Luke · Chapter 19

V. 1. He passed through Jericho-So that Zaccheus must have lived near the end of the town: the tree was in the town itself.

And he was rich-These words seem to refer to the discourse in the last chapter, Luke 18:24-27, particularly to Luke 18:27. Zaccheus is a proof, that it is possible by the power of God for even a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Verse 1. Entered and passed through] Was passing through. Our Lord had not as yet passed through Jericho-he was only passing through it; for the house of Zaccheus, in which he was to lodge, Luke 19:5, was in it.

Verses 1, 2. Jesus entered and passed through Jericho — Namely, after performing the miracle recorded at the close of the preceding chapter. He was now on his way from the other side Jordan to Bethany, near Jerusalem, to which place he hastened, with a view to be there eight or ten days before the passover, intending to preach and work miracles in the most public manner, under the eye of all the people, and of the grandees, of whose resentment he was no longer afraid, because his ministry had continued the appointed time, and he was determined to die at this passover. There was a certain man named Zaccheus, chief among the publicans — One of the principal tax-gatherers, or head-collector, or perhaps what we would term the commissioner of the customs. And he was rich — Having heaped up abundance of wealth by his gainful employment.

§ 109. JESUS’S VISIT TO ZACCHEUS, 1-28.

1. And—Luke, after having detailed many contests in this region of our Lord against the Pharisees in behalf of the publicans, brings the strife to a triumphant close in the case of Zaccheus. See notes on Luke 15:1; 16:14; 17:10; 18:9.

Passed through Jericho—This celebrated city was about fifteen miles from Jerusalem. See notes on Matthew 20:29.

V. 2. The chief of the publicans-What we would term, commissioner of the customs. A very honourable as well as profitable place.

Verse 2. Zaccheus] It is not unlikely that this person was a Jew by birth, see Luke 19:9; but because he had engaged in a business so infamous, in the eyes of the Jews, he was considered as a mere heathen, Luke 19:7.

Chief among the publicans] Either a farmer-general of the taxes, who had subordinate collectors under him: or else the most respectable and honourable man among that class at Jericho.

He was rich.] And therefore the more unlikely to pay attention to an impoverished Messiah, preaching a doctrine of universal mortification and self-denial.

Verses 1, 2. Jesus entered and passed through Jericho — Namely, after performing the miracle recorded at the close of the preceding chapter. He was now on his way from the other side Jordan to Bethany, near Jerusalem, to which place he hastened, with a view to be there eight or ten days before the passover, intending to preach and work miracles in the most public manner, under the eye of all the people, and of the grandees, of whose resentment he was no longer afraid, because his ministry had continued the appointed time, and he was determined to die at this passover. There was a certain man named Zaccheus, chief among the publicans — One of the principal tax-gatherers, or head-collector, or perhaps what we would term the commissioner of the customs. And he was rich — Having heaped up abundance of wealth by his gainful employment.

2. A man named Zaccheus—His name signifies pure; and being Hebrew, indicates that he was not, as some suppose, a heathen, but a Jew. The name in the Apocrypha belongs to one of the soldiers of Maccabaeus. Macc. 10:19. Chief among the publicans—The office of tax collector for extensive provinces was by the Romans generally conferred upon a person of the order of the knighthood. It was therefore a high dignity, and generally confined to Romans alone. But as in some cases, according to Josephus, Jews received the appointment, that may have been the rank of Zaccheus. Otherwise he was an agent for the receiver general; collecting the taxes and transmitting them to him, over a large district, with inferior tax gatherers under him. He was rich—Yet how unlike the rich man in Luke 16:19 he proved to be.

Verse 3. And he sought to see Jesus who he was] So the mere principle of curiosity in him led to his conversion and salvation, and to that of his whole family, Luke 19:9.

Verses 3, 4. And he sought to see Jesus — The great things which he had heard of Jesus made such a powerful impression on his mind, that when he was informed he was coming that way, he diligently sought an opportunity to see what sort of a person he was; and could not for the press — Could not compass his design, Jesus being now surrounded by a prodigious multitude of people, and Zaccheus himself being little of stature. The passover being near at hand, the roads to Jerusalem were full of people, many of whom, happening to meet with Jesus, chose to travel in his company, that they might behold his miracles. And he ran before — With great earnestness; and climbed up, &c. — Notwithstanding his quality; desire conquering honour and shame. Zaccheus, it seems, was in Jericho when Jesus passed through, though his house was farther on the road to Jerusalem. This accounts for his running before the multitude on this occasion. His desire to see Jesus was, no doubt, increased by the account which he had received in Jericho, of the miracle performed on the blind beggars; for the news of so extraordinary a transaction would be quickly spread abroad.

