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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
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Matthew Henry |
M A T T H E W.
CHAP. XXI.
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the two main hinges upon
which the door of salvation turns. He came into the world on purpose to
give his life a ransom; so he had lately said,
And therefore the history of his sufferings, even unto death, and his
rising again, is more particularly recorded by all the evangelists than
any other part of his story; and to that this evangelist now hastens
apace. For at this chapter begins that which is called the
passion-week. He had said to his disciples more than once, Behold, we
go up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of man must be betrayed. A great
deal of good work he did by the way, and now at length he is come up to
Jerusalem; and here we have,
I. The public entry which he made into Jerusalem, upon the first day of
the passion-week,
II. The authority he exercised there, in cleansing the temple, and
driving out of it the buyers and sellers,
III. The barren fig-tree, and his discourse with his disciples
thereupon,
IV. His justifying his own authority, by appealing to the baptism of
John,
V. His shaming the infidelity and obstinacy of the chief priests and
elders, with the repentance of the publicans, illustrated by the
parable of the two sons,
VI. His reading the doom of the Jewish church for its unfruitfulness,
in the parable of the vineyard let out to unthankful husbandmen,
| Christ’s Entrance into Jerusalem. |
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1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to
Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two
disciples,
2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and
straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose
them, and bring them unto me.
3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord
hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophet, saying,
5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto
thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an
ass.
6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their
clothes, and they set him thereon.
8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;
others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in
the way.
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed,
cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved,
saying, Who is this?
11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of
Nazareth of Galilee.
All the four evangelists take notice of this passage of Christ’s
riding in triumph into Jerusalem, five days before his death.
The passover was on the fourteenth day of the month, and this was the
tenth; on which day the law appointed that the paschal lamb should be
taken up
(Exod. xii. 3),
and set apart for that service; on that day therefore Christ our
Passover, who was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly showed. So that
this was the prelude to his passion. He had lodged at Bethany, a
village not far from Jerusalem, for some time; at a supper there the
night before Mary had anointed his feet,
John xii. 3.
But, as usual with ambassadors, he deferred his public entry till some
time after his arrival. Our Lord Jesus travelled much, and his custom
was to travel on foot from Galilee to Jerusalem, some scores of miles,
which was both humbling and toilsome; many a dirty weary step he had
when he went about doing good. How ill does it become Christians
to be inordinately solicitous about their own ease and state, when
their Master had so little of either! Yet once in his life he rode in
triumph; and it was now when he went into Jerusalem, to suffer and die,
as if that were the pleasure and preferment he courted; and then he
thought himself begin to look great.
Now here we have,
I. The provision that was made for this solemnity; and it was very poor
and ordinary, and such as bespoke his kingdom to be not of
this world. Here were no heralds at arms provided, no trumpet
sounded before him, no chariots of state, no liveries; such things as
these were not agreeable to his present state of humiliation, but will
be far outdone at his second coming, to which his magnificent
appearance is reserved, when the last trumpet shall sound, the glorious
angels shall be his heralds and attendants, and the clouds his
chariots. But in this public appearance,
1. The preparation was sudden and offhand. For his glory in the other
world, and ours with him, preparation was made before the foundation of
the world, for that was the glory his heart was upon; his glory in this
world he was dead to, and therefore, though he had it in prospect, did
not forecast for it, but took what came next. They were come to
Bethphage, which was the suburb of Jerusalem, and was accounted (say
the Jewish doctors) in all things, as Jerusalem, a long scattering
street that lay toward the mount of Olives; when he entered upon that,
he sent two of his disciples, some think Peter and John, to
fetch him an ass, for he had none ready for him.
2. It was very mean. He sent only for an ass and her colt,
v. 2.
Asses were much used in that country for travel; horses were kept only
by great men, and for war. Christ could have summoned a cherub to carry
him
but though by his name Jah, which speaks him God, he rides
upon the heavens, yet now by his name Jesus, Immanuel, God with
us, in his state of humiliation, he rides upon an ass. Yet
some think that he had herein an eye to the custom in Israel for the
judges to ride upon white asses
(Judg. v. 10),
and their sons on ass-colts,
And Christ would thus enter, not as a Conqueror, but as the Judge of
Israel, who for judgment came into this world.
3. It was not his own, but borrowed. Though he had not a house of his
own, yet, one would think, like some wayfaring men that live upon their
friends, he might have had an ass of his own, to carry him about; but
for our sakes he became in all respects poor,
It is commonly said, “They that live on borrowing, live on sorrowing;”
in this therefore, as in other things, Christ was a man of
sorrows–that he had nothing of this world’s goods but what was
given him or lent him.
The disciples who were sent to borrow this ass are directed to say,
The Lord has need of him. Those that are in need, must not be
ashamed to own their need, nor say, as the unjust steward, To beg I
am ashamed,
Luke xvi. 3.
On the other hand, none ought to impose upon the kindness of their
friends, by going to beg or borrow when they have not need. In the
borrowing of this ass,
(1.) We have an instance of Christ’s knowledge. Though the thing was
altogether contingent, yet Christ could tell his disciples where they
should find an ass tied, and a colt with her. His omniscience extends
itself to the meanest of his creatures; asses and their colts, and
their being bound or loosed. Doth God take care for oxen?
No doubt he doth, and would not see Balaam’s ass abused. He knows all
the creatures, so as to make them serve his own purpose.
(2.) We have an instance of his power over the spirits of men. The
hearts of the meanest subjects, as well as of kings, are in the hand
of the Lord. Christ asserts his right to use the ass, in bidding
them bring it to him; the fulness of the earth is the Lord Christ’s;
but he foresees some hindrance which disciples might meet with in this
service; they must not take them clam et secreto–privily, but in
the sight of the owner, much less vi et armis–with force and
arms, but with the consent of the owner, which he undertakes they
shall have; If any man say aught to you, ye shall say, The Lord hath
need of him. Note, What Christ sets us to do, he will bear us out
in the doing of, and furnish us with answers tot he objections we may
be assaulted with, and make them prevalent; as here, Straightway he
will send them. Christ, in commanding the ass into his service,
showed that he is Lord of hosts; and, in inclining the owner to send
him without further security, showed that he is the God of the
spirits of all flesh, and can bow men’s hearts.
(3.) We have an example of justice and honesty, in not using the ass,
though for so small a piece of service as riding the length of a street
or two, without the owner’s consent. As some read the latter clause, it
gives us a further rule of justice; “You shall say the Lord hath
need of them, and he” (that is, the Lord) “will presently send
them back, and take care that they be safely delivered to the
owner, as soon as he has done with them.” Note, What we borrow we must
restore in due time and in good order; for the wicked borrows and
pays not again. Care must be taken of borrowed goods, that they be
not damaged. Alas, Master, for it was borrowed!
II. The prediction that was fulfilled in this,
Our Lord Jesus, in all that he did and suffered, had very much his eye
upon this, That the scriptures might be fulfilled. As the
prophets looked forward to him (to him they all bare witness), so he
looked upon them, that all things which were written of the Messiah,
might be punctually accomplished in him. This particularly which was
written of him,
where it ushers in a large prediction of the kingdom of the Messiah,
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh, must be
accomplished. Now observe here,
1. How the coming of Christ is foretold; Tell ye the daughter of
Sion, the church, the holy mountain, Behold, thy King cometh
unto thee. Note,
(1.) Jesus Christ is the church’s King, one of our brethren like unto
us, according to the law of the kingdom,
He is appointed King over the church,
He is accepted King by the church; the daughter of Sion swears
allegiance to him,
(2.) Christ, the King of his church, came to his church, even in this
lower world; he comes to thee, to rule thee, to rule in thee, to rule
for thee; he is Head over all things to the church. He came to
Sion
(Rom. xi. 26),
that out of Sion the law might go forth; for the church and its
interests were all in all with the Redeemer.
(3.) Notice was given to the church beforehand of the coming of her
King; Tell the daughter of Sion. Note, Christ will have his
coming looked for, and waited for, and his subjects big with
expectation of it; Tell the daughters of Sion, that they may
go forth, and behold King Solomon,
Cant. iii. 11.
Notices of Christ’s coming are usually ushered in with a Behold!
A note commanding both attention and admiration; Behold thy King
cometh; behold, and wonder at him, behold, and welcome him. Here is
a royal progress truly admirable. Pilate, like Caiaphas, said he knew
not what, in that great word
(John xix. 14),
Behold your King.
2. How his coming is described. When a king comes, something great and
magnificent is expected, especially when he comes to take possession of
his kingdom. The King, the Lord of hosts, was seen upon a throne,
high and lifted up
(Isa. vi. 1);
but there is nothing of that here; Behold, he cometh to thee, meek,
and sitting upon an ass. When Christ would appear in his glory, it
is in his meekness, not in his majesty.
(1.) His temper is very mild. He comes not in wrath to take vengeance,
but in mercy to work salvation. He is meek to suffer the greatest
injuries and indignities for Sion’s cause, meek to bear with the
follies and unkindness of Sion’s own children. He is easy of access,
easy to be entreated. He is meek not only as a Teacher, but as a Ruler;
he rules by love. His government is mild and gentle, and his laws not
written in the blood of his subjects, but in his own. His yoke is
easy.
