Luke · Chapter 12

V. 1. He said to his disciples first-But afterward Luke 12:54 to all the people. Matthew 16:6.

Verse 1. An innumerable multitude of people] twn muriadwn tou oclou, myriads of people. A myriad is ten thousand, and myriads must, at the very lowest, mean twenty thousand. But the word is often used to signify a crowd or multitude which cannot be readily numbered. There was doubtless a vast crowd assembled on this occasion, and many of them were deeply instructed by the very important discourse which our Lord delivered.

Leaven of the Pharisees] See Matthew 16:1-12.

Which is hypocrisy.] These words are supposed by some to be an addition to the text, because it does not appear that it is their hypocrisy which Christ alludes to, but their false doctrines. They had, however, a large proportion of both.

Verse 1. When there were gathered together an innumerable multitude — Episunacqeiswn twn muriadwn, literally, myriads (that is, tens of thousands, how many is not said) being gathered together. By this it appears, that though the scribes and Pharisees thought to accuse him, and bring him into disrepute, the people that were not under the influence of their prejudices and jealousies still admired him, attended on him, and did him honour. Nay, it seems the more these learned hypocrites strove to drive them from Christ, the more they flocked to him; which, doubtless, vexed them no little. It is not improbable, however, that this vast assemblage of people might be partly owing to an apprehension, either that Christ might meet with some ill usage among so many of his enemies, or that he would say or do something peculiarly remarkable on the occasion. Be this as it may, it is evident that the people could bear reproof better than the Pharisees; for though, in the morning, when they were gathered thick together, (Luke 11:29,) he had severely reproved them, as an evil generation that sought a sign, yet in the afternoon they renewed their attendance on him. It is pleasing to see people thus forward to hear the word of God, and venture upon inconvenience and danger, rather than miss an opportunity of being instructed in divine things. He began to say unto his disciples, Beware of the leaven, &c. — The caution given in this and the two following verses, and the subsequent exhortations contained in this paragraph, are to the same purpose with others that we have had in Matthew and Mark, upon other the like occasions. See on Matthew 16:6; 10:26-32; Mark 8:15. For it is reasonable to suppose, that our blessed Lord preached the same doctrines, and pressed the same duties, at several times; and that some of his evangelists have recorded them as he delivered them at one time, and others as he taught them at another. It is here said, that he addressed his disciples first of all; for they were his peculiar charge, his family, his school, and therefore he particularly warned them as his beloved sons. They made a greater profession of religion than others, and hypocrisy therein was the sin of which they were most in danger. And as they were to preach to others, if they should prevaricate, corrupt the word of God, and deal deceitfully with it, and with the souls of men, their hypocrisy would be more criminal than that of others. Christ’s disciples, Judas excepted, were, we have reason to believe, the best men in the world, and yet we see they needed to be cautioned against hypocrisy. What need, then, have we to be jealous of ourselves lest we should fall into this sin! Christ gave this caution to his disciples in the hearing of this great multitude of people, rather than privately, to add the greater weight to it, and to let the world know that he would not countenance any sin, and especially hypocrisy, even in those he loved best.

Verse 1. There were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people. The Greek is myriads, or ten thousands of people.

1. In the mean time—The Greek En oiv signifies, At which times. It refers to the period succeeding the contest with and the denunciation of the Pharisees in the last chapter; but the plural number indicates that the connection is not immediate. An innumerable multitude—In the original muriadwn, MYRIADS; that is, tens of thousands; so that, if taken literally, it must indicate at least twenty thousand.

Commentators do not seem to observe that this is an assemblage in PERAEA, scarce paralleled by anything in Galilee. And such an assemblage must have been called together only in expectation that a great discourse, probably as part of the contest with the hierarchy, was to be delivered. In allusion to the numbers said by the Evangelist to be present, we will call it § 47—THE SERMON TO THE MYRIADS, 1-59.

Addressed partly to the disciples and partly to the multitudes, its subject is: The importance, as against the Pharisees, of deciding for Christ; which is urged especially in view of the judgment to come, at his SECOND ADVENT. It contains passages which had been previously delivered in Galilee, especially in his Sermon on the Mount; and passages resembling portions in the discourse on the Mount of Olives, Matthew 24:5. This discourse may be considered as an intermediate between those two great discourses; and is scarce less important than either; being thus one of the three most important discourses recorded by the synoptical Evangelists. I. The warning against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees: the judgment day will expose Luke 2:1-3.

Unto his disciples first of all—The discourse alternates (sometimes doubtfully to those who heard it) between the twelve and the multitudes. But even those parts which were ostensibly addressed to one, had a real application to the other, and were doubtless uttered in the hearing of both. The leaven—The deceitful and treacherous doctrines spreading and impregnating the lump, like leaven. Of the Pharisees—With whom the contest is now intense, and against whom, in their own persons, he had lately uttered a solemn denunciation at the close of the last chapter. Hypocrisy—In holding, from self-interest, to a system which they did not truly believe; in rejecting Christ contrary to their own conscience; in pretending to a ritual purity while indulging in all unrighteousness.

1 Christ preacheth to his disciples to avoid hypocrisy, and fearfulness in publishing his doctrine: 13 warneth the people to beware of covetousness, by the parable of the rich man who set up greater barns. 22 We must not be over careful of earthly things, 31 but seek the kingdom of God, 33 give alms, 36 be ready at a knock to open, to our Lord whensoever he cometh. 41 Christ’s ministers are to see to their charge, 49 and look for persecution. 54 The people must take this time of grace, 58 because it is a fearful thing to die without reconciliation.

CHAPTER 12. Verse 1. Unto his disciples first of all. — Whether the Pharisees mentioned in the preceding chapter were present on this occasion, or being disappointed had retired, does not appear. The multitude, however, had increased; and having witnessed his triumph over his opponents, they so crowd around him to get near to catch his words, that they trod upon each other. To them, however, he did not address himself, but, as his manner frequently was, to his disciples. So he delivered the sermon on the mount, and other discourses; which explains why there should be passages in them of general application, and others applicable to disciples only.

Which is hypocrisy. — On other occasions our Lord had cautioned his disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees generally; here against the leaven of the Pharisees in particular, which he declares to be hypocrisy. They covered themselves as with a mask; they personated, as the word imports, characters which they were not; they affected devotion, but were without its spirit; religions zeal, but it was for their own peculiarities, not for God’s honour; ostentatious almsgiving, without pity for the poor; and sanctity, without moral honesty. This corrupting leaven of hypocrisy, the disciples of Christ are cautioned against. It is therefore enjoined upon us to be perfectly HONEST in matters of religion, to turn with all our HEARTS to God, and to follow our Saviour in all INTEGRITY of purpose and practice; not, indeed, as some would say, to avoid all professions of entire devotedness to him, lest we should fall into hypocrisy, but keeping up the heart to that profession, which as Christians we are bound to make, that we may be always before God what we appear before men. The assumption of any particular virtue to carry a point of selfishness either of opinion, honour, or interest, is a violation of truth which falls under this condemnation of hypocrisy. All approaches to this worst of vices ought to be guarded against, because, as leaven, its inevitable tendency is to spread over and infect the whole character. This caution is enforced by the most solemn considerations. What is covered shall be revealed, every hypocrite shall be unmasked; what is spoken in darkness by hypocrites, banded together to accomplish their designs, shall be heard in the light; and what is whispered in the ear, even in closets, for greater secrecy, shall be proclaimed upon the housetops; the tops of buildings being used for declaring public tidings or proclaiming laws. This revelation of hypocritical characters, and insidious designs, often takes place on earth, to the shame and confusion of the guilty; but the ultimate reference of the words is to the day of judgment. Then God shall judge “the secrets of men’s hearts;” and “every secret thing” shall be brought into light and manifestation. The hypocrisy of religious persecutors of all ages shall be then especially exposed and punished. See the note on Matthew 10:27.

Verse 2. There is nothing covered] See the notes on Matthew 5:15; 10:26, 27; Mark 4:22.

Verses 2-5. For there is nothing covered, &c. — All your actions shall be brought to light, either in this world or in the next. Wherefore take great care never to do any thing which cannot bear the light, but let the whole of your behaviour be fair, honest, and good. This argument against hypocrisy he proceeded to improve as a reason for their acquiring another quality, which would serve all the ends they could propose by their hypocrisy, and to much better purpose; an undaunted resolution in the performance of their duty, founded on faith in God, who now governs the world by a particular providence, and in the end will reward or punish every man according to his deeds. I say unto you, my friends — With all possible seriousness, and tender concern for your everlasting welfare; Be not afraid of them that kill the body — Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish: and after that have no more that they can do — The immortal soul being entirely out of their reach. But I will forewarn you — Greek, upodeixw umin, I will show you; whom you shall fear — Whose displeasure you shall be afraid to incur; fear him, which after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast into hell — Is able to torment the soul eternally, and whose displeasure, therefore, is infinitely to be dreaded. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him — And rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing which may offend his Divine Majesty. See on Matthew 10:28. It is remarkable that Christ gives this direction even to his peculiar friends: therefore the fearing of God, as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even upon true believers.

2. Covered… revealed… hid… known—For the day shall declare it. Profound as are the concealments of the dissembling hierarchy, the great day of analysis will disclose it.

V. 3. Matthew 10:27.

Verses 2-5. For there is nothing covered, &c. — All your actions shall be brought to light, either in this world or in the next. Wherefore take great care never to do any thing which cannot bear the light, but let the whole of your behaviour be fair, honest, and good. This argument against hypocrisy he proceeded to improve as a reason for their acquiring another quality, which would serve all the ends they could propose by their hypocrisy, and to much better purpose; an undaunted resolution in the performance of their duty, founded on faith in God, who now governs the world by a particular providence, and in the end will reward or punish every man according to his deeds. I say unto you, my friends — With all possible seriousness, and tender concern for your everlasting welfare; Be not afraid of them that kill the body — Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish: and after that have no more that they can do — The immortal soul being entirely out of their reach. But I will forewarn you — Greek, upodeixw umin, I will show you; whom you shall fear — Whose displeasure you shall be afraid to incur; fear him, which after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast into hell — Is able to torment the soul eternally, and whose displeasure, therefore, is infinitely to be dreaded. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him — And rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing which may offend his Divine Majesty. See on Matthew 10:28. It is remarkable that Christ gives this direction even to his peculiar friends: therefore the fearing of God, as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even upon true believers.

3. In closets—Any close room for stealth, or chamber for privacy. Proclaimed upon the housetops—The practice continues to the present day in Palestine, of making proclamations in the country villages from the flat roofs of the houses. “These proclamations are generally made,” says Dr. Thomson, “in the evening, after the people have returned from their labors in the field. The public crier ascends the highest roof at hand, and lifts up his voice in a long drawn call upon all faithful subjects to give ear and obey. He then proceeds to announce, in a set form, the will of their master, and demand obedience thereto.” So from the summit of final judgment will Christ proclaim the guilt of the hypocrite.

II. To the myriads. Fear not them, but God who is able to judge and destroy the soul, 4-12. Matthew 10:28-31.

V. 4. But I say to you, Fear not-Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish.

Verse 4. Kill the body] See Clarke on “Matthew 10:28”.

Verses 2-5. For there is nothing covered, &c. — All your actions shall be brought to light, either in this world or in the next. Wherefore take great care never to do any thing which cannot bear the light, but let the whole of your behaviour be fair, honest, and good. This argument against hypocrisy he proceeded to improve as a reason for their acquiring another quality, which would serve all the ends they could propose by their hypocrisy, and to much better purpose; an undaunted resolution in the performance of their duty, founded on faith in God, who now governs the world by a particular providence, and in the end will reward or punish every man according to his deeds. I say unto you, my friends — With all possible seriousness, and tender concern for your everlasting welfare; Be not afraid of them that kill the body — Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish: and after that have no more that they can do — The immortal soul being entirely out of their reach. But I will forewarn you — Greek, upodeixw umin, I will show you; whom you shall fear — Whose displeasure you shall be afraid to incur; fear him, which after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast into hell — Is able to torment the soul eternally, and whose displeasure, therefore, is infinitely to be dreaded. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him — And rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing which may offend his Divine Majesty. See on Matthew 10:28. It is remarkable that Christ gives this direction even to his peculiar friends: therefore the fearing of God, as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even upon true believers.

4. Unto you my friends—My friends includes both disciples (that is apostles and followers) and the myriads. They were not only to beware of the deceit, but to be fearless of the menaces and hostilities, of the hierarchy.

Verse 4. Be not afraid of them that kill the body. — See the note on Matthew 10:28.

V. 5. Fear him who hath power to cast into hell-Even to his peculiar friends, Christ gives this direction. Therefore the fearing of God as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even on true believers.

Verse 5. Fear him] Even the friends of God are commanded to fear God, as a being who has authority to send both body and soul into hell. Therefore it is proper even for the most holy persons to maintain a fear of God, as the punisher of all unrighteousness. A man has but one life to lose, and one soul to save; and it is madness to sacrifice the salvation of the soul to the preservation of the life.

Verses 2-5. For there is nothing covered, &c. — All your actions shall be brought to light, either in this world or in the next. Wherefore take great care never to do any thing which cannot bear the light, but let the whole of your behaviour be fair, honest, and good. This argument against hypocrisy he proceeded to improve as a reason for their acquiring another quality, which would serve all the ends they could propose by their hypocrisy, and to much better purpose; an undaunted resolution in the performance of their duty, founded on faith in God, who now governs the world by a particular providence, and in the end will reward or punish every man according to his deeds. I say unto you, my friends — With all possible seriousness, and tender concern for your everlasting welfare; Be not afraid of them that kill the body — Let not the fear of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any thing which I have commissioned you to publish: and after that have no more that they can do — The immortal soul being entirely out of their reach. But I will forewarn you — Greek, upodeixw umin, I will show you; whom you shall fear — Whose displeasure you shall be afraid to incur; fear him, which after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast into hell — Is able to torment the soul eternally, and whose displeasure, therefore, is infinitely to be dreaded. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him — And rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing which may offend his Divine Majesty. See on Matthew 10:28. It is remarkable that Christ gives this direction even to his peculiar friends: therefore the fearing of God, as having power to cast into hell, is to be pressed even upon true believers.

Ver. 5. Power to cast into hell. The Greek is Gehenna, as on Isaiah 30:33. Matthew 5:22.

5-7. They were to fear, not the hierarchy, but God who had the power of hell; whose eye neither the minute sparrow nor the slightest hair escaped.

V. 6. Are not five sparrows-But trust as well as fear him.

Verse 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings?] See this explained on Matthew 10:29, from which place we learn that two sparrows were sold for one farthing, and here; that five were sold for two farthings: thus we find a certain proportion-for one farthing you could get but two, while for two farthings you could get five.

Verses 6, 7. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings — Assariwn duo, two pence, as Dr. Campbell translates it, or “three half-pence sterling;” and not one of them is forgotten before God — As if he had said, But trust in as well as fear him, for remember, he is an infinitely more kind, as well as more powerful friend than man, and all things are in his hand and keeping. His providence extends itself to the meanest of his works: he numbers the very hairs of your head, and therefore your enemies cannot hurt even your bodies without his knowledge and permission. Fear not therefore — For as men, and much more as my servants and friends, ye are of more value than many sparrows — And are more peculiarly under God’s care than they.

Ver. 6. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, two assarions. The assarion was the tenth of a denarion. A farthing, that is, the fourth of a penny, though correct in English, is quite erroneous when applied to the denarion, as in the Greek. Matthew 22:19. Mark 12:15. These coins were introduced among the Jews by the Romans.

5-7. They were to fear, not the hierarchy, but God who had the power of hell; whose eye neither the minute sparrow nor the slightest hair escaped.

Verse 6. Two farthings. — The assarion, or farthing, was a brass coin of the value of one tenth of a denarius or Roman penny, consequently equal to about three farthings of our money. In the parallel passage in Matthew it is, “And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” — Here the same words in substance are spoken on a different occasion, and the expression is beautifully varied, — and not one of them is forgotten before God. The wants, dangers, and true relations of every creature, however small, are always remembered by God, who regulates his government of all things accordingly; nothing is FORGOTTEN as to time, place, or order. Could the perfection of government be more strongly expressed? Could a stronger ground of confidence in God be laid, to encourage the trust of those who are of more value than many sparrows?

V. 7. Matthew 10:30.

Verse 7. Fear not therefore] Want of faith in the providence and goodness of God is the source of all human inquietudes and fears. He has undertaken to save and defend those to the uttermost who trust in him. His wisdom cannot be surprised, his power cannot be forced, his love cannot forget itself. Man distrusts God, and fears that he is forgotten by him, because he judges of God by himself; and he knows that he is apt to forget his Maker, and be unfaithful to him. See on Matthew 10:29-31.

Verses 6, 7. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings — Assariwn duo, two pence, as Dr. Campbell translates it, or “three half-pence sterling;” and not one of them is forgotten before God — As if he had said, But trust in as well as fear him, for remember, he is an infinitely more kind, as well as more powerful friend than man, and all things are in his hand and keeping. His providence extends itself to the meanest of his works: he numbers the very hairs of your head, and therefore your enemies cannot hurt even your bodies without his knowledge and permission. Fear not therefore — For as men, and much more as my servants and friends, ye are of more value than many sparrows — And are more peculiarly under God’s care than they.

5-7. They were to fear, not the hierarchy, but God who had the power of hell; whose eye neither the minute sparrow nor the slightest hair escaped.

Verse 7. But even the very hairs of your head. — See the note on Matthew 10:30.

V. 8. And I say to you-If you avoid all hypocrisy, and openly avow my Gospel:

The Son of man shall confess you-before the angels-At the last day. Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26.

Verse 8. Shall confess] See on Matthew 10:32, 33.

Verses 8, 9. Also I say unto you — It will be necessary, however, in order that you may keep your minds unshaken, that you should often look forward unto the final judgment, at which I will own you as my servants, if, by your constant and cheerful obedience to my commands, you now acknowledge me as your Master. For whosoever shall confess me before men — Shall freely and openly acknowledge himself to be my disciple, and shall conduct himself as such, to whatever dangers and persecutions he may thereby expose himself; him shall the Son of man also confess — Shall declare to belong to him; before the angels of God — When they come to attend on his final triumph. But he that — To avoid reproach and suffering; denieth me before men — And is ashamed or afraid of maintaining so good a cause; shall be denied and disowned by me before the angels of God — When they appear in radiant forms around me, and wait in solemn silence the important event of that awful day. Nothing can be more majestic than the view which Christ here gives of himself, and of the issue of the final judgment. To be renounced by him is spoken of as a circumstance which will expose a man to the contempt of the whole angelic world, and leave him no remaining shelter or hope.

8, 9. Matthew 10:32, 33. Confess me—In spite of Pharisaic wiles or violence. Before the angels—Present shame shall bring future glory.

Verse 8. Confess me before men. — See the note on Matthew 10:32. To which may be added, that to confess Christ includes the following particulars: —

1. Public union with his Church, so that we bear his name.

2. Regular participation of the Lord’s Supper, by which “we show forth his death until he come;” that is, not only declare the historical fact, but confess our trust in it as the grand sacrifice for sin.

3. Regular attendance, when able, upon public worship, especially upon the Christian Sabbath, which is “the Lord’s day,” the day on which his praises are celebrated by the Church universal, and his Gospel proclaimed in their assemblies.

4. Submitting to reproach, loss, and suffering, when we might avoid them by complying with something contrary to the will of Christ, or ceasing to do what he has enjoined. This is to confess Christ before men, because it is a most unequivocal declaration that we prefer obeying him with cheerful affection to any immediate interest of our own.

5. To confess Christ is to show, without affectation or constraint, by the spirit and character of our social conversation, and habitual conduct, that we have a constant respect to his glory and the laws of his religion, that we delight in them, that we have given up ourselves to their influence, and that we walk as in the presence of our Master. To all such persons Christ promises a public acknowledgment before the angels of God, referring, no doubt, to his second coming. This acknowledgment will, doubtless, be a solemn act in the presence of the assembled angels, that all orders of intelligent holy beings may know the grounds of the Divine procedure at that great day, — a circumstance which will minister more than we can conceive to their instruction, and perhaps future safety; since the wonderful discoveries of good and evil which that day will make, and the rewards and punishments of infinite variety which will be assigned, will form such a manifestation of God, in his government of creatures, as has never before taken place, and must be remembered with awe and joy to all eternity. But previous to the final act of acknowledgment before the throne, there will be a distinguishing recognition. The angels of God will be the instruments of gathering together the elect from the four winds of heaven; they rise first, so that they are thus acknowledged to be the “dead in Christ,” them that “sleep in Jesus,” before the angels on that occasion become their willing and joyful ministers. On the other hand, to deny Christ, as it is spoken of those who profess to be his disciples, must include,

1. Open apostacy from his religion; or,

2. The neglect of all those things by which Christ is confessed, as public worship, and receiving the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper; or,

3. A denying him “in works,” that is, throwing off his authority in our conversation and conduct, so as not to be habitually controlled by it; or,

4. A cowardly desertion of duty to avoid reproach, loss, or suffering; for then we deny Christ by acting as though we belonged to another master; or,

5. Hearing his truth and religion assaulted, and defamed, in guilty silence. All such persons would give worlds, indeed, to be acknowledged to be Christ’s disciples, in that great day of final decision to which he refers; but they shall be denied and rejected. Let the undecided meditate on this solemn subject.

Verses 8, 9. Also I say unto you — It will be necessary, however, in order that you may keep your minds unshaken, that you should often look forward unto the final judgment, at which I will own you as my servants, if, by your constant and cheerful obedience to my commands, you now acknowledge me as your Master. For whosoever shall confess me before men — Shall freely and openly acknowledge himself to be my disciple, and shall conduct himself as such, to whatever dangers and persecutions he may thereby expose himself; him shall the Son of man also confess — Shall declare to belong to him; before the angels of God — When they come to attend on his final triumph. But he that — To avoid reproach and suffering; denieth me before men — And is ashamed or afraid of maintaining so good a cause; shall be denied and disowned by me before the angels of God — When they appear in radiant forms around me, and wait in solemn silence the important event of that awful day. Nothing can be more majestic than the view which Christ here gives of himself, and of the issue of the final judgment. To be renounced by him is spoken of as a circumstance which will expose a man to the contempt of the whole angelic world, and leave him no remaining shelter or hope.

