day, and to as many characters as the parties then addressed. It contains a fearful exhibition of the prevalence of earthly things,over our affections,and of our unwillingness to seek first the kingdom of heaven, as was the case then with the Jews: and it shews us too that if by those gathered from the highways, the gentiles be intended, that unless we have on the wedding garment provided for us, we shall be consigned to outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. How hardening to the heart is a worldly spirit, or such gracious invitations to the gospel-feast of good things, could not be refused for such meaner pleasures: though pleasures we are not forbidden to enjoy, so that they do not occupy our hearts to the exclusion of him who has bestowed them so profusely. VERSES 15-22. 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man for thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites ? 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription ? 21 They say unto him, Cæsar's, Then saith he unto them, render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are Gods. 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. What utter ignorance does the conduct of the Pharisees betray, as if he who had silenced the chief priests could be entangled by their specious questioning! he sees through their wicked hypocrisy, and probably stung by the exposure they had brought on themselves, they left him and went their way, instead of allowing conviction to do its proper work. VERSES 23-41. 23 The same day came unto him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: 26 Likewise the second also, and the third unto the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. 31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? I am not the God of the dead, but of the living. 33 And when the multitude heard this they were astonished at his doctrine. 34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35 Then one of them which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, saying, 36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Amongst the assembled scribes and Sadducees, a lawyer puts a question to our Lord, which he answers by quoting the 5th verse of the 6th chapter of Deuteronomy, where Moses is re-capitulating much that had been said before to the Israelites, and makes this command prominent, by calling, for especial attention, "Hear, O Israel." Our Lord pronounces it the first, and great commandment, and in fulfilling it we may be said to fulfil the whole law, for loving God, we shall yield a willing obedience to his commands, rendering him the service of our hearts, not of our lips only; and love to our neighbour will ever be the result of this devotion to God, the one duty being as important as the other, even "like unto it." VERSES 42-46. 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him The son of David. 43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, 44 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? 45 If David then call him Lord, how is he his son ? 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. Many may be able to say Christ is the son of David, or he is the son of God; this may be the language of their lips, and their professed belief, but those only really know who he is, who, in their hearts, bow down and worship him as their Lord and their God, who think of him as the chief among ten thousand, who are his willing subjects, and to whom he is precious. Let us test ourselves by these proofs, nor rest till we discover whether we know Christ or not. There is reason to suppose none who were then present with our Lord, either knew him or his mission. CHAPTER 23. 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters; or one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 13 But woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. 14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves. 16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, It is is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! 17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold? 18 And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing! but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty. 19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifieth the gift ? 20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it and by all things thereon. 21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein. 22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. 23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulcheres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleaness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? How carefully should we read, and apply the contents of this chapter: how awful are our Lord's reproofs: how great the woes pronounced on hypocrites, whether under the names of Pharisees, scribes, or fools and blind. How many are deceiving themselves in these days, taking up with outward shew, with the signs of things, instead of the substance, an outward righteousness instead of inward purity, satisfied with a name to live, whilst they are dead. Let us not refuse the call of our Saviour, as did his people of old, and bring upon ourselves the same desolating judg ments. Let it not be said of us, "Ye would not." CHAPTER 24. AND Jesus went out, and de : parted from the temple and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3 And as he set upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world ? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. |