(2.) As an evidence of this, his appearance is very mean, sitting upon
an ass, as creature made not for state, but service, not for battles,
but for burthens; slow in its motions, but sure, and safe, and
constant. The foretelling of this so long before, and the care taken
that it should be exactly fulfilled, intimate it to have a peculiar
significancy, for the encouragement of poor souls to apply themselves
to Christ. Sion’s King comes riding, not on a prancing horse, which the
timorous petitioner dares not come near, or a running horse, which the
slow-footed petitioner cannot keep pace with, but on a quiet ass, that
the poorest of his subjects may not be discouraged in their access to
him. Mention is made in the prophecy of a colt, the foal of an
ass; and therefore Christ sent for the colt with the ass,
that the scripture might be fulfilled.
III. The procession itself, which was answerable to the preparation,
both being destitute of worldly pomp, and yet both accompanied with a
spiritual power.
Observe,
1. His equipage; The disciples did as Jesus commanded them
(v. 6);
they went to fetch the ass and the colt, not doubting but to find them,
and to find the owner willing to lend them. Note, Christ’s commands
must not be disputed, but obeyed; and those that sincerely obey them,
shall not be balked or baffled in it; They brought the ass and the
colt. The meanness and contemptibleness of the beast Christ rode
on, might have been made up with the richness of the trappings; but
those were, like all the rest, such as came next to hand; they had not
so much as a saddle for the ass, but the disciples threw some of their
clothes upon it, and that must serve for want of better accommodations.
Note, We ought not to be nice or curious, or to affect exactness, in
outward conveniences. A holy indifference or neglect well becomes us in
these things: it will evidence that our heart is not upon them, and
that we have learned the apostle’s rule
margin), to be content with mean things. Any thing will serve
travellers; and there is a beauty in some sort of carelessness, a noble
negligence; yet the disciples furnished him with the best they had, and
did not object the spoiling of their clothes when the Lord had need
of them. Note, We must not think the clothes on our backs too dear
to part with for the service of Christ, for the clothing of his poor
destitute and afflicted members. I was naked, and you clothed
me,
ch. xxv. 36.
Christ stripped himself for us.
2. His retinue; there was nothing in this stately or magnificent.
Sion’s King comes to Sion, and the daughter of Sion was told of his
coming long before; yet he is not attended by the gentlemen of the
country, nor met by the magistrates of the city in their formalities as
one might have expected; he should have had the keys of the city
presented to him, and should have been conducted with all possible
convenience to the thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of
David; but here is nothing of all this; yet he has his attendants,
a very great multitude; they were only the common people, the
mob (the rabble we should have been apt to call them), that
graced the solemnity of Christ’s triumph, and none but such. The chief
priests and the elders afterward herded themselves with the multitude
that abused him upon the cross; but we find none of them here joining
with the multitude that did him honour. Ye see here your calling,
brethren, not many mighty, or noble, attend on Christ, but
the foolish things of this world and base things, which are
despised,
1 Cor. i. 26, 28.
Note, Christ is honoured by the multitude, more than by the
magnificence, of his followers; for he values men by their souls, not
by their preferments, names, or titles of honour.
Now, concerning this great multitude, we are here told,
(1.) What they did; according to the best of their capacity, they
studied to do honour to Christ.
[1.] They spread their garments in the way, that he might ride
upon them. When Jehu was proclaimed king, the captains put their
garments under him, in token of their subjection to him. Note, Those
that take Christ for their King must lay their all under his feet; the
clothes, in token of the heart; for when Christ comes, though not when
any one else comes, it must be said to the soul, Bow down, that he
may go over. Some think that these garments were spread, not upon
the ground, but on the hedges or walls, to adorn the roads; as, to
beautify a cavalcade, the balconies are hung with tapestry. This was
but a poor piece of state, yet Christ accepted their good-will; and we
are hereby taught to contrive how to make Christ welcome, Christ and
his grace, Christ and his gospel, into our hearts and houses. How shall
we express our respects to Christ? What honour and what dignity shall
be done to him?
[2.] Others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in
the way, as they used to do at the feast of tabernacles, in token
of liberty, victory, and joy; for the mystery of that feast is
particularly spoken of as belonging to gospel times,
(2.) What they said; They that went before, and they that
followed, were in the same tune; both those that gave notice of his
coming, and those that attended him with their applauses, cried,
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David,
v. 9.
When they carried branches about at the feast of tabernacles, they were
wont to cry Hosanna, and from thence to call their bundles of
branches their hosannas. Hosanna signifies, Save now, we
beseech thee; referring to
where the Messiah is prophesied of as the Head-stone of the
corner, though the builders refused him; and all his loyal
subjects are brought in triumphing with him, and attending him with
hearty good wishes to the prosperity of all his enterprises. Hosanna
to the Son of David is, “This we do in honour of the Son of
David.”
The hosannas with which Christ was attended bespeak two things:
[1.] Their welcoming his kingdom. Hosanna bespeaks the same
with, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. It was
foretold concerning this Son of David, that all nations shall call
him blessed
these here began, and all true believers in all ages concur in it, and
call him blessed; it is the genuine language of faith. Note,
First, Jesus Christ comes in the name of the Lord; he is
sanctified, and sent into the world, as Mediator; him hath God the
Father sealed. Secondly, The coming of Christ in the name of the
Lord, is worthy of all acceptation; and we all ought to say,
Blessed is he that cometh; to praise him, and be pleased in him.
Let his coming in the name of the Lord be mentioned with strong
affections, to our comfort, and joyful acclamations, to his glory. Well
may we say, Blessed is he; for it is in him that we are blessed.
Well may we follow him with our blessings, who meets us with
his.
[2.] Their wishing well to his kingdom; intimated in their
Hosanna; earnestly desiring that prosperity and success may
attend it, and that it may be a victorious kingdom; “Send now
prosperity to that kingdom.” If they understood it of a temporal
kingdom, and had their hearts carried out thus toward that, it was
their mistake, which a little time would rectify; however, their
good-will was accepted. Note, It is our duty earnestly to desire and
pray for the prosperity and success of Christ’s kingdom in the world.
Thus prayer must be made for him continually
that all happiness may attend his interest in the world, and that,
though he may ride on an ass, yet in his majesty he may ride
prosperously, because of that meekness,
Ps. xlv. 4.
This we mean when we pray, Thy kingdom come. They add,
Hosanna in the highest: Let prosperity in the highest degree
attend him, let him have a name above every name, a throne above every
throne; or, Let us praise him in the best manner for his church ascend
to heaven, to the highest heavens, and fetch in peace and salvation
from thence. See
The Lord saveth his Anointed, and will hear from his high, his
holy heaven.
3. We have here his entertainment in Jerusalem
(v. 10);
When he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved; every
one took notice of him, some were moved with wonder at the novelty of
the thing, others with laughter at the meanness of it; some perhaps
were moved with joy, who waited for the Consolation of Israel;
others, of the Pharisaical class, were moved with envy and indignation.
So various are the motions in the minds of men upon the approach of
Christ’s kingdom!
Upon this commotion we are further told,
(1.) What the citizens said; Who is this?
[1.] They were, it seems, ignorant concerning Christ. Though he was
the Glory of his people Israel, yet Israel knew him not;
though he had distinguished himself by the many miracles he wrought
among them, yet the daughters of Jerusalem knew him not from
another beloved,
Cant. v. 9.
The Holy One unknown in the holy city! In places where the clearest
light shines, and the greatest profession of religion is made, there is
more ignorance than we are.
[2.] Yet they were inquisitive concerning him. Who is this that is thus
cried, and comes with so much observation? Who is this King of
glory, that demands admission into our hearts?
(2.) How the multitude answered them; This is Jesus,
v. 11.
The multitude were better acquainted with Christ than the great ones.
Vox populi–The voice of the people, is sometimes Vox
Dei–the voice of God. Now, in the account they give of him,
[1.] They were right in calling him the Prophet, that great
Prophet. Hitherto he had been known as a Prophet, teaching and
working miracles; now they attend him as a King; Christ’s priestly
office was, of all the three, last discovered.
[2.] Yet they missed it, in saying he was of Nazareth; and it
helped to confirm some in their prejudices against him. Note, Some that
are willing to honour Christ, and bear their testimony to him, yet
labour under mistakes concerning him, which would be rectified if they
would take pains to inform themselves.
| The Profaners of the Temple Punished. |
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12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them
that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of
the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called
the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he
healed them.
15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful
things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,
16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus
saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of
babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and
he lodged there.
When Christ came into Jerusalem, he did not go up to the court or the
palace, though he came in as a King, but into the temple; for
his kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world; it is in holy
things that he rules, in the temple of God that he exercises authority.
Now, what did he do there?
I. Thence he drove the buyers and sellers. Abuses must first be purged
out, and the plants not of God’s planting be plucked up, before that
which is right can be established. The great Redeemer appear as a great
Reformer, that turns away ungodliness,
Here we are told,
1. What he did
(v. 12);
He cast out all them that sold and bought; he had done this once
before
but there was occasion to do it again. Note, Buyers and sellers driven
out of the temple, will return and nestle there again, if there be not
a continual care and oversight to prevent it, and if the blow be not
followed, and often repeated.
