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
THIRD
MATTHEW 21:10-22; MARK
11:11-24;
LUKE
19:39-48
|
MATTHEW
21:10-22
|
MARK
11:11-24
|
LUKE 19:39-48
|
|
10. And when he entered into Jerusalem,
the whole city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11. And the
multitudes said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth in Galilee.
12. And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and drove out all that
sold and bought in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money-changers,
and the seats of those who sold doves; 13. And said to them, It is
written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den
of robbers. 14. And the blind and lame came to him in the temple,
and he cured them. 15. When the chief priests and the scribes saw
the wonderful works which he did, and the children crying in the temple, and
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! They were enraged,
f1
16. And said to him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith to
them, Yes; and have you never read, Out of the mouth
f2
of infants and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 17. And,
leaving them, he went out of the city into Bethany, and lodged there.
18. And in the morning, returning to the city, he was hungry.
19. And when he saw a fig tree near the road, he came to it, and
found nothing on it but leaves only. And he said to it, Let no fruit grow
on thee henceforth forever; and immediately the fig tree withered.
20. And when his disciples saw it, they wondered, saying, How
quickly is the fig tree withered! 21. And Jesus answering said to
them, Verily I say to you, If you have faith, and do not doubt, not only will
you do what has taken place in the fig tree, but also, if you shall say to this
mountain, Be thou removed, and thrown into the sea, it shall be done.
22. And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer,
believing,
f3,
you shall receive.
|
11. And the Lord entered
f4
into Jerusalem, and into the temple; and when he had looked around on all
things, and it was now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
12. And the next day, when they departed from Bethany, he was
hungry. 13. And when he saw at a distance a fig tree having leaves,
he came, if perhaps he would find anything on it.
f5 And when
he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs.
14. And Jesus answering said o the fig tree, Let no man eat fruit
from thee henceforth forever. And his disciples heard it.
15. And they come to Jerusalem. And Jesus entered into the
temple, and began to drive out those who sold and bought in the temple, and
overturned the tables of the money changers, and the seats of those who sold
doves; 16. And did not suffer any man o carry a vessel through the
temple. 17 And taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall
be called by all nations a house of prayer? But you have made it a den of
robbers. 18. And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought
how they would put him to death; for they dreaded him, because the whole
multitude admired his doctrine. 19. And when it was evening, he went
out of the city. 20. And in the morning, passing by the fig tree,
they saw that it was dried up from the root.
f6
21. And Peter, remembering, saith to him, Rabbi,
f7
lo, that fig tree which thou cursedst is dried up! 22. And Jesus
answering saith to them, Have faith in God. 23. Verily I say to you,
Whoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed, and thrown into the sea,
and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith shall be,
he shall have whatever he saith. 24. Therefore I say to you,
Whatever you ask, praying, believe that you will receive it, and you shall have
it.
|
39. And some of the Pharisees out of the
multitude said to him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40. To whom he
said, I say to you, that if these be silent, the stones will cry out.
f8 (A little
after.) 45. And having entered into the temple, he began to drive
out those who sold and bought in it, 46. Saying to them, It is
written, My house is a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of robbers.
47. And he taught daily in the temple. And the chief priests,
and scribes, and rulers of the people, sought to put him to death,
48. And did not find what to do; for all the people hung upon his
lips, while they were hearing him.
|
THERE is a difference between Matthew and Mark in
their narrative of the withering
of the fig tree; for Matthew says that it was
on the day after that Christ made a public appearance as King, while Mark
appears to throw it back to the following day.
f9 But the
solution is easy; for they agree in this respect, that Christ, on the day after
that he made his solemn entrance into the city, cursed the tree; only Mark
states what Matthew had omitted, that the occurrence was observed by the
disciples on the following day., So then, though Mark has stated more distinctly
the order of time, he makes no contradiction.
He appears to differ more openly both from Matthew
and fromLuke in the narrative of chastising the traders;
f10 for
while both of them declare that Christ, as soon as he
entered into the city and temple,
drove out those who sold and bought, Mark
simply says that he looked around on all things, but has thrown back the driving
of them out till another day.
f11 But I
reconcile them in this way, that Mark, not having spoken about the purifying of
the temple, afterwards inserts it, though not in its proper place. He relates
that, on the first day, Christ came into the temple, and there looked round on
all things.
f12 Now why
did he look so earnestly, except for the purpose of correcting something that
was wrong? For, having been formerly accustomed to pay frequent visits to the
temple, it was not the novelty of the sight that affected him. Now as Mark ought
immediately to have added, that those who sold and bought in the temple were
driven out of it, he says that Christ went out of the city; but, having omitted
what was worthy of being related, he inserts it afterwards.
But perhaps some will be more inclined to believe
that, in this narrative also, Mark observed the order of time, which the other
two Evangelists had disregarded; for though they appear to indicate an
uninterrupted succession of events, yet as they do not name a particular day,
there would be no impropriety in dividing what we find to be connected in their
writings. For my own part, however, I prefer the conjecture which I stated
first; for it is probable that this demonstration of his power was made by
Christ in presence of a large multitude. But any one who will consider how
little care the Evangelists bestowed on pointing out dates will not stumble at
this diversity in the narrative.
Matthew 21:10.
When he entered into Jerusalem.
Matthew
says that
the city was moved,
in order to inform us that the transaction did
not take place secretly, or by stealth, but in the presence of all the people,
and that the priests and scribes were not ignorant of it. Under this despicable
aspect of the flesh the majesty of the Spirit was apparent; for how would they
have endured that Christ should be conducted into the city, attended by the
splendor of royalty, with so great danger to themselves, if they had not been
seized with astonishment? The substance of it therefore is, that Christ’s
entrance was not made in a private manner, and that his enemies abstained from
opposing it, not because they treated him with contempt, but rather because they
were restrained by secret fear; for God had struck them with such alarm, that
they dare not make any attempt. At the same time, the Evangelist glances at the
careless indifference of the city, and commends the piety of those who have just
reached it; for when the inhabitants, on hearing the noise, inquire,
Who is this?
it is manifest that they do not belong to the
number of Christ’s followers.
12.
And Jesus entered into the
temple. Though Christ frequently ascended
into the temple,
and though this abuse continually met his eye,
twice only did he stretch out his hand to correct it; once, at the commencement
of his embassy,
f13 and now
again, when he was near the end of his course. But though disgraceful and
ungodly confusion reigned throughout, and though the temple, with its
sacrifices, was devoted to destruction, Christ reckoned it enough to administer
twice an open reproof of the profanation of it. Accordingly, when he made
himself known as a Teacher and Prophet sent by God, he took upon himself the
office of purifying the temple, in order to arouse the Jews, and make them more
attentive; and this first narrative is given by John only in the second chapter
of his Gospel. But now, towards the end of his course, claiming again for
himself the same power, he warns the Jews of the pollutions of the temple, and
at the same time points out that a new restoration is at hand.
And yet there is no reason to doubt that he declared
himself to be both King and High Priest, who presided over the temple and the
worship of God. This ought to be observed, lest any private individual should
think himself entitled to act in the same manner. That zeal, indeed, by which
Christ was animated to do this, ought to be held in common by all the godly; but
lest any one, under the pretense of imitation, should rush forward without
authority, we ought to see what our calling demands, and how far we may proceed
according to the commandment of God. If the Church of God have contracted any
pollutions, all the children of God ought to burn with grief; but as God has not
put arms into the hands of all, let private individuals groan, till God bring
the remedy. I do acknowledge that they are worse than stupid who are not
displeased at the pollution of the temple of God, and that it is not enough for
them to be inwardly distressed, if they do not avoid the contagion, and testify
with their mouth, whenever an opportunity. presents itself, that they desire to
see a change for the better. But let those who do not possess public authority
oppose by their tongue, which they have at liberty, those vices which they
cannot remedy with their hands.
But it is asked, Since Christ saw the temple filled
with gross superstitions, why did he only correct one that was light, or, at
least, more tolerable than others? I reply, Christ did not intend to restore to
the ancient custom all the sacred rites, and did not select greater or smaller
abuses for correction, but had only this object in view, to show by one visible
token, that God had committed to him the office of purifying the temple, and, at
the same time, to point out that the worship of God had been corrupted by a
disgraceful and manifest abuse. Pretexts, indeed, were not wanting for that
custom of keeping a market, which relieved the people from trouble, that they
might not have far to go to find sacrifices; and next, that they might have at
hand those pieces of money which any man might choose to offer. Nor was it
within the holy place that the
money-changers
sat, or that animals intended for sacrifice
were exposed to sale, but only within the court, to which the designation of
the temple
is sometimes applied; but as nothing was more
at variance with the majesty of
the temple,
than that a market should be erected there for
selling goods, or that bankers should sit there for matters connected with
exchange, this profanation was not to be endured. And Christ inveighed against
it the more sharply, because it was well known that this custom had been
introduced by the avarice of the priests for the sake of dishonest gain. For as
one who enters a market well-stocked with various kinds of merchandise, though
he does not intend to make a purchase, yet, in consequence of being attracted by
what he sees, changes his mind, so the priests spread nets in order to obtain
offerings, that they might trick every person out of some gain.