3. He sought to see Jesus—Greek imperfect tense, he was seeking to see Jesus. He was anxious, and engaged in attaining the object. It is a wonder that when Jesus had been ranging so long in the Jordanic country, and perhaps often in Jericho, preaching Gospel to crowds of his brother publicans, that this chief publican had never seen the great preacher. But he had heard much of him; and a deep feeling was awakened, not of mere curiosity, but of a desire to receive relief for a wounded conscience from this friend of publicans and sinners, of whom, perhaps, it was said that he had power to forgive sins. Who he was—He desired not only to observe the external appearance of this rabbi, but to ascertain who he was. Is he one of the old prophets, or is he the Messiah? He knew that his name was Jesus, that is, Saviour, and in some degree trusted that he could save his people from their sins. The press—The pressure of the crowd.

V. 4. And running before-With great earnestness. He climbed up-Notwithstanding his quality: desire conquering honour and shame.

Verse 4. He ran before] The shortness of his stature was amply compensated by his agility and invention. Had he been as tall as the generality of the crowd, he might have been equally unnoticed with the rest. His getting into the tree made him conspicuous: had he not been so low of stature he would not have done so. Even the imperfections of our persons may become subservient to the grace of God in our eternal salvation. As the passover was at hand, the road was probably crowded with people going to Jerusalem; but the fame of the cure of the blind man was probably the cause of the concourse at this time.

Verses 3, 4. And he sought to see Jesus — The great things which he had heard of Jesus made such a powerful impression on his mind, that when he was informed he was coming that way, he diligently sought an opportunity to see what sort of a person he was; and could not for the press — Could not compass his design, Jesus being now surrounded by a prodigious multitude of people, and Zaccheus himself being little of stature. The passover being near at hand, the roads to Jerusalem were full of people, many of whom, happening to meet with Jesus, chose to travel in his company, that they might behold his miracles. And he ran before — With great earnestness; and climbed up, &c. — Notwithstanding his quality; desire conquering honour and shame. Zaccheus, it seems, was in Jericho when Jesus passed through, though his house was farther on the road to Jerusalem. This accounts for his running before the multitude on this occasion. His desire to see Jesus was, no doubt, increased by the account which he had received in Jericho, of the miracle performed on the blind beggars; for the news of so extraordinary a transaction would be quickly spread abroad.

4. A sycamore tree—That is, a fig-mulberry tree; the tree with the leaves of a mulberry and a fruit like a fig. When of full growth it takes three men to embrace its trunk; and, being usually planted by the roadside, it serves, by its far-extending branches, either for shelter, or for such means of overlooking as Zaccheus here practiced. To pass that way—It was publicly known that his route lay toward Jerusalem.

V. 5. Jesus said, Zaccheus, make haste and come down-What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have now felt, hearing one speak, as knowing both his name and his heart!

Verse 5. Make haste, and come down] With this invitation, our blessed Lord conveyed heavenly influence to his heart; hence he was disposed to pay the most implicit and cheerful obedience to the call, and thus he received not the grace of God in vain.

