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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
M A R K.
CHAP. XII.
In this chapter, we have,
I. The parable of the vineyard let out to unthankful husbandmen,
representing the sin and ruin of the Jewish church,
II. Christ’s silencing those who thought to ensnare him with a
question about paying tribute Cæsar,
III. His silencing the Sadducees, who attempted to perplex the doctrine
of the resurrection,
IV. His conference with a scribe about the first and great command of
the law,
V. His puzzling the scribes with a question about Christ’s being the
Son of David,
VI. The caution he gave the people, to take heed of the scribes,
VII. His commendation of the poor widow that cast her two mites into
the treasury,
| The Vineyard and Husbandmen. |
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1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man
planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a
place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to
husbandmen, and went into a far country.
2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that
he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the
vineyard.
3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away
empty.
4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they
cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away
shamefully handled.
5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many
others; beating some, and killing some.
6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him
also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of
the vineyard.
9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will
come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto
others.
10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the
builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people:
for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and
they left him, and went their way.
Christ had formerly in parables showed how he designed to set up the
gospel church; now he begins in parables to show how he would lay aside
the Jewish church, which it might have been grafted into the stock
of, but was built upon the ruins of. This parable we had
just as we have it here,
We may observe here,
I. They that enjoy the privileges of the visible church, have a
vineyard let out to them, which is capable of great improvement, and
from the occupiers of which rent is justly expected. When God showed
his word unto Jacob, his statutes and judgments unto Israel
when he set up his temple among them, his priesthood, and his
ordinances, then he let out to them the vineyard he had
planted; which he hedged, and in which he built a
tower,
v. 1.
Members of the church are God’s tenants, and they have both a good
Landlord and a good bargain, and may live well upon it, if it be not
their own fault.
II. Those whom God lets out his vineyard to, he sends his servants to,
to put them in mind of his just expectations from them,
v. 2.
He was not hasty in his demands, nor high, for he did not
send for the rent till they could make it, at the season; nor
did he put them to the trouble of making money of it, but was willing
to take it in specie.
III. It is sad to think what base usage God’s faithful ministers have
met with, in all ages, from those that have enjoyed the privileges of
the church, and have not brought forth fruit answerable. The
Old-Testament prophets were persecuted even by those that went under
the name of the Old-Testament church. They beat them, and
sent them empty away
(v. 3);
that was bad: they wounded them, and sent them away
shamefully entreated
(v. 4);
that was worse: nay, at length, they came to such a pitch of
wickedness, that they killed them,
v. 5.
IV. It was no wonder if those who abused the prophets, abused Christ
himself. God did at length send them his Son, his well-beloved;
it was therefore so much the greater kindness in him to send him; as in
Jacob to send Joseph to visit his brethren,
And it might be
expected that he whom their Master loved, they also should
respect and love
(v. 6);
“They will reverence my son, and, in reverence to him, will pay
their rent.” But, instead of reverencing him because he was the
son and heir, they therefore hated him,
v. 7.
Because Christ, in calling to repentance and reformation, made his
demands with more authority than the prophets had done, they were the
more enraged against him, and determined to put him to death, that they
might engross all church power to themselves, and that all the respect
and obedience of the people might be paid to them only; “The
inheritance shall be ours, we will be lords paramount, and bear all
the sway.” There is an inheritance, which, if they had duly
reverenced the Son, might have been theirs, a heavenly
inheritance; but they slighted that, and would have their inheritance
in the wealth, and pomp, and powers, of this world. So they took
him, and killed him; they had not done it yet, but they would do it
in a little time; and they cast him out of the vineyard, they
refused to admit his gospel when he was gone; it would by no means
agree with their scheme, and so they threw it out with disdain and
detestation.
V. For such sinful and shameful doings nothing can be expected but a
fearful doom
(v. 9);
What shall therefore the Lord of the vineyard do? It is easy to
say what, for nothing could be done more provoking.
1. He will come, and destroy the husbandmen, whom he would have
saved. When they only denied the fruit, he did not distrain upon
them for rent, nor disseize them and dispossess them for
non-payment; but when they killed his servants, and his Son, he
determined to destroy them; and this was fulfilled when
Jerusalem was laid waste, and the Jewish nation extirpated and made a
desolation.
