in itself, ought to hide his glory from our view, or prevent us
from offering to him lowly adoration, now that he has ascended to heaven, and
sits at the right hand of the Father.
13.
And suddenly there was
present with the angel a multitude. An
exhibition of divine splendor had been already made in the person of a single
angel. But God determined to adorn his own Son in a still more illustrious
manner, This was done to confirm our faith as truly as that of the shepherds.
Among men, the testimony of
“two or three
witnesses”
(<401816>Matthew
18:16) is sufficient to remove all doubt. But here is a heavenly host, with
one consent and one voice bearing testimony to the Son of God. What then would
be our obstinacy, if we refused to join with the choir of angels, in singing the
praises of our salvation, which is in Christ? Hence we infer, how abominable in
the sight of God must unbelief be, which disturbs this delightful harmony
between heaven and earth. Again, we are convicted of more than brutal stupidity,
if our faith and our zeal to praise God are not inflamed by the song which the
angels, with the view of supplying us with the matter of our praise, sang in
full harmony. Still farther, by this example of heavenly melody, the Lord
intended to recommend to us the unity of faith, and to exhort us to join with
one consent in singing his praises on
earth.
14.
Glory to God in the
highest. The angels begin with
thanksgiving, or with the praises of God; for Scripture, too, everywhere reminds
us, that we were redeemed from death for this purpose, that we might testify
with the tongue, as well as by the actions of the life, our gratitude to God.
Let us remember, then, the final cause, why God reconciled us to himself through
his Only Begotten Son. It was that he might glorify his name, by revealing the
riches of his grace, and of his boundless mercy. And even now to whatever extent
any one is excited by his knowledge of grace to celebrate the glory of God, such
is the extent of proficiency in the faith of Christ. Whenever our salvation is
mentioned, we should understand that a signal has been
given,
f140 to excite us to thanksgiving and
to the praises of God.
On earth
peace. The most general reading is, that
the words, among men
good-will, should stand as a third
clause. So far as relates to the leading idea of the passage, it is of little
moment which way you read it; but the other appears to be preferable. The two
clauses, Glory to God in the
highest, and
peace on
earth, do unquestionably agree with each
other; but if you do not place
men
and
God
in marked opposition, the contrast will not fully
appear.
f141 Perhaps commentators have
mistaken the meaning of the preposition
ejn,
for it was an obscure meaning of the words to say, that there is
peace in
men; but as that word is redundant in
many passages of Scripture, it need not detain us here. However, if any one
prefer to throw it to the last clause, the meaning will be the same, as I shall
presently show.
We must now see what the angels mean by the word
peace.
They certainly do not speak of an outward peace cultivated by men with each
other; but they say, that the earth is at peace, when men have been reconciled
to God, and enjoy an inward tranquillity in their own
minds.
f142 We know that we are born
“children of wrath,”
(<490203>Ephesians
2:3,) and are by nature enemies to God; and must be distressed by fearful
apprehensions, so long as we feel that God is angry with us. A short and clear
definition of
peace
may be obtained from two opposite things,—the wrath of God and the
dread of death. It has thus a twofold reference; one to God, and another to men.
We obtain peace with God, when he begins to be gracious to us, by taking away
our guilt, and “not imputing to us our trespasses,”
(<470519>2
Corinthians 5:19;) and when we, relying on his fatherly love, address him with
full confidence, and boldly praise him for the salvation which he has promised
to us. Now though, in another passage, the life of man on earth is declared to
be a continual warfare,
f143
(<180701>Job
7:1,) and the state of the fact shows that nothing is more full of trouble than
our condition, so long as we remain in the world, yet the angels expressly say
that there is peace on
earth. This is intended to inform us
that, so long as we trust to the grace of Christ, no troubles that can arise
will prevent us from enjoying composure and serenity of mind. Let us then
remember, that faith is seated amidst the storms of temptations, amidst various
dangers, amidst violent attacks, amidst contests and fears, that our faith may
not fail or be shaken by any kind of opposition.
Among men
good-will.
f144 The Vulgate has
good-will
in the genitive case: to men
of
good-will.
f145 How that reading crept in, I know
not: but it ought certainly to be rejected, both because it is not
genuine,
f146 and because it entirely
corruptsthe meaning. Others read
good-will
in the nominative case, and still mistake its meaning. They refer
good-will
to men, as if it were an exhortation to embrace the grace of God. I
acknowledge that the peace which the Lord offers to us takes effect only when we
receive it. But as
eujdoki>a
is constantly used in Scripture in the sense of the Hebrew word
ˆwxr,
the old translator rendered it beneplacitum, or,
good-will.
This passage is not correctly understood as referring to the acceptance of
grace. The angels rather speak of it as the source of peace, and thus inform us
that peace is a free gift, and flows from the pure mercy of God. If it is
thought better to read good-will
to men, or
towards
men,
f147 it will not be inadmissible, so
far as regards the meaning: for in this way it will show the cause of
peace
to be, that God has been pleased to bestow his undeserved favor on men, with
whom he formerly was at deadly variance. If you read,
the peace of
good-will as meaning voluntary peace,
neither will I object to that interpretation. But the simpler way is to look
upon
eujfoki>a
as added, in order to inform us of the source from which our peace is
derived. f148
LUKE 2:15-21
|
LUKE
2:15-21
|
|
15. And it happened, after that
the angels departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds then talked among
themselves, Let us pass even to Bethlehem, and let us see what has happened,
which the Lord hath revealed to us. 16. And they came
hastening, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe laid in the manger.
17. And when they had seen it, they published concerning the
word which had been told them about this child. 18. And all
who heard wondered about those things which had been told them by the shepherds.
19. Now Mary kept all these words, laying them up in her
heart.
f149
20. And the shepherds
returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard
and seen, as it had been told to them. 21. And after that
eight days were fulfilled, that the child might be circumcised, his name was
called JESUS: which had been called by the angel before he was conceived in the
womb.
|
15.
After that the angels
departed. Here is described to us the
obedience of the shepherds. The Lord had made them the witnesses of his Son to
the whole world. What he had spoken to them by his angels was efficacious, and
was not suffered to pass away. They were not plainly and expressly commanded to
come to Bethlehem; but, being sufficiently aware that such was the design of
God, they hasten to see Christ. In the same manner, we know that Christ is held
out to us, in order that our hearts may approach him by faith; and our delay in
coming admits of no excuse.
f150 But again, Luke informs us, that
the shepherds resolved to set out, immediately after the angels had departed.
This conveys an important lesson. Instead of allowing the word of God, as many
do, to pass away with the sound, we must take care that it strike its roots deep
in us, and manifest its power, as soon as the sound has died away upon our ears.
It deserves our attention, also, that the shepherds exhort one another: for it
is not enough that each of us is attentive to his own duty, if we do not give
mutual exhortations. Their obedience is still farther commended by the statement
of Luke, that they
hastened,
(ver. 16;) for we are required to show the readiness of
faith.
Which the Lord hath revealed to
us. They had only heard it from the
angel; but they intentionally and correctly say, that
the Lord had
revealed it to them; for they consider
the messenger of God to possess the same authority as if the Lord himself had
addressed them. For this reason, the Lord directs our attention to himself; that
we may not fix our view on men, and undervalue the authority of his Word. We see
also that they reckon themselves under obligation, not to neglect the treasure
which the Lord had pointed out to them; for they conclude that, immediately
after receiving this intelligence, they must go to Bethlehem to see it. In the
same manner, every one of us, according to the measure of his faith and
understanding, ought to be prepared to follow wheresoever God
calls.
16.
And found
Mary. This was a revolting sight, and
was sufficient of itself to produce an aversion to Christ. For what could be
more improbable than to believe that he was the King of the whole people, who
was deemed unworthy to be ranked with the lowest of the multitude? or to expect
the restoration of the kingdom and salvation from him, whose poverty and want
were such, that he was thrown into a stable? Yet Luke writes, that none of these
things prevented the shepherds from admiring and praising God. The glory of God
was so fully before their eyes, and reverence for his Word was so deeply
impressed upon their minds, that the elevation of their faith easily rose above
all that appeared mean or despicable in Christ.
f151 And the only reason why our faith
is either retarded or driven from the proper course, by some very trifling
obstacles, is, that we do not look steadfastly enough on God, and are easily
“tossed to and fro,”
(<490414>Ephesians
4:14.) If this one thought were entirely to occupy our minds, that we have a
certain and faithful testimony from heaven, it would be a sufficiently strong
and firm support against every kind of temptations, and will sufficiently
protect us against every little offense that might have been
taken.
17.
They published concerning the
word. It is mentioned by Luke, in
commendation of the faith of the shepherds, that they honestly delivered to
others what they had received from the Lord; and it was advantageous to all of
us that they should attest this, and should be a sort of secondary angels in
confirming our faith. Luke shows also that, in publishing what they had heard,
they were not without success.
f152 Nor can it be doubted, that the
Lord gave efficacy to what they said, that it might not be ridiculed or
despised; for the low rank of the men diminished their credit, and the
occurrence itself might be regarded as fabulous. But the Lord, who gave them
this employment, does not allow it to be fruitless.
That the Lord should adopt such a method of
proceeding as this,—should employ inconsiderable men in publishing his
Word, may not be quite so agreeable to the human mind. But it tends to humble
the pride of the flesh, and to try the obedience of faith; and therefore God
approves of it. Still, though all are astonished, no one moves a step to come to
Christ: from which we may infer, that the impression made upon them by hearing
of the power of God, was unaccompanied by any devout affection of the heart. The
design of publishing this report was not so much for their salvation, as to
render the ignorance of the whole people
inexcusable.
19.
Now Mary
kept. Mary’s diligence in
contemplating the works of God is laid before us for two reasons; first, to
inform us, that this treasure was laid up in her heart, for the purpose of being
published to others at the proper time; and, secondly, to afford to all the
godly an example for imitation. For, if we are wise, it will be the chief
employment, and the great object of our life, to consider with attention those
works of God which build up our faith.
Mary
kept all these
things. This relates to her memory.
Sumba>llein
signifies to throw
together,—to collect the several
events which agreed in proving the glory of Christ, so that they might form one
body. For Mary could not wisely estimate the collective value of all those
occurrences, except by comparing them with each
other.
20.
Glorifying and praising
God. This is another circumstance which
is fitted to be generally useful in confirming our faith. The shepherds knew
with certainty that this was a work of God. Their zeal in
glorifying and praising
God is an implied reproof of our
indolence, or rather of our ingratitude. If the cradle of
Christ
f153 had such an effect upon them, as
to make them rise from the stable and the manger to heaven, how much more
powerful ought the death and resurrection of Christ to be in raising us to God?
For Christ did not only ascend from the earth, that he might draw all things
after him; but he sits at the right hand of the Father, that, during our
pilgrimage in the world, we may meditate with our whole heart on the heavenly
life. When Luke says, that the testimony of the angel served as a rule to the
shepherds in all that they did,
f154 he points out the nature of true
godliness. For our faith is properly aided by the works of God, when it directs
everything to this end, that the truth of God, which was revealed in his word,
may be brought out with greater
clearness.
21.
That the child might be
circumcised. As to circumcision in
general, the reader may consult the Book of Genesis, (17:10.) At present, it
will be sufficient to state briefly what applies to the person of Christ. God
appointed that his Son should be circumcised, in order to subject him to the
law; for circumcision was a solemn rite, by which the Jews
were initiated into the observance of the
law. f155
Paul explains the design,
f156 when he says, that Christ
was
“made under the
law, to redeem them that were under the law,”
(<480404>Galatians
4:4,5.)
By undergoing circumcision, Christ acknowledged
himself to be the slave
f157 of the law, that he might procure
our freedom. And in this way not only was the
bondage
f158 of the law abolished by him, but
the shadow of the ceremony was applied to his own body, that it might shortly
afterwards come to an end. For though the abrogation of it depends on the death
and resurrection of Christ, yet it was a sort of prelude to it, that the Son of
God submitted to be circumcised.
His name was called
JESUS. This passage shows, that it was a
general custom among the Jews to give names to their children on the day that
they were circumcised, just as we now do at baptism. Two things are here
mentioned by the Evangelist. First, the name
Jesus
was not given to the Son of God accidentally, or by the will of men, but was
the name which the angel had brought from heaven. Secondly, Joseph and Mary
obeyed the command of God. The agreement between our faith and the word of God
lies in this, that he speaks first, and we follow, so that our faith answers to
his promises. Above all, the order of preaching the word is held up by Luke for
our commendation. Salvation through the grace of Christ, he tells us, had been
promised by God through the angel, and was proclaimed by the voice of
men.
MATTHEW 2:1-6
|
MATTHEW
2:1-6
|
|
1. Now when Jesus had been born in
Bethlehem of Judea,
f159
in the times of Herod the King, lo, Magi from
the East came to Jerusalem, 2. Saying, Where is he who is
born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the East, and have come that
we may worship him. 3. And having heard these things, Herod
the King was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4. And
having assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired at
them where Christ should be born. 5. But they said to him, In
Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it has been written by the prophet:
6. And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art by no means
the least among the princes of Judah: for out of thee shall come the
leader,
f160
who shall feed my people
Israel.
|
1.
Now when Jesus had been
born. How it came about that Jesus was
born in Bethlehem, Matthew does not say. The Spirit of God, who had appointed
the Evangelists to be his clerks,
f161 appears purposely to have
regulated their style in such a manner, that they all wrote one and the same
history, with the most perfect agreement, but in different ways. It was
intended, that the truth of God should more clearly and strikingly appear, when
it was manifest that his witnesses did not speak by a preconcerted plan, but
that each of them separately, without paying any attention to another, wrote
freely and honestly what the Holy Spirit dictated.
This is a very remarkable narrative. God brought
Magi
from Chaldea, to come to the land of Judea, for the purpose of adoring
Christ, in the stable where he lay, amidst the tokens, not of honor, but of
contempt. It was a truly wonderful purpose of God, that he caused the entrance
of his Son into the world to be attended by deep meanness, and yet bestowed upon
him illustrious ornaments, both of commendation and of other outward signs, that
our faith might be supplied with everything necessary to prove his Divine
Majesty.
A beautiful instance of real harmony, amidst apparent
contradiction, is here exhibited. A star from heaven announces that he is a
king, to whom a manger, intended for cattle, serves for a throne, because he is
refused admittance among the lowest of the people. His majesty shines in the
East, while in Judea it is so far from being acknowledged, that it is visited by
many marks of dishonor. Why is this? The heavenly Father chose to appoint the
star and the Magi as our guides, to lead directly to his Son: while he stripped
him of all earthly splendor, for the purpose of informing us that his kingdom is
spiritual. This history conveys profitable instruction, not only because God
brought the
Magi
to his Son, as the first-fruits of the Gentiles, but also because he
appointed the kingdom of his Son to receive their commendation, and that of the
star, for the confirmation of our faith; that the wicked and malignant contempt
of his nation might not render him less estimable in our eyes.
Magi
is well known to be the name given by the Persians and Chaldees to
astrologers and philosophers: and hence it may readily be conjectured that those
men came from Persia.
f162 As the Evangelist does not state
what was their number, it is better to be ignorant of it, than to affirm as
certain what is doubtful. Papists have been led into a childish error, of
supposing that they were
three
in number: because Matthew says, that they brought
gold, frankincense, and
myrrh, (verse 11.) But the historian
does not say, that each of them separately presented his own gift. He rather
says, that those three gifts were presented by them in common. That ancient
author, whoever he may be, whose imperfect Commentary on Matthew bears the name
of Chrysostom, and is reckoned among Chrysostom’s works, says that they
were fourteen. This carries as little probability as the other. It may have come
from a tradition of the Fathers, but has no solid foundation. But the most
ridiculous contrivance of the Papists on this subject is, that those men were
kings, because they found in another passage a prediction, that
the kings of Tarshish,
and of the Isles, and of Sheba,
would offer gifts to the Lord,
(<197210>Psalm
72:10.)
Ingenious workmen, truly, who, in order to present
those men in a new shape, have begun with turning the world from one side to
another: for they have changed the south and west into
the
east! Beyond all doubt, they have been
stupified by a righteous judgment of God, that all might laugh at the gross
ignorance of those who have not scrupled to adulterate “and, change the
truth of God into a lie,”
(<450125>Romans
1:25.)
The first inquiry here is: Was this
star
one of those which the Lord created in the beginning
(<010101>Genesis
1:1,16) to “garnish the heavens?”
(<182613>Job
26:13.) Secondly, Were the
magi
led by their acquaintance with astrology to conclude that it pointed out the
birth of Christ? On these points, there is no necessity for angry disputation:
but it may be inferred from the words of Matthew, that it was not a natural, but
an extraordinary star. It was not agreeable to the order of nature, that it
should disappear for a certain period, and afterwards should suddenly become
bright; nor that it should pursue a straight course towards Bethlehem, and at
length remain stationary above the house where Christ was. Not one of these
things belongs to natural stars. It is more probable that it
resembled
f163 a comet, and was seen, not in the
heaven, but in the air. Yet there is no impropriety in Matthew, who uses popular
language, calling it incorrectly a
star.
This almost decides likewise the second question: for
since astrology is undoubtedly confined within the limits of nature, its
guidance alone could not have conducted the
Magi
to Christ; so that they must have been aided by a secret revelation of the
Spirit. I do not go so far as to say, that they derived no assistance whatever
from the art: but I affirm, that this would have been of no practical advantage,
if they had not been aided by a new and extraordinary
revelation.
2.
Where is he who has been born
King? The notion of some commentators,
that he is said to have been born
King, by indirect contrast with one who
has been
made
or
created
a king, appears to me too trifling. I rather suppose the
Magi
to have simply meant, that this king had been recently born, and was still a
child, by way of distinguishing him from a king who is of age, and who holds the
reins of government: for they immediately add, that they had been drawn, not by
the fame of his exploits, or by any present exhibitions of his greatness, but by
a heavenly presage of his future reign. But if the sight of a star had so
powerful an effect on the
Magi,
woe to our insensibility, who, now that Christ the King has been revealed to
us, are so cold in our inquiries after him!
And have come that we may worship
him. The reason why the
star
had been exhibited was, to draw the
Magi
into Judea, that they might be witnesses and heralds of the new
King.
f164 So far as respects themselves,
they had not come to render to Christ such pious worship, as is due to the Son
of God, but intended to salute him, according to the Persian
custom,
f165 as a very eminent King. For their
views, with regard to him, probably went no farther, than that his power and
exalted rank would be so extraordinary as to impress all nations with just
admiration and reverence. It is even possible, that they wished to gain his
favor beforehand, that he might treat them favorably and kindly, if he should
afterwards happen to possess dominion in the
east.
3.
Herod the king was
troubled. Herod was not unacquainted
with the predictions, which promised to the Jews a King, who would restore their
distressful and ruinous affairs to a prosperous condition. He had lived from a
child among that nation, and was thoroughly acquainted with their affairs.
Besides, the report was spread everywhere, and could not be unknown to the
neighboring nations. Yet he is
troubled,
as if the matter had been new and unheard of; because he put no trust in
God, and thought it idle to rely on the promises of a Redeemer; and particularly
because, with the foolish confidence incident to proud men, he imagined that the
kingdom was secure to himself and his descendants. But though, in the
intoxication of prosperity, he was formerly accustomed to view the prophecies
with scorn, the recollection of them now aroused him to sudden alarm. For he
would not have been so strongly moved by the simple tale of the
Magi,
if he had not remembered the predictions, which he had formerly looked upon
as harmless,
f166 and of no importance. Thus, when
the Lord has permitted unbelievers to sleep, he suddenly breaks their
rest. f167
And all Jerusalem with
him. This may be explained in two ways.
Either the people were roused, in a tumultuous manner, by the novelty of the
occurrence, though the glad tidings of a king who had been born to them were
cordially welcomed. Or the people, accustomed to distresses, and rendered
callous by long endurance, dreaded a change which might introduce still greater
calamities. For they were so completely worn down, and almost wasted, by
continued wars, that their wretched and cruel bondage appeared to them not only
tolerable, but desirable, provided it were accompanied by peace. This shows how
little they had profited under God’s chastisements: for they were so
benumbed and stupified, that the promised redemption and salvation almost
stank
f168 in their nostrils. Matthew
intended, I have no doubt, to express their ingratitude, in being so entirely
broken by the long continuance of their afflictions, as to throw away the hope
and desire of the grace which had been promised to
them.
4.
Having assembled the
priests. Though deep silence prevailed
respecting Christ in the Hall of Herod, yet, as soon as the
Magi
have thrown out the mention of a
King,
predictions are remembered, which formerly lay in oblivion. Herod instantly
conjectures, that the
King,
about whom the
Magi
inquire, is the
Messiah
whom God had formerly promised,
(<270925>Daniel
9:25.) Here again it appears, that Herod is seriously alarmed, when he puts such
earnest inquiries; and no wonder. All tyrants are cowards, and their cruelty
produces stronger alarm in their own breasts than in the breasts of others.
Herod must have trembled more than others, because he perceived that he was
reigning in opposition to God.
This new investigation shows, that the contempt of
Christ, before the arrival of the
Magi,
must have been very deep. At a later period, the scribes and high priests
labored with fury to corrupt the whole of the Scripture, that they might not
give any countenance to Christ. But on the present occasion they reply honestly
out of the Scripture, and for this reason, that Christ and his Gospel have not
yet given them uneasiness. And so all ungodly persons find no difficulty in
giving their assent to God on general principles; but when the truth of God
begins to press them more closely, they throw out the venom of their
rebellion.
We have a striking instance of this, in our own day,
among the Papists. They freely own, that he is the only-begotten Son of God,
clothed with our flesh, and acknowledge the one person of God-man, as subsisting
in the two natures. But when we come to the power and office of Christ, a
contest immediately breaks out; because they will not consent to take a lower
rank, and much less to be reduced to nothing. In a word, so long as wicked men
think that it is taking nothing from themselves, they will yield to God and to
Scripture some degree of reverence. But when Christ comes into close conflict
with ambition, covetousness, pride, misplaced confidence, hypocrisy, and deceit,
they immediately forget all modesty, and break out into rage. Let us therefore
learn, that the chief cause of blindness in the enemies of truth is to be found
in their wicked affections, which change light into
darkness.
6.
And thou,
Bethlehem. The scribes quoted
faithfully, no doubt, the words of the passage in their own language, as it is
found in the prophet. But Matthew reckoned it enough to point out the passage;
and, as he wrote in Greek, he followed the ordinary reading. This passage, and
others of the same kind, readily suggest the inference, that Matthew did not
compose his Gospel in the Hebrew language. It ought always to be observed that,
whenever any proof from Scripture is quoted by the apostles, though they do not
translate word for word, and sometimes depart widely from the language, yet it
is applied correctly and appropriately to their subject. Let the reader always
consider the purpose for which passages of Scripture are brought forward by the
Evangelists, so as not to stick too closely to the particular words, but to be
satisfied with this, that the Evangelists never torture Scripture into a
different meaning, but apply it correctly in its native meaning. But while it
was their intention to supply with milk children and “novices”
(<540306>1
Timothy 3:6) in faith, who were not yet able to endure “strong
meat,”
(<580512>Hebrews
5:12,) there is nothing to prevent the children of God from making careful and
diligent inquiry into the meaning of Scripture, and thus being led to the
fountain by the taste which the apostles afford.
Let us now return to the prediction. Thus it stands
literally in the Prophet:
“And thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be
little
among the thousands of
Judah, yet out of thee shall
he
come forth to me, who is Ruler in Israel,”
(<330502>Micah
5:2.)
For
Ephratah
Matthew has put
Judah,
but the meaning is the same; for Micah only intended, by this mark, to
distinguish the Bethlehem of which he speaks, from another Bethlehem, which was
in the tribe of Zebulun. There is greater difficulty in what follows: for the
Prophet says, that Bethlehem is
little,
when reckoned among the governments of Judah, while Matthew, on the
contrary: speaks highly of its rank as one of the most distinguished:
thou art by no means the least
among the princes of Judah. This reason
has induced some commentators to read the passage in the prophet as a question,
Art thou little among the
thousands of Judah? But I rather agree
with those who think that Matthew intended, by this change of the language, to
magnify the grace of God in making an inconsiderable and unknown town the
birth-place of the highest King. Although Bethlehem received this distinguished
honor, it was of no advantage to its inhabitants, but brought upon them a
heavier destruction: for there an unworthy reception was given to the Redeemer.
For he is to be
Ruler, Matthew has put
he shall
feed,
(poimanei~)
But he has expressed both, when he says, that Christ is the
leader,
(hJgou>menov,)
and that to him is committed the office of
feeding
his people.
MATTHEW
2:7-12
|
MATTHEW
2:7-12
|
|
7. Then Herod, having secretly
called the Magii inquired at them carefully at what time the star had appeared
8. And having ordered them to go to Bethlehem, he said,
Go,inquire concerning the young child; and, when ye have found him, bring me
back information, that I also may come and worship him.
9. But they, having heard the King, departed; and, lo, the
star which they had seen in the East went before them, till, having advanced, it
stood above the place in which the child was. 10. And, when
they had seen the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11. And, entering the house, they found the young child with
Mary his mother, and, falling down, they worshipped him: and, having opened
their treasures, they presented to him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12. And, warned by a heavenly intimation through a dream,
that they should not return to Herod, they departed, by another way, into their
own country.
|
7.
Then Herod, having secretly
called the Magi. The tyrant did not dare
to avow his fear and uneasiness, lest he might give fresh courage to a people,
by whom he knew that he was hated. In public, therefore, he pretends that this
matter does not concern him, but
inquires
secretly, in order to meet immediate
danger. Though a bad conscience made him timid, there can be no doubt that God
struck his mind with an unusual fear, which for a time made him incapable of
reflection, and almost deprived him of the use of reason. For nothing was more
easy than to send one of his courtiers as an escort, under the pretense of
courtesy, who would investigate the whole matter, and immediately return. Herod
certainly was a man of no ordinary address, and of great courage. It is the more
surprising that, in a case of extremity, and when the remedy is at hand, he
remains in a state of amazement, and almost dead. Let us learn, that a miracle
was effected, in rescuing the Son of God from the jaws of the lion. Not less at
the present day does God infatuate his enemies, so that a thousand schemes of
injuring and ruining his Church do not occur to their minds, and even the
opportunities which are at hand are not embraced. The trick which Herod
practiced on the
Magi,
by pretending that he also would come for the purpose of worshipping Christ,
was avoided by the Lord, as we shall see, in another way. But as Herod’s
dread of arousing the people against him deprived him of the use of his reason,
so again he is driven by such madness, that he does not hesitate or shudder at
the thought of provoking God. For he knew that, if a King were born, it was
ordained by God, that he should raise up the throne “of David, which was
fallen,”
(<300911>Amos
9:11.) He does not therefore attack men, but furiously dares to fight with God.
Two things claim our attention. He was seized with a spirit of giddiness, to
attack God; and, on the other hand, his manner of acting was childish: for his
design was frustrated, so that he was like a “blind man groping in
darkness.”
f169
9.
But they, having heard the
King, departed. It is truly an instance
of base sluggishness, that not one of the Jews offers himself as an escort to
those foreigners, to go and see the King who had been promised to their own
nation. The scribes show them the way, and point out the place where he was
born; but they allow them to depart alone: not one moves a step. They were
afraid, perhaps, of Herod’s cruelty: but it displayed wicked ingratitude
that, for the sake of the salvation which had been offered to them, they were
unwilling to undergo any risk, and cared less about the grace of God than about
the frown of a tyrant. The whole nation, I have lately showed, was so
degenerate, that they chose rather to be oppressed with the yoke of tyranny,
than to submit to any inconvenience arising from a change. If God had not
fortified the minds of the Magi by his Spirit, they might have been discouraged
by this state of things. But the ardor of their zeal is unabated; they set out
without a guide. And yet the means of confirming their faith are not wanting;
for they hear that the King, who had been pointed out to them by a star, was
long ago described, in glowing language, by divine predictions. It would seem
that the star, which hitherto guided them in the way, had lately disappeared.
The reason may easily be
conjectured.
It was, that they might make inquiry in Jerusalem about the new King, and
might thus take away all excuse from the Jews, who, after having been instructed
about the Redeemer who was sent to them, knowingly and willingly despise
him.
11.
They found the young
child. So revolting a sight might
naturally have created an additional prejudice; for Christ was so far from
having aught of royalty surrounding him, that he was in a meaner and more
despised condition than any peasant child. But they are convinced that he is
divinely appointed to be a King. This thought alone, deeply rooted in their
minds, procures their reverence. They contemplate in the purpose of God his
exalted rank, which is still concealed from outward
view.
f170 Holding it for certain, that he
will one day be different from what he now appears, they are not at all ashamed
to render to him the honors of royalty.
Their presents show whence they came: for there can
be no doubt that they brought them as the choicest productions of their country.
We are not to understand, that each of them presented his own offering, but that
the three offerings, which are mentioned by Matthew, were presented by all of
them in common. Almost all the commentators indulge in speculations about those
gifts, as denoting the kingdom, priesthood, and burial of Christ. They make
gold
the symbol of his
kingdom,—frankincense,
of his priesthoods,— and
myrrh,
of his burial. I see no solid.ground for such an opinion. It was customary,
we know, among the Persians, when they offered homage to their kings, to bring a
present
in their hands. The Magi select those three for the
produce of which Eastern countries are celebrated; just as Jacob sent into Egypt
the choicest and most esteemed productions of the soil.
“Take of the best
fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little
balm, and a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds,”
(<014311>Genesis
43:11.)
Again, in rendering homage, according to the custom
of Persia, to him whom they still regarded as an earthly King, they offered the
productions of the soil. Our duty is, to adore him in a spiritual manner: for
the lawful and reasonable worship which he demands is, that we consecrate first
ourselves, and then all that we have, to his service.
LUKE 2:22-32
|
LUKE
2:22-32
|
|
22. And after that the days of
their
f171
purification were fulfilled according to the
law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem, that they might present him to the
Lord, 23. As it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every male
opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord: 24. And
that they might offer a sacrifice, according to what is said in the Law of the
Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. 25. And,
lo, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and that man was just
and devout,
f172
waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the
Holy Spirit was upon him. 26. And he had received a
revelation
f173
from the Holy Spirit, that he would not see
death before he saw the Lord's Christ. 27. And he came by the
Spirit into the temple.
f174
And when the parents brought the young child
Jesus, that they might do according to the custom of the Law for him,
28. He also took him into his arms: and blessed God, and
said, 29. Thou now sendest thy servant away, O Lord,
according to thy word, in peace, 30. For my eyes have seen
thy salvation, 31. Which thou hast prepared before the face
of all nations: 32. A light for the enlightening of the
Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
|
22.
And after that the days were
fulfilled. On the fortieth day after the
birth,
(<031202>Leviticus
12:2,4,)the rite of purification was necessary to be performed. But Mary and
Joseph come to Jerusalem for another reason, to present Christ to the Lord,
because he was the first-born. Let us now speak first of the purification. Luke
makes it apply both to Mary and to Christ:for the pronoun
aujtw~n,
of
them,
can have no reference whatever to Joseph. But it ought not to appear
strange, that Christ, who was to be, made a curse for us on the cross,”
(<480313>Galatians
3:13,) should, for our benefit, take upon him our uncleanness with respect to
legal guilt, though he was “without blemish and without spot,”
(<600119>1
Peter 1:19.) It ought not, I say, to appear strange, if the fountain of purity,
in order to wash away our stains, chose
to
be reckoned unclean.
f175 It is a mistake to imagine that
this law of purification was merely political, and that the woman was unclean in
presence of her husband, not in presence of God. On the contrary, it placed
before the eyes of the Jews both the corruption of their nature, and the remedy
of divine grace.
This law is of itself abundantly sufficient to prove
original sin, while it contains a striking proof of the grace of God. for there
could not be a clearer demonstration of the curse pronounced on mankind than
when the Lord declared, that the child comes from its mother unclean and
polluted, and that the mother herself is consequently defiled by childbearing.
Certainly, if man were not born a sinner, if he were not by nature a child of
wrath,
(<490203>Ephesians
2:3,) if some taint of sin did not dwell in him, he would have no need of
purification. Hence it follows, that all are corrupted in Adam; for the mouth of
the Lord charges all with pollution.
It is in perfect consistency with this, that the Jews
are spoken of, in other passages, as “holy branches of a holy root,”
(<451116>Romans
11:16:) for this benefit did not properly belong to their own persons. They had
been set apart, by the privilege of adoption, as an elect people; but the
corruption, which they had by inheritance from Adam, was first in the order of
time f176
We must, therefore, distinguish between the first nature, and that special
kindness through a covenant, by which God delivers his own people from the curse
which had been pronounced on all. And the design of legal purification was to
inform the Jews, that the pollutions, which they brought with them into
the world at their birth, are washed away by the grace of God.
Hence too we ought to learn, how dreadful is the
contagion of sin, which defiles, in some measure, the lawful order of nature. I
do own that child-bearing is not unclean, and that what would otherwise be lust
changes its character, through the sacredness of the marriage relation. But
still the fountain of sin is so deep and abundant, that its constant
overflowings stain what would otherwise be
pure.
23.
As it is written in the
Law. This was another exercise of piety
which was discharged by Joseph and Mary. The Lord commanded, that all the males
should be dedicated to him, in remembrance of their deliverance; because when
the angel slew all the first-born of Egypt,
(<021229>Exodus
12:29,) he had spared the first-born of Israel.
“On the day that I
smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, I hallowed unto me all the
first-born in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be:
I am the Lord”
(<040313>Numbers
3:13.)
They were afterwards permitted to redeem their
first-born at a certain price. Such was the ancient ceremony: and, as the Lord
is the common Redeemer of all,
f177 he has a right to claim us as his
own, from the least to the greatest. Nor is it without a good reason, that Luke
so frequently repeats the statement, that Joseph and Mary did what
was written in the law of the
Lord. For these words teach us, that we
must not, at our own suggestion, attempt any thing in the worship of God, but
must obediently follow what he requires in his
Word.
24.
And that they might offer a
sacrifice. This
sacrifice
belonged to the ceremony of purification; lest any one should suppose that
it was offered for the sake of redeeming the first-born. When the Evangelist
mentions a pair of turtle-doves,
or two young pigeons, he takes for
granted that his readers will understand, that Joseph and Mary were in such deep
poverty, as not to have it in their power to offer a lamb. For this exception is
expressly mentioned:
“If she be not able
to bring a lamb, then she
shall
bring two turtles, or two
young pigeons,”
(<031208>Leviticus
12:8.)
Is it objected, that the Magi had very recently
supplied them with a sufficiency of gold to make the purchase? I reply: We must
not imagine that they had such abundance of gold as to raise them suddenly from
poverty to wealth. We do not read, that their camels were laden with gold. It is
more probable that it was some small present, which they had brought solely as a
mark of respect. The law did not rigorously enjoin, that the poor should spend
their substance on a sacrifice, but drew a line of distinction between them and
the rich, as to the kind of sacrifices, and thus relieved them from burdensome
expense. There would be no impropriety in saying, that Joseph and Mary gave as
much as their circumstances allowed, though they reserved a little money to
defray the expenses of their journey and of their
household.
25.
And, lo, there was a man in
Jerusalem. The design of this narrative
is to inform us that, though nearly the whole nation was profane and
irreligious, and despised God, yet that a few worshippers of God remained, and
that Christ was known to such persons from his earliest infancy. These were
“the remnant” of whom Paul says, that they were preserved
“according to the election of grace,”
(<451105>Romans
11:5.) Within this small band lay the Church of God; though the priests and
scribes, with as much pride as falsehood, claimed for themselves the title of
the Church. The Evangelist mentions no more than two, who recognised Christ at
Jerusalem, when he was brought into the temple. These were Simeon and Anna. We
must speak first of Simeon.
As to his condition in life we are not informed: he
may have been a person of humble rank and of no reputation. Luke bestows on him
the commendation of being
just
and
devout;
and adds, that he had the gift of prophecy: for
the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Devotion and
Righteousness
related to the two tables of the law, and are the two parts of which an
upright life consists. It was a proof of his being
a devout
man, that he
waited for the consolation of
Israel: for no true worship of God can
exist without the hope of salvation, which depends on the faith of his promises,
and particularly on the restoration promised through Christ. Now, since an
expectation of this sort is commended in Simeon as an uncommon attainment, we
may conclude, that there were few in that age, who actually cherished in their
hearts the hope of redemption. All had on their lips the name of the Messiah,
and of prosperity under the reign of David: but hardly any one was to be found,
who patiently endured present afflictions, relying on the consolatory assurance,
that the redemption of the Church was at hand. As the eminence of Simeon’s
piety was manifested by its supporting his mind in the hope of the promised
salvation, so those who wish to prove themselves the children of God, will
breathe out unceasing prayers for the promised redemption. For we, “have
need of patience”
(<581036>Hebrews
10:36) till the last coming of Christ.
And the Holy Spirit was upon
him. The Evangelist does not speak of
“the Spirit of adoptions”
(<450815>Romans
8:15,) which is common to all the children of God, though not in an equal
degree, but of the peculiar gift of prophecy. This appears more clearly from the
next verse and the following one, in which it is said, that he
received a
revelation
f178
from the Holy
Spirit, and that, by the guidance of the
same Spirit, he came into the
temple. Though Simeon had no distinction
of public office, he was adorned with eminent gifts,—with piety, with a
blameless life, with faith and prophecy. Nor can it be doubted, that this divine
intimation, which he received in his individual and private capacity, was
intended generally for the confirmation of all the godly. Jesus is called
the Lord’s
Christ, because he was
anointed
f179 by the Father, and, at the
same time that he received the Spirit, received also the title, of King and
Priest. Simeon is said to have come into the temple by
the
Spirit; that is, by a secret movement
and undoubted revelation, that he might meet
Christ.
f180
29.
Thou now sendest thy servant
away. From this song it is sufficiently
evident, that Simeon looked at the Son of God with different eyes from the eyes
of flesh. For the outward beholding of Christ could have produced no feeling but
contempt, or, at least, would never have imparted such satisfaction to the mind
of the holy man, as to make him joyful and desirous to die, from having reached
the summit of his wishes. The Spirit of God enlightened his eyes by faith, to
perceive, under a mean and poor dress, the glory of the Son of God. He says,
that he would be sent away in
peace; which means, that he would die
with composure of mind, having obtained all that he desired.
But here a question arises. If he chose rather to
depart from life, was it amidst distress of mind and murmuring, as is usually
the case with those who die unwillingly, that Simeon was hurried away? I answer:
we must attend to the circumstance which is added,
according to thy
word. God had promised that Simeon would
behold his Son. He had good reason for continuing in a state of suspense, and
must have lived in some anxiety, till he obtained his expectation. This ought to
be carefully observed; for there are many who falsely and improperly plead the
example of Simeon, and boast that they would willingly die, if this or the other
thing were previously granted to them; while they allow themselves to entertain
rash wishes at their own pleasure, or to form vain expectations without the
authority of the Word of God. If Simeon had said exactly, “Now
(<101921>2
Samuel 19:21;
<250420>Lamentations
4:20,) but was afterwards restricted to “David’s son,” and
“David’s Lord,”
(<402245>Matthew
22:45,) whom Daniel emphatically calls
the Messiah, the
Anointed,
(<270925>Daniel
9:25, 26.)—Ed. I shall die with a composed and easy mind, because I have
seen the Son of God,” this expression would have indicated the weakness of
his faith; but, as he had the
word,
he might have refused to die until the coming of
Christ.
30.
For my eyes have
seen. This mode of expression is very
common in Scripture; but Simeon appears to denote expressly the bodily
appearance of Christ, as if he had said, that he now has the Son of God present
in the flesh, on whom the
eyes
of his mind had been previously fixed. By
saving
f181 I understand the matter of
salvation: for in Christ are hid all the parts of salvation and of a happy life.
Now if the sight of Christ, while he was yet a child, had so powerful an effect
on Simeon, that he approached death with cheerfulness and composure; how much
more abundant materials of lasting peace are now furnished to us, who have the
opportunity of beholding our salvation altogether completed in Christ? True,
Christ no longer dwells on earth, nor do we carry him in our arms: but his
divine majesty shines openly and brightly in the gospel, and there do “we
all,” as Paul says, “behold as in a glass the glory of the
Lord,”—not as formerly amidst the weakness of flesh, but in the
glorious power of the Spirit, which he displayed in his miracles, in the
sacrifice of his death, and in his resurrection. In a word, his absence from us
in body is of such a nature, that we are permitted to behold him sitting at the
right hand of the Father. If such a sight does not bring peace to our minds, and
make us go cheerfully to death, we are highly ungrateful to God, and hold the
honor, which he has bestowed upon us, in little
estimation.
31.
Which thou hast
prepared. By these words Simeon
intimates, that Christ had been divinely appointed, that all nations might enjoy
his grace; and that he would shortly afterwards be placed in an elevated
situation, and would draw upon him the eyes of all. Under this term he includes
all the predictions which relate: to the spread of Christ’s kingdom. But
if Simeon, when holding a little child in his arms, could stretch his mind to
the utmost boundaries of the world, and acknowledge the power of Christ to be
everywhere present, how much more magnificent ought our conceptions regarding
him to be now that he has been set up as a, “standard to the
people,”
(<234922>Isaiah
49:22,) and has revealed himself to the whole
world.
32.
A light for the revelation of
the Gentiles. Simeon now points out the
purpose for which Christ was to be exhibited by the Father before all nations.
It was that he might enlighten
the Gentiles, who had been formerly in
darkness, and might be the glory
of his people Israel. There is propriety
in the distinction here made between the
people
Israel and the
Gentiles:
for by the right of adoption the children of Abraham “were nigh”
(<490217>Ephesians
2:17) to God, while the
Gentiles,
with whom God had made no “covenants of promise,” were
“strangers” to the Church,
(<490212>Ephesians
2:12.) For this reason,
Israel
is called, in other passages, not only the son of God, but his
first-born,
(<243109>Jeremiah
31:9;) and Paul informs us, that “Jesus Christ was a minister of the
circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the
fathers”
(<451508>Romans
15:8.) The preference given to
Israel
above the Gentiles is, that all without distinction may obtain salvation in
Christ.
A light for
revelation
f182 means
for enlightening the
Gentiles. Hence we infer, that men are
by nature destitute of light, till Christ, “the Sun of
Righteousness,”
(<390402>Malachi
4:2,) shine upon them. With regard to
Israel,
though God had bestowed upon him distinguished honor, yet all his glory
rests on this single article, that a Redeemer had been promised to
him.
LUKE 2:33-39
|
LUKE
2:33-39
|
|
33. And his father and mother were
wondering about those things which were spoken of him.
34. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Lo,
this (child) has been set for the ruin, and for the resurrection of many in
Israel, and for a sign, which is spoken against. 35. But also
a sword shall pierce thy own soul: that the thoughts of many hearts may be
revealed. 36. And there was Anna, a prophetess, daughter of
Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she had advanced to a great age, and had lived
with her husband seven years from her virginity. 37. And she
was a widow of about eighty-four years, who departed not from the temple
worshipping (God) with fastings and prayer day and night.
38. And she, coming in at that hour, made acknowledgments
also to God,
f183
and spake of him to all who looked for
redemption in Jerusalem. 39. And when they had completed all
things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own
city Nazareth.
|
33.
And his father and mother
were wondering. Luke does not say, that
they were astonished at it as a new thing, but that they contemplated with
reverence, and embraced with becoming admiration, this prediction of the Spirit
uttered by the lips of Simeon, so that they continued to make progress in the
knowledge of Christ. We learn from this example that, when we have once come to
possess a right faith, we ought to collect, on every hand, whatever may aid in
giving to it additional strength. That man has made great proficiency in the
word of God, who does not fail to admire whatever he reads or hears every day,
that contributes to his unceasing progress in
faith.
34.
And Simeon blessed
them. If you confine this to Joseph and
Mary, there will be no difficulty. But, as Luke appears to include Christ at the
same time, it might be asked, What right had Simeon to take upon him the office
of blessing Christ? “Without all contradiction,” says Paul,
“the less is blessed of the greater,”
(<580707>Hebrews
7:7.) Besides, it has the appearance of absurdity, that any mortal man should
offer prayers in behalf of the Son of God. I answer: The Apostle does not speak
there of every kind of blessing, but only of the priestly blessing: for, in
other respects, it is highly proper in men to pray for each other. Now, it is
more probable that Simeon blessed
them, as a private man and as one of the
people, than that he did so in a public character: for, as we have already said,
we nowhere read that he was a priest. But there would be no absurdity in saying,
that he prayed for the prosperity and advancement of Christ’s kingdom: for
in the book of Psalms the Spirit prescribes such a
eujlogi>a,—a
blessing of this nature to all the
godly.
“Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord; we have blessed you in the name of the
Lords”
(<19B826>Psalm
118:26.)
Lo, this has been
set. This discourse was, no doubt,
directly addressed by Simeon to Mary; but it has a general reference to all the
godly. The holy virgin needed this admonition, that she might not (as usually
happens) be lifted up by prosperous beginnings, so as to be less prepared for
enduring afflictive events. But she needed it on another account, that she might
not expect Christ to be received by the people with universal applause, but that
her mind, on the contrary, might be fortified by unshaken courage against all
hostile attacks. It was the design, at the same time, of the Spirit of God, to
lay down a general instruction for all the godly. When they see the world
opposing Christ with wicked obstinacy, they must be prepared to meet that
opposition, and to contend against it undismayed. The unbelief of the world
is—we know it—a great and serious hinderance; but it must be
conquered, if we wish to believe in Christ. There never was a state of human
society so happily constituted, that the greater part followed Christ. Those who
will enlist in the cause of Christ must learn this as one of their earliest
lessons, and must “ put on” this “armor,”
(<490611>Ephesians
6:11,) that they may be steadfast in believing on him.
It was by far the heaviest temptation, that Christ
was not acknowledged by his own countrymen, and was even ignominiously rejected
by that nation, which boasted that it was the Church of God; and, particularly,
that the priests and scribes, who held in their hands the government of the
Church, were his most determined enemies. For who would have thought, that he
was the King of those, who not only rejected him, but treated him with such
contempt and outrage?
We see, then, that a good purpose was served by
Simeon’s prediction, that Christ was
set for the ruin of many in
Israel. The meaning is, that he was
divinely appointed to cast down and destroy many. But it must be observed, that
the ruin of unbelievers results from their striking against him. This is
immediately afterwards expressed, when Simeon says that Christ is
a sign, which is spoken
against. Because unbelievers are rebels
against Christ, they clash themselves against him, and hence comes their
ruin.
This metaphor is taken from a mark shot at by
archers,
f184 as if Simeon had said, Hence we
perceive the malice of men, and even the depravity of the whole human race, that
all, as if they had made a conspiracy, rise in murmurs and rebellion against the
Son of God. The world would not display such harmony in opposing the Gospel, if
there were not a natural enmity between the Son of God and those men. The
ambition or fury of the enemies of the Gospel carries them in various
directions, faction splits them into various sects, and a wide variety of
superstitions distinguishes idolaters from each other. But while they thus
differ among themselves, they all agree in this, to oppose the Son of God. It
has been justly observed, that the opposition everywhere made to Christ is too
plain an evidence of human depravity. That the world should thus rise against
its Creator is a monstrous sight. But Scripture predicted that this would
happen, and the reason is very apparent, that men who have once been alienated
from God by sin, always fly from him. Instances of this kind, therefore, ought
not to take us by surprise; but, on the contrary, our faith, provided with this
armor, ought to be prepared to fight with the contradiction of the
world.
As God has now gathered an Israel to himself from the
whole world, and there is no longer a distinction between the Jew and the Greek,
the same thing must now happen as, we learn, happened before. Isaiah had said of
his own age,
“The
Lord will be for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense, to both
the houses of Israel,”(
<230814>Isaiah
8:14.)
From that time, the Jews hardly ever ceased to dash
themselves against God, but the rudest shock was against Christ. The same
madness is now imitated by those who call themselves Christians; and even those,
who lay haughty claims to the first rank in the Church, frequently employ all
the power which they possess in oppressing Christ. But let us remember, all that
they gain is, to be at length crushed and “broken in pieces,”
(<230809>Isaiah
8:9.)
Under the word
ruin
the Spirit denounces the punishment of unbelievers, and thus warns us to
keep at the greatest possible distance from them; lest, by associating with
them, we become involved in the same destruction. And Christ is not the less
worthy of esteem, because, when he appears, many are ruined: for the
“savor” of the Gospel is not less “sweet” and delightful
to God,
(<470215>2
Corinthians 2:15,16,) though it is destructive to the ungodly world. Does any
one inquire, how Christ occasions the
ruin
of unbelievers, who without him were already lost? The reply is easy. Those
who voluntarily deprive themselves of the salvation which God has offered to
them, perish twice.
Ruin
implies the double punishment which awaits all unbelievers, after that they
have knowingly and wilfully opposed the Son of God.
And for the
resurrection. This consolation is
presented as a contrast with the former clause, to make it less painful to our
feelings: for, if nothing else were added, it would be melancholy to hear, that
Christ is “a stone of stumbling,” which will break and
crush, by its hardness, a great part of men. Scripture therefore reminds us of
his office, which is entirely different: for the salvation of men, which is
founded on it, is secure; as Isaiah also says, “Sanctify the
Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread; and
he shall be for a sanctuary,” or fortress of defense,
(<230813>Isaiah
8:13,14.) And Peter speaks more clearly:
“To
whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of
God and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house.
Wherefore also it is contained in Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion the
head-stone of the corner, elect, precious, and he that believeth in him shall
not be confounded. Unto you, therefore, which believe, he is precious: but unto
them who are disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is
made the head of the corner,”(1 Peter 2:4-7; Isaiah
28:16.)
That we may not be terrified by the designation
bestowed on Christ, “a stone of stumbling,” let it be instantly
recollected, on the other hand, that he is likewise called the
“corner-stone,” on which rests the salvation of all the
godly. f185
Let it be also taken into account, that the former is
accidental, while the latter is properly and strictly his office. Besides, it
deserves our notice, that Christ is not only called the support, but the
resurrection
of the godly: for the condition of men is not one in which it is safe for
them to remain. They must rise
from death, before they begin to
live.
35.
But also a sword shall pierce
thy own soul. This warning must have
contributed greatly to fortify the mind of the holy virgin, and to prevent her
from being overwhelmed with grief, when she came to those distressing struggles,
which she had to undergo. Though her faith was agitated and tormented by various
temptations, yet her sorest battle was with the cross: for Christ might appear
to be utterly destroyed. She was not overwhelmed with grief; but it would have
required a heart of stone not to be deeply wounded: for the patience of the
saints differs widely from stupidity.
That the thoughts of many hearts
may be revealed. There are some who
connect this clause with a part of the former verse, that Christ is
set for the ruin and for the
resurrection of many in Israel; and who
include in a parenthesis what we have just now explained about the
sword:
but it is better, I think, to refer it to the whole passage. The particle
that,
o[pwv
a]n, in this passage, does not strictly denote a
cause, but merely a consequence. When the light of the Gospel arises, and
persecutions immediately spring up, there is, at the same time, a disclosure of
affections of the heart, which had been hitherto concealed: for the
lurking-places of human dissimulation are so deep, that they easily remain
hidden till Christ comes.
f186 But Christ, by his light,
discloses every artifice, and unmasks hypocrisy; and to him is properly ascribed
the office of laying open the secrets of the heart. But when the cross is added
to doctrine it tries the hearts more to the quick. For those who have embraced
Christ by outward profession, often shrink from bearing the cross, and, when
they see the Church exposed to numerous calamities, easily desert their
post.
36.
And there was Anna, a
prophetess. Luke mentions not more than
two persons who received Christ; and this is intended to teach us, that whatever
belongs to God, however small it may be, ought to be preferred by us to
the whole world. The scribes and priests, no doubt, were then surrounded by
great splendor; but, as the Spirit of God, whose
presence
was not at all enjoyed by those rulers,
f187 dwelt in
Simeon
and
Anna,
those two persons are entitled to greater reverence than an immense
multitude of those whose pride is swelled by nothing but empty titles. For this
reason, the historian mentions Anna’s
age,
gives her the designation of
prophetess,
and, thirdly, bears a remarkable testimony to her piety, and to the holiness
and chastity of her life. These are the qualities that justly give to men weight
and estimation. And certainly none are led astray by the dazzling and empty
magnificence of outward show, but those who are drawn, by the vanity of their
own minds, to take pleasure in being deceived.
She had lived with her husband
seven years from her virginity. This is
intended to inform us, that she was a widow in the very prime of life. She had
married young, and shortly afterwards lost her husband; and the circumstance of
her not entering into a second marriage while she was in the rigor of her bodily
frame,
f188 is mentioned with the view of
heightening the commendation of her chastity. What follows, that
she was a widow of about
eighty-four years, may be explained in
two ways. Either that time had passed in her unmarried
state,
f189 or it was the whole period of her
life. If you reckon the
eighty-four
years as the time of her widowhood, it
will follow that she was more than a hundred years old: but I leave that matter
doubtful. The Spirit of prophecy still shone in a very few, who served as tokens
to attest the doctrine of the Law and the Jewish religion, till the coming of
Christ. In a state of society so dissolute, the elect of God needed such aids to
prevent them from being carried away.
37.
She departed not from the
temple.. This is a hyperbolical
expression; but the meaning is plain, that Anna was almost constantly in the
temple. Luke adds, that she
worshipped God with fastings and
prayers day and night. Hence we infer,
that she did not visit the temple for the mere purpose of performing the outward
service, but that she added to it the other exercises of piety. It deserves our
attention, that the same rule is not enjoined on all, and that all ought not to
be led indiscriminately to copy those performances, which are here commended in
a widow. Each person ought to make a judicious inquiry, what belongs to his own
calling. Silly ambition has filled the world with apes, from superstitious
persons seizing, with more “zeal” than “knowledges”
(<451002>Romans
10:2,) every thing that they hear praised in the saints: as if the distinction
of rank did not render a selection of employments necessary, that each person
may answer to his own calling. What is here related of
Anna,
Paul applies in a particular manner to widows,
(<540505>1
Timothy 5:5;) so that married people act a foolish part, if they regulate their
life by an unsuitable model.
But there still remains another doubt. Luke appears
to make
fastings
a part of divine
worship.
But we must observe, that of the acts which relate to worship, some are
simply required, and, as we are accustomed to say, are in themselves necessary;
while others are accessory, and have no other design than to aid the former
class. Prayers belong strictly to the worship of God. Fasting is a subordinate
aid, which is pleasing to God no farther than as it aids the earnestness and
fervency of prayer. We must hold by this rule, that the duties of men are to be
judged according as they are directed to a proper and lawful end. We must hold,
also, by this distinction, that
prayers
are a direct worship of God; while
fastings
are a part of worship only on account of their consequences. Nor is there
any reason to doubt, that the holy woman employed
fastings
as an excitement to bewail those calamities of the Church which then
existed.
38.
Made acknowledgment also to
God.
f190 The holy melody, which proceeded
from the lips of Simeon and Anna, is praised by Luke, in order that believers
may exhort each other to sing with one mouth the praises of God, and may give
mutual replies. When he says, that Anna
spake of him to all who looked
for redemption in Jerusalem, he again
points out the small number of the godly. For the substance of faith lay in this
expectation; and it is evident, that there were few who actually cherished it in
their minds.
39.
They returned to
Galilee. The departure to Egypt, I
readily acknowledge, came between those events; and the fact mentioned by Luke,
that they dwelt in their own city
Nazareth, is later, in point of time,
than the flight into Egypt, which Matthew relates,
(<400214>Matthew
2:14.) But if there was no impropriety in one Evangelist leaving out what is
related by another, there was nothing to prevent Luke from overleaping the
period which he did not intend to mention, and passing at once to the following
history. I am very far from agreeing with those who imagine that Joseph and
Mary, after having finished the sacrifice of purification, returned to
Bethlehem, to live there. Those persons are foolish enough to believe, that
Joseph had a settled abode in a place where he was so little known, that he was
unable to find a temporary lodging. Nor is it without a good reason that Luke
says, with respect both to Joseph and Mary, that
Nazareth
was their own
city. We infer from it, that he never
was an inhabitant of Bethlehem, though it was the place of his
extraction.
f191 As to the order of time, I shall
presently give a more full explanation.
MATTHEW
2:13-18
|
MATTHEW
2:13-18
|
|
13. And when they had departed,
lo, the angel of the Lord appeared in dreams to Joseph, saying, Arise, and take
the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I
have told thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14. And he, when awake, took the young child and his mother
by night, and withdrew into Egypt: 15. And was there until
the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord
through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi,
was exceedingly enraged, and sent to slay
f192
all the children that were in Bethlehem, and
all its boundaries,
f193
from two years old and under, according to the
time which he had inquired at the Magi. 17. Then was
fulfilled what had been spoken by Jeremiah the Prophet, when he says,
18. A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, wailing, and
much weeping: Rachel bewailing her children, and refused to receive consolation,
because they are not.
|
13.
And when they had
departed. How many days elapsed from the
departure of the Magi, till Joseph was ordered to flee into Egypt, is not known,
nor is it of much importance to inquire: only it is probable that the Lord
spared Mary, till she was so far recovered from childbirth as to be able to
perform the journey. It was a wonderful purpose of God, that he chose to
preserve his Son by flight. The mind of Joseph must have been harassed by
dangerous temptations, when he came to see that there was no hope but in flight:
for in flight there was no appearance of divine protection. Besides, it was very
difficult to reconcile the statement, that he who was to be the Savior of all,
could not be preserved without the exertion of a mortal man. But, in preserving
the life of his Son, God maintained such reserve, as to give some indications of
his heavenly power, and yet not to make it so manifest as to prevent it from
being concealed under the appearance of weakness: for the full time of
glorifying Christ openly was not yet come. The angel predicts an event which was
hidden, and unknown to men. That is an evident proof of divine guidance. But the
angel orders him to defend the life of the child by flight and exile. This
belongs to the weakness of flesh, to which Christ was
subjected.
We are here taught, that God has more than one way of
preserving his own people. Sometimes he makes astonishing displays of his power;
while at other times he employs dark coverings or shadows, from which feeble
rays of it escape. This wonderful method of preserving the Son of God under the
cross teaches us, that they act improperly who prescribe to God a fixed plan of
action. Let us permit him to advance our salvation by a diversity of methods;
and let us not refuse to be humbled, that he may more abundantly display his
glory. Above all, let us never avoid the cross, by which the Son of God himself
was trained from his earliest infancy. This flight is a part of the foolishness
of the cross, but it surpasses all the wisdom of the world. That he may appear
at his own time as the Savior of Judea, he is compelled to flee from it, and is
nourished by Egypt, from which nothing but what was destructive to the Church of
God had ever proceeded. Who would not have regarded with amazement such an
unexpected work of God?
Joseph immediately complies with the injunction of
the Angel. This is another proof of the certainty of the dream: for such
promptitude of obedience plainly shows, that he had no doubt whatever, that it
was God who had enjoined him to take flight. This eager haste may wear somewhat
of the aspect of distrust: for the flight
by
night had some appearance of alarm. But
it is not difficult to frame an excuse. He saw that God had appointed a method
of safety which was low and mean: and he concludes that he is at liberty to take
flight in such a state of alarm as is commonly produced by extreme danger. Our
fear ought always to be regulated by the divine intimations. If it agrees with
them, it will not be opposed to faith.
Be thou there until I have told
thee. By these words the Angel declares,
that the life of the child will, even in future, be the object of the divine
care. Joseph needed to be thus strengthened, so as to conclude with certainty,
that God would not only conduct him in the journey, but that, during his
banishment, God would be his constant protector. And in this way God was pleased
to allay many anxieties, with which the heart of the good man must have been
perplexed, so that he enjoyed serenity of mind during his sojourn in Egypt. But
for this, not a moment would have passed without numerous temptations, when he
saw himself excluded not only from the inheritance promised by God to all his
saints,—but from the temple, from sacrifices, from a public profession of
his faiths,—and was living among the worst enemies of God, and in a deep
gulf of superstitions. He carried with him, indeed, in the person of the child,
all the blessings which the Fathers had hoped to enjoy, or which the Lord had
promised to them: but as he had not yet made such proficiency in faith, and in
the knowledge of Christ, he needed to be restrained by this injunction,
Be thou there until I have told
thee, that he might not be displeased at
languishing in banishment from his country among the
Egyptians.
15.
Out of Egypt have I called my
Son. Matthew says that a prediction was
fulfilled. Some have thought, that the intention of the prophet was different
from what is here stated, and have supposed the meaning to be, that the Jews act
foolishly in opposing and endeavoring to oppress the Son of God, because the
Father hath called him out of
Egypt. In this way, they grievously
pervert the words of the prophet,
(<281101>Hosea
11:1,) the design of which is, to establish a charge of ingratitude against the
Jews, who, from their earliest infancy, and from the commencement of their
history, had found God to be a kind and generous Father, and yet were provoking
him by fresh offenses. Beyond all question, the passage ought not to be
restricted to the person of Christ: and yet it is not tortured by Matthew, but
skilfully applied to the matter in hand.
The words of the prophet ought to be thus
interpreted: “When Israel was yet a child, I brought him out of that
wretched bondage in which he had been plunged. He was formerly like a dead man,
and Egypt served him for a grave; but I drew him out of it as from the womb, and
brought him into the light of life.” And justly does the Lord speak in
this manner; for that deliverance was a sort of birth of the nation. Then were
openly produced letters of adoption, when, by the promulgation of the law, they
became “the Lord’s portion,”
(<053209>Deuteronomy
32:9,) “a royal priesthood, and a holy nation,”
(<600209>1
Peter 2:9;) when they were separated from the other nations, and when, in short,
God “set up his tabernacle”
(<032611>Leviticus
26:11) to dwell in the midst of them. The words of the prophet import, that the
nation was rescued from Egypt as from a deep whirlpool of death. Now, what was
the redemption brought by Christ, but a resurrection from the dead, and the
commencement of a new life? The light of salvation had been almost extinguished,
when God begat the Church anew in the person of Christ. Then did the Church come
out of Egypt in its head, as the whole body had been formerly brought
out.
This analogy prevents us from thinking it strange,
that any part of Christ’s childhood was passed in Egypt. The grace and
power of God became more illustrious, and his wonderful purpose was more
distinctly seen, when light came out of darkness, and life out of hell.
Otherwise, the sense of the flesh might have broken out here in contemptuous
language, “Truly a Redeemer is to come out of
Egypt!”
f194 Matthew therefore reminds us,
that it is no strange or unwonted occurrence for God to call his Son out of that
country; and that it serves rather to confirm our faith, that, as on a former
occasion, so now again, the Church of God comes out of Egypt. There is this
difference, however, between the two cases. The whole nation was formerly shut
up in the prison of Egypt; while, in the second redemption, it was Christ, the
head of the Church alone, who was concealed there, but who carried the salvation
and life of all shut up in his own
person.
16.
Then Herod when he
saw. Matthew speaks according to what
Herod felt and thought about the matter. He believed that the Magi had deceived
him, because they did not choose to take part in his wicked cruelty. He was
rather taken in his own trickery,—in his base pretense, that he too
intended to pay homage to the new King.
Josephus makes no mention of this history. The only
writer who mentions it is Macrobius, in the Second Book of his
Saturnalia,
where, relating the jokes and taunts of Augustus, he says: When he heard
that, by Herod’s command, the children in Syria under two years of age had
been slain, and that his own son had been slain among the crowd, “I would
rather,” said he, “have been Herod’s hog than his son.”
But the authority of Matthew alone is abundantly sufficient for us. Josephus
certainly ought not to have passed over a crime so worthy of being put on
record. But there is the less reason to wonder that he says nothing about the
infants; for he passes lightly over, and expresses in obscure language, an
instance of Herod’s cruelty not less shocking, which took place about the
same time, when he put to death all the Judges, who were called the Sanhedrim,
that hardly a remnant might remain of the stock of David. It was the same dread,
I have no doubt, that impelled him to both of these murders.
There is some uncertainty about the
date.
f195 Matthew says, that they were
slain from two years old and
under, according to the time which he had inquired at the
Magi: from which we may infer that
Christ had then reached that age, or at least was not far from being two years
old. Some go farther, and conclude that Christ was about that age at the time
when the Magi came. But I contend that the one does not follow from the other.
With what terror Herod was seized when the report was widely spread about a new
king who had been borne,
f196 we have lately seen. Fear
prevented him at that time from employing a traitor, in a secret manner, to make
an investigation.
f197 There is no reason to wonder that
he was restrained, for some time, from the commission of a butchery so hateful
and shocking, particularly while the report about the arrival of the Magi was
still
recent.
It is certainly probable, that he revolved the crime in his mind, but
delayed it till a convenient opportunity should occur. It is even possible, that
he first murdered the Judges, in order to deprive the people of their leaders,
and thus to compel them to look upon the crime as one for which there was no
remedy. f198
We may now conclude it to be a frivolous argument, on
which those persons rest, who argue, that Christ was two years old when he was
worshipped by the Magi, because,
according to the time when the
star appeared, Herod slew the children
who were a little below two years old. Such persons take for granted, without
any proper ground, that the star did not appear till after that the Virgin had
brought forth her child. It is far more probable, that they had been warned
early, and that they undertook the journey close upon the time of the birth of
Christ, that they might see the child when lately born, in the cradle, or in his
mother’s lap. It is a very childish imagination that, because they came
from an unknown country, and almost from another world, they had spent about two
years on the road. The conjectures stated by
Osiander
f199 are too absurd to need
refutation.
But there is no inconsistency in the thread of the
story which I propose,—that the Magi came when the period of child-bearing
was not yet over, and inquired after
a king who had been
born, not after one who was already two
years old; that, after they had returned to their own country, Joseph fled by
night, but still in passing discharged a pious duty at Jerusalem, (for in so
populous a city, where there was a constant influx of strangers from every
quarter, he might be secure from danger;) that, after he had departed to Egypt,
Herod began to think seriously about his own danger, and the ulcer of revenge,
which he had nourished in his heart for more than a year and half, at length
broke out. The adverb
then
(to>te)
does not always denote in Scripture uninterrupted
time,
f200 but frequently occurs, when there
is a great distance between the
events.
18. A
voice was heard in
Ramah. It is certain that the prophet
describes
(<243115>Jeremiah
31:15) the destruction of the tribe of Benjamin, which took place in his time:
for he had foretold that the tribe of Judah would be cut off, to which was added
the half of the tribe of Benjamin. He puts the mourning into the mouth of
Rachel, who had been long dead. This is a personification,
(proswpopoii`a,)
which has a powerful influence in moving the affections. It was not for the
mere purpose of ornamenting his style, that Jeremiah employed rhetorical
embellishments. There was no other way of correcting the hardness and stupidity
of the living, than by arousing the dead, as it were, from their graves, to
bewail those divine chastisements, which were commonly treated with derision.
The prediction of Jeremiah having been accomplished at that time, Matthew does
not mean that it foretold what Herod would do, but that the coming of Christ
occasioned a renewal of that mourning, which had been experienced, many
centuries before, by the tribe of Benjamin.
He intended thus to meet a prejudice which might
disturb and shake pious minds. It might be supposed, that no salvation could be
expected from him, on whose account, as soon as he was born, infants were
murdered; nay more, that it was an unfavorable and disastrous omen, that the
birth of Christ kindled a stronger flame of cruelty than usually burns amidst
the most inveterate wars. But as Jeremiah promises a restoration, where a nation
has been cut off, down to their little children, so Matthew reminds his readers,
that this massacre would not prevent Christ from appearing shortly afterwards as
the Redeemer of the whole nation: for we know that the whole chapter in
Jeremiah, in which those words occur, is filled with the most delightful
consolations. Immediately after the mournful complaint, he
adds,
“Refrain thy voice
from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith
the Lord, and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is
hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to thine
own border,”
(<243116>Jeremiah
31:16, 17.)
Such was the resemblance between the former calamity
which the tribe of Benjamin had sustained, and the second calamity, which is
here recorded. Both were a prelude of the salvation which was shortly to
arrive. f201
MATTHEW
2:19-23
|
MATTHEW
2:19-23
|
|
19. But when Herod was dead, lo,
the angel of the Lord appeareth, by a dream, to Joseph in Egypt,
20. Saying, Arise, and take the child and his mother, and go
into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the
life
f202
, of the child. 21. And he
rose and took
f203
the child and his mother, and came into the
land of Israel. 22. But when he had heard that Archelaus was
reigning in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither:
but, warned by a heavenly communication through a dream, he withdrew into the
parts of Galilee. 23. Having come there, he dwelt in the
city
f204
which is called Nazareth, that what had been
spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a
Nazarene.
|
19.
But when Herod was
dead. These words show the perseverance
of Joseph’s faith. He kept his feet firm in Egypt, till he was recalled to
his native country by a command of God. We see, at the same time, that the Lord
never disappoints his own people, but renders them seasonable aid. It is
probable that Joseph returned from Egypt immediately after the death of Herod,
before Augustus Caesar had issued his decree, appointing Archelaus to be
governor of Judea. Having been declared by his father’s will to be
successor to the throne, he undertook the whole charge of the government, but
abstained from taking the title of king, saying that this depended on the will
and pleasure of Caesar. He afterwards went to Rome, and obtained confirmation;
only the name of king was refused, until he had merited it by his actions. The
governor of Galilee was Philip, a man of gentle disposition, and almost like a
private individual. Joseph complied with the suggestion of the angel, because,
under a prince who had no delight in shedding blood, and who treated his
subjects with mildness, there was less danger.
We must always bear in mind the purpose of God, in
training his Son, from the commencement, under the discipline of the cross,
because this was the way in which he was to redeem his Church. He bore our
infirmities, and was exposed to dangers and to fears, that he might deliver his
Church from them by his divine power, and might bestow upon it everlasting
peace. His danger was our safety: his fear was our confidence. Not that he ever
in his life felt alarm; but as he was surrounded, on every hand, by the fear of
Joseph and Mary, he may be justly said to have taken upon him our fears, that he
might procure for us assured confidence.
23.
He shall be called a
Nazarene. Matthew does not derive
Nazarene
from
Nazareth,
as if this were its strict and proper etymology, but only makes an allusion.
The word
ryzn,
or
Nazarite,
signifies holy and devoted to God, and is derived from
rzn,
to separate. The noun
rzn,
indeed, signifies a flower:
f205 but Matthew refers, beyond
all doubt, to the former meaning. For we nowhere read that Nazarites
meant blooming or flourishing, but persons who were
consecrated to God, according to the directions given by the Law,
(Numbers 6.) The meaning is: though it was by fear that Joseph was driven into a
corner of Galilee, yet God had a higher design, and appointed
the city of
Nazareth as the place of Christ’s
residence, that he might justly be called a
Nazarite.
But it is asked, who are the prophets that gave this name to Christ? for
there is no passage to be found that answers to the quotation. Some think it a
sufficient answer, that Scripture frequently calls him
Holy:
but that is a very poor explanation. For Matthew, as we perceive, makes an
express reference to the very word, and to the ancient Nazarites, whose holiness
was of a peculiar character. He tells us, that what was then shadowed out in the
Nazarites, who were, in some sense, selected as the first-fruits to God, must
have been fulfilled in the person of Christ.
But it remains to be seen, in what part of Scripture
the prophets have stated that this name would be given to Christ. Chrysostom,
finding himself unable to loose the knot, cuts it by saying, that many books of
the prophets have perished. But this answer has no probability: for, though the
Lord, in order to punish the indifference of his ancient people, deprived them
of some part of Scripture, or left out what was less necessary, yet, since the
coming of Christ, no part of it has been lost. In support of that view, a
strange blunder has been made, by quoting a passage of Josephus, in which he
states that Ezekiel left two books: for Ezekiel’s prophecy of a new temple
and kingdom is manifestly distinct from his other predictions, and may be said
to form a new work. But if all the books of Scripture which were extant in the
time of Matthew, remain entire to the present day, we must find somewhere the
passage quoted from the prophets.
Bucer
f206 has explained it, I think,
more correctly than any other writer. He thinks that the reference is to a
passage in the Book of Judges: The child shall be a Nazarite unto God from
the womb,
(<071305>Judges
13:5.) These words, no doubt, were spoken with regard to Samson. But Samson is
called the “Redeemer” or
“Deliverer”
f207 of the people, only because he
was a figure of Christ, and because the salvation, which was accomplished by his
instrumentality, was a sort of prelude of the full salvation, which was at
length exhibited to the world by the Son of
God. f208
All that Scripture predicts, in a favorable manner, about Samson, may justly
be applied to Christ. To express it more clearly, Christ is the original model:
Samson is the inferior antitype.
f209 When he assumed the character of
a Redeemer,
f210 we ought to understand,
that none of the titles bestowed on that illustrious and truly divine office
apply so strictly to himself as to Christ: for the fathers did but taste the
grace of redemption, which we have been permitted to receive fully in
Christ.
Matthew uses the word
prophets
in the plural number. This may easily be excused: for the Book of Judges was
composed by many
prophets.
But I think that what is here said about
the
prophets has a still wider reference.
For Joseph, who was a temporal Savior of the Church, and was, in many respects,
a figure, or rather a lively image of Christ, is called
a
Nazarite of his brethren,
f211
(<014926>Genesis
49:26;
<053316>Deuteronomy
33:16.) God determined that the distinguished honor, of which he had given a
specimen in Joseph, should shine again in Samson, and gave him the name of
Nazarite,
that believers, having received those early instructions, might look more
earnestly at the Redeemer who was to come, who was to be separated from
all,
“That he might be
the first-born among many
brethren,”
(<450829>Romans
8:29.)
LUKE 2:40-47
|
LUKE
2:40-47
|
|
40. And the child grew, and was
invigorated in spirit, and was full of wisdom, and the grace of God was upon
him. 41. And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, to the
feast of the Passover. 42. And when he
arrived
f212
at twelve years, as they went up to Jerusalem,
according to the custom of the feast, 43. And when the days
were finished, while they were returning, the child Jesus remained at Jerusalem,
and his parents did not know it.
f213
44. And thinking that he was
in the company, they came a day's journey, and sought him among their relatives
and acquaintances. 45. And when they did not find him, they
returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46. And it happened,
after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
doctors, hearing and putting questions to them: 47. And all
who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.
|
40.
And the child
grew. From the infancy of Christ Matthew
passes immediately to his manifestation.
f214 Luke relates here a single fact,
which well deserved to be recorded. In the midst of his boyhood, Christ gave a
specimen of his future office, or at least indicated, by a single attempt, what
he would afterwards be. The child
grew, and was invigorated in spirit.
These words show, that the endowments of his mind grew with his
age. f215
Hence we infer, that this progress, or advancement, relates to his human
nature: for the Divine nature could receive no increase.
But a question arises. From the time that he was
conceived in his mother’s womb, did he not abound in all fullness of
spiritual gifts? for it appears absurd to say, that the Son of God wanted any
thing that was necessary to perfection. The reply is easy. If it takes nothing
from his glory, that he was altogether, emptied,”
(eJauto<n
ejke>nwse,
<501706>Philippians
2:6,) neither does it degrade him, that he chose not only to grow in body, but
to make progress in mind. And certainly when the Apostle declares, that,
“in all things he was made like unto his
brethren,”(<580217>Hebrews
2:17,) and “was in all points tempted like as we are, sin excepted,”
(<580415>Hebrews
4:15,) he no doubt includes, that his soul was subject to ignorance. There is
only this difference between us and him, that the weaknesses which press upon
us, by a necessity which we cannot avoid, were undertaken by him voluntarily,
and of his own accord. Christ received, in his human nature, according to his
age and capacity, an increase of the free gifts of the
Spirit,
f216 that “out of his
fullness”
(<430116>John
1:16) he may pour them out upon us; for we draw grace out of his
grace.
Some excessively timid persons restrict what is here
said to outward appearance, and make the meaning to be, that Christ appeared to
make progress, though, in point of fact, no addition was made to his knowledge.
But the words have a quite different meaning, and this mistaken opinion is still
more fully refuted by what Luke shortly afterwards adds, that
he grew in age and wisdom with
God and man, (ver. 52.) We
are not at liberty to suppose, that knowledge lay concealed in Christ, and made
its appearance in him in progress of time. There is no doubt whatever, that it
was the design of God to express in plain terms, how truly and completely
Christ, in taking upon him our flesh, did all that was necessary to effect his
brotherly union with men.
f217
And yet we do not in this way suppose a double
Christ:
f218 for, though
God
and
man
are united in one person, it does not follow, that the human nature received
what was peculiar to the Divine nature: but, so far as was necessary for
our salvation, the Son of God kept his divine power concealed. What Irenaeus
says, that his Divine nature was quiescent when he
suffered,
f219 I understand to refer, not only
to bodily death, but to that amazing distress and agony of soul, which drew from
him the complaint, “My God,
my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
(<402746>Matthew
27:46.) In a word, if we do not choose to deny, that Christ was made a real
man, we ought not to be ashamed to acknowledge, that he voluntarily took upon
him everything that is inseparable from human nature.
It is a foolish objection, that ignorance does not
apply to Christ, because it is the punishment of sin: for the same thing might
be said of death. Scripture declares, on the contrary, that he performed the
office of Mediator: for all the punishment which we deserved was transferred
from us to him.
f220 Besides, it is a foolish mistake
to say, that ignorance is the punishment of sin. For we must not suppose that
Adam, while he remained in innocence, knew all things. Angels also are, to some
extent, ignorant, and yet they do not endure the punishment of
sin.
A more refined argument is employed by some, that
there was no ignorance in Christ, because ignorance is sin. But those persons
assume a principle which is altogether false and groundless: otherwise, the
angels must either be equal to God, or they must be
sinful.
f221 There is no doubt a sinful
blindness of the human mind, which is justly reckoned a part of original sin:
but here we ascribe to Christ no other ignorance than what may fall upon a man
who is pure from every taint of sin.
He was invigorated in spirit, and
was full of wisdom. Luke thus declares,
that whatever wisdom exists among men, and receives daily accessions, flows from
that single fountain, from the Spirit of God. The following phrase is more
general, and the grace of God was
upon him: for it includes all the
excellence of every description that shone brightly in
Christ.
41.
And his parents went every
year to Jerusalem. It is mentioned in
commendation of the piety of Mary and Joseph, that they gave diligent attendance
to the outward worship of God. It was not of their own accord, but by a divine
command, that they undertook this annual journey. The law enjoins the, males
“only to, appear before the Lord,”
(<022317>Exodus
23:17.) This arrangement does not entirely exclude females, but spares them by
an exercise of kindness. This mark distinguishes the true religion from vain and
wicked superstitions. The former confines itself within the limits of obedience
to God, and of compliance with the enactments of his law. The latter wander, at
their own pleasure, beyond the limits of God’s word, without any fixed
rule. The worship of the temple was, no doubt, infected with many corruptions,
the priesthood was sold for money, and doctrine was involved in many errors.
Yet, as legal ceremonies were still in force, and the outward rite of sacrifice
was observed as it is laid down in the law, believers were bound to perform such
exercises in testimony of their faith. The name
father
is here given to Joseph, not with strict accuracy, but according to the
opinion generally entertained respecting
him.
44.
And thinking that he was in
the company. Many passages of Scripture
show plainly, that those who came from a distance, at the festivals, to worship
in the temple, were accustomed to travel in
companies.
There is no reason, therefore, to wonder that, on the first day, Joseph and
Mary were less anxious about the child; and their subsequent conduct shows that
this was not owing to indolence or
carelessness.
46.
Sitting in the midst of the
doctors. Rays of divine brightness must
have evidently shone in this child: otherwise those haughty men would not have
permitted him to sit along with them. Though it is probable that he occupied a
lower seat, and not the rank of the doctors, yet such disdainful men would not
have condescended to give him an audience in a public assembly, if some divine
power had not constrained them. This was a sort of prelude to his public
calling, the full time of which had not yet arrived. In this way, however, he
intended to give nothing more than a taste, which would immediately have faded
from the recollection of men, had not Mary
kept
it for us laid up in her
heart, (ver. 19, 51,) to
bring it out afterwards, along with other treasures, for the use of all the
godly.
47.
And all who heard
him. Two things here claim our
attention. All who heard him were
astonished: for they reckoned it a
miracle, that a child should frame his questions with such correctness and
propriety. Again, they
heard
Christ, and thus acted the part rather of scholars than of teachers. He had
not yet been called by the Father, to avow himself a public teacher of the
Church, and therefore satisfied himself with putting modest questions to the
doctors. Yet there is no room to doubt that, in this first attempt, he already
began to tax their perverse way of teaching: for what Luke afterwards says about
answers,
I consider as denoting, agreeably to the Hebrew idiom, any kind of
discourse.
LUKE 2:48-52
|
LUKE
2:48-52
|
|
48. And when they saw him, they
wondered; and his mother said to him, Son, why hast thou done thus to us? Lo,
thy father and I grieving were seeking for thee. 49. And he
saith to them, Why is it that ye were seeking me? Did ye not know that I must be
in those things which belong to my Father? 50. And they did
not understand the discourse which he spoke to them. 51. And
he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. And he was subject to them: but
his mother kept all these words in her heart. 52. And Jesus
made progress in wisdom and age, and in favor with God and men.
|
48.
And his mother said to
him. Those who think that the holy
virgin spake in this manner, for the purpose of showing her authority, are, in
my opinion, mistaken. It is even possible, that it was not till they were apart,
and the witnesses had withdrawn, that she began to expostulate with her son,
after they had left the assembly. However that may be, this complaint was not
the result of ambition, but was the expression of grief, which had lasted three
days.
f222 Yet the manner of her complaint,
as if she had received an injury, shows how ready we are by nature to defend our
own rights, even without paying regard to God. The holy virgin would a thousand
times
f223 rather have died, than
deliberately preferred herself to God: but, in the indulgence of a
mother’s grief, she falls into it through inadvertency. And undoubtedly
this example warns us, how jealous we ought to be of all the affections of the
flesh, and what care we ought to exercise, lest, by being too tenacious of our
rights, and following our own desires, we defraud God of his
honor.
49.
Did ye not
know? Our Lord justly blames his mother,
though he does it in a gentle and indirect manner. The amount of what he says
is, that the duty which he owes to God his Father, ought to be immeasurably
preferred to all human duties; and that, consequently, earthly parents do wrong
in taking it amiss, that they have been neglected in comparison of God. And
hence we may infer the general doctrine, that whatever we owe to men must yield
to the first table of the law, that God’s authority over us may remain
untouched.
f224 Thus we ought to obey kings, and
parents, and masters,
f225 but only in subjection to God:
that is, we must not, for the sake of men, lessen or take away any thing from
God. And, indeed, a regard to the superior claims of God does not imply a
violation of the duties which we owe to men.
In those things which belong to my
Father. This expression intimates, that
there is something about him greater than man. It points out also the chief
design of his being sent into the world, which was, that he might discharge the
office enjoined upon him by his heavenly Father. But is it not astonishing, that
Joseph and Mary did not
understand this answer, who had been
instructed by many proofs, that Jesus is the Son of God? I reply: Though they
were not wholly unacquainted with Christ’s heavenly origin, yet they did
not comprehend, in every respect, how he was intent on executing his heavenly
Father’s commands: for his calling had not yet been expressly revealed to
them. Mary kept in her
heart those things which she did not
fully understand. Let us learn from this, to receive with reverence, and
to lay
up in our minds, (like the seed, which
is allowed to remain for some time under grounds) those mysteries of God which
exceed our capacity.
51.
And he was subject to
them. It was for our salvation that
Christ took upon him this low estates,—that the Lord and head of angels
voluntarily became subject
to mortal creatures. Such was the
purpose of God, that Christ should remain, for some time, under a shadow,
beating the name of Joseph. Though this subjection, on the part of Christ, arose
from no necessity which he could not have avoided, yet, as he had taken upon him
human nature on the condition of being subject to parents, and had assumed the
character both of a man and of a servants,—with respect to the office of
Redeemer, this was his lawful condition. The more cheerfully, on this account,
ought every one to bear the yoke which the Lord has been pleased to lay upon
him. f226
MATTHEW 3:1-6; MARK 1:1-6;
LUKE 3:1-6
|
MATTHEW
3:1-6
|
MARK
1:1-6
|
LUKE
3:1-6
|
|
1. Now in those days John the
Baptist comes, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2. And
saying, Repent:
f227
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,
3. For this is he, of whom it has been spoken by Isaiah the
prophet, who says, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight. 4. And the same John had
his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and
his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5. Then went out to him
Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan.
6. And were baptized in Jordan by him, confessing their
sins.
|
1. The beginning of the gospel of
Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 2. As it is written in the
prophets, Lo, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way
before thee. 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4. John
was baptizing in the wilderness, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the
forgiveness of sins. 5. And all the country of Judea, and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to him, and were all baptized by him in the
river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6. And John was clothed
with camel’s hair, and with a leathern girdle about his loins, and he ate
locusts and wild honey.
|
1. And in the fifteenth year of
the reign of Tiberius Cesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and
Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the
country of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
2. While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of
the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3. And he came into all the country surrounding Jordan,
preaching the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
4. As it is written in the book of the words of the prophet
Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight. 5. Every valley shall be
filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be laid low, and those things which
are crooked shall become straight, and those which are rough shall become plain
ways. 6. And all flesh shall see the salvation of
God.
|
<410101>Mark
1:1. The beginning of the
Gospel. Though what we have hitherto
taken out of Matthew and Luke is a part of
the
Gospel, yet it is not without reason
that Mark makes the beginning of
the Gospel to be the preaching of John
the Baptist. For the Law and the Prophets then came to an end,
(<430117>John
1:17.) “The Law and the
Prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is
preached,”
(<421616>Luke
16:16.) And with this agrees most fully the quotation which he makes from
the Prophet Malachi, (3:1.) In order to inflame the minds of his people with a
stronger desire of the promised salvation, the Lord had determined to leave
them, for a time, without new prophecies. We know that the last of the true and
lawful prophets was Malachi.
That the Jews, in the meantime, may not faint with
hunger, he exhorts them to continue under the Law of Moses, until the promised
redemption appear. He mentions
the
law only,
(<430117>John
1:17,) because the doctrine of the Prophets was not separate from the law, but
was merely an appendage and fuller exposition of it, that the form of government
in the Church might depend entirely on the Law. It is no new or uncommon thing
in Scripture, to include the Prophets under the name of
the
Law: for they were all related to it as
their fountain or design. The Gospel was not an inferior appendage to the Law,.
but a new form of instruction, by which the former was set
aside.
Malachi, distinguishing the two conditions of the
Church, places the one under the Law, and commences the other with the preaching
of John. He unquestionably describes the Baptist, when he says,
“Behold, I send my messenger,”
(<390301>Malachi
3:1:) for, as we have already said, that passage lays down an express
distinction between the Law and the new order and condition of the Church. With
the same view he had said a little before, (which is quoted by Mark, (9:13;) for
the passages are quite similar,) “Behold, I send you Elijah the Prophet,
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord,”
(<390405>Malachi
4:5.) Again,
“Behold, I send my
messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek,
shall suddenly come to his temple,”
(<390301>Malachi
3:1.)
In both passages, the Lord promises a better
condition of his Church than had existed under the Law, and this unquestionably
points out the beginning of the
Gospel. But
before the Lord
came to restore the Church, a forerunner
or herald was to come, and announce that he was at hand. Hence we infer, that
the abrogation of the Law, and
the beginning of the
Gospel, strictly speaking, took place
when John began to preach.
The Evangelist John presents to us Christ clothed in
flesh, “the Word made flesh,”
(<430114>John
1:14;) so that his birth and the whole history of his appearance are included in
the Gospel. But here Mark inquires, when the Gospel began to be published, and,
therefore, properly begins with John, who was its first minister. And with this
view the Heavenly Father chose that the life of his Son should be buried, as it
were, in silence, until the time of the full revelation arrived. For it did not
happen without the undoubted Providence of God, that the Evangelists leave out
the whole period which Christ spent in private, and pass at once from his
earliest infancy to his thirtieth year, when he was openly exhibited to the
world, invested with his public character as a Redeemer; Luke excepted, who
slightly touches one indication of his future calling, which occurred about his
twelfth year,
(<420242>Luke
2:42.)
It had a very close connection with this object, that
we should be informed, first, that Christ is a true man,
(<430114>John
1:14,) and next, that he is
“the Son of Abraham and of
David,”
(<400101>Matthew
1:1;) as to both of which, the Lord has been pleased to give us an
attestation. The other matters which we have examined, relating to
“the
shepherds,”
(<420208>Luke
2:8,) the
“Magi,”
(<400201>Matthew
2:1,) and
“Simeon,”
(<420225>Luke
2:25,) were intended to prove his Divinity. What Luke relates about John and
his father Zacharias,
(<420105>Luke
1:5,) was a sort of preparation for the Gospel.
