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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
on the Whole Bible
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Matthew Henry |
L U K E.
CHAP. X.
In this chapter we have,
I. The ample commission which Christ gave to the seventy disciples to
preach the gospel, and to confirm it by miracles; and the full
instructions he gave them how to manage themselves in the execution of
their commissions, and great encouragements therein,
II. The report which the seventy disciples made to their Master of the
success of their negotiation, and his discourse thereupon,
III. Christ’s discourse with a lawyer concerning the way to heaven,
and the instructions Christ gave him by a parable to look upon every
one as his neighbour whom he had occasion to show kindness to, or
receive kindness from,
IV. Christ’s entertainment at Martha’s house, the reproof he gave to
her for her care about the world, and his commendation of Mary for her
care about her soul,
| The Mission of the Seventy. |
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1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and
sent them two and two before his face into every city and place,
whither he himself would come.
2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great,
but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the
harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man
by the way.
5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to
this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon
it: if not, it shall turn to you again.
7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things
as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from
house to house.
8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat
such things as are set before you:
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The
kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not,
go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,
11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do
wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that
the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that
day for Sodom, than for that city.
13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if
the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been
done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in
sackcloth and ashes.
14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the
judgment, than for you.
15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be
thrust down to hell.
16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you
despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent
me.
We have here the sending forth of seventy disciples, two and two, into
divers parts of the country, to preach the gospel, and to work miracles
in those places which Christ himself designed to visit, to make way for
his entertainment. This is not taken notice of by the other
evangelists: but the instructions here given them are much the same
with those given to the twelve. Observe,
I. Their number: they were seventy. As in the choice of twelve apostles
Christ had an eye to the twelve patriarchs, the twelve tribes, and the
twelve princes of those tribes, so here he seems to have an eye to the
seventy elders of Israel. So many went up with Moses and Aaron
to the mount, and saw the glory of the God of Israel
and so many were afterwards chosen to assist Moses in the government,
in order to which the Spirit of prophecy came unto them,
The twelve wells of water and the seventy palm-trees that
were at Elim were a figure of the twelve apostles and the
seventy disciples,
Exod. xv. 27.
They were seventy elders of the Jews that were employed by Ptolemy king
of Egypt in turning the Old Testament into Greek, whose translation is
thence called the Septuagint. The great sanhedrim consisted of
this number. Now,
1. We are glad to find that Christ had so many followers fit to be sent
forth; his labour was not altogether in vain, though he met with much
opposition. Note, Christ’s interest is a growing interest, and
his followers, like Israel in Egypt, though afflicted shall
multiply. These seventy, though they did not attend him
so closely and constantly as the twelve did, were nevertheless
the constant hearers of his doctrine, and witnesses of his miracles,
and believed in him. Those three mentioned in the close of the
foregoing chapter might have been of these seventy, if they would have
applied themselves in good earnest to their business. These seventy are
those of whom Peter speaks as “the men who companied with us all the
time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,” and were part
of the one hundred and twenty there spoken of,
Many of those that were the companions of the apostles, whom we read of
in the Acts and the Epistles, we may suppose, were of these seventy
disciples.
2. We are glad to find there was work for so many ministers, hearers
for so many preachers: thus the grain of mustard-seed began to
grow, and the savour of the leaven to diffuse itself in the
meal, in order to the leavening of the whole.
II. Their work and business: He sent them two and two, that they
might strengthen and encourage one another. If one fall, the other
will help to raise him up. He sent them, not to all the cities of
Israel, as he did the twelve, but only to every city and
place whither he himself would come
(v. 1),
as his harbingers; and we must suppose, though it is not recorded, that
Christ soon after went to all those places whither he now sent them,
though he could stay but a little while in a place. Two things they
were ordered to do, the same that Christ did wherever he came:–
1. They must heal the sick
(v. 9),
heal them in the name of Jesus, which would make people long to
see this Jesus, and ready to entertain him whose name was so powerful.
2. They must publish the approach of the kingdom of God, its approach
to them: “Tell them this, The kingdom of God is come nigh to
you, and you now stand fair for an admission into it, if you will
but look about you. Now is the day of your visitation, know and
understand it.” It is good to be made sensible of our advantages and
opportunities, that we may lay hold of them. When the kingdom of God
comes nigh us, it concerns us to go forth to meet it.
III. The instructions he gives them.
1. They must set out with prayer
(v. 2);
and, in prayer,
(1.) They must be duly affected with the necessities of the souls of
men, which called for their help. They must look about, and see
how great the harvest was, what abundance of people there were
that wanted to have the gospel preached to them and were willing to
receive it, nay, that had at this time their expectations raised of the
coming of the Messiah and of his kingdom. There was corn ready to shed
and be lost for want of hands to gather it in. Note, Ministers should
apply themselves to their work under a deep concern for precious
souls, looking upon them as the riches of this world, which ought
to be secured for Christ. They must likewise be concerned that the
labourers were so few. The Jewish teachers were indeed many, but
they were not labourers; they did not gather in souls to God’s kingdom,
but to their own interest and party. Note, Those that are good
ministers themselves wish that there were more good ministers, for
there is work for more. It is common for tradesmen not to care how few
there are of their own trade; but Christ would have the labourers in
his vineyard reckon it a matter of complaint when the labourers are
few.
(2.) They must earnestly desire to receive their mission from God, that
he would send them forth as labourers into his harvest
who is the Lord of the harvest, and that he would send others
forth; for, if God send them forth, they may hope he will go along with
them and give them success. Let them therefore say, as the prophet
(Isa. vi. 8),
Here I am, send me. It is desirable to receive our commission
from God, and then we may go on boldly.
2. They must set out with an expectation of trouble and persecution:
“Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves; but go your
ways, and resolve to make the best of it. Your enemies will be as
wolves, bloody and cruel, and ready to pull you to pieces; in
their threatenings and revilings, they will be as howling wolves
to terrify you; in their persecutions of you, they will be as
ravening wolves to tear you. But you must be as
lambs, peaceable and patient, though made an easy prey of.” It
would have been very hard thus to be sent forth as sheep among
wolves, if he had not endued them with his spirit and courage.
3. They must not encumber themselves with a load of provisions, as if
they were going a long voyage, but depend upon God and their friends to
provide what was convenient for them: “Carry neither a purse for
money, nor a scrip or knapsack for clothes or victuals, nor new
shoes (as before to the twelve,
and salute no man by the way.” This command Elisha gave to his
servant, when he sent him to see the Shunamite’s dead child,
Not that Christ would have his ministers to be rude, morose, and
unmannerly; but,
(1.) They must go as men in haste, that had their particular
places assigned them, where they must deliver their message, and in
their way directly to those places must not hinder or retard themselves
with needless ceremonies or compliments.
(2.) They must go as men of business, business that relates to
another world, which they must be intent in, and intent upon, and
therefore must not entangle themselves with conversation about secular
affairs. Minister verbi est; hoc age–You are a minister of the
word; attend to your office.