2. He will give the vineyards to others. If he have not the rent
from them, he will have it from another people, for God will be no
loser by any. This was fulfilled in the taking in of the Gentiles, and
the abundance of fruit which the gospel brought forth in all the
world,
Col. i. 6.
If some from whom we expected well, prove bad, it doth not follow but
that others will be better. Christ encouraged himself with this in his
undertaking; Though Israel be not gathered, not gathered to him,
but gathered against him, yet shall I be glorious
as a Light to lighten the Gentiles.
3. Their opposition to Christ’s exaltation shall be no obstruction to
it
(v. 10, 11);
The stone which the builders rejected, notwithstanding that, is
become the Head of the corner, is highly advanced as the
Head-stone, and of necessary use and influence as the
Corner-stone. God will set Christ as his King, upon his
holy hill of Zion, in spite of their project, who would
break his bands asunder. And all the world shall see and own
this to be the Lord’s doing, in justice to the Jews, and in
compassion to the Gentiles. The exaltation of Christ was the Lord’s
doing, and it is his doing to exalt him in our hearts, and
to set up his throne there; and if it be done, it cannot but be
marvellous in our eyes.
Now what effect had this parable upon the chief priests and scribes,
whose conviction was designed by it? They knew he spoke this parable
against them,
v. 12.
They could not but see their own faces in the glass of it; and one
would think it showed them their sin so very heinous, and their ruin so
certain and great, that it should have frightened them into a
compliance with Christ and his gospel, should have prevailed to bring
them to repentance, at least to make them desist from their malicious
purpose against him: but, instead of that,
(1.) They sought to lay hold on him, and make him their prisoner
immediately, and so to fulfil what he had just now said they would do
to him,
v. 8.
(2.) Nothing restrained them from it but the awe they stood in of the
people; they did not reverence Christ, nor had an fear of
God before their eyes, but were afraid, if they should publicly lay
hold on Christ, the mob would rise, and lay hold on them, and rescue
them.
(3.) They left him, and went their way; if they could not do
hurt to him, they resolved he should not do good to them, and therefore
they got out of the hearing of his powerful preaching, lest they
should be converted and healed. Note, If men’s prejudices be not
conquered by the evidence of truth, they are but confirmed; and if the
corruptions of the heart be not subdued by faithful reproofs, they are
but enraged and exasperated. If the gospel be not a savour of life
unto life, it will be a savour of death unto death.
| The Question Respecting Tribute. |
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13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the
Herodians, to catch him in his words.
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know
that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not
the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it
lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not?
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their
hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny,
that I may see it.
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is
this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cæsar’s.
17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cæsar the
things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
And they marvelled at him.
When the enemies of Christ, who thirsted for his blood, could not find
occasion against him from what he said against them, they tried to
ensnare him by putting questions to him. Here we have him tempted, or
attempted rather, with a question about the lawfulness of paying
tribute to Cæsar. We had this narrative,
I. The persons they employed were the Pharisees and the
Herodians, men that in this matter were contrary to one another,
and yet concurred against Christ,
The Pharisees were great sticklers for the liberty of the Jews, and, if
he should say, It is lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, they would
incense the common people against him, and the Herodians would,
underhand, assist them in it. The Herodians were great sticklers for
the Roman power, and, if he should discountenance the paying of tribute
to Cæsar, they would incense the governor against hum, yea, and
the Pharisees, against their own principles, would join with them in
it. It is no new thing for those that are at variance in other things,
to join in a confederacy against Christ.
II. The pretence they made was, that they desired him to resolve them a
case of conscience, which was of great importance in the present
juncture; and they take on them to have a high opinion of his ability
to resolve it,
They complimented him at a high rate, called him Master, owned
him for a Teacher of the way of God, a Teacher of it in
truth, one who taught what was good, and upon principles of truth,
who would not be brought by smiles or frowns to depart a step from the
rules of equity and goodness; “Thou carest for no man, nor
regardest the person of men, thou art not afraid of offending
either the jealous prince on one hand, or the jealous people on the
other; thou art right, and always in the right, and dost in a
right manner declare good and evil, truth and falsehood.” If they spoke
as they thought concerning Christ, when they said, We know that thou
art right, their persecuting him, and putting him to death, as a
deceiver, was sin against knowledge; they knew him, and yet crucified
him. However, a man’s testimony shall be taken most strongly against
himself, and out of their own mouths are they judged; they knew
that he taught the way of God in truth, and yet rejected the counsel of
God against themselves. The professions and pretences of hypocrites
will be produced in evidence against them, and they will be
self-condemned. But if they did not know or believe it, they lied
unto God with their mouth, and flattered him with their tongue.
