The special design of the Holy Ghost by this gospel, is intimated in the first verse; " the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham;" for it will be found to concern itself with our Lord, very principally, as son of David.
This verse, I read as descriptive, presenting the Lord Jesus Christ under two titles, or in two characters-" son of David," and "son of Abraham." And these titles, I judge, belong to our Lord, as interested in those covenants by which It is the divine good pleasure to fix the order and inheritance, both of the land of Israel, and also of the whole earth. But these titles do not formally bring Him into connection with His heavenly glory.
God Almighty called Abram to Himself, from his country, his kindred, and his father's house:; and in covenant, secured and pledged certain blessings to him.. All this constituted " a gift and calling," of which the Lord will not repent; (Rom. 11:2929For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (Romans 11:29).) though man may for awhile disappoint the blessing. Jehovah afterward called David from the sheepfolds, and swearing in His holiness to him, made with him another covenant, called " the sure mercies of David," by which He promised and secured to him in like manner, certain glories. This was another "gift and calling," of which the Lord in like grace will not repent, though man may again for awhile disappoint the blessing. This covenant to David, ran thus,-" I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people; I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him, with whom my hand shall be established, mine arm also shall strengthen him: the enemy shall not exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him; and I will beat his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him; but my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted: I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers; he shall cry unto me, 'thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation: also, I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth: my mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him; his seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne mile days of heaven." (Psa. 89) This was David-glory. But to Abraham the promise was of still larger grace, for, it was said to him, that he should be "the father of many nations," and "the heir of the world;" and that " in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blest."
Now our Lord Jesus Christ is the true party to these covenants, and will be the heir of these promises, for He is the son of David, and the son of Abraham. And I judge from scripture, that from out of the state promised to David, (had Israel received him as David's son) the Lord would have reached forth to embrace and gather to Himself all this larger honor which belonged to Him as the son of Abraham, For it is to. Him as son of David, or king in Zion, that the uttermost parts of the earth are to be given; it is the son of David, or the Holy One of Israel that is to be called "the God of the whole earth." (see Psa. 2 and Isa. 54)
From this, we should be prepared to find the Lord, on His coming to the earth to claim His covenanted rights and honors there; coming immediately as "son of David." And accordingly it was so. We find that He came to earth with the direct intention of establishing Himself in the sure mercies of David;" that is, of seating Himself in the land of Israel in His-David glory. " He came to His own," 'but we know that " His own received Him not." His citizens in the land a Israel refused Him, and therefore all His title to glory in the earth, whether as son of David, or son of Abraham, remains to this day unacknowledged, save by faith: and His inheritance of it, is still only in prospect. However, whether they would admit or disallow His claims, His claims were righteous and most be made, And He did make them. His question, on being manifested on earth, was with Israel; and it was simply this,-" would Israel receive their promised king and prophet I" and the trial of this question is most specially reported for us in the Gospel by St. Matthew.
But in contrast with that, the Gospel by St. John begins with the result of this trial, announcing at the opening, " He was in the world: and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not; He came unto His own and His own received Him not." And consequently, the Holy Ghost in St. John brings the Lord forth in another character, that is,-as son of God in connection with the, Church, and heavenly glory, and this gives the difference of the two gospels. It is not that we have nothing of the trial of this question with t Israel, in St. John, and nothing of the higher character of Christ, in? St. Matthew. But this distinction in a general way, marks the two gospels; that by St. Matthew, shows the trial of this question, and leads us to its result; that by St. John, at the very beginning, assumes the result, and then, brings out the Lord in other and higher characters.
But as I propose merely to give the order and general character of St. Matthew's gospel, I must not allow myself to follow this further, though of interest, and profit, and delight, to the meditations, of the saints, as what of His fullness is not? For the same reason, I do not speak of St. Mark, or St. Luke; though each of them I am well assured, has specific purposes. For I entirely consent to what another has said, (see vol. 1, page 134.) "that the gospels are by no means mere coincident and concurrent testimonies to Christ, and valuable, simply as corroborative one of the other,"
I would just add, that several papers of the "CHRISTIAN WITNESS," have already given us interpretations of large portions of this gospel, so that I. may be more brief than otherwise in my present labor.
I will observe upon the chapters in their order, and in all things may the Lord hinder us from darkening His wondrous and blessed, counsels, and keep us within that measure of ability, which He Himself gives us.
1.-The genealogy of the Lord, given to us by St. Matthew, in this chapter, is His Jewish genealogy. The manner of His birth is said to fulfill a word spoken of the Lord by the prophet;. and I would here observe, that I have noticed more frequent reference to old testament scriptures in St. Matthew, than in either of the other gospels; as though the Holy Ghost were more careful by St. Matthew, than by the rest, (though of course this is done by all of them) to identify the Lord Jesus with the promised hope of Israel; with Him of whom the prophets of Israel had spoken, and thus expressly to associate Him with all Jewish recollections and prospects.
But more particularly as to the Jewish character of this opening chapter, I would further observe, that, " Jesus" is the Joshua of Israel, the captain of salvation to Israel.
Of course, the Son of God has become our Jesus, for "'He is the Savior of the body;" but by His name " Jesus or Joshua," (for the one is the Greek, the other the Hebrew form of the same name,) He was given to Israel, to do the work of the Joshua of old, that is, " to save His people from their sins." For Moses and the wilderness had not thus saved the tribes-they witnessed redemption from Egypt, but that was all; for under Moses, the people were still uncircumcised and wanderers. It was Joshua and Gilgal that thus saved them, and Joshua and Gilgal are the types of Jesus and the true circumcision, which " saves them from their sins," or " rolls away the reproach of Egypt;" as we have it in the book of Joshua. (v. 9.) And this true circumcision, or this salvation from their sins, Jesus had for His people Israel when He was born in Bethlehem; but their unbelief has delayed it, and it waits now till He brings it in the day of His new covenant with them. (see Deut. 30:66And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (Deuteronomy 30:6), Ezek. 36:2626A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26).)