(3.) They must go as serious men, and men in sorrow. It
was the custom of mourners, during the first seven days of their
mourning, not to salute any,
Job ii. 13.
Christ was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and it was fit
that by this and other signs his messengers should resemble him, and
likewise show themselves affected with the calamities of mankind which
they came to relieve, and touched with a feeling of them.
4. They must show, not only their goodwill, but God’s
good-will, to all to whom they came, and leave the issue and
success to him that knows the heart,
(1.) The charge given them was, Whatsoever house they entered
into, they must say, Peace be to this house. Here,
[1.] They are supposed to enter into private houses; for, being
not admitted into the synagogues, they were forced to preach where they
could have liberty. And, as their public preaching was driven into
houses, so thither they carried it. Like their Master, wherever they
visited, they preached from house to house,
Acts v. 42; xx. 20.
Christ’s church was at first very much a church in the house.
[2.] They are instructed to say, “Peace be to this house, to all
under this roof, to this family, and to all that belong to it.”
Peace be to you was the common form of salutation among the
Jews. They must not use it in formality, according to custom, to
those they met on the way, because they must use it with
solemnity to those whose houses they entered into: “Salute no
man by the way in compliment, but to those into whose house ye
enter, say, Peace be to you, with seriousness and in reality;
for this is intended to be more than a compliment.” Christ’s ministers
go into all the world, to say, in Christ’s name, Peace be to
you. First, We are to propose peace to all, to
preach peace by Jesus Christ, to proclaim the gospel of peace,
the covenant of peace, peace on earth, and to invite the
children of men to come and take the benefit of it. Secondly, We
are to pray for peace to all. We must earnestly desire the
salvation of the souls of those we preach to, and offer up those
desires to God in prayer; and it may be well to let them know that we
do thus pray for them, and bless them in the name of the Lord.
(2.) The success was to be different, according to the different
dispositions of those whom they preached to and prayed for. According
as the inhabitants were sons of peace or not, so their peace should or
should not rest upon the house. Recipitur ad modum recipientis–The
quality of the receiver determines the nature of the reception.
[1.] “You will meet with some that are the sons of peace, that
by the operations of divine grace, pursuant to the designations of the
divine counsel, are ready to admit the word of the gospel in the light
and love of it, and have their hearts made as soft wax to receive the
impressions of it. Those are qualified to receive the comforts of the
gospel in whom there is a good work of grace wrought. And, as to those,
your peace shall find them out and rest upon them; your
prayers for them shall be heard, the promises of the gospel shall be
confirmed to them, the privileges of it conferred on
them, and the fruit of both shall remain and continue with them–a good
part that shall not be taken away.”
[2.] “You will meet with others that are no ways disposed to hear or
heed your message, whole houses that have not one son of peace
in them.” Now it is certain that our peace shall not come upon
them, they have no part nor lot in the matter; the blessing that
rests upon the sons of peace shall never come upon the sons of
Belial, nor can any expect the blessings of the covenant that will not
come under the bonds of it. But it shall return to us again;
that is, we shall have the comfort of having done our duty to God and
discharged our trust. Our prayers like David’s shall return into our
own bosom
and we shall have commission to go on in the work. Our peace shall
return to us again, not only to be enjoyed by ourselves, but to be
communicated to others, to the next we meet with, them that are sons
of peace.
5. They must receive the kindnesses of those that should
entertain them and bid them welcome,
v. 7, 8.
“Those that receive the gospel will receive you that preach it, and
give you entertainment; you must not think to raise estates, but you
may depend upon a subsistence; and,”
(1.) “Be not shy; do not suspect our welcome, nor be afraid of
being troublesome, but eat and drink heartily such things as
they give; for, whatever kindness they show you, it is but a small
return for the kindness you do them in bringing the glad tidings of
peace. You will deserve it, for the labourer is worthy of his
hire, the labourer in the work of the ministry is so, if he be
indeed a labourer; and it is not an act of charity, but of
justice, in those who are taught in the word to communicate to those
that teach them”
(2.) “Be not nice and curious in your diet: Eat and
drink such things as they give
(v. 7),
such things as are set before you,
v. 8.
Be thankful for plain food, and do not find fault, though it be not
dressed according to art.” It ill becomes Christ’s disciples to be
desirous of dainties. As he has not tied them up to the
Pharisees’ superstitious fasts, so he has not allowed the luxurious
feasts of the Epicureans. Probably, Christ here refers to the
traditions of the elders about their meat which were so many that those
who observed them were extremely critical, you could hardly set a dish
of meat before them, but there was some scruple or other concerning it;
but Christ would not have them to regard those things, but eat what was
given them, asking no question for conscience’ sake.
6. They must denounce the judgments of God against those who
should reject them and their message: “If you enter
into a city, and they do not receive you, if there be none
there disposed to hearken to your doctrine, leave them,
If they will not give you welcome into their houses, do you
give them warning in their streets.” He orders them to
do as he had ordered the apostles to do: “Say to them, not with rage,
or scorn, or resentment, but with compassion to their poor perishing
souls, and a holy dread of the ruin which they are bringing upon
themselves, Even the dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do
wipe off against you,
v. 11.
From them do not receive any kindnesses at all, be not beholden to
them. It cost that prophet of the Lord dear who accepted a meal’s meat
with a prophet in Bethel,
Tell them that you will not carry with you the dust of their city; let
them take it to themselves, for dust they are.” It shall be a
witness for Christ’s messengers that they had been there according to
their Master’s order; tender and refusal were a discharge
of their trust. But it shall be a witness against the recusants that
they would not give Christ’s messengers any entertainment, no, not so
much as water to wash their feet with, but they were forced to wipe off
the dust. “But tell them plainly, and bid them be sure of it,
The kingdom of God is come nigh to you. Here is a fair offer
made you; if you have not the benefit of it, it is your own fault. The
gospel is brought to your doors; if you shut your doors against it,
your blood is upon your own head. Now that the kingdom of God is
come nigh to you, if you will not come up to it, and come into it,
your sin will be inexcusable, and your condemnation intolerable.” Note,
The fairer offers we have of grace and life by Christ, the more we
shall have to answer for another day, if we slight these offers: It
shall be more tolerable for Sodom than for that city,
v. 12.
The Sodomites indeed rejected the warning given them by Lot; but
rejecting the gospel is a more heinous crime, and will be punished
accordingly in that day. He means the day of judgment
(v. 14),
but calls it, by way of emphasis, that day, because it is the
last and great day, the day when we must account for all the days of
time, and have our state determined for the days of
eternity.
Upon this occasion, the evangelist repeats,
(1.) The particular doom of those cities wherein most of Christ’s
mighty works were done, which we had,
&c. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, all bordering upon the sea of
Galilee, where Christ was most conversant, are the places here
mentioned.