III. The question they put was, Is it lawful to give tribute to
Cæsar, or not? They would be thought desirous to know their
duty. As a nation that did righteousness, they ask of God the
ordinances of justice, when really they desired nothing but to know
what he would say, in hopes that, which side soever he took of the
question, they might take occasion from it to accuse him. Nothing is
more likely to ensnare ministers, than bringing them to meddle with
controversies about civil rights, and to settle land-marks between the
prince and the subject, which it is fit should be done, while it is not
at all fit that they should have the doing of it. They seemed to refer
the determining of this matter to Christ; and he indeed was fit to
determine it, for by him kings reign, and princes decree
justice; they put the question fairly, Shall we give, or shall
we not give? They seemed resolved to stand to his award; “If thou
sayest that we must pay tribute, we will do it, thou we be made beggars
by it. If thou sayest that we must not, we will not, though we be made
traitors for it.” Many seemed desirous to do it; as those proud men,
IV. Christ determined the question, and evaded the snare, by referring
them to their national concessions already made, by which they were
precluded from disputing this matter,
He knew their hypocrisy, the malice that was in their hearts
against him, while with their mouth they showed all this love.
Hypocrisy, though ever so artfully managed, cannot be concealed from
the Lord Jesus. He sees the potsherd that is covered with
the silver dross. He knew they intended to ensnare him, and
therefore contrived the matter so as to ensnare them, and to oblige
them by their own words to do what they were unwilling to do, which
was, to pay their taxes honestly and quietly, and yet at the same time
to screen himself against their exceptions. He made them acknowledge
that the current money of their nation was Roman money, had the
emperor’s image on one side, and his superscription on the
reverse; and if so,
1. Cæsar might command their money for the public benefit,
because he had the custody and conduct of the state, wherein he ought
to have his charges borne; Render to Cæsar the things that are
Cæsar’s. The circulation of the money is from him as the
fountain, and therefore it must return to him. As far as it is
his, so far it must be rendered to him; and how far it is
his, and may be commanded by him, is to be judged by the
constitution of the government, according as it is, and hath settled
the prerogative of the prince and the property of the subject.
2. Cæsar might not command their consciences, nor did he pretend
to it; he offered not to make any alteration in their religion. “Pay
your tribute, therefore, without murmuring or disputing, but be sure to
render to God the things that are God’s.” Perhaps he referred to
the parable he had just now put forth, in which he had condemned them
for not rendering the fruits to the Lord of the vineyard,
v. 2.
Many that seem careful to give to men their due, are in no care to give
God the glory due to his name; whereas our hearts and best
affections are as much due to him as ever rent was to a landlord, or
tribute to a prince. All that heard Christ, marvelled at the
discretion of his answer, and how ingenuously he avoided the snare; but
I doubt none were brought by it, as they ought to be, to render to God
themselves and their devotions. Many will commend the wit of a sermon,
that will not be commanded by the divine laws of a sermon.
| The Question of the Sadducees. |
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18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no
resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and
leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his
brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife,
and dying left no seed.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed:
and the third likewise.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the
woman died also.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose
wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err,
because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in
heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read
in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob?
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye
therefore do greatly err.
The Sadducees, who were the deists of that age, here attack our Lord
Jesus, it should seem, not as the scribes, and Pharisees, and
chief-priests, with any malicious design upon his person; they were not
bigots and persecutors, but sceptics and infidels, and their design was
upon his doctrine, to hinder the spreading of that: they denied that
there was any resurrection, and world of spirits, any state of rewards
and punishments on the other side of death: now those great and
fundamental truths which they denied, Christ had made it his business
to establish and prove, and had carried the notion of them much further
that ever it was before carried; and therefore they set themselves to
perplex his doctrine.