There is no impropriety in the change of the person
which is here made, in quoting the words of Malachi. According to the prophet,
God says, I send my messenger,
and he shall prepare the way BEFORE ME.
Mark introduces God as addressing the Son,
Behold, I send my messenger
before thy face, who shall prepare thy way
BEFORE THEE. But we see that Mark had no other intention, than to express
more clearly the prophet’s meaning. Mark designates Christ
the Son of
God. The other Evangelists testify that
he was born of the seed of Abraham and David, and therefore was
the Son of
man,
(<400820>Matthew
8:20.) But Mark shows us, that no redemption is to be expected but from
the Son of
God.
<400301>Matthew
3:1. Now in those
days.
<420301>Luke
3:1. And in the fifteenth
year. It could not be gathered from
Matthew and Mark in what year of his age John began to preach: but Luke shows
sufficiently, that he was about thirty years of age. The ancient writers of the
Church are almost unanimously agreed, that he was born fifteen years before the
death of Augustus. His successor Tiberius had held the government of the Roman
Empire for fifteen years, when the same John began to preach. In this way are
made up the thirty years which I have mentioned. Hence it follows, that he did
not long discharge the office of teacher, but, in a short time, gave way to
Christ; for we shall soon find, that Christ also was baptized in the thirtieth
year of his age, when he was immediately installed into the discharge of his
public office. Now as John, the morning-star, or dawn, was immediately followed
by Christ, “the Sun of Righteousness,”
(<390402>Malachi
4:2,) there is no reason to wonder, that John disappeared, in order that Christ
might shine alone in greater brightness.
See
Calvin on “Mt
3:1”
<420301>Luke
3:1. When Pontius Pilate was
governor of Judea. It is probable that
this was the second year of Pilate’s government: for since Tiberius had
held the reins of government, he had, as Josephus informs us, (xviii. 2:2,)
appointed Valerius Gratus to be governor of Judea, in room of Annius Rufus. This
change might take place in his second year. The same Josephus writes, that
Valerius was governor of Judea for “eleven years, when Pontius Pilate came
as his successor,” (Ant. 18:2:2.) Pilate, therefore, had governed the
province for two years, when John began to preach the Gospel. This Herod, whom
Luke makes tetrarch of Judea, was the second heir of Herod the Great, and
succeeded to his father by will. Archelaus had received the ethnarchy of Judea,
but, when he was banished to Vienna (Jos. Wars, 2:vii. 3) by Augustus, that
portion fell into the hands of the Romans. Luke mentions here two sons of
Herod,—Herod Antipas, who had been made tetrarch of Galilee, and governed
Samaria and Peraea,—and Philip, who was tetrarch of Trachonitis and
Iturea, and reigned from the sea of Tiberias, or Gennesareth, to the foot of
Lebanon, which is the source of the river Jordan.
Lysanias has been falsely supposed to be the son of
Ptolemy Mennaeus, King of Chalcis, who had been long before put to death by
Cleopatra, about thirty years before the birth of Christ, as Josephus relates,
(Ant. 15:4:1.) He could hardly even be the grandson of Ptolemy, who, as the same
Josephus records, kindled the Parthian war, (Wars, 1:xiii. 1;) for then he must
have been more than sixty years of age at the time of which Luke speaks.
Besides, as it was under Antigonus that the Parthian war commenced, he must even
then have been a full-grown man. Now Ptolemy Mennaeus died not long after the
murder of Julius Caesar, during the triumvirate of Lepidus, Antony, and
Octavius, (Jos. Wars, 1:xiii. 1.) But as this grandson of Ptolemy bore the name
of Lysanias as well as his father, he might have left a son who had the same
surname. Meanwhile, there can be no hesitation in rejecting the error of those
who make Lysanias to live sixty years after he had been slain by
Cleopatra.
The word
Tetrarch
is here used in a sense not quite accurate, as if the whole country had been
divided into four parts. But as at first there was a fourfold division into
districts, so afterwards, when other changes took place, the names
Tetrarch
and
Tetrarchies
were retained by way of honor. In this sense Pliny enumerates seventeen
tetrarchies
of one
country.
<420302>Luke
3:2. Annas and Caiaphas being
the high priests. It is certain, that
there never were two persons who held the office of
high
priest at the same time. Josephus
states, that Valerius Gratus made Caiaphas
high priest,
a short time before he left the
government. During the time that Pilate was governor of Judea, Josephus does not
speak of him as having made any change in this
respect;
f228 but, on the contrary, states
that, when Pilate had been recalled from the government, and sent to plead his
cause at Rome, Vitellius, who was at that time governor of Syria, reduced
Caiaphas to a private rank, and transferred the high priesthood to Jonathan, the
son of Ananus, (Ant. 18:4:3.) When Luke says that there were two
high
priests, we must not understand him to
mean, that both held the same title, but that the honor of the priesthood was
partly shared with him by Annas his father-in-law. Luke’s narrative
indicates such a state of trouble and confusion, that, though there was not more
than one person who was actually
high
priest, the sacred office was torn in
pieces by ambition and tyranny.
The word of the Lord came upon
John. Before relating, as the other
Evangelists do, that John began to exercise his office of teaching, Luke asserts
that he was divinely called to that office: and he does so, in order to assure
us, that the ministry of John carried undoubted authority. Why the interpreters
have chosen to translate the word,
ejpi<
jIwa>nnhn, UPON
John,
instead of TO
John,
I do not see: but because there is no ambiguity as to the meaning, that this
commission was entrusted to him, and that he received a command to preach, I
have followed the received version. Hence infer, that there are no regular
teachers, but those on whom God has conferred the office; and that it is not
enough to have the word of God, if there be not likewise a special
calling.
Matthew and Mark do not speak of the preaching of
John as extending beyond the
wilderness, while Luke says, that he
came into all the country around
Jordan. These statements may be
reconciled by observing, that John discharged the office of teaching among the
neighbors, with whom he dwelt; but that his Gospel spread more widely, and
became known in many places, so that the report of it, in a short time, reached
Jerusalem. Indeed, the whole of that tract of the Jordan might be called a
wilderness:
for the word does not mean “a solitude,” but “a rough, and
mountainous, and thinly inhabited
district.”
<400302>Matthew
3:2. Repent
ye. Matthew differs from the other two
Evangelists in this respect, that he relates the substance of John’s
doctrine, as uttered by John himself, while they relate it in their own words;
though Mark has one word more than Luke: for he says,
he
came BAPTIZING,
and preaching the baptism of
repentance. But in substance there is
the most perfect agreement: for they all connect
repentance
with the forgiveness of sins.
The kingdom of God among men is nothing
else than a restoration to a happy life; or, in other words, it is true and
everlasting happiness. When John says, that
the kingdom of God is at
hand, his meaning is, that men, who were
alienated from the righteousness of God, and banished from
the kingdom of
heaven, must be again gathered to God,
and live under his guidance. This is accomplished by a free adoption and
the forgiveness of
sins, by which he reconciles to himself
those who were unworthy. In a word, the kingdom of heaven is nothing else than
“newness of life,”
(<450604>Romans
6:4,) by which God restores us to the hope of a blessed immortality. Having
rescued us from the bondage of sin and death, he claims us as his own; that,
even while our pilgrimage on earth continues, we may enjoy the heavenly life by
faith: for he
“hath blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in
Christ,”
(<490103>Ephesians
1:3.)
Though we are like dead men, yet we know that our
life is secure; for it “is hid with Christ in God,”
(<510303>Colossians
3:3.)
From this doctrine, as its source, is drawn the
exhortation to
repentance.
For John does not say, “Repent
ye,
and in this way the kingdom
of heaven will afterwards be
at
hand;” but first brings forward
the grace of God, and then exhorts men to
repent.
Hence it is evident, that the foundation of repentance is the mercy of God,
by which he restores the lost. In no other sense is it stated by Mark and Luke,
that he preached repentance for
the forgiveness of sins. Repentance is
not placed first, as some ignorantly suppose, as if it were the ground of the
forgiveness of sins, or as if it induced God to begin to be gracious to us; but
men are commanded to repent, that they may receive the reconciliation which is
offered to them. Now, as the undeserved love of God—by which he receives
into his favor wretched men, “not imputing their trespasses unto
them,”
(<470519>2
Corinthians 5:19)—is first in order; so it must be observed, that pardon
of sins is bestowed upon us in Christ, not that God may treat them with
indulgence, but that he may heal us from our sins. And, indeed, without hatred
of sin and remorse for transgressions, no man will taste the grace of God. But a
definition of
repentance
and
faith
may explain more fully the manner in which both are connected; which leads
me to handle this doctrine more sparingly.
With regard to the meaning of the present passage, it
is proper to observe, that the whole Gospel consists of two
parts,—forgiveness of
sins, and
repentance.
Now, as Matthew denominates the first of these
the kingdom of
heaven, we may conclude, that men are in
a state of deadly enmity with God, and altogether shut out from the heavenly
kingdom, till God receives them into favor. Though John, when he introduces the
mention of the grace of God, exhorts men to repentance, yet it must not be
forgotten that repentance, not less than the inheritance of the heavenly
kingdom, is the gift of God. As he freely pardons our sins, and delivers us, by
his mercy, from the condemnation of eternal death, so also does he form us anew
to his image, that we may live unto righteousness. As he freely adopts us for
his sons, so he regenerates us by his Spirit, that our life may testify, that we
do not falsely,
f229 address him as our Father. In
like manner, Christ washes away our sins by his blood, and reconciles our
Heavenly Father to us by the sacrifice of his death; but, at the same time, in
consequence of
“our old man being
crucified with him, and the body of sin
destroyed,”
(<450606>Romans
6:6)
he makes us “alive” unto righteousness.
The sum of the Gospel is, that God, through his Son, takes away our sins, and
admits us to fellowship with him, that we,
“denying
ourselves” and our own nature, may “live soberly, righteously, and
godly,” and thus may exercise ourselves on earth in meditating on the
heavenly
life.
<420303>Luke
3:3. Preaching the baptism of
repentance. This form of expression
shows first, generally, what is the right use of the Sacraments; and next, why
baptism
was instituted, and in what it consists. A sacrament, then, is not a dumb
ceremony, exhibiting some unmeaning pomp without doctrine; but the Word of God
is joined to it, and gives life to the outward ceremony. By
the
Word I mean, not mutterings of a magical
character, made by some exorcist between his teeth, but what is pronounced with
a clear and distinct voice, and leads to the edification of faith. For we are
not simply told, that John
baptized unto
repentance, as if the grace of God were
contained in a visible sign; but that he explained, in his preaching, the
advantage of baptism, that the sign, through the word preached, might produce
its effect. This is the peculiarity of baptism, that it is said to be an outward
representation of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins. Now, as the
meaning, power, and nature of that baptism are the same as ours, if we judge of
the figure from its true import, it is incorrect to say, that the baptism of
John is different from the baptism of Christ.
f230
<400303>Matthew
3:3. The yoke of one crying
in the wilderness. Though this passage
of the prophet Isaiah (40:3) ought not to be limited exclusively to John, yet he
is one of the number of those to whom it certainly refers. After having spoken
of the destruction of the city, and of the awful calamities that would befall
the people, he promises a restoration that would follow. His words
are,
“Comfort ye,
comfort ye my people, saith your
God,”
(<234001>Isaiah
40:1.)
When the temple had been thrown down, and sacrifices
abolished, and the people led away into captivity, their affairs seemed to be
desperate. And as their ears had been deaf to the uninterrupted voice of the
prophets, the Lord kept silence for a time.
f231 That pious minds may not be cast
down during this melancholy silence, the prophet announces, that other preachers
of grace will yet arise, to awaken in the people a hope of salvation. Such were
Zechariah, Haggai, Malachi, and the like.
f232 But as the restoration promised
is perpetual, and not for a time only, and as Isaiah refers chiefly to the
redemption, which was to be expressed at the coming of Christ, John the Baptist
is justly considered the chief minister of consolation.
Next follows in the words of the prophet,
The voice of one
crying. That
voice
is contrasted with the temporary silence,
f233 which I have just mentioned: for
the Jews were to be deprived, for a time, of the instruction, which they had
wickedly despised. The word
wilderness
is here used metaphorically for
desolation,
or the frightful ruin of the nation, such as existed in the time of the
captivity. It was so dismally shattered, that it might well be compared to a
wilderness.
The prophet magnifies the grace of God. “Though the people,”
says he, “have been driven far from their country, and even excluded from
the society of men, yet the voice of God will yet be heard in
the
wilderness, to revive the dead with
joyful consolation.” When John began to preach, Jerusalem was in this
sense a
wilderness:
for all had been reduced to wild and frightful confusion. But the very sight
of a visible
wilderness
must have had a powerful effect on stupid and hardened men, leading them to
perceive that they were in a state of death, and to accept the promise of
salvation, which had been held out to them. We now see, that this prediction
actually relates to John, and is most properly applied to him.
Prepare the way of the
Lord. The prophet undoubtedly addresses
Cyrus and the Persians, whose agency the Lord employed in this matter. The
meaning is: by his wonderful power, God will open a way to his people through
impassable forests, through broken rocks, through a sandy desert; for he will
have at hand the ministers of his grace, to remove all hindrances out of the
way. But that was a shadowy anticipation of redemption. When the spiritual truth
is about to appear, John is sent to remove obstacles. And even now the same
voice sounds in our ears, that we may
prepare the way of the
Lord: that is, that we may take out of
the way those sins which obstruct the kingdom of Christ, and thus may give
access to his grace. To the same purpose are the following words of the prophet:
the crooked shall be made straight,
(<234004>Isaiah
40:4.) All that they mean is: there are intricate and crooked windings in the
world, but through such appalling difficulties the Lord makes a way for himself,
and breaks through, by incredible means, to accomplish our
salvation.
<420306>Luke
3:6. And all flesh shall see
the salvation of God. That salvation
will not be at all obscure, or experienced by a small number of persons, but
will strike every eye, and will be common to all. Hence it follows that this
prediction was far from being accomplished, when the people returned from
Babylon:
f234 for though the Lord gave, at that
time, a memorable display of his grace, yet he did not reveal his
salvation
to the whole world. On the contrary, the prophet’s design was, to
present the uncommon excellence of the salvation which was to be manifested, in
contrast with God’s former benefits, and thus to inform believers, that
the dispensations of God towards his Church had never been so remarkable, nor
his power so illustriously displayed in their deliverance.
Flesh
is here put for
men,
without being intended to denote their
depravity.
f235
<400304>Matthew
3:4. And the same John had
his raiment of camel’s hair. The
Evangelist does not desire us to reckon it as one of John’s chief
excellencies, that he followed a rough and austere way of living, or even that
he avoided a moderate and ordinary degree of elegance: but, having already
stated that he was an inhabitant of the mountains, he now adds, that his food
and clothing were adapted to his residence. And he mentions this, not only to
inform us, that John was satisfied with the food and dress of the peasants, and
partook of no delicacies; but that, under a mean and contemptible garb, he was
held in high estimation by men of rank and splendor. Superstitious persons look
upon righteousness as consisting almost entirely of outward appearances, and
have commonly thought, that abstinence of this kind was the perfection of
holiness. Nearly akin to this is the error, of supposing him to be a man who
lived in solitude, and who disdained the ordinary way of living; as the only
superiority of hermits and monks is, that they differ from other people. Nay,
gross ignorance has gone so far that, out of
camel’s
hair they have made an entire
skin.
Now, there can be no doubt, that the Evangelist here
describes a man of the mountains,
f236 widely distant from all the
refinement and delicacies of towns,—not only satisfied with such food as
could be procured, but eating only what was fit to be used in its natural state,
such as wild
honey, which is supplied by that region
in great abundance, and
locusts,
with which it also abounds. Or he may have intended to point out that, when
a man of mean aspect, and without any polite accomplishments, appeared in public
life, it was attended by this advantage, that the majesty of God shone alone in
him, and yet struck all with admiration. For we must observe what is added, that
there was a great concourse of people from all directions; from which we infer,
that his fame was very widely spread.
f237 Or the Evangelist may have
signified the design of God, to present, in the person of John, a singular
instance of frugality, and, in this manner, to fill the Jews with reverence for
his doctrine, or at least to convince them of ingratitude, according to that
saying of our Lord, John the
Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking
wine,
(<420733>Luke
7:33.)
Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5.
And were baptized, confessing
their sins. This
confession
was a testimony of
repentance:
for, as the Lord, in the sacraments, brings himself under obligation to us,
as if he had given his own hand-writing, so it is our duty, on the other hand,
to reply to him. In
Baptism,
he declares that our sins are forgiven, and calls us to repentance. That men
may come forward, in a right manner, to be baptized,
confession of
sins is demanded from them: otherwise
the whole performance would be nothing but an idle
mockery
f238 Let it be observed, that we are
here speaking of adults, who ought not, we. are aware, to be admitted
indiscriminately into the Church, or introduced by Baptism into the body of
Christ,
f239 till an examination has been
previously made. f240
Hence it is obvious, how absurdly this passage has
been tortured by the Papists, to support auricular confession. There were no
priests at hand, in whose ears each individual might privately
mutter
f241 his sins; nor is it said that
they enumerated all their sins; nor are we told that John left in charge to his
disciples an ordinary rule for confession. Even granting to Papists all that
they ask, confession will belong to Catechumens
alone,
f242 and will have no place after
Baptism. At all events, the law which they lay down for confession after
Baptism, derives no countenance from John’s example.
f243
See Calvin
on “Mt
3:6”
MATTHEW
3:7-10; LUKE 3:7-14
|
MATTHEW
3:7-10
|
LUKE
3:7-14
|
|
7. And when he saw many of the
Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, Offspring of
vipers, who warned you that ye might flee from the wrath to come?
8. Yield then fruits worthy of repentance.
9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham
for our fathers: for I say to you, that God is able to raise, from these stones,
children to Abraham. 10. And now also the axe is laid at the
root of the trees: every tree, therefore, which yieldeth not good fruit, is cut
down, and is thrown into the fire.
|
7. He said therefore to the
multitudes, which went out, that they might be baptized by him, Offspring of
vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8. Yield therefore fruits worthy of repentance. And begin to
to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father: for I say to you, that
God is able, from these stones, to raise up children to Abraham.
9. And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees:
every tree, therefore, which yieldeth not good fruit, is cut down, and is thrown
into the fire. 10. And the multitudes asked him, saying, What
then shall we do? 11. And he answering saith to them, He who
hath two coats, let him impart to him who hath none; and he who hath food, let
him do in like manner.
f244
12. And the publicans also
came, that they might be baptized, and said to him, Master, what shall we do?
13. And he said to them, Exact no more than what has been
enjoined you. 14. And the soldiers also asked him, saying,
And what shall we do? He saith to them, Do violence to no man, accuse no man
falsely, and be content with your wages.
|
Matthew 3:7.
And when he saw many of the
Pharisees. It is here related by Matthew
and Luke, that John did not merely preach repentance in a general manner, but
that he also applied his discourse to individuals. And the manner of teaching
will, in point of fact, be very unprofitable, if instructors do not judiciously
inquire what the season demands, and what belongs to individuals. Nothing can be
more unequal, in this respect, than a constant
equality.
f245 For this reason John, we are
told, addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees with greater severity: because he
saw that their hypocrisy, and swelling pride, rendered them liable to be more
severely censured than the common people. To comprehend more fully his design,
we must understand, that none are more stupid than hypocrites, who deceive
themselves and others by the outward mask of holiness. While God thunders, on
all sides, against the whole world, they construct a refuge for themselves in
their own deceitful fancy; for they are convinced that they have nothing to do
with the judgment of God. Does any one suppose, that John acted improperly, in
treating them with so much harshness at the first interview? I reply: They were
not unknown to him,
f246 and the knowledge he had of them
was derived, not from acquaintance or experience, but, on the contrary, from a
secret revelation of the Spirit. It was therefore necessary that he should not
spare them, lest they might return home more inflated with pride. Is it again
objected, that they ought not to have been terrified by such severity of
reproof, because they made a profession, in baptism, that they would afterwards
be different persons from what they had formerly been? The reply is still easy.
Those whose habits of uttering falsehood to God, and of deceiving themselves,
lead them to hold out hypocrisy and pretension, instead of the reality, ought to
be urged, with greater sharpness than other men, to true repentance. There is an
astonishing pertinacity, as I have said, in hypocrites; and, until they have
been flayed by violence, they obstinately keep their
skin.
As to the loud and open rebuke, which was
administered to them in presence of all, it was for the sake of others; and that
is the reason why Luke mentions, that it was addressed to
multitudes,
(<420307>Luke
3:7.) Though the persons whom John reproved were few in number, his design was
to strike terror on all; as Paul enjoins us to regard it as the advantage of
public rebukes, “that others also may fear,”
(<540520>1
Timothy 5:20.) He addresses directly the Pharisees and Sadducees, and at the
same time, addresses, through them, a warning to all, not to hold out a
hypocritical appearance of repentance, instead of a true affection of the heart.
Besides, it was of great importance to the whole nation to
know f247
what sort of people the Pharisees and Sadducees were, who had miserably
corrupted the worship of God, wasted the church, and overturned the whole of
religion;—in a word, who had extinguished the light of God by their
corruptions, and infected every thing by their crimes.
It is probable, therefore, that John publicly
attacked the Pharisees, for the benefit of the whole church of God, that they
might no longer dazzle the eyes of simple men by empty show, or hold the body of
the people under oppression by wicked tyranny. In this respect, it was a
remarkable display of his firmness, that those, who were highly esteemed by
others, were not spared on account of their reputation, but sternly reduced, as
they deserved, to their proper rank. And thus ought all godly instructors to be
zealous, not to dread any power of man, but boldly strive to “cast down
every high thing that exalteth itself” against Christ,
(<471005>2
Corinthians 10:5.)
If John, the organ of the Holy Spirit, employed such
severity of language in his opening address to those who voluntarily came to be
baptized, and to make a public profession of the gospel; how ought we now to act
towards the avowed enemies of Christ, who not only reject obstinately all that
belongs to sound doctrine, but whose efforts to extinguish the name of Christ
are violently maintained by fire and sword? Most certainly, if you compare the
Pope, and his abominable clergy, with the Pharisees and Sadducees, the mildest
possible way of dealing with them will be, to throw them all into one bundle.
Those, whose ears are so delicate, that they cannot endure to have any bitter
thing said against the Pope, must argue, not with us, but with the Spirit of
God. Yet let godly teachers beware, lest, while they are influenced by holy zeal
against the tyrants of the Church, they mingle with it the affections of the
flesh. And as no vehemence, which is not regulated by the wisdom of the Spirit,
can obtain the divine approbation, let them not only restrain their feelings,
but surrender themselves to the Holy Spirit, and implore his guidance, that
nothing may escape them through inadvertency.
f248
Offspring of
vipers. He gives them this name, instead
of simply calling them
vipers,
in order to expose the envenomed malice of the whole class: for he intended
to condemn, not merely those few persons who were present, but the whole body,
and to charge both sects with producing nothing but serpents. They had vehement
disputes, no doubt, with each other: but all were agreed in despising God, in a
wicked desire to rule, in hatred of sound doctrine, and in a disgusting mass of
numerous crimes.
Who warned
you? As he had suspicions of their
repentance, he puts the question with doubt and wonder, if it be possible that
they repent sincerely. In this way, he summons them to the inward tribunal of
conscience, that they may thoroughly examine themselves, and, laying aside all
flattery, may institute a severe investigation into their crimes.
Wrath
is put here, as in many other places, for the judgment of God: as when Paul
says, “The law worketh wrath,” (Romans 4:15,) and “Give place
to wraths
f249”, (Romans 12:19.) He calls it the
wrath to
come, which hangs over their heads, that
they may not indulge in their wonted carelessness. For, though the wrath of God
overflows, and his chastisements strike, the whole world, hypocrites always
entertain the hope that they will escape.
To flee from the
wrath of God, is here taken in a good
sense, that is, to seek the means of appeasing God, that he may no longer be
angry with us. For a good part of men, in order to escape the wrath of God,
withdraw themselves from his guidance and authority. But all that the sinner
gains by
fleeing from God, is to provoke more and
more the wrath of God against him.
Matthew
3:8; Luke 3:8. Yield
therefore fruits worthy of repentance.
He confirms what I have already said, that the repentance, which is attested
by words, is of no value, unless it be proved by the conduct: for it is too
important a matter to be estimated lightly, or at random. And so John affirms,
that the solemn declaration, which they made, is not enough, but that, in
process of time, their works will make it evident, whether or not they have
seriously repented.
f250 It ought to be observed, that
good
works
(<560308>Titus
3:8) are here called fruits of
repentance: for
repentance
is an inward matter, which has its seat in the heart and soul, but
afterwards yields its fruits in a change of
life.
f251 But as the whole of this part of
doctrine has been grievously corrupted by Popery, we must attend to this
distinction, that
repentance
is an inward renewal of the man, which manifests itself in the outward life,
as a tree produces its fruit.
See Calvin on
“Mt 3:8”
See Calvin on “Mt
3:9”
Matthew 3:9.
And think not to say within
yourselves. Luke 3:8.
And begin not to say within
yourselves. As the import of both
phrases is undoubtedly the same, it is easy to ascertain what John meant. Till
hypocrites are hard pressed, they either sleep in their sins, or indulge in
licentious mirth.
f252 But when they are summoned to the
tribunal of God, they eagerly seek for some subterfuge or concealment, or some
covering to interpose between God and them. John’s address to the
Pharisees and Sadducees amounts to this: “Now that I have
sharply upbraided you, do not, as persons of your stamp are wont to do endeavor
to find a remedy in an empty and deceitful title.”
He thus tears from them the wicked confidence, by
which they had been bewitched. The covenant, which God had made with Abraham,
was employed by them as a shield to defend a bad conscience: not that they
rested their salvation on the person of one man, but that God had adopted all
the posterity of Abraham. Meanwhile, they did not consider, that none are
entitled to be regarded as belonging to “the seed of Abraham,”
(<430833>John
8:33,) but those who follow his faith, and that without faith the covenant of
God has no influence whatever in procuring salvation. And even the little word,
in
yourselves, is not without meaning: for
though they did not boast in words, that they were Abraham’s children, yet
they were inwardly delighted with this title, as hypocrites are not ashamed to
practice grosser impositions on God than on men.
God is
able. The Jews flattered themselves with
nearly the same pretenses, as are now brought forward insolently by the Papists.
“There must be some Church in the world; because it is the will of God
that he be acknowledged, and his name invoked, in the world. But the Church can
be nowhere else than among us, to whom God has entrusted his
covenant.”
f253 This arrogance was chiefly
displayed by the high priests, and by others who had any share of government or
authority. The common people were treated by them as profane and
“accursed,”
(<430749>John
7:49,) and they looked upon themselves as the holy first-fruits; just as, in our
own day, mitred Bishops, Abbots, Canons, Monks, Sorbonnists, and every
description of Priests, glorying in the proud title of Clergy, regard the Laity
with contempt. This error, of relying too much on the promise of God, John
exposes and refutes, by saying that, though God passes by them, he will not want
a Church.
The meaning of the words, therefore, is: “God
has made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and his seed. In one point you are
mistaken. While you are worse than bastards,
f254 you imagine that you are the only
children of Abraham. But God will raise up elsewhere a new seed of Abraham,
which does not now appear.” He says in the dative case,
children
To ABRAHAM, (tw~
jAbraa<m,) to inform us, that the promise of God
will not fail, and that Abraham, who relied on it, was not deceived, though his
seed be not found in you. Thus from the beginning of the world the Lord has been
faithful to his servants, and has never failed to fulfill the promise which he
made to them, that he would extend mercy to their children, though he rejected
hypocrites. Some imagine, that John spoke of the calling of the Gentiles. This
appears to me to be without foundation: but as proud men did not believe it to
be possible that the Church should be removed to another place, he reminds them,
that God has in his power ways of preserving his Church, which they did not
think of, any more than they believed that he could create
children
out of
stones.
Matthew
3:10; Luke 3:9. And now also
the axe. After having stripped
hypocrites of the covering of a vain confidence, John announces the approaching
judgment of God. He had formerly said that, though they were rejected, God would
not want a people: and he now adds, that God is just about to drive out unworthy
persons from the Church, as barren
trees
are wont to be cut
down. His statement amounts to this,
that God has already displayed his power for purifying the Church. The grace of
God is never manifested for the salvation of the godly, till his judgment first
appears for the destruction of the world: and for two reasons; because God then
separates his own people from the reprobate, and because his wrath is kindled
anew by the ingratitude of the world. So that we have no reason to wonder, if
the preaching of the gospel and the coming of Christ laid
the
axe for
cutting
down barren trees, or if the same
causes
f255 daily advance the wrath of God
against the wicked.
See Calvin on “Mt
3:10”
Luke 3:10.
And the multitudes asked
him. A true feeling of repentance
produces in the mind of the poor sinner an eager desire to know what is the will
or command of God. John’s reply explains, in a few words,
the fruits worthy of
repentance: for the world is always
desirous to acquit itself of its duty to God by performing ceremonies; and there
is nothing to which we are more prone, than to offer to God pretended worship,
whenever he calls us to repentance. But
what
fruits does the Baptist here recommend?
The duties of charity, and of the second Table of the
Law: f256
not that God disregards the outward profession of godliness, and of his
worship; but that this is a surer mark of distinction, and less frequently leads
to mistakes.
f257 For hypocrites labor strenuously
to prove themselves worshippers of God by the performance of
ceremonies,—paying no regard, however, to true righteousness: for they are
either cruel to their neighbors, or addicted to falsehood and
dishonesty.
It was therefore necessary to subject them to a more
homely examination,
f258 if they are just in their
dealings with men, if they relieve the poor, if they are generous to the
wretched, if they give liberally what the Lord has bestowed upon them. This is
the reason why our Lord pronounces “judgment, mercy, and faith,” to
be “the weightier matters
of the law,”
(<402323>Matthew
23:23,) and Scripture everywhere recommends “justice and
judgment.” We must particularly observe, that the duties of charity are
here mentioned, not because they are of higher value than the worship of God,
but because they testify the piety of men,
f259 so as to detect the hypocrisy of
those who boast with the mouth what is far distant from the
heart.
But it is asked, did John lay this injunction, in a
literal sense, on all whom he was preparing to be Christ’s disciples, that
they should not have two
coats? We must observe, first, that this
is the figure of speech which is called a Synecdoche, for under one
example it comprehends a general rule. Hence it follows, that we must draw from
it a meaning, which corresponds to the law of charity, as it is laid down by
God: and that law is, that each person should give out of his abundance to
supply the wants of the poor. God does not extort a tax, to be paid
“grudgingly or of necessity” by those who, but for that necessity,
would have chosen not to pay it: “for the Lord loveth a” willing and
“cheerful giver,”
(<470907>2
Corinthians 9:7.) I make this observation, because it is of great consequence
for men to be convinced, that the por service et de la crainte de son nom, mais
pource que l’autre partie est la marque la plus certaine pour cognoians,
et, laquelle vrals on est le moins abuse.”—”Not that God does
not require also an external profession of his service and of the fear of his
name, but because the other part is the surest mark to know true penitents, and
one in which there is less risk of deception of their wealth which they bestow
in this manner is a sacrifice pleasing and of good savor to God,—that
“with such sacrifices God is well pleased,”
(<581316>Hebrews
13:16.)
Those who lay it down as a law, that no man must have
any property of his own, not only make consciences to tremble, but overwhelm
them with despair. With fanatics of this sort, who obstinately adhere to the
literal meaning, it is not necessary that we should spend much time in
refutation. If we are not allowed to have
two
coats, the same rule will apply to
dishes, to salt-cellars, to shirts, and, in short, to all the furniture of a
house. But the context makes it evident, that nothing was farther from
John’s intention than to overthrow the order of a state. Hence we infer,
that all that he enjoined on the rich was, that they should bestow on the poor,
according to their own ability, what their necessity required.
“Consider to what
extent the necessaries of life, which you enjoy abundantly, are wanted by your
neighbors, that your abundance may be a supply for their want,”
(<470814>2
Corinthians 8:14.)
But the more liberty that God allows us, we ought to
be the more careful not to allow ourselves undue
liberty.
f260 Let the necessity of our brethren
affect us powerfully, and let the bounty of God, which is in our hands,
stimulate us to acts of kindness and
generosity.
Luke 3:12.
And the
publicans
f261
also came. The
publicans are not only exhorted, in
general terms, to repent, but the duties peculiar to their calling are demanded:
for we know
that,
besides the general rule of the law, each person ought to consider what is
required by the nature of the employment to which he has been called. All
Christians, without distinction, “ re taught of God to love one
another,”
(<520409>1
Thessalonians 4:9:) but then there follow particular duties, which a teacher,
for example, is bound to perform towards the Church,—a magistrate or
prince towards the people, and the people, on the other hand, towards the
magistrate,—a husband towards his wife, and a wife towards her
husband,—and finally, children and parents toward each other. The
Publicans,
viewed as a class, were covetous, rapacious, and cruel, and often oppressed
the people by unjust exactions. In consequence of this, the Baptist reproves
them for those offenses, with which that class was, for the most part,
chargeable, when he commands them not to go beyond moderation in exacting
tribute. At the same time, we draw this inference, that it is quite as lawful
for a Christian man to receive or levy taxes, as for a magistrate to impose
them.
In the same way we must judge about war. John does
not order the soldiers to throw away their arms, and to relinquish their oath;
but he forbids them to pillage the wretched people under the pretense of their
duty as soldiers, to bring false accusations against the innocent, and to be
guilty of extortions,—all of which crimes the greater part of them were
accustomed to practice. These words obviously contain an approbation of civil
government. It is a piece of idle sophistry to say, that John’s hearers
were ignorant people, and that he gave them nothing more than elementary
instructions, which fell very far short of Christian perfection. John’s
office was, to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord,
(<420117>Luke
1:17) and there is no doubt that it was entirely and faithfully
performed. Those men are guilty of calumny and sacrilege, who slander the
Gospel, by declaring it to be opposed to human
governments;
f262 as if Christ destroyed what his
heavenly Father sanctioned. But, without the sword, laws are dead, and legal
judgments have no force or authority. Magistrates require not only an
executioner,
f263 but other attendants, among whom
are the military,
f264 without whose assistance and
agency it is impossible to maintain peace. Still, the object must be considered.
Princes must not allow themselves to sport with human blood, nor must soldiers
give themselves up to cruelty, from a desire of gain, as if slaughter were their
chief business: but both must be drawn to it by necessity, and by a regard to
public advantage.
MATTHEW 3:11-12; MARK 1:7-8;
LUKE 3:15-18
|
MATTHEW
3:11-12
|
MARK
1:7-8
|
LUKE
3:15-18
|
|
11. I indeed baptize you with
water to repentance: but he who cometh after me is stronger than I, whose shoes
I am not worthy to carry: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with
fire. 12. Whose winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he will
thoroughly cleanse his thrashing-floor, and will collect the wheat into his
barn: but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
|
7. And he preached, saying, One
cometh after me, that latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and
loose. 8. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
|
15. And while the people were
waiting, and while all were thinking in their hearts about John, whether he was
the Christ: 16. John answered to all, saying, I indeed
baptize you with water, but there cometh one stronger than I, the latchet of
whose shoes I am not worthy to loose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost
and with fire. 17. Whose winnowing-fan is in his hand, and he
will cleanse his thrashing-floor, and will collect the wheat into his barn: but
he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. 18. And
exhorting also as to many other things, he preached the
Gospel
f265
to the people.
|
The three Evangelists relate the Baptist’s
discourse in the same words. In one respect, Luke’s account is more full:
for he opens it by explaining the occasion on which this discourse was
delivered. It arose from the people being in danger of being led, by a false
opinion, to convey to him the honor which was due to Christ. To remove, as soon
as possible, every occasion of such a mistake, he expressly declares, that he is
not the Christ, and draws such a distinction between Christ and himself as to
maintain Christ’s prerogative. He would have done this of his own accord,
by handing them over,
to use a common expression, as disciples
to Christ: but he takes up the matter at an earlier stage, lest, by remaining
silent any longer, he should confirm the people in an error.
He who cometh after me is stronger
than I. Christ is thus declared to be so
far superior in power and rank, that, with respect to him, John must occupy a
private station.
f266 He uses ordinary forms of speech
to magnify the glory of Christ, in comparison of whom he declares that he
himself is nothing. The chief part of his statement is, that he represents
Christ as the author of spiritual baptism, and himself as only the minister of
outward baptism. He appears to anticipate an objection, which might be brought
forward. What was the design of the Baptism which he had taken upon himself? For
it was no light matter to introduce any innovation whatever into the Church of
God, and particularly to bring forward a new way of introducing persons into the
Church, which was more perfect than the law of God. He replies, that he did not
proceed to do this without authority; but that his office, as minister of an
outward symbol, takes nothing away from the power and glory of
Christ.
Hence we infer, that his intention was not at all to
distinguish between his own baptism, and that which Christ taught his disciples,
and which he intended should remain in perpetual obligation in his Church. He
does not contrast one visible sign with another visible sign, but compares the
characters of master and servant with each other, and shows what is due to the
master, and what is due to the servant. It ought not to have any weight with us,
that an opinion has long and extensively prevailed, that John’s baptism
differs from ours. We must learn to form our judgment from the matter as it
stands, and not from the mistaken opinions of men. And certainly the comparison,
which they imagine to have been made, would involve great absurdities. It would
follow from it, that the Holy Spirit is given, in the present day, by
ministers. Again, it would follow that John’s baptism was a dead sign, and
had no efficacy whatever. Thirdly, it would follow, that we have not the same
baptism with Christ: for it is sufficiently evident, that the fellowship, which
he condescends to maintain with us, was ratified by this
pledge,
f267 when he consecrated baptism in
his own body.
We must therefore hold by what I have already said,
that John merely distinguishes, in this passage, between himself and the other
ministers of baptism, on the one hand, and the power of Christ, on the other,
and maintains the superiority of the master over the servants. And hence we
deduce the general doctrine, as to what is done in baptism by men, and what is
accomplished in it by the Son of God. To men has been committed nothing more
than the administration of an outward and visible sign: the reality dwells with
Christ alone.
f268
Scripture does sometimes, though not in a literal
sense,
f269 ascribe to men what John here
declares not to belong to men, but claims exclusively for Christ. In such cases,
however, the design is not to inquire, what man has separately and by himself,
but merely to show, what is the effect and advantage of signs, and in what
manner God makes use of them, as instruments, by his Spirit. Here also is laid
down a distinction between Christ and his ministers, that the world may not fall
into the mistake, of giving to them what is justly due to him alone: for there
is nothing to which they are more prone, than to adorn creatures with what has
been taken from God by robbery. A careful attention to this observation will rid
us of many difficulties. We know what disputes have arisen, in our own age,
about the advantage and efficacy of signs, all of which may be disposed of in a
single word. The ordinance of our Lord, viewed as a whole, includes himself as
its Author, and the power of the Spirit, together with the figure and the
minister: but where a comparison is made between our Lord and the minister, the
former must have all the honor, and the latter must be reduced to
nothing.
Matthew 3:11.
He
shall baptize you with
the Holy Spirit and with fire. It is
asked, why did not John equally say, that it is Christ alone who washes souls
with his blood? The reason is, that this very washing is performed by the power
of the Spirit, and John reckoned it enough to express the whole effect of
baptism by the single word
Spirit.
The meaning is clear, that Christ alone bestows all the grace which is
figuratively represented by outward baptism, because it is he who
“sprinkles the conscience” with his blood. It is he also who
mortifies the old man, and bestows the Spirit of regeneration. The word
fire
is added as an epithet, and is applied to the Spirit, because he takes away
our pollutions, as
fire purifies gold. In the same manner,
he is metaphorically called
water
in another passage,
(<430305>John
3:5.)
12.
Whose winnowing-fan is in his
hand. In the former verse, John preached
concerning the grace of Christ, that the Jews might yield themselves to him to
be renewed: now he discourses of judgment, that he may strike despisers with
terror. As there are always many hypocrites who proudly reject the grace of
Christ offered to them, it is also necessary to denounce the judgment that
awaits them. For this reason John here describes Christ as a severe judge
against unbelievers. And this is an order which must be observed by us in
teaching, that hypocrites may know, that their rejection of Christ will not go
unpunished. They will thus be roused from their lethargy, and begin to dread him
as an avenger, whom they despised as the author of salvation.
I have no doubt, that John intended also to show,
what Christ accomplishes by means of his Gospel. The preaching of the Gospel,
then, is the
winnowing-fan.
Before the Lord
sifts
us, the whole world is involved in confusion, every one flatters himself,
and the good are mixed with the bad in short, it is only necessary that the
chaff
be blown. But when Christ comes forward with his Gospels,—when he
reproves the consciences and summons them to the tribunal of God, the
chaff
is sifted out,
f270 which formerly occupied a great
part of the
thrashing-floor.
It is true that, in the case of individuals, the Gospel effects a separation
from the
chaff:
but in this passage, John compares the reprobate to
chaff,
and believers to
wheat.
The thrashing
floor accordingly denotes — not
the world, (as some people imagine,) but the Church: for we must attend to the
class of persons whom John addresses. The mere title filled the Jews with
pride,
f271 but John tells them that it is
foolish in them to be proud of it, because they hold but a temporary place in
the Church of God, from which they are soon to be thrown out, like
chaff
from the
thrashing-floor.
In this way, he gives a rapid glance at the corrupt state in which the Church
then was: for it was covered with husks, and straws, and other rubbish, but
would soon be cleansed by the strong breeze of the Gospel. But how is Christ
said to separate the
chaff
from the
wheat,
when he can find nothing in men but mere
chaff?
The answer is easy. The elect are formed into
wheat,
f272 and are then separated
from the
chaff,
and collected into the
granary.
He will thoroughly cleanse his
thrashing-floor. This work was begun by
Christ, and is daily going forward: but the full accomplishment of it will not
be seen till the last day. This is the reason why John draws our attention to
the subject. But let us remember, that believers even now enter, by hope, into
the
granary
of God, in which they will actually have their everlasting abode; while the
reprobate experience, in their convictions of guilt, the heat of that
fire,
the actual
burning
of which they will feel at the last day.
Many persons, I am aware, have entered into ingenious
debates about the eternal
fire,
by which the wicked will be tormented after the judgment. But we may
conclude from many passages of Scripture, that it is a metaphorical expression.
For, if we must believe that it is real, or what they call material
fire,
we must also believe that the
brimstone
and the
fan
are material, both of them being mentioned by Isaiah.
“For Tophet is ordained of old;
the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of
brimstone, doth kindle it,”
(<233033>Isaiah
30:33.)
We must explain the fire in the same manner as the
worm,
(Mark 8:44, 46, 48.) and if it is universally agreed that the
worm
is a metaphorical term, we must form the same opinion as to the fire. Let us
lay aside the speculations, by which foolish men weary themselves to no purpose,
and satisfy ourselves with believing, that these forms of speech denote, in a
manner suited to our feeble capacity, a dreadful torment, which no man can now
comprehend, and no language can express.
MATTHEW 3:13-17; MARK 1:9-11;
LUKE 3:21-23
|
MATTHEW
3:13-17
|
MARK
1:9-11
|
LUKE
3:21-23
|
|
13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee
to Jordan to John, that he might be baptized by him. 14. But
John forbade
f273
him, saying, I have need to be baptized by
thee, and dost thou come to me? 15. And Jesus answering said
to him, Suffer it now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then
he suffers him. 16. And Jesus, having been baptized, went up
immediately from the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw
the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him.
17. And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my be loved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.
|
9. And it happened in those days,
Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in Jordan.
10. And immediately, when he was going up out of the water,
he saw the heavens cleft assunder, and the Spirit descending as a dove, upon
him. 11. And a voice came from heaven, Thou art my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.
|
21. And it happened, that, while
all the people were being baptized,
f274
when Jesus had been baptized and was praying,
the heaven was opened, 22. And that the Holy Spirit descended
in a bodily appearance,
f275
as a dove, upon him, and a voice came from
heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son: in thee I am well pleased.
23. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of
age.
|
Matthew 3:13.
That he might be baptized by
him. For what purpose did the Son of God
wish to be baptized? This may be learned, in some measure, from his answer. We
have already assigned a special reason. He received the same baptism with us, in
order to assure believers, that they are ingrafted into his body, and that they
are “buried with him in baptism,” that they may rise to
“newness of life,”
(<450604>Romans
6:4.) But the end, which he here proposes, is more
extensive: for thus it became him
to fulfill all righteousness, (verse
15.) The word
righteousness
frequently signifies, in Scripture, the observation of the law: and in that
sense we may explain this passage to mean that, since Christ had voluntarily
subjected himself to the law, it was necessary that he should keep it in every
part. But I prefer a more simple interpretation. “Say nothing for the
present,” said our Lord, “about my
rank:
f276 for the question before us is
not, which of us deserves to be placed above the
other.
f277 Let us rather consider what our
calling demands, and what has been enjoined on us by God the Father.” The
general reason why Christ received baptism was, that he might render full
obedience to the Father; and the special reason was, that he might consecrate
baptism in his own body, that we might have it in common with
him.
14.
I have need to be baptized by
thee. It is certain, that John
acknowledged Christ to be not only a distinguished prophet, as many foolishly
dream, but the Son of God, as he really was: for otherwise he would have
dishonored God by lowering his holy calling to a mortal man. How he came to know
this, the reader will learn by consulting John’s Gospel, (1:15,33.) There
was, no doubt, plausibility in this ground of refusal, that Christ had no need
of his baptism: but John was mistaken in not considering, that it was for the
sake of others that baptism was asked.
f278 And so Christ bids him consider,
what was suitable to the character of a
servant,
(Philippians 2:7,) which he had undertaken; for a voluntary subjection takes
nothing from his glory. Though the good man
f279
remained ignorant, for a time, of some part of his public duty, this
particular error did not prevent him from discharging, in a proper and lawful
manner, his office of Baptist. This example shows, that we do not act rashly, in
undertaking the commission which the Lord has given us, according to the light
we enjoy, though we do not immediately comprehend all that belongs to our
calling, or that depends upon it. We must also observe his modesty, in giving up
his opinion, and immediately obeying
Christ.
16.
And, lo, the heavens were
opened to him. The opening of the heavens
sometimes means a manifestation of heavenly glory; but here it means also a
cleft, or opening, of the visible heaven, so that John could see
something beyond the planets and stars. The words of Mark can have no other
meaning, he saw the heavens cleft
asunder.
f280 An exact inquiry into the
way in which this opening was made, would be of no importance, nor is it
necessary. It is sufficient for us to believe, that it was a symbol of the
Divine presence. As the Evangelists say that John saw the Holy Spirit, it is
probable that the opening of the
heavens was chiefly on his account. Yet
I do not hesitate to admit that Christ also, so far as he was man, received from
it additional certainty as to his heavenly calling. This appears to be the
tendency of the words of Luke:
while Jesus was praying, the
heaven was opened,
(<420321>Luke
3:21:) for, though his prayers were always directed towards the benefit of
others, yet as man, when he commenced a warfare of so arduous a description, he
needed to be armed with a remarkable power of the Spirit.
But here two questions arise. The first is,
why did the Spirit, who had formerly dwelt in Christ, descend upon him
at that time? This question is answered by a passage of the prophet Isaiah,
which will be handled in another place.
“The Spirit of the
Lord God is upon me; because the Lord God hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted,”
(<236101>Isaiah
61:1.)
Though the grace of the Spirit was bestowed on Christ
in a remarkable and extraordinary manner,
(<432003>John
20:33-34,) yet he remained at home as a private person, till he should be called
to public life by the Father. Now that the full time is come, for preparing to
discharge the office of Redeemer, he is clothed with a new power of the Spirit,
and that not so much for his own sake, as for the sake of others. It was done on
purpose, that believers might learn to receive, and to contemplate with
reverence, his divine power, and that the weakness of the flesh might not make
him despised.
This was also the reason why he
delayed his baptism till the
thirtieth year of his age,
(<420323>Luke
3:23.) Baptism was an appendage to the Gospel: and therefore it began at the
same time with the preaching of the Gospel. When Christ was preparing to preach
the Gospel, he was introduced by Baptism into his office; and at the same time
was endued with the Holy Spirit. When John beholds the Holy Spirit descending
upon Christ, it is to remind him, that nothing carnal or earthly must be
expected in Christ, but that he comes as a godlike
man, f281
descended from heaven, in whom the power of the Holy Spirit reigns. We know,
indeed, that he is God manifested in the flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16:) but even in his character as a servant, and in his human nature,
there is a heavenly power to be considered.
The second question is, why did the Holy
Spirit appear in the shape of a
dove,
rather than in that of
fire?
The answer depends on the analogy, or resemblance between the gure and the thing
represented. We know what the prophet Isaiah ascribes to
Christ.
“He shall not cry,
nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall
he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench,”
(<234202>Isaiah
42:2, 3.)
On account of this mildness of Christ, by which he
kindly and gently called, and every day invites, sinners to the hope of
salvation, the Holy Spirit
descended upon him in the appearance of a
dove. And in this symbol has been held
out to us an eminent token of the sweetest consolation, that we may not fear to
approach to Christ, who meets us, not in the formidable power of the Spirit, but
clothed with gentle and lovely grace.
He saw the Spirit of
God. That is, John
saw:
for it immediately follow, that
the Spirit descended on
Christ. There now arises a third
question, how could John see the Holy Spirit? I reply: As the Spirit of God
is everywhere present, and fills heaven and earth, he is not said, in a literal
sense, to
descend,
and the same observation may be made as to his
appearance.
Though he is in himself invisible, yet he is spoken of as
beheld,
when he exhibits any visible sign of his presence. John did not see the
essence of the Spirit, which cannot be discerned by the senses of
men; f282
nor did he see his power, which is not beheld by human senses, but only by
the understanding of faith: but he saw
the appearance of a
dove, under which God showed the
presence of his Spirit. It is a figure of
speech,
f283 by which the sign is put for the
thing signified, the name of a spiritual object being applied to the visible
sign.
While it is foolish and improper to press, as some
do, the literal meaning, so as to include both the sign and the thing signified,
we must observe, that the connection subsisting between the sign and the thing
signified is denoted by these modes of expression. In this sense, the bread of
the Lord’s Supper is called the body of Christ,
(<461016>1
Corinthians 10:16:) not because it is so, but because it assures us, that the
body of Christ is truly given to us for food. Meanwhile, let us bear in mind
what I have just mentioned, that we must not imagine a descent of the thing
signified, so as to seek it in the sign, as if it had a bodily place there, but
ought to be abundantly satisfied with the assurance, that God grants, by his
secret power, all that he holds out to us by figures.
Another question more curious than useful has been
put. Was this
dove
a solid body, or the appearance of one? Though the words of Luke seem to
intimate that it was not the substance of a body, but only
a bodily
appearance; yet, lest I should afford to
any man an occasion of wrangling, I leave the matter
unsettled.
17. And,
lo, a voice from
heaven. From that
opening of the
heavens, which has been already
mentioned, a loud voice was heard, that its majesty might be more impressive.
The public appearance of Christ, to undertake the office of Mediator, was
accompanied by this announcement,
f284 in which he was offered to us by
the Father, that we may rely on this pledge of our adoption, and boldly call God
himself our Father. The designation of
Son
belongs truly and naturally to Christ alone: but yet he was declared to be
the Son of God in our flesh, that the favor of Him, whom he alone has a right to
call
Father,
may be also obtained for us. And thus when God presents Christ to us as
Mediator, accompanied by the title of
Son,
he declares that he is the Father of us all,
(<490406>Ephesians
4:6.)
Such, too, is the import of the epithet
beloved:
for in ourselves we are hateful to God, and his fatherly love must flow to
us by Christ. The best expounder of this passage is the Apostle Paul, when he
says
“who hath
predestinated us into adoption by Jesus Christ in himself, according to the good
pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath
accepted us in the
Beloved,”
(<490105>Ephesians
1:5,6)
that is, in his beloved Son. It is still more fully
expressed by these words, in whom
I am well pleased. They imply, that the
love of God rests on Christ in such a manner, as to diffuse itself from him to
us all; and not to us only, but even to the angels themselves. Not that they
need reconciliation, for they never were at enmity with God: but even they
become perfectly united to God, only by means of their Head,
(<490122>Ephesians
1:22.) For the same reason, he is also called “the first-born of every
creature,”
(<510105>Colossians
1:5;) and Paul likewise states that Christ came
“to reconcile all
things to himself, both those which are on earth, and those which are in
heavens,”
(<510120>Colossians
1:20.)
MATTHEW 4:1-4; MARK 1:12-13;
LUKE 4:1-4
|
MATTHEW
4:1-4
|
MARK
1:12-13
|
LUKE
4:1-4
|
|
1. Then Jesus was led into the
wilderness by the Spirit, that he might be tempted by the devil;
2. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he at
length was hungry. 3. And when he who tempteth had approached
to him, he said, If thou art the Son of God, command that these stones may
become loaves.
f285
4. But he answering said, It
is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which
proceedeth from the mouth of God.
|
12. And immediately the Spirit
drove him into the wilderness, 13. And he was in the
wilderness forty days and forty nights; and was tempted by Satan, and was with
the wild beasts. f286
|
1. And Jesus, full of the Holy
Ghost, returnined from Jordan, and was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness.
2. Forty days he was tempted by the devil; and he ate nothing
in those days, afterwards he was hungry.
f287
3. And the devil said to
him, If thou art the Son of God, command this stone that it may become bread.
4. And Jesus replied to him, saying, It is written, Man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
|
Matthew 4:1.
Then Jesus was
led. There were two reasons why Christ
withdrew into the wilderness. The first was, that, after a fast of forty days,
he might come forth as a new man, or rather a heavenly man, to the discharge of
his office. The next was, that he might be tried by temptation and undergo an
apprenticeship, before he undertook an office so arduous, and so elevated. Let
us therefore learn that, by the guidance of the Spirit, Christ withdrew from the
crowd of men, in order that he might come forth as the highest teacher of the
church, as the ambassador of God,—rather as sent from heaven, than as
taken from some town, and from among the common people.
In the same way Moses, when God was about to employ
him as his agent in publishing his law, was carried into Mount Sinai, withdrawn
from the view of the people, and admitted, as it were, into a heavenly
sanctuary,
(<022412>Exodus
24:12.) It was proper that Christ should be surrounded by marks of divine grace
and power—at least equally illustrious with those which were bestowed on
Moses, that the majesty of the Gospel might not be inferior to that of the Law.
If God bestowed singular honor on a doctrine which was “the ministration
of death,”
(<470307>2
Corinthians 3:7,) how much more honor is due to the doctrine of life? And if a
shadowy portrait of God had so much brightness, ought not his face, which
appears in the Gospel, to shine with full splendor?
Such also was the design of the
fasting:
for Christ abstained from eating and drinking, not to give an example of
temperance, but to acquire greater authority, by being separated from the
ordinary condition of men, and coming forth, as an angel from heaven, not as a
man from the earth. For what, pray, would have been that virtue of abstinence,
in not tasting food, for which he had no more appetite than if he had not been
clothed with flesh?
f288 It is mere folly, therefore, to
appoint a forty days’ fast, (as it is called,) in imitation of Christ.
There is no more reason why we should follow the example of Christ in this
matter, than there formerly was for the holy Prophets, and other Fathers under
the law, to imitate the fast of Moses. But we are aware, that none of them
thought of doing so; with the single exception of Elijah, who was employed by
God in restoring the law, and who, for nearly the same reason with Moses, was
kept in the mount fasting.
Those who fast daily, during all the forty days,
pretend that they are imitators of Christ. But how? They stuff their belly so
completely at dinner, that, when the hour of supper arrives, they have no
difficulty in abstaining from food. What resemblance do they bear to the Son of
God? The ancients practiced greater moderation: but even they had nothing that
approached to Christ’s
fasting,
any more, in fact, than the abstinence of men approaches to the condition of
angels, who do not eat at all. Besides, neither Christ nor Moses observed a
solemn fast every year; but both of them observed it only once during their
whole life. I wish we could say that they had only amused themselves, like apes,
by such fooleries. It was a wicked and abominable mockery of Christ, to attempt,
by this contrivance of fasting, to conform themselves to him as their
model.
f289 To believe that such fasting is a
meritorious work, and that it is a part of godliness and of the worship of God,
is a very base superstition.
But above all, it is an intolerable outrage on God,
whose extraordinary miracle they throw into the shade; secondly, on Christ,
whose distinctive badge they steal from him, that they may clothe themselves
with his spoils; thirdly, on the Gospel, which loses not a little of its
authority, if this
fasting
of Christ is not acknowledged to be his seal. God exhibited a singular
miracle, when he relieved his Son from the necessity of eating and when they
attempt the same thing by their own power, what is it but a mad and daring
ambition to be equal with God? Christ’s
fasting
was a distinctive badge of the divine glory: and is it not to defraud him of
his glory, and to reduce him to the ordinary rank of men, when mortals freely
mix themselves with him as his companions? God appointed Christ’s fasting
to seal the Gospel: and do those who apply it to a different purpose abate
nothing from the dignity of the Gospel? Away, then, with that ridiculous
imitation,
f290 which overturns the purpose of
God, and the whole order of his works. Let it be observed, that I do not speak
of
fastings
in general, the practice of which I could wish were more general among us,
provided it were pure.
But I must explain what was the object of
Christ’s
fasting.
Satan availed himself of our Lord’s hunger as an occasion for tempting
him, as will shortly be more fully stated. For the present, we must inquire
generally, why was it the will of God that his Son should be tempted? That he
was brought into this contest by a fixed purpose of God, is evident from the
words of Matthew and Mark, who say, that for this reason
he was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness. God intended, I have no
doubt, to exhibit in the person of his Son, as in a very bright mirror, how
obstinately and perseveringly Satan opposes the salvation of men. For how comes
it, that he attacks Christ more furiously, and directs all his power and forces
against him, at the particular time mentioned by the Evangelists, but because he
sees him preparing, at the command of the Father, to undertake the redemption of
men? Our salvation, therefore, was attacked in the person of Christ, just as the
ministers, whom Christ has authorized to proclaim his redemption, are the
objects of Satan’s daily warfare.
It ought to be observed, at the same time, that the
Son of God voluntarily endured the temptations, which we are now considering,
and fought, as it were, in single combat with the devil, that, by his victory,
he might obtain a triumph for us. Whenever we are called to encounter Satan, let
us remember, that his attacks can, in no other way, be sustained and repelled,
than by holding out this shield: for the Son of God undoubtedly allowed himself
to be tempted, that he may be constantly before our minds, when Satan excites
within us any contest of temptations. When he was leading a private life at
home, we do not read that he was tempted; but when he was about to discharge the
office of Redeemer, he then entered the field in the name of his whole church.
But if Christ was tempted as the public representative of all believers, let us
learn, that the temptations which befall us are not accidental, or regulated by
the will of Satan, without God’s permission; but that the Spirit of God
presides over our contests as an exercise of our faith. This will aid us in
cherishing the assured hope, that God, who is the supreme judge and disposer of
the combat,
f291 will not be unmindful of us, but
will fortify us against those distresses, which he sees that we are unable to
meet.
There is a slight apparent difference in the words of
Luke, that Jesus, full of the
Holy Ghost, withdrew from Jordan. They
imply, that he was then more abundantly endued with the grace and power of the
Spirit, in order that he might be more fortified for the battles which he had to
fight: for it was not without a good reason that
the Holy Spirit descended upon
him in a visible shape. It has been
already stated, that the grace of God shone in him the more brightly, as the
necessity arising out of our salvation became
greater.
f292 But, at first sight, it appears
strange, that Christ was liable to the temptations of the devil: for, when
temptation falls on men, it must always be owing to sin and weakness. I reply:
First, Christ took upon him our infirmity, but without sin,
(<580415>Hebrews
4:15.) Secondly, it detracts no more from his glory, that he was exposed to
temptations, than that he was clothed with our flesh: for he was made man on the
condition that, along with our flesh, he should take upon him our feelings. But
the whole difficulty lies in the first point. How was Christ surrounded by our
weakness, so as to be capable of being tempted by Satan, and yet to be pure and
free from all sin? The solution will not be difficult, if we recollect, that the
nature of Adam, while it was still innocent, and reflected the brightness of the
divine image,—was liable to temptations. All the bodily affections, that
exist in man, are so many opportunities which Satan seizes to tempt
him.
It is justly reckoned a weakness of human nature,
that our senses are affected by external objects. But this weakness would not be
sinful, were it not for the presence of corruption; in consequence of which
Satan never attacks us, without doing some injury, or, at least, without
inflicting a slight wound. Christ was separated from us, in this respect, by the
perfection of his nature; though we must not imagine him to have existed in that
intermediate condition, which belonged to Adam, to whom it was only granted,
that it was possible for him not to sin. We know, that Christ was fortified by
the Spirit with such power, that the darts of Satan could not pierce
him.
f293
Matthew 4:3.
And when he, who tempteth, had
approached to him. This name,
oJ
peira>zwn,
the
tempter, is given to Satan by the Spirit
for the express purpose, that believers may be more carefully on their guard
against him. Hence, too, we conclude, that temptations, which solicit us to what
is evil, come from him alone: for, when God is sometimes said to
tempt
or
prove,
(<012201>Genesis
22:1;
<051303>Deuteronomy
13:3,) it is for a different purpose, namely, to try their faith, or to inflict
punishment on unbelievers, or to discover the hypocrisy of those who do not
sincerely obey the truth.
That these stones may become
loaves. Here the ancients amused
themselves with ingenious trifles. The first temptation, they said, was to
gluttony; the second, to ambition; and the third, to covetousness. But it is
absurd to suppose that it arises from the intemperance of
gluttony,
f294 when a hungry person desires food
to satisfy nature. What luxury will they fancy themselves to have discovered in
the use of bread, that one who satisfies himself, as we say, with dry bread,
must be reckoned an epicure? But not to waste more words on that point,
Christ’s answer alone is sufficient to show, that the design of Satan was
altogether different. The Son of God was not such an unskillful or inexperienced
antagonist, as not to know how he might ward off the strokes of his adversary,
or idly to present his shield on the left hand when he was attacked on the
right. If Satan had endeavored to allure him by the enticements of
gluttony,
f295 he had at hand passages of
Scripture fitted to repel him. But he proposes nothing of this
sort.
4.
Man shall not live by bread
alone. He quotes the statement, that men
do not live by bread
alone, but by the secret blessing of
God. Hence we conclude, that Satan made a direct attack on the faith of Christ,
in the hope that, after destroying his faith, he would drive Christ to unlawful
and wicked methods of procuring food. And certainly he presses us very hard,
when he attempts to make us distrust God, and consult our own advantage in a way
not authorized by his word. The meaning of the words, therefore, is: “When
you see that you are forsaken by God, you are driven by necessity to attend to
yourself. Provide then for yourself the food, with which God does not supply
you.” Now, though
f296 he holds out the divine power of
Christ to turn the
stones
into
loaves,
yet the single object which he has in view, is to persuade Christ to depart
from the word of God, and to follow the dictates of infidelity.
Christ’s reply, therefore, is appropriate:
“Man shall not live
by bread alone. You advise me to
contrive some remedy, for obtaining relief in a different manner from what God
permits. This would be to distrust God; and I have no reason to expect that he
will support me in a different manner from what he has promised in his word.
You, Satan, represent his favor as confined to
bread:
but Himself declares, that, though every kind of food were wanting, his
blessing alone is sufficient for our nourishment.” Such was the kind of
temptation which Satan employed, the same kind with which he assails us daily.
The Son of God did not choose to undertake any contest of an unusual
description, but to sustain assaults in common with us, that we might be
furnished with the same armor, and might entertain no doubt as to achieving the
victory.
It is written, Man shall not live
by bread alone. The first thing to be
observed here is, that Christ uses Scripture as his shield: for this is the true
way of fighting, if we wish to make ourselves sure of the victory. With good
reason does Paul say, that, the sword of the Spirit is the word of God,”
and enjoin us to “take the shield of faiths”
(<490616>Ephesians
6:16,17.) Hence also we conclude, that Papists, as if they had made a bargain
with Satan, cruelly give up souls to be destroyed by him at his pleasure, when
they wickedly withhold the Scripture from the people of God, and thus deprive
them of their arms, by which alone their safety could be preserved. Those who
voluntarily throw away that armor, and do not laboriously exercise themselves in
the school of God, deserve to be strangled, at every instant, by Satan, into
whose hands they give themselves up unarmed. No other reason can be assigned,
why the fury of Satan meets with so little resistance, and why so many are
everywhere carried away by him, but that God punishes their carelessness, and
their contempt of his word.
We must now examine more closely the passage, which
is quoted by Christ from Moses:
that he might make thee know that
man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of the Lord doth man live,
(<050803>Deuteronomy
8:3.) There are some who torture it to a false meaning, as referring to
spiritual life; as if our Lord had said, that souls are not nourished by visible
bread, but by the word of
God. The statement itself is, no doubt,
true: but Moses had quite a different meaning. He reminds them that, when no
bread could be obtained, God provided them with an extraordinary kind of
nourishment in “manna, which they knew not, neither did their fathers
know,”
(<050803>Deuteronomy
8:3;) and that this was intended as an evident proof, in all time coming, that
the life of man is not confined to
bread,
but depends on the will and good-pleasure of God.
The
word does not mean
doctrine,
but the purpose which God has made known, with regard to preserving the
order of nature and the lives of his creatures. Having created men, he does not
cease to care for them: but, as “he breathed into their nostrils the
breath of life,”
(<010207>Genesis
2:7,) so he constantly preserves the life which he has bestowed. In like manner,
the Apostle says, that he “upholdeth all things by his powerful
word,”(<580103>Hebrews
1:3;) that is, the whole world is preserved, and every part of it keeps its
place, by the will and decree of Him, whose power, above and below, is
everywhere diffused. Though we live on
bread,
we must not ascribe the support of life to the power of
bread,
but to the secret kindness, by which God imparts to bread the quality of
nourishing our bodies.
Hence, also, follows another statement: by
every word that proceedeth out of
the mouth of God shall men live. God,
who now employs bread for our support, will enable us, whenever he pleases, to
live by other means. This declaration of Moses condemns the stupidity of those,
who reckon life to consist in luxury and abundance; while it reproves the
distrust and inordinate anxiety which drives us to seek unlawful means. The
precise object of Christ’s reply is this: We ought to trust in God for
food, and for the other necessaries of the present life, in such a manner, that
none of us may overleap the boundaries which he has prescribed. But if Christ
did not consider himself to be at liberty to change
stones
into
bread,
without the command of God, much less is it lawful for us to procure food by
fraud, or robbery, or violence, or murder.
MATTHEW 4:5-11; MARK 1:13;
LUKE 4:5-13
|
MATTHEW
4:5-11
|
MARK
1:13
|
LUKE
4:5-13
|
|
5. Then the devil
taketh
f297
him into the holy city, and placeth him on the
pinnacle
f298
of the temple, 6. And saith
to him, If thou art the Son of God, throw thyself down: for it is written, He
will command his angels concerning thee, and they will carry thee in their
hands, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7. Jesus said to him, Again it is written, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God. 8. Again, the devil taketh him to a
very high mountain, and pointeth out to him all the kingdoms of the world, and
the glory of them; 9. And saith to him, All these things I
will give thee, if, falling down, thou shalt adore me.
10. Then Jesus saith to him, Depart, Satan, for it is
written, Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him alone thou shalt worship.
11. Then the devil leaveth him, and lo, angels approached,
and waited on him.
|
13. And angels waited on
him.
|
5. And the devil conducted him to
a high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment.
6. And the devil saith to him, I will give thee this
universal power, and the glory of them: for they have been delivered to me, and
to whomsoever I will, I give it. 7. If, therefore, bowing
down before me, thou shalt worship, all things shall be thine.
8. And Jesus answering said to him, Go behind me, Satan: for
it is written, Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him alone thou shalt
worship. 9. And he led him to Jerusalem, and placed him on a
parapet of the temple, and said to him, If thou art the Son of God, throw
thyself down hence: 10. For it is written, that he will
command his angels concerning thee, that they may preserve thee:
11. And that they will support thee with their hands, lest
thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12. And he answering said
to him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13. And all the temptation having been finished, the devil
departed from him for a time.
|
Matthew 4:5.
Then the devil taketh
him. It is not of great importance, that
Luke’s narrative makes that temptation to be the second, which Matthew
places as the third: for it was not the intention of the Evangelists to arrange
the history in such a manner, as to preserve on all occasions, the exact order
of time, but to draw up an abridged narrative of the events, so as to present,
as in a mirror or picture, those things which are most necessary to be known
concerning Christ. Let it suffice for us to know that Christ was tempted in
three ways. The question, which of these contests was the second, and which was
the third, need not give us much trouble or uneasiness. In the exposition, I
shall follow the text of Matthew.
Christ is said to have been
placed on the pinnacle of the
temple. It is asked, was he actually
carried to this elevated spot, or was it done in vision? There are many, who
obstinately assert, that the body was really and actually conveyed: for they
consider it to be unworthy of Christ, that he should be supposed to be liable to
the delusions of Satan. But it is easy to dispose of that objection. There is no
absurdity in supposing, that this took place by the permission of God and the
voluntary subjection of Christ; provided we hold that within,—that is, in
his mind and souls,—he suffered no delusion. What is next added, that
all the kingdoms of the
world were placed in the view of
Christ,—as well as what Luke relates, that he was carried to a great
distance in one moment,—agrees better with the idea of a vision, than with
any other supposition. In a matter that is doubtful, and where ignorance brings
no risk, I choose rather to suspend my judgment, than to furnish contentious
people with an occasion of debate. It is also possible, that the second
temptation did not follow the first, nor the third the second, in immediate
succession, but that some interval of time elapsed. This is even more probable,
though the words of Luke might lead to the conclusion, that there was no long
interval:for he says, that Christ obtained repose for a time.
But the main question for our consideration is, what
was Satan’s object in this kind of temptation? That will be best
determined, as I have lately hinted, by our Lord’s reply to Satan. To meet
the stratagem of the enemy, and to repel his attack, Christ interposes, as a
shield, these words: Thou shalt
not tempt the Lord thy God. Hence it is
evident, that the stratagems of the enemy were intended to induce Christ to
exalt himself unduly, and to rise, in a daring manner, against God. Satan had
formerly attempted to drive Christ to despair, because he was destitute of food,
and of the ordinary means of life. Now, he exhorts him to indulge a foolish and
vain confidences,—to neglect the means which are in his powers,—to
throw himself, without necessity, into manifest danger,—and, as we might
say, to overleap all bounds. As it is not proper for us to be discouraged, when
we are pressed by “the want of all things,”
(<052857>Deuteronomy
28:57,) but to rely with confidence on God, neither are we at liberty to raise
our crests, or ascend higher than God permits us. The design of Satan, we have
now ascertained, was to induce Christ to make trial of his divinity, and to rise
up, in foolish and wicked rashness, against
God.
6.
He will charge his angels
concerning thee. We must observe this
malice of Satan, in misapplying a quotation of Scripture, for the purpose of
rendering life deadly to Christ, and of converting bread into poison. The same
kind of stratagem he continues daily to employ; and the Son of God, who is the
universal model of all the godly, chose to undergo this contest in his own
person, that all may be industriously on their guard against being led, by a
false application of Scripture, into the snares of Satan. And undoubtedly the
Lord grants such a permission to our adversary, that we may not remain in
indolent ease, but may be more careful to keep watch. Nor ought we to imitate
the madness of those who throw away Scripture, as if it admitted of every kind
of interpretation, because the devil misapplies it. For the same reason, we
ought to abstain from food, to avoid the risk of being poisoned. Satan profanes
the Word of God, and endeavors to torture it for our destruction. But it has
been ordained by God for our salvation; and shall the purpose of God be
frustrated, unless our indolence deprive his word of its saving
effect?
We need not dispute long on these matters. Let us
only inquire, what Christ enjoins on us by his example, which we ought to follow
as a rule. When Satan wickedly tortures Scripture, does Christ give way to him?
Does he allow him to seize and carry off the Scripture, with which he formerly
armed himself? On the contrary, he quotes Scripture in his turn, and boldly
refutes Satan’s wicked slander. Whenever Satan shall cover his deception
by Scripture, and ungodly men shall labor to subvert our faith by the same
means, let us borrow our armor exclusively from Scripture for the protection of
our faith.
Though the promise,
he will charge his angels
concerning thee, (Psalm 91:11,) relates to all
believers, yet it belongs peculiarly to Christ, who is the Head of the whole
Church, possesses authority over angels, and commits to them the charge of us.
Satan is not wrong in proving from this passage, that angels have been given to
Christ, to wait on him, to guard him, and to bear him on their hands. But the
fallacy lies in this, that he assigns a wandering and uncertain course to that
guardianship of angels, which is only promised to the children of God, when they
keep themselves within their bounds, and walk in their
ways.
If there is any force in that expression,
in all thy
ways, (Psalm 91:11,) the prophet’s
meaning is wickedly corrupted and mutilated by Satan, when he applies it, in a
violent and wild and confused manner, to extravagant and mistaken courses. God
commands us to walk in our
ways, and then declares that angels will
be our guardians: Satan brings forward the guardianship of angels, for the
purpose of advising Christ to put himself unnecessarily in danger, as if he
would say: “If you expose yourself to death, contrary to the will of God,
angels will protect your life.”
7.
It is written, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God. The reply of
Christ is most appropriate. There is no other way, in which we have a right to
expect the assistance promised in that passage, than when believers humbly
submit themselves to his guidance: for we cannot rely on his promises, without
obeying his commandments. God is
tempted
in many ways: but in this passage, the word
tempt
denotes the neglect of those means which he puts into our hands. Those who
leave the means which God recommends, and resolve to make trial of his power and
might, act as absurdly as if one were to cut off a man’s arms and hands,
and then order him to work. In short, whoever desires to make an experiment of
the divine power, when there is no necessity for it,
tempts
God by subjecting his promises to an
unfair trial.
8.
The devil taketh him to a
very high mountain. We must keep in
mind, what I have already stated, that it was not owing to any weakness of
Christ’s nature, but to a voluntary dispensation and permission, that
Satan produced this effect upon his eyes. Again, while his senses were moved and
powerfully affected by the glory of the kingdoms which was presented to them, no
inward desire arose in his mind; whereas the lusts of the flesh, like wild
beasts, are drawn, and hurry us along, to the objects which please us: for
Christ had the same feelings with ourselves, but he had no irregular appetites.
The kind of temptation here described was, that Christ should seek, in another
manner than from God, the inheritance which he has promised to his children. And
here the daring insolence of the devil is manifested, in robbing God of the
government of the world, and claiming it for himself.
All these
things, says he,
are
mine, and it is only through me that
they are obtained.
We have to contend every day with the same imposture:
for every believer feels it in himself and it is still more clearly seen in the
whole life of the ungodly. Though we are convinced, that all our support, and
aid, and comfort, depend on the blessing of God, yet our senses allure and draw
us away, to seek assistance from Satan, as if God alone were not enough. A
considerable portion of mankind disbelieve the power and authority of God over
the world, and imagine that every thing good is bestowed by Satan. For how comes
it, that almost all resort to wicked contrivances, to robbery and to fraud, but
because they ascribe to Satan what belongs to God, the power of enriching whom
he pleases by his blessing? True, indeed, with the mouth they ask that God will
give them daily
bread,
(<400611>Matthew
6:11) but it is only with the mouth; for they make Satan the distributor of all
the riches in the world.
10.
Depart,
Satan. Instead of this, Luke has,
Depart behind me,
Satan. There is no use for speculating
about the phrase, behind
me, which Christ addressed to Peter,
Go behind
me,
(<401623>Matthew
16:23,) as if the same words had not been addressed to Satan. Christ simply bids
him go away;
f299 and now proceeds with the same
kind of defense as before, employing Scripture as a shield, not of reeds, but of
brass. He quotes a passage from the law, that God alone is to be adored and
worshipped,
(<050613>Deuteronomy
6:13; 10:20.) From the application of that passage, and from the circumstances
in which it is introduced, it is easy to conclude what is the design of
adoration of God, and in what it consists.
Papists deny that God only ought to be adored; and
evade this and similar passages by sophistical arguments.
Latria,
(latrei>a,)
they admit, is adoration, which ought to be given to God alone: but
Dulia,
(doulei>a,)
is an inferior kind of adoration, which they bestow on dead men, and on their
bones and statues. But Christ rejects this frivolous distinction, and claims for
God alone
prosku>nhsiv,
worship;
by which he warns us to attend more to the matter than to expressions, when
we have to do with the worship of God.
Scripture enjoins us to
worship God
alone: we must inquire, for what end? If
a man takes any thing from his glory, and ascribes it to creatures, this is a
heinous profanation of divine worship. But it is very evident that this is done,
when we go to creatures, to receive from them those good things, of which God
desired to be acknowledged as the only Author. Now, as religion is strictly
spiritual, and the outward acknowledgment of it relates to the body, so not only
the inward worship, but also the outward manifestation of it, is due to God
alone.
f300
11.
Then the devil leaveth
him. Luke expresses more:
when all the temptation had been
finished. This means, that no truce or
relaxation was granted to Christ, till he had been fully tried by every species
of contest. He adds, that Christ was
left for a season
only. This is intended to inform us, that the
rest of his life was not entirely free from
temptations,
but that God restrained the power of Satan, so that Christ was not
unseasonably disturbed by him. In like manner, God usually acts towards all his
people: for, after permitting them to be sharply tried, he abates, in some
measure, the violence of the strife, that they may take breath for a little, and
gather courage. What immediately follows,
the angels waited on
him, I understand as referring to
comfort, that Christ might feel, that God the Father took care of him, and
fortified him, by his powerful assistance, against Satan. For the very solitude
might aggravate the dreariness of his condition, when he was deprived of the
kind offices of men, and was with
the wild beasts,—a
circumstance which is expressly mentioned by Mark. And yet we must not
suppose, that Christ was ever forsaken by the angels: but, in order to allow an
opportunity for temptation, the grace of God, though it was present, was
sometimes hidden from him, so far as respects the feeling of the
flesh.
MATTHEW 4:12, 17; MARK
1:14-15;
LUKE 3:19-20;
4:14
|
MATTHEW 4:12,
17
|
MARK
1:14-15
|
LUKE
3:19-20
|
|
12. And when Jesus heard that
Jesus had been delivered up,
f301
he withdrew into Galilee.
17. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent
ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
|
14. Now after that John had been
imprisoned, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God:
15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God
is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.
|
19. Now Herod the tetrarch, when
he was reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the
wicked actions which Herod did, 20. Added also this above
all, and shut up John in
prison.
LUKE 4:14-15
14. And Jesus returned
by the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report went out through the whole
country concerning him. 15. And he taught in their
synagogues, and was glorified by all.
|
Luke 3:19.
Now Herod the
tetrarch. Luke alone explains the reason
why Herod threw John into prison: though we shall afterwards find it mentioned
by
<401403>Matthew
14:3, and
<410617>Mark
6:17. Josephus says, (Ant. 18:v. 2,) that Herod, dreading a popular insurrection
and a change of the government, shut up John in the castle of Macherus, (because
he dreaded the man’s influence;
f302 ) and that Herodias was married,
not to Philip, who was Salome’s husband, but to another Herod. But as his
recollection appears to have failed him in this matter, and as he mentions also
Philip’s death out of its proper place, the truth of the history will be
obtained, with greater certainty, from the Evangelists, and we must abide by
their testimony.
f303 It is well known, that Herod,
though he had been married to a daughter of Aretas, King of Arabia, fell in love
with Herodias, his niece, and carried her off by fraud. This injury might
possibly enough remain unrevenged by his brother Philip, to whom the same
Josephus bears testimony, that he was a person of a mild and gentle disposition,
(18:4:6.)
This history shows clearly, what sort of reward
awaits the faithful and honest ministers of the truth, particularly when they
reprove vices: for scarcely one in a hundred bears reproof, and if it is at all
severe, they break out into fury. If pride of this sort displays itself in some
of the common people, we have no reason to wonder, that cruelty to reprovers
assumes a more hideous form in tyrants,
f304 who brook nothing worse than to
be classed with other men. We behold in John an illustrious example of that
moral courage, which all pious teachers ought to possess, not to hesitate to
incur the wrath of the great and powerful, as often as it may be found
necessary: for he, with whom there is acceptance of persons, does not honestly
serve God. When Luke says, he
added this to all the evil
actions which he did, he means, that
Herod’s malice is become desperate, and has reached its utmost height,
when the sinner is enraged by remedies, and not only refuses correction, but
takes vengeance on his adviser, as if he had been his
enemy.
Matthew 4:12.
When Jesus had
heard. These words envers le peuple, et
pourtant se doutoit de luy.”—”Because he knew that he was a
man of great authority among the people, and therefore had doubts about him
appear to be at variance with the narrative of the Evangelist John, who
declares, that John and Christ discharged the office of public teachers at the
same time. But we have to observe, that our three Evangelists pass over in
silence that short space of time, because John’s course was not yet
completed, and because that course was intended to be a preparation for
receiving the Gospel of Christ. And, in point of fact, though Christ discharged
the office of teacher within that period, he did not, strictly speaking, begin
to preach the
Gospel, till he succeeded to John. Most
properly, therefore, do the three Evangelists admit and declare, that the
period, during which John prepared disciples for Christ, belonged to his
ministry: for it amounts to this, that, when the dawn was passed, the sun arose.
It is proper to observe the mode of expression employed by Luke, that Jesus came
in the
power, or,
by the power, of the Spirit
into Galilee: for it is of great
consequence, that we do not imagine Christ to have any thing about him that is
earthly or human, but that our minds be always occupied, and our feelings
affected by his heavenly and divine
power.
Mark 1:14.
Preaching the Gospel of the
kingdom of God. Matthew appears to
differ a little from the other two: for, after mentioning that Jesus left his
own city Nazareth, and departed to Capernaum, he says:
from that time Jesus began to
preach. Luke and Mark, again, relate,
that he taught publicly in his own country. But the solution is easy; for the
words which Matthew employs,
ajpo<
to>te,
from that
time, ought to be viewed as referring,
not to what immediately precedes, but to the whole course of the narrative.
Christ, therefore, entered into the exercise of his office, when he arrived at
Galilee. The summary of doctrine which is given by Matthew is not at all
different from what, we have lately seen, was taught by John: for it consists of
two
parts,—repentance,
and the announcement of grace and salvation. He exhorts the Jews to
conversion, because the kingdom
of God is at hand: that is, because God
undertakes to govern his people, which is true and perfect happiness. The
language of Mark is a little different,
The kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the Gospel But
the meaning is the same: for, having first spoken of the restoration of the
kingdom of God among the Jews, he exhorts them to repentance and
faith.
But it may be asked, since
repentance
depends on the Gospel, why does Mark separate it from the
doctrine
of the Gospel? Two reasons may be assigned. God sometimes invites us to
repentance, when nothing more is meant, than that we ought to change our life
for the better. He afterwards shows, that conversion and “newness of
life”
(<450604>Romans
6:4) are the gift of God. This is intended to inform us, that not only is our
duty enjoined on us, but the grace and power of obedience are, at the same time,
offered. If we understand in this way the preaching of John about repentance,
the meaning will be:” The Lord commands you to turn to himself; but as you
cannot accomplish this by your own endeavors, he promises the Spirit of
regeneration, and therefore you must receive this grace by faith.” At the
same time, the faith, which he enjoins men to give to the Gospel, ought not, by
any means, to be confined to the gift of renewal, but relates chiefly to the
forgiveness of sins. For John connects repentance with faith, because God
reconciles us to himself in such a manner, that we serve him as a Father in
holiness and righteousness.
Besides, there is no absurdity in saying, that
to believe the
Gospel is the same thing as to embrace a
free righteousness: for that special relation, between faith and the forgiveness
of sins, is often mentioned in Scripture; as, for example, when it teaches, that
we are justified by faith,
(<450501>Romans
5:1.) In which soever of these two ways you choose to explain this passage, it
still remains a settled principle, that God offers to us a free salvation, in
order that we may turn to him, and live to righteousness. Accordingly, when he
promises to us mercy, he calls us to deny the flesh. We must observe the
designation which Paul gives to the Gospel,
the kingdom of
God: for hence we learn, that by the
preaching of the Gospel the
kingdom of God is set up and established
among men, and that in no other way does God reign among men. Hence it is also
evident, how wretched the condition of men is without the
Gospel.
Luke 4:15.
He was glorified by
all. This is stated by Luke for the
express purpose of informing us, that, from the very commencement, a divine
power shone in Christ, and compelled even those, who cherished a malignant
spirit of contradiction, to join in admiring him.
LUKE 4:16-22
|
LUKE
4:16-22
|
|
16. And he came to Nazareth, where
he had been brought up, and entered, according to his custom, on the
Sabbath-day, into the synagogue, and rose up to read. 17. And
the book of Isaiah the Prophet was delivered to him, and, having opened the
book, he found the passage where it was written, 18. The
Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me: he hath sent me to
preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the broken in
heart,
f305
to preach forgiveness to the captives and sight
to the blind, to loose by forgiveness those who are bruised,
19. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20. Then, when he had closed the book, he returned it to the
minister, and sat down: and the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed
on him. 21. And he began to say to them, To-day this
Scripture hath been fulfilled in your ears. 22. And all gave
him testimony, and wondered at the discourses of grace which proceeded out of
his mouth, and said, Is not this the son of Joseph?
|
16.
And he came to
Nazareth. The Evangelists are very
careful to show by what sort of proofs Christ became known, a striking instance
of which is here related by Luke. By explaining a passage in Isaiah, and
applying it to the instruction which was immediately required, he turned upon
him the eyes of all. He entered,
according to his custom, into the synagogue.
Hence
we conclude, that not only did he address the people in the open streets and
highways, but, as far as he had opportunity, observed the usual order of the
church. We see also that, though the Jews were become very degenerate, though
every thing was in a state of confusion, and the condition of the church was
miserably corrupted, one good thing still remained: they read the Scriptures
publicly, and took occasion from them to teach and admonish the
people.
Hence also it is evident, what was the true and
lawful method of keeping the
Sabbath. When God commanded his people
to abstain from working on that day, it was not that they might give themselves
up to indolent repose, but, on the contrary, that they might exercise themselves
in meditating on his works. Now, the minds of men are naturally blind to the
consideration of his works, and must therefore be guided by the rule of
Scripture. Though Paul includes the
Sabbath
in an enumeration of the shadows of the law,
(<510216>Colossians
2:16,) yet, in this respect, our manner of observing it is the same with that of
the Jews: the people must assemble to hear the word, to public prayers, and to
the other exercises of religion. It was for this purpose that the Jewish Sabbath
was succeeded by the Lord’s Day.
Now, if we make a comparison of dates, this passage
will be sufficient to prove clearly, that the corruptions of the Papal
Hierarchy, in our own time, are more shocking and detestable than those which
existed among the Jews under the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas. For the
reading of Scripture, which was then in use, has not only grown obsolete under
the Pope, but is driven from the churches by fire and sword; with this
exception, that such portions of it, as they think proper, are chanted by them
in an unknown tongue. Christ rose
up to read, not only that his voice
might be better heard, but in token of reverence: for the majesty of Scripture
deserves that its expounders should make it apparent, that they proceed to
handle it with modesty and reverence.
17.
He found the
passage. There is no doubt that Christ
deliberately selected this passage. Some think that it was presented to him by
God; f306
but, as a liberty of choice was allowed him, I choose to say that, by his
own judgment, he took this passage in preference to others. Isaiah there
predicts that, after the Babylonish captivity, there will still be witnesses of
the grace of God, who shall gather the people from destruction, and from the
darkness of death, and restore, by a spiritual power, the Church, which has been
overwhelmed by so many calamities. But as that redemption was to be proclaimed
in the name and authority of Christ alone, he uses the singular number, and
speaks in the name of Christ, that he may more powerfully awaken the minds of
the godly to strong confidence. It is certain, that what is here related belongs
properly to Christ alone, for two reasons: first, because he alone was
endued with the fullness of the Spirit,
(<430334>John
3:34,) to be the witness and ambassador of our reconciliation to God; (and, for
this reason, Paul
(<490217>Ephesians
2:17) assigns peculiarly to him, what belongs to all the ministers of the
Gospel, namely, that he, came and preached peace to them which were afar off,
and to them that were nigh:”) secondly, because he alone, by the
power of his Spirit, performs and grants all the benefits that are here
promised.
18.
The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me. These words inform us that,
both in his own person and in his ministers, Christ does not act by human
authority, or in a private capacity, but has been sent by God to restore
salvation to his Church. He does nothing by the suggestion or advice of men, but
everything by the guidance of the Spirit of God; and this he declares, in order
that the faith of the godly may be founded on the authority and power of God.