Verses 5-8. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up, into the tree, and saw him — Zaccheus came to look upon Christ, and resolved to take particular notice of him, but little thought of being noticed by Christ. That was an honour too great, and too far above his merit, for him to have any thought of. Observe, reader, how Christ prevented him with the blessings of his goodness, and outdid his expectations; and see how he encourages very weak beginnings, and helps them forward. He that desires to know Christ shall be known of him: he that only desires to see him, shall be admitted to converse with him. And said, Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for to-day, &c. — Jesus had never seen him before, yet he called him by his name, and by what he said intimated that he knew his house was farther on the road. What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have now felt, hearing one speak as knowing both his name and his heart. Zaccheus might ask, as Nathaniel did, (John 1:48,) Whence knowest thou me? But before he climbed the sycamore-tree, Christ saw him and knew him. And he made haste, &c., and received him joyfully — Overjoyed to have such an honour put upon him and his family. And his receiving him into his house was an indication of his receiving him into his heart. And when they saw it — When the multitude saw him enter the house of Zaccheus; they all murmured — Were very much offended at the particular regard that Jesus showed him; saying, he was gone to be a guest, para amartwlw andri, with a sinful man — And were not they themselves sinful men? and was it not Christ’s errand into the world to seek and save sinful men? But they seem to have thought that Zaccheus was a sinner above all men that dwelt in Jericho; such a sinner as was not fit to be conversed with. He, however, soon gave proof, that though he had been a sinner, he was now a penitent, and a true convert. Zaccheus stood, and said to the Lord — He makes his declaration standing, not only that he might be seen and heard by those who murmured at Christ for coming to his house; but that he might show by his posture his deliberate purpose and ready mind; and express himself with solemnity, as making a vow to God. Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor — He does not say, I will give it by my will when I die; but I give it now. Though hitherto I have been uncharitable to the poor, now I will relieve them, and give so much the more for having neglected the duty so long. He does not expect to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee did, who boasted of what he had done, but by his good works he purposed, through the grace of God, to evidence the sincerity of his faith and repentance, and he here signifies that this was his purpose. He addresses himself to Christ, in making this declaration, and not to the people, who were not to be his judges: and he stands, as it were, at Christ’s bar. The good that we do, we must do as unto him: we must appeal to him, and approve ourselves to him in our integrity, in all our good purposes and resolutions. If I have taken any thing by false accusation — Or by any kind of injurious charges, or oppressive claims, as the word esukofanthsa, according to Heinsius, may very properly signify. He seems to have meant, by any unjust exaction of the taxes. I restore him four-fold — “This was the utmost that the Jewish law required, even in cases of fraudulent concealment and conviction; (unless where an ox had been killed or sold, and so its labour lost to the owner, and the discovery rendered more difficult: Exodus 22:1;) for the phrase of restoring seven-fold, (Proverbs 6:31,) seems only proverbial, to express making abundant satisfaction. But if a man, not legally convicted or accused, voluntarily discovered a fraud he had committed, besides his trespass-offering, he was to add to the principal only a fifth part, Leviticus 6:5. Zaccheus therefore shows the sincerity of his repentance by such an offer. Some commentators have remarked, that oppressive publicans were by the Roman law required to restore four-fold; but this was only after judgment obtained, where they had been guilty of extorting by force; whereas, before conviction, it was enough to make restitution of what had been taken; and even after it, in common cases, all that the law required was restoring twice as much.” — Doddridge.

5. Saw him, and said… Zaccheus—Both from his thus looking up and from his calling the name, Zaccheus was doubtless convinced that Jesus had more than mortal perception. As Jesus knew Nathaniel under the fig tree, so he knew Zaccheus in the sycamore tree. And, like Nathaniel, Zaccheus recognized him as his Lord. And as Jesus pronounced Nathaniel “an Israelite indeed,” so he here pronounces Zaccheus “a son of Abraham.” Make haste—Hurry and have done with such expedients and concealments. To-day—My call to suffer at Jerusalem brooks no delay. And it is probable that Jesus remained for the night, the willing guest of a happy host. Must— Jesus waits not for the uttered invitation, for he knows that a wish in the publican’s heart, deeper than words can express, invites him. He does not say I will; it is a settled case. Thy faith and my love render it fixed and necessary.

Verse 6. Received him joyfully.] He had now seen WHO he was, and he wished to hear WHAT he was; and therefore he rejoiced in the honour that God had now conferred upon him. How often does Christ make the proposal of lodging, not only in our house, but in our heart, without its being accepted! We lose much because we do not attend to the visitations of Christ: he passes by-he blesses our neighbours and our friends; but, often, neither curiosity nor any other motive is sufficient to induce us to go even to the house of God, to hear of the miracles of mercy which he works in behalf of those who seek him.