8, 9. Matthew 10:32, 33. Confess me—In spite of Pharisaic wiles or violence. Before the angels—Present shame shall bring future glory.

V. 10. And whosoever-As if he had said, Yet the denying me in some degree, may, upon true repentance, be forgiven; but if it rise so high as that of the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, it shall never be forgiven, neither is there place for repentance. Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:28.

Verse 10. Him that blasphemeth] See the sin against the Holy Ghost explained, Matthew 12:32.

Verse 10. And whosoever, &c. — Nothing, therefore, can be more dangerous and fatal than to oppose my cause: and yet the denying me in some degree, may, upon true repentance, be forgiven: for whosoever shall speak a word — Expressive of unbelief and disregard, or even of opposition and enmity; against the Son of man — In this his present state of humiliation and suffering, he may possibly hereafter repent, and on his repentance his sins may be forgiven him. But unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost — If a man’s denying of me rise so high that he blasphemes and reviles the Holy Spirit, and ascribes the miracles wrought by him, in confirmation of the gospel, to the agency of Satan, this sin shall never be forgiven, neither is there place for repentance. And especially he that, after my resurrection and ascension, blasphemes the Holy Ghost, when that Divine Spirit shall have displayed his most glorious agency as my great advocate and witness; he who then opposes that last and most convincing and powerful method of God’s recovering grace, shall, as utterly incorrigible, be abandoned to final destruction. See on Matthew 12:31, 32.

Ver. 10. To him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven. Other sins might have apologies, but this sin of ascribing the miracles of Christ to the power of Satan, can have no excuse. Nor do we find from the visitations of God on the nation, that the sin of rejecting the Saviour was forgiven. Yet even in this case we must not limit the Holy One of Israel. Matthew 12:31. Mark 3:28. These words are repeated, and it would seem, on another occasion.

10. Blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost—As it is sadly to be supposed these malignant apostates had. Matthew 12:31.

V. 11. Take no thought-Be not solicitous about the matter or manner of your defence; nor how to express yourselves. Matthew 10:19; Luke 21:12.

Verse 11. Unto magistrates and powers] See Matthew 10:17-20. Take ye no thought] See Matthew 6:25; 10:19.

Verses 11, 12. When they bring you unto the synagogues — Let me add, however others may be affected by this testimony of the Spirit, one happy effect of its operation shall be to furnish you, my apostles, for a proper and honourable discharge of your office in its most difficult parts: and therefore when, in the opposition you shall meet with from your persecutors, they shall bring you into the synagogues, to be tried in the judicial courts assembled there; And unto magistrates and powers — Before greater magistrates and supreme powers, whether Jewish or heathen; — Take ye no thought how ye shall answer — Be not solicitous about the matter or manner of your defence, nor how to express yourselves. Though they may have not only your liberty but your lives in their hands, yet be not anxious what apology you shall make for yourselves, or what you shall advance in defence of the gospel you preach. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you — For in these seasons of the greatest difficulty and extremity, the Spirit of God shall suggest to your minds the answers you ought to give to the most captious inquiries, and most invidious charges of your enemies. Proper thoughts and expressions shall flow in upon you as fast as you can utter them, so that with undaunted courage you shall be able to vindicate the honour of the gospel, and to confound the most artful or most potent of your adversaries. See on Matthew 10:19, 20; Mark 13:11.

11. Bring you unto the synagogues—The same directions as were given to the Apostles, (Matthew 10:19,) are now given for all who may be destined to the same persecutions. The terms synagogues, magistrates, powers, are much more limited than kings and rulers.

III. The worldling’s ill-timed interruption brings out the parable of the Rich Fool.

Verse 11. Magistrates and powers. — Rulers of every rank, and exousiav, persons having authority over others. See the note on Matthew 10:19.

Verses 11, 12. When they bring you unto the synagogues — Let me add, however others may be affected by this testimony of the Spirit, one happy effect of its operation shall be to furnish you, my apostles, for a proper and honourable discharge of your office in its most difficult parts: and therefore when, in the opposition you shall meet with from your persecutors, they shall bring you into the synagogues, to be tried in the judicial courts assembled there; And unto magistrates and powers — Before greater magistrates and supreme powers, whether Jewish or heathen; — Take ye no thought how ye shall answer — Be not solicitous about the matter or manner of your defence, nor how to express yourselves. Though they may have not only your liberty but your lives in their hands, yet be not anxious what apology you shall make for yourselves, or what you shall advance in defence of the gospel you preach. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you — For in these seasons of the greatest difficulty and extremity, the Spirit of God shall suggest to your minds the answers you ought to give to the most captious inquiries, and most invidious charges of your enemies. Proper thoughts and expressions shall flow in upon you as fast as you can utter them, so that with undaunted courage you shall be able to vindicate the honour of the gospel, and to confound the most artful or most potent of your adversaries. See on Matthew 10:19, 20; Mark 13:11.

Verse 13. Speak to my brother, that he divide] Among the Jews, the children had the inheritance of their fathers divided among them; the eldest had a double portion, but all the rest had equal parts. It is likely the person complained of in the text was the elder brother; and he wished to keep the whole to himself-a case which is far from being uncommon. The spirit of covetousness cancels all bonds and obligations, makes wrong right, and cares nothing for father or brother.

Verses 13-15. One said, Master, speak to my brother, &c. — While Jesus was discoursing, as above related, to his disciple, one of the crowd, that was then collected about Jesus, requested that he would speak to his brother, and persuade him to divide their paternal inheritance, and give him his share. But, because judging in civil matters was the province of the magistrates, and foreign to the end of our Lord’s coming, he refused to meddle in their quarrel. It is not said which of these brothers was in the wrong; only, because the disposition which they discovered afforded a fit opportunity for religious advice, our Lord embraced it, and cautioned his hearers in the most solemn manner against covetousness, declaring that neither the length nor the happiness of a man’s life depends upon the greatness of his possessions. He said, Take heed and beware — Greek, orate kai fulassesqe apo thv pleonexiav, see to it, and be on your guard, against covetousness. The phrase is lively and full of force. Some old versions and good copies read, from all covetousness, in which extent, doubtless, our Lord intended his caution to be understood, whether he did or did not so particularly express it. “Properly speaking, covetousness is an immoderate love of money. Now of this passion there are two kinds: one which, in the pursuit of its purpose, does not scruple at fraud, falsehood, and oppression, and which is commonly accompanied with want of kindness and charity. This is the most odious and criminal species of covetousness. The other form of the vice consists in a high esteem of riches as the chief good, in seeking one’s happiness from the enjoyments which they procure, and in substituting them in the place of the providence and grace of God. This love of riches is, in Scripture, emphatically termed a trusting in them, and is a sort of covetousness that is abundantly compatible with a regard to justice, being often found in persons no way remarkable for the want of that virtue.” Thus Dr. Macknight; to which we may add, with Dr. Whitby, that the desire of having more than we really need, and that, not to supply the necessities of others, or to promote God’s glory, but that we may keep and treasure it up and enjoy it ourselves, is one species of covetousness; for these words are certainly produced as dissuasive from that sin, which they could not be, were not the desire of having more one species or symptom of it. And from the words following we learn, that to be more solicitous concerning temporal than spiritual things, and to be anxious about them, when we are not yet rich toward God, is another sign of covetousness. This may be concluded from the concern of this person for the dividing of his inheritance, rather than that our Lord should instruct him in the way of life, it being this which gave occasion to Christ’s admonition, to beware of covetousness; and it more clearly follows still from the example of the rich fool, mentioned in the following verses, who was so much concerned to hoard up his goods, but not at all concerned to be rich toward God; that is, to have his treasure with God in the heavens, and to esteem it his chief riches to be an heir of the kingdom of God, verse 32, and to employ his property in a way that would be acceptable to God, and tend to his own future felicity; for this is a plain indication of a heart that values these temporal concernments more than God’s favour, or celestial riches, which, in St. Paul’s judgment, renders the covetous person guilty of idolatry. For a man’s life — That is, the comfort and happiness of it; consisteth not in the abundance that he possesseth — Nor can the continuance of his life, even for the shortest period of time, be secured by that abundance.

Ver. 13. Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. A just request, no doubt, but the griping brother, who had resisted all private and public application, it is likely, would have resisted the Saviour also, as the injurious Hebrew resisted Moses. The Lord however would not interfere with the civil authorities, in which he has taught ministers prudence in similar matters. But family robbers, who fall under the contempt of the public, can expect no inheritance in heaven, till repentance shall be attended with restitution.

13. One of the company—From the vast and crowded congregation a voice now comes interrupting the words of Jesus, who pauses to hear and then answer. The interruption slightly deflects the train of Jesus’s remarks; but they still pursue the same general current, namely, the little importance of earthly suffering in comparison with our account at the day of judgment. Master—The man is not probably a follower of Jesus. He has not much if any religious interest; but he looks upon Jesus as a great Rabbi who has a solemn sense of responsibility and justice. He will, therefore, be a good and impartial arbiter in the contested case. Divide the inheritance—It is said to have been the custom for the older brother to divide, and the younger take his choice; but this brother had taken all and refused to divide.

Verses 13, 14. Master, speak to my brother, &c. — Here Christ was applied to as an arbitrator in a civil cause, or, in other words, to assume the judicial function. This he promptly declines. He had neither been appointed to it by human authority, to which in such cases, he paid all respect, nor was it any part of the office assigned him by immediate appointment from God. Who made me a judge and divider over you? The division of inheritances, of which the first-born had a right to a double share, but no more, when it could not be satisfactorily settled among brethren and relatives, was referred to the council of three judges, who either decided themselves, or appointed an arbitrator and divider; hence our Lord uses two terms, judge, dikasthv, and meristhv, divider; the one meaning a publicly appointed judge, as one of the council of three; the other, the person appointed by them with full powers to make the partition. The latter is, however, understood by many as exegetical of the former. Nothing more strikingly shows that our Lord’s kingdom was not to be of this world. Had he been an earthly king, there was no reason why he might not have filled the office of judge in civil matters. But he declines; not indeed from mere prudence, lest he should offend, or lest he should be too precipitate in setting up his claims, but from want of authority. He had no commission from man or God for these earthly offices; and it followed, therefore, that only in a spiritual sense and for spiritual ends was he invested with the authority which he possessed. From this instance we are not to infer that Christians are to decline to be umpires or arbitrators, to prevent suits at law by a more amicable and less expensive settlement of affairs; for, had it been in that character only that our Lord had been applied to, he might probably have interposed. But he was asked to do, by virtue of his being a prophet, what belonged to the regular judicial office, and so implied an assumption of that civil authority which he uniformly disclaimed.

V. 14. Who made me a judge?-In worldly things. His kingdom is not of this world.

Verse 14. A judge] Without some judgment given in the case, no division could be made; therefore Jesus added the word judge. PEARCE. A minister of Christ ought not to concern himself with secular affairs, any farther than charity and the order of discipline require it. Our Lord could have decided this difference in a moment; but the example of a perfect disengagement from worldly things was more necessary for the ministers of his Church than that of a charity applying itself to temporal concerns. He who preaches salvation to all should never make himself a party man; otherwise he loses the confidence, and consequently the opportunity of doing good to the party against whom he decides. Better to leave all these things to the civil magistrate, unless where a lawsuit may be prevented, and the matter decided to the satisfaction or acquiescence of both parties.

Verses 13-15. One said, Master, speak to my brother, &c. — While Jesus was discoursing, as above related, to his disciple, one of the crowd, that was then collected about Jesus, requested that he would speak to his brother, and persuade him to divide their paternal inheritance, and give him his share. But, because judging in civil matters was the province of the magistrates, and foreign to the end of our Lord’s coming, he refused to meddle in their quarrel. It is not said which of these brothers was in the wrong; only, because the disposition which they discovered afforded a fit opportunity for religious advice, our Lord embraced it, and cautioned his hearers in the most solemn manner against covetousness, declaring that neither the length nor the happiness of a man’s life depends upon the greatness of his possessions. He said, Take heed and beware — Greek, orate kai fulassesqe apo thv pleonexiav, see to it, and be on your guard, against covetousness. The phrase is lively and full of force. Some old versions and good copies read, from all covetousness, in which extent, doubtless, our Lord intended his caution to be understood, whether he did or did not so particularly express it. “Properly speaking, covetousness is an immoderate love of money. Now of this passion there are two kinds: one which, in the pursuit of its purpose, does not scruple at fraud, falsehood, and oppression, and which is commonly accompanied with want of kindness and charity. This is the most odious and criminal species of covetousness. The other form of the vice consists in a high esteem of riches as the chief good, in seeking one’s happiness from the enjoyments which they procure, and in substituting them in the place of the providence and grace of God. This love of riches is, in Scripture, emphatically termed a trusting in them, and is a sort of covetousness that is abundantly compatible with a regard to justice, being often found in persons no way remarkable for the want of that virtue.” Thus Dr. Macknight; to which we may add, with Dr. Whitby, that the desire of having more than we really need, and that, not to supply the necessities of others, or to promote God’s glory, but that we may keep and treasure it up and enjoy it ourselves, is one species of covetousness; for these words are certainly produced as dissuasive from that sin, which they could not be, were not the desire of having more one species or symptom of it. And from the words following we learn, that to be more solicitous concerning temporal than spiritual things, and to be anxious about them, when we are not yet rich toward God, is another sign of covetousness. This may be concluded from the concern of this person for the dividing of his inheritance, rather than that our Lord should instruct him in the way of life, it being this which gave occasion to Christ’s admonition, to beware of covetousness; and it more clearly follows still from the example of the rich fool, mentioned in the following verses, who was so much concerned to hoard up his goods, but not at all concerned to be rich toward God; that is, to have his treasure with God in the heavens, and to esteem it his chief riches to be an heir of the kingdom of God, verse 32, and to employ his property in a way that would be acceptable to God, and tend to his own future felicity; for this is a plain indication of a heart that values these temporal concernments more than God’s favour, or celestial riches, which, in St. Paul’s judgment, renders the covetous person guilty of idolatry. For a man’s life — That is, the comfort and happiness of it; consisteth not in the abundance that he possesseth — Nor can the continuance of his life, even for the shortest period of time, be secured by that abundance.

14. Man—A word of solemn rebuke. A judge or a divider—Jesus uses of himself words which were used in reply to Moses. Exodus 2:14. The judge is an official magistrate, and an arbitrator is voluntarily chosen. It was customary for contestants to choose a Rabbi for arbitrator. The custom came into use as early as the Captivity, when the Jews preferred to have their own cases tried, not by foreign courts, but by their own Jewish referees. An excellent but over-churchly commentator on this passage, draws a lesson from these words against those who assume, in Church or State, official functions to which they have not been regularly called, that is, in a so styled apostolic succession. But if Jesus had accepted this man’s request, it would have been no assumption of office at all, but the performance of a voluntary kindness. One would expect such a commentator to know that some of the noblest early bishops of the Christian Church, Ambrose and Augustine, felt obliged to undergo the onerous task of arbitration against their own wills, but in obedience to conscience, and according to the doctrine of Paul. Our Lord refused: first, in order to admonish this man of his folly in thinking of lawsuits in the midst of a discourse on the judgment day of God; and second, because as Son of God, in a brief mission for mankind, the hours of his brief ministry could not be devoted to secular matters between man and his fellow.

Verses 13, 14. Master, speak to my brother, &c. — Here Christ was applied to as an arbitrator in a civil cause, or, in other words, to assume the judicial function. This he promptly declines. He had neither been appointed to it by human authority, to which in such cases, he paid all respect, nor was it any part of the office assigned him by immediate appointment from God. Who made me a judge and divider over you? The division of inheritances, of which the first-born had a right to a double share, but no more, when it could not be satisfactorily settled among brethren and relatives, was referred to the council of three judges, who either decided themselves, or appointed an arbitrator and divider; hence our Lord uses two terms, judge, dikasthv, and meristhv, divider; the one meaning a publicly appointed judge, as one of the council of three; the other, the person appointed by them with full powers to make the partition. The latter is, however, understood by many as exegetical of the former. Nothing more strikingly shows that our Lord’s kingdom was not to be of this world. Had he been an earthly king, there was no reason why he might not have filled the office of judge in civil matters. But he declines; not indeed from mere prudence, lest he should offend, or lest he should be too precipitate in setting up his claims, but from want of authority. He had no commission from man or God for these earthly offices; and it followed, therefore, that only in a spiritual sense and for spiritual ends was he invested with the authority which he possessed. From this instance we are not to infer that Christians are to decline to be umpires or arbitrators, to prevent suits at law by a more amicable and less expensive settlement of affairs; for, had it been in that character only that our Lord had been applied to, he might probably have interposed. But he was asked to do, by virtue of his being a prophet, what belonged to the regular judicial office, and so implied an assumption of that civil authority which he uniformly disclaimed.

V. 15. He said to them-Perhaps to the two brothers, and through them to the people.

A man's life-That is, the comfort or happiness of it.

Verse 15. Beware of covetousness] Or rather, Beware of all inordinate desires. I add pashv, all, on the authority of ABDKLM-Q, twenty-three others, both the Syriac, all the Persic, all the Arabic, Coptic, Æthiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, all the Itala, and several of the primitive fathers. Inordinate desires. pleonexiav, from pleion, more, and ecein, to have; the desire to have more and more, let a person possess whatever he may. Such a disposition of mind is never satisfied; for, as soon as one object is gained, the heart goes out after another.

Consisteth not in the abundance] That is, dependeth not on the abundance. It is not superfluities that support man’s life, but necessaries. What is necessary, God gives liberally; what is superfluous, he has not promised. Nor can a man’s life be preserved by the abundance of his possessions: to prove this he spoke the following parable.

Verses 13-15. One said, Master, speak to my brother, &c. — While Jesus was discoursing, as above related, to his disciple, one of the crowd, that was then collected about Jesus, requested that he would speak to his brother, and persuade him to divide their paternal inheritance, and give him his share. But, because judging in civil matters was the province of the magistrates, and foreign to the end of our Lord’s coming, he refused to meddle in their quarrel. It is not said which of these brothers was in the wrong; only, because the disposition which they discovered afforded a fit opportunity for religious advice, our Lord embraced it, and cautioned his hearers in the most solemn manner against covetousness, declaring that neither the length nor the happiness of a man’s life depends upon the greatness of his possessions. He said, Take heed and beware — Greek, orate kai fulassesqe apo thv pleonexiav, see to it, and be on your guard, against covetousness. The phrase is lively and full of force. Some old versions and good copies read, from all covetousness, in which extent, doubtless, our Lord intended his caution to be understood, whether he did or did not so particularly express it. “Properly speaking, covetousness is an immoderate love of money. Now of this passion there are two kinds: one which, in the pursuit of its purpose, does not scruple at fraud, falsehood, and oppression, and which is commonly accompanied with want of kindness and charity. This is the most odious and criminal species of covetousness. The other form of the vice consists in a high esteem of riches as the chief good, in seeking one’s happiness from the enjoyments which they procure, and in substituting them in the place of the providence and grace of God. This love of riches is, in Scripture, emphatically termed a trusting in them, and is a sort of covetousness that is abundantly compatible with a regard to justice, being often found in persons no way remarkable for the want of that virtue.” Thus Dr. Macknight; to which we may add, with Dr. Whitby, that the desire of having more than we really need, and that, not to supply the necessities of others, or to promote God’s glory, but that we may keep and treasure it up and enjoy it ourselves, is one species of covetousness; for these words are certainly produced as dissuasive from that sin, which they could not be, were not the desire of having more one species or symptom of it. And from the words following we learn, that to be more solicitous concerning temporal than spiritual things, and to be anxious about them, when we are not yet rich toward God, is another sign of covetousness. This may be concluded from the concern of this person for the dividing of his inheritance, rather than that our Lord should instruct him in the way of life, it being this which gave occasion to Christ’s admonition, to beware of covetousness; and it more clearly follows still from the example of the rich fool, mentioned in the following verses, who was so much concerned to hoard up his goods, but not at all concerned to be rich toward God; that is, to have his treasure with God in the heavens, and to esteem it his chief riches to be an heir of the kingdom of God, verse 32, and to employ his property in a way that would be acceptable to God, and tend to his own future felicity; for this is a plain indication of a heart that values these temporal concernments more than God’s favour, or celestial riches, which, in St. Paul’s judgment, renders the covetous person guilty of idolatry. For a man’s life — That is, the comfort and happiness of it; consisteth not in the abundance that he possesseth — Nor can the continuance of his life, even for the shortest period of time, be secured by that abundance.

Ver. 15. Beware of covetousness, the foulest vice that can be fostered in the human breast. It enters deep into the heart, and grows and encreases with years. It fixes an evil eye, and extends a griping hand to that which justly belongs to our neighbour. The victim of this passion, whatever may be his pleasure when boasting against the prodigal, is haunted day and night with jealousies and fears, lest those about him should rob him of his hoards. The severest afflictions of his neighbour will not induce him to untie the strings of his gold; when a sovereign is taken from a thousand pounds, it is a thousand pounds no longer. He is severe with the labourers who have reaped his fields, and denies bread to the faithful pastor, who would resound in his ears, that “the covetous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” — For once however he does effectual good, and that is the day when he dies.

15. Covetousness—The inordinate desire for accumulation. It is natural to suppose that one or both of the parties in the quarrel for the inheritance was trying to overreach. And the intense absorption of the man in this matter, and his untimely interruption, would be of themselves proof of covetousness. Life—That is, his true life. The rich feel committed the error of forgetting that there was a higher life than bodily supplies afford. Give him the gratification of sense and he dreams that all is provided for. Parable of the Rich Fool, 15-21.