I. See here the method they take to entangle it; they quote the ancient
law, by which, if a man died without issue, his brother was obliged to
marry his widow,
They suppose a case to happen that, according to that law, seven
brothers were, successively, the husbands of one woman,
Probably, these Sadducees, according to their wonted profaneness,
intended hereby to ridicule that law, and so to bring the whole frame
of the Mosaic institution into contempt, as absurd and inconvenient in
the practice of it. Those who deny divine truths, commonly set
themselves to disparage divine laws and ordinances. But this was only
by the by; their design was to expose the doctrine of the resurrection;
for they suppose that if there be a future state, it must be such a one
as this, and then the doctrine, they think, is clogged either with this
invincible absurdity, that a woman in that state must have seven
husbands, or else with this insolvable difficulty, whose wife must she
be. See with what subtlety these heretics undermine the truth;
they do not deny it, nor say, There can be no
resurrection; nay, they do not seem to doubt of it, nor say, If
there be a resurrection, whose wife shall she be? as the devil to
Christ, If thou be the Son of God. But, as though these beasts
of the field were more subtle than the serpent himself, they pretend to
own the truth, as if they were not Sadducees, no not they; who said
that they denied the resurrection? They take it for granted that there
is a resurrection, and would be thought to desire instruction
concerning it, when really they are designing to give a fatal stab, and
think that they shall do it. Note, It is the common artifice of
heretics and Sadducees to perplex and entangle the truth, which they
have not the impudence to deny.
II. See here the method Christ takes to clear and establish this truth,
which they attempted to darken, and give a shock to. This was a matter
of moment, and therefore Christ does not pass it over lightly, but
enlarges upon it, that, if they should not be reclaimed, yet others
might be confirmed.
1. He charges the Sadducees with error, and charges that upon
their ignorance. They who banter the doctrine of the
resurrection as some do in our age, would be thought the only knowing
men, because the only free thinkers, when really they are the
fools in Israel, and the most enslaved and, prejudiced thinkers
in the world. Do ye not therefore err? Ye cannot but be sensible
of it yourselves, and that the cause of your error is,
(1.) Because ye do not know the scriptures. Not but that the
Sadducees had read the scriptures, and perhaps were ready in them; yet
they might be truly said not to know the scriptures, because
they did not know the sense and meaning of them, but put false
constructions upon them; or they did not receive the scriptures as the
word of God, but set up their own corrupt reasonings in opposition to
the scripture, and would believe nothing but what they could see. Note,
A right knowledge of the scripture, as the fountain whence all revealed
religion now flows, and the foundation on which it is built, is the
best preservative against error. Keep the truth, the scripture-truth,
and it shall keep thee.
(2.) Because ye know not the power of God. They could not but
know that God is almighty, but they would not apply that doctrine to
this matter, but gave up the truth to the objections of the
impossibility of it, which would all have been answered, if they had
but stuck to the doctrine of God’s omnipotence, to which nothing is
impossible. This therefore which God hath spoken once, we are
concerned to hear twice, to hear and believe, to hear and apply–that
power belongs to God,
Ps. lxii. 11; Rom. iv. 19-21.
The same power that made soul and body and preserved them while they
were together, can preserve the body safe, and the soul active, when
they are parted, and can unite them together again; for behold, the
Lord’s arm is not shortened. The power of God, seen in the return
of the spring
(Ps. civ. 30),
in the reviving of the corn
(John xii. 24),
in the restoring of an abject people to their prosperity
in the raising of so many to life, miraculously, both in the Old
Testament and in the New, and especially in the resurrection of Christ
are all earnests of our resurrection by the same power
according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all
things to himself.
2. He sets aside all the force of their objection, by setting the
doctrine of the future state in a true light
(v. 25);
When they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are
given in marriage. It is a folly to ask, Whose wife shall she be
of the seven? For the relation between husband and wife, though
instituted in the earthly paradise, will not be known in the heavenly
one. Turks and infidels expect sensual pleasures in their fools’
paradise, but Christians know better things–that flesh and
blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God
and expect better things–even a full satisfaction in God’s love
and likeness
(Ps. xvii. 15);
they are as the angels of God in heaven, and we know that they
have neither wives nor children. It is no wonder if we confound
ourselves with endless absurdities, when we measure our ideas of the
world of spirits by the affairs of this world of sense.