Verses 5-8. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up, into the tree, and saw him — Zaccheus came to look upon Christ, and resolved to take particular notice of him, but little thought of being noticed by Christ. That was an honour too great, and too far above his merit, for him to have any thought of. Observe, reader, how Christ prevented him with the blessings of his goodness, and outdid his expectations; and see how he encourages very weak beginnings, and helps them forward. He that desires to know Christ shall be known of him: he that only desires to see him, shall be admitted to converse with him. And said, Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for to-day, &c. — Jesus had never seen him before, yet he called him by his name, and by what he said intimated that he knew his house was farther on the road. What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have now felt, hearing one speak as knowing both his name and his heart. Zaccheus might ask, as Nathaniel did, (John 1:48,) Whence knowest thou me? But before he climbed the sycamore-tree, Christ saw him and knew him. And he made haste, &c., and received him joyfully — Overjoyed to have such an honour put upon him and his family. And his receiving him into his house was an indication of his receiving him into his heart. And when they saw it — When the multitude saw him enter the house of Zaccheus; they all murmured — Were very much offended at the particular regard that Jesus showed him; saying, he was gone to be a guest, para amartwlw andri, with a sinful man — And were not they themselves sinful men? and was it not Christ’s errand into the world to seek and save sinful men? But they seem to have thought that Zaccheus was a sinner above all men that dwelt in Jericho; such a sinner as was not fit to be conversed with. He, however, soon gave proof, that though he had been a sinner, he was now a penitent, and a true convert. Zaccheus stood, and said to the Lord — He makes his declaration standing, not only that he might be seen and heard by those who murmured at Christ for coming to his house; but that he might show by his posture his deliberate purpose and ready mind; and express himself with solemnity, as making a vow to God. Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor — He does not say, I will give it by my will when I die; but I give it now. Though hitherto I have been uncharitable to the poor, now I will relieve them, and give so much the more for having neglected the duty so long. He does not expect to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee did, who boasted of what he had done, but by his good works he purposed, through the grace of God, to evidence the sincerity of his faith and repentance, and he here signifies that this was his purpose. He addresses himself to Christ, in making this declaration, and not to the people, who were not to be his judges: and he stands, as it were, at Christ’s bar. The good that we do, we must do as unto him: we must appeal to him, and approve ourselves to him in our integrity, in all our good purposes and resolutions. If I have taken any thing by false accusation — Or by any kind of injurious charges, or oppressive claims, as the word esukofanthsa, according to Heinsius, may very properly signify. He seems to have meant, by any unjust exaction of the taxes. I restore him four-fold — “This was the utmost that the Jewish law required, even in cases of fraudulent concealment and conviction; (unless where an ox had been killed or sold, and so its labour lost to the owner, and the discovery rendered more difficult: Exodus 22:1;) for the phrase of restoring seven-fold, (Proverbs 6:31,) seems only proverbial, to express making abundant satisfaction. But if a man, not legally convicted or accused, voluntarily discovered a fraud he had committed, besides his trespass-offering, he was to add to the principal only a fifth part, Leviticus 6:5. Zaccheus therefore shows the sincerity of his repentance by such an offer. Some commentators have remarked, that oppressive publicans were by the Roman law required to restore four-fold; but this was only after judgment obtained, where they had been guilty of extorting by force; whereas, before conviction, it was enough to make restitution of what had been taken; and even after it, in common cases, all that the law required was restoring twice as much.” — Doddridge.

6. He made haste—Joy quickened his movements. Received him joyfully— Leading the Saviour’s way to the courts of his home. See vol. 1, pp. 121, 326.

V. 7. They all murmured-All who were near: though most of them rather out of surprise than indignation.

Verse 7. To be guest with a man that is a sinner.] Meaning either that he was a heathen, or, though by birth a Jew, yet as bad as a heathen, because of his unholy and oppressive office. See Clarke’s note on “Luke 7:37”.

Verses 5-8. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up, into the tree, and saw him — Zaccheus came to look upon Christ, and resolved to take particular notice of him, but little thought of being noticed by Christ. That was an honour too great, and too far above his merit, for him to have any thought of. Observe, reader, how Christ prevented him with the blessings of his goodness, and outdid his expectations; and see how he encourages very weak beginnings, and helps them forward. He that desires to know Christ shall be known of him: he that only desires to see him, shall be admitted to converse with him. And said, Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for to-day, &c. — Jesus had never seen him before, yet he called him by his name, and by what he said intimated that he knew his house was farther on the road. What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have now felt, hearing one speak as knowing both his name and his heart. Zaccheus might ask, as Nathaniel did, (John 1:48,) Whence knowest thou me? But before he climbed the sycamore-tree, Christ saw him and knew him. And he made haste, &c., and received him joyfully — Overjoyed to have such an honour put upon him and his family. And his receiving him into his house was an indication of his receiving him into his heart. And when they saw it — When the multitude saw him enter the house of Zaccheus; they all murmured — Were very much offended at the particular regard that Jesus showed him; saying, he was gone to be a guest, para amartwlw andri, with a sinful man — And were not they themselves sinful men? and was it not Christ’s errand into the world to seek and save sinful men? But they seem to have thought that Zaccheus was a sinner above all men that dwelt in Jericho; such a sinner as was not fit to be conversed with. He, however, soon gave proof, that though he had been a sinner, he was now a penitent, and a true convert. Zaccheus stood, and said to the Lord — He makes his declaration standing, not only that he might be seen and heard by those who murmured at Christ for coming to his house; but that he might show by his posture his deliberate purpose and ready mind; and express himself with solemnity, as making a vow to God. Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor — He does not say, I will give it by my will when I die; but I give it now. Though hitherto I have been uncharitable to the poor, now I will relieve them, and give so much the more for having neglected the duty so long. He does not expect to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee did, who boasted of what he had done, but by his good works he purposed, through the grace of God, to evidence the sincerity of his faith and repentance, and he here signifies that this was his purpose. He addresses himself to Christ, in making this declaration, and not to the people, who were not to be his judges: and he stands, as it were, at Christ’s bar. The good that we do, we must do as unto him: we must appeal to him, and approve ourselves to him in our integrity, in all our good purposes and resolutions. If I have taken any thing by false accusation — Or by any kind of injurious charges, or oppressive claims, as the word esukofanthsa, according to Heinsius, may very properly signify. He seems to have meant, by any unjust exaction of the taxes. I restore him four-fold — “This was the utmost that the Jewish law required, even in cases of fraudulent concealment and conviction; (unless where an ox had been killed or sold, and so its labour lost to the owner, and the discovery rendered more difficult: Exodus 22:1;) for the phrase of restoring seven-fold, (Proverbs 6:31,) seems only proverbial, to express making abundant satisfaction. But if a man, not legally convicted or accused, voluntarily discovered a fraud he had committed, besides his trespass-offering, he was to add to the principal only a fifth part, Leviticus 6:5. Zaccheus therefore shows the sincerity of his repentance by such an offer. Some commentators have remarked, that oppressive publicans were by the Roman law required to restore four-fold; but this was only after judgment obtained, where they had been guilty of extorting by force; whereas, before conviction, it was enough to make restitution of what had been taken; and even after it, in common cases, all that the law required was restoring twice as much.” — Doddridge.