Suggested by the worldly man’s interruption. It is in some degree a new turn of the discourse, and yet it lies under the main line of the argument.

Verse 15. Take heed, and beware of covetousness, &c.. — Our Lord took occasion, from the request which had been just made, to guard against covetousness, and especially because of its tendency to turn the desires from things of eternal interest. This was illustrated by the case of the person who had requested him to interpose, that he might obtain his civil rights. Here was a Teacher sent from God, one whom many acknowledged to be an extraordinary prophet; and some, the Messiah himself; and yet this man does not avail himself of his presence to know what he must do to be saved, but applies to him a to undertake to put him in possession of his share of an inheritance, — a sufficient proof that his sordid soul was wholly absorbed in earthly interests. And this will farther show us what our Lord here means by covetousness. Not the wicked desire of acquiring what belonged to another; for by the Mosaic law he had a right to his share of the inheritance, and there is no intimation that he desired more than his share; nor does covetousness here and in other parts of Scripture mean the hoarding up of wealth, so as to refuse to apportion that degree of it which duty requires to be expended and given away. This is the desire of keeping; but covetousness includes the desire of having, of increasing wealth even when there is no design to sink into churlishness and illiberality. And the great rule by which this studium habendi, this criminal and dangerous desire of gain, is ascertained to exist, is, when it prevents us from applying with our whole heart to the work of our salvation. For then the worldly desires extinguish or render inefficient spiritual ones; prayer is restrained, or languid and powerless; and those words of St. John become applicable to our case, “If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” To guard us against this sin, — a sin which does not alarm like obvious immoralities, which puts itself under even virtuous disguises of prudence and diligence, and which, therefore, often steals upon men unawares, — the solemn parable which follows was spoken. — The moral which the parable was designed to illustrate is, that a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth. Those who think that these words merely signify that riches have no power to secure a long life, not only ascribe a very trite and an almost useless remark to our Lord, unworthy of his wisdom; but fail entirely to show that the parable illustrates that sentiment, beyond the bare fact that a rich man suddenly and prematurely dies; while many of its most striking circumstances are, in that view, quite superfluous and irrelevant. Nor does it come up to our Lord’s meaning, to take life, as Schleusner, Koinoel, and others, in the sense of happiness; as if Christ had said, “For a man’s happiness depends not on his riches;” for surely that is a truth very easy to be shown by many other considerations than that the opulent, like others, are liable to sudden death; and indeed the answer to so imperfect a view of the subject would be, “They are at least happy in their riches so long as they live.” These and several other interpretations are frigid and trifling, and only show how often the learned, if not themselves spiritual men, pass over, without discernment, the most weighty and important lessons of holy writ. By LIFE our Lord obviously means men’s true INTEREST; and that he teaches us, consists not in worldly abundance, but in being rich toward God, or, in respect to God; that is, spiritually rich, endowed with those things which form the treasure of the soul, and will remain its treasure after death. Of this great truth the parable is a solemnly impressive illustration.

Verse 16. The ground of a certain rich man, &c.] He had generally what is called good luck in his farm, and this was a remarkably plentiful year.

Verses 16-20. To illustrate his admonition, and give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an important parable. The ground of a rich man brought forth plentifully — This man, it appears, became rich, not by unjust gains, but by the produce of his own land, the most innocent method possible of making or increasing an estate. Nor did his covetousness consist in heaping up wealth without end, even by a method so innocent as that of agriculture: no; the extraordinary fruitfulness of one year’s crop contented him, for it was so great that he had no further care, but to contrive how to bestow his fruits. And the result of his deliberation was, to pull down his barns and build greater. Nor did his covetousness consist in hoarding up the fruits of that one bountiful year; for he laid them up with no other intention, but to take the full use of them in every sensual enjoyment which they could afford; saying to his soul, that is, to himself, with complacency and confidence, Thou hast much goods laid up for many future years, take thine ease — Cease from the fatigue of business, and even from the labour of thought. Enjoy thyself; eat and drink without any fear of exhausting thy stores, and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with thy most jovial companions, can make thee. This man’s covetousness, therefore, consisted in the satisfaction which he took in his goods and fruits, in his putting a high value on the pleasures of luxury which they afforded, and in proposing to derive his happiness from them alone, without taking God and religion into his scheme at all. But God said unto him — God, who in this man’s scheme of happiness was overlooked, thought fit to show him the folly he was guilty of in contemning his Maker, on whom he depended for every thing, and by whose providence alone he lived to enjoy any blessing: God, with just displeasure, said to him, by the awful dispensation of his providence, amidst all his gayety of heart, and in the variety of his schemes and hopes, Thou fool — Who dost thus stupidly forget both the dignity and the mortality of thy nature, and thy continual dependance upon thy supreme Lord! Know, to thy terror, that this very night — While thou art talking of a long succession of pleasurable years; thy soul shall be required of thee — And hurried away to its own place; that soul, which thou just now saidst had much goods laid up for many years, and which thou badest take its ease and be merry. Greek, thn yuchn apaitousin apo sou, They shall demand thy soul of thee; that is, “Either thy soul shall be required of thee by God that gave it, and whose deposite it is, as the Jews speak, or else it shall be required by evil angels, according to that other opinion of the Jews, that the souls of the just, when they die, are carried into the garden of Eden by the ministry of holy angels, and the souls of the wicked to the place appointed them, by evil spirits.” — Whitby. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided — Will they be thine any longer? When thou appearest at my bar to answer for thy actions, will they buy thee off from punishment? And when thou goest to thy own place, will they procure thee one moment’s respite from thy torment, or any comfort under it?

16. The ground—His money then came apparently from no overreaching, but from the blessing of God on the soft he cultivated. But he forgot whence the blessing came.

Verse 16. The ground. — Cwra, the same as agrov, the land owned and cultivated by himself; for he is designated as already a rich man.

V. 17. What shall I do?-The very language of want! Do? Why, lay up treasure in heaven.

Verse 17. He thought within himself] Began to be puzzled in consequence of the increase of his goods. Riches, though ever so well acquired, produce nothing but vexation and embarrassment.

Verses 16-20. To illustrate his admonition, and give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an important parable. The ground of a rich man brought forth plentifully — This man, it appears, became rich, not by unjust gains, but by the produce of his own land, the most innocent method possible of making or increasing an estate. Nor did his covetousness consist in heaping up wealth without end, even by a method so innocent as that of agriculture: no; the extraordinary fruitfulness of one year’s crop contented him, for it was so great that he had no further care, but to contrive how to bestow his fruits. And the result of his deliberation was, to pull down his barns and build greater. Nor did his covetousness consist in hoarding up the fruits of that one bountiful year; for he laid them up with no other intention, but to take the full use of them in every sensual enjoyment which they could afford; saying to his soul, that is, to himself, with complacency and confidence, Thou hast much goods laid up for many future years, take thine ease — Cease from the fatigue of business, and even from the labour of thought. Enjoy thyself; eat and drink without any fear of exhausting thy stores, and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with thy most jovial companions, can make thee. This man’s covetousness, therefore, consisted in the satisfaction which he took in his goods and fruits, in his putting a high value on the pleasures of luxury which they afforded, and in proposing to derive his happiness from them alone, without taking God and religion into his scheme at all. But God said unto him — God, who in this man’s scheme of happiness was overlooked, thought fit to show him the folly he was guilty of in contemning his Maker, on whom he depended for every thing, and by whose providence alone he lived to enjoy any blessing: God, with just displeasure, said to him, by the awful dispensation of his providence, amidst all his gayety of heart, and in the variety of his schemes and hopes, Thou fool — Who dost thus stupidly forget both the dignity and the mortality of thy nature, and thy continual dependance upon thy supreme Lord! Know, to thy terror, that this very night — While thou art talking of a long succession of pleasurable years; thy soul shall be required of thee — And hurried away to its own place; that soul, which thou just now saidst had much goods laid up for many years, and which thou badest take its ease and be merry. Greek, thn yuchn apaitousin apo sou, They shall demand thy soul of thee; that is, “Either thy soul shall be required of thee by God that gave it, and whose deposite it is, as the Jews speak, or else it shall be required by evil angels, according to that other opinion of the Jews, that the souls of the just, when they die, are carried into the garden of Eden by the ministry of holy angels, and the souls of the wicked to the place appointed them, by evil spirits.” — Whitby. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided — Will they be thine any longer? When thou appearest at my bar to answer for thy actions, will they buy thee off from punishment? And when thou goest to thy own place, will they procure thee one moment’s respite from thy torment, or any comfort under it?

17. What shall I do—Other men are perplexed to get wealth; this man is perplexed to dispose of it.

Verse 17. And he thought within himself, &c. — This opens his character. He is full of thoughts and plans; the very increase of his wealth, through the extraordinary fertility of the season, fills him with anxiety, but in the midst of all that he thought within himself: he thought not thankfully of God, the giver; he thought not of himself as the accountable steward of a superior Lord; he thought not of the interests of his spiritual and immortal nature; and though he thought of future life, he thought of it as certain, not uncertain, and as a scene of sensual enjoyment, not of holy useful works and diligent preparation for eternity. We have therefore the complete picture of a prosperous man of the world, living without regard to God.

Verse 18. I will pull down, &c.] The rich are full of designs concerning this life, but in general take no thought about eternity till the time that their goods and their lives are both taken away.

Verses 16-20. To illustrate his admonition, and give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an important parable. The ground of a rich man brought forth plentifully — This man, it appears, became rich, not by unjust gains, but by the produce of his own land, the most innocent method possible of making or increasing an estate. Nor did his covetousness consist in heaping up wealth without end, even by a method so innocent as that of agriculture: no; the extraordinary fruitfulness of one year’s crop contented him, for it was so great that he had no further care, but to contrive how to bestow his fruits. And the result of his deliberation was, to pull down his barns and build greater. Nor did his covetousness consist in hoarding up the fruits of that one bountiful year; for he laid them up with no other intention, but to take the full use of them in every sensual enjoyment which they could afford; saying to his soul, that is, to himself, with complacency and confidence, Thou hast much goods laid up for many future years, take thine ease — Cease from the fatigue of business, and even from the labour of thought. Enjoy thyself; eat and drink without any fear of exhausting thy stores, and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with thy most jovial companions, can make thee. This man’s covetousness, therefore, consisted in the satisfaction which he took in his goods and fruits, in his putting a high value on the pleasures of luxury which they afforded, and in proposing to derive his happiness from them alone, without taking God and religion into his scheme at all. But God said unto him — God, who in this man’s scheme of happiness was overlooked, thought fit to show him the folly he was guilty of in contemning his Maker, on whom he depended for every thing, and by whose providence alone he lived to enjoy any blessing: God, with just displeasure, said to him, by the awful dispensation of his providence, amidst all his gayety of heart, and in the variety of his schemes and hopes, Thou fool — Who dost thus stupidly forget both the dignity and the mortality of thy nature, and thy continual dependance upon thy supreme Lord! Know, to thy terror, that this very night — While thou art talking of a long succession of pleasurable years; thy soul shall be required of thee — And hurried away to its own place; that soul, which thou just now saidst had much goods laid up for many years, and which thou badest take its ease and be merry. Greek, thn yuchn apaitousin apo sou, They shall demand thy soul of thee; that is, “Either thy soul shall be required of thee by God that gave it, and whose deposite it is, as the Jews speak, or else it shall be required by evil angels, according to that other opinion of the Jews, that the souls of the just, when they die, are carried into the garden of Eden by the ministry of holy angels, and the souls of the wicked to the place appointed them, by evil spirits.” — Whitby. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided — Will they be thine any longer? When thou appearest at my bar to answer for thy actions, will they buy thee off from punishment? And when thou goest to thy own place, will they procure thee one moment’s respite from thy torment, or any comfort under it?

18. Pull down—His barns then are not, as they often were among the Jews, caves of the earth or rocks. They are tall buildings; but he must have still more spacious ones. My fruits—My products. My goods—The heathen philosophers, especially the Stoics, denied that perishable things should be called goods. But to this man they were, indeed, my goods. They were his life, than which he knew no life higher, and which he considered to consist in the abundance of his possessions.

Verse 19. Soul, thou hast much goods] Great possessions are generally accompanied with pride, idleness, and luxury; and these are the greatest enemies to salvation. Moderate poverty, as one justly observes, is a great talent in order to salvation; but it is one which nobody desires. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.] This was exactly the creed of the ancient Atheists and Epicureans. Ede, bibe, lude; post mortem nulla voluptas. What a wretched portion for an immortal spirit! and yet those who know not God have no other, and many of them not even this.

Verses 16-20. To illustrate his admonition, and give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an important parable. The ground of a rich man brought forth plentifully — This man, it appears, became rich, not by unjust gains, but by the produce of his own land, the most innocent method possible of making or increasing an estate. Nor did his covetousness consist in heaping up wealth without end, even by a method so innocent as that of agriculture: no; the extraordinary fruitfulness of one year’s crop contented him, for it was so great that he had no further care, but to contrive how to bestow his fruits. And the result of his deliberation was, to pull down his barns and build greater. Nor did his covetousness consist in hoarding up the fruits of that one bountiful year; for he laid them up with no other intention, but to take the full use of them in every sensual enjoyment which they could afford; saying to his soul, that is, to himself, with complacency and confidence, Thou hast much goods laid up for many future years, take thine ease — Cease from the fatigue of business, and even from the labour of thought. Enjoy thyself; eat and drink without any fear of exhausting thy stores, and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with thy most jovial companions, can make thee. This man’s covetousness, therefore, consisted in the satisfaction which he took in his goods and fruits, in his putting a high value on the pleasures of luxury which they afforded, and in proposing to derive his happiness from them alone, without taking God and religion into his scheme at all. But God said unto him — God, who in this man’s scheme of happiness was overlooked, thought fit to show him the folly he was guilty of in contemning his Maker, on whom he depended for every thing, and by whose providence alone he lived to enjoy any blessing: God, with just displeasure, said to him, by the awful dispensation of his providence, amidst all his gayety of heart, and in the variety of his schemes and hopes, Thou fool — Who dost thus stupidly forget both the dignity and the mortality of thy nature, and thy continual dependance upon thy supreme Lord! Know, to thy terror, that this very night — While thou art talking of a long succession of pleasurable years; thy soul shall be required of thee — And hurried away to its own place; that soul, which thou just now saidst had much goods laid up for many years, and which thou badest take its ease and be merry. Greek, thn yuchn apaitousin apo sou, They shall demand thy soul of thee; that is, “Either thy soul shall be required of thee by God that gave it, and whose deposite it is, as the Jews speak, or else it shall be required by evil angels, according to that other opinion of the Jews, that the souls of the just, when they die, are carried into the garden of Eden by the ministry of holy angels, and the souls of the wicked to the place appointed them, by evil spirits.” — Whitby. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided — Will they be thine any longer? When thou appearest at my bar to answer for thy actions, will they buy thee off from punishment? And when thou goest to thy own place, will they procure thee one moment’s respite from thy torment, or any comfort under it?

19. Soul—Neither he nor his soul has a thought of anything but the enjoyments he now enumerates. Ease, eat, drink, and be merry— Indolence, gluttony, drunkenness, and licentiousness; in these four things lie this man’s conception of life.

Verses 19-21. And I will say to my soul, &c. — This is truly epicurean. When the easy and temporary work of providing places in which he might deposit an overflowing wealth was completed, he resolved to discharge his cares, summon his soul from a vigorous application to the gaining of wealth, to its enjoyment in ease, mirth, and luxury. So he resolved to say and act in future; but God said, Thou fool, afron, this night thy soul, which thou hast resolved to summon to surrender itself to ease and low gratifications, shall be required of thee; literally, they require, or, shall require. This form of speech gives some sanction to the opinion of the Jews, that good angels convey the departed spirits of the just to paradise, and evil angels bear away the souls of the wicked to torment. Certainly there is nothing in their notions contrary to Scripture; though whether they are taught there may be doubted. The plural verb in this passage may be used impersonally, an instance of which occurs in the 48th verse of this chapter. Death is here spoken of as requiring back a loan. — This is in the manner of the Jews, and conveys a striking thought. So in the Wisdom of Solomon, 15:8, we have, “When his life, which was lent him, shall be demanded,” — the same verb being used as in the text. The continuance of the soul in connection with the body is the continuance of life; their separation is death. So long as the soul remains in the body, life is lent us that we may apply it to the great purposes for which it is dispensed; but at death the loan is demanded back, and the soul is summoned to answer for the use made of it.

Then whose shall those things be? &c. — This question is asked to mark the more strongly the poverty of the man reputed rich. What he had he was about to lose: his wealth was about to pass into unknown hands; or, if known, this mitigated not the case, — it was to drop suddenly from his own: and yet, when stripped of the world, not being rich in respect of God, he had no treasure laid up above, no part in the inheritance of heaven, no provision made for judgment and eternity. Here was poverty indeed! Some understand being rich toward God to signify abundant in works of charity to others, and thus to stand in opposition to laying up treasure for himself, for his own use and enjoyment; and doubtless this species of good works is included in those habits by which a man becomes rich, and provides for his felicity in a future life. But the true antitheses in verse 21 are the laying up earthly treasures, and the securing heavenly riches; between caring for the body and caring for the soul; between sensuality and spirituality; and between a presumptuous dependence upon life and a wise regard to its uncertainty leading to a holy preparation for it. Several of the most important theological points of doctrine are contained in this admonitory parable. It teaches especially,

1. That the end of the present life is preparation for a future.

2. That we are to estimate the value of things by the manner in which they relate to our whole being, and not as they promote a temporary and present advantage.

3. That the true riches of men are moral, and consist in all which secures the favour of God in time and eternity. Of these the Holy Scriptures only inform us. Plato could distinguish between moral gold and silver, and Divine; and others could speak of the riches of the soul; but the minds of those great writers could never conceive what our Saviour expresses by being rich in respect of God, in the grace he imparts, in the friendship which he bestows, and in the heaven which he prepares for the faithful.

4. That man is accountable; and death the requirement of his soul, in order that he may give account.

5. That the soul is immortal, something distinct from the body, and shall survive it; for by the soul here is not meant animal life, as some vainly interpret, but the thinking principle in man, that very soul which, in the 19th verse, this rich voluptuary addresses, and calls to lay aside its cares and anxieties, and to surrender itself to ease, and to those enjoyments of which it is capable through the gratified senses of the body. And that this soul was required for judgment and punishment, appears from this, that it is declared to be the folly of this worldly man that he had lived so as not to be rich toward God, the evil of which could to him be only felt in that future state where that awful moral poverty would be fully revealed, and the neglect of religion in this life fully punished.

V. 20. Thou fool-To think of satisfying thy soul with earthly goods! To depend on living many years! Yea, one day!

They-The messengers of death, commissioned by God, require thy soul of thee!

Verse 20. Thou fool!] To imagine that a man’s comfort and peace can depend upon temporal things; or to suppose that these can satisfy the wishes of an immortal spirit!

This night] How awful was this saying! He had just made the necessary arrangements for the gratification of his sensual appetites; and, in the very night in which he had finally settled all his plans, his soul was called into the eternal world! What a dreadful awakening of a soul, long asleep in sin! He is now hurried into the presence of his Maker; none of his worldly goods can accompany him, and he has not a particle of heavenly treasure! There is a passage much like this in the book of Ecclesiasticus, 11:18, 19. There is that waxeth rich by his wariness and pinching, and this is the portion of his reward: Whereas he saith, I have found rest, and now will eat continually of my goods; and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him; and that he must leave those things to others, and die. We may easily see whence the above is borrowed.

Verses 16-20. To illustrate his admonition, and give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an important parable. The ground of a rich man brought forth plentifully — This man, it appears, became rich, not by unjust gains, but by the produce of his own land, the most innocent method possible of making or increasing an estate. Nor did his covetousness consist in heaping up wealth without end, even by a method so innocent as that of agriculture: no; the extraordinary fruitfulness of one year’s crop contented him, for it was so great that he had no further care, but to contrive how to bestow his fruits. And the result of his deliberation was, to pull down his barns and build greater. Nor did his covetousness consist in hoarding up the fruits of that one bountiful year; for he laid them up with no other intention, but to take the full use of them in every sensual enjoyment which they could afford; saying to his soul, that is, to himself, with complacency and confidence, Thou hast much goods laid up for many future years, take thine ease — Cease from the fatigue of business, and even from the labour of thought. Enjoy thyself; eat and drink without any fear of exhausting thy stores, and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with thy most jovial companions, can make thee. This man’s covetousness, therefore, consisted in the satisfaction which he took in his goods and fruits, in his putting a high value on the pleasures of luxury which they afforded, and in proposing to derive his happiness from them alone, without taking God and religion into his scheme at all. But God said unto him — God, who in this man’s scheme of happiness was overlooked, thought fit to show him the folly he was guilty of in contemning his Maker, on whom he depended for every thing, and by whose providence alone he lived to enjoy any blessing: God, with just displeasure, said to him, by the awful dispensation of his providence, amidst all his gayety of heart, and in the variety of his schemes and hopes, Thou fool — Who dost thus stupidly forget both the dignity and the mortality of thy nature, and thy continual dependance upon thy supreme Lord! Know, to thy terror, that this very night — While thou art talking of a long succession of pleasurable years; thy soul shall be required of thee — And hurried away to its own place; that soul, which thou just now saidst had much goods laid up for many years, and which thou badest take its ease and be merry. Greek, thn yuchn apaitousin apo sou, They shall demand thy soul of thee; that is, “Either thy soul shall be required of thee by God that gave it, and whose deposite it is, as the Jews speak, or else it shall be required by evil angels, according to that other opinion of the Jews, that the souls of the just, when they die, are carried into the garden of Eden by the ministry of holy angels, and the souls of the wicked to the place appointed them, by evil spirits.” — Whitby. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided — Will they be thine any longer? When thou appearest at my bar to answer for thy actions, will they buy thee off from punishment? And when thou goest to thy own place, will they procure thee one moment’s respite from thy torment, or any comfort under it?