The next clause, because he hath
anointed me, is added by way of
explanation. Many make a false boast, that they have the Spirit of God, while
they are destitute of his gifts: but Christ proves by the
anointing,
as the effect, that he is endued with the Spirit of God. He then states the
purpose for which the graces of the Spirit were bestowed upon him. It was,
that he might preach the Gospel
to the poor. Hence we conclude, that
those, who are sent by God to preach the Gospel, are previously furnished with
necessary gifts, to qualify them for so important an office. It is, therefore,
very ridiculous that, under the pretense of a divine calling, men totally unfit
for discharging the office should take upon themselves the name of pastors. We
have an instance of this in the Papacy, where mitred bishops, who are more
ignorant than as many asses, proudly and openly vaunt, that they are
Christ’s Vicars, and the only lawful prelates of the Church. We are
expressly informed, that the Lord anoints his servants, because the true and
efficacious preaching of the Gospel, as Paul says, does not lie “in the
enticing words of man’s wisdom,” but in the heavenly power of the
Spirit.
To the
poor. The prophet shows what would be
the state of the Church before the manifestation of the Gospel, and what is the
condition of all of us without Christ. Those persons to whom God promises
restoration are called
poor,
and
broken,
and
captives,
and
blind,
and
bruised.
The body of the people was oppressed by so many miseries, that these
descriptions applied to every one of its members. Yet there were many who,
amidst their poverty, blindness, slavery, and death, flattered themselves, or
were insensible to their condition. The consequence was, that few were prepared
to accept this grace.
And, first, we are here taught what is the
design of the preaching of the Gospel, and what advantage it brings to us. We
were altogether overwhelmed by every kind of evils: but there God cheers us by
his life-giving light, to rescue us from the deep abyss of death, and to restore
us to complete happiness. It tends, in no ordinary degree, to recommend the
Gospel, that we obtain from it inestimable advantage. Secondly, we see
who are invited by Christ, and made partakers of promised grace. They are
persons, who are every way miserable, and destitute of all hope of salvation.
But we are reminded, on the other hand, that we cannot enjoy those benefits
which Christ bestows, in any other manner, than by being humbled under a deep
conviction of our distresses, and by coming, as hungry souls, to seek him as our
deliverer: for all who swell with pride, and do not groan under their
captivity,,
nor are displeased with their
blindness,
lend a deaf ear to this prediction, and treat it with
contempt.
19.
To preach the acceptable year
of the Lord. Many think that here the
prophet makes an allusion to the Jubilee, and I have no objection to that view.
But it is proper to observe, that he purposely anticipates a doubt, which might
disturb and shake weak minds, while the Lord held them in suspense, by delaying
so long the promised salvation. He therefore makes the time of redemption to
depend on the purpose, or good pleasure, of God. “In an acceptable time
have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee.” Paul
calls it the fullness of the time,
(<480404>Galatians
4:4,) that believers may learn not to indulge in excessive curiosity, but to
acquiesce in the will of God,—and that we may rest satisfied with the
conviction, that salvation was manifested in Christ, at the time which seemed
good in the sight of God.
20.
The eyes of all who were in
the synagogue. God touched their hearts,
I doubt not, with astonishment, which made them more attentive, and induced them
to listen to Christ, while he was speaking. For they must have been withheld
from opposing this discourse at the commencement, or breaking it off in the
midst, when they were sufficiently disposed, as we shall see, to treat Christ
with contempt.
21.
Today is
fulfilled. Christ did not merely affirm
in a few words, but proved by a reference to facts, that the time was now come,
when it was the will of God to restore his ruined church. The object of his
discourse was, to expound the prediction clearly to his hearers: just as
expositors handle Scripture in a proper and orderly manner, when they apply it
to the circumstances of those whom they address. He says that it was
fulfilled in their
ears, rather than
in their
eyes, because the bare sight of the fact
was of little value, if doctrine had not held the chief
place.
22.
And all gave testimony to
him. Here Luke draws our attention,
first, to the truly divine grace, which breathed in the lips of Christ; and then
presents a lively picture of the ingratitude of men. Using a Hebrew idiom, he
calls them discourses of
grace,—that is,
discourses
which manifested the power and
grace
of the Holy Spirit. The inhabitants of Nazareth are thus compelled to
acknowledge and admire God speaking in Christ; and yet they voluntarily refuse
to render to the heavenly doctrine of Christ the honor which it deserves.
Is not this the son of
Joseph? Instead of regarding this
circumstance as an additional reason for glorifying God, they bring it forward
as an objection, and wickedly make it a ground of offense, that they may have
some plausible excuse for rejecting what is said by
the son of
Joseph. Thus we daily see many who,
while they are convinced that what they hear is the word of God, seize on
frivolous apologies for refusing to obey it. And certainly the only reason why
we are not affected, as we ought to be, by the power of the Gospel, is, that we
throw hinderances in our own way, and that our malice quenches that light, the
power of which we are unwilling to acknowledge.
LUKE 4:23-30
|
LUKE
4:23-30
|
|
23. And he saith to them, Ye will
altogether
f307
say to me this comparison, Physician, heal
thyself: whatsoever things we have heard done in Capernaum, do thou also here in
thy country. 24. And he saith, Verily, I say to you, No
prophet is acceptable in his own country. 25. But in truth I
say to you, There were many widows, in the days of Elijah, in Israel, when
heaven was shut up three years and six months, so that there was great famine
through all the land; 26. And to none of them was Elijah
sent, but to a woman, a widow, in Zarephath of Zidon. 27. And
there were many lepers in Israel, in the time of Elisha the prophet, and not one
of them was cleansed, but Naaman, a Syrian. 28. And all were
filled with wrath in the synagogue, hearing these things,
29. And rose up, and drove him out of the city, and led him
to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him
down.
f308
30. And he, passing through
the midst of them, went away.
f309
|
23.
Physician, heal
thyself. From the words of Christ it may
be easily inferred, that he was treated with contempt by the inhabitants of
Nazareth: for he states publicly those thoughts, which he knew to exist in their
minds. He afterwards imputes to them the blame of his declining to work miracles
among them, and charges them with malice, in bestowing no honor on a prophet of
God. The objection, which he anticipates, is this: “There is no reason to
wonder, if his countrymen hold him in little estimation, since he does not
dignify his own country, as he does other places, by working miracles; and,
consequently, it is but a just revenge, if his own countrymen, whom he treats
with less respect than all others, are found to reject him.” Such is the
meaning of the common proverb, that a physician ought to begin with himself, and
those immediately connected with him, before he exhibits his skill in healing
others. The amount of the objection is, that Christ acts improperly, in paying
no respect to his own country, while he renders other cities of Galilee
illustrious by his miracles. And this was regarded by the inhabitants of
Nazareth as a fair excuse for rejecting him in their
turn.
24.
Verily, I say to
you. He reproaches them with the blame
of preventing him from exerting his power among them as he did in other places,
by working miracles: for the unbelief of men presents an obstruction to God, and
hinders him from working, as might be desired, for their salvation,
(<401358>Matthew
13:58;
<410605>Mark
6:5.) Christ could not perform any miracle among them, because “they did
not believe on him,”
(<431237>John
12:37.) Not that it is in the power of men to bind the hands of God, but that he
withholds the advantage of his works from those who are rendered unworthy of
them by their infidelity. The answer given by Christ amounts to this: “If
you wish to have a share in miracles, why do you not give place to God? or
rather, why do you proudly reject the minister of his power? You receive,
therefore, a just reward for your contempt, when I pass by you, and give a
preference to other places, for proving by miracles, that I am the Messiah of
God, who have been appointed to restore the church.”
And, certainly, it was intolerable ingratitude that,
when God was pleased to have his Son brought up in their city, such a person,
who had been among them from his infancy, was despised. Justly, therefore, did
he withdraw his hand, that it might not be exposed to the derision of those
wicked despisers.
f310 Hence we learn what value the
Lord puts on his word, when, in order to punish for the contempt of it, he takes
from the midst of us those favors, which are the testimonies of his presence.
With respect to that saying, no
prophet is acceptable in his own country,
the reader may consult what I have said on a saying of the same import,
recorded by the Evangelist John: “A prophet hath no honor in his own
country,”
(<430444>John
4:44.)
25.
There were many
widows. After throwing back upon
themselves the blame of their being deprived of miracles, he produces two
examples to prove, that they ought not to think it strange, if God prefers
strangers to the inhabitants of the country, and that they ought not to find
fault with him for obeying the call of God, as was formerly done by Elijah and
Elisha. He throws out an indirect hint as to their vanity and presumption, in
entertaining a dislike of him, because he had been brought up among them.
When there was a great famine for
three years and a half, there were many widows in
Israel, whose want of food Elijah was
not commanded to relieve, but he
was sent to a woman, who belonged to a
foreign nation,
Zidon,
(<111709>1
Kings 17:9.) In like manner,
Elisha
healed no
lepers
among his countrymen, but he healed
Naaman, a
Syrian,
(<120510>2
Kings 5:10.)
Though his reproofs strike the inhabitants of
Nazareth with peculiar severity, yet he charges the whole nation with
ingratitude, because, for a long period, almost all of them had proceeded to
more shameful contempt of the Lord, in proportion as he had approached nearer to
them. For how did it come about, that a woman, who was a foreigner, was
preferred by God to all the Israelites, but because the prophet had been
rejected by them, and compelled to seek refuge in a heathen land? And why did
God choose that Naaman, a
Syrian, should be healed by
Elisha,
but to put a disgrace on the nation of Israel? The meaning, therefore, is,
that the same thing happens now as in former times, when God sends his power to
a great distance among foreigners, because he is rejected by the inhabitants of
the country.
Meanwhile, Christ intimates that, though he is
despised by his countrymen, his glory is in no degree diminished: because God
will still be able, to their shame and confusion, to dignify and exalt his Son,
as he formerly gave honor to his prophets in the midst of the Gentiles. In this
way the foolish glorying in the flesh is repressed, when we see the Lord rain,
not only where and when he pleases, but in distant corners, to the neglect of
that country which he had chosen for his residence. Hence, also, may be
collected the general doctrine that we have no right to prescribe any rule to
God in disposing his benefits, so as to prevent him from rejecting those who
hold the highest rank, and conferring honor on the lowest and most contemptible;
and that we are not at liberty to oppose him, when he entirely subverts that
order, which would have approved itself to our judgment. Our attention is, no
doubt, drawn to a contrast between Israel and the heathen nations: but still we
ought to hold, that none are chosen, in preference to others, for their own
excellence, but that it proceeds rather from the wonderful purpose of God, the
height and depth of which, though the reason may be hidden from us, we are bound
to acknowledge and adore.
28.
Were filled with
wrath. They perceived that the object of
those two examples, which Christ had produced, was to show, that the grace of
God would be removed from them to others:
f311 and therefore they considered
that he had spoken to their dishonor. But, instead of having their consciences
stung to the quick, and seeking a remedy for their vices by correcting them,
they are only driven to madness. Thus ungodly men not only resist, with
obstinacy, the judgments of God, but rise into cruelty against his servants.
Hence it is evident, how forcible are the reproofs which proceed from the Spirit
of God: for the minds of those who would willingly evade
them,
f312 are inflamed with rage. Again,
when we see that the minds of men are so envenomed, that they become mad against
God, whenever they are treated with some degree of roughness, we ought to
implore the Spirit of meekness,
(<480523>Galatians
5:23,) that we may not be driven, by the same fury, into such a destructive
war.
f313
30.
But he, passing through the
midst of them. When Luke says, that
Jesus passed through the middle of the crowd, and so escaped out of their hands,
he means that God rescued him, by an extraordinary miracle, from immediate
death. This example teaches us that, though our adversaries may prevail so far,
that our life may seem to be placed at their disposal, yet that the power of God
will always be victorious to preserve us, so long as he shall be pleased to keep
us in the world, either by tying their hands, or by blinding their eyes, or by
stupifying their minds and hearts.
MATTHEW
4:13-16
|
MATTHEW
4:13-16
|
|
13. And having left Nazareth, he
came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is a town on the sea-coast in the borders of
Zebulun and Naphtali, 14. That it might be fulfilled, which
was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, 15. The land of
Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, near the way of the sea, beyond Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles: 16. The people who
sat
f314
in darkness have seen a great light: and to
those who sat in the region and shadow of death light hath
arisen.
|
13.
And having left
Nazareth. I have thought it proper to
introduce this passage of Matthew, immediately after Luke’s narrative,
which we have just examined; because we may gather from the context that, as
Christ had hitherto been wont to frequent the town of Nazareth, so, in order to
avoid danger, he now bade a final adieu to it, and dwelt in Capernaum and the
neighboring towns. There would be no difficulty in this history, were it not
that there is some appearance, as if Matthew had put a wrong meaning on the
quotation from the prophet. But if we attend to the true meaning of the prophet,
it will appear to be properly and naturally accommodated to the present
occasion. Isaiah, after having described a very heavy calamity of the nation,
soothes their grief by a promise that, when the nation shall be reduced to
extremity, a deliverance will immediately follow, which shall dispel the
darkness, and restore the light of life.
The words are:
“Nevertheless, the
dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly
afflicted the land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more
grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the
nations. The people that walked in darkness shall see a great light”
(<230901>Isaiah
9:1,2.)
The Israelites had been twice visited by a heavy
calamity: first, when four tribes, or thereby, were carried away into
banishment, by Tiglath-Pileser,
(<121529>2
Kings 15:29;) and, secondly, when Shalmaneser completed the destruction of the
kingdom of Israel,
(<121809>2
Kings 18:9.) There remained a third desolation, which—the prophet had
foretold towards the close of the eighth chapter—would be the most
dreadful of all. And now follows, in the words which we have quoted, what is
calculated to soothe their grief. God will stretch out his hand to his people,
and, therefore, death will be more tolerable than the previous diseases were.
“Though the whole nation,” says he, “shall be
destroyed, yet so brilliant shall be the light of grace, that there will be less
dimness in this last destruction than in the two former instances, when the ten
tribes were ruined.”
The promise ought to be extended, I have no doubt, to
the whole body of the people, which might seem to be, to all appearance, lost
and destroyed. It is very absurd in the Jews to confine it to the deliverance of
the city of Jerusalem. as if the light of life had been restored to it, when the
siege was raised by the flight of King
Sennacherib,
f315 (2 Kings 19: 36.) Certainly, it
is evident from the context, that the prophet looks much farther; and, as he
promises a universal restoration of the whole church, it follows that
the land of Zebulun, and the land
of Naphtali, and Galilee of the Gentiles,
are included in the number of those, to whom the darkness of death would be
changed into the light of life. The commencement of this light, and, as we might
say, the dawn, was the return of the people from Babylon. At length, Christ,
“the Sun of Righteousness,”
(<390402>Malachi
4:2,) arose in full splendor, and, by his coming, utterly
“abolished”
(<550110>2
Timothy 1:10) the darkness of death.
In the same manner, Paul reminds us, that it was a
fulfillment of what occurs in many passages of the prophets,
“Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,”
(<490514>Ephesians
5:14.) Now, we know that the kingdom of Christ is spiritual, and, therefore, the
light of salvation which it brings, and all the assistance which we derive from
it, must correspond to its nature. Hence it follows, that our souls are plunged
in the darkness of everlasting death, till he enlightens them by his grace. The
prophet’s discourse relates, no doubt, to the destruction of the nation,
but presents to us, as in a mirror, what is the condition of mankind, until they
are delivered by the grace of Christ. When
those, who lay in
darkness, are said to
have seen a great
light, a change so sudden and remarkable
is intended to enlarge our views of the greatness of the divine salvation. Lower
Galilee is called Galilee of the
Gentiles, not only on account of its
vicinity to Tyre and Sidon, but because its inhabitants were a mixture of Jews
and Gentiles, particularly after that David had granted some cities to King
Hiram. f316
MATTHEW 4:18-25; MARK 1:16-20;
LUKE 5:1-11
|
MATTHEW
4:18-25
|
MARK
1:16-20
|
LUKE
5:1-11
|
|
18. And Jesus, walking near the
sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the sea; for they were fishers. 19. And he
saith to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20. And they, having left their nets, immediately followed
him. 21. And advancing thence, he saw other two brothers,
James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the ship with Zebedee their
father, mending their nets: and he called them. 22. And they
immediately, having left the ship and their father, followed him.
23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease,
and every illness among the people. 24. And the report of him
spread into the whole of Syria: and they brought to him all who were ill and
afflicted with various diseases and torments, and demoniancs, and lunatics, and
those that had palsy, and he healed them. 25. And great
multitudes followed him from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem,
and from Judea, and from the country beyond Jordan.
|
16. Now, as he was walking near
the sea of Galilee, he seeth Simon and Andrew his brother, casting a net into
the sea: for they were fishers. 17. And Jesus said to them,
Follow me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
18. And immediately having left their nets, they followed
him. 19. And advancing thence a little, he saw James the son
of Zebedee, and John his brother, who themselves also were mending their nets in
the ship. 20. And immediately he called them: and they,
having left their father Zebedee in the ship with the
workmen,
f317
followed him.
|
1. And it happened, while the
crowd was pressing upon him, that they might hear the word of God, and he stood
near the lake of Gennesaret, 2. And he saw two ships
standing
f318
at the lake: and the fishers had gone down out
of them, and were washing their nets. 3. And entering into
one of the ships, which was Simon’s, he asked him to draw it a little from
the land: and sitting down, he taught the multitudes out of the ship.
4. And when he ceased to speak, he said to Simon, Pull out to
the deep, and loose your nets for catching. 5. And Simon
answering said to him, Master, laboring through the whole night, we have taken
nothing: yet at thy word I will loose the net. 6. And when
they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net was
broken. 7. And they made signs to their companions, who were
in the other ship, that they might come and help them. And they came, and filled
both the ships, so that they were sinking. 8. Which when
Simon Peter had seen, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from
me, O Lord, for I am a sinful man.
f319
9. For astonishment had
overpowered him, and all were with him, on account of the draught of fishes
which they had taken: 10. And in like manner James and John,
sons of Zebedee, who were companions of Simon. And Jesus saith to Simon, Fear
not: for henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11. And having
brought the ships to land, and having left all, they followed
him.
|
Matthew 4:18.
And Jesus
walking. As this history is placed by
Luke after the two miracles, which we shall afterwards see, an opinion has
commonly prevailed, that the miracle, which is here related by him, was
performed some time after that they had been called by
Christ.
f320 But the reason, which they
allege, carries little weight: for no fixed and distinct order of dates was
observed by the Evangelists in composing their narratives. The consequence is,
that they disregard the order of time, and satisfy themselves with presenting,
in a summary manner, the leading transactions in the life of Christ. They
attended, no doubt, to the years, so as to make it plain to their readers, in
what manner Christ was employed, during the course of three years, from the
commencement of his preaching till his death. But miracles, which took place
nearly about the same time, are freely intermixed: which will afterwards appear
more clearly from many examples.
f321
That it is the same history, which is given by the
three Evangelists, is proved by many arguments: but we may mention one, which
will be sufficient to satisfy any reader, who is not contentious. All the three
agree in stating, that Peter and Andrew, James and John, were made apostles. If
they had been previously called, it would follow that they were apostates, who
had forsaken their Master, despised their calling, and returned to their former
occupation. There is only this difference between Luke and the other two, that
he alone relates the miracle, which the others omit. But it is not uncommon with
the Evangelists, to touch slightly one part of a transaction, and to leave out
many of the circumstances. There is, therefore, no absurdity in saying, that a
miracle, which is related by one, has been passed over by the other two. And we
must bear in mind what John says, that, out of the innumerable miracles
“which Jesus did,”
(<432125>John
21:25,) a part only has been selected, which was sufficient to prove his divine
power, and to confirm our faith in him. There is therefore no reason to wonder,
if the calling of the four apostles is slightly touched by Matthew and Mark,
while the occasion of it is more fully explained by
Luke.
Luke 5:1.
He stood near the
lake. Matthew and Mark, according to the
usual custom of their language, call it
the sea of
Galilee. The proper name of this lake
among the ancient Hebrews was
trnk,
(Chinnereth;
f322 ) but, when the language became
corrupted, the word was changed to
Gennesaret.
Profane authors call it
Gennesar;
and that part, which lay towards Galilee, was called by them
the sea of
Galilee. The bank, which adjoined to
Tiberias, received its name from that city. Its breadth and situation will be
more appropriately discussed in another place. Let us now come to the fact here
related.
Luke says, that Christ entered into a ship which
belonged to Peter, and withdrew
to a moderate distance from the land,
that he might more conveniently address from it the multitudes, who flocked
from various places to hear him; and that, after discharging the office of
teaching, he exhibited a proof of his divine power by a miracle. It was no
unusual thing, indeed, that fishers cast their nets, on many occasions, with
little advantage: and that all their fruitless toil was afterwards recompensed
by one successful throw. But it was proved to be a miracle by this circumstance,
that they had taken nothing during the whole night, (which, however, is more
suitable for catching fish,) and that suddenly
a great multitude of
fishes was collected into their nets,
sufficient to fill the ships. Peter and his companions, therefore, readily
conclude that a
take,
so far beyond the ordinary quantity, was not accidental, but was bestowed on
them by a divine interposition.
Luke 5:5.
Master, toiling all the night, we
have taken nothing. The reason why Peter
calls him
Master
unquestionably is, that he knows Christ to be accustomed to discharge the
office of a
Teacher,
and is moved with reverence toward him. But he has not yet made such
progress as to deserve to be ranked among his disciples: for our sentiments
concerning Christ do not render him sufficient honor, unless we embrace his
doctrine by the obedience of faith, and know what he requires from us. He has
but a slender perception —if he has any at all—of the value of the
Gospel; but the deference which he pays to Christ is manifested by this, that,
when worn out by fruitless toil, he commences anew what he had already attempted
in vain. Yet it cannot be denied, that he highly esteemed Christ, and had the
highest respect for his authority. But a particular instance of faith, rendered
to a single command of Christ, would not have made Peter a Christian, or given
him a place among the sons of God, if he had not been led on, from this first
act of submission, to a full obedience. But, as Peter yielded so readily to the
command of Christ, whom he did not yet know to be a Prophet or the Son of God,
no apology can be offered for our disgraceful conduct, if, while we call him our
Lord,
and
King,
and
Judge,
(Isaiah 33:22,) we do not move a finger to perform our duty, to which
we have ten times received his commands.
Luke
5:6. They inclosed a great
multitude of fishes. The design of the
miracle undoubtedly was, to make known Christ’s divinity, and thus to
induce Peter and others to become his disciples. But we may draw from this
instance a general instruction, that we have no reason to be afraid lest our
labor should not be attended by the blessing of God and desirable success, when
it is undertaken by the authority and guidance of Christ. Such was the
multitude of
fishes, that
the ships were
sinking, and the minds of the spectators
were thus excited to admiration: for it must have been in consequence of the
divine glory of Christ manifested by this miracle, that his authority was fully
acknowledged.
Luke 5:8.
Depart from me, O
Lord. Although men are earnest in
seeking the presence of God, yet, as soon as God appears, they must be struck
with terror, and almost rendered lifeless by dread and alarm, until he
administers consolation. They have the best reason for calling earnestly on God,
because they cannot avoid feeling that they are miserable, while he is absent
from them: and, on the other hand, his presence is appalling, because they begin
to feel that they are nothing, and that they are overpowered by an immense mass
of evils. In this manner, Peter views Christ with reverence in the miracle, and
yet is so overawed by his majesty, that he does all he can to avoid his
presence. Nor was this the case with Peter alone: for we learn, from the
context, that astonishment had
overpowered all who were with him. Hence
we see, that it is natural to all men to tremble at the presence of God. And
this is of advantage to us, in order to humble any foolish confidence or pride
that may be in us, provided it is immediately followed by soothing consolation.
And so Christ relieves the mind of Peter by a mild and friendly reply,
saying to him, Fear
not. Thus Christ sinks his own people in
the grave, that he may afterwards raise them to
life.
f323
Luke 5:10.
For afterwards thou shalt catch
men. The words of Matthew are,
I will make you fishers of
men; and those of Mark are, I
will cause that you may become
fishers of men. They teach us, that
Peter, and the other three, were not only gathered by Christ to be his
disciples, but were made apostles, or, at least, chosen with a view to the
apostleship. It is, therefore, not merely a general call to faith, but a special
call to a particular office, that is here described. The duties of instruction,
I do admit, are not yet enjoined upon them; but still it is to prepare them for
being instructors,
f324 , that Christ receives and admits
them into his family. This ought to be carefully weighed; for all are not
commanded to leave their parents and their former occupation, and
literally
f325 to follow Christ. There are some
whom the Lord is satisfied with having in his flock and his Church, while he
assigns to others their own station. Those who have received from him a public
office ought to know, that something more is required from them than from
private individuals. In the case of others, our Lord makes no change as to the
ordinary way of life; but he withdraws those four disciples from the employment
from which they had hitherto derived their subsistence, that he may employ their
labors in a nobler office.
Christ selected rough mechanics,—persons not
only destitute of learning, but inferior in capacity, that he might train, or
rather renew them by the power of his Spirit, so as to excel all the wise men of
the world. He intended to humble, in this manner, the pride of the flesh, and to
present, in their persons, a remarkable instance of spiritual grace, that we may
learn to implore from heaven the light of faith, when we know that it cannot be
acquired by our own exertions. Again, though he chose unlearned and ignorant
persons, he did not leave them in that condition; and, therefore, what he did
ought not to be held by us to be an example, as if we were now to ordain
pastors, who were afterwards to be trained to the discharge of their office. We
know the rule which he prescribes for us, by the mouth of Paul that none ought
to be called to it, unless they are “apt to teach,”
(<540302>1
Timothy 3:2.) When our Lord chose persons of this description it was not because
he preferred ignorance to learning as some fanatics do, who are delighted with
their own ignorance, and fancy that, in proportion as they hate literature, they
approach the nearer to the apostles. He resolved at first, no doubt, to choose
contemptible persons, in order to humble the pride of those who think that
heaven is not open to the unlearned; but he afterwards gave to those fishers, as
an associate in their office, Paul, who had been carefully educated from his
childhood.
As to the meaning of the metaphor,
fishers of
men, there is no necessity for a minute
investigation. Yet, as it was drawn from the present occurrence, the allusion
which Christ made to
fishing,
when he spoke of the preaching of the Gospel, was appropriate: for men stray
and wander in the world, as in a great and troubled sea, till they are gathered
by the Gospel. The history related by the Evangelist John (1:37-42.) differs
from this: for Andrew, who had been one of John’s disciples, was handed
over by him to Christ, and afterwards brought his brother along with him. At
that time, they embraced him as their master, but were afterwards elevated to a
higher rank.
Matthew 4:22.
And they immediately left the
ship. The first thing that
strikes us here is the power of Christ’s voice. Not that his voice alone
makes so powerful an impression on the hearts of men: but those whom the Lord is
pleased to lead and draw to himself, are inwardly addressed by his Spirit, that
they may obey his voice. The second is, the commendation bestowed on the
docility and ready obedience of his disciples, who prefer the call of Christ to
all worldly affairs. The ministers of the Word ought, in a particular manner, to
be directed by this example, to lay aside all other occupations, and to devote
themselves unreservedly to the Church, to which they are
appointed.
Matthew 4:23.
And Jesus went about all
Galilee. The same statement is again
made by Matthew in another place, (9:35.) But though Christ was
constantly employed in performing almost innumerable miracles, we ought not to
think it strange, that they are again mentioned, twice or thrice, in a general
manner. In the words of Matthew we ought, first, to observe, that Christ never
remained in one place, but scattered every where the seed of
the
Gospel. Again, Matthew calls it
the Gospel of the
kingdom, by which
the
kingdom of God is established among men
for their salvation. True and eternal happiness is thus distinguished from the
prosperity and joys of the present life.
When Matthew says, that Christ
healed every
disease, the meaning is, that he healed
every
kind
of disease. We know, that all who were diseased were not cured; but there
was no class of diseases, that was ever presented to him, which he did not
heal.
An enumeration is given of particular kinds of
diseases,
in which Christ displayed his power.
Demoniacs
(diamonizome>noi)
is a name given in Scripture, not to all indiscriminately who are tormented by
the devil, but to those who, by a secret vengeance of God, are given up to
Satan, so that he holds possession of their minds and of their bodily senses.
Lunatics
(selhniazome>noi)
f326 is the name given to those, in
whom the strength of the disease increases or diminishes, according to the
waxing or waning of the moon, such as those who are afflicted with
epilepsy,
f327 or similar diseases. As we know,
that diseases of this sort cannot be healed by natural means, it follows that,
when Christ miraculously healed
them, he proved his
divinity.
MARK 1:21-28; LUKE
4:31-36
|
MARK
1:21-28
|
LUKE
4:31-36
|
|
21. And they entered into
Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbaths, entering into the synagogue, he
taught. 22. And they were astonished at his doctrine; for he
was teaching them, as one invested with authority, and not as the Scribes.
23. And there was in their synagogue a man liable to an
unclean spirit, who cried out, 24. Saying, Ah! what have I to
do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who
thou art, the Holy One of God. 25. And Jesus rebuked him,
saying, Hold they peace, and go out of him. 26. And when the
unclean spirit had torn him, and had cried with a loud voice, he went out from
him. 27. And all were astonished, so that they inquired among
themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? for with authority
he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
28. And immediately his fame went out into every part of
Galilee.
|
31. And he went down to Capernaum,
a city of Galilee, and there he taught them on the Sabbath-day:
32. And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word
was accompanied with power. 33. And there was in the
synagogue a man having a spirit of an unclean devil: and he cried out with a
loud voice, 34. Saying, Ah! what have we to do with thee,
Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the
Holy One of God. 35. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Holy thy
peace, and go out of him. And when the devil had thrown him down in the midst,
he went out of him, and hurt him nothing. 36. And trembling
came upon all, and they talked among themselves, saying, What speech is this?
for with authority and power he commandeth the uclean spirits, and they go
out.
|
This demoniac was probably one of that multitude,
which was mentioned, a little before, by
<400424>Matthew
4:24. Yet the narrative of Mark and Luke is not superfluous: for they relate
some circumstances, which not only present the miracle in a more striking light,
but also contain useful instruction. The devil dexterously acknowledges, that
Christ is the Holy One of
God, in order to insinuate into the
minds of men a suspicion, that there was some secret understanding between him
and Christ. By such a trick he has since endeavored to make the Gospel
suspected, and, in the present day, he is continually making similar attempts.
That is the reason why Christ rebukes him. It is, no doubt, possible, that this
confession was violently extorted from him: but there is no inconsistency
between the two suppositions, that he is forced to yield to the power of Christ,
and therefore cries
out that he is
the Holy One of
God,—and yet that he cunningly
attempts to shroud in his own darkness the glory of Christ. At the same time, we
must observe that, while he flatters Christ in this manner, he indirectly
withdraws himself from his power, and in this way contradicts himself. For why
was Christ sanctified by the Father, but that he might deliver men from the
tyranny of the devil, and overturn his kingdom? But as Satan cannot endure that
power, which he feels to be destructive to himself, he would desire that Christ
should satisfy himself with an empty title, without exercising it on the present
occasion. f328
Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32.
And they were astonished at his
doctrine. The meaning of the Evangelists
is, that the power of the Spirit shone in the
preaching
f329 of Christ with such brightness,
as to extort admiration even from irreligious and cold hearers. Luke says, that
his discourse was accompanied
with power, that is, full of majesty.
Mark expresses it more fully, by adding a contrast, that it was unlike the
manner of teaching of the
Scribes. As they were false expounders
of Scripture, their doctrine was literal and dead, breathed nothing of the power
of the Spirit, and was utterly destitute of majesty. The same kind of coldness
may be now observed in the speculative theology of Popery. Those masters do
indeed thunder out whatever they think proper in a sufficiently magisterial
style; but as their manner of discoursing about divine things is so profane,
that their controversies exhibit no traces of religion, what they bring forward
is all affectation and mere drivelling: for the declaration of the Apostle Paul
holds true, that the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power,
(<460420>1
Corinthians 4:20.) In short, the Evangelists mean that, while the manner of
teaching, which then prevailed, was so greatly degenerated and so extremely
corrupted, that it did not impress the minds of men with any reverence for God,
the preaching of Christ was eminently distinguished by the divine power of the
Spirit, which procured for him the respect of his hearers. This is the
power,
or rather the majesty and
authority,
at which the people were astonished.
See
Calvin on “Mr 1:22”
Luke
4:33. A man having a spirit
of an unclean devil. This mode of
expression, which Luke employs, conveys the idea, that the man was driven by the
impulse of the devil. By the permission of God, Satan had seized the faculties
of his soul in such a manner, as to drive him not only to speak, but to perform
other movements, at his pleasure. And thus, when the
demoniacs
speak, the devils, who have received permission to tyrannise, speak in them
and by them. The title, Holy One
of God, was probably taken from a manner
of speaking, which was, at that time, in ordinary and general use. The Messiah
was so called, because he was to be distinguished and separated from all others,
as endued with eminent grace, and as the Head of the whole
Church.
Mark 1:26.
When the unclean spirit had torn
him. Luke uses a milder phrase,
when the devil had thrown him
down: but they agree perfectly as to the
meaning; for the design of both was to show, that the devil went out of the man
in a violent manner. He threw down the unhappy man, as if he had intended to
tear him: but Luke says that the attempt was unsuccessful; for
he hurt him
nothing. Not that the attack was, in no
degree whatever, attended by injury, or at least by some feeling of pain; but
that the man was afterwards delivered from the devil, and restored to perfect
health.
Luke 4:36.
And trembling came upon
all. This is the result of the miracle.
They are compelled to acknowledge that there is in Christ something more than
man, and justly trace the glory and power of the miracle to his doctrine.
What speech is
this, they say, which even the devils
themselves are forced to obey?
What new doctrine is
this?
(<410127>Mark
1:27.) They call it
new
doctrine, not by way of reproach, but as an acknowledgment, that there was
something in it unusual and extraordinary. It is not for the sake of blame, or
to lessen its credit, that they speak of it as
new.
This is rather a part of their admiration, that they pronounce it to be not
common or ordinary. Their only fault lies in this, that they remain in their
state of hesitation,
f330 whereas the children of God ought
to make increasing progress.
MATTHEW 8:14-18; MARK 1:29-39;
LUKE 4:38-44
|
MATTHEW
8:14-18
|
MARK
1:29-39
|
LUKE
4:38-44
|
|
14. And when Jesus had come into
Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying in bed, and afflicted with
fever. 15. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her,
and she arose and waited on them. 16. And when the evening
had approached, they brought to him many demoniacs, and he cast out the spirits
by his word, and healed all that were diseased: 17. That it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, when he saith, He
hath taken our diseases. 18. And when Jesus had seen great
multitudes around him, he commanded that they should depart to the other
side.
|
29. And immediately going out of
the synagogue, they came, with James and John, into the house of Simon and
Andrew. 30. And Simon’s mother-in-law lay afflicted
with fever and immediately they speak to him about her.
31. And approaching, he raised her, by taking her hand, and
the fever immediately left her, and she waited on them.
32. And in the evening, when the sun had set, they brought to
him all who were diseased, and who were possessed by devils.
33. And the whole city was assembled at the door.
34. And hehealed many that were ill of various diseases, and
cast out many devils: and he did not permit the devils to say that they knew
him. 35. And in the morning, while it was still very dark,
Jesus, when he had risen, went out, and departed into a desert place, and there
prayed. 36. And Simon followed him, as also those who were
with him. 37. And when they had found him, they said to him,
All seek thee. 38. And he saith to them, Let us go into the
adjoining villages, that I preach there also: for on this account I came out.
39. And he preached in their synagogues in all Galilee, and
cast out devils.
|
38. And when Jesus had risen out
of the synagogue, he entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s
mother-in-law was held by a great fever, and they besought him for her.
39. And standing over her, he rebuked the fever, and the
fever left her: and immediately rising, she waited on them.
40. And when the sun was setting, all, who had persons
laboring under various diseases, brought them to him: and he, laying hands upon
each, healed them. 41. And the devils went out of many,
crying and saying, Thou art Christ, the Son of God. And, rebuking, he did not
permit them to speak those things, that they knew that he was Christ.
42. And when it was day, going out, he went into a desert
place, and multitudes sought him: and came even to him, and held him, that he
might not depart from them. 43. To whom he saith, I must also
preach the kingdom of God in other cities: for on this account am I sent.
44. And he preached in the synagogues of
Galilee.
|
Mark 1:29.
They came, with James and John,
into the house of Simon and Andrew.
There is reason to conjecture, that Matthew does not relate this history in
its proper order: for Mark expressly states, that there were only four disciples
who attended Christ. Besides, when he left the synagogue, he went straight to
Peter’s house; which also shows clearly, that Matthew did not observe,
with exactness, the order of time. The Evangelists appear to have taken
particular notice of this miracle; not that, in itself, it was more remarkable,
or more worthy of being recorded, than other miracles,—but because, by
means of it, Christ gave to his disciples a private and familiar illustration of
his grace. Another reason was, that the healing of one woman gave occasion to
many miracles, so that they came to him in great numbers, from every direction,
to implore his assistance. A single word, in Luke’s narrative, presents to
us more strikingly the power which Christ displayed; for he says, that
Simon’s
mother-in-law
was held by
a GREAT
fever.
It was a clearer and more affecting proof of divine power, that, in a
moment, and by a single touch, he removed a strong and violent disease. He might
have done it by the slightest expression of his will; but he
touched her
hand,
(<400815>Matthew
8:15,) either to mark his affection, or because he was aware that this sign
was, at that time, advantageous: for we know, that he freely used outward signs,
when the time required them.
Luke 4:39.
He rebuked the
fever. To a person not well acquainted
with Scripture this mode of expression may appear harsh; but there were good
reasons for employing it.
Fevers
and other diseases, famine, pestilence, and calamities of every description,
are God’s heralds,
f331 by whom he executes his
judgments. Now, as he is said to send such messengers by his command and
pleasure, so he also restrains and recalls them whenever he pleases. The manner
in which he healed them is not mentioned by Matthew and Mark: but Luke says,
that it was by laying hands on
each of them. Under the Law, this was a
sign of reconciliation; and, therefore, it was not improperly, or unseasonably,
that Christ laid
hands on those whom he freed from the
curse of God. It was also a solemn rite of consecration, as will afterwards be
more fully explained. But I interpret Christ’s
laying
hands on the sick, as meaning simply,
that he recommended them to the Father, and thus obtained for them grace and
deliverance from their diseases.
Matthew
8:17. That it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the
prophet. This prediction has the
appearance of being inappropriate, and even of being tortured into a meaning
which it does not bear: for Isaiah does not there speak of miracles, but of the
death of Christ,—and not of temporal benefits, but of spiritual and
eternal grace. Now, what is undoubtedly spoken about the impurities of the soul,
Matthew applies to bodily diseases. The solution is not difficult, if the reader
will only observe, that the Evangelist states not merely the benefit conferred
by Christ on those sick persons, but the purpose for which he healed their
diseases. They experienced in their bodies the grace of Christ, but we must look
at the design: for it would be idle to confine our view to a transitory
advantage, as if the Son of God were a physician of bodies. What then? He gave
sight to the blind, in order to show that he is “the light of the
world,”
(<430812>John
8:12.) He restored life to the dead, to prove that he is “the resurrection
and the life,”
(<431125>John
11:25.) Similar observations might be made as to those who were lame, or had
palsy. Following out this analogy, let us connect those benefits, which Christ
bestowed on men in the flesh, with the design which is stated to us by Matthew,
that he was sent by the Father, to relieve us from all evils and
miseries.
Mark 1:34.
He did not permit the devils to
speak. There might be two reasons why
he did not
permit them: a general reason, because
the time of the full revelation was not yet come; and a special reason, which we
hinted at a little ago, that he refused to have, as heralds and witnesses of his
divinity, those whose praise could have no other effect than to soil and injure
his character. This latter reason is undoubtedly true: for he must have known,
that the prince of death, and his agents, are in a state of irreconcileable
enmity with the Author of eternal salvation and
life.
Matthew 8:18.
And when Jesus had seen great
multitudes about him. Matthew, I have no
doubt, touches briefly what the others explain in a more ample and copious
narrative. The other two state a circumstance, which is not noticed by Matthew
that Christ withdrew privately, for the sake of retirement,
into a desert
place, before it was daylight. Mark
afterwards says, that Peter informed him,
all seek,
thee; and Luke says, that
multitudes
came to that place. Again, Matthew says, that
he passed over to the other
side, while the other two say, that he
passed through all
Galilee, to preach in every place. But
the other
side, or,
the farther
bank,
(to<
pe>ran,) does not, I think, denote what was
strictly the opposite side, but refers to that curvature of the lake, which was
below Capernaum. In this way, he crossed over to another part of the lake, and
yet did not go out of Galilee.
Mark1:38.
For on this account I came
out. Luke 4:43.
For on this account am I
sent. These words deserve our attention:
for they contain a declaration of his earnest desire to fulfill his office. But
it will perhaps be asked, is it better that the ministers of the Gospel should
run here and there, to give only a slight and partial taste of it in each place,
or that they should remain, and instruct perfectly the hearers whom they have
once obtained? I reply. The design of Christ, which is here mentioned, was
agreeable to the injunction and call of the Father, and was founded on the best
reasons. For it was necessary that Christ should travel, within a short period,
throughout Judea, to awaken the minds of men, on all sides, as if by the sound
of a trumpet, to hear the Gospel. But on this subject we must treat more fully
under another passage.
See Calvin on “Mr
1:38”
MARK 3:13-19;
LUKE 6:12-19
|
MARK
3:13-19
|
LUKE
4:12-19
|
|
13. And he went up into a
mountain, and called to him whom he would: and they came to him.
14. And he appointed twelve to be with him, and send them
forth to preach, 15. And to have powers of healing diseases,
and of casting out devils. 16. And to Simon he gave the name
Peter. 17. And James th son of Zebedee, and John, the brother
of James: and he gave them the names of Boanerges, which is, The sons of
thunder. 18. And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and
Matthew, and Thomas, and James (son) of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the
Canaanite, 19. And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed
him.
|
12. And it happened in those days,
he went out into a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night in prayer to
God. 13. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and
chose twelve from among them, whom he also called Apostles:
14. Simon, whom he also called Peter, and Andrew his
brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 15. Matthew
and Thomas, James (son) of Alpheus, and Simon, who is called Zelotes,
16. And Judas (brother) of James, and Judas Iscariot, who
also was the traitor. 17. And going down with them, he stood
in a plain, and a multitude of his disciples, and a very great multitude of
people out of all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon.
18. Who had come to hear him, and to be healed from their
diseases, and those who were tormented by unclean spirits were healed.
19. And the whole multitude sought to touch him, for virtue
went out of him, and healed all.
|
Mark 3:13.
And he went up into a
mountain. By this election he does not
yet ordain them to be
Apostles,
to enter immediately into the discharge of their office, but merely admits
them to enjoy his private instructions
f332 with a view to the apostleship.
Commentators have fallen into a mistake here, by confounding those passages with
the tenth chapter of the Gospel by Matthew. For the plain meaning of the words
is, that they are only destined to a future commission, the bestowal of which is
recorded by Matthew; and Mark and Luke will be found afterwards relating, in its
proper place, the mission which Matthew there describes. And we need not wonder,
if their heavenly Master chose to train and accustom them gradually to so
arduous an employment: for, even by a long course of instruction, their
ignorance could not be corrected.
Both the Evangelists say, that Christ
went up into a
mountain. Luke explains the cause to
have been, that he might
pray
with greater freedom in his retirement, which he was accustomed to do
frequently, as is evident from other passages. Now, this example ought to be
regarded by us as a perpetual rule, to begin with prayer, when we are about to
choose pastors to churches: otherwise, what we attempt will not succeed well.
And certainly our
Lord
prayed, not so much on his own account, as to lay down a rule for us. We are
deficient in prudence and skill; and though our sagacity were of the highest
order, nothing is more easy than to be deceived in this matter. Granting that we
were in no danger of mistake, if the Lord does not regulate our affections, with
what force, or rather violence, shall we be carried
away f333
by favor and prepossession, or hatred or ambition? Besides, though the
election were conducted in the very best manner, all will be unsuccessful,
unless the Lord take under his guidance those who are elected, and furnish them
with the necessary gifts. “What then?” it will be said, “did
not Christ earnestly implore the Father to preside in the election?” This
I readily acknowledge, and I have also to state, that this was a declaration and
acknowledgment of his care for his Church. Accordingly, he did not pray to the
Father in the ordinary manner, but
spent the whole night in
prayer. But if he, who was full of the
Holy Spirit,
(<430334>John
3:34,) implored the Father, with such ardor and earnestness, to preside in the
election, how much greater need have we to do so?
He called to him whom he
would. By this expression, I have no
doubt, Mark conveys to us the instruction, that it was to the unmixed grace of
Christ, and not to any excellence of their own, that they were indebted for
receiving so honorable an office: for, if you understand him to say, that those
were chosen, who were more excellent than others, this will not apply to Judas.
The meaning, therefore, is the apostle-ship was not bestowed on account of any
human merits; but, by the free mercy of God, persons, who were altogether
unworthy of it, were raised to that high rank; and thus was fulfilled what
Christ says on another occasion,
“Ye
have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,”
(<431516>John
15:16.) To the same effect Paul frequently speaks, extolling the purpose of God
in bestowing on him the apostleship,
(<490307>Ephesians
3:7;
<510125>Colossians
1:25.)
But here many questions arise. First, why did our
Lord deliberately choose Judas, who, he perfectly knew, was unworthy of the
honor, and would be his betrayer? Secondly, why did God, after being so
earnestly supplicated by his Son, and as if he had given a refusal to Christ,
permit a base and wicked man to find his way to the highest rank in his
Church?
f334 Thirdly, why did he resolve that
the first-fruits
f335 f his Church should be stained by
so foul a disgrace? Fourthly, how came it, that Jesus Christ, knowingly and
willingly, preferred Judas to honest and faithful ministers?
The first objection is met by the following reply.
Our Lord expressly intended to prevent future offenses, that we may not feel
excessive uneasiness, when unprincipled men occupy the situation of teachers in
the Church, or when professors of the Gospel become apostates. He gave, at the
same time, in the person of one man, an instance of fearful
defection,
f336 that those who occupy a higher
rank may not indulge in self-complacency. At the same time, with regard to the
second question, we do not admit that our Lord suffered a
refusal.
f337 This answer will serve also for
the third question. At the very beginning, it was judged proper to give an early
demonstration of the future state of the Church, that weak persons might not
stumble on account of the fall of a reprobate; for it is not proper, that the
stability of the Church should depend on men. With regard to the last objection,
Christ did not prefer Judas to devout and holy disciples, but raised him to an
eminence from which he was afterwards to fall, and thus intended to make him an
example and instruction to men of every condition and of every age, that no one
may abuse the honor which God has conferred upon him, and likewise that, when
even the pillars fall, those who appear to be the weakest of believers may
remain steady.
Luke 6:13.
Whom also he named
Apostles. This may be explained in two
ways: either that, at a subsequent period, when he introduced them into their
office, he gave them this name,—or that, with a view to their future rank,
he bestowed on them this title, in order to inform them why they were separated
from the ordinary class, and for what purpose they were destined. The latter
view agrees well with the words of Mark: for he says, that Christ
appointed twelve to be with him,
and to send them forth to preach. He
intended to make them his companions, that they might afterwards receive a
higher rank: for, as I have already explained, when he says,
to be with him, and to send them
forth to preach, he does not mean that
both were to take place at the same
time.
Mark 3:16.
And to Simon he gave the name
Peter. Though all Christians must be
living
stones
f338 , of the spiritual temple, yet
Christ gave this name peculiarly to Simon, according to the measure of grace
which he intended to bestow upon him. This is not inconsistent with the shameful
weakness which he manifested in denying his Lord: for this title showed his
invincible power and steadiness, which continued till his death. Yet it is
absurd in the Papists to infer from this, that the Church is founded on him, as
will afterwards be more fully explained,
(<401618>Matthew
16:18.) Christ called the sons of Zebedee
sons of
thunder, because he was to give them a
powerful voice, that they might
thunder
throughout the whole world.
f339 And that thunder is heard, in the
present day, from the mouth of John. As to his brother, there can be no doubt
that, so long as he lived, he shook the earth. The word has been corrupted: for
the full pronunciation would be
çgr
ynb,
(Benae-regesh;
f340 but the changes which
words undergo in passing into other languages are well known.
MATTHEW 5:1-12; LUKE
6:20-26
|
MATTHEW
5:1-12
|
LUKE
6:20-26
|
|
1. And when Jesus had seen the
multitudes,
f343
he went up into a mountain, and when he had sat
down, his disciples approached to him. 2. And opening his
mouth,
f344
he taught them, saying,
3. Happy are the poor in spirit: for their is the kingdom of
heaven. 4. Happy are they who mourn: for they shall receive
consolation. 5. Happy are the mmek: for they shall receive
the earth by inheritance.
f345
6. Happy are they who hunger
and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be satisfied.
7. Happy are the merciful: for they shall obtain
mercy.
f346
8. Happy are those who are
of a pure heart: for they shall see God. 9. Happy are the
peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10. Happy are those who suffer persecution on account of
righteousness: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11. Happy
are you, when they shall throw reproaches on you, and shall persecute you, and
lying, shall speak every evil word against you on my account.
12. Rejoice ye, and leap for joy: for your reward is great in
heaven: for so did they persecute the prophets who were before
you.
|
20. And he, lifting up his eyes on
the disciples, said, Happy (are ye) poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21. Happy are ye who hunger now: for ye shall be satisfied.
Happy are ye who weep now: for ye shall laugh. 22. Happy
shall ye be when men shall hate you, and shall separate you, and shall load you
with reproaches, and shall cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of
Man. 23. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, lo,
your reward is great in heaven: for according to these things their fathers did
to the prophets. 24. But woe to you (who are) rich: for you
have your consolation. 25. Woe to you who are filled: for you
shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now: for ye shall mourn and weep.
26. Woe to you, when all men shall applaud you: for according
to these things their fathers did to the false prophets.
|
Matthew 5:1.
He went up into a
mountain. Those who think that
Christ’s sermon, which is here related, is different from the sermon
contained in the sixth chapter of Luke’s Gospel, rest their opinion on a
very light and frivolous argument. Matthew states, that Christ spoke to his
disciples on a mountain, while Luke seems to say, that the discourse was
delivered on a plain. But it is a mistake to read the words of Luke,
he went down with them, and stood
in the plain,
(<420617>Luke
6:17,) as immediately connected with the statement that,
lifting up his eyes on the
disciples, he spoke thus. For the design
of both Evangelists was, to collect into one place the leading points of the
doctrine of Christ, which related to a devout and holy life. Although Luke had
previously mentioned a
plain,
he does not observe the immediate succession of events in the history, but
passes from miracles to doctrine, without pointing out either time or place:
just as Matthew takes no notice of the time, but only mentions the place. It is
probable, that this discourse was not delivered until Christ had chosen the
twelve: but in attending to the order of time, which I saw that the Spirit of
God had disregarded, I did not wish to be too precise. Pious and modest readers
ought to be satisfied with having a brief summary of the doctrine of Christ
placed before their eyes, collected out of his many and various discourses, the
first of which was that in which he spoke to his disciples about true
happiness.
2.
Opening his
mouth. This redundancy of expression
(pleonasmo<v)
partakes of the Hebrew idiom: for what would be faulty in other languages is
frequent among the Hebrews, to say,
He opened his
mouth, instead of,
He began to
speak. Many look upon it as an emphatic
mode of expression, employed to draw attention to any thing important and
remarkable, either in a good or bad sense, which has been uttered: but as some
passages of Scripture countenance an opposite view, I prefer the former
exposition. I shall also dismiss the ingenious speculation of those, who give an
allegorical turn to the fact of our Lord teaching his disciples on a mountain,
as if it had been intended to teach them to elevate their minds far above
worldly cares and employments. In ascending the mountain, his design rather was
to seek a retreat, where he might obtain relaxation for himself and his
disciples at a distance from the multitude.
Now let us see, in the first place, why Christ spoke
to his disciples about true
happiness. We know that not only the
great body of the people, but even the learned themselves, hold this error, that
he is the happy man who is free from annoyance, attains all his wishes, and
leads a joyful and easy life. At least it is the general opinion, that happiness
ought to be estimated from the present state.
f347 Christ, therefore, in order to
accustom his own people to bear the cross, exposes this mistaken opinion, that
those are happy who lead an easy and prosperous life according to the flesh. For
it is impossible that men should mildly bend the neck to bear calamities and
reproaches, so long as they think that patience is at variance with a happy
life. The only consolation which mitigates and even sweetens the bitterness of
the cross and of all afflictions, is the conviction, that we are happy in the
midst of miseries: for our patience is
blessed
by the Lord, and will soon be followed by a happy result.
This doctrine, I do acknowledge, is widely removed
from the common opinion: but the disciples of Christ must learn the philosophy
of placing their happiness beyond the world, and above the affections of the
flesh. Though carnal reason will never admit what is here taught by Christ, yet
he does not bring forward any thing imaginary,—as the
Stoics
f348 were wont, in ancient times, to
amuse themselves with their paradoxes,—but demonstrates from the fact,
that those persons are truly happy, whose condition is supposed to be miserable.
Let us, therefore remember, that the leading object of the discourse is to show,
that those are not unhappy who are oppressed by the reproaches of the wicked,
and subject to various calamities. And not only does Christ prove that they are
in the wrong, who measure the happiness of man by the present state, because the
distresses of the godly will soon be changed for the better; but he also exhorts
his own people to patience, by holding out the hope of a
reward.
3.
Happy are the poor in
spirit.
<420620>Luke
6:20.
Happy
(are ye)
poor.
Luke gives nothing more than a simple metaphor: but as the poverty of many
is accursed and unhappy, Matthew expresses more clearly the intention of Christ.
Many are pressed down by distresses, and yet continue to swell inwardly with
pride and cruelty. But Christ pronounces those to be happy who, chastened and
subdued by afflictions, submit themselves wholly to God, and, with inward
humility, betake themselves to him for protection. Others explain
the poor in
spirit to be those who claim nothing for
themselves, and are even so completely emptied of confidence in the flesh, that
they acknowledge their poverty. But as the words of Luke and those of Matthew
must have the same meaning, there can be no doubt that the appellation
poor
is here given to those who are pressed and afflicted by adversity. The only
difference is, that Matthew, by adding an epithet, confines the happiness to
those only who, under the discipline of the cross, have learned to be
humble.
For theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. We see that Christ does not
swell the minds of his own people by any unfounded belief, or harden them by
unfeeling obstinacy, as the Stoics do, but leads them to entertain the hope of
eternal life, and animates them to patience by assuring them, that in this way
they will pass into the heavenly kingdom of God. It deserves our attention, that
he only who is reduced to nothing in himself, and relies on the mercy of God, is
poor in
spirit: for they who are broken or
overwhelmed by despair murmur against God, and this proves them to be of a proud
and haughty
spirit.
4.
Happy are they that
mourn. This statement is closely
connected with the preceding one, and is a sort of appendage or confirmation of
it. The ordinary belief is, that calamities render a man unhappy. This arises
from the consideration, that they constantly bring along with them
mourning
and grief. Now, nothing is supposed to be more inconsistent with happiness
than
mourning.
But Christ does not merely affirm that
mourners
are not unhappy. He shows, that their very
mourning
contributes to a
happy
life, by preparing them to receive eternal joy, and by furnishing them with
excitements to seek true
comfort
in God alone. Accordingly, Paul says,
“We glory in
tribulations also knowing that tribulation produces patience, and patience
experience, and experience hope: and hope maketh not ashamed,”
(<450503>Romans
5:3-5.)
5.
Happy are the
meek. By
the
meek he means persons of mild and gentle
dispositions, who are not easily provoked by injuries, who are not ready to take
offense, but are prepared to endure anything rather than do the like actions to
wicked men. When Christ promises to such persons
the inheritance of the
earth, we might think it exceedingly
foolish. Those who warmly repel any attacks, and whose hand is ever ready to
revenge injuries, are rather the persons who claim for themselves the dominion
of the earth. And experience certainly shows that, the more mildly their
wickedness is endured, the more bold and insolent does it become. Hence arises
the diabolical proverb, that “We must howl with the wolves, because the
wolves will immediately devour every one who makes himself a sheep.” But
Christ places his own protection, and that of the Father, in contrast with the
fury and violence of wicked men, and declares, on good grounds, that
the
meek will be the lords and
heirs of the
earth. The children of this world never
think themselves safe, but when they fiercely revenge the injuries that are done
them, and defend their life by the “weapons of war,”
(<263227>Ezekiel
32:27.) But as we must believe, that Christ alone is the guardian of our life,
all that remains for us is to “hide ourselves under the shadow of his
wings,”
(<191708>Psalm
17:8.) We must be sheep, if we wish to be reckoned a part of his
flock.
It will perhaps be objected, that what has been now
said is contradicted by experience. I would first suggest that it be considered,
how greatly ferocious
f349 people are disturbed by their own
restlessness. While they lead so stormy a life, though they were a hundred times
lords of the earth, while they possess all, they certainly possess nothing. For
the children of God, on the other hand, I answer, that though they may not plant
their foot on what is their own, they enjoy a quiet residence on the earth. And
this is no imaginary possession;
f350 for they know, that the earth,
which they inhabit, has been granted to them by God. Besides, the hand of God is
interposed to protect them against the violence and fury of wicked men. Though
exposed to every species of attack, subject to the malice of wicked men,
surrounded by all kinds of danger, they are safe under the divine protection.
They have already a foretaste, at least, of this grace of God; and that is
enough for them, till they enter, at the last day, into the possession of the
inheritance
f351 of the
world.
6.
Happy are they who
hunger. To
hunger and
thirst is here, I think, used as a
figurative expression,
f352 and means to suffer poverty, to
want the necessaries of life, and even to be defrauded of one’s right.
Matthew says, who thirst after
righteousness, and thus makes one class
stand for all the rest. He represents more strongly the unworthy treatment which
they have received, when he says that, though they are anxious, though they
groan, they desire nothing but what is proper. “Happy are they who, though
their wishes are so moderate, that they desire nothing to be granted to them but
what is reasonable, are yet in a languishing condition, like persons who are
famishing with hunger.” Though their distressing anxiety exposes them to
the ridicule of others, yet it is a certain preparation for
happiness:
for at length they shall be
satisfied. God will one day listen to
their groans, and satisfy their just desires for to Him, as we learn from the
song of the Virgin, it belongs to
fill the hungry with good
things,
(<420153>Luke
1:53.)
7.
Happy are the
merciful. This paradox, too, contradicts
the judgment of men.
f353 The world reckons those men to be
happy,
who give themselves no concern about the distresses of others, but consult
their own ease. Christ says that those are
happy,
who are not only prepared to endure their own afflictions, but to take a
share in the afflictions of others,—who assist the wretched,—who
willingly take part with those who are in distress,—who clothe themselves,
as it were, with the same affections, that they may be more readily disposed to
render them assistance. He adds,
for they shall obtain
mercy,—not only with God, but also
among men, whose minds God will dispose to the exercise of
humanity.
f354 Though the whole world may
sometimes be ungrateful, and may return the very worst reward to those who have
done acts of kindness to them, it ought to be reckoned enough, that grace is
laid up with God for the merciful and humane, so that they, in their turn, will
find him to be gracious and
merciful,
(<19A308>Psalm
103:8; 145:8.)
8.
Happy are they who are of a
pure heart. We might be apt to think,
that what is here stated by Christ is in accordance with the judgment of all.
Purity of
heart is universally acknowledged to be
the mother of all virtues. And yet there is hardly one person in a hundred, who
does not put craftiness in the place of the greatest virtue. Hence those persons
are commonly accounted
happy,
whose ingenuity is exercised in the successful practice of deceit, who gain
dexterous advantages, by indirect means, over those with whom they have
intercourse. Christ does not at all agree with carnal reason, when he pronounces
those to be
happy,
who take no delight in cunning, but converse sincerely with men, and express
nothing, by word or look, which they do not feel in their heart. Simple people
are ridiculed for want of caution, and for not looking sharply enough to
themselves. But Christ directs them to higher views, and bids them consider
that, if they have not sagacity to deceive in this world, they will enjoy
the sight of
God in
heaven.
9.
Happy are the
peacemakers. By
peacemakers
he means those who not only seek peace and avoid quarrels, as far as lies in
their power, but who also labor to settle differences among others, who advise
all men to live at peace, and take away every occasion of hatred and strife.
There are good grounds for this statement. As it is a laborious and irksome
employment to reconcile those who are at variance, persons of a mild
disposition, who study to promote peace, are compelled to endure the indignity
of hearing reproaches, complaints, and remonstrances on all sides. The reason
is, that every one would desire to have advocates, who would defend his cause.
That we may not depend on the favor of men, Christ bids us look up to the
judgment of his Father, who is the God of peace,
(<451533>Romans
15:33,) and who accounts us his children, while we cultivate peace, though our
endeavors may not be acceptable to men: for
to be
called means TO BE ACCOUNTED
the children of
God.
10.
Happy are they who suffer
persecution. The disciples of Christ
have very great need of this instruction; and the more hard and disagreeable it
is for the flesh to admit it, the more earnestly ought we to make it the subject
of our meditation. We cannot be Christ’s
soldiers
f355 on any other condition, than to
have the greater part of the world rising in hostility against us, and pursuing
us even to death. The state of the matter is this. Satan, the prince of the
world, will never cease to fill his followers with rage, to carry on hostilities
against the members of Christ. It is, no doubt, monstrous and unnatural, that
men, who study to live a righteous life, should be attacked and tormented in a
way which they do not deserve. And so Peter says,
“Who is he that
will harm you,
if ye be followers
of that which is good?”
(<600313>1
Peter 3:13.)
Yet, in consequence of the unbridled wickedness of
the world, it too frequently happens, that good men, through a zeal of
righteousness, arouse against them the resentments of the ungodly. Above all, it
is, as we may say, the ordinary lot of Christians to be hated by the majority of
men: for the flesh cannot endure the doctrine of the Gospel; none can endure to
have their vices reproved.
Who suffer on account of
righteousness. This is descriptive of
those who inflame the hatred, and provoke the rage, of wicked men against them,
because, through an earnest desire to do what is good and right, they oppose bad
causes and defend good ones, as far as lies in their power. Now, in this
respect, the truth of God justly holds the first rank. Accordingly, by this mark
Christ distinguishes his own martyrs from criminals and
malefactors.
I now return to what I said a little before, that as,
all that will live godly in Christ Jesus “(Paul informs us), shall suffer
persecution,”
(<550312>2
Timothy 3:12,) this admonition has a general reference to all the godly. But if,
at any time, the Lord spares our weakness, and does not permit the ungodly to
torment us as they would desire, yet, during the season of repose and leisure,
it is proper for us to meditate on this doctrine, that we may be ready, whenever
it shall be necessary, to enter the field, and may not engage in the contest
till we have been well prepared. As the condition of the godly, during the whole
course of this life, is very miserable, Christ properly calls them to the hope
of the heavenly life. And here lies the main difference between Christ’s
paradox and the ravings of the Stoics, who ordered that every man should be
satisfied in his own mind, and should be the author of his own happiness: while
Christ does not suspend our happiness on a vain imagination, but rests it on the
hope of a future reward.
11.
When they shall cast
reproaches on you.
<420622>Luke
6:22. When men shall
hate you, and separate you, and load you with
reproaches,
and cast out your name as
evil. By these words Christ intended to
comfort those who believe in him; that they may not lose courage, even though
they see themselves to be detestable in the eyes of the world. For this was no
light temptation, to be thrown out of the Church as ungodly and profane. Christ
knew that there is no class of men more envenomed than hypocrites, and foresaw
with what furious madness the enemies of the Gospel would attack his small and
despised flock. It was therefore his will to furnish them with a sure defense,
that they might not give way, though an immense mass of reproaches were ready to
overwhelm them. And hence it appears, how little reason there is to dread the
excommunication of the Pope, when those tyrants banish us from their synagogues,
because we are unwilling to renounce
Christ.
12.
Rejoice ye, and leap for
joy. The meaning is, a remedy is at
hand, that we may not be overwhelmed by unjust reproaches: for, as soon as we
raise our minds to heaven, we there behold vast grounds of joy, which dispel
sadness. The idle reasonings of the Papists, about the word
reward,
which is here used, are easily refuted: for there is not (as they dream) a
mutual relation between the reward and merit, but the promise of the
reward
is free. Besides, if we consider the imperfections and faults of any good
works that are done by the very best of men, there will be no work which God can
judge to be worthy of reward.
We must advert once more to the phrases,
on my
account, or,
on account of the Son of
Man,
(<420622>Luke
6:22;) and lying, shall speak
every evil word against you; that he who
suffers persecution for his own fault
(<600220>1
Peter 2:20) may not forthwith boast that he is a martyr of Christ, as the
Donatists, in ancient times, were delighted with themselves on this single
ground, that the magistrates were against them. And in our own day the
Anabaptists,
f356 while they disturb the Church by
their ravings, and slander the Gospel, boast that they are carrying the banners
of Christ, when they are justly condemned. But Christ pronounces those only to
be happy who are employed in defending a righteous cause.
For so did they
persecute. This was expressly added,
that the apostles might not expect to triumph without exertion and without a
contest, and might not fail, when they encountered persecutions. The restoration
of all things, under the reign of Christ, being everywhere promised in
Scripture, there was danger, lest they might not think of warfare, but indulge
in vain and proud confidence. It is evident from other passages, that they
foolishly imagined the kingdom of Christ to be filled with wealth and
luxuries.
f357 Christ had good reason for
warning them, that, as soon as they succeeded to the place of the prophets, they
must sustain the same contests in which the prophets were formerly engaged.
The prophets who were before
you. This means not only, that
the prophets were before
them with respect to the order of time,
but that they were of the same class with themselves, and ought therefore to be
followed as their example. The notion commonly entertained, of making out nine
distinct beatitudes, is too frivolous to need a long
refutation.
Luke 6:24.
Woe to you that are
rich. As Luke has related not more than
four kinds of
blessings,
so he now contrasts with them four
curses,
so that the clauses mutually correspond. This contrast not only tends to
strike terror into the ungodly, but to arouse believers, that they may not be
lulled to sleep by the vain and deceitful allurements of the world. We know how
prone men are to be intoxicated by prosperity, or ensnared by flattery; and on
this account the children of God often envy the reprobate, when they see
everything go on prosperously and smoothly with them.
He pronounces a curse on the
rich,—not
on all the rich, but on those who
receive their
consolation in the world; that is, who
are so completely occupied with their worldly possessions, that they forget the
life to come. The meaning is: riches are so far from making a man happy, that
they often become the means of his destruction. In any other point of view, the
rich are not excluded from the kingdom of heaven, provided they do not become
snares for themselves, or fix their hope on the earth, so as to shut against
them the kingdom of heaven. This is finely illustrated by Augustine, who, in
order to show that riches are not in themselves a hindrance to the children of
God, reminds his readers that poor Lazarus was received into the bosom of rich
Abraham.
25.
Woe to you who are filled.
Woe to you who laugh now. In the same
sense, he pronounces a curse on those who are
satiated and
full: because they are lifted up by
confidence in the blessings of the present life, and reject those blessings
which are of a heavenly nature. A similar view must be taken of what he says
about
laughter:
for by those who
laugh
he means those who have given themselves up to Epicurean mirth, who are
plunged in carnal pleasures, and spurn every kind of trouble which would be
found necessary for maintaining the glory of
God.
26.
Woe to you when all men shall
applaud you. The last woe is intended to
correct ambition: for nothing is more common than to seek the applauses of men,
or, at least, to be carried away by them; and, in order to guard his disciples
against such a course, he points out to them that the favor of men would prove
to be their ruin. This warning refers peculiarly to teachers, who have no plague
more to be dreaded than ambition: because it is impossible for them not to
corrupt the pure doctrine of God, when they, “seek to please men,”
(<480110>Galatians
1:10.) By the phrase, all
men, Christ must be understood to refer
to the children of the world, whose applauses are wholly bestowed on deceivers
and false prophets: for faithful and conscientious ministers of sound doctrine
enjoy the applause and favor of good men. It is only the wicked favor of the
flesh that is here condemned: for, as Paul informs us,
(<480110>Galatians
1:10,) no man who “seeks to please men” can be “the servant of
Christ.”
MATTHEW 5:13-16; MARK 9:49-50;
4:21;
LUKE 14:34-35;
8:16; 11:33
|
MATTHEW
5:13-16
|
MARK
9:49-50
|
LUKE
14:34-35
|
|
13. Ye are the salt of the earth:
but if salt shall become tasteless,
f358
with what shall it be
salted?
f359
It is good for nothing farther, than to be
thrown out and trodden down by men. 14. Ye are the light of
the world: a city placed upon a mountain cannot be hid.
15. Neither do men light a candle, and put it upon a bushel
but upon a candlestick, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16. Let your light shine before men, so that they may see
your good works, and may glorify your Father who is in heaven.
|
49. For every (man) shall be
salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
50. Salt is a good thing: but if salt shall become tasteless,
with what shall it be seasoned? Have salt in yourselves, and cultivate peace
with one another.
MARK
4:21
21. And he said to them, Is a
candle lighted, that it may be put under a bushel, or under a bed? Is it not
that it may be put on a candlestick?
|
34. Salt is good: but if salt
shall have become tasteless, with what shall it be seasoned?
35. It is not useful either for the
land
f360
or for the dunghill: they throw it out. He who
hath ears to hear, let him hear.
LUKE
8:16
16. And no man, when he hath
lighted a candle, covered it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed, but
putteth it on a candlestick, that those who enter may see the
light.
<421133>LUKE
11:33
33. No man lighteth a
candle, and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel, but on a
candlestick, that those who enter may see the light.
|
Matthew 5:13. Ye
are the salt of the
earth. What belongs to doctrine is
applied to the persons to whom the administration of it has been committed. When
Christ calls the apostles the
salt of the earth, he means, that it is
their office to salt the
earth: because men have nothing in them
but what is tasteless, till they have been seasoned with the salt of heavenly
doctrine. After having reminded them to what they are called, he pronounces
against them a heavy and dreadful judgment, if they do not fulfill their duty.
The doctrine, which has been entrusted to them, is shown to be so closely
connected with a good conscience and a devout and upright life, that the
corruption, which might be tolerated in others, would in them be detestable and
monstrous. “If other men are tasteless in the sight of God, to you shall
be given the salt which imparts a relish to them: but if you have lost your
taste, where shall you obtain the remedy which you ought to supply to
others?”
Our Lord skillfully pursues his metaphor, by saying,
that other things when they lose their original qualities, are still useful
after they have become corrupted: but that
salt
becomes even hurtful, and communicates barrenness even to
dunghills.
f361 The amount of his
statement is, that it is an incurable disease, when the ministers and teachers
of the word corrupt and render themselves tasteless: for they ought to season
the rest of the world with their salt. This warning is useful, not only to
ministers, but to the whole flock of Christ. Since it is the will of God that
the earth shall be
salted by his own word, it follows, that
whatever is destitute of this salt is, in his estimation, tasteless, how much
soever it may be relished by men. There is nothing better, therefore, than to
receive the seasoning, by which alone our tastelessness is corrected. But, at
the same time, let those whose business is to
salt
it beware lest they encourage the world in their own
folly,
f362 and still more, that they do not
infect it with a depraved and vicious
taste.
The wickedness of the Papists is therefore
intolerable:
f363 as if it had been the design of
Christ, to allow the apostles unbounded liberty, and to make them tyrants of
souls, instead of reminding them of their duty, that they might not swerve from
the right path. Christ declares what sort of men he wishes the teachers of his
Church to be. Those who, without any proper grounds, give themselves out to be
apostles,
f364 hide by this covering all the
abominations which they are pleased to introduce; because Christ pronounced
Peter, and his companions, to be
the salt of the
earth. They do not, at the same time,
consider the sharp and severe reproof which is added, that, if they become
tasteless,
they are the worst of all. This sentence is mentioned by Luke in an abrupt
manner: but is introduced there for the same purpose as in this passage, so that
it does not require a separate
exposition.
Mark 9:49.
Every man shall be salted with
fire. I have connected these words of
Mark with the passage in Matthew which we have just considered: not that I look
upon them to have altogether the same meaning, or to have been spoken at the
same place and time, but rather to enable the reader to understand better, by
means of comparison, the different applications of the same sentence. According
to Mark’s narrative, our Lord, having spoken of eternal
fire,
(<410948>Mark
9:48,) exhorts his own people, on the contrary, to offer themselves now to God
to be seasoned with fire and
salt, that they may be devoted
sacrifices,
f365 and that they may not draw upon
themselves, by their sins, that
fire
which is never extinguished. To be
salted with
fire is an incorrect phrase; but as
salt
and
fire
possess the same quality of purifying and refining, Christ applied the same
term to both. Such was the occasion on which this sentiment was uttered. It was,
that believers may not refuse to be purified by
fire
and
salt;
since, without this seasoning, they cannot be holy to God. He alludes to an
enactment of the Law:
“Every oblation of
thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt, neither shalt thou suffer the
salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat-offering: with all
thine offerings thou shalt offer
salt,”
(<030213>Leviticus
2:13.)
But now he shows, that believers are salted by the
word of the Gospel, that they may be sanctified.
He next adds,
salt is
good. This extends generally to all,
whom God has once been pleased to season with his own word. He exhorts them to
retain always their savor. To give the name of
salt
to what is
salted
is rather a harsh metaphor, but it creates no doubt as to the meaning. When
men have lost, by their carelessness, that savor which they obtained by the
grace of God, there is no farther remedy. Those who lose their faith, by which
they were consecrated to God, and become without savor, are in a desperate
condition: for the good savor cannot be acquired by any other seasoning.
Besides, those who have become corrupted, by making void the grace of God, are
worse than unbelievers, as
salt
spoils the
land and the
dunghill.
Mark
9:50. Have salt in
yourselves. This word may be taken in a
different sense from what it had in the former verse, as meaning that seasoning
of good odor, which is obtained by faith, or rather the wisdom of the Spirit.
When Paul enjoins, “Let your speech be always with grace,
seasoned with
salt,”
(<510406>Colossians
4:6,) he means, that we ought to be holy, and purified from all profane follies
and corruptions, and filled with spiritual grace, which edifies all who hear it,
and diffuses over them its sweet odor. If this exposition is adopted, it may be
necessary to understand the latter clause as referring to the mutual peace,
which is promoted by that salt. Yet, as it is more probable, that this last
sentence depends on the former discourse, I think that Christ is exhorting his
own people to maintain the rigor of faith, which may serve also to purify
others. “You must do your endeavor, not only to be
salted
within, but likewise to
salt
others.” But as salt bites by its sharpness, he immediately admonishes
them to regulate the seasoning in such a manner, that
peace
may be preserved entire with
one
another.
<400514>Matthew
5:14. Ye are the light of the
world. We are all the children of light,
after having been enlightened by faith, and are commanded to carry in our hands
“burning lamps,” (that we may not wander in darkness,) and even to
point out to others the way of life,
(<421235>Luke
12:35.) But, as the preaching of the Gospel was committed to the apostles above
others, and is now committed to the pastors of the Church, this designation is
given to them, in a peculiar manner, by Christ. “They are placed in this
rank on the condition, that they shall shine, as from an elevated situation, on
all others.”
He subjoins two comparisons.
A city placed on a mountain
cannot be concealed; and
a
candle, when it has been lighted, is
not usually
concealed, (verse 15.) This
means, that they ought to live in such a manner, as if the eyes of all were upon
them.
f367 And certainly, the more eminent a
person is, the more injury he does by a bad example, if he acts improperly.
Christ, therefore, informs the apostles, that they must be more careful to live
a devout and holy life, than unknown persons of the common rank, because the
eyes of all are directed to them, as to lighted
candles;
and that they must not be endured, if their devotion, and uprightness of
conduct, do not correspond to the doctrine of which they are ministers. Mark and
Luke appear to apply the comparison in a different manner: for there
Christ gives a general admonition, that they ought to take particular care, lest
any one, trusting to the darkness, indulge freely in sin, because what is hidden
for a time will afterwards be revealed. But perhaps the discourses related by
both of them are detached from the immediate
context.
16.
Let your light shine before
men. After having taught the apostles
that, in consequence of the rank in which they are placed, both their vices and
their virtues are better known for a good or bad example, he now enjoins them so
to regulate their life, as to excite all to glorify God.
That they may see your good
works: for, as Paul tells us, believers
must,
“provide for honest
things, not only in the sight of
God,
but also in the sight of
men,”
(<470821>2
Corinthians 8:21.)
The command, which he gives shortly afterwards, to
seek concealment and a retired situation for their good works,
(<400604>Matthew
6:4,) is intended only to forbid ostentation. In the present instance, he has
quite a different object in view, to recommend to them the glory of God alone.
Now, if the glory of good works cannot be properly ascribed to God, unless they
are traced to him, and unless he is acknowledged to be their only Author, it is
evident, that we cannot, without offering an open and gross insult to God, extol
free will, as if good works proceeded wholly, or in part, from its power. Again,
we must observe, how graciously God deals with us, when he calls the good works
ours,
the entire praise of which would justly be ascribed to
himself.
MATTHEW 5:17-19; LUKE
16:17
|
MATTHEW
5:17-19
|
LUKE
14:17
|
|
17. Think not that I am come to
destroy
f368
the Law or the Prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. 18. Verily, I say to you, Till heaven
and earth pass, one iota or one point
f369
shall not pass from the Law, till all are
fulfilled. 19. Whoever then shall break on of these least
commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom
of heaven: but whoever shall have done and taught them, he shall be called great
in the kingdom of heaven.
|
17. Now it is easier for heaven
and earth to pass, than for one point of the law to fail.
|
Matthew 5:17.
Think
not. With regard to the perfection of
his life, Christ might justly have maintained that he
came to fulfill the
law: but here he treats of doctrine, not
of life. As he afterwards exclaimed, that
“the kingdom of God is
come,”
(<401228>Matthew
12:28,) and raised the minds of men with unusual expectation, and even admitted
disciples by baptism, it is probable, that the minds of many were in a state of
suspense and doubt, and were eagerly inquiring, what was the design of that
novelty. Christ, therefore, now declares, that his doctrine is so far from being
at variance with the
law, that it agrees perfectly with
the law and the
prophets, and not only so, but brings
the complete
fulfillment
of them.
There appear to have been chiefly two reasons, which
induced him to declare this agreement between
the
law and the Gospel. As soon as any new
method of teaching makes its appearance, the body of the people immediately look
upon it, as if everything were to be overturned. Now the preaching of the
Gospel, as I mentioned a little ago, tended to raise the expectation, that the
Church would assume a totally different form from what had previously belonged
to it. They thought that the ancient and accustomed government was to be
abolished. This opinion, in many respects, was very dangerous. Devout
worshippers of God would never have embraced the Gospel, if it had been a revolt
from the
law; while light and turbulent spirits
would eagerly have seized on an occasion offered to them for entirely
overthrowing the state of religion: for we know in what insolent freaks rash
people are ready to indulge when there is any thing new.
Besides, Christ saw that the greater part of the
Jews, though they professed to believe the Law, were profane and degenerate. The
condition of the people was so decayed, every thing was filled with so many
corruptions, and the negligence or malice of the priests had so completely
extinguished the pure light of doctrine, that there no longer remained any
reverence for the Law. But if a new kind of doctrine had been introduced, which
would destroy the authority of
the Law and the
Prophets, religion would have sustained
a dreadful injury. This appears to be the first reason, why Christ declared that
he had not come to destroy the
Law. Indeed, the context makes this
abundantly clear: for he immediately adds, by way of confirmation, that it is
impossible for even one point of
the Law to fail,—and pronounces a
curse on those teachers who do not faithfully labor to maintain its
authority.
The second reason was, to refute the wicked slander
which, he knew was brought against him by the ignorant and unlearned. This
charge, it is evident, had been fastened on his doctrine by the scribes: for he
proceeds immediately to direct his discourse against them. We must keep in mind
the object which Christ had in view. While he invites and exhorts the Jews to
receive the Gospel, he still retains them in obedience to
the
Law; and, on the other hand, he boldly
refutes the base reproaches and slanders, by which his enemies labored to make
his preaching infamous or suspected.
If we intend to reform affairs which are in a state
of disorder, we must always exercise such prudence and moderation, as will
convince the people, that we do not oppose the eternal Word of God, or introduce
any novelty that is contrary to Scripture. We must take care, that no suspicion
of such contrariety shall injure the faith of the godly, and that rash men shall
not be emboldened by a pretense of novelty. In short, we must endeavor to oppose
a profane contempt of the Word of God, and to prevent religion from being
despised by the ignorant. The defense which Christ makes, to free his doctrine
from slanders, ought to encourage us, if we are now exposed to the same
calumnies. That crime was charged against Paul, that he was an apostate from the
law of God,
(<442121>Acts
21:21) and we need not, therefore, wonder, if the Papists endeavor, in the same
manner, to render us odious. Following the example of Christ, we ought to clear
ourselves from false accusations, and, at the same time, to profess the truth
freely, though it may expose us to unjust reproaches.
I am not come to
destroy. God had, indeed, promised a
new
covenant at the coming of Christ; but
had, at the same time, showed, that it would not be different from the first,
but that, on the contrary, its design was, to give a perpetual sanction to
the covenant, which he had made from the beginning, with his own
people.
“I will write my
law, (says he,) in their hearts, and I will remember their iniquities no
more,”
(<243133>Jeremiah
31:33, 34.) f370
By these words he is so far from departing from the
former covenant, that, on the contrary, he declares, that it will be confirmed
and ratified, when it shall be succeeded by the new. This is also the meaning of
Christ’s words, when he says, that
he came to fulfill the
law: for he actually fulfilled it, by
quickening, with his Spirit, the dead letter, and then exhibiting, in reality,
what had hitherto appeared only in figures.
With respect to doctrine, we must not imagine that
the coming of Christ has freed us from the authority of the law: for it is the
eternal rule of a devout and holy life, and must, therefore, be as unchangeable,
as the justice of God, which it embraced, is constant and uniform. With respect
to ceremonies, there is some appearance of a change having taken place; but it
was only the use of them that was abolished, for their meaning was more fully
confirmed. The coming of Christ has taken nothing away even from ceremonies,
but, on the contrary, confirms them by exhibiting the truth of shadows: for,
when we see their full effect, we acknowledge that they are not vain or useless.
Let us therefore learn to maintain inviolable this sacred tie between the law
and the Gospel, which many improperly attempt to break. For it contributes not a
little to confirm the authority of the Gospel, when we learn, that it is nothing
else than a fulfillment of the
law; so that both, with one consent,
declare God to be their Author.
18.
Till heaven and earth
pass. Luke expresses it a little
differently, but to the same import, that
it is easier for heaven and earth
to pass, than for one point of the law to
fail. The design of Christ, in both
passages, was to teach, that the truth of the law and of every part of it, is
secure, and that nothing so durable is to be found in the whole frame of the
world. Some persons indulge in ingenious refinements on the word
till,(e{wv
a} n,) as if
the passing away of the heaven
and earth, which will take place on the
last day, the day of judgment, were to put an end to
the law and the
prophets. And certainly,
as
“tongues shall then
cease, and prophecies shall be
abolished,”
(<461308>1
Corinthians 13:8,)
I think that the written law, as well as the
exposition of it, will come to an end; but, as I am of opinion that Christ spoke
more simply, I do not choose to feed the ears of readers with such amusements.
Let it suffice for us to hold, that sooner shall heaven fall to pieces, and the
whole frame of the world become a mass of confusion, than the stability of the
law shall give way. But what does it mean, that every part of the law shall be
fulfilled down to the smallest
point?
for we see, that even those, who have been regenerated by the Spirit of God,
are very far from keeping the law of God in a perfect manner. I answer, the
expression, shall not pass
away, must be viewed as referring, not
to the life of men, but to the perfect truth of the doctrine.
“There is nothing in the law that is unimportant, nothing
that was put there at, random; and so it is impossible that a single letter
shall perish.”
19.
Whoever then shall
break. Christ here speaks expressly of
the commandments of life, or the ten words, which all the children of God ought
to take as the rule of their life. He therefore declares, that they are false
and deceitful teachers, who do not restrain their disciples within obedience to
the law, and that they are unworthy to occupy a place in the Church, who weaken,
in the slightest degree, the authority of the law; and, on the other hand, that
they are honest and faithful ministers of God, who recommend, both by word and
by example, the keeping of the law.
The least
commandments is an expression used in
accommodation to the judgment of men: for though they have not all the same
weight, (but, when they are compared together, some are less than others,) yet
we are not at liberty to think any thing
small,
on which the heavenly Legislator has been pleased to issue a command. For
what sacrilege is it to treat contemptuously any thing which has proceeded from
his sacred mouth? This is to sink his majesty to the rank of creatures.
Accordingly, when our Lord calls them
little
commandments, it is a sort of
concession. He shall be called
the least. This is an allusion to what
he had just said about the
commandments:
but the meaning is obvious. Those who shall pour contempt on the doctrine of
the law, or on a single syllable of it, will be rejected as the lowest of
men. f371
The kingdom of
heaven means the renovation of the
Church, or the prosperous condition of the Church, such as was then beginning to
appear by the preaching of the Gospel. In this sense, Christ tells us, that
“he who is least
in the kingdom of
God is greater than John,”
(<420728>Luke
7:28.) The meaning of that phrase is, that God, restoring the world by
the hand of his Son, has completely established his kingdom. Christ declares
that, when his Church shall have been renewed, no teachers must be admitted to
it, but those who are faithful expounders of the law, and who labor to maintain
its doctrine entire. But it is asked, were not ceremonies among
the
commandments of God, the
least of
which we are now required to observe? I
answer, We must look to the design and object of the Legislator. God enjoined
ceremonies, that their outward use might be temporal, and their meaning eternal.
That man does not
break
ceremonies, who omits what is shadowy, but retains their effect. But if
Christ banishes from his
kingdom
all who accustom men to any contempt of the law how monstrous must be their
stupidity, who are not ashamed to remit, by a sacrilegious indulgence, what God
strictly demands, and, under the pretense of venial sin, to overthrow the
righteousness of the law.
f372 Again, we must observe the
description he gives of good and holy teachers: that not only by words, but
chiefly by the example of life, they exhort
f373 men to keep the
law.
MATTHEW
5:20-22
|
MATTHEW
5:20-22
|
|
20. For I say to you, That, unless
your righteousness shall be more abundant
f374
than that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you
shall not enter
f375
into the kingdom of heaven.
21. You have heard that it was said to the
ancients,
f376
Thou shalt not kill: and he who shall kill shall be
liable to judgment.
f377
22. But I say to you, That every
one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment: and he who shall
say to his brother, Racha, shall be liable to the council: and he who shall say,
Fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire.
f378
|
Matthew 5:20.
Unless your righteousness shall
be more abundant. He takes a passing notice of
the
Scribes, who were laboring to throw a
stain on the doctrine of the Gospel, as if it were the ruin of the Law. True, he
does not reason on this subject, but only points out briefly, that nothing has
less influence over their minds than zeal for the law. “They pretend, that
their hostility to me arises from their strong desire, that the law should not
be violated. But their life makes it evident, how coldly they observe the
law,—nay more, how unconcerned they are about mocking
God, f379
while they boast before men of an assumed and hypocritical righteousness.”
This is the view which the most of commentators give of the
passage.
But it deserves inquiry, whether he does not rather
blame the corrupted manner of teaching, which
the Pharisees and
Scribes followed in instructing the
people. By confining the law of God to outward duties only, they trained their
disciples, like apes, to hypocrisy.
f380 They lived, I readily admit, as ill as
they taught, and even worse: and therefore, along with their corrupted doctrine,
I willingly include their hypocritical parade of false righteousness. The
principal charge brought by Christ against their doctrine may be easily learned
from what follows in the discourse, where he removes from the law their false
and wicked interpretations, and restores it to its purity. In short, the
objection which, as we have already said, was unjustly brought against him by
the Scribes, is powerfully thrown back on themselves.
We must bear in mind, what we have mentioned
elsewhere, that the Pharisees are added to the Scribes by way of enlarging on
what he had said: for that sect had, above all others, obtained a reputation for
sanctity. It is a mistake, however, to suppose, that they were called
Pharisees
on account of
division,
f381 because they
separated
themselves from the ordinary class, and claimed a rank peculiar to
themselves. They were called
µyçwrp,
that is, Expounders,
f382 because they were not satisfied
with the bare letter, but boasted of being in possession of a key to open up
hidden meanings. Hence arose an immense mass of errors, when they assumed
magisterial authority, and ventured, according to their wicked fancy and their
equally wicked pride, to thrust forward their own inventions in place of
Scripture.
21.