(1.) The abuse was, buying and selling, and changing money, in the
temple. Note, Lawful things, ill timed and ill placed, may become
sinful things. That which was decent enough in another place, and not
only lawful, but laudable, on another day, defiles the
sanctuary, and profanes the sabbath. This buying and
selling, and changing money, though secular employments, yet had the
pretence of being in ordine ad spiritualia–for spiritual
purposes. They sold beasts for sacrifice, for the convenience of
those that could more easily bring their money with them than their
beast; and they changed money for those that wanted the half shekel,
which was their yearly poll, or redemption-money; or, upon the bills of
return; so that this might pass for the outward business of the house
of God; and yet Christ will not allow of it. Note, Great corruptions
and abuses come into the church by the practices of those whose gain
is godliness, that is, who make worldly gain the end of their
godliness, and counterfeit godliness their way to worldly gain
(1 Tim. vi. 5);
from such withdraw thyself.
(2.) The purging out of this abuse. Christ cast them out that
sold. He did it before with a scourge of small cords
(John ii. 15);
now he did it with a look, with a frown, with a word of command. Some
reckon this none of the least of Christ’s miracles, that he should
himself thus clear the temple, and not be opposed in it by them who by
this craft got their living, and were backed in it by the priests and
elders. It is an instance of his power over the spirits of men, and the
hold he has of them by their own consciences. This was the only act of
regal authority and coercive power that Christ did in the days of his
flesh; he began with it,
and here ended with it. Tradition says, that his face shone, and beams
of light darted from his blessed eyes, which astonished these
market-people, and compelled them to yield to his command; if so, the
scripture was fulfilled,
A King that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all
evil with his eyes. He overthrew the tables of the money-changers;
he did not take the money to himself, but scattered it, threw it to the
ground, the fittest place for it. The Jews, in Esther’s time, on the
spoil laid not their hand,
Esther ix. 10.
2. What he said, to justify himself, and to convict them
(v. 13);
It is written. Note, In the reformation of the church, the eye
must be upon the scripture, and that must be adhered to as the rule,
the pattern in the mount; and we must go no further than we can justify
ourselves with, It is written. Reformation is then right,
when corrupted ordinances are reduced to their primitive
institution.
(1.) He shows, from a scripture prophecy, what the temple should be,
and was designed to be; My house shall be called the house of
prayer; which is quoted from
Note, All the ceremonial institutions were intended to be subservient
to moral duties; the house of sacrifices was to be a house of prayer,
for that was the substance and soul of all those services; the temple
was in a special manner sanctified to be a house of prayer, for it was
not only the place of that worship, but the medium of it, so that the
prayers made in or toward that house had a particular promise of
acceptance
as it was a type of Christ; therefore Daniel looked that way in prayer;
and in this sense no house or place is now, or can be, a house of
prayer, for Christ is our Temple; yet in some sense the appointed
places of our religious assemblies may be so called, as places where
prayer is wont to be made,
Acts xvi. 13.
(2.) He shows, from a scripture reproof, how they had abused the
temple, and perverted the intention of it; Ye have made it a den of
thieves. This is quoted from
Is this house become a den of robbers in your eyes? When
dissembled piety is made the cloak and cover of iniquity, it may be
said that the house of prayer is become a den of thieves,
in which they lurk, and shelter themselves. Markets are too often dens
of thieves, so many are the corrupt and cheating practices in buying
and selling; but markets in the temple are certainly so, for they rob
God of his honour, the worst of thieves,
The priests lived, and lived plentifully, upon the altar; but, not
content with that, they found other ways and means to squeeze money out
of the people; and therefore Christ here calls them thieves, for
they exacted that which did not belong to them.
II. There, in the temple, he healed the blind and the lame,
v. 14.
When he had driven the buyers and sellers out of the temple, he invited
the blind and lame into it; for he fills the hungry with good
things, but the rich he sends empty away. Christ, in the temple, by
his word there preached, and in answer to the prayers there made, heals
those that are spiritually blind and lame. It is good coming to the
temple, when Christ is there, who, as he shows himself jealous for the
honour of his temple, in expelling those who profane it, so he shows
himself gracious to those who humbly seek him. The blind and the
lame were debarred David’s palace
(2 Sam. v. 8),
but were admitted into God’s house; for the state and honour of his
temple lie not in those things wherein the magnificence of princes’
palaces is supposed to consist; from them blind and lame must keep
their distance, but from God’s temple only the wicked and profane. The
temple was profane and abused when it was made a market-place, but it
was graced and honoured when it was made an hospital; to be doing good
in God’s, is more honourable, and better becomes it, than to be getting
money there. Christ’s healing was a real answer to that question,
Who is this? His works testified of him more than the
hosannas; and his healing in the temple was the fulfilling of
the promise, that the glory of the latter house should be greater
than the glory of the former.
There also he silenced the offence which the chief priests and scribes
took at the acclamations with which he was attended,
They that should have been most forward to give him honour, were his
worst enemies.
1. They were inwardly vexed at the wonderful things that he did; they
could not deny them to be true miracles, and therefore were cut to the
heart with indignation at them, as
The works that Christ did, recommended themselves to every man’s
conscience. If they had any sense, they could not but own the miracle
of them; and if any good nature, could not but be in love with the
mercy of them: yet, because they were resolved to oppose him, for these
they envied him, and bore him a grudge.
2. They openly quarrelled at the children’s hosannas; they thought that
hereby an honour was given him, which did not belong to him, and that
it looked like ostentation. Proud men cannot bear that honour should be
done to any but to themselves, and are uneasy at nothing more than at
the just praises of deserving men. Thus Saul envied David the women’s
songs; and “Who can stand before envy?” When Christ is most honoured,
his enemies are most displeased.
Just now we had Christ preferring the blind and the lame before the
buyers and sellers; now here we have him
(v. 16),
taking part with the children against priests and scribes.
Observe,
(1.) The children were in the temple, perhaps playing there; no wonder,
when the rulers make it a market-place, that the children make
it a place of pastime; but we are willing to hope that many of them
were worshipping there. Note, It is good to bring children betimes to
the house of prayer, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Let
children be taught to keep up the form of godliness, it will help to
lead them to the power of it. Christ has a tenderness for the lambs of
his flock.
(2.) They were there crying Hosanna to the Son of David. This
they learned from those that were grown up. Little children say and do
as they hear others say, and see others do; so easily do they imitate;
and therefore great care must be taken to set them good examples, and
no bad ones. Maxima debetur puero reverentia–Our intercourse with
the young should be conducted with the most scrupulous care.
Children will learn of those that are with them, either to curse and
swear, or to pray and praise. The Jews did betimes teach their children
to carry branches at the feast of tabernacles, and to cry
Hosanna; but God taught them here to apply it to Christ. Note,
Hosanna to the Son of David well becomes the mouths of little
children, who should learn young the language of Canaan.
(3.) Our Lord Jesus not only allowed it, but was very well pleased with
it, and quoted a scripture which was fulfilled in it
(Ps. viii. 2),
or, at least, may be accommodated to it; Out of the mouth of babes
and sucklings thou hast perfected praise; which, some think, refers
to the children’s joining in the acclamations of the people, and the
women’s songs with which David was honoured when he returned from the
slaughter of the Philistine, and therefore is very fitly applied here
to the hosannas with which the Son of David was saluted, now that he
was entering upon his conflict with Satan, that Goliath. Note,
[1.] Christ is so far from being ashamed of the services of little
children, that he takes particular notice of them (and children love to
be taken notice of), and is well pleased with them. If God may be
honoured by babes and sucklings, who are made to hope at the best, much
more by children who are grown up to maturity and some capacity.
[2.] Praise is perfected out of the mouth of such; it has a peculiar
tendency to the honour and glory of God for little children to join in
his praises; the praise would be accounted defective and imperfect, if
they had not their share in it; which is an encouragement for children
to be good betimes, and to parents to teach them to be so; the labour
neither of the one nor of the other shall be in vain. In the psalm it
is, Thou hast ordained strength. Note, God perfecteth
praise, by ordaining strength out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings. When great things are brought about by weak and unlikely
instruments, God is thereby much honoured, for his strength is
perfected in weakness, and the infirmities of the babes and
sucklings serve for a foil to the divine power. That which follows in
the psalm, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger,
was very applicable to the priests and scribes; but Christ did not
apply it to them, but left it to them to apply it.
Lastly, Christ, having thus silenced them, forsook them,
He left them, in prudence, lest they should now have seized him
before his hour was come; in justice, because they had forfeited the
favour of his presence. By repining at Christ’s praises we drive him
from us. He left them as incorrigible, and he went out of the
city to Bethany, which was a more quiet retired place; not so much
that he might sleep undisturbed as that he might pray
undisturbed. Bethany was but two little miles from Jerusalem;
thither he went on foot, to show that, when he rode, it was only to
fulfil the scripture. He was not lifted up with the hosannas of
the people; but, as having forgot them, soon returned to his mean and
toilsome way of travelling.
| The Barren Fig-Tree Cursed. |
|
|
18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he
hungered.
19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and
found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no
fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig
tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How
soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If
ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is
done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this
mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it
shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive.
Observe,
I. Christ returned in the morning to Jerusalem,
v. 18.
Some think that he went out of the city over-night, because none of his
friends there durst entertain him, for fear of the great men; yet,
having work to do there, he returned. Note, We must never be driven off
from our duty either by the malice of our foes, or the unkindness of
our friends. Though he knew that in this city bonds and afflictions
did abide him, yet none of these things moved him. Paul followed
him when he went bound in the spirit to Jerusalem,
Acts xx. 22.
