_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 ]