[1.] They enjoyed greater privileges. Christ’s mighty works were
done in them, and they were all gracious works, works of mercy.
They were hereby exalted to heaven, not only dignified and
honoured, but put into a fair way of being happy; they were brought as
near heaven as external means could bring them.
[2.] God’s design in favouring them thus was to bring them to
repentance and reformation of life, to sit in
sackcloth and ashes, both in humiliation for the sins they had
committed, and in humility and a meek subjection to God’s government.
[3.] Their frustrating this design, and their receiving the grace of
God therein in vain. It is implied that they repented not; they
were not wrought upon by all the miracles of Christ to think the better
of him, or the worse of sin; they did not bring forth fruits agreeable
to the advantages they enjoyed.
[4.] There was reason to think, morally speaking, that, if Christ had
gone to Tyre and Sidon, Gentile cities, and had preached the same
doctrine to them and wrought the same miracles among them that he did
in these cities of Israel, they would have repented long ago, so
speedy would their repentance have been, and that in sackcloth and
ashes, so deep would it have been. Now to understand the wisdom of
God, in giving the means of grace to those who would not improve
them, and denying them to those that would, we must wait for the
great day of discovery.
[5.] The doom of those who thus receive the grace of God in vain will
be very fearful. They that were thus exalted, not making use of
their elevation, will be thrust down to hell, thrust down with
disgrace and dishonour. They will thrust in to get into heaven, in the
crowd of professors, but in vain; they shall be thrust down, to
their everlasting grief and disappointment, into the lowest hell, and
hell will be hell indeed to them.
[6.] In the day of judgment Tyre and Sidon will fare better, and it
will be more tolerable for them than for these cities.
(2.) The general rule which Christ would go by, as to those to whom he
sent his ministers: He will reckon himself treated according as they
treated his ministers,
What is done to the ambassador is done, as it were, to the prince that
sends him.
[1.] “He that hearest you, and regardeth what you say,
heareth me, and herein doeth me honour. But,”
[2.] “He that despiseth you doth in effect despise me,
and shall be reckoned with as having put an affront upon me; nay, he
despiseth him that sent me.” Note, Those who contemn the
Christian religion do in effect put a slight upon natural religion,
which it is perfective of. And they who despise the faithful
ministers of Christ, who, though they do not hate and persecute them,
yet think meanly of them, look scornfully upon them, and turn their
backs upon their ministry, will be reckoned with as despisers of God
and Christ.
| The Success of the Seventy. |
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17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even
the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from
heaven.
19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall
by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are
subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are
written in heaven.
21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them
unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man
knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is,
but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately,
Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to
see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to
hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Christ sent forth the seventy disciples as he was going up to Jerusalem
to the feast of tabernacles, when he went up, not openly,
but as it were in secret
(John vii. 10),
having sent abroad so great a part of his ordinary retinue; and Dr.
Lightfoot thinks it was before his return from that feast, and while he
was yet at Jerusalem, or Bethany, which was hard by (for there he was,
v. 38),
that they, or at least some of them, returned to him. Now here we are
told,
1. What account they gave him of the success of their expedition:
They returned again with joy
(v. 17);
not complaining of the fatigue of their journeys, nor of the opposition
and discouragement they met with, but rejoicing in their success,
especially in casting out unclean spirits: Lord, even the devils are
subject unto us through thy name. Though only the healing of the
sick was mentioned in their commission
(v. 19),
yet no doubt the casting out of devils was included, and in this
they had wonderful success.
1. They give Christ the glory of this: It is through thy name.
Note, all our victories over Satan are obtained by power derived from
Jesus Christ. We must in his name enter the lists with our
spiritual enemies, and, whatever advantages we gain, he must have all
the praise; if the work be done in his name, the honour is due
to his name.
2. They entertain themselves with the comfort of it; they speak of it
with an air of exultation: Even the devils, those potent
enemies, are subject to us. Note, the saints have no greater joy
or satisfaction in any of their triumphs than in those over Satan. If
devils are subject to us, what can stand before us?
II. What acceptance they found with him, and how he received this
account.
1. He confirmed what they said, as agreeing with his own observation
(v. 18):
“My heart and eye went along with you; I took notice of the success you
had, and I saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven.” Note, Satan
and his kingdom fell before the preaching of the gospel. “I see how it
is,” saith Christ, “as you get ground the devil loseth ground.” He
falls as lightning falls from heaven, so suddenly, so
irrecoverably, so visibly, that all may perceive it, and say, “See how
Satan’s kingdom totters, see how it tumbles.” They triumphed in casting
devils out of the bodies of people; but Christ sees and rejoices in the
fall of the devil from the interest he has in the souls of men, which
is called his power in high places,
Eph. vi. 12.
He foresees this to be but an earnest of what should now be shortly
done and was already begun–the destroying of Satan’s kingdom in the
world by the extirpating of idolatry and the turning of the nations to
the faith of Christ. Satan falls from heaven when he falls from
the throne in men’s hearts,
And Christ foresaw that the preaching of the gospel, which would fly
like lightning through the world, would wherever it went pull down
Satan’s kingdom. Now is the prince of this world cast out. Some
have given another sense of this, as looking back to the fall of the
angels, and designed for a caution to these disciples, lest their
success should puff them up with pride: “I saw angels turned into
devils by pride: that was the sin for which Satan was cast
down from heaven, where he had been an angel of light I saw it, and
give you an intimation of it lest you, being lifted up with pride
should fall into that condemnation of the devil, who fell by
pride,”
2. He repeated, ratified, and enlarged their commission: Behold I
give you power to tread on serpents,
v. 19.
Note, To him that hath, and useth well what he hath, more shall be
given. They had employed their power vigorously against Satan, and now
Christ entrusts them with greater power.
(1.) An offensive power, power to tread on serpents and
scorpions, devils and malignant spirits, the old serpent: “You
shall bruise their heads in my name,” according to the first
promise,
Come, set your feet on the necks of these enemies; you
shall tread upon these lions and adders wherever you meet
with them; you shall trample them under foot,
Ps. xci. 13.
You shall tread upon all the power of the enemy, and the kingdom
of the Messiah shall be every where set up upon the ruins of the
devil’s kingdom. As the devils have now been subject to you, so
they shall still be.
(2.) A defensive power: “Nothing shall by any means hurt
you; not serpents nor scorpions, if you should be
chastised with them or thrown into prisons and dungeons among them; you
shall be unhurt by the most venomous creatures,” as St. Paul was
and as is promised in
“If wicked men be as serpents to you, and you dwell among
those scorpions (as
you may despise their rage, and tread upon it; it need
not disturb you, for they have no power against you but what is
given them from above; they may hiss, but they cannot
hurt.” You may play upon the hole of the asp, for death
itself shall not hurt nor destroy,
Isa. xi. 8, 19; xxv. 8.