You have heard that it was
said. This sentence, and those which
immediately follow, are connected with what we have just considered: for our
Lord explains more fully, by minute instances, by what tortuous
methods
f382a the Pharisees debase the law, so that
their righteousness is mere filth. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that
this is an
ejpano>rqwsiv,
or
correctionf383
of the Law, and that Christ raises his disciples to a higher degree of
perfection, than Christ could raise a gross and carnal nation, which was
scarcely able to learn first principles. It has been a prevailing opinion, that
the beginning of righteousness was laid down in the ancient law, but that the
perfection of it is pointed out in the Gospel. But nothing was farther from the
design of Christ, than to alter or innovate any thing in the commandments of the
law. There God has once fixed the rule of life which he will never retract. But
as the law had been corrupted by false expositions, and turned to a profane
meaning, Christ vindicates it against such corruptions, and points out its true
meaning, from which the Jews had departed.
That the doctrine of the law not only commences, but
brings to perfection, a holy life, may be inferred from a single fact, that it
requires a perfect love of God and of our neighbor,
(<050605>Deuteronomy
6:5;
<031918>Leviticus
19:18.) He who possesses such a love wants nothing of the highest perfection. So
far as respects the rules of a holy life, the law conducts men to the goal, or
farthest point, of righteousness. Accordingly, Paul declares the law to
be weak, not in itself, but in our flesh,
(<450803>Romans
8:3.) But if Moses had given nothing more than the first lessons of true
righteousness, how ridiculous would have been that appeal!
“I call heaven and
earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death,
blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that ye may live,”
(<053019>Deuteronomy
30:19.)
Again,
“And now, Israel,
what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to
walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all
thy heart, and with all thy soul?”
(<051012>Deuteronomy
10:12.)
Vain and deceitful, also, would have been that
promise, “The man that doeth them shall live in them,”
(<031805>Leviticus
18:5;
<451005>Romans
10:5;
<480312>Galatians
3:12.)
That Christ, on the other hand, intended to make no
correction in the precepts of the law, is very clear from other passages: for to
those who desire to enter into life by their good works, he gives no other
injunction, than to, keep the
commandments of the law,
(<401917>Matthew
19:17.) From no other source do the Apostles, as well as Christ himself, draw
the rules for a devout and holy life. It is doing a grievous injury to God, the
author of the Law, to imagine that the eyes, and hands, and feet alone, are
trained by it to a hypocritical appearance of good works, and that it is only in
the Gospel that we are taught to love God with the heart. Away, then, with that
error, “The deficiencies of the law are here supplied by Christ.” We
must not imagine Christ to be a new legislator, who adds any thing to the
eternal righteousness of his Father. We must listen to him as a faithful
expounder, that we may know what is the nature of the law, what is its object,
and what is its extent.
It now remains for us to see, what Christ condemns in
the Pharisees, and in what respect his interpretation of it differs from their
glosses. The amount of it is, that they had changed the doctrine of the law into
a political order, and had made obedience to it to consist entirely in the
performance of outward duties. Hence it came, that he who had not slain a man
with his hand was pronounced to be free from the guilt of murder, and he who had
not polluted his body by adultery was supposed to be pure and chaste before God.
This was an intolerable profanation of the law: for it is certain, that Moses
everywhere demands the spiritual worship of God. From the very nature of the law
we must conclude, that God, who gave it by the hand of Moses, spoke to the
hearts, as well as to the hands and to the eyes. True, our Lord quotes the very
words of the law; but he does so in accommodation to the view which was
generally taken of them by the people. “Till now,
the
scribes have given you a literal
interpretation of the law, that it is enough, if a man keep his hands from
murder and from acts of violence. But I warn you, that you must ascend much
higher. Love is the fulfilling of the law,
(<451310>Romans
13:10 ;)and I say that your neighbor is injured, when you act towards him
otherwise than as a friend.” The latter clause which he quotes,
he who kills shall be liable to
the judgment, confirms what I said a
little before, that Christ charges them with turning into a political scheme the
law of God, which had been given for the government of the
heart.
22.
But I say to
you. His reply is not opposed to the
command of Moses,
(<022013>Exodus
20:13;
<032421>Leviticus
24:21;
<043516>Numbers
35:16 ;) but to the interpretation usually put upon it by the scribes. Now, as
the Pharisees boasted of antiquity, (for it is always the custom to plead the
prescription of a long period in defense of
errors, f384
) Christ reminds the people of his authority, to which all antiquity ought
justly to give way. Hence we conclude, that truth is of greater weight than
custom or the number of years.
He who shall say to his
brother. Christ assigns three degrees of
condemnation besides the violence of the hands; which implies, that this precept
of the law restrains not only the hands, but all affections that are opposed to
brotherly love. “Those who shall only be angry with their brethren, or
treat them with haughty disdain, or injure them by any reproach, are
murderers.” Now, as it is certain that the word
Racha
occupies an intermediate place between
anger
and openly reproachful language, I have no doubt that it is an interjection
of contempt or disdain. Though Christ adjudges
to the hell of
fire none but those who break out into
open reproach, we must not suppose, that he declares
anger
to be free from a similar punishment; but, alluding to earthly judgments, he
assures them that God will judge and punish even concealed
anger.
f385 But, as he who manifests his
indignation by bitter language goes farther than this, Christ says, that that
man will be held guilty by the
whole heavenly council, that he may
receive severer punishment.
Those, again, who break out into reproaches are
adjudged to the hell of
fire: which implies, that hatred, and
every thing that is contrary to love, is enough to expose them to eternal death,
though they may have committed no acts of violence.
Ge]enna
(hell) is, beyond all question, a foreign
word.
ayg
(Ge) is the Hebrew word for a valley. Now, “the valley of Hin-nom”
was infamous for the detestable superstition which was committed in it, because
there they sacrificed their children to idols,
(<143306>2
Chronicles 33:6.) The consequence was, that holy men, in order to excite
stronger hatred of that wicked ungodliness, used it as the name for
hell,
that the very name might be dreaded by the people as shocking and alarming.
It would appear that, in the time of Christ, this was a received way of
speaking, and that
hell
was then called by no other name than gehenna,
(ge>enna,)
the word being slightly altered from the true
pronunciation.
MATTHEW 5:23-26; LUKE
12:58-59
|
MATTHEW
5:23-26
|
LUKE
12:58-59
|
|
23. Therefore, if thou shalt bring
thy gift to the altar, and there shalt remember that thy brother hath anything
against thee, 24. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and
go away: first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and
offer
f386
thy gift. 25. Be agreed with thy
adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him: lest at any time the
adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer,
and thou be thrown into prison. 26. Verily I say to thee,
Thou shalt not depart thence, till thou shalt have paid the last
farthing.
|
58. Now, when thou goest with thy
adversary to the magistrate, do thy endeavor, while thou art in the way, to be
delivered from him: lest perhaps he drag thee to the judge, and the judge
deliver thee to the officer, and the officer throw thee into prison.
59. I say to thee, Thou shalt no depart thence, until thou
pay even the last mite.
|
Matthew 5:23.
Therefore, if thou shalt bring
thy gift. This clause confirms, and at
the same time explains, the preceding doctrine. It amounts to this, that the
precept of the law, which forbids murder,
(<022013>Exodus
20:13,) is obeyed, when we maintain agreement and brotherly kindness, with our
neighbor. To impress this more strongly upon us, Christ declares, that even the
duties of religion are displeasing to God, and are rejected by him, if we are at
variance with each other. When he commands those who have injured any of their
brethren, to be reconciled to
him, before they
offer their
gift, his meaning is, that, so long as a
difference with our neighbor is kept up by our fault, we have no access to God.
But if the worship, which men render to God, is polluted and corrupted by their
resentments, this enables us to conclude, in what estimation he holds mutual
agreement among ourselves.
Here a question may be put. Is it not absurd, that
the duties of charity should be esteemed more highly than the worship of God? We
shall then be forced to say, that the order of the law is improper, or that the
first table of the law must be preferred to the second. The answer is easy: for
the words of Christ mean nothing more than this, that it is a false and empty
profession of worshipping God, which is made by those who, after acting unjustly
towards their brethren, treat them with haughty disdain. By a
synecdoche
he takes a single class to express the outward exercises of divine worship,
which in many men are rather the pretenses, than the true expressions, of
godliness. It ought to be observed that Christ, adapting his discourse to that
age, speaks of sacrifices. Our condition is now different: but the doctrine
remains the same, that whatever we offer to God is polluted, unless, at least
as much as lieth in us,
(<451218>Romans
12:18,) we are at peace with our brethren. Alms are called in Scripture
sacrifices of a sweet smell,
(<500418>Philippians
4:18;) and we learn from the mouth of Paul, that he who
“spends all his
substance on the poor,
if he have
not charity, is nothing,”
(<461303>1
Corinthians 13:3.)
Lastly, God does not receive and acknowledge, as his
sons, any who do not, in their turn, show themselves to be brethren to each
other. Although it is only to those who have injured their brethren that these
words are addressed, enjoining them
to do their endeavor to be
reconciled to them, yet under one class
he points out, how highly the harmony of brethren is esteemed by God. When he
commands them to leave the gift before the altar, he expresses much more than if
he had said, that it is to no purpose for men to go to
the
temple, or
offer sacrifices to
God, so long as they live in discord
with their neighbors.
25. Be
agreed with thy
adversary. Christ appears to go farther,
and to exhort to reconciliation not only those who have injured their brethren,
but those also who are unjustly treated.
f387 But I interpret the words as having been
spoken with another view, to take away occasion for hatred and resentment, and
to point out the method of cherishing good-will. For whence come all injuries,
but from this, that each person is too tenacious of his own rights, that is,
each is too much disposed to consult his own convenience to the disadvantage of
others? Almost all are so blinded by a wicked love of themselves, that, even in
the worst causes, they flatter themselves that they are in the right. To meet
all hatred, enmity, debates, and acts of injustice, Christ reproves that
obstinacy, which is the source of these evils, and enjoins his own people to
cultivate moderation and justice, and to make some abatement from the highest
rigor, that, by such an act of justice, they may purchase for themselves peace
and friendship.
f388 It were to be wished, indeed, that no
controversy of any kind should ever arise among us; and undoubtedly men would
never break out into abuse or quarrelling, if they possessed a due share of
meekness. But, as it is scarcely possible but that differences will sometimes
happen, Christ points out the remedy, by which they may be immediately settled;
and that is, to put a restraint on our desires, and rather to act to our own
disadvantage, than follow up our rights with unflinching rigor. That Christ
frequently gave this exhortation is evident from the twelfth chapter of
Luke’s Gospel, where he does not relate the sermon on the mount, but gives
an abridgment of various passages in our Lord’s
discourses.
Lest the adversary deliver thee to
the judge. This part is explained by
some in a metaphorical sense, that the Heavenly Judge will act toward us with
the utmost rigor, so as to forgive us nothing, if we do not labor to settle
those differences which we have with our neighbors. But I view it more simply,
as an admonition that, even among men, it is usually advantageous for us to come
to an early agreement with adversaries, because, with quarrelsome persons, their
obstinacy often costs them dear. At the same time, I admit, that the comparison
is justly applied to God; for he will exercise judgment without mercy
(<590213>James
2:13) to him who is implacable to his brethren, or pursues his contentiousness
to the utmost. But it is highly ridiculous in the Papists, to construct their
purgatory out of a continued allegory on this passage. Nothing is more evident
than that the subject of Christ’s discourse is the cultivation of
friendship among men. They have no shame, or conscientious scruple, to pervert
his words, and to torture them into a widely different meaning, provided they
can impose on the unlearned. But as they do not deserve a lengthened refutation,
I shall only point out, in a single word, their shameful ignorance.
The
adversary is supposed by them to be the
devil. But Christ enjoins those who believe on him to
be agreed with the
adversary. Therefore, in order that the
Papists may find their purgatory here, they must first become the friends and
brethren of devils. A
farthing is well known to be the fourth
part of a penny: but here, as is evident from Luke, it denotes a
mite,
or any small piece of money. Now, if we were disposed to
cavilling,
f389 we might here obtain another exposure of
the absurdity of the Papists. For, if he who has once entered Purgatory will
never leave it, till he has paid
the last farthing, it follows, that the
suffrages (as they call them)of the living for the dead are of no avail. For
Christ makes no allowance, that others may free a debtor by satisfying for him,
but expressly demands from each person the payment of what he
owes. f390
Now, if Moses and other satisfactions are useless, however warm the fire of
Purgatory may be, yet the kitchens of priests and monks, for the sake of which
they are so anxious to maintain it, will be cool enough.
MATTHEW
5:27-30
|
MATTHEW
5:27-30
|
|
27. You have heard that it was
said to the ancients, Thou shalt not commit adultery. 28. But
I say to you, That whoever shall look upon a woman to lust after her, hath
already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29. And if
thy right eye shall be a stumbling block
f391 to
thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is better for thee that one of
thy members perish, and that thy whole body be not thrown into hell.
30. And if thy right hand shall be a hindrance to thee, cut
it off, and cast it from thee: for it is better that one of thy members perish,
and that thy whole body be not thrown into hell.
|
Matthew 5:27.
Thou shalt not commit
adultery. Christ proceeds with his
subject, and shows, that the law of God not only has authority over the life, in
a political view, to form the outward manners, but that it requires pure and
holy affections of the heart. We must remember what I have already stated, that
though Christ quotes the very words of the law, it is the gross and false
meaning, which had been put upon it by dishonest interpreters, that he blames.
He has already told us, that he did not come as a new Legislator, but as the
faithful expounder of a law which had been already given. It might be objected
that, through long practice, that interpretation had grown old. Christ expressly
admits this, but meets it by saying, that the antiquity of an error ought not to
be allowed to plead in its favor.
28.
Whoever shall look upon a
woman. The design of Christ was to
condemn generally the lust of the flesh. He says, that not only those who have
seduced their neighbors’ wives, but those who have polluted their eyes by
an immodest look, are adulterers before God. This is a
synec-doche:
f392 for not only the eyes, but even
the concealed flames of the heart, render men guilty of adultery. Accordingly,
Paul makes chastity
(<460734>1
Corinthians 7:34) to consist both in body and in mind. But Christ reckoned it
enough to refute the gross mistake which was prevalent: for they thought that it
was only necessary to guard against outward adultery. As it is generally by the
wantonness of the eyes that temptations are presented to the mind, and as lust
enters, as it were, by that door, Christ used this mode of speaking, when he
wished to condemn lust: which is evident from the expression,
to lust after
her. This teaches us also, that not only
those who form a deliberate purpose of fornication, but those who admit any
polluted thoughts, are reckoned adulterers before God. The hypocrisy of the
Papists, therefore, is too gross and stupid, when they affirm that lust is not a
sin, until it gain the full consent of the heart. But we need not wonder, that
they make sin to be so small a matter: for those who ascribe righteousness to
the merit of works must be very dull and stupid in judging of their
sins.
29.
If thy right eye shall be a
stumbling-block to thee. It might be
thought that, considering the weakness of the flesh and of nature, Christ
pressed too severely on men, and therefore he anticipates all such complaints.
The general meaning is, that however difficult, or severe, or troublesome, or
harsh, any commandment of God may be, yet no excuse ought to be pleaded on those
grounds, because the justice of God ought to stand higher in our estimation,
than all that we reckon most precious and valuable. “You have no right to
object to me, that you can scarcely turn your eyes in any direction, without
being suddenly drawn away by some temptation: for you ought rather to part with
your eyes, than to depart from the commandments of God.” And yet Christ
does not mean, that we must mutilate our body, in order to obey God: but as all
would readily wish, that they should not be restrained from the free use of
their senses, Christ employs an exaggerated
f393 form of speech to show, that whatever
hinders us from yielding that obedience to God which he requires in his law,
ought to be cut off. And he does so expressly, because men allow themselves too
much liberty in that respect. If the mind were pure, the eyes and hands would be
obedient to it; for it is certain, that they have no movement of their own. But
here we are deeply to blame. We are so far from being as careful as we ought to
be, to avoid allurements, that we rather provoke our senses to wickedness by
allowing them unbounded liberty.
MATTHEW 5:31-32; LUKE
16:18
|
MATTHEW
5:31-32
|
LUKE
16:18
|
|
31. Again, it hath been said,
Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of
divorcement.
f394
32. But I say to you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife, except on account of unchastity, causeth her
to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry a woman that is put away
committeth adultery.
|
18. Whosoever putteth away his
wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth a woman
put away from her husband committeth adultery.
|
Matthew 5:31.
Whosoever shall put away his
wife. As a more suitable occasion for
discussing and explaining this doctrine at greater length will afterwards occur,
(<401909>Matthew
19:9,) I shall now state briefly what Christ says in this passage. As the Jews
falsely imagined that they discharged their whole duty toward God, when they
kept the law in a national manner, so whatever the national law did not forbid,
they foolishly supposed to be lawful. Divorces, which husbands were wont to give
to their wives, had not been prohibited by Moses as to external order, but only,
for the sake of restraining lewdness, he had ordered that “a bill
of divorcement” should be given to the wives who were put away,
(<052401>Deuteronomy
24:1.) It was a sort of testimonial of freedom, so that the woman was afterwards
free from the yoke and power of the husband; while the husband at the same time
acknowledged, that he did not send her away on account of any crime, but because
she did not please him. Hence proceeded the error, that there was nothing wrong
in such putting away, provided that the forms of law were
observed. f395
But they did wrong in viewing as a matter of civil
law, the rule which had been given them for a devout and holy life. For national
laws are sometimes accommodated to the manners of men but God, in prescribing a
spiritual law, looked not at what men can do, but at what they ought to do. It
contains a perfect and entire righteousness, though we want ability to fulfill
it. Christ, therefore, admonishes us not to conclude, that what is allowed by
the national law of Moses is, on that account, lawful in the sight of God. That
man, (says he,) who puts away his wife, and gives her
a bill of
divorcement, shelters himself under the
pretense of the law: but the bond of marriage is too sacred to be dissolved at
the will, or rather at the licentious pleasure, of men. Though the husband and
the wife are united by mutual consent, yet God binds them by an indissoluble
tie, so that they are not afterwards at liberty to separate. An exception is
added, except on account of
fornication: for the woman, who has
basely violated the marriage-vow, is justly cast off; because it was by her
fault that the tie was broken, and the husband set at
liberty.
32.
Causeth her to commit
adultery. As the
bill of
divorcement bore, that the woman had
been loosed from her former husband, and might enter into a new marriage, the
man who, unjustly and unlawfully, abandons the wife whom God had given him, is
justly condemned for having prostituted his wife to others.
MATTHEW
5:33-37
|
MATTHEW
5:33-37
|
|
33. Again, ye have heard that it
was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not perjure thyself: but thou shalt perform
to the Lord what thou hast sworn. 34. But I charge you, swear
not at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:
35. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by
Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King: 36. Nor
shalt thou swear by thy head: for thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37. But your speech shall be, Yes, yes; No, no for what is
beyond these comes from evil.
f396
|
33.
Thou shalt not perjure
thyself. This also is not a correction
of the law, but a true interpretation of it. For God condemned in the law not
only acts of perjury, but lightness in swearing, which lessens the reverence for
his name. The man who perjures
himself is not the only person who
takes the name of God in vain,
(<022007>Exodus
20:7.) He does so, who idly and contemptuously pronounces the name of God on
trivial occasions, or in ordinary conversation. While the law condemns every
kind of profanation of the name of God the Jews imagined, that the guilt of it
lay entirely in acts of perjury. Christ reproves this gross error of supposing
that they might, without danger, abuse the name of God, provided they did not
swear falsely. We are, no doubt, strictly enjoined to
perform to the Lord what we have
sworn: for he who, after employing the
name of God, cheats and deceives his neighbors, does an injury to God as well as
to man. But it is improper to confine to a single part that which has a wider
reference. Some consider the word
perform
as applying to vows, when any thing has been promised to God on account of
religion. But this mode of expression applies very well to all promises and
engagements, which have been sanctioned by the use of the name of God: for in
such cases God is appealed to as guarantee between the parties, to secure their
fidelity.
34.
Swear not at
all. Many have been led by the phrase,
not at
all, to adopt the false notion, that
every kind of swearing is condemned by Christ. Some good men have been driven to
this extreme rigor by observing the unbridled licentiousness of swearing, which
prevailed in the world. The Anabaptists, too, have blustered a great deal, on
the ground, that Christ appears to give no liberty to swear on any occasion,
because he commands, Swear not at
all. But we need not go beyond the
immediate context to obtain the exposition: for he immediately adds,
neither by heaven, nor by the
earth. Who does not see that those kinds
of swearing were added by way of exposition, to explain the former clause more
fully by specifying a number of cases? The Jews had circuitous or indirect ways
of swearing: and when they swore
by heaven, or by earth, or
by the
altar,
(<402318>Matthew
23:18,) they reckoned it to be next to nothing; and, as one vice springs from
another, they defended, under this pretense, any profanation of the name of God
that was not openly avowed.
To meet this crime, our Lord declares that they must
not swear at
all, either in this or that way, either
by
heaven, or
by the
earth. Hence we conclude, that the
particle, at
all, relates not to the substance, but
to the form, and means,
“neither
directly nor indirectly.” It would otherwise have been superfluous to
enumerate those kinds: and therefore the Anabaptists betray not only a rage for
controversy, but gross ignorance, when they obstinately press upon us a single
word, and pass over, with closed eyes, the whole scope of the passage. Is it
objected, that Christ permits no swearing? I reply: What the expounder of the
law says, must be viewed in connection with its design. His statement amounts to
this, that there are other ways of “taking the name of God in vain,”
besides perjury; and, therefore, that we ought to refrain from allowing
ourselves the liberty of unnecessary swearing: for, when there are just reasons
to demand it, the law not only permits, but expressly commands us to swear.
Christ, therefore, meant nothing more than this, that all oaths are unlawful,
which in any way abuse and profane the sacred name of God, for which they ought
to have had the effect of producing a deeper reverence.
Neither by
heaven. It is a mistake to explain these
words as meaning, that such forms of swearing are condemned by Christ as faulty,
on the ground that we ought to swear by God only. The reasons which he brings
forward tend rather to the opposite view, that we swear by the name of God even
when we name the
heaven,
and the
earth: because there is no part of the
world on which God has not engraved the marks of his glory. But this statement
appears not to agree with the precept of the law, in which God expressly
commands us to “swear by his name,”
(<050613>Deuteronomy
6:13;) and likewise with so many passages of Scripture, in which he complains,
that injury is done to him, if we swear by creatures. I reply: It is a
corruption allied to idolatry, when we appeal to them either as having a right
to judge, or authority to prove testimony: for we must look at the object of
swearing. It is an appeal which men make to God to revenge falsehood, and to
uphold truth. This honor cannot be transferred to another, without committing an
outrage on the divine majesty.
For the same reason the Apostle says, that we do not
swear in a right manner, unless we swear by
the
greater, and that it belongs to God
alone to swear by
himself,
(<580613>Hebrews
6:13.) Thus any one who, in ancient times, swore by “Moloch,”
(<031821>Leviticus
18:21,) or by any other idol, withdrew something of what belonged to God;
because they put that idol in the place of God, as possessing an acquaintance
with the hearts, and as the judge of the souls of men. And in our own times,
those who swear by angels, or by departed saints, take from God what belongs to
him, and ascribe to them a divine majesty. The case is different, when men
swear by heaven and
earth, with a view to the Creator
himself: for, in that case, the sanctity of the oath is not founded on
creatures, but God alone is appealed to as a witness, by bringing forward the
symbols of his glory.
Heaven
is called in Scripture
(<236601>Isaiah
66:1)the throne of
God: not that he dwells in heaven alone,
but to teach men to raise their minds upwards, whenever they think of him, and
not to form any low or earthly conceptions of him. Again,
the
earth is called
his
footstool, (v. 35,) to
inform us, that he fills all things, and that no extent of space can contain
him. The holiness of
Jerusalem
(v. 35) depended on his promise. It was
the holy
city,
(<235201>Isaiah
52:1:) because God had selected it to be the seat and residence of his empire.
When men swear by their
head, (v. 36,) they bring forward
their life, which is a remarkable gift of God, as a pledge of their
sincerity.
37.
But your speech shall be,
Yes, yes; No,
no.
Christ now prescribes, in the second place, a remedy; which is, that men act
towards each other sincerely and honestly: for then simplicity of speech will
have quite as much weight as an oath has among those who are not sincere. Now,
this is certainly the best way of correcting faults, to point out the sources
from which they spring. Whence comes the great propensity to swearing, but from
the great falsehood, the numerous impositions, the unsteady and light conduct,
so that hardly any thing is believed?
f397 Fairness and honesty in our words are,
therefore, demanded by Christ, that there may be no longer any occasion for an
oath.
“Yes,
yes; No, no.”
This
repetition means, that we ought to abide by our words, so that all may be
convinced of our honesty. Now, as this is the true and lawful method of
proceeding, when men have nothing on their tongue but what is in their heart,
Christ declares, that what is
beyond these comes from evil. I do not
approve of the exposition of these words which some have given, that the
criminality of swearing ought to be charged on the man who does not give credit
to what another says. Christ teaches us, in my opinion, that it originates in
the wickedness of men, that they are compelled to swear: for, if honesty
prevailed among men, if they were not inconsistent and hypocritical, they would
maintain that simplicity which nature dictates. And yet it does not follow, that
it is unlawful to swear, when necessity demands it: for many things are proper
in themselves, though they have had a wicked origin.
MATTHEW 5:38-41; LUKE
6:29-30
|
MATTHEW
5:38-41
|
LUKE
6:29-30
|
|
38. You have heard that it was
said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. 39. But I
say to you, Do not resist evil: but whoever, shall inflict a blow on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also: 40. And to him who wishes
to enter into a law-suit with thee, and to take away thy coat, allow him thy
cloak also: 41. And whoever shall constrain thee to one mile,
go with him two.
|
29. To him who striketh thee on
one cheek offer also the other, and from him who taketh away thy cloak, do not
forbi thy coat also. 30. And to every one that asketh from
thee give; and from him who takes what are thine, do not ask them
again.
|
Matthew 5:38.
An eye for an eye.
Here another error is corrected. God had
enjoined, by his law,
(<032420>Leviticus
24:20,) that judges and magistrates should punish those who had done injuries,
by making them endure as much as they had inflicted. The consequence was, that
every one seized on this as a pretext for taking private revenge. They thought
that they did no wrong, provided they were not the first to make the attack, but
only, when injured, returned like for like. Christ informs them, on the
contrary, that, though judges were entrusted with the defense of the community,
and were invested with authority to restrain the wicked and repress their
violence, yet it is the duty of every man to bear patiently the injuries which
he receives.
39.
Do not resist
evil. There are two ways of resisting:
the one, by warding off injuries through inoffensive conduct; the other, by
retaliation.
f398 Though Christ does not permit his people
to repel violence by violence, yet he does not forbid them to endeavor to avoid
an unjust attack. The best interpreter of this passage that we can have is Paul,
who enjoins us rather to “overcome evil by good”
(<451221>Romans
12:21) than contend with evil-doers.
f399 We must attend to the contrast between
the vice and the correction of it. The present subject is
retaliation.
f400 To restrain his disciples from that kind
of indulgence, he forbids them to render evil for evil. He afterwards extends
the law of patience so far, that we are not only to bear patiently the injuries
we have received, but to prepare for bearing fresh injuries. The amount of the
whole admonition is, that believers should learn to forget the wrongs that have
been done them,—that they should not, when injured, break out into hatred
or ill-will, or wish to commit an injury on their part,—but that, the more
the obstinacy and rage of wicked men was excited and inflamed, they should be
the more fully disposed to exercise patience.
Whoever shall inflict a
blow.
Julian,
f401 and others of the same
description, have foolishly slandered this doctrine of Christ, as if it entirely
overturned the laws of a country, and its civil courts. Augustine, in his
fifth epistle, employs much skill and judgment in showing, that the design of
Christ was merely to train the minds of believers to moderation and justice,
that they might not, on receiving one or two offenses, fail or lose courage. The
observation of Augustine, “that this does not lay down a rule for outward
actions,” is true, if it be properly understood. I admit that Christ
restrains our hands, as well as our minds, from revenge: but when any one has it
in his power to protect himself and his property from injury, without exercising
revenge, the words of Christ do not prevent him from turning aside gently and
inoffensively to avoid the threatened attack.
Unquestionably, Christ did not intend to exhort his
people to whet the malice of those, whose propensity to injure others is
sufficiently strong: and if they were to
turn to them the other
cheek, what would it be but holding out
such an encouragement? It is not the business of a good and judicious
commentator to seize eagerly on syllables, but to attend to the design of the
speaker: and nothing is more unbecoming the disciples of Christ, than to spend
time in cavilling about words, where it is easy to see what the Master means.
But in the present instance, the object which Christ has in view is perfectly
obvious. He tells us, that the end of one contest will be the beginning of
another, and that, through the whole course of their life, believers must lay
their account with sustaining many injuries in uninterrupted succession. When
wrong has been done them in a single instance, he wishes them to be trained by
this example to meek submission, that by suffering they may learn to be
patient.
40.
And to him who wishes to
enter into a law-suit with thee. Christ
now glances at another kind of annoyance, and that is, when wicked men torment
us with law-suits. He commands us, even on such an occasion, to be so patient
and submissive that, when our
coat
has been taken
away, we shall be prepared to give up
our cloak
also. None but a fool will stand upon
the words, so as to maintain, that we must yield to our opponents what they
demand, before coming into a court of law: for such compliance would more
strongly inflame the minds of wicked men to robbery and extortion; and we know,
that nothing was farther from the design of Christ. What then is meant by
giving the c!oak to
him who endeavors, on the ground of a
legal claim,
f402
to take away our
coat? If a man, oppressed by an unjust
decision, loses what is his own, and yet is prepared, when it shall be found
necessary, to part with the remainder, he deserves not less to be commended for
patience than the man who allows himself to be twice robbed before coming into
court. In short, when Christians meet with one who endeavors to wrench from them
a part of their property, they ought to be prepared to lose the
whole.
Hence we conclude, that Christians are not entirely
prohibited from engaging in law-suits, provided they have a just defense to
offer. Though they do not surrender their goods as a prey, yet they do not
depart from this doctrine of Christ, which exhorts us to bear patiently
“the spoiling of our goods,”
(<581034>Hebrews
10:34.) It is, no doubt, rare to find a man who proceeds, with mild and proper
feelings, to plead in a court: but, as it is possible for a man to defend a just
cause with a view to the public advantage, we have no right to condemn the thing
in itself, because it appears to be directed by improper
feelings.
The different modes of expression which are employed
by Matthew and Luke, make no alteration in the meaning. A
cloak
is usually of more value than a
coat:
and accordingly, when Matthew says, that we ought
to give a cloak to him who takes
away a coat, he means that, after having
sustained a smaller loss, we ought to be prepared to endure a greater. What is
stated by Luke agrees with the ancient proverb, “The coat is nearer than
the cloak.”
f403
Luke 6:30.
To every one that asketh of
thee. The same words, as we shall
presently see, are found in Matthew: for it may readily be inferred from the
context, that Luke does not here speak of a request to obtain assistance, but of
actions at law, which bad men raise for the purpose of carrying off the property
of others. From him who takes
away what are thine, ask them not again.
If it is thought better to read the two clauses separately, I have no
objection: and then it will be an exhortation to liberality in giving. As to the
second clause, in which Christ forbids us to
ask
again those things which have been
unjustly taken away, it is undoubtedly an exposition of the former doctrine,
that we ought to bear patiently “the spoiling of our goods.”
But we must remember what I have already hinted, that we ought not to quibble
about words, as if a good man were not permitted to recover what is his own,
when God gives him the lawful means. We are only enjoined to exercise patience,
that we may not be unduly distressed by the loss of our property, but calmly
wait, till the Lord himself shall call the robbers to account.
MATTHEW 5:42; LUKE
6:34-35
|
MATTHEW
5:42
|
LUKE
6:34-35
|
|
42. Give to him that asketh of
thee: and from him who desires to borrow from thee, turn not thou
away.
|
34. If you shall lend to those
from whom you hope that you will receive, what kindness will it be in you? for
sinners also lend to sinners, that they may receive the like.
35. Lend ye, expecting nothing again, and your reward shall
be great.
|
Matthew 5:42.
Give to him that asketh of
thee. Though the words of Christ, which
are related by Matthew, appear to command us to give to all without
discrimination, yet we gather a different meaning from Luke, who explains
the whole matter more fully. First, it is certain, that it was the design of
Christ to make his disciples generous, but not prodigals and it would be a
foolish prodigality to scatter at random what the Lord has given us. Again, we
see the rule which the Spirit lays down in another passage for liberality. Let
us therefore hold, first, that Christ exhorts his disciples to be liberal and
generous; and next, that the way of doing it is, not to think that they have
discharged their duty when they have aided a few persons, but to study to be
kind to all, and not to be weary of giving, so long as they have the
means.
Besides, that no man may cavil at the words of
Matthew, let us compare what is said by Luke. Christ affirms that when, in
lending or doing other kind offices, we look to the mutual reward, we perform no
part of our duty to God. He thus draws a distinction between charity and carnal
friendship. Ungodly men have no disinterested affection for each other, but only
a mercenary regard: and thus, as Plato judiciously observes, every man draws on
himself that affection which he entertains for others. But Christ demands from
his own people disinterested beneficence, and bids them study to aid the poor,
from whom nothing can be expected in return. We now see what it is, to have an
open hand to petitioners. It is to be generously disposed to all who need qur
assistance, and who cannot return the
favor.
Luke 6:35.
Lend, expecting nothing
again. It is a mistake to confine this
statement to usury, as if Christ only forbade his people to be usurers. The
preceding part of the discourse shows clearly, that it has a wider reference.
After having explained what wicked men are wont to do,—to love their
friends,—to assist those from whom they expect some
compensations,—to lend to persons like themselves, that they may
afterwards receive the like from them,—Christ proceeds to show how much
more he demands from his people,—to love their enemies, to show
disinterested kindness, to lend without expecting a return. We now see, that the
word
nothing
is improperly explained as referring to usury, or to any interest that is
added to the principal:
f404 whereas Christ only exhorts us to
perform our duties freely, and tells us that mercenary acts are of no account in
the sight of God.
f405 Not that he absolutely condemns all acts
of kindness which are done in the hope of a reward; but he shows that they are
of no weight as a testimony of charity; because he alone is truly beneficent to
his neighbors, who is led to assist them without any regard to his own
advantage, but looks only to the necessities of each. Whether it is ever lawful
for Christians to derive profit from lending money, I shall not argue at greater
length under this passage, lest I should seem to raise the question unseasonably
out of a false meaning which I have now refuted. Christ’s meaning, as I
have already explained, is simply this: When believers lend, they ought to go
beyond heathens; or, in other words, they ought to exercise pure
liberality.
MATTHEW 5:43-48; LUKE
6:27-36
|
MATTHEW
5:43-48
|
LUKE
6:27-36
|
|
43. Ye have heard that it hath
been said, Thou shalt love they neighbor, and thou shalt hate thy enemy.
44. But I say to you, Love your enemies: bless those who
curse you: do good to those that hate you: and pray for those who injure and
persecute you: 45. That you may be the children of your
Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
and sendeth rain upon the just and unjust. 46. For if you
shall love those who love you, what reward shall you have?
47. And if you shall embrace your brethren only, what do you
more? Do not the publicans thus? 48. You shall, therefore, be
perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.
|
27. But I say to you who hear,
Love your enemies: do good to those who hate you. 28. Bless
those who curse you, and pray for those who injure you. (A little after.)
32. And if you love those who love you, what good-will shall
it be in you? for sinners also love those by whom they are loved.
33. And if you shall do good to those who do good to you,
what good-will shall it be in you? for sinners also do this. (Again a little
after.) 35. But love your enemies. (Again.) And ye shall be
the children of the Highest: for he is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is
merciful.
|
Matthew 5:43.
Thou shalt love thy
neighbor. It is astonishing, that the
Scribes fell into so great an absurdity, as to limit the word
neighbor
to benevolent persons: for nothing is more obvious or certain than that God,
in speaking of our neighbors, includes the whole human race. Every man is
devoted to himself; and whenever a regard to personal convenience occasions an
interruption of acts of kindness, there is a departure from that mutual
intercourse, which nature itself dictates. To keep up the exercise of brotherly
love, God assures us, that all men are our brethren, because they are related to
us by a common nature. Whenever I see a man, I must, of necessity, behold myself
as in a mirror: for he is my bone and my flesh,
(<012914>Genesis
29:14.) Now, though the greater part of men break off, in most instances, from
this holy society, yet their depravity does not violate the order of nature; for
we ought to regard God as the author of the union.
Hence we conclude, that the precept of the law, by
which we are commanded to love our neighbor, is general. But the Scribes,
judging of
neighborhood
from the disposition of the individual, affirmed that no man ought to be
reckoned a
neighbor,
unless he were worthy of esteem on account of his own excellencies, or, at
least, unless he acted the part of a friend. This is, no doubt, supported by the
common opinion; and therefore the children of the world are not ashamed to
acknowledge their resentments, when they have any reason to assign for them. But
the charity, which God requires in his law, looks not at what a man has
deserved, but extends itself to the unworthy, the wicked, and the ungrateful.
Now, this is the true meaning which Christ restores, and vindicates from
calumny; and hence it is obvious, as I have already said, that Christ does not
introduce new laws, but corrects the wicked glosses of the Scribes, by whom the
purity of the divine law had been
corrupted.
44.
Love your
enemies. This single point includes the
whole of the former doctrine: for he who shall bring his mind to love those who
hate him, will naturally refrain from all revenge, will patiently endure evils,
will be much more prone to assist the wretched. Christ presents to us, in a
summary view, the way and manner of fulfilling this precept,
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself,
(<402239>Matthew
22:39.) For no man will ever come to obey this precept, till he shall
have given up self-love, or rather denied himself, and till men, all of whom God
has declared to be connected with him, shall be held by him in such estimation,
that he shall even proceed to love those by whom he is regarded with
hatred.
We learn from these words, how far believers ought to
be removed from every kind of revenge: for they are not only forbidden to ask it
from God, but are commanded to banish and efface it from their minds so
completely, as to bless their
enemies. In the meantime, they do not
fail to commit their cause to God, till he take vengeance on the reprobate: for
they desire, as far as lies in them, that the wicked should return to a sound
mind, that they may not perish; and thus they endeavor to promote their
salvation. And there is still this consolation, by which all their distresses
are soothed. They entertain no doubt, that God will be the avenger of obstinate
wickedness, so as to make it manifest, that those who are unjustly attacked are
the objects of his care. It is very difficult, indeed, and altogether contrary
to the disposition of the flesh, to render good for evil. But our vices and
weakness ought not to be pleaded as an apology. We ought simply to inquire, what
is demanded by the law of charity: for, if we rely on the heavenly power of the
Spirit, we shall encounter successfully all that is opposed to it in our
feelings.
This is undoubtedly the reason why monks, and other
bawlers of the same class, imagined that these were
advices,
and not precepts, given by Christ: for they took the strength of men as the
standard, for ascertaining what they owe to God and to his law. And yet the
monks were not ashamed to claim perfection for themselves, having voluntarily
bound themselves to attend to his advices. How faithfully they support the title
to which they lay claim I do not now say:
f406 but the folly and absurdity of alleging,
that they are only advices, will appear from many considerations. First, to say
that he
advised
his disciples, but did not authoritatively command them, to do what was
right, is to dishonor Christ. Secondly, to represent the duties of charity,
which depend on the law, as matters on which they are left at liberty, is highly
foolish.
f407 Thirdly, the words
ejgw< de< le>gw
uJmi~n,
but I say to
you, mean in this passage, “I
denounce,” or “I command,” and cannot, with propriety, be
rendered,
“I
advise.” Lastly, that it is an express command of what must
necessarily be obeyed, is proved, without any difficulty, from the words of
Christ: for he immediately adds,
45.
That ye may be the children
of your Father who is in heaven. When he
expressly declares, that no man will be a child of God, unless he
loves those who hate
him, who shall dare to say, that we are
not bound to observe this doctrine? The statement amounts to this,
“Whoever shall wish to be accounted a Christian, let him
love his
enemies.” It is truly horrible and
monstrous, that the world should have been covered with such thick darkness, for
three or four centuries, as not to see that it is an express command, and that
every one who neglects it is struck out of the number of the children of
God.
It ought to be observed that, when the example of God
is held out for our imitation, this does not imply, that it would be becoming in
us to do whatever God does. He frequently punishes the wicked, and drives the
wicked out of the world. In this respect, he does not desire us to imitate him:
for the judgment of the world, which is his prerogative, does not belong to us.
But it is his will, that we should imitate his fatherly goodness and liberality.
This was perceived, not only by heathen philosophers, but by some wicked
despisers of godliness, who have made this open confession, that in nothing do
men resemble God more than in doing good. In short, Christ assures us, that this
will be a mark of our adoption, if we are
kind to the unthankful and
evil. And yet you are not to understand,
that our liberality makes us the children of God: but the same Spirit, who is
the witness,
(<450816>Romans
8:16,) earnest,
(<490114>Ephesians
1:14,) and seal,
(<490430>Ephesians
4:30,) of our free adoption, corrects the wicked affections of the flesh, which
are opposed to charity. Christ therefore proves from the effect, that none are
the children of God, but those who resemble him in gentleness and
kindness.
Luke says,
and you shall be the children of
the Highest. Not that any man acquires
this honor for himself, or begins to be a
child of
God, when he
loves his
enemies; but because, when it is
intended to excite us to do what is right, Scripture frequently employs this
manner of speaking, and represents as a reward the free gifts of God. The reason
is, he looks at the design of our calling, which is, that, in consequence of the
likeness of God having been formed anew in us, we may live a devout and holy
life. He maketh his sun to rise
on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the
unjust. He quotes two instances of the
divine kindness toward us, which are not only well known to us, but common to
all: and this very participation excites us the more powerfully to act in a
similar manner towards each other, though, by a
synecdoche,
f408 he includes a vast number of
other favors.
46.
Do not even the publicans the
same? In the same sense, Luke calls them
sinners,
that is, wicked and unprincipled men. Not that the office is condemned in
itself; for the
publicans
were collectors of taxes, and as princes have a right to impose taxes, so it
is lawful to levy them from the people. But they are so called, because men of
this class are usually covetous and rapacious, nay, deceitful and cruel; and
because among the Jews they were the agents of a wicked tyranny. If any one
shall conclude from the words of Christ, that
publicans
are the basest of all men, he will argue ill: for our Lord employs the
ordinary phraseology. His meaning is :those who are nearly devoid of humanity
have some appearance of discharging mutual duties, when they see it to be for
their own advantage.
48.
You shall therefore be
perfect. This
perfection
does not mean
equality,
but relates solely to resemblance.
f409 However distant we are from the
perfection of God, we are said to be
perfect, as he is
perfect, when we aim at the same object,
which he presents to us in Himself. Should it be thought preferable, we may
state it thus. There is no comparison here made between God and us: but the
perfection
of God means,
first,
that free and pure kindness, which is not induced by the expectation of
gain;—and,
secondly,
that remarkable goodness, which contends with the malice and ingratitude of
men. This appears more clearly from the words of Luke,
Be ye therefore merciful, as your
Father also is merciful: for
mercy
is contrasted with a mercenary regard, which is founded on private
advantage.
MATTHEW 6:
1-4
|
MATTHEW
6:1-4
|
|
1. Beware lest ye do your alms
before men, that you may be seen by them: otherwise you have not a reward with
your Father who is in heaven. 2. Therefore, when thou doest
alms, let there not be a sound of trumpets before thee, as hypocrites do in
synagogues and in streets, that they may be glorified by men. Verily I say to
you, They have their reward. 3. But when thou shalt do alms,
let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4. That
thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will reward thee
openly.
|
1.
Beware.
In this passage, Christ exhorts his people to devote themselves sincerely to
good works; that is, to endeavor, with simplicity, to do what is right before
God, and not to make a parade before men.
f410 A very necessary admonition; for in all
virtues the entrance of ambition is to be dreaded, and there is no work so
laudable, as not to be in many instances corrupted and polluted by it. Under one
class he lays down, by a synecdoche, a general doctrine: for he speaks of
alms
only, as he speaks shortly afterwards about
prayers:
though some copies, instead of
ejlehmosu>nhn,
alms,
read
dikaiosu>nhn,
righteousness,
which is also the rendering of the old translator. But the difference is of
little moment: for in either way there is no room to doubt, that the design is,
to correct the disease of ambition, when, in doing what is right, we seek glory
from men.
2.
When thou doest
alms. He expressly reproves a long
established custom, in which the desire of fame might not only be perceived by
the eye, but felt by the hands. In places where streets or roads met, and in
public situations, where large assemblies were wont to be held, they distributed
alms to the poor. There was evident ostentation in that practice: for they
sought crowded places, that they might be seen by multitudes, and, not satisfied
with this, added even the sound of trumpets.
f411 They pretended, no doubt, that it was to
call the poor, as apologies are never wanting: but it was perfectly obvious,
that they were hunting for applause and commendation. Now, when our service is
rendered to the eyes of men, we do not submit our life to the judgment and
approbation of God. Justly, therefore, does Christ say, that those persons, who
exhibit themselves in this manner,
have their
reward: for they whose eyes are held by
such vanity cannot look upon God.
For the same reason, all who are desirous of
vain-glory are called
hypocrites.
Profane authors gave the name of
uJpokritai<,
hypocrites,
to those who personated assumed characters in plays and on the stage; and
Scripture has applied this term to men who are double in heart and
insincere.
f412 There are various kinds of
hypocrites.
Some, though conscious of being very wicked, impudently give themselves out
for good men before the world, and endeavor to conceal their vices, of which
they have an inward conviction. Others allow themselves to proceed to such a
pitch of audacity, that they venture to claim even perfect righteousness before
God. Others do good, not from a desire to do what is right, nor on account of
the glory of God, but only to obtain for themselves fame and a reputation for
holiness. This last mentioned class Christ now describes, and he properly calls
them
hypocrites:
for, having no proper object in view in the performance of good works, they
assume a different character, that they may appear to be holy and sincere
worshippers of God.
3.
Let not thy left hand
know. By this expression he means, that
we ought to be satisfied with having God for our only witness, and to be so
earnestly desirous to obey him, that we shall not be carried away by any vanity.
It frequently happens, that men sacrifice to themselves rather than to God.
Christ therefore wishes, that we should not be distracted by indirect thoughts,
but go straight to this object, that we may serve God with a pure
conscience.
4.
That
thy
alms may be in
secret. This statement appears to be
opposed to many passages of Scripture, in which we are commanded to edify the
brethren by good examples. But if we attend to the design of Christ, we must not
give a more extensive meaning to the words.
f413 He commands his disciples to devote
themselves to good works purely, and without any ambition. In order to do this,
he bids them turn away their eyes from the sight of men, and to reckon it enough
that their duties are approved by God alone. Such simplicity of views does not
at all interfere with anxiety and zeal to promote edification: and, indeed, a
little before, he did not expressly forbid them to do good before men, but
condemned ostentation.
Thy Father, who seeth in
secret. He silently glances at a kind of
folly, which prevails everywhere among men, that they think they have lost their
pains, if there have not been many spectators of their virtues. He tells them,
that God does not need a strong light to perceive good actions: for those
things, which appear to be buried in darkness, are open to his view. We have no
reason, therefore, to suppose that what escapes the notice, and receives not the
testimony of men, is lost: for “the Lord dwells in the thick
darkness,”
(<140601>2
Chronicles 6:1.) A most appropriate remedy is thus applied for curing the
disease of ambition, when he reminds us to fix our
eye
on God: for this banishes from our minds, and will utterly destroy, all
vain-glory.—In the second clause, which immediately follows, Christ
reminds us that, in looking for the reward of good works, we must wait patiently
till the last day, the day of resurrection.
Thy
Father, says he,
shall reward thee
openly. But when? It will be, when the
dawn of the last day shall arise, by which all that is now hidden in darkness
shall be revealed.
MATTHEW 6:5-8
|
MATTHEW
6:5-8
|
|
5. And when thou shalt pray, thou
shalt not be as the hypocrites: for they are wont to pray standing in the
synagogues, and in corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Verily
I say to you, that they have their reward. 6. But thou, when
thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and, having shut thy door, pray to thy
Father who is in secret: and thyFather, who seeth secret, shall reward thee
openly. 7. But praying, use not vain repetitions, as
the Heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard on account of their
speaking much. 8. Be not you, therefore, like them: for your
Father knoweth what things ye need, before ye ask him.
|
5.
When thou shalt
pray. He now gives the same instruction
as to
prayer,
which he had formerly given as to
alms.
It is a gross and shameful profanation of the name of God, when hypocritcs,
in order to obtain glory from men, pray in public, or at least make a pretense
of praying. But, as hypocrisy is always ambitious, we need not wonder that it is
also blind. Christ, therefore, commands his disciples, if they wish to pray in a
right manner, to enter into their
closet. Some expositors, thinking that
this has the appearance of absurdity, give it an allegorical turn, as referring
to the inward recesses of the heart: but there is no necessity for such
trifling. We are commanded, in many passages, to pray to God or to praise him,
in the public assembly, amidst a crowd of men, and before all the people: and
that for the purpose, not only of testifying our faith or gratitude, but also of
exciting others, by our example, to do the like. Christ does not withdraw us
from such an exercise, but only admonishes us to have God always before our eyes
when we engage in prayer.
We must not literally interpret the words,
enter into thy
closet: as if he ordered us to avoid the
presence of men, or declared that we do not pray aright, except when there are
no witnesses. He speaks comparatively, and means, that we ought rather to seek
retirement than desire a crowd of men to see us
praying.
f414 It is advantageous, indeed, to
believers, and contributes to their pouring out, with greater freedom, their
prayers and groans before God, to withdraw from the gaze of men. Retirement is
also useful for another reason, that our minds may be more free and disengaged
from all distracting thoughts: and accordingly Christ himself frequently chose
the concealment of some retired spot for the sake of prayer. But this is not the
present subject, which is only to correct the desire of vain-glory. To express
it in a few words, whether a man prays alone, or in the presence of others, he
ought to have the same feelings, as if he were shut up in his closet, and had no
other witness but God. When Christ says,
thy Father shall reward
thee, he declares plainly that all the
reward, which is promised to us in any part of Scripture, is not paid as a debt,
but is a free gift.
7.
Use not vain
repetitions. He reproves another fault
in prayer, a multiplicity of words. There are two words used, but in the same
sense: for
battologi>a
is “a superfluous and affected repetition,” and
polulogi>a
is “unmeaning talk.” Christ reproves the folly of those who, with
the view of persuading and entreating God, pour out a superfluity of words. This
doctrine is not inconsistent with the praises everywhere bestowed in Scripture
on earnestness in prayer: for, when prayer is offered with earnest feeling, the
tongue does not go before the heart. Besides, the grace of God is not obtained
by an unmeaning flow of words; but, on the contrary, a devout heart throws out
its affections, like arrows, to pierce heaven. At the same time, this condemns
the superstition of those who entertain the belief, that they will secure the
favor of God by long murmurings. We find Popery to be so deeply imbued with this
error, that it believes the efficacy of prayer to lie chiefly in talkativeness.
The greater number of words that a man mutters, the more diligently he is
supposed to have prayed. Long and tedious chanting also, as if it were to soothe
the ears of God, continually resounds in their
cathedrals.
8.
For your Father
knoweth. This single remedy is
sufficient for removing and destroying the superstition which is here condemned.
For whence comes this folly of thinking that great advantage is gained, when men
weary God by a multiplicity of words, but because they imagine that he is like a
mortal man, who needs to be informed and solicited? Whoever is convinced, that
God not only cares for us, but knows all our wants, and anticipates our wishes
and anxieties before we have stated them, will leave out vain repetitions, and
will reckon it enough to prolong his prayers, as far as shall be necessary for
exercising his faith; but will reckon it absurd and ridiculous to approach God
with rhetorical embellishments, in the expectation that he will be moved by an
abundance of words.
But if God
knows what things we have need
of, before we ask him, where lies the
advantage of prayer? If he is ready, of his own free will, to assist us, what
purpose does it serve to employ our prayers, which interrupt the spontaneous
course of his providence? The very design of prayer furnishes an easy answer.
Believers do not pray, with the view of informing God about things unknown to
him, or of exciting him to do his duty, or of urging him as though he were
reluctant. On the contrary, they pray, in order that they may arouse themselves
to seek him, that they may exercise their faith in meditating on his promises,
that they may relieve themselves from their anxieties by pouring them into his
bosom; in a word, that they may declare that from Him alone they hope and
expect, both for themselves and for others, all good things. God himself, on the
other hand, has purposed freely, and without being asked, to bestow blessings
upon us; but he promises that he will grant them to our prayers. We must,
therefore, maintain both of these truths, that He freely anticipates our wishes,
and yet that we obtain by prayer what we ask. As to the reason why he sometimes
delays long to answer us, and sometimes even does not grant our wishes, an
opportunity of considering it will afterwards occur.
MATTHEW 6:9-12; LUKE
11:1-4
|
MATTHEW
6:9-13
|
LUKE
11:1-4
|
|
9. Pray ye therefore thus: Our
Father who art in heaven, may thy name be sanctified. 10. May
thy kingdom come. May thy will be done, as in heaven, so also in the earth.
11. Give us to-day our daily bread.
12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
13. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from
evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.
Amen.
|
1. And it happened, while he was
praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him,
Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
2. And he saith to them, When you pray, say, Our Father who
art in heaven, may thy name be sanctified. May thy kingdom come. May thy will be
done, as in heaven, so also in the earth. 3. Give us to.day
our daily bread. 4. And forgive us our sins, as we also
forgive every one who owes us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from evil.
|
It is uncertain whether this form was once only
or twice delivered by Christ to his disciples.
f415 Some think that the latter is more
probable; because Luke says that he was requested to do it, while Matthew
represents him as teaching it of his own accord. But as we have said, that
Matthew collects all the leading points of doctrine, in order that the whole
amount of them may be more clearly perceived by the readers when they are placed
in close succession, it is possible that Matthew may have omitted to mention the
occasion which is related by Luke. On this subject, however, I am unwilling to
debate with any person.
Luke 11:1.
As John also taught his
diciples. John delivered to his
disciples a particular form of prayer; and he did so, in my opinion, because the
time required it. The state of affairs among the Jews was, at that time,
exceedingly corrupted. Every thing connected with religion had so miserably
fallen, that we need not be surprised to find few among them, by whom prayer was
offered in a proper manner.
f416 Besides, it was proper, that the minds
of believers should be excited, by prayer, to hope and desire the promised
redemption, which was at hand. John might, therefore, have collected, out of
various passages of Scripture, a certain prayer adapted to the time, and
approaching more nearly to the spiritual kingdom of Christ, which had already
begun to be revealed.
Matthew 6:9
Do ye therefore pray
thus. Instead of this Luke says,
when ye pray,
say: though Christ does not enjoin his
people to pray in a prepared form of words,
f417 but only points out what ought to be the
object of all our wishes and prayers. He embraces, therefore, in six petitions
what we are at liberty to ask from God. Nothing is more advantageous to us than
such instruction. Though this is the most important exercise of piety, yet in
forming our prayers, and regulating our wishes, all our senses fail us. No man
will pray aright, unless his lips and heart shall be directed by the Heavenly
Master. For that purpose he has laid down this rule, by which we must frame our
prayers, if we desire to have them accounted lawful and approved by God. It was
not the intention of the Son of God, (as we have already said), to prescribe the
words which we must use, so as not to leave us at liberty to depart from the
form which he has dictated. His intention rather was, to guide and restrain our
wishes, that they might not go beyond those limits and hence we infer, that the
rule which he has given us for praying aright relates not to the words, but to
the things themselves.
This form of prayer consists, as I have said, of six
petitions. The first three, it ought to be known, relate to the glory of God,
without any regard to ourselves; and the remaining three relate to those things
which are necessary for our salvation. As the law of God is divided into two
tables, of which the former contains the duties of piety, and the latter the
duties of charity,
f418 so in prayer Christ enjoins us to
consider and seek the glory of God, and, at the same time, permits us to consult
our own interests. Let us therefore know, that we shall be in a state of mind
for praying in a right manner, if we not only are in earnest about ourselves and
our own advantage, but assign the first place to the glory of God: for it would
be altogether preposterous to mind only what belongs to ourselves, and to
disregard the kingdom of God, which is of far greater
importance.
Our Father who art in
heaven. Whenever we engage in prayer,
there are two things to be considered, both that we may have access to God, and
that we may rely on Him with full and unshaken confidence: his fatherly love
toward us, and his boundless power. Let us therefore entertain no doubt, that
God is willing to receive us graciously, that he is ready to listen to our
prayers,—in a word, that of Himself he is disposed to aid us.
Father
is the appellation given to him; and under this title Christ supplies us
with sufficiently copious materials for confidence. But as it is only the half
of our reliance that is founded on the goodness of God, in the next clause,
who art in
heaven, he gives us a lofty idea of the
power of God. When the Scripture says, that God is
in
heaven, the meaning is, that all things
are subject to his dominions,—that the world, and everything in it, is
held by his hand,—that his power is everywhere diffused,—that all
things are arranged by his providence. David says, “He that dwelleth in
the heavens shall laugh at them,”
(<190204>Psalm
2:4); and again, “Our God is in heaven: he hath done whatever he hath
pleased,”
(<19B503>Psalm
115:3).
When God is said to be
in
heaven, we must not suppose that he
dwells only there; but, on the contrary, must hold what is said in another
passage, that “the heavens of heavens do not contain him,”
(<140206>2
Chronicles 2:6). This mode of expression separates him from the rank of
creatures, and reminds us that, when we think of him, we ought not to form any
low or earthly conceptions: for he is higher than the whole world. We have now
ascertained the design of Christ. In the commencement of the prayer, he desired
his own people to rest their confidence on the goodness and power of God;
because, unless our prayers are founded on faith, they will be of no advantage.
Now, as it would be the folly and madness of presumption, to call God our
Father, except on the ground that, through our union to the body of
Christ, we are acknowledged as his children, we conclude, that there is no other
way of praying aright, but by approaching God with reliance on the
Mediator.
May thy name be
sanctified. This makes still more
manifest what I have said, that in the first three petitions we ought to lose
sight of ourselves, and seek the glory of God: not that it is separated from our
salvation, but that the majesty of God ought to be greatly preferred by us to
every other object of solicitude. It is of unspeakable advantage to us that God
reigns, and that he receives the honor which is due to him: but no man has a
sufficiently earnest desire to promote the glory of God, unless (so to speak) he
forgets himself, and raises his mind to seek God’s exalted greatness.
There is a close connection and resemblance between those three petitions.
The sanctification of the name of
God is always connected with his
kingdom;
and the most important part of his
kingdom
lies in his will being
done. Whoever considers how cold and
negligent we are in desiring the greatest of those blessings for which we are
here commanded to pray, will acknowledge that nothing here is superfluous, but
that it is proper that the three petitions should be thus
distinguished.
To
sanctify the name of
God means nothing else, than to
give unto the Lord the glory due
unto his name, so that men may never
think or speak of him but with the deepest veneration. The opposite of this is
the profanation of the name of God, which takes place, when men either
speak disrespectfully of the divine majesty, or at least without that reverence
which they ought to feel. Now, the glory, by which it is
sanctified,
flows and results from the acknowledgments made by men as to the wisdom,
goodness, righteousness, power, and all the other attributes of God. For
holiness always dwells, and permanently remains, in God: but men obscure it by
their malice and depravity, or dishonor and pollute it by sacrilegious contempt.
The substance of this petition is, that the glory of God may shine in the world,
and may be duly acknowledged by men. But religion is in its highest purity and
rigour, when men believe, that whatever proceeds from God is right and proper,
full of righteousness and wisdom: for the consequence is, that they embrace his
word with the obedience of faith, and approve of all his ordinances and works.
That faith which we yield to the word of God is, so to speak, our
subscription,
f419 by which we “set to
our seal that God is faithful,”
(<430333>John
3:33;) as the highest dishonor that can be done to him is unbelief and contempt
of his word.
We now see, what wickedness is displayed by most men
in judging of the works of God, and how freely they allow themselves to indulge
in censure. If any of us are chastised, they grumble, and murmur, and complain,
and some break out into open blasphemies: if he does not grant our wishes, we
think that he is not sufficiently kind to us.
f420 Many turn into matter of idle talk and
jesting his incomprehensible providence and secret judgments. Even his holy and
sacred name is often treated with the grossest mockery. In short, a part of the
world profane his holiness to the utmost of their power. We need not then
wonder, if we are commanded to ask, in the first place, that the reverence which
is due to it may be given by the world. Besides, this is no small honor done to
us, when God recommends to us the advancement of his
glory.
10.
May thy kingdom
come. Though the Greek verb
(ejlqe>tw)
is simple, yet if, instead of May
thy kingdom come, we read, as it was
rendered in the old translation,
May thy kingdom
arrive,
f421 the meaning will remain
unchanged. We must first attend to the definition of the
kingdom
of God. He is said to
reign
among men, when they voluntarily devote and submit themselves to be governed
by him, placing their flesh under the yoke, and renouncing their desires. Such
is the corruption of the nature, that all our affections are so many soldiers of
Satan, who oppose the justice of God, and consequently obstruct or disturb his
reign.
By this prayer we ask, that he may remove all hindrances, and may bring all
men under his dominion, and may lead them to meditate on the heavenly
life.
This is done partly by the preaching of the word, and
partly by the secret power of the Spirit. It is his will to govern men by his
word: but as the bare voice, if the inward power of the Spirit be not added,
does not pierce the hearts of men, both must be joined together, in order that
the
kingdom
of God may be established. We therefore pray that God would exert his power,
both by the Word and by the Spirit, that the whole world may willingly submit to
him. The
kingdom
of God is opposed to all disorder
(ajtaxi>a)
and confusion for good order is nowhere found in the world, except when he
regulates by his hand the schemes and dispositions of men. Hence we conclude,
that the commencement of the
reign
of God in us is the destruction of the old man, and the denial of ourselves,
that we may be renewed to another life.
There is still another way in which God reigns; and
that is, when he overthrows his enemies, and compels them, with Satan their
head, to yield a reluctant subjection to his authority, “till they all be
made his footstools”
(<581013>Hebrews
10:13.) The substance of this prayer is, that God would enlighten the world by
the light of his Word, — would form the hearts of men, by the influences
of his Spirit, to obey his justice, and would restore to order, by the gracious
exercise of his power, all the disorder that exists in the world. Now, he
commences his reign by subduing the desires of our flesh. Again, as the
kingdom
of God is continually growing and advancing to the end of the world, we must
pray every day that it may
come: for to whatever extent iniquity
abounds in the world, to such an extent
the kingdom of
God, which brings along with it perfect
righteousness, is not yet
come.
May thy will be
done. Although the
will
of God, viewed in itself, is one and simple, it is presented to us in
Scripture under a twofold aspect
f422 . It is said, that the will of God is
done, when he executes the secret counsels of his providence, however
obstinately men may strive to oppose him. But here we are commanded to pray
that, in another sense, his will
may be done,—that all creatures
may obey him, without opposition, and without reluctance. This appears more
clearly from the comparison, as
in heaven. For, as He has the angels
constantly ready to execute his commands, (and hence they are said to do his
commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word,
<19A320>Psalm
103:20,) so we desire that all men may have their will formed to such harmony
with the righteousness of God, that they may freely bend in whatever direction
he shall appoint. It is, no doubt, a holy desire, when we bow to the
will
of God, and acquiesce in his appointments. But this prayer implies something
more. It is a prayer, that God may remove all the obstinacy of men, which rises
in unceasing rebellion against him, and may render them gentle and submissive,
that they may not wish or desire any thing but what pleases him, and meets his
approbation.
But it may be objected: Ought we to ask from God
what, he declares, will never exist to the end of the world? I reply: When we
pray that the earth may become obedient to the will of God, it is not necessary
that we should look particularly at every individual. It is enough for us to
declare, by such a prayer as this, that we hate and regret whatever we perceive
to be contrary to the will of God, and long for its utter destruction, not only
that it may be the rule of all our affections, but that we may yield ourselves
without reserve, and with all cheerfulness, to its
fulfillment.
11.
Give us today our daily
bread. Of the form of prayer which
Christ has prescribed to us this may be called, as I have said, the Second
Table. I have adopted this mode of dividing it for the sake of
instruction.
f423 The precepts which relate to the proper
manner of worshipping God are contained in the First Table of the law, and those
which relate to the duties of charity in the Second. Again, in this
prayer,—”I have formerly divided it thus, in order to instruct more
familiarly.” our Lord first instructs us to seek the glory of God, and
then points out, in the second part, what we ought to ask for ourselves. But it
must be observed, that the prayers which we offer for our salvation, or for our
own advantage, ought to have this for their ultimate object: for we must not be
so exclusively occupied with what is advantageous to ourselves, as to omit, in
any instance, to give the first place to the glory of God. When we pray,
therefore, we must never turn away our eyes from that object.
There is this difference, however, between the two
kinds of petitions which we have mentioned. When we pray for
the kingdom of
God and the
sanctification of his
name, our eyes ought to be directed
upwards, so as to lose sight of ourselves, and to be fixed on God alone. We then
come down to ourselves, and connect with those former petitions, which look to
God alone, solicitude about our own salvation. Though the
forgiveness of
sins is to be preferred to
food, f424
as far as the soul is more valuable than the body, yet our Lord commenced with
bread
and the supports of an earthly life, that from such a beginning he might
carry us higher. We do not ask that our daily bread may be given to us before we
ask that we may be reconciled to God, as if the perishing food of the belly were
to be considered more valuable than the eternal salvation of the soul: but we do
so that we may ascend, as it were by steps, from earth to heaven. Since God
condescends to nourish our bodies, there can be no doubt whatever, that he is
far more careful of our spiritual life. This kind and gentle manner of treating
us raises our confidence higher.
Some are of opinion, that
to<n a]zton hJmw~n
ejpiou>sion means our supersubstantial
bread. This is exceedingly absurd. The reason assigned by Erasmus is
not only frivolous, but inconsistent with piety. He reckons it improbable that,
when we come into the presence of God, Christ should enjoin us to make mention
of food. As if this manner of instruction were not to be found in every part of
Scripture, to lead us to the expectation of heavenly blessings, by giving us a
taste of temporal blessings. It is indeed the true proof of our faith, when we
ask nothing but from God, and not only acknowledge him to be the only fountain
of all blessings, but feel that his fatherly kindness extends to the smallest
matters, so that he does not disdain to take care even of our
flesh.
That Christ speaks here of bodily food may easily be
inferred: first, because otherwise the prayer would be defective and incomplete.
We are enjoined, in many passages, to throw all our cares into the bosom of God,
and he graciously promises, that “he will withhold from us
no good thing,”
(<198411>Psalm
84:11.) In a perfect rule of prayer, therefore, some direction must be laid down
as to the innumerable wants of the present life. Besides, the word
sh>meron,
today,
means that we are to ask from God no more than is necessary for the
day: f425
for there is no doubt, that he intended to restrain and guide our desire of
earthly food, to which we are all immoderately addicted. Again, a very frequent
Synecdoche occurs in the word
bread,
under which the Hebrews include every description of food. But here it has a
still more extensive meaning: for we ask not only that the hand of God may
supply us with food, but that we may receive all that is necessary for the
present life.
The meaning is now obvious. We are first commanded to
pray, that God would protect and cherish the life which he has given to us in
the world, and, as we need many supports, that he would supply us with every
thing that he knows to be needful. Now, as the kindness of God flows in
uninterrupted succession to feed us, the bread which he bestows is called
ejpiou>siov,
that is, continual:
f426 for so it may
be rendered. This word suggests to us such a petition
as the following: “O Lord, since our life needs every day new supplies,
may it please thee to grant them to us without interruption.” The adverb
today,
as I said a little ago, is added to restrain our excessive desire, and to
teach us, that we depend
every
moment on the kindness of God, and ought to be content with that portion
which he gives us, to use a common expression, “from day to
day.”
But here an objection may be urged. It is certain,
that Christ has given a rule for prayer, which belongs equally to all the godly.
Now, some of their number are rich men, who have their yearly produce laid up in
store. Why does he command them to ask what they have at home, and to ask every
day those things of which they have an abundant supply for a year? The reply is
easy. These words remind us that, unless God feed us daily, the largest
accumulation of the necessaries of life will be of no avail. Though we may have
abundance of corn, and wine, and every thing else, unless they are watered by
the secret blessing of God, they will suddenly vanish, or we will be deprived of
the use of them, or they will lose their natural power to support us, so that we
shall famish in the midst of plenty. There is therefore no reason to wonder, if
Christ invites the rich and poor indiscriminately to apply to their Heavenly
Father for the supply of their wants. No man will sincerely offer such a prayer
as this, unless he has learned, by the example of the Apostle Paul, “to be
full and to be hungry, to abound and to suffer need,”
(<500412>Philippians
4:12,) to endure patiently his poverty or his humble condition, and not to be
intoxicated by a false confidence in his abundance.
Does any one inquire, why we ask that bread to be
given to us, which we call OUR
bread?
I answer: It is so called, not because it belongs to us by right, but
because the fatherly kindness of God has set it apart for our use. It becomes
ours,
because our Heavenly Father freely bestows it on us for the supply of our
necessities. The fields must, no doubt, be cultivated, labor must be bestowed on
gathering the fruits of the earth, and every man must submit to the toil of his
calling, in order to procure food. But all this does not hinder us from being
fed by the undeserved kindness of God, without which men might waste their
strength to no purpose. We are thus taught, that what we seem to have acquired
by our own industry is his gift. We may likewise infer from this word, that, if
we wish God to feed us, we must not take what belongs to others: for all who
have been taught of God,
(<430645>John
6:45,) whenever they employ this form of prayer, make a declaration that they
desire nothing but what is their own.
12.
And forgive us our
debts. Here it may be proper that we
should be reminded of what I said a little before, that Christ, in arranging the
prayers of his people, did not consider which was first or second in order. It
is written, that our prayers are as it were a wall which hinders our approach to
God,
(<235902>Isaiah
59:2,) or a cloud which prevents him from beholding us,
(<234422>Isaiah
44:22,) and that
“he hath
covered himself with a cloud, that
our
prayer should not pass
through,”
(<250344>Lamentations
3:44.)
We ought always, therefore, to begin with the
forgiveness of sins: for the first hope of being heard by God beams upon us,
when we obtain his favor; and there is no way in which he is
“pacified toward us,”
(<261663>Ezekiel
16:63,) but by freely pardoning our sins. Christ has included in two petitions
all that related to the eternal salvation of the soul, and to the spiritual
life: for these are the two leading points of the divine covenant, in which all
our salvation consists. He offers to us a free reconciliation by
“not imputing our sins,”
(<470519>2
Corinthians 5:19,) and promises the Spirit, to engrave the righteousness of the
law on our hearts. We are commanded to ask both, and the prayer for obtaining
the forgiveness of sins is placed first.
In Matthew, sins are called
debts,
because they expose us to condemnation at the tribunal of God, and
make us
debtors;
nay more, they alienate us entirely from God, so that there is no hope of
obtaining peace and favor except by pardon. And so is fulfilled what Paul tells
us, that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God,”
(<450323>Romans
3:23,)
“that
every mouth may be stopped, and all
the
world may become guilty before
God,”
(<450319>Romans
3:19.)
For, though the righteousness of God shines, to some
extent, in the saints, yet, so long as they are surrounded by the flesh, they
lie under the burden of sins. None will be found so pure as not to need the
mercy of God, and if we wish to partake of it, we must feel our wretchedness.
Those who dream of attaining such perfection in this world, as to be free from
every spot and blemish, not only renounce their sins, but renounce Christ
himself, from whose Church they banish themselves. For, when he commands
all his disciples to betake themselves to him daily for the forgiveness of sins,
every one, who thinks that he has no need of such a remedy, is struck out of the
number of the disciples.
Now, the forgiveness, which we here ask to be
bestowed on us, is inconsistent with satisfaction, by which the world endeavors
to purchase its own deliverance. For that creditor is not said to
forgive,
who has received payment and asks nothing more,—but he who willingly
and generously departs from his just claim, and frees the
debtor.
The ordinary distinction between
crime
and
punishment
has no place here: for
debts
unquestionably mean liability to punishment. If they are freely forgiven us,
all compensations must disappear. And there is no other meaning than this in the
passage of Luke, though he calls them
sins:
for in no other way does God grant the pardon of them, than by removing the
condemnation which they deserve.
As we forgive our
debtors. This condition is added, that
no one may presume to approach God and ask forgiveness, who is not pure and free
from all resentment. And yet the forgiveness, which we ask that God would give
us, does not depend on the forgiveness which we grant to others: but the design
of Christ was, to exhort us, in this manner, to forgive the offenses which have
been committed against us, and at the same time, to give, as it were, the
impression of his seal, to ratify the confidence in our own forgiveness. Nor is
any thing inconsistent with this in the phrase used by Luke,
kai<
ga<r, for
we
also. Christ did not intend to point out
the cause, but only to remind us of the feelings which we ought to cherish
towards brethren, when we desire to be reconciled to God. And certainly, if the
Spirit of God reigns in our hearts, every description of ill-will and revenge
ought to be banished. The Spirit is the witness of our adoption,
(<450816>Romans
8:16,) and therefore this is put down simply as a mark, to distinguish the
children of God from strangers. The name
debtors
is here given, not to those who owe us money, or any other service, but to
those who are indebted to
us on account of offenses which they
have committed.
13.
And lead us not into
temptation. Some people have split this
petition into two. This is wrong: for the nature of the subject makes it
manifest, that it is one and the same petition. The connection of the words also
shows it: for the word
but,
which is placed between, connects the two clauses together, as Augustine
judiciously explains. The sentence ought to be resolved thus,
That we may not be led into
temptation, deliver us from evil. The
meaning is: “We are conscious Of our own weakness, and desire to enjoy the
protection of God, that we may remain impregnable against all the assaults of
Satan.” We showed from the former petition, that no man can be reckoned a
Christian, who does not acknowledge himself to be a sinner; and in the same
manner, we conclude from this petition, that we have no strength for living a
holy life, except so far as we obtain it from God. Whoever implores the
assistance of God to overcome temptations, acknowledges that, unless God
deliver
him, he will be constantly falling.
f427
The word
temptation
is often used generally for any kind of trial. In this sense God is said to
have tempted Abraham,
(<012201>Genesis
22:1,) when he tried his faith. We are
tempted
both by adversity and by prosperity: because each of them is an occasion of
bringing to light feelings which were formerly concealed. But here it denotes
inward
temptation,
which may be fitly called the scourge of the devil, for exciting our lust.
It would be foolish to ask, that God would keep us free from every thing which
makes trial of our faith. All wicked emotions, which excite us to sin, are
included under the name of
temptation.
Though it is not impossible that we may feel such pricks in our minds, (for,
during the whole course of our life, we have a constant warfare with the flesh,)
yet we ask that the Lord would not cause us to be thrown down, or suffer us to
be overwhelmed, by
temptations.
In order to express this truth more clearly, that we
are liable to constant stumbling and ruinous falls, if God does not uphold us
with his hand, Christ used this form of expression,
(mh<
eijsene>gkh|v,)
Lead us not into
temptation: or, as some render it,
Bring us not into
temptation. It is certainly true, that
“every man is tempted,” as the Apostle James says, (1:14) “by
his own lust:” yet, as God not only gives us up to the will of Satan, to
kindle the flame of lust, but employs him as the agent of his wrath, when he
chooses to drive men headlong to destruction, he may be also said, in a way
peculiar to himself, to lead them
into temptation. In the same sense,
“an evil spirit from the Lord” is said to have “seized
or troubled Saul,”
(<091614>1
Samuel 16:14:) and there are many passages of Scripture to the same purpose. And
yet we will not therefore say, that God is the author of evil: because, by ,
giving men over to a reprobate mind,”
(<450128>Romans
1:28,) he does not exercise a confused tyranny, but executes his just, though
secret f428
judgments.
Deliver us from
evil. The word
evil
(ponhrou~)
may either be taken in the neuter gender, as signifying
the evil
thing, or in the masculine gender, as
signifying the evil
one. Chrysostom refers it to the Devil,
who is the contriver of every thing evil, and, as the deadly enemy of our
salvation, is continually fighting against us.
f429 But it may, with equal propriety, be
explained as referring to
sin.
There is no necessity for raising a debate on this point: for the meaning
remains nearly the same, that we are in danger from the devil and from sin, if
the Lord does not protect and
deliver
us.
For thine is the
kingdom. It is surprising that this
clause, which agrees so well with the rest of the prayer, has been left out by
the Latins:
f430 for it was not added merely for the
purpose of kindling our hearts to seek the glory of God, and of reminding us
what ought to be the object of our prayers; but likewise to teach us, that our
prayers, which are here dictated to us, are founded on God alone, that we may
not rely on our own merits.
MATTHEW 6:14-15; LUKE
11:25-26
|
MATTHEW
6:14-15
|
LUKE
11:25-26
|
|
14. For if you shall forgive men
their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15. But if you shall not forgive men their trespasses,
neither will you Father forgive your trespasses.
|
25. And when ye shall stand
praying, forgive, if you have any thing against any one, that your Father also,
who is in heaven, may forgive you your trespasses. 26. But if
you shall not forgive, neither will your Father, who is inheaven, forgive you
your trespasses.
|
Here Christ only explains the reason why that
condition was added, Forgive us,
as we forgive. The reason is, that God
will not be ready to hear us, unless we also show ourselves ready to grant
forgiveness to those who have offended us. If we are not harder than iron, this
exhortation ought to soften us, and render us disposed to forgive
offenses.
f431 Unless God pardon us every day many
sins, we know that we are ruined in innumerable ways: and on no other condition
does he admit us to pardon, but that we pardon our brethren whatever offenses
they have committed against us. Those who refuse to forget the injuries which
have been done to them, devote themselves willingly and deliberately to
destruction, and knowingly prevent God from forgiving
them. f432
MATTHEW
6:16-19
|
MATTHEW
6:16-18
|
|
16. Moreover, when you shall fast,
be not, like the hypocrites, dejected:
f433
for they disfigure their faces, that it may be
evident to men that they fast. Verily I say to you, they have their reward.
17. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash
thy face, 18. That it may not appear to men that thou
fastest, but to thy Father, who is in secret, and thy Father, who seeth in
secret, will reward thee openly.
|
He again returns to the former doctrine: for,
having begun to rebuke vain ostentation in alms and prayer, he laid down, before
proceeding farther, the rule for praying in a right manner. The same
injunction is now given to his disciples about
fasting,
which he had formerly given about
prayers
and
alms,
not to be too solicitous to obtain the applause of spectators, but to have
God as the witness of their actions. When he bids them
anoint their head, and wash their
face, his language is
hyperbolical:
f434 for Christ does not withdraw us from one
kind of hypocrisy, to lead us into another.
f435 He does not enjoin us to counterfeit
splendor, or exhort us to temperance in food in such a manner, as to encourage
the luxuries of ointments and of dress: but merely exhorts us to preserve
moderation, without any thing new or affected;—in short, that the
fastings, in which we engage, should make no change in our accustomed way of
living.
Thy Father will reward
thee. When he promises a reward from God
to
fastings, this mode of expression, as we
said a little before with respect to prayer, is not strictly accurate. There is
a wide difference, indeed, between
prayer
and
fastings.
Prayer holds the first rank among the antics of piety: but fasting is
a doubtful operation, and does not, like
alms,
belong to the class of those actions which God requires and approves. It is
pleasing to God, only so far as it is directed to another object: and that is,
to train us to abstinence, to subdue the lust of the flesh, to excite us to
earnestness in prayer, and to testify our repentance, when we are affected by
the view of the tribunal of God. The meaning of Christ’s words is:
“God will one day show that he was pleased with those good works, which
appeared to be lost, because they were concealed from the eyes of
men.”
MATTHEW 6:19-21; LUKE
12:33-34
|
MATTHEW
6:19-21
|
LUKE
12:33-34
|
|
19. Lay not up for yourselves
treasures on the earth, where rust and the moth consume, where theives break
through and steal. 20. But lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither rust nor moth consumes, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal. 21. For where your treasure shall be,
there will also your heart be.
|
33. Sell what ye possess, and give
alms. Prepare for yourselves bags, which do not grow old, a treasure in heaven
which does not fail, where the theif approaches not, nor moth corrupteth.
34. For where your treasure shall be, there will also your
heart be.
|
Matthew 6:19.
Lay not
up. This deadly plague reigns everywhere
throughout the world. Men are grown mad with an insatiable desire of gain.
Christ charges them with folly, in collecting wealth with great care, and then
giving up their happiness to
moths
and to
rust,
or exposing it as a prey to thieves. What is more unreasonable than to place
their property, where it may perish of itself, or be carried off by men
? f436
Covetous men, indeed, take no thought of this. They lock up their riches in
well-secured chests, but cannot prevent them from being exposed to
thieves
or to
moths.
They are blind and destitute of sound judgment, who give themselves so much
toil and uneasiness in amassing wealth, which is liable to putrefaction, or
robbery, or a thousand other accidents: particularly, when God allows us a place
in heaven for laying up a
treasure, and kindly invites us to enjoy
riches which never perish.
20.
But lay up for yourselves
treasures in heaven. They are said to do
so, who, instead of entangling themselves in the snares of this world, make it
their care and their business to meditate on the heavenly life. In Luke’s
narrative, no mention is made of the contrast between
laying up treasures on the
earth and
laying up treasures in
heaven; and he refers to a different
occasion for the command of Christ
to prepare bags, which do not
grow old: for he had previously said,
Sell what you possess, and give
alms. It is a harsh and unpleasant thing
for men to strip themselves of their own wealth; and with the view of
alleviating their uneasiness, he holds out a large and magnificent hope of
remuneration. Those who assist their poor brethren
on the earth lay up for
themselves treasures in heaven,
according to the saying of Solomon,
“He that hath pity
upon the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him
again,”
(<201917>Proverbs
19:17.)
The command to
sell
possessions must not be literally
interpreted, as if a Christian were not at liberty to retain any thing for
himself. He only intended to show, that we must not be satisfied with bestowing
on the poor what we can easily spare, but that we must not refuse to part with
our estates, if their revenue does not supply the wants of the poor. His meaning
is, “Let your liberality go so far as to lessen your patrimony, and
dispose of your lands.”
21.
Where your treasure shall
be. By this statement Christ proves that
they are unhappy men who have their treasures laid up on the earth: because
their happiness is uncertain and of short duration. Covetous men cannot be
prevented from breathing in their hearts a wish for heaven: but Christ lays down
an opposite principle, that, wherever men imagine the greatest happiness to be,
there they are surrounded and confined. Hence it follows, that they who desire
to be happy in the world
f437 renounce heaven. We know how carefully
the philosophers conducted their inquiries respecting the supreme
good. f438
It was the chief point on which they bestowed their labor, and justly: for it is
the principle on which the regulation of our life entirely depends, and the
object to which all our senses are directed. If honor is reckoned the supreme
good, the minds of men must be wholly occupied with ambition: if money,
covetousness will immediately predominate: if pleasure, it will be impossible to
prevent men from sinking into brutal indulgence. We have all a natural desire to
pursue happiness;
f439 and the consequence is, that false
imaginations carry us away in every direction. But if we were honestly and
firmly convinced that our happiness is in heaven, it would be easy for us to
trample upon the world, to despise earthly blessings, (by the deceitful
attractions of which the greater part of men are fascinated,) and to rise
towards heaven. For this reason Paul, with the view of exciting believers to
look upwards, and of exhorting them to meditate on the heavenly life,
(<510301>Colossians
3:1,) presents to them Christ, in whom alone they ought to seek perfect
happiness; thus declaring, that to allow their souls to grovel on the earth
would be inconsistent and unworthy of those whose
treasure is in
heaven.
MATTHEW 6:22-24; LUKE
11:34-36; 16:13
|
MATTHEW
6:22-24
|
LUKE
11:34-36
|
|
22. The
light
f440 of
the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye shall be simple, thy whole body
shall be luminous. 23. But if thine eye shall be evil, thy
whole body shall be dark. Therefore, if the light which is in thee is darkness,
how great is that darkness! 24. No man can serve two masters:
for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to one, and
neglect the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
|
34. The
light
f441 of
the body is the eye: if thine eye therefore shall be simple, thy whole body
shall be luminous: but if it shall be evil, thy whole body also shall be dark.
36. If therefore thy whole body shall be luminous, not having
any part dark, the whole shall be luminous, as when a candle enlightens thee by
its brightness.
LUKE
14:13
13. No
servant can serve two master: for either he will hate the one, and love the
other, or will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
mammon.
|
Matthew 6:22.
The light of the body is the
eye. We must bear in mind, as I have
already hinted, that what we find here are detached sentences, and not a
continued discourse. The substance of the present statement is, that men go
wrong through carelessness, because they do not keep their eye fixed, as they
ought to do, on the proper object. For whence comes it, that they so shamefully
wander, or dash themselves, or stumble, but because, having corrupted their
judgment by choosing rather to follow their own lusts than the righteousness of
God, they not only extinguish the light of reason, which ought to have regulated
their life, but change it altogether into darkness.
When Christ calls
the eye the light of the
body,
f442 he employs a comparison which
means, that neither the hands, nor the feet, nor the belly, serves to direct men
in walking, but that the eye alone is a sufficient guide to the rest of the
members. If the hands and feet are foolishly and improperly directed, the blame
of the mistake ought to be charged on the eyes, which do not perform their duty.
We must now apply this comparison to the mind. The affections may be regarded
individually as its members: but as they are blind in themselves, they need
direction. Now, God has given reason to guide them, and to act the part of a
lantern
in showing them the way. But what is the usual result? All the soundness of
judgment which had been given to men is corrupted and perverted by themselves,
so that not even one spark of light continues to dwell in them.
A simple
eye means an eye that has no speck, or
diseased humor, or any other defect.
An evil
eye
(ponhro<n)
f443 means a
diseased
eye. A luminous body means one that is
enlightened,
so as to have all its actions properly regulated. A
dark
body is one which is led into numerous mistakes by a confused movement. We
see, then, as I have already said, that these words reprove the indolence of
men, who neglect to open their eyes for the guidance of their
affections.
The inference which the Papists draw from this
passage, that men possess as much reason and wisdom, as to be free to choose
either good or evil, is mere trifling. For Christ does not here inform us what
ability we possess, but how we ought to walk, by having our eye fixed on a
certain object; and at the same time shows, that the whole course of human life
is dark, because no man proposes for himself a proper object, but all permit
themselves to pursue eagerly what is evil. I confess, indeed, that men naturally
possess reason, to distinguish between vices and virtues; but I say that it is
so corrupted by sin, that it fails at every step. Meanwhile, it does not follow,
that men do not voluntarily bring darkness on themselves, as if they shut their
eyes to avoid the light which was offered to them, because they are knowingly
and willingly carried after their own
lusts.
23.
If the light which is in thee
be darkness. Light signifies that small
portion of reason, which continues to exist in men since the fall of Adam: and
darkness
signifies gross and brutal affections. The meaning is, we ought not to
wonder, if men wallow so disgracefully, like beasts, in the filth of vices, for
they have no reason which might restrain the blind and dark lusts of the flesh.
The
light is said to be turned into
darkness,
not only when men permit the wicked lusts of the flesh to overwhelm the
judgment of their reason, but also when they give up their minds to wicked
thoughts, and thus degenerate into beasts. For we see how wickedly men change
into craft any measure of wisdom which had been given them, how they “dig
deep (as the prophet says) to hide their counsel from the Lords”
(<232915>Isaiah
29:15,) how they trust to their own resources, and openly dishonor God; in a
word, how desirous they are to show their ingenuity, in innumerable ways, for
their own destruction. Christ has good grounds for declaring, that thick and
appalling darkness must of necessity reign in the life of men, when they choose
to be blind.
This is also the meaning of the words which are found
in the Gospel of Luke, with this difference, that Christ there connects the
present statement with one which was formerly explained, that
men do not light a candle, and
put it under a bushel,
(<400515>Matthew
5:15) and again, instead of this clause,
if the light which is in thee be
darkness, gives the exhortation,
see that the light which is in
thee be not darkness. The meaning is,
“See that thy mind, which ought to have shone, like a candle, to guide all
thy actions, do not darken and mislead thy whole life.” He afterwards
adds, that, when the body is
enlightened by the eye, the greatest
regularity is found in all its members, as
the light of a
candle spreads and penetrates into every
part of the room.
24.
No man can serve two
masters. Christ returns to the former
doctrine, the object of which was to withdraw his disciples from covetousness.