13.
It is written.
Christ quotes two passages taken out of two
Prophets; the one from
<235607>Isaiah
56:7, and the other from
<240711>Jeremiah
7:11. What was written
by Isaiah agreed with the circumstances of the
time; for in that passage is predicted the calling of the Gentiles. Isaiah,
therefore, promises that God will grant, not only that the temple shall recover
its original splendor, but likewise that all nations shall flow to
it,
and that the whole world shall agree in true
and sincere piety.
f14 He
speaks, no doubt, metaphorically; for the spiritual worship of God, which was to
exist under the reign of Christ, is shadowed out by the prophets under the
figures of the law. Certainly this was never fulfilled, that all nations went up
to Jerusalem to worship God; and therefore, when he declares that the temple
will be a place of prayer for all
nations, this mode of expression is equivalent
to saying, that the nations must be gathered into the Church of God, that with
one voice they may worship the true God, along with the children of Abraham. But
since he mentions the temple,
so far as it then was the visible abode of
religion, Christ justly reproaches the Jews with having applied it to totally
different purposes from those to which it had been dedicated. The meaning
therefore is: God intended that this temple should exist till no as a sign on
which all his worshippers should fix their eyes; and how base and wicked is it
to profane it by thus turning it into a market ?
Besides, in the time of Christ, that
temple
was actually a
house of prayer;
that is, so long as the Law, with its shadows,
remained in force. But it began to be
a house of prayer for all
nations, when out of it resounded the doctrine
of the Gospel, by which the whole world was to be united in one common faith.
And though shortly afterwards it was totally overthrown, yet even in the present
day the fulfillment of this prophecy is manifest; for, since
out of Zion, went forth
the
law,
(<230202>Isaiah
2:2;
<330402>Micah
4:2,)
those who wish to pray aright must look to that
beginning. I do acknowledge that there is no distinction of places, for it is
the will of the Lord that men should call upon Him everywhere; but as believers,
who profess to worship the God of Israel, are said to
speak in the language of
Canaan,
(<231918>Isaiah
19:18,)
so they are also said to come
into the temple,
because out of it flowed the true religion. It
is likewise the fountain of the waters, which, enlarged to an astonishing degree
within a short period, flow in great abundance, and give life to those that
drink them, as Ezekiel
(<264709>Ezekiel
47:9) mentions,
f15 which,
going out from the temple, spread, as Zechariah
(<381408>Zechariah
14:8) says, from the rising to the setting sun. Though in the present day we
make use of temples
(or
churches)
for holding the holy assemblies, yet it is for a
different reason; for, since Christ was manifested, no outward representation of
him under shadows is held out to us, such as the fathers anciently had under the
Law.
It must also be observed, that by the word
prayer
the prophet expresses the whole worship of God;
for, though there was at that time a great variety and abundance of religious
rites, yet God intended briefly to show what was the object of all those rites;
namely, that they might worship him spiritually, as is more clearly expressed in
the fiftieth psalm, where also God comprehends under
prayer
all the exercises of religion.
But you have made it a den of
robbers. Christ means that the complaint of
Jeremiah
(<240711>Jeremiah
7:11) applied equally well to his own time, in which the temple was not less
corrupted. The prophet directs his reproof against hypocrites, who, through
confidence in the temple,
allowed themselves greater liberty in sinning.
For, as it was the design of God to employ outward symbols, as a sort of
rudiments, for instructing the Jews in true religion, so they satisfied
themselves with the empty pretense of
the temple,
as if it were enough to give their attention to
outward ceremonies; just as it is customary with hypocrites to
change the truth of God
into a lie
(<450125>Romans
1:25.).
But the prophet exclaims that God is not bound to
the temple,
or tied to ceremonies, and therefore that they
falsely boast of the name of the
temple, which they
had made a den of robbers.
For as
robbers
in their
dens
sin with greater hardihood, because they trust
that they will escape punishment, so by means of a false covering of godliness
hypocrites grow more bold, so that they almost hope to deceive God. Now as the
metaphor of a den
includes all corruptions, Christ properly
applies the passage of the prophet to the present occasion.
Mark
adds, that Christ gave orders
that no man should carry a vessel
through the temple; that is, he did not permit
any thing to be seen there that was inconsistent with religious services; for by
the word vessel
the Hebrews denote any kind of utensil. In
short, Christ took away whatever was at variance with the reverence and majesty
of the temple.
14.
And the blind and lame came to
him. That the authority which Christ had
claimed for himself out of the usual course might not be suspected of rashness,
he supported it by miracles. He therefore
cured the blind and lame in the
temple, in order to proclaim that the rights
and honor of Messiah truly belonged to him; for by these marks the prophets
describe him. Hence we again perceive what I hinted a little ago that it is not
every one of the people who is called to imitate this action of Christ lest he
inconsiderately raise himself to the throne of the Messiah. We ought indeed to
believe that the lame and blind,
who were
cured,
were witnesses of the divine power of Christ,
as if God, by his voice from heaven, approved what had been proclaimed by the
multitude. f16
15.
When the chief priests and
scribes saw.
Luke
relates that the Pharisees began to grumble,
while he was still on the road.
f17 It was
the disciples that were then crying out: the others wished to have them
silenced. Christ replied, that it was in vain for them to make opposition;
because God would rather make
the
stones cry out
than permit the reign of His Son to be
forgotten. It is probable that, as the
crying out
was not diminished, and as even
the children
now joined in it,
the scribes and priests
were roused to still fiercer indignation, and
then commenced a new attack on Christ. They appear indirectly to reproach him by
alleging that he is desirous to obtain the praises of
children.
But we must observe whence their displeasure arose.
That it was connected with ungodly malice and outrageous contempt of God is
evident from the fact, that his miracles gave them not less uneasiness than the
shouts of applause. But I now inquire about some more special reason. What was
it that chiefly vexed them? Now we know how eagerly they contended for their
authority; for the object to which their zeal carried them was, that the
tyranny, which they had once claimed, might continue to be enjoyed by them; and
it was no slight diminution of their power, if the people were at liberty to
bestow on Christ the title of King. Even in trifling matters they wished their
decisions to be regarded as oracles,
f18 so that
it might not be permitted to approve or reject any thing but according to their
pleasure. They therefore reckon it to be foolish and unreasonable, that the
people should confer the title of Messiah on one whom they do not treat with any
respect. And certainly, if they had done their duty, it would have been proper
for them to direct the whole people, and to go before them as their leaders. For
the priests had been appointed, that from their
lips
all might seek the knowledge of the
Law,
and, in short, that they might be the
messengers
and interpreters of the God of
armies,
(<390207>Malachi
2:7.) But as they had basely extinguished the light of truth, Christ
appropriately replies, that they gain nothing by endeavoring to suppress the
doctrine of salvation, for it will rather break out from
the stones.
There is likewise an implied admission; for Christ
does not deny that it is an unnatural order for the uneducated multitude and
children
to be the first to magnify with their voice the
coming of the Messiah, but as the truth is wickedly suppressed by those who
ought to have been its lawful witnesses, it is not wonderful if God raise up
others, and—to their shame—make choice of
children.
Hence we derive no slight consolation; for
though wicked men leave no stone unturned for concealing the reign of Christ, we
learn from this passage that their efforts are in vain. They hope that, when
some of the multitude, that is carrying forward the kingdom of Christ, shall
have been put to death, and others shall be silenced by fear, they will gain
their object. But God will disappoint them; for He will sooner give mouths and
tongues to stones
than allow the kingdom of His Son to be without
witnesses.
16.
And have you never read?
The scribes and priests seize on this as an
opportunity of calumniating Christ, that he allows himself to be called a King
by children;
as it is always the custom of wicked people
haughtily to despise the mean condition of the disciples of Christ. This
malicious design Christ checks by a quotation from David, who makes even
infants
to be the heralds of the glory of God.