I must also observe, that "Immanuel," (a name of the Lord which St. Matthew alone mentions) belongs to Him as the Hope of Israel. Under this title, and as this hope, He had been given to the house of David in the days of Ahaz, being then anticipatively set up as the sign of help and deliverance to the house of Judah, as an abiding pledge from Jehovah that every enemy of the house of David, should in the end be disappointed. (see Isa. 7:1414Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14). and 8:10.) Accordingly the prophet calls the land of Judah, "Immanuel's land," for Immanuel was thus securing it for Himself; and when Jesus was born, (born as He was the hope of Israel,) He was at once recognized in St. Matthew as this promised Immanuel. We know in result that the house of David proved itself to be then in unbelief, as it had done before, in the days of Ahaz, and therefore was not then established (see Isa. 7:99And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. (Isaiah 7:9).) but still Immanuel was offered to them as theirs. Immanuel is not a title of the Lord, brought into connection with the Church I need not say, the Church knows Him to be "God manifest in the flesh;" her life, and joy, and strength, and everything hangs on that, but that is not properly " Immanuel." Immanuel is, "God with us;" and " God with us," is properly the cry of Israel; for in Israel God acknowledges a people on the earth, and comes to them, and sanctions them here; but the Church is not in spirit here, but in heaven; having not so properly God wills her here, but rather the Holy Ghost, the comforter, in her, and she herself in the Son in heavenly places.
2.-The Lord is here introduced in His Jewish glory, claiming His rights as " son of David;" and in Him the hopes of Israel, as of old, announced by their prophets, seem now about to be accomplished. The mission of the wise men from the east, recorded in this chapter, shows that the Gentiles were ready also to rejoice with Israel; so that all was now prepared for the manifestation of Him who was to be the Holy One of Israel, and the God of the whole earth. (Isa. 54: 5.)
But the infant king of the Jews, is at once met by the enmity of the nation, and this immediately turns his course, and changes the aspect of all his history. He must leave Bethlehem for Nazareth. Instead of coming forth from Bethlehem as governor to rule His people Israel, He must take the character of the Nazarene, the despised and rejected Galilean. He must be called as the son out of Egypt, that is, Israel in Him must begin their history again. He must take the place which Israel of old took, when they knew the favor of God, redeeming them from the enemy's land; but when they knew also the trial and discipline of the wilderness. And Canaan (shame to tell it, brethren,) the land of promise, the land that was to flow with milk and honey, the land that was to be the rest of the people of Jehovah's choice; was now to be the wilderness to Jesus! This was sorrowful indeed; sad and shameful notice of the sin and apostasy of that people.
But not only does Herod's and Jerusalem's sin thus in the apprehension of the Spirit of God, determine the present condition of the Lord Himself, but of His people Israel also. For here we find, not only " the son called out of Egypt," but in the intelligence of' the same Spirit, " Rachel is heard weeping for her children." For Israel can-I not be established, save in Jesus; and therefore the city must now sit solitary, Jerusalem must be a divorced wife, and a childless mother, while Jesus is called "the Nazarene," and wanders on earth her rejected and outcast king.
3.-The ministry of the Baptist as given to us in this chapter, is in its Jewish character, serving to introduce the Lord to Israel, and to Israel only.
Here I would observe, that it was only in this character of it, that John's ministry had been the subject of prophetic notice. The two prophets Isaiah and Malachi, who prophesied of John, speak of his ministry, simply as it referred to Israel; as it was introductory to the manifestation of the king of Israel, and as it was a call on His people to repent and be in readiness for His coming. (Isa. 40; Mal. 3, 4) The martyrdom of the Baptist, had not been noticed by the Jewish prophets. That remained in mystery, as hidden wisdom. But so it was to be. Israel, to whom the messenger was sent, was not obedient; he mourned, but they did not lament-he called for fruit meet for repentance, but they did not bring it; they did " to him whatsoever they listed"-they sacrificed him to their lusts; first, imprisoning and then beheading him. And just as the unbelief of Israel gave to our Lord's ministry a certain character which was not strictly Jewish, and of which, as I have already observed, the Gospel by St, John is the appointed witness; so did this treatment of his messenger, give his messenger's ministry a certain character, which was not strictly Jewish, and of which in like manner, the Gospel by St. John, is made the appointed witness. For in St. John, the Baptist is presented to us, introducing Jesus, not strictly to Israel His people, but to sinners generally, in the suitable characters of " the Light of the world," and " the Lamb of God;" (see John 1:7-297The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 15John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. 19And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:7‑29).) characters of which St. Matthew, on the other hand, according to his office under the Spirit of God, takes no notice whatever.
4.-The Lord had just passed, in obedience, through John's baptism,.; -not for the confession of sin, for He had none, but for the fulfilling of all righteousness, meeting the counsels of God in every dispensation of them. Immediately after that, He was acknowledged (from heaven to be the Son of God, and the Spirit descended, upon Him anointing Him for His ministry.
His ministry, as we learn, in the full purpose of it, is this,-" to destroy the Works of the devil;" (1 John 3:88He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8).) and therefore He is now at once led up of the Spirit to make proof of His ministry, and thus to be tempted of the devil. And now it was sought by the devil to do with the Son of God what had been done with Adam, to corrupt this second federal head, as he had corrupted the first. But Adam fell when in the midst of the bounties of God, with paradise all around him. Jesus stood, though an hungered, in a wilderness, and with the wild beasts. Nothing of the principles which became engrafted on Adam, could get place in the Son of God. The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise; " the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," were implanted in her; but the Son of God stood untainted; „He was the Holy thing at His birth-He continued the Holy thing now in His temptation; and in the end, the grave received Him as the " Holy One.'' (Psa. 16 Acts 2) Satan down to the end, had nothing in him; the serpent could not corrupt him: and there-fore from this moment, he learned that his bruiser had entered the field-had planted his foot on the scene of conflict; and from this moment, he trembled when he met him. The stronger man had now entered his house, and he knew that his goods were to be spoiled.
But after giving this general proof of His ministry, our Lord is brought out in this chapter, in Jewish connection again, in His more special ministry, as " the minister of the circumcision;" calling Israel to repentance, and fulfilling the place and Office of that promised light that was to break forth from the land of Zebulon, and the land of Nephthalim. In this character He succeeds the Baptist. The Baptist was cast into prison, and then Jesus comes forth to Israel; but not as it had been with John, so was it now with the Lord. John had only called Israel to repentance, baptizing them who came to him upon confession of sins; but the Lord now exercises power in grace, not holding Himself back in the separated attitude of righteousness, but going forth in the activities of love, in every synagogue, preaching the kingdom; and round about the country, healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, among the people.