He had formerly said, that the heart of man is bound and fixed upon its
treasure;
and he now gives warning, that the hearts of those who are devoted to riches
are alienated from the Lord. For the greater part of men are wont to flatter
themselves with a deceitful pretense, when they imagine, that it is possible for
them to be divided between God and their own lusts. Christ affirms that it is
impossible for any man to obey God, and, at the same time, to obey his own
flesh. This was, no doubt, a proverb in common use:
No man can serve two
masters. He takes for granted a truth
which had been universally admitted, and applies it to his present subject:
where riches hold the dominion of the heart, God has lost his authority. True,
it is not impossible that those who are rich shall serve God; but whoever gives
himself up as a slave to riches must abandon the service of God: for
covetousness makes us the slaves of the devil.
I have inserted here what is related on a different
occasion by Luke: for, as the Evangelists frequently introduce, as opportunity
offers, passages of our Lord’s discourses out of their proper order, we
ought to entertain no scruple as to the arrangement of them. What is here said
with a special reference to riches, may be properly extended to every other
description of vice. As God pronounces everywhere such commendations of
sincerity, and hates a double heart,
(<131233>1
Chronicles 12:33;
<191202>Psalm
12:2,) all are deceived, who imagine that he will be satisfied with the half of
their heart. All, indeed, confess in words, that, where the affection is not
entire, there is no true worship of God: but they deny it in fact, when they
attempt to reconcile contradictions. “I shall not cease,” says an
ambitious man, “to serve God, though I devote a great part of my mind to
hunting after honors.” The covetous, the voluptuaries, the gluttons, the
unchaste, the cruel, all in their turn offer the same apology for themselves: as
if it were possible for those to be partly employed in serving God, who are
openly carrying on war against him. It is, no doubt, true, that believers
themselves are never so perfectly devoted to obedience to God, as not to be
withdrawn from it by the sinful desires of the flesh. But as they groan under
this wretched bondage, and are dissatisfied with themselves, and give nothing
more than an unwilling and reluctant service to the flesh, they are not said to
serve two
masters: for their desires and exertions
are approved by the Lord, as if they rendered to him a perfect obedience. But
this passage reproves the hypocrisy of those who flatter themselves in their
vices, as if they could reconcile light and darkness.
MATTHEW 6:25-30; LUKE
12:22-28
|
MATTHEW
6:25-30
|
LUKE
12:22-28
|
|
25. Therefore I say to you, Do not
be anxious about your life, what you shall eat and drink, or for you body, what
clothes you shall wear: is not the life of more value than food, and the body of
more value than clothing? 26. Look at the fowls of heaven,
for they neither sow nor reap, nor collect into granaries, and your heavenly
Father feedeth them: are you not more excellent than they are?
27. And which of you, by anxious care, can add to his stature
one cubit? 28. And why are you anxious about clothing? Con
sider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin.
29. But I say to you, That even Solomon in all hs
glory
f444
was not clothed like one of these.
30. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is
today, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O
you of little faith?
|
22. And he said to his disciples,
Therefore I say to you, be not anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor
for the body, with what you shall be clothed. 23. The life is
of more value than food, and the body is of more value than clothing.
24. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which
neither have granary nor barn, and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better
than the fowls? 25. And which of you, by anxious care, can
add to your stature on cubit? 26. If therefore you cannot do
even that which is least, why are ye anxious about the rest?
27. Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil or
spin. And I say to you, Even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one
of these. 28. And if God thus clothes the grass, which is
today in the field, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more shall he
clothe you, O you of little faith?
|
Throughout the whole of this discourse, Christ
reproves that
excessive
anxiety, with which men torment themselves, about food and clothing, and, at
the same time, applies a remedy for curing this disease. When he forbids them to
be
anxious,
this is not to be taken literally, as if he intended to take away from his
people all care. We know that men are born on the condition of having some care;
and, indeed, this is not the least portion of the miseries, which the Lord has
laid upon us as a punishment, in order to humble us. But immoderate care is
condemned for two reasons: either because in so doing men tease and vex
themselves to no purpose, by carrying their anxiety farther than is proper or
than their calling demands; or because they claim more for themselves than they
have a right to do, and place such a reliance on their own industry, that they
neglect to call upon God. We ought to remember this promise: though unbelievers
shall “rise up early, and sit up late, and eat the bread of
sorrows,” yet believers will obtain, through the kindness of God, rest and
sleep,
(<19C702>Psalm
127:2.) Though the children of God are not free from toil and anxiety, yet,
properly speaking, we do not say that they are anxious about life: because,
through their reliance on the providence of God, they enjoy calm
repose.
Hence it is easy to learn, how far we ought to be
anxious about
food. Each of us ought to labor, as far
as his calling requires and the Lord commands; and each of us ought to be led by
his own wants to call upon God. Such anxiety holds an intermediate place between
indolent carelessness and the unnecessary torments by which unbelievers kill
themselves. But if we give proper attention to the words of Christ, we shall
find, that he does not forbid every kind of care, but only what arises from
distrust. Be not
anxious, says he,
what you shall eat, or what you
shall drink. That belongs to those who
tremble for fear of poverty or hunger, as if they were to be in want of food
every moment.
Matthew 6:25.
Is not the life of more value
than food? He argues from the greater to
the less. He had forbidden them to be excessively anxious about the way in which
life might be supported; and he now assigns the reason. The Lord, who has given
life itself, will not suffer us to want what is necessary for its support. And
certainly we do no small dishonor to God, when we fail to trust that he will
give us necessary food or clothing; as if he had thrown us on the earth at
random. He who is fully convinced, that the Author of our life has an intimate
knowledge of our condition, will entertain no doubt that he will make abundant
provision for our wants. Whenever we are seized by any fear or anxiety about
food, let us remember, that God will take care of the life which he gave
us.
26.
Look at the fowls of the
air. This is the remedy I spoke of, for
teaching us to rely on the providence of God: for of all cares, which go beyond
bounds, unbelief is the mother. The only cure for covetousness is to embrace the
promises of God, by which he assures us that he will take care of us. In the
same manner, the Apostle, wishing to withdraw believers from
covetousness,
confirms that doctrine: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor
forsake thee,
(<581305>Hebrews
13:5.) The substance of the exhortation is, that we ought to trust in God, by
whom none of his own people, however mean their condition may be, are
disregarded.
Your heavenly Father feedeth
them. This deserves careful attention:
for, though we are unable to explain the manner in which their life is
supported, which of us is in the habit of considering that their life depends on
the providence of God, which he is pleased to extend even to them? But if it is
thoroughly fixed in our minds,
that the
fowls are supplied with food by the hand
of God, there will be no difficulty in expecting it for ourselves, who are
formed after his image, and reckoned among his children.
They neither sow nor
reap. By these words it is far from
being our Lord’s intention to encourage us to indolence and sluggishness.
All that he means is, that, though other means fail, the providence of God is
alone sufficient for us, for it supplies the animals abundantly with every thing
that they need.
Instead
of
fowls,
(ta<
peteina<,) Luke uses the word
ravens,
(tou<v
ko>rakav,) alluding perhaps to that passage in
the Psalms, who giveth food to the young ravens that call upon him,
(Psalm 67: 9.) Some think that David expressly mentioned
the
ravens, because they are immediately
deserted by their parents,
f445 and therefore must have their food
brought to them by God. Hence it is evident, that Christ intended nothing more
than to teach his people to throw all their cares on
God.
27.
Which of you by anxious care,
etc.? Here our Lord condemns another
fault, which is almost always connected with immoderate anxiety about food: and
that is, when a mortal man, claiming more than he has a right to do, does not
hesitate, in sacrilegious hardihood, to go beyond his limits.
“O Lord, I know
(says Jeremiah) that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that
walketh to direct his
steps,”
(<241023>Jeremiah
10:23.)
You scarcely meet with one person in a hundred, who
does not venture to make any promises that he thinks fit on his own industry and
power. The consequence is, that those who take credit to themselves for their
prosperity, do not hesitate to lose sight of God, when they enter into any
undertaking. To restrain this mad rashness, Christ tells us, that whatever
contributes to the support of our life depends wholly on the blessing of God.
The meaning is: “It is foolish in men to weary themselves, because all our
labors are unnecessary and fruitless, and all our anxieties are to no purpose,
unless so far as God blesses them.” This is more clearly expressed by
Luke, If you cannot do even that
which is least, why are you anxious about the
rest? These words show plainly, that
Christ reproves not only distrust, but pride, because men ascribe much more than
they ought to their own skill.
29.
Not even Solomon in all his
glory. This means, that the kindness of
God, which is gloriously displayed in herbs and flowers, exceeds all that men
can accomplish by their wealth or power, or in any other way. Believers ought to
be convinced that, though all means fail, they will want nothing that is
necessary for their full satisfaction, provided they continue to enjoy the
blessing of God alone. O you of
little faith. In this respect Christ
justly accuses us of deficiency or weakness of faith: for the more powerfully we
are affected, according to our own grovelling views, by anxiety about the
present life, the more do we show our unbelief, if every thing does not happen
to our wish. Many persons, accordingly, who in great prosperity appear to
possess faith or at least to have a tolerable share of it, tremble when any
danger of poverty presents itself.
MATTHEW 6:31-34; LUKE
12:29-32
|
MATTHEW
6:31-34
|
LUKE
12:29-32
|
|
31. Be not therefore anxious,
saying, What shall we eat? or what shall we drink? or with what shall we be
clothed? 32. For all those things the Gentiles seek: for your
heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of these things.
33. But rather seek first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
34. Be not therefore anxious about tomorrow: for tomorrow
will take care of itself. Its own affliction is sufficient for the
day.
|
29. And seek not what you shall
eat, or what you shall drink, and be not lifted on high.
30. For all these things the nations of the world seek: and
your Father knoweth that you have need of these things.
31. But rather seek the kingdom of God, and all these things
shall be added to you. 32. Fear not, little flock: for it is
your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
|
This has the same object with the former
doctrine. Believers ought to rely on God’s fatherly care, to expect that
he will bestow upon them whatever they feel to be necessary, and not to torment
themselves by unnecessary anxiety.
He forbids them to be
anxious,
or, as Luke has it, to
seek,
that is, to
seek
in the manner of those who look around them in every direction, without
looking at God, on whom alone their eye ought to be fixed; who are never at
ease, but when they have before their eyes an abundance of provisions; and who,
not admitting that the protection of the world belongs to God, fret and tease
themselves with perpetual uneasiness.
Matthew
6:32. For all those things
the Gentiles seek. This is a reproof of
the gross ignorance, in which all such anxieties originate. For how comes it,
that unbelievers never remain in a state of tranquillity, but because they
imagine that God is unemployed, or asleep, in heaven, or, at least, that he does
not take charge of the affairs of men, or feed, as members of his family, those
whom he has admitted to his friendship. By this comparison he intimates, that
they have made little proficiency, and have not yet learned the first lessons of
godliness, who do not behold, with the eyes of faith, the hand of God filled
with a hidden abundance of all good things, so as to expect their food with
quietness and composure. Your
heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of those
things: that is, “All those
persons who are so anxious about food, give no more honor, than unbelievers do,
to the fatherly goodness and secret providence of
God.”
Luke 12:29.
And be not lifted on
high.
f446 This clause corresponds to the
last sentence in the passage taken from Matthew, Be
not anxious about
tomorrow. Our Lord now charges them with
another fault. When men wish to make arrangements in their own favor, they would
willingly embrace five centuries.
f447 The verb
metewri>zesqai,
which Luke employs, properly signifies to survey from a lofty situation,
or, as we commonly say, to make long
discourses:
f448 for the intemperate desires of the flesh
are never satisfied without making a hundred revolutions of heaven and earth.
The consequence is, that they leave no room for the providence of God. This is a
reproof of excessive curiosity; for it leads us to bring upon ourselves
uneasiness to no purpose, and voluntarily to make ourselves miserable
before the
time,
(<400829>Matthew
8:29.) The expression used by Matthew,
its own affliction is sufficient
for the day, directs believers to
moderate their cares, and not to attempt to carry their foresight beyond the
limits of their calling: For, as we have said, it does not condemn every kind of
care, but only that which wanders, by indirect and endless circuits, beyond
limits.
Matthew 6:33.
But rather seek first the kingdom
of God. This is another argument for
restraining excessive anxiety about food. It argues a gross and indolent neglect
of the soul, and of the heavenly life. Christ reminds us that there is the
greatest inconsistency in men, who are born to a better life, being wholly
employed about earthly objects. He who assigns the first rank to
the kingdom of
God, will not carry beyond moderation
his anxiety about food. Nothing is better adapted to restrain the wantonness of
the flesh from breaking out in the course of the present life, than meditation
on the life of the heavens. The word
righteousness
may be either understood as applying to
God,
or to the
kingdom:
f449 for we know that the kingdom of
God consists in
righteousness,
(<451417>Romans
14:17,) that is, in the newness of spiritual life.
All other things shall be
added. This means, that those things
which relate to the present life are but favorable appendages, and ought to be
reckoned greatly inferior to the
kingdom of
God.
Luke
12:32. Fear not, little
flock. By this declaration munement,
Faire de longs discours, ou estre en suspens, comme aussi nous
l’avons traduit.” — ”To look from on high, and to extend
one’s view very far: as we commonly say, To make long discourses, or to
be in suspense, as we have also translated it.” our Lord strengthens
the confidence to which he had exhorted his people: for how would God refuse
worthless and perishing food to those whom he has adopted as heirs of his
kingdom?
And he expressly calls his own people
a little
flock, to hinder them from thinking that
they are of less value in the sight of God, because, on account of their small
numbers, they are held in little estimation before the world. The verb
eujdokei~n
conveys the idea, that eternal life flows to us from the fountain of
undeserved mercy. For the same purpose the word
give
is added. When Christ plainly declares, that God
hath given us the
kingdom, and for no other reason, but
because it so
pleased
him, it is perfectly manifest, that it is not obtained by any merits of
works. At whatever time the Lord raises our minds to the expectation of eternal
life, let us remember, that we have no cause for fear as to daily
food.
MATTHEW 7:1-5; MARK 4:24; LUKE
6:37-42
|
MATTHEW
7:1-5
|
MARK
4:24
|
LUKE
6:37-42
|
|
1. Judge not, that you may not be
judged. 2. For with what judgment you judge you shall be
judged, and with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you again.
3. And why seest thou the straw, which is in thy
brother’s eye, and perceivest not the beam which is in thine eye?
4. Or how shall thou say to thy brother, Allow me to pull the
straw out of thine eye, and, behold, a beam is in thine eye?
5. Hypocrites, cast out first the beam out of thine eye, and
then thou shall see clearly, that thou mayest pull out the straw from they
brother’s eye.
|
24 With what measure you measure, the same
shall be measured to you.
|
37. Judge not, and you shall not
be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and it shall be
forgiven to you. 38. Give, and it shall be given to you. Good
measure, and pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall they
give into your bosom: for the same measure, with which you measure, shall be
measured again to you. (Again.) 41. And why seest thou a
straw in thy brother’s eye, and perceivest not a beam which is in thine
own eye? 42. Or how will thou be able to say to thy brother,
Brother, allow me to pull out the straw which is in thine eye, while thou seest
not the beam which is in thine eye? Hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of
thine eye, and then thou shalt see clearly, that thou mayest cast out the straw
which is in thy brother’s eye.
|
Matthew 7:1.
Judge
not. These words of Christ do not
contain an absolute prohibition
from
judging, but are intended to cure a
disease, which appears to be natural to us all. We see how all flatter
themselves, and every man passes a severe censure on others. This vice is
attended by some strange enjoyment: for there is hardly any person who is not
tickled with the desire of inquiring into other people’s faults. All
acknowledge, indeed, that it is an intolerable evil, that those who overlook
their own vices are so inveterate against their brethren. The Heathens, too, in
ancient times, condemned it in many proverbs. Yet it has existed in all ages,
and exists, too, in the present day. Nay, it is accompanied by another and a
worse plague: for the greater part of men think that, when they condemn others,
they acquire a greater liberty of sinning.
This depraved eagerness for biting, censuring, and
slandering, is restrained by Christ, when he says,
Judge
not. It is not necessary that believers
should become blind, and perceive nothing, but only that they should refrain
from an undue eagerness to
judge:
for otherwise the proper bounds of rigor will be exceeded by every man who
desires to pass sentence on his brethren. There is a similar expression in the
Apostle James, Be not many masters,
(<590301>James
3:1.) for he does not discourage or withdraw believers from discharging the
office of teachers, but forbids them to desire the honor from motives of
ambition. To
judge,
therefore, means here, to be influenced by curiosity in inquiring into the
actions of others. This disease, in the first place, draws continually along
with it the injustice of condemning any trivial fault, as if it had been a very
heinous crime; and next breaks out into the insolent presumption of looking
disdainfully at every action, and passing an unfavourable judgment on it, even
when it might be viewed in a good light.
We now see, that the design of Christ was to guard us
against indulging excessive eagerness, or peevishness, or malignity, or even
curiosity, in judging
our neighbors. He who
judges
according to the word and law of the Lord, and forms
his
judgment by the rule of charity, always
begins with subjecting himself to examination, and preserves a proper medium and
order in his
judgments.
Hence it is evident, that this passage is altogether misapplied by those
persons who would desire to make that moderation, which Christ recommends, a
pretence for setting aside all distinction between good and evil. We are not
only permitted, but are even bound, to condemn all sins; unless we choose to
rebel against God himself,—nay, to repeal his laws, to reverse his
decisions, and to overturn his judgment-seat. It is his will that we should
proclaim the sentence which he pronounces on the actions of men: only we must
preserve such modesty towards each other, as to make it manifest that he is the
only Lawgiver and Judge,
(<233322>Isaiah
33:22.)
That you may not be
judged. He denounces a punishment
against those severe judges, who take so much delight in sifting the faults of
others. They will not be treated by others with greater kindness, but will
experience, in their turn, the same severity which they had exercised towards
others. As nothing is dearer or more valuable to us than our reputation, so
nothing is more bitter than to be condemned, or to be exposed to the reproaches
and infamy of men. And yet it is by our own fault that we draw upon ourselves
that very thing which our nature so strongly detests, for which of us is there,
who does not examine too severely the actions of others; who does not manifest
undue rage against slight offenses; or who does not peevishly censure what was
in itself indifferent? And what is this but deliberately to provoke God, as our
avenger, to treat us in the same manner. Now, though it is a just judgment of
God, that those who have judged others should be punished in their turn,
yet the Lord executes this punishment by the instrumentality of men. Chrysostom
and others limit this statement to the present life: but that is a forced
interpretation. Isaiah threatens (33:1) that those who have spoiled others
shall be spoiled. In like manner, our Lord means, that there will be no want
of executioners to punish the injustice and slander of men with equal bitterness
or severity. And if men shall fail to receive punishment in this world, those
who have shown undue eagerness in condemning their brethren will not escape the
judgment of God.
Luke 6:37, 38.
Forgive, and it shall be forgiven
to you. Give,
and it shall be given to
you. This promise, which is added by
Luke, means, that the Lord will cause him, who is indulgent, kind, and just to
his brethren, to experience the same gentleness from others, and to be treated
by them in a generous and friendly manner. Yet it frequently happens, that the
children of God receive the very worst reward, and are oppressed by many unjust
slanders; and that, to when they have injured no man’s reputation, and
even spared the faults of brethren. But this is not inconsistent with what
Christ says: for we know, that the promises which relate to the present life do
not always hold, and are not without exceptions. Besides, though the Lord
permits his people, when innocent, to be unjustly oppressed and almost
overwhelmcd, he fulfils what he says in another place, that “their
uprightness shall break forth as the
morning,”
f450
(<235808>Isaiah
58:8.) In this way, his blessing always rises above all unjust slanders. He
subjects believers to unjust reproaches, that he may humble them, and that he
may at length maintain the goodness of their cause. It ought also to be taken
into the account, that believers themselves, though they endeavor to act justly
towards their brethren, are sometimes carried away by excessive severity against
brethren, who were either innocent, or not so greatly to be blamed, and thus, by
their own fault, provoke against themselves a similar judgment. If they do not
receive good measure, pressed
down, shaken together,
and running
over, though this is chargeable on the
ingratitude of the world, yet they ought to acknowledge that it was partly
deserved: for there is no man who is so kind and indulgent as he ought to be
towards his brethren.
Matthew 7:3.
And why seest thou the
straw? He expressly touches upon a
fault, which is usually found in hypocrites. While they are too quick-sighted in
discerning the faults of others, and employ not only severe, but intentionally
exaggerated, language in describing them, they throw their own sins behind their
back, or are so ingenious in finding apologies for them, that they wish to be
held excusable even in very gross offenses. Christ therefore reproves both
evils: the excessive sagacity, which arises from a defect of charity, when we
sift too closely the faults of brethren, and the indulgence by which we defend
and cherish our own sins.
MATTHEW 7:6
|
MATTHEW
7:6
|
|
6. Give not that which is holy to
the dogs, and do not throw down your pearls before swine, lest these trample
them under their feet, and those turn and tear you.
|
6.
Give not that which is
holy. It is unnecessary to repeat
oftener, that Matthew gives us here detached sentences, which ought not to be
viewed as a continued discourse. The present instruction is not at all connected
with what came immediately before, but is entirely separate from it. Christ
reminds the Apostles, and, through them, all the teachers of the Gospel, to
reserve the treasure of heavenly wisdom for the children of God alone, and not
to expose it to unworthy and profane despisers of his word.
But here a question arises: for he afterwards
commanded to preach the Gospel to
every creature,
(<411615>Mark
16:15;) and Paul says, that the preaching of it is a deadly savor to wicked
men,
(<470216>2
Corinthians 2:16;) and nothing is more certain than that it is every day held
out to unbelievers, by the command of God, for a testimony, that they may be
rendered the more inexcusable. I reply: As the ministers of the Gospel, and
those who are called to the office of teaching, cannot distinguish between the
children of God and
swine,
it is their duty to present the doctrine of salvation indiscriminately to
all. Though many may appear to them, at first, to be hardened and unyielding,
yet charity forbids that such persons should be immediately pronounced to be
desperate. It ought to be understood, that
dogs
and
swine
are names given not to every kind of debauched men, or to those who are
destitute of the fear of God and of true godliness, but to those who, by clear
evidences, have manifested a hardened contempt of God, so that their disease
appears to be incurable. In another passage, Christ places the
dogs
in contrast with the elect people of God and the household of faith,
It is not proper to take the
children’s bread, and give it to dogs,
(<401527>Matthew
15:27.) But by
dogs
and
swine
he means here those who are so thoroughly imbued with a wicked contempt of
God, that they refuse to accept any remedy.
Hence it is evident, how grievously the words of
Christ are tortured by those who think that he limits the doctrine of the Gospel
to those only who are teachable and well-prepared. For what will be the
consequence, if nobody is invited by pious teachers, until by his obedience he
has anticipated the grace of God? On the contrary, we are all by nature unholy,
and prone to rebellion. The remedy of salvation must be refused to none, till
they have rejected it so basely when offered to them, as to make it evident that
they are reprobate and self-condemned,
(aujtokata>kritoi,)
as Paul says of heretics,
(<560311>Titus
3:11.)
There are two reasons, why Christ forbade that the
Gospel should be offered to lost despisers. It is an open profanation of the
mysteries of God to expose them to the taunts of wicked men. Another reason is,
that Christ intended to comfort his disciples, that they might not cease to
bestow their labors on the elect of God in teaching the Gospel, though they saw
it wantonly rejected by wicked and ungodly men. His meaning is lest this
inestimable treasure should be held in little estimation,
swine
and
dogs
must not be permitted to approach it. There are two designations which
Christ bestows on the doctrine of salvation: he calls it
holy,
and compares it to
pearls.
Hence we learn how highly we ought to esteem this doctrine.
Lest these trample them under their
feet. Christ appears to distinguish
between the
swine
and the
dogs:
attributing brutal stupidity to the
swine,
and rage to the
dogs.
And certainly, experience shows, that there are two such classes of
despisers of God. Whatever is taught in Scripture, for instance, about the
corrupt nature of man, free justification, and eternal election, is turned by
many into an encouragement to sloth and to carnal indulgence. Such persons are
fitly and justly pronounced to be
swine.
Others, again,
tear
the pure doctrine, and its ministers, with sacrilegious reproaches, as if
they threw away all desire to do well, all fear of God, and all care for their
salvation. Although he employs both names to describe the incurable opponents of
the Word of God, yet, by a twofold comparison, he points out briefly in what
respect the one differs from the other.
MATTHEW 7:7-11; LUKE
11:5-13
|
MATTHEW
7:7-11
|
LUKE
11:5-13
|
|
7. Ask, and it shall be given you:
seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
8. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh
findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9. Is
there any man among you, who, if his son shall ask bread, will give him a ston?
10. Or if he shall ask a fish, does he offer him a serpent?
11. If you, then, though you are evil, know to give good
gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in heaven, give
good things, if you ask them from him?
|
5. And he saith to them, Which of
you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and shall say to him,
Friend, lend me three loaves: 6. For a friend of mine hath
come, on a journey, to me, and I have nothing to set before
him.
f451
7. And he from within answering
say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed: I
cannot rise and give thee. 8. I say to you, Though he will
not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet, on account of his
importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
9. And I say to you, Aks, and it shall be given you: seek,
and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
10. For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh
findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11. And
what father among you, from whom if his son shall ask bread, will give him a
stone? Or, if a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12. Or, if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13. If you, then, though you are evil, know to give good
gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask him?
|
Matthew 7:7.
Ask, and it shall be given
you. It is an exhortation to prayer: and
as in this exercise of religion, which ought to be our first concern, we are so
careless and sluggish, Christ presses the same thing upon us under three forms
of expression. There is no superfluity of language, when he says,
Ask, seek,
knock: but lest the simple doctrine
should be unimpressive, he perseveres in order to rouse us from our inactivity.
Such is also the design of the promises that are added, Ye
shall find, it shall be given to
you, and it shall be opened. Nothing is
better adapted to excite us to prayer than a full conviction that we shall be
heard. Those who doubt can only pray in an indifferent manner; and prayer,
unaccompanied by faith, is an idle and unmeaning ceremony. Accordingly, Christ,
in order to excite us powerfully to this part of our duty, not only enjoins what
we ought to do, but promises that our prayers shall not be
fruitless.
This ought to be carefully observed. First, we learn
from it, that this rule of prayer is laid down and prescribed to us, that we may
be fully convinced, that God will be gracious to us, and will listen to our
requests. Again, whenever we engage in prayer, or whenever we feel that our
ardor in prayer is not sufficiently strong, we ought to remember the gentle
invitation, by which Christ assures us of God’s fatherly kindness. Each of
us, trusting to the grace of Christ, will thus attain confidence in prayer, and
will venture freely to call upon God
“through Jesus
Christ our Lord, in whom (as Paul
says)
we have boldness and access
with confidence by the faith of
him,”
(<490311>Ephesians
3:11,12.)
But, as we are too prone to distrust, Christ, in
order to correct this fault also, repeats the promise in a variety of words. He
uses the metaphor
seek,
because we think, that those things which our wants and necessities require
are far distant from us—and
knock,
because our carnal senses imagine, that those things which are not
immediately at hand are shut up.
8.
For every one that asketh
receiveth. Some think that this is a
proverbial saying taken from common life: but I am more inclined to a different
view. Christ presents the grace of his Father to those who pray. He tells us,
that God is of himself prepared to listen to us, provided we pray to him, and
that his riches are at our command, provided we ask them. These words imply,
that those who are destitute of what is necessary, and yet do not resort to this
remedy for their poverty, are justly punished for their slothfulness. It is
certain, indeed, that often, when believers are asleep, God keeps watch over
their salvation, and anticipates their wishes. Nothing could be more miserable
for us than that, amidst our great indifference, or—I would rather
say—amidst our great stupidity, God were to wait for our prayers, or that,
amidst our great thoughtlessness, he were to take no notice of us. Nay more, it
is only from himself that he is induced to bestow upon us faith, which goes
before all prayers in order and in time. But as Christ here addresses disciples,
he merely reminds us in what manner our heavenly Father is pleased to bestow
upon us his gifts. Though he gives all things freely to us, yet, in order to
exercise our faith, he commands us to pray, that he may grant to our requests
those blessings which flow from his undeserved
goodness.
9.
Is there any man among
you? It is a comparison from the less to
the greater. First, our Lord contrasts the malice of men with the boundless
goodness of God. Self-love
(filauti>a)
renders us malicious: for every man is too much devoted to himself, and neglects
and disregards others. But this vice yields to the stronger feelings of a
father’s love, so that men forget themselves, and give to their children
with overflowing liberality. Whence comes this, but because God, of whom the
whole family in heaven and earth is named,
(<490315>Ephesians
3:15,) drops into their hearts a portion of his goodness? But if the little
drops produce such an amount of beneficence, what ought we to expect from the
inexhaustible ocean? Would God, who thus opens the hearts of men, shut his own?
Let us also remember that passage of Isaiah, “Though a mother forget her
children,”
(<234915>Isaiah
49:15,) yet the Lord will be like himself,
f452 and will always show himself to be a
Father.
11.
Your Father will give good
things. This is expressly mentioned by
Christ, that believers may not give way to foolish and improper desires in
prayer. We know how great influence, in this respect, is exerted by the excesses
and presumption of our flesh. There is nothing which we do not allow ourselves
to ask from God; and if he does not humor our folly, we exclaim against him.
Christ therefore enjoins us to submit our desires to the will of God, that he
may give us nothing more than he knows to be advantageous. We must not think
that he takes no notice of us, when he does not answer our wishes: for he has a
right to distinguish what we actually need. All our affections being blind, the
rule of prayer must be sought from the word of God: for we are not competent
judges of so weighty a matter. He who desires to approach God with the
conviction that he will be heard, must learn to restrain his heart from asking
any thing that is not agreeable to his will.
“Ye ask, and
receive not, (says James, 4:3,) because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it
upon your
lusts.”
(<112233>James
4:3)
Instead of
good
things
(ajgaqa<)
in the last clause, Luke says
the Holy
Spirit. This does not exclude other
benefits, but points out what we ought chiefly to ask: for we ought never to
forget the exhortation, Seek
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all other things shall be
added to you,
(<400633>Matthew
6:33.) It is the duty of the children of God, when they engage in prayer, to
strip themselves of earthly affections, and to rise to meditation on the
spiritual life. In this way, they will set little value on food and clothing, as
compared to the earnest and pledge of their adoption,
(<450815>Romans
8:15;
<490114>Ephesians
1:14:) and when God has given so valuable a treasure, he will not refuse smaller
favors.
Luke 11:5.
Which of you shall have a
friend, Luke adds this comparison, which
is not mentioned by Matthew. The general instruction conveyed by it is this:
Believers ought not to be discouraged, if they do not immediately obtain their
desires, or if they find them difficult to be obtained: for if, among men,
importunity of asking extorts what a person would not willingly do, we have no
reason to doubt that God will listen to us, if we persevere constantly in
prayer, and if our minds do not slacken through difficulty or
delay.
MATTHEW 7:12-14; LUKE
6:31
|
MATTHEW
7:12-14
|
LUKE
6:31
|
|
12. All things, therefore,
whatsoever you would wish that man should do to you, do so also to them: for
this is the Law and the Prophets. 13. Enter in by the strait
gate: because broad is the gate, and wide is the road, which leadeth to
destruction, and there are many who enter by it. 14. Because
strait is the gate, and narrow is the road, which leadeth to life, and there are
few who find it.
|
31. And as you wish tha tmen
should do to you, do you also to them likewise.
|
Matthew 7:12.
All things whatsoever you
would wish. The word
therefore
(ou+n)
is superfluous, as we often find such particles occurring, and without any
addition to the sense, in detached sentences.
f453 I have already said, that Matthew does
not give here a single discourse, but a summary of doctrine collected out of
many sermons. We must, therefore, read this sentence by itself. It is an
exhortation to his disciples to be just, and contains a short and simple
definition of what justice means. We are here informed, that the only reason why
so many quarrels exist in the world, and why men inflict so many mutual injuries
on each other, is, that they knowingly and willingly trample justice under their
feet, while every man rigidly demands that it shall be maintained towards
himself.
Where our own advantage is concerned, there is not
one of us, who cannot explain minutely and ingeniously what ought to be done.
And since every man shows himself to be a skillful teacher of justice for his
own advantage, how comes it, that the same knowledge does not readily occur to
him, when the profit or loss of another is at stake, but because we wish to be
wise for ourselves only, and no man cares about his neighbors? What is more, we
maliciously and purposely shut our eyes upon the rule of justice, which shines
in our hearts. Christ therefore shows, that every man may be a rule of acting
properly and justly towards his neighbors, if he do to others what he requires
to be done to him. He thus refutes all the vain pretenses, which men contrive
for hiding or disguising their injustice. Perfect justice would undoubtedly
prevail among us, if we were as faithful in learning
active
charity, (if we may use the expression,) as we are skillful in teaching
passive
charity. f454
For this is the law and the
prophets. Our Lord does not intend to
say, that this is the only point of doctrine laid down in
the law and the
prophets, but that all the precepts
which they contain about charity, and all the laws and exhortations found in
them about maintaining justice, have a reference to this object. The meaning is,
that the second table of the law is fulfilled, when every man conducts himself
in the same manner towards others, as he wishes them to conduct themselves
towards him. There is no need, he tells us, of long and involved debates, if
this simplicity is preserved, and if men do not, by inordinate self-love, efface
the rectitude which is engraven on their
hearts.
13.
Enter
in by the strait
gate. As nothing is more opposed to the
flesh than the doctrine of Christ, no man will ever make great proficiency in it
who has not learned to confine his senses and feelings, so as to keep them
within those boundaries, which our heavenly Teacher prescribes for curbing our
wantonness. As men willingly flatter themselves, and live in gaiety and
dissipation, Christ here reminds his disciples, that they must prepare to walk,
as it were, along a
narrow
and thorny
road.
But as it is difficult to restrain our desires from wicked licentiousness
and disorder, he soothes this bitterness by a joyful remuneration, when he tells
us, that the narrow gate, and the
narrow road, lead to life. Lest we
should be captivated, on the other hand, by the allurements of a licentious and
dissolute life, and wander as the lust of the flesh draws
us, f455 he
declares that they rush headlong to death, who choose to walk along
the broad road, and through the
wide gate, instead of keeping by
the strait gate, and narrow way,
which lead to life.
He expressly says, that
many
run along the broad
road: because men ruin each other by
wicked examples.
f456 For whence does it arise, that each of
them knowingly and wilfully rushes headlong, but because, while they are ruined
in the midst of a vast crowd, they do not believe that they are ruined? The
small number of believers, on the other hand, renders many persons careless. It
is with difficulty that we are brought to renounce the world, and to regulate
ourselves and our life by the manners of a
few.
We think it strange that we should be forcibly separated from the vast
majority, as if we were not a part of the human race. But though the doctrine of
Christ confines and hems us in, reduces our life to a
narrow
road, separates us from the crowd, and
unites us to a
few
companions, yet this harshness ought not to prevent us from striving to
obtain life.
It is sufficiently evident from Luke’s Gospel,
that the instruction, which we are now considering, was uttered by Christ at a
different time from that on which he delivered the
paradoxes,
f457 which we have formerly examined, about a
happy
life,
(<400503>Matthew
5:3-12,) and laid down to them the rule of prayer. And this is what I
have repeatedly hinted, that the instructions which are related by the other
Evangelists, at different times, according to the order of the history, were
here collected by Matthew into one summary, that he might bring more fully under
our view the manner in which Christ taught his disciples. I have therefore
thought it best to introduce here the whole passage from Luke, which corresponds
to this sentence. While I have been careful to inform my readers, as to the
order of time which is observed by Luke, they will forgive me, I hope, for not
being more exact
f458 than Matthew in the arrangement of the
doctrine.
LUKE 13:23-24
|
LUKE
13:23-24
|
|
23. And one saith to him, Lord,
are there few who obtain salvation? And he said to them,
24. Strive to enter by the narrow gate: for many, I say to
you, will seek to enter, and shall not be able.
|
Luke 13:23.
And one saith to
him. Although Matthew relates this
answer, as if it were immediately connected with other sentences taken out of
our Lord’s sermons, yet I rather think that the occasion of its being
spoken arose out of the present question. The reason why the question was put
appears to have been, that Christ, who declared himself to be the author of
life, could with difficulty collect a small number of disciples. It might
appear, that a small band of men was to be saved, and that the whole church was
going to ruin: for the whole of that nation, among whom the doctrine of Christ
made no great progress, and by whom it was universally rejected, had been
adopted by God as the heir of life. A similar doubt steals upon us, when we look
at the melancholy condition of the world. “‘The
greater part of men pursue a life which is utterly at variance with the
Gospel. What is the meaning of this?” For this reason Christ, directing.
his discourse to all, exhorted them to
strive to enter by the narrow
gate. These words were intended to
withdraw his people from a foolish curiosity, by which many are retarded and
involved, when they look around to see if any companions are joining them, as if
they were unwilling to be saved but in a crowd. When he bids them
strive,
or labor, he conveys the information, that it is impossible to obtain
eternal life without great and appalling difficulties. Let believers, therefore,
give their earnest attention to this object, instead of indulging in excessive
curiosity about the vast number of those who are going
astray.
24.
For many will seek to
enter. This was added, that we might not
be deceived by a vain hope, as if the multitude of our companions would be of
any avail to us. The flesh is willing to flatter itself, and many who now give
themselves every indulgence, promise to themselves an easy entrance into life.
Thus men practice mutual deception on each other, and fall asleep in wicked
indifference. To shake off from his own people those flattering hopes, Christ
declares that those who calculate that their possession of life is already
certain, will be shut out.
f459
LUKE 13:25-30
|
LUKE
13:25-30
|
|
25. And when the master of the house
shall have arisen, and shall have shut the door, and you shall begin to stand
without and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us: and he
answering shall say to you, I know not whence you are:
26. Then you shall begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in
thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27. And he
shall say, I say to you, I know not whence you are: depart from me, all who work
iniquity. 28. Weeping and gnashing of teeth shall be there,
when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the
kingdom of God, and yourselves shut out. 29. And they shall
come from the east and west, and north and south, and shall sit down in the
kingdom of God. 30. And, lo, they are last who shall be
first, and they are first who shall be last.
|
Luke 13:25.
And when the master of the house
shall have arisen. Though these words,
as I hinted a little before, were spoken on a different and later occasion, I
have chosen to pay more regard to the doctrine than to the time: for it is no
slight assistance to the understanding to read, in immediate connection, those
passages which are closely related in meaning. As Christ had declared that to
many, who shall desire to enter into heaven, the door will not be open, he now
asserts, that they gain nothing by occupying a place in the church because God
will at length arise in judgment, and shut out from his kingdom those who now
lay claim to a place in his family. He employs the comparison of the
master of a
house, who, having learned that some
wicked and dissolute persons among his own domestics steal out unperceived
during the night, and expose the house to thieves,
rises and shuts the
door, and does not allow those
night-prowlers to enter, who have been wandering through the public streets at
unseasonable hours. By these words he warns us, that we must avail ourselves of
the opportunity, while it is offered: for so long as the Lord invites us to
himself, the
door
is, as it were, open, that we may enter into the kingdom of heaven: but the
greater part do not deign to move a step. Christ therefore threatens, that
the
door will at length be
shut,
and that those who are looking for companions are in danger of being refused
admission.
26.
Thou hast taught in our
streets. Christ expressly states, that
it will be of no advantage to the Jews, that he approached near to them, and
permitted them to enjoy familiar intercourse with him, if, when called, they do
not answer at the appointed day. But he does not follow out his comparison: for,
after having spoken about the
master of a house, he now states,
without a figure, that he is himself the judge; and indeed the words,
thou hast taught in our
streets, can apply to no one but
himself. We now perceive his design, which was, to warn the Jews not to allow
themselves to lose, by their own neglect, the salvation which it is in their
power to obtain.
28.
When you shall see
Abraham. The Jews bore no resemblance to
the holy fathers, and had no right to boast of being descended from them: yet
nothing was more customary than to abuse the title of the
Church. f460
Christ here assures them, that a bastard race, which has departed from the faith
and piety of the fathers, has “no inheritance in
the kingdom of
God,”
(<490505>Ephesians
5:5.) There is a silent but implied reproof, that those who were desirous to
have companions in seeking salvation, did not endeavor to associate themselves
with Abraham, and the
prophets, and the holy fathers, instead
of looking around among their contemporaries, who had degenerated greatly from
their example into innumerable corruptions. “If you neglect (says he) to
enter by the strait
gate, because you are kept back by the
great number of those who are going astray, do you not see that you are
separated from the number of believers, and become involved with
unbelievers?” If the aspect of the world now dazzles your eyes, the last
day will cure you of this folly, but it will be too late: for you shall then
know that you, and others like you, are excluded from
the kingdom of
God, and have no part with
Abraham.
29.
And they shall come from the
east. He now draws a larger illustration
from the fact, that the Jews, who reckoned themselves the only lawful heirs of
God, were to be rejected, and that the Gentiles were to be substituted in their
room, and obtain the life which was promised to Abraham and his posterity. He
contrasts the Gentiles with them, in order to excite them to faith by a holy
jealousy: as Paul writes, that
“it will be a
distinguished honor of his ministry, if he excite any of his nation and blood to
such an
emulations,”
(<451113>Romans
11:13,14.)
The Jews must have been stung by it: for they had an
inordinate love of themselves, and proudly despised God and his gifts. But as we
shall, ere long, meet with this sentence again in the Gospel by
<400811>Matthew
8:11 I now glance at it more slightly.
30.
And, lo, they are last who
shall be first. The same words, as we
shall elsewhere see, were frequently employed by Christ, but in a different
sense,
(<401930>Matthew
19:30; 20:16;
<411031>Mark
10:31.) All that he intended here was, to throw down the vain confidence of the
Jews, who, having been chosen by God in preference to all the rest of the world,
trusted to this distinction, and imagined that God was in a manner bound to
them. For this reason, Christ threatens that their condition will soon be
changed; that the Gentiles, who were at that time cast off, would obtain the
first rank; and that the Jews, deprived of their honor, would not even occupy
the farthest corner in the Church.
f461
MATTHEW 7:15-20; LUKE
6:43-45
|
MATTHEW
7:15-20
|
LUKE
6:43-45
|
|
15. But beware of false prophets,
who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
16. From their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather
grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17. So every good
tree yields good fruits, and a rotten tree yields bad fruits.
18. A good tree cannot yield evil fruits, nor can a rotten
tree yield good fruits. 19. Every tree, which does not yield
good fruit, is cut down, and is thrown into the fire.
20. Therefore from their fruits you shall know
them.
|
43. For the tree is not good which
yields rotten fruit; and the tree is not rotten which yields good fruit.
44. For every tree is known from its fruit: for men do not
gather figs from thorns, nor from thorns do they gather grapes.
45. 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 of his
heart, bringeth forth what is bad. For out of the abundance of the heart his
mouth speaketh.
|
Matthew 7:15.
But beware of false
prophets. These words were intended to
teach, that the Church would be exposed to various impositions, and that
consequently many would be in danger of falling from the faith, if they were not
carefully on their guard. We know what a strong propensity men have to
falsehood, so that they not only have a natural desire to be deceived, but each
individual appears to be ingenious in deceiving himself. Satan, who is a
wonderful contriver of delusions, is constantly laying snares to entrap ignorant
and heedless persons. It was a general expectation among the
Jews
that, under the reign of Christ, their condition would be delightful, and
free from all contest or uneasiness. He therefore warns his disciples that, if
they desire to persevere, they must prepare themselves to avoid the snares of
Satan. It is the will of the Lord, (as has been already said,) that his Church
shall be engaged in uninterrupted war in this world. That we may continue to be
his disciples to the end, it is not enough that we are merely submissive, and
allow ourselves to be governed by his Word. Our faith, which is constantly
attacked by Satan, must be prepared to resist.
It is of the greatest consequence, undoubtedly, that
we should suffer ourselves to be directed by good and faithful ministers of
Christ: but as false teachers, on the other hand, make their appearance, if we
do not carefully watch, and if we are not fortified by perseverance, we shall be
easily carried off from the flock. To this purpose also is that saying of
Christ:
“The
sheep hear the voice of the shepherd; and a
stranger
they do not follow, but
flee from him,”
(<431003>John
10:3, 5)
Hence too we infer, that there is no reason why
believers should be discouraged or alarmed, when wolves creep into the fold of
Christ, when false
prophets endeavor to corrupt the purity
of the faith by false doctrines. They ought rather to be aroused to keep
watch: for it is not without reason that Christ enjoins them to be on their
guard. Provided that we are not led astray through our own sluggishness, we
shall be able to avoid every kind of snares; and, indeed, without this
confidence, we would not have the courage necessary for being on our guard. Now
that we know that the Lord will not fail to perform his promises, whatever may
be the attacks of Satan, let us go boldly to the Lord, asking from him the
Spirit of wisdom, by whose influences he not only seals on our hearts the belief
of his truth, but exposes the tricks and impositions of Satan, that we may not
be deceived by them. When Christ says, that they
come to us in sheep’s
clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves,
his meaning is, that they do not want a very plausible pretense, if prudence
be not exercised in subjecting them to a thorough
examination.
16.
From their fruits you shall
know them. Had not this mark of
distinction been added, we might have called in question the authority of all
teachers without exception. If there is a mortal danger to be dreaded in
teachers, and if we see no way of avoiding it, we shall be under the necessity
of holding them all suspected: and there will be no better or shorter method
than to keep our ears shut against them all. We see that ungodly men, to screen
themselves when rejecting every kind of doctrine, hold out this danger, and that
weak and ill-informed persons remain in a state of perplexity. That our
reverence for the Gospel, and for its faithful ministers and teachers, may not
be diminished, Christ enjoins us to form our opinion of the
false prophets from their
fruits. It is with a very bad grace that
the Papists, in order to excite hatred against us, quote directly this
exhortation of Christ, Beware of
false prophets, and by their clamors
induce ignorant people to avoid us, without knowing why. But whoever desires to
follow our Lord’s advice must judge wisely and with just discretion. For
ourselves, we not only acknowledge freely that men ought to
beware of false
prophets, but we carefully and earnestly
exhort simple people to
beware
of them. Only we warn them that, agreeably to the rule which Christ has laid
down, they should first make a strict examination, that simple people may not
reject the pure Word of God, and suffer the punishment of their own rashness.
There is a wide difference between wise caution and perverse
squeamishness.
f462 It is a heinous wickedness in the
Papists to repeal the command of Christ, by infusing into unhappy persons an
unfounded dread,
f463 which deters them from making inquiry.
Let this be regarded by us as a first principl that those who tremblingly reject
or avoid a doctrine unknown to them, act improperly, and are very far from
obeying the command of Christ.
It now remains to be seen, what are the
fruits
which Christ points out. Those who confine them to the life are, in my
opinion, mistaken. As pretended sanctity, and I know not what masks belonging to
greater austerity of life, are frequently held out by some of the worst
impostors, this would be a very uncertain test. Their hypocrisy, I do own, is at
length discovered; for nothing is more difficult than to counterfeit virtue. But
Christ did not intend to submit his doctrine to a decision so unjust in itself,
and so liable to be misunderstood, as to have it estimated by the life of men.
Under the
fruits
the manner of
teaching is itself included, and indeed
holds the chief place: for Christ proves that he was sent by God from this
consideration, that
“he seeketh
not his own glory,
but the glory of
the Father who sent him,”
(<430718>John
7:18.)
Is it objected, that few persons are endued with such
acuteness, as to distinguish good
fruits from
bad?
I answer, as I have already said: Believers are never deprived of the Spirit of
wisdom, where his assistance is needful, provided they distrust themselves,
renounce their own judgment, and give themselves up wholly to his direction. Let
us remember, however, that all doctrines must be brought to the Word of God as
the standard, and that, in judging
of false
prophets, the rule of faith holds the
chief place. We must also consider what God enjoins on his prophets and the
ministers of his word: for in this way their faithfulness may be easily
ascertained. If, for example, we place before our minds what Paul requires in
bishops,
(<540301>1
Timothy 3:1-7;
<560106>Titus
1:6-9,) that description will be sufficient of itself to condemn the whole mass
of Popery: for the Popish priests seem as if they purposely intended to present
an opposite picture. There is no reason to wonder, therefore, if they forbid men
to form a judgment of false prophets. But this passage clearly shows,
that their titles ought to go for nothing, and that not much regard ought to be
had even to their calling, if those who receive the name of pastors, and are
called to the office of teachers, do not faithfully answer to their
charge.
Do men gather grapes from thorns,
or figs from thistles? By these
proverbs, which were then in common use and universally received, Christ
confirms his statement, that no man can be deceived by
false
prophets, unless he is wilfully blind:
for the
fruits
as plainly discover upright servants of God, and unfaithful workmen, as the
fruits
point out the nature of the tree.
Luke
6:43. For the tree is not
good. This statement, as related by
Luke, appears to be a general instruction given by Christ, that by the
fruits
our opinion of every man ought to be formed, in the same manner as
a tree is known by its
fruit. After having inserted the reproof
to hypocrites, who
“perceive a straw in the
eye of another, but do not see a beam in their
own,” (verses 41,42,) he immediately
adds, For the tree is not good
which beareth rotten fruit, nor is the tree rotten which beareth good
fruit. The illative particle
ga<r,
for,
appears to connect these two sentences. But as it is certain that Luke, in
that sixth chapter, records various discourses of Christ, it is also possible
that he may have briefly glanced at what is more fully explained by Matthew. I
attach no great importance to the word
for,
which in other passages is often superfiuous, and appears obviously to be so
from the concluding
statement.
<420645>Luke
6:45. A good man, out of the
good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth
good. Such is the statement with which
Luke concludes the discourse; and I have no doubt that he intended to describe,
without a figure, the kind of judgment which Christ orders us to make from the
fruits.
Believers ought to examine carefully what kind of doctrine is taught by
those who profess to be the servants of God. “Titles (he says) are of
little value, till the speaker give actual evidence that he is sent by
God.” Yet I am far from saying, that this passage may not be applied to a
general doctrine, And certainly the last clause,
out of the abundance of the heart
his mouth speaketh, has a more extensive
reference than to false prophets: for it is a common proverb. Is it objected,
that the tongues of men lie, and that men of the worst hearts are often the best
speakers? I reply: Christ merely points out here what is a very ordinary
occurrence. For, though hypocrites express in words what is different from the
feelings of their hearts, that is no reason why we may not justly and
appropriately call the tongue the portrait of the mind.
MATTHEW 7:21-23; LUKE
6:46
|
MATTHEW
7:21-23
|
LUKE
6:46
|
|
21. Not every one that saith to
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, bu the who shall do the
will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name
have cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works?
23. And then will I confess to them, I never knew you depart
from me, you who work iniquity.
|
46. And why call you me Lord, Lord, and
do not the things which I say?
|
Matthew 7:21.
Not every one that saith to me,
Lord, Lord. Christ extends his discourse
farther :for he speaks not only of
false
prophets, who rush upon the flock to
tear and devour, but of hirelings, who insinuate themselves, under fair
appearances, as pastors, though they have no feeling of
piety. f464
This doctrine embraces all hypocrites, whatever may be their rank or station,
but at present he refers particularly to pretended
teachers,
f465 who seem to excel others. He not only
directs his discourse to them, to rouse them from the indifference, in which
they lie asleep like drunk people, but also warns believers, not to estimate
such masks beyond their proper value. In a word, he declares that, so soon as
the doctrine of the Gospel shall have begun to bear fruit by obtaining many
disciples, there will not only be very many of the common people who falsely and
hypocritically submit to it, but even in the rank of pastors there will be the
same treachery, so that they will deny by their actions and life what they
profess with the mouth.
f466 Whoever then desires to be reckoned
among the disciples, must labor to devote himself, sincerely and honestly, to
the exercises of a new life.
In the Gospel of Luke, it is a general reproof:
Why call you me Lord, Lord, and
do not the things which I say? But as
this corruption proceeds, for the most part, from pretended teachers, and easily
finds its way from them into the whole body, so, according to Matthew, our Lord
expressly attacks them. To do the
will of the Father not only means, to
regulate their life and manners, (as philosophers
talked f467
) by the rule of virtues, but also to believe in Christ, according to that
saying,
“This is the will
of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him,
may have everlasting
life,”
(<430640>John
6:40.)
These words, therefore, do not exclude faith, but
presuppose it as the principle from which other good works
flow.
22.
Many will say to
me. Christ again summons hypocrites to
his judgment-seat, as we showed a little ago from Luke. So long as they hold a
place in his Church, they both flatter themselves and deceive others. He
therefore declares, that a day is coming, when he will cleanse his barn, and
separate the chaff and straw from the pure wheat.
To prophesy in the name of
Christ is, to discharge the office of
teacher by his authority, and, as it were, under his direction.
Prophecy
is here, I think, taken in a large sense, as in the fourteenth chapter of
the Epistle to the Corinthians. He might have simply used the word
preach,
but purposely employed the more honorable appellation, in order to show more
clearly, that an outward profession is nothing, whatever may be its brilliancy
in the eyes of men. To do
wonderful works in the name of Christ is
nothing else than to perform miracles by his power, authority, command, and
direction: for, though the word
oJmologh>sw,
powers,
is sometimes confined to one class of miracles, yet in this and many other
passages it denotes every kind of
miracles.
23.
And then will I confess to
them.
f468 . By using the word
oJmologh>sw,
I will
confess,
f469 Christ appears to allude to the
vain boasting, by which hypocrites now vaunt themselves. “They
indeed have
confessed
me with the tongue, and imagine that they have fully discharged their duty.
The
confession
of my name is now heard aloud from their tongue. But I too will
confess
on the opposite side, that their profession is deceitful and false.”
And what is contained in Christ’s
confession?
That he never reckoned them among his own people, even at the time when they
boasted that they were the pillars of the church.
Depart
from me. He orders those persons to go out from his presence, who had
stolen, under a false title, an unjust and temporary possession of his house.
From this passage in our Lord’s discourse Paul seems to have taken what he
says to Timothy,
The Lord knoweth who are
his: and, let every one who calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquity,
(<550219>2
Timothy 2:19.)
The former clause is intended to prevent weak minds
from being alarmed or discouraged by the desertion of those who had a great and
distinguished reputation:
f470 for he declares that they were disowned
by the Lord, though by a vain show they captivated the eyes of men. He then
exhorts all those who wish to be reckoned among the disciples of Christ, to
withdraw
early from
iniquity,
that Christ may not drive them from his presence, when he shall
“separate the sheep
from the goats,”
(<402533>Matthew
25:33.)
MATTHEW 7:24-29; LUKE
6:47-49
|
MATTHEW
7:24-29
|
LUKE
6:47:49
|
|
24. Every one, therefore, who
heareth those saying of mine, and doeth them, I will compare him to a wise man,
who built his house upon a rock. 25. And the rain fell, and
the floods came, and the winds blew, and struck against that house, and it did
not fall: for it had been founded on a rock. 26. And every
one who heareth those saying of min, and doeth them not, shall be compared to a
foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. 27. And the
rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and struck against that
house: and it fell, and the downfall of it was great. 28. And
it happened, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that the multitudes were
astonished at his doctrine. 29. For he taught them as having
authority, and not as the scribes.
|
47. Whoever cometh to me, and
heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like.
48. He is like a wise man who biult a house, and dug deep,
and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the deluge came, the stream dashed
against that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded on a rock.
49. And he who hears, and did not, is like a man who built
his house on the earth without a foundation, on which the stream dashed, and
immediately it fell, and great was the downfall of that house.
|
Matthew 7:24.
Every one, therefore, who
heareth. As it is often difficult to
distinguish the true professors of the Gospel from the false, Christ shows, by a
beautiful comparison, where the main difference lies. He represents two houses,
one of which was built without a foundation, while the other was well-founded.
Both have the same external appearance: but, when the wind and storms blow, and
the floods dash against them, the former will immediately fall, while the latter
will be sustained by its strength against every assault. Christ therefore
compares a vain and empty profession of the Gospel to a beautiful, but not
solid, building, which, however elevated, is exposed every moment to downfall,
because it wants a foundation. Accordingly, Paul enjoins us to be well and
thoroughly founded on Christ, and to have deep roots,
(<510207>Colossians
2:7,)
“that we may not be
tossed and driven about by every wind of doctrine,”
(<490414>Ephesians
4:14)
that we may not give way at every attack. The general
meaning of the passage is, that true piety is not fully distinguished from its
counterfeit,
f471 till it comes to the trial. For the
temptations, by which we are tried, are like billows and storms, which easily
overwhelm unsteady minds, whose lightness is not perceived during the season of
prosperity.
Who heareth these
sayings. The relative
these
denotes not one class of sayings, but the whole amount of doctrine. He
means, that the Gospel, if it be not deeply rooted in the mind, is like a wall,
which has been raised to a great height, but does not rest on any foundation.
“That faith (he says) is true, which has its roots deep in the heart, and
rests on an earnest and steady affection as its foundation, that it may not give
way to temptations.” For such is the vanity of the human mind, that all
build upon the sand, who do not dig so deep as to deny
themselves.
28.
When Jesus
had.finished
these sayings. By
these
sayings I understand not only the
discourse which he delivered when he came down from the mountain, but the rest
of the doctrine, which had already been made known to the people. The meaning
therefore is, that, where he had given the people, on all sides, a taste of his
doctrine, all were seized with astonishment, because a strange, indescribable,
and unwonted majesty drew to him the minds of men. What is meant by his
teaching them as having
authority, and not as the scribes, I
have already explained.
f472
MATTHEW 8:1-4; MARK 1:40-45;
LUKE 5:12-16
|
MATTHEW
8:1-4
|
MARK
1:40-45
|
LUKE
5:12-16
|
|
1. And when he had come down from
the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2. And, lo, a
leper, approaching, worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou art willing, thou art
able to cleanse me. 3. And Jesus, having stretched out his
hand, touched him, saying, I am willing; be thou clean: and immediately his
leprosy was cleansed. 4. And Jesus saith to him, See that
thou do not tell it to any man: but go, show thyself to the priest, and present
the offering which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
|
40. And a leper came to him,
beseeaching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him, If thou art
willing, thou art able to cleanse me. 41. And Jesus, having
compassion, stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, I am
willing; be thou clean. 42. And when he had spoken,
immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.
43. And threatening him,
f473 he
immediately sent him away; 44. And he said to him, See that
thou say nothing to any man: but go, show thyself to the priest, and present for
thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
45. But he, having gone out, began to publish many things,
and to blaze abroad the matter, so that Jesus could no longer enter openly into
cities, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every
quarter.
|
12. And it happened, while he was
in a certain city, lo, a man full of leprosy: and when he had seen Jesus, he
fell down on his face, and besought Jesus, saying, Lord, if thou art willing,
thou art able to cleanse me. 13. And having stretched out his
hand, he touched him, saying, I am willing; be thou clean: and immediately the
leprosy departed from him. 14. And he commanded him that he
should not tell it to any man, but saith, Go, show thyself to the priest, and
present for thy cleansing as Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
15. But still more did the report spread about him, and great
multitudes assembled, to hear him, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
16. And he sought retirement in the deserts, and
prayed.
|
Matthew 8:1.
And when he had come down
from the mountain. Matthew now returns
to the course of the history. He had formerly said, that Christ
went up into a
mountain, (verse 1) then he
threw, as it were, into one heap, many leading points of the doctrine of Christ;
and now he adds that, about the time when he preached on the mountain, he healed
a certain
leper.
The same event is related by Mark and Luke, though they do not
mention the time. It was a striking display of the divine power of Christ, that,
by his word alone and a touch of his hand, he suddenly cleansed the man’s
leprosy. Now, though
leprosy
was a different kind of disease from
elephantiasis,
f474
(ejlefanti>asiv,)
it is plain enough that it was difficult to cure. When it had continued long and
become deeply seated, it rarely happened that any person recovered. Granting
that physicians might, by their professional skill, have given some relief, it
is manifest that there was nothing human about this
miracle.
2.
Approaching,
worshipped. What is the meaning of the
verb
proskunei~n,
which is rendered in the Latin version,
adorare,
to
adore
or
worship,
may be easily learned from this passage. For the exposition of it we may
rely on the other two Evangelists, of whom Mark says, that he
fell on his
knees, and Luke, that
he fell down on his
face. The outward gesture of
kneeling
was exhibited by the leper as a token of reverence. Now we know, that such
marks of respect were in general use among the Jews, as the people of the East
are more addicted to that kind of ceremonies. Many people accordingly think,
that the leper did not intend to render to Christ divine
worship,
f475 but gave him a respectful salutation as
a distinguished prophet of God.
I enter into no dispute as to the feelings which
moved the leper to pay reverence to Christ. But I look at what he attributed to
him, that he was able to cleanse
him, if he were willing. By these words
he declared, that he acknowledged a divine power in Christ: and when Christ
replies, I am
willing, he shows that he claimed more
for himself than belongs to man. He who, by the mere expression of his will,
restores health to men, must possess supreme authority. Whether the leper
believed that Christ was the Son of God, or that he had received this power in
the same manner as Moses and the other prophets, he entertains no doubt that he
held in his hand, and in his power, the gift of healing. True, he speaks
conditionally, if thou art
willing, thou art able. But this is not
inconsistent with that certainty of faith, which God demands in our prayers: for
men ought not to expect more than God promises. The leper had not learned by any
inspired communication, or any promise of God, what Christ would do. It would
have been improper in him, therefore, to go beyond these limits for though we
sometimes read that certain persons prayed without any condition, we ought to
believe that they were guided by special movements of the
Spirit, f476
which must not be taken for a general rule. I am not even certain if we are at
liberty to say, strictly speaking, that the leper offered a prayer. He only
declares, that he is so fully convinced of the power of Christ, as to entertain
no doubt that it is in his power to cure leprosy; and then presents himself to
be healed, but uncertain as to the result, because he did not yet know the
will
of Christ.
f477
3.
Having stretched out his
hand, he touched. Under the Law, the
touch
of a
leper
was infectious; but as Christ possesses such purity as to repel all filth
and defilement, he does not, by touching, either pollute himself with leprosy,
or become a transgressor of the law. When he took upon him our flesh, he did not
only deign to touch as with his hand, but was united to one and the same body
with ourselves, that we might be flesh of his flesh,
(<010223>Genesis
2:23.) Nor did he only stretch out his arm to us, but descended from heaven even
to hell, and yet contracted no stain from it, but, retaining his innocence, took
away all our impurities, and sprinkled us with his holiness. By his word alone
he might have healed the
leper;
but he applied, at the same time, the touch of his hand, to express the
feeling of compassion. Nor ought this to excite our wonder, since he chose to
take upon him our flesh, that he might cleanse us from our sins.
The stretching out of his
hand was therefore an expression and
token of infinite grace and goodness. What we indolently read, and coldly pass
by, cannot be duly weighed without great astonishment. The Son of God was so far
from disdaining to talk to a leper, that he even
stretched out his hand to
touch that
uncleanness.
4.
And Jesus saith to him, See
that thou tell it not to any one. Some persons,
by way of excusing the
leper,
think that Christ did not seriously forbid him to publish the miracle, but
rather gave him an additional excitement to do so. Others more justly consider
the reason of the prohibition to have been, that the full “time was
not yet come,”
(<430706>John
7:6.) I do acknowledge, that to have suppressed this miracle would have been
improper: but our Lord had a particular reason for wishing that the report of it
should not be immediately spread, or, at least, not by the
leper.
The
leper
was so far from deserving praise for the disorderly exhibition of his
regard, that he ought, in my opinion, to be condemned for not obeying
Christ’s injunction. If he wished to express his gratitude to him to whom
he was indebted for his cure, no better method could have been found than
obedience, which God prefers to all sacrifices,
(<091522>1
Samuel 15:22,) and which is the origin and foundation of lawful worship. This
example shows us, that those who allow themselves to be guided by inconsiderate
zeal act improperly, because the more eager they are to please God, the greater
progress do they make in rebellion to his commands.
Show thyself to the
priest. As the ceremonies of the law had not
yet been repealed, Christ did not wish that they should be despised or
neglected. Now, God had commanded in the law that, if any man had been cleansed
from leprosy, he should present himself to the priest with a sacrifice of
thanksgiving,
(<031402>Leviticus
14:2.) The design
f478 was, that the priest, by his decision,
might attest the benefit received from God; and that the person who had been
healed might give an expression of his gratitude. Christ, therefore, by sending
the leper to the
priest, proves that he had no other
object in view than to display the glory of God. The
showing to the
priest was for the purpose of
examination, and the
offering
was the expression of thanksgiving. He wishes that the priests should
examine the man, to make the divine favor manifest and undoubted; and that the
leper,
on the other hand, should acknowledge that God had healed him. Meanwhile, as
I have just mentioned, he commands them to observe the ceremonies prescribed by
the law, till the time when it should be repealed.
The attempt of the Papists to produce this passage,
as an authority for their own
confession,
f479 is highly foolish.
Leprosy,
they allege, is put allegorically for
sin;
and the
priests, who are consecrated by the
Pope, are the judges of spiritual leprosy.
f480 Even granting that this authority was
conferred on the priests under the law, for the purpose of informing the people,
that all their cleanness, and the decision respecting it, depended on the
priesthood, still this is impiously claimed for themselves by the Popish
priests. All the honor that belonged to the ancient priests is now claimed by
Christ alone as his own. He alone is appointed to be the judge of spiritual
leprosy, and entitled to receive, from those who have been cured, the offering
for their cleansing. Under the law, a sacrifice was employed as the seal of
cleanness, because satisfaction made by the shedding of blood is the only way in
which men are cleansed. To transfer to another that right, which God has
declared to be the prerogative of his own Son, is a detestable sacrilege. When
the ministers of the Gospel, by the command of Christ, declare to sinners that
they are cleansed from their sins, this must not be tortured into the pretended
jurisdiction, which the priests imagine, of pronouncing a decision about
leprosy. f481
Matthew 8:4; Mark 1:44.
For a testimony to
them. Some consider
testimony
to mean here a law or statute, as it is said in the Book of Psalms, God laid
down this “for a testimony to Israel,”
(<19B204>Psalm
122:4.) But this appears to me to be a poor exposition: for I have no doubt that
the pronoun to
them refers to the
priests.
f482 Christ said this, in my opinion, with a
view to the present occurrence: for this miracle was afterwards to be a
sufficiently clear proof for convicting them of ingratitude. There is nothing
inconsistent with this in the command which Christ gave to the leper to maintain
silence: for he did not intend that the remembrance of the miracle which he had
wrought should remain always buried. When the leper, at the command of Christ,
came into the presence of the priest, this was
a testimony to
them, which would render them
inexcusable, if they refused to receive Christ as the minister of God; and
would, at the same time, take away occasion for slander, since Christ did not
neglect a single point of the law. In a word, if they were not past cure, they
might be led to Christ; while, on the other hand, so solemn a testimony of God
was sufficiently powerful to condemn them, if they were
unbelievers.
See Calvin on “Mt
8:4”
Mark 1:45.
So that Jesus could no longer
enter openly into cities. Hence we learn
the reason why Christ did not wish the miracle to be so soon made known. It was
that he might have more abundant opportunity and freedom for teaching. Not that
his enemies rose against him, and attempted to shut his mouth, but because the
common people were so eager to demand miracles, that no room was left for
doctrine. He wished that they would all be more attentive to the word than to
signs. Luke accordingly says, that
he sought retirement in the
deserts. He avoided a crowd of men,
because he saw, that he would not satisfy the wishes of the people, without
overwhelming his doctrine by a superfluity of
miracles. f483
MATTHEW 8:5-13; LUKE
7:1-10
|
MATTHEW
8:5-13
|
LUKE
7:1-10
|
|
5. And when Jesus had entered into
Capernaum, a centurion came to him, beseeching him, 6. And
saying, Lord, my servant is lying at home afflicted with palsy, and is
grievously tormented. 7. And Jesus saith to him, When I shall
come, I will heal him. 8. And the centurion answering him
said, Lord, I do not deserve that thou shouldst come under my roof: but only say
the word, and my servant will be healed. 9. For I am a man
subject to the power of another, and I have soldiers under me: and I say to this
man, Go, and he goeth: and to another, Come, and he cometh: and to my servant,
Do this, and he doeth it. 10. And when Jesus had heard these
things, he wondered, and said to those who followed, Verily I say to you, not
even in Israel hav I found so great faith. 11. And I say to
you, That many will come from the east and west, and will sit down with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven: 12. But the
children of the kingdom shall be cast into the darkness that is without: weeping
and gnashing of teeth will be there. 13. And Jesus said to
the centurion, Go, and as thou believest, so may it be done to thee: and his
servant was healed in that hour.
f484
|
1. Now, when he had finished all
his words in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2. And a servant of a certain centurion, who was very dear to
him, was ill and near death. 3. And when he had heard about
Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, to entreat him, that he would come and
heal his servant. 4. And when they had come to him, they
entreated him earnestly, saying, He deserves that though shouldest do this for
him: 5. For he loveth our nation, and himself hath built a
synagogue. 6. And Jesus went with them. And when he was
already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, and they said
to him, Lord, do not trouble thyself: for I do not deserve that thou shouldest
enter under my roof. 7. And for this reason I did not reckon
myself worthy to come to thee: but say in a word, and my servant will be healed.
8. For I am a man placed under authority, having soldiers
under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh: and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 9. And
having heard these things, Jesus wondered at him, and he turned and said to the
crowd that followed him, I say to you, no even in Israel have I found so great
faith. 10. And when those who had been sent returned to the
house, they found the servant, who had been sick, in good
health.
|
Matthew 8:5.
And when Jesus had
entered Those who think that Matthew and
Luke give different narratives, are led into a mistake by a mere trifle. The
only difference in the words is, that Matthew says that
the centurion came to
him, while Luke says that he sent some
of the Jews to plead in his name. But there is no impropriety in Matthew saying,
that the centurion did what was done in his name and at his request. There is
such a perfect agreement between the two Evangelists in all the circumstances,
that it is absurd to make two miracles instead of one.
The band of soldiers, which the centurion had under
his command, was stationed, I have no doubt, in the town of Capernaum, in the
same manner as garrisons were usually appointed for the protection of the towns.
Though he perceived the morals of the people to be very vicious and depraved,
(for we know that Capernaum, being on the seacoast, must have been more
dissolute
f485 than other towns,) yet this did not
prevent him from condemning the superstitions of his country, and acquiring a
taste for true and sincere piety. He had not built a synagogue for the Jews
without exposing himself to some hatred and to some risk: and the only reason
why he loved that
nation was, that he had embraced the
worship of one God. Before Christ healed his servant, he had been healed by the
Lord.
This was itself a miracle. One who belonged to the
military profession, and who had crossed the sea with a band of soldiers, for
the purpose of accustoming the Jews to endure the yoke of Roman tyranny, submits
willingly, and yields obedience to the God of Israel. Luke says that this
servant was very dear to
him; and thus anticipates a doubt which
might have arisen in the mind of the reader: for we know that
slaves f486
were not held in such estimation, as to make their masters so solicitous about
their life, unless by extraordinary industry, or fidelity, or some other virtue,
they had secured their favor. By this statement Luke means, that this was not a
low or ordinary slave, but a faithful servant, distinguished by many
excellencies, and very highly esteemed by his master; and that this was the
reason why he was so anxious about his life, and recommended him so earnestly.
From both Evangelists it is evident that it was a sudden palsy, which, from the
first attack, took away all hope of life: for slow palsies are not attended by
severe pain. Matthew says, that he was
grievously
tormented, and Luke, that he was
near
death. Both descriptions—pain or
agony, and extreme danger—serve to enhance the glory of the miracle: and
for this reason I am the more unwilling to hazard any absolute assertion as to
the nature of the disease.
Luke 7:5.
For he loveth our
nation. This was, no doubt, a
commendation given him by the Jews on account of his
piety: f487
for his love of a
nation universally hated could proceed
only from zeal for the Law, and from reverence for God. By
building a
synagogue, he showed plainly that he
favored the doctrine of the Law. The Jews had therefore good grounds for saying
that, as a devout worshipper of God, he had claims on Christ for receiving such
a favor. They discover, at the same time, a marvellous stupidity in admitting,
by their own acknowledgment, that a Gentile possesses that grace of God which
they despise and reject. If they consider Christ to be the minister and
dispenser of the gifts of God, why do they not receive the grace offered to them
before bringing foreigners to enjoy it? But hypocrites never fail to manifest
such carelessness and presumption, as not to hesitate to look upon God as under
some sort of obligations to them, and to dispose of his grace at their pleasure,
as if it were in their own power; and then, when they are satisfied with it, or
rather because they do not deign to taste it, they treat it as useless, and
leave it to others.
Matthew 8:8.
Lord, I do not deserve that thou
shouldest come under my roof.
Matthew’s narrative is more concise, and represents the man as saying
this; while Luke explains more fully, that this was a message sent by his
friends: but the meaning of both is the same. There are two leading points in
this discourse. The centurion, sparing Christ by way of honoring him, requests
that Christ will not trouble
himself, because he reckons himself
unworthy to receive a visit from him. The next point is, that he ascribes to
Christ such power as to believe, that by the mere expression of his will, and by
a word, his servant may recover and live. There was astonishing humility in
exalting so highly above himself a man who belonged to a conquered and enslaved
nation. It is possible, too, that he had become accustomed to the haughty
pretensions of the Jews, and, being a modest man, did not take it ill to be
reckoned a heathen, and therefore feared that he would dishonor a Prophet of
God, if he pressed him to enter the house of a polluted Gentile. However that
may be, it is certain that he speaks sincerely, and entertains such reverence
for Christ, that he does not venture to invite him to his house, nay, as is
afterwards stated by Luke, he reckoned himself unworthy to converse with
him. f488
But it may be asked, what moved him to speak of
Christ in such lofty terms? The difficulty is even increased by what immediately
follows, only say the word, and
my servant will be healed, or, as Luke
has it, say in a
word: for if he had not acknowledged
Christ to be the Son of God, to transfer the glory of God to a man would have
been superstition. It is difficult to believe, on the other hand, that he was
properly informed about Christ’s divinity, of which almost all were at
that time ignorant. Yet Christ finds no fault with his
words, f489
but declares that they proceeded from faith: and this reason has forced many
expositors to conclude, that the centurion bestows on Christ the title of the
true and only God. I rather think that the good man, having been informed about
the uncommon and truly divine works of Christ, simply acknowledged in him the
power of God. Something, too, he had undoubtedly heard about the promised
Redeemer. Though he does not distinctly understand that Christ is God
manifested in the flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16,) yet he is convinced that the power of God is manifested in him,
and that he has received a commission to display the presence of God by
miracles. He is not therefore chargeable with superstition, as if he had
ascribed to a man what is the prerogative of God: but, looking at the commission
which God had given to Christ, he believes that by a word alone he can heal his
servant.
Is it objected, that nothing belongs more peculiarly
to God than to accomplish by a word whatever he pleases, and that this supreme
authority cannot without sacrilege be yielded to a mortal man? The reply is
again easy. Though the centurion did not enter into those nice distinctions, he
ascribed this power to the word, not of a mortal man, but of God, whose minister
he fully believed Christ to be: on that point he entertained no doubt. The grace
of healing having been committed to Christ,
f490 he acknowledges that this is a heavenly
power, and does not look upon it as inseparable from the bodily presence, but is
satisfied with the word, from which he believes such a power to
proceed.
Matthew 8:9.
For I am a man subject to the
power of another. This comparison does
not imply equality between the two cases, but is taken from the less to the
greater. He forms a higher conception of the divine power, which is manifested
in Christ, than of the authority which was possessed by himself over servants
and soldiers.
10.
Jesus
wondered. Wonder cannot apply to God,
for it arises out of what is new and unexpected: but it might exist in Christ,
for he had clothed himself with our flesh, and with human affections.
Not even in Israel have I found
so great faith. This is not spoken
absolutely, but in a particular point of view. For, if we consider all the
properties of faith, we must conclude that the faith of Mary was greater, in
believing that she would be with child by the Holy Ghost, and would bring forth
the only-begotten Son of God, and in acknowledging the son whom she had borne to
be her God, and the Creator of the whole world, and her only
Redeemer.
But there were chiefly two reasons why Christ
preferred the faith of a Gentile to the faith of all the Jews. One was, that a
slight and inconsiderable acquaintance with doctrine yielded so sudden and
abundant fruit. It was no small matter to declare, in such lofty terms, the
power of God, of which a few rays only were yet visible in Christ. Another
reason was, that while the Jews were excessively eager to obtain outward signs,
this Gentile asks no visible sign, but openly declares that he wants nothing
more than the bare word. Christ was going to him: not that it was necessary, but
to try his faith; and he applauds his faith chiefly on the ground of his resting
satisfied with the bare word. What would another have done, and he too one of
the Apostles? Come, Lord, see and touch. This man asks no bodily approach or
touch, but believes the word to possess such efficacy as fully to expect from it
that his servant will be cured.
Now, he ascribes this honor to the word, not of a
man, but of God: for he is convinced that Christ is not an ordinary man, but a
prophet sent by God. And hence may be drawn a general rule. Though it was the
will of God that our salvation should be accomplished in the flesh of Christ,
and though he seals it daily by the sacraments, yet the certainty of it must be
obtained from the word. Unless we yield such authority to the word, as to
believe that, as soon as God has spoken by his ministers, our sins are
undoubtedly forgiven, and we are restored to life, all confidence of salvation
is overthrown.
11.
Many will come from the east
and west. In the person of the servant,
Christ gave to the Gentiles a taste and a kind of first-fruits of his grace. He
now shows, that the master is an example of the future calling of the Gentiles,
and of the spread of faith throughout the whole world: for he says that
they will
come, not only from the neighboring
countries, but from the farthest bounds of the world. Though this had been
clearly foretold by many passages of the prophets, it appeared at first strange
and incredible to the Jews, who imagined that God was confined to the family of
Abraham. It was not without astonishment that they heard, that those who were at
that time strangers, would be citizens and heirs of the kingdom of God: and not
only so, but that the covenant of salvation would be immediately proclaimed,
that the whole world might be united in one body of the Church. He declares,
that the Gentiles, who shall come to the faith, will be partakers of the same
salvation with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob. Hence we draw the certain
conclusion, that the same promise, which has been held out to us in Christ, was
formerly given to the fathers; for we would not have had an inheritance in
common with them, if the faith, by which it is obtained, had not been the same.
The word
ajnakliqh>sontai,
shall
recline, contains an allusion to a
banquet: but as we know, that the heavenly life does not require meat and drink,
this phrase has the same meaning as if he had said,
they shall enjoy the same
life.
12.
But the children of the
kingdom. Why does he call those persons
children of the
kingdom, who were nothing less than
children of Abraham? for those who are aliens from the faith have no right to be
considered a part of God’s flock. I answer: Though they did not actually
belong to the Church of God, yet, as they occupied a place in the Church, he
allows them this designation. Besides, it ought to be observed that, so long as
the covenant of God remained in the family of Abraham, there was such force in
it, that the inheritance of the heavenly kingdom belonged peculiarly to them.
With respect to God himself, at least, they were holy branches from a holy
root,
(<451116>Romans
11:16:) and the rejection of them, which afterwards followed, shows plainly
enough, that they belonged, at that time, to the family of God. Secondly, it
ought to be observed, that Christ does not now speak of individuals, but of the
whole nation. This was still harder to endure than the calling of the Gentiles.
That the Gentiles should be admitted, by a free adoption, into the same body
with the posterity of Abraham, could scarcely be endured: but that the Jews
themselves should be driven out, to make way for their being succeeded by the
Gentiles, appeared to them altogether monstrous. Yet Christ declares that both
will happen: that God will admit strangers into the bosom of Abraham, and that
he will exclude the
children. There is an implied contrast
in the phrase, the darkness that
is without. It means that out of the
kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of light, nothing but darkness reigns. By
darkness
Scripture points out that dreadful anguish, which can neither be expressed
nor conceived in this life.
f491
13.
Go away, and as thou
believest, so may it be to thee. Hence
it is evident how graciously Christ pours out his grace, when he finds the
vessel of faith open. Though he addresses these words to the centurion, there
can be no doubt that, in his person, he invites us all to strong hope. Hence we
are also taught the reason why God is, for the most part, so limited in his
communications to us: it is because our unbelief does not permit him to be
liberal. If we open up the entrance to him by faith, he will listen to our
wishes and prayers.
LUKE 7:11-17
|
LUKE
7:11-17
|
|
11. And it happened, when he
departed, that he went into a city, which was called Nain, and many of his
disciples, and a great multitude, went along with him.
12. And as he was approaching to the gate of the city, there
was carried out a dead man, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and
a great multitude from the city was with her. 13. And when
the Lord saw her, he was moved with compassion towards her, and said to her,
Weep not. 14. And approaching he touched the coffin, (and
they who were carrying it stood still,) and said, Young man, I say to thee,
Arise. 15. And he who was dead sat up, and began to speak,
and he gave him to his mother. 16. And fear seized all, and
they glorified God, saying, A great Prophet hath risen up among us, and God hath
visited his people. 17. And this report concerning him was
spread throughout all Judea, and all the neighboring country.
|
Luke 7:11.
And it happened, that he went
into a city. In all the miracles of
Christ, we must attend to the rule which Matthew lays down. We ought to know,
therefore, that this young man, whom Christ raised from the dead, is an emblem
of the spiritual life which he restores to us. The name of the city contributes
to the certainty of the history. The same purpose is served by what Luke says,
that a great
multitude from every direction followed
him: for Christ had many attendants along with him, and many persons accompanied
the woman, as a mark of respect, to the interment of her son. The resurrection
of the young man was beheld by so many witnesses, that no doubt could be
entertained as to its truth. There was the additional circumstance of its being
a crowded place: for we know that public assemblies were held at the gates. That
the dead man was carried out of the city was in accordance with a very ancient
custom among all nations.
Jerome
says that, in his time, the city of Nain was still in existence, two miles
below Mount Tabor, in a southerly
direction.
12.
The only son of his
mother. The reason which induced Christ
to restore the young man to life was, that he saw the
widow
bereft of her only
son, and had compassion on her: for he
did not withhold his favor till some one requested it, as he did on other
occasions; but anticipated the prayers of all, and
restored the son to his
mother, by whom nothing of this sort was
expected. We have here a striking emblem of his freely bestowed compassion in
raising us from death to life. By
touching the coffin he intended perhaps
to show, that he would by no means shrink from death and the grave, in order to
obtain life for us. He not only deigns to touch us with his hand, in order to
quicken us when we are dead, but, in order that he might raise us to heaven,
himself descends into the grave.
14.
Young man, I say to
thee. By this word Christ proved the
truth of the saying of Paul, that God calleth those things which are not as ,
they were,
(<450417>Romans
4:17.) He addresses the dead man, and makes himself be heard, so that death is
suddenly changed into life. We have here, in the first place, a striking emblem
of the future resurrection, as Ezekiel is commanded to say, O ye dry bones,
hear the word of the Lord, (37:4.) Secondly, we are taught in what manner
Christ quickens us spiritually by faith. It is when he infuses into his word a
secret power, so that it enters into dead souls, as he himself
declares,
The hour cometh, when the
dead shall hear the voice of
the
Son of God, and they who hear shall live,
(<430525>John
5:25.)
16.
And fear seized
all. A sense of the divine presence must
have brought
fear
along with it: but there is a difference between the kinds
of
fear. Unbelievers either tremble and are
dismayed; or, struck with alarm, murmur against God: while devout and godly
persons, moved by reverence, willingly humble themselves.
Fear,
therefore, is here taken in a good sense, because they gave the honor which
was due to the power of God which they had beheld, and rendered to God not only
homage, but thanksgiving.
God hath visited his
people. I understand this to refer not
to every kind of
visitation,
but to that which would restore them to their original condition. Not only
were the affairs of Judea in a depressed state, but they had sunk under a
wretched and frightful slavery, as if God were not looking at them. The only
remaining hope was, that God had promised to be their Redeemer, after they had
endured very heavy calamities. I have no doubt, therefore, that they were
excited by the miracle to expect an approaching restoration to prosperity: only
they fall into a mistake as to the nature of the
visitation.
Though they acknowledge and celebrate the unwonted grace of God in this
respect, that a great Prophet
hath risen up among us, yet this
eulogium comes very far short of the dignity and glory of the promised Messiah.
Hence it appears that the faith of that people was, at this time, exceedingly
confused, and involved in many unfounded imaginations.
MATTHEW 8:19-22; LUKE
9:57-62
|
MATTHEW
8:19-22
|
LUKE
9:57-62
|
|
19. And a scribe approaching said
to him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go.
20. And Jesus saith to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of
the air have nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
21. And another of his disciples said to him, Lord, permit me
first to go and bury my father. 22. And Jesus said to him,
Follow me, and allow the dead to bury their dead.
|
57. And it happened, while they
were walking in the way, one said to him, I will follow thee withersoever thou
shalt go. 58. Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds
of the air have nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59. And he said to another, Follow me. And he said, Lord,
permit me to go first and bury my father. 60. And Jesus said
to him, Allow the dead to bury their dead: but go thou and proclaim the kingdom
of God. 61. And another said to him, I will follow thee,
Lord, but permit me first to bid farewell to those who are in my house.
62. Jesus said to him, No man who, having put his hand to the
plough, shall look back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
|
Matthew 8:19.
And a scribe
approaching. Two men are here presented
to us by Matthew, and three by Luke, all of whom were prepared to become
disciples of Christ, but who, having been prevented by a diversity of vices from
following the right course, receive a corresponding variety of replies. It might
at first sight appear strange, that Christ sends back, and does not admit into
his family, one who offers to follow him immediately and without delay: while he
detains another along with him who, by asking leave for a time, showed himself
to be slower and less willing. But there are the best reasons for both. Whence
arose the great readiness of the
scribe
to prepare himself immediately to accompany Christ, but from his not having
at all considered the hard and wretched condition of his followers? We must bear
in mind that he was a
scribe,
who had been accustomed to a quiet and easy life, had enjoyed honor, and was
ill-fitted to endure reproaches, poverty, persecutions, and the cross. He wishes
indeed to follow Christ, but dreams of an easy and agreeable life, and of
dwellings filled with every convenience; whereas the disciples of Christ must
walk among thorns, and march to the cross amidst uninterrupted afflictions. The
more eager he is, the less he is prepared. He seems as if he wished to fight in
the shade and at ease, neither annoyed by sweat nor by dust, and beyond the
reach of the weapons of war. There is no reason to wonder that Christ rejects
such persons: for, as they rush on without consideration, they are distressed by
the first uneasiness of any kind that occurs, lose courage at the first attack,
give way, and basely desert their post. Besides, this scribe might have sought a
place in the family of Christ, in order to live at his table without expense,
and to feed luxuriously without toil. Let us therefore look upon ourselves as
warned, in his person, not to boast lightly and at ease, that we will be the
disciples of Christ, while we are taking no thought of the cross, or of
afflictions; but, on the contrary, to consider early what sort of condition
awaits us. The first lesson which he gives us, on entering his school, is to
deny ourselves, and take up his
cross,
(<401624>Matthew
16:24.)
20.
Foxes have
holes. The Son of God describes by these
words what was his condition while he lived on the earth, but, at the same time,
informs his disciples what sort of life they must be prepared to expect. And yet
it is strange that Christ should say, that he had not a foot of earth on which
he could lay his
head, while there were many godly and
benevolent persons, who would willingly receive him into their houses. But this
was spoken, it ought to be observed, as a warning to the scribe, not to expect
an abundant and rich hire, as if he had a wealthy master, while the master
himself receives a precarious subsistence in borrowed
houses.
21.
Lord, permit me to go first
and bury my father. We have said, that
the scribe was rejected by Christ as a follower, because he made his offer
without consideration, and imagined that he would enjoy an easy life. The person
whom Christ retains had an opposite fault. He was prevented from immediately
obeying the call of Christ by the weakness of thinking it a hardship to leave
his father. It is probable that his father was in extreme old age: for the mode
of expression, Permit me to
bury, implies that he had but a short
time to live. Luke says that Christ ordered him to
follow;
while
Matthew
says that he was one of his
disciples. But he does not refuse the
calling: he only asks leave for a time to discharge a duty which he owes to his
father. f492
The excuse bears that he looked upon himself as at liberty till his
father’s death. From Christ’s reply we learn, that children should
discharge their duty to their parents in such a manner that, whenever God calls
them to another employment, they should lay this aside, and assign the first
place to the command of God. Whatever duties we owe to men must give way, when
God enjoins upon us what is immediately due to himself. All ought to consider
what God requires from them as individuals, and what is demanded by their
particular calling, that earthly parents may not prevent the claims of the
highest and only Father of all from remaining
entire.
22.
Allow the dead to bury their
dead. By these words Christ does not
condemn burial: for it would have been shameful and cruel to throw away the
bodies of the dead unburied, and we know that the custom of burying originated
in a divine command, and was practiced by the saints, in order to strengthen the
hope of the last resurrection. He intended only to show, that what ever
withdraws us from the right course, or retards us in it, deserves no other name
than
death.