II. As he went, he hungered. He was a Man, and submitted to the
infirmities of nature; he was an active Man, and was so intent upon his
work, that he neglected his food, and came out, fasting; for the
zeal of God’s house did even eat him up, and his meat and
drink was to do his Father’s will. He was a poor Man, and had no
present supply; he was a Man that pleased not himself, for he would
willingly have taken up with green raw figs for his breakfast, when it
was fit that he should have had something warm.
Christ therefore hungered, that he might have occasion to work
this miracle, in cursing and so withering the barren fig-tree, and
therein might give us an instance of his justice and his power, and
both instructive.
1. See his justice,
v. 19.
He went to it, expecting fruit, because it had leaves; but, finding
none, he sentenced it to a perpetual barrenness. The miracle had its
significance, as well as others of his miracles. All Christ’s miracles
hitherto were wrought for the good of men, and proved the power of his
grace and blessing (the sending the devils into the herd of swine was
but a permission); all he did was for the benefit and comfort of his
friends, none for the terror or punishment of his enemies; but now, at
last, to show that all judgment is committed to him, and that
he is able not only to save, but to destroy, he would
give a specimen of the power of his wrath and curse; yet this not on
any man, woman, or child, because the great day of his wrath is not
yet come, but on an inanimate tree; that is set forth for an
example; Come, learn a parable of the fig-tree,
ch. xxiv. 32.
The scope of it is the same with the parable of the fig-tree,
Luke xiii. 6.
(1.) This cursing of the barren fig-tree, represents the state of
hypocrites in general; and so it teaches us,
[1.] That the fruit of fig-trees may justly be expected from those that
have the leaves. Christ looks for the power of religion from those
that make profession of it; the favour of it from those that have the
show of it; grapes from the vineyard that is planted in a fruitful
hill: he hungers after it, his soul desires the first ripe
fruits.
[2.] Christ’s just expectations from flourishing professors are often
frustrated and disappointed; he comes to many, seeking fruit, and finds
leaves only, and he discovers it. Many have a name to live, and are not
alive indeed; dote on the form of godliness, and yet deny the power of
it.
[3.] The sin of barrenness is justly punished with the curse and plague
of barrenness; Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.
As one of the chiefest blessings, and which was the first, is, Be
fruitful; so one of the saddest curses is, Be no more
fruitful. Thus the sin of hypocrites is made their punishment; they
would not do good, and therefore they shall do none; he
that is fruitless, let him be fruitless still, and lose his honour and
comfort.
[4.] A false and hypocritical profession commonly withers in this
world, and it is the effect of Christ’s curse; the fig-tree that had no
fruit, soon lost its leaves. Hypocrites may look plausible for a time,
but, having no principle, no root in themselves, their
profession will soon come to nothing; the gifts wither, common graces
decay, the credit of the profession declines and sinks, and the
falseness and folly of the pretender are manifested to all men.
(2.) It represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in
particular; they were a fig-tree planted in Christ’s way, as a church.
Now observe,
[1.] The disappointment they gave to our Lord Jesus. He came among
them, expecting to find some fruit, something that would be pleasing to
him; he hungered after it; not that he desired a gift, he needed
it not, but fruit that might abound to a good account. But his
expectations were frustrated; he found nothing but leaves; they called
Abraham their father, but did not do the works of Abraham; they
professed themselves expectants of the promised Messiah, but, when he
came, they did not receive and entertain him.
[2.] The doom he passed upon them, that never any fruit should grow
upon them or be gathered from them, as a church or as a people,
from henceforward for ever. Never any good came from them
(except the particular persons among them that believe), after they
rejected Christ; they became worse and worse; blindness and hardness
happened to them, and grew upon them, till they were unchurched,
unpeopled, and undone, and their place and nation rooted up; their
beauty was defaced, their privileges and ornaments, their temple, and
priesthood, and sacrifices, and festivals, and all the glories of their
church and state, fell like leaves in autumn. How soon did their
fig-tree wither away, after they said, His blood be on us, and our
children! And the Lord was righteous in it.
2. See the power of Christ; the former is wrapped up in the
figure, but this more fully discoursed of; Christ intending thereby to
direct his disciples in the use of their powers.
(1.) The disciples admired the effect of Christ’s curse
(v. 20);
They marvelled; no power could do it but his, who spake, and
it was done. They marvelled at the suddenness of the thing; How
soon is the fig-tree withered away! There was no visible cause of
the fig-tree’s withering, but it was a secret blast, a worm at the
root; it was not only the leaves of it that withered, but the body of
the tree; it withered away in an instant and became like a dry stick.
Gospel curses are, upon this account, the most dreadful–that they work
insensibly and silently, by a fire not blown, but effectually.
(2.) Christ empowered them by faith to do the like
(v. 21, 22);
as he said
(John xiv. 12),
Greater works than these shall ye do.
Observe,
[1.] The description of this wonder-working faith; If ye have faith,
and doubt not. Note, Doubting of the power and promise of God is
the great thing that spoils the efficacy and success of faith. “If you
have faith, and dispute not” (so some read it), “dispute not with
yourselves, dispute not with the promise of God; if you stagger not
at the promise”
(Rom. iv. 20);
for, as far as we do so, our faith is deficient; as certain as the
promise is, so confident our faith should be.
[2.] The power and prevalence of it expressed figuratively; If ye
shall say to this mountain, meaning the mount of Olives, Be thou
removed, it shall be done. There might be a particular reason for
his saying so of this mountain, for there was a prophecy, that the
mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem, should cleave in the midst,
and then remove,
Zech. xiv. 4.
Whatever was the intent of that word, the same must be the expectation
of faith, how impossible soever it might appear to sense. But this is a
proverbial expression; intimating that we are to believe that nothing
is impossible with God, and therefore that what he has promised shall
certainly be performed, though to us it seem impossible. It was among
the Jews a usual commendation of their learned Rabbin, that they were
removers of mountains, that is, could solve the greatest difficulties;
now this may be done by faith acted on the word of God, which will
bring great and strange things to pass.
[3.] The way and means of exercising this faith, and of doing that
which is to be done by it; All things whatsoever ye shall ask in
prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Faith is the soul, prayer is
the body; both together make a complete man for any service. Faith, if
it be right, will excite prayer; and prayer is not right, if it do not
spring from faith. This is the condition of our receiving–we must
ask in prayer, believing. The requests of prayer shall not be
denied; the expectations of faith shall not be frustrated. We have many
promises to this purport from the mouth of our Lord Jesus, and all to
encourage faith, the principal grace, and prayer, the principal duty,
of a Christian. It is but ask and have, believe and receive; and what
would we more? Observe, How comprehensive the promise is–all things
whatsoever ye shall ask; this is like all and every the premises in
a conveyance. All things, in general; whatsoever, brings
it to particulars; though generals include particulars, yet such is the
folly of our unbelief, that, though we think we assent to promises in
the general, yet we fly off when it comes to particulars, and
therefore, that we might have strong consolation, it is thus
copiously expressed, All things whatsoever.
| Christ Questioned as to His Authority. |
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|
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and
the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and
said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave
thee this authority?
24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you
one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by
what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men?
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From
heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all
hold John as a prophet.
27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he
said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these
things.
Our Lord Jesus (like St. Paul after him) preached his gospel with
much contention; his first appearance was in a dispute with the
doctors in the temple, when he was twelve years old; and here, just
before he died, we have him engaged in controversy. In this sense, he
was like Jeremiah, a man of contention; not striving, but striven
with. The great contenders with him, were, the chief priests and
the elders, the judges of two distinct courts: the chief priests
presided in the ecclesiastical court, in all matters of the Lord, as
they are called; the elders of the people were judges of the civil
courts, in temporal matters. See an idea of both,
These joined to attack Christ thinking they should find or make him
obnoxious either to the one or to the other. See how woefully
degenerate that generation was, when the governors both in church and
state, who should have been the great promoters of the Messiah’s
kingdom, were the great opposers of it! Here we have them disturbing
him when he was preaching,
They would neither receive his instructions themselves, nor let others
receive them. Observe,
I. As soon as he came into Jerusalem, he went to the temple, though he
had been affronted there the day before, was there in the midst of
enemies and in the mouth of danger; yet thither he went, for there he
had a fairer opportunity of doing good to souls than any where else in
Jerusalem. Though he came hungry to the city, and was disappointed of a
breakfast at the barren fig-tree, yet, for aught that appears, he went
straight to the temple, as one that esteemed the words of God’s
mouth, the preaching of them, more than his necessary
food.
II. In the temple he was teaching; he had called it a house of
prayer
(v. 13),
and here we have him preaching there. Note, In the solemn assemblies of
Christians, praying and preaching must go together, and neither must
encroach upon, or jostle out, the other. To make up communion with God,
we must not only speak to him in prayer, but hear what he has to say to
us by his word; ministers must give themselves both to the word and
to prayer,
Acts vi. 4.
Now that Christ taught in the temple, that scripture was
fulfilled
(Isa. ii. 3),
Let us go up to the house of the Lord, and he will teach us his
ways. The priests of old often taught there the good knowledge
of the Lord; but they never had such a teacher as this.
III. When Christ was teaching the people, the priests and elders came
upon him, and challenged him to produce his orders; the hand of Satan
was in this, to hinder him in his work. Note, It cannot but be a
trouble to a faithful minister, to be taken off, or diverted from,
plain and practical preaching, by an unavoidable necessity of engaging
in controversies, yet good was brought out of this evil, for hereby
occasion was given to Christ to dispel the objections that were
advanced against him, to the greater satisfaction of his followers;
and, while his adversaries thought by their power to have silenced him,
he by his wisdom silenced them.
