The case of the centurion is a very full one in principle. It is not merely an act of grace. It is grace to a Gentile, nor is that all. The great principle on which the apostle rests this question is brought out. It was of faith, that it might be by grace, that the promise might be sure to all the seed. Faith, as the great principle, is introduced next. There is the recognition of the honor God had put upon His people; though despised and failing exceedingly, still he loved His nation, and had built them a synagogue. Unfeigned humility, for his faith was far beyond those he honored, consequently a very high apprehension of the power and glory of Christ's Person as divine, reaching beyond Jewish thoughts altogether, and yet, as yet Jews, quite kept in their place all through, even by the Lord, for He says: " No, not in Israel." He went with them, and yet looking at faith out of Israel. The effect was certain of this. Thus the whole order and opening of the house was brought out. Faith always makes humble, because it exalts the object of faith. His faith too, note, was by report, by hearing. " He built the synagogue for us."
-I. Christ does not conceal the principles of his faith, though He may address them as obligatory on those who are really His people; see verses 6 and 17.
-3. Upon this occasion, it would seem, on his concern for his sick servant, he was told of this Jesus who was so famous, and He in Capernaum. But he was a stranger, and the Jews knew God, and were God's people, and they must be the fittest to bring this wonderful Person, but he believed that He was a man of mercy as well as power, and his servant needed Him.
There was surely sense of the deepest personal respect and affection-a strong apprehension, though perhaps untaught, of the excellency of His Person. I need scarcely add wonderful humility ever correspondent to the measure of the apprehension of that, and this not only showing itself towards Jesus Himself, but also towards others, the connection of which note, for it is very instructive. This message of his friends very strongly depicts his character and feeling. He was one far more morally changed and turned to God than the people whom he looked to as God's people. So often where the light of the gospel has not shone fully so as to form men on its principles. He told nothing to Jesus of his service to them, nor spoke to Him of anything but his unworthiness, and this so decidedly and consistently that he begged Him not to come, as unworthy to have Him in his house, not as if he did Christ an honor by believing on Him-no pretense of receiving Him to sot himself up. His sense of himself spoke his own grave and real apprehension of what his friends told of the fruits of it.
The Lord reaches all Gentiles on this principle.
-9. He addressed the multitude with this remark; they learned grace to the stranger by it, but they yet knew it in one who loved Israel. The Lord, for God was thus manifested, we may say of course removed the evil faith thus truly brought to Him, for He came to do it.
Our Lord had baptized many disciples more than John, express disciples, i.e., His disciples had, I suppose unto repentance, and that He was the Christ-rather in the hope of the coming kingdom in profession by repentance. This seems to have been before His public preaching or His apostles', etc., which note, for I doubt that our Lord baptized any after, but that He called upon all men then to believe on Him as the Christ come, when He had sufficiently won individuals by His private ministry, and even then He avoided human publicity. The character of the ministration is, we know, changed by the coming of the Holy Ghost, but I query if there be not a wisdom which, in the midst of evil, savors of this spirit-and the just use of this holy zeal for the hidden ones of the Lord, and holy boldness for His Name's sake in power give the character of a full and perfect minister. He did not in the nature of His ministry go beyond John; see chapter 4: 14, where the assumption of His ministry is noted.
Along with grace to the (poor dead) Gentiles, came the evidence of power to raise the dead, but manifested here in human compassion, and in witness that God had visited His people.
Multitudes everywhere, but, alas! where is their end?
Our Lord, as Man, did it upon the spur of the occasion, but doubtless He was led to Nain of the Spirit which dwelt in Him in all fullness, that His glory might be shown forth as it is at this day by it; so often, and thus it ought to be, for the Person of Christ is eminently shown forth in it, His humanity being touched with our infirmities, and His perfect power to save. So, in their place, in measure, His Spirit in His servants; I mean as to the infirmity of the vessel, and the energy of the Spirit guided by a supreme power, not, of course, as to the person.
-16. This was the common word while it was a favor to themselves and till the trial of confession came.