3. He directed them to turn their joy into the right channel
(v. 20):
“Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject
unto you, that they have been so, and shall be still so. Do not
rejoice in this merely as it is your honour, and a confirmation of your
mission, and as it sets you a degree above other good people; do not
rejoice in this only, or in this chiefly, but rather
rejoice because your names are written in heaven, because you are
chosen of God to eternal life, and are the children of God through
faith.” Christ, who knew the counsels of God, could tell them that
their names were written in heaven, for it is the Lamb’s book
of life that they are written in. All believers are through grace,
entitled to the inheritance of sons, and have received the adoption of
sons, and the Spirit of adoption, which is the earnest of that
inheritance and so are enrolled among his family; now this is matter of
joy, greater joy than casting out devils. Note, Power to become the
children of God is to be valued more than a power to work miracles; for
we read of those who did in Christ’s name cast out devils, as
Judas did, and yet will be disowned by Christ in the great day. But
they whose names are written in heaven shall never perish; they
are Christ’s sheep, to whom he will give eternal life.
Saving graces are more to be rejoiced in than spiritual gifts; holy
love is a more excellent way than speaking with tongues.
4. He offered up a solemn thanksgiving to his Father, for employing
such mean people as his disciples were in such high and honourable
service,
This we had before
only here it is prefixed that in that hour Jesus rejoiced. It
was fit that particular notice should be taken of that hour,
because there were so few such, for he was a man of sorrows. In
that hour in which he saw Satan fall, and heard of the good
success of his ministers, in that hour he rejoiced. Note,
Nothing rejoices the heart of the Lord Jesus so much as the progress of
the gospel, and its getting ground of Satan, by the conversion of souls
to Christ. Christ’s joy was a solid substantial joy, an inward joy:
he rejoiced in spirit; but his joy, like deep waters, made no
noise; it was a joy that a stranger did not intermeddle with. Before he
applied himself to thank his Father, he stirred up himself to
rejoice; for, as thankful praise is the genuine language
of holy joy, so holy joy is the root and spring of
thankful praise. Two things he gives thanks for:–
(1.) For what was revealed by the Father through the
Son: I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
v. 21.
In all our adorations of God, we must have an eye to him, both as the
Maker of heaven and earth and as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and in him our Father. Now that which he gives thanks for is,
[1.] That the counsels of God concerning man’s reconciliation to
himself were revealed to some of the children of men, who might
be fit also to teach others, and it is God that by his
Son has spoken these things to us and by his Spirit has
revealed them in us; he has revealed that which had been
kept secret from the beginning of the world.
[2.] That they were revealed to babes, to those who were of mean
parts and capacities, whose extraction and education had nothing in
them promising, who were but children in understanding, till God
by his Spirit elevated their faculties, and furnished them with this
knowledge, and an ability to communicate it. We have reason to thank
God, not so much for the honour he has hereby put upon babes, as for
the honour he has hereby done himself in perfecting strength out of
weakness.
[3.] That, at the same time when he revealed them unto babes, he hid
them from the wise and prudent, the Gentile philosophers, the
Jewish rabbin. He did not reveal the things of the gospel to
them, nor employ them in preaching up his kingdom. Thanks be to God
that the apostles were not fetched from their schools; for,
First, they would have been apt to mingle their notions with the
doctrine of Christ, which would have corrupted it, as afterwards it
proved. For Christianity was much corrupted by the Platonic philosophy
in the first ages of it, by the Peripatetic in its latter ages, and by
the Judaizing teachers at the first planting of it. Secondly, If
rabbin and philosophers had been made apostles, the success of the
gospel would have been ascribed to their learning and wit and the force
of their reasonings and eloquence; and therefore they must not be
employed, lest they should have taken too much to themselves, and
others should have attributed too much to them. They were passed by for
the same reason that Gideon’s army was reduced: The people are yet
too many,
Judges vii. 4.
Paul indeed was bred a scholar among the wise and prudent; but he
became a babe when he became an apostle, and laid aside the
enticing words of man’s wisdom, forgot them all, and made
neither show nor use of any other knowledge than that of Christ and
him crucified,
1 Cor. ii. 2, 4.
[4.] That God herein acted by way of sovereignty: Even so, Father,
for so it seemed good in thy sight. If God gives his grace and the
knowledge of his son to some that are less likely, and does not give it
to others whom we should think better able to deliver it with
advantage, this must satisfy: so it pleases God, whose thoughts are
infinitely above ours. He chooses to entrust the dispensing of his
gospel in the hands of those who with a divine energy will give
it the setting on, rather than in theirs who with human
art will give it the setting off.
(2.) For what was secret between the Father and the
Son,
v. 22.
[1.] The vast confidence that the Father puts in the Son:
All things are delivered to me of my Father, all wisdom and
knowledge, all power and authority, all the grace and comfort which are
intended for the chosen remnant; it is all delivered into the hands of
the Lord Jesus; in him all fulness must dwell, and from him it
must be derived: he is the great trustee that manages all
the concerns of God’s kingdom.
[2.] The good understanding that there is between the Father and the
Son, and their mutual consciousness, such as no creature can be
admitted to: No man knows who the Son is, nor what his mind is,
but the Father, who possessed him in the beginning of his
ways, before his works of old
nor who the Father is, and what his counsels are, but the
Son, who lay in his bosom from eternity, was by him as one
brought up with him, and was daily his delight
and he to whom the Son by the Spirit will reveal him. The
gospel is the revelation of Jesus Christ, to him we owe all the
discoveries made to us of the will of God for our salvation; and here
he speaks of being entrusted with it as that which was a great pleasure
to himself and for which he was very thankful to his Father.
5. He told his disciples how well it was for them that they had these
things revealed to them,
Having addressed himself to his Father, he turned to his
disciples, designing to make them sensible how much it was for
their happiness, as well as for the glory and honour of God, that they
knew the mysteries of the kingdom and were employed to lead others into
the knowledge of them, considering,
(1.) What a step it is towards something better. Though the bare
knowledge of these things is not saving, yet it puts us in the way of
salvation: Blessed are the eyes which see the things which we
see. God therein blesseth them, and, if it be not their own fault
it will be an eternal blessedness to them.
(2.) What a step it is above those that went before them, even
the greatest saints, and those that were most the favourites of Heaven:
“Many prophets and righteous men” (so it is in
many prophets and kings (so it is here), “have desired to
see and hear those things which you are daily and intimately conversant
with, and have not seen and heard them.” The honour and
happiness of the New-Testament saints far exceed those even of the
prophets and kings of the Old Testament, though they also
were highly favoured. The general ideas which the Old-Testament
saints had, according to the intimations given them, of the graces and
glories of the Messiah’s kingdom, made them wish a thousand times that
their lot had been reserved for those blessed days, and that they might
see the substance of those things of which they had faint shadows.