Those only live, he tells us, who devote all their thoughts, and every part
of their life, to obedience to God; while those who do not rise above the
world,—who devote themselves to pleasing men, and forget God,—are
like dead
men, who are idly and uselessly employed
in taking care of the dead.
Luke 9:60.
But go thou and proclaim the
kingdom of God. Matthew has only the
words, Follow
me: but Luke states more fully the
reason why he was called, which was, that he might be a minister and preacher of
the Gospel. Had he remained in a private station, there would have been no
absolute necessity for leaving his father, provided he did not forsake the
Gospel on his father’s account.
f493 But the preaching of the Gospel does not
allow him to remain at home, and therefore Christ properly takes him away from
his father. While the amazing goodness of Christ appears in bestowing so
honorable an office on a man who was still so weak, it deserves our notice, that
the fault which still cleaved to him is corrected, and is not overlooked and
encouraged.
Luke 9:61.
And another
said. Matthew does not mention this
third person. It appears that he was too strongly attached to the world, to be
ready and prepared to follow Christ. True, he offers to join the family of
Christ, but with this reservation,
after he has bid farewell to
those who are in his house; that is,
after he has arranged his business at home, as men are wont to do when preparing
for a journey. This is the true reason why Christ reproves him so severely: for,
while he was professing in words that he would be a follower of Christ, he
turned his back upon him, till he had despatched his worldly
business.
62.
He who, after having put his
hand to the plough, shall look back,
is unfit for the kingdom of
God. We must carefully inquire what this
declaration of Christ means. They are said to
look
back, who become involved in the cares
of the world, so as to allow themselves to be withdrawn from the right path;
particularly, when they plunge themselves into those employments which
disqualify them to follow Christ.
MATTHEW 9:1-8; MARK 2:1-12;
LUKE 5:17-26
|
MATTHEW
9:1-8
|
MARK
2:1-12
|
LUKE
5:17-26
|
|
1. And entering into a ship, he
passed over, and came into his own city. 2. And, lo, they
brought to him a paralytic lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he
said to the paralytic, Take courage, my son, thy sins are forgiven thee.
3. And, lo, some of the scribes said among themselves, This
man blasphemeth. 4. And when Jesus saw their thoughts, he
said, Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5. For whether is
it easier to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
6. But that you may know that the Son of man hath authority
on earth to forgive sins, (then he saith to the paralytic,) Arise, take up thy
bed, and go away to thy house. 7. And he arose, and went away
to his house. 8. And the multitudes who saw it wondered, and
glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
|
1. And again he entered into
Capernaum after some days; and it was reported that he was in the house.
2. And immediately many were assembled, so that the places
which were around the door did not now contain them, and he preached the word to
them. 3. And they come to him, bringing a paralytic, who was
carried by four persons. 4. And when they could not approach
him on account of the crowd, they uncovered the roof of the house in which he
was, and having made an opening in the roof, they lower the couch on which the
paralytic lay. 5. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to
the paralytic, Son, thy sins are forgiven thee. 6. And some
of the scribes were sitting there, and thinking
f494 in
their hearts, 7. Why does this man thus speak blasphemies?
Who can forgive sins but God alone? 8. And immediately when
Jesus knew by his Spirit that they thought thus within themselves, he said to
them, Why do you think those things in your hearts?
9. Whether it is easier to say to the paralytic, Thy sins are
forgiven thee; or to say, Rise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10. But that you may know that the Son of man hath authority
on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the paralytic,) 11. I
say to thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go away to thy house.
12. And immediately he arose, and having taken up the bed,
went out in the presence of all, so that all were astonished, and glorified God,
saying, We never saw such a thing.
|
17. And it happened on a certain
day, and he was teaching: and Pharisees and doctors of the law were sitting, who
had come out of every village of Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem; and the
power of the Lord was present to heal them. 18. And, lo, men
carrying on a bed, a man who was a paralytic, and they sought to bring him in,
and to place him before him. 19. And not finding a way by
which they could bring him in on account of the crowd, they went up to the roof,
and lowered him by cords with the bed into the midst before Jesus.
20. And when he saw their faith, he said to him, Man, thy
sisn are forgiven thee. 21. And the scribes and Pharisees
began to think, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive
sins but God alone? 22. And when Jesus knew their thoughts,
he answering said to them, What do you think in your hearts?
23. Whether it is easier to say, Thy sisn are forgiven thee,
or to say, Arise, and walk? 24. But that you may know that
the Son of man hath authority on earth, (he saith to the paralytic,) I say to
thee, Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thy house. 25. And
immediately rising up before them, he took up the bed on which he had been
lying, and went away to his own house, glorifying God.
26. And amazement seized all, and they glorified God, and
were filled with fear, saying, We have seen incredible things
today.
|
Matthew 9:1.
And came into his own
city. This passage shows, that
Capernaum
was generally believed to be the birth-place of Christ, because his visits
to it were frequent: for there is no room to doubt, that it is the same history
which is related by the three Evangelists, though some circumstances may be more
exactly related by one of them than by another. Luke says that scribes had come
from various parts of Judea, who were spectators when Christ
healed
the
paralytic;
and at the same time states indirectly, that there were others who also
received
healing
through the grace of Christ. For, before he comes to the
paralytic,
he speaks in the plural number, and says, that the power of God was
displayed for healing
their
diseases; the power of the
Lord was present to heal them. The glory
of this miracle was very remarkable. A man destitute of the use of all his
limbs, lying on a bed, and lowered by cords, suddenly rises up in health, vigor,
and agility. Another special reason why the Evangelists dwell more on this
miracle than on others is, that the scribes were offended at Christ for claiming
power and authority to forgive
sins; while Christ intended to confirm
and seal that authority by a visible sign.
2.
And when Jesus saw their
faith. It is God alone, indeed, who
knows
faith:
but they had given evidence of
faith
by the laboriousness of that attempt: for they would never have submitted to
so much trouble, nor contended with such formidable hindrances, if they had not
derived courage from entire confidence of success. The fruit of their faith
appeared in their not being wearied out, when they found the entrance closed up
on all sides. The view which some take of these words, that Christ, as a divine
person, knew their faith, which lay concealed within them, appears to me a
forced interpretation.
Now, as Christ granted to their
faith
the favor which he bestowed on the
paralytic,
a question is usually raised on this passage how far do men derive advantage
from the faith of others? And, first, it is certain, that the faith of Abraham
was of advantage to his posterity, when he embraced the free covenant offered to
him and to his seed. We must hold a similar belief with regard to all believers,
that, by their faith, the grace of God is extended to their children and their
children’s children even before they are born. The same thing takes place
in infants, who are not yet of such an age as to be capable of faith. With
regard to adults, on the other hand, who have no faith of their own, (whether
they be strangers, or allied by blood,) the faith of others can have nothing
more than an indirect influence in promoting the eternal salvation of their
souls. As the prayers, by which we ask that God will turn unbelievers to
repentance, are not without advantage, our faith is evidently of such advantage
to them, that they do not arrive at salvation, till they have been made
partakers of the same faith with us in answer to our prayers. But where there is
a mutual agreement in faith, it is well known that they promote the salvation of
each other. It is also beyond all question, that earthly blessings are often,
for the sake of the godly, bestowed on unbelievers.
With regard to the present passage, though Christ is
said to have been moved by the faith of others, yet the
paralytic
could not have obtained the
forgiveness of his sins, if he had had
no faith of his own. Unworthy persons were often restored by Christ to health of
body, as God daily maketh his sun
to rise on the evil and the good,
(<400545>Matthew
5:45) but there is no other way in which he is reconciled to us than by faith.
There is a synecdoche, therefore, in the word
their,
when it is said that Jesus
saw THEIR
faith:
for Christ not only looked at those who brought the paralytic, but looked
also at
his
faith.
Thy sins are forgiven
thee. Christ appears here to promise to
the paralytic something different from what he had requested: but, as he intends
to bestow health of body, he begins with removing the cause of the disease, and
at the same time reminds the paralytic of the origin of his disease, and of the
manner in which he ought to arrange his prayers. As men usually do not consider
that the afflictions which they endure are God’s chastisements, they
desire nothing more than some alleviation in the flesh, and, in the meantime,
feel no concern about their sins: just as if a sick man were to disregard his
disease, and to seek only relief from present
pain. f495
But the only way of obtaining deliverance from all evils is to have God
reconciled to us. It does sometimes happen, that wicked men are freed from their
distresses, while God is still their enemy: but when they think that they have
completely escaped, the same evils immediately return, or more numerous and
heavier calamities overwhelm them, which make it manifest that they will not be
mitigated or terminated. until the wrath of God shall be appeased, as God
declares by the Prophet Amos
If thou escape a lion, a
bear shall meet thee; if thou
shut
thyself up at home, a serpent shall bite thee,
(<300519>Amos
5:19.)
Thus it appears that this is a frequent and ordinary
way of speaking in the Scriptures, to promise the pardon of sins, when the
mitigation of punishments is sought. It is proper to attend to this order in our
prayers. When the feeling of afflictions reminds us of our sins, let us first of
all be careful to obtain pardon, that, when God is reconciled to us, he may
withdraw his hand from punishing.
3.
And, lo, some of the
scribes. They accuse Christ of blasphemy
and sacrilege, because he claims for himself what is God’s prerogative.
The other two Evangelists tell us also that they said,
Who can forgive sins but God
alone? It is beyond all question, that
their eagerness to slander drove them to this wicked conclusion. If they think
that there is any thing which deserves blame, why do they not inquire into
it? f496
Besides, as the expression admits of more than one meaning, and as Christ said
nothing more than what the Prophets frequently say when they announce the grace
of God, why do they take in a bad sense what admits of a favorable
interpretation? They must have been already poisoned by malice and envy,
otherwise they would not so eagerly have seized an occasion of blaming Christ.
They remain silent, but think in
their hearts, that they may slander him
when absent among people of their own class. It is no doubt true, that God alone
has power and authority to
forgive sins: but they are wrong in
concluding that it does not belong to Christ, for he is God manifested in the
flesh,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16.) They had a right to inquire on what grounds Christ laid claim to
such
authority:
but, without any inquiry, they suppose him to be one of the common rank of
men, and proceed rashly to condemn him.
4.
And when Jesus saw their
thoughts. He now gives a proof of
his Divinity in bringing to light their secret thoughts:
for who knoweth the things of a
man but the spirit of man which is in him?
(<460211>1
Corinthians 2:11.) And so Mark adds, that
Jesus knew by his
Spirit: which means, that what was
concealed in their hearts could not be perceived by man, but that Christ by his
Divine Spirit knew it thoroughly.
Why do you think
evil? This does not imply that it gave
them pain to see a mortal man assuming what God claims as his own prerogative,
but that they proudly and wickedly rejected God, who was openly manifested to
them.
5.
Whether is it easier to
say? The meaning is, that, as it is not
easier to quicken by a word a body which is nearly dead than to forgive
sins,
there is no reason to wonder that he
forgives
sins, when he has accomplished the
other. The argument which our Lord uses may appear to be not well-founded: for,
in proportion as the soul is more excellent than the body, the forgiveness of
sins is a greater work than the healing of the body. But the reply is
easy. Christ adapts his discourse to their capacity: for, being carnal, they
were more powerfully affected by outward signs, than by all the spiritual power
of Christ, which related to eternal salvation. Thus he proves the efficacy of
the Gospel for quickening men from the fact, that at the last day he will raise
the dead by his voice out of their graves.
Wonder not at this: for
the hour is coming, in which all who are in the graves shall hear his voice, and
shall come
forth,
(<430528>John
5:28,29.)
This was a sufficiently powerful argument to refute
those who reckoned a visible miracle of more importance than all things else.
They could not say that he had no right to
forgive the
sins of the paralytic, when he restored
to him health and rigour: for this was a result which followed from the
forgiveness of sins.
6. That the Son of
man hath authority on earth. This
authority
is very different from what was given to the apostles, and from what is now
exercised by the pastors of the Church: for they cannot so properly be said to
pardon
sins, as to declare that they are
pardoned, when they deliver the commission which is entrusted to them. By these
words Christ declares that he is not only the minister and witness, but likewise
the author, of this grace. But what means this restriction,
on
earth? Of what avail will it be to us to
have obtained pardon here, if it be not ratified in heaven? Christ’s
meaning was, that forgiveness of sins ought not to be sought from a distance:
for he exhibits it to men in his own person, and as it were in his hands. So
strong is our inclination to distrust, that we never venture to believe that God
is merciful to us, till he draws near, and speaks familiarly to us. Now, as
Christ descended to earth for the purpose of exhibiting to men the
grace
of God as present, he is said to
forgive
sins visibly, because in him and by him
the will of God was revealed which, according to the perception of the flesh,
had been formerly hidden above the clouds.
8.
And the multitudes who
saw. Instead of
astonishment
which Matthew mentions,
f497 the other two Evangelists employ the
word
e]kstasiv,
or amazement: and Luke adds
fear.
But the design of all the Evangelists is to show, that the power of God was
not merely acknowledged, but that all were struck with
astonishment,
and compelled to give glory to God.
The
fear, which followed the
astonishment,
had the effect of preventing them from opposing Christ, and of making them
submit to him with reverence as a Prophet of God. Matthew expressly says,
that they glorified God, who had
given such authority to men. Here they
appear to be partly mistaken: for, though they see a man with their eyes, they
ought to have perceived in him, by the mind, something higher than man. They are
no doubt right in saying, that the nature of man received great honor in Christ
for the general advantage of the human race: but as they do not perceive him to
be God manifested in the flesh,
(<540306>1
Timothy 3:6,) their confession is involved in some
error. f498
In a word, it was true, that God
gave such authority to men: but the form
and manner of giving was not yet understood by those who were not aware that the
majesty of God was united to flesh.
MATTHEW 9:9-13; MARK 2:13-17;
LUKE 5:27-32
|
MATTHEW
9:9-13
|
MARK
2:13-17
|
LUKE
5:27-32
|
|
9. And Jesus, passing on, saw a
man sitting at the custom-house, named Matthew, and saith to him, Follow me. And
he arose and followed
f499
him. 10. And it happened that he
was reclining in that man’s house, and, lo, many publicans and sinners who
had come, reclined together with Jesus and his disciples.
11. And the Pharisees, when they saw it, said to his
disciples, Why does your Master eat with publicans and sinners?
12. But Jesus, when he had heard it, said to them, Not they
who are in health have need of a physician, but they who are diseased.
13. But rather go, and learn what that means, I wish mercyh,
and not sacrifice: for I came not to call righteous persons, but sinners, to
repentance.
|
13. And he departed again towards
the sea, and the whole multitude came to him, and he taught them.
14. And while Jesus was passing along, he saw Levi, the son
of Alpheus, sitting at the custom-house, and said to him, Follow me: and he
arose and followed him. 15. And it happened, while he was
reclining in that man’s house, many publicans and
sinners
f500
also reclined along with Jesus and his disciples:
for there were many who followed him. 16. And the scribes and
Pharisees, when they saw him taking food with publicans and sinners, said to his
disciples, Why is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?
17. Jesus, having heard this, saith to them, Not they who are
in health have need of a physician, but they who are diseased. I came not to
call righteous persons, but sinners to repentance.
|
27. And after these things he went
out, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the custom-house, and said to
him, Follow me. 28. And he left all, and followed
him.
f501
29. And Levi made him a great
banquet in his house; and there was a great multitude of publicans and others,
who reclined with them. 30. And the scribes and
Pharisees
f502
murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do you
eat and drink with publicans and sinners? 31. And Jesus
answering said to them, Not they who are in health need a physician, but they
who are diseased. 32. I came not to call righteous persons,
but sinners, to repentance.
|
Matthew 9:9.
Jesus saw a man sitting at
the customhouse. The
custom-house
has usually been a place noted for plundering and for unjust exactions, and
was at that time particularly infamous. In the choice of Matthew out of that
place, not only to be admitted into the family of Christ, but even to be called
to the office of Apostle, we have a striking instance of the grace of God. It
was the intention of Christ to choose simple and ignorant persons to that rank,
in order to cast down the wisdom of the world,
(<460206>1
Corinthians 2:6.) But this publican, who followed an occupation little esteemed
and involved in many abuses, was selected for additional reasons, that he might
be an example of Christ’s undeserved goodness, and might show in his
person that the calling of all of us depends, not on the merits of our own
righteousness, but on his pure kindness. Matthew, therefore, was not only a
witness and preacher, but was also a proof and illustration of the grace
exhibited in Christ. he gives evidence of his gratitude in not being ashamed to
hand down for perpetual remembrance the record of what he formerly was, and
whence he was taken, that he might more fully illustrate in his person the grace
of Christ. In the same manner Paul says:
This is a faithful
saying, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am
chief,
(<540115>1
Timothy 1:15.)
As to Mark and Luke calling him
Levi,
it appears that this was his ordinary name:
f503 but that his being a
publican
was the reason why he took a foreign name.
Follow
me. There is no reason to doubt that
Christ explained in many words why he was called, and on what conditions. This
is more fully ascertained from Luke, who says,
that he left all, rose up, and
followed Christ: for it would not have
been necessary for him to leave all, if he had not been a private disciple of
Christ, and called in expectation of the Apostleship. In the great readiness and
eagerness of Matthew to obey, we see the Divine power of the word of Christ. Not
that all in whose ears he utters his voice are equally affected in their hearts:
but in this man Christ intended to give a remarkable example, that we might know
that his calling was not from man.
f504
Luke 5:29. And
Levi made him a great
banquet. This appears to be at variance
with what Luke relates, that he
left all: but the solution is easy.
Matthew disregarded every hinderance, and gave up himself entirely to Christ,
but yet did not abandon the charge of his own domestic affairs. When Paul,
referring to the example of soldiers, exhorts the ministers of the word to be
free and disentangled from every hinderance, and to devote their labors to the
church, he says:
No man that warreth
entangleth himself with the affairs of
life,
that he may please the
commander,
(<550204>2
Timothy 2:4.)
He certainly does not mean, that those who enroll
themselves in the military profession divorce their wives, forsake their
children, and entirely desert their homes; but that they quit their homes for a
time, and leave behind them every care, that they may be wholly employed in war.
In the same manner, nothing kept Matthew from following where Christ called; and
yet he freely used both his house and his property, as far as the nature of his
calling allowed. It was necessary, indeed, that he should leave the
custom-house:
for, had he been detained there, he would not have been a follower of
Christ. f505
It is called
a great
banquet, with reference not to the
multitude of the guests, but to the abundance and magnificence of the
provisions: for we know that Christ did not practise such austerity, as not to
allow himself to be sometimes entertained more splendidly by the rich, provided
that there were no superfluity. Yet we cannot doubt that, as he was a remarkable
example of temperance, so he exhorted those who entertained him to frugality and
moderation in diet, and would never have endured wasteful and extravagant
luxuries. Matthew says that
sinners—that
is, men of wicked lives and of infamous
character—came
to the banquet. The reason was, that the
publicans,
being themselves generally hated and despised, did not disdain to associate
with persons of that description; for, as moderate correction produces shame and
humiliation in transgressors, so excessive severity drives some persons to
despair, makes them leave off all shame, and abandon themselves to wickedness.
In levying custom or taxes there was nothing wrong: but when the
publicans
saw themselves cast off as ungodly and detestable persons, they sought
consolation in the society of those who did not despise them on account of the
bad and disgraceful reputation which they shared along with them. Meanwhile,
they mixed with adulterers, drunkards, and such characters; whose crimes they
would have detested, and whom they would not have resembled, had not the public
hatred and detestation driven them to that
necessity.
Matthew 9:11.
Why does your Master eat with
publicans and sinners? The scribes
attack the disciples of Christ, and, with the view of soliciting them to revolt,
reproach him with what was at first sight base and shameful.” Of what use
was it that he should be their Master, if it were not to withdraw them from the
majority of men to lead a holier life? On the contrary, he withdrew them from a
respectable and passable condition in life to ungodly licentiousness, and to
pollute themselves by wicked companions.” Ignorant and wavering disciples
might have been induced by such reproaches to desert their Master. But they act
properly when, not finding themselves sufficiently fortified against such a
calumny, they carry their complaint to their Master: for Christ, by opposing the
scribes, confirms his disciples for the
future.
12.
Not they who are in health
need a physician. It is evident from
Christ’s reply that the scribes erred in two ways: they did not take into
account the office of Christ; and, while they spared their own vices, they
proudly despised all others. This deserves our particular attention, for it is a
disease which has been always very general. Hypocrites, being satisfied and
intoxicated with a foolish confidence in their own righteousness, do not
consider the purpose for which Christ was sent into the world, and do not
acknowledge the depth of evils in which the human race is plunged, or the
dreadful wrath and curse of God which lies on all, or the accumulated load of
vices which weighs them down.
The consequence is, that they are too stupid to feel
the miseries of men, or to think of a remedy. While they flatter themselves,
they cannot endure to be placed in their own rank, and think that injustice is
done them, when they are classed with transgressors. Our Lord glances at this
second error by replying, that
they who are in health have no
need of a physician. It is an ironical
admission,
f506 and is intended to show that they are
offended when they see sinners, because they claim righteousness for themselves.
Because you are in
health, (he says,) you despise
the
sick, are offended at them, and cannot
endure the sight of them: but a
physician
ought to be affected in a very different manner. He afterwards points out
that he must discharge the duties of a
physician,
because he has been sent by the Father
to call
sinners.
Though Christ begins with reproof, yet if we desire
to make progress in his doctrine, what he has put in the second place must
receive our first consideration. He came to quicken the dead, to justify the
guilty and condemned, to wash those who were polluted and full of uncleanness,
to rescue the lost from hell, to clothe with his glory those who were covered
with shame, to renew to a blessed immortality those who were debased by
disgusting vices. If we consider that this was his office and the end of his
coming,—if we remember that this was the reason why he took upon him our
flesh, why he shed his blood, why he offered the sacrifice of his death, why he
descended even to hell, we will never think it strange that he should gather to
salvation those who have been the worst of men, and who have been covered with a
mass of crimes.
He whom you detest appears to you to be unworthy of
the grace of Christ. Why then was Christ himself made a sacrifice and a curse,
but that he might stretch out his hand to accursed sinners? Now, if we feel
disgust at being associated by Baptism and the Lord’s Supper with vile
men, and regard our connection with them as a sort of stain upon us, we ought
immediately to descend into ourselves, and to search without flattery our own
evils. Such an examination will make us willingly allow ourselves to be washed
in the same fountain with the most impure, and will hinder us from rejecting the
righteousness which he offers indiscriminately to all the ungodly, the life
which he offers to the dead, and the salvation which he offers to the
lost.
13.
But rather go and
learn. He dismisses and orders them to
depart, because he saw that they were obstinate and unwilling to learn.
Or rather he explains to them, that they are contending with God and the
Prophet, when, in pride and cruelty, they are offended at relief which is given
to the wretched, and at medicine which is administered to the sick. This
quotation is made from
<280606>Hosea
6:6:
For I desired mercy, and
not sacrifice;
and the knowledge
of God more than burnt-offerings.
The subject of the prophet’s discourse had been
the vengeance of God against the Jews. That they might not excuse themselves by
saying that they were performing the outward worship of God, (as they were wont
to boast in a careless manner about their ceremonies,) he declares that God has
no delight in
sacrifices,
when their minds are destitute of piety, and when their conduct is at
variance with uprightness and righteousness. That the statement, I
desired not
sacrifice, must be understood
comparatively, is evident from the second clause, that
the knowledge of God is better
than burnt-offerings. By these words he
does not absolutely reject
burnt-offerings,
but places them in a rank inferior to piety and faith. We ought to hold,
that faith and spiritual worship are in themselves pleasing to God, and that
charity and the duties of humanity towards our neighbors are in themselves
required; but that
sacrifices
are but appendages, so to speak, which are of no value or estimation, where
substantial truth is not found. On this subject I have treated more fully at the
tenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews. It ought to be observed that there
is a synecdoche in the word
mercy:
for under one head the prophet embraces all the kindness which we owe to our
brethren.
For I came
not. Though this was spoken for the
purpose of reproving the pride and hypocrisy of the scribes, yet it contains, in
a general form, a very profitable doctrine. We are reminded that the grace of
Christ is of no advantage to us, unless when, conscious of our sins, and
groaning under their load, we approach to him with humility. There is also
something here which is fitted to elevate weak consciences to a firm assurance:
for we have no reason to fear that Christ will reject sinners, to call whom he
descended from his heavenly glory. But we must also attend to the expression,
to
repentance: which is intended to inform
us that pardon is granted to us, not to cherish our sins, but to recall us to
the earnestness of a devout and holy life. He reconciles us to the Father on
this condition, that, being redeemed by his blood, we may present ourselves true
sacrifices, as Paul tells us:
The grace of God, which
bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and righteously, and
devoutly in this world,
(<560211>Titus
2:11,12.)
MATTHEW 9:14-17; MARK 2:18-22;
LUKE 5:33-39
|
MATTHEW
9:14-17
|
MARK
2:18-22
|
LUKE
5:33-39
|
|
14. Then come to him the disciples
of John, saying, For what reason do we and the Pharisees fast often, while thy
disciples do not fast? 15. And Jesus said to them, Can the
children of the bridegroom
f507
mourn, so long as the bridegroom is with them? But
the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall
they fast. 16. And no man putteth a piece of fresh cloth on
an old garment: for that which fills up takes from the garment, and the rent is
made worse. 17. Nor do they put new wine into old bottles;
otherwise the bottles burst, and the wine is spilt, and the bottles are lost:
but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are at the same time
preserved.
|
18. And the disciples of John and
of the Pharisees were in the habit of fasting; and they come and say to him, Why
do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples do not
fast? 19. And Jesus saith to them, Can the children of the
nuptial bed
f508
fast, while the bridegroom is with them? So long as
they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20. But
the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall
they fast in those days. 21. And no person seweth a piece of
fresh cloth on an old garment: otherwise the new addition taketh from the old,
and the rent is made worse. 22. And no person putteth new
wine into old bottles; otherwise the new wine bursts the bottles, and the wine
is spilt, and the bottles are lost: but new wine must be put into new
bottles.
|
33. And they said to him, Why do
the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and in the same manner the
disciples of the Pharisees, while thine eat and drink? 34. To
whom he saith, Can you make the children of the marriage bed to fast while the
bridegroom is with them? 35. But the days will come, when the
bridegroom shall be taken from them: then shall they fast in those days.
36. And he spoke a parable to them: No person putteth a piece
of a new garment on an old garment; otherwise what is new is torn, and what is
added of the new agreeth not with the old. 37. And no person
putteth new wine into old bottles: otherwise the new wine will burst the
bottles, and will be spilt, and the bottles will be lost.
38. But new wine must be put into new bottles, and both are
preserved. 39. And no person who has drunk old wine
immediately desires the new: for he saith, The old is better.
|
Matthew 9:14.
Then come to him the
disciples of John. Luke represents the
Pharisees
as speaking: Mark appears to connect both. And, indeed, there is no room to
doubt that the
Pharisees
maliciously endeavored, by this stratagem, to draw
the disciples of
John to their party, and to produce a
quarrel between them and the disciples of Christ. A resemblance in
prayers and
fastings was a plausible pretext for
associating at this time: while the different manner in which Christ acted was
an occasion of enmity and dislike to men whose temper was unamiable, and who
were excessively devoted to themselves.
This example reminds us, that prudence and caution
are necessary to prevent wicked and cunning men from sowing divisions among us
on any slight grounds. Satan has a wonderful dexterity, no doubt, in laying
those snares; and it is an easy matter to distress us about a
trifle. f509
But we ought especially to beware lest the unity of faith be destroyed, or the
bond of charity broken, on account of outward ceremonies. Almost all labor under
the disease of attaching undue importance to the ceremonies and
elements of the
world, as Paul calls them, (Galatians
4:3; Colossians 2:8;) and accordingly they do not hesitate, for the most
part, to prefer the merest rudiments to the highest perfection. This is followed
by another evil arising out of fastidiousness and pride, when every man would
willingly compel the whole world to copy his example. If any thing pleases us,
we forthwith desire to make it a law, that others may live according to our
pleasure.
When we read that
the disciples of
John were caught by these snares of
Satan, let us first learn not to place holiness in outward and indifferent
matters, and at the same time to restrain ourselves by moderation and equity,
that we may not desire to restrict others to what we approve, but may allow
every one to retain his freedom. As to
fasting
and
prayers,
it ought to be understood, that
John
gave his
disciples
a particular training, and that for this purpose they had stated days for
fastings,
a settled form, and fixed hours of prayer. Now, I reckon those
prayers
among outward observances. For, though calling on God holds the first rank
in spiritual worship, yet that method of doing it was adapted to the
unskilfulness of men, and is justly reckoned among ceremonies and indifferent
matters, the observance of which ought not to be too strictly enjoined. Of the
reason why John’s discipline was more severe than that of Christ we have
already spoken, and a more convenient opportunity for treating of it will again
occur.
15.
Can the children of the
bridegroom mourn? Christ apologizes for
his disciples on the score of the season, alleging that God was still pleased to
indulge them in joyous feelings, as if they were present at a marriage: for he
compares himself to the
bridegroom, who enlivens his friends by
his presence. Chrysostom thinks that this comparison was taken from the
testimony of John the Baptist, He that hath the bride is the bridegroom,
(<430329>John
3:29.) I have no objection to that view, though I do not think that it rests on
solid grounds. Let us be satisfied with Christ’s declaration, that he
spares his disciples, and treats them with gentleness, so long as he is with
them. That none may envy them advantages which are of short duration, he gives
warning that they will very soon be treated with greater harshness and
severity.
The apology rests on this consideration, that
fasting and
prayers
are adapted to sorrow and adversity: extraordinary prayers I mean, such as
are here mentioned. Christ certainly intended to accustom them, by degrees, to
greater patience, and not to lay on them a heavy burden, till they gained more
strength. Hence we ought to learn a twofold instruction. When the Lord sometimes
endures the weakness of our brethren, and acts towards them with gentleness,
while he treats us with greater severity, we have no right to murmur. Again,
when we sometimes obtain relief from sorrow and from vexations, let us beware of
giving ourselves up to enjoyments; but let us, on the contrary, remember that
the nuptials will not always last.
The children of the
bridegroom, or
of the nuptial
bed, is a Hebrew phrase, which denotes
the guests at a marriage.
f510
16.
And no man putteth a piece of
fresh cloth. He supports the preceding
statement by two comparisons, one of which is taken from
garments,
and the other from vessels of
wine.
Those who think that he compares worn-out garments and decayed bottles to
the Pharisees, and new wine and fresh cloth to the doctrine of the gospel, have
no probability on their side. The comparison is beautifully adapted to the
matter in hand, if we explain it as referring to the weak and tender disciples
of Christ, and to a discipline more strict than they were able to bear. Nor is
it of any consequence that the idea of being
old
does not agree with scholars who were only commencing: for, when Christ compares
his disciples to old
bottles and
torn
garments, he does not mean that they
were wasted by long use, but that they were weak and wanted strength. The amount
of the statement is, that all must not be compelled indiscriminately to live in
the same manner, for there is a diversity of natural character, and all things
are not suitable to all; and particularly, we ought to spare the weak, that they
may not be broken by violence, or crushed by the weight of the burden. Our Lord
speaks according to the custom of the country, when he uses the word
bottles
instead of
tuns
or
casks.
f511
Luke 5:39.
And no person who has drunk old
wine. This statement is given by Luke
alone, and is undoubtedly connected with the preceding discourse. Though
commentators have tortured it in a variety of ways, I take it simply as a
warning to the Pharisees not to attach undue importance to a received custom.
For how comes it that wine, the taste of which remains unaltered, is not equally
agreeable to every palate, but because custom and habit form the taste? Hence it
follows, that Christ’s manner of acting towards his disciples is not less
worthy of approbation, because it has less show and splendor: as
old
wine, though it does not foam with the
sharpness of new
wine, is not less agreeable on that
account, or less fitted for the nourishment of the body.
MATTHEW 9:18-22; MARK 5:22-34;
LUKE 8:40-48
|
MATTHEW
9:18:22
|
MARK
5:22-34
|
LUKE
8:40-48
|
|
18. While he was speaking these
things to them, a certain ruler came, and worshipped
him,
f512
saying, My daughter is now dead; but come and lay
thy hand upon her, and she will live. 19. And Jesus arose,
and followed him, and likewise his disciples, 20. And, lo, a
woman, who had been afflicted with a bloody flux for twelve years came behind
him, and touched th tuft of his cloak: 21. For she said
within herself, If I shall only touch his cloak, I shall be cursed.
22. But Jesus turned round, and, when he saw her, he said,
Take courage, my daughter; thy faith hath cured thee. And the woman was cured
from that time.
|
22. And, lo, one of the rulers of
the synagogue, by name Jarius, came: and when he had seen him, he fell at his
feet. 23. And he besought him earnestly, saying, My daughter
is at the point of death: I entreat that thou wilt come, and lay thy hands upon
her, that she may be cured, and she shall live. 24. And Jesus
went away with him: and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon
him. 25. And a certain woman, who had been subject to a
bloody flux for twelve years, 26. And had suffered much from
many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and had not at all recovered,
but had rather grown worse, 27. When she had heard of Jesus,
came in the crowd behind him, and touched his cloak. 28. For
she said, If I shall touch but his cloak, I shall be cured.
29. And immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up,
and she felt in her body that she had been delivered from the scourge.
30. And Jesus suddenly knowing in himself that power had gone
out from him, turned round in the crowd, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31. And his disciples said to him, Thou seest the crowd on
all sides pressing upon thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32. And he looked around to see her who who had done this.
33. But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had
been done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34. And he said to her, Daughter, thy faith hath cured thee:
go in peace, and be delivered from thy scourge.
|
40. And it happened, while Jesus
was returning, the multitude received him: for they were all waiting for him.
41. And, lo, a man came, whose name was Jairus, and he was a
ruler of the synagogue, and fell at the feet of Jesus, beseeching him to enter
into his house. 42. For he had an only daughter, about twelve
years of age, and she was dying. But while he was going, the multitudes pressed
upon him. 43 And a woman, who had been subject to a bloody flux for
twelve years, who had spent all her substance on physicians, and could not be
cured by an one, 44. Approached behind, and touched the tuft
of his cloak, and immediately her issue of blood was stopped.
45. And Jesus said, Who is it that touched me? And while all
were denying, Peter, and those who were with him, said, Master, the multitudes
press upon and distress thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
46. And Jesus said, Some person hath touched me: for I know
that power hath gone out form me. 47. And the woman seeing
that she was not concealed, came trembling, and fell down before his feet, and
told him before all the people for what reason she had touched him, and in what
manner she had been immediately cured. 48. And he said to
her, Take courage, my daughter: thy faith hath cured; go in
peace.
|
Matthew 9:18.
While he was speaking these
things to them. Those who imagine that
the narrative, which is here given by Mark and Luke, is different from that of
Matthew, are so clearly refuted by the passage itself, that there is no
necessity for a lengthened debate. All the three agree in saying that Christ was
requested by a ruler of the
synagogue to enter his house for the
purpose of curing his
daughter. The only difference is, that
the name of
Jairus,
which is withheld by Matthew, is mentioned by Mark and Luke; and that he
represents the father as saying,
My daughter is
dead, while the other two say that she
was in her last moments, and that, while he was bringing Christ, her death was
announced to him on the road. But there is no absurdity in saying that Matthew,
studying brevity, merely glances at those particulars which the other two give
in minute detail. But since all the other points agree with such exactness,
since so many circumstances conspire as to give it the appearance of three
fingers stretched out at the same time to point out a single object, there is no
argument that would justify us in dividing this history into various dates. The
Evangelists agree in relating, that while Christ, at the request of
a ruler of the
synagogue, was coming to his house, a
woman on the road was secretly cured of
a bloody
flux by
touching his
cloak; and that afterwards Christ came
into the ruler’s house, and raised a dead young woman to life. There is no
necessity, I think, for circuitous language to prove that all the three relate
the same event. Let us now come to details.
Lo, a certain
ruler. Though it is evident from the
other two, that his confidence had not advanced so far as to hope that his
daughter’s life could be restored, there is no room to doubt that, after
having been reproved by Christ, he entertained a stronger hope than when he left
his house. But Matthew, as we have said, studies brevity, and puts down at the
very beginning of his narrative what took place at various times. The manner in
which the history must be arranged is this:
Jairus
first requested that his daughter might be cured of her disease, and
afterwards that she might be restored from death to life; that is, after that
Christ had given him courage to do so.
Worship,
or
adoration,
is here put for
kneeling,
as is evident from the words of Mark and Luke: for Jairus did not render
divine honor to Christ,
f513 but treated him with respect as a
prophet of God; and we all know how common a practice
kneeling
was among eastern nations.
Come and lay thy
hand. We have here a bright mirror in
which the divine condescension towards us is beheld. If you compare the
ruler of the
synagogue with the centurion, who was a
heathen,
(<400805>Matthew
8:5-10,) you will say that the full brightness of faith shone in the centurion,
while scarcely the smallest portion of it was visible in the
ruler.
He ascribes to Christ no power except through his touching the person; and,
when he has received information of her death, he trembles as if there were no
farther remedy. We see, then, that his faith was feeble and nearly exhausted.
Yet Christ yields to his prayers, and encourages him to expect a favorable
result, and thus proves to us that his faith, however small it might be, was not
wholly rejected. Though we have not such abundance of faith as might be desired,
there is no reason why our weakness should drive away or discourage us from
prayer.
20.
And, lo, a woman who had been
afflicted with a bloody flux.. For
twelve successive
years the
bloody
flux had lasted, and the woman was so
far from being negligent in seeking remedies, that
she had spent all her substance
on physicians. All this is expressly
stated by the Evangelists, that the miracle may shine with brighter glory. When
an incurable disease was removed so suddenly, and by the mere touch of a
garment, it is perfectly obvious that it was not accomplished by human power.
The thought of the woman that, if
she only touched Christ’s garment,
she would immediately be cured, arose from an extraordinary impulse of the Holy
Spirit, and ought not to be regarded as a general rule. We know how eagerly
superstition is wont to sport in foolish and thoughtless attempts to copy the
saints; but they are apes, and not imitators, who take up some remarkable
example without the command of God, and are led rather by their own senses than
by the direction of the Spirit.
It is even possible that there was a mixture of sin
and error in the woman’s
faith,
which Christ graciously bears and forgives. Certainly, when she afterwards
thinks that she has done wrong, and
fears and
trembles, there is no apology for that
kind of doubt: for it is opposed to faith. Why did she not rather go straight to
Christ? If her reverence for him prevented, from what other source than from his
mercy did she expect aid? How comes it, then, that she is afraid of offending
him, if she was convinced of his favorable regard?
Yet Christ bestows high commendation on her faith.
This agrees with what I have lately noticed, that God deals kindly and gently
with his people,—accepts their faith, though imperfect and weak,—and
does not lay to their charge the faults and imperfections with which it is
connected. It was by the guidance of faith, therefore, that the woman approached
to Christ. When she stopped at the garment, instead of presenting herself in
prayers that she might be cured, inconsiderate zeal may have drawn her a little
aside from the right path; particularly as she soon afterwards shows that she
had made the attempt with some degree of doubt and uncertainty. Were we even to
grant that this was suggested to her by the Spirit, it still remains a fixed
rule, that our faith must not be driven hither and thither by particular
examples, but ought to rest wholly on the word of God, according to the saying
of Paul, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,
(<451017>Romans
10:17.) This is a highly necessary warning, that we may not dignify with the
name of faith any opinion which has been rashly
embraced.
Luke 8:45.
Who is it that touched
me , Mark expresses it still more
clearly, when he says that Christ
looked around to
see who she was. It does appear to be
absurd that Christ should pour out his grace without knowing on whom he was
bestowing a favor. There is not less difficulty in what he shortly afterwards
says, that he perceived that
power had gone out from him: as if,
while it flowed from him, it was not a free gift bestowed at those times, and on
those persons, whom he was pleased to select. Beyond all question, he knowingly
and willingly cured the woman; and there is as little doubt that he drew her to
himself by his Spirit, that she might obtain a cure: but he puts the question to
her, that she may freely and publicly make it known. If Christ had been the only
witness of his miracle, his statements might not perhaps have been believed: but
now, when the woman, struck with dread, relates what happened to her, greater
weight is due to her confession.
Matthew
9:22. Take courage, my
daughter. This expression shows the
weakness of her faith for, had there been no impropriety in her
trembling,
Christ would not have corrected it by exhorting her to
take
courage. Yet, at the same time, he
commends her
faith;
and this supports the view which I have already stated, that, while she
sought Christ by the guidance of the Spirit, and from a sincere and pious
desire, she hesitated in such a manner as to need to be strengthened. Thus we
see that faith, in order to please God, needs forgiveness, and is at the same
time sustained by new aid, that it may acquire additional strength. We may here
draw a comparison from the health of the body to that of the soul: for, as
Christ says that the woman’s deliverance from her disease was the
consequence of her
faith,
so it is certain, that we obtain by faith the forgiveness of sins, which
reconciles us to God.
Mark 5:34.
Go in peace, and be delivered
from thy scourge. From this exhortation
we infer that the benefit which she had obtained was fully ratified, when she
heard from the lips of Christ what she had already learned from experience: for
we do not truly, or with a safe conscience, enjoy God’s benefits in any
other way than by possessing them as contained in the treasury of his
promises.
MATTHEW 9:23-26; MARK 5:35-43;
LUKE 8:49-56
|
MATTHEW
9:23-26
|
MARK
5:35-43
|
LUKE
8:49-56
|
|
23. And when Jesus came into the
house of the ruler, and saw the musicians and the multitude making a noise,
24. He saith to them, Withdraw: for the young woman is not
dead, but sleepeth: and they ridiculed him. 25. And when the
multitude was put out, he entered and took hold of her hand, and the girl arose.
26. And this report spread into all that
country.
|
35. While he is still speaking,
there come from the ruler of the synagogue persons who say, Thy daughter is
dead: why dost thou trouble the Master any farther? 36. And
immediately on hearing the word which was said, he saith to the ruler of the
synagogue, Fear not, only believe. 37. And he did not permit
any one to follow him, except Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
38. And he came into the house of the ruler of the synagogue,
and saw the tumult, and persons who wept and lamented much.
39. And he entered, and said to them, Why do you vex
yourselves and lament? the girl is not dead, but sleepeth.
40. And they ridiculed him. But, having put them all out, he
taketh the father and mother of the girl, and those who were with him, and
entereth where the girl is lying. 41. And he took hold of the
hand of the girl, and said to her, Talitha-cumi: which is, if one interpret it,
Girl, I say to thee, Arise. 42. And immediately the girl
arose, and walked: for she was twelve years of age. And they were astonished
with a great astonishment. 43. And he charged them earnestly,
that no man should know it: and commanded them to give her something to
eat.
|
49. While he was still speaking,
one came from the house of the ruler of the synagogue, saying to him, Thy
daughter is dead, do not trouble the Master. 50. But Jesus,
having heard this, replied to the ruler, saying, Fear not, only believe, and she
shall be cured. 51. And when he came into the house, he did
not permit any one to enter, except Peter, and James, and John, and the father
and mother of the girl. 52. And all were weeping and
bewailing her. But he said, Weep not: she is not dead, but sleepeth.
53. And they ridiculed him, knowing that she was dead.
54. And he having put them all out, took hold of her hand,
and cried out, saying, Girl, arise. 55. And her spirit
returned, and she immediately arose: and he commanded to give her something to
eat. 56. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them
to tell no man what had been done.
|
Mark 5:36.
Fear not, only
believe. The message about her death had
induced despair: for he had asked nothing from Christ but relief to the diseased
young woman. Christ therefore bids him take care lest, by fear or distrust, he
shut out that grace, to which death will be no hindrance. By this expression,
only
believe, he means that he will not want
power, provided Jairus will allow him; and, at the same time, exhorts him to
enlarge his heart with confidence, because there is no room to fear that his
faith will be more extensive than the boundless power of God. And truly this is
the case with us all: for God would be much more liberal in his communications
to us, if we were not so close; but our own scanty desires hinder him from
pouring out his gifts upon us in greater
abundance.
f514 In general, we are taught by this
passage, that we cannot go beyond bounds in believing: because our faith,
however large, will never embrace the hundredth part of the divine
goodness.
37.
And did not permit any one to
follow him. He forbade that they should
be allowed to enter, either because they were unworthy to be his witnesses of
the miracle, or because he did not choose that the miracle should be overpowered
by a noisy crowd around him. It was better that the young woman, whose dead body
they had beheld, should suddenly go out before the eyes of men, alive and full
of rigor. Mark and Luke tell us that not more than three of the
disciples were admitted, and both mention also the parents. Mark alone
states that those who had accompanied Jairus when he came to supplicate Christ
were admitted. Matthew, who is more concise, takes no notice of this
circumstance.
Luke 8:52.
And all were
weeping. The Evangelists mention the
lamentation, that the resurrection may be more fully believed. Matthew
expressly states that
musicians
were present, which was not usually the case till the death had been
ascertained, and while the preparations for the funeral were going forward. The
flute, he tells us, was heard in plaintive airs. Now, though their intention was
to bestow this sort of honor on their dead, and as it were to adorn their grave,
we see how strongly inclined the world is not only to indulge but to promote its
faults. It was their duty to employ every method for allaying grief; but as if
they had not sinned enough in disorderly lamentation, they are eager to heighten
it by fresh excitements. The Gentiles even thought that this was a way of
soothing departed spirits; and hence we see how many corruptions were at that
time spread throughout Judea.
f515
Mark 5:39.
The girl sleepeth.
Sleep is everywhere in Scripture
employed to denote
death;
and there is no doubt but this comparison, taken from temporal rest, points
out a future resurrection. But here Christ expressly makes a distinction between
sleep
and
death,
so as to excite an expectation of life. His meaning is, “You will
presently see her raised up whom you suppose to be dead.” That he was
ridiculed
by thoughtless and ignorant people, who were wholly engrossed with profane
lamentation, and who did not comprehend his design, ought not to awaken
surprise. And yet this very circumstance was an additional confirmation of the
miracle, that those persons entertained no doubt whatever as to her
death.
41.
And he took hold of her hand,
and said to her. Luke 8:54.
And he took hold of her hand, and
cried. Though naturally this
cry
was of no avail for recalling the senses of the deceased young woman, yet
Christ intended to give a magnificent display of the power of his voice, that he
might more fully accustom men to listen to his doctrine. It is easy to learn
from this the great efficacy of the voice of Christ, which reaches even to the
dead, and exerts a quickening influence on death itself. Accordingly, Luke says
that her spirit
returned, or, in other words, that
immediately on being called, it obeyed the command of
Christ.
See Calvin on “Mr
5:41”
43.
And he charged
them. Though Christ did not admit all
indiscriminately to behold this resurrection, yet the miracle might not have
remained long concealed. And it would indeed have been improper to suppress that
power of God, by which the whole world ought to be prepared for life. Why then
does he enjoin silence on the young woman’s parents? Perhaps it was not so
much about the fact itself, as about the manner of it, that he wished them to be
silent, and that only for a time; for we see that there were other instances in
which he sought out a proper occasion. Those who think that they were forbidden
to speak for the purpose of whetting their desire, resort to a solution which is
unnatural. I do acknowledge that Christ did not perform this miracle without the
intention of making it known, but perhaps at a more fitting time, or after the
dismission of a crowd among whom there was no prudence or moderation. He
therefore intended to allow some delay, that they might in quietness and
composure revolve the work of God.
MATTHEW
9:27-34
|
MATTHEW
9:27-34
|
|
27. And while Jesus was departing
thence, two blind men followed him, crying and saying, Have pity on us, son of
David. 28. And when he had come into the house, the blind men
came to him; and Jesus saith to them, Do you believe that I can do this? They
say to him, Yes, Lord. 29. Then he touched their eyes,
saying, Let it be to you according to your faith. 30. And
their eyes were opened, and Jesus threatened
them,
f516
saying, See that no man know it.
31. But when they had departed, they spread the report of it
in all that country. 32. And while they were going out, lo,
they brought to him a dumb man, a demoniac. 33. And when the
devil had been cast out, the dumb man spake, and the multitudes wondered,
saying, Nothing like this was ever seen in Israel. 34. But
the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils by the prince of the
devils.
|
Matthew 9:27.
And while Jesus was
departing. The other Evangelists say
nothing about these two miracles; for, as we have already said, and as John
expressly affirms, (21:25,) they did not intend to record every action of
Christ, but only to prove, by a brief summary, that he is the Messiah. Now
Matthew relates that sight was restored to
two blind
men, but not so speedily as Christ was
wont, on many other occasions, to grant relief to the wretched. While they cry
to him on the road, he makes no reply, but, as if he appeared not to notice
them, allows them to follow him to his lodging. There he at length asks them
what they believe as to his power. Both by action and by words he intended to
make trial of their faith; for he holds them in suspense, — nay, passes by
as if he did not hear them, — tries their patience, and what root faith
had in their heads. When he afterwards inquires if they
believe,
he pursues the same investigation. But it may be asked, if a man is
convinced of the power of God and of Christ, is that enough to make him a
believer? for such appears to be the meaning of the
words,
28.
Do you believe that I can do
this? But from other passages of
Scripture, it is evident that our knowledge of his power will be cold and
unprofitable, if we are not convinced of his willingness. And yet Christ is
satisfied with their reply, and applauds their faith, as if it had been all that
could be wished. I answer, they had some perception of his grace; for they had
already acknowledged him to be the
Son of
David; bestowing upon him this title as
Redeemer of their nation and author of all blessings. He interrogates them,
therefore, as to his power, and proceeds farther to inquire if they
believe
in good earnest. Faith embraces the mercy and fatherly love of God along
with his power, and the generous design of Christ along with his ability to
save. But as men commonly ascribe less than they ought to do to the power of God
and the ability of Christ, there was good reason for proposing this question to
the blind men, if they believe
that Christ can do what they have
professed with their mouth. indeed, Christ wished simply to know if they were
candid in yielding to him the honor of Messiah; and therefore he applauds their
faith, because under that low and despicable appearance they acknowledged him to
be the Son of
David.
29.
According to your
faith. Though the subject of the
narrative is a remarkable benefit conferred on
two blind
men, yet from this declaration of Christ
we may draw the general doctrine, that if we pray in faith, we will never
sustain a refusal in our prayers. But if those two men, whose faith was small
and imperfectly formed, obtained what they wished, much more efficacious will
now be the faith of those who, endued with the Spirit of adoption, and relying
on the sacrifice of Christ, shah approach to
God.
30.
And Jesus threatened
them Either he wished to have other
persons as witnesses of the miracle, or to delay the publication of it till
another time. Their conduct in immediately proclaiming it every where is worthy
of blame: for the notion entertained by some, that Christ forbade them for the
purpose of exciting them the more, has been already refuted. There was, no
doubt, some reason for forbidding it, which is unknown to us; and those men,
through inconsiderate zeal, spread the rumor before the proper
time.
32.
They brought to him a dumb
man. It is probable that this man was
not naturally
dumb,
but that, after he had been given up to the
devil, f517
he was deprived of the use of speech: for all
dumb
persons are not
demoniacs.
He was afflicted in such a manner as to make it evident, by visible signs,
that his tongue was held bound by a wicked spirit. The exclamation of the
multitudes, on his being cured, that
nothing like it had ever been
seen in Israel, appears to be
hyperbolica1:
f518 for God had formerly revealed his glory
among that people by greater miracles. But perhaps they look to the design of
the miracle, as the minds of all were at that time prepared to expect the coming
of the Messiah. They intended, no doubt, to exalt this instance of the grace of
God, without detracting any thing from what had formerly happened. Besides, it
ought to be observed, that this was not a premeditated statement, but a sudden
burst of admiration.
34.
But the Pharisees
said. Hence it is evident with what rage
and fury they were filled, who did not scruple to assail with wicked slander so
illustrious a work of God. We ought to observe the contrast between the applause
of the people and the blasphemy of those men. The saying of the people, that
nothing like it ever happened in
Israel, is a confession arising from a
sense of the divine glory: which makes it the more evident, that those persons
were utterly mad who ventured, as it were, to curse God to his face. We learn
from it also, that, when wickedness has reached the height of blindness, there
is no work of God, however evident, which it will not pervert. It is, no doubt,
monstrous and incredible that mortal men should cry against their Creator: but
there is so much the greater reason for dreading that blindness, which arises
from the Lord’s vengeance on the wicked after
long-suffering.
MATTHEW
9:35-38
|
MATTHEW
9:35-38
|
|
35. And Jesus went about all the
cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of
the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
36. And when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with
compassion towards them, because they were destitute and scattered, as sheep not
having a shepherd. 37. Then he saith to his disciples, The
harvest is indeed abundant, but the laborers are few.
38. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, to send forth
laborers into his harvest.
|
Matthew 9:35.
And Jesus went
about. This statement is made by way of
anticipating an objection, and is intended to inform us that the whole ministry
of Christ is not minutely described: for he was constantly employed in the
discharge of his office; that is, in proclaiming the doctrine of salvation, and
in confirming it by the addition of miracles.
The gospel of the
kingdom, we have already said, is a
designation given to it from its effect,
f519 for in this way God gathered to himself
a people sadly scattered, that he might
reign
in the midst of them; and, indeed, he erected his throne for the express
purpose of bestowing on all his people perfect happiness. Yet let us remember
that we must be subject to God, in order that we may be exalted by him to the
heavenly glory.
36.
He was moved with compassion
towards them. Hence we infer, first, how
great was the indolence of the priests, who, though they were scattered over the
whole country, in order to enlighten the people with heavenly doctrine, were
slow-bellies,
(<560112>Titus
1:12.) True, they boasted that they were superintendents of the people; and the
number of those who gloried in that title was not small. Yet not one of them
does Christ own to be a pastor. A similar confusion may now be observed in
Popery, though it is full of persons who are called pastors: for there is a
prodigious crowd of those who under the name of clergy, eat up the flock. They
are dumb dogs,
(<235602>Isaiah
56:20,) and yet are not ashamed to make a vehement sound about their hierarchy.
But we must listen to the voice of Christ, who declares, that where there are no
laborers
there are no shepherds, and that those sheep are wandering and scattered
which are not collected into the fold of God by the doctrine of the gospel. His
being moved with
compassion proves him to be the faithful
servant of the Father in promoting the salvation of his people, for whose sake
he had clothed himself with our flesh. Now that he has been received into
heaven, he does not retain the same feelings to which he chose to be liable in
this mortal life: yet he has not left off the care of his church, but looks
after his wandering sheep, or rather, he gathers his flock which had been
cruelly chased and torn by the wolves.
37.
The harvest is indeed
abundant. By this metaphor he intimates,
that many of the people are ripe for receiving the gospel. Though the greater
number afterwards rejected basely and with vile ingratitude the salvation
offered to them, yet the limited number of the elect, who were mixed with
unbelievers, is compared to an
abundant
harvest, because God values a small band
of his own people more highly than the rest of the world. Though there were at
that time many who assumed this character, yet as few of them discharged it
faithfully, he does not rank them among
laborers:
for he employs the word
laborers
in a good sense. When Paul complains
(<470213>2
Corinthians 2:13) of bad
laborers,
he refers to their boasting: for he would not have bestowed the designation
of
laborers
f520 on those who devoted all their exertions
to ruin and waste the flock, had it not been that they gloried in the false
pretense.
38.
Pray therefore to the Lord of
the harvest. As no man will of himself
become a sincere and faithful minister of the gospel, and as none discharge in a
proper manner the office of teacher but those whom the Lord raises up and endows
with the gifts of his Spirit, whenever we observe a scarcity of pastors, we must
raise our eyes to him to afford the remedy. There never was greater necessity
for offering this prayer than during the fearful desolation of the church which
we now see every where around us.
MATTHEW 8:23-27; MARK 4:35-41;
LUKE 8:22-25
|
MATTHEW
8:23-27
|
MARK
4:35-41
|
LUKE
8:22-25
|
|
23. And when he had entered into
the ship,
f521
his disciples followed him.
24. And, lo, there was a great swell in the sea, so that the
ship was covered with the billows: and he was asleep. 25. And
his disiples approached and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish.
26. And he saith to them, Why are you timid, O men of little
faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea: and there was a great
calm. 27. But the men wondered, saying, What sort of man is
this: for the winds and the sea obey him?
|
35. And the same day, when it was
evening, he said to them, Let us cross to the opposite side.
36. And having sent away the multitude, they take him even as
he was, in the ship. But there were also other ships along with him.
37. Then ariseth a great storm of wind: and the billows
dashed into the ship, so that it was now filled. 38. And he
was at the stern, sleeping upon a pillow: and they awake him, and say to him,
Master, hast thou no care that we perish? 39. And he arose,
and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence, be still. And the wind was
hushed, and there was a great calm. 40. And he said to them,
Why are you so timid? How have you not confidence? 41. And
they feared with a great fear, and said among themselves, Who is this: for even
the wind and the sea obey him?
|
22. And it happened on a certain
day, that he went into a ship with his disciples. And he saith to them, Let us
cross to the opposite side of the lake: and they set sail.
23. And while they were sailing, he fell asleep, and a
tempest of wind arose in the lake, and they were filled with water, and were in
danger. 24. And they approached and awoke him, saying,
Master, Master, we perish. But he arose, and rebuked the wind and the tempest of
the water; and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25. And he
said to them, Where is your faith? And they were afraid, and wondered, saying
among themselves, Who is this? for he commands even the winds and the water, and
they obey him.
|
As we shall soon meet again with the mention of a
lake, where it is said
(<400833>Matthew
8:33) that the swine were carried into it with violence, it is not universally
agreed whether one and the same lake is mentioned in both places. The waters of
Gennesareth, all admit,
f522 were pleasant and healthful to drink:
but the Gadarene lake, Strabo tells us, was so unwholesome and pestilential,
that the cattle which drank of it often lost their hair and their hoofs. There
is therefore no doubt that there were two separate lakes, and that they were at
a considerable distance from each other. There is as little doubt that the lake
mentioned here was the lake of Gennesareth; and that Christ, having crossed it,
came to the Gadarenes, whom Matthew calls
Geresenes,
(8:28.)
Those who infer, from the diversity of the names,
that the narratives are different, through a desire to be thought very acute,
fall under the charge of gross ignorance: for the country of the Gergesenes was
also called Gadarene, from a celebrated city, Gadara. In the age of Jerome, the
name was changed; and, therefore, in accordance with the prevailing custom, he
calls them
Geraseaes.
That it was the Gadarene lake into which the swine were thrown down by the
devils, I have no hesitation in admitting: but when Christ says,
let us cross to the other
side, I cannot explain the reference as
made to any other lake than that of Gennesareth.
It remains that we now inquire as to the time, which
cannot be learned either from Matthew or from Luke. Mark alone mentions that it
was the evening of that day on which Christ discoursed about the preaching of
the gospel under the parable of the sower. Hence it is evident, that they did
not attend to the order of time; and, indeed, this is expressly stated by Luke,
when he says that it happened on
a certain day: for these words show that
he gives himself little concern as to the question which of the events was
earlier or later.
Matthew 8:23.
And when he had entered into a
ship. Mark says that
other little
ships crossed
along with
him: but that Christ entered into his
own ship with his
disciples. Luke too quotes his words:
Matthew is more concise. They agree, however, as to the leading fact, that
Christ laid himself down to rest, and that, while he was asleep, a tempest
suddenly arose. First, it is certain that the storm which agitated the lake was
not accidental: for how would God have permitted his Son to be driven about at
random by the violence of the waves? But on this occasion he intended to make
known to the apostles how weak and inconsiderable their faith still was. Though
Christ’s sleep was natural, yet it served the additional purpose of making
the disciples better acquainted with their weakness. I will not say, as many do,
that Christ pretended sleep, in order to try them. On the contrary, I think that
he was asleep in such a manner as the condition and necessity of human nature
required.
And yet his divinity watched over him, so that the
apostles had no reason to fear that consolation would not be immediately
provided, or that assistance would not be obtained from heaven. Let us therefore
conclude, that all this was arranged by the secret providence of God, —
that Christ was asleep, that a violent tempest arose, and that the waves covered
the ship, which was in imminent danger of perishing. And let us learn hence
that, whenever any adverse occurrence takes place, the Lord tries our faith. If
the distresses grow to such a height as almost to overwhelm us, let us believe
that God does it with the same design of exercising our patience, or of bringing
to light in this way our hidden weakness; as we see that, when the apostles were
covered by the billows,
f523 their weakness, which formerly lay
concealed, was discovered.
25.
Lord, save
us. A pious
prayer f524
,a one would think: for what else had they to do when they were lost than to
implore safety from Christ? But as Christ charges them with unbelief, we must
inquire in what respect they sinned. Certainly, I have no doubt that they
attached too much importance to the bodily presence of their Master: for,
according to Mark, they do not merely pray, but expostulate with him,
Master, hast thou no care that we
perish? Luke describes also confusion
and trembling: Master, Master, we
perish. They ought to have believed that
the Divinity of Christ was not oppressed by carnal sleep, and to his Divinity
they ought to have had recourse. But they do nothing till they are urged by
extreme danger; and then they are overwhelmed with such unreasonable fear that
they do not think they will be safe
f525 till Christ is awakened. This is the
reason why he accuses them of unbelief for their entreaty that he would assist
them was rather a proof of their faith, if, in confident reliance on his divine
power, they had calmly, and without so much alarm, expected the assistance which
they asked.
And here we obtain an answer to a question which
might be put, and which arises out of his reproof. Is every kind of fear sinful
and contrary to faith? First, he does not blame them simply because they fear,
but because they are
timid.
Mark adds the word
ou[tw
— Why are
you so
timid?
and by this term indicates that their alarm goes beyond proper bounds.
Besides, he contrasts
faith
with their
fear,
and thus shows that he is speaking about immoderate dread, the tendency of
which is not to exercise their faith, but to banish it from their minds. It is
not every kind of fear that is opposed to faith. This is evident from the
consideration that, if we fear nothing, an indolent and carnal security steals
upon us; and thus faith languishes, the desire to pray becomes sluggish, and the
remembrance of God is at length extinguished
f526 . Besides, those who are not affected by
a sense of calamities, so as to
fear,
are rather insensible than firm.
Thus we see that fear, which awakens faith, is not in
itself faulty till it go beyond bounds.
f527 Its excess lies in disturbing or
weakening the composure of faith, which ought to rest on the word of God. But as
it never happens that believers exercise such restraint on themselves as to keep
their faith from being injured, their fear is almost always attended by sin. Yet
we ought to be aware that it is not every kind of fear which indicates a want of
faith, but only that dread which disturbs the peace of the conscience in such a
manner that it does not rest on the promise of
God.
26.
He rebuked the
winds. Mark relates also the words of
Christ, by which, addressing the sea, he enjoins
silence,
(siw>pa,)
that is,
stillness
not that the lake had any perception, but to show that the power of his
voice reached the elements, which were devoid of feeling. And not only the
sea and the
winds, which are without feeling, but
wicked men also, with all their obstinacy, obey the commands of God. For when
God is pleased to allay the tumults of war, he does not always soften the fierce
minds of men, and mould them to obedience, but even while their rage continues,
makes the arms to drop from their hands: And thus is fulfilled that
declaration,
He maketh wars to cease
to the ends of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in pieces,
and burneth the chariots in the fire,
(<194610>Psalm
46:10.)
27.
But the men
wondered. Mark and Luke appear to say
this in reference to the apostles; for, after having stated that Christ reproved
them, they add that they cried out with fear,
Who is
this? It applies, however, more properly
to others, who had not yet known Christ. Whether we take the one or the other of
these views, the result of the miracle appears in the display of the glory of
Christ. If any one shall suppose that it is the apostles who speak, the meaning
of the words will be, that his divine power was sufficiently proved by the fact
that the wind and the sea obey
him. But as it is more probable that
these words were spoken by others, the Evangelists show that the miracle made
such an impression on their minds, as to produce a certain reverence for Christ
which prepared them for believing on him.
MATTHEW 8:28-34; MARK 5:1-20;
LUKE 8:26-39
|
MATTHEW
8:28-34
|
MARK
5:1-20
|
LUKE
8:26-39
|
|
28. And when he had come to the
opposite bank,
f528
into the country of the Gergesenes, two demoniacs,
who had come from among the tombs, met him: and they were fierce beyond measure,
so that no man could pass along that road. 29. And, lo, they
cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, Son of God? Hast thou
come hither before the time to toment us? 30. And at a
distance from them there was a herd of many swine feeding.
31. And the devils entreated him, saying, If thou cast us
out, permit us to remove into the herd of swine. 32. And he
said to them, Go. And when they had gone out, they went away into the heard of
swine. And, lo, the whole herd was carried headlong into the sea, and perished
in the waters. 33. And those who had the charge of them fled;
and going away into the city, they related all things, and what had happened to
the demoniacs, 34. And, lo, the whole city went out to meet
Jesus; and when they saw him, they entreated him, that he would depart from
their territories.
|
1. And having crossed the sea,
they came into the country of Gaderanes. 2. And when he left
the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man possessed by an
unclean spirit, 3. Who had a dwelling among the
tombs,
f529
and no man could bind him, not even with chains:
4. Because frequently, when he had been bound with fetters
and chains, the chains were torn asunder by him, and the fetters were broken in
pieces, so that no man could tame him. 5. And always, day and
night, he was in the mountains, and among the tombs, crying, and cutting himself
with stones. 6. And when he saw Jesus at a distance, he ran
and worshipped him: 7. And, crying with a loud voice, he
said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure
thee by God, that thou do not torment me. 8. For he said to
him, Go out of the man, unclean spirit. 9. And he asked him,
What is thy name? And he answered, saying to him, My name is Legion: for there
are many. 10. And he entreated him earnestly, that he would
not send him out of the country. 11. And there was there,
near the mountains, a great herd of swine feeding. 12. And
all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter
into them. 13. And immediately Jesus permitted them. And the
unclean spirit having gone out, entered into the swine, and the herd was carried
headlong into the sea: and they were about two thousand, and were choked in the
sea. 14. Then those who tended the swine fled, and told it in
the city and in the fields. And they went out to see what it was that had
happened. 15. And they come to Jesus, and see the demoniac
who had had the Legion, sitting and clothed, and in his right mind, and they
were afraid. 16. And those who had seen, related how it had
happened to the demoniac, and concerning the swine. 17. And
they began to request him to depart from their territories.
18. And when he entered into a ship, he who had been
possessed by a devil besought him that he might be with him.
19. But Jesus did not permit him: but said to him, Go to thy
home, to thy friends, and relate to them how great things God hath done to thee,
and hath pitied thee. 20. And he went away, and began to
publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all
wondered.
|
26. And they sailed to the country
of the Gaderenes, which is opposite to Galilee. 27. And when
he had gone out of the ship into the land, there met him a certain man out of
the city, who had devils for along time, and wore no clothes, and did not dwell
in a house, but among the tombs. 28. When he saw Jesus, he
cried out, and fell down before him,
f530
and said with a loud voice, What have I to do with
thee, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech thee, do not torment me.
29. For he was commanding the unclean spirit to go out of the
man: for many times it had seized him, and he was bound by chains, and kept in
fetters, and he broke the chains, and was driven by the devil into the deserts.
30. And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he
said, Legion: for many devils had entered into him. 31. And
they entreated him that he would not command them to go into the deep.
32. And there was there a herd of many swine feeding on the
mountains, and they requested him to permit them to enter into them: and he
permitted them. 33. And the devils going out of the man
entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down headlong into the lake,
and were choked. 34. And when those who tended them saw what
was done, they fled, and told it in the city and in the villages.
35. And they went out
f531 to
see what was done, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whome the devils
and had gone out, clothed, and in his right mind, at the feet of Jesus; and they
were afraid. 36. And those who had seen, related to them how
the demoniac had been cured. 37. And the whole multitude of
the country of the Gadarenes besought him to depart from them: for they were
seized with a great fear; and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.
38. And the man out of whom the devils had departed requested
to be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39. Return
to thy house, and relate what things God hath done to
thee.
f532
And he went away through the whole city proclaiming
what thing Jesus had done to him.
|
The error of those who think that Mark and Luke
relate a different miracle from this, has been already refuted. It is the same
country which was opposite, as Luke expressly states, to Galilee, that is
described by the three Evangelists, and all the circumstances agree. Who then
will believe that the same things, so fully coincident at all points, happened
at different times ?
Matthew 8:28.
Two demoniacs met
him. Commentators have been led into the
error of separating Matthew’s narrative from that of the others by this
single difference, that he mentions
two,
while the others mention but one. There is probability in the conjecture of
Augustine, who thinks that there were two, but accounts for not more than
one being mentioned here by saying, that this one was more generally known, and
that the aggravation of his disease made the miracle performed on him the more
remarkable. And, indeed, we see that Luke and Mark employ many words in
describing the extraordinary rage of the devil, so as to make it evident that
the wretched man, of whom they speak, was grievously fomented. The circumstance
of their holding up to commendation one singular instance of Christ’s
divine power is not inconsistent with the narrative of Matthew, in which
another, though less known man,
f533 is also
mentioned.
Luke 8:26.
There met him a certain man out
of the city. It is uncertain whether
Luke means that he was a citizen of Gadara, or that he came out of it to meet
Christ. For, when he was ordered to go home and proclaim among his friends the
grace of God, Mark says, that he did this in Decapolis, which was a neighboring
country stretching towards Galilee; and hence it is conjectured that he was not
a native of Gadara. Again, Matthew and Mark expressly state that he did not go
out of the
city, but
from the
tombs, and Luke himself, throughout the
whole passage, gives us to understand that the man lived in solitary places.
These words, therefore, there met
him a certain man out of the city, I
understand to mean, that, before Christ came near the city, the demoniac met him
in that direction.
As to the opinion that the man dwelt among the
graves, either because devils are delighted with the stench of dead bodies, or
gratified by the smell of oblations, or because they watch over souls which are
desirous to approach their bodies; it is an idle, and, indeed, a foolish
conjecture. On the contrary, this wretched man was kept among the graves by
an unclean
spirit, that he might have an
opportunity of terrifying him continually with the mournful spectacle of death,
as if he were cut off from the society of men, and already dwelt among the dead.
We learn from this also that the devil does not only torment men in the present
life, but pursues them even to death, and that in death his dominion over them
is chiefly exercised.
Mark 5:3.
And no man could bind him, not
even with chains. Naturally, he was not
able to break the chains; and hence we infer that Satan is sometimes permitted
to make extraordinary movements, the effect of which goes beyond our
comprehension and beyond ordinary means. We often perceive in madmen much
greater strength than belongs to their natural capacity; and we are not at
liberty to deny that, in such cases, the devil does his part when God permits
him: but the force, which is described by the Evangelists, was far
greater.
f534 It was indeed a sad and shocking
exhibition, but may serve to remind us how wretched and alarming it is to be
placed under the tyranny of Satan, and also that bodily agony, however violent
or cruel, is not more to be dreaded than distress of
mind.
Mark 5:6.
Worshipped
him.
f535 The arrangement of the narrative may be
thus stated. When the demoniacs came to meet him, Christ ordered
the unclean spirits to go out of
them, and then they prayed and entreated
that he would not torment them
before the time. The
worship,
therefore, did not precede Christ’s words: nor did they complain that
Christ gave them uneasiness,
f536 till he urged them to go out. We ought
to be aware that they did not come of their own accord into the presence of
Christ, but were drawn by a secret exercise of his authority. As they had
formerly been accustomed to carry men off, in furious violence, to
the
tombs, so now a superior power compels
them to appear reluctantly at the tribunal of their judge.
Hence we infer, that the whole of Satan’s
kingdom is subject to the authority of Christ.
f537 For the devils, when Christ summons them
to appear before him, are not more at their own disposal than were the wretched
men whom their tyranny was wont to drive about in every direction. At length, by
the secret power of Christ, they are dragged before him, that, by casting them
out, he may prove himself to be the deliverer of men. Reluctantly too they
worship
him, and their rebellious complaints testify that their confession was not
made from choice, but was drawn from them by
force.
Matthew 8:29.
What have we to do with
thee? Willingly would they, by this
word, drive him far from them. But when they see that they are held under
restraint, and that it is in vain for them to decline his authority, they
complain that they are tormented
before the time, and likewise mingle
entreaty. Thus we see that the devils breathe nothing but rebellion against God;
and yet, with all their swelling pride, they are crushed and fall in a moment:
for their malice and obstinacy, which is never subdued, ceases not to struggle
against the government of God, and yet it is compelled to
yield.
Christ does not openly reject, as he did on other
occasions, the confession of the devil; and the reason appears to be, that their
enmity towards him was so manifest, as to remove every opportunity of
unfavorable or calumnious imputation. Besides, Christ paid regard to the
spectators. Accordingly, when malicious and wicked men were present, he was more
eager to repress calumnies, and more inclined to put a severe restraint on
devils. On the present occasion, it was quite enough that the devils, while they
were offering a prayer and entreaty, raged and stormed against
him.
Hast thou come hither before the
time to torment us? Some explain this
kind of
torment
as consisting in their being compelled to set at absolute liberty the man
whom they possessed. Others understand it as referring to the last day of
judgment. My view of it is, that they trembled in the presence of their Judge,
while they thought of their punishment: for, though Christ said
nothing,
f538 a bad conscience told them what they
deserved. As criminals, when they come to the judgment-seat, expect their
punishment, so devils and all wicked men must tremble at the sight of God, as
truly as if they already experienced hell, the unquenchable fire, and the
torments that await them. Now, the devils knew that Christ was the Judge of the
world; and therefore we need not wonder that the sight of him impressed them
with dread of immediate torment.
Were they acquainted with the day of the last
judgment? This question, which some have proposed, is uncalled for. What, then,
is the meaning of the phrase,
before the
time? It means that the reprobate never
reckon that the
time for punishing them is fully come:
for they would willingly delay it from day to
day. f539
Any measure of delay, which the Lord is pleased to allow them, is counted gain;
and thus by subterfuges they endeavor to avoid his sentence, though the attempt
is to no purpose.
Mark 5:9. My
name is
Legion. The devil was compelled by
Christ to pronounce this word, that he might more fully display the greatness
and excellence of his grace. There must have been good reasons why this man
should have endured so severe a punishment as to have an army of devils, so to
speak, dwelling within him. What compassion then was it, to rescue from so many
deaths a man who was more than a thousand times ruined! It was a magnificent
display of the power of Christ., that by his voice not one devil, but a great
multitude of devils, were suddenly driven out.
Legion
denotes here not a definite number of men, but merely a great
multitude.
Hence it is evident what a wretched creature man is,
when he is deprived of the divine protection. Every man is not only exposed to a
single devil, but becomes the retreat of vast numbers. This passage refutes also
the common error, which has been borrowed by Jews and Christians from the
heathens, that every man is attacked by his own particular devil? On the
contrary, Scripture plainly declares, that, just as it pleases God, one
devil f540
is sometimes sent to punish a whole nation, and at other times many devils are
permitted to punish one man: as, on the other hand, one angel sometimes protects
a whole nation, and every man has many angels to act as his guardians. There is
the greater necessity for keeping diligent watch, lest so great a multitude of
enemies should take us by surprise.
Mark
5:10. And entreated him
earnestly. Luke says, they requested
that they might not be sent into
the deep. Some explain these words to
mean that they wished to avoid uninhabited
places. f541
I rather view it as referring to their rage for doing mischief. As the devils
have no other object than to prowl among men, like lions in search of prey, they
are grieved at being plunged into the deep, where they will have no opportunity
of injuring and ruining men. That this is the true meaning may be inferred from
the words of Mark, who says that they requested that they might not be compelled
to go out of the
country. In a word, they manifest their
disposition to be such, that there is nothing which they more eagerly desire
than the destruction of mankind.
Matthew
8:31. Permit us to depart
into the herd of swine. Some conjecture
that they wished to attack the swine, because they are filled with enmity to all
God’s creatures. I do admit it to be true, that they are entirely bent on
confounding and overthrowing the whole order of nature which God has appointed.
But it is certain that they had a more remote object in view, to excite the
inhabitants of that country to curse God on account of the loss of the swine.
When the devil thunders against Job’s house, he does so not from any
hatred he bears to timber or stones, but in order that the good man, through
impatience at suffering loss, may break out against God. Again, when Christ
consents, he does not listen to their prayers, but chooses to try in this manner
what sort of people the Gadarenes are. :Perhaps, too, it is to punish their
crimes that he grants to the devils so much power over their swine. While the
reason of it is not known by us with certainty, it is proper for us to behold
with reverence and to adore with devout humility, the hidden judgment of God.
This passage shows also the foolish trifling of some irreligious men, who
imagine that the devils are not actually existing spirits, but merely the
depraved affections of men: for how could covetousness, ambition, cruelty, and
deceit, enter into the swine? Let us learn also, that
unclean
spirits (as they are devoted to
destruction) are the enemies of mankind; so that they plunge all whom they can
into the same destruction with
themselves.
Mark 5:15.
And they come to
Jesus. We have here a striking proof
that not all who perceive the hand of God profit as they ought to do by yielding
themselves to him in sincere godliness. Having seen the miracle, the Gadarenes
were afraid, because the majesty of God shone brightly in Christ. So far they
did right but now that they send him out of their territories, what could have
been done worse than this? They too were scattered, and here is a shepherd to
collect them or rather, it is God who stretches out his arms, through his Son,
to embrace and carry to heaven those who were overwhelmed by the darkness of
death. They choose rather to be deprived of the salvation which is offered to
them, than to endure any longer the presence of Christ.
The apparent ground of their offense is the loss of
the swine, but Luke assigns a loftier cause, that they were
seized with a great
fear;
f542 and certainly, if they had been
exasperated by the loss which they sustained, they would not have
requested
him, but would rudely have driven him out. They honor him as God’s
minister, and yet are so struck with dread as to desire that he will go to a
distance from them. Thus we see that they were not at all moved by a sense of
the divine grace. And indeed, though all wicked men adore God, and bestow great
pains on appeasing him, yet if they had their choice, they would withdraw to the
greatest possible distance from him: for his face is terrible, so long as they
contemplate him as a Judge, and not as a Father. The consequence is, that the
gospel, which is more delightful than any thing that can be conceived, is
everywhere considered to be so dismal and severe, that a good part of the world
would wish that it were buried.
And yet it is true that their fear was partly
occasioned by their loss. Thus at the present day, so long as men believe that
the kingdom of God is opposed to their interest, either of a public or private
nature, they are prepossessed by a depraved and carnal fear, and have no relish
for his grace. Accordingly, when he comes, they think that God does not regard
them with favor, but rather with anger, and, so far as lies in their power, they
send him to another place. It is a mark of shameful insensibility in those men,
that the loss of their swine gives them more alarm than the salvation of their
soul would give them joy.
Luke 8:38.
And the men
requested. The Gadarenes cannot endure
to have Christ among them but he who has been delivered from the devil is
desirous to leave his own country and follow him. Hence we learn how wide is the
difference between the knowledge of the
goodness,
and the knowledge of the
power,
of God.
Power
strikes men with terror, makes them fly from the presence of God, and drives
them to a distance from him: but
goodness
draws them gently, and makes them feel that nothing is more desirable than
to be united to God. Why Christ refuses to have this man as one of his followers
we cannot determine with certainty, if it was not that he expected the man to
make himself more extensively useful by communicating to his Gentile countrymen
the remarkable and extraordinary act of kindness which he had received; and this
he actually did, as we are assured by Mark and
Luke.
39.
Relate those things which God
hath done for thee. He bids him
relate
not his own work, but the work of
God.
His design in doing so is, that he may be acknowledged to be the true
minister and prophet of God, and may thus acquire authority in teaching. In this
gradual manner it was proper to instruct an ignorant people who were not yet
acquainted with his divinity. Though Christ is the ladder by which we ascend to
God the Father, yet, as he was not yet fully manifested, he begins with the
Father, till a fitter opportunity occurred.
We must now add the symbolical
meaning.
f543 In the person of one man Christ has
exhibited to us “proof of his grace” which is extended to all
mankind. Though we are not tortured by the devil, yet he holds us as his
slaves, f544
till the Son of God delivers us from his
tyranny.
f545 Naked, torn, and disfigured, we wander
about, f546
till he restores us to soundness of mind. It remains that, in magnifying his
grace, we testify our gratitude.
MATTHEW 10:1-8; MARK 6:1; LUKE
9:1-2
|
MATTHEW
10:1-8
|
MARK
6:1
|
LUKE
9:1-2
|
|
1. And having called the twelve
disciples,
f547 he
gave them power against the unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure any
disease and any sickness. 2. Now the names of the twelve
apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his
brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3. Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican;
James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, surnamed Thaddeus;
4. Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed
him. 5. These, twelve in number, Jesus sent out, and
commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the
Gentiles,
f548
and enter not into a city of the Samaritans:
6. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel.
f549
7. And when you have departed,
preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8. Cure the
diseased, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have
received, freely give.
f550
|
1. And he calleth the twelve, and
began to send them out two and two, and gave them power
against
f551
the unclean spirits.
|
1. And having called the
twelve,
f552
Jesus gave them power and authority over all devils
and to cure diseases. 2. And sent them to preach the kingdom
of God, and to cure the diseased.
|
The calling of the Apostles is here described to
us, not as on a former occasion, when the Lord Jesus Christ, intending to
prepare them for their office, selected them for admission into his private
circle. They are now called to immediate performance, are ordered to prepare
themselves for the work, receive injunctions, and, that there may be no want of
authority, are endued with the power of the Holy Spirit. Formerly, they were
held in expectation of future labor: now, Christ announces that the hour is come
when they must put their hands to the work. It is proper to observe, however,
that he does not as yet speak of perpetual apostleship, but only of temporary
preaching, which was fitted to awaken and excite the minds of men, that they
might be more attentive to hear Christ. So then they are now sent to proclaim
throughout Judea that the time of the promised restoration and salvation is at
hand at a future period, Christ will appoint them to spread the Gospel through
the whole world. Here, he employs them as assistants only, to secure attention
to him where his voice could not reach afterwards, he will commit into their
hands the office of teaching which he had discharged. It is of great importance
to observe this, that we may not suppose it to be a certain and fixed rule laid
down for all ministers of the word, when our Lord gives instructions to the
preachers of his doctrine as to what he wishes them to do for a short time. From
inattention to this point many have been led astray, so as to demand from all
ministers of the word, without distinction, conformity to this
rule. f553
Matthew 10:1.
And having called the twelve
disciples. The number,
twelve,
was intended to point out the future restoration of the Church. As the
nation was descended from
twelve
patriarchs, so its scattered remains are now reminded by Christ of their
origin, that they may entertain a fixed hope of being restored. Although the
kingdom of God was not in so flourishing a state in Judea, as to preserve the
nation entire, but, on the contrary, that people, which already had miserably
fallen, deserved doubly to die on account of ingratitude in despising the grace
which had been offered to them, yet this did not prevent a new nation from
afterwards springing up. At a future period, God extended far beyond Zion the
scepter of the power of his Son, and caused rivers to flow from that fountain,
to water abundantly the four quarters of the world. Then God assembled his
Israel from every direction, and united into one body not only the scattered and
torn members, but men who had formerly been entirely alienated from the people
of God.
It was not without reason, therefore, that the Lord,
by appointing, as it were, twelve patriarchs, declared the restoration of the
Church. Besides, this number reminded the Jews of the design of his coming; but,
as they did not yield to the grace of God, he begat for himself a new Israel. If
you look at the beginnings, it might appear ridiculous that Christ should bestow
such honorable titles on persons who were mean and of no estimation: but their
astonishing success, and the wide extension of the Church, make it evident that,
in honorable rank and in numerous offspring, the apostles not only are not
inferior to the patriarchs, but greatly excel them.
Gave them
power. The apostles had almost no rank
among men, while the commission which Christ gave them was divine. Besides, they
had neither ability nor eloquence, while the excellence and novelty of their
office required more than human endowments,
f554 It was therefore necessary that they
should derive authority from another source. By enabling them to perform
miracles, Christ invests them with the badges of heavenly power, in order to
secure the confidence and veneration of the people. And hence we may infer what
is the proper use of miracles. As Christ gives to them at the same time, and in
immediate connection, the appointment to be preachers of the gospel and
ministers of miracles, it is plain that miracles are nothing else than seals of
his doctrine, and therefore we are not at liberty to dissolve this close
connection. The Papists, therefore, are guilty of forgery, and of wickedly
corrupting the works of God, by separating his word from
miracles.
2.
The first, Simon, who is
called Peter. The Church of Rome
displays extreme folly in drawing from this passage their doctrine of the
primacy. That Simon Peter was the first among the apostles we readily allow, but
what was true in reference to a few persons, cannot, on any proper grounds, be
extended to the whole world. Besides, the circumstance of his being mentioned
first, does not imply that he possessed authority over his companions. Granting
all that they ask regarding Peter, his rank will be of no avail to the Roman
See, till they prove that wicked and sacrilegious apostles are Peter’s
successors.
5.
Into the tray of the
Gentiles. This makes still more evident
what I have lately hinted, that the office, which was then bestowed on the
apostles, had no other object than to awaken in the Jews the hope of an
approaching salvation, and thus to render them more attentive to hear Christ. On
this account, he now confines within the limits of Judea their voice, which he
afterwards commands to sound everywhere to the farthest limits of the world. The
reason is, that he had been sent by the Father to be
the minister of
circumcision, to fulfill the promises, which had anciently been given to the
fathers,
(<451508>Romans
15:8.)
Now God had entered into a special covenant with the
family of Abraham, and therefore Christ acted properly in confining the grace of
God, at the outset, to the chosen people, till the time for publishing it were
fully come. But after his resurrection, he spread over all nations the blessing
which had been promised in the second place, because then
the veil of the temple had been
rent,
(<402751>Matthew
27:51,) and the middle wall of partition had been thrown down,
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14.) If any one imagine that this prohibition is unkind, because Christ does
not admit the Gentiles to the enjoyment of the gospel, let him contend with God,
who, to the exclusion of the rest of the world, established with the seed of
Abraham alone his covenant, on which the command of Christ is
founded.
6.
But go rather to the lost
sheep. The first rank, as we have said,
is assigned to the Jews, because they were the firstborn; or rather, because at
that time they alone were acknowledged by God to belong to his family, while
others were excluded.
f555 He calls them
lost
sheep, partly that the apostles, moved
by compassion, may more readily and with warmer affection run to their
assistance, and partly to inform them that there is at present abundant occasion
for their labors. At the same time, under the figure of this nation, Christ
taught what is the condition of the whole human race. The Jews, who were near to
God, and in covenant with him, and therefore were the lawful heirs of eternal
life, are nevertheless pronounced to be
lost,
till they regain salvation through Christ. What then remains for us who are
inferior to them in honor?
f556 Again, the word
sheep
is applied even to the reprobate, who, properly speaking, did not belong to
the flock of God, because the adoption extended to the whole nation; as those
who deserved to be rejected, on account of their treachery, are elsewhere called
the children of the
kingdom,
(<400812>Matthew
8:12.) In a word, by the term
sheep,
Christ recommends the Jews to the apostles, that they may dedicate their
labors to them, because they could recognize as the flock of God none but those
who had been gathered into the fold.
7.
Preach,
saying. This is the
preaching,
f557 I spoke of, by which Christ intended to
arouse the minds of the nation to expect an approaching redemption.
The kingdom of heaven is at
hand. For
the kingdom of
heaven Luke substitutes
the kingdom of
God; but the meaning is the same. It was
to inform the Jews, first, that they owed their restoration to divine agency,
and not to the kindness of men; secondly, that under the reign of God their
condition would be prosperous; and, thirdly, that the happiness which had been
promised to them was not earthly and fading, but heavenly and
eternal.
8.
Cure the
diseased. As he has bestowed on them
power, so he enjoins them to be faithful and liberal in dispensing it, and
charges them not to suppress that power, which had been lodged with them for the
common benefit of all. By those miracles he shows why he was sent by the Father,
and what was the design of his Gospel. It is not without design that he enjoins
them to raise the
dead and
heal the
sick, instead of bringing diseases on
the healthy and inflicting death on the living. There is an analogy and
resemblance, therefore, which those miracles bear to the office of Christ; and
this is intended to inform us, that he came to bestow upon us every blessing, to
rescue us from the tyranny of Satan and of death, to
heal our
diseases and sins, and to relieve us
from all our miseries.
Freely you have
received.
f558 That they may be more willing to
communicate the gifts which he had bestowed on them, he declares that they were
not entrusted to them for their own individual renown, but in order that they
might be, as it were, a sort of channels for transmitting the
free
bounty of God. “Consider whence you derived this power. As it flowed
without any merit of yours from the pure grace of God, it is proper that,
through your agency, it should flow
freely
to others.”