Now, in this dispute with them, we may observe,
1. How he was assaulted by their insolent demand; By what authority
doest thou these things, and who gave thee this authority? Had they
duly considered his miracles, and the power by which he wrought them,
they needed not to have asked this question; but they must have
something to say for the shelter of an obstinate infidelity. “Thou
ridest in triumph into Jerusalem, receivest the hosannas of the people,
controllest in the temple, drivest out such as had license to be there,
from the rulers of the temple, and paid them rent; thou are here
preaching a new doctrine; whence hadst thou a commission to do all
this? Was it from Cæsar, or from the high priest, or from God? Produce
thy warrant, thy credentials. Dost not thou take too much upon thee?”
Note, It is good for all that take upon them to act with authority, to
put this question to themselves, “Who gave us that authority?” For,
unless a man be clear in his own conscience concerning that, he cannot
act with any comfort or hope of success. They who run before their
warrant, run without their blessing,
Christ had often said it, and proved it beyond contradiction, and
Nicodemus, a master in Israel, had owned it, that he was a teacher
sent of God
(John iii. 2);
yet, at this time of day, when that point had been so fully cleared and
settled, they come to him with this question.
(1.) In the ostentation of their own power, as chief priests and
elders, which they thought authorized them to call him to an account in
this manner. How haughtily do they ask, Who gave thee this
authority? Intimating that he could have no authority, because he
had none from them,
Note, It is common for the greatest abusers of their power to be the
most rigorous assertors of it, and to take a pride and pleasure in any
thing that looks like the exercise of it.
(2.) It was to ensnare and entangle him. Should he refuse to answer
this question, they would enter judgment against him upon Nihil
dicit–He says nothing; would condemn him as standing mute; and
would insinuate to the people, that his silence was a tacit confessing
of himself to be a usurper: should he plead an authority from God, they
would, as formerly, demand a sign from heaven, or make his
defence his offence, and accuse him of blasphemy for
it.
2. How he answered this demand with another, which would help them to
answer it themselves
(v. 24, 25);
I also will ask you one thing. He declined giving them a direct
answer, lest they should take advantage against him; but answers them
with a question. Those that are as sheep in the midst of wolves,
have need to be wise as serpents: the heart of the wise studieth to
answer. We must give a reason of the hope that is in us, not
only with meekness, but with fear
with prudent caution, lest truth be damaged, or ourselves
endangered.
Now this question is concerning John’s baptism, here put for his whole
ministry, preaching as well as baptizing; “Was this from heaven, or
of men? One of the two it must be; either what he did was of his
own head, or he was sent of God to do it.” Gamaliel’s argument turned
upon this hinge
either this counsel is of men or of God. Though that which is
manifestly bad cannot be of God, yet that which is seemingly good may
be of men, nay of Satan, when he transforms himself into an angel of
light. This question was not at all shuffling, to evade theirs;
but,
(1.) If they answered this question, it would answer theirs: should
they say, against their consciences, that John’s baptism was of men,
yet it would be easy to answer, John did no miracle
(John x. 41),
Christ did many; but should they say, as they could not but own, that
John’s baptism was from heaven (which was supposed in the questions
sent him,
Art thou Elias, or that prophet?) then their demand was
answered, for he bare testimony to Christ. Note, Truths appear in the
clearest light when they are taken in their due order; the resolving of
the previous questions will be a key to the main
question.
(2.) If they refused to answer it, that would be a good reason why he
should not offer proofs of his authority to men that were obstinately
prejudiced against the strongest conviction; it was but to cast pearls
before swine. Thus he taketh the wise in their own craftiness
and those that would not be convinced of the plainest truths, shall be
convicted of the vilest malice, against John first, then against
Christ, and in both against God.
3. How they were hereby baffled and run aground; they knew the truth,
but would not own it, and so were taken in the snare they laid for our
Lord Jesus. Observe,
(1.) How they reasoned with themselves, not concerning the
merits of the cause, what proofs there were of the divine original of
John’s baptism; no, their care was, how to make their part good against
Christ. Two things they considered and consulted, in this reasoning
with themselves–their credit, and their safety; the same things which
they principally aim at, who seek their own things.
[1.] They consider their own credit, which they would endanger if they
should own John’s baptism to be of God; for then Christ would ask them,
before all the people. Why did ye not believe him? And to
acknowledge that a doctrine is from God, and yet not to receive and
entertain it, is the greatest absurdity and iniquity that a man can be
charged with. Many that will not be kept by the fear of sin from
neglecting and opposing that which they know to be true and good are
kept by the fear of shame from owning that to be true and good which
they neglect and oppose. Thus they reject the counsel of God against
themselves, in not submitting to John’s baptism, and are left
without excuse.
[2.] They consider their own safety, that they would expose themselves
to the resentments of the people, if they should say that John’s
baptism was of men; We fear the people, for all hold John as a
prophet. It seems, then, First, That the people had truer
sentiments of John than the chief priests and the elders had, or, at
least, were more free and faithful in declaring their sentiments. This
people, of whom they said in their pride that they knew not the law,
and were cursed
(John vii. 49),
it seems, knew the gospel, and were blessed. Secondly, That the
chief priests and elders stood in awe of the common people, which is an
evidence that things were in disorder among them, and that mutual
jealousies were at a great height; that the government was become
obnoxious to the hatred and scorn of the people, and the scripture was
fulfilled, I have made you contemptible and base,
Mal. ii. 8, 9.
If they had kept their integrity, and done their duty, they had kept up
their authority, and needed not to fear the people. We find sometimes
that the people feared them, and it served them for a reason why they
did not confess Christ,
Note, Those could not but fear the people, who studied only how to make
the people fear them. Thirdly, That it is usually the temper
even of common people to be zealous for the honour of that which they
account sacred and divine. If they account John as a prophet,
they will not endure that it should be said, His baptism was of
men; hence the hottest contests have been about holy things.
Fourthly, That the chief priests and elders were kept from an
open denial of the truth, even against the conviction of their own
minds, not by the fear of God, but purely by the fear of the people; as
the fear of man may bring good people into a snare
so sometimes it may keep bad people from being overmuch wicked, lest
they should die before their time,
Eccl. vii. 17.
Many bad people would be much worse than they are, if they durst.
(2.) How they replied to our Saviour, and so dropped the question. They
fairly confessed We cannot tell; that is, “We will not;”
ouk oi damen—We never knew. The more shame for
them, while they pretended to be leaders of the people, and by their
office were obliged to take cognizance of such things; when they would
not confess their knowledge, they were constrained to confess their
ignorance. And observe, by the way, when they said, We cannot
tell, they told a lie, for they knew that John’s baptism was of
God. Note, There are many who are more afraid of the shame of
lying than of the sin, and therefore scruple not to speak that
which they know to be false concerning their own thoughts and
apprehensions, their affections and intentions, or their remembering or
forgetting of things, because in those things they know nobody can
disprove them.
Thus Christ avoided the snare they laid for him, and justified himself
in refusing to gratify them; Neither tell I you by what authority I
do these things. If they be so wicked and base as either not to
believe, or not to confess, that the baptism of John was from heaven
(though it obliged to repentance, that great duty, and sealed the
kingdom of God at hand, that great promise), they were not fit to be
discoursed with concerning Christ’s authority; for men of such a
disposition could not be convinced of the truth, nay, they could not
but be provoked by it, and therefore he that is thus ignorant, let
him be ignorant still. Note, Those that imprison the truths they
know, in unrighteousness (either by not professing them, or by not
practising according to them), are justly denied the further truths
they enquire after,
Take away the talent from him that buried it; those that will
not see, shall not see.
| The Parable of the Two Sons. |
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|
28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came
to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented,
and went.
30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he
answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say
unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto
you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of
God before you.
32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye
believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him:
and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye
might believe him.
As Christ instructed his disciples by parables, which made the
instructions the more easy, so sometimes he convinced his adversaries
by parables, which bring reproofs more close, and make men, or ever
they are aware, to reprove themselves. Thus Nathan convinced David by a
parable
and the woman of Tekoa surprised him in like manner,
Reproving parables are appeals to the offenders themselves, and judge
them out of their own mouths. This Christ designs here, as appears by
the first words
(v. 28),
But what think you?
In these verses we have the parable of the two sons sent to work
in the vineyard, the scope of which is to show that they who knew not
John’s baptism to be of God, were shamed even by the publicans and
harlots, who knew it, and owned it. Here is,
I. The parable itself, which represents two sorts of persons; some that
prove better than they promise, represented by the first of those sons;
others that promise better than they prove represented by the
second.
1. They had both one and the same father, which signifies that God is a
common Father to all mankind. There are favours which all alike receive
from him, and obligations which all alike lie under to him; Have we
not all one Father? Yes, and yet there is a vast difference between
men’s characters.
2. They had both the same command given them; Son, go work to-day in
my vineyard. Parents should not breed up their children in
idleness; nothing is more pleasing, and yet nothing more pernicious, to
youth than that.
God sets his children to work, though they are all heirs. This command
is given to every one of us. Note,
(1.) The work of religion, which we are called to engage in, is
vineyard work, creditable, profitable, and pleasant. By the sin of Adam
we were turned out to work upon the common, and to eat the herb of the
field; but by the grace of our Lord Jesus we are called to work again
in the vineyard.