III. He builds the doctrine of the future state, and of the blessedness
of the righteous in that state, upon the covenant of God with Abraham,
which God was pleased to own, being after Abraham’s death,
He appeals to the scriptures; Have ye not read in the book of
Moses? We have some advantage in dealing with those that have
read the scriptures, though many that have read them, wrest
them, as these Sadducees did, to their own destruction. Now
that which he refers them to is, what God says to Moses at the bush,
I am the God of Abraham; not only, I was so, but I
am so; I am the portion and happiness of Abraham, a God
all-sufficient to him. Note, It is absurd to think that God’s relation
to Abraham should be continued, and thus solemnly recognised, if
Abraham was annihilated, or that the living God should be the
portion and happiness of a man that is dead, and must be for ever so;
and therefore you must conclude,
1. That Abraham’s soul exists and acts as a state of separation from
the body.
2. That therefore, some time or other, the body must rise again; for
there is such an innate inclination in a human soul towards its body,
as would make a total and everlasting separation inconsistent with the
ease and repose, much more with the bliss and joy of those souls that
have the Lord for their God. Upon the whole matter, he concludes,
Ye therefore do greatly err. Those that deny the resurrection,
greatly err, and ought to be told so.
| The Hopeful Scribe. |
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28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning
together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked
him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments
is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater
than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said
the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength,
and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole
burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto
him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after
that durst ask him any question.
The scribes and Pharisees were (however bad otherwise) enemies to the
Sadducees; now one would have expected that, when they heard Christ
argue so well against the Sadducees, they would have countenanced him,
as they did Paul when he appeared against the Sadducees
but it had not the effect: because he did not fall in with them in the
ceremonials of religion, he agreeing with them in the essentials,
gained him no manner of respect with them. Only we have here an account
of one of them, a scribe, who had so much civility in him as to
take notice of Christ’s answer to the Sadducees, and to own that he had
answered well, and much to the purpose
(v. 28);
and we have reason to hope that he did not join with the other scribes
in persecuting Christ; for here we have his application to Christ for
instruction, and it was such as became him; not tempting Christ, but
desiring to improve his acquaintance with him.
I. He enquired, Which is the first commandment of all?
v. 28.
He doth not mean the first in order, but the first in
weight and dignity; “Which is that command which we ought
to have in a special manner an eye to, and our obedience to which will
lay a foundation for our obedience to all the rest?” Not that any
commandment of God is little (they are all the commands of a great
God), but some are greater than others, moral precepts than rituals,
and of some we may say, They are the greatest of all.
II. Christ gave him a direct answer to this enquiry,
Those that sincerely desire to be instructed concerning their duty,
Christ will guide in judgment, and teach his way. He
tells him,
1. That the great commandment of all, which is indeed inclusive of all,
is, that of loving God with all our hearts.
(1.) Where there is a commanding principle in the soul, there is a
disposition to every other duty. Love is the leading affection of the
soul; the love of God is the leading grace in the renewed soul.
(2.) Where this is not, nothing else that is good is done, or done
aright, or accepted, or done long. Loving God with all our heart, will
effectually take us off from, and arm us against, all those things that
are rivals with him for the throne in our souls, and will engage us to
every thing by which he may be honoured, and with which he will be
pleased; and no commandment will be grievous where this principle
commands, and has the ascendant. Now here in, Mark, our Saviour
prefixes to this command the great doctrinal truth upon which it is
built
(v. 29);
Hear, O Israel, The Lord our God is one Lord; if we firmly
believe this, it will follow, that we shall love him with all our
heart. He is Jehovah, who has all amiable perfections in himself;
he is our God, to whom we stand related and obliged; and
therefore we ought to love him, to set our affections on him,
let out own desire toward him, and take a delight in him; and he is
one Lord, therefore he must be loved with our whole
heart; he has the sole right to us, and therefore ought to
have the sole possession of us. If he be one, our hearts must be
one with him, and since there is no God besides, no rival must be
admitted with him upon the throne.
2. That the second great commandment is, to love our neighbour as
ourselves
(v. 31),
as truly and sincerely as we love ourselves, and in the same instances,
and we must show it by doing as we would be done by. As we must
therefore love God better than ourselves, because he is Jehovah, a
being infinitely better than we are, and must love him with all our
heart, because he is one Lord, and there is no other like
him; so we must love our neighbour as ourselves, because he is
of the same nature with ourselves; our hearts are fashioned alike, and
my neighbour and myself are of one body, of one society, that of the
world of mankind; and if a fellow-Christian, and of the same sacred
society, the obligation is the stronger. Hath not one God created
us?
Mal. ii. 10.