We know how unwilling every man is to communicate to
others what he considers to belong to himself, and how any one who excels the
rest of the brethren is apt to despise them all. No higher commendation could
have been given to a liberal communication of spiritual gifts, than by the
warning which Christ gives them, that no man surpasses another through his own
industry, but through the undeserved kindness of God. Now Christ has presented
to us in his ministers a proof of that grace which had been predicted by Isaiah,
(55:1)
Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and
eat; yea, come, buy wine and milh without money and without
price.
At the same time he shows, that no man will be a
sincere minister of his word or dispenser of his grace, till he is prepared to
bestow his labor
gratuitously,
f559 and that all hirelings basely
corrupt and profane the sacred office of teaching. Yet it is not inconsistent
with this gratuitous dispensation, that the teachers of the church receive
public salaries, provided that they willingly and generously serve Christ and
his church, and that their support is, in some sort, an accessory of their
labor.
MATTHEW 10:9-15; MARK 6:8-11;
LUKE 9:3-5
|
MATTHEW
10:9-15
|
MARK
6:8-11
|
LUKE
9:3-5
|
|
9. Do not provide gold, nor
silver,
f560
nor brass in your purses,
10. Nor scrip for the journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor
staff: for the laborer is worthy of his food. 11. But into
whatsoever city or village you shall enter, inquire what person in it is worthy,
and remain there till you depart. 12. And when you shall
enter a house, salute it. 13. And if the house shall be
worthy, may your peace come upon it: but if it shall not be worthy, may your
peace return to you. 14. And whosoever shall not receive you,
or hear your words, when you go out of that house or city, shake off the dust of
your feet. 15. Verily I say to you, It shall be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom and of Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for
that city.
|
8. And commanded them to take
nothing for the journey, but a staff only; not a scrip, nor bread, nor money in
their girdle: 9. But to be shod with sandals, and not to wear
two coats. 10. And he said to them, Whenever you shall enter
a house, remain there till you depart thence. 11. And whoever
shall not receive you or hear you, when you go out of that place, shake off the
dust which is under your feet for a testimony to them. Verily I say to you, It
shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorroah in the day of judgment than for
that city.
|
3. And he said to them, Carry
nothing for the journey, neither a staff, nor a scrip, nor bread, nor money; and
do not have two coats each. 4. And into whatsoever house you
shall enter, remain there, and depart thence. 5. And whoever
will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off even the dust from
your feet for a testimony against them.
|
Matthew 10:9.
Do not
provide. As the
embassy f561
was of such a nature, that Christ wished the disciples to traverse the whole of
Judea within a few days, and immediately to return to him, he forbids to carry
luggage with them, by which this speed may be retarded. Some have ignorantly
supposed that the rule here laid down for the ministers of the word, or for the
apostles, is perpetual. We shall presently meet with a few sentences which have
a more extensive reference: but the present injunctions not to carry baggage
must undoubtedly be restricted to that temporary commission of which I have
already spoken. The whole of the prohibition of
gold, silver, a
scrip, and two
coats,
which is given by Matthew, must be read in immediate connection, as is
evident from the other two Evangelists.
I have therefore chosen to translate
uh<
kth>shsqe,
do not
provide: for our Lord simply intended to
forbid them to take any thing for
the journey. They might have
scrips,
and
shoes,
and a change of
coats, at home; but that they may be
better prepared for the journey, he orders them to leave every thing that would
be burdensome. Such too is the import of what Mark says,
to be shod with
sandals. There is an appearance of
contradiction as to the
staff,
or
stick
for, according to Mark, the
staff
is allowed, while according to Matthew and Luke it is refused. But there is
an ambiguity in the use of the Hebrew word
fbç,
(shebet;) and the Evangelists, though they wrote in Greek, used the word
rJa>bdov
in various senses. Matthew and Luke mean by it a
rod
which would be burdensome to the person who carries it: while Mark means by
it a
walking-stick
to support and relieve a traveler. It is evident, that in making a journey
it was customary to carry a
staff;
and hence those words of Jacob, With my staff, I passed over this Jordan,
(<013210>Genesis
32:10,) by which he acknowledges that he came empty and without money into
Syria.
10.
For the laborer is worthy of
his food. Christ anticipates an
objection that might be made: for it might appear to be a harsh condition to
travel through the whole of Judea without any
provisions.
f562 Accordingly, Christ tells them, that
they have no reason to dread that they will suffer hunger; because, wherever
they come, they will at least be
worthy of their
food.
f563 He calls them
laborers,
not that they resembled ordinary ministers, who labor in the Lord’s
vineyard, and who, by planting and watering, bring it into a state of
cultivation; but merely because they were the heralds of a richer and more
complete doctrine. They did not at that time receive the office of preaching any
farther than to render the Jews attentive to the preaching of the
Gospel.
11.
Inquire what person in it is
worthy. Again, they might object that
they would be deprived of the food to which they were entitled, because nobody
would acknowledge them as
laborers.
But Christ meets this difficulty also by ordering them to make
inquiry what
person in each city is
worthy
of the message of salvation. By these words, he bids them ask, if there are
any godly and upright men, who have some fear and reverence for God, and of
whose readiness to receive instruction good hopes may be entertained, that they
may direct their labors chiefly to them. For, as they were not at liberty to
remain long in any one place, it was proper to begin with those who, in some
respect were better prepared.
Remain there till you
depart. This too has a reference to
dispatch: for if they had made a longer stay in any place, it would have been
necessary to change their lodging, that they might not be too burdensome to any
individual. When, therefore, Christ enjoins them to remain in the house of the
person who shall first receive them,
till they
depart to another city, he intimates
that they must make haste, so that, after having published the Gospel in one
city, they may immediately run to
another.
12.
Salute
it. As they could not distinguish the
devout worshippers of God from despisers, he enjoins them to address in a
friendly manner any family which they may have occasion to meet. The act of
saluting
is a kind of opening to a conversation. They had already been warned to look
out for persons to entertain them, whose religious zeal was generally known and
believed. But as it sometimes happens that persons of lofty reputation, when
they are brought to a serious trial, discover their impiety, it was proper that
this rule should be expressly laid down. The meaning therefore is: “Make
trial, when you first enter, whether your entertainers will cheerfully submit to
hear you. Whoever shall willingly embrace your doctrine, remain in their house,
that your salutation may be confirmed. If any shall reject, depart from them
immediately, and, so far as lies in your power, withdraw your
salutation.”
13.
If it be not
worthy. The import of this mode of
expression may be thus stated, — ”As their ingratitude makes them
unworthy to enjoy the blessing of God which you have supplicated for them, break
off every bond of communication.” The
word
peace refers to the mode of salutation
which generally used among the Jews. As the Hebrew word
µwlç,
(shalom,)
peace,
denotes
prosperity,
when they desire that any one may be well and happy, and that his affairs
may succeed to his wish, they pray that he may have
peace.
I do acknowledge that the apostles brought to men a different kind of peace,
but it is too great a refinement of speculation to make this passage refer to
the free reconciliation which takes place between God and
men.
14.
And whoever will not receive
you. This awful threatening of
punishment against the despisers of the gospel was intended to animate his
disciples, that they might not be retarded by the ingratitude of the world. He
directs the apostles, indeed, what he wishes them to do if they meet with
despisers. But his principal design was that, wherever their doctrine was
rejected, their well-founded grief and distress might be relieved by
consolation, that they might not fail in the middle of their course. And we see
how Paul, relying on this consolation, boldly sets at naught all the obstinacy
of men, moves on steadily in the midst of hindrances, and boasts that he
is
a sweet savor to God,
though he is the savor of death
to
them that perish,
(<470215>2
Corinthians 2:15,16.)
Now, this passage shows in what estimation the Lord
holds his gospel, and, indeed, as it is an inestimable treasure, they are
chargeable with base ingratitude who refuse it when offered to them. Besides, it
is the scepter of his kingdom, and therefore cannot be rejected without treating
him with open contempt.
Shake of the
dust. As the Lord here recommends the
doctrine of the gospel, that all may receive it with reverence, and terrifies
rebels by threatening severe punishment, so he enjoins the apostles to proclaim
the vengeance which he threatens. But this they cannot do, unless they burn with
very ardent zeal to make known the doctrines which they preach. We must
therefore hold that no man is qualified to become a teacher of heavenly
doctrine, unless his feelings respecting it be such, that he is distressed and
agonized when it is treated with contempt.
To shake of the dust from the
feet was probably a custom then
prevalent in Judea, as a sign of execration; and was intended to declare that
the inhabitants of the place were so polluted, that the very ground on which
they trod was infected. That it was an ordinary custom I conjecture from our
Lord’s manner of speaking of it as a thing well known. This form of
execration confirms still more what I lately mentioned, that no crime is more
offensive to God than contempt of his word: for he does not enjoin them to make
use of so solemn a mode in expressing their detestation of adulterers, or
murderers, or any description of malefactors.
Verily, I say to
you. That they may not imagine this to
be an idle bugbear,
f564 Christ declares that those who reject
the gospel, will receive more severe punishment than the inhabitants of Sodom.
Some view the word
judgment
as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem. But this is foreign to our
Lord’s intention: for it must be understood as referring to the
general
judgment, in which both must give their
account, that there may be a comparison of the punishments. Christ mentioned
Sodom
rather than other cities, not only because it went beyond them all in
flagitious crimes, but because God destroyed it in an extraordinary manner, that
it might serve as an example to all ages, and that its very name might be held
in abomination. And we need not wonder if Christ declares that they will be
treated less severely than those who refuse to hear the gospel. When men deny
the authority of Him who made and formed them, when they refuse to listen to his
voice, nay, reject disdainfully his gentle invitations, and withhold the
confidence which is due to his gracious promises, such impiety is the utmost
accumulation, as it were, of all crimes. But if the rejection of that obscure
preaching was followed by such dreadful vengeance, how awful must be the
punishment that awaits those who reject Christ when he speaks openly! Again, if
God punishes so severely the despisers of the word, what shall become of furious
enemies who, by blasphemies and a venomous tongue, oppose the gospel, or cruelly
persecute it by fire and sword?
MATTHEW 10:16-20; LUKE
12:11-12
|
MATTHEW
10:16-20
|
LUKE
12:11-12
|
|
16. Behold, I send you out, as
sheep in the midst of wolves: be therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves. 17. But beware of men: for they will deliver you to
the councils, and will scourge you in their synagagues:
18. And you will be brought before rulers and kings on my
account, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19. But
when they shall deliver you up, be not anxious
f565 as
to how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that
hour
f566
what you shall speak. 20. For it
is not you that speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in
you.
|
11. And when they shall bring you
into synagogues, and before magistrates and powers, do not be anxious how or
what you shall answer, or what you shall say. 12. For the
Holy Spirit will teach you in the same hour
f567
what you ought to say.
|
The injunctions which Matthew has hitherto
related had no farther reference than to that former expedition or commission,
which was to be terminated in a few days. But now Christ proceeds farther, and
prepares them for a future period, by informing them, that they were not merely
chosen for that brief exercise of preaching, but that an office of greater
difficulty and of far higher importance awaited them. Though they were not
immediately brought into those contests of which Christ speaks, yet it was
advantageous for them to have previous warning, that any uneasiness which they
might then suffer might be known to be a sort of preparative for a fiercer
warfare to which they had been destined. It was no doubt true in reference to
the first mission, that the apostles were
like sheep in the midst of
wolves: but as the Lord spared their
weakness, and restrained the cruelty of
the
wolves from doing them any injury, these
words properly relate to a subsequent period, when the Lord treated them more
harshly. Before his resurrection, while
the
bridegroom was present, they were
treated, so to speak, like guests at a marriage: but after the departure of
the
bridegroom, that softness and gentleness
ceased, and they were reduced to such hardships as made them aware, that there
were good reasons why they had been early furnished with those
arms.
Perhaps, too, Matthew may have collected into one
passage discourses which were delivered at different times: for Luke, as we
shall afterwards see, (10:17) relates that the same things were said to the
seventy
disciples, who were placed in the room of the apostles. One thing is beyond
dispute: These words did not merely foretell the consequences of that journey
which they were now commencing, but gave them warning as to the whole course of
their apostleship.
Matthew 10:16.
Behold, I send you
out. The exhortation which immediately
follows plainly shows the design of this admonition; and therefore the order of
the passage must be explained in this manner: “You have need of
wisdom
and of
harmlessness,
because you will be like
sheep in the midst of wolves.” The
reason is drawn from the necessity of the case: for if they did not
wisely
exercise caution, they might be immediately devoured by the
wolves;
and, on the other hand, if they trembled at the rage of the
wolves,
or were incautious, they would presently waver, and would at length fail to
perform their duty.
We shall first inquire what is meant by their being
sent out as sheep in the midst of
wolves. Though men are cruel and bloody,
the Lord might soften their ferocious temper; for he tames and subdues, whenever
he pleases, the beasts of prey. When God does not subdue a considerable portion
of mankind to the obedience of the gospels but leaves them in their own savage
nature, he does it on purpose to try his ministers. Though all whom God does not
regenerate with the spirit of gentleness are by nature
wolves
yet this designation is applied by Christ chiefly to the enraged enemies of
the gospel, who are so far from being softened by hearing the voice of the
pastor that they are inflamed to greater cruelty. The Lord sends the ministers
of his word on the condition of dwelling
in the midst of
wolves; that is, of having many
determined enemies and of being beset on every hand by many dangers, which
render it no easy matter to discharge their duty in the midst of hindrances. To
make the trial more severe, he does not supply them with defensive armor, but
exposes them naked and defenseless to the teeth of the
wolves.
By calling them
sheeps
he does not refer to the sweetness and mildness of their manners, or to the
gentleness of their mind, but only means that they will have no greater strength
or fitness for repelling the violence of enemies than
sheep
have against the rage of
wolves.
Christ requires no doubt, from his disciples that they shall resemble
sheep
in their dispositions, by their patience in contending against the malice of
wicked men, and by the meekness with which they endure injuries, but the simple
meaning of this passage is, that many powerful and cruel enemies are arrayed
against the apostles, while they, on their part, are furnished with no means of
defense,
f568 If it be objected, that in this way
there is no contrast between
sheep
and
wolves,
the reply is easy. Though the Lords by calling the enemies of the gospel
wolves,
expressed their power rather than their desire to do injury, yet as no man
is known to be a
wolf
but by his rage against the gospel, Christ has joined these two things
together, the fierce cruelty which impels them to shed blood, and the power with
which they are armed.
Be therefore
wise. The general meaning is, that their
wisdom
in exercising caution must be so regulated, as to prevent them from being
more timid than is necessary, or from becoming more sluggish in duty. We see
that those who wish to pass for cautious and circumspect persons are, for the
most part, timorous and lazy. It is no doubt proper for the disciples of Christ,
surrounded as they are by dangers on every hand, to maintain the strictest
caution; but as they are in extreme danger of being kept back by slothfulness,
he bids them move forward honestly wherever their calling leads
them.
This is pointed out by a twofold comparison,
wise as serpents, and harmless as
doves. Serpents, being aware that they
are hated, carefully avoid and shrink from every thing that is hostile to them.
In this manner he enjoins believers to take care of their life, so as not to
rush heedlessly into danger, or lay themselves open to any kind of injury.
Doves,
on the other hand, though naturally timid, and liable to innumerable
attacks, fly in their simplicity, imagine themselves safe till they are struck,
and in most cases place themselves within the reach of the fowler’s
snares. To such simplicity Christ exhorts his disciples, that no excess of
terror may hinder them from pursuing their course. There are some who carry
their ingenious reasonings still farther as to the nature of the
serpent
and of the
dove,
but this is the utmost extent of the resemblance. We see that Christ
condemns that carnal wisdom, or rather that trickery, in which the greater part
of men are too fond of indulging, while they look around them on every hand to
discover how far it will be safe for them to proceed; and thus, from an
unwillingness to encounter danger, they renounce the call of
Christ.
f569
17.
But beware of
men. Erasmus has inserted the word
these, (beware of these
men,) supposing that the article has the
force of a demonstrative pronoun.
f570 , But in my opinion it is better to view
it as indefinite, and as conveying a declaration of Christ, that caution ought
to be exercised in dealing with men, among whom every thing is full of snares
and injuries. But he appears to contradict himself: for the best way of
exercising caution would have been to remain at home, and not to venture to
appear in public. I reply, he points out here a different sort of caution,
— not that terror and alarm which would keep them from discharging their
duty, but a dread of being excessively annoyed by sudden calamities. We know
that those who are surprised by unexpected afflictions are apt to fall down
lifeless. Christ, therefore, desired that his disciples should foresee at a
distance what would happen, that their minds might be early prepared for
maintaining a conflict. In short, he sounds the trumpet to them, that they may
quickly make ready for the battle: for as foresight, when it is excessive or
attended by unnecessary anxiety, reduces many to a state of weakness, so many
are intoxicated by an indolent security, and, rushing on heedlessly, give way at
the critical moment.
For they will deliver you up to
councils. It may readily be inferred
from these words, that the contests of which Christ forewarns the apostles must
not be limited to the first journey, in which they met with nothing of this
description. The object of this prediction is to prevent them from being ever
cast down: for it was no ordinary attainment for poor and despised men, when
they came into the presence of princes, to preserve composure, and to remain
unmoved by any worldly splendor. He warns them, too, that not in Judea only, but
in more distant places, they will be called to fight; and he does so, not merely
for the purpose of preparing them by long meditation for that warfare, but that,
as instructed and experienced masters, they might not scruple to yield
themselves to heavenly guidance.
For a testimony to them and to the
Gentiles. This means that the will of
God must be proclaimed even to foreign princes, and to distant nations, that
they may be without excuse. Hence it follows, that the labor of the apostles
will not be lost, for it will vindicate the judgment of God, when men shall be
convicted of their obstinacy.
19.
Be not
anxious.
f571 A consolation is added: for in vain
would Christ have given a hundred exhortations to the disciples, if he had not,
at the same time, promised that God would be with them, and that through his
power they would assuredly be victorious. Hence we infer, that Christ is very
far from intending, by announcing those dangers, to abate the fervor of that
zeal with which it would be necessary for the disciples to burn if they wished
to discharge their duty in a proper manner. It is, no doubt, a great matter to
endure the presence of princes; for not only fear, but even shame, sometimes
overpowers well-regulated minds. What, then, may be expected, if princes break
out into furious anger, and almost thunder?
f572 Yet Christ charges his disciples not to
be anxious.
For in that hour shall be given to
you what you shall speak. The Spirit
will suggest words to them. The more a man distrusts himself through
consciousness of his own weakness, the more is he alarmed, unless he expect
assistance from another quarter. Accordingly, we see that the reason why most
men give way is, that they measure by their own strength, which is very small or
almost nothing, the success of their undertakings. Christ forbids the disciples
to look at their own strength, and enjoins them to rely, with undivided
confidence, on heavenly grace. “It is not,” he says, “your
ability that is in question, but the power of the Holy Spirit, who forms and
guides the tongues of believers to a sincere confession of their
faith.”
That they may not be alarmed by their present
deficiency, he assures them that assistance will come
at the very
instant when it is needed. Frequently
does it happen that the Lord leaves believers destitute of the gift of
eloquence, so long as he does not require that they give him a testimony, but,
when the necessity for it arrives, those who formerly appeared to be dumb are
endued by him with more than ordinary eloquence. Thus, in our own time, we have
seen some martyrs, who seemed to be almost devoid of talent, and yet were no
sooner called to make a public profession of their faith, than they exhibited a
command of appropriate and graceful language altogether
miraculous. f573
Yet it was not the will of Christ that the apostles
should be free from all care: for it was advantageous to them to have such a
measure of anxiety, as to supplicate and entreat that the Spirit might be given
to them; but he desired to remove that deep and uneasy thought which almost
always tends to perplex and embarrass. So long as men indulge in conjecture what
is to take place, or whether this or the other thing will happen, and do not
rely on the providence of God, they are kept in a wretched state of trouble and
uneasiness. And, indeed, those who do not render such honor to the providence of
God, as to believe that it will seasonably relieve their wants, deserve to be
tormented in this manner.
MATTHEW 10:21-25; LUKE
6:40
|
MATTHEW
10:21-25
|
LUKE
6:40
|
|
21. And the brother will deliver
up the brother to death, and the father the son, and the children will rise up
against the parents, and will put them to death. 22. And you
will be hated by all on account of my name: but he who shall endure to the
end
f574
will be saved. 23. And when they
shall persecute you in this city, flee into another: for verily I say unto you,
You will not have gone over
f575
all the cities of Israel, till the Son of man bec
ome. 24. The disciple is not above his master, nor the
servant above his lord. 25. It is enough for the disciple
that he be as his master, and that the servant be as his lord: if they have
called the master of the house himself Beelzebub, how much more his household
servants?
|
40. The disciple is not above his
master, but every one shall be to his master.
|
Matthew 10:21.
And the brother will deliver up
the brother to death. He first gives
warning what heavy calamities await them, and then adds a remarkable
consideration, which sweetens all their bitterness. First, he announces that
those circumstances which other men find to be the means of protection, or from
which they obtain some relief, will prove to the disciples a fresh addition to
their misery.
Brothers,
who ought to assist them when oppressed, to stretch out their hand to them
amidst their distresses, and to watch over their safety, will be their mortal
enemies.
It is a mistake however, to suppose that it happens
to none but believers to be
delivered up to death by their
brethren: for it is possible that a
father may pursue his son with holy zeal,
f576 if he perceives him to have apostatized
from the true worship of God; nay, the Lord enjoins us in such a case
(<051309>Deuteronomy
13:9) to forget flesh and blood, and to bestow all our care on vindicating the
glory of his name.
f577 Whoever has fear and reverence for God
will not spare his own relatives, but will rather choose that all of them should
perish, if it be found necessary, than that the kingdom of Christ should be
scattered, the doctrine of salvation extinguished, and the worship of God
abolished. If our affections were properly regulated, there would be no other
cause of just hatred among us.
On the other hand, as Christ not only restores the
kingdom of God, and raises godliness to its full vigor, but even brings men back
from ruin to salvation, nothing can be more unreasonable than that the ministers
of so lovely a doctrine should be hated on his account. A thing so monstrous,
and so contrary to nature, might greatly distress the minds of simple
men: f578
but Christ foretells that it will actually take
place.
22.
But he who endured to the end
shall be saved. This single promise
ought sufficiently to support the minds of the godly, though the whole world
should rise against them: for they are assured that the result will be
prosperous and happy. If those who fight under earthly commanders, and are
uncertain as to the issue of the battle, are carried forward even to death by
steadiness of purpose, shall those who are certain of victory hesitate to abide
by the cause of Christ to the very last?
23.
And when they shall persecute
you. He anticipates an objection that
might arise. If we must encounter the resentments of the whole world, what shall
be the end of all this?
f579 Though it may not be safe for them to
remain in any place, yet Christ warns them not to despair, but, on the contrary,
when they have been driven from one place, to try whether their labors in some
other place may be of any avail. It is a mistake, however, to suppose that this
is a bare permission: for it is rather a command given to the disciples, what it
is the will of Christ that they should do. He who has sustained one persecution
would willingly withdraw as a soldier who has served his time. But no such
exemption is granted to the followers of Christ, who commands them to fulfill
their whole course with unabated zeal. In short, the apostles are enjoined to
enter into fresh contests, and not to imagine that, when they have succeeded in
one or two cases, they have fully discharged their duty. No permission is
granted to them to flee to a retired spot, where they may remain unemployed, but
though their labor may have been unsuccessful in one place, the Lord exhorts
them to persevere.
And yet the command implies also a permission. As to
avoiding persecution, it ought to be understood in this manner: we must not
condemn without distinction all who flee, and yet it is not every kind of flight
that is lawful. Some of the ancients carried their zeal in this matter to an
extreme and condemned flight as a species of disavowal. Were this true, some
part of the disgrace would fall on Christ and his apostles. Again, if all
without distinction are at liberty to flee, a good pastor could not be
distinguished from a hireling during a season of persecution. We must abide by
the moderation which Augustine recommends, when writing to Honoratus. :No man
must quit his station through timidity, either by betraying the flock through
cowardice, or by giving an example of slothfulness; and yet no man must expose
himself precipitately, or at random. If a whole church is attacked, or if a part
of them is pursued to death, the pastor, whose duty it is to expose his life in
place of any individual among them, would do wrong in withdrawing. But sometimes
it may happen, that by his absence he will quell the rage of enemies, and thus
promote the advantage of the church. In such cases, the
harmlessness of the
dove must be his guide, that effeminate
persons may not seize on his conduct as an excuse for their timidity: for the
flesh is always too ingenious in avoiding what is troublesome.
For verily I say to
you. These words cannot be understood in
the sense which some have given to them as relating to the first
mission,
f580 but embrace the whole course of their
apostleship. But the difficulty lies in ascertaining what is meant by the
coming of the Son of
man. Some explain it as denoting such a
progress of the gospel, as may enable all to acknowledge that Christ is truly
reigning, and that he may be expected to restore the kingdom of David. Others
refer it to the destruction of Jerusalem, in which Christ appeared taking
vengeance on the ingratitude of the nation. The former exposition is admissible:
the latter is too far-fetched. I look upon the consolation here given as
addressed peculiarly to the apostles. Christ is said
to
come, when matters are desperate, and he
grants relief. The commission which they received was almost boundless: it was
to spread the doctrine of the Gospel through the whole world. Christ promises
that he will
come
before they have traveled through the whole of Judea: that is, by the power
of his Spirit, he will shed around his reign such luster, that the apostles will
be enabled to discern that glory and majesty which they had hitherto been unable
to discover.
24.
The disciple is not above his
master. By his own example he now
exhorts them to perseverance; and, indeed, this consolation is enough to banish
all sadness, if we consider that our lot is shared with the Son of God. To make
us feel deeper shame, he borrows a twofold comparison from what is customary
among men. The
disciple reckons it honorable to be
placed on a level with his
master, and does not venture to wish a
higher honor, and again,
servants
do not refuse to share that condition to which their
masters
willingly submit. In both respects, the Son of God is far above us: for the
Father has given to him the highest authority, and has bestowed on him the
office of a teacher. We ought, therefore, to be ashamed of declining what he did
not scruple to undergo on our account. But there is more need to meditate on
these words than to explain them: for, in themselves, they are sufficiently
clear.
<420640>Luke
6:40. The disciple is not
above his master, but every one shall be conformed to his
master. Luke gives this sentence without
any connection, as if it had been spoken abruptly in the midst of other
discourses; but as Matthew explains very clearly, in this passage, to what it
relates, I have chosen not to insert it in any other place. With respect to the
translation, I have chosen neither to follow Erasmus nor the old translator, and
for the following reason: — The participle
kathrtisme>nov,
signifies
perfect,
but signifies also fit and
suitable. Now, as Christ is speaking,
not about perfection, but about resemblance, and must therefore mean, that
nothing is more
suitable
for a
disciple
than to be formed after the example of his
master,
the latter meaning appeared to me to be more
appropriate.
25.
If they have called the
master of the house Beelzebub. This is
equivalent to calling himself Lord of the Church, as the apostle, when comparing
him to Moses and the prophets,
(<580301>Hebrews
3:1,) says, that they were
servants,
but that he is the Son and heir. Though he bestows on them the honor of
calling them brethren,
(<580211>Hebrews
2:11,) yet he is the first-born
(<450829>Romans
8:29) and head of the whole church; and, in short, he possesses supreme
government and power. Nothing, therefore, can be more unreasonable than to wish
to be accounted believers, and yet to murmur against God when he
conforms us to the image of his
Son, whom he has placed over all his
family. To what sort of delicacy do we pretend, if we wish to hold a place in
his house, and to be above the Lord himself? The general meaning is, that we
carry our delicacy and tenderness to excess, if we account it a hardship to
endure reproaches to which our Prince willingly submitted.
Beelzebub
is a corrupted term, and would have been more correctly written
Baalzebub.
This was the name given to the chief of the false gods of the Philistines,
who was worshipped by the inhabitants of Ekron,
(<120102>2
Kings 1:2.)
Baalim
was the name of the inferior deities, whom the Papists of our day call
patrons.
Now, as Baalzebub means the
patron of the fly, or
of the
flies, some have thought that he was so
called on account of the great multitude of
flies
in the temple, occasioned by the number of sacrifices; but I rather
conjecture that the assistance of the idol was implored against
the
flies which infested that place. When
Ahazlah, under the influence of superstition, applied to him to be informed
about his recovery, he gave him this name, which would appear from that
circumstance not to be a term of reproach. But as the name gehenna was
applied by holy men to hell, in order to stamp that place with infamy, so, in
order to express their hatred and detestation of the idol, they gave the name
Beelzebub
to the devil. Hence we infer that wicked men, for the purpose of rendering
Christ detestable to the multitude, employed the most reproachful term which
they could invent, by calling him
the
devil, or, in other words, the greatest
enemy of religion. If we happen to be assailed by the same kind of reproach, we
ought not to think it strange, that what began in the head should be completed
in the members.
MATTHEW 10:26-31; MARK
4:22-23;
LUKE 8:17;
12:2-7
|
MATTHEW
10:26-31
|
MARK
4:22-23
|
LUKE
8:17
|
|
26. Fear them not therefore: for
nothing is covered that shall not be revealed, and nothing is hid that shall not
be known. 27. What I say to you in darkness speak you in
light: and what you hear in the ear proclaim on the housetops.
28. And fear not those who kill the body, but cannot kill the
soul: but rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in gehenna.
29. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing, and not one of
them shall fall to the ground without your Father? 30. But
even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. Fear not
therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.
|
22. For nothing is hid which shall
not be revealed; and nothing is secret that shall not come to light.
23. If any man have ears to hears, let him
hear.
|
17. For there is nothing hid that
shall not be revealed, and nothing concealed that shall not be known and come to
light.
LUKE
12:2-7
2. For nothing is covered which
shall not be laid open, and nothing is hid wich shall not be known.
3. Therefore, those things which you have spoken in darkness
shall be heard in light: and what you have spoken in the ear in closets shall be
proclaimed on the housetops. 4. And I say to you my friends,
Be not afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that
they can do. 5. And I will show you whom you should fear:
fear him who, after that he hath killed, hath power to throw into gehenna: yea,
I say to you, Fear him. 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two
farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7. But even the hairs on your head are all numbered: fear not
therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows.
|
Matthew 10:26.
Fear them not
therefore. When the apostles saw the
gospel so greatly despised, and recollected the small number of believers, they
might be apt to throw away hope even for the future. Christ now meets this
doubt, by declaring that the gospel would be widely spread, would at length rise
superior to all the hindrances which might arise from men, and would become
generally known. The saying,
nothing is covered that shall not
be revealed, has some appearance of
being a proverb: but we restrict it in a special manner to the doctrine of
salvation, which Christ promises will be victorious, whatsoever may be the
contrivances of men to oppose it. Though he sometimes preached openly in the
temple, yet, as his doctrine was rejected, it was still
concealed
in dark comers: but he declares that the time for proclaiming it will come;
which, we know, happened shortly afterwards. In no part of the earth was there
ever such thunder heard as the voice of the gospel, which resounded through the
whole world. As this promise ought to fill them with courage, Christ exhorts
them to devote themselves to it with boldness and perseverance, and not to be
alarmed, though they see the gospel hitherto despised, but, on the contrary, to
become its zealous preachers.
The passage which I have taken from Mark was,
perhaps, spoken at a different time, and in a different sense: but as the
sentences in that place are concise, I have followed the meaning which appeared
to me the most probable. After having commanded the apostles to assemble
burning lamps
by sending out a bright light to a great
distance, he immediately afterwards adds,
nothing is hidden which shall not
be revealed. Now the
lamp
of the gospel was kindled by the apostles, as it were in the midst of
darkness, that by their agency it might be raised on high, and shine throughout
the whole world. The passage in the eighth chapter of Luke’s Gospel is
precisely alike. As to the passage in the twelfth chapter, there is no room to
doubt that it has the same meaning, though there is a difference in the words:
for Christ there commands the apostles
to bring to light what they had
spoken in darkness. This means, that
hitherto they had only spoken in whispers about the gospel, but that their
future preaching would be so public, that it would spread to the most distant
parts of the world.
28.
And fear not those who hill
the body. To excite his disciples to
despise death, Christ employs the very powerful argument, that this frail and
perishing lift ought to be little regarded by men who have been created for a
heavenly immortality. The statement amounts to this, that if believers will
consider for what purpose they were born, and what is their condition, they will
have no reason to be so earnest in desiring an earthly life. But the words have
still a richer and fuller meaning: for we are here taught by Christ that the
fear of God is dead in those men who, through dread of tyrants, fall from a
confession of their faith, and that a brutish stupidity reigns in the hearts of
those who, through dread of death, do not hesitate to abandon that
confession.
We must attend to the distinction between the two
opposite kinds of
fear.
If the
fear
of God is extinguished by the dread of men, is it not evident that we pay
greater deference to them than to God himself? Hence it follows, that when we
have abandoned the heavenly and eternal life, we reserve nothing more for
ourselves than to be like the beasts that perish,
(<194912>Psalm
49:12.) God alone has the power of bestowing eternal life, or of inflicting
eternal death. We forget God, because we are hurried away by the dread of men.
Is it not very evident that we set a higher value on the shadowy life of the
body f581
than on the eternal condition of the soul; or rather, that the heavenly kingdom
of God is of no estimation with us, in comparison of the fleeting and vanishing
shadow of the present life?
These words of Christ ought therefore to be explained
in this manner:
“Acknowledge
that you have received immortal souls, which are subject to the disposal of
God alone, and do not come into the power of men. The consequence will be, that
no terrors or alarms which men may employ will shake your faith. “For how
comes it that the dread of men prevails in the struggle, but because the body is
preferred to the soul, and immortality is less valued than a perishing
life?”
Luke 12:5.
Yea, I say to you, Fear
Him. This is an
emphatic,
f582 repetition of the statement. Christ must
be viewed as saying, that when we give way to the dread of men, we pay no
respect to God; and that if on the contrary we
fear
God, we have an easy victory in our hands, so that no efforts of men will
draw us aside from our duty. The experience of every age shows the great
necessity of this exhortation to the ministers of Christ, and likewise to all
believers in general: for there never was a period when men did not rise
furiously against God, and endeavor to overwhelm the
Gospel. f583
All are not armed indeed with equal power to hold out to believers the dread of
death, but the greater number are animated by that savage ferocity, which
discovers itself as soon as an opportunity occurs. Frequently, too, Satan brings
forward giants, in whose presence the servants of Christ would fall down
lifeless, were it not that this doctrine fortifies them to maintain unshaken
perseverance.
The two clauses being very closely related to each
other, it is an incorrect view which some unskilful persons take, by reading
separately this clause, Fear them
not. For Christ, (as we have already
said,) in order to cure that wicked
fear
of men, which draws us aside from the right path contrasts with it a devout
and holy fear of God: otherwise the consequence would not follow that, if we
fear God, who is the Lord of body and soul, we have no reason to fear men, whose
power goes no farther than the body. With regard to the statement that men
have power to kill the
body, Christ made it by way of
concession. God allows wicked men to enjoy such a degree of liberty, that they
are swelled with confidence in their own power, imagine that they may attempt
any thing, and even succeed in terrifying weak minds, as if they could do
whatever they pleased. Now the proud imaginations of wicked men, as if the life
of the godly were placed at their disposal, is utterly unfounded: for God keeps
them within limits, and restrains, whenever it pleases him, the cruelty and
violence of their attacks. And yet they are said to
have power to
kill by his permission, for he often
permits them to indulge their cruel rage. Besides, our Lord’s discourse
consists of two parts. First, in order to instruct us to bear with composure the
loss of the bodily life, he bids us contemplate both eternal life and eternal
death, and then arrives gradually at this point, that the protection of our life
is in the hand of God.
Matthew 10:29.
Are not two sparrows sold for a
farthing? Christ proceeds farther, as I
have already hinted, and declares that tyrants, whatever may be their madness,
have no power whatever even over the body: and that therefore it is improper in
any persons to dread the cruelty of men, as if they were not under the
protection of God. In the midst of dangers, therefore, let us remember this
second consolation. As God is the guardian of our life, we may safely rely on
his providence; nay, we do him injustice, if we do not entrust to him our life,
which he is pleased to take under his charge. Christ takes a general view of the
providence of God as extending to all creatures, and thus argues from the
greater to the less, that we are upheld by his special protection. There is
hardly any thing of less value than
sparrows,
(for
two
were then sold for a
farthing, or, as Luke states it, five
for two farthings,) and yet God has his eye upon them to protect them, so that
nothing happens to them by chance. Would He who is careful about the
sparrows
disregard the life of men?
There are here two things to be observed. First,
Christ gives a very different account of the providence of God from what is
given by many who talk like the philosophers, and tell us that God governs the
world, but yet imagine providence to be a confused sort of arrangement, as if
God did not keep his eye on each of the creatures. Now, Christ declares that
each of the creatures in particular is under his hand and protection, so that
nothing is left to chance. Unquestionably, the will of God is contrasted with
contingence or uncertainty
f584 , And yet we must not be understood to
uphold the fate of the Stoics,
f585 for it is one thing to imagine a
necessity which is involved in a complicated chain of causes, and quite another
thing to believe that the world, and every part of it, is directed by the will
of God. In the nature of things, I do acknowledge there is
uncertainty:
f586 but I maintain that nothing happens
through a blind revolution of chance, for all is regulated by the will of
God.
The second thing to be observed is, that we ought to
contemplate Providence, not as curious and fickle persons are wont to do, but as
a ground of confidence and excitement to prayer. When he informs us that
the hairs of our head are all
numbered, it is not to encourage trivial
speculations, but to instruct us to depend on the fatherly care of God which is
exercised over these frail bodies.
31.
You are of more
value. This is true in general of all
men, for the
sparrows
were created for their advantage. But this discourse relates peculiarly to
the sons of God, who possess a far higher right than what they derive from
creation. Now the rank which belongs to men arises solely from the undeserved
kindness of God. de soy ds elioses, sans qu’il y ait une certainc conduite
d’cnhaut.” — ”The will of God is contrasted with what
such Philosophers call Contingence: a term by which they denote an accident
which comes of its own accord in events, without any fixed direction of it from
above.”
MATTHEW 10:32-35; MARK
8:38;
LUKE 9:26; 12:8-9,
51-53
|
MATTHEW
10:32-35
|
MARK
8:38
|
LUKE
9:26
|
|
32. Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father, who is in
heaven. 33. And whosoever shall deny me before men, him will
I also deny before my Father, who is in heaven. 34. Think not
that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35. For I have come to set a man at variance against his
father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her
mother-in-law. And the persons of a man’s household shall be his
enemies.
|
38. For whosoever shall be ashamed
of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the
Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the
holy angels.
|
26. For whosoever shall be ashamed
of me, and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall
come in his own glory,
f587
and [in the glory] of the Father, and of the holy
angels.
LUKE 12:8-9, 51-53
8. And I say to you,
Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will the Son of man also confess
before the angels of God. 9. And he who shall deny me before
men, will be denied before the angels of God.—(Same chapter.)
51. Do you suppose that I came to send peace on earth? I tell
you no; but division. 52. For henceforth there will be five
in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.
53. The father will be divided against the son, and the son
against the father: the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against
the mother: the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the
daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
|
Matthew 10:32.
Whosoever therefore shall confess
me. He now applies to his present
subject what he formerly said in a general manner about contempt of death: for
we must struggle against the dread of death, that it may not
keep
us back from an open confession of faith, which God strictly demands, and
which the world cannot endure. For this purpose the disciples of Christ must be
bold and courageous, that they may be always ready for martyrdom. Now
confession
of Christ, though it is regarded by the greater part of men as a trifling
matter, is here represented to be a main part of divine worship, and a
distinguished exercise of godliness. And justly is it so represented: for if
earthly princes, in order to enlarge and protect their glory, and to increase
their wealth, call their subjects to arms, why should not believers maintain, at
least in language, the glory of their heavenly King?
It is therefore certain that those persons extinguish
faith, (as far as lies in their powers) who inwardly suppress it, as if the
outward profession of it were unnecessary. With good reason does Christ here
call us his witnesses, by whose mouth his name shall be celebrated in the world.
In other words, he intends that the profession of his name shall be set in
opposition to false religions: and as it is a revolting matter, he enjoins the
testimony which we must bear, that the faith of each person may not remain
concealed in the heart, but may be openly professed before men. And does not he
who refuses or is silent
deny
the Son of God, and thus banish himself from the heavenly
family?
A more public confession of faith, no doubt, is
demanded from teachers than from persons in a private station. Besides, all are
not endued with an equal measure of faith, and in proportion as any one excels
in the gifts of the Spirit, he ought to go before others by his example. But
there is no believer whom the Son of God does not require to be his witness. In
what place, at what time, with what degree of frequency, in what manner, and to
what extent, we ought to profess our faith, cannot easily be determined by a
fixed rule: but we must consider the occasion, that not one of us may fail to
discharge his duty at the proper time. We must also ask from the Lord the spirit
of wisdom and courage, that under his direction we may know what is proper, and
may boldly follow whatever we shall have ascertained that he commands
us.
Him will I also
confess. A promise is added to inflame
our zeal in this matter. But we must attend to the points of contrast. If we
draw a comparison between ourselves and the Son of God, how base is it to refuse
our testimony to him, when on his part he offers his testimony to us by way of
reward? If mortals, and men who are of no worth, are brought into comparison
with God and the angels and all the heavenly glory, how much more valuable is
that which Christ promises than that which he requires? Although men are
unbelieving and rebellious, yet the testimony which we deliver to them is
estimated by Christ as if it had been made in the presence of God and of the
angels.
Thus also by way of amplification, Mark and
Luke f588
add, in this adulterous and
sinful generation; the meaning of which
is, that we must not imagine our labor to be lost, because there is a want of
proper disposition in our hearers. Now if any one is not sufficiently moved by
the promise, it is followed by an awful threatening. When Christ shall make his
appearance to judge the world, he will
deny
all who have basely denied
him before men. Let the enemies of the
cross now go away, and flatter themselves in their hypocrisy, when Christ blots
their names out of the book of life: for whom will God acknowledge as his
children at the last day, but those who are presented to him by Christ? But he
declares that he will bear witness against them, that they may not insinuate
themselves on false grounds. When it is said that Christ will come
in the glory of
the
.Father and of the
angels, the meaning is, that his divine
glory will then be fully manifested; and that the
angels,
as they now surround the throne of God, will render their services to him by
honoring his majesty. The passage from the twelfth chapter of Luke’s
Gospel corresponds to the text of Matthew. What we have inserted out of the
ninth chapter, and out of Mark, appears to have been spoken at another time: but
as the doctrine is quite the same, I have chosen to introduce them
together.
Luke 12:51.
Do you suppose that I came to
send peace on the earth? What Christ has
now demanded from his disciples any one of them would reckon it an easy matter
to give, if the whole world, with one consent, embraced the doctrine of the
Gospel. But as a considerable part of the world not only opposes but fights
keenly against it, we cannot
confess
Christ without encountering the resistance and hatred of many. Christ
therefore warns his followers to prepare for battle, for they must necessarily
fight for the testimony of truth. And here he meets two stumbling-blocks, which
otherwise would greatly have distressed weak minds. The prophets everywhere
promise that there will be peace and tranquillity under the reign of Christ.
What then were his disciples entitled to expect but that, wherever they went,
all would instantly be at peace? Now as Christ is called our peace,
(<490214>Ephesians
2:14,) and as the Gospel reconciles us to God, it follows, that he also
establishes a brotherly harmony amongst us. The kindling of wars and contentions
in the world where the Gospel is preached, does not seem to agree with the
predictions of the prophets, and still less with the office of Christ, and with
the nature of the Gospel.
But that
peace
which the prophets describe in lofty terms, is associated with faith, and
has no existence but among the sincere worshippers of God, and in the
consciences of the godly. To unbelievers it does not come, though it is offered
to them; nay, they cannot endure to be reconciled to God: and the consequence
is, that the message of peace excites in them a greater tumult than before. As
Satan, who holds a kingly power over the reprobate, is furious against the name
of Christ, as soon as the doctrine of the Gospel is proclaimed to them, their
impiety, which formerly lay asleep, acquires fresh vigor. Thus Christ, who
properly speaking, is the author of
peace,
becomes the occasion of disturbances in consequence of the wickedness of
men.
Let us hence learn how great is the depravity of
corrupt nature, which not only soils a gift so inestimable, but changes it into
a most destructive evil. Meanwhile, if tumults arise at the commencement of the
reign of Christ, let us not be alarmed at it, as if it were strange or unusual:
for he compares his Gospel to a sword, and says that it is
diamerismo<v,
separation. Some think that this is intended to describe the
punishment which was inflicted on the despisers of the Gospel, by their rising
in hostility against each other. But the context shows, that Christ is here
exhorting his disciples to perseverance, though a good part of the world should
be at variance with them, and though their voice should be like a war-trumpet to
call innumerable enemies to arms.
Matthew
10:35. To set
a
man at
variance. Hence we see more clearly what
was stated a little before, that wars and tumults arise, contrary to the nature
of the Gospel, through the fault of wicked men. What Malachi says about John the
Baptist, (4:67) applies to all the ministers of Christ. They are sent for this
purpose to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of
the children to the fathers. But in consequence of the malice of wicked men,
those who were formerly combined no sooner hear the voice of Christ than they
separate into opposite parties, and proceed so far as to break up the ties of
relationship. In a word, Christ foretells that the world will come to such a
state of confusion, that all the bonds of kindred will be treated with
indifference, and humanity will be no longer regarded. When Micah complains
(7:6) that a man’s enemies are the men of his own house, he
deplores it as a state of extreme and ruinous corruption. Christ declares that
the same thing will happen when his doctrine shall be published, which otherwise
could not have been believed. At the same time, he does not mean that this will
uniformly take place, as certain fretful persons foolishly imagine that it will
be impossible for them to be good disciples without forsaking parents, children,
and wives. On the contrary, every lawful bond of union is confirmed by unity of
faith: only Christ warns his followers, that when it does happen, they must not
be alarmed.
MATTHEW
10:37-42; MARK 9:41; LUKE 14:25-33
|
MATTHEW
10:37-42
|
MARK
9:41
|
LUKE
14:25-32
|
|
37. He who loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loveth son or daughter more than me
is not worthy of me. 38. And he who doth not take his cross
and follow me,
f589 is
not worthy of me. 39. He who findeth his
life
f590
shall lose it; and he who loseth his life for my
sake shall find it.
f592
40. He who receiveth you
receiveth me: and he who receiveth me receiveth him who sent me.
41. He who receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet,
shall receive a prophet’s reward: he who receiveth a righteous man in the
name of a righteous man, shall a righteous man’s reward.
42. And whosoever shall give to one of these little ones to
drink a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily, I say to you,
he shall not lose his reward.
|
41. For whosoever shall give to
you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ, verily I
say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
|
25. And great multitudes went with
him, and he turned, and said to them, 26. If any man cometh
to me,
f591
and hateth not his father and mother, and wife and
children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life also, he cannot be my
disciple. 27. And whosoever doth not carry his cross and come
after me cannot be my disciple. 28. For who is there among
you that wishes to build a tower, and does not first sit down and count the
cost, whether he have what is necessary to finish it?
29. Lest after he hath laid the foundation, all who see him
begin to mock him, 30. Saying, this man began to build, and
was not able to complete it. 31. Or what king, who is setting
out to make war against another king, does not first sit down and consider
whether or not he will be able, with ten thousand, to meet him who cometh
against him with twenty thousand? 32. Otherwise, while the
other is still at a distance, he sends an embassy, and requests conditions of
peace. 33. So then every one of you who forsaketh not all
that he possesses, cannot be my disciple.
|
Matthew 10:37.
He who loveth father or
mother. As it is exceedingly harsh, and
is contrary to natural feelings, to make enemies of those who ought to have been
in closest alliance with us, so Christ now says that we cannot be his disciples
on any other condition. He does not indeed enjoin us to lay aside human
affections, or forbid us to discharge the duties of relationship, but only
desires that all the mutual love which exists among men should be so regulated
as to assign the highest rank to piety. Let the husband then love his wife, the
father his son, and, on the other hand, let the son love his father, provided
that the reverence which is due to Christ be not overpowered by human affection.
For if even among men, in proportion to the closeness of the tie that mutually
binds us, some have stronger claims than others, it is shameful that all should
not be deemed inferior to Christ alone. And certainly we do not consider
sufficiently, or with due gratitude, what it is to be a disciple of Christ, if
the excellence of this rank be not sufficient to subdue all the affections of
the flesh. The phrase employed by Luke is more harsh,
if any man doth not hate his
father and mother, but the meaning is
the same, “If the love of ourselves hinder us from following Christ, we
must resist it, courageously:” as Paul says,
what things were gain to
me, those I counted loss for Christ, for whom I suffered the loss of all things,
(<500307>Philippians
3:7,8.)
38.
He who doth not take up his
cross. From particular cases he proceeds
to general views, and informs us that we cannot be reckoned his disciples unless
we are prepared to endure many afflictions. If we are vexed and tormented by the
thought, that the gospel should set us at variance with our father, or our wife,
or our children, let us remember this condition, that Christ subjects all his
disciples to the
cross. Yet let us also bear in mind this
consolation, that, in bearing the
cross, we are the companions of Christ,
— which will speedily have the effect of allaying all its bitterness. The
reprobates are not less firmly bound to their
cross,
and cannot with their most violent struggles shake it off; but as to those
who are out of Christ the cross is accursed, a mournful end awaits them. Let us
therefore learn to connect these two things, that believers must bear the cross
in order to follow their Master; that is, in order to conform to his example,
and to abide by his footsteps like faithful
companions.
39.
He who findeth his
life. Lest the former doctrine, which is
very difficult and troublesome to the flesh, should have little weight with us,
Christ confirms it in two ways by this statement. He affirms that persons of
excessive caution and foresight, when they look upon themselves as having very
well defended their
life,
will be disappointed and will
lose
it; and, on the other hand, that those who disregard their
life
will sustain no loss, for they will recover it. We know that there is
nothing which men will not do or leave undone for the sake of
life,
(so powerful is that attachment to it which is natural to us all;) and,
therefore, it was necessary that Christ should employ such promises and
threatenings in exciting his followers to despise death.
To find the
life means here to possess it, or to
have it in safe keeping. Those who are excessively desirous of an earthly life,
take pains to guard themselves against every kind of danger, and flatter
themselves with unfounded confidence, as if they were looking well to
themselves,
(<194918>Psalm
49:18:) but their life, though defended by such powerful safeguards, will pass
away; for they will at last die, and death will bring to them everlasting ruin.
On the other hand, when believers surrender themselves to die, their
soul,
which appears to vanish in a moment, passes into a better life. Yet as
persons are sometimes found, who heedlessly lay down their life, either for the
sake of ambition or of madness, Christ expressly states the reason why we ought
to expose ourselves to death.
It is uncertain if the discourse, which is related by
Luke,
was delivered on another occasion. There, too, our Lord exhorts his
followers to bear the
cross, but does not dwell upon it at
equal length. To support this sentiment he immediately adds two comparisons, of
which Matthew takes no notice: but as the subject treated is substantially the
same, I have not scrupled to introduce in this place what we find in
Luke.
Luke 14:28.
For which of you,
etc., That no one may think it hard to
follow Christ on the condition of renouncing all his desires, a useful warning
is here given. We must consider beforehand what the profession of the gospel
demands. The reason why many persons yield to very slight temptations is, that
they have pictured to themselves unmixed enjoyment, as if they were to be always
in the shade and at their ease. No man will ever become fit to serve Christ till
he has undergone a long preparation for warfare.
Now the comparisons are exceedingly adapted to this
object.
Building
is a tedious and vexatious matter, and one that gives little satisfaction on
account of the expense.
War,
too, brings along with it many inconveniences, and almost threatens
destruction to the human race, so that it is never undertaken but with
reluctance. And yet the advantages of
building
are found to be sufficient to induce men to spend their substance on it
without hesitation; while necessity drives them to shrink from no expenses in
carrying on
wars.
But a far more valuable reward awaits those who are the
builders
of the temple of God, and who fight under the banner of Christ: for
Christians do not labor for a temporary building, or fight for a passing
triumph.
If a king find himself unable to endure the burden of
a war, f593
he prevents an ignominious defeat by seeking peace with his adversary. The
statements which our Lord makes to this effect must not be applied to the
present subject, in such a manner as if we were to enter into any compromise
with our spiritual foe, when our strength and resources fail. It would be idle
to treat parables as applying in every minute
point f594
to the matter in hand. But our Lord simply means that we ought to be so well
prepared, as not to be taken by surprise for want of a proper defense, or basely
to turn our backs: for it is not every one of us who is a
king,
to carry on
war
under his direction.
This doctrine reproves the rashness of those who
foolishly proceed beyond their capacity, or flatter themselves without thinking
of bearing the
cross. Yet we must take care lest this
meditation, to which Christ exhorts us, should fill us with alarm or retard our
progress. Many persons, not having from the outset laid their account with
suffering, relax their zeal through cowardice: for they cannot endure to be
Christians on any other condition than that of being exempted from the
cross.
Others again, when a condition that is harsh and unpleasant to the flesh is
proposed to them, do not venture to approach to Christ. But there is no good
reason for being discouraged by a knowledge of our poverty, for the Lord grants
to us seasonable aid. I readily acknowledge that, if we calculate the expense,
we are all destitute of power to lay a single stone, or to wield a sword against
the enemy. But as the materials, expense, arms, and forces, are supplied by the
Lord out of heaven, no pretext on the score of difficulty can be offered by our
indifference or sloth. The design of Christ, therefore, is to warn his followers
to bear the
cross, that they may prepare themselves
with courage.
Luke 14:33.
So then every one of
you. This clause shows what is meant by
the calculation of
expenses, with which Christ enjoins his
followers to begin: it is to lead them to consider that they must
forsake
all. In vain do persons who are
delighted with an easy, indolent life, and with exemption from the
cross,
undertake a profession of Christianity. Those persons are said to
forsake
all who prefer Christ so greatly, both
to their own life, and to all the wishes of the flesh, that nothing deters them
from the right course.
It would be absurd to insist on a literal
interpretation of the phrase, as if no man were a disciple of Christ, till he
threw into the sea all that he possessed, divorced his wife, and bade farewell
to his children. Such idle dreams led foolish people to adopt a monastic life,
as if those who intend to come to Christ must leave off humanity. Yet no man
truly forsakes all that he possesses till he is prepared at every instant to
leave all, gives himself free and unconstrained to the Lord, and, rising above
every hindrance, pursues his calling. Thus the true self-denial which the Lord
demands from his followers does not consist so much in outward conduct as in the
affections; so that every one must employ the time which is passing over him
without allowing the objects which he directs by his hand to hold a place in his
heart.
Matthew 10:40.
He who receiveth you, receiveth
me. A considerable portion of the world
may be opposed to the disciples of Christ, and the confession of their faith may
draw upon them universal hatred. Yet here is another consolation tending to
excite a very great number of persons to treat them with kindness. Whatever is
done to them, Christ does not hesitate to reckon as done to himself. This shows
how dearly he loves them, when he places to his own account the kind offices
which they have received. He is not speaking here about
receiving
the doctrine, but about
receiving
the men. The latter meaning, I admit, arises out of the former, but we must
attend to the design of Christ. Perceiving that this was exceedingly adapted to
support their weakness, he intended to assure them that, if any one would
receive them in a friendly manner, and do them kind offices, he would be as
highly pleased as if their benevolence had been exercised towards his own
person; and not only so, but that in such a sacrifice God the Father would
smell a sweet
savor, (Genesis
8:21.)
41.
He who receiveth a
prophet. He begins with the prophets,
but at length comes down to the lowest rank, and embraces all his disciples. In
this manner he commends all, without exception, who truly worship God and love
the gospel. To receive
a person
in the name of a
prophet, or
in the name of a righteous
man, means to do them good for the sake
of honoring their doctrine, or of paying respect to piety. Though God enjoins us
to perform offices of kindness to all mankind, yet he justly elevates his people
to a higher rank, that they may be the objects of peculiar regard and
esteem.
Shall receive a prophet’s
reward. This clause is variously
interpreted by commentators. Some think that it denotes a mutual compensation,
or, in other words, that spiritual benefits are bestowed on the
prophets
of God instead of temporal benefits. But if this exposition is admitted,
what shall we say is meant by the
righteous man’s
reward? Others understand it to mean,
that those who shall be kind to them will partake of the same
reward
which is laid up for
prophets
and
righteous
men. Some refer it to the intercourse of saints, and suppose it to mean,
that as by our kind actions we give evidence that we are one body with the
servants of Christ, so in this way we become partakers of all the blessings
which Christ imparts to the members of his body.
I consider it simply as denoting the
reward
which corresponds to the rank of the person to whom kindness has been
exercised; for Christ means that this will be a remarkable proof of the high
estimation in which he holds his
prophets,
and indeed all his disciples. The greatness of the reward will make it
evident, that not one kind office which was ever rendered to them has been
forgotten.
By way of amplification, he promises a reward to the
very meanest offices of kindness, such as
giving them a cup of cold
water, He gives the name of
little
ones not only to those who occupy the
lowest place, or are held in least estimation in the Church, but to all his
disciples, whom the pride of the world tramples under
foot.
FOOTNOTES
ft1a “To
Lucke belongs the honor of having first referred, in the department of exigesis,
to Luther, Beza, Calvin, Camerarius, and many other excellent interpreters of
the period of the Reformation. He was followed by the writer of these pages in
his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans.” — Literarischer
Anzeiger fur 1831. Biblical Repository, July
1832.
ft2a
The observation might be extended to some other expositors, who, with little
parade of any kind, are qualified to instruct every class of readers. Those only
who have subjected them to a close comparison with the Hebrew and Greek
originals can judge of their attainments in criticism. Matthew Henry, though
deservedly the most popular of this class, receives less credit than he deserves
for the extent and variety of his
learning.
ft3a
This statement may require both explanation and defense. Many of those who have
devoted their attention to Greek literature would be more likely to name
Thucydides as an author who had cost them long and severe application. But the
difficulties of that historian, though more obvious, are in reality less
formidable, and will be found not to arise so directly from any peculiarities of
style as from a singular condensation of thought which demands the close and
sustained attention of his readers, and sometimes from an affectation of
conciseness on the part of the author which leads him into obscurity. The
difficulties of Plato are chiefly idiomatic, and do not lie on the surface. Like
those noble performances which are said to indicate the hand of a master in the
higher walks of art, in which the uninitiated hardly discover any meaning, but
which reveal to the cultivated eye or car the highest beauty or magnificence of
conception, the masterly strokes of Plato are not perceived by ordinary readers,
and can only be appreciated by the accomplished scholar. He who reads with case
the original Greek of Plato, following out all the windings of his subtle
argument, (and Calvin appears to have accomplished this task,) must have
previously unraveled the most perplexing intricacies of that
language.
ft4a
It may be proper to mention, that a considerable part of this Preface has
already appeared in The Biblical Cabinet, Vol. XXX., prefixed to a
translation of Calvin’s Commentaries on the Epistles to the
Galatians and Ephesians. With the kind permission of my friend, the
publisher of that series, I have transferred it to a place where it is not less
appropriate than in its former situation. Some remarks on Calvin’s
excellencies as a Commentator, and on the estimation in which he is now held,
might be expected to precede the first volume of a modem version of his
Commentaries, that has been brought out by the CALVIN TRANSLATION SOCIETY. No
change having taken place in the carefully matured views which were formerly
expressed, it has been judged advisable to present them in their original form,
rather than to leave them out, or to undergo the labor of fresh
writing.
ft5a
Biblical Cabinet, vol.
xxx.
ft6a
It is taken from a rare etching by Pierre Woieiriot, goldsmith, and
engraver on copper and wood. This artist was born at Bar-le-duc in 1510. He was
established at Lyons about the middle of the sixteenth century. His engravings
are all distinguished by the monogram which may be observed on the etching
itself, surmounted by the small cross of Lorraine. This engraving was issued
previous to the death of Calvin, and probably during his last illness, as the
likeness bears evident marks of premature decrepitude and
debility.
ft7a
A letter of Calvin to his dear friends, Farel and Viret, dated 30th May, 1540,
when he had not comp1eted his thirty-first year, contains the following
remarkable passage: “Car si nous voulons bien pourvoir aux profits de
l’Eglise, il nous faut appeller a l’office de Pasteurs tels gens,
qu’ils puissent quelque iour soustenir la charge apres nous. Combien que
ie soye ieune, toutesfois quand ie voy ma debilite et indisposition de mon
corps, i’ay soin de ceux qui seront apres nous, comme si i’estoye
desia vieil.”—”For if we are desirous to provide for the
advantage of the Church, we must call to the office of Pastors such persons as
may one day hold the office after us. Though I am young, yet when I
perceive my debility and my bodily indisposition, I have anxiety about those who
shall come after us, as if I were already
old.”
ft1b
“Mais aussi de ces vermines, lesquels meslez entre nous comme bourdons
entre abeilles;”—”but likewise those wretches who mixing with
us like drones among
bees.”
ft2b
“Comme estant un de la compagnie de ceux qui vont devant pour faire place
a leur Roy;”—”as being one of the company of those who go
before to make way for their
King.”
ft1c
Evangelium in Latin, Evangile in French, and Evangell in
old English, are derived, with little alteration, from the Greek word
eujagge>lion,
which is compounded of
eu+,
well, and
ajggeli>a,
a message, and signifies glad news. The English word Gospel is
of Saxon derivation, and is determined by its etymology to signify
God’s word; but must have acquired, at a very early period, the
meaning of the Greek word for which it has been adopted as a translation. In the
margin of the celebrated Geneva Testament, printed A.D. 1557, Gospel is
thus defined:— “This worde signifieth good tidinges, and is taken
here for the storie which conteineth the joyful message of the comming of the
Sonne of
God.”—Ed.
ft2c
“Ce qu’il avoit auparavant commande a tous fideles d’attendre
et esperer;”—”which he had formerly commanded all believers to
expect and
hope.”
ft3c
“Que c’est aucunement confondre les termes;”—”that
it is in a manner a confounding of
words.”
ft4c
“Des le commencement du monde;”—”from the beginning of
the
world.”
ft5c
“En sorte qu il ait seulement este escrivain sous luy
;”—”so that he was only a writer under
him.”
ft6c
“Se fondant sur une passage ou il fait mention de son
Evangile;”— “founding on a passage in which he makes mention
of his Gospel,” (according to my
gospel.)
ft7c
“Il n’avoit este accuse, et emprisonne;”— “he was
not accused and imprisoned.”
ft1
Inter
nos.
ft2
Apud
nos.
ft3
Quorum pars magna fui.—Virg.
AEn.
ft4
Omnia
assequuto.
ft5
I1 leur donnoit a entendre par
signes—Fr.
ft6
Ce n'estoit point un accident commun,
mais plustost une ceuvre ad-mirable de
Dieu.—Fr.
ft7
“Ave,
Maria.”
ft8
“Cur ergo aspectus etiam
meminit?” Calvin's allusion is brought out more clearly in his own
vernacular. “Pourquoy donc dit-il, Quand elle l'eut
veu?”—”Why then does he say, When she had seen
him?”
ft9
“Neque otiosam imaginari
licet.”—”Car nous ne pouvons point apprehender à bon
escient la presence de Dieu, sinon avec ses
effects.”
ft10
The use of such epithets may not be
easily reconciled to the refinements of modern taste; but, three centuries ago,
few readers would be startled by them, and they are much more sparingly employed
by Calvin than by many of his contemporaries. Not to mention that Paul says,
Beware of dogs,
(<510302>Philippians
3:2,) and that the statement, Without are dogs,
(<662215>Revelation
22:15,) bears the impress of the Alpha and Omega,
(<662213>Revelation
22:13,) Servetus, to whom the epithet “filthy” is applied,
had denied the fundamental doctrine of our Lord's supreme Divinity, and had
luxuriated in the most revolting and blasphemous
expressions.—Ed.
ft11
Daniel's prediction referred to runs
thus: “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass
away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. The angel does not
employ these words;” but his departure from them is not strongly marked,
and it can scarcely be doubted that he had this passage in his
eye.—Ed.
ft12
“ Nec vero magnopere laborandum
est.” This is bold language, and must have sounded harsh and irreverent to
a Popish ear: but in his French version Calvin uses still less ceremony.
“We must not tease ourselves much to find out a way of vindicating her
entirely “—” Or il ne nous faut pas beaucoup tormenter
a trouver facon de la justifier
entierement.”—Ed.
ft13
“Christum opportere absque viri et
mulieris coitu nasci.”
ft14
“Laquelle ont suivie les
Evangelistes, combien qu'ils escrivissent en Grec.” —
Fr.
ft15
“Haesitamus.”—”We
are in a state of uncertainty, without being able to convince ourselves of
it.”—”Nous sommes en branle sans pouvoir nous y
asseurer.”—Fr.
ft16
“Effectualem.—”We must
observe that true faith apprehends the power of God, not in the air, but with
its results.”—”Il faut noter que la vraye foy apprehende la
puissance de Dieu, non point en l'alr, mais avec ses
effects.”
ft17
“Laissant son premier
propos.”
ft18
“Uno
contextu.”—”En continuant le fil de son
propos.”
ft19
“Il faut aussi noter qu'elle
s'asseure sur la parole de l'Ange, par ce qu'elle sait qu'elle est procedee de
Dieu: pesant la dignite d'icelle non a cause de celuy qui en estoit le messager,
mais a cause de celui qui en estoit
l'autheur.”
ft20
“In montana;”—”et
s'en alla hastivement aux montagnes;”—”and went away hastily
to the mountains.”
ft21
“L'enfant
tressaillit.”
ft22
“Facta est;”—”est
parvenue a mes aureilles;—”reached my
ears.”
ft23
“Complementum
erit.”
ft24
“Car les choses qui luy ont este
dites par le Seigneur luy seront accomplies.”—”For the things
which were told her by the Lord shall be accomplished to
her.”
ft25
“Gratulandi
causa;”—” pour faire caresse a sa
cousine.”
ft26
“Illustrandae ultro citroque
gratiae Dei;”—de celebrer et magnifier la grace de Dieu faite a
l'une et a l'autre.”
ft27
“Christo velut in subsellium
redacto.” Subsellium is evidently not employed here to convey a
shade of the honor belonging to the
seats
ft28
“Sinum
expandit;”—”mais la foy, par maniere dire, tend son giron pour
les recevoir;”—”but faith, so to speak, holds its lap
to receive them.”
ft29
“Exultavit;”—”mon
esprit s'est esiouy.”
ft30
“Magnifica.”
ft31
“Car avant que la volonte de 1'
homme soit mise en train de louer Dieu, il faut qu'il y ait devant une alaigrete
et resiouissance d'esprit.”—”For before the will of man is set
agoing to praise God, there must be previously a cheerfulness and rejoicing of
spirit.”
ft32
“ Les Latins, traduisans ce passage
du Grec, ont us, du mot d'Humi- lite, lequel les barbares et sots parleurs de
Latin, prennent ici comme en Francois, pour une facon de faire contraire a
l'arrogance, assavoir quand une personne s'estime rien: mais il se prend
autrement, assavoir pour Petitesse; c'est a dire, condition basse et
meprisee.”—”The Latins, translating this passage from the
Greek, have used the word Humility, which barbarians and fools talking Latin
take here, as in French, for a manner of acting opposed to pride: but it is
taken differently, namely, for Meanness, that is, a low and despicable
condition.”
ft33
“En cela nous voyons coment les
Papistes accordent mal avec elle, lesquels sans jugement la parent de nouvelles
louanges forgees en leurs cerveaux; et cependant ne tiennent quasi conte do tous
les biens que’lle a eus de Dieu.” — “In this we see how
ill the Papists agree with her, who without judgment adorn her with new praises
forged in their own brains; and yet make no account, as it were, of all the
benefits which she had from
God.”
ft34
“Qui plus est, Satan les a
transportez en une telle rage et forcenerie, qui’ls n’ont point eu
de honte du luy attributer l’authorite de commander a Christ.”
— “What is more, Satan has carried them away to such a rage and
fury, that they are not ashamed to attribute to her authority to command
Christ.”
ft35
“Roga Patrem, jube
Natum.”
ft36
“En ce faisant, nous luy accordons
ce qui luy est le plus honorable, en lieu que ces habiles gens, qui la servent a
contrepoil, l’en despouillent.” — “In doing this we
grant to her what is the most honorable, while those clever people, who serve
her the wrong way, take it from
her.”
ft37
“Fidem ejus dictis
abrogant;”—”dementent la vierge en tant qu'en eux
est;”—”as far as lies in them, they make the virgin a
liar.”
ft38
“ Car c'est a tort et fausses
enseignes qu'ils se glorifient d'avoir Dieu pour leur Pere, puis qu’ils
sont enfans bastards des saincts, et ont desvoye de leur foy et
sainctete.”—”For it is improperly and under false colors that
they boast of having God for their Father, since they are bastard children of
the saints, and have departed from their faith and
holiness.”
ft39
“Il a besongne puissament par son
bras.”—”He hath wrought powerfully by his
arm.”
ft40
diesco>rpisen,,
he utterly discomfits, a metaphor derived from putting to flight a
defeated enemy. The word not unfrequently occurs in the Septuagint, but very
rarely in the classical writers; though one example is adduced by Kuinoel from
Aelian, Var. Hist. 13:46:tou<v
me>n diesco>zpisen, ou{v, (read
tou<v)
de<
ajpe>cteiene.”—Bloomfield's Greek
Testament.
ft41
“La ou nous avons rendu, Il a
dissipe, le mot Grec signifie proprement, Il a escarte ou
espars.”
ft42
“ Le mot Grec
(duna>stai)
vient de Puissance, comme si on disoit, Les puissans: mais il signifie les
gouverneurs et gras seigneurs.”—”The Greek word comes from
power, as if she had said, ‘The Mighty:' but it means governors and great
lords.”
ft43
“Ludam Fortunae;”—le
jeu ou la roue de la Fortune;”—”the game or wheel of
Fortune.”
ft44
“ Il ne faut pas penser que pour se
jouer des hommes il les esleve amsi haut, et puis les
abaisse.”—”We must not imagine that, to amuse himself with
men, he raises them so high, and then sinks them
low.”
ft45
“
jAntilamba>nesqai
, denotes properly to lay hold of any
thing, or person, by the hand, in order to support it when it is likely to
fall; but the
ft46
“Marie se propose les promesses, et
nous ramene tous a la consideration d'icelles.”—”Mary presents
to herself the promises, and leads us all to the consideration of
them.”
ft47
Without attempting to make clear to the
English reader the nature of this difficulty, which a Greek scholar will readily
enough comprehend, it may suffice to say that the words, as he spake to our
fathers, should be read as a parenthesis, and the words now under
consideration will then be connected in the following manner: So as to be
mindful (or, in remembrance) of his mercy to Abraham, and to his seed,
for ever.—Ed.
ft48
“Mais sa mere print la
parole;”—”but his mother took
speech.”
ft49
“Mais selon la promesse expresse de
Dieu, qui avoit este apportee et revelee par l'ange.”—”But
according to the express promise of God, which had been brought and revealed by
the angel.”
ft50
“Que nous en soyons touchez et
esmeus a bon escient.”—”That we may be touched and moved by
them in good earnest.”
ft51
“Dieu en faisant miracles ne se
joue point pour nous servir de passe- temps, mais reveille nos sens, lesquels il
voit estre abrutis et en dormis.”—”God, in working miracles,
does not amuse himself to supply us with pastime, but arouses our senses, which
he sees to be stupified and
asleep.”
ft52
“La corne de
salut.”
ft53
“De tout
temps.”—”From all
time.”
ft54
“Secundum
jusjurandum”—”(Qui est) le jurement,”—”which
is the oath.”
ft55
“C'est a dire, une vertu et
puissance pleine de salut.”—”That is, a power and might full
of salvation
ft56
“Specimen futurae
salutis;”—”pource que Dieu l'avoit dresse pour figure et
tesmoignage du salut a venir;”—”because God had set him up for
a figure and proof of the salvation to
come.”
ft57
“Ornatus;”—”revestu
et garni d'excellens tesmoignages de tous les
Prophetes;”—”clothed and adorned with excellent testimonies of
all the Prophets.”
ft58
“Classicos testes.” This is a
fine allusion to the Roman division into classes, (mentioned by Livy,
1:43,) from the first of which classes, as carrying greater weight and
respectability, “testes,” witnesses were selected for signing
Testaments,—a department of Conveyancing, which all civilized nations have
guarded by the most careful provisions, and in which authenticity is peculiarly
and indispensably necessary. Calvin's vernacular brings out, though with less
elegance, the meaning in which classicos testes is here
used,—”bons, suffisans, et sans reproche;”—”good,
sufficient, and without
reproach.”—Ed.
ft59
“Misere
vagantur.”—”Les Juifs ne font que tracasser et se tormenter
sans profit toute leur vie;”—”the Jews do but vex and tease
themselves without advantage all their
life.”
ft60
“Il a lie le salut des hommes avec
sa parole, comme dependant d'icelle.”—”He has bound the
salvation of men with his word, as depending on
it.”
ft61
“Le mot de Sainctete
comprend tout ce dont nous sommes redevables a Dieu pour adorer et honorer
sa majeste.”—”The word Holiness includes all that we
owe to God for adoring and honoring his
majesty.”
ft62
“Hac lege redemptas esse
homines.”—”Zacharie dit que les hommes ont este rachetez a
la charge de s'appliquer a servir Dieu tout le temps de leur
vie.”—”Zacharias says that men have been redeemed upon
condition of applying themselves to serve God all the time of their
life.”
ft63
“ Oriens ex
alto.”
ft64
“Apparitorem.”—”Heraut.”
ft65
“Mortis;”—”La
mort mortelle.”
ft66
“ Imputative, ut
italoquar.”—”Par imputation, c'est a dire, d'autant que la
justice de Christ laur est imputee.”—”By imputation, that is
to sy, in so far as the righteousnes of Christ is imputed to
them”
ft67
“Par les entrailles de la
misericorde, ou, par l'affection misericordieuse.”—”By the
bowels of mercy, or, by the merciful
affection.”
ft68
“Estre assis emporte autant
comme estre couch, ou veautre.”— “To sit is of the same
import as to be lying or
wallowing.”
ft69
“Il, leur estoit aise de le
monstrer comme au doigt, et sans long ropos.”—”It was easy for
them to point it out, as with the finger, and without a long
story.”
ft70
“Matthieu, en sa description, ne
passe point plus haut qu'Abraham, qui a este le pere du peuple sainct et
esleu.”—”Matthew, in his description, does not pass higher
than Abraham, who was the father of the holy and elect
people.”
ft71
“Si quem titillat major
curiositas.”—”S'il y a quelqu'un chatouille de curiosite qui
en demande d'avantage.”—”If any one is tickled by a curiosity,
which asks for more of it.”
ft72
“Quum essent
extranei.”—”En lieu qu'Ismael et Esau en avoyent este rejettez
et bannis comme estrangers.”—”Whereas Ishmael and Esau were
thrown out and banished from it as
strangers.”
ft73
jAll j eJauto<n
ejce>nwse,—but he emptied himself. Such is
the literal import of the words which are rendered in the English version,
But made himself of no
reputation.—Ed.
ft74
“In nurum suam
incidit.”—”Judas a commis sa meschancete avec sa bru, pensant
que ce fust une autre.”—”Judah committed his wickedness with
his daughter-in-law, supposing her to be a different
person”
ft75
“Afin que neantmoins ceste semence
bastarde vint a avoir un jour en main le scepter Royal.”—”So
that nevertheless this bastard seed came to have one day in its hand the Royal
scepter.”
ft76
“Assavoir 0chozias fils de Joram,
Joas, et Amazias.”—”Namely, Ahaziah son of Jehoram, Joash, and
Amaziah,” (2 Chronicles 22,23,
24,25.)
ft77
“Indocti;”—”quelques
gens n'entendans pas le propos,”—”some peope not understanding
the design.”
ft78
“Robert Etienne a ce propos allegue
un exemplaire Grec ancien, ou il y a ainsi, Josias engendra Joacim, et Joacim
engendra Jechonias.”— “Robert Stephens, with this view, quotes
an ancient Greek manuscript, which runs thus: Josiah begat Jehoiakim, and
Jehoiakim begat Jeconiah.”
ft79
“Qui avoit este mis bas, et comme
rompu;”—”which had been thrown down, and, as it were,
broken.”
ft80
Every reader of the Bible is familiar
with the phrase, the Lord's anointed, as applied to David and his
successors,
(<101921>2
Samuel 19:21;
<250420>Lamentations
4:20.)—Ed.
ft81
(“Qui voyoyent bien par signes
externes que Marie estoit enceinte.”) —(“Who saw well by
outward marks that Mary was
pregnant.”)
ft82
“Que Joseph a voulu pardonner a sa
femme, et couvrir la faute, d'autant qu'il estoit
juste.”—”That Joseph intended to forgive his wife, and conceal
her offense, because he was
just.”
ft83
“Il ne vouloit point nourrir le mal
en dissimulant et faisant semblant de n'y voir rien.”—”He did
not wish to encourage wickedness, by dissembling and pretending that he did not
see it.”
ft84
“Leno;”—”macquereau.”
ft85
“Le moyen le plus doux et le moins
scandaleux estoit, que secretement il departist du lieu, et la laissast sans
faire aueun bruit.”—”The mildest and least scandalous method
was, that he should depart secretly from the place, and leave her without making
any noise.”
ft86
“Quia esset ex ea familia, et
quidem superstes cum paucis;”— “d'autant qu'il estoit de cette
famille, et mesmes que d'icelle il estoit quasi seul vivant, avec quelques
autres en bien petit nombre;”—”because he was of that family,
and even of that he was almost sole survivor, with some others in very small
number.”
ft87
“Faisant grand cas de leur
argument;”—”setting great store by their
argument.”
ft88
“Le mot Hebrieu Alma, pour
lequel l'Evangeliste a use du mot de Vierge;”—”the Hebrew word
Alma, for which the Evangelist has used the word
Virgin.”
ft89
“Le blamant de ce qu'il pretend
prouver Jesus Christ estre nay d'une Vierge;”—”blaming him for
offering to prove Jesus Christ to be born of a
Virgin.”
ft90
“Abusez par un mot mal
tourne;”—”deceived by a word ill
translated.”
ft91
“Urgent;”—”ils
veulent a toute force;”—”they attempt with their whole
strength.”
ft92
hml[
is derived from
µl[,
to hide,—a verb not found in Kal, but so frequently in Niphal,
(µl[n,)
Hiphil,
(µyl[h,)
Hithpahel,
(µl[th,)
that its meaning is fully
ascertained.—Ed.
ft93
“Car il emporte Retraitte ou
Cachette, qui est pour denoter ceste honte honeste qui doit estre es
vierges;”—”for it signifies Retreat or Concealment, which
serves to denote that becoming shame which ought to be in
virgins.”
ft94
“C'est bien autrement: car il y a
plus d'apparence au contraire;”— “it is quite otherwise: for
there is more probability on the opposite
side.
ft95
“Mais quand Christ est apparu en sa
personne, le peuple a eu une presence de Dieu veritable, et non pas ombratile
comme paravant.”— “But when Christ appeared in his person, the
people had a real presence of God, and not shadowy, as
before.”
ft96
“Somme, pour faire et accomplir
toutes choses requises au salut du genre humain;”—”in a word,
to do and accomplish all things requisite for the salvation of the human
race.”
ft97
“Il appartient a tous fideles
d'advouer et confesser que Dieu s'est communique et baille a nous en
Christ;”—”it belongs to all believers to own and confess that
God has communicated and made over himself to us in
Christ.”
ft98
“Laquelle un peu auparavant il ne
vouloit recevoir, et lui sembloit qu'il se fust pollue en conversant avec
elle;”—”whom a little before he refused to receive, and seemed
to him that he would be polluted by conversing with
her.”
ft99
“Il est nomme Premier nay,
mais non pour autre raison, sinon afin que nous sachions qu'il est nay d'une
mere vierge, et qui jamais n'avoit eu enfant;”—”he is called
First-born, but for no other reason than that we may know that he was
born of a pure virgin, and who never had had a
child.”
ft100
“Mis par
escrit;”—”put in
writing.”
ft101
“Ceste premiere
description.”
ft102
“Ut
profiteretur.”
ft103
“Pour estre enroule avec
Marie;”—”to be enrolled with
Mary.”
ft104
“Et comme ils estoyent la, advint
que les jours d'icelle furent accom-. plis pour
enfanter.”—”And as they were there, it happened that her days
were accomplished for bringing
forth.”
ft105
“Fasciis;”—”Bandelettes.”
ft106
“Une
creiche.”
ft107
“Il monstre que cela ne s'est point
fait par advis ou conseil humain.” —”He shows that this was
not by human advice or plan.”
ft108
“Data opera et
consulto;”—”de propos delibere;”—”of
deliberate purpose.”
ft109
“Neque parum
facit;”—”ce n'est pas un poinct de petite
importance.”
ft110
“Synecdoche.”
ft111
The reader will observe that this is the
rendering of the authorized English
version.—Ed.
ft112
“Victoriae
Actiacae.”—”C'est une victoire qu'ent Auguste a la bataille
sur mer contre Antoine et Cleopatra, aupres de la ville nommee
Actium.”—”That is, a victory which Augustus had in the naval
battle which he fought against Antony and Cleopatra, near the town called
Actium.”
ft113
“Elle fut lors executee, et
trouva-on facon d'en venir a bout.” — “It was then executed,
and a way was found of succeeding in
it.”
ft114
“Sub Herode
;”—”combien qu'ils fussent sujets
d'Herode;”—”though they were subjects of
Herod.”
ft115
“Il baisse la
teste;”—”he bows the
head.”
ft116
“Comment il a este
heberge.”
ft117
“Non modo hospitii
jure;”—”non point comme un logis pour y estre hebergez en
passant.”
ft118
“Couchant es
champs.”
ft119
“Gardant les veilles de la
nuict.”
ft120
“La clarte;”—”the
brightness.”
ft121
“Et vous aurez ces
enseignes;”—”and you shall have these signs.”
ft122
“Pannis;”—”bandelettes.”
ft123
“Militiae;”—”des
armees celestes;”—”of the heavenly
armies.”
ft124
“es cieux
treshauts;”—”in the highest
heavens.”
ft125
“Envers les hommes son bon plaisir,
ou, bonne volonte;”—”towards men his good pleasure, or,
good-will.”
ft126
“En paroles
magnifiques;”—”in magnificent
words.”
ft127
“En quelque lustre et apparence du
monde;”—”in any luster and display of the
world.”
ft128
“Ex pecudum
stercore;”—”sur la fiente des
bestes.”
ft129
“La clarte du
Seigneur;”—”the brightness of the
Lord.”
ft130
“c'a este afin qu'ils cogneussent
que c'estoit l'ange de Dieu qui parloit;”—”it was in order
that they might know that it was the angel of the Lord that
spoke.”
ft131
“Ce n'est que
fumee;”—”it is only
smoke.”
ft132
“Parquoy apprenons de prendre
tellement notre contentement en Christ seul, que le sentiment de sa grace nous
face surmonter toutes choses qui sont dures a la chair, et finalement en oste
toute l'amertume.”— “Wherefore, let us learn to take our
satisfaction, in such a manner, in Christ alone, that the feeling of his grace
may make us rise above all things that are unpleasant to the flesh, and finally
may take away all their
bitterness.”
ft133
“Au reste, il est bien vray que
l'ange parle seulement du peuple esleu, assavoir des Juifs; mais pourceque
maintenant la paroy qui faisoit separation est rompue, la mesme ambassade
s'addresse aujourdhui a tout le genre humain.”—”Besides, it is
very true that the angel speaks only of the elect people, namely, the Jews ;but
because now the wall of partition which made a separation is broken down, the
same message is addressed, at the present day, to all the human
race.”
ft134
He refers to his use of the Latin word
Salvator, for which there is no classical authority. The apology may be
deemed unnecessary; but Calvin was entitled to be more sensitive on this point
than many modern scholars. The purity of his style discovers so perfect an
acquaintance with the writers of the Augustan age, that it must have given him
uneasiness to depart from their authorized terms. He pleads high authority for
the liberty he had taken. Cicero, whose command of the resources of his native
tongue will not be questioned, acknowledges that there is no Latin word which
conveys the full import of the Greek word
swt>hr,
and in this, as well as many other instances, calls in the aid of a richer and
more expressive language than his
own.—Ed.
ft135
“Salvator.”
ft136
“Au reste, ce n'est pas sans cause
que ce mot Vous est adjouste: et il est bien a poiser. Car il ne
serviroit gueres de savoir que le Sauveur est nay, sinon qu'un chacun appliquast
cela a sa personne, s'asseurant que c'est pour lui qu'est nay le Fils de
Dieu.”—”Besides, it is not without reason that this word
You is added; and it is well to weigh it. For it would hardly be of
service to know that the Savior is born, unless each applied that to his own
person, being persuaded that it is for him that the Savior is
born.”
ft137
“Et vous aurez ces
enseignes;”—”and you shall have these
signs.”
ft138
“Eternam animi vitam
obsignat.”—Our rendering is close. But what is sealed? Is it
meant, that the mere act of partaking the Lord's Supper places beyond a doubt
the salvation of the worshipper, or even gives to it any additional certainty?