7. All murmured—Here is the last mutter of the cavillers at our Lord’s dealings of mercy to the outcast publicans. See note on verse 1. It was, however, no murmur of Pharisees alone; but of all the crowd, who, supposing that he is on his way to take possession of the Messianic kingdom at Jerusalem, deem it unbecoming for him to give countenance to an agent of Roman despotism.

V. 8. And Zaccheus stood-Showing by his posture, his deliberate, purpose and ready mind,

and said, Behold, Lord, I give-I determine to do it immediately.

Verse 8. The half of my goods I give to the poor] Probably he had already done so for some time past; though it is generally understood that the expressions only refer to what he now purposed to do. If I have taken any thing-by false accusation] esukofanthsa, from sukon, a fig, and fainw, I show or declare; for among the primitive Athenians, when the use of that fruit was first found out, or in the time of a dearth, when all sorts of provisions were exceedingly scarce, it was enacted that no figs should be exported from Attica; and this law (not being actually repealed, when a plentiful harvest had rendered it useless, by taking away the reason of it) gave occasion to ill-natured and malicious fellows to accuse all persons they found breaking the letter of it; and from them all busy informers have ever since been branded with the name of sycophants. POTTER’s Antiq. vol. i. c. 21, end.

I restore him fourfold.] This restitution the Roman laws obliged the tax-gatherers to make, when it was proved they had abused their power by oppressing the people. But here was no such proof: the man, to show the sincerity of his conversion, does it of his own accord. He who has wronged his fellow must make restitution, if he have it in his power. He that does not do so cannot expect the mercy of God. See the observations at the end of Genesis 42, and Numbers 5:7.

