And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. Ver. 1. _When he ceased_] Or, rested, ως επαυσατο; for he had been tugging hard with God in prayer, and labouring even to l... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Ver. 2. See Matthew 6:9,13 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Give us day by day our daily bread. Ver. 3. _Our daily bread_] Our super-substantial bread, τον επιουσιον : so Erasmus rendereth it, and interpreteth it of Christ; for he thought that in so heavenly a prayer there should have been no mention of earthly things; wherein he was greatly deceived. For t... [ Continue Reading ]
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. Ver. 4. _For we also forgive_] So that our forgiving of others seemeth, for God's promise' sake, to be as it were the intervenient cause, or the _sine qua non, _... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; Ver. 5. _Three loaves_] He asketh no more, but receiveth as many as he needeth. So do all God's suitors. His ears are not only open to their prayers; but his e... [ Continue Reading ]
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? Ver. 6. _For a friend_] See Proverbs 17:17. _See Trapp on "_ Pro 17:17 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. Ver. 7. _Trouble me not_] The carnally secure, cast into Jezebel's bed, unworthily answer Christ on this sort, when he stands at the door and knocks by the... [ Continue Reading ]
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. Ver. 8. _Because of his importunity_] Gr. His impudency, αναιδειαν; a metaphor from beggars, that will not be said nay, but are impudently... [ Continue Reading ]
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Ver. 9. _Ask and it shall be given_] Ask, seek, knock. It is not a simple repetition of the same thing, but an emphatic gradation, and shows _instantissimam necessitatem, _ saith Aug... [ Continue Reading ]
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Ver. 10. See Matthew 7:7 .... [ Continue Reading ]
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if _he ask_ a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Ver. 11. _For every one, &c._] Sozomen saith of Apollonius, that he never asked anything of God that he obtained not. _Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod volu... [ Continue Reading ]
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? Ver. 12. See Matthew 7:9,11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall _your_ heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Ver. 13. See Matthew 7:9,11 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. Ver. 14. _And it was dumb_] So it was a double miracle. God's favours seldom come single; there is a series, a concatenation of them, and every former draws on... [ Continue Reading ]
But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. Ver. 15. See Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And others, tempting _him_, sought of him a sign from heaven. Ver. 16. See Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 3:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house _divided_ against a house falleth. Ver. 17. See Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 3:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. Ver. 18. See Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 3:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast _them_ out? therefore shall they be your judges. Ver. 19. See Matthew 12:38; Matthew 16:1; Mark 3:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. 21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: Ver. 21. _When a strong man armed_] _Qui se dedebant, arma tradebant._ (Caesar de Bell. Gall. lib. 3.) They that yielded threw down... [ Continue Reading ]
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh throu... [ Continue Reading ]
And when he cometh, he findeth _it_ swept and garnished. Ver. 25. _Swept and garnished_] By a little formal repentance, and a few faint resolutions of reformation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then goeth he, and taketh _to him_ seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last _state_ of that man is worse than the first. Ver. 26. _Seven other spirits_] As the jailor lays a load of iron on him that had escaped. None are worse than those that ha... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed _is_ the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. Ver. 27. _Blessed is the womb that bare thee_] So the heathen poet, -" _qui te genuere beati,_ Et mater... [ Continue Reading ]
But he said, Yea rather, blessed _are_ they that hear the word of God, and keep it. Ver. 28. _Yea, rather, blessed_] His disciples were more blessed in hearing Christ than his mother in bearing him.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. Ver. 29. _Were gathered thick together_] All on a heap, επαθροιζομενων, either to see a sign, or to hear what he w... [ Continue Reading ]
For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. Ver. 30. _So also shall the Son of man be_] _sc._ A sign, not of confirmation, but of condemnation.... [ Continue Reading ]
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon _is_ here. Ver. 31. See Matthew 12:41,42 .... [ Continue Reading ]
The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas _is_ here. Ver. 32. See Matthew 12:41,42 .... [ Continue Reading ]
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth _it_ in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. Ver. 33. _No man, when he hath lighted, &c._] Our Saviour here warneth those that had given some good hope of their repentance, that they c... [ Continue Reading ]
The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when _thine eye_ is evil, thy body also _is_ full of darkness. Ver. 34. _When thine eye is single_] A single eye is that which looks on God singly, abstracted from all other things.... [ Continue Reading ]
Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. Ver. 35-36. SeeMatthew 6:22,23... [ Continue Reading ]
If thy whole body therefore _be_ full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. Ver. 36. _Having no part dark_] The regenerate man is _totus diaphanus, _ like a crystal glass, with a lamp in the midst.... [ Continue Reading ]
And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. Ver. 37. _Sat down to meat_] And yet, at their own tables, he sets the Pharisees forth in their colours, and entertaineth them with as many menaces as they do him with messes of meat.... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the Pharisee saw _it_, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. Ver. 38. _That he had not washed_] This the Pharisees deemed as great a sin as to commit fornication. (Godw. Antiq. Heb 49)... [ Continue Reading ]
And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ver. 39. See Matthew 23:25 .... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye_ fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? Ver. 40. _Did not he that made, &c._] Ought he not, therefore, to be served with both? It is the hidden man of the heart that he most regardeth; the law of the mind that he would have chiefly observed.... [ Continue Reading ]
But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. Ver. 41. _But rather give alms_] So Daniel counsels Nebuchadnezzar,Daniel 4:27. Ralph, Bishop of Chichester, A. D. 1070, drawing towards his end, delivered unto the poor with his own hands whatsoever he had... [ Continue Reading ]
But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ver. 42. _But woe unto you_] Notwithstanding your tithing of potted herbs, wherein you think you take course th... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Ver. 43. See Matthew 23:6 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over _them_ are not aware _of them_. Ver. 44. _For ye are as graves_] As the deep grave keeps the stinking carcase from offending any one's smell, so doth the dissembling hypocrite so clean... [ Continue Reading ]
Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. Ver. 45. _Thou reproachest us also_] Who meddled with them, but that their own consciences accused them? It is a rule of Jerome, _Ubi generalis de vitiis disputatio est, ibi nullius personae est iniur... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Woe unto you also, _ye_ lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Ver. 46. See Matthew 23:4 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Ver. 47. See Matthew 23:29 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Ver. 48. _And ye build their sepulchres_] And so ye set up the trophies of your fathers' cruelty.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and _some_ of them they shall slay and persecute: Ver. 49. _Therefore also said the wisdom of God_] That is, Christ himself, the essential wisdom of his Father, Matthew 23:34 .... [ Continue Reading ]
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; Ver. 50. See Matthew 23:35 .... [ Continue Reading ]
From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Ver. 51. See Matthew 23:35 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. Ver. 52. _Woe unto you, lawyers_] I see well, said father Latimer, that whosoever will be busy with _Vae vobis, _ woe to you, he shall shortly after come _co... [ Continue Reading ]
And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge _him_ vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Ver. 53. _To urge him vehemently_] ενεχειν. Out of deep displeasure to bear an aching tooth towards him (as Herodias did toward the Baptist, Mar 6:19), wa... [ Continue Reading ]
Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him. Ver. 54. _Seeking to catch something_] But there was no guile or gall found in his mouth, saith St Peter, intimating that they sought it.... [ Continue Reading ]