§ 115. Christ's authority questioned. Parable of the

MATTHEW.

CH. XXI. 23-32.

29 He answered and said, I will not; but afterward he repented, and

went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

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§ 116. Parable of the wicked husbandmen. CH. XXI. 33-46.

33 Hear another parable; There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

37 But last of all, he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

CH. XII. 1-12.

AND he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the wine-fat, 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 well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

Matth. xxi. 34, 35, servants.] Many servants are sent; some of whom are beaten, some slain, some stoned. Here St. Matthew is more circumstantial than the other two Evangelists, who mention only one servant as sent, and one of the three injurious modes of treatment. Some suppose that this servant was chief among the rest.

Matth. xxi. 36. Here Mark mentions one servant among the others, as stoned

two Sons. (THIRD DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

wounded in the head, and sent away dishonoured; and Luke selects the circumstance that that one was beaten. Then Mark and Luke mention a third message, about which Matthew is silent. But, "qui pauciora memorat, plura non negat." St. Luke may be understood as saying that a mortal wound was inflicted on the third messenger. NEWCOME.

§ 116. Parable of the wicked husbandmen.

MATTHEW.

CH. XXI. 33-46.

38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen ?

41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?*

43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.t

45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

§ 117. Parable of the marriage of the King's Son. CH. XXII. 1-14.

AND Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding and they would not come.

4 Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

*Ps. cxviii. 22.

Isa. viii. 14, seq.

Zech. xii. 3. Dan. ii. 34, seq., 44, seq.

§ 117. Parable of the marriage of the King's Son.

MATTHEW.

CH. XXII. 1—14.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise.

6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding-garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding-garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

MARK.

§ 118. Insidious question of the Pharisees. Tribute

CH. XXII. 15-22.

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

CH. XII. 13-17.

13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees, and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words.

Matth. xxii. 11-13.] In the East, where the fashions of dress rarely if ever change, much of their riches consists in the number and splendour of their robes, or caffetans. Presents of garments are frequently alluded to in Scripture. Gen. xlv. 22. 2 Chron. ix. 24. Judges xiv. 12. 2 Kings v. 5. Ezra ii. 69. Neh. vii. 70, where "the Tirshatha gave five hundred and thirty priests' garments."

Presents were considered as tokens of honour;-not meant as offers of payment or enrichment, (1 Sam. ix. 7); and especially presents of dresses. 1 Sam. xviii. 4. Luke xv. 22. Tavernier, p. 43, mentions a nazar, whose virtue so pleased a king of Persia, that he caused himself to be disappareled, and gave his own habit to the nazar, which is the greatest honour a king of Persia can bestow on a subject.