We have now, I take it, the complete hinge of the dispensation brought out. The Lord receives, and bears witness to John the baptist, not John to the Lord, and John receives Christ's testimony of Himself, and by report too. It was no longer preparing a people for the Lord, but receiving sinners, and raising the dead. Yet the fullest testimony is borne to John, and his work in baptism owned. They who had bowed to it among the Jews received the Lord's testimony concerning him. The Pharisees and Scribes rejected the counsel of God towards them, being not baptized of him. Thus again, while the Jewish work was owned it was owned from a higher ground, where the Lord in grace and living power, resurrection power, had placed Himself. This was based on entire rejection in and by the world, so that though He was doing all good, still it was: " Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me "; see the end then of verse 28, as marking the change now taking place. But even John had advocated repentance, which was more than law, for law allows nothing of repentance nor grace, for admission of repentance is grace. Law, with God, recognizes equivalent atonement. Elias was testimony, not to those under the law properly, but to apostate Israel having left the place of covenant. We find, in addition, the recognition of a class who did understand these things-wisdom as to John, or the Lord's ways. Wisdom is justified of her children-the wisdom of God's ways, all of them apparently quite different, but understood in grace, but it is wisdom's children, those who are identified with her, and take her view of grace from above, and God glorified in His dealings, dealings towards man ruined, not man's judgment of God as if he was, as a sinner, a competent judge. It is more than they are saved, justified. It is the children of wisdom justifying wisdom.
-20. It was a turning over in fact of the disciples of John to the Lord, but that John sent for the satisfaction of his own mind, as to its ultimate expectations, is to me evident, as I have taken notice elsewhere at large. Some men reason from, what could be, but the way in Scripture is to weigh the force of the testimony itself. It would be hard to say it were a sort of dramatic interlude to satisfy the disciples, and it destroys very deep and valuable instruction, namely, the paramount testimony of our Lord to Himself by His works, notwithstanding His humiliation, by which and His own testimony was the exercise of saving faith in seeing His glory-His glory as the Mediator, God manifest in the flesh. His Savior glory, the glory which he who has seen is saved, and has, knowing, seeing the Son, seen the Father also, who can fathom the mystery of the Person of the Son of God. Upon this, His Church is built, and shall endure; and in the knowledge of this it consists as the Scriptures manifest, the Spirit testifying thereto.
-24. People do not go in crowds into the wilderness for nothing. It is a strong appeal to their own former thoughts pressed home upon them, drawing them to the recollection of John's peculiar character.
It is exceedingly lovely this testimony to John, thus honoring His faithful servant, though he might have gladly decreased before the Light. But the kingdom of heaven was now introduced, and the least in it was greater than he that was connected with the Jews and before it, than John the baptist even himself. Our Lord testifies to John, not John to the Lord. Indeed he could point Him out by a revealed sign, but give Him no authenticating testimony; this was the Lord's to him.
-3o. Note, too, He authenticated John in his real character; and this was always indeed a separating medium, as our Lord expressly used it afterward when they inquired His authority. We see here the force of that question. It was a trial of their own unconversion by what they dared not deny. Note, the danger of having rejected grace or the testimony, for it hangs together, and the next testimony always bears witness to the importance of the former, so that we cannot receive this without really acknowledging that they hang together; but the rejection of the former hardens the heart against the latter, and the receiving this condemns us for the rejection of that. Note also God always begins at the right end-confession of sin and turning to Him without assumption of grace. We shall recognize with simplicity as a doctrine what we have received in grace ourselves. But the rejection of it as that paves the way for rejection of all the promises of God. Yet both have in themselves the ground of suitable proposal to the heart and state of man primarily, and especially the gospel, the reception of which produces that of which the other is the testimony and claim.
-13-31. In Matthew and Mark, in the narrative, " Lord " is not found, but " Jesus." Here and in chapters 10: 1 11: 39, 12: 42, 13: 15, 17: 6, and 22: 31, and in John 4: I and chapter 6: 23. In John, after His resurrection it becomes a constant word as to Him. It is certainly, which bears on Luke's gospel, more constantly used in Acts, and Paul's epistles than anywhere if it be not Jude. In Peter's second epistle it is also very frequent; in John never, save in the third. It is very often used in James, and 1 Peter, of God as Jehovah.
On the whole we have some extremely important moral facts with our Lord's statement of the case, and the divine judgment as to the result of the whole. Simply let us say to justify Him in all His ways and works, and indeed " Wisdom is justified of all her children."
Some of the points are weakly noticed in the former note, but they deserve much study. Note, man's business here is to justify God, not himself against God. To justify God in God's way of justifying him-this begins by repentance, to wit, in ourselves; then we begin to justify God, and that too against ourselves, for this is the trying point. Thus we have to do it. But it is righteous to justify His ways, and suitable, and holy (for they are just) and in this God delights, for he that honoureth Him He will honor. Yet it is a counsel of grace to themselves, i.e., in contrast, and, as it were, in scorn of the wisdom of this world which rejected every evidence of God's mind, whereas they who were despised, and indeed held accursed, were indeed the children of wisdom, and every one of them comprehended, were possessed of, and acknowledged the whole wisdom of God, the only true wisdom which, etc., see 1 Cor. 2. Compare verse 29 here, and its connection with verse 28. There was also perverseness, for in any character they rejected it, and yet every child of God perceived His wisdom in both cases. It is, however, a solemn assertion on the Lord's part.