Has not one Christ redeemed us? Well might Christ say, There is no
other commandment greater than these; for in these all the law is
fulfilled, and if we make conscience of obedience to these, all other
instances of obedience will follow of course.
III. The scribe consented to what Christ said, and descanted upon it,
1. He commends Christ’s decision of this question; Well, Master,
thou hast said the truth. Christ’s assertions needed not the
scribe’s attestations; but this scribe, being a man in authority,
thought it would put some reputation upon what Christ said, to have it
commended by him; and it shall be brought in evidence against those who
persecuted Christ, as a deceiver, that one of themselves, even a scribe
of their own, confessed that he said the truth, and said it
well. And thus must we subscribe to Christ’s sayings, must set
to our seal that they are true.
2. He comments upon it. Christ had quoted that great doctrine, that
the Lord our God is one Lord; and this he not only assented to,
but added, “There is none other but he; and therefore we must
have no other God besides.” This excludes all rivals with him, and
secures the throne in the heart entire for him. Christ had laid down
that great law, of loving God with all our hearts; and this also
he explains–that it is loving him with the understanding, as
those that know what abundant reason we have to love him. Our love to
God, as it must be an entire, so it must be an
intelligent, love; we must love him with all the
understanding, ex holes tes syneseos—out of the whole
understanding; our rational powers and faculties must all be set on
work to lead out the affections of our souls toward God. Christ has
said, “To love God and our neighbour is the greatest commandment of
all;” “Yea,” saith the scribe, “it is better, it is more than all
whole-burnt-offerings and sacrifices, more acceptable to God, and
will turn to a better account to ourselves.” There were those who held,
that the law of sacrifices was the greatest commandment
of all; but this scribe readily agreed with our Saviour in this–that
the law of love to God and our neighbour is greater than that of
sacrifice, even than that of whole-burnt-offerings, which
were intended purely for the honour of God.
IV. Christ approved of what he said, and encouraged him to proceed in
his enquiries of him,
1. He owned that he understood well, as far as he went; so far, so
good. Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, and was the more
pleased with it, because he had of late met with so many even of the
scribes, men of letters, that answered indiscreetly, as those
that had no understanding, nor desired to have any. He answered
nounechos—as one that had a mind; as a rational
intelligent man, as one that had his wits about him; as one whose
reason was not blinded, whose judgment was not biassed, and whose
forethought was not fettered, by the prejudices which other scribes
were so much under the power of. He answered as one that allowed
himself liberty and leisure to consider, as one that had considered.
2. He owned that he stood fair for a further advance; “Thou art not
far from the kingdom of God, the kingdom of grace and glory; thou
art in a likely way to be a Christian, a disciple of Christ. For the
doctrine of Christ insists most upon these things, and is designed, and
has a tendency direct, to bring thee to this.” Note, There is hope of
those who make a good use of the light they have, and go as far as that
will carry them, that by the grace of God they will be led further, by
the clearer discoveries God has to make to them. What became of this
scribe we are not told, but would willingly hope that he took the hint
Christ hereby gave him, and that, having been told by him, so much to
his satisfaction, what was the great commandment of the law, he
proceeded to enquire of him, or his apostles, what was the great
commandment of the gospel too. Yet, if he did not, but took, up here,
and went no further, we are not to think it strange; for there are many
who are not far from the kingdom of God, and yet never come
thither. Now, one would think, this should have invited many to consult
him: but it had a contrary effect; No man, after that, durst ask him
any question; every thing he said, was spoken with such authority
and majesty, that every one stood in awe of him; those that desired to
learn, were ashamed to ask, and those that designed to
cavil, were afraid to ask.
| Christ the Son and Lord of David. |
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35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple,
How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The
LORD said to
my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy
footstool.
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he
then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the
scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love
salutations in the marketplaces,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost
rooms at feasts:
40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long
prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
Here,
I. Christ shows the people how weak and defective the scribes were in
their preaching, and how unable to solve the difficulties that occurred
in the scriptures of the Old Testament, which they undertook to
expound. Of this he gives an instance, which is not so fully related
here as it was in Matthew. Christ was teaching in the temple:
many things he said, which were not written; but notice is taken of
this, because it will stir us up to enquire concerning Christ,
and to enquire of him; for none can have the right knowledge of
him but from himself; it is not to be had from the
scribes, for they will soon be run aground.