Literally the words run,
Out of the mouth of
infants and sucklings thou hast founded strength,
(<190802>Psalm
8:2;)
by which David means that, though every tongue were
silent, f19
God needs no other orators to proclaim his power than mere
infants,
who are still hanging on their mothers’
breasts. In themselves, no doubt, they are silent; but the wonderful providence
of God, which shines in them, serves the purpose of splendid and powerful
eloquence. For he who considers with himself how the child is formed in the
mother’s womb, is nourished there for nine months, afterwards comes into
the world, and finds nourishment provided as soon as it is born, must not only
acknowledge that God is the Creator of the world, but will be altogether carried
away into admiration of Him.
f20 Thus the
sun and moon, though they are dumb creatures, are said to have a loud and
distinct voice for singing the praises of God,
(<191901>Psalm
19:1, 2.) But since the praises of God are heard from the tongue of
infants,
Christ infers from this, that it is not strange
if He cause them to be uttered by
children
who have already acquired the use of
speech.
18.
And returning in the morning.
Between that solemn entrance of Christ, of
which we have spoken, and the day of the Passover, he had passed the night in
Bethany; and during the day he appeared in the temple for the purpose of
teaching. Matthew and Mark relate what happened during that interval, that
Christ, when coming into the
city, was hungry, approached
a fig-tree,
and,
having found nothing on ,it but
leaves, cursed it; and that the tree, which had
been
cursed
by his voice, immediately
withered. I take for granted that Christ did
not pretend hunger, but was
actually
hungry;
for we know that he voluntarily became subject
to the infirmities of the flesh, though by nature he was free and exempt from
them.
But here lies the difficulty. How was he mistaken in
seeking fruit on a tree that had none; more especially, when the season of fruit
had not yet arrived? And again, Why was he so fiercely enraged against a
harmless tree? But there would be no absurdity in saying, that as man, he did
not know
f21 the kind
of tree; though it is possible that he approached it on purpose, with full
knowledge of the result. Certainly it was not the fury of passion that led him
to curse the tree, (for that would not only have been an unjust, but even a
childish and ridiculous revenge;) but as hunger was troublesome to him according
to the feeling of the flesh, he determined to overcome it by an opposite
affection; that is, by a desire to promote the glory of the Father, as he
elsewhere says,
My meat is to do the will
of my Father,
(<430434>John
4:34;)
for at that time he was contending both with fatigue
and with hunger. I am the more inclined to this conjecture, because hunger gave
him an opportunity of performing a miracle and of teaching his disciples. So
when he was pressed by hunger, and there was no food at hand, he finds a repast
in another way; that is, by promoting the glory of God. He intended, however, to
present in this tree an outward sign of the end which awaits hypocrites, and at
the same time to expose the emptiness and folly of their
ostentation.
19.
Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth. Let us
learn from this what is the meaning of the word
curse,
namely, that the tree should be condemned to
barrenness; as, on the other hand, God
blesses,
when by his voice he bestows fertility. It
appears more clearly from
Mark,
that the fig-tree did not instantly wither, or,
at least, that it was not observed by his disciples, until they saw it next day
stripped of leaves.
Mark,
too, attributes to
Peter
what Matthew attributes equally to all the
disciples; but as Christ replies in the plural number, it may naturally be
inferred that one put the question in the name of all.
21.
And Jesus answering. The use of the miracle is
still farther extended by Christ, in order to excite his disciples to faith and
confidence. By
Mark,
the general exhortation is placed first,
to have faith in God;
and then follows the promise, that they would
obtain by faith whatever they asked from God.
To have faith in God
means, to expect, and to be fully assured of
obtaining, from God whatever we need. But as faith, if we have any, breaks out
immediately into prayer, and penetrates into the treasures of the grace of God,
which are held out to us in the word, in order to enjoy them, so Christ adds
prayer
to
faith;
for if he had only said that we shall have
whatever we wish, some would have thought
that faith
was presumptuous or too careless. And therefore
Christ shows that those only are believers who, relying on his goodness and
promises, betake themselves to him with humility.
This passage is exceedingly adapted to point out the
power and nature of faith;
that it is a certainty, relying on the goodness
of God, which does not admit of doubt. For Christ does not acknowledge as
believers any but those who are fully convinced that God is reconciled to them,
and do not doubt that he will give what they ask. Hence we perceive by what a
diabolical contrivance the Papists are bewitched, who mingle
faith
with
doubt,
and even charge us with foolish presumption, if
we venture to appear before God under the conviction of His fatherly regard
toward us. But this benefit derived from Christ is that on which Paul chiefly
dwells, when he says that
by the faith of him we
have boldness
to approach to God
with confidence
(<490312>Ephesians
3:12).
This passage shows also that the true test of
faith
lies in
prayer.
If it be objected, that those prayers are never
heard, that mountains should be
thrown into the sea, the answer is easy. Christ
does not give a loose rein to the wishes of men, that they should desire any
thing at their pleasure, when he places
prayer
after the rule of faith;
f22 for in
this way the Spirit must of necessity hold all our affections by the bridle of
the word of God, and bring them into obedience. Christ demands a firm and
undoubting confidence of obtaining an answer; and whence does the human mind
obtain that confidence but from the word of God? We now see then that Christ
promises nothing to his disciples, unless they keep themselves within the limits
of the good pleasure of God.
Luke 19:47.
And he taught daily in the
temple.
Mark
and Luke point out,
first,
what was the class of men of which the Church
consisted, namely, of the despised multitude; and again, what enemies Christ
had, namely, the priests and
scribes, and all the
rulers.
Now this is a part of the folly of the cross,
that God, passing by the excellence of the world, chooses what is foolish, weak,
and despised. Secondly,
they relate that those worthy guardians of the
Church of God sought an occasion of putting Christ to death, by which their
wicked impiety was discovered; for though there had been good grounds for
pursuing Christ, yet they had no right to proceed to murder after the manner of
robbers, or secretly to hire assassins.
Thirdly,
they show that the wicked conspiracy of those
men was frustrated, because, by the secret purpose of God, Christ was appointed
to the death of the cross.
MATTHEW 21:23-27; MARK
11:27-33; LUKE 20:1-8
|
MATTHEW
21:23-27
|
MARK 11:27-33
|
LUKE
20:1-8
|
|
23. And when he was come into the temple,
the chief priests and elders of the people came to him, saying By what authority
doest thou these things? and who gave thee that authority?
f23
24. And Jesus answering said to them, I also will ask you something,
which if you shall tell me, I also will tell you by what authority I do these
things. 25. Whence was the baptism of John? From heaven, or from
men? But they thought within themselves saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he
will say to us, Why then did you not believe him? 26. But if we
shall say, From men, we dread the multitude, for they all hold John for a
prophet. 27. And answering Jesus, they said, We do not
know. And he saith to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do
these things.
|
27. And they come again to Jerusalem; and
while he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, and scribes, and elders,
come to him. 28. And they say to him, By what authority doest thou
these things? and who gave thee that authority
f23A to do
these things? 29. And Jesus answering said to them, I will also ask
you something, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these
things. 30. Whether was the baptism of John from heaven or from men?
Answer me. 31. And they thought within themselves, saying, If we
shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then did you not believe him?
32. But if we say, From men, they dreaded the people;
f24 for all
reckoned John that he was truly a prophet. 33. And they answering
say to Jesus, We do not know. And Jesus answering saith to them, Neither
will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
|
1. And it happened on one of those days,
while he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the
chief priests, and scribes, with the elders, came upon him, 2. And
spoke to him saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who
is he that gave thee that authority? 3. And Jesus answering said to
them, I will also ask you something, and answer me. 4. Was the
baptism of John from heaven, or from men? 5. But they reasoned
within themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven, he will say, Why then
did you not believe him? 6. But if we shall say, From men, all the
people will stone us; for they are convinced that John is a prophet.
7. And they answered, That they did not know whence it was.
8. And Jesus said to them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I
do these things.
|
Matthew 21:23.
By what authority doest thou
these things. As the other schemes and open
attempts to attack Christ had not succeeded, the
priests and scribes
now attempt, by indirect methods, if they may
possibly cause him to desist from the practice of teaching. They do not debate
with him as to the doctrine itself, whether it was true or not—for already
had they often enough attacked him in vain on that question—but they raise
a dispute as to his calling and commission. And, indeed, there were plausible
grounds; for since a man ought not, of his own accord, to intermeddle either
with the honor of priesthood, or with the prophetical office, but ought to wait
for the calling of God, much less would any man be at liberty to claim for
himself the title of Messiah, unless it were evident that he had been chosen by
God; for he must have been appointed, not only by the voice of God, but likewise
by an oath,
as it is written,
(<19B004>Psalm
110:4;
<580721>Hebrews
7:21.)