5-8. With the sermon contained in these chapters, our Lord opens His instructions as the prophet. The prophet-character of the Son of God, I believe to be, a blessed theme of meditation to the saints. It is strongly marked in the New Testament, and we are instructed by the apostle, to know the special advantage which we have above the fathers of old, in having thus the Son of God for our prophet; in having in these latter days, been spoken 'to by the Son. (Heb. 1:1, 21God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1‑2).) This advantage, I judge from scripture, to be manifold.
lst.—The Son declares the Father. (John 1:1414And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).) He does not merely give out certain attributes of the divine character, as other prophets had done, but He declares the Father Himself. Having been in His bosom, " being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person," He manifests Him. We get from the Son of God, an understanding to know Him that is true, and in the face of Jesus Christ, we behold the glory of God. So that He could say, he that bath seen me, bath seen the Father;" and again,-" he that seeth me, seeth Him that sent me."
2ndly.—The Son comes from heaven to testify what He had seen and heard there. (John 3:3131He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. (John 3:31).) Other prophets were of the earth-earthly, and spake of the earth; but Jesus tells of heavenly things, as the son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:12, 1312If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (John 3:12‑13).) His prophesying is greater than the preaching of Jonas, or the wisdom of Solomon. He leads us unto perfection-He speaks of wisdom, hidden wisdom, the wisdom of God in a mystery. (1 Cor. 2). He utters things which had been kept secret from the foundation of the, world. (Matt. 13:3535That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. (Matthew 13:35).) In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; and hid there for the Church's use,. "for all things that I heard of my Father," says the Lord, " I have made known unto you." Thus He does not give us, as other prophets have done certain parcels of the divine counsels merely, but a revelation of the whole counsel of God; and we get the Spirit to search them out, and the mind of Christ to learn them. (1 Cor. 2:10-1610But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:10‑16).)
3rdly.—The Son gives us the mind of heaven, applied to the rules of conduct and righteousness. This duty of' His prophet-office, He fulfills in this sermon on the mount. He here in the first place, comes with the mind of God, and delineates those heavenly features of character which are alone worthy of the kingdom, and which constitute His disciples " the salt of the earth," and " the light of the world;" that is, a blessing to others, and a witness to the Father. (5:1-16.) Then after intimating (17, 18.) that He would in His own person vindicate and make honorable the law, and not allow a jot or tittle of it to pass unfulfilled; He brings the mind of heaven again, and gives its commentary upon the rules of the law, raising them to a standard worthy of God, and of the character of heaven; and this standard lie sets before us. (19,-48.) For He can make no terms with the hardness of the heart, as Moses had done. Moses and the law could not quicken man; the Lord by them, did not give a heart to perceive, nor eyes to see, nor ears to hear. (Deut. 29:44Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. (Deuteronomy 29:4).) But the Son of God brings life and power-Ile is "the quickening Spirit," He gives the new birth, the birth from above; and therefore at once raises the standard of righteousness, making it worthy of the regeneration.
All this the Lord as our Prophet propounds in the 5th chapter. Then in the 6th, having thus given the fullness of the mind of God to the precepts that are to rule our walk on earth, he leads us to walk towards heaven, to walk here as under the eye of Him who dwells there, to be tending in spirit towards the place from whence this new mind has been revealed, that we may have our place and our treasure there also. And then in the 7th chapter, He would have us (what the law as such never called for) to walk in grace towards others, and finally He would have us (what the law again never led to,) to know that grace and strength and all things are of God; and therefore we should: be suppliants and dependents, asking that we may receive, seeking that we may find.
This with some closing admonitions, and intimations of the apostasy and judgment of the circumcision, is I judge the sermon on the mount. And I would here just observe again the same characteristic difference between St. Matthew and St. John. When St. John brings forth our Lord in His prophet-character, it is as declaring the Father, and revealing heavenly mysteries. (John 3) But when St. Matthew brings Him forth in the same character, as he does in this sermon on the mount, it is as applying the mind of God to the law, and to the righteousness of Moses, and this is quite of the general distinction between these two gospels which I have already noticed; John giving the Lord in fuller characters, Matthew in Jewish connection.
8-16. Throughout these chapters the Lord is seen pursuing His labors as the "minister of the circumcision," the prophet and healer of Israel. Israel should then have sung, " bless the Lord O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases." For Jehovah Jesus was now saying to His Israel, " I am the Lord that healeth thee," (Ex. 15:2626And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26).) and thus as it were, a second time leading them out of bondage. Every plague and sickness was removed by His hand, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the dead were raised; this surely was He that was to come. He was also as it were, a second time feeding His people in the wilderness, fulfilling thus another of Jehovah's ancient mercies to Israel. (14:15, 15:32.) He takes his post also as a laborer in the harvest, but at the same time exercises his right as Lord of the harvest, and sends forth the Apostles as laborers with Himself in the harvest, by them to spread the blessing throughout the land. (10) He does the works of the promised son of David. (12:22, 23.) But Israel refused to be healed, she knew not that she needed a Physician, and therefore refused to sing the praises of Jehovah her healer, and thus is that 103rd Psalm reserved for the repentant and accepted nation in the latter day. But whether the daughter of Zion will now be healed, or I not, whether she will now learn that joyous song or not, He can but show mercy. On He goes unwearied in well doing, pitying them, healing them, feeding them, and spending Himself upon them, so that their sin was nothing less than despite of the rich self-sacrificing love of God their Savior. But there was no present judgment upon all this. He did not strive nor cry, nor lift up His voice in the street. He did it is true, begin to speak in parables, that hearing they might hear and not understand; but He did not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. In every possible form they express their enmity to Him. They charge Him as a blasphemer-a breaker of the Sabbath-an impugner of the traditions of the Elders-as having a devil-as not showing the needed sign from heaven; the sign, as they judged, of the Messiah and of power. He stands in all these controversies 1 with them, but throughout them, we see Him distinguishing between cattle and cattle, pitying the lame and the lean, rebuking I the fat and the strong, as the prophet had spoken. (Ezek. 34) And deeply and solemnly instructive is it to trace the way of His wisdom in all this; but of course this would delay me too long, I will only particularly notice His trial with them of the question touching the Sabbath.
The Sabbath had been given to Israel as the sign of their national sanctification: as it is written " moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them."