Notwithstanding, however, this perverseness, our Lord did not stop manifesting Himself, the truth in Himself, to them, rather to the world. Note also the perfect simplicity and readiness with which the Lord went. No common civility was offered to Him. He was a poor Preacher, and it was an honor to be with the Pharisee. But He was the Lord of glory, and the Pharisee did not know that. So of His children and theirs. Doubtless our Lord was sensible of it, but His deportment it did not affect; He was used to it; indeed He sought it not. His mind was on saving souls, finishing the work His Father gave Him to do.
From this verse to the end, we have three hearts fully revealed-light and grace come by Jesus Christ being there, in the blessed Lord. The Pharisee's-God in grace in his house, and he never found it out. The woman-all in the light, and having learned to trust in grace, knowing in this the Person of the blessed Lord; she loved much. God's own heart-perfect light, revealed the others therefore, but His own, God's grace to the sinner. Grace that had won, grace that had inspired confidence, in full acknowledgment of sin, grace that thought of her, and while so meeting did not further trouble Himself about man's judgment. How should God, and God in grace, but have thought of the woman, pronounced forgiveness, pronounced peace, assured of salvation, and denied its source in man's heart-by grace the revelation to it, faith in the blessed Person of the Son of God? And how was that faith showed?
-39. Here we find too the force of hamartolos (a sinner), valuable as regards John's words. What if He were a Savior of any poor lost sinners? Ah! God was unknown-that was the secret. We often reason justly as to that part of a question which is within human reason; so here. But God's thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor His ways our ways; our conclusions therefore go all wrong, there is something assumed, founded in our own thoughts which are not His.
Note the close of this chapter is evidently the beautiful comment on verse 35, " Wisdom is justified of her children." This poor woman was a child of wisdom, and she justified it. Justifying God is the grand point of true subjective righteousness or restoration to it. It is lost in us utterly, we have only to own it (as sinners, too) in Another-first in John Baptist, or repentance ministry, that we are justly condemned or condemnable, and next in grace in His ways to us as sinners, dealing with us as such in grace (and righteousness) in Christ. The Pharisee Simon ought as towards the woman; but then he must have counted himself a sinner, and come in as such. It is impossible (ought not to be done morally) to justify grace towards the chief of sinners, and all without difference, unless we put ourselves in that place; the poor woman did, and justified God in His ways in Christ. If difference is to be made, i.e., if righteousness is to be sought for or recognized in man, then grace to a sinner destroys that difference. But if the Holy God cannot sanction the decency, poor external decency of man-a good character-then it is only in the place ourselves of the objects of grace that we can justify that grace, for anywhere else we should claim a difference to be made, and condemn the grace, as self-righteous Pharisees did. They separated themselves, made a difference. But the comment is most lovely.
The state of this Pharisee's mind I think deeply interesting. I think it has been treated superciliously. But he failed entirely in the essential point, perceiving the glory of Christ. In this the Lord meets him, and shows, in contrast with the woman, the point where he was exercising judgment to be precisely the point where he failed. The converted and convinced mind sees the glory of the Lord as grace towards itself; the unconverted, unconvinced, however interested in the inquiry, as a man judges, and therefore judges according to its own thoughts, and therefore necessarily fails in seeing the glory which is not according to those thoughts. If it were on any ground, it need not have been manifested, our judgment of the gospel must be wrong therefore, our reception of it as grace alone right, and alone the way of coming to the knowledge of it, for it is grace. When informed by it we may see its excellence. Note also, there are generally, as moralists, two great points before us-our perception of the state of sin, and God's thoughts upon it. The one we may, in measure, perceive, i.e., in their legal character, but the other we know nothing of, and therefore in truth fail in all our results upon the former. We are, however, warranted in the direct application of gospel truth to it. This mind and these thoughts of God were fully in Christ, and He exhibited them. They ought to be in the Church, and are, according to the measure of the Spirit by the gospel, and I think it all hangs on these words.
This was not the Son of man proving that, come here below, He had power to forgive sins on earth, by removing the Jewish and earthly consequences, but the direct and distinct revelation of the ways of God. It was not now righteousness presented to Him, or chastenings even removed in mercy, but a forgiving of sins in grace put sovereignly and freely to any poor sinner, manifesting and producing love in the forgiven, and thus reconciling to God, producing peace. It was properly grace, the ground upon which any poor sinner (a Gentile) could be received, and God manifested, not in requirement from man, and making man of importance (in the flesh) but making God and His character in sovereign grace all, so bringing in blessing, and its blessed effect upon the heart in developing the fruits of grace there in a heart restored to confidence in God in the sense of goodness. What a blessed picture! A goodness known in its blessedness through that which has introduced us to it, not only in the act but in Him who did it.