In some loose sense of this sort, the phrase is often enough used even by
Protestant divines. It is satisfactory to have Calvin's own authority for the
meaning of this passage. “Il seelle la
promesse.”—”He seals the promise.” The meaning is,
that God ratifies his word. By condescending to employ outward symbols, together
with his holy word, for expressing the blessings of salvation he holds out to
his people an additional testimony, and in this manner grants a strong
confirmation to their
faith.—Ed.
ft139
It may be proper to exhibit the entire
sentence referred to in the former note. “Comme nous ayant promis la
justice spirituelle, il nous met devant les yeux un peu d'eau: par un petit
morceau de pain et une goutte de vin, il seelle la promesse qu'il a faite de la
vie eternelle de nos ames.”—”As, having promised to us
spiritual righteousness, he places before our eyes a little water: by a small
morsel of bread and a drop of wine, he seals the promise which he has made of
the eternal life of our
souls.”
ft140
“Comme si la trompette sonnoit,
pour nous resveiller;”—”as if the trumpet were sounding to
awake us.”
ft141
“Or si on ne mettoit les hommes au
second membre, l'antithese ne seroit pas parfaite.”—”But if
men were not put in the second clause, the contrast would not be
perfect.”
ft142
“Quand les hommes estans
reconciliez a Dieu, ont repos en leurs esprits, et en leurs
consciences.”—”When men being reconciled to God, have rest in
their minds and in their
consciences.”
ft143
≈ra l[
çwkal abx alh,—”is there not
a warfare to man upon
earth?”
ft144
“Envers les hommes son bon plaisir,
ou, bonne volonte;”—”towards men his good pleasure, or,
good-will.”
ft145
“Hominibus bonae
voluntatis.
ft146
“Adulterina.”—”Pource
que ce n'est pas la vraye et naturelle.” —”Because it is not
the true and natural
reading.”
ft147
“In
hominibus;”—”Aux hommes, ou, Envers les
hommes.”
ft148
In the Opuscula Theologica of the
elder Tittmann, the critical scholar will find this beautiful passage discussed
with that happy union of learning, discrimination, and piety, which
distinguishes all his
writings.—Ed.
ft149
“Les ruminant en son
coeur;”—”ruminating on them in her
heart.”
ft150
“Si nous sommes paresseux de le
faire, toutes les excuses du monde ne nous serviront de
rien.”—”If we are indolent in doing so, all the apologies in
the world will be of no service to
us.”
ft151
In the French copy he adds: “En
sorte que cela ne les empesche point de recognoistre la hautesse de sa maiste
divine.”—”So that it does not hinder them from acknowledging
the height of his divine
majesty.”
ft152
“Ils n'ont pas perdu leurs
peines;”—”they did not lose their
pains.”
ft153
“Si les petits drapeaux esquels
estoit enveloppe l'infant Jesus;”— “if the little rags in
which the child Jesus was
wrapped.”
ft154
“Ad quam omnia
exigerent.”—”Une reigle, a laquelle ils ont rapporte tout ce
qu'ils voyoyent;”—”a rule by which they related all that they
saw.”
ft155
“Par lequel les Juifs protestoyent
de se soumettre a l'observation de la Loy;”—”by which the Jews
solemnly declared that they would submit to the observance of the
Law.”
ft156
“Finem.” — “La
fin ou le but de ceste soumission de Jesus Christ;” —”the end
or design of this submission of Jesus
Christ.”
ft157
“Servum.”—This might
have been supposed to be equivalent to ministrum, servant, had not the
latter clause of the sentence expressly contrasted freedom with the
condition of a slave. But Calvin settles the point by rendering it
serf, slave; by which he evidently means “complete and degrading
subjection.” Paul frequently speaks of the state of the Church under the
law as bondage,
(<480403>Galatians
4:3,9,) and a yoke of bondage,
(<480501>Galatians
5:1.)—Ed.
ft158
See passages referred to in the preceding
note, in which the term bondage is applied by an inspired writer to the
ceremonial law—Ed.
ft159
“(Cite) de
Judee;”—”(city) of
Judea.”
ft160
“Dux;”—”Conducteur.”
ft161
“Scribas;”—”greffiers.”—Clerks,
not Authors in the ordinary meaning of that term, but persons who
wrote to the dictation of another. This conveys the idea of what is frequently
called plenary inspiration. If such a term as Clerk, or Penman,
may be supposed to lower the sacred writers, it is not by a comparison of
them with uninspired historians, the ablest of whom cannot, without arrogance,
aspire to an equal level with those who wrote by inspiration. But when man is
brought into a comparison with God, no language can express too strongly the
infinite distance between the parties. The Evangelists do not ask the praise of
invention, or judgment, or of anything else which would imply that the work was
their own production. But they lay claim to a loftier and peculiar distinction,
that they faithfully committed to writing that history which they were honored
to receive from its Divine Author. Holy men of God spake as they were moved
by the Holy Ghost,
(<610121>2
Peter 1:21.)—Ed.
ft162
“Le mot Grec,
(ma>gai,)
du quel use l'Evangeliste est celuy d'ou vient le mot de Magiciens: mais les
Perses et Chaldeens nomment ainsi leurs Astrologues et Philosophes: et pourtant
nous l'avons traduit par ce mot de Sages. Parquoy il y a grande apparence de
dire qu'ils etoyent venus du pays des Perses.”—”The Greek
word,
(ma>goi,,)
which the Evangelist employs, is that from which the word Magicians is
derived: but the Persians and Chaldees give this name also to their Astrologers
and Philosophers: and therefore we have translated it by the word Sages,
or Wise men. Wherefore there is great probability in saying that they
had come from the country of the
Persians.”
ft163
Calvin says, not that it was a
comet, but that it resembled a comet; and it is probable enough that the
meteor assumed that aspect. He refutes, in a masterly and conclusive
manner, the supposition that it was “natural star,” but, with
modesty and good sense, avoids
shocking
ft164
“Que la ils fussent comme herauts
pour porter les nouvelles du nouveau Roy.”—”That there they
might be as heralds, to carry the tidings of the new
King.”
ft165
“Persico
more;”—”selon la coustume de leur
pays;”—”according to the custom of their
country.”
ft166
“Lusoria;” alluding to the
phrase used by Seneca and others, lusoria fulmina, “harmless
thunderbolts.”
ft167
“Il les resveille tout soudain, et
leur fait bien sentir leur folie.”—”He awakes them all on a
sudden, and makes them deeply feel their
folly.”
ft168
“Quodammodo
foeteret,”
ft169
Like many others of his scriptural
allusions, this is not marked by our Author. It approaches very nearly to the
language of one of the curses pronounced by Moses on the people of Israel,
“If they should not hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God;”
— “thou shalt grope at noon-day as the blind gropeth in
darkness,”
(<052815>Deuteronomy
28:15,29.) But it is more likely that he had in his eye a passage from the book
of Job. In the opening description of “the devices of the crafty,”
Herod, who is pronounced by Calvin to have been “a man of no
ordinary address, and another Herod, whom our Lord designates that
fox,
(<421332>Luke
13:32,) are so exactly delineated, that it might almost be imagined they had sat
for the picture. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands
cannot perform their enterprise. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; and
the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. They meet with darkness in
the day-time, and grope in the noon-day as in the night,”
(<180512>Job
5:12-14.) — Ed.
ft170
“Car ils considerent et contemplent
au conseil de Dieu sa dignite et magnificence royale, laquelle n'apparoissoit
point encores;”—”for they consider and contemplate in the
purpose of God his royal dignity and splendor, which did not yet
appear,”
ft171
“Les jours de la purification
d'iceux, ou, d'icelle, assavoir de
Marie,”(<031206>Leviticus
12:6.)—”The days of the purification of them, or, of her, namely
of Mary,”
(<031206>Leviticus
12:6.)
ft172
“Craignant
Dieu;”—”fearing
God.”
ft173
“Lequel avoit este adverti
divinement par le Sainct Esprit;”—”who had been divinely
warned by the Holy Spirit”
ft174
“Icelui estant meu par le Sainct
Esprit, vint au Temple.”—”He, being moved by the Holy Ghost,
came to the Temple.”
ft175
“Si celuy qui est la fontaine de
toute purete, a voulu estre tenu pour immonde et souille, afin de laver toutes
nos ordures.”—”If he, who is the fountain of all purity,
determined to be reckoned unclean and defiled in order to wash away our
pollutions.”
ft176
“La corruption hereditaire
procedante d'Adam precedoit un tel bien, et estoit plus
ancienne.”—”The hereditary corruption proceeding from Adam
preceded such a benefit, and was more
ancient.”
ft177
“Veu que le Seigneur est Redempteur
de tout le monde en general;”—”since the Lord is Redeemer of
all the world at large.”
ft178
“Responsum
;”—”revelation.”
ft179
It is scarcely necessary to remind the
reader, that the simple meaning of the Hebrew word Messiah, and of the
Greek word Christ, is Anointed; and that the Lord's Christ
means the Lord's Anointed,—a designation which, as has been
already remarked, (p. 92, note 2,) was familiarly applied to David and his
successors on the throne for many
generations,
ft180
“C'est a dire, par un mouvement
secret et certaine revelation du Sainct Esprit, afin de s'y rencontrer a l'heure
que Christ y estoit.”—”That is to say, by a secret movement
and certain revelation of the Spirit, in order that he might arrive at the hour
when Christ was there.”
ft181
“La ou nous avons rendu Ton
salut, qui voudroit suivre le mot Grec de pres, il faudroit dire, Ton
Salutaire.”—”Where we have translated Thy Salvation,
were we to follow closely the Greek word, we must say, Thy
Saving.”—It is evident that Calvin viewed
swth>rion,
not with most of our lexicographers, as a noun of the same import with
swthri>a,
salvation, but as the neuter of the adjective
swth>riov,
which occurs in a memorable phrase,
hJ ca>riv tou~ Qeou~ hJ
swth>riov,
(<560211>Titus
2:11,) rendered in the English version, the grace of God that bringeth
salvation.—Ed.
ft182
“Lumen ad
revelationem.”—”La ou nous avons traduit, Pour
l'esclaircissement, le mot Grec signifie quelque fois Revelation:
mais Simeon vent dire ici, Pour esclairer ou illuminer les
Gentils.”—”Where we have translated, For the enlightening,
the Greek word
(ajpoca>luyiv)
sometimes signifies Revelation: but Simeon means here, To enlighten or
illuminate the Gentiles.”
ft183
“Louoit aussi le
Seigneur;”—”praised also the
Lord.”
ft184
“Ceste facon de parler contient une
metaphore prise des arbalestiers, ou autres qui visent au
blanc.”—”This way of speaking contains a metaphor, taken from
archers, or others who aim at a
mark.”
ft185
“La maitresse Pierre du coin, sur
laquelle est fonde le salut de tous les enfans de Dieu.”—”The
head-stone of the corner, on which is founded the salvation of all the children
of God.”
ft186
“Extra
Christum;”—”jusqu'a ce que Jesus Christ
viene.”
ft187
The word rulers (principes)
appears to be here used sarcastically; for his own translation
is,”duquel estoyent du tout destituez les autres, combien que ce fussent
les gouverneurs;”—”of which the others were entirely
destitute, though they were
rulers.”
ft188
“Quum adhuc vegeto esset
corpore.”
ft189
“Il y avoit tant de temps que son
mari estoit mort;”—”it was so long since her husband
cried.”
ft190
“Louoit aussi le
Seigneur;”—”praised also the
Lord.”
ft191
“Combien que ce fust le pays de ses
ancestres;”—”though it was the country of his
ancestors.”
ft192
“Mittens
interfecit;”—”sending
slew.”
ft193
“Et en toutes les marches
d'icelle;”—”and in all the marches
thereof.”
ft194
“Qui croira que le Redempteur viene
d'Egypte?”—”Who will believe that a Redeemer will come out of
Egypt? “
ft195
“Toutefois on ne sait pas
certainement si ce fut en mesme temps.”—”However, it is not
known certainly if it was at the same
time.”
ft196
“Quand les premieres nouvelles
vindrent de la naissance du nouveau Roy, et que le bruit en commenca a
courir;”—”when the first news arrived of the birth of the new
King, and when the noise about it began to
spread.”
ft197
“La crainte l'empescha lors
d'envoyer secretement quelque traistre pour espier comme tout
alloit;”—”fear prevented him at that time from employing some
traitor to spy how all went.”
ft198
“Et pent estre qu'il a premierement
mis a mort les Juges, afin qu'apres avoir oste au poure peuple ses conducteurs,
il peust sans contredit luy tenir le pie sui la gorge, et en faire a son
plaisir.”—”And perhaps he first put the Judges to death, that,
after having deprived the wretched people of their leaders, he might without
opposition, set his foot on their throat, and do with them at his
pleasure.”
ft199
Andrew Osiander, (grandfather
of Dr Andrew Osiander, a Lutheran divine,) author of several works which gained
him not a little celebrity, among which is Harmonia
Evangelica.—Ed.
ft200
“Sans qu'il y ait rien
entre-deux;”—”without there being anything between the
two,”
ft201
“C'est que l'une et l'autre a est,
comme le message apportant les nouvelles du salut qui
approchoit.”—”It is, that both were, as it were, the message
bringing the tidings of the salvation which was
approaching.”
ft202
“Qui demandoyent l’ame,
ou la vie, du petit enfant;” — “who demanded the soul,
or the life, of the little
child.”
ft203
“Surgens assumpsit;” —
“rising took.” — “Joseph donc esveille print;”
— “Joseph then awakened
took.”
ft204
“La
cite.”
ft205
It would have been more correct to say
that the noun
rzn
signifies a crown than a flower. “Thou shalt put the holy
crown,”
çdqh rzn
ta,
(<022906>Exodus
29:6.) “Thou hast profaned his crown,”
wrzn,
(<198939>Psalm
89:39.) It is satisfactory to have the support of so eminent a critic as Dr
Tholuck, who, in his very correct edition of Calvin's Commentary on the New
Testament, after the word florem, flower, places in brackets an
emendation similar to what we have suggested: vel potius, diadematis
insigne,—”or rather, the emblem of a
crown.”—Ed.
ft206
A contemporary of our author, who was
greatly admired, not only for the extent of his learning in a very learned age,
but for the soundness of his judgment. He is hardly ever mentioned but with deep
respect.—Ed.
ft207
The remaining words of the passage
(<071305>Judges
13:5) are: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hands of the
Philistines; which our author interprets as having a prophetic reference to
Christ.—Ed.
ft208
“Le salut qu'a receu le peuple par
son moyen, a este comme une representation ayant quelques traces du vray et
parfait salut, lequel finalement le Fils de Dieu a apporte et presente au
monde.”—”The salvation which the people received by his agency
was, as it were, a representation, having some traces of the true and perfect
salvation, which the Son of God finally brought and presented to the
world.”
ft209
“Pour le dire plus clairement en
deux mots, Christ est le vray patron accompli en perfection, mais Samson est un
pourtrait legerement tire et trac, dessus.”—”To state it more
clearly in two words, Christ is the true Defender fulfilled in perfection: but
Samson is a portrait lightly traced and drawn
below.”
ft210
Deliverer.
ft211
In both of the passages quoted above,
the words wyja
ryzn are rendered, in the English version,
separated from his brethren. This brings out pretty faithfully the
meaning of
ryzn,
separated, but does not suggest the allusion, which Calvin supposes to be
made to the peculiar acceptation given by the ceremonial law to
ryzn,
from which our word Nazarite is derived. Hebrew scholars must judge for
themselves as to the probability of the allusion. Without entering into that
inquiry, which would occupy more space than we could easily spare, we have
thought it due to our Author to hint, that the two passages which he quotes, and
which at first sight appear to have no bearing on his argument, contain the very
word in questlon.—Ed.
ft212
“Quum factus
esset.”—”Luy donc estant venu en l'aage de douze
ans;”—”he then being come to the age of twelve
years.”
ft213
“Laquelle chose son pere et sa mere
ne s'apperceurent point;”—”which thing his father and his
mother did not perceive.”
ft214
“Au temps de sa
manifestation;”—”to the time of his
manifestation.”
ft215
“Avec l'aage les dons et graces
d'Esprit croissoyent aussi et aug-mentoyent en luy.”—”With
age, the gifts and graces of the Spirit grew also and increased in
him.”.
ft216
“En dons et graces de
l'Esprit;”—”in gifts and graces of the
Spirit.”
ft217
“Avoit vrayement et entierement
prins tout ce qui estoit possible et propre pour accomplir de tous points la
conjonction fraternelle de luy avec les hommes.”—”Had truly
and entirely taken all that was possible and fitted to complete, at all points,
the brotherly union between him and
men.”
ft218
“Deux Christs, ou un double
Christ;”—”two Christs, or a double
Christ.”
ft219
“Qu'il a souffert, sa Divinite ne
demonstrant point sa vertu.”—”That he suffered, his Divinity
not demonstrating power.”
ft220
“Pource qu'il a prins sur soy
toutes les peines que nous avions meritees, afind nous en
discharger.”—”Because he took upon
himself
ft221
“Autrement il faudra que les Anges
soyent pareils a Dieu, et qu'ils sachent tout: ou selon le dire de ces gensci,
ils seront vicieux.”—”Otherwise, the Angels must be equal to
God, and know everything: or, according to the statement of these people, they
must be sinful.”
ft222
“Mais l'ennuy et la fascherie
qu'elle avoit eue trois jours durant l'a fait ainsi
parler.”—”But the uneasiness and distress, which she had had
for three days, made her speak in this
manner.”
ft223
“Centies;”—”mille
fois.”
ft224
“Que tout ce qui est deu aux hommes, est
au dessous de la premiere Table de la Loy, et doit tenir le second lieu, afin
que toujours Dieu ait sa puissance et son authorite
entiere.”—”That all that is due to men is below the first
Table of th eLaw, and ought to hold the second plane, in order that God may
always have his power and his authority
entire.”
ft225
“Dominis;”
—”maistres et seigneurs;”—”masters and
lords.”
ft226
“D’autant plus faut-il que chacun de
nous s’assujettisse de bon coeur, st ploye le col sous le joug auquel il
plaira a Dieu de nous soumettre.”—”So much the more must every
one of us submit heartily, and bend the neck under the yoke, to which it shall
please God to subject us.”
ft227
“Ammendez-vous, ou,
convertissez, ou, repentez.”— “Reform yourselves, or be
converted, or,
repent.”
ft228
The whole passage is remarkable, and
proves that the appointment to the sacred office of high priest was
entirely at the disposal of the Roman Governor. “This man (Valerius
Gratus) deprived Ananus of the high priesthood, and appointed Ishmael, the son
of Phabi, to be high priest. He also deprived him in a little time, and ordained
Eleazar, the son of Ananus, who had been high priest before, to be high priest:
which office, when he had held for a year, Gratus deprived him of it, and gave
the high priesthood to Simon, the son of Camithus; and, when he had possessed
that dignity no longer than a year, Joseph Caiaphas was made his successor. When
Gratus had done those things, he went back to Rome, after he had tarried in
Judea eleven years, when Pontius Pilate came as his
successor.”—(Ant.
18:2:2.)
ft229
“Ce n'est pas a fausses enseignes
ni par feintise.”—”It is not with false colors, nor by
hypocrisy.”
ft230
"Maintenant puis que le Baptesme de Jean
a eu mesme signification, vertu et propriete que le nostre, si nous voulons
juger de la figure et du signe selon la chose signifee, c'est 'a dire la verite,
nous trouverons que le Baptesme administre par Christ, n'a point este autre que
celuy que Jean a administre."—"Now, since the baptism of John had the same
meaning, power, and nature as ours, if we wish to judge of the figure and of the
sign according to the thing signified, that is to say the reality, we shall find
that the Baptism administered by Christ was no other than that which John
administered."
ft231
“Et pource qu'ils avoyent
auparavant ferme leurs aureilles a la voix des prophetes, qui journellement et
sans cesse, parloyent a eux, le Seigneur se teut, et laissa de parler a eux pour
un temps.”—”And because they had formerly shut their cars to
the voice of the prophets, who daily and unceasingly spoke to them, the Lord was
silent, and ceased to speak to them for a
time.”
ft232
“Malachie, Esdras, et autres
semblables personnages.”—”Malachi, Ezra, and other similar
characters.”
ft233
“Anquel il n'y avoit personne qui
parlast au nom de Dieu;”—”in which there was nobody who spoke
in the name of God.”
ft234
“In populi
reditu;”—”quand le peuple est retourne de
Babylone.”
ft235
“Le mot de Chair n'est pas
ice mis pour denoter la corruption de nature, mais il signifie simplement les
hommes.”—”The word Flesh is not put here to denote the
corruption of nature, but means simply
men.”
ft236
“Montanum
hominem;”—”un homme suivant les
montagnes.”
ft237
“Qu il a ete merveilleusement grand
bruit de luy par tout le pays.”—”That there was an
astonishingly great noise about him through all the
country.”
ft238
“Autrement, tout ce sainct mystere
seroit tournee en mines et bas-tellerie.”—”Otherwise, all this
holy mystery would be turned into grimaces and
buffoonery.”
ft239
“En la communion de Christ
;”—”into communion or fellowship with
Christ.”
ft240
““Devant qu'ils n'ayent este
examinez et interroguez de leur foy;” —”before they have been
examined and interrogated as to their
faith.”
ft241
“Il n'y avoit point 1a de prestres,
devant lequel un chacun eust peu s'a genouiller l'un apres l'autre, pourbarboter
ses pechez en leurs aureilles.”—”There were no priests there,
before whom each individual might kneel down, one after another, to mutter his
sins in their ears.”
ft242
“Ceste confession n'appartient
droit qu'a ceux qui de nouveau se convertissent a la
foy.”—”That confession would only belong to those who are
recently converted to the
faith.”
ft243
“Pour le moins, quand ils
commandent par leur loy de se confesser depuis le Baptesme, ils ne peuvent pas
dire qu’ils ensuivent Jean, ny l’alleguer pour autheur.”
— “At least, when they enjoin, by their law, to make confession
after Baptism, they cannot say that they follow John, nor produce him as their
author.”
ft244
“Qui a a manger, face la
semblable.”—”He who hath to eat, let him do the
like.”
ft245
“Et n' y a rien plus inegal en cest
endroit, que de vouloir garder tousjours une mesme
egalite.”—”And nothing is more unequal, in this respect, than
to wish to maintain always one uniform
equality.
ft246
“Je res ond uil co oissoit bien
quelles gens c’estoyent.” — “I reply, that he knew well
what sort of people they
were.”
ft247
“Davantage, tout le peuple avoit
grand interest d'estre advertis quelles gens estoyent les Sadduciens et
Pharisiens.”—”Besides, all the people had a deep interest in
being warned what sort of people the Sadducees and Pharisees
were.”
ft248
“Afin qu'il ne leur eschappe aucun
mot inconsiderement, et a la volee;”—”that no word may escape
them inconsiderately, and at
random.”
ft249
“Il fait mention du temps avenir,
parce que les hypocrites, tandis que Dieu les espargne, desprisent hardiment
toutes ses menaces, et ne se resveillent jamais, sinon qu’il frappe dessus
a grands coups.” — “He mentions the future, because
hypocrites, so long as God spares them, despise boldly all his threatenings, and
never awake, till he strikes them with heavy
strokes.”
ft250
“Si leur repentance est vraye, et
si c'est it bon escient qu'ils vienent k luy.” — ”If their
repentance is true, and if it is in good earnest that they come to
him.”
ft251
“Par le changement et amendement de
vie;”—”by the change and amendment of
life.”
ft252
“ Ils s'endorment toujours en leurs
vices, ou s'egayent comme chevaux eschappez.”—”They sleep
always in their sins, or indulge in merriment, like horses let
loose.”
ft253
“D'autant que le Seigneur nous a
ordonnez gardiens de son alliance.”—”Because the Lord has
appointed us guardians of his
covenant.”
ft254
“Quum sitis plus quam
degeneres.”—”Combien qu' a la verite vous soyez pires que
bastards.”
ft255
“Ces deux choses
mesme;”—”these very two
things.”
ft256
“Des ceuvres de charite comprises
en la seconde Table de la Loy;”—”works of charity included in
the second Table of the Law.”
ft257
“ Non pas que Dieu ne requiere
aussi une profession externe de son
ft258
“ C'est a dire, ou ils ne peuvent
pas si aisement tromper.” — “That is to say, in which they
cannot so easily deceive.”
ft259
“De la crainte de Dieu qui est en
l'homme;” — “of the fear of God which is in
man.”
ft260
“Cependant, tant plus Dieu nous
traite doucement, et nous donne de liberte, tant plus faut-il que nous prenions
garde a ne nous flatter ou lascher par trop la bride.”—”Yet
the more gently God treats us, and the more liberty he gives us, so much the
more ought we to take care not to flatter ourselves, or loose the bridle too
much.”
ft261
“Peagets;” —
“tax-gatherers.”
ft262
“Qui veulent faire accroire qu'elle
n'a rouve point les principautes, empires et gouvernements qui sont entre les
hornroes; — “who wish to make it believed that it does not approve
of the principalities, empires, and governments, which exist among
men.”
ft263
“Un bourreau;” —
“a hangman.”
ft264
“Les
gendarmes.”
ft265
“Evangelizabat.”
ft266
“In ordinem cogendus
sit.”—”Il faut qu'il baissc la teste.”—”He
must bow the head.”
ft267
“A este confirme et ratifie par ce
signe;”—”was confirmed and ratified by this
sign.”
ft268
“La verite du Baptesme vient et
procede du Christ seul.”—”The truth of Baptism comes and
proceeds from Christ alone.”
ft269
“Improprie.”
ft270
“Les pailles s'en vont avec le
vent;”—”the chaff goes away with the
wind.”
ft271
“Les Juifs s'arrestoyent a ce beau
titre de Peuple de Dieu, et d'En-fans d'Abraham, et s'en
enfioyent.”—”The Jews dwelt upon this fine title of People of
God, and Children of Abraham, and were proud of
it.”
ft272
“ Les esleus, qui de leur nature ne
sont que paille, deviennent froment par la grace de
Dieu.”—”The elect, who by their nature are only chaff;
become wheat by the grace of
God.”
ft273
“Empeschoit
fort;”—”strongly opposed
him.”
ft274
“Quum baptizaretur omnis
populus;”—”en baptizant tout le peuple;”—”in
baptizing all the people.”
ft275
“En apparence corporelle, ou,
forme;”—”in bodily appearance, or,
shape.”
ft276
“Je laisse maintenant ma dignite a
part.”—”I now lay my rank
aside.”
ft277
“Lequel de nous deux est plus grand
ou excellent;”—”which of usboth is greater or more
excellent.”
ft278
“Que c'est pour le profit des
autres, et non pas pour le sien, que Christ demande d'estre
baptize.”—”That it is for the benefit of others, and not for
his own, that Christ asks to be
baptized.”
ft279
“Quelque excellent personnage qu'il
fust.”—”However excellent a person he
was.”
ft280
“Il vid les cieux mi-partir,
ou se fendre.”—”He saw the heavens divided in the
middle, or deft.”
ft281
“Un homme rempli de
Dieu;”—”a man filled with
God.”
ft282
“A parler proprement, il ne descend
point, et semblablement ne peut estre veu.”—”Strictly
speaking, he does not descend, and in like manner he cannot be
seen.”
ft283
“C'est une maniere de parler par
Metonymie, (ainsi que parlent les gens de lettres.”)—”It is a
way of speaking by Metonymy, (as learned people
talk.”)
ft284
“Avec ce tesmoignage et
recommandation;”—”with this testimony and
recommendation.”
ft285
“Ut lapides hi panes
fiant;”—”Que ces pierres devienent
pains.”
ft286
“Et estoit avec les bestes
sauvages.”
ft287
“Mais apres qu'ils furent passez,
il ent faim;”—”but after that they were past, he was
hungry.”
ft288
“Car, je vous prie, quelle virtu
d' abstinence y-eust-il eue a, ne taster point de viande, veu qu'il n'avoit
nulle faim qui le pressast? Car il est certain, et les Evangelistes le donnent a
entendre assez clairement, qu'il s'est passe de manger tout ainsi que s'il
n'eust point este revestu de notre chair.”—”For what virtue of
abstinence, pray, was there in not tasting food, since he had no hunger that
pressed him? For it is certain, and the Evangelists give us plainly enough to
understand, that he had left off eating as completely as if he had not been
clothed with our flesh.”
ft289
“En ce qu'ils se sont essayez par
leur jeusne, forge a leur fantasie, de se mettre du rang de Christ, et se
mesurer a luy.”—”In having attempted, by their fast, forged
according to their fancy, to place themselves in the same rank with Christ, and
to vie with him.”
ft290
“cacozhli>a.”—”Ceste
singerie et imitation contrefaite;”—”that apishness and
counterfeit imitation.”
ft291
“Agonotheta.” This word,
slightly altered from the Greek word
ajgwnoqe>thv,
signifiesthe judge who presided at the public games.” The Epistles of Paul
contain many allusions to the Olympic games,—sometimes so rapid and
indirect, that they are apt to be lost in a translation, and at other times
swelling into an extended picture, which arrests and captivates every reader.
Those who are familiar with his writings, and who have occasion to treat of the
same class of subjects, will naturally employ the same kind of illustrations, in
conveying to the minds of others those conceptions, for which they have been
indebted to this great master. While they describe the contests of the people of
God with outward foes, or their more violent struggles with
the old
man within, they will frequently, and
sometimes unconsciously, fall into similar
allusions.—Ed.
ft292
Here the French copy gives an additional
illustration, of which no trace is found in the Latin original. “Le mesme
S. Luc avec S. Marc enseigne que le commencement des tentations estoit de plus
loin. Car Satan avoit assailli Christ quarante jours au paravant qu'il eust
faim: mais les principaux et plus excellens combats sont icy recitez, afin que
nous sachions que Satan veincu en plusieurs assaux, s'est finalement rue
furieusement, et de toute sa force, pour voir s'il pourroit d'aventure veincre
finalement celuy duquel il n'avoit peu venir a bout. Car d'autant plus qu'on est
exere aux combats spirituels, Dieu permet aussi qu'on soit plus rudement
assailli. Parquoy apprenons a ne nous lasser jamais, jusqu'a ce qu' ayans
paracheve tout le cours de notre guerre, nous soyons parvenus au
but.”—”The same St Luke, as well as St Mark, informs us, that
the commencement of the temptations was more distant. For Satan had attacked
Christ forty days before he was hungry: but the most important and valuable
combats are here related, in order that we may know that Satan, vanquished in
many assaults, had fallen upon him furiously, and with all his might, to see if
perhaps he might finally vanquish him, with whom he had not been able to
succeed. For the more that we are exercised in spiritual combats, God allows us
to be the more violently attacked. Wherefore let us learn, never to become
weary, till, having finished the whole course of our war, we have reached the
end.”
ft293
“Car nous savons que Christ a este
muni d'une telle vertu de l'Esprit, que les dards de Satan ne le pouvoyent
navrer ne blesser: c'est a dire, qcu'il estoit impossible que peche tombast en
luy.” — ”For we know that Christ was fortified by such a power
of the Spirit, that the darts of Satan could not pierce or wound him: that
is, that it was impossible for sin to fall upon
him.”
ft294
“Friandise ou
gourmandise;”—”epicurism or
gormandizing.”
ft295
“A friandise, ou a quelque excez de
la bouche.”—”To epicurism, or any excess of the
palate.”
ft296
“Combien que pour couvrir sa
malice;”—”though, to cover his
malice.”
ft297
“Le
transporte;”—”conveys
him.”
ft298
“ Le
pinnacle.”
ft299
“Il vent seulement le rejetter avec
son conseil;”—”he wishes only to reject him with his
advice.”
ft300
“Christ attribue aussi a Dieu seul
l'adoration externe, que les Grecs appellent
proscu>nhsiv:
car il use de ce terme qui signifient proprement s'agenouiller ET prosterner
par forme de service divin.”—”Christ ascribes also to God
alone the external adoration, which the Greeks call
proscu>nhsiv:
for he employs this term, which signifies literally to kneel and bow down,
in a form of divine
service.”
ft301
“Que Jean estoit
prisonnier;”—”that John was
prisoner.”
ft302
“Pource qu'il savoit que c'estoit
un homme de grande authorite
ft303
The solution usually given, we believe,
for this apparent discrepancy, is, that the name of the person in question was
Herod-Philip.—Ed.
ft304
“Les rois, princes, et grans
tyrans.”—”Kings, princes, and great
tyrants.”
ft305
“Pour guarir ceux qui ont le coeur
froisse;” — “to heal those who have the heart
bruised.”
ft306
“Aucuns pensent que par la volonte
de Dieu il l'ait recontre sans le chercher.”—”Some think that,
by the will of God, he found it without seeking for
it.”
ft307
“Omnino.”—”Tout a
plein.”
ft308
“Pour le jetter du haut en
bas;”—”to throw him from top to
bottom.”
ft309
“Mais il passa par le milieu d'eux,
et s'en alla.”—”But he passed through the midst of them, and
went away.”
ft310
“Afin de n.e servir de passe temps
a de si meschans contempteurs des graces de Dieu.”—”That it
might not serve for amusement to such wicked despisers of God's
favors.”
ft311
“Que la grace de Dieu leur seroit
ostee, et envoyee a autres;” — ”that the grace of God would be
taken from them, and sent to
others.”
ft312
“Qui les laisseroyent volontiers
escouler sans y penser;”—”who would willingly allow them to
steal away, without thinking of
them.”
ft313
“Afin que ne soyons transportez a
entreprendre une guerre si folle, a nostre grande
confusion;”—”in order that we may not be hurried away, to
undertake a war so foolish, to our great
confusion.”
ft314
“Le peuple, qui gisoit en
tenebres;”—”The people that lay in
darkness.”
ft315
“Lors que le Roy Sennacherib fut
contreint de lever le siege de de-rant, et s'enfuir
honteusement.”—”When King Sennacherib was compelled to raise
the siege, and to fly
disgracefully.”
ft316
This appears to refer to a gift, not of
David, but of Solomon: for we are told,
(<110911>1
Kings 9:11,) that” King Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of
Galilee.”—Ed.
ft317
“Avec les
ouvriers.”
ft318
Stantes;” — “et
voyant deux nasselles qui estoyent pres du lac;” — “and seeing
two ships which were near the
lake.”
ft319
“Homo
peccator;”—”homme pecheur;”—”a man a
sinner.”
ft320
“Quelque temps apresque Jesus
Christ ent appelle a soy Pierre, Andre, Jean, et Jaques.” —
“Some time after that Jesus Christ had called to himself Peter, Andrew,
John, and James.”
ft321
“Ils ne s'amusent pas, esplucher
de pres lequel est le premier, ou le second.” — ”They
do not give themselves the trouble of investigating closely which is first
or second.”
ft322
Chinnereth occurs in Joshua,
(19:35,) as the name of an adjoining city, from which the lake probably derived
its name. In the French copy, our author gives it Cinerot, or, as we have
it,
(<061102>Joshua
11:2,) Chinneroth. But that word contains a Vau, which is here
wanting: though it must be owned that, when it is connected with a Cholem
point, that letter is often inserted, or left out, according to the pleasure
of the writer.—Ed.
ft323
“Et c'est la coustume du Seigneur
d'abbattre les siens, et comme les plonger dedans le sepulcher, afin de les
vivifier puis apres.”—”And it is customary with the Lord to
strike down his own people, and, as it were, to sink them in the grave, that he
may raise them to life
afterwards.”
ft324
“Il les prend en sa compagnie et
conversation domestique, afin de les faconner a enseigner puis apres les
autres.”—”He takes them into his society and private
conversation, in order to prepare them afterwards to instruct
others.”
ft325
“Pour suivre Christ des pieds,
c'est a dire exterieurement;”—”to follow Christ with the feet,
that is to say,
externally.”
ft326
Selhnia>zomai,
like the adjective
selhniaco<v,
is derived from
selh>nh,
the moon. Among, the Greeks and Romans, as well as among the Jews,
certain violent diseases, the variations of which could not be easily explained,
were supposed to be affected by the phases of the moon. Till lately,
mental derangement was universally believed among ourselves to be influenced by
similar causes; if indeed there be not some who still defend that opinion by
plausible arguments. Scripture was not. intended to determine questions of
physical science, in which inductive reasoning is a sufficient guide, but to
declare those truths, which could never have been known without an express
revelation. The term
selhniazome>noi,
in this and similar passages, does not imply, that the sacred writers supported
the common opinion, any more than the English word lunatic, used with
equal freedom by philosophers and by the unlearned, countenances an exploded
theory,—any more, in short, than the popular use of the phrases, the
rising and setting of the sun, expresses a belief that it is the motion of
the sun, and not of the earth, that produces the succession of day and
night.—Ed.
ft327
“Comitiali morbo.” The Romans
gave the name of comitialis morbus to this disease, in consequence of the
singular fact, that their comitia, or public assemblies, were instantly
broken up, when any one present was seized with a fit of
epilepsy.—Ed.
ft328
“Mais pource que Satan ne pent
endurer ceste vertue et puissance, aquelle il sait estre le destruire et ruiner,
il voudroit bien que Christ se contenant d'un beau titre en l'air, se reposast,
et se deportast de luy rien faire.”—”But because Satan cannot
endure that power and might, which he knows to be to destroy and ruin him, he
would rather wish that Christ, satisfying himself with a fine title in the air,
should take repose, and refrain from doing any thing to
him.
ft329
“En la facon d’enseigner de
Jesus Christ;” — ”in Jesus Christ's manner of
teaching.”
ft330
“ En leur doute et
estonnement.”—” In their doubt and astonish-
ment.”
ft331
“Les sergens de
Dieu;”—”God's
bailiffs.”
ft332
“Pour ses disciples et escoliers
domestiques;”—”for his disciples and private
scholars.”
ft333
“Destournez et transportez hors du
droit chemin;”—”turned and carried away out of the right
road.”
ft334
“Pourquoy Dieu estant prie et
requis si ardemment par son Fils, asouffert qu'un mechant et mal-heureux traitre
fust eleve au rang le plus honorable de son Eglise, comme si Jesus Christ n'eust
point este exauce?”—”Why did God, when entreated and requested
so earnestly by his Son, permit a wicked and unhappy traitor to be elevated to
the most honorable rank in his Church, as if Jesus Christ had not been listened
to?”
ft335
“Les premices et premier
commencement de son Eglise;”—”the first-fruits and first
beginning of his Church.”
ft336
“Un revoltement et cheute
horrible;”—”a dreadful rebellion and
fall.”
ft337
“Cependant nous ne dirons pas que
Christ a este esconduit, veu que le pere par un conseil admirable, mettant un
diable en la compagnie d’onze Anges, a toutesfois tellement modere
l’issue, que la cheute de cestuy-la a plustost conferme que non pas
esbranle la foyde son Eglise.” — ”Yet we will not say that
Christ was refused, since the Father, by a wonderful purpose, putting a devil
into the company of eleven angels, has, at the same time, so guided the result,
that the fall of this man, instead of shaking, has rather confirmed, the faith
of his Church.”
ft338
This alludes to the Greek word
Pe>trov,
(Peter,) which literally signifies a stone. We shall afterwards
find
(<401618>Matthew
16:18)that our Lord makes express reference to the meaning of the
name.—Ed.
ft339
“Afin qu’ils tonnassent par
tout le monde en preschant;” — “in order that they might
thunder throughout the whole world in
preaching.”
ft340
Philologists have been a good deal
perplexed by this word. There is even some difficulty in settling the Greek
orthography: for conflicting manuscripts present us with the various forms of
Boanhrge>v, Boanergh>v,
and
Boanergei>v.
The name is unquestionably of Hebrew origin. Some of the derivations, which have
been given, are so far-fetched as not to deserve refutation. There is
plausibility in Jerome's hypothesis, that it comes from
µ[r,
(Ragam,) thunder. But the substitution of final,
v for
m has
never been satisfactorily explained. Admitting that
e>v
or
h>v,
is a Greek termination, the absence of the final and radical Mem
(µ)
is too violent a supposition. After many trials, scholars are pretty nearly
agreed, that they must return to the derivation which is suggested by our
author, and which some writers have illustrated and defended by a considerable
array of learning. — Ed.
ft343
“Jesus donques royant la
foulle;” — ”Jesus then seeing the
crowd.”
ft344
“Et luy apres avoir ourerr sa
bouche, les enseignoit.” — ”And he, after having opened his
mouth, taught them.”
ft345
“Car ils possederont la
terre.” — “For they shall possess the
earth.”
ft346
“Car misericorde leur sera
faite.”—”For mercy shall be shown to
them.”
ft347
“Par l'estat de la vie
presente;”—”by the state of the present
life.”
ft348
Stoics were an ancient sect
of philosophers, and received their name from the Stoa,
(stoa<,)
or portico, in which Zeno, their master, delivered his
instructions. The paradoxes referred to by Calvin are such as the
following: that the distinction between pleasure and pain is imaginary; that
happiness does not at all depend on outward circumstances; and that whoever
chooses to acquire an absolute command over his passions may make himself
perfectly happy in the present
life.—Ed.
ft349
“Les gens fiers et
farouches;” — “proud and ferocious
people.
ft350
“Ce nest as une possession lma name
et en l'air.” — ”It is not an imaginary possession, and in the
air.”
ft351
“De la seigneurie de tout le
monde;”—”of the lordships of all the
world.”
ft352
“Par une figure qu'on appelle
Synecdoche;”—”by a figure which is called
Synecdoche,” in which a part is put for the
whole.
ft353
“Ceci aussi est un paradoxe, c'est
a dire, une sentence contraire au jugement commun des
hommes.”—”This also is a paradox, that is to say, a sentiment
contrary to the general opinion of
men.”
ft354
“A douceur et
compassion;”—”to mildness and
compass
ft355
“Nous ne pouvons pas batailler sons
l'enseigne de Jesus Christ a autre condition.”—”We cannot
fight under the banner of Jesus Christ on any other
condition.”
ft356
The Anabaptists here named
must not be confounded with the Baptists or Anti-poedo-baptists of
the present day, who are, indeed, at issue with Calvin as to the subjects and
mode of baptism, but who utterly disown the Anabaptists of the sixteenth
century. Our notes are restricted by the plan of this work to the elucidation of
our author, and to matters of criticism and history. It would, therefore, be out
of place to enter here into the merits of a doctrinal controversy, or to
vindicate brethren from the heavy charge which is here implied. But we are at
liberty to say, that against them Calvin brings no such charge. Nowhere does he
represent a departure from his views on the ordinance of Baptism as a
fundamental error, or as necessarily connected with danger to society. He
alludes to sentiments, which were openly avowed by the Anabaptists, and
which he viewed as striking at the root of civil government. To any one at all
conversant with their history, the name instantly awakens the recollections of
Munster, and of the enormities which were perpetrated there, to the
disgrace of the Christian name,—enormities which none are more ready to
condemn than the esteemed brethren to whom we have referred. If we seem to
discover excessive solicitude to remove the appearance of calumny, our apology
must be found in our deep veneration for the author, and in our conviction that
he was not less distinguished by a Catholic spirit than by the other great
excellencies of his character. Never was there a human breast, in which there
dwelt a stronger affection for all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity.—Ed.
ft357
“Plein de richesses, magnificences,
et delices terriennes;”—”full of riches, magnificence, and
earthly luxuries.”
ft358
“Ou,
s'evente;”—”or, is
spoiled.”
ft359
“Ou, luy rendra-on sa
saveur?”—”or, shall its taste be restored to it?”
(<030213>Leviticus
2:13.)
ft360
“Il n'est propre ne (pour mettre)
en la terre, ni au fumier.”—”It is not fit either (to put) on
the land, nor on the
dunghill.”
ft361
“Que le sel estant empire, ne fait
mesmes que gaster tout, a quoi qu'on le mette, tellement qu'il corrompt mesmes
les fumiers, et consume toute la grasse d'iceux.”—”That salt,
when it is decayed, does only spoil everything that it touches: so that it
corrupts even dunghills, and consumes all their
fatness.”
ft362
“De ne nourrir le monde en sa folie
et fadesse;”—”not to nourish the world in their folly and
tastelessness.”
ft363
“Et pourtant la malice des Papistes
n'est aucunement a supporter, quand ils n'ont point de honte de couvrir de ces
titres leurs Prelats mas-quez, afin que nul ne presume de rien reprendre en
leurs personnes.”— “And then the malice of the Papists is not
at all to be endured, since they are not ashamed to cover with these titles
their masked Prelates, that no one may presume to reprove any thing in their
persons.”
ft364
“Des gens qui se vantent a fausses
enseignes de tenir le place des apostres.”—”People who boast,
under false colors, of holding the place of
apostles.”
ft365
“Sacrifices ou offrandes
sacrees;”—”sacrifices or sacred
offerings.”
ft367
“Comme si tout le monde les
regardoit;”—”as if every body were looking at
them.”
ft368
“Pour
abolir;”—”to
abolish.”
ft369
“Un iota ou un seul
poinct;”—”one iota or a single
point.”
ft370
The reader will find a copious
illustration of this remarkable passage in Jeremiah, and of its bearing on the
Christian system, in the author's commentary on the eighth chapter of the
Epistle to the Hebrews.—Ed.
ft371
“Comme 1es plus inutiles du
monde;”—”as the most useless in the
world.”
ft372
“De mettre la justice de la Loy
sous les pieds;”—”to trample the justice of the law under
their feet.”
ft373
“Ils exhortent et incitent les
hommes;”—”they exhort and incite
men.”
ft374
“Si votre justice
n'outrepasse;”—”if your righteousness does not go
beyond.”
ft375
“Vous n'entrerez nullement, ou,
jamais;”—”you shall not at all enter, or, you shall
never enter.”
ft376
“Aux
anciens.”
ft377
“Sera digne d'estre puni par
jugement;”—”shall be worthy of being punished by
judgment.”
ft378
“Sera digne d'estre puni par la
gehenne du feu;”—”shall be worthy of being punished by the
gehenna of fire.”
ft379
“Comme ils se moquent de Dieu sans
en faire conscience.”—”How they mock God, without making
conscience of it.”
ft380
“Ils accoustumoyent leurs disc p es
k ne hypocrisle, et en faisoyent des singes.” — “They
accustomed their disciples to a hypocrisy, and made apes of
them.”
ft381
“De division, ou
separation;” — of division, or
separation.”
ft382
“Among a host of opinions as to
the origin of the name Pharisees, there is room to doubt if Calvin has
hit upon the true etymology. There are two roots:
çrp
(paras,) to spread out, with Sin for the final letter, — and
çrp
(parash,). to explain, to separate, with Schin. Both have been
pressed into the service. The former is chiefly quoted in support of an allusion
to our Lord's description of them, that they make broad their phylacteries,
(<402305>Matthew
23:5.) But the latter root has been more fertile in suggestions. John
Alberti, no mean authority, in his Glossarium Grcecurn, (under
<421138>Luke
11:38,) defines
Farisai~ov,
to be
diakecwrisme>nov,
separated, and quotes the Septuagint as employing that participle
(<263412>Ezekiel
34:12) for,
twçrpn
the principhal participle of
çrp,
(parash.) From Hesychius he gives synonyms of like
import,—Farisai~ov,
ajfwrisme>nov, memerisme>nov, kaqaro>v.
As to the last of those terms,
kaqaro>v,
the learned Vitringa, to whom Alberti also refers, has copiously
illustrated its meaning in a passage, which has been often quoted as embodying
the proud challenge of the Pharisee, Stand by: for I am holier than thou,
(<236505>Isaiah
65:5.)—Suidas unhesitatingly defends the same idea of
separation. His definition is as follows:
Farisai~oi oiJ eJrmhneuo>menoi
ajfwrisme>noi, para< to< meri>zein kai< ajfori>zein
eJautou<v tw~n a]llwn aJpa>ntwn, ei]v te to< kaqarw>taton tou~
bi>ou, kai< ajkribe>staton, kai< eijv ta< tou~ no>mou
ejnta>lmata. “Pharisees,—which
means separated, on account of their dividing and
separating themselves from all others, to the greatest purity and
strictness of life, and to the prescriptions of the law.”—Calvin's
derivation is from the same root, and is certainly ingenious. That sect, we
know, boasted of a rigid adherence to the law, though it may be questioned
whether profound skill in exposition was claimed by all its members. Many
of them might think that this belonged to the Scribes as a professional
matter.—Ed.
ft382a
“Comment les Phariseens avoyent
deprave la Loy par leurs expositions tortues;”—”how the
Pharisees had debased the law by their crooked
expositions.”
ft383
“Une correction ou amplification de
la Loy;”—”a correction or enlargement of the
Law.”
ft384
“Pour maintenir et defendre les
erreurs ou abus en la matiere de la religion;”—”to maintain
and defend errors or abuses in matters of
religion.”
ft385
“L'indignation secrette qu'on aura
eue en son coeur contre le frere;” —”the secret indignation
which they shall have had in their heart against their
brother.”
ft386
“Veniens
offer;”—”coming offer.”—”Lors vien et
presente ton oblation;”—”then come and present thy
oblation.”
ft387
“Mais aussi ceux qui sont assaillis
et provoquez les premiers;”—”but also those who are first
attacked and provoked.”
ft388
“Afin que ne prenans pas les choses
a la rigueur, ils rachetent paix et amite en se monstrans ainsi
traitables.”—”That, not taking things to the rigor, they may
purchase peace and friendship, by showing themselves so
tractable.”
ft389
“Qui voudroit user de cavillation
et chippoter sur chacun mot.”—”One who would cavil and higgle
about every word.”
ft390
“Mais il requiert nommement qu'un
chacun satisface pour soy, et paye ce qu'il doit.”—”But he
requires expressly that each satisfy for himself and pay what he
owes.”
ft391
“Si ton ceil dextre to fait
chopper.”—”If thy right eye makes thee
stumble.”
ft392
“C'est une facon de parler qu'on
appelle Synecdoche, quand on prend une artie our le tout.”—”It
is a way of speaking which is called Synecdoche, when a part is taken for the
whole.”
ft393
“Par une facon de parler
hyperbolique, (c’est a dire, excessive:”) —
“by a hyperbolical, that is, an excessive mode of
speaking.”
ft394
“Ou, separation;” —
“or, separation.”
ft395
“Pourveu qu'on observast ce que la
Loy commandoit en tel cas;”— “provided that what the Law
commanded in such a case were
observed.”
ft396
“Du mal, ou, malin, ou
meschant,”
(<590512>James
5:12 ;)—”from evil, or, malignant, or
wicked.”
ft397
“D’ou vient une si grande
legerete en sermens, sinon qu'entre tout de mensonges, tromperies, inconstance
et babil, on ne sait qui croire, ni a qui se fier?”—”Whence
comes so great a lightness about oaths, but that among so many lies and
impositions, and so much unsteadiness and trifling, one does not know whom to
believe or whom to trust?”
ft398
“L'une par laquelle nous
empeschons qu'on ne nous outrage, sans mal-faire a personne de nostre coste:
l'autre, par laquelle nous rendons mal pour mal.”—”The one, by
which we prevent attacks from being made on us, without doing ill to any person
on our part: the other, by which we render evil for
evil.”
ft399
“Plustost que de rendre la pareille
a celuy qui nous a mal-fait.”—”Rather than return the like to
him who has done us wrong.”
ft400
“Il est ici parle de la facon de
faire de ceux lesquels rendent la pareille a ceux qui les ont
offensez.”—”The subject here spoken of is the manner of acting
of those who render the like to those who have offended
them.”
ft401
Julian, the Roman Emperor,
generally known by the name of Julian the Apostate. The inveterate
hatred of this man to the very name of our blessed Savior has gained him a
painfully conspicuous place in ecclesias-tical
history.—Ed.
ft402
“Sous couleur de proceder par voye
de justice;”—”under pretense of proceeding by way of
justice.”
ft403
“Que le saye est plus pres de la
chair que le manteau.”—”That the coat is nearer the flesh than
the cloak.”
ft404
“De 1’usure et accroissement
qui vient outre le principal;—”of usury and increase which comes
beyond the principal.” On the lawfulnesss of lending money at interest,
the most enlightened men, at the time when our author wrote, were strangley
divded in sentiment. His own views were unfolded in a small work, which has been
admired by competent judges for the purity of French style, and for enlarged
views of Political Economy. After suffering not a little obloquy for his
manner of applying the law of God to commercial questions, he has been
vindicated by the unanimous opinion of posterity; and his performance, having
served its purpose, has been quietly laid on the shelf. We allude to it only to
account for the rapid and cursory manner in which he disposes here of a
question, on which all who wish to know his opinions may satisfy themselves by
perusing his own complete and elaborate statement of the
argument.—Ed.
ft405
“Que les plaisirs lesquels les
hommes se font les uns aux autres, sous esperance de recompense, ne viennent
point en conte devant Dieu.”—”That the gratifications which
men give to each other, in expectation of reward, come not into reckoning before
God.”
ft406
“Je ne touche point pour le present
combien ils s'acquittent vaillament et fidelement de ce dont ils se vantent de
paroles.”—”I say nothing, for the present, as to the valiant
and faithful manner in which they accomplish what they boast of in
words.”
ft407
“C'est une chose tant et plus
absurde, que les devoirs de charite, qui dependent de la Loy, soyent mis en la
liberte des hommes, de les faire, ou de les laisser.”—”It is
an exceedingly absurd thing, that the duties of charity, which depend on the
Law, should be put in the power of men to do them, or to let them
alone.”
ft408
“Combien qu'il comprend sous ces
deux d'autres infinis tesmoignages, par une figure dont nous avons souvent
parle, nommee Synecdoche.”—”Though, under these two, he
includes innumerable other testimonies, by a figure, of which we have frequently
spoken, called
Synecdoche.”
ft409
“Ceste perfection ne signifie pas
qu'il y ait une.equalite et mesme mesure, mais elle se rapporte seulement a
quelque ressemblance ou ap-proche.”—”That perfection does not
mean that there is an equality or thee same measure, but it relates solely to
some resemblance or
approach.”
ft410
“Sans chercher la louange des
hommes;” —”without seeking the praise of
men?”
ft411
There is no necessity for giving a
literal acceptation to the sounding of trumpets, particularly as
no trace of such a practice, so far as we are aware, is to be found in history.
Similar phrases are used, in many languages, to denote, that ostentation has
been carried far beyond the bounds of ordinary
propriety.—Ed.
ft412
This is the true etymology of the word,
and rests, not on conjecture, but on historical facts.
JYpokri>nesqai was used in the same sense as the
more modern term
ajpokri>nesqai,,
to reply. An actor was called
oJ uJpokrino>menov tw~
corw~, one who replies to the chorus,
alluding to the form of the ancient dramas. The circuitous phrase was
altered to
JYpokrith<v,
which was, for some time, used occasionally in a good sense, to denote
“one who assumed, for a temporary purpose, a character different from his
own;” but came afterwards to be uniformly used in a bad sense, as denoting
“one who assumed a character which did not belong to him.” It is a
curious instance of the facility with which a word passes, by a few changes,
into a meaning altogether different from what it originally bore; and may serve
to show, how rashly some philologists have maintained, that in all the
successive meanings of a word the generic idea may be traced. The second will
resemble the first, and the third either the first or the second, and every new
meaning will have an analogy to a former one, from which it has been derived:
but it may happen that, ere long, all traces of the original meaning have
disappeared. To reply and to be insincere are ideas which have no
resemblance.—Ed.
ft413
“Verba longius trahere non
oportet.” In some of the best Latin editions we find, “verba longius
trahere nos oportet,” which entirely alters the meaning. But the
discrepancy of the reading is set aside by the French version: “il ne faut
point estendre les paroles plus avant;”—”we must not extend
the words farther.”—Ed.
ft414
“Il parle ici par une forme de
comparaison des deux extremitez opposites, signifiant que plustost il faut
chercher d'estre seuls, que de desirer grande compagnie qui nous voye
prier.”—”He speaks here by way of comparison of the two
opposite extremes, meaning that we must rather seek to be alone, than desire a
large company to see us
pray,”
ft415
“Il est incertain si Christ a
enseigne ceste formule de prier a ses disciples une fois seulement, ou bien par
deux diverses fois.”—”It is uncertain if Christ taught this
form of prayer to his disciples once only, or rather at two separate
times.”
ft416
“Il ne se faut pas fort esbahir si
la vraye et pure maniere de prier estoit pratiquee par bien peu de
gens.”—”We ought not to be greatly surprised, if the true and
pure manner of praying was practiced by very few
people.”
ft417
“Combien Christ ne commande pas aux
siens en priant de s'attacher scrupuleusement a certains
mots;”—”though Christ does not command his people to adhere
scrupulously to certain words.
ft418
“Comme la Loy de Dieu est divisee
en deux Tables, desquelles la premiere contient les choses dont nous sommes
redevables a Dieu pour honorer sa majeste: la seconde ce que nous devons a
nostre prochain selon charite.” — “As the Law of God is
divided into two Tables, of which the first contains the things which we owe to
God to honor his majesty: the second, what we owe to our neighbor according to
charity.”
ft419
“Comme si nous signions de nostre
propre main, declarans que Dieu est veritable;”—”as if we
signed with our own hand, declaring that God is
true.”
ft420
“Il nous semble qu'il nous fait
tort;”—”we think that he wrongs
us.”
ft421
“Adveniat regnum tuum;” the
only difference being, that the compound verb adveniat, may arrive, has
been exchanged for the simple verb veniat, may come, a change which has
been adopted, so far as I have observed, in the modern European
versions.—Ed.
ft422
“Elle nous est proposee en deux
sortes es Escritures.” — “It is presented to us in two ways in
the Scriptures.”
ft423
“Je 1’ay ainsi divisee par ci
devant pour enseigner plus
familierement.”
ft424
“Combien que la remission des
pechez est bien a preferer a la nourriteurde cette
vie.”—”though the forgiveness of sins is greatly to be pre-
ferred to the nourishment of this
life.”
ft425
“Sinon au pris que le jour vient
l’un apres 1’autre;”—”only as far as one day comes
after another.”
ft426
“Superveniens;”—”survenant,
ou venant par chacun jour;”— “succeeding, or coming by each
day.” We subjoin an extract from the Dissertations of Witsius on
the Lord‘s Prayer. After mentioning several views of Commentators on this
petition, he says: This great variety of expositions has been principally
occasioned by the Greek word
ejpiou>siov.
That word occurs nowhere else in Scripture, and the most learned men have been
unable to discover it in any profane writings. As it is not known to what Hebrew
word employed by our Lord it corresponds, it is not surprising that different
persons should have assigned to it different acceptations.—I shall not now
enter into a critical examination of the very numerous expositions of that word
which have been given by learned men. An exposition more copious and learned
than any that had previously appeared, has been given by a very celebrated and
learned man, JOHN MARCK, formerly my much esteemed colleague in the University
of Friesland. It forms a part of his Juvenile Dissertations, as he is
pleased to style them, but which contain much profound wisdom. The simplest and
most probable of the various etymologies, I have always thought, is that which
supposes
ejpio>siov
to be compounded of
ejpi<
and
oujsi>a,
as
periou>siov
is compounded of
peri<
and
oujsi>a.
The analogy of composition of such words presents no difficulty: for it does
not require that the
i in
the word
ejpi<
shall be dropped before a vowel. This is proved by the words
ejpieikh<v, ejpio>gdoov,
ejpio>rkov, ejpio>ptomai, ejpiou~rov, and
many of the same form. This derivation being granted, which has nothing unusual
or anomalous, considerable progress has been made in the investigation of the
subject. For as to<
periou>sion signifies what is more
than enough, and beyond what the preservation of existence requires, so
to<
ejpiou>sion signifies what is enough. Such is
the meaning assigned to it by the ancient Greek writers, who were deeply skilled
in their own language. “
]Artou ejpiou>sion, (says Chrysostom,
Hom. 30:Ton. 5.) toute>stin
ejpi< th<n oujsi>an tou~ sw>matov diazai>nonta, kai<
sugkrath~sai tau>thn
duna>menon,—” that is, what passes
to the substance of the body, and is able to support it.”
Zhtei~n
proseta>cqhmen., (says Gregory Nyssen,)
to< pro<n th<n
sunth>rhsin ejxarkou~n th~n swmatikh~n
oujsi>an. “We have been commanded
to seek what is sufficient for the support of the bodily existence.” Basil
explains it to be to<n pro<v
th<n ejfh>meron zwh<n th~ oujsi>a hJmw~n
crhsimeu>onta, “what is useful to
our existence for daily life.” (After referring to Suiceri Thesaurus,
and quoting from Cyril of Alexandria and from Theodoret, he concludes
a]rton
ejpiou>sion to be equivalent to the phrase used
by the Apostle James, (2: 15,)
th<n ejfh>meron
trofh<n, (daily
food.)—Biblica1 Cabinet, vol. 24:pp. 266,
272-274.—Ed.
ft427
“Afin qu'i! ne trebusche pas a
chacun coup;”—”that he may not reel at every
blow.”
ft428
“Combien que la raison nous en soit
incognue;”—”though the reason of them may be unknown to
us.”
ft429
Chrysostom's words
are:—Ponhro<n ejntau~qa
to<n dia>zolon kalei~.
Kat j ejxoch<n de< oiJtov
ejkei~nov kalei~tai dia< th<n uJperzolh<n th~v kaki>av, kai<
ejpeida<n mhde<n par j hJmw~n ajdikhqei<v a]spondon pro<v hJma~v
e]cei to<u po>lemon. “He calls the
Devil, in this place, THE EVIL ONE. He is, by way of eminence, so called, on
account of his superlative wickedness, and because, though he has received no
injury from us, he carries on against us an implacable
war.”—Ed.
ft430
That part of the Lord's Prayer, which we
commonly call the conclusion, is not found in the Gospel by Luke, and its
genuineness has been questioned. None of the Latin copies (as Calvin mentions)
have it: but even those who have most zealously maintained that it is spurious,
admit that it exists in the greater number of the Greek manuscripts. Erasmus,
Grotius, Witsius, Griesbach, Matthaei, and Scholz, may be consulted by those who
wish to examine the question for themselves, and to hear all that has been said
on both sides. Any thing like the summing up of the argument here would exceed
the limits of a note.—Ed.
ft431
“Pour nous rendre faciles a oublier
les injures qu'on nous a faites.”—”To make us ready to forget
the injuries which have been done to
us.”
ft432
“Et de propos delibere veulent que
Dieu procede contre eux en toute rigueur;”—”and deliberately
resolve that God may proceed against them to the utmost
rigor.”
ft433
“D'un regard triste, ou, visage
chagrin;”—”of a sad look, or, distressed
countenance.”
ft434
“C'est une facon de parler
hyperbolique, c'est a dire, excessive.”—”It is a
hyperbolical, that is, an exaggerated way of
speaking.”
ft435
“Pour nous faire retomber en
1’autre;”—”to make us fall into the
other.”
ft436
“Ou bien perir d'eux-mesmes,
encores que personne n'y touche;”—”or even perish of
themselves, though nobody touch
them.”
ft437
“Ceux qui demandent d'estre riches
et a leur aise en ce monde;”— those who are eager to be rich and at
their ease in this world.”
ft438
“Nous savons comment les
Philosophes se sont amusez a traiter subtilemerit du souverain bien des
hommes.”—”We know to what trouble the Philosophers submitted
in ingenious discussions about the supreme good of men.”—”The
allusion is chiefly to the Greeks: for the philosophy of the Romans was at
second hand, though nothing can be more ingenious or beautiful than the
reasonings of Cicero in his Dissertations “De Finibus Bonorum et
Malorum.” He inquires into the
te>lov,
or end, of good and evil actions. In examining the principles of
Epicurus, he professes to feel very much at ease, but approaches the Stoics with
greater respect, and acknowledges the ability with which they had conducted
their argument. The perusal of the whole treatise will gratify a reader prepared
to accompany powerful minds in their most intricate researches, or to hail
abstruse disquisition clothed in the choicest language by one who, as Robert
Hall said of Pascal, “can invest the severest logic with the charms of the
most beautiful composition, and render the most profound argumentation as
entertaining as a romance.” But those studies have a far higher value.
When we see the greatest minds tasked to their utmost strength, and yet utterly
failing to discover, by unassisted reason, the path which leads to happiness, we
appreciate more highly Leland's argument “On the advantage and necessity
of Divine Revelation,” and bless the name of the Great Prophet, who
hath brought life and immortality to light by the Gospel,
(<550110>2
Timothy 1:10.)—Ed.
ft439
“Car naturellement nous tendons
tous a desirer ce qui nous semble estre le souverain
bien.”—”For we have all a natural tendency to desire what
appears to us to be the supreme
good.”
ft440
“La lumiere, ou,
lanterne;”—”the light, or,
lantern.”
ft441
“La
chandelle;”—”the
candle.”
ft442
“Appelant l'ceil le flambeau ou la
lampe de tout le corps;”—”calling the eye the torch or the
lamp of the whole body.”
ft443
This Greek word has two meanings, which
depend on accentuation. The proparoxytone
ponhro<v
means laborious, troublesome: but the oxytone
ponhro<v
means wicked. Here, when applied to the eye, it cannot
denote moral blame, but easily takes the transferred sense of faulty,
defective.—Ed.
ft444
“En toute sa gloire, ou, avec
toute sa gloire;”—”in all his glory, or, with all his
glory.”
ft445
“Pource que le pere et 1a mere les
abandonnent incontinent qu'ils sont nais;”—”because their
parents forsake them as soon as they are
born.”
ft446
“Ne soyez en
suspens;”—”be not in
suspense.”
ft447
“Embrasseroyent volontiers beaucoup
de cent annees ;”—” would willingly embrace many hundreds of
years.”
ft448
“ Regarder en haut, et estendre sa
veue bien loin: ce qu'on dit com-
ft449
On the latter supposition, we would
naturally have expected that, instead of
th<n dikaiosu>nhn
aujtou~, we would have had
th<n dikaiosu>nhn
aujth~v, when
aujth~v
would have stood for th~v
basilei>av.—Ed.
ft450
In the French version our Author quotes
a similar passage from the book of Psalms, (37:6;) “and he shall bring
forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the
noon-day.”—Ed.
ft451
“Car un mien ami m'est venu voir en
passant;”—”for a friend of mine has come to
see.”
ft452
“Le Seigneur ne changera
point;”—”the Lord will not
change.”
ft453
Greek proverbs, even when exhibited in a
detached form, are frequently introduced by
ajlla<
and
ga<r,
and similar particles, instances of which must be familiar to the classical
reader. JAll j ouj to<
me>ga eu ejsti, to< de< eu+ me>ga.
“But not what is great is excellent, but what is excellent is
great.” [Ina ga<r
de>ov, e]nqa kai< aijdw<v” For
where fear is, there also is
shame.”Po>nov ga<r wJv
le>gousin, eujklei`hv, path<r. “For
labor, as they say, is the father of glory. The fact chiefly to be noticed here
is, that such particles came to be regarded as a part of the proverb, and were
hardly ever separated from it: though their use must originally have been
elliptical, like that of
ga<r,
which opens many a reply in Greek
dialogues.—Ed.
ft454
“Si nous estions aussi bons
disciples a prattiquer la charite active (si ainsi faut dire) comme nous sommes
subtils docteurs a prescher la charite passive.”—”If we were
as good scholars in practising active charity, (if I may so express it,)
as we are dexterous instructors in preaching passive
charity.”
ft455
(“Comme facilement les appetits de
la chair nous tirent en leurs filets;”) —(“as the appetites of
the flesh easily draw us into their
nets.”)
ft456
“Pource que les hommes se poussent
les uns les autres au chemin de damnation par mauvais
exemple;”—”because men urge each other on in the road to
damnation by bad example.”
ft457
“Quand il a prononce ces sentences
que nous avons veues par ci de-vant, monstrant tout au contraire de
l’opinion commune;”—”when he pronounced those sentences
which we have formerly seen, showing it to be altogether contrary to the common
opinion.”
ft458
“Si je n'ay pas este plus
scrupuleux ou curieux en conferant les passages tendans a un mesme poinct de
doctrine;”—”if I have not been more careful or exact in
comparing the passages relating to the same point of
doctrine.”
ft459
Our author appears to have become
apprehensive that this language was ambiguous, and, lest it might be interpreted
differently from what he intended, he has taken care to insert in the French
Version an explanatory clause: “que ceux qui se font accroire qu'ils sont
desia tout asseurez de la vie eternelle, et cheminent a leur plaisir sans
souci, en seront rejettez;” —”that those who make
themselves believe that they are already perfectly assured of eternal life,
and walk on at their pleasure without concern, will be excluded from
it.”—Ed.
ft460
“Et avoyent tousjours en la bouche
le titre d'Eglise, duquel ils abu- soyent;”—”and had always in
their mouth the title of Church, which they
abused.”
ft461
“Ne tiendront pas mesme le dernier
reng, ou quelque petit coin en l'Eglise;”—”will not hold even
the lowest rank, or some small corner in the
Church.”
ft462
“Il y a grande difference entre une
bonne facon de se donner garde d'estre trompe, et un deboutement temeraire sans
savoir pourquoy.”—”There is a great difference between a
proper method of guarding against being deceived, and a hasty rejection without
knowing, why.”
ft463
“Par une vaine crainte, qu'ils leur
proposent;”—”by a vain dread which they hold out to
them.”
ft464
“Combien qu'au dedans ils n'ayent
point d'affection de crainte de Dieu;” — ”though at bottom
they have no feeling of the fear of
God.”
ft465
“Les docteurs feints et
doubles;” — ”reigned and deceitful
teachers.”
ft466
“Ce qu'ils enseignent et
confessent de bouche;” — “what they teach and confess with
the mouth.”
ft467
“Comme les philosophes ont voulu
enselgner le monde;” — ”as the philosophers wished to teach
the world.”
ft468
“Et lors je leur diray
ouvertement;”—”and then will I openly say to
them.”
ft469
“Le mot Grec dont use l'Evangeliste
signifie proprement, Je leur confesseray;”—”the Greek word,
which the Evangelist uses, literally signifies ' I will confess to
them.'“
ft470
“D’aucuns qui auront en grand
bruit, et auront este fort estimez ;”— “of any who shall have
made great noise, and shall have been greatly
esteemed.”
ft471
“Qu'on ne peut pas bien discerner
la vraye crainte de Dieu, d'avecques une feintise et vaine apparence d’
icelle;”—”that the true fear of God cannot be well
distinguished from a dissembling and vain appearance of
it.”
ft472
A parallel passage in the Gospel of Mark
(1:22) having already occurred, the reader will find Calvin's exposition of
these remarkable words at page 247 of this
volume.—Ed.
ft473
“Et l'ayant
menace;”—”and having threatened
him.”
ft474
“The burning ulceration, with which
the great adversary of man afflicted the venerable patriarch Job, (2:7,) is
generally understood to be the elephantiasis, or leprosy of the Arabians;
and derives its name from its rendering the skin of the patient, like that of an
elephant, scabrous and dark-colored, and furrowed all over with
tubercles, loathsome alike to the individual and to
spectators.”—(Horne’s Introduction, vol. iii. p. 328.)
This quotation is made, because it seemed proper that a word of comparatively
rare occurrence, which Calvin uses, should be defined, and its origin explained;
and because that useful work, from which we have quoted, was at hand. Many of
the most important topics embraced by the “Introduction to the Critical
Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures” have since been handled by
writers of greater learning and research. Yet it would be ungrateful not to
acknowledge that, at the time of its appearance, it supplied an important
desideratum, that it probably led the way to other treatises, and that,
as a popular and miscellaneous book of reference on Biblical literature, it is
not yet superseded.—Ed.
ft475
“De faire a Christ un honneur
appartenant a Ia majeste divine;” — “to do to Christ an honor
belonging to the divine
majesty.”
ft476
“Qu'il y a eu en tels personnages
des mouvemens singuliers, et inspirations particulieres du S.
Esprit;”—”that there were in such persons singular movements,
and peculiar inspirations of the Holy
Spirit.”
ft477
“Le vouloir de Christ sur sa
requeste;”—”the will of Christ as to his
request.”
ft478
“Le but de ce
commandement;”—”the end of that
commandment.”
ft479
Those who wish to make themselves
acquainted with Calvin's views on the whole subject of what the Papists call
auricular confession, will find them stated in the Institutions of the
Christian Religion. (B. III. c. iv. sec.
19.)—Ed.
ft480
“Doivent avoir le jugement et la
cognoissance de la ladrerie spi-rituelle;”—”ought to have the
judgment and discernment of spiritual
leprosy.”
ft481
“De discerner entre ladrerie et
ladrerie;”—”of distinguishing between leprosy and
leprosy.”
ft482
According to the view which Calvin
rejects, the words, which Moses commanded for a testimony to them, mean,
“which Moses delivered to them, that is, to the people of Israel,
as a divine ordinance.” The view which he adopts may be more clearly
brought out by a different arrangement of the words. Present, for a testimony
TO THEM, that is, “to the priests,” the offering which Moses
commanded.—Ed.
ft483
“Que quant et quant il ne fist tant
de miracles, que cela les empescheroit de bien penser a la
doctrine;”—without doing so many miracles as to prevent them from
thinking properly about his
doctrine.”
ft484
“Et en ce mesme instant son garcon
fut gairi;”—”and at that very instant his servant was
healed.”
ft485
“Plus pleines de dissolutions et de
desbauches;”—”more full of dissoluteness and
debauchery.”
ft486
“Qu'on ne tenoit pas si grande
conte de serfs;”—”that they did not set so great value on
slaves.”
ft487
“Il n’ y a point de doute que
les Juifs recommandent cest homme pour l'affection et le bon zele qu'il avoit a
la crainte de Dieu.”—”There is no doubt that the Jews
recommend this man for the affection and the good zeal which he had for the fear
of God.”
ft488
“Il ne s'est pas estime digne
d'aller parler a Christ;”—”he did not think himself worthy to
go and talk to Christ.”
ft489
“Toutefois Christ ne prend pas ces
paroles comme dites de l'aventure et sans intelligence.”—”Yet
Christ does not take these words as spoken at random and without
understanding.”
ft490
“Pource que Christ avoit receu la
vertu de donner gairison;”— “because Christ had received the
power of giving healing.”
ft491
“Laquelle la bouche de l'homme ne
sauroit exprimer, ni ses sens comprendre en ce monde;”—”which
the mouth of man cannot express, nor his senses comprehend, in this
world.”
ft492
“Jusque a ce qu'il se soit
acquitte envers son pere du devoir que nature
commande;”—”until he has discharged that duty to his father
which nature requires.”
ft493
“Pour faire son devoir envers son
pere;”—”to do his duty to his
father.”
ft494
“Et disputoyent en leurs
coeurs;”—”and were disputing in their
hearts.”
ft495
“Cherchoik seulement remede a la
douleur presente, qui n'est qu'un accident particulier de son
mal;”—”sought only a remedy for the present pain, which is but
a particular accident of his
disease.”
ft496
“s’ils pensent qu’il y
ait quelque chose digne de reprendre aux paroles de Christ, que ne parlent-ils a
luy pour en avoir resolution?”—”If they think that there is
any thing worthy of blame in the words of Christ, why do they not speak to him
to have it explained?”
ft497
It is remarkable that all the Latin
editions which I have examined,—the highly and justly celebrated Amsterdam
edition, two Geneva editions, and Tholuck's,—give the reading,
“cujus meminit Lucas,” which Luke mentions, instead of
“cujus meminit Matthoeus,” which Matthew mentions, as the
sense would have required. Matthew says,
ejqau>masan,
they wondered, or were astonished. Mark uses a part of the
verb ejxi>stamai w[ste
ejxi>stasqai pa>ntav,, so that all were
amazed; and Luke uses the cognate noun,
kai< e]kstasiv e]labn a[panatav
and AMAZEMENT seized all.
Still, the blunder must have been a slip of Calvin's pen, and would have
been permitted to remain in the text, if there had not been express authority
for the alteration in his own French
version.—Ed.
ft498
“De quelque erreur et
ignorance;”—”in some error and
ignorance.”
ft499
“Surgens assequutus
est;”—”rising
followed.”
ft500
“Gens de mauvaise
vie;”—”people of bad
life.”
ft501
There is nothing here answering to
ajnasta<v,
rising up. But the omission must have been accidental: for the
French version runs thus: “lequel se levant, abandonna tout, et
suivit;”—”who, rising up, forsook all, and
followed.”—Ed.
ft502
“Et ceux d'entre eux qui estoyent
scribes et Pharisiens;” —”and those among them who were
scribes and Pharisees.”
ft503
“Il est aise a voir que c'estoit
son droit nom par lequel les gens du pays
l’appeloyent;”—”it is easy to see that it was his right
name, by which the people of the country called
him.”
ft504
“Qu’il n’a pas este
appele par un moyen procedant de l’homme;”—”that he was
not called by a method proceeding from
man.”
ft505
“Pource qu'ayant cest empeschement,
il n'eust pas peu suivre la compagnie de Christ;”—”because,
having that hinderance, he could not have followed the company of
Christ.”
ft506
“C’est une concession par
ironie, (c’est a dire, moquerie;”)—”it is an admission
made in irony, (that is, in
ridicule.”)
ft507
“Filii
sponsi.”—”Les gens de la chambre du marie peuvent ils mener
dueil, pendant que le marie est avec eux?”—”Can the children
of the married man's chamber be in mourning, while the married man is with
them?”
ft508
“Les gens de
nopces;”—”the marriage
party.”
ft509
“Pour des choses qui ne valent pas
le parler;”—”for things that are not worth talking
about.”
ft510
“Les fils de l’espoux,
(comme il y a en tournant de mot a mot,) par une facon de parler des
Hebrieux signifient ceux qui sont appelez au banquet des
nopces.”—”The children of the bridegroom, (as the words
may be literally rendered,) by a mode of speaking among the Hebrews, denote
those who were invited to the marriage
banquet.”
ft511
“Au reste, le mot Grec dont use
l'Evangeliste signifie proprement des vaisseaux faits de cuir, desquels on usoit
pour mettre le vin: comme au- jourdhui nous avons des muids ou des
pipes.”—” Besides, the Greek word, which the Evangelist
employs, literally signifies vessels made of leather,which were used for
containing wine: as in the present day we have hogsheads or
butts.”
ft512
“Lequel s'enclina devant
lui;”—”who bowed down before
him.”
ft513
“Car Jairus ne pretendoit pas
d'attribuer a Christ un honneur appar-tenant a la majeste
Divine;”—”for Jairus did not profess to ascribe to Christ an
honor belonging to the Divine
majesty.”
ft514
“Mais la petitesse, et (par maniere
de dire) la chicete de nostre foy, l'empesche de faire decouler plus abondamment
ses biens sur nous.”—”But the smallness and (so to speak)the
niggardliness of our faith, hinders him from making his benefits flow more
abundantly on us.”
ft515
“Dont nous pouvons recueillir
comment le pays de Judee estoit lots reinply de beaucoup de corruptions, et
diverses sortes d'abus;” — ”whence we may infer how much the
country of Judea was then filled with many corruptions, and various sorts of
abuses.”
ft516
“Jesus leur defendit avee
menaces;” — ”Jesus forbade them with
threatenings.”
ft517
“Que le diable qui le possedoit luy
avoit ost, l'usage de parler;” — ”that the devil, who
possessed him, had taken from him the use of
speech.”
ft518
“Il semble que c'est une facon de
parler hyperbolique et excessive;” — ”it appears to be a
hyperbolical and exaggerated way of
speaking.”
ft519
“a cause de l'effect et du fruict
qui s'en ensuit;” — ”on account of the effect and of the fruit
which follows from it.
ft520
ejrga>tai
do>lioi, deceitful
workmen.
ft521
“La naselle,” —
to<
ploi~on.
ft522
“C'est un poinct bien resolu entre
tous ceux qui ont escrit;” — ”it is a point well agreed among
all who have written.”
ft523
“Quand les Apostres se sont
trouvez assaillis et quasi couvers des riots du lac;” — ”when
the Apostles found themselves assaulted, and, as it were, covered by the waves
of the lake.”
ft524
“Une priere bonne et sainte;
— a good and holy prayer.
ft525
“En sorte qu'il ne leur semble
oint qu'il y ait moyen de les sauver, sinon que Christ s’eveeile; —
so that they think there will be no way of saving them till Christ is
awakened.”
ft526
“Et finalemeat la souvenance que
chacun doit avoir de Dieu vient a s'esteindre;” — ,and, finally,
that remembrance of God which every one ought to have, comes to be
extinguished.”
ft527
, Jusque ace qu'ellc passe mesurc, ct
soit excessive;” — ”till it go beyond bounds, and become
excessive.”
ft528
“Et quarid il fur passd outre,
ou a l'autre rive, cornme au verset 18 ;” — ”and when
he had passed beyond, or to the other bank, as at
v.18.”
ft529
“Lequel faisoit sa
demeurance;” — ”who made his
dwelling.”
ft530
“Il se jetta devant luy;”
— ”he threw himself down before
him.”
ft531
“Ainsi les gens sortirent pour
voir;” — ”so the peoplo went out to
see.”
ft532
“Raconte combien grandes choses
Dieu t'a faitcs;” — ”relate how great things God hath done to
thee.”
ft533
“Combien qu'il ne lust pas rant
eognu que le premier;” — ”though he was not so well known as
the former.”
ft534
“Mais l'effort et la violence que
les Evangelistes deserlvent estoit bien autre et plus grande;” —
”but the effort and the violence, which the Evangelists describe, was
quite different and much
greater.”
ft535
“S'enclina devant luy;”
— ”kneeled down before
him.”
ft536
“Et ils ne se sont point plainds
que Christ les tormentast, sinon quand il les pressoit de sortir;” —
”and they did not complain that Christ tormented them, till he urged them
to go out.”
ft537
“Que tout le regne de Satan est
tenu en bride sous la domination de Christ;” — ”that all the
kingdom of Satan is kept in check under the government of
Christ.”
ft538
“Sans que Christ ouvrist sa
bouche;” — ”without Christ opening his
mouth.”
ft539
“Ils voudroyent bien tousjours
prolonger leur terme;” — “they would always choose to prolong
their time.
ft540
“A scavoir que chacun hornroe ha
son diable et son mauvals ange qui lui fait la guerre;” —
”namely, that each man has his devil and his evil angel who makes war with
him.”
ft541
“Ce qu'aucuns exposent comme si
les diables n'eussent point voulu aller en lieu desert;” —
”which some explain as if the devils did not wish to go into a desert
place.”
ft542
“
jEfobh>qhsan, they were afraid,
(<410515>Mark
5:15,) is by most Commentators understood of fear lest they might suffer
a yet greater calamity; but it rather denotes awe at the stupendous
miracle.” —
Bloomfield.
ft543
Nunc addenda est anagoge. —
”Maintenant il rested adjouster la deduction ou derivation;” —
-”it now remains to add the inference or remoter instruction.”
— The word anagoge, or rather
ajnagwgh<
was technically employed by divines of the allegorizing school to denote
the mystical meaning, which was the last and most recondite, as the
literal was the first and most obvious, of the various meanings which
they supposed to be contained in every verse of the Bible. Never did those men
encounter a more zealous or more formidable opponent than Calvin. But, while he
manfully sets his face against all that is mystical, when it can plead no
higher authority than the ravings of a wild imagination, he is equally careful
that those instructions which are indicated, though not directly conveyed, by
the sacred writers, shall receive due consideration. He lays down as a general
principle, which he endeavors to support by the word of God, that the cures of
bodily diseases, performed by our Lord and his apostles, were intended to be
symbolical of the removal of spiritual diseases by the power and grace of
the Great Physician. Seldom does he close his illustration of one of those
miracles without adverting to the loftier and more important occasions on which
the arm of the Deliverer will put forth its strength. It is to this
symbolical meaning that Calvin, under the word
ajnagwgh<,
borrowing the language, but disavowing the principles, of an ancient school, now
proceeds to draw the attention of his reader. The grounds of his opinion it were
foreign to our purpose to examine, but we have judged it necessary to append
this note, in order to bring out clearly what the Author means. —
Ed.
ft544
“Toutesfois nous luy sommes serfs
et esclaves;” — ”yet we are his serfs and
slaves.”
ft545
“De la tyrannic malheureuse
d'iceluy;” — ”from his unhappy
tyranny.”
ft546
“Nous ne raisons que trainer ca et
la estans nuds, deschirez, et dis- figurez;” — ”we do but drag
along here and there, being naked, torn, and
disfigured.”
ft547
“Lors ayant appel, a soy ses douze
disciples;” — ”then having called to himself his twelve
disciples.”
ft548
“N'allez point vers les
Gentils;” — ”go not towards the
Gentiles.”
ft549
“Mats plustost allez aux ouailles
de la matson d'Israel, qui sontperies;” — “but rather go to
the flocks of the house of Israel, which are
lost.”
ft550
“Vous l'avez receu pour neant,
donnez-le pour neant;” — ”you have received it for nothing,
give it for nothing.”
ft551
“Sur les esprits immondes;”
— ”over the unclean
spirits.”
ft552
“Puis apres avoir appel, ses douze
disciples ensemble;” — ”then after having called his twelve
disciples together.”
ft553
“Voulant reigler indifferemment
tous ministres de la parole selon ee qui est ici dk;” —
”wishing to regulate indiscriminately all ministers of the word according
to what is here said.”
ft554
“Et cependant une charge si
excellente et nouvelle requeroit des graces plus grandes qu'on n'en pent trouver
en l'homme;” — ”and yet an office so excellent and new
demanded higher graces than can be found in
man.”
ft555
“Les autres en estans eslogncz et
bannis;” — ”the others being removed and banished from
it.”
ft556
“Qui n'avons point une telle
prerogative;” — ”who have not such a
prerogative.”
ft557
“La predication, ou
publication;” — ”the preaching, or
publication.”
ft558
“Vous l'avez receu pour
neant;” — ”you have received it for
nothing.”
ft559
“S'il n'est prest de s'y employer,
et d'y mettre son labor gratuitement, et sans consideration de son
profit;” — ”if he is not ready to be employed in it, and to
bestow his labor on it gratuitously, and without regard to his own
gain.”
ft560
“Ne faites provision d'or ni
d'argent;” — ”make no provision of gold or of
silver.”
ft561
“La commission et
ambassade;” — ”the commission and
einbassy.”
ft562
“N'ayans rien de quoy faire leurs
despens;” — ”having no means of paying their
expenses.”
ft563
“Ils gaigneront bien pour le moins
leur nourriture;” — ”they will get their food at
least.”
ft564
“Afin qu'il ne semble que ce soit
une menace vaine, et (cornroe on dit) seulement pour faire peur aux petits
enfans;” — ”that it may not seem as if it were an idle
threatening, and (as we say) only to frighten young
children.”
ft565
“N'ayez point de souci;”
— ”have no
anxiety.”
ft566
“Car a ce mesme instant vous sera
donn, ce que vous direz;” — ”for at that very instant will be
given to you what you shall
speak.”
ft567
“Ace mesme instant;” —
”at that very instant.”
ft568
“Combien que de leur cost, ils
n'ayent aucune force ou munition externe;” — ”while they, on
their side, have no strength or outward
protection.”
ft569
“Ils renoncent Christ et sa
vocation;” — ”they renounce Christ and his
calling.”
ft570
“Erasme a traduit, De ces
hornroes: pource qu'il luy a sembl, que l'article Grec qul est mis avec le
nora denotoit quelques certains hommes.” — ”Erasmus translated
it, Of these men: because he thought that theGreek article, which is
joined to the noun, denoted some particular men.”
—Prose>cete de<
ajpo< tw~n ajnqrw>pwn literally means but
beware of THE men. In Calvin's native tongue, les hommes
denotes men in general, and in expressing the idea of the men,
it became necessary to substitute ces for les, in order to avoid
the circumlocution of les hommes, dont il s'agit. But it would be
proper to show cause why oiJ
a]nqrwpoi should be here viewed as
equivalent to pa>ntev
a]nqrwpoi. Erasmus, writing in Latin, has supplied
a defect of that language by almost the only means which he had in his power,
the use of a demonstrative pronoun as a substitute for the definite article.
“Cavete ab illis hominibus,” naturally interpreting
tw~n
ajnqrw>pwn, as referring to the men who had just
been described to the disciples as wolves, and in their intercourse with
whom the utmost caution would be indispensable. —
Ed.
ft571
“N'ayez point de souci;”
— ”have no
anxiety.”
ft572
“En sorte qu'il semblera quasi
qu'ils foudroyent;” — ”so that they will almost appear to
thunder.”
ft573
“Et de faict, nous avons veu de
nostre temps aucuns martyrs, lesquels ayans este le reste de leur vie quasi
muets, et n'ayans point de grace a parler, toutesfois quand Dieu les a appelez a
rendre confession de leur foy devant les ennenmis, c’a este un miracle du
don excellent qu'ils out eu de parlet et respondre pertinemment et avec
grace.” — ”And, in fact, we have seen, in our own time, some
martyrs who having been the rest of their life, as it were, dumb, and having no
gracefulness of speech, yet when God called them to make confession of their
faith before enemies, the excellent gift which they possessed, of speaking and
replying appropriately and gracefully, was quite
miraculous.”
ft574
“Qui soustiendra, ou, tiendra
bon, jusques k la fin;” — ”he who shall endure, or hold
out, even to the end.”
ft575
“Vous n'aurez point parachev,
d'aller;” — ”you will not have finished
going.”
ft576
“Par un zele sainct et plaisant a
Dieu;” — ”by a zeal that is holy and pleasing to
God.”
ft577
“De maintenir la gloire de son
nom, a fin que punition soit faite de l'outrage commis contre sa majeste;”
— ”to maintam the glory of his name, that punishment may be
inflicted on the outrage comnntted against his
majesty.”
ft578
“Les gens simples, et d'esprit
paisible;” — ”simple people, and of peaceable
dispositions.”
ft579
“Que sera ce a la fin, et que
deviendrons-nous?” — “What shall be in the end, and what will
become of us?”
ft580
“Touchant le premier voyage, ou la
premiere commission qu ont eue les apostres;” — ”respecting
the first journey, or the first commission which the apostles
had.”
ft581
“La vie de ce corps, laquelle
n'est qu'une fumee;” — ”the life of this body, which is but
a vapor,”
(<590414>James
4:14.)
ft582
“Emporte poids;” —
”carries weight.
ft583
“S'esforcans d'abattre et
exterminer l'Evangile;” — ”laboring to destroy and exterminate
the Gospel.”
ft584
“La volonte de Dieu est mise a
l'opposite de ce que tels Philosophes appellent Contingence: par lequel mot ils
signifient un accident qui vient
ft585
We have formerly adverted to a leading
tenet of the Stoics, that the distinction between pleasure and pain is
imaginary, and that consequently the highest wisdom consists in being utterly
unmoved by the events of life. The present allusion is to their notion of
Fate, a mysterious and irresistible necessity, over which those beings
whom they blindly worshipped were supposed to have as little control as the
inhabitants of the earth. Calvin demonstrates that the serenity of a Christian
differs not more widely from Stoical apathy, than the doctrine of a
special Providence which is here taught by our Savior differs from Stoical
Fate; that the believer in Providence adores the high and lofty One
that inhabiteth, eternity,
(<235715>Isaiah
57:15,)who hath, prepared His throne in the heavens, and whose kingdom ruleth
over all,
(<19A319>Psalm
103:19;) and, far from viewing the will of God as swayed by a higher power,
traces every event to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will,
(<490111>Ephesians
1:11.) — Ed.
ft586
“Je confesse bien que si on
regarde la nature des choses en soy, on trouvera qu'il y a quelque
Contingence;” — ”I readily acknowledge that, if the nature of
things in itself be considered, it will be found that there is some
uncertainty.”
ft587
“En sa majestd;” —
-”in his majesty.”
ft588
This is a blunder: for the clause in
question is not found in Luke, but in Mark only. The french
version sets the matter right. —
Ed.
ft589
“Et vient apres moy;”
— -”and cometh after
me.”
ft590
“Qui aura trouve, ou, garde
sa vie;” — ”he who shall have found, or, protected,
his life.”
ft591
“Si aucun vient avec moy;”
— ”if any man cometh with
me.”
ft592
“La trouvera, ou,
gardera;” — ”will find it, or, will protect
it.”
ft593
“Pour soustenir une guerre, et
fournir l'argent qu'il faut” — “to support a war, and to
supply the money that is
required.”
ft594
“De vouloir esplucher tout par le
menu, et rapporter tout jusqu'aux petits mots;” — ”to wish to
explain every thing minutely, and to make every thing apply down to the smallest
words.”