20. God said—The man had had his say; there is now a higher Being who puts in a word. Said—We are not told how God spoke, but certainly in such a way that even the fool understood him. Some think all God said was only in his decree or sovereign purpose; others that he so said by disease or dream. As the narrative is a parable, we understand that Jesus simply means to put God’s say in its true and terrible contrast with the fool’s speech to his soul. Thou fool—In biblical language the true fool is the man who wants the moral sense; that is, the proper good sense in moral or religious matters. This night—Not another day. Thy soul, which was to enjoy all this life. Required of thee—As if it was a loan which is now to be paid back. Whose shall those things be—thy heir will take the things in which thy life seemed to consist.

Verses 19-21. And I will say to my soul, &c. — This is truly epicurean. When the easy and temporary work of providing places in which he might deposit an overflowing wealth was completed, he resolved to discharge his cares, summon his soul from a vigorous application to the gaining of wealth, to its enjoyment in ease, mirth, and luxury. So he resolved to say and act in future; but God said, Thou fool, afron, this night thy soul, which thou hast resolved to summon to surrender itself to ease and low gratifications, shall be required of thee; literally, they require, or, shall require. This form of speech gives some sanction to the opinion of the Jews, that good angels convey the departed spirits of the just to paradise, and evil angels bear away the souls of the wicked to torment. Certainly there is nothing in their notions contrary to Scripture; though whether they are taught there may be doubted. The plural verb in this passage may be used impersonally, an instance of which occurs in the 48th verse of this chapter. Death is here spoken of as requiring back a loan. — This is in the manner of the Jews, and conveys a striking thought. So in the Wisdom of Solomon, 15:8, we have, “When his life, which was lent him, shall be demanded,” — the same verb being used as in the text. The continuance of the soul in connection with the body is the continuance of life; their separation is death. So long as the soul remains in the body, life is lent us that we may apply it to the great purposes for which it is dispensed; but at death the loan is demanded back, and the soul is summoned to answer for the use made of it.

Then whose shall those things be? &c. — This question is asked to mark the more strongly the poverty of the man reputed rich. What he had he was about to lose: his wealth was about to pass into unknown hands; or, if known, this mitigated not the case, — it was to drop suddenly from his own: and yet, when stripped of the world, not being rich in respect of God, he had no treasure laid up above, no part in the inheritance of heaven, no provision made for judgment and eternity. Here was poverty indeed! Some understand being rich toward God to signify abundant in works of charity to others, and thus to stand in opposition to laying up treasure for himself, for his own use and enjoyment; and doubtless this species of good works is included in those habits by which a man becomes rich, and provides for his felicity in a future life. But the true antitheses in verse 21 are the laying up earthly treasures, and the securing heavenly riches; between caring for the body and caring for the soul; between sensuality and spirituality; and between a presumptuous dependence upon life and a wise regard to its uncertainty leading to a holy preparation for it. Several of the most important theological points of doctrine are contained in this admonitory parable. It teaches especially,

1. That the end of the present life is preparation for a future.

2. That we are to estimate the value of things by the manner in which they relate to our whole being, and not as they promote a temporary and present advantage.

3. That the true riches of men are moral, and consist in all which secures the favour of God in time and eternity. Of these the Holy Scriptures only inform us. Plato could distinguish between moral gold and silver, and Divine; and others could speak of the riches of the soul; but the minds of those great writers could never conceive what our Saviour expresses by being rich in respect of God, in the grace he imparts, in the friendship which he bestows, and in the heaven which he prepares for the faithful.

4. That man is accountable; and death the requirement of his soul, in order that he may give account.

5. That the soul is immortal, something distinct from the body, and shall survive it; for by the soul here is not meant animal life, as some vainly interpret, but the thinking principle in man, that very soul which, in the 19th verse, this rich voluptuary addresses, and calls to lay aside its cares and anxieties, and to surrender itself to ease, and to those enjoyments of which it is capable through the gratified senses of the body. And that this soul was required for judgment and punishment, appears from this, that it is declared to be the folly of this worldly man that he had lived so as not to be rich toward God, the evil of which could to him be only felt in that future state where that awful moral poverty would be fully revealed, and the neglect of religion in this life fully punished.

V. 21. Rich toward God-Namely, in faith, and love, and good works.

Verse 21. So is he] That is, thus will it be. This is not an individual case; all who make this life their portion, and who are destitute of the peace and salvation of God, shall, sooner or later, be surprised in the same way. Layeth up treasure for himself] This is the essential characteristic of a covetous man: he desires riches; he gets them; he lays them up, not for the necessary uses to which they might be devoted, but for himself; to please himself, and to gratify his avaricious soul. Such a person is commonly called a miser, i.e. literally, a wretched, miserable man.

Verse 21. So — Such a fool, is he, in the divine account; that layeth up treasure for himself — Here on earth: and is not rich toward God — In acts of piety and charity, which would secure a fund of celestial treasures, lodged in his almighty hand, and therefore inviolably safe from such calamitous accidents as these. In other words, the covetous sensualist, who, in pursuing riches, has nothing but the gratification of his senses and appetites in view, no regard to the glory of God, who has commanded men to impart to others a portion of the good things which they enjoy, by almsgiving and other acts of beneficence; the man who thus lives only for himself, is as great a fool, and as far from real happiness, as the rich glutton in the parable, who proposes no other end to himself, from his riches, but eating, drinking, and making merry, little suspecting that he was but a few hours from death. Wherefore in this parable we have a perfect picture of the men whose affections are engrossed by the things of this present life. They forget that riches, honour, and power, are bestowed on them in trust. They do not consider that God has put these things into their hands for the good of others, and in order to their own improvement in religion and virtue, by the opportunities thus afforded them of exercising holy and benevolent dispositions. They rather look upon these advantages as mere instruments of self-indulgence and luxury, and use them accordingly. But at the very time when they are inwardly applauding themselves, in having such an abundance of the means of pleasure, and are laying schemes for futurity, as if they were never to die, and are thinking of nothing but happy days, God suddenly strips them of all their joys, overturns the treasures of the ant-hillock, which they had been idly busy in gathering together, and sends the foot of death to tread down, and spurn all abroad, the tottering piles which, like children in their play, they had foolishly, though laboriously, employed themselves in erecting.

21. Treasure for himself—Whose accumulations have no aim but the gratification of the selfish desires and appetites. He is rich for himself and to himself. Not rich toward God—He is rich toward man, who possesses those things which man values. He is rich toward God, who possesses those things which are in the sight of God of great value. God’s rich man and man’s rich man may be paupers to each other.

IV. To the disciples he thereupon counsels absolute unwordliness, 23, 24. For the correspondent passages in Matthew consult the marginal references.

Verses 19-21. And I will say to my soul, &c. — This is truly epicurean. When the easy and temporary work of providing places in which he might deposit an overflowing wealth was completed, he resolved to discharge his cares, summon his soul from a vigorous application to the gaining of wealth, to its enjoyment in ease, mirth, and luxury. So he resolved to say and act in future; but God said, Thou fool, afron, this night thy soul, which thou hast resolved to summon to surrender itself to ease and low gratifications, shall be required of thee; literally, they require, or, shall require. This form of speech gives some sanction to the opinion of the Jews, that good angels convey the departed spirits of the just to paradise, and evil angels bear away the souls of the wicked to torment. Certainly there is nothing in their notions contrary to Scripture; though whether they are taught there may be doubted. The plural verb in this passage may be used impersonally, an instance of which occurs in the 48th verse of this chapter. Death is here spoken of as requiring back a loan. — This is in the manner of the Jews, and conveys a striking thought. So in the Wisdom of Solomon, 15:8, we have, “When his life, which was lent him, shall be demanded,” — the same verb being used as in the text. The continuance of the soul in connection with the body is the continuance of life; their separation is death. So long as the soul remains in the body, life is lent us that we may apply it to the great purposes for which it is dispensed; but at death the loan is demanded back, and the soul is summoned to answer for the use made of it.

Then whose shall those things be? &c. — This question is asked to mark the more strongly the poverty of the man reputed rich. What he had he was about to lose: his wealth was about to pass into unknown hands; or, if known, this mitigated not the case, — it was to drop suddenly from his own: and yet, when stripped of the world, not being rich in respect of God, he had no treasure laid up above, no part in the inheritance of heaven, no provision made for judgment and eternity. Here was poverty indeed! Some understand being rich toward God to signify abundant in works of charity to others, and thus to stand in opposition to laying up treasure for himself, for his own use and enjoyment; and doubtless this species of good works is included in those habits by which a man becomes rich, and provides for his felicity in a future life. But the true antitheses in verse 21 are the laying up earthly treasures, and the securing heavenly riches; between caring for the body and caring for the soul; between sensuality and spirituality; and between a presumptuous dependence upon life and a wise regard to its uncertainty leading to a holy preparation for it. Several of the most important theological points of doctrine are contained in this admonitory parable. It teaches especially,

1. That the end of the present life is preparation for a future.

2. That we are to estimate the value of things by the manner in which they relate to our whole being, and not as they promote a temporary and present advantage.

3. That the true riches of men are moral, and consist in all which secures the favour of God in time and eternity. Of these the Holy Scriptures only inform us. Plato could distinguish between moral gold and silver, and Divine; and others could speak of the riches of the soul; but the minds of those great writers could never conceive what our Saviour expresses by being rich in respect of God, in the grace he imparts, in the friendship which he bestows, and in the heaven which he prepares for the faithful.

4. That man is accountable; and death the requirement of his soul, in order that he may give account.

5. That the soul is immortal, something distinct from the body, and shall survive it; for by the soul here is not meant animal life, as some vainly interpret, but the thinking principle in man, that very soul which, in the 19th verse, this rich voluptuary addresses, and calls to lay aside its cares and anxieties, and to surrender itself to ease, and to those enjoyments of which it is capable through the gratified senses of the body. And that this soul was required for judgment and punishment, appears from this, that it is declared to be the folly of this worldly man that he had lived so as not to be rich toward God, the evil of which could to him be only felt in that future state where that awful moral poverty would be fully revealed, and the neglect of religion in this life fully punished.

V. 22. Matthew 6:25.

Verse 22. Take no thought] Be not anxiously careful. See Clarke on “Matthew 6:25”.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Ver. 22. He said to his disciples — take no thought, of a distrustful nature, for your life. Christ, after the case of the covetous man, resumes the thread of his discourse, as will be found with remarks, on Matthew 6. 7. 10.

22. Unto his disciples—As he now turns again to his disciples it is plain that them in verse 15 and my friends in verse 4 designate the myriads, doubtless including the twelve. These words now addressed to the twelve were most of them uttered to the people in the Sermon on the Mount, and doubtless to the people, through the twelve, on the present occasion. But they have on both occasions apparently a stricter application to the twelve than to the world at large. The passages parallel to those upon which we are commenting may be found by the marginal references.

Verse 22. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought, &c. — Our Lord takes occasion to attach to this parable several passages of his sermon on the mount, all of which teach lessons, for which it is admirably adapted to prepare the mind. See the notes on Matthew 6:25-33. In verse 29 there is a variation in the expression, Neither be ye of a doubtful mind. The word metewrizesqai signifies to be raised into the air as clouds, or birds, driven uncertainly by the winds; or upon the waves of the sea, as ships tossed in a swell of the ocean; hence it comes to be used for the fluctuations of a mind produced by doubt and uncertainty. Against this we are exhorted. We are to have so steadfast a faith in the providence of our heavenly Father as to be assured that we shall never be left destitute of his care, and therefore not to perplex ourselves as to the future. Bulkely has adduced here a happy illustration: “In Statius, it is the character of his friend Pollius, that he had such a superiority to fortune, and all outward things, that his last day would not find him in suspense and perturbation of mind about any thing of this sort, but ready to go.

— Dubio quem non in turbine rerum

Deprendet suprema dies, sed abire paratum.”

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

V. 25. Which of you can add the least measure-It seems, to add one cubit to a thing (which is the phrase in the original) was a kind of proverbial expression for making the least addition to it.

Verse 25. To his stature one cubit?] See Clarke on “Matthew 6:27”.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

V. 28. The grass-The Greek word means all sorts of herbs and flowers.

Verse 28. Into the oven] See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 6:30”.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

V. 29. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind-The word in the original signifies, any speculations or musings in which the mind fluctuates, or is suspended (like meteors in the air) in an uneasy hesitation.

Verse 29. Neither be ye of doubtful mind.] Or, in anxious suspense, mh metewrizesqe. Raphelius gives several examples to prove that the meaning of the word is, to have the mind agitated with useless thoughts, and vain imaginations concerning food, raiment, and riches, accompanied with perpetual uncertainty.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Verse 30. The nations of the world seek after] Or, earnestly seek, epizhtei from epi above, over, and zhtew, I seek; to seek one thing after another, to be continually and eagerly coveting. This is the employment of the nations of this world, utterly regardless of God and eternity! It is the essence of heathenism to live only for this life; and it is the property of Christianity to lead men to live here in reference to another and better world. Reader! how art thou living?

Dr. Lightfoot observes on this place, that kosmov, the world, and aiwn, world or age, have a meaning in the sacred writings which they have not in profane authors. aiwn has relation to the Jewish ages, and kosmov to the ages that are not Jewish: hence, by sunteleia tou aiwnov, Matthew 24:3, is meant the end of the Jewish age or world: and pro cronwn aiwniwn, Titus 1:2, means before the Jewish world began; and hence it is that the term world is very often, in the New Testament, to be understood only of the Gentiles.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples — Having delivered the preceding instructive and awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution them against those anxious cares and earthly affections which are also very inimical to religious dispositions, and obstructive to all progress in the divine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on, and enforces by, the consideration of God’s superintending providence, and on the caution and parable which he had just delivered. As if he had said, Since a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods and fruits is not capable of prolonging it one moment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to take no thought, or rather, as merimnate means, not be solicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anxiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See the contents of these verses explained at large in the notes on Matthew 6:25-34. For Luke has here, as in other places, recapitulated several precepts given by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Matthew, at a very different time. Some commentators, indeed, have laboured to show that both evangelists refer to the same period, but certainly they have not been able to prove that point: and to attempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely proper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with his public ministry, the doctrines which he had before delivered to such as attended his discourses in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind — Mh metewrizesqe. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed about by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, uneasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesitation, might well be expressed by the word. The thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is perispasmov kai tou logou astatov perifora, a distracting and unstable fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision for the body, which Christ would here remove from the children of God, assuring them that his wisdom knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so.

Ver. 31. Rather seek ye the kingdom of God. See on Matthew 6:33.

V. 32. It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom-How much more food and raiment? And since ye have such an inheritance, regard not your earthly possessions.

Verse 32. Fear not, little flock] Or, very little flock, to mikron poimnion. This is what some term a double diminutive, and, literally translated, is, little little flock. Though this refers solely to the apostles and first believers, of whom it was literally true, yet we may say that the number of genuine believers has been, and is still, small, in comparison of heathens and false Christians.

It is your Father’s good pleasure] eudokhsen, It hath pleased, &c., though this tense joined with an infinitive has often the force of the present. Our Lord intimated, God has already given you that kingdom which consists in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and has undertaken to protect and save you to the uttermost; therefore, fear not; the smallness of your number cannot hurt you, for omnipotence itself has undertaken your cause.

Verses 32-34. Fear not, little flock — You, my dear property and charge, however feeble you may seem; fear not, I say, that you shall be left destitute of those common blessings of providence, for it is your Father’s good pleasure, &c. — Eudokhsen, he takes delight, or joyfully acquiesces, in giving you the kingdom, even the kingdom of eternal glory; and can you possibly imagine, that while he intends to bestow that upon you, and even takes pleasure in the thought of making you so rich, great, and happy there, he will refuse you those earthly supplies, such as food and raiment, which he liberally imparts even to strangers and enemies? And since ye have such an inheritance, regard not your earthly possessions. Sell that ye have and give alms — That is, be ready, when God calls you, and the exigencies of Christ’s members require it, so to do; and be so far from the sordidness of the rich man, who would not give of his superfluities to the needy, as in these cases to relieve them out of the principal, or main stock; as knowing this heavenly kingdom is to be obtained, not by hoarding up treasures here on earth, but in consequence of an interest in Christ, and union with him through faith, by distributing them to his poor and destitute members. This was a precept peculiarly calculated for those times, in which the profession of the gospel exposed men to the loss of all their goods. And it is probable it was as a fruitful seed in the minds of some who heard it; and the liberal sale of estates, a few months after, by which so many poor Christians were supported, might be, in a great measure, the harvest which sprang up from it, under the cultivation of the blessed Spirit. Nothing is more probable, than that some of the many myriads now attending our Lord, (verse 1,) might be in the number of the thousands then converted. See on Acts 2:41-48. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old — Nor wear out: an allusion this to the danger of losing money through a hole, worn in an old purse. Such is frequently the gain of this world, and so are its treasures hoarded up, and put into a bag with holes, Haggai 1:6. The rich men in Judea, so soon ravaged and destroyed by the Romans, particularly found it so. A treasure in the heavens — That region of security and immortality; that fadeth not — But remains for ever, and continually increases; where no thief approacheth — To plunder the riches of its inhabitants; neither moth corrupteth — Corrodes and spoils the robes of glory in which they appear. By bestowing your wealth in charity, you will send it before you into heaven, where it will lie secure from all accidents, and be a source of eternal joys to you. And where your treasure is, &c. — If your treasure be thus laid up in heaven, your heart will be there also; your thoughts and affections will naturally ascend thither, and consequently your dispositions and actions, your desires and hopes, will be all heavenly.

Ver. 32. Fear not, little flock. The twelve, and the seventy disciples, who were present, formed but a little flock; but countless multitudes stood behind. The Lord having fortified them against the fears of poverty and persecution, here super-adds the good pleasure of their Father, which is the fountain of grace and glory, and which will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly. In the gift of the kingdom of grace in the heart, of blessings in the church, and glory in heaven, all the minor blessings are included.

32. Little flock—Addressed primarily to the twelve. Father’s good pleasure—The words good pleasure no doubt express a supreme and sovereign purpose; but God’s purposes are never matters of mere blank power; but are founded in infinite benevolence and wisdom. God is omnipotent love and infinite reason; and his sovereignty is the enthronement of true divine excellence and perfect goodness over the universe. The kingdom—The kingdom of heaven, mentioned as the object of those who seek in the last verse.

Verse 32. Fear not, little flock, &c. — By calling his disciples a flock, he professed to be their shepherd, and thus added another motive to trust, by the assurance that they should lack no supplies. They would naturally think of the words of the sweet singer of their own Israel, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” By adding, It is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom, the argument was still more strengthened; for if the kingdom, meaning the kingdom of grace and glory, the blessings of the Church in both worlds, be given, the smaller gifts, when consistent with their higher interests, could not be withheld. But at the same time, amidst all these promises of caring for our temporal necessities, he elevates our thoughts to higher blessings, even those of the kingdom, his own kingdom which he came into the world to establish, and which he rose to heaven to administer. To give this kingdom is said to be the Father’s good pleasure, that is, his will, purpose, and appointment, as the word in this construction signifies. The grace and kindness are to be concluded rather from the act than from the word used, though some have laid much stress upon it. To give the kingdom signifies the entire concurrence of the Father in the work of Christ, and his acceptance of it; his sealing and confirming every act of grace, and becoming a willing and rejoicing party to the administration of eternal glory to Christ’s true disciples, in completion of that grand redeeming purpose which sprung from his own eternal and infinite love.

V. 33. Sell what ye have-This is a direction, not given to all the multitude: (much less is it a standing rule for all Christians:) neither to the apostles; for they had nothing to sell, having left all before: but to his other disciples, (mentioned Luke 12:22, and Acts 1:15,) especially to the seventy, that they might be free from all worldly entanglements. Matthew 6:19.

Verse 33. Sell that ye have] Dispose of your goods. Be not like the foolish man already mentioned, who laid up the produce of his fields, without permitting the poor to partake of God’s bounty: turn the fruits of your fields (which are beyond what you need for your own support) into money, and give it in alms; and the treasure thus laid out, shall be as laid up for yourselves and families in heaven. This purse shall not grow old, and this treasure shill not decay. Ye shall by and by find both the place where you laid up the treasure, and the treasure itself in the place; for he who hath pity on the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and he may rest assured, that whatever, for Christ’s sake, he thus lays out, it will be paid him again.

Verses 32-34. Fear not, little flock — You, my dear property and charge, however feeble you may seem; fear not, I say, that you shall be left destitute of those common blessings of providence, for it is your Father’s good pleasure, &c. — Eudokhsen, he takes delight, or joyfully acquiesces, in giving you the kingdom, even the kingdom of eternal glory; and can you possibly imagine, that while he intends to bestow that upon you, and even takes pleasure in the thought of making you so rich, great, and happy there, he will refuse you those earthly supplies, such as food and raiment, which he liberally imparts even to strangers and enemies? And since ye have such an inheritance, regard not your earthly possessions. Sell that ye have and give alms — That is, be ready, when God calls you, and the exigencies of Christ’s members require it, so to do; and be so far from the sordidness of the rich man, who would not give of his superfluities to the needy, as in these cases to relieve them out of the principal, or main stock; as knowing this heavenly kingdom is to be obtained, not by hoarding up treasures here on earth, but in consequence of an interest in Christ, and union with him through faith, by distributing them to his poor and destitute members. This was a precept peculiarly calculated for those times, in which the profession of the gospel exposed men to the loss of all their goods. And it is probable it was as a fruitful seed in the minds of some who heard it; and the liberal sale of estates, a few months after, by which so many poor Christians were supported, might be, in a great measure, the harvest which sprang up from it, under the cultivation of the blessed Spirit. Nothing is more probable, than that some of the many myriads now attending our Lord, (verse 1,) might be in the number of the thousands then converted. See on Acts 2:41-48. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old — Nor wear out: an allusion this to the danger of losing money through a hole, worn in an old purse. Such is frequently the gain of this world, and so are its treasures hoarded up, and put into a bag with holes, Haggai 1:6. The rich men in Judea, so soon ravaged and destroyed by the Romans, particularly found it so. A treasure in the heavens — That region of security and immortality; that fadeth not — But remains for ever, and continually increases; where no thief approacheth — To plunder the riches of its inhabitants; neither moth corrupteth — Corrodes and spoils the robes of glory in which they appear. By bestowing your wealth in charity, you will send it before you into heaven, where it will lie secure from all accidents, and be a source of eternal joys to you. And where your treasure is, &c. — If your treasure be thus laid up in heaven, your heart will be there also; your thoughts and affections will naturally ascend thither, and consequently your dispositions and actions, your desires and hopes, will be all heavenly.