The discernment of guilt, judged of by man in its gross and heinous forms was one thing, but the grace of God which could blot out and forgive all was quite another. This was quite a new thing, not righteousness from a sinner to God, and Christ come only to sanction Pharisees and discern guilt, but love to a sinner (manifesting God in this new character) producing thankful, holy love to God, a new and blessed relationship, sovereign and beyond, and out of the reach of all others. But how has God always to prove Himself right in His goodness to Man! So hard is man's heart!
-44. This is a moral explanation of the blessed results of this dealing and principle. Grace and love in Jesus had produced more lovely effects really, and in the sight of God who did judge all things, than were found in Simon. She discerned what he could not-the blessed perfectness of divine grace, and the loveliness of Jesus; she judged as God did. What a place does grace put a poor sinner in! The full peace is a positive announcement; attractive goodness in God may be felt previous to this, but not certainty of conscience through Christ before Him. This was the announcement of this truth, that souls so restored were forgiven; that they were attracted, and fruits produced was evident. The Lord appealed to it. The forgiveness was the new, blessed, and full announcement of the real character and extent of this grace to the conscience and need of the sinner. " Her many sins are forgiven her." As we said, God knew all about it; our comfort is He does. But Simon had no sort of idea what God was to such, hence no love; he was curious as to Christ as a Preacher. What a rebuke to the whole principle he stood on! His ignorance, the state of his heart, for Christ had known this too, and proved Himself a Prophet! As Simon would not have had the love that forgives, produces the effect on the heart, the announcement of the authoritative forgiveness may remain to purge, and send away in peace the conscience. But the Spirit, and operative attraction of forgiveness is in the Person, quod nota. " Go in peace " was the sentence. Her faith had seen the Person and attractive grace of Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, and had therefore really known, understood, and delighted in God, and she was saved; for surely one that does is actually saved, for that is to be saved. She loved well, then she knew God, and was born of God. Where had she found Him? In Jesus! A blessed knowledge of the highest perfection which scribes and learned men knew nothing about, for it was moral knowledge eternal and essential though given knowledge-a knowledge connected with the state of the heart and nature, and therefore acting on conscience, and forming the affections. She shone out in this. The other was peace pronounced, a very important thing, but the work was done; but she now knew that faith had saved her. It is both mercy and grace to put it on faith, for it reaches other poor sinners, and honors, and comforts the heart of the humbled one on God's part restoring the soul to confidence.
If He could not forgive sins, what good to sinners? But grace exercised and made known by the Son of man was blasphemy to man's heart (who needed it?)-what a state! And but for sovereign grace it was. But God was this. There the only answer.
-47. Note it is not said: " For which cause they are forgiven," but " For which cause I say." It formed a ground of reasoning and observation, not the ultimate cause which is absolutely impossible. The Lord, as it were, identifies Himself with, and vindicates against the haughty world, the believing sinner, and then gives assurance and peace perfectly regardless of the comments of their minds. He applies Himself then, not to their unbelief, which were useless, but to the other's faith, and having communicated forgiveness as an Interpreter, One among a thousand, He shows unto the believing sinner his uprightness, to wit, his faith, for that is uprightness, it has right thoughts of God, right thoughts, in some measure at least, of oneself, as it is written: " Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered: blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." For " When I kept silence," etc. And, which indeed is the root and spring of this matter, right thoughts about Christ, His work, His coming. The work is of grace, but the work is recognized, but as of grace; compare Hos. 14 The whole question is, in this answer, settled: " Hath saved thee; go in peace." It is discharged from the conscience, while the soul finds itself infinitely and everlastingly a debtor to the continual fountain of all grace.
On the whole, there cannot be a more deeply interesting display of the whole relation in which man stands with God—its method, its order, and its results developed in Christ, all in all, than in this passage, which may be followed in the minutest detail, and so the more known of it, for some passages of Scripture afford a general principle, and do not affect detail, some exhibit explicit characters, and follow the workings of moral circumstances in the fullest and deepest measure, and the more they are investigated the more do their closeness and depth appear, and we see the secret springs of conduct and character, as here, from the God of heaven, through various ignorances and error, to the poor sinner, opened out in their true nature and character by the presence and word of Him who revealed the one, and came to judge and restore the other, who brought both into each other's presence that He might show the mercy and fullness of God, and make it good to His people. And this is to be looked for in Luke. So in the parable of the prodigal son, and that whole chapter, etc., for this is its object.
- 50. " Go in peace." Not merely, I conceive, peace as to the particular act passed, but fully and in state, as if He should say to the waves: Be at peace—in peace generally and finally—a concluded state of reconciliation.