(2.) The gospel call to work in the vineyard, requires present
obedience; Son, go work to-day, while it is called to-day,
because the night comes when no man can work. We were not sent
into the world to be idle, nor had we daylight given us to play by; and
therefore, if ever we mean to do any thing for God and our souls, why
not now? Why not to-day?
(3.) The exhortation to go work to-day in the vineyard, speaketh
unto us as unto children
(Heb. xii. 5);
Son, go work. It is the command of a Father, which carries with
it both authority and affection, a Father that pities his children, and
considers their frame, and will not overtask them
a Father that is very tender of his Son that serves him,
Mal. iii. 17.
If we work in our Father’s vineyard, we work for ourselves.
3. Their conduct was very different.
(1.) One of the sons did better than he said, proved better than he
promised. His answer was bad, but his actions were good.
[1.] Here is the untoward answer that he gave to his father; he said,
flat and plain I will not. See to what a degree of impudence the
corrupt nature of man rises, to say, I will not, to the command
of a Father; such a command of such a Father; they are impudent
children, and stiff-hearted. Those that will not bend, surely they
cannot blush; if they had any degree of modesty left them, they could
not say, We will not.
Jer. ii. 25.
Excuses are bad, but downright denials are worse; yet such peremptory
refusals do the calls of the gospel often meet with. First, Some
love their ease, and will not work; they would live in the world as
leviathan in the waters, to play therein
(Ps. civ. 26);
they do not love working. Secondly, Their hearts are so much
upon their own fields, that they are not for working in God’s vineyard.
They love the business of the world better than the business of their
religion. Thus some by the delights of sense, and others by the
employments of the world, are kept from doing that great work which
they were sent into the world about, and so stand all the day
idle.
[2.] Here is the happy change of his mind, and of his way, upon second
thought; Afterward he repented, and went. Note, There are many
who in the beginning are wicked and wilful, and very unpromising, who
afterward repent and mend, and come to something. Some that God hath
chosen, are suffered for a great while to run to a great excess of
riot; Such were some of you,
1 Cor. vi. 11.
These are set forth for patterns of long-suffering,
1 Tim. i. 16.
Afterward he repented. Repentance is
metanoia—an after-wit: and
metameleia—an after-care. Better late than never.
Observe, When he repented he went; that was the fruit meet for
repentance. The only evidence of our repentance for our former
resistance, is, immediately to comply, and set to work; and then what
is past, shall be pardoned, and all shall be well. See what a kind
Father God is; he resents not the affront of our refusals, as justly he
might. He that told his father to his face, that he would not do
as he bid him, deserved to be turned out of doors, and disinherited;
but our God waits to be gracious, and, not withstanding our
former follies, if we repent and mend, will favourably accept of us;
blessed be God, we are under a covenant that leaves room for such a
repentance.
(2.) The other son said better than he did, promised better than he
proved; his answer was good but his actions bad. To him the father
said likewise,
v. 30.
The gospel call, though very different, is, in effect, the same to all,
and is carried on with an even tenour. We have all the same commands,
engagements, encouragements, though to some they are a savour of life
unto life, to others of death unto death. Observe,
[1.] How fairly this other son promised; He said, I go, sir. He
gives his father a title of respect, sir. Note, It becomes
children to speak respectfully to their parents. It is one branch of
that honour which the fifth commandment requires. He professes a ready
obedience, I go; not, “I will go by and by,” but, “Ready, sir,
you may depend upon it, I go just now.” This answer we should give from
the heart heartily to all the calls and commands of the word of God.
See
[2.] How he failed in the performance; He went not. Note, There
are many that give good words, and make fair promises, in religion, and
those from some good motions for the present, that rest there, and go
no further, and so come to nothing. Saying and doing are two things;
and many there are that say, and do not; it is particularly charged
upon the Pharisees,
Many with their mouth show much love, but their heart goes another way.
They had a good mind to be religious, but they met with something to be
done, that was too hard, or something to be parted with, that was too
dear, and so their purposes are to no purpose. Buds and blossoms are
not fruit.
II. A general appeal upon the parable; Whether of them twain did the
will of his father?
v. 31.
They both had their faults, one was rude and the other was false, such
variety of exercises parents sometimes have in the different humours of
their children, and they have need of a great deal of wisdom and grace
to know what is the best way of managing them. But the question is,
Which was the better of the two, and the less faulty? And it was soon
resolved; the first, because his actions were better than his words,
and his latter end than his beginning. This they had learned from the
common sense of mankind, who would much rather deal with one that will
be better than his word, than with one that will be false to his word.
And, in the intention of it, they had learned from the account God
gives of the rule of his judgment
that if the sinner turn from his wickedness, he shall be
pardoned; andif the righteous man turn from his righteousness,
he shall be rejected. The tenour of the whole scripture gives us to
understand that those are accepted as doing their Father’s will, who,
wherein they have missed it, are sorry for it, and do better.
III. A particular application of it to the matter in hand,
The primary scope of the parable is, to show how the publicans and
harlots, who never talked of the Messiah and his kingdom, yet
entertained the doctrine, and submitted to the discipline, of John the
Baptist, his forerunner, when the priests and elders, who were big with
expectations of the Messiah, and seemed very ready to go into his
measures, slighted John the Baptist, and ran counter to the designs of
his mission. But it has a further reach; the Gentiles were sometimes
disobedient, had been long so, children of disobedience, like the
elder son
yet, when the gospel was preached to them, they became obedient to the
faith; whereas the Jews who said, I go, sir, promised fair
(Exod. xxiv. 7; Josh. xxiv. 24);
yet went not; they did but flatter God with their mouth.
In Christ’s application of this parable, observe.
1. How he proves that John’s baptism was from heaven, and not of
men. “If you cannot tell,” saith Christ, “you might
tell,”
(1.) By the scope of his ministry; John came unto you in the way of
righteousness. Would you know whether John had his commission from
heaven, remember the rule of trial, By their fruits ye shall know
them; the fruits of their doctrines, the fruits of their doings.
Observe but their way, and you may trace out both their rise and their
tendency. Now it was evident that John came in the way of
righteousness. In his ministry, he taught people to repent, and to
work the works of righteousness. In his conversation, he was a great
example of strictness, and seriousness, and contempt of the world,
denying himself, and doing good to every body else. Christ
therefore submitted to the baptism of John, because it became
him to fulfil all righteousness. Now, if John thus came in the way
of righteousness, could they be ignorant that his baptism was from
heaven, or make any doubt of it?
(2.) By the success of his ministry; The publicans and the harlots
believed him; he did abundance of good among the worst sort of
people. St. Paul proves his apostleship by the seals of his ministry,
If God had not sent John the Baptist, he would not have crowned his
labours with such wonderful success, nor have made him so instrumental
as he was for the conversion f souls. If publicans and harlots believe
his report, surely the arm of the Lord is with him. The people’s
profiting is the minister’s best testimonial.
2. How he reproves them for their contempt of John’s baptism, which
yet, for fear of the people, they were not willing to own. To shame
them for it, he sets before them the faith, repentance, and obedience,
of the publicans and harlots, which aggravated their unbelief and
impenitence. As he shows,
that the less likely would have repented, so here that the less likely
did repent.
(1.) The publicans and harlots were like the first son in the parable,
from whom little of religion was expected. They promised little good,
and those that knew them promised themselves little good from them.
Their disposition was generally rude, and their conversation profligate
and debauched; and yet many of them were wrought upon the by the
ministry of John, who came in the spirit and power of Elias. See
These fitly represented the Gentile world; for, as Dr. Whitby observes,
the Jews generally ranked the publicans with the heathen; nay, and the
heathen were represented by the Jews as harlots, and born of harlots,
(2.) The scribes and Pharisees, the chief priests and elders, and
indeed the Jewish nation in general, were like the other son that gave
good words; they made a specious profession of religion, and yet, when
the kingdom of the Messiah was brought among them by the baptism of
John, they slighted it, they turned their back upon it, nay they
lifted up the heel against it. A hypocrite is more hardly
convinced and converted than a gross sinner; the form of godliness, if
that be rested in, becomes one of Satan’s strongholds, by which he
opposes the power of godliness. It was an aggravation of their
unbelief,
[1.] That John was such an excellent person, that he came, and came to
them, in the way of righteousness. The better the means are, the
greater will the account be, if not improved.
[2.] That, when they saw the publicans and harlots go before them into
the kingdom of heaven, they did not afterward repent and believe; were
not thereby provoked to a holy emulation,
Shall publicans and harlots go away with grace and glory; and shall not
we put in for a share? Shall our inferiors be more holy and more happy
than we? They had not the wit and grace that Esau had, who was moved to
take other measures than he had done, by the example of his younger
brother,
These proud priests, that set up for leaders, scorned to follow, though
it were into the kingdom of heaven, especially to follow publicans;
through the pride of their countenance, they would not seek after God,
after Christ,
| The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen. |
|
|
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which
planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a
winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen,
and went into a far country:
34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his
servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of
it.
35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and
killed another, and stoned another.
36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they
did unto them likewise.
37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will
reverence my son.
38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among
themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us
seize on his inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and
slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he
do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked
men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which
shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures,
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the
head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is
marvellous in our eyes?
43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken
from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits
thereof.