Note, The consideration of the great advantages which we have in the
New-Testament light, above what they had who lived in Old-Testament
times, should awaken our diligence in the improvement of it; for, if it
do not, it will aggravate our condemnation for the non-improvement of
it.
| Who Is Our Neighbour. |
|
|
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him,
saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest
thou?
27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength,
and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and
thou shalt live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who
is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him
of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him
half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and
when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was:
and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil
and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an
inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence,
and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him;
and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will
repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto
him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus
unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
We have here Christ’s discourse with a lawyer about some points of
conscience, which we are all concerned to be rightly informed in and
are so here from Christ though the questions were proposed with no good
intention.
I. We are concerned to know what that good is which we should do in
this life, in order to our attaining eternal life. A
question to this purport was proposed to our Saviour by a certain
lawyer, or scribe, only with a design to try him, not
with a desire to be instructed by him,
The lawyer stood up, and asked him, Master, what shall I do
to inherit eternal life? If Christ had any thing peculiar to
prescribe, by this question he would get it out of him, and perhaps
expose him for it; if not, he would expose his doctrine as needless,
since it would give no other direction for obtaining happiness than
what they had already received; or, perhaps, he had no malicious design
against Christ, as some of the scribes had, only he was willing to have
a little talk with him, just as people go to church to hear what the
minister will say. This was a good question: What shall I do to
inherit eternal life? But it lost all its goodness when it was
proposed with an ill design, or a very mean one. Note, It is not enough
to speak of the things of God, and to enquire about them, but we must
do it with a suitable concern. If we speak of eternal life, and
the way to it, in a careless manner, merely as matter of
discourse, especially as matter of dispute, we do but take the name of
God in vain, as the lawyer here did. Now this question being started,
observe,
1. How Christ turned him over to the divine law, and bade him follow
the direction of that. Though he knew the thoughts and intents of his
heart, he did not answer him according to the folly of that, but
according to the wisdom and goodness of the question he asked. He
answered him with a question: What is written in the law? How
readest thou?
v. 26.
He came to catechize Christ, and to know him; but Christ will catechize
him, and make him know himself. He talks to him as a lawyer, as one
conversant in the law: the studies of his profession would inform him;
let him practise according to his knowledge, and he should not come
short of eternal life. Note, It will be of great use to us, in
our way to heaven, to consider what is written in the law, and
what we read there. We must have recourse to our bibles, to the
law, as it is now in the hand of Christ and walk in the way that is
shown us there. It is a great mercy that we have the law
written, that we have it thereby reduced to certainty, and that
thereby it is capable of spreading the further, and lasting the
longer. Having it written, it is our duty to read it, to
read it with understanding, and to treasure up what we read, so that
when there is occasion, we may be able to tell what is written in
the law, and how we read. To this we must appeal; by this we
must try doctrines and end disputes; this must be our oracle, our
touchstone, our rule, our guide. What is written in the law? How do we
read? if there be light in us, it will have regard to this light.
2. What a good account he gave of the law, of the principal
commandments of the law, to the observance of which we must bind
ourselves if we would inherit eternal life. He did not, like a
Pharisee, refer himself to the tradition of the elders, but, like a
good textuary, fastened upon the two first and great commandments of
the law, as those which he thought must be most strictly observed in
order to the obtaining of eternal life, and which included all
the rest,
(1.) We must love God with all our hearts, must look upon him as
the best of beings, in himself most amiable, and infinitely perfect and
excellent; as one whom we lie under the greatest obligations to, both
in gratitude and interest. We must prize him, and value ourselves by
our elation to him; must please ourselves in him, and devote ourselves
entirely to him. Our love to him must be sincere, hearty, and fervent;
it must be a superlative love, a love that is as strong as death, but
an intelligent love, and such as we can give a good account of the
grounds and reasons of. It must be an entire love; he must have
our whole souls, and must be served with all that is within
us. We must love nothing besides him, but what we love
for him and in subordination to him.
(2.) We must love our neighbours as ourselves, which we shall
easily do, if we, as we ought to do, love God better than
ourselves. We must wish well to all and ill to none; must do all
the good we can in the world and no hurt, and must fix it as a rule to
ourselves to do to others as we would they should do to us; and this is
to love our neighbour as ourselves.
3. Christ’s approbation of what he said,
Though he came to tempt him, yet what he said that was good Christ
commended: Thou hast answered right. Christ himself fastened
upon these as the two great commandments of the law
both sides agreed in this. Those who do well shall have praise of the
same, and so should those have that speak well. So far is right; but he
hardest part of this work yet remains: “This do, and thou shalt
live; thou shalt inherit eternal life.“
4. His care to avoid the conviction which was now ready to fasten upon
him. When Christ said, This do, and thou shalt live, he began to
be aware that Christ intended to draw from him an acknowledgment that
he had not done this, and therefore an enquiry what he should
do, which way he should look, to get his sins pardoned; an
acknowledgment also that he could not do this perfectly for the
future by any strength of his own, and therefore an enquiry which way
he might fetch in strength to enable him to do it: but he was
willing to justify himself, and therefore cared not for carrying
on that discourse, but saith, in effect, as another did
All these things have I kept from my youth up. Note, Many ask
good questions with a design rather to justify themselves than
to inform themselves, rather proudly to show what is good in
them than humbly to see what is bad in them.
II. We are concerned to know who is our neighbour, whom by the second
great commandment we are obliged to love. This is another of this
lawyer’s queries, which he started only that he might drop the
former, lest Christ should have forced him, in the prosecution of it,
to condemn himself, when he was resolved to justify
himself. As to loving God, he was willing to say no more of it; but, as
to his neighbour, he was sure that there he had come up to the
rule, for he had always been very kind and respectful to all about him.
Now observe,
1. What was the corrupt notion of the Jewish teachers in this matter.
Dr. Lightfoot quotes their own words to this purport: “Where he saith,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour, he excepts all Gentiles, for they
are not our neighbours, but those only that are of our own
nation and religion.” They would not put an Israelite to death for
killing a Gentile, for he was not his neighbour: they indeed say
that they ought not to kill a Gentile whom they were not at war with;
but, if they saw a Gentile in danger of death, they thought
themselves under no obligation to help to save his life. Such
wicked inferences did they draw from that holy covenant of peculiarity
by which God had distinguished them, and by abusing it thus they had
forfeited it; God justly took the forfeiture, and transferred
covenant-favours to the Gentile world, to whom they brutishly denied
common favours.
2. How Christ corrected this inhuman notion, and showed, by a parable,
that whomsoever we have need to receive kindness from,
and find ready to show us the kindness we need, we cannot
but look upon as our neighbour; and therefore ought to look upon
all those as such who need our kindness, and to show them kindness
accordingly, though they be not of our own nation and religion. Now
observe,
(1.) The parable itself, which represents to us a poor Jew in
distressed circumstances, succoured and relieved by a good Samaritan.