33. Sell that ye have—For you will be rich as kings by Such a surrender. And give alms—For this will be the richest investment. Provide yourself bags—Purses, out of the proceeds of your sales. Wax not old—As the purses will which contain your earthly funds. A treasure in the heavens—In lieu of that ye have. There is a beautiful little allegory contained in this verse.

V. Gradually extending his address from the twelve to the multitudes, Jesus warns of his Second Coming, 35-50.

The Saviour’s address so imperceptibly expands to take in all alike, that Peter is at last induced to ask his Lord which he means, the twelve or the myriads? How beautifully calculated was this passage to make the hesitater between Jesus and the hierarchy tremble! It is the Son of man, it is himself before whom these myriads, and even these scribes and pharisees, are to appear, (and how soon neither they nor he know; though with him it is a voluntary unknowing,) and receive their final doom! Before the stupendous importance of that day, sublunary suffering and enjoyment dwindle into nothing. In view of its uncertainty of approach, how entire the attitude of readiness required! And whether that uncertainty be for a year or myriads of years, preparedness is, from man’s transitory existence, equally suitable and important. Whatever may be the distance of that day to the whole earth, each man’s distance from it is a narrow and uncertain margin of his mortal life. The coming of the Son of man is not death; but death is the limit of our distance from it. Compare supplementary note on Matthew 25.

Verse 33. Sell that ye have, and give alms. — If this be understood as spoken to all Christ’s disciples, it must be understood comparatively: Sell of what you have, a due and liberal portion of it; and be not like the rich man just mentioned, whose care was to hoard up all his fruits, and to provide for his own indulgence also. And it is more consistent with the whole scope of the discourse to interpret the command in this comparative sense, than by taking it strictly, to confine it wholly to the disciples then present. Nor did they understand it as an injunction to sell all they had; for the women who ministered to him of their substance do not appear to have sold their property; and though for a time after the resurrection the Church at Jerusalem had all things in common, what the rest parted with was not so much to give alms in the proper sense, as to provide a common stock in which all participated in a season of danger and persecution. Nor was this introduced into any other of the primitive Churches; which shows that it rested upon some peculiarity, and was not of general obligation; if indeed even at Jerusalem it was ever binding, or more than a spontaneous act. Farther, in the writings of the apostles to the Churches, we perceive the distinction of rich and poor, spoken of as permanent, and duties enjoined upon each. The precept is then to be understood as lying against that hoarding up of wealth which interferes with the duty of generous alms-giving. Hence it is enjoined to sell, because a great part of the treasure laid up in those times were goods of various kinds, as corn, fruits, spices, valuable unguents, and, to a large extent, vestments as well as money. Bags. — Purses, which, by not growing old and decaying, hold and scatter not the treasure put into them.

A treasure in the heavens which faileth not. — A treasure which fails not, either by LOSS or EXHAUSTION, secure and incapable of waste. The accidents to which such hoards as the Jews were accustomed to accumulate were liable are suggested by the allusion to the thief and the moth: the latter comprehends all those small insects which prey upon the corn and fruits in the granary, and upon garments in the wardrobe.

Verse 34. Where your treasure is] Men fix their hearts on their treasures, and often resort to the place where they have deposited them, to see that all is safe and secure. Let God be the treasure of your soul, and let your heart go frequently to the place where his honour dwelleth. There is a curious parallel passage to this in Plautus, quoted by Bishop Pearce on Matthew 6:21. Nam ego sum hic; animus domi est, sc. cum argento meo. “I am here; but my heart is at home, i.e. with my money.”

Verses 32-34. Fear not, little flock — You, my dear property and charge, however feeble you may seem; fear not, I say, that you shall be left destitute of those common blessings of providence, for it is your Father’s good pleasure, &c. — Eudokhsen, he takes delight, or joyfully acquiesces, in giving you the kingdom, even the kingdom of eternal glory; and can you possibly imagine, that while he intends to bestow that upon you, and even takes pleasure in the thought of making you so rich, great, and happy there, he will refuse you those earthly supplies, such as food and raiment, which he liberally imparts even to strangers and enemies? And since ye have such an inheritance, regard not your earthly possessions. Sell that ye have and give alms — That is, be ready, when God calls you, and the exigencies of Christ’s members require it, so to do; and be so far from the sordidness of the rich man, who would not give of his superfluities to the needy, as in these cases to relieve them out of the principal, or main stock; as knowing this heavenly kingdom is to be obtained, not by hoarding up treasures here on earth, but in consequence of an interest in Christ, and union with him through faith, by distributing them to his poor and destitute members. This was a precept peculiarly calculated for those times, in which the profession of the gospel exposed men to the loss of all their goods. And it is probable it was as a fruitful seed in the minds of some who heard it; and the liberal sale of estates, a few months after, by which so many poor Christians were supported, might be, in a great measure, the harvest which sprang up from it, under the cultivation of the blessed Spirit. Nothing is more probable, than that some of the many myriads now attending our Lord, (verse 1,) might be in the number of the thousands then converted. See on Acts 2:41-48. Provide yourselves bags which wax not old — Nor wear out: an allusion this to the danger of losing money through a hole, worn in an old purse. Such is frequently the gain of this world, and so are its treasures hoarded up, and put into a bag with holes, Haggai 1:6. The rich men in Judea, so soon ravaged and destroyed by the Romans, particularly found it so. A treasure in the heavens — That region of security and immortality; that fadeth not — But remains for ever, and continually increases; where no thief approacheth — To plunder the riches of its inhabitants; neither moth corrupteth — Corrodes and spoils the robes of glory in which they appear. By bestowing your wealth in charity, you will send it before you into heaven, where it will lie secure from all accidents, and be a source of eternal joys to you. And where your treasure is, &c. — If your treasure be thus laid up in heaven, your heart will be there also; your thoughts and affections will naturally ascend thither, and consequently your dispositions and actions, your desires and hopes, will be all heavenly.

Verse 34. For where your treasure, &c. — See the note on Matthew 6:21.

V. 35. Let your loins be girt-An allusion to the long garments, worn by the eastern nations, which they girded or tucked up about their loins, when they journeyed or were employed in any labour: as also to the lights that servants used to carry at weddings, which were generally in the night.

Verse 35. Let your loins] Be active, diligent, determined ready; let all hinderances be removed out of the way; and let the candle of the Lord be always found burning brightly in your hand. See Clarke on “Luke 12:37”.

Verses 35, 36. Let your loins, &c. — Our Lord, having recommended to his disciples disengagement of affection from the things of this world, and a due moderation as to their esteem for, and cares about, earthly possessions, proceeds now to exhort them to be in constant readiness for the proper discharge of their duty, for their final remove from earth, and for the awful solemnities of death, judgment, and eternity. That this is the purport of this paragraph, seems evident from every part of it. In the expression here, Let your loins be girded about, he alludes to the circumstance of the eastern people wearing long garments; in consequence of which it was necessary, when they had any thing to do which required them to exert their strength or agility, that they should tuck them up, and gird them close: a practice to which there are frequent references both in the Old and New Testaments. The entertainments in the East are also here alluded to, which were anciently made in the evening, so that night was commonly far spent before the guests were dismissed. On such occasions servants showed their faithfulness by watching, and keeping their lamps burning, that they might be ready to open the door to their master on the first knock; for to suffer them to be extinguished, as it would have been an inconvenient circumstance to the master, so it would also have been a demonstration of the servant’s idleness. The expressions, taken together, may intimate the care we should take to inform ourselves in our duty, and the resolution with which we should apply to the performance of it. And be ye like unto men — Unto good servants, attending to the work appointed them; that wait for their lord — That are continually prepared to receive him; when he will return from the wedding — That is, from a marriage-feast, or any other late entertainment; that they may open to him immediately — And not be surprised in any disorder. It does not appear that there is any particular mystery in the circumstance of a wedding, or marriage-feast, being here mentioned. Our Lord might probably instance in this entertainment, because marriage-feasts were generally the most splendid, and so prolonged to the latest hours.

35. Let your loins be girded—The lord of a household of servants has gone late at night to a wedding. What hour he will return is utterly uncertain. If when he returns he finds them prepared, alert, watching, and dutiful, rich will be their reward. But woe be to them if the reverse. Girded about you—Ready for action in doing the honours of his return. When a servant was about to engage in active service, he first drew tight around his waist the girdle which bound his loose and flowing dress, that its folds might not impede his work. Your lights burning—As the lord returns, he must see from the distance that his house is in order. Your lamps must be, momentarily, ready for use and service.

Verse 35. Let your loins, &c. — As the upper garment of the Asiatics is flowing, so was it necessary to confine it within the girdle when any one addressed himself to important service. Hence the adjective euzwnov, well girded, signifies in Greek writers well prepared for any action, as fighting, running, serving, &c. In Hierocles we have it well turned to a moral sense: “This was the great end of the Pythagoric discipline, that men should be altogether on the wing toward a participation in Divine benefits, that so, when death comes, leaving upon earth the mortal body, and putting off its nature, we may be properly girt for the heavenly march, prov thn ouranian poreian wsin euzwnoi.” The disciples are here compared to servants waiting for the coming of their Lord, that is, of Christ, to judgment, which is a farther proof that our Lord is addressing his disciples generally, as well as those immediately about him. They are commanded therefore to be girt, that is, in perfect readiness for service. And your lights burning. Here the allusion is to the marriage ceremony. Their lord having gone to conduct his bride home, the servants here spoken of are those left in the house, to be ready to open to the nuptial train, upon the first signal, and to mingle their lights and acclamations with those of the attendants. See the notes on Matthew 25:1-13, where the same state of preparation for the coming of Christ is illustrated and enforced with a variety of circumstances and in a more extended parable; of which, however, the moral is in substance the same. The whole teaches us to live in readiness for death and for judgment; and to acquire and cultivate those habits which will prepare us to enter at once upon the higher and nobler services of our blessed Master in another state of being.

Verse 36. That wait for their lord] See Clarke’s notes on “Matthew 25:1”, &c.

The wedding] How the Jewish weddings were celebrated, see in the notes on Matthew 8:12; 22:13.

Verses 35, 36. Let your loins, &c. — Our Lord, having recommended to his disciples disengagement of affection from the things of this world, and a due moderation as to their esteem for, and cares about, earthly possessions, proceeds now to exhort them to be in constant readiness for the proper discharge of their duty, for their final remove from earth, and for the awful solemnities of death, judgment, and eternity. That this is the purport of this paragraph, seems evident from every part of it. In the expression here, Let your loins be girded about, he alludes to the circumstance of the eastern people wearing long garments; in consequence of which it was necessary, when they had any thing to do which required them to exert their strength or agility, that they should tuck them up, and gird them close: a practice to which there are frequent references both in the Old and New Testaments. The entertainments in the East are also here alluded to, which were anciently made in the evening, so that night was commonly far spent before the guests were dismissed. On such occasions servants showed their faithfulness by watching, and keeping their lamps burning, that they might be ready to open the door to their master on the first knock; for to suffer them to be extinguished, as it would have been an inconvenient circumstance to the master, so it would also have been a demonstration of the servant’s idleness. The expressions, taken together, may intimate the care we should take to inform ourselves in our duty, and the resolution with which we should apply to the performance of it. And be ye like unto men — Unto good servants, attending to the work appointed them; that wait for their lord — That are continually prepared to receive him; when he will return from the wedding — That is, from a marriage-feast, or any other late entertainment; that they may open to him immediately — And not be surprised in any disorder. It does not appear that there is any particular mystery in the circumstance of a wedding, or marriage-feast, being here mentioned. Our Lord might probably instance in this entertainment, because marriage-feasts were generally the most splendid, and so prolonged to the latest hours.

36. Knocketh, they may open—Not be fast asleep, with their lights gone out, or low in the socket.

V. 37. He will come and serve them-The meaning is, he will show them his love, in the most condescending and tender manner.

Verse 37. He shall gird himself] Alluding to the long garments which were worn in the eastern countries; and which, in travelling and serving, were tucked up in their belts. That those among the Romans who waited on the company at table were girded, and had their clothes tucked up, appears from what Horace says, Sat. b. vi. l. 107: Veluti SUCCINCTUS cursitat HOSPES, He runs about like a girded waiter. The host himself often performed this office. And ibid. viii. 10: Puer alle cinctus: and that the game custom prevailed among the Jews appears from John 13:4, 5, and Luke 17:8. From this verse we may gather likewise, that it was the custom of those days, as it was, not long since, among us, for the bridegroom, at the wedding supper, to wait as a servant upon the company. See Bishop PEARCE.

Verse 37. Blessed are those servants, &c. — And blessed also will you be, if this shall be your case: verily, he shall gird himself, and make them sit down to meat — The master of such servants, pleased with their care, would perhaps order them a refreshment, after having watched and fasted so long; and if he were of a very humane disposition, might even bring it them himself, and give it them out of his own hand. It may not be improper to observe here, that it was usual for servants to sit at table, and for their masters to wait upon them, among the Romans in their Saturnalia, among the Cretans in their Hermæ, and among the Babylonians at their feast called Saccas: but whether our Lord here alludes to these, or any of these, it is difficult to judge. The words certainly are very intelligible without supposing any such reference. What our Lord chiefly meant by the similitude evidently was, to intimate to his disciples how acceptable their zeal in discharging the duties of their function would be to him, and how highly he would reward them for it.

37. Blessed are those servants—At the Roman Saturnalia the masters put on the servile dress and waited on and served their servants. As our Lord bases this parable upon the ancient relation of master and servant, so he uses this custom for an image to express the great honour he will confer upon his servants at the judgment day. He will indeed then have put off the “form of a servant;” and all the blessings accruing to his followers from his ever having worn it, he will then confer.

Verse 37. That he shall gird himself. — This is one of the most extraordinary promises of the New Testament. The blessedness of Christ’s servants is represented, not merely by their serving Christ in the heavenly state, but his serving them! Grotius, Whitby, and others have referred for illustrations to the far-fetched and inapposite examples of the Roman Saturnalia, the Cretan Hermæa, and the Babylonian Saccas, when the servants sat at table, and were waited upon by their masters. But the true illustration lay much nearer at hand. It was customary in ancient times for the host to do honour to distinguished guests, by performing some services, on ordinary occasions done by servants; after which he might sit down in his own place: and we see that, not only when our Lord was entertained at Martha’s own house, she, the hostess, served; but that when he dined at the house of Simon the leper, six days before the passover, whose residence was at Bethany, and a neighbour to Martha, it is said that “Martha served,” doubtless in honour of the guest. So our Lord tacitly reproves Simon the Pharisee with having given him no water to wash his feet, which had been a mark of respect shown to him by others who had intended to receive him with honour and affection. The import of the promise, therefore, is, that their Lord would not treat them in that heavenly state as even favoured servants; but as chosen guests, to whom he would show marks of peculiar love and honour. Christ will, in fact, SERVE his faithful servants for ever; as he ministers grace, so will he delight to minister the honours, the blessedness, and the rewards of his kingdom; and that with a condescension which shall stoop to the meanest and most unnoticed by the world, who have served him in any line of duty with zealous affection. — He will select the most laborious, persevering, and watchful servants for singular honour.

V. 38. The Jews frequently divided the night into three watches, to which our Lord seems here to allude.

Verse 38. If he shall come in the second watch] See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 14:25”.

Verses 38-40. And if he shall come in the second or third watch, &c. — This included all the time from nine in the evening to three in the morning; and was as if he had said, whether he come early or late. Here our Lord enforces “this constant watchfulness and habitual preparation for his coming, from the consideration of the uncertainty of the time of it; telling them, that as there is no master of a family but would make some preparation against a thief, if he knew of his coming, so it would be no great matter if they should make some preparation, on receiving certain information of his approach: for which reason, their zeal could only show itself by keeping them in constant readiness, as they did not know what hour he would come. Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh, &c. — “The coming of the Son of man often signifies his providential interposition for the destruction of Jerusalem; but it cannot be taken in such a sense here, because our Lord speaks of an immediate reward to be bestowed on all faithful servants; and an immediate punishment to be executed on all that were unfaithful; and expressly declares this to be a matter of universal concern: all which particulars have very little sense or propriety, when applied to the destruction of Jerusalem. It must, therefore, be understood of his coming to remove them from the capacities of service here, to give up their account. And, if we suppose it to relate to death, as well as judgment, (which by a consequence at least it undoubtedly does,) it strongly intimates his having such a dominion over the invisible world, that every soul removed into it might be said to be fetched away by him.” — Doddridge.

38. Second watch… third watch—Our Lord here doubtless uses the old division by which the night was portioned into three watches. In the first would be the wedding; in the second or third the return.

Verse 38. And if he shall come in the second watch. — The second watch was nine o’clock in the evening; and a watch being three hours long, the third was twelve. That the marriage processions were so long delayed as midnight, is not probable; but the great duty of watchfulness was impressed by Christ upon his disciples from the uncertain time of his coming. Even should his coming be delayed, should the time of our death, the time of any threatened national calamity, the time of the final advent, be postponed beyond our calculations, the solemn lesson is, BE VIGILANT. In other words, we are always to remember that our Lord will come and call us to account; and that this accountability of ours is a most solemn and momentous reality.

Verses 38-40. And if he shall come in the second or third watch, &c. — This included all the time from nine in the evening to three in the morning; and was as if he had said, whether he come early or late. Here our Lord enforces “this constant watchfulness and habitual preparation for his coming, from the consideration of the uncertainty of the time of it; telling them, that as there is no master of a family but would make some preparation against a thief, if he knew of his coming, so it would be no great matter if they should make some preparation, on receiving certain information of his approach: for which reason, their zeal could only show itself by keeping them in constant readiness, as they did not know what hour he would come. Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh, &c. — “The coming of the Son of man often signifies his providential interposition for the destruction of Jerusalem; but it cannot be taken in such a sense here, because our Lord speaks of an immediate reward to be bestowed on all faithful servants; and an immediate punishment to be executed on all that were unfaithful; and expressly declares this to be a matter of universal concern: all which particulars have very little sense or propriety, when applied to the destruction of Jerusalem. It must, therefore, be understood of his coming to remove them from the capacities of service here, to give up their account. And, if we suppose it to relate to death, as well as judgment, (which by a consequence at least it undoubtedly does,) it strongly intimates his having such a dominion over the invisible world, that every soul removed into it might be said to be fetched away by him.” — Doddridge.

39. The goodman of the house—The householder. The image is now changed. Before, it was the servant, knowing not the hour of the coming of his Lord; now it is a householder, knowing not the hour of the coming of the thief. His house to be broken through—Be digged through; for the walls of the eastern houses are often of clay, and the house would be attacked by excavation.

Verse 39. If the good man of the house. — See the note on Matthew 24:43, 44.

Verse 40. Be ye therefore ready also] It is pretty evident that what is related here, from verse 35 to 49, {Luke 12:35-49} was spoken by our Lord at another time. See Matthew 24:42, &c., and the notes there.

Verses 38-40. And if he shall come in the second or third watch, &c. — This included all the time from nine in the evening to three in the morning; and was as if he had said, whether he come early or late. Here our Lord enforces “this constant watchfulness and habitual preparation for his coming, from the consideration of the uncertainty of the time of it; telling them, that as there is no master of a family but would make some preparation against a thief, if he knew of his coming, so it would be no great matter if they should make some preparation, on receiving certain information of his approach: for which reason, their zeal could only show itself by keeping them in constant readiness, as they did not know what hour he would come. Be ye therefore ready also, for the Son of man cometh, &c. — “The coming of the Son of man often signifies his providential interposition for the destruction of Jerusalem; but it cannot be taken in such a sense here, because our Lord speaks of an immediate reward to be bestowed on all faithful servants; and an immediate punishment to be executed on all that were unfaithful; and expressly declares this to be a matter of universal concern: all which particulars have very little sense or propriety, when applied to the destruction of Jerusalem. It must, therefore, be understood of his coming to remove them from the capacities of service here, to give up their account. And, if we suppose it to relate to death, as well as judgment, (which by a consequence at least it undoubtedly does,) it strongly intimates his having such a dominion over the invisible world, that every soul removed into it might be said to be fetched away by him.” — Doddridge.

40. Cometh… hour… think not—The language is now literal. The judgment day lies in the unknown future. It may be to-day; it may be myriads of years hence. We may be mistaken in placing it nearer than it is, or making it more distant. Even our interpretations of those prophecies which seem to us at the present time to indicate that the day is distant, may be wrong; for prophecy is designedly obscure, in accordance with the law that the future must be profoundly hid from mortal knowledge. But, on the other hand, near two thousand years have passed since these warnings of our Lord were given, and those were certainly mistaken who have, during every age from the apostles to the present day, fixed the time as to be in their own generation. On this very subject it is that the apostle warns us that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years. (See 2 Peter 3:8.) This night of the master’s absence is to be measured by the chronology of eternity, by the arithmetic of infinity; for it is the eternal and infinite One that speaks. Yet it is plain from many scriptures that when the Lord does come it will be upon an unsuspecting world.

VI. Jesus, in answer to Peter, extends the warnings so as to include all.

V. 41. Speakest thou this parable to us-Apostles and disciples: Or to all-The people? Does it concern us alone? Or all men?