1. They told the people that the Messiah was to be the Son of
David
(v. 35),
and they were in the right; he was not only to descend from his loins,
but to fill his throne
(Luke i. 32);
The Lord shall give him the throne of his father David. The
scripture said it often, but the people took it as what the scribes
said; whereas the truths of God should rather be quoted from our Bibles
than from our ministers, for there is the original of them. Dulcius
ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquæ–The waters are sweetest when drawn
immediately from their source.
2. Yet they could not tell them how, notwithstanding that it was very
proper for David, in spirit, the spirit of prophecy, to call him his
Lord, as he doth,
They had taught the people that concerning the Messiah, which would be
for the honour of their nation–that he should be a branch of their
royal family; but they had not taken care to teach them that which was
for the honour of the Messiah himself–that he should be the Son of
God, and, as such, and not otherwise, David’s Lord. Thus they
held the truth in unrighteousness, and were partial in
the gospel, as well as in the law, of the Old Testament. They were able
to say it, and prove it–that Christ was to be David’s son; but if any
should object, How then doth David himself call him Lord? they
would not know how to avoid the force of the objection. Note, Those are
unworthy to sit in Moses’s seat, who, though they are able to preach
the truth, are not in some measure able to defend it when they have
preached it, and to convince gainsayers.
Now this galled the scribes, to have their ignorance thus exposed, and,
no doubt, incensed them more against Christ; but the common people
heard him gladly,
v. 37.
What he preached was surprising and affecting; and though it reflected
upon the scribes, it was instructive to them, and they had never heard
such preaching. Probably there was something more than ordinarily
commanding and charming in his voice and way of delivery, which
recommended him to the affections of the common people; for we do not
find that any were wrought upon to believe in him, and to
follow him, but he was to them as a lovely song of one that
could play well on an instrument; as Ezekiel was to his hearers,
And perhaps some of these cried, Crucify him, as Herod heard
John Baptist gladly, and yet cut off his head.
II. He cautions the people to take heed of suffering themselves to be
imposed upon by the scribes, and of being infected with their pride and
hypocrisy; He said unto them in his doctrine, “Beware of the
scribes
(v. 38);
stand upon your guard, that you neither imbibe their peculiar opinions,
nor the opinions of the people concerning them.” The charge is long as
drawn up against them in the parallel place
(Matt. xxiii.);
it is here contracted.
1. They affect to appear very great; for they go in long
clothing, with vestures down to their feet, and in those
they walk about the streets, as princes, or judges, or gentlemen
of the long robe. Their going in such clothing was not sinful, but
their loving to go in it, priding themselves in it, valuing
themselves on it, commanding respect by it, saying to their long
clothes, as Saul to Samuel, Honour me now before this people,
this was a product of pride. Christ would have his disciples go with
their loins girt.
2. They affect to appear very good; for they pray, they make
long prayers, as if they were very intimate with heaven, and had
a deal of business there. They took care it should be known that they
prayed, that they prayed long, which, some think, intimates that they
prayed not for themselves only, but for others, and therein were very
particular and very large; this they did for a pretence, that
they might seem to love prayer, not only for God’s sake, whom hereby
they pretended to glorify, but for their neighbour’s sake, whom hereby
they pretended to be serviceable to.
3. They here aimed to advance themselves: they coveted applause,
and were fond of it; they loved salutations in the marketplaces,
and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at
feasts; these pleased a vain fancy; to have these given them, they
thought, expressed the value they had for them, who did know
them, and gained them respect for those who did not.
4. They herein aimed to enrich themselves. They devoured
widows’ houses, made themselves masters of their estates by some
trick or other; it was to screen themselves from the suspicion of
dishonesty, that they put on the mask of piety; and that they might not
be thought as bad as the worst, they were studious to seem as good as
the best. Let fraud and oppression be thought the worse of for their
having profaned and disgraced long prayers; but let not
prayers, no nor long prayers, be thought the worse of, if made
in humility and sincerity, for their having been by some thus abused.