Let us see here,
[1.] How he was abused by his enemies. The honest man was
traveling peaceably upon his lawful business in the road, and it was a
great road that led from Jerusalem to Jericho,
The mentioning of those places intimates that it was matter of fact,
and not a parable; probably it happened lately, just as it is here
related. The occurrences of Providence would yield us many good
instructions, if we would carefully observe and improve them, and would
be equivalent to parables framed on purpose for instruction, and be
more affecting. This poor man fell among thieves. Whether
they were Arabians, plunderers, that lived by spoil, or some profligate
wretches of his own nation, or some of the Roman soldiers, who,
notwithstanding the strict discipline of their army, did this villany,
does not appear; but they were very barbarous; they not only
took his money, but stripped him of his clothes, and, that he might not
be able to pursue them, or only to gratify a cruel disposition (for
otherwise what profit was there in his blood?) they wounded
him, and left him half dead, ready to die of his wounds. We
may here conceive a just indignation at highwaymen, that have
divested themselves of all humanity, and are as natural brute beasts,
beasts of prey, made to be taken and destroyed; and at the same
time we cannot but think with compassion on those that fall into the
hands of such wicked and unreasonable men, and be ready, when it is in
our power, to help them. What reason have we to thank God for our
preservation from perils by robbers!
[2.] How he was slighted by those who should have been his
friends, who were not only men of his own nation and religion, but one
a priest and the other a Levite, men of a public character and station;
nay, they were men of professed sanctity, whose offices obliged them to
tenderness and compassion
(Heb. v. 2),
who ought to have taught others their duty in such a case as this,
which was to deliver them that were drawn unto death; yet they
would not themselves do it. Dr. Lightfoot tells us that many of the
courses of the priests had their residence in Jericho, and thence came
up to Jerusalem, when it was their turn to officiate there, and so back
again, which occasioned abundance of passing and
repassing of priests that way, and Levites their attendants.
They came this way, and saw the poor wounded man. It is probable
that they heard his groans, and could not but perceive that if he were
not helped he must quickly perish. The Levite not only saw him, but
came and looked on him
v. 32.
But they passed by on the other side; when they saw his case,
they got as far off him as ever they could, as if they would have had a
pretence to say, Behold, we knew it not. It is sad when those
who should be examples of charity are prodigies of cruelty, and when
those who should by displaying the mercies of God, open the bowels of
compassion in others, shut up their own.
[3.] How he was succoured and relieved by a
stranger, a certain Samaritan, of that nation which of
all others the Jews most despised and detested and would have no
dealings with. This man had some humanity in him,
The priest had his heart hardened against one of his own people,
but the Samaritan had his opened towards one of another people.
When he saw him he had compassion on him, and never took into
consideration what country he was of. Though he was a Jew, he was a
man, and a man in misery, and the Samaritan has learned to
honour all men; he knows not how soon this poor man’s case may be his
own, and therefore pities him, as he himself would desire and expect to
be pitied in the like case. That such great love should be found in a
Samaritan was perhaps thought as wonderful as that great faith which
Christ admired in a Roman, and in a woman of Canaan; but really it was
not so, for pity is the work of a man, but faith is the work of divine
grace. The compassion of this Samaritan was not an idle
compassion; he did not think it enough to say, “Be healed, be helped”
(Jam. ii. 16);
but, when he drew out his soul, he reached forth his hand
also to this poor needy creature,
Isa. lviii. 7, 10; Prov. xxxi. 20.
See how friendly this good Samaritan was. First, He went
to the poor man, whom the priest and Levite kept at a distance
from; he enquired, no doubt, how he came into this deplorable
condition, and condoled with him. Secondly, He did the surgeon’s
part, for want of a better. He bound up his wounds, making use
of his own linen, it is likely, for that purpose; and poured in oil
and wine, which perhaps he had with him; wine to wash the wound,
and oil to mollify it, and close it up. He did all he could to ease the
pain, and prevent the peril, of his wounds, as one whose heart bled
with him. Thirdly, He set him on his own beast, and went
on foot himself, and brought him to an inn. A great mercy it is
to have inns upon the road, where we may be furnished for our money
with all the conveniences for food and rest. Perhaps the Samaritan, if
he had not met with this hindrance, would have got that night to his
journey’s end; but, in compassion to that poor man, he takes up short
at an inn. Some think that the priest and Levite pretended they could
not stay to help the poor man, because they were in haste to go and
attend the temple-service at Jerusalem. We suppose the Samaritan went
upon business; but he understood that both his own business and God’s
sacrifice too must give place to such an act of mercy as this.
Fourthly, He took care of him in the inn, got him to bed,
had food for him that was proper, and due attendance, and, it may be,
prayed with him. Nay, Fifthly, As if he had been his own child,
or one he was obliged to look after, when he left him next morning, he
left money with the landlord, to be laid out for his use, and passed
his word for what he should spend more. Twopence of their money
was about fifteen pence of ours, which, according to the rate of things
then, would go a great way; however, here it was an earnest of
satisfaction to the full of all demands. All this was kind and
generous, and as much as one could have expected from a friend or a
brother; and yet here it is done by a stranger and foreigner.
Now this parable is applicable to another purpose than that for which
it was intended; and does excellently set forth the kindness and love
of God our Saviour towards sinful miserable man. We were like this poor
distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy, had robbed us,
stripped us, wounded us; such is the mischief that sin
had done us. We were by nature more than half dead, twice dead,
in trespasses and sins; utterly unable to help ourselves, for we were
without strength. The law of Moses, like the priest and Levite, the
ministers of the law, looks upon us, but has no compassion on
us, gives us no relief, passes by on the other side, as having
neither pity nor power to help us; but then comes the blessed Jesus,
that good Samaritan (and they said of him, by way of reproach, he is
a Samaritan), he has compassion on us, he binds up our bleeding
wounds
pours in, not oil and wine, but that which is infinitely more
precious, his own blood. He takes care of us, and bids us put
all the expenses of our cure upon his account; and all this though he
was none of us, till he was pleased by his voluntary condescension to
make himself so, but infinitely above us. This magnifies the riches of
his love, and obliges us all to say, “How much are we indebted, and
what shall we render?”
(2.) The application of the parable.
[1.] The truth contained in it is extorted from the lawyer’s own mouth.
“Now tell me,” saith Christ, “which of these three was neighbour to
him that fell among thieves
(v. 36),
the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? Which of these did the
neighbour’s part?” To this the lawyer would not answer, as he ought to
have done, “Doubtless, the Samaritan was;” but, “He that showed
mercy on him; doubtless, he was a good neighbour to him, and very
neighbourly, and I cannot but say that it was a good work thus to save
an honest Jew from perishing.”