44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but
on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his
parables, they perceived that he spake of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the
multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
This parable plainly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation;
they and their leaders are the husbandmen here; and what is spoken for
conviction to them, is spoken for caution to all that enjoy the
privileges of the visible church, not to be high-minded, but fear.
I. We have here the privileges of the Jewish church, represented by the
letting out of a vineyard to the husbandmen; they were as tenants
holding by, from, and under, God the great Householder. Observe,
1. How God established a church for himself in the world. The kingdom
of God upon earth is here compared to a vineyard, furnished with all
things requisite to an advantageous management and improvement of it.
(1.) He planted this vineyard. The church is the planting of the
Lord,
Isa. lxi. 3.
The forming of a church is a work by itself, like the planting of a
vineyard, which requires a great deal of cost and care. It is the
vineyard which his right hand has planted
(Ps. lxxx. 15),
planted with the choicest vine
(Isa. v. 2),
a noble vine,
Jer. ii. 21.
The earth of itself produces thorns and briars; but vines must be
planted. The being of a church is owing to God’s distinguishing favour,
and his manifesting himself to some, and not to others.
(2.) He hedged it round about. Note, God’s church in the world is taken
under his special protection. It is a hedge round about, like
that about Job on every side
(Job i. 10),
a wall of fire,
Wherever God has a church, it is, and will always be, his peculiar
care. The covenant of circumcision and the ceremonial law were a hedge
or a wall of partition about the Jewish church, which is taken down by
Christ; who yet has appointed a gospel order and discipline to be the
hedge of his church. He will not have his vineyard to lie in common,
that those who are without, may thrust in at pleasure; not to lie at
large, that those who are within, may lash out at pleasure; but care is
taken to set bounds about this holy mountain.
(3.) He digged a wine-press and built a tower. The altar of
burnt-offerings was the wine-press, to which all the offerings were
brought. God instituted ordinances in his church, for the due oversight
of it, and for the promoting of its fruitfulness. What could have been
done more to make it every way convenient?
2. How he entrusted these visible church-privileges with the nation and
people of the Jews, especially their chief priests and elders; he let
it out to them as husbandmen, not because he had need of them as
landlords have of their tenants, but because he would try them, and be
honoured by them. When in Judah God was known, and his name was great,
when they were taken to be to God for a people, and for a name, and
for a praise
when he revealed his word unto Jacob
when the covenant of life and peace was made with Levi
then this vineyard was let out. See an abstract of the lease,
The Lord of the vineyard was to have a thousand pieces of silver
(compare
the main profit was to be his, but the keepers were to have two
hundred, a competent and comfortable encouragement. And then he went
into a far country. When God had in a visible appearance settled
the Jewish church at mount Sinai, he did in a manner withdraw; they had
no more such open vision, but were left to the written word. Or, they
imagined that he was gone into a far country, as Israel, when they made
the calf, fancied that Moses was gone. They put far from them the evil
day.
II. God’s expectation of rent from these husbandmen,
It was a reasonable expectation; for who plants a vineyard, and eats
not of the fruit thereof? Note, From those that enjoy
church-privileges, both ministers and people, God looks for fruit
accordingly.
1. His expectations were not hasty; he did not demand a fore-rent,
though he had been at such expense upon it; but staid till the time
of the fruit drew near, as it did now that John preached the
kingdom of heaven is at hand. God waits to be gracious, that he
may give us time.
2. They were not high; he did not require them to come at their peril,
upon penalty of forfeiting their lease if they ran behind-hand; but he
sent his servants to them, to remind them of their duty, and of
the rent-day, and to help them in gathering in the fruit, and making
return of it. These servants were the prophets of the Old Testament,
who were sent, and sometimes directly, to the people of the Jews, to
reprove and instruct them.
3. They were not hard; it was only to receive the fruits. He
did not demand more than they could make of it, but some fruit of that
which he himself planted–an observance of the laws and statutes he
gave them. What could have been done more reasonable? Israel was an
empty vine, nay it was become the degenerate plant of a strange vine,
and brought forth wild grapes.
III. The husbandmen’s baseness in abusing the messengers that were sent
to them.
1. When he sent them his servants, they abused them, though they
represented the master himself, and spoke in his name. Note, The calls
and reproofs of the word, if they do not engage, will but exasperate.
See here what hath all along been the lot of God’s faithful messengers,
more or less;
(1.) To suffer; so persecuted they the prophets, who were hated
with a cruel hatred. They not only despised and reproached them, but
treated them as the worst of malefactors–they beat them, and killed
them, and stoned them. They beat Jeremiah, killed Isaiah, stoned
Zechariah the son of Jehoiada in the temple. If they that live godly
in Christ Jesus themselves shall suffer persecution, much
more they that press others to it. This was God’s old quarrel with the
Jews, misusing his prophets,
(2.) It has been their lot to suffer from their Master’s own tenants;
they were the husbandmen that treated them thus, the chief priests and
elders that sat in Moses’s chair, that professed religion and
relation to God; these were the most bitter enemies of the Lord’s
prophets, that cast them out, and killed them, and said, Let the
Lord be glorified,
Isa. lxvi. 5.
See
Now see,
[1.] How God persevered in his goodness to them. He sent other
servants, more than the first; though the first sped not, but were
abused. He had sent them John the Baptist, and him they had beheaded;
and yet he sent them his disciples, to prepare his way. O the riches of
the patience and forbearance of God, in keeping up in his church a
despised, persecuted ministry!
[2.] How they persisted in their wickedness. They did unto them
likewise. One sin makes way for another of the same kind. They that
are drunk with the blood of the saints, add drunkenness to thirst, and
still cry, Give, give.
2. At length, he sent them his Son; we have seen God’s goodness in
sending, and their badness in abusing, the servants; but in the latter
instance both these exceed themselves.
(1.) Never did grace appear more gracious than in sending the
Son. This was done last of all. Note, All the prophets were
harbingers and forerunners to Christ. He was sent last; for if nothing
else would work upon them, surely this would; it was therefore served
for the ratio ultima–the last expedient. Surely they will reverence
my Son, and therefore I will send him. Note, It might reasonably be
expected that the Son of God, when he came to his own, should be
reverenced; and reverence to Christ would be a powerful and effectual
principle of fruitfulness and obedience, to the glory of God; if they
will but reverence the Son, the point is gained. Surely they will
reverence my Son, for he comes with more authority than the
servants could; judgment is committed to him, that all men should
honour him. There is greater danger in refusing him than in
despising Moses’s law.
(2.) Never did sin appear more sinful than in the abusing of him, which
was now to be done in two or three days. Observe,
[1.] How it was plotted
(v. 38);
When they saw the Son: when he came, whom the people owned and
followed as the Messiah, who would either have the rent paid, or
distrain for it; this touched their copyhold, and they were resolved to
make one bold push for it, and to preserve their wealth and grandeur by
taking him out of the way, who was the only hindrance to it, and
rival with them. This is the heir, come, let us kill him. Pilate
and Herod, the princes of this world, knew not; for if they
had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,
1 Cor. ii. 8.
But the chief priests and elders knew that this was the
heir, at least some of them; and therefore Come, let us kill
him. Many are killed for what they have. The chief thing they
envied him, and for which they hated and feared him, was his interest
in the people, and their hosannas, which, if he was taken off, they
hope to engross securely to themselves. They pretended that he must
die, to save the people from the Romans
(John xi. 50);
but really he must die, to save their hypocrisy and tyranny from that
reformation which the expected kingdom of the Messiah would certainly
bring along with it. He drives the buyers and sellers out of the
temple; and therefore let us kill him; and then, as if the
premises must of course go to the occupant, let us seize on his
inheritance. They thought, if they could but get rid of this Jesus,
they should carry all before them in the church without control, might
impose what traditions, and force the people to what submissions, they
pleased. Thus they take counsel against the Lord and his
Anointed; but he that sits in heaven, laughs to see them
outshot in their own bow; for, while they thought to kill him,
and so to seize on his inheritance, he went by his cross to his crown,
and they were broken pieces with a rod of iron, and their inheritance
seized.
[2.] How this plot was executed,
While they were so set upon killing him, in pursuance of their design
to secure their own pomp and power, and while he was so set upon dying,
in pursuance of his design to subdue Satan, and save his chosen, no
wonder if they soon caught him, and slew him, when his hour was
come. Though the Roman power condemned him, yet it is still charged
upon the chief priests and elders; for they were not only the
prosecutors, but the principal agents, and had the greater sin. Ye
have taken,
Acts ii. 23.
Nay looking upon him to be as unworthy to live, as they were unwilling
he should, they cast him out of the vineyard, out of the holy
church, which they supposed themselves to have the key of, and out of
the holy city for he was crucified without the gate,
Heb. xiii. 12.
As if He had been the shame and reproach, who was the greatest
glory of his people Israel. Thus they who persecuted the servants,
persecuted the Son; as men treat God’s ministers, they would treat
Christ himself, if he were with them.
IV. Here is their doom read out of their own mouths,
He puts it to them, When the Lord of the vineyard cometh, what will
he do unto these husbandmen? He puts it to themselves, for their
stronger conviction, that knowing the judgment of God against
them which do such things, they might be the more inexcusable. Note,
God’s proceedings are so unexceptionable, that there needs but an
appeal to sinners themselves concerning the equity of them. God will be
justified when he speaks. They could readily answer, He will
miserably destroy those wicked men. Note, Many can easily
prognosticate the dismal consequences of other people’s sins, that see
not what will be the end of their own.
