_CHRIST PREACHETH TO HIS DISCIPLES TO AVOID HYPOCRISY, AND FEARFULNESS IN PUBLISHING HIS DOCTRINE; WARNETH THE PEOPLE TO BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS BY THE PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN WHO SET UP GREATER BARNS. WE MUST NOT BE OVER-CAREFUL OF EARTHLY THINGS; BUT SEEK THE KINGDOM OF GOD, GIVE ALMS, AND BE READY... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THERE WERE GATHERED TOGETHER AN INNUMERABLE MULTITUDE— _Many thousands of people;_— των μυριαδων του οχλου; literally, _many myriads._ Perhaps this vast assemblage of people might be owing to an apprehension, either that Christ might meet with some ill usage among so many of his enemies, or tha... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR TWO FARTHINGS,— 'Ασσαριων δυο .—The _ass,_ or ancient _assarius,_ which was the tenth part of the _denarius,_ or Roman penny, was also a Roman coin then current in Judea, and in value, as is generally thought, about three farthings of our money. See on Matthew 10:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
IT SHALL BE FORGIVEN HIM:— _It may be forgiven him:_ Doddridge; who observes that the common reading of αφεθησεται, is more literal; but the connection shews, it must be taken according to the translation here given; for it would be madness to imagine that in such a case as this, forgiveness must co... [ Continue Reading ]
MASTER, SPEAK TO MY BROTHER, &C.— While Jesus was thus exhorting his disciples, a certain person in the crowd begged that he would persuade his brother, who probably was present, to divide their paternal inheritance, and give him his share. The appellant probably thought, that as the Messiah he woul... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED, AND BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS:— _See to it, and be upon your guard against covetousness._ The original is very lively, and the full force of it not easy to be expressed. Some old versions, and very good copies, read, _all covetousness._ It is not said which of these brothers was in the wrong... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SPAKE A PARABLE UNTO THEM,— The first thing to be inquired into, is the true drift and meaning of this parable. In the 15th verse our Lord warns his hearers to _beware of covetousness._ In this parable, he represents the foolish rich man enlarging his barns,that he might heap up his goods in... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL MY FRUITS AND MY GOODS.— _All my increase and good things:_ that is, "There will I collect and lay up all this year's increase, and likewise the produce of former years which I have in store.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE THINE EASE, &C.— The original is remarkably lively and expressive, and contains one proof among a thousand, of the propriety and elegance of the scripture language: 'Αναπαυου, φαγε, πιε, ευφραινου : _Take thy rest, eat, drink, be joyful._ Nothing can more strongly express the self-satisfied hil... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BE REQUIRED OF THEE:— It is in the original απαιτουσιν, _they shall require;_ which Elsner thinks alludes to the messengers sent to fetch away the soul; and he produces a remarkable and well-known passage from Plato to prove that Socrates thought this the office of a spirit superior to men. Ot... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IS NOT RICH TOWARDS GOD.— There is a force and propriety in the phrase εις θεον, here rendered _towards God,_ which our language will not exactly express; it represents God as a depositary, in whose hands the good man has lodged his treasure, and who has as it were made himself accountable for i... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE NO THOUGHT— _Be not solicitous._ Our Lord, having delivered the parable of the rich glutton, proceeded in the charge: and because a hurry of business is often a great enemy to religious dispositions, he cautioned his disciples against anxious cares about the world, from the consideration of God... [ Continue Reading ]
CONSIDER THE RAVENS:— See Matthew 6:26. Dr. Heylin renders the last clause in this verse, _Of how much greater value are ye than the fowls?_... [ Continue Reading ]
TO DO THAT THING WHICH IS LEAST,— This proves, that _to add one cubit to a thing,_ was a proverbial expression for making the least addition to it.... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER BE YE OF DOUBTFUL MIND.— _Neither be ye set afloat_ [_with desire_] Μη μετεωριζεσθε : "Be not (like meteors in the air, which are tossed about by every blast of wind) hurried with anxious cares, and _agitated with_ a variety of _restless_ and uneasy thoughts." Any speculations and musings, i... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NOT, LITTLE FLOCK, &C.— "Since the will of God is your everlasting happiness, he will surely bestow on you the necessaries of the present life." This part of the charge may be considered as parallel to the directions given to the twelve, Matthew 10:9. _Provide neither gold,_ &c. That is, "make... [ Continue Reading ]
LET YOUR LOINS BE GIRDED ABOUT— As the eastern nations wore long garments, it was necessary that, when they had any thing to do which required them to exert their strength or agility, they should tuck them up, and gird them close; a practice to which there are frequent references both in the Old Tes... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL COME FORTH, AND SERVE THEM, &C.— It was usual for servants to sit at table, and for the master to wait upon them, among the Babylonians, at their feast called _Saccas;_ among the Cretans, in their _Hermoea;_ and among the Romans, in their _Saturnalia:_ but whether our Lord alluded to these, or... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN PETER SAID, &C.— St. Peter, who had been giving great attention to the whole of this sermon, was, it seems, at a loss to know, whether the parable of the watching servants was spoken to the multitude in general, or to the apostles in particular; he therefore begged his Master to satisfy him as... [ Continue Reading ]
AND CUT HIM IN SUNDER,— See the note on Matthew 24:51.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT SERVANT WHICH KNEW HIS LORD'S WILL, &C.— Lest the consideration of the strictness of the account, and the greatness of the punishment described in the parable, might terrify men of honest dispositions, who might err merelythrough weakness, Jesus shewed them, that as offences differ greatly... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM COME TO SEND FIRE, &C.— Jesus concluded the charge with foretelling the divisions which should be occasioned by his gospel: _I am come to send fire on the earth,_ (see on Matthew 10:34.) _and what will I, if it be already kindled?_— τι θελω,— _what wish I._ "Do I wish to escape that fire myself... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I HAVE A BAPTISM, &C.— _"But I have_ indeed, in the mean time; _a_ most dreadful _baptism to be baptized with,_ and know that I shall shortly be baptized as it were in blood, and plunged in the most overwhelming distress;" (see on Matthew 20:23.) _"Yet how am I straitened_ [συνεχομαι] and uneasy... [ Continue Reading ]
SUPPOSE YE, &C.— By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews? _I tell you nay._ There are so many prophesies of the peaceful state of the Messiah's kingdom, that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah, if he should never... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW AGAINST THE DAUGHTER, &C.— _The mother-in-law against her son's wife, and the daughter-in-law against her husband's mother._ This is the exact rendering of the original words. Our Lord might mention this relation, because, in consequence of the obligation which the Jewish children... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID ALSO TO THE PEOPLE,— When Jesus had done speaking to his disciples, he addressed the unbelieving multitude, who on this occasion were gathered together, and stood round, hearing the instruction which he gave to his disciples. See Luke 12:1. The Mediterranean Sea lying west of Judea, the... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HYPOCRITE, &C.— "Since ye can form a judgment of the weather which shall happen, by the signs appearing in the earth and sky, what is the reason that you do not discover this time by its signs?" Our Lord meant the time of the Messiah's appearing on earth, to accomplish the salvation of the world,... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, AND WHY EVEN OF YOURSELVES, &C.— The prediction of the coming of the Son of man to punish the Jews for their perfidy and rebellion, was a loud call to a national repentance: wherefore, as the improvement of that prediction, Jesus exhorted them to a speedy reformation, telling them, that common... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THOU GOEST, &C.— _As you are going with your adversary to the governor, endeavour to satisfy him, and get your discharge while you are in the way; lest he carry you by force before the judge,_ &c. We are all on our way to judgment; we might therefore see the necessity of being reconciled to our... [ Continue Reading ]