Verses 5-8. And when Jesus came to the place he looked up, into the tree, and saw him — Zaccheus came to look upon Christ, and resolved to take particular notice of him, but little thought of being noticed by Christ. That was an honour too great, and too far above his merit, for him to have any thought of. Observe, reader, how Christ prevented him with the blessings of his goodness, and outdid his expectations; and see how he encourages very weak beginnings, and helps them forward. He that desires to know Christ shall be known of him: he that only desires to see him, shall be admitted to converse with him. And said, Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for to-day, &c. — Jesus had never seen him before, yet he called him by his name, and by what he said intimated that he knew his house was farther on the road. What a strange mixture of passions must Zaccheus have now felt, hearing one speak as knowing both his name and his heart. Zaccheus might ask, as Nathaniel did, (John 1:48,) Whence knowest thou me? But before he climbed the sycamore-tree, Christ saw him and knew him. And he made haste, &c., and received him joyfully — Overjoyed to have such an honour put upon him and his family. And his receiving him into his house was an indication of his receiving him into his heart. And when they saw it — When the multitude saw him enter the house of Zaccheus; they all murmured — Were very much offended at the particular regard that Jesus showed him; saying, he was gone to be a guest, para amartwlw andri, with a sinful man — And were not they themselves sinful men? and was it not Christ’s errand into the world to seek and save sinful men? But they seem to have thought that Zaccheus was a sinner above all men that dwelt in Jericho; such a sinner as was not fit to be conversed with. He, however, soon gave proof, that though he had been a sinner, he was now a penitent, and a true convert. Zaccheus stood, and said to the Lord — He makes his declaration standing, not only that he might be seen and heard by those who murmured at Christ for coming to his house; but that he might show by his posture his deliberate purpose and ready mind; and express himself with solemnity, as making a vow to God. Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor — He does not say, I will give it by my will when I die; but I give it now. Though hitherto I have been uncharitable to the poor, now I will relieve them, and give so much the more for having neglected the duty so long. He does not expect to be justified by his works, as the Pharisee did, who boasted of what he had done, but by his good works he purposed, through the grace of God, to evidence the sincerity of his faith and repentance, and he here signifies that this was his purpose. He addresses himself to Christ, in making this declaration, and not to the people, who were not to be his judges: and he stands, as it were, at Christ’s bar. The good that we do, we must do as unto him: we must appeal to him, and approve ourselves to him in our integrity, in all our good purposes and resolutions. If I have taken any thing by false accusation — Or by any kind of injurious charges, or oppressive claims, as the word esukofanthsa, according to Heinsius, may very properly signify. He seems to have meant, by any unjust exaction of the taxes. I restore him four-fold — “This was the utmost that the Jewish law required, even in cases of fraudulent concealment and conviction; (unless where an ox had been killed or sold, and so its labour lost to the owner, and the discovery rendered more difficult: Exodus 22:1;) for the phrase of restoring seven-fold, (Proverbs 6:31,) seems only proverbial, to express making abundant satisfaction. But if a man, not legally convicted or accused, voluntarily discovered a fraud he had committed, besides his trespass-offering, he was to add to the principal only a fifth part, Leviticus 6:5. Zaccheus therefore shows the sincerity of his repentance by such an offer. Some commentators have remarked, that oppressive publicans were by the Roman law required to restore four-fold; but this was only after judgment obtained, where they had been guilty of extorting by force; whereas, before conviction, it was enough to make restitution of what had been taken; and even after it, in common cases, all that the law required was restoring twice as much.” — Doddridge.

8. And Zaccheus stood—As they arrived at his door followed by the murmuring crowd. I give to the poor—Zaccheus is not, as some strangely construe him, telling what he has heretofore been accustomed to do; but what it is now a part of his new life to do. I hereby give. If I have—A sorrowful and delicate way of confessing that, though not his uniform custom, yet it had been done. By false accusation—Accusing him of selling his property to avoid his taxes, and so making gain from his penalty. The Greek word for the perpetrators of this kind of false accusation is a compound, fig-exposer; and was the epithet applied in Athens to a class of informers who exposed those who imported figs without paying the duties. Fourfold—The Roman law of forfeit prescribed a fourfold restoration. But the law regarding the extortion of publicans simply required a restoration of the defrauded sum. David, in his excitement at the parable of Nathan, pronounced a sentence of fourfold restoration, which lighted upon himself. 2 Samuel 12:6. Moses required in cases of forfeit the restoration of a double amount. Exodus 22:4, 9. But Zaccheus doubles that double from his full repentant heart. The man who feels the evil of sin, and longs for a deliverance, will feel that restoration is not a law of hardship, but a relief and a delight. Though Zaccheus here probably intended no defence against the murmurers, (for there is no proof that he heard their cavils,) yet his words might well have shamed them into silence.

V. 9. He also is a son of Abraham-A Jew born, and as such has a right to the first offer of salvation.

Verse 9. Jesus said unto him] Bishop PEARCE observes: “Probably Luke wrote autouv, not auton, said unto them, i.e. to those who had before called Zaccheus a sinner; (Luke 19:7;) for Jesus here speaks of Zaccheus in the third person, he also is a son of Abraham, and therefore he was not then speaking to him.” This conjecture of this respectable prelate is supported by the margin of the later Syriac, and by every copy of the Itala but two.

To this house] tw oikw toutw, To this very house or family. As if he had said: “If he be a sinner, he stands in the greater need of salvation, and the Son of man is come to seek and save what was lost, Luke 19:10; and therefore to save this lost soul is a part of my errand into the world.” See the sentiment contained in this verse explained on Matthew 18:11.

