AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN JESUS HAD FINISHED THESE SAYINGS,.... Concerning humility, avoiding offences, the methods to be taken in reproving offenders, and the forgiveness that is to be exercised towards them: HE DEPARTED FROM GALILEE; where he had chiefly preached and wrought his miracles, no... [ Continue Reading ]
AND GREAT MULTITUDES FOLLOWED HIM,.... The Persic version adds, "of the sick and diseased"; but all that followed him were not such, though some were: these came not only from Galilee, but from the adjacent parts, from the country beyond Jordan, and the coasts of Judea, where he had been formerly; a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PHARISEES ALSO CAME UNTO HIM,.... Either from the places round about, or from Jerusalem: these came unto him, not for the sake of learning, or to be instructed by him; but as spies upon him, to observe what he said and did, and watch every opportunity to expose him to the contempt and hatred of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM,.... Not by replying directly to the question, but by referring them to the original creation of man, and to the first institution of marriage, previous to the law of Moses; HAVE YE NOT READ, THAT HE WHICH MADE THEM AT THE BEGINNING, MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE? Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID,.... Genesis 2:24 where they seem to be the words of Adam, though here they are ascribed to God, who made Adam and Eve; and as if they were spoken by him, when he brought them together; and which is easily reconciled by observing, that these words were spoken by Adam, under the direction of... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE THEY ARE NO MORE TWAIN,.... They were two before marriage, but now no more so; not but that they remain two distinct persons, BUT ONE FLESH; or, as the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read, "one body": hence the wife is to beloved by the husband as his own body, as himself,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY SAY UNTO HIM,.... That is the Pharisees, who object the law of Moses to him, hoping hereby to ensnare him, and expose him to the resentment of the people, should he reject that, as they supposed he would; WHY DID MOSES THEN COMMAND TO GIVE A WRITING OF DIVORCEMENT, AND PUT HER AWAY? referring... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAITH UNTO THEM,.... In answer to their objection; MOSES, BECAUSE OF THE HARDNESS OF YOUR HEARTS, SUFFERED YOU TO PUT AWAY YOUR WIVES: in which may be observed, that, though it was by direction that Moses, in his system of laws, allowed of divorces; yet not God, but he is said to do it, because... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I SAY UNTO YOU,.... To his disciples, when they were with him alone in the house, and asked him more particularly about the subject, concerning which he had been discoursing with the Pharisees, as Mark observes, Mark 10:10 when he said to them much the same things, he had delivered before in Mat... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS DISCIPLES SAY UNTO HIM,.... Being surprised at this account of things, it being quite contrary to what they had been taught, and very different from the general practice and usage of their nation: IF THE CASE OF A MAN BE SO WITH HIS WIFE; if they are so closely joined together in marriage; if t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE SAID UNTO THEM,.... With respect to the inference or conclusion, the disciples formed from what he had asserted: ALL MEN CANNOT RECEIVE THIS SAYING; of their's, that it is not good to marry, but it is more proper and expedient to live a single life! every man, as the Syriac version renders i... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE ARE SOME EUNUCHS,.... Our Lord here distinguishes the various sorts of persons, that can and do live in a single state with content: some by nature, and others by violence offered to them, are rendered incapable of entering into a marriage state; and others, through the gift of God, and un... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WERE THERE BROUGHT UNTO HIM LITTLE CHILDREN,.... It does not appear that they were new born babes; the words used by either of the evangelists do not always signify such, but are sometimes used of such as are capable of going alone; yea, of receiving instructions, of understanding the Scripture... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT JESUS SAID, SUFFER LITTLE CHILDREN.... This he said to show his humility, that he was not above taking notice of any; and to teach his disciples to regard the weakest believers, and such as were but children in knowledge; and to inform them what all ought to be, who expect the kingdom of heaven;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LAID HIS HANDS ON THEM,.... "And blessed them", as Mark says; he put his hands upon them, according to the custom of the country, and wished all kind of prosperity to them: AND DEPARTED THENCE, out of the house where he had been, and his disciples with him: the Ethiopic version renders it, ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND BEHOLD, ONE CAME,.... The Persic version reads, "a rich man"; and so he was, as appears from what follows: Luke calls him, "a certain ruler"; not of a synagogue, an ecclesiastical ruler, but a civil magistrate: perhaps he might be one of the sanhedrim, which consisted of "twenty one" persons; or... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO HIM,.... By way of reply, first taking notice of, and questioning him about, the epithet he gave him: WHY CALLEST THOU ME GOOD? not that he denied that he was so; for he was good, both as God and man, in his divine and human natures; in all his offices, and the execution of them; h... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAITH UNTO HIM, WHICH?.... Whether those commandments of a moral, or of a ceremonial kind; whether the commands of the written, or of the oral law; of God, or of the elders, or both; or whether he did not mean some new commandments of his own, which he delivered as a teacher sent from God: JESUS... [ Continue Reading ]
HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER:.... This, as it is the first commandment with promise, so the first of the second table, and yet is here mentioned last; which inversion of order is of no consequence: so the "seventh" command is put before the "sixth", and the "fifth" omitted, in Romans 13:9 and wi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE YOUNG MAN SAITH UNTO HIM,.... For though he was so very rich and in such an exalted station in life, as to be a ruler, it seems he was but a young man; and to be so early serious and religious, amidst so much riches and grandeur, though it was but externally, was both remarkable and commendable:... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAID UNTO HIM, IF THOU WILT BE PERFECT,.... Wanting nothing, completely righteous, according to the tenor of the covenant of works, having no evil, concupiscence, or worldly lusts: our Lord signifies it was not enough to be possessed of negative holiness, and do no hurt to his neighbour, to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN THE YOUNG MAN HEARD THAT SAYING..... That he must sell his estates, and all his worldly substance, and the money made of them, give away to the poor; and become a follower of Christ, deny himself, and submit to hardships very disagreeable to the flesh: HE WENT AWAY SORROWFUL; not with a go... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JESUS UNTO HIS DISCIPLES..... When the young man was gone; taking this opportunity to make some proper observations for the use and instruction of his disciples, after, as Mark observes, he had "looked round about"; with concern, and in order to affect their minds with this incident, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AGAIN I SAY UNTO YOU,.... After the apostles had discovered their astonishment at the above expression, about the difficulty of a rich man entering into the kingdom of heaven; when they expected that, in a short time, all the rich and great men of the nation would espouse the interest of the Mes... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HIS DISCIPLES HEARD IT..... That is, the difficulty of a rich man's entering into the kingdom of heaven, aggravated by the above proverbial expression, THEY WERE EXCEEDINGLY AMAZED. They were surprised at his first words; but when he confirmed them by the proverb of a camel's passing through t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT JESUS BEHELD THEM,.... Looking wishfully and earnestly at them; signifying thereby, that he knew their reasonings among themselves, though they did not speak out so as to be heard by him; and that there was no reason why they should be in so much concern, as their countenances showed, or possess... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED PETER AND SAID UNTO HIM,.... Peter observing what Christ said to the young man, bidding him sell all that he had, and give to the poor, and he should have treasure in heaven, and come and follow him, lays hold on it, and addresses him in the following manner, BEHOLD, WE HAVE FORSAKEN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JESUS SAID UNTO THEM,.... To all the disciples whom Peter represented; VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU: the thing being something very considerable, and of great moment, Christ uses the asseveration he sometimes does in such cases: THAT YE WHICH HAVE FOLLOWED ME. Christ does not deny that they had forsa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERYONE THAT HATH FORSAKEN HOUSES,.... Not only the then disciples of Christ, but any other believer in him, whether at that time, or in any age, that should be called to quit their habitations, or leave their dearest relations, friends, and substance: as BRETHREN OR SISTERS, OR FATHER OR MOTH... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MANY THAT ARE FIRST SHALL BE LAST,.... This may refer unto, or be occasioned by, either the young ruler; signifying that he, and others like him, who were superior in riches and honour, were first in this world, of the first rank and figure, should be the last in the world to come: AND THE LAST... [ Continue Reading ]