But when the divine majesty of Christ had been
attested by so many miracles, they act maliciously and wickedly in inquiring
whence he came, as if they had been ignorant of all that he had done. For what
could be more unreasonable than that., after seeing the hand of God openly
displayed in curing the lame and blind, they should doubt if he were a private
individual who had rashly assumed this authority? Besides, more than enough of
evidence had been already laid before them., that Christ was sent from heaven.,
so that nothing was farther from their wish than to approve of the performances
of Christ, after having learned that God was the Author of them. They therefore
insist on this., that he is not a lawful minister of God, because he had not
been chosen by their votes, as if the power had dwelt solely with them. But
though they had been the lawful guardians of the Church, still it was monstrous
to rise up against God. We now understand why Christ did not make a direct reply
to them. It was because they wickedly and shamelessly interrogated him about a
matter which was well known.
25.
Whence was the baptism of John? Christ
interrogates them about the
baptism of John, not only to show that they
were unworthy of any authority, because they had despised a holy prophet of God,
but also to convict them, by their own reply, of having impudently pretended
ignorance of a matter with which they were well acquainted. For we must bear in
mind why John
was sent, what was his commission, and on what
subject he most of all insisted. He had been sent as Christ’s herald. He
was not deficient in his duty, and claims nothing more for himself than
to
prepare the way of the
Lord.
(<390301>Malachi
3:1;<420727>Luke
7:27.)
In short., he had pointed out Christ with the finger,
and had declared him to be the only Son of God. From what source then do the
scribes mean that the new authority of Christ should be proved, since it had
been fully attested by the preaching
of John?
We now see that Christ employed no cunning stratagem
in order to escape, but fully and perfectly answered the question which had been
proposed; for it was impossible to acknowledge that
John
was a servant of God, without acknowledging
that he was Himself the Lord. He did not therefore shelter arrogant men,
f25 who
without any commission, but out of their own hardihood, take upon themselves a
public office; nor did he countenance, by his example, the art of suppressing
the truth, as many crafty men falsely plead his authority. I do acknowledge
that, if wicked men lay snares for us, we ought not always to reply in the same
way, but ought to be prudently on our guard against their malice, yet in such a
manner that truth may not be left without a proper defense.
Baptism
denotes here not only the sign of washing, but
the whole ministry of John;
for Christ intended to draw out a reply, Was
John a
true and lawful prophet of God, or an impostor?
Yet this mode of expression contains a useful doctrine,
Is the of John from God, or from
men? For hence we infer, that no doctrine and
no sacrament ought to be received among the godly, unless it be evident that it
has come from God; and that men are not at liberty to make any invention of this
nature. The discourse relates to
John,
whom our Lord, in another passage, raises, by a
remarkable commendation, above all the prophets,
(<420726>Luke
7:26, 28.) Yet Christ declares that his
baptism
ought not to be received, unless it had been
enjoined by God. What, then, must we say of the pretended sacraments, which men
of no authority have foolishly introduced without any command from God? For
Christ plainly declares by these words, that the whole government of the Church
depends on the will of God in such a manner, that men have no right to introduce
any thing from themselves.
But they thought within themselves.
Here we perceive the impiety of the priests.
They do not inquire what is true, nor do they put the question to their own
conscience;
f26 and they
are so base as to choose rather to shuffle than to acknowledge what they know to
be true, that their tyranny may not be impaired. In this manner, all wicked men,
though they pretend to be desirous of learning, shut the gate of truth, if they
feel it to be opposed to their wicked desires. So then Christ does not allow
those men to go without a reply, but sends them away ashamed and confounded,
and, by bringing forward the testimony of
John,
sufficiently proves that he is furnished with
divine power. f27
MATTHEW
21:28-32
|
MATTHEW
21:28-32
|
|
28. But what think you?
f28
A man had two sons, and, coming to the first, he said, Son, go work today in my
vineyard. 29. And he answering said, I will not;
f29
but afterwards he repented, and went. 30. And coming to the other,
he spoke in the same manner. But he answering said, I [go,] Sir, and went
not. 31. Which of the two did what his father wished?
f30
And they say to him, The first. Jesus saith to them, Verily I say to you,
That the publicans and the harlots will go before you into the kingdom of God.
32. For John came to you by the way of righteousness, and you did
not believe him; but the publicans and the harlots believed him. And you,
when you had seen it, were not moved by repentance
f31
to believe in him.
|
This conclusion shows what is the object of the
parable, when Christ prefers to the scribes and priests those who were generally
accounted infamous and held in detestation; for he unmasks those hypocrites,
f32 that
they may no longer boast of being the ministers of God, or hold out a pretended
zeal for godliness. Though their ambition, and pride, and cruelty, and avarice,
were known to all, yet they wished to be reckoned quite different persons. And
when, but a little ago, they attacked Christ, they falsely alleged that they
were anxious about the order of the Church, as if they were its faithful and
honest guardians. Since they attempt to practice such gross imposition on God
and men, Christ rebukes their impudence by showing that they were at the
greatest possible distance from what they boasted, and were so far from
deserving that elevation with which they flattered themselves, that they ranked
below the publicans and the
harlots.
For as to the profession which they made of
being eminent in observing the worship of God, and of being zealots of the Law,
Christ tells them that it is quite as if
a son
were, in words, to promise obedience to his
father,
but afterwards to deceive him.
f33 So far
as regards the publicans and the
harlots, he does not excuse their vices, but
compares their dissolute life to the obstinacy of a rebellious and debauched
son,
who at first throws off his father’s
authority; but shows that they are greatly preferable to the scribes and
Pharisees in this respect, that they do not continue to the end in their vices,
but, on the contrary, submit gently and obediently to the yoke which they had
fiercely rejected. We now perceive the design of Christ. Not only does he
reproach the priests and scribes with obstinately opposing God, and not
repenting, though so frequently admonished, but he strips them of the honor of
which they were unworthy,
because
their ungodliness was worse than the
lasciviousness of the
harlots.
30.
I,
Sir.
f34
This phrase is borrowed from the Hebrew
language; for, when the Hebrews wish to offer their services, and to declare
that they are ready to obey, they speak in this manner, “Here I am,
Sir,” It is a laudable virtue in itself, as soon as God has spoken, to
yield to Him ready and cheerful obedience; and Christ does not here give the
commendation to slowness. But as both are improper—to delay before doing
your duty, and to promise what you do not perform—Christ shows that this
hypocrisy is less to be endured than the fierceness which, in process of time,
is subdued.
32.
For John came.
As
John
was a faithful servant of God, whatever he
taught Christ ascribes to God himself. It might have been more fully expressed
thus: God came pointing out the
way of righteousness by the mouth of
John;
but as
John
spoke in the name of God, and not as a private
individual, he is most properly named instead of God. Now this passage gives no
small authority to the preaching of the word, when those persons are said to
have been disobedient and rebellious against God, who despised the pious and
holy warnings of a teacher whom tie had sent.
There are some who give a more ingenious exposition
of the word righteousness,
and I allow them to enjoy their own opinion;
but, for my own part, I think that it means nothing more than that
John’s
doctrine was pure and right; as if Christ had
said, that they had no good reason for rejecting him. When he says that
the publicans believed,
he does not mean that they assented in words,
but that they sincerely embraced what they had heard. Hence we infer, that faith
does not consist solely in a person’s giving his assent to true doctrine,
but that it embraces something greater and loftier, that the hearer, renouncing
himself, devotes his life wholly to God. By saying that they were not moved even
by such an example, he presents an aggravated view of their malice; for it was
an evidence of the lowest depravity, not even to follow
the harlots and the
publicans.
f35
MATTHEW 21:33-46; MARK
12:1-12; LUKE 20:9-19
|
MATTHEW
21:33-46
|
MARK 21:1-12
|
LUKE 20:9-19
|
|
33. Hear another parable: There was a
certain householder, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it by a ditch, and
dug a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it to husbandmen, and went
abroad, 34. And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his
servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive its fruits.
35. And the husbandmen, having seized his servants, wounded one,
killed another, and stoned another. 36. Again, he sent other
servants more numerous
f36
than the first, and they did to them in the same manner. 37. And
last of all he sent to them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38. And when the husbandmen saw his son, they said within
themselves, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and seize on his
inheritance. 39. And they caught him, and cast him out of the
vineyard, and killed him. 40. When therefore the proprietor of the
vineyard shall come, what will he do to those husbandmen? 41. They
say to him, Since they are wicked, he will miserably destroy them, and will let
his vineyard to other husbandmen, who will render to him the fruit in its
seasons. 42. Jesus saith to them, Have you never read in the
Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected is made the head of the
corner;
f37
this is done by the Lord, and is wonderful in our eyes?
f38
43. Therefore I say to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from
you, and shall be given to a nation yielding its fruits. 44. And
whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be bruised, but on whomsoever it shall
fall, it will crush him. 45. And when the chief priests and
Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he spoke of them.