This being the true import of the Sabbath as given to Israel, the Lord so orders His works, as to call in question the nation's present right to it. He does miracles on the Sabbath days advisedly and constantly, and the Jews would bear anything rather than this, for they judged this to be an invasion of all that was peculiarly their own. The Sabbath was the national standard. But the Lord know that, while they clung to the sign, they had lost the true glory, and by thus doing his works on the Sabbath days, He questions their present title to all national honor, to that which the Sabbath signified, and indeed in the end more than questions it, gives them rather to know that it had all been, utterly forfeited, (see 12:1-8.) and righteously so; for while Messiah was rejected, as He now was, how could there be rest or honor for Israel? He was walking with a few poor despised disciples through the land, disowned and in poverty; He resembled David when hunted of Saul, and what could Israel boast in, while David and David's son were thus? The sanctity of the nation was gone, as much as when Adam ate of the forbidden fruit, the honor and rest of man in the garden was gone. God cannot verify, His creatures title even to the blessing which His own hand has bestowed, in the face of such acts of forfeiture. The spirit in David could not verify the sanctity of the showbread, while Israel was causing him their deliverer and anointed king, to be hungry in desert places. (1 Sam. 21:55And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel. (1 Samuel 21:5).) David's hunger made the bread in a certain sense common. And so while Jesus was walking as the poor and despised Nazarene, his disciples, (that is Himself, though He took it not,) needing the gleanings of a cornfield, how could He sanction Israel? How could He verify the nations title to the Sabbath? Israel had become in a, certain sense common. The precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold were now to be esteemed as earthen, pitchers. Jesus was saying, as He had said before by His prophet,. " I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes." And so it re-plains profaned to this day, and will remain till Messiah is brought by the faith of His Israel, from the gleaning-field to the throne.
And there is much like this in the corrupted Church. A boasting in the mere parchment of our title; while acts of forfeiture of the thing conveyed are allowed and committed continually. We want more of the mind of Christ, in both its humility (Phil. 2:55Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5).) and its intelligence, (1 Cor. 2:1616For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16).) that we may both discern and confess these acts of forfeiture, and judge them as the Lord judges them, judge them as enough, to silence that word, "the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these:" judge them as enough, to show us that we are indeed but poor, and weak, and blind. The Lord give it to us more and more, dear brethren,- more of the mind of Christ, in its lowliness and self-renunciation; and yet also in its spiritual and heavenly intelligence.
But this I say rather by the way, though I trust, in some desire, that we, as saints, were more in the mind of our Lord. But to return to our gospel. I observe, that while the Lord is thus in controversy with the Jews, he calls out His remnant, offers Himself to them as their present Sabbath, the rest of their souls, and sets Himself as their shepherd to feed them, "the poor of the flock." He interprets to them also, the mysteries of the kingdom, expounding all things in private to His disciples: among other things, letting them into this secret, that Israel was soon to be put under judgment, and that new bottles must be found wherein to put the new wine. In the knowledge of this hidden purpose of God, He gradually trains them, till in the 16th chapter, all is ready for a full disclosure to them of it, for a full revelation of the mystery of the calling of the Church and of the heavenly glory.-But for a further opening of the details of these chapters, I would refer to " The Transfiguration," a paper in the 2nd vol. of the "CHRISTIAN WITNESS."
17.-The controversy with Israel having thus closed, and the Lord having thus announced that the Church was to be called out, the set time was come for His giving the disciples a vision of the Church in her proper or heavenly glory, which He here does on the holy mount. But for the further interpretation of this scene, I again refer to the same paper, " The Transfiguration."
But I must here in addition to that, observe, that the most aggrieved word which the Lord ever pronounces on His disciples, is drawn from Him on this occasion, after His descent from the mount. On hearing the report of the father of the poor lunatic, "Jesus answered' and said, O faithless and perverse generation! how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?" At other times He had rebuked
their hardness of heart, and their little faith: but here we have language-of deeper sorrow still. This however was (as surely was everything. with Him) perfect in its season. He had just been on the top of the hill, in communion with His elect, in all the joy which He has Himself prepared for them in heaven; He came down to the foot of the hill, and there saw the earth in all its ruin and sorrow, and His own in all their weakness and unbelief; and He feels the occasion to be one of deep trial and grief to Him. And were we, brethren, more with. Jesus in communion with the things on the top of the hill, we should I with Him in grief and trial of heart, more enter into all the shame and 4 sorrow that we find daily at the foot of it. This would be "sorrow after a godly sort," and de much in diverting " the sorrow of the world," the selfish sorrow which Jesus never knew, but which our poor hearts too often think they do well to allow and encourage.
In the case of the tribute money, which we have also in this chapter; I observe that our Lord appears to be giving a sample of that behavior which in the very next passage (18:1-5.) He presses on His disciples. He here, would give no offense Himself, as there He calls on them to give none: thus as ever, going before His sheep, when He puts them forth. And in order to this, what do we see Him doing? Simply surrendering His rights, not insisting on His privileges, or His freedom, but allowing the unwarranted claims of others upon. Him, and using His resources to meet them. This is just what marks the Lord's conduct here. He had never wrought miracles to supply his own necessities, though they were many and pressing; but He does so here for others who had really no title against Him, but lest He should offend. And this is the divine way of avoiding offense-to lay self aside-to deny self-to wait in practical forgetfulness of self, upon others, though it be upon their infirmities and unreasonableness, to let it appear as Jesus did, that we have renounced this present evil world, and therefore, while passing through it, are willing to give it up to others, and, if they will, to be their servants. This is the mind of heaven brought down to have its way and exercise for a while, in such a world as this.
All this followed upon the Lord's visit to the heavenly hill, and was the proper fruit of such a visit. And I cannot refuse in this place, to notice the corresponding chapter in St. Mark, where we observe many other such fruits. (Mark 9) We there read, that immediately after His descent from the holy mount, the people beholding "Him were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him." This intimated that like Moses, He bore upon Him some impression of the glory He had been in, a glory however net overwhelming like that of Moses; for while it amazed them, it encouraged and invited them, and they ran to Him and saluted Him, instead of being afraid to come nigh to Him. (Ex. 34:3030And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. (Exodus 34:30).) And such is, we know, the 1 character of that glory in which Jesus was in the holy mount.-The glory of God reflected in the law, makes the sinner cry out for fear, the glory displayed in the gospel of His dear Son, is a light to gladden Him and to guide Him to a father. We find also in that chapter, (Mark 9) that His coming down, the Lord spoke again to His disciples of His sufferings and death; and passing through Galilee, He was desirous that no man should know it:-these things in like manner, intimating to us His increased consciousness, from the heavens having thus been lately opened to Him, that He was but a stranger on the earth, and that His sojourn here was now hastening to a close. All this was further and suitable fruit of His visit to the mount, where the heavenly glory was.—And besides all this, in the close of that beautiful chapter, we see the Lord sitting Himself in the midst of His disciples, and for the very purpose of drawing out and rebuking those principles of the world that were still lurking in their hearts, that they might be led to deny and crucify them, and take their place, the rather as little ones, weak and despised in this evil world, and so be prepared for communion with the heavenly family, for which they had now been apprehended by the Son of God.