1. Our Saviour, in his question, supposes that the lord of the
vineyard will come, and reckon with them. God is the Lord of the
vineyard; the property is his, and he will make them know it,
who now lord it over his heritage, as if it were all their own.
The Lord of the vineyard will come. Persecutors say in their hearts, He
delays his coming, he doth not see, he will not
require; but they shall find, though he bear long with them, he
will not bear always. It is comfort to abused saints and ministers,
that the Lord is at hand, the Judge stands before the
door. When he comes, what will he do to carnal professors? What
will he do to cruel persecutors? They must be called to account, they
have their day now; but he sees that his day is coming.
2. They, in their answer, suppose that it will be a terrible reckoning;
the crime appearing so very black, you may be sure,
(1.) That he will miserably destroy those wicked men; it is
destruction that is their doom. Kakous kakos
apolesei—Malos male perdet. Let men never expect to do
ill, and fare well. This was fulfilled upon the Jews, in that miserable
destruction which was brought upon them by the Romans, and was
completed about forty years after this; and unparalleled ruin, attended
with all the most dismal aggravating circumstances. It will be
fulfilled upon all that tread in the steps of their wickedness; hell is
everlasting destruction, and it will be the most miserable destruction
to them of all others, that have enjoyed the greatest share of church
privileges, and have not improved them. The hottest place in hell will
be the portion of hypocrites and persecutors.
(2.) That he will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen.
Note, God will have a church in the world, notwithstanding the
unworthiness and opposition of many that abuse the privileges of it.
The unbelief and frowardness of man shall not make the word of God of
no effect. If one will not, another will. The Jews’ leavings were the
Gentiles’ feast. Persecutors may destroy the ministers, but cannot
destroy the church. The Jews imagined that no doubt they were the
people, and wisdom and holiness must die with them; and if
they were cut off, what would God do for a church in the world? But
when God makes use of any to bear up his name, it is not because he
needs them, nor is he at all beholden to them. If we were made a
desolation and an astonishment, God could build a flourishing church
upon our ruins; for he is never at a loss what to do for his great
name, whatever becomes of us, and of our place and nation.
V. The further illustration and application of this by Christ himself,
telling them, in effect, that they had rightly judged.
1. He illustrates it by referring to a scripture fulfilled in this
(v. 42);
Did ye never read in the scriptures? Yes, no doubt, they had
often read and sung it, but had not considered it. We lose the benefit
of what we read for want of meditation. The scripture he quotes is
the same context out of which the children fetched their hosannas. The
same word yields matter of praise and comfort to Christ’s friends and
followers, which speaks conviction and terror to his enemies. Such a
two-edged sword is the word of God. That scripture, the Stone which
the builders refused is become the headstone of the corner,
illustrates the preceding parable, especially that part of it which
refers to Christ.
(1.) The builders’ rejecting of the stone is the same with the
husbandmen’s abusing of the son that was sent to them. The chief
priests and the elders were the builders, had the oversight of the
Jewish church, which was God’s building: and they would not allow
Christ a place in their building, would not admit his doctrine or laws
into their constitution; they threw him aside as a despised broken
vessel, a stone that would serve only for a stepping-stone, to be
trampled upon.
(2.) The advancing of this stone to be the head of the corner is the
same with letting out the vineyard to other husbandmen. He who
was rejected by the Jews was embraced by the Gentiles; and to that
church where there is no difference of circumcision or uncircumcision,
Christ is all, and in all. His authority over the gospel church,
and influence upon it, his ruling it as the Head, and uniting it as the
Corner-stone, are the great tokens of his exhaltation. Thus, in spite
of the malice of the priests and elders, he divided a portion with
the great, and received his kingdom, though they would not
have him to reign over them.
(3.) The hand of God was in all this; This is the Lord’s doing.
Even the rejecting of him by the Jewish builders was by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God; he permitted and overruled it; much
more was his advancement to the Head of the corner; his right hand and
his holy arm brought it about; it was God himself that highly
exalted him, and gave him a name above every name; and it is
marvellous in our eyes. The wickedness of the Jews that rejected
him is marvellous,; that men should be so prejudiced against their own
interest! See
The honour done him by the Gentile world, notwithstanding the abuses
done him by his own people, is marvellous; that he whom men despised
and abhorred, should be adored by kings!
But it is the Lord’s doing.
2. He applies it to them, and application is the life of preaching.
(1.) He applies the sentence which they had passed
(v. 41),
and turns it upon themselves; not the former part of it, concerning the
miserable destruction of the husbandmen (he could not bear to speak of
that), but the latter part, of letting out the vineyard to
others; because though it looked black upon the Jews, it spoke good
to the Gentiles. Know then,
[1.] That the Jews shall be unchurched; The kingdom of God shall be
taken from you. This turning out of the husbandmen speaks the same
doom with that of dismantling the vineyard, and laying it common.
To the Jews had long pertained the adoption and the glory
(Rom. ix. 4);
to them were committed the oracles of God
(Rom. iii. 2),
and the sacred trust of revealed religion, and bearing up of God’s name
in the world
but now it shall be so no longer. They were not only unfruitful in the
use of their privileges, but, under pretence of them, opposed the
gospel of Christ, and so forfeited them, and it was not long ere the
forfeiture was taken. Note, It is a righteous thing with God to remove
church privileges from those that not only sin against them, but sin
with them,
The kingdom of God was taken from the Jews, not only by the temporal
judgments that befel them, but by the spiritual judgments they lay
under, their blindness of mind, hardness of heart, and indignation at
the gospel,
Rom. xi. 8-10; 1 Thess. ii. 15.
[2.] That the Gentiles shall be taken in. God needs not ask us leave
whether he shall have a church in the world; though his vine be plucked
up in one place, he will find another to plant it in. He will give it
ethnei—to the Gentile world, that will bring
forth the fruit of it. They who had been not a people, and had not
obtained mercy, became favourites of Heaven. This is the mystery which
blessed Paul was so much affected with
and which the Jews were so much affronted by,
At the first planting of Israel in Canaan, the fall of the Gentiles
was the riches of Israel
so, at their extirpation, the fall of Israel was the riches of the
Gentiles,
It shall go to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Note,
Christ knows beforehand who will bring forth gospel fruits in the use
of gospel means; because our fruitfulness is all the work of his own
hands, and known unto God are all his works. They shall bring
forth the fruits better than the Jews had done; God has had more glory
from the New Testament church than from that of the Old Testament; for,
when he changes, it shall not be to his loss.
(2.) He applies the scripture which he had quoted
(v. 42),
to their terror,
This Stone, which the builders refused, is set for the fall
of many in Israel; and we have here the doom of two sorts of
people, for whose fall it proves that Christ is set.
[1.] Some, through ignorance, stumble at Christ in his estate of
humiliation; when this Stone lies on the earth, where the builders
threw it, they, through their blindness and carelessness, fall on it,
fall over it, and they shall be broken. The offence they take at
Christ, will not hurt him, any more than he that stumbles, hurts the
stone he stumbles at; but it will hurt themselves; they will fall, and
be broken, and snared,
Isa. viii. 14; 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8.
The unbelief of sinners will be their ruin.
[2.] Others, through malice, oppose Christ, and bid defiance to him in
his estate of exaltation, when this Stone is advanced to the head of
the corner; and on them it shall fall, for they pull it on their
own heads, as the Jews did by that challenge, His blood be upon us
and upon our children, and it will grind them to powder. The
former seems to bespeak the sin and ruin of all unbelievers; this is
the greater sin, and sorer ruin, of persecutors, that kick against
the pricks, and persist in it. Christ’s kingdom will be a
burthensome stone to all those that attempt to overthrow it, or heave
it out of its place; see
This Stone cut out of the mountain without hands, will break in pieces
all opposing power,
Some make this an allusion to the manner of stoning to death among the
Jews. The malefactors were first thrown down violently from a high
scaffold upon a great stone, which would much bruise them; but then
they threw another great stone upon them, which would crush them to
pieces: one way or other, Christ will utterly destroy all those that
fight against him. If they be so stout-hearted, that they are not
destroyed by falling on this stone, yet it shall fall on them, and so
destroy them. He will strike through kings, he will fill the
places with dead bodies,
Ps. cx. 5, 6.
None ever hardened his heart against God and prospered.
Lastly, The entertainment which this discourse of Christ met
with among the chief priests and elders, that heard his parables.
1. They perceived that he spake of them
(v. 45),
and that in what they said
(v. 41)
they had but read their own doom. Note, A guilty conscience needs no
accuser, and sometimes will save a minister the labour of saying,
Thou art the man. Mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur–Change but
the name, the tale is told of the. So quick and powerful is the
word of God, and such a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart, that it is easy for bad men (if conscience be not quite seared)
to perceive that it speaks of them.
2. They sought to lay hands on him. Note, When those who hear
the reproofs of the word, perceive that it speaks of them, if it do not
do them a great deal of good, it will certainly do them a great deal of
hurt. If they be not pricked to the heart with conviction and
contrition, as they were
they will be cut to the heart with rage and indignation, as they were
3. They durst not do it, for fear of the multitude, who took him for
a prophet, though not for the Messiah; this served to keep the
Pharisees in awe. The fear of the people restrained them from speaking
ill of John
(v. 26),
and here from doing ill to Christ. Note, God has many ways of
restraining the remainders of wrath, as he has of making that which
breaks out redound to his praise,
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