46. And though they sought to take him, they dreaded the multitudes,
because they reckoned him a prophet.
|
1. And he began to speak to them by
parables: A man planted a vineyard, and surrounded it by a hedge, and dug a
ditch,
f39
and built a tower, and let it to husbandmen and went abroad. 2. And
at the proper season he sent a servant, to the husbandmen to receive from the
husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3. But they seized him, and
beat him, and sent him away empty. 4. And again he sent to them
another servant; and they threw stones at him, and bruised his head, and sent
him away disgraced. 5. And again he sent another, and him they
killed, and many others, beating some and killing some. 6. And while
he had yet one son,
f40
his well-beloved, he sent him also last to them, saying, They will reverence my
son. 7. But the husbandmen said within themselves, This is the heir:
come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8. And
they seized him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9. What then will the proprietor of the vineyard do? He will come
and destroy the husbandmen, and give the vineyard to others. 10. And
have you not read the Scripture, The stone which the builders rejected is made
the head of the corner; 11. This is done by the Lord, and is
wonderful in our eyes?
f41
12. And they sought to take him, and dreaded the multitude; for they
knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went
away.
|
9. And he began to speak to the people
this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it to husbandmen, and
went abroad for a long time. 10. And at the proper season he sent a
servant to the husbandmen, that they might give him of the fruit of the
vineyard; and they beat him, and sent him away empty. 11. And again
he sent yet another servant; and him also they wounded, and drove out.
13. And the proprietor of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will
send my well-beloved son; perhaps they will reverence him when they see him.
14. But when the husbandmen saw him, they thought within themselves,
saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be
ours. 15. And they cast him out of the vineyard, and slew
him. What then shall the proprietor of the vineyard do to them?
16. He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and give the vineyard
to others. And when they heard this, they said, God forbid.
17. And he looked at them, and said, What then is this that is
written, The stone which the builders rejected is made the head of the corner?
18. Every one that shall fall on this stone will be bruised; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will crush him. 19. And the chief
priests and scribes sought at that hour to lay hands on him; (and they dreaded
the people;) for they knew that he had spoken this parable against
them.
|
Matthew 21:33.
Hear another parable.
The words of Luke are somewhat different; for
he says that Christ spoke to the
people, while here the discourse is addressed
to the priests and scribes. But the solution is easy; for, though Christ
spoke against them,
he exposed their baseness in the presence of
all the people. Mark says that Christ
began to speak by parables,
but leaves out what was first in order, as also
in other passages he gives only a part of the whole. The substance of this
parable is, that it is no new thing, if the priests and the other rulers of the
Church wickedly endeavor to defraud God of his right; for long ago they
practiced the same kind of robbery towards the prophets, and now they are ready
to slay his Son;
but they will not go unpunished, for God will
arise to defend his right. The object is two-fold; first, to reproach the
priests with base and wicked ingratitude; and, secondly, to remove the offense
which would be occasioned by his approaching death. For, by means of a false
title, they had gained such influence over simple persons and the ignorant
multitude, that the religion of the Jews depended on their will and decision.
Christ therefore forewarns the weak, and shows that, as so many prophets, one
after another, had formerly been slain by the priests, no one ought to be
distressed, if a similar instance were exhibited in his own person. But let us
now examine it in detail.
A man planted a vineyard.
This comparison frequently occurs in Scripture.
With respect to the present passage, Christ only means that, while God appoints
pastors over his Church, he does
not
convey his right to others, but acts in the
same manner as if a proprietor
were to
let a vineyard
or
field
to a
husbandman,
who would labor in the cultivation of it, and
make an annual return. As he complains by Isaiah (5:4) and
Jeremiah,
(2:21,) that he had received no fruit from the
vine
on the cultivation of which he had bestowed so
much labor and expense; so in this passage he accuses the vine-dressers
themselves, who, like base swindlers, appropriate to themselves the produce of
the vineyard.
Christ says that the
vineyard
was well furnished, and in excellent condition,
when the husbandmen
received it from the hands of the
proprietor.
By this statement he presents no slight
aggravation of their crime; for the more generously he had acted toward them,
the more detestable was their ingratitude. Paul employs the same argument, when
he wishes to exhort pastors to be diligent in the discharge of their duty, that
they are stewards, chosen to govern the house of God, which is
the
pillar and round of
truth,
(<540316>1
Timothy 3:16.)
And properly; for the more honorable and illustrious
their condition is, they lie under so much the deeper obligations to God, not to
be indolent in their work. So much the more detestable (as we have already said)
is the baseness of those who pour contempt on the great kindness of God, and on
the great honor which they have already received from Him.
God
planted a
vineyard,
f42
when, remembering his gratuitous adoption, he
brought the people out of Egypt, separated them anew to be his inheritance, and
called them to the hope of eternal salvation, promising to be their God and
Father; for this is the planting
of which Isaiah speaks, (60:21; 61:3.) By the
wine-press
and the
tower
are meant the aids which were added for
strengthening the faith of the people in the doctrine of the Law, such as,
sacrifices and other ritual observances; for God, like a careful and provident
head of a family, has left no means untried for granting to his Church all
necessary protection.
And let it to husbandmen.
God might indeed of himself, without the agency
of men, preserve his Church in good order; but he takes men for his ministers,
and makes use of their hands. Thus, of old, he appointed priests to be, as it
were, cultivators of the
vineyard.
But the wonder is, that Christ compares the
prophets to servants, who are sent, after the vintage, to demand the fruit;
f43 for we
know that they too were
vine-dressers,
and that they held a charge in common with the
priests. I reply, it was not necessary for Christ to be careful or exact in
describing the resemblance or contrariety between those two orders. The priests
were certainly appointed at first on the condition of thoroughly cultivating the
Church by sound doctrine; but as they neglected the work assigned them, either
through carelessness or ignorance, the prophets were sent as an extraordinary
supply, to clear the vine from weeds, to lop off the superfluous wood, and in
other ways to make up for the neglect of the priests; and, at the same time,
severely to reprove the people, to raise up decayed piety, to awaken drowsy
souls, and to bring back the worship of God and a new life. And what else was
this than to demand the revenue which was due to God from his vineyard? All this
Christ applies justly and truly to his purpose; for the regular and permanent
government of his Church was not in the hands of the prophets, but was always
held by the priests; just as if lazy
husbandman,
while he neglected cultivation, claimed the
place to which he had been once appointed, under the plea of
possession.
35.
And wounded one, and killed
another. Here Mark andLuke differ a little from
Matthew;
for while Matthew mentions many servants, all
of whom were ill-treated and insulted, and says that
afterwards other servants were
sent more numerous than the first, Mark and
Luke mention but one at a time, as if the
servants
had been sent, not two or three together, but
one after another. But though all the three Evangelists have the same object in
view, namely, to show that the Jews will dare to act towards the Son in the same
manner as they have repeatedly done towards the prophets, Matthew explains the
matter more at large, namely, that God, by sending a multitude of prophets,
contended with the malice of the priests.
f44 Hence
it appears how obstinate their malice was, for the correction of which no
remedies were of any avail.
f45
37.
They will reverence my son.
Strictly speaking, indeed, this thought does
not apply to God; for He knew what would happen, and was not deceived by the
expectation of a more agreeable result; but it is customary,
f46
especially in parables, to ascribe to Him human feelings. And yet this was not
added without reason; for Christ intended to represent, as in a mirror, how
deplorable their impiety was, of which it was too certain a proof, that they
rose in diabolical rage against the Son of God, who had come to bring them back
to a sound mind.
f47 As they
had formerly, as far as lay in their power, driven God from his inheritance by
the cruel murder of the prophets, so it was the crowning point of all their
crimes to slay the Son,
that they might reign, as in a house which
wanted an heir. Certainly the chief reason why the priests raged against Christ
was, that, they might not lose their tyranny, which might be said to be their
prey; f48
for he it is by whom God chooses to govern, and to whom He has given all
authority.
The Evangelists differ also a little in the
conclusion. For Matthew relates that he drew from them the confession, by which
they condemned themselves; while Mark says simply that Christ declared what
punishment must await servants
so unprincipled and wicked. Luke differs, at
first sight, more openly, by saying that they turned away with horror from the
punishment which Christ had threatened. But if we examine the meaning more
closely, there is no contradiction; for, in regard to the punishment which such
servants deserved, there can be no doubt that they agreed with Christ, but when
they perceived that both the crime and the punishment were made to apply to
themselves, they deprecated that application.
42.
Have
you
never read in the Scriptures?
We
must remember what we said a little before,
that, as the priests and scribes
kept the people devoted to them, it was a
principle current among them, that they alone were competent to judge and decide
as to the future redemption, so that no one ought to be received as Messiah,
unless he were approved and sanctioned by their voice. They therefore maintain
that what Christ had said is impossible, that they would
slay
the
son
and
heir
of
the proprietor of the vineyard.