[2.] The duty inferred from it is pressed home upon the lawyer’s own
conscience: Go, and do thou likewise. The duty of relations is
mutual and reciprocal; the titles of friends, brethren, neighbours,
are, as Grotius here speaks ton pros ti—equally
binding on both sides: if one side be bound, the other cannot be
loose, as is agreed in all contracts. If a Samaritan does well that
helps a distressed Jew, certainly a Jew does not well if he refuses in
like manner to help a distressed Samaritan. Petimusque damusque
vicissim–These kind offices are to be reciprocated. “And therefore
go thou and do as the Samaritan did, whenever occasion offers:
show mercy to those that need thy help, and do it freely, and with
concern and compassion, though they be not of thy own nation and thy
own profession, or of thy own opinion and communion in religion. Let
thy charity be thus extensive, before thou boastest of having conformed
thyself to that great commandment of loving thy neighbour.” This
lawyer valued himself much upon his learning and his knowledge of the
laws, and in that he thought to have puzzled Christ himself; but Christ
sends him to school to a Samaritan, to learn his duty: “Go, and do like
him.” Note, It is the duty of every one of us, in our places, and
according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in
distress and necessity, and of lawyers particularly; and herein we must
study to excel many that are proud of their being priests and
Levites.
| Martha and Mary. |
|
|
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a
certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him
into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’
feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him,
and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to
serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou
art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good
part, which shall not be taken away from her.
We may observe in this story,
I. The entertainment which Martha gave to Christ and his disciples at
her house,
Observe,
1. Christ’s coming to the village where Martha lived: As they
went (Christ and his disciples together), he and they with him
entered into a certain village. This village was Bethany,
nigh to Jerusalem, whither Christ was now going up, and he took this in
his way. Note
(1.) Our Lord Jesus went about doing good
(Acts x. 38),
scattering his benign beams and influences as the true light of the
world.
(2.) Wherever Christ went his disciples went along with him.
(3.) Christ honoured the country-villages with his presence and favour,
and not the great and populous cities only; for, as he chose
privacy, so he countenanced poverty.
2. His reception at Martha’s house: A certain woman, named Martha,
received him into her house, and made him welcome, for she was the
housekeeper. Note,
(1.) Our Lord Jesus, when he was here upon earth, was so poor that he
was necessitated to be beholden to his friends for a subsistence.
Though he was Zion’s King, he had no house of his own either in
Jerusalem or near it.
(2.) There were some who were Christ’s particular friends, whom he
loved more than his other friends, and them he visited most frequently.
He loved this family
(John xi. 5),
and often invited himself to them. Christ’s visits are the tokens of
his love,
(3.) There were those who kindly received Christ into their houses when
he was here upon earth. It is called Martha’s house, for, probably, she
was a widow, and was the housekeeper. Though it was expensive to
entertain Christ for he did not come alone, but brought his disciples
with him, yet she would not regard the cost of it. (How can we spend
what we have better than in Christ’s service!) Nay, though at this time
it was grown dangerous to entertain him especially so near Jerusalem,
yet she cared not what hazard she ran for his name’s sake. Though
there were many that rejected him, and would not entertain him, yet
there was one that would bid him welcome. Though Christ is every where
spoken against, yet there is a remnant to whom he is dear, and who are
dear to him.
II. The attendance which Mary, the sister of Martha, gave upon the word
of Christ,
1. She heard his word. It seems, our Lord Jesus, as soon as he
came into Martha’s house, even before entertainment was made for him,
addressed himself to his great work of preaching the gospel. He
presently took the chair with solemnity; for Mary sat to hear him,
which intimates that it was a continued discourse. Note, A good sermon
is never the worse for being preached in a house; and the visits of our
friends should be so managed as to make them turn to a spiritual
advantage. Mary, having this price put into her hands, sat herself to
improve it, not knowing when she should have such another. Since Christ
is forward to speak, we should be swift to hear.
2. She sat to hear, which denotes a close attention. Her mind
was composed, and she resolved to abide by it: not to catch a word now
and then, but to receive all that Christ delivered. She sat at his
feet, as scholars at the feet of their tutors when they read their
lectures; hence Paul is said to be brought up at the feet of
Gamaliel. Our sitting at Christ’s feet, when we hear his word,
signifies a readiness to receive it, and a submission and entire
resignation of ourselves to the guidance of it. We must either sit at
Christ’s feet or be made his footstool; but, if we sit with him at his
feet now, we shall sit with him on his throne shortly.
III. The care of Martha about her domestic affairs: But Martha was
cumbered about much serving
(v. 40),
and that was the reason why she was not where Mary was–sitting at
Christ’s feet, to hear his word. She was providing for the
entertainment of Christ and those that came with him. Perhaps she had
no notice before of his coming, and she was unprovided, but was in care
to have every thing handsome upon this occasion; she had not such
guests every day. Housekeepers know what care and bustle there must be
when a great entertainment is to be made. Observe here,
1. Something commendable, which must not be overlooked.
(1.) Here was a commendable respect to our Lord Jesus; for we
have reason to think it was not for ostentation, but purely to testify
her good-will to him, that she made this entertainment. Note, Those who
truly love Christ will think that well bestowed that is laid out for
his honour.
(2.) Here was a commendable care of her household affairs. It
appears, from the respect shown to this family among the Jews
(John xi. 19),
that they were persons of some quality and distinction; and yet Martha
herself did not think it a disparagement to her to lay her hand even to
the service of the family, when there was occasion for it. Note,
It is the duty of those who have the charge of families to look well
to the ways of their household. The affectation of state and the
love of ease make many families neglected.
2. Here was something culpable, which we must take notice of
too.
(1.) She was for much serving. Her heart was upon it, to have a
very sumptuous and splendid entertainment; great plenty, great variety,
and great exactness, according to the fashion of the place. She was in
care, peri pollen diakonian—concerning much
attendance. Note, It does not become the disciples of Christ to
affect much serving, to affect varieties, dainties, and
superfluities in eating and drinking; what need is there of much
serving, when much less will serve?
(2.) She was cumbered about it; periespato–she
was just distracted with it. Note, Whatever cares the providence
of God casts upon us we must not be cumbered with them, nor be
disquieted and perplexed by them. Care is good and duty; but
cumber is sin and folly.
(2.) She was then cumbered about much serving when she should
have been with her sister, sitting at Christ’s feet to hear his word.
Note, Worldly business is then a snare to us when it hinders us
from serving God and getting good to our souls.
IV. The complaint which Martha made to Christ against her sister
Mary, for not assisting her, upon this occasion, in the
business of the house
(v. 40):
“Lord, dost thou not care that my sister, who is concerned as
well as I in having things done well, has left me to serve
alone? Therefore dismiss her from attending thee, and bid her come
and help me.” Now,
1. This complaint of Martha’s may be considered as a discovery
of her worldliness: it was the language of her inordinate care
and cumber. She speaks as one in a mighty passion with her sister, else
she would not have troubled Christ with the matter. Note, The
inordinacy of worldly cares and pursuits is often the occasion of
disturbance in families and of strife and contention among relations.
