_CHRIST ADMONISHETH THE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THE GOOD DOCTRINE, NOT THE
EVIL EXAMPLE OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES: HIS DISCIPLES MUST BEWARE
OF THEIR AMBITION; HE DENOUNCETH EIGHT WOES AGAINST THEIR HYPOCRISY
AND BLINDNESS: AND PROPHESIETH THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM._
_Anno Domini 33._... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SPAKE JESUS, &C.— Because our Saviour had mentioned the final
conquest and destruction of his enemies, who were to be made his
footstool, he turned towards his disciples, and in the hearing of all
the people solemnly cautioned them to beware of the Scribes and
Pharisees; by which he insinuated,... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THEREFORE, &C.— The morality of the Pharisees, as appears from
many examples mentioned in the Gospel, was of a very loose kind; and
as for the traditions which they taught, they often made void the law
of God altogether. It is not therefore to be thought, that Jesus would
recommend the doctrines... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEY BIND HEAVY BURDENS— It is well known that the Pharisees
gloried in the exactness with which they obeyed the ceremonial part of
the law. Nay, they carried matters so high, that, not content with the
commandments which God had enjoined, they took upon them to prescribe
a variety of traditiona... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THEIR WORKS THEY DO, &C.— "Any good action which they happen to
perform, is vitiated by the principle from which it proceeds. They do
it with a view to popular applause, and not from a regard to God, or
from a love of goodness. They are proud and arrogant, as is plain from
their affected gravity... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT BE NOT YE CALLED RABBI— The Apostles of Christ were to be very
different, both in temper and conduct, from the Jewish teachers. They
were to decline being called _Rabbi,_ because the thing signified by
it belonged solely to their Master, in _whom all the treasuries of
knowledge and wisdom are hi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER SHALL EXALT HIMSELF— Dr. Doddridge observes, that our
Saviour, by the frequent repetition of this maxim, seems to intimate,
that he intended it not only for those who were to be the teachers of
others, but for all his disciples without exception; and it is well
worthy of our observation, t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WO UNTO YOU, SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES— The above
discourse against the Scribes and Pharisees was pronounced in the
hearing of many of the order; they were therefore greatly incensed,
and watched for an opportunity to destroyJesus: but it was not a time
for him now to conceal from them a... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES— 2. This verse contains the _second_
reason of the woes; because they committed the grossest iniquities,
being covetous and rapacious under a cloke of religion; they _devoured
widows' houses,_ and at the same time _made long prayers_ in order to
hide their villany. "This... [ Continue Reading ]
YE COMPASS SEA AND LAND, &C.— 3. The _third_ woe is denounced,
because theyexpressed the greatest zeal imaginable in making
proselytes, compassing sea and land; that is to say, using the most
indefatigable pains and ardour, and leaving no art unpractised for
that end; while at the same time their in... [ Continue Reading ]
YE BLIND GUIDES— 4. The _fourth_ woe is denounced for their false
doctrine. Our Saviour had before stiled them _hypocrites_ from their
_personal character;_ now he gives them another title, _blind guides,_
respecting their influence upon others. Both these appellations are
severely put together in M... [ Continue Reading ]
YE FOOLS AND BLIND— The Apostle's words, Hebrews 6:16 are a proper
comment on the 17th verse, _for men verily swear by the greater. Whoso
shall swear by the altar,_ says our Saviour (Matthew 23:20.) _sweareth
by it, and by all things thereon;_ consequently the oath is an
invocation of his wrath, to... [ Continue Reading ]
YE PAY TITHE, &C.— 5. The _fifth_ woe is denounced for their
superstition. They observed the ceremonial precepts of the law with
all possible exactness, while they utterly neglected the eternal,
immutable, and indispensable rules of righteousness,—_justice,
mercy,_ or _charity,_ and _fidelity._ Besi... [ Continue Reading ]
YE MAKE CLEAN THE OUTSIDE, &C.— 6. The _sixth_ woe is denounced for
their hypocrisy: they were at great pains to appear virtuous, and to
have a decent external conduct, while they neglected to beautify their
inward man with goodness, which, in the sight of God, is an ornament
of great price, and ren... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE LIKE UNTO WHITED SEPULCHRES— 7. The se_venth_ woe is
denounced for the excess of their hypocrisy. By their care of external
appearances, the Pharisees and Scribes made a fair shew, and deceived
the simple. Like fine whited sepulchres, they looked beautiful
without, but within were full of unc... [ Continue Reading ]
YE BUILD THE TOMBS, &C.— 8. The _eighth_ woe is denounced, because
by the pains they took in adorning the sepulchres of the prophets,
they pretended a great veneration for their memory; and as often as
they happened to be mentioned, condemned their fathers, who had killed
them; declaring, that if th... [ Continue Reading ]
FILL YE UP THEN THE MEASURE, &C.— That is, the measure of your
fathers' sin, (the measure fixed upon by God for punishment.) See John
13:27. This expression implies, that there is a certain measure fixed
for every nation to which its iniquity is allowed to rise; and that
before decisive punishment,... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SERPENTS, &C.— See Luke 3:7. Men of warm tempers are apt to
mistake this part of Christ's discourse; they fancy that his giving
the Pharisees names expressive of their characters, and his denouncing
woes against them, justifies those censorious judgments, which,
without reason, or, it may be, con... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE— Δια τουτο, _"for this cause_—that ye are
_serpents,_ and a _brood of vipers,_ who will fill up the measure of
your fathers' iniquities." Our Saviour's meaning was, not that he
would send them prophets to be killed, that they might escape the
damnation of hell; but that every possible meth... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT UPON YOU MAY CAME ALL THE RIGHTEOUS BLOOD, &C.— The meaning is,
"As by your cruel and persecuting temper you seem to approve of all
the murders which have been committed since the beginning of the
world, you shall be as severely punished as if you yourselves had been
the authors of them." This... [ Continue Reading ]
O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM!— Our Lord having laid before the Pharisees
andthenationtheirheinousguiltandgrievouspunishment,thethought of the
calamities which were comingupon them moved him exceedingly: his
bowels were turned within him, and his breast was filled with the
gracious meltings of pity to such... [ Continue Reading ]
HENCEFORTH— Απ αρτι, _hereafter._ "Because you have killed the
prophets, and endeavoured to stone me, whom the Father hath sent unto
you; because your great men are at this moment plotting against me,
who am the Lord of the temple; and because you will assist them in
putting me to death; your temple... [ Continue Reading ]