Verses 41-44. Then Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable to us — Who are thy constant followers, to us who are ministers; or even to all — That come to be taught by thee, to all the hearers, and, in them, to all Christians? Peter, it appears, had been giving close attention to the whole of Christ’s discourse, and saw it to be very important; out was at a loss to know whether the latter part of it, namely, the parable of the watching servants, was spoken to the multitude in general, and therefore to all that should hereafter become Christ’s followers, or to the apostles in particular. He therefore begged his master to satisfy him as to that point. He knew indeed that the parable was addressed to all the disciples, but it contained instructions which Peter thought might be peculiarly designed for the twelve. And the Lord said, Who, &c. — Our Lord, in his answer to Peter’s inquiry, shows that, though his exhortations were directed to all, they more especially concerned those who were, or hereafter should be, intrusted with the care of the souls of others, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, &c. — The sense of the word is, “What do you think ought to be the character and conduct of a steward to whom his lord commits the care of his family in his absence, as I do the care of my church to you? Why, certainly, he should be both wise, to know in what manner to govern the family, and faithful in executing whatever his wisdom and prudence direct as fit to be done; for thus only all the members of the family under his care will have due provision made for them.” Blessed, makariov, happy, is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing — To complete the character of such a steward, he must never remit his care and diligence, that so, at whatever time his Lord returns, he may find him employed in the prudent and faithful discharge of the duties of his office. If this be the case, such a servant shall be happy, not only in the consciousness of doing his duty well, but in the rewards and honours which his lord will bestow upon him. Here we see the unspeakable importance of a patient continuance in well-doing. The servant spoken of is supposed to be now wise, faithful, and happy; yet our Lord’s words imply that he might become the reverse of all this, and perish for ever. I say unto you, That he will make him ruler, &c. — He will commit the management of his whole estate to him; a trust which such a servant merits by the prudence, faithfulness, and diligence which he showed as steward of the household.

Ver. 41. Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable to us, who are ministers, or even to all? In Indian eloquence, we have many instances in which the more attentive hearers will venture to ask the orator a question. Our judges take this liberty on proper occasions.

41. Unto us, or even to all—Our Lord had addressed 22-34 to the apostles. But so solemn is his charge, 35-40, to watch for his second coming, that Peter wishes to know whether these solemn responsibilities belonged to the apostles alone, or to all Christians.

Verse 41. Unto us, or even to all. — Our Lord, according to his frequent custom, was addressing his disciples in the presence of the multitude. On some occasions he speaks directly to the people, on others to the disciples alone; but often to the latter, while the others stand by. In the last case, the discourse is so constructed as to teach the multitude through the lessons enjoined upon the disciples; but sometimes the words spoken have more special reference to the disciples than to any other. This should be remembered, in order the better to interpret many parts of the discourses of our Lord which were so delivered. The sermon on the mount thus derives considerable illustration. It shows also the reason of Peter’s question, Speakest thou this parable, respecting watching, unto us exclusively, or even unto all? This question our Lord does not answer, but immediately proceeds with another parable, evidently and wholly applicable to them and to all ministers; from which we may conclude that the former was addressed to all, but though generally expressed, still with special reference to those in the sacred office.

V. 42. Who is that faithful and wise steward-Our Lord's answer manifestly implies, that he had spoken this parable primarily (though not wholly) to the ministers of his word:

Whom his lord shall make ruler over his household-For his wisdom and faithfulness.

Verse 42. Faithful and wise steward] See Clarke on “Matthew 24:45”; where the several parts of the steward’s office are mentioned and explained. Those appear to have been stewards among the Jews, whose business it was to provide all the members of a family, not only with food, but with raiment.

Verses 41-44. Then Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable to us — Who are thy constant followers, to us who are ministers; or even to all — That come to be taught by thee, to all the hearers, and, in them, to all Christians? Peter, it appears, had been giving close attention to the whole of Christ’s discourse, and saw it to be very important; out was at a loss to know whether the latter part of it, namely, the parable of the watching servants, was spoken to the multitude in general, and therefore to all that should hereafter become Christ’s followers, or to the apostles in particular. He therefore begged his master to satisfy him as to that point. He knew indeed that the parable was addressed to all the disciples, but it contained instructions which Peter thought might be peculiarly designed for the twelve. And the Lord said, Who, &c. — Our Lord, in his answer to Peter’s inquiry, shows that, though his exhortations were directed to all, they more especially concerned those who were, or hereafter should be, intrusted with the care of the souls of others, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, &c. — The sense of the word is, “What do you think ought to be the character and conduct of a steward to whom his lord commits the care of his family in his absence, as I do the care of my church to you? Why, certainly, he should be both wise, to know in what manner to govern the family, and faithful in executing whatever his wisdom and prudence direct as fit to be done; for thus only all the members of the family under his care will have due provision made for them.” Blessed, makariov, happy, is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing — To complete the character of such a steward, he must never remit his care and diligence, that so, at whatever time his Lord returns, he may find him employed in the prudent and faithful discharge of the duties of his office. If this be the case, such a servant shall be happy, not only in the consciousness of doing his duty well, but in the rewards and honours which his lord will bestow upon him. Here we see the unspeakable importance of a patient continuance in well-doing. The servant spoken of is supposed to be now wise, faithful, and happy; yet our Lord’s words imply that he might become the reverse of all this, and perish for ever. I say unto you, That he will make him ruler, &c. — He will commit the management of his whole estate to him; a trust which such a servant merits by the prudence, faithfulness, and diligence which he showed as steward of the household.

42. Who then is—Our Lord in effect says that every man may apply the warning to his own case. In his discourse on the Mount of Olives (Mark 13:37) our Lord expressly extended the warning to ALL: What I say unto you I say unto all. Perhaps our Lord means here to indicate that the all includes more than that whole congregation, and embraces the great, congregation of the entire Church and world between the two advents. See our note on Luke 18:8, and also supplementary note on Matthew 25. Who is that faithful and wise steward?—Whoever and whenever and wherever he is, blessed is he!

Verse 42. That faithful and wise steward. — See the notes on Matthew 24:45-51. He who is called in Matthew by the general name servant, is here designated as oikonomov, a steward, a house steward, who, in large families, had not only considerable authority, but distributed the allotted portions of food to the servants, the grain, &c., which they cooked for themselves.

V. 43. Happy is that servant-God himself pronounces him wise, faithful, happy! Yet we see, he might fall from all, and perish for ever.

Verses 41-44. Then Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable to us — Who are thy constant followers, to us who are ministers; or even to all — That come to be taught by thee, to all the hearers, and, in them, to all Christians? Peter, it appears, had been giving close attention to the whole of Christ’s discourse, and saw it to be very important; out was at a loss to know whether the latter part of it, namely, the parable of the watching servants, was spoken to the multitude in general, and therefore to all that should hereafter become Christ’s followers, or to the apostles in particular. He therefore begged his master to satisfy him as to that point. He knew indeed that the parable was addressed to all the disciples, but it contained instructions which Peter thought might be peculiarly designed for the twelve. And the Lord said, Who, &c. — Our Lord, in his answer to Peter’s inquiry, shows that, though his exhortations were directed to all, they more especially concerned those who were, or hereafter should be, intrusted with the care of the souls of others, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, &c. — The sense of the word is, “What do you think ought to be the character and conduct of a steward to whom his lord commits the care of his family in his absence, as I do the care of my church to you? Why, certainly, he should be both wise, to know in what manner to govern the family, and faithful in executing whatever his wisdom and prudence direct as fit to be done; for thus only all the members of the family under his care will have due provision made for them.” Blessed, makariov, happy, is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing — To complete the character of such a steward, he must never remit his care and diligence, that so, at whatever time his Lord returns, he may find him employed in the prudent and faithful discharge of the duties of his office. If this be the case, such a servant shall be happy, not only in the consciousness of doing his duty well, but in the rewards and honours which his lord will bestow upon him. Here we see the unspeakable importance of a patient continuance in well-doing. The servant spoken of is supposed to be now wise, faithful, and happy; yet our Lord’s words imply that he might become the reverse of all this, and perish for ever. I say unto you, That he will make him ruler, &c. — He will commit the management of his whole estate to him; a trust which such a servant merits by the prudence, faithfulness, and diligence which he showed as steward of the household.

Verses 41-44. Then Peter said, Lord, speakest thou this parable to us — Who are thy constant followers, to us who are ministers; or even to all — That come to be taught by thee, to all the hearers, and, in them, to all Christians? Peter, it appears, had been giving close attention to the whole of Christ’s discourse, and saw it to be very important; out was at a loss to know whether the latter part of it, namely, the parable of the watching servants, was spoken to the multitude in general, and therefore to all that should hereafter become Christ’s followers, or to the apostles in particular. He therefore begged his master to satisfy him as to that point. He knew indeed that the parable was addressed to all the disciples, but it contained instructions which Peter thought might be peculiarly designed for the twelve. And the Lord said, Who, &c. — Our Lord, in his answer to Peter’s inquiry, shows that, though his exhortations were directed to all, they more especially concerned those who were, or hereafter should be, intrusted with the care of the souls of others, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, &c. — The sense of the word is, “What do you think ought to be the character and conduct of a steward to whom his lord commits the care of his family in his absence, as I do the care of my church to you? Why, certainly, he should be both wise, to know in what manner to govern the family, and faithful in executing whatever his wisdom and prudence direct as fit to be done; for thus only all the members of the family under his care will have due provision made for them.” Blessed, makariov, happy, is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing — To complete the character of such a steward, he must never remit his care and diligence, that so, at whatever time his Lord returns, he may find him employed in the prudent and faithful discharge of the duties of his office. If this be the case, such a servant shall be happy, not only in the consciousness of doing his duty well, but in the rewards and honours which his lord will bestow upon him. Here we see the unspeakable importance of a patient continuance in well-doing. The servant spoken of is supposed to be now wise, faithful, and happy; yet our Lord’s words imply that he might become the reverse of all this, and perish for ever. I say unto you, That he will make him ruler, &c. — He will commit the management of his whole estate to him; a trust which such a servant merits by the prudence, faithfulness, and diligence which he showed as steward of the household.

Verse 45. Begin to beat, &c.] See the different parts of this bad minister’s conduct pointed out on Matthew 24:48, 49.

Verses 45, 46. But and if that servant, &c. — On the other hand, consider attentively the character and punishment of a bad servant, that you may avoid both. If any steward, who has the care of his lord’s family committed to him, yielding to the evil of his own disposition, shall take occasion from his lord’s long absence to behave unfaithfully in his duty; and shall begin to beat the men-servants, &c. — Shall behave tyrannically toward his fellow-servants, and give himself up to gluttony and drunkenness, wasting their provisions in living riotously with his companions. The lord of that servant will come when he looketh not for him — Such a course of rioting will stupify that servant, so that he will not foresee his lord’s coming, nor know of it till he is in the house, and shall have exemplary punishment inflicted upon him, proportionable to the greatness of his offences: and will cut him in sunder, &c. — See on Matthew 24:51; and appoint him his portion — His everlasting portion; with the unbelievers — His wickedness having proceeded from his not believing the rewards and punishments of a future state, he shall have his portion in that state with such as were of those Sadducean principles. The Greek, meta twn apistwn, may be properly rendered, with the unfaithful: as faithful as he once was, Christ himself being judge, he becomes unfaithful, and has his eternal portion with the unfaithful. This circumstance, it must be observed, is added according to the meaning, rather than the form of the parable, and is explanatory of that meaning.

Ver. 45, 46. If that servant say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming. The bad pastor carries in his breast a climax, a congregation of crimes. He hides from the eyes of omniscience, and disregards his Lord’s advent. He embroils himself with dogs in the quarrels and passions of life. He indulges in appetite and desire, and becomes revengeful to all who oppose his pleasure. Now, the Lord of the household will punish him strikingly according to his deserts. He shall be cut off by sudden death, when he is not aware; and being a hypocrite in his profession, the Judge shall consign him to the society of hypocrites. Yea, he shall change his cups and songs to weeping and gnashing of teeth; words indicative of anguish and despair, beyond the powers of language to deplore.

45. Say… delayeth—Supposing that he ought to come sooner. It is remarkable that every mistake on the subject of time hitherto made arises from requiring it to be too soon. Beat… eat… drink… drunken—Our Lord here gives a graphic description of the disorder and revel of the slaves of a householder, set loose from all fear or sense of responsibility.

V. 46. The Lord will appoint him his portion-His everlasting portion, with the unfaithful-As faithful as he was once, God himself being the Judge!

Verse 46. With the unbelievers.] Or, rather, the unfaithful; twn spistwn. Persons who had the light and knowledge of God’s word, but made an improper use of the privileges they received. The persons mentioned here differ widely from unbelievers or infidels, viz. those who were in a state of heathenism, because they had not the revelation of the Most High: the latter knew not the will of God, Luke 12:48, and, though they acted against it, did not do it in obstinacy; the former knew that will, and daringly opposed it. They were unfaithful, and therefore heavily punished.

Verses 45, 46. But and if that servant, &c. — On the other hand, consider attentively the character and punishment of a bad servant, that you may avoid both. If any steward, who has the care of his lord’s family committed to him, yielding to the evil of his own disposition, shall take occasion from his lord’s long absence to behave unfaithfully in his duty; and shall begin to beat the men-servants, &c. — Shall behave tyrannically toward his fellow-servants, and give himself up to gluttony and drunkenness, wasting their provisions in living riotously with his companions. The lord of that servant will come when he looketh not for him — Such a course of rioting will stupify that servant, so that he will not foresee his lord’s coming, nor know of it till he is in the house, and shall have exemplary punishment inflicted upon him, proportionable to the greatness of his offences: and will cut him in sunder, &c. — See on Matthew 24:51; and appoint him his portion — His everlasting portion; with the unbelievers — His wickedness having proceeded from his not believing the rewards and punishments of a future state, he shall have his portion in that state with such as were of those Sadducean principles. The Greek, meta twn apistwn, may be properly rendered, with the unfaithful: as faithful as he once was, Christ himself being judge, he becomes unfaithful, and has his eternal portion with the unfaithful. This circumstance, it must be observed, is added according to the meaning, rather than the form of the parable, and is explanatory of that meaning.

Ver. 45, 46. If that servant say in his heart, my lord delayeth his coming. The bad pastor carries in his breast a climax, a congregation of crimes. He hides from the eyes of omniscience, and disregards his Lord’s advent. He embroils himself with dogs in the quarrels and passions of life. He indulges in appetite and desire, and becomes revengeful to all who oppose his pleasure. Now, the Lord of the household will punish him strikingly according to his deserts. He shall be cut off by sudden death, when he is not aware; and being a hypocrite in his profession, the Judge shall consign him to the society of hypocrites. Yea, he shall change his cups and songs to weeping and gnashing of teeth; words indicative of anguish and despair, beyond the powers of language to deplore.

46. Cut him in sunder—The highest punishment here symbolized is inflicted on a certain class of sinners, (of whom the scribes and Pharisees, with whom his struggle now is, are the type,) who, having truth and knowledge in possession or in reach, not only neglect to avoid sin, but even persecute the righteous. But the question now arises: What becomes of those who know not, and have no revelation in reach? To that question the Lord now answers, laying down the law of proportionate retribution. For a discussion of this subject see our Work on THE WILL pp. 343-360.

V. 47. And that servant who knew his Lord's will shall be beaten with many stripes-And his having much knowledge will increase, not lessen, his punishment.

Verse 47. Shall be beaten with many stripes.] Criminals among the Jews could not be beaten with more than forty stripes; and as this was the sum of the severity to which a whipping could extend, it may be all that our Lord here means. But, in some cases, a man was adjudged to receive fourscore stripes! How could this be, when the law had decreed only forty? Answer: By doubling the crime. He received forty for each crime; if he were guilty of two offences, he might receive fourscore. See Lightfoot.

Verses 47, 48. And that servant which knew his lord’s will, &c. — Lest the consideration of the strictness of the account, and the greatness of the punishment, described in the parable, might terrify men of honest dispositions, who are liable to err merely through weakness, Jesus showed them, that as offences differ greatly in their circumstances and aggravations, so shall they differ in their punishments also. To understand this part of our Lord’s discourse, we must suppose that the steward here spoken of had received full instruction from his lord, either before his departure, or afterward by letters, how he was to employ himself and the servants under his care. Wherefore, if he neglected his duty, he was more to blame than the inferior servants, who had no knowledge of their lord’s will but from the steward, who might conceal it from them, if he had a mind to serve any by-end of his own. In this respect, how fitly does the parable describe the aggravations of the sin of the ministers and teachers of religion, who have such singular advantages for knowing Christ’s will. In this light, it shows the justice of the more severe punishments here denounced as to be inflicted on them for such wilful neglects and miscarriages, as they are found to be guilty of in the discharge of their office. The expressions, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his lord’s will, deserve particular attention; for here the sense rises above that of the foregoing verse. It is as if our Lord had said, Think not that I merely intend to forbid such gross immoralities as drunkenness, riot, oppression, &c.; but be assured that sins of omission, where there have been fair opportunities of learning your duty, will expose you to the divine correction: shall be beaten with many stripes — Shall have the sorest punishment inflicted on him. Scourging was a usual punishment for negligent servants. But he that knew not, &c. — The opposition between this and the preceding verse is, between a servant who receives an express message from his master, which he contradicts, and another who, though he received no such express message, yet falls into such instances of misbehaviour as he cannot but know to be inconsistent with his duty and office in general; by which he exposes himself justly to some punishment, though, other things being equal, he is less criminal than the former. And did commit things worthy of stripes — Here our Lord’s words strongly intimate, that ignorance will not entirely excuse any who have neglected God’s service, since they might, in general, have known at least the main branches of their duty, as every servant may know, in the main, what kind of conduct his master will approve; though some may be much more fully instructed than others as to his particular pleasure. It may be further observed, that as rational creatures, it is as much our duty to cultivate our reason, and to inquire into, and know our duty, as it is to act agreeably to the knowledge we have. Unto whomsoever much is given, &c. — In the divine administration, the rule of judgment shall be observed which men themselves think just, and put in practice in their commerce one with another. The more advantages any one enjoys, the greater improvement will be expected of him, and the more severely will he be punished if he come short.

47. Knew his Lord’s will—Either actually, from received information, or, virtually, because the revelation was within reach and with due warning. His Lord’s will—Namely, that the servant should keep his girded loins and trimmed lamp in readiness for the coming of his Lord; The sin here is rather negligence than the riot of verse 46. The terms of punishment are therefore much milder. Prepared not himself—For his Lord’s return in judgment. Beaten with many stripes—In the blended proportion of his knowledge and his amount of sin.

Verse 47. And the servant which knew his Lord’s will, &c. — The object of this passage is to impress, in the strongest manner, upon all the practical application of the instructions they had received, by assuring them that, though the government be merciful, it is also just: they were now among fully instructed servants, and are thus warned, And that servant who knew the will of his master, and prepared not himself, held not himself ready for every kind of service, and was actually disobedient to the commands laid upon him, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not. This is not to be taken absolutely, but comparatively; he that knew not so fully his Lord’s will, who had not received instructions so explicit. We must suppose some general knowledge, or there would be no pretence for inflicting stripes at all.

1. The intention was to teach that, in inflicting many stripes, God does not act arbitrarily, but with deliberative justice, since where the offence is less, the punishment is milder; so that from this proof of the calm judicial character of Christ’s administration before us, we may be fully guarded against all carelessness and presumption.

2. To lay down this important axiom of God’s moral government, which we ought never to forget, and with which every new privilege and blessing conferred upon us ought to impress us the more deeply, that from him to whom much is given, much shall be required.

Verse 48. Shall be beaten with few] For petty offences the Jews in many cases inflicted so few as four, five, and six stripes. See examples in Lightfoot.

From this and the preceding verse we find that it is a crime to be ignorant of God’s will; because to every one God has given less or more of the means of instruction. Those who have had much light, or the opportunity of receiving much, and have not improved it to their own salvation, and the good of others, shall have punishment proportioned to the light they have abused. On the other hand, those who have had little light, and few means of improvement, shall have few stripes, shall be punished only for the abuse of the knowledge they possessed. See at the end of the chapter. {Luke 12:59}

Verses 47, 48. And that servant which knew his lord’s will, &c. — Lest the consideration of the strictness of the account, and the greatness of the punishment, described in the parable, might terrify men of honest dispositions, who are liable to err merely through weakness, Jesus showed them, that as offences differ greatly in their circumstances and aggravations, so shall they differ in their punishments also. To understand this part of our Lord’s discourse, we must suppose that the steward here spoken of had received full instruction from his lord, either before his departure, or afterward by letters, how he was to employ himself and the servants under his care. Wherefore, if he neglected his duty, he was more to blame than the inferior servants, who had no knowledge of their lord’s will but from the steward, who might conceal it from them, if he had a mind to serve any by-end of his own. In this respect, how fitly does the parable describe the aggravations of the sin of the ministers and teachers of religion, who have such singular advantages for knowing Christ’s will. In this light, it shows the justice of the more severe punishments here denounced as to be inflicted on them for such wilful neglects and miscarriages, as they are found to be guilty of in the discharge of their office. The expressions, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his lord’s will, deserve particular attention; for here the sense rises above that of the foregoing verse. It is as if our Lord had said, Think not that I merely intend to forbid such gross immoralities as drunkenness, riot, oppression, &c.; but be assured that sins of omission, where there have been fair opportunities of learning your duty, will expose you to the divine correction: shall be beaten with many stripes — Shall have the sorest punishment inflicted on him. Scourging was a usual punishment for negligent servants. But he that knew not, &c. — The opposition between this and the preceding verse is, between a servant who receives an express message from his master, which he contradicts, and another who, though he received no such express message, yet falls into such instances of misbehaviour as he cannot but know to be inconsistent with his duty and office in general; by which he exposes himself justly to some punishment, though, other things being equal, he is less criminal than the former. And did commit things worthy of stripes — Here our Lord’s words strongly intimate, that ignorance will not entirely excuse any who have neglected God’s service, since they might, in general, have known at least the main branches of their duty, as every servant may know, in the main, what kind of conduct his master will approve; though some may be much more fully instructed than others as to his particular pleasure. It may be further observed, that as rational creatures, it is as much our duty to cultivate our reason, and to inquire into, and know our duty, as it is to act agreeably to the knowledge we have. Unto whomsoever much is given, &c. — In the divine administration, the rule of judgment shall be observed which men themselves think just, and put in practice in their commerce one with another. The more advantages any one enjoys, the greater improvement will be expected of him, and the more severely will he be punished if he come short.

