And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. Ver. 1. _They watched him_] Gr. παρατηρουμενοι, They superstitiously and maliciously observed him. (Aristot. lib. ii. Rhet.) _Accipit pro eo quod est ulciscendi tempu... [ Continue Reading ]
And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. Ver. 2. _A certain man before him_] A fit object, and that was sufficient to move him to mercy, who himself, by sympathy, took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? Ver. 3. _And Jesus answering_] viz. Their thoughts, which were naked and open; naked (for the outside) and dissected, quartered, and, as it were, cleft through the backbone (for the inside), b... [ Continue Reading ]
And they held their peace. And he took _him_, and healed him, and let him go; Ver. 4. _And he took him_] Good must be done, however it be taken.... [ Continue Reading ]
And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? Ver. 5. _Pull him out on the sabbath day_] The Jew of Tewkesbury, that would not be pulled out of the outhouse whereinto he fell on their sabbath day, peri... [ Continue Reading ]
And they could not answer him again to these things. Ver. 6. _And they could not answer_] Yet ran away with the bit in their mouths.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, Ver. 7. _When he marked_] Ministers, though they may not be time servers, yet they must be time observers, and sharply reprove what they meet with amiss in their people.... [ Continue Reading ]
When thou art bidden of any _man_ to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; Ver. 8. _When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding_] When should a man rather feast than at the recovery of his lost rib?... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. Ver. 9. _Thou begin with shame_] As passing for a proud fool: a style good enough for a self-exalter.... [ Continue Reading ]
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. Ver. 10. _Then shalt thou have worship_] _Honor est in honorante, _ therefor... [ Continue Reading ]
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Ver. 11. _For whosoever_] _See Trapp on "_ Mat 23:12 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor _thy_ rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. Ver. 12. _Nor thy rich neighbour_] _Laudent te esurientium viscera, no... [ Continue Reading ]
But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: Ver. 13. _Call the poor_] Christ prefers charity before courtesy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. Ver. 14. _At the resurrection of the just_] Called theirs, because they only shall have joy of that day. It were well for the wicked if they might never rise to judgment, or tr... [ Continue Reading ]
And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed _is_ he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. Ver. 15. _Blessed is he, &c._] This man seems to have "tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come,"Hebrews 6:5. Happy he, if h... [ Continue Reading ]
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: Ver. 16. _Made a great supper_] Δειπνον, παρα το δειν πονειν. They are happy that get to heaven; they rest from their labours. The ancients dined frugally, supped liberally. Be of good cheer, said that martyr to her husband th... [ Continue Reading ]
And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. Ver. 17. See Matthew 22:3 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And they all with one _consent_ began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. Ver. 18. _I have bought, &c._] _Licitis perimus omnes._ It is ordained that all die. More die by food than by poison. _Cavete,... [ Continue Reading ]
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. Ver. 19. _I have bought five yoke of oxen_] This answers those that plead their necessities, and that they seek not superfluities (as farm upon farm, &c.), but only a sufficiency. What could be m... [ Continue Reading ]
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. Ver. 20. _And therefore I cannot come_] Note that the voluptuary is peremptory, and saith flatly he "cannot come." Sensual hearts are void of the Spirit, Judges 1:18,19. Miry places could not be healed by the sanctuary waters, Ez... [ Continue Reading ]
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. Ver. 21. _Then the master of the house being angry_... [ Continue Reading ]
And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. Ver. 22. See Matthew 22:9,10 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel _them_ to come in, that my house may be filled. Ver. 23. _Compel them_] This may be meant (saith Mr Perkins) of the Christian magistrate; for that is the magistrate's duty in respect of the outward profession.... [ Continue Reading ]
For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. Ver. 24. _None of those men_] Since they thus judge themselves "unworthy of eternal life," Acts 13:46, and are miserable by their own election, John 2:8 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, Ver. 25. _And there went great multitudes with him_] Expecting great things from him, and gaping after an earthly felicity. These he strives to undeceive in the following verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
If any _man_ come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Ver. 26. _And hate not his father, &c._] _a_ Much more his farm and his oxen. It was not these, but the inordinate love of these, th... [ Continue Reading ]
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Ver. 27. See Matthew 10:38; Matthew 16:24 .... [ Continue Reading ]
For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have _sufficient_ to finish _it_ ? Ver. 28. _Intending to build a tower_] Rodulphus Gualther being in Oxford, and beholding Christchurch College, said, _Egregium opus: Cardinalis iste iustituit c... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish _it_, all that behold _it_ begin to mock him, Ver. 29. _Begin to mock him, saying, &c._] Of all things, men love not to be jeered; for there is none but thinks himself worthy of some regard, and is therefore impatient of repro... [ Continue Reading ]
Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Ver. 31. _Sitteth not down first_] To consult,... [ Continue Reading ]
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. Ver. 32. _He sendeth an embassage_] _Mittamus preces et lachrymas cordis legatos, _ Let us send envoys the prays and tears of our heart, saith Cyprian. _Currat poenitentia, ne praecurrat sent... [ Continue Reading ]
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Ver. 33. _That forsaketh not_] Gr. αποταξαμενος, that bids not farewell to all.... [ Continue Reading ]
Salt _is_ good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? Ver. 34. _Salt is good_] This was a sentence much in our Saviour's mouth, Matthew 5:13; Mark 9:50; and is here used to set forth the desperate condition of apostates.... [ Continue Reading ]
It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; _but_ men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Ver. 35. _He that hath ears to hear_] This is usually added by our Saviour in matters of greatest consequence and nearest concernment. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 13:9 _"_ _See Trapp o... [ Continue Reading ]