But Christ confirms his statement by the
testimony of Scripture, and the interrogation is emphatic, as if he had said,
“You reckon it highly absurd to say that it is possible for the
vine dressers
to conspire wickedly against the Son of God.
But what then? Did the Scripture
(<19B822>Psalm
118:22)
foretell that he would be received with joy,
and favor, and applause; or did it not, on the contrary, foretell that the
rulers themselves would oppose him?”
The passage which he quotes is taken from the same
psalm from which had been taken that joyful exclamation,
f49
Save,
f50
O Lord. Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord. That it is a
prediction of the reign of the Messiah is evident from this consideration, that
David was appointed by God to be king, on the condition that his throne would
remain forever, so long as the sun and moon would shine in heaven, and that,
when decayed, it would again be restored by the favor of God to its former
prosperity. Since, therefore, that psalm contains a description of the reign of
David, there is also added the perpetuity of it, on which the restoration
depends. If the discourse had related to any temporal reign, Christ would have
acted improperly in applying it to himself. But we must also observe what sort
of reign God raised up in the person of David. It was that which He would
establish in the true Messiah to the end of the world; for that ancient
anointing was but a shadow. Hence we infer that what was done in the person of
David was a prelude and figure of Christ.
Let us now return to the words of the psalm. The
scribes and priests reckoned it incredible that Christ should be rejected
f51 by the
rulers of the Church. But he proves from the psalm, that he would be placed on
his throne by the wonderful power of God, contrary to the will of men, and that
this had already been shadowed out in David, whom, though rejected by the
nobles, God took to give an instance and proof of what he would at length do in
his Christ. The prophet takes the metaphor from buildings; for, since the Church
is God’s sanctuary, Christ, on whom it is founded, is justly called the
corner stone;
that is, the
stone
which supports the whole weight of the
building. If one were to examine minutely every thing that relates to Christ,
the comparison would not apply in every part; but it is perfectly appropriate,
for on him the salvation of the Church rests, and by him its condition is
preserved. And therefore the other prophets followed the same form of
expression, particularly Isaiah and Daniel. But Isaiah makes the closest
allusion to this passage, when he represents God as thus
speaking,
Lo, I lay in Zion a
foundation-stone, a precious and elect stone, against which both houses of
Israel shall
stumble!
(<232816>Isaiah
28:16.)
The same mode of expression frequently occurs in the
New Testament.
The amount of it therefore is, that the kingdom of
God will be founded on a stone,
which
the builders
themselves will
reject
as unsuitable and useless; and the meaning is,
that the Messiah, who is the foundation of the safety of the Church, will not be
chosen by the ordinary suffrages of men, but that, when God shall miraculously
raise him up by a secret and unknown power, the rulers, to whom has been
committed the care of the
building,
will oppose and persecute him. There are two
things here which we ought to consider. First, that we may not be perplexed by
the wicked attempts of men, who rise up to hinder the reign of Christ, God has
warned us beforehand that this will happen. Secondly, whatever may be the
contrivances of men, God has at the same time declared, that in setting up the
kingdom of Christ, His power will be victorious. Both ought to be carefully
observed by us. It appears to be monstrous that the Author of salvation should
be rejected, not by strangers, but by those who belonged to his own
household,—not by the ignorant multitude, but by the rulers themselves,
who hold the government of the Church. Against such strange madness of men our
faith ought to be fortified, that it may not give way through the novelty of the
occurrence. We now perceive how useful that prediction is, which relieves godly
minds from the terror that would otherwise be produced by the mournful
spectacle. For nothing is more unreasonable than that the members should rise up
against the head, the
vine-dressers
against the
proprietor,
the counselors against their king, and that the
builders
should
reject
the foundation of the
building.
That stone is made the head of the
corner. Still more emphatic is this clause, in
which God declares that the wicked, by rejecting Christ, will avail nothing, but
that his rank will remain unimpaired. The design of it is, that believers,
relying on that promise, may safely look down with contempt and derision on the
wicked pride of men; for when they have made all their contrivances, Christ will
still, ill opposition to their wishes, retain the place which the Father has
appointed to him. How fiercely soever he may be assailed by those who appear to
possess honor and dignity, he will nevertheless remain in his own rank, and will
abate nothing on account of their wicked contempt. In short, the authority of
God will prevail, that he may be the
elect
and
precious stone,
which supports the Church of God, his kingdom
and temple. The stone
is said to be made
the head of the corner,
not that he is only a part of the building,
(since it is evident from other passages that the Church is entirely founded on
Him alone,) but the prophet merely intended to state that he will be the chief
support of the building. Some go into ingenious arguments about the word
corner,
that Christ is placed in
the corner,
because he unites two separate walls, the
Gentiles and Jews. But in my opinion, David meant nothing more than that
the corner-stone
supports the chief weight of the
building.
It may now be asked, How does the Spirit call those
men builders,
who are so strongly bent on the ruin and
destruction of the temple of God? For Paul boasts of having been an honest
builder,
because he founded the Church on Christ alone,
(<460310>1
Corinthians 3:10, 11.) The answer is easy. Though they are unfaithful in the
execution of the office committed to them, yet he gives them this title with
respect to their calling. Thus the name
prophet
is often given to deceivers, and those who
devour the flock like wolves are called
pastors.
And so far is this from conferring honor on
them, that it renders them detestable, when they utterly overthrow the temple of
God, which they were appointed to
build.
Hence we draw a useful warning, that the lawful
calling does not prevent those who ought to have been the ministers of Christ
from being sometimes his base and wicked enemies. The legal priesthood had
certainly been appointed by God, and the Lord had bestowed on the Levites
permission to govern the Church. Did they therefore discharge their office
faithfully? or ought the godly to have obeyed them by renouncing
Christ?
Let the Pope now go with his mitered bishops, and let
them boast that they ought to be believed in all things, because they occupy the
place of pastors. Even granting that they were lawfully called to the government
of the Church, yet they have no right to claim any thing more than to hold the
title of prelates of the Church. But even the title of calling does not belong
to them; for, in order to raise them to that tyranny, it would be necessary that
the whole order of the Church should be overturned. And even though they might
justly claim ordinary jurisdiction, yet, if they overturn the sacred house of
God, it is only in name that they must be reckoned
builders.
Nor does it always happen that Christ is
rejected by those who are entrusted with the government of the Church; for not
only were there many godly priests under the Law, but also, under the reign of
Christ, there are some pastors who labor diligently and honestly in
building
the Church; but as it was necessary that this
prediction should be fulfilled, that
the builders
should
reject the stone,
wisdom must be exercised in distinguishing
between them. And the Holy Spirit has expressly warned us, that none may be
mistaken as to an empty title or the dignity of calling.
This has been done by the Lord,
As it is a matter too far removed from the
ordinary judgment of men, that the pastors of the Church should themselves
reject
the Son of God from being their Prince, the
prophet refers it to the secret purpose of God, which, though we cannot
comprehend it by our senses, we ought to contemplate and admire. Let us
therefore understand, that this cuts short every question, and that every man is
expressly forbidden to judge and measure the nature of Christ’s kingdom by
the reason of the flesh; for what folly is it to wish to subject to the capacity
of our mind a miracle which the prophet exhorts us to adore? Will you then
receive nothing but what appears to yourself to be probable, in reference to the
kingdom of Christ, the commencement of which the Holy Spirit declares to be a
mystery worthy of the highest admiration, because it is concealed from the eyes
of men? So then, whenever the question relates to the origin, restoration,
condition, and the whole safety of the Church, we must not consult our senses,
f52 but must
honor the power of God by admiring his hidden work.
f53 There is
also an implied contrast between God and men; for not only are we commanded to
embrace the wonderful method of governing the Church, because it is the work of
God, but we are likewise withdrawn from a foolish reverence for men, which
frequently obscures the glow of God; as if the prophet had said, that however
magnificent may be the titles which men bear, it is wicked in any man to oppose
them to God.
This furnishes a refutation of the diabolical
wickedness of the Papists, who do not scruple to prefer to the word of God a
decision of their pretended Church. For on what does the authority of the word
of God depend, according to them, but on the opinion of men, so that no more
power is left to God than what the Church is pleased to allow him? Far otherwise
does the Spirit instruct us by this passage namely, that as soon as the majesty
of God f54
appears, the whole world ought to be silent.
43.
Therefore I say to you.
