In this chapter our blessed Saviour furnishes his diciples with many instructions for the worthy discharge of their function in preaching the gospel; particularly he recommends unto them two gracious qualifications, namely, uprightness and sincerity, verses 1,2,3. Secondly, courage and magnanimity,... [ Continue Reading ]
The second duty which our Saviour presses upon his disciples, is that of holy courage and resolution: as if Christ had said, the preaching of the gospel will stir up many enemies against you, which will malign and oppose you, vex and persecute you; but. say unto you, fear them not who can only kill... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The doctrine which our Saviour preaches to his disciples: and that is, the doctrine of the divine providence, which concerns itself for the meanest of creatures. Even the birds of the air, and the hairs of our heads, do fall within the compass of God's protecting care. Observe, 2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Note here, 1. That not to confess Christ, is in his account to deny him, and to be ashamed of him. 2. That whosoever shall deny or be ashamed of Christ, either in his person, in his gospel, or in his members, for any fear or favor of man, shall with shame be disowned, and eternally rejected by him... [ Continue Reading ]
Although never man preached or lived as Christ did, yet there were those that spoke against him; the person of Jesus was contemned and reproached, for the meanness of his birth, for the poverty of his condition, for the freedom of his conversation; but this sin did not exclude the hope of pardon: WH... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our Saviour acquaints his apostles, that for preaching his doctrine, and professing his religion, they should be brought before all sorts of magistrates, and into all kinds of courts; but advised them when they should be so brought, not to be anxiously thoughtful, or solicitously careful what t... [ Continue Reading ]
While our Saviour was thus instructing his disciples and the rest of his auditors, in things appertaining to the kingdom of heaven; one of the company being more intent, as it seems, upon his temporal that his eternal concerns, desired him to speak to his brother to divide the inheritance with him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour, upon the occasion given him in the foregoing verses, admonishes all his disciples and followers to take heed and beware of the sin of covetousness, assuring them that neither the comfort nor continuance of. man's life does consist in an abundance; for though something of this world's go... [ Continue Reading ]
The design and scope of our Saviour in this parable, is to show men the vileness and vanity of the sin of covetousness, or an eager and insatiable desire after the things of this world. When men heap up riches, and lay up treasures in this life, taking no care to be rich towards God in faith and goo... [ Continue Reading ]
There is. twofold sense and interpretation given of these verses. 1. Some take them as spoken only to the apostles, directing them absolutely to cast off all care for the things of this life, that so they might attend upon Christ's person, and wholly give up themselves to that work to which he had c... [ Continue Reading ]
As if Christ had said, let your first and chief care be to promote the kingdom of grace in this world, and to secure the kingdom of glory in the next, and then fear not the want of these outward comforts; they shall be added in measure, though not in excess; to satisfy, though not to satiate; for he... [ Continue Reading ]
That is, fear not the want of any of these comforts, and be not over solictous for them; for your Father, which has provided. kingdom for you hereafter, will not suffer you to want such things as are needful for you here. Learn, 1. That the disciples of Christ are very subject to disquieting and p... [ Continue Reading ]
The next duty which our Saviour exhorts his disciples to, is the duty of alms-giving; that they should be so far from distrusting God's provisions for themselves, that they should be always forward to. ready distribution towards others; yea, in cases of necessity, to be willing to sell their goods t... [ Continue Reading ]
The next duty Christ exhorts his disciples to, is that of watchfulness with reference to his second coming: LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED, AND YOUR LIGHTS BURNING. The words may be understood two ways, spoken either in. martial phrase, as to soldiers; or in. domestic, as to servants; if as to soldiers, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Here our Saviour makes use of several arguments to enforce the duty of watchfulness upon his disciples; the first is drawn from the transcendent reward which Christ will bestow upon his watchful servants: HE WILL GIRD HIMSELF, MAKE THEM SIT DOWN TO MEAT, AND WILL COME FORTH AND SERVE THEM;. very hig... [ Continue Reading ]
These words may be applied these two ways: First, to all the faithful servants of God in general; and then the note is this, that for. Christian to spend and end his days in the service of Christ, and doing his will, gives good assurance of. happy and blessed condition: BLESSED IS THAT SERVANT. Sec... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord in these verses describes. negligent and unfaithful steward of his household, and then declares that dreadful sentence of wrath which hangs over him. The unfaithful steward, or negligent minister of the gospel, is decribed: 1. By his infidelity: he believed not Christ's coming to judgment,... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour in these verses declares what will be the accidental event and effect, but not the natural tendency, of his religion; so that we must distinguish between the intentional aim of Christ's coming, and the accidental event of it. Christ's intentional aim, was to plant, propagate, and promote... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour in these words does at once upbraid the stupid ignorance of the Jews in general, and the obstinate infidelity of the Pharisses in particular, in that they could make. judgment of the weather by the sight of the sky, by the appearnace of the heavens, and the motion of the winds, but could... [ Continue Reading ]