Verses 9, 10. Jesus said unto him — Or, concerning him, as Dr. Campbell translates the words, observing, “The thing said shows clearly that our Lord spake not to Zaccheus, but to the people concerning him: he being mentioned in the third person in the next clause.” For so much as he also is a son of Abraham — Notwithstanding all the sins he has committed, it is now manifest that even this man also is a true son of Abraham, and that, not only in respect of his lineal descent from him, but of his faith and holiness. For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost — “Alluding to the parables of the lost sheep, lost money, and lost son, which he had lately delivered, to prove how agreeable it was to reason, to the duties of his mission, and to the will of God, that he should keep company with the worst of sinners, in order to recover them unto God their rightful owner. And therefore, though Zaccheus had been really as bad a man as the multitude took him, and his vocation bespake him to be, Jesus was in the exercise of his duty when he went to lodge with him.”

9. And Jesus said—One half he said to Zaccheus; and (turning no doubt his face) the remainder he addressed to the crowd. This day is salvation come to this house, is his joyous assurance to Zaccheus. He is a son of Abraham, is his testimony to the Jews of Zaccheus. You may have supposed him an alien, sold, and selling his nation, to heathen; but he is a true son of Abraham, bound to Abraham’s bosom.

V. 10. Matthew 18:11.

Verses 9, 10. Jesus said unto him — Or, concerning him, as Dr. Campbell translates the words, observing, “The thing said shows clearly that our Lord spake not to Zaccheus, but to the people concerning him: he being mentioned in the third person in the next clause.” For so much as he also is a son of Abraham — Notwithstanding all the sins he has committed, it is now manifest that even this man also is a true son of Abraham, and that, not only in respect of his lineal descent from him, but of his faith and holiness. For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost — “Alluding to the parables of the lost sheep, lost money, and lost son, which he had lately delivered, to prove how agreeable it was to reason, to the duties of his mission, and to the will of God, that he should keep company with the worst of sinners, in order to recover them unto God their rightful owner. And therefore, though Zaccheus had been really as bad a man as the multitude took him, and his vocation bespake him to be, Jesus was in the exercise of his duty when he went to lodge with him.”

10. That which was lost—Lost in sin, as doubtless Zaccheus was. And these are the solemn words with which Jesus closes his mission to the publicans of the Jordan, and his defence of the mercy that inspired it. Parable of the Pounds, 11-27.

From the front door of Zaccheus’s house we seem to trace the Lord’s course into the court, preceded by Zaccheus, and followed by the press (verse 3) or crowd, who were in a high state of excitement at the expectation that Jesus was proceeding to Jerusalem for the purpose of assuming the glorious Messianic kingdom. (See on verse 7.) Our Lord, therefore, in the following parable teaches them that, so far from erecting a kingdom now at Jerusalem, Jerusalem is to be but his point of departure to a far country, namely, to his Father in heaven. By him being invested with a divine royalty, he would return to a day of final judgment, and administer retribution.

V. 11. They thought the kingdom of God-A glorious temporal kingdom, would immediately appear.

Verse 11. And as they heard these things] I believe the participle of the present tense, here, is used for the participle of the past, or rather that the participle of the present conveys sometimes the sense of the past; for this discourse appears to have taken place the next day after he had lodged at the house of Zaccheus; for the text says that he was then drawing nigh to Jerusalem, from which Jericho was distant nineteen miles. I have not ventured to translate it so, yet I think probably the text should be read thus: And after they had heard these things, he proceded to speak a parable, because they were nigh to Jerusalem.

Immediately appear.] Perhaps the generality of his followers thought that, on his arrival at Jerusalem, he would proclaim himself king.

Verse 11. And as they heard these things — Namely, that salvation was come to Zaccheus’s family; he added, and spake a parable — From this we gather, that he spake the parable in Zaccheus’s house; because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and they thought, &c. — Because his followers were accompanying him to the royal city, in expectation that the kingdom of God would immediately appear, and with a resolution to assist him in erecting it, he spake this parable, wherein he showed them their duty, described the true nature of the kingdom of God, and taught them that it was not immediately to appear. “The parable,” says Dr. Doddridge, “considered in this view, as suited to the circumstance of time, and to the case of those to whom it was delivered, will appear a most wise and seasonable admonition; and by neglecting the instruction it was designed to give them, the Jews deservedly brought ruin on themselves.”

Verse 11. He spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, to correct the fond error of those who thought he would reign on earth. This parable therefore differs from that of the talents, in Matthew 25., which was spoken in the temple to denounce judgment on those who had leagued to take away his life. That respected the high endowment of talents, one, two, and five in number. This speaks only of pounds, one of which, the sixtieth part of a talent, was given to each. Yet the rewards and the censures in both the parables are much the same.

11. And as they heard these things—The Lord seems to address the listening multitude from the gallery of the court of the house of Zaccheus. See our supplementary note, p. 121; and p. 326, of vol. 1. He added and spake—The parable was in the proper train of discourse. Kingdom of God should immediately appear—The word appear indicates their expectation that it was to be revealed as in a glory from above. On this expectation see note on Matthew 20:21.