Hitherto Christ directed his discourse to
rulers and governors, but in presence of the people. Now, however, he addresses
in the same manner the people themselves, and not without reason, for they had
been the companions and assistants of the priests and scribes in hindering the
grace of God. It was from the priests, no doubt, that the evil arose, but the
people had already deserved, on account of their sins, to have such corrupt and
degenerate pastors. Besides, the whole body was infected, as it were, by a
similar malice to resist God. This is the reason why Christ denounces against
all indiscriminately the dreadful vengeance of God; for as the priests were
inflated with the desire of holding the highest power, so the rest of the people
gloried on the ground of having been adopted. Christ now declares that God was
not bound to them, and, therefore, that he will convey to another the honor of
which they rendered themselves unworthy. And this, no doubt, was once spoken to
them, but was written for the sake of all of us, that, if God choose us to be
His people, we may not grow wanton through a vain and wicked confidence in the
flesh, but may endeavor, on our part, to perform the duties which he enjoins on
his children;
for if he spared not the
natural branches,
(<451121>Romans
11:21,)
what will he do with those which were engrafted? The
Jews thought that the kingdom of God dwelt among them by hereditary right, and
therefore they adhered obstinately to their vices. We have unexpectedly come
into their room contrary to nature, and therefore much less is the kingdom of
God bound to us, if it be not rooted in true godliness.
Now as our minds ought to be struck with terror by
the threatening of Christ, that those who have profaned the kingdom of God will
be deprived of it, so the perpetuity of that kingdom, which is here described,
may afford comfort to all the godly. For by these words Christ assures us that,
though the ungodly destroyed the worship of God among themselves, they would
never cause the name of Christ to be abolished, or true religion to perish; for
God, in whose hand are all the ends of the earth, will find elsewhere a dwelling
and habitation for his kingdom. We ought also to learn from this passage, that
the Gospel is not preached in order that it may lie barren and inoperative, but
that it may yield fruit.
44.
And he who shall fall on this
stone. Christ confirms more fully the former
statement, that he suffers no loss or diminution when he is rejected by the
wicked, because, though their obstinacy were like a stone or like iron, yet by
his own hardness he will break them, and therefore he will be the more highly
glorified in their destruction. He perceived in the Jews an astonishing
obstinacy, and therefore it was necessary that this kind of punishment should be
described to them in an alarming manner, that they might not flatter themselves,
while they thus dashed against him. This doctrine partly instructs us to give
ourselves up gently, with a mild and tractable heart, to the dominion of Christ,
and partly fortifies us against the obstinacy and furious attacks of the wicked,
for whom there awaits a dreadful end.
Those persons are said to
fall upon
Christ, who rush forward to destroy him; not
that they occupy a more elevated position than he does, but because their
madness carries them so far, that they endeavor to attack Christ as if he were
below them. But Christ tells them that all that they will gain by it is, that by
the very conflict they will be
broken.
But when they have thus proudly exalted
themselves, he tells them that another thing will happen, which is, that they
will be bruised
under the
stone,
against which they so insolently dashed
themselves.
45.
They knew that he spoke of them.
The Evangelists show how little success Christ
had, that we may not wonder if the doctrine of the Gospel does not bring all
men, in the present day, to yield obedience to God. Let us also learn that it is
impossible but that the rage of ungodly men will be more and more inflamed by
threatenings; for as God seals his word on our hearts, so also it is a hot iron
to wound bad consciences, in consequence of which their ungodliness is the more
inflamed. We ought therefore to pray that he would subdue us to voluntary fear,
lest the mere knowledge of his vengeance should exasperate us the more. When
they are restrained solely by the dread of the people from laying their hands on
Christ, let us learn that God had laid a bridle on them; from which also arises
a very delightful consolation to believers, when they learn that God protects
them, and constantly enables them to escape from the jaws of
death.
MATTHEW 22:15-22; MARK
12:13-17;
LUKE
20:20-26
|
MATTHEW
22:15-22
|
MARK
12:13-17
|
LUKE
20:20-26
|
|
15. Then the Pharisees went away, and
took counsel how they might entrap him in his words. 16. And they
send to him their disciples, with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that
thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, and carest not for any man;
for thou regardest not the person of men. 17. Tell us then, What
thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?
18. But Jesus, perceiving their wickedness, saith, Why do you tempt
me, hypocrites? 19. Show me the tribute money. And they
presented to him a denarius. 20. And he saith to them, Whose is this
image and inscription? 21. They say to him,
Caesar’s. Then said he to them, Render therefore to Caesar the things
which are Caesar’s, and to God the things which are God’s.
22. And having heard these things, they wondered, and left him, and
went away.
|
13. And they send to him certain
Pharisees and Herodians, to entrap him in his words 14. And they,
when they came, said to him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest not
for any man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of
God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we
give, or shall we not give? 15. But he, knowing their hypocrisy,
said to them, Why do you tempt me? Bring me a denarius, that I may see it.
16. And they brought it; and he saith to them, Whose is this image
and inscription? And they said to him, Caesars. 17. And Jesus
answering said to them, Render to Caesar those things which are Caesar’s,
and to God those things which are God’s.
f55 And they
wondered at him. f56
|
20. And they watched him, and sent spies,
who would pretend to be righteous men, to entrap him in his words, and to
deliver him to the authority and power of the governor. 21. And they
put a question to him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest
uprightly, and regardest not a person,
f57 but
teachest the way of God in truth. 22. Is it lawful for us to give
tribute to Caesar, or not? 23. And having perceived their
craftiness, he said to them, Why do you tempt me? 24. Show me a
denarius. Whose image and inscription hath it? They answering said,
Caesar’s. 25. And he said to them, Render therefore to Caesar
those things which are Caesar’s, and to God those things which are
God’s. 26. And they could not find fault with his words in
presence of the people; and wondering at his reply, they were
silent.
|
Matthew 22:15.
That they might entrap him in his
words. The Pharisees, perceiving that all their
other attempts against Christ had been fruitless, at length concluded that the
best and most expeditious method of destroying him was, to deliver him to the
governor,
as a seditious person and a disturber of the
peace. There was at that time, as we have seen under another passage,
f58 a great
disputing among the Jews about the
tribute-money;
for, since the Romans had claimed for
themselves the
tribute-money,
which God commanded to be paid to Himself under
the Law of Moses,
(<023013>Exodus
30:13,) the Jews everywhere complained that it was a shameful and intolerable
crime for profane men to lay claim, in this manner, to a divine prerogative;
besides that, as this payment of tribute, which was enjoined on them by the Law,
was a testimony of their adoption, they looked upon themselves as deprived of an
honor to which they had a just claim. Now the deeper any man’s poverty
was, f59
the bolder did it render him to raise sedition.
This trick of taking Christ by surprise is therefore
continued by the Pharisees,
that, in whatever way he reply as to the
tribute money,
they may lay snares for him. If he affirm that
they ought not to pay, he will be convicted of sedition. If, on the contrary, he
acknowledge it to be justly due, he will be held to be an enemy of his nation,
and a betrayer of the liberty of his country. Their principal object is, to lead
the people to dislike him. This is the
entrapping
to which the Evangelists refer; for they
suppose that Christ is surrounded on all sides by
nets,
so that he can no longer escape. Having avowed
themselves to be his enemies, and knowing that they would, on that account, be
suspected, they put forward—as Matthew
states—some of their
disciples.
Luke,
again, calls them
spies, who pretended to be
righteous men; that is, persons who deceitfully
professed an honest and proper desire to learn: for
the pretense of righteousness
is not here used in a general sense, but is
limited to the present occasion, because they would not have been received, had
they not made a pretense of docility and of genuine zeal.
With the Herodians.
They take along with them
the Herodians,
because they were more favorable to the Roman
government, and therefore would be more disposed to raise an accusation. It is
worthy of attention that, though those sects had fierce contentions with each
other, so bitter was their hatred against Christ, that they conspired to destroy
him. What the sect of the
Herodions was, we have formerly explained
f60 for,
Herod being only half a Jew, or a spurious and corrupt professor of the Law,
those who desired that the Law should be kept with exactness and in
every
part, condemned him and his impure worship; but
he had his flatterers, who gave plausible excuses for his false doctrine. In
addition to the other sects, therefore, there sprung up at that time a religion
of the Court.
16.
Master, we know that thou art
true. This is the
righteousness
which they counterfeit, when they offer humble
subjection to Christ, as if they were desirous to learn, and as if they not only
had some relish for piety, but also were fully convinced of his doctrine; for if
what they said had been from the heart, this would have been true uprightness.
And therefore from their words we may obtain a definition of a good and faithful
teacher, such as they pretended to believe Christ to be. They say that he is
true, and teaches the way of God;
that is, he is a faithful interpreter of God,
and that he teaches it in truth;
that is, without any corruption.