18.-" The Church" having been thus manifested on the heavenly hill, the Lord here takes occasion from an inquiry put to Him by His disciples; to present the Church again, and He does so under the symbol of "a little child;" unfolding from that sign, the principles which were to mark her, and govern her, and conduct her through the world: and forgetfulness of which, He intimates by the way, was to be her destruction. Then from another question put to Him by Peter,, He takes occasion to give something of an historical view of the Church, in the parable of the "unmerciful servant." He there exhibits her rise, corruption, and judgment, showing that she had received goodness from God, but had not continued in that goodness, and therefore was cut off, as the Apostle afterward teaches. (Rom. 11:2222Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (Romans 11:22).) And He shows also by the way, the preservation of a remnant, some faithful ones in-the midst of the corruption, walking in goodness, in sorrowing love, in grace towards their fellow-servants, and in communion with their head, that is, (like the remnant in every apostasy,) walking in the proper power of the dispensation with testimony against the Corruption.
Such I judge, to be the character of this very important chapter; and I would simply press this, that our Lord sets forth "a little child" as the emblem of the Church, the standing sign of the Church, her fixed abiding character while on the earth. This is what the little child is—and therefore in the three gospels, the little child is not set forth by our Lord till after the Transfiguration; because the Trans., figuration, as we have already seen, was the first formal presentation of the Church. And offense of the little ones is consequently the principle of the apostasy, so that our Lord, when treating here of such offense, gives distant intimation of the doom of Babylon. (compare Matt. 18:66But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6). with Rev. 18:2121And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. (Revelation 18:21).) For Babylon is the apostate, and the great offender or despiser of the little ones, she that refused to be a little one herself, choosing rather to sit as a queen, to be called "Babylon the great," and to be the favorite of the kings of the earth, and for which cause, the doom of the Millstone awaits her. O brethren, how far have we been faithful to our Lord's standard? or how far have His standard-bearers fainted? What features of "the little child" are seen in us? It is weakness in the flesh, all weakness and scorn in the judgment of men: this is the stamp upon the Church, though the power of God is in her, and the rock of ages under her. But this is the principle of the Church, beloved-weakness in the flesh, and strength only in God. In Israel of old it was, it is true, altogether different. There was manifested strength there, strength displayed in the sight of the nations-strength such as the world could estimate.
But in the Church, there was to be that which the world would scorn, and "the little child" is her- emblem. And in like manner, St. Paul is afterward in his own person, made to illustrate all this also He was weak in the flesh, his bodily presence was weak, and his speech contemptible; he abased himself:-through infirmity of the flesh, he preached the gospel; and he was among the churches in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling: he had a thorn in the flesh, which was not to be removed, but God's grace was to be sufficient for him. He had it, as a temptation in the flesh, which might naturally provoke scorn, but which the rather in the judgment of heaven, entitled him to be received as Christ Jesus. (Gal. 4:1414And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. (Galatians 4:14).) The same man which in the secret of God was caught up to the third heaven, as before men, was let down the wall of Damascus, through a window, in a basket. The power of Christ rested upon him it is true, but he was beset with infirmities-he carried divine treasure, but he was but an earthen vessel. He could not dare to boast of things beyond the measure which God had distributed to him;—he had the sentence of death in himself, that he should not trust in himself, but in God that raiseth the dead.
But the Church in apostasy, exhibits the reverse of all this. Comeliness in the flesh-strength in the flesh-wisdom in the flesh—order. and honor in the flesh, are seen there: the glorifying of herself and living deliciously-the, merchandise of pearls and purple, and all manner of vessels of ivory, of odors, and frankincense, of horses and chariots. No refusal of order and strength in the flesh is known in her-no plucking out of the eye-no cutting off the hand or the foot—and therefore is she to be thrown down, as a millstone is cast into the sea, to be found no more at all in that day, when "the 'little one") shall behold the face of the Father in heaven.
I do indeed, thus judge, that the corruption of the Church and the doom of Babylon, rose in this manner before the Lord, when the disciples betraying the desire of honor in the flesh, said to him on this occasion, "who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"—And He does give them solemn warning of that day, when all the pride and -fleshly order which marks the Church in her corruption,- is to meet its judgment: and the mighty angel is to take up the millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all."
But for further meditation on this chapter, I would again refer to the "CHRISTIAN WITNESS;" the article entitled, " The Promise of the Lord," very strikingly and profitably opens it.
19, 20.-The Church having now, as we have seen, been manifested. and her place and character on earth, and her history in the world been also presented; these chapters give us several matters designed, I believe, by the Holy Ghost to be further exhibitions of the Church in her spirit and calling.
Thus in the first matter here noticed, namely,-our Lord's treatise so to call it, upon the law of marriage, He settles it on Church and not on Jewish principles. Then in the second scene, His again receiving and setting forth the little one," and laying His hands in blessing upon it; this is quite the calling of the Church, which is to know the arms of Jesus, and to live only by His blessing, and to be set forth by Him; it may be, the mark of man's scorn, but of His own delight, and boast. Then in the third instance here recorded, the Lord's interview with the rich young man; this instructs us to know the insufficiency of the law; and the value and requisition of the gospel. This is still of the same character, and is indeed a little incident of great moral value to the Church.
The stranger Who here crosses our Savior's path, was one who had sought to the law, for relief of conscience, and had not found it. There was utterly a fault in him. He judged that there could be some good in man, and therefore inquired, " good master, what good thing shall I do?" The Lord therefore-at once addresses Himself to this, saying,-" why callest thou me good?" at the same time vindicating the law, as that which had been " ordained unto life," 'saying if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." But as directed by His wisdom, this only serves to bring out the insufficiency of the law, to show " what it could not do in that it was weak through the flesh," weak to call into righteousness, weak to purge the conscience, leaving, therefore, this rich young man still demanding, " what lack I yet?", Then conies out the rule of perfection, the Church's rule:- " if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow me." This is the Church's rule of perfection—a single-eyed following of Jesus. But for this, the young ruler was not prepared, for we read, that, "he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions." And thus the secret is disclosed, love of money left doubt, and sorrow, and strife in his heart, and had been all along the real source of his inquiry and uneasiness; for the love of the world will ever keep the conscience restless, and cast it into the bonds of the law, and turn it aside from the cross of Christ, which is the only power of God to purge the conscience. For in it there shines such a bright self-sacrificing love, that the love of the world cannot stand before it; and when the cross of Christ is taken into the hand of God, so that God works by it, it must work according to its proper power, according to the mind of God by it. God must work by His instruments according to His own Counsels touching them, and His counsel by the cross is both to purge the conscience and to give victory over the world to the sinner that clings to it. (see Gal. 6:1414But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. (Galatians 6:14).) It is not therefore, that we in the least hesitate as to the believer's title to full assurance from the cross at once; nay, we assert it. But we say, when the love of the world is retained, (as in the heart of this rich young man,) there is the allowed presence of that which must hinder the proper operation of the cross, and thus hinder the soul's confidence before God, which the cross alone can give.
This scene, dear brethren, of the rich young man, is thus a very affecting one the moral of which, should be deeply graven on the fleshly tables of our hearts. Peter did not use it rightly. Listening to our Lord's conclusions upon it, he too readily puts in his claim, as having unlike this young man, left all for his master. This mind the Lord rebukes in the parable, of the laborers in the vineyard; but at the same time, allows the rewards of service which severally belong to the saints, in the regeneration or kingdom. Then after all this, after, again touching on His death and resurrection, at the close of these chapters, (20:20-34.). He summarily presents something of both the Church and Israel; as we may thus see.
The Church. In His reply to the mother of Zebedee’s children, He shows the Church's sorrows in this world; and then, what that is on which her glory rests; such a rule of glory as is altogether unknown and unacknowledged, save in the Church, save in that heavenly family which is called into separation from this present evil world, and all its pride, and whose path to the glory on the other side of the wilderness, is in present humility and service.
Israel.-In giving sight to the blind men, He pledges the removal of that blindness of eye which is to this day judicially resting upon Israel. (see Isa. 6) For we may observe, that the blind men appeal to Him as "son of David," the very character in which the faith of Israel is to know Him; and He does hero the very mercy, which as "son of David," had been before announced by the prophet He should bring, and which hereafter He is to bring to His Israel. (see 12:23. Isa. 35:55Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. (Isaiah 35:5).)
Thus, in closing this great section of our gospel, that is,-of our Lord's ministry in Israel, we have in these few verses, a view of His distinct dealing with the two departments of His redeemed family,- the Church and Israel. The next chapter presents Him in another action.
21-23.-In these chapters, the Lord begins and closes a new action. He formally offers the kingdom to the daughter of Zion, presenting Himself to her in full royalty as the " son of David," and as such is rejected.
But I must on this part of our gospel, refer also to the "CHRISTIAN WITNESS," Vol. 1 page 80. where a general interpretation of these chapters has been already given to us, just adding to what we have there, a little on the removal of the mountain.
After our Lord had cursed the fig-tree, which was the expression of judgment upon Israel; He encourages the faith of His disciples 'by the promise, that if they had faith, they should not only do as He had then done, but also remove and cast into the sea, the mountain 'vim which they were then walking, that is,-the mount of Olives. Now in this, our Lord was anticipating the day when the faith of Israel shall be followed by the removal and discomfiture of their confederated enemies; for that discomfiture of Israel's enemies by the hand of Messiah in the latter day, is frequently in scripture, set forth by figurative language, like that which the Lord here employs, (see among other passages, Isa. 40:4; 41:5; 64:1-34Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: (Isaiah 40:4)
5The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid, drew near, and came. (Isaiah 41:5)
1Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, 2As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence! 3When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. (Isaiah 64:1‑3); Jer. 51:2525Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. (Jeremiah 51:25). Heb. 3:66But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6); Rev. 16:2020And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (Revelation 16:20).) But most strikingly in connection with the words of our Lord in this place, is the language of Zechariah, for He not only says, "who art thou, 0 great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain;" (Zech. 4:77Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zechariah 4:7).) but the destruction of the nations that come up against Jerusalem in the latter day, is declared by that prophet to be accompanied by the fact here spoken of, namely-the cleaving in the midst of the mount of Olives. (see Zech. 14:1-41Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee. 2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south. (Zechariah 14:1‑4).) And doubtless this will be, as our Lord here tells them, when Israel "has faith, and doubts not;" that is, when they turn to Him from whom their fathers have deeply revolted. The Lord therefore addresses these words to. His disciples, not properly as His Church, but as representing His Israel. Faith however, we surely know, is the Church's strength also; " we walk by faith, not by sight;" but the faith that works by love in the saints, is better than the faith that hereafter in Israel will remove the mountain. (1 Cor. 13:22And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2).)
Without, then, saying any more on these chapters, but referring as I have done, to a previous paper; I would here take occasion to observe, that we have now in this gospel, seen our Lord presented to Israel in three distinct forms, each of which, had been the subject of the notice of their prophets; but in each of which we have also seen Him solemnly denied and rejected by Israel.
1st.-At His birth.-He was born " King of the Jews;" and as the predicted governor out of Bethlehem, the city of David, He was then presented to Israel. But as such, we have seen Him rejected. (see chap. 1, 2)
2ndly.-In His ministry.-He next in order, came forth as the promised " minister of the circumcision, for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers," and in that character, He walked through the land, the healer and the prophet of His people Israel. But as such, we have seen Him rejected also. (see chap. 4-16)
3rdly.-In full royalty.-Lastly, He entered the royal city in all the style and circumstance of " son of David," coming with the kingdom of His father David, in the name of the Lord; and thus fulfilling that word of the prophet, " rejoice greatly 0 daughter of Zion, shout 0 daughter of Jerusalem, behold thy king cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass." But as such, we here see Him rejected also. (see chap. 21-23.)
Israel had thus been fully tested, and the trial, after all this abounding and patient grace, now ends in their conviction and judgment. The Lord leaves the city, saying, " behold your house is left unto you desolate." He disclaims it for the present,-it is no longer in His sight, as it had been before, " my Father's house," (see John 2:1616And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. (John 2:16).) however stained and polluted by the sins of His Israel, it is not now with Him, " my house shall be called the house of prayer;" (21:13.) but it is simply, "your house is left unto you, desolate." He now fulfills His word of old " this house which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my. sight; (1 Kings 9:77Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: (1 Kings 9:7).) and accordingly the Lord's dealing with Israel -here ends-He leaves the city to appear there again, only in another character; that is,-as the Lamb of God- as the prophet that could not perish out of Jerusalem. '
24-25.-The Lord having been thus rejected, and as rejected, having thus pronounced judgment on. Jerusalem; He returns' from the now devoted city, with " the poor of the flock," to instruct them further in the counsel of heaven. He tells 'them more particularly about this judgment, and as connected with that of the sorrows and trials of His faithful ones, whom He here identifies with them; and ere He closes, He unfolds to them other and distant scenes of judgment, down to the settlement of the kingdom in glory and peace.
I find more reserve in my mind, in expressing itself on these chapters, than on any part of our gospel. May the good Lord pardon and direct His servant.
Upon the Lord's pronouncing judgment upon the temple, (the beauty of which, they had been vainly admiring, as they were sitting with Him on the mount of Olives;) the disciples inquire. of Him,
1st.-The time of this judgment and of things connected with it.
2ndly.-The signs of His coming.
3rdly.-The signs of the end of the world.
These inquiries the Lord answers, beginnings from the last to the first, and I distribute His words, thus:-
24:4-14.-These verses give us His answer to the third inquiry, and show the signs (which I need not here go over) that were to precede and usher in " the end of the world," or (which was the same thing to the Jews, that is, to the disciples who put the inquiry, for they were Jews, and their thoughts and associations were all Jewish,) " the end, of the Jewish age or, world." The time when these signs are accomplishing, may be called, " the beginning of sorrows."
Ver. 15.-In this verse, the Lord gives us the character of "the end of the world;" for which the signs just detailed by Hun, were to prepare. And I judge, that by this description, He shows us the abominable desolator or the willful king, setting up his standard in the holy place, thus closing the Jewish age or world. (see Dan. 9:2727And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27).) This of course therefore is future.
16-28.-In these verses, the Lord describes the interval, from the time of the abominable desolator setting of himself, up in the holy, place, to the coming of the son of man: showing the disciples what were to be, the circumstances of the Jewish nation, and what the duties of the elect during this interval; (see ver. 21. and Dan. 12:11And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1).), and He intimates, that the elect remnant shall be scattered during this time (see Matt. 24:16-2016Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: (Matthew 24:16‑20). Mark 13:15-1815And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. (Mark 13:15‑18). Luke 21:2121Then let them which are in Judea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. (Luke 21:21).). This time (the distinguished 1260 days) may be called " the great tribulation," or " the days of vengeance." (Luke 21:2222For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. (Luke 21:22).)
29-31.-These verses contain the lord's answer to the second inquiry, and give us the signs of His Coming. These signs of His coming, will thus close the great tribulation, or, days of vengeance, as well as, usher in the coming itself, which the Lord also here speaks of, with some of its results, that is,-the joyous harvest of the earth, when He gathers together His elect from one end of heaven to the other.
32, 33.-In these verses, we have the Lord's reply to the first inquiry, if indeed it may he called a reply; for here He simply refers His disciples to the replies already given to the second and third inquiry, as the only satisfaction they were to expect of the first inquiry; thus intimating, that signs of the time, and not knowledge of the time is for us.
34-51. -He then shows the moral ground for thus giving us signs, and not knowledge of times; for after pledging His own truth and intimating His official incompetency to teach them more particularly as to the exact time; He shows that this concealment of the day and hour was wisely ordered, as it would serve to test and separate the world and the people of God; the one, using the Lord's absence and the uncertainty of the time of His return, as the occasion of gratifying their lusts; the other, using these things as the occasion of watching-the one acting as if the Lord were not, the other acknowledging Him (though absent and forgotten by the world) as Lord of all. But here I must observe, that, in the course of these verses, the Lord's thoughts seem to turn somewhat away from the remnant, towards the saints. It is the saints, I judge, that He more especially points at, when He speaks of " servants set over the household," for that is more characteristically the calling of the saints, the calling of the members of the body of Christ; all of whom have thus received at least, one talent, that is,—something that they can use in the name and service of their absent and rejected Lord. And so it is the corruption of the Church, that lie intimates in the person of " the evil servant," who said in his heart, " my Lord delayeth his coining." But of the Church or saints, the Lord here speaks of course somewhat darkly, for He was in all this discourse, primarily prophesying of Jewish things, and addressing the remnant. And besides this, I may remark, that much of the same language might be used, whether He had the remnant or the saints before Him, for both are equally expectants of His return; refusing to know any rest or kingdom till then. Therefore the Lord's thoughts could most easily pass from the one to the other, or in principle, embrace both.
25:1-30.-The two parables which we have in these verses, were evidently constructed to illustrate the necessity of that watching and working in expectation of the return of the bridegroom, which had been just enforced, and they may be read as addressing themselves in their great moral principles, to either the remnant or the saints. But like the preceding verses, as I have observed, they more exactly apply to the saints, and thus present to us the judgment of the Church, or the separation between the wise and foolish virgins, and between the faithful and unfaithful servants.
31-46.-Here in the closing parable, the Lord having, as we have seen already, presented the judgment of Israel, (24:1-31.) and the judgment of the Church, (25:1-30.) proceeds to the last scene of judgment-the judgment of the nations.
This is not the great white throne before which the -dead are to stand, (Rev. 20:1111And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11).) for there is no resurrection exhibited here. But it is the son of mares throne of glory, before which the nations are gathered; those nations (as I judge) among whom the remnant, during the reign of the abominable desolator, had, as we have seen, been scattered. (see 24:16-28.) This afflicted outcast remnant, the king here calls his brethren; and they specially will be so, for He in His day was the remnant thus outcast and disowned, and for much about the same space of time also, i.e. three years and a half, or 1260 days. The nations who favored them in their wanderings, are here called to inherit the, kingdom, or the millennial joy of the earth; and those who slighted them, are sent away from the presence of the throne of grace; into the fire prepared for the devil, into which therefore we find from another scripture, the devil is himself thereafter cast. (see Rev. 20:1010And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10).) But the principle on which this judgment of the nations; here proceeds, is of course, most fully applicable to us all, and the Lord will acknowledge the services of love now rendered by any, for His sake, to one of the least of His little ones.
26, 27.-Having thus, as Zechariah speaks, as " the word of the Lord instructed the poor of the flock," the Lord now prepares to enter upon a character in which none could stand with Him. He is now to have His price given for Him, and to become " the lamb of God," the shepherd that was to be smitten.
In the opening of these chapters, everything seems to give notice of the approaching dreadful hour. The Lord's own mind is upon the cross, and He testifies to His disciples, " ye know that after two days, is the feast of the passover, and the son of man is betrayed to be crucified;" the adversaries are holding their dark counsels to make their purpose sure-the woman (representing the Church in faith and love,) breaks her box of ointment on the body of her now devoted Lord, as for His burial; and the traitor makes his bargain for thirty pieces of silver. Thus everything seems now full of the approaching hour.
At the supper which follows, the Lord's mind is upon the cross still. He is in that scene, as the worshipper under the law, bringing his offering to the door of the tabernacle, saying, " this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many," or, as the victim bound to the horns of the altar. Then in Gethsemane, He enters upon His agony or the foretaste of the cross. This was to Him, the season of preparation; and to His disciples, it ought to have been the season for watching and praying, so that the willing spirit might become the powerful spirit also. But in this hour, all fail but Himself. They sleep and take their rest; but His fervent spirit labors, and He is prepared to let the world know (as He I had said in John 14:30, 3130Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. 31But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (John 14:30‑31).) that He loved the Father, and as the Father gave Him commandment, so He would do. And the world does come, and He does let them know this. He might, have asked for the armies of heaven to rescue Him, but He rather fulfills the scriptures; He stands first before the Jewish power to the confession of the truth, that He was the Son of God; and then before the Roman power, to the confession of the truth, that He was the king of the Jews. He endures cruel mocking and scourgings without an eye to pity Him; for the flock was scattered, deserting, and disowning aim. And in the end, without opening; His mouth, He is led as a lamb to the slaughter. Such was His; path down to the bottom of the dark valley-from the supper to Gethsemane-from Gethsemane to the high priest's palace—from thence, through the Jewish rabble to Pilates' judgment hall-and on from that, through the hands of the cruel soldiers, down to Calvary. But all for us. He was made naked to His shame, that we might have a glorious covering: He thus emptied Himself that we might be filled. As Adam had once wrongfully attempted God's rights, so the Son of God now meritoriously surrenders His. Adam the creature of yesterday, sought to be as God;
Christ Jesus who was in the form of God, humbled Himself to the death of the cross: He entered into the darkness, and the forsaking of God for a season, that we might know the abiding light of our Father's countenance: by His blood, He rent the vail for us from top to bottom.
And here again, I may observe, that according to the general character of this gospel, St. Matthew notices the word of the Jewish prophet, touching the purchase of the potter's field. That field was bought with the price of the Lord's blood, and it was made the place to bury strangers in. But all this bad a meaning for Israel, and therefore St. Matthew specially notices it. For Judas' act was Israel's act. He Was but the guide of them that took Jesus. (Acts 1:1616Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. (Acts 1:16).) It was they who with wicked hands, crucified and slew Him. They took His blood upon themselves and their children, and therefore it is their land that is the Aceldama or field of blood to this day. It is the land of Judea that is the true potters field, or the place for the burial of strangers; the witness of death, and of the alienation and captivity of her people to this day. And thus will it be, the field of blood and the grave of the aliens, till the Lord accomplish what. He has spoken by His prophet, "I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Zion."
28.-The night is now passed, and the morning appears. God raises up the Prince of life, the Holy One and the Just, whom the Jewish archers had wounded to death. The one denied by that generation, is glorified by the God of their fathers: the stone set at naught of the builder, is now made the head of the corner. And in this chapter, we are given to see something of the fruit of all this, for the angel introduced to us here, was not the agent, but the witness of the resurrection. He did not roll away the stone in order to let the Lord forth from the sepulcher; but the Lord having already risen, the angel comes to earth with pledges and fruits of His resurrection.
And as one sample of this fruit, He rolls back the stone, the sealed stone, which was nothing less than the representative of this world's authority. It bore the mark of the king's own signet, that the purpose might not be changed. (Dan. 6:1717And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. (Daniel 6:17).) It would have been death to any man to touch it. But we know that He that sat in the heavens, laughed it to scorn; and His angel sits therefore in holy triumph upon it, and puts the sentence of death into the keepers of it. Israel had set God's sure stone at naught, and had chosen one that bore the seal of Caesar, the stamp of the world's greatness and power; but this in which they trusted, is now set at naught, for this rock was not the proper rock of God's people, as they themselves may now be judges. And the full harvest of this sample of the resurrection, will be brought forth in that day of the Lord, when His enemies shall be made His footstool.
Then as further and other fruit of the resurrection, this same angel speaks comfortably to " the poor of the flock;" the women who were seeking Him that was crucified, and shows them the trophies of the Lord's victory over death and the grave; that is, the pledges of their own peace and security. And the full harvest of which this was the sample, shall with joy be gathered in, when all His beloved and loving disciples who have in their measure, owned Him the crucified one, shall be with Him where He is, to behold His glory.
Such is the different fruit the resurrection of the Lord, such the different aspect which it bears to the world, and to His own that love Him. And in the further part of this beautiful chapter, we see these two classes still held in contrast. The enemy we find in possession of the city, with large money, and the ear of the governor at their command; while the disciples, still " the poor of the flock," have but Galilee and the mountain to flee to. The nation of the Jews (like sinful Adam who hid himself among the trees of the garden, as though they could screen him from the searching presence of God,) take covert behind a weak and silly falsehood, where they lie hid unto this day; (ver. 13.) but the disciples take commission from their Lord, to whom all power had now been given in heaven, and in earth, to go forth into the wide unpitying world, and there serve Him in the comfort of this promise; " Lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world."
From this moment, the disciples become the little ones wills the hand of the Lord turned upon them, as the prophet says; " Smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, and I will turn my hand upon the little ones." (Zech. 13:77Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7).) In that scripture of the prophet, the Lord in abounding grace, interprets the scattering of the sheep when the Shepherd was smitten, not as an act of desertion on their part (which it really was,) but as that which brought themselves into exposure and defenselessness, and consequent need of the shelter and care of their Shepherd's hand; and all the Savior's intercourses with the disciples after His resurrection, were His thus turning of His hand upon them as His little ones. He meets them, as we find in this chapter, in their way from the sepulcher, with the salutation, " all hail"-He talks with two of them, as we learn from another, by the way, till their hearts burn within them-He enters in to them within the closed doors, where they had run for safety from the, wolf without, and then speaks comfortably to them-He eats and drinks with them-He meets them in the distant solitudes of Galilee, and there they worship Him; and finally He turns His hand upon the little ones, when, as we read, "He took them out as far as to Bethany, and lifted up His hands and blessed them." And so will it be with them to the end, his hand will be turned upon the little ones still; and this is everything to them; His hand upon them as their shelter, their guide, and their strength. It is the hand of the Father and of Christ from whence none can pluck them; the hand of ministering kindness and love, of guidance and care, till their scatterings and wanderings cease, and they become one fold and one Shepherd forever. Amen, even so, come Lord Jesus.