The parable of the pounds, though much the same in structure with that of the talents, Matthew 25:14, (on which see our notes,) was undoubtedly uttered on another occasion and to illustrate a different point. It was, indeed, the same parable varied to different occasions. The present parable was based upon well known historic facts of the day. Both Herod and his son Archelaus received the kingdom of Judaea by going to a far country; that is, to the emperor at Rome. (See our notes on Matthew 2:22.) And when Archelaus went to Rome to obtain the royalty, the Jews sent an embassy to the emperor to express their desire not to have the man to reign over them.

V. 12. He went into a far country to receive a kingdom-Christ went to heaven, to receive his sovereign power as man, even all authority in heaven and earth. Matthew 25:14; Mark 13:34.

Verse 12. A certain nobleman] In the following parable there are two distinct morals intended; let it be viewed in these two points of light. 1. The behaviour of the citizens to the nobleman; and, 2. The behaviour of his own servants to him. 1. By the behaviour of the citizens, and their punishment, (Luke 19:14, 27,) we are taught that the Jews, who were the people of Christ, would reject him, and try to prevent his reigning over them in his spiritual kingdom, and would for that crime be severely punished by the destruction of their state. And this moral is all that answers to the introductory words, Luke 19:11. And they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear. 2. The other moral extends itself through the whole of the parable, viz. that the disciples of Christ, who are his servants; and who made a good improvement of the favours granted them by the Gospel, should be rewarded in proportion to the improvement made under the means of grace. This latter moral is all that is intended by Matthew in Matthew 25:14, &c., who mentions this parable as spoken by Christ after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem; though Luke has here placed that event after the parable. See Bishop PEARCE.

The meaning of the different parts of this parable appears to be as follows. A certain nobleman-The Lord Jesus, who was shortly to be crucified by the Jews.

Went into a far country] Ascended to the right hand of the Divine Majesty.

To receive a kingdom] To take possession of the mediatorial kingdom, the right to which, as Messiah, he had acquired by his sufferings: see Philippians 2:8, 9; Hebrews 1:3, 8, 9. In these words there is an allusion to the custom of those days, when they who had kingdoms or governments given unto them went to Rome to receive that dignity from the emperors. Bishop PEARCE. In proof of this, see Josephus, Ant. l. xiv. c. xiv., where we find Herod went to Rome to receive the sanction and authority of the Roman emperor. And, from lib. xvii. c. 3, we learn that his successors acted in the same way.

And to return.] To judge and punish the rebellious Jews.

Verse 12. A certain nobleman — Or, a certain king’s son; went into a far country to receive a kingdom, &c. — In order to be confirmed in his father’s kingdom, he went into a distant country to do homage unto a more powerful potentate, of whom he held it as a vassal. There is supposed to be an allusion here to a custom which prevailed greatly in our Lord’s time among the princes of the East; who, before they ventured to ascend the throne, went to Rome, and solicited the emperor’s permission, who disposed of all the tributary kingdoms as he saw fit. Dr. Campbell, instead of, to receive a kingdom, reads, to procure for himself royalty, observing, “To me it is manifest, that basileia, here, signifies royalty, that is, royal power and dignity. For that it was not a different kingdom from that wherein he lived, as the common version implies, is evident from verse 14. It is equally so, that there is in this circumstance an allusion to what was well known to Christ’s hearers, the way in which Archelaus, and even Herod himself, had obtained their rank and authority in Judea, by favour of the Romans. When this reference to the history of the times is kept in view, and basileia understood to denote royal power and dignity, there is not the shadow of a difficulty in the story. In any other explanation, the expounder, in order to remove inconsistencies, is obliged to suppose so many circumstances not related, or even hinted at by the evangelist, that the latter is, to say the least, made to appear a very inaccurate narrator.” Whichever interpretation be adopted, the meaning of this part of the parable evidently is, that before Jesus entered upon his mediatorial kingdom, and sat down at the right hand of God in majesty and glory, it was necessary he should die and ascend to heaven; see Philippians 2:8, 9; Hebrews 1:3, 8, 9; from whence he was afterward to return, as it were, that is, to come forth in his justice and power, to punish, first, the unbelieving and obstinate Jews, and afterward, in future ages, the opposers of his gospel, the persecutors of his people, all antichristian powers, and, at the day of final judgment, all the impenitent and unbelieving.

Ver. 12. A certain nobleman went into a far country. “Eugenes” signifies not only noble, but the heir apparent