The way of God
is contrasted with the inventions of men, and
with all foreign doctrines; and
truth
is contrasted with ambition, covetousness, and
other wicked dispositions, which usually corrupt the purity of instruction. So
then he ought to be reckoned a true
teacher,
who does not introduce the contrivances of men,
or depart from the pure word of God, but gives out, as it were, with his hands
what he has learned from the mouth of God, and who, from a sincere desire of
edification, accommodates his doctrine to the advantage and salvation of the
people, and does not debase it by any disguise. As to this latter clause, when
Paul asserts that he
does not MAKE MERCHANDISE
of the word of
God,
(<470217>2
Corinthians 2:17,)
he means that there are some persons who use
dexterity, and do not openly overturn sound doctrine, or incur the disgrace of
holding wicked opinions, but who disguise and corrupt the purity of doctrine,
because they are ambitious, or covetous, or easily turned in various directions
according to their earnest desire. He therefore compares them to
jockeys,
(kuphlleu>ontev,)
because they deprave the pure use of the word of God.
For thou regardest not the person
of men. It is also worthy of attention, that
those hypocrites likewise add, that Christ teaches rightly,
because he has no regard for the
person of men. Nothing has a more powerful
tendency to withdraw teachers from a faithful and upright dispensation of the
word than to pay respect
to men; for it is impossible that any one
who
desires to please men
(<480110>Galatians
1:10)
should truly devote himself to God. Some attention,
no doubt, is due to men, but not so as to obtain their favor by flattery. In
short, in order to walk uprightly, we must necessarily put away
respect of persons,
which
obscures the light and perverts
right judgment, as God frequently inculcates in
the Law,
(<050116>Deuteronomy
1:16; 16:19,) and as experience also points out. Thus Christ
(<430724>John
7:24) contrasts acceptance of
persons
(proswpolhyi>an)
and sound judgment
as things totally different.
18.
Knowing their malice.
They had opened the conversation in such a
manner that they did not appear to differ at all from excellent scholars. Whence
then had Christ this knowledge, but because his Spirit was a discerner of
hearts? It was not by human conjecture that he perceived their cunning, but
because he was God he penetrated into their hearts, and therefore they gained
nothing by attempting the concealment of flattery and of pretended
righteousness.
Accordingly, before giving a reply, he
exhibited a proof of his Divinity by laying open their concealed malice. Now
since wicked men every day employ snares of the same kind, while their inward
malice is concealed from us, we ought to pray to Christ to bestow upon us the
spirit of discernment, and that what he had by nature and by his own right he
may grant to us by a free gift. How much we need this prudence, is evident from
the consideration that, if we do not guard against the snares of the wicked, we
shall constantly expose the doctrine of God to their calumnies.
19.
Show me the tribute-money.
When Christ orders them to bring forward a
coin, though at first sight it appears to be of no great importance, yet it is
sufficient for breaking their snares. In this way they had already made an
acknowledgment of subjection, so that Christ did not find it necessary to enjoin
upon them any thing new. The coin was stamped with
Caesar’s likeness;
and thus the authority of the Roman government
had been approved and admitted by the general practice. Hence it was evident
that the Jews themselves had voluntarily come under obligation to pay tribute
for they had given up to the Romans the power of the sword;
f61 and
there was no propriety in making a separate dispute about
the tribute-money,
for that question depended on the general
arrangements of the government.
21.
Render therefore to Caesar those
things which are Caesar’s. Christ reminds
them that, as the subjection of their nation was attested by the coin, there
ought to be no debate on that subject; as if he had said,
“If
you think it strange to pay
tribute,
be not subjects of the Roman Empire. But the
money (which men employ as the pledge of mutual exchanges) attests that
Caesar
rules over you; so that, by your own silent
consent, the liberty to which you lay claim is lost and gone.”
Christ’s reply does not leave the matter open, but contains full
instruction on the question which had been proposed. It lays down a clear
distinction between spiritual and civil government, in order to inform us that
outward subjection does not prevent us from having within us a conscience free
in the sight of God. For Christ intended to refute the error of those who did
not think that they would be the people of God, unless they were free from every
yoke of human authority. In like manner, Paul earnestly insists on this point,
that they ought not the less to look upon themselves as serving God alone, if
they obey human laws, if they pay
tribute,
and bend the neck to bear other burdens,
(<451307>Romans
13:7.) In short, Christ declares that it is no violation of the authority of
God, or any injury done to his service, if, in respect of outward government,
the Jews obey the Romans.
He appears also to glance at their hypocrisy,
because, while they carelessly permitted the service of God to be corrupted in
many respects, and even wickedly deprived God of his authority, they displayed
such ardent zeal about a matter of no importance; as if he had said, “You
are exceedingly afraid, lest, if tribute be paid to the Romans, the honor of God
may be infringed; but you ought rather to take care to yield to God that service
which he demands from you, and, at the same the to render to men what is their
due.” We might be apt to think, no doubt, that the distinction does not
apply; for, strictly speaking, when we perform our duty towards men, we thereby
render obedience to God. But Christ, accommodating his discourse to the common
people, reckoned it enough to draw a distinction between the spiritual kingdom
of God, on the one hand, and political order and the condition of the present
life, on the other. We must therefore attend to this distinction, that, while
the Lord wishes to be the only Lawgiver for governing souls, the rule for
worshipping Him must not be sought from any other source than from His own word,
and that we ought to abide by the only and pure worship which is there enjoined;
but that the power of the sword, the laws, and the decisions of tribunals, do
not hinder the worship of God from remaining entire amongst us.
But this doctrine extends still farther, that every
man, according to his calling, ought to perform the duty which he owes to men;
that children ought willingly to submit to their parents, and servants to their
masters; that they ought to be courteous and obliging towards each other,
according to the law of charity, provided that God always retain the highest
authority, to which every thing that can be due to men is, as we say,
subordinate.
f62 The
amount of it therefore is, that those who destroy political order are rebellious
against God, and therefore, that obedience to princes and magistrates is always
joined to the worship and fear of God; but that, on the other hand, if princes
claim any part of the authority of God, we ought not to obey them any farther
than can be done without offending God.
22.
They wondered at him. Here, too, it appears how
God turns to a different purpose the wicked attempts of His enemies, and not
only disappoints their expectation, but even drives them back with disgrace. It
will sometimes happen, no doubt, that wicked men, though vanquished, do not
cease to growl; but, though their insolence be not subdued, however numerous may
be their assaults on the Word of God, there is an equal number of victories
which God has in his hand, to triumph over them and Satan their head. But in
this reply, Christ intended to give a peculiar display of his glory, by
compelling those men to depart crowned with shame.
MATTHEW 22:23-33; MARK
12:18-27;
LUKE
20:27-40
|
Matthew
22:23-33
|
Mark
12:18-27
|
Luke
20:27-40
|
|
23. The same day came to him the
Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, and interrogated him,
24. Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, not having a child,
f63
his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
25. Now there were amongst us seven brothers, and the first, having
married a wife, died, and, having no seed, left his wife to his brother.
26. In like manner, the second, and the third, till the seventh.
27. And last of all the woman died also. 28. In the
resurrection, therefore, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had
her. 29. And Jesus answering said to them, You err, not knowing the
Scriptures, nor the power of God. 30. For in the resurrection they
neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31. But as to the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what
was spoken to you by God, saying, 32. I am the God of Abraham, and
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of
the living. 33. And when the multitudes heard it, they were
astonished at his doctrine.
|
18. And the Sadducees come to him, who
say that there is no resurrection; and they interrogated him, saying,
19. Master, Moses wrote to us, that, if any man’s brother die,
and leave a wife, and do not leave children, his brother shall take his wife,
and raise up seed to his brother. 20. There were seven brothers; and
the first took a wife, and he, dying, left no seed. 21. And the
second took her, and died, and neither did he leave any seed; and the third
likewise. 22. And the seven took her, and did not leave
seed. And last of all the wife died also. 23. In the
resurrection, therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife of them shall
she be? for the seven had her for a wife. 24. And Jesus answering
said to them, Is it not the reason why you err, that you do not know the
Scriptures, nor the power of God? 25. For when they shall rise again
from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage; but are as the
angels of God who are in heaven. 26. But as to the dead, that they
rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him in the
bush, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob? 27. God is not the God of the dead, but the God of the
living; therefore you greatly err.
|
27. And some of the Sadducees, who say
that there is no resurrection, came, and interrogated him,
28. Saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, that if any man’s
brother die having a wife, and he die without children, his brother shall take
his wife, and raise up seed to his brother. 29. Now there were seven
brothers, and the first took a wife, and died without children.
30. And the second took her, and also died without children.
31. And the third took her, and in like manner all the seven, and
left no children, and died. 32. Last of all the woman also died.
33. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of them shall she be?
for the seven had her for a wife. 34. And Jesus answering said unto
them, |