But as iniquity, thus disguised with a show of piety, is double
iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy; These shall receive
great damnation; greater than those that live without prayer,
greater than they would have received for the wrong done to the poor
widows, if it had not been thus disguised. Note, The damnation of
hypocrites will be of all others the greatest damnation.
| Christ Commendeth the Poor Widow. |
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41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the
people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast
in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two
mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in,
than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of
her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
This passage of story was not in Matthew, but is here and in Luke; it
is Christ’s commendation of the poor widow, that cast two mites
into the treasury, which our Saviour, busy as he was in preaching,
found leisure to take notice of. Observe,
I. There was a public fund for charity, into which contributions
were brought, and out of which distributions were made; a poor’s-box,
and this in the temple; for works of charity and works of piety
very fitly go together; where God is honoured by our worship, it is
proper he should be honoured by the relief of his poor; and we often
find prayers and alms in conjunction, as
It is good to erect public receptacles of charity for the inviting and
directing of private hands in giving to the poor; nay it is good for
those who are of ability to have funds of their own, to lay by as
God has prospered them
that they might have something ready to give when an object of charity
offers itself, which is before dedicated to such uses.
II. Jesus Christ had an eye upon it; He sat over against the
treasury, and beheld now the people cast money into it; not
grudging either that he had none to cast in, or had not the disposal of
that which was cast in, but observing what was cast in. Note, Our Lord
Jesus takes notice of what we contribute to pious and charitable uses;
whether we give liberally or sparingly; whether cheerfully or with
reluctance and ill-will; nay, he looks at the heart; he observes what
principles we act upon, and what our views are, in giving alms; and
whether we do it as unto the Lord, or only to be seen of men.
III. He saw many that were rich cast in much: and it was a good
sight to see rich people charitable, to see many rich people so,
and to see them not only cast in, but cast in much. Note, Those
that are rich, ought to give richly; if God give abundantly to us, he
expects we should give abundantly to the poor; and it is not enough for
those that are rich, to say, that they give as much as others do, who
perhaps have much less of the world than they have, but they must give
in proportion to their estates; and if objects of charity do not
present themselves, that require so much, they ought to enquire them
out, and to devise liberal things.
IV. There was a poor widow that cast in two mites, which make a
farthing
(v. 42);
and our Lord Jesus highly commended her; called his disciples to
him, and bid them take notice of it
(v. 43);
told them that she could very ill spare that which she gave, she had
scarcely enough for herself, it was all her living, all she had
to live upon for that day, and perhaps a great part of what she had
earned by her labour the day before; and that forasmuch as he knew she
did it from a truly charitable disposition, he reckoned it more than
all that put together, which the rich people threw in; for they did
cast in of their abundance, but she of her want,
v. 44.
Now many would have been ready to censure this poor widow, and
to think she did ill; why should she give to others, when she had
little enough for herself? Charity begins at home; or, if she would
give it, why did she not bestow it upon some poor body that she knew?
What occasion was there for her bringing it to the treasury to
be disposed of by the chief priests, who, we have reason to fear, were
partial in the disposal of it? It is so rare a thing to find any that
would not blame this widow, that we cannot expect to find any that will
imitate her; and yet our Saviour commends her, and therefore we are
sure that she did very well and wisely. If Christ saith,
Well-done, no matter who saith otherwise; and we must hence
learn,
1. That giving alms, is an excellent good thing, and highly
pleasing to the Lord Jesus; and if we be humble and sincere in it, he
will graciously accept of it, though in some circumstances there may
not be all the discretion in the world.
2. Those that have but a little, ought to give alms out of
their little. Those that live by their labour, from hand to
mouth, must give to those that need,
Eph. iv. 28.
3. It is very good for us to straiten and deny ourselves, that we may
be able to give the more to the poor; to deny ourselves not only
superfluities, but even conveniences, for the sake of charity. We
should in many cases pinch ourselves, that we may supply the
necessities of others; this is loving our neighbours as ourselves.
4. Public charities should be encouraged, for they bring upon a nation
public blessings; and though there may be some mismanagement of them,
yet that is not a good reason why we should not bring in our
quota to them.
5. Though we can give but a little in charity, yet if it be
according to our ability, and be given with an upright heart, it shall
be accepted of Christ, who requires according to what a man has, and
not according to what he has not; two mites shall be put upon the
score, and brought to account, if given in a right manner, as if they
had been two pounds.
6. It is much to the praise of charity, when we give not only to
our power, but beyond our power, as the Macedonian churches,
whose deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality,
2 Cor. viii. 2, 3.
When we can cheerfully provide for others, out of our own necessary
provision, as the widow of Sarepta for Elijah, and Christ for his five
thousand guests, and trust God to provide for us some other way,
this is thank-worthy.
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