Moreover, those that are eager upon the world themselves are apt to
blame and censure those that are not so too; and while they justify
themselves in their worldliness, and judge of others by their
serviceableness to them in their worldly pursuits, they are ready to
condemn those that addict themselves to the exercises of religion, as
if they neglected the main chance, as they call it. Martha,
being angry at her sister, appealed to Christ, and would have him say
that she did well to be angry. Lord, doest not thou care that my
sister has let me to serve alone? It should seem as if Christ had
sometimes expressed himself tenderly concerned for her, and her ease
and comfort, and would not have her go through so much toil and
trouble, and she expected that he should now bid her sister take her
share in it. When Martha was caring, she must have Mary, and Christ and
all, to care too, or else she is not pleased. Note, Those are
not always in the right that are most forward to appeal to God; we must
therefore take heed, lest at any time we expect that Christ should
espouse our unjust and groundless quarrels. The cares which he cast
upon us we may cheerfully cast upon him, but not those which we
foolishly draw upon ourselves. He will be the patron of the poor and
injured, but not of the turbulent and injurious.
2. It may be considered as a discouragement of Mary’s piety and
devotion. Her sister should have commended her for it, should
have told her that she was in the right; but, instead of this, she
condemns her as wanting in her duty. Note, It is no strange
thing for those that are zealous in religion to meet with hindrances
and discouragements from those that are about them; not only with
opposition from enemies, but with blame and censure from their friends.
David’s fasting, and his dancing before the ark, were
turned to his reproach.
V. The reproof which Christ gave to Martha for her inordinate care,
She appealed to him, and he gives judgment against her: Martha,
Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, whereas
but one thing is needful.
1. He reproved her, though he was at this time her guest. Her fault was
her over-solicitude to entertain him, and she expected he should
justify her in it, yet he publicly checked her for it. Note, As many
as Christ loves he rebukes and chastens. Even those that are dear
to Christ, if any thing be amiss in them, shall be sure to hear of it.
Nevertheless I have something against thee.
2. When he reproved her, he called her by her name, Martha; for
reproofs are then most likely to do good when they are
particular, applied to particular persons and cases, as Nathan’s
to David, Thou art the man. He repeated her name, Martha,
Martha; he speaks as one in earnest, and deeply concerned for her
welfare. Those that are entangled in the cares of this life are
not easily disentangled. To them we must call again and again,
O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.
3. That which he reproved her for was her being careful and troubled
about many things. He was not pleased that she should think
to please him with a rich and splendid entertainment, and with
perplexing herself to prepare it for him; whereas he would teach us, as
not to be sensual in using such things, so not to be
selfish in being willing that others should be troubled,
no matter who or how many, so we may be gratified. Christ reproves her,
both for the intenseness of her care (“Thou art careful and
troubled, divided and disturbed by thy care”), and for the
extensiveness of it, “about many things; thou dost
grasp at many enjoyments, and so art troubled at many
disappointments. Poor Martha, thou hast many things to fret at,
and this puts thee out of humour, whereas less ado would serve.” Note,
Inordinate care or trouble about many things in this world is a common
fault among Christ’s disciples; it is very displeasing to Christ, and
that for which they often come under the rebukes of Providence. If they
fret for no just cause, it is just with him to order them something to
fret at.
4. That which aggravated the sin and folly of her care was that but
one thing is needful. It is a low construction which some
put upon this, that, whereas Martha was in care to provide many
dishes of meat, there was occasion but for one, one would be enough.
There is need but of one thing—henos de esti
chreia. If we take it so, it furnishes us with a rule of
temperance, not to affect varieties and dainties, but to be
content to sit down to one dish of meat, to half on one,
Prov. xxiii. 1-3.
It is a forced construction which some of the ancients put upon
it: But oneness is needful, in opposition to distractions. There
is need of one heart to attend upon the word, not divided and
hurried to and fro, as Martha’s was at this time. The one thing
needful is certainly meant of that which Mary made her
choice–sitting at Christ’s feet, to hear his word. She was
troubled about many things, when she should have applied herself
to one; godliness unites the heart, which the world had
divided. The many things she was troubled about were
needless, while the one thing she neglected was
needful. Martha’s care and work were good in their proper season
and place; but now she had something else to do, which was unspeakably
more needful, and therefore should be done first, and most minded. She
expected Christ to have blamed Mary for not doing as she did, but he
blamed her for not doing as Mary did; and we are sure the judgment
of Christ is according to truth. The day will come when
Martha will wish she had set where Mary did.
VI. Christ’s approbation and commendation of Mary for her serious
piety: Mary hath chosen the good part. Mary said nothing in her
own defence; but, since Martha has appealed to the Master, to him she
is willing to refer it, and will abide by his award; and here we have
it.
1. She had justly given the preference to that which best deserved it;
for one thing is needful, this one thing that she has done, to
give up herself to the guidance of Christ, and receive the law
from his mouth. Note, Serious godliness is a needful thing, it
is the one thing needful; for nothing without this will do us
any real good in this world, and nothing but this will go with us into
another world.
2. She had herein wisely done well for herself. Christ justified
Mary against her sister’s clamours. However we may be censured and
condemned by men for our piety and zeal, our Lord Jesus will take our
part: But thou shalt answer, Lord, for me. Let us not then
condemn the pious zeal of any, lest we set Christ against us;
and let us never be discouraged if we be censured for our pious zeal,
for we have Christ for us. Note, Sooner or later, Mary’s choice will be
justified, and all those who make that choice, and abide by it. But
this was not all; he applauded her for her wisdom: She hath
chosen the good part; for she chose to be with Christ, to take her
part with him; she chose the better business, and the better happiness,
and took a better way of honouring Christ and of pleasing
him, by receiving his word into her heart, than Martha did by providing
for his entertainment in her house. Note,
(1.) A part with Christ is a good part; it is a part for
the soul and eternity, the part Christ gives to his favourites
(John xiii. 8),
who are partakers of Christ
(Heb. iii. 14),
and partakers with Christ,
Rom. viii. 17.
(2.) It is a part that shall never be taken away from those that
have it. A portion in this life will certainly be taken away
from us, at the furthest, when we shall be taken away from it; but
nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ, and our part
in that love. Men and devils cannot take it away from us, and
God and Christ will not.
(3.) It is the wisdom and duty of every one of us to choose this
good part, to choose the service of God for our business, and
the favour of God for our happiness, and an interest in Christ, in
order to both. In particular cases we must choose that which has a
tendency to religion, and reckon that best for us that is best for our
souls. Mary was at her choice whether she would partake with Martha in
her care, and get the reputation of a fine housekeeper, or sit
at the feet of Christ and approve herself a zealous disciple;
and, by her choice in this particular, Christ judges of her general
choice.
(4.) Those who choose this good part shall not only have what
they choose, but shall have their choice commended in the great
day.
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