48. Knew not—Who had no access to revelation. The case, as it squares with the parable, would be that of a servant whose lord was absent to a night feast, but who has not been informed of his lord’s orders to wait and watch for him. Did commit things worthy of stripes—The servant now supposed is one who, nevertheless, commits any things worthy of stripes which he knows, without special revelation, by the light of common sense and conscience, are contrary to his duty as a servant. If what he does is committed through unavoidable mistake, without possibility of learning the right and wrong, he has done nothing worthy of stripes, save in the esteem of a very unreasonable and tyrannical master. Shall be beaten—Unless he repent before God. With few stripes—Few in comparison with what the sinner in the broad light of revelation would suffer. He is beaten because he sinned against light; he is beaten less because he had less light. But he is beaten according to his sin and light, in the same proportion as sinners under the dispensation of revelation. So that there is an equalization of responsibility and penalty in the entire administration of God. Much given… much required—This is the just and universal law lying at the bottom of the principles just laid down. Men—This principle of God’s government is the principle on which men judicially act. It accords with the universal conscience and common sense. And if men universally know the principle, it is right that they should be judged as knowing it. How responsible would be our Lord’s present auditors, if they rejected him and his Gospel, and preferred the leaven (verse 1) of the scribes and doctors, he leaves them from these principles to determine.

VII. The crisis of decision between the hierarchy and Christ, 49-55. A cold shudder now seems to pass our Lord in view of this crisis. The fire is the strife which is to divide the world and terminate only in the trial and delivery by the last Judge. (Verse 58.)

V. 49. I am come to send fire-To spread the fire of heavenly love over all the earth.

Verse 49. I am come to send fire] See this subject largely explained on Matthew 10:34, &c. From the connection in which these words stand, both in this place and in Matthew, it appears as if our Lord intended by the word fire, not only the consuming influence of the Roman sword, but also the influence of his own Spirit in the destruction of sin. In both these senses this fire was already kindled: as yet, however, it appeared but as a spark, but was soon to break out into an all-consuming flame.

Verses 49-53. I am come to send fire on earth — Our Lord concludes his charge to his disciples with foretelling the divisions that should be occasioned by his gospel. See on Matthew 10:34. As if he had said, After all that I have done and spoken to promote peace and love, so opposite is my doctrine to the prejudices and the lusts of men, and such are the violent contentions that my gospel will occasion, through the wickedness of those among whom it is preached, that it will seem as though I came to kindle a fire on earth, that should produce destructive and wide-spreading desolation. And what will I, if it be already kindled — Ti qelw, ei hdh anhfqh, which Dr. Campbell renders, What would I, but that it were kindled? which is, according to the Vulgate, quid volo, nisi ut accendatur? It is justly observed by Dr. Whitby, that ei, here rendered if, sometimes signifies that; as Acts 26:23, where ei paqhtov Cristov, is properly rendered, that Christ should suffer and that he should rise; and it is also a particle, of wishing: so Numbers 22:29, ei eicon macairan, I wish I had a sword; Isaiah 48:18, ei hkousav, O that thou hadst hearkened; Psalm 81:13, ei o laov mou hkouse, O that my people had hearkened, &c.; Luke 19:42, ei egnwv, O that thou hadst known! The sense, therefore, of this passage is, “I come to deliver to the world a doctrine which will incense the world against me and my followers, and subject us to great sufferings, signified in Scripture by fire, and will baptize me in my own blood; but yet I am so far from being moved from prosecuting my Father’s pleasure, by the prospect of them, that I wish the time of my suffering were at hand, and my gospel were preached to the world.” Of the baptism here spoken of, see on Matthew 20:23. And how am I straitened — Pwv sunecomai, how am I pressed in spirit; (see Acts 18:5;) till it be accomplished. He longed for the time when he should suffer and die, having an eye to the glorious issue of his sufferings. The words allude to a woman in travail, that is pained to be delivered, and welcomes her pains, because they hasten the birth of the child, and wishes them sharp and strong, that the work may be cut short. Christ’s sufferings were the travail of his soul, which he cheerfully underwent, in hope that he should by them see his seed. Isaiah 53:10, 11. So much was his heart set upon the redemption and salvation of man. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth — By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews, and establishing that temporal tranquillity and prosperity which you expect should attend the Messiah’s kingdom? I tell you nay, but rather division — For notwithstanding that my gospel is the gospel of peace, proclaiming peace between God and man, and enjoining all that embrace it to follow peace with all men; yet it will be so opposed and perverted, that, instead of peace and unity, discord, strife, and division will be frequently occasioned by it. For from henceforth — On account of the introduction of my religion, there shall be five in one house divided, &c. — Contentious heats and animosities will frequently arise in families; that part of the family which does not obey the gospel opposing and persecuting the part which obeys it. And this shall be the case even when those families consist of persons who stand in the nearest relations to each other; the father, for instance, differing with the son, and the son with the father. It may be proper to observe here; so many prophecies of the Old Testament speak of the peaceful state of the Messiah’s kingdom (see Psalm 72:7; Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9; 65:25) “that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah if he should never establish peace, even universal peace, on earth. But the error of the Jews lay in supposing he was immediately to accomplish it; whereas the prophecies of the New Testament, especially those contained in the book of Revelation, show, and those of the Old Testament most plainly intimate, that this prosperous state of his kingdom was not only to be preceded by his own sufferings, but by a variety of persecutions, trials, and sufferings, which should in different degrees attend his followers, before the kingdoms of the earth became, by a general conversion, the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” — Doddridge.

Ver. 49. I am come to send fire on the earth. In Matthew 10:34 he said, a sword. His gospel would shake the nations, and be preached amid winds, and storms, and wars, till its regenerating influences should cause wars to cease, persecutions to subside, and the wolf and the lamb to lie down together. This can be effectuated only by the fire of love, and all the graces of the Holy Spirit.

49. I am come—At this my first advent. To send fire—As (Matthew 10:34) he had come to send a sword. See our note on that and its following passage. What will I—What can I will or purpose but to accept it? If it be already kindled—If the fierce wrath of my enemies, which must result in my death, be already burning. If it be so, I must endure the dread agony.

Verses 49, 50. I am come to send fire upon earth, &c. — Most commentators take this to refer to the persecutions and dissensions of which the propagation of Christ’s religion would prove the innocent cause. For this, however, there appear no better reasons than that such dissensions are mentioned a few verses lower down; and that fire, which is used as an emblem of many other things, is also used as an emblem of dissension and violence. No doubt, also, this interpretation has been aided by the common interpretation of the next verse; which, however, appears to be equally erroneous.

It is a fatal objection to the notion, that by fire, in this place, Christ means persecutions and divisions, that the kindling of it is made the object of his most earnest wish. I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, ei hdh anhfqh, but that it were already kindled; for ei often expresses a wish, as “If thou hadst known,” for, “O that thou hadst known!” The phrase maybe turned several ways; but in all, an eager anticipation or a strong desire must be understood, or no consistent sense can be given to the words. Now surely no reason can be given why our Lord should strongly wish for the instant kindling of that fire of persecution and dissension which should “divide a house against itself, and set three against two, and two against three.” Such dissensions indeed he predicted would be the result of his ministry, but could, in no degree, long for them, as though impatient for their arrival; the precise emotion which the text indicates. — The fire therefore must be understood of the FIRE OF HIS WORD, a figure of speech not strange to the Jews, because found several times in the Old Testament, and by our Lord most aptly applied to his own Gospel in its full and perfect revelation, which took place at the day of pentecost, and was accompanied by the descent of the Spirit “in cloven tongues as of fire,” emblematical of the intense power, the purifying, testing, and consuming qualities of Christianity; its power being discovered in all these respects, in purging men from vice, in bringing every thing to the test of an infallible standard, and revealing its good or its evil, and in its mightily destructive tendency as to all things contrary to itself. The last has, in all ages, been confessed by the attempts made ever since its introduction to escape from, or to extinguish its light and influence, when any corruption in religion or society at large was to be spared or encouraged. To send this holy fire abroad upon earth was the very object of our Lord’s mission; and from the fulness of his benevolence he expresses his earnest wish that it were already kindled, and all its blessings fully bestowed on men. But he adds, I have a baptism to be baptized with; I must be baptized with blood, before I can “baptize with fire;” and how am I straitened, confined, restrained, from the giving of the most excellent gifts I came to impart, “from baptizing with the Holy Ghost and fire,” to which I am appointed, from the full revelation of truth to my disciples and to the world, until that baptism is accomplished! A metaphorical signification of sunecomai is preferred by many, because it best agrees with the sense they would put upon the text, which is an undefinable, distressful longing for the accomplishment of his death, as though he were almost impatient to get through an inevitable appointment, and know the worst of the case. This scarcely consists with the perfect patience ascribed to our Lord; nor could the avowal of it apparently teach any important lesson. Whereas, nothing is more natural than that our Lord should feel himself restrained and confined, in giving his instructions, by the necessity arising out of his unaccomplished death, that much of truth should be veiled in parable, and much postponed; and nothing more consistent with his character than that he, “the Sun of righteousness,” now under a cloud, should long to break forth upon his disciples and the nations “with healing in his wings,” while yet he was restrained. — And the lesson, too, is highly important. We are taught that Christianity, as a revelation, was not perfected until after he had sent his fire upon the earth, the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon his apostles; and that we must connect THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE with his own, as contained in the EVANGELISTS, in order to have THE WHOLE EFFICIENT GOSPEL. Socinians and others are fond of confining their attention chiefly to the gospels, and neglecting the epistles: the reason is, that when the whole Gospel was revealed, and the light of pentecost thrown upon the previous discourses of our Lord, those doctrines are unequivocally found there which before the death of Christ, and the key afforded by that to his own words, could only be generally and figuratively expressed. Here our Lord explains the whole case: the fire could not be fully kindled upon earth until he had gone through the baptism of his sufferings; in other words, he must accomplish a sacrificial death, in order to give light and life to the world, and by the full knowledge of that character and peculiarity of his death alone could his doctrine be fully understood.

V. 50. But I have a baptism to be baptized with-I must suffer first, before I can set up my kingdom. And how I long to fight my way through all!

Verse 50. But I have a baptism] The fire, though already kindled, cannot burn up till after the Jews have put me to death: then the Roman sword shall come, and the Spirit of judgment, burning, and purification shall be poured out.

Verses 49-53. I am come to send fire on earth — Our Lord concludes his charge to his disciples with foretelling the divisions that should be occasioned by his gospel. See on Matthew 10:34. As if he had said, After all that I have done and spoken to promote peace and love, so opposite is my doctrine to the prejudices and the lusts of men, and such are the violent contentions that my gospel will occasion, through the wickedness of those among whom it is preached, that it will seem as though I came to kindle a fire on earth, that should produce destructive and wide-spreading desolation. And what will I, if it be already kindled — Ti qelw, ei hdh anhfqh, which Dr. Campbell renders, What would I, but that it were kindled? which is, according to the Vulgate, quid volo, nisi ut accendatur? It is justly observed by Dr. Whitby, that ei, here rendered if, sometimes signifies that; as Acts 26:23, where ei paqhtov Cristov, is properly rendered, that Christ should suffer and that he should rise; and it is also a particle, of wishing: so Numbers 22:29, ei eicon macairan, I wish I had a sword; Isaiah 48:18, ei hkousav, O that thou hadst hearkened; Psalm 81:13, ei o laov mou hkouse, O that my people had hearkened, &c.; Luke 19:42, ei egnwv, O that thou hadst known! The sense, therefore, of this passage is, “I come to deliver to the world a doctrine which will incense the world against me and my followers, and subject us to great sufferings, signified in Scripture by fire, and will baptize me in my own blood; but yet I am so far from being moved from prosecuting my Father’s pleasure, by the prospect of them, that I wish the time of my suffering were at hand, and my gospel were preached to the world.” Of the baptism here spoken of, see on Matthew 20:23. And how am I straitened — Pwv sunecomai, how am I pressed in spirit; (see Acts 18:5;) till it be accomplished. He longed for the time when he should suffer and die, having an eye to the glorious issue of his sufferings. The words allude to a woman in travail, that is pained to be delivered, and welcomes her pains, because they hasten the birth of the child, and wishes them sharp and strong, that the work may be cut short. Christ’s sufferings were the travail of his soul, which he cheerfully underwent, in hope that he should by them see his seed. Isaiah 53:10, 11. So much was his heart set upon the redemption and salvation of man. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth — By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews, and establishing that temporal tranquillity and prosperity which you expect should attend the Messiah’s kingdom? I tell you nay, but rather division — For notwithstanding that my gospel is the gospel of peace, proclaiming peace between God and man, and enjoining all that embrace it to follow peace with all men; yet it will be so opposed and perverted, that, instead of peace and unity, discord, strife, and division will be frequently occasioned by it. For from henceforth — On account of the introduction of my religion, there shall be five in one house divided, &c. — Contentious heats and animosities will frequently arise in families; that part of the family which does not obey the gospel opposing and persecuting the part which obeys it. And this shall be the case even when those families consist of persons who stand in the nearest relations to each other; the father, for instance, differing with the son, and the son with the father. It may be proper to observe here; so many prophecies of the Old Testament speak of the peaceful state of the Messiah’s kingdom (see Psalm 72:7; Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9; 65:25) “that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah if he should never establish peace, even universal peace, on earth. But the error of the Jews lay in supposing he was immediately to accomplish it; whereas the prophecies of the New Testament, especially those contained in the book of Revelation, show, and those of the Old Testament most plainly intimate, that this prosperous state of his kingdom was not only to be preceded by his own sufferings, but by a variety of persecutions, trials, and sufferings, which should in different degrees attend his followers, before the kingdoms of the earth became, by a general conversion, the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” — Doddridge.

Ver. 50. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished. The Lord Jesus had just spoken of the sufferings of his saints in the narrow prejudices and embittered persecutions of the jews, transporting themselves to outrages beyond natural affection; and he now encourages them by the bloody baptism of death, which he was eager to meet.

50. A baptism—The baptism is the terrible paroxysm of inward agony. There is no such antithesis here as some find between the fire of strife (or as some say, of the Holy Spirit) and water of baptism. The fire is indeed the strife which the Gospel will eventuate. The baptism is the passion of the garden and the cross which he was about to undergo. (See note on Matthew 20:22.) Straitened—Compressed and grasped as if by a pressure enclosing on every side.

Our Lord now (51-55) shows that his present conflict with these Pharisees and its consummation are but the type of the more extended conflict in which all are to be engaged on one side or the other, and continue so until his second coming. Next (56, 57) he earnestly invokes them to be attentive to the omens by which they were warned to choose the right in the great moral battle; and last (58, 59) he presses all to a quick decision in view of the final magistrate, judge, officer, and prison. See notes on Matthew 10:34-38.

VIII. Necessity of understanding and recognizing the crisis, 56, 57. See note on Matthew 16:1-15.

Verses 49, 50. I am come to send fire upon earth, &c. — Most commentators take this to refer to the persecutions and dissensions of which the propagation of Christ’s religion would prove the innocent cause. For this, however, there appear no better reasons than that such dissensions are mentioned a few verses lower down; and that fire, which is used as an emblem of many other things, is also used as an emblem of dissension and violence. No doubt, also, this interpretation has been aided by the common interpretation of the next verse; which, however, appears to be equally erroneous.

It is a fatal objection to the notion, that by fire, in this place, Christ means persecutions and divisions, that the kindling of it is made the object of his most earnest wish. I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, ei hdh anhfqh, but that it were already kindled; for ei often expresses a wish, as “If thou hadst known,” for, “O that thou hadst known!” The phrase maybe turned several ways; but in all, an eager anticipation or a strong desire must be understood, or no consistent sense can be given to the words. Now surely no reason can be given why our Lord should strongly wish for the instant kindling of that fire of persecution and dissension which should “divide a house against itself, and set three against two, and two against three.” Such dissensions indeed he predicted would be the result of his ministry, but could, in no degree, long for them, as though impatient for their arrival; the precise emotion which the text indicates. — The fire therefore must be understood of the FIRE OF HIS WORD, a figure of speech not strange to the Jews, because found several times in the Old Testament, and by our Lord most aptly applied to his own Gospel in its full and perfect revelation, which took place at the day of pentecost, and was accompanied by the descent of the Spirit “in cloven tongues as of fire,” emblematical of the intense power, the purifying, testing, and consuming qualities of Christianity; its power being discovered in all these respects, in purging men from vice, in bringing every thing to the test of an infallible standard, and revealing its good or its evil, and in its mightily destructive tendency as to all things contrary to itself. The last has, in all ages, been confessed by the attempts made ever since its introduction to escape from, or to extinguish its light and influence, when any corruption in religion or society at large was to be spared or encouraged. To send this holy fire abroad upon earth was the very object of our Lord’s mission; and from the fulness of his benevolence he expresses his earnest wish that it were already kindled, and all its blessings fully bestowed on men. But he adds, I have a baptism to be baptized with; I must be baptized with blood, before I can “baptize with fire;” and how am I straitened, confined, restrained, from the giving of the most excellent gifts I came to impart, “from baptizing with the Holy Ghost and fire,” to which I am appointed, from the full revelation of truth to my disciples and to the world, until that baptism is accomplished! A metaphorical signification of sunecomai is preferred by many, because it best agrees with the sense they would put upon the text, which is an undefinable, distressful longing for the accomplishment of his death, as though he were almost impatient to get through an inevitable appointment, and know the worst of the case. This scarcely consists with the perfect patience ascribed to our Lord; nor could the avowal of it apparently teach any important lesson. Whereas, nothing is more natural than that our Lord should feel himself restrained and confined, in giving his instructions, by the necessity arising out of his unaccomplished death, that much of truth should be veiled in parable, and much postponed; and nothing more consistent with his character than that he, “the Sun of righteousness,” now under a cloud, should long to break forth upon his disciples and the nations “with healing in his wings,” while yet he was restrained. — And the lesson, too, is highly important. We are taught that Christianity, as a revelation, was not perfected until after he had sent his fire upon the earth, the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon his apostles; and that we must connect THE APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE with his own, as contained in the EVANGELISTS, in order to have THE WHOLE EFFICIENT GOSPEL. Socinians and others are fond of confining their attention chiefly to the gospels, and neglecting the epistles: the reason is, that when the whole Gospel was revealed, and the light of pentecost thrown upon the previous discourses of our Lord, those doctrines are unequivocally found there which before the death of Christ, and the key afforded by that to his own words, could only be generally and figuratively expressed. Here our Lord explains the whole case: the fire could not be fully kindled upon earth until he had gone through the baptism of his sufferings; in other words, he must accomplish a sacrificial death, in order to give light and life to the world, and by the full knowledge of that character and peculiarity of his death alone could his doctrine be fully understood.

V. 51. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace upon earth-That universal peace will be the immediate effect of my coming? Not so, but quite the contrary. Matthew 10:34.

Verse 51. To give peace] See Matthew 10:34.

Verses 49-53. I am come to send fire on earth — Our Lord concludes his charge to his disciples with foretelling the divisions that should be occasioned by his gospel. See on Matthew 10:34. As if he had said, After all that I have done and spoken to promote peace and love, so opposite is my doctrine to the prejudices and the lusts of men, and such are the violent contentions that my gospel will occasion, through the wickedness of those among whom it is preached, that it will seem as though I came to kindle a fire on earth, that should produce destructive and wide-spreading desolation. And what will I, if it be already kindled — Ti qelw, ei hdh anhfqh, which Dr. Campbell renders, What would I, but that it were kindled? which is, according to the Vulgate, quid volo, nisi ut accendatur? It is justly observed by Dr. Whitby, that ei, here rendered if, sometimes signifies that; as Acts 26:23, where ei paqhtov Cristov, is properly rendered, that Christ should suffer and that he should rise; and it is also a particle, of wishing: so Numbers 22:29, ei eicon macairan, I wish I had a sword; Isaiah 48:18, ei hkousav, O that thou hadst hearkened; Psalm 81:13, ei o laov mou hkouse, O that my people had hearkened, &c.; Luke 19:42, ei egnwv, O that thou hadst known! The sense, therefore, of this passage is, “I come to deliver to the world a doctrine which will incense the world against me and my followers, and subject us to great sufferings, signified in Scripture by fire, and will baptize me in my own blood; but yet I am so far from being moved from prosecuting my Father’s pleasure, by the prospect of them, that I wish the time of my suffering were at hand, and my gospel were preached to the world.” Of the baptism here spoken of, see on Matthew 20:23. And how am I straitened — Pwv sunecomai, how am I pressed in spirit; (see Acts 18:5;) till it be accomplished. He longed for the time when he should suffer and die, having an eye to the glorious issue of his sufferings. The words allude to a woman in travail, that is pained to be delivered, and welcomes her pains, because they hasten the birth of the child, and wishes them sharp and strong, that the work may be cut short. Christ’s sufferings were the travail of his soul, which he cheerfully underwent, in hope that he should by them see his seed. Isaiah 53:10, 11. So much was his heart set upon the redemption and salvation of man. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth — By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews, and establishing that temporal tranquillity and prosperity which you expect should attend the Messiah’s kingdom? I tell you nay, but rather division — For notwithstanding that my gospel is the gospel of peace, proclaiming peace between God and man, and enjoining all that embrace it to follow peace with all men; yet it will be so opposed and perverted, that, instead of peace and unity, discord, strife, and division will be frequently occasioned by it. For from henceforth — On account of the introduction of my religion, there shall be five in one house divided, &c. — Contentious heats and animosities will frequently arise in families; that part of the family which does not obey the gospel opposing and persecuting the part which obeys it. And this shall be the case even when those families consist of persons who stand in the nearest relations to each other; the father, for instance, differing with the son, and the son with the father. It may be proper to observe here; so many prophecies of the Old Testament speak of the peaceful state of the Messiah’s kingdom (see Psalm 72:7; Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9; 65:25) “that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah if he should never establish peace, even universal peace, on earth. But the error of the Jews lay in supposing he was immediately to accomplish it; whereas the prophecies of the New Testament, especially those contained in the book of Revelation, show, and those of the Old Testament most plainly intimate, that this prosperous state of his kingdom was not only to be preceded by his own sufferings, but by a variety of persecutions, trials, and sufferings, which should in different degrees attend his followers, before the kingdoms of the earth became, by a general conversion, the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” — Doddridge.

Verse 51. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth? — Here an entirely different subject is introduced; though it takes its rise from the former. I am indeed come to send fire upon earth, the illuminating, purifying influences of heavenly truth; but suppose ye that I am come only to send blessings, that peace only will be the result? I tell you, Nay; but, through the perverseness of men, and in opposition to my intention, and in despite of my authority and doctrine, rather division. This appears to be the true connection. See the note on Matthew 10:34.

V. 52. There shall be five in one house, three against two, and two against three-There being an irreconcilable enmity between the Spirit of Christ and the spirit of the world.

Verse 52. Five in one house divided] See on Matthew 10:35, 36.

Verses 49-53. I am come to send fire on earth — Our Lord concludes his charge to his disciples with foretelling the divisions that should be occasioned by his gospel. See on Matthew 10:34. As if he had said, After all that I have done and spoken to promote peace and love, so opposite is my doctrine to the prejudices and the lusts of men, and such are the violent contentions that my gospel will occasion, through the wickedness of those among whom it is preached, that it will seem as though I came to kindle a fire on earth, that should produce destructive and wide-spreading desolation. And what will I, if it be already kindled — Ti qelw, ei hdh anhfqh, which Dr. Campbell renders, What would I, but that it were kindled? which is, according to the Vulgate, quid volo, nisi ut accendatur? It is justly observed by Dr. Whitby, that ei, here rendered if, sometimes signifies that; as Acts 26:23, where ei paqhtov Cristov, is properly rendered, that Christ should suffer and that he should rise; and it is also a particle, of wishing: so Numbers 22:29, ei eicon macairan, I wish I had a sword; Isaiah 48:18, ei hkousav, O that thou hadst hearkened; Psalm 81:13, ei o laov mou hkouse, O that my people had hearkened, &c.; Luke 19:42, ei egnwv, O that thou hadst known! The sense, therefore, of this passage is, “I come to deliver to the world a doctrine which will incense the world against me and my followers, and subject us to great sufferings, signified in Scripture by fire, and will baptize me in my own blood; but yet I am so far from being moved from prosecuting my Father’s pleasure, by the prospect of them, that I wish the time of my suffering were at hand, and my gospel were preached to the world.” Of the baptism here spoken of, see on Matthew 20:23. And how am I straitened — Pwv sunecomai, how am I pressed in spirit; (see Acts 18:5;) till it be accomplished. He longed for the time when he should suffer and die, having an eye to the glorious issue of his sufferings. The words allude to a woman in travail, that is pained to be delivered, and welcomes her pains, because they hasten the birth of the child, and wishes them sharp and strong, that the work may be cut short. Christ’s sufferings were the travail of his soul, which he cheerfully underwent, in hope that he should by them see his seed. Isaiah 53:10, 11. So much was his heart set upon the redemption and salvation of man. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth — By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews, and establishing that temporal tranquillity and prosperity which you expect should attend the Messiah’s kingdom? I tell you nay, but rather division — For notwithstanding that my gospel is the gospel of peace, proclaiming peace between God and man, and enjoining all that embrace it to follow peace with all men; yet it will be so opposed and perverted, that, instead of peace and unity, discord, strife, and division will be frequently occasioned by it. For from henceforth — On account of the introduction of my religion, there shall be five in one house divided, &c. — Contentious heats and animosities will frequently arise in families; that part of the family which does not obey the gospel opposing and persecuting the part which obeys it. And this shall be the case even when those families consist of persons who stand in the nearest relations to each other; the father, for instance, differing with the son, and the son with the father. It may be proper to observe here; so many prophecies of the Old Testament speak of the peaceful state of the Messiah’s kingdom (see Psalm 72:7; Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9; 65:25) “that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah if he should never establish peace, even universal peace, on earth. But the error of the Jews lay in supposing he was immediately to accomplish it; whereas the prophecies of the New Testament, especially those contained in the book of Revelation, show, and those of the Old Testament most plainly intimate, that this prosperous state of his kingdom was not only to be preceded by his own sufferings, but by a variety of persecutions, trials, and sufferings, which should in different degrees attend his followers, before the kingdoms of the earth became, by a general conversion, the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” — Doddridge.

V. 53. The father against the son-For those who reject me will be implacable toward their very nearest relations who receive me. At this day also is this scripture fulfilled. Now likewise there is no concord between Christ and Belial.

Verses 49-53. I am come to send fire on earth — Our Lord concludes his charge to his disciples with foretelling the divisions that should be occasioned by his gospel. See on Matthew 10:34. As if he had said, After all that I have done and spoken to promote peace and love, so opposite is my doctrine to the prejudices and the lusts of men, and such are the violent contentions that my gospel will occasion, through the wickedness of those among whom it is preached, that it will seem as though I came to kindle a fire on earth, that should produce destructive and wide-spreading desolation. And what will I, if it be already kindled — Ti qelw, ei hdh anhfqh, which Dr. Campbell renders, What would I, but that it were kindled? which is, according to the Vulgate, quid volo, nisi ut accendatur? It is justly observed by Dr. Whitby, that ei, here rendered if, sometimes signifies that; as Acts 26:23, where ei paqhtov Cristov, is properly rendered, that Christ should suffer and that he should rise; and it is also a particle, of wishing: so Numbers 22:29, ei eicon macairan, I wish I had a sword; Isaiah 48:18, ei hkousav, O that thou hadst hearkened; Psalm 81:13, ei o laov mou hkouse, O that my people had hearkened, &c.; Luke 19:42, ei egnwv, O that thou hadst known! The sense, therefore, of this passage is, “I come to deliver to the world a doctrine which will incense the world against me and my followers, and subject us to great sufferings, signified in Scripture by fire, and will baptize me in my own blood; but yet I am so far from being moved from prosecuting my Father’s pleasure, by the prospect of them, that I wish the time of my suffering were at hand, and my gospel were preached to the world.” Of the baptism here spoken of, see on Matthew 20:23. And how am I straitened — Pwv sunecomai, how am I pressed in spirit; (see Acts 18:5;) till it be accomplished. He longed for the time when he should suffer and die, having an eye to the glorious issue of his sufferings. The words allude to a woman in travail, that is pained to be delivered, and welcomes her pains, because they hasten the birth of the child, and wishes them sharp and strong, that the work may be cut short. Christ’s sufferings were the travail of his soul, which he cheerfully underwent, in hope that he should by them see his seed. Isaiah 53:10, 11. So much was his heart set upon the redemption and salvation of man. Suppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth — By subduing all the nations of the world into one great monarchy, under the Jews, and establishing that temporal tranquillity and prosperity which you expect should attend the Messiah’s kingdom? I tell you nay, but rather division — For notwithstanding that my gospel is the gospel of peace, proclaiming peace between God and man, and enjoining all that embrace it to follow peace with all men; yet it will be so opposed and perverted, that, instead of peace and unity, discord, strife, and division will be frequently occasioned by it. For from henceforth — On account of the introduction of my religion, there shall be five in one house divided, &c. — Contentious heats and animosities will frequently arise in families; that part of the family which does not obey the gospel opposing and persecuting the part which obeys it. And this shall be the case even when those families consist of persons who stand in the nearest relations to each other; the father, for instance, differing with the son, and the son with the father. It may be proper to observe here; so many prophecies of the Old Testament speak of the peaceful state of the Messiah’s kingdom (see Psalm 72:7; Isaiah 2:4; 11:6-9; 65:25) “that it is hard to say how Christ could completely answer the character of the Messiah if he should never establish peace, even universal peace, on earth. But the error of the Jews lay in supposing he was immediately to accomplish it; whereas the prophecies of the New Testament, especially those contained in the book of Revelation, show, and those of the Old Testament most plainly intimate, that this prosperous state of his kingdom was not only to be preceded by his own sufferings, but by a variety of persecutions, trials, and sufferings, which should in different degrees attend his followers, before the kingdoms of the earth became, by a general conversion, the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.” — Doddridge.

V. 54. And he said to the people also-In the preceding verses he speaks only to his disciples.

From the west-In Judea, the west wind, blowing from the sea, usually brought rain: the south wind, blowing from the deserts of Arabia, occasioned sultry heat. Matthew 16:2.

Verse 54. A cloud rise] See on Matthew 16:2, 3.

Verses 54-56. And he said to the people — Namely, to the unbelieving multitude, which on this occasion was gathered together, and stood around him: When ye see a cloud, &c. — As if he had said, The perverseness which I have spoken of, as about to take place when my gospel is more fully and universally preached, already shows itself in your overlooking so many proofs of the Messiah’s appearance among you, while you discover such sagacity in your observations with respect to other things. For when you see a cloud rise out of the west — Or coming from that quarter; ye say, There cometh a shower — Ombrov, a heavy shower, and so it is: it happens as foretold. The Mediterranean sea lying west from Judea, the clouds and showers usually came from that quarter. See 1 Kings 18:44,

45. And when ye see the south wind blow — From the deserts of Arabia, and other hot climates; ye say, There will be heat — Kauswn, sultry or scorching heat; and it cometh to pass — Your conjecture is verified. The wind which came from the southward of Judea, blowing over the hot sands of Arabia and Egypt, occasioned, as it still does, a great heat in the air. Those which are called the hot winds in that climate are so hot that they bring on fainting and difficulty of breathing. Ye hypocrites — Who pretend to ask for a further sign, as if you were really desirous to know whether I be or be not a divine teacher; ye can discern the face of the sky — So as to foretel the changes in the weather before they come; but how is it that ye do not discern this time — This season of the Messiah’s coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs. He meant both the time of the Messiah’s appearing on earth to accomplish the salvation of mankind, according to the ancient prophecies, and also the time of his coming to destroy the Jewish nation, which he had described under the similitude of one who comes secretly and unexpectedly to rob a house.

Verses 54-56. And he said to the people — Namely, to the unbelieving multitude, which on this occasion was gathered together, and stood around him: When ye see a cloud, &c. — As if he had said, The perverseness which I have spoken of, as about to take place when my gospel is more fully and universally preached, already shows itself in your overlooking so many proofs of the Messiah’s appearance among you, while you discover such sagacity in your observations with respect to other things. For when you see a cloud rise out of the west — Or coming from that quarter; ye say, There cometh a shower — Ombrov, a heavy shower, and so it is: it happens as foretold. The Mediterranean sea lying west from Judea, the clouds and showers usually came from that quarter. See 1 Kings 18:44,

45. And when ye see the south wind blow — From the deserts of Arabia, and other hot climates; ye say, There will be heat — Kauswn, sultry or scorching heat; and it cometh to pass — Your conjecture is verified. The wind which came from the southward of Judea, blowing over the hot sands of Arabia and Egypt, occasioned, as it still does, a great heat in the air. Those which are called the hot winds in that climate are so hot that they bring on fainting and difficulty of breathing. Ye hypocrites — Who pretend to ask for a further sign, as if you were really desirous to know whether I be or be not a divine teacher; ye can discern the face of the sky — So as to foretel the changes in the weather before they come; but how is it that ye do not discern this time — This season of the Messiah’s coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs. He meant both the time of the Messiah’s appearing on earth to accomplish the salvation of mankind, according to the ancient prophecies, and also the time of his coming to destroy the Jewish nation, which he had described under the similitude of one who comes secretly and unexpectedly to rob a house.

Verse 55. There will be heat. — The heat which is produced by the blowing of the south wind in Judea is very oppressive.

V. 56. How do ye not discern this season-Of the Messiah's coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs.

Verse 56. This time?] Can ye not discover from the writings of the prophets, and from the events which now take place, that this is the time of the Messiah, and that I am the very person foretold by them?

Verses 54-56. And he said to the people — Namely, to the unbelieving multitude, which on this occasion was gathered together, and stood around him: When ye see a cloud, &c. — As if he had said, The perverseness which I have spoken of, as about to take place when my gospel is more fully and universally preached, already shows itself in your overlooking so many proofs of the Messiah’s appearance among you, while you discover such sagacity in your observations with respect to other things. For when you see a cloud rise out of the west — Or coming from that quarter; ye say, There cometh a shower — Ombrov, a heavy shower, and so it is: it happens as foretold. The Mediterranean sea lying west from Judea, the clouds and showers usually came from that quarter. See 1 Kings 18:44,

45. And when ye see the south wind blow — From the deserts of Arabia, and other hot climates; ye say, There will be heat — Kauswn, sultry or scorching heat; and it cometh to pass — Your conjecture is verified. The wind which came from the southward of Judea, blowing over the hot sands of Arabia and Egypt, occasioned, as it still does, a great heat in the air. Those which are called the hot winds in that climate are so hot that they bring on fainting and difficulty of breathing. Ye hypocrites — Who pretend to ask for a further sign, as if you were really desirous to know whether I be or be not a divine teacher; ye can discern the face of the sky — So as to foretel the changes in the weather before they come; but how is it that ye do not discern this time — This season of the Messiah’s coming, distinguishable by so many surer signs. He meant both the time of the Messiah’s appearing on earth to accomplish the salvation of mankind, according to the ancient prophecies, and also the time of his coming to destroy the Jewish nation, which he had described under the similitude of one who comes secretly and unexpectedly to rob a house.

56. Ye hypocrites—(See verse 1.) It cannot be doubted that many of the scribes and Pharisees, whose leaven is hypocrisy, were present and allowed to appropriate this epithet.

Verse 56. Face of the sky and earth. — The Jews paid great attention to the indications of weather; and their wise men abounded with rules for prognosticating it from the different aspects of the sky and the earth, that is, from the appearance of the atmosphere, and whether affecting the face of the sky or that of the earth. Their skill in this respect arose from their attention to the subject; and if they had exercised the same attention to the evidences of Christ’s mission, they would have discovered that this time was “the acceptable time” spoken of by the prophet, and “the day of salvation.” For their diligent attention to matters of so little comparative moment as the kind of weather which should come on the morrow, and their carelessness to a subject of the highest import, they are here reproved as hypocrites, persons pretending to have extraordinary desires for the appearance of Messiah, and yet neglecting to investigate the signs of his coming.

V. 57. Why even of yourselves, without any external sign, judge ye not what is right?-Why do ye not discern and acknowledge the intrinsic excellence of my doctrine?

Verse 57. And why-judge ye] Even without the express declarations of the prophets, ye might, from what ye see and hear yourselves, discern that God has now visited his people in such a manner as he never did before.

Verse 57. Why even of yourselves — Without any external sign; judge ye not what is right? — Why do ye not discern and acknowledge the intrinsic excellence of my doctrine, and gather from such obvious promises how you ought to receive it, and behave toward me? The prediction of the coming of the Son of man, to punish the Jews for their perfidy and rebellion, was a loud call to a national repentance. Wherefore, as the improvement of that prediction, he exhorted them to a speedy reformation, telling them that common sense, with a very small degree of reflection, would point it out to them as the very best thing they could do for averting the impending judgments of God.

57. Yea—Even without any extraordinary signs or omens. Even of yourselves—From the intuitive convictions of your own conscience. Judge ye not—As between my Gospel and the leaven of the Pharisees. What is right—Accordant with truth and righteousness, and worthy of God. The dealings of God with man all accord with the ultimate standard of right. IX. Importance of decision in view of the final judgment decision, 58, 59. See notes on Matthew 5:25, 26.

Let the reader grasp as an entire unit the Sermon to the Myriads, (embracing this whole chapter,) and he will find one thought pervading it: namely, decision for Christ, as against his adversaries and in view of the judgment day.

Verse 57. Yea, and why even of yourselves? — Independent of signs and wonders, why do ye not of yourselves, from comparing in your minds the doctrines I teach with those of your own Scriptures, judge what is right, discern its conformity with all the principles of former revelations, and mark the extent and depth into which they are carried by my teaching, and acknowledge that it is from God? In our translation the paragraph mark connects this verse with what follows, instead of the preceding verses, to which it undoubtedly belongs.

V. 58. When thou art going-As if he had said, And ye have not a moment to lose. For the executioners of God's vengeance are at hand. And when he hath once delivered you over to them, ye are undone for ever. Matthew 5:25.

Verse 58. When thou goest with thine adversary] This and the next verse are a part of our Lord’s sermon upon the mount. See them explained Matthew 5:25, 26. St. Luke is very particular in collecting and relating every word and action of our blessed Lord, but seldom gives them in the order of time in which they were spoken or done. See the Preface to this Gospel.

Give diligence] dov erasian, Give labour, do every thing in thy power to get free before a suit commences.

The officer] praktwr properly signifies such an officer as was appointed to levy the fines imposed by the law for a violation of any of its precepts. See Kypke.

Verses 58, 59. When thou goest with thine adversary, &c. — The evils which befall obstinate sinners, he here illustrates by the punishment which, in ordinary cases, is inflicted upon the man who obstinately refuses to make compensation for the injuries he has done; but, even while his adversary is haling him to the judge, he will not agree the matter with him. He is therefore brought by force to the bar. The judge condemns him. The officer seizes him. He is cast into prison, and lies there till he has paid the very last mite. See on Matthew 5:25, 26. Thus, as if Christ had said, If you persist to be regardless of the proposals of God’s mercy while the day of life and grace continues, nothing is to be expected from the tribunal of his justice but a severe sentence, which will end in everlasting confinement and punishment. Reader, may we learn from these warnings of our Lord to be so wise at all times as to discern the evidences, and comply with the purposes, of the gospel; otherwise our knowledge in natural things, should it extend not only to the most common, but to the most curious appearances on the face of the earth or the heavens, will turn to no other account but to shame and condemn us. And if we have any reasons to fear that through our impenitence, the blessed God is still an adversary to us, let us make it our first care, by an humble submission of soul to him, and obedient faith in Christ and his gospel, to seek that reconciliation with him which will prevent that strict scrutiny of his justice, and that sentence of his wrath, which would otherwise plunge us into endless ruin and misery; for when could we pretend to have paid the last farthing of this debt of ten thousand talents which we have been daily contracting, and which is charged to our account in the book of his remembrance?

Verse 58. When thou goest with thine adversary, &c. — See the notes on Matthew 5:25, 26, where the explanation of the terms and allusions of the parable will be found; but it was here spoken on a different occasion. It was, in fact, an exhortation to the Jews to be reconciled to their offended and rejected Saviour while the season of grace and salvation continued, drawn from the prudence of a debtor compromising matters with his creditor on the way to the magistrate, as the only means of escaping the harsh punishments inflicted in those days upon debtors, such as perpetual imprisonment till the debt was paid, with various torments. This is another instance of the same parable being spoken at different times, and to illustrate different morals.

V. 59. A mite-was about the third part of a farthing sterling.

Verse 59. Till thou hast paid the very last mite.] And when can this be, if we understand the text spiritually? Can weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, pay to Divine justice the debt a sinner has contracted? This is impossible: let him who readeth understand.

THE subject of the 47th and 48th verses {Luke 12:47, 48} has been greatly misunderstood, and has been used in a very dangerous manner. Many have thought that their ignorance of Divine things would be a sufficient excuse for their crimes; and, that they might have but few stripes, they voluntarily continued in ignorance. But such persons should know that God will judge them for the knowledge they might have received, but refused to acquire. No criminal is excused because he has been ignorant of the laws of his country, and so transgressed them, when it can be proved that those very laws have been published throughout the land. Much knowledge is a dangerous thing if it be not improved; as this will greatly aggravate the condemnation of its possessor. Nor will it avail a person, in the land of light and information, to be ignorant, as he shall be judged for what he might have known; and, perhaps, in this case, the punishment of this voluntarily ignorant man will be even greater than that of the more enlightened; because his crimes are aggravated by this consideration, that he refused to have the light, that he might neither be obliged to walk in the light, nor account for the possession of it. So we find that the plea of ignorance is a mere refuge of lies, and none can plead it who has the book of God within his reach, and lives in a country blessed with the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

ST. LUKE

Verses 58, 59. When thou goest with thine adversary, &c. — The evils which befall obstinate sinners, he here illustrates by the punishment which, in ordinary cases, is inflicted upon the man who obstinately refuses to make compensation for the injuries he has done; but, even while his adversary is haling him to the judge, he will not agree the matter with him. He is therefore brought by force to the bar. The judge condemns him. The officer seizes him. He is cast into prison, and lies there till he has paid the very last mite. See on Matthew 5:25, 26. Thus, as if Christ had said, If you persist to be regardless of the proposals of God’s mercy while the day of life and grace continues, nothing is to be expected from the tribunal of his justice but a severe sentence, which will end in everlasting confinement and punishment. Reader, may we learn from these warnings of our Lord to be so wise at all times as to discern the evidences, and comply with the purposes, of the gospel; otherwise our knowledge in natural things, should it extend not only to the most common, but to the most curious appearances on the face of the earth or the heavens, will turn to no other account but to shame and condemn us. And if we have any reasons to fear that through our impenitence, the blessed God is still an adversary to us, let us make it our first care, by an humble submission of soul to him, and obedient faith in Christ and his gospel, to seek that reconciliation with him which will prevent that strict scrutiny of his justice, and that sentence of his wrath, which would otherwise plunge us into endless ruin and misery; for when could we pretend to have paid the last farthing of this debt of ten thousand talents which we have been daily contracting, and which is charged to our account in the book of his remembrance?