AT THE SAME TIME CAME THE DISCIPLES UNTO JESUS,.... When the receivers of the half shekel had spoke to Peter about his master's paying it, and Christ and he had conversed about it, by whose orders he had taken up a fish out of the sea, and from it a piece of money, which he had paid for them both; j... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS CALLED A LITTLE CHILD UNTO HIM,.... One, very likely, that was in the house, and might belong to the master of it, and which was big enough to come to him at his call. Some have thought that this was Ignatius the martyr, but without any foundation. His own words, in his epistle to the chur... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU,.... You may take it for a certain truth, and what may be depended upon, that EXCEPT YE BE CONVERTED OR TURNED; from that gross notion of a temporal kingdom, and of enjoying great grandeur, and outward felicity in this world; and from all your vain views of honour, w... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER THEREFORE SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF,.... Whoever shall entertain mean thoughts of himself, and prefer others to himself, shall behave in a modest humble manner, not affecting dominion over others, or treating his brethren and Christians in a haughty and supercilious manner, with scorn and conte... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHOSO SHALL RECEIVE ONE SUCH LITTLE CHILD,.... Which is to be understood, not literally but metaphorically; meaning not such an one in age, but one, as the Syriac renders it, איך טליא דנא, "that is as this child": like unto it for modesty and humility; one, that is as that, free from pride, ambi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHOSO SHALL OFFEND ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES,.... Not in age, but are little and mean in their own eyes, and contemptible in the esteem of the world; though otherwise men of great grace, gifts, and usefulness; who may be said to be offended, when they are not received; their persons despised, the... [ Continue Reading ]
WOE UNTO THE WORLD BECAUSE OF OFFENCES!.... By which are meant, not sins, as sometimes, but rather temptations to sin; and so the Ethiopic version renders this word by "temptation" in every clause, as the Arabic does in the next; and may design all the contempt and reproach cast upon the doctrines,... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 8, 9. WHEREFORE IF THY HAND OR THY FOOT,.... The same words are repeated here on occasion of offences, as are spoken by Christ, Matthew 5:29 on account of unchaste looks, desires and lusts: giving offence to Christ's disciples, or endeavouring, by any means whatever, to cause them to stumble an... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 18:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE HEED THAT YE DESPISE NOT ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES,.... That is, one of those little ones that believed in Christ; for he is not speaking of infants in age, but of those who might be compared to such, for their humility and modesty; who were little in their own eyes, and mean and despicable in t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME TO SEEK THAT WHICH WAS LOST. This is another, and stronger reason, why these little ones should not be despised; because Christ, who is here meant by the Son of man, came into this world to save these persons; who were lost in Adam, and had destroyed themselves by their tr... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW THINK YE,.... Or, as the Arabic, "what do you think?" what is your opinion of this matter? what is your sense of it? how does it appear to you? It is a Talmudic way of speaking, the same with מה אתם סבורין "what do you think?" what is your judgment? So the Rabbins, after they have discussed a po... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF SO BE THAT HE FIND IT,.... Which is a casual and uncertain thing with the shepherd, but not so with Christ, who certainly finds all those he goes after, and seeks: for, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, HE REJOICETH MORE OF THAT SHEEP; at the finding of it, whose loss greatly affected him, THAN OF THE... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN SO IT IS NOT THE WILL OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN,.... This is the accommodation, or application of the parable of the lost sheep to the present purpose, and is the top of the climax or gradation here made use of. First, Christ observes, in order to deter any from despising and offending... [ Continue Reading ]
MOREOVER, IF THY BROTHER SHALL TRESPASS AGAINST THEE,.... This is said to show, that as on the one hand, if any of those that believe in Christ, should commit a trespass against his fellow Christian, his sin is not to be connived at, for fear of offending him; for what Christ has before said, is not... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF HE WILL NOT HEAR THEE,..... But will either deny the fact, or extenuate and excuse it, or defend it, or at least is obstinate and incorrigible, shows no signs of repentance, but is angry, gives hard words, and ill language: THEN TAKE WITH THEE ONE OR TWO MORE; members of the church, and perh... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF HE SHALL NEGLECT TO HEAR THEM,.... The one or two, in conjunction with the offended person that shall hear the ease, and admonish and reprove; if he takes no notice of what they say to him, but remains stiff and impenitent, tell it unto the church: which some understand, of the רבים, or "mult... [ Continue Reading ]
VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU,.... To them all, what he had said before to Peter; See Gill "Mt 16:19": what is said here, refers to things and not persons, as there also.... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN, I SAY UNTO YOU,.... As the words in the former verse seem to regard the whole body of the disciples, whose decisions in cases brought before them, declaring them just or unjust, are determinate and unalterable; these seem to respect the one or two, that should join the offended person in the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED TOGETHER,.... This seems to be said in opposition to a Jewish notion, that a number less than ten, is not a congregation a; whereas, though the number is ever so few that are met together to pray to God; or to hear his word, attend on his ordinances, or do the bus... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME PETER UNTO HIM,.... Having heard and observed the rules Christ gave concerning offences and brotherly reproofs, he drew near to Christ, and put this question to him: AND SAID, LORD, HOW OFT SHALL MY BROTHER SIN AGAINST ME, AND I FORGIVE HIM? He instances in a brother, because it was such... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, I SAY NOT UNTO THEE,.... Which is as if he had said, observe what I am about to say, I do not agree to what thou sayest to fix the number, "until seven times only", but UNTIL SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN; a certain number for an uncertain, see Genesis 4:24. Christ's meaning is, that a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN,.... The Gospel church state, or the church of Christ under the Gospel dispensation, and the methods of God's dealings in it; LIKENED UNTO A CERTAIN KING: or "a man", "a king", pointing either to Christ, the king Messiah, who is King of kings, and Lord of lords, t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD BEGUN TO RECKON,.... To open the book of conscience, and to bring to account by some awakening providence, and strong conviction: one was brought unto him; whether he would or no, through the force of an awakened conscience, under guilt and terror; WHICH OWED HIM TEN THOUSAND TALENT... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT FORASMUCH AS HE HAD NOT TO PAY,.... Every sinner is insolvent; sinful man has run out the whole stock of nature, and is become a bankrupt, and has nothing to offer by way of composition; nor has he any righteousness to answer for him, nor any works of righteousness which deserve that name: and i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SERVANT THEREFORE FELL DOWN,.... At his feet, upon his knees, or on his face, to the ground; not being able to stand before him, or look him in the face, and much less to answer the demands of his law and justice; but owned the debt, and his present inability to pay, AND WORSHIPPED HIM: the Vul... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE LORD OF THAT SERVANT WAS MOVED WITH COMPASSION,.... Or had compassion on him, showed pity to him, and extended mercy towards him; not that he was moved hereunto by any actions of his, as his prostrating himself before him, and his worshipping him, nor by his cries and entreaties, nor by his... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE SAME SERVANT WENT OUT,.... From his Lord's palace and presence, immediately, directly, after he had got his pardon and liberty: AND FOUND ONE OF HIS FELLOW SERVANTS; a fellow creature and Christian; not only one of the same nature and species; but of the same profession of religion, and in... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS FELLOW SERVANT FELL DOWN AT HIS FEET,.... In the most humble and submissive manner, just as he himself had done a little before at the feet of his Lord: AND BESOUGHT HIM, SAYING, HAVE PATIENCE WITH ME, AND I WILL PAY THEE ALL; using the very same words, in which he had expressed himself to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE WOULD NOT,.... Have patience with him, give him time for payment, and forbear severity at present, as he requested: BUT WENT AND CAST HIM INTO PRISON, TILL HE SHOULD PAY THE DEBT; had him before a proper officer, and proved his debt, and got him sent to jail, there to lie till the whole debt... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WHEN HIS FELLOW SERVANTS SAW WHAT WAS DONE,.... What hard usage, and ill treatment, their fellow servant met with; the Syriac reads, "their fellow servants", being the fellow servants both of the creditor and the debtor: THEY WERE VERY SORRY; they were greatly grieved and troubled at the cruelty... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HIS LORD, AFTER THAT HE HAD CALLED HIM,.... Or ordered him to be called, and brought before him, SAID UNTO HIM, O THOU WICKED SERVANT! Munster's Hebrew Gospel reads, "thou servant of Belial"; thou cruel and hard hearted man to thy fellow servant, and ungrateful creature to me, on whom my goodn... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOULDEST NOT THOU ALSO HAVE HAD COMPASSION..... It is but reasonable, what ought to be, and may be expected, that such who have received mercy, should show mercy; and as the Lord had compassion on this man, and had forgiven him such an immense sum, and saved him, his wife and children, from being s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS LORD WAS WROTH,.... Very angry, greatly incensed, and justly provoked at such inhuman treatment: AND DELIVERED HIM TO THE TORMENTORS, or jail keepers. The Ethiopic version renders it, "to them that judge", or the judges; Munster's Hebrew Gospel, "to the punishers", or such that inflicted pu... [ Continue Reading ]
SO LIKEWISE SHALL MY HEAVENLY FATHER,.... This is the accommodation and application of the parable, and opens the design and intent of it; showing that God, who is Christ's Father, that is in heaven, will act in like manner towards all such persons, who are cruel and hard hearted to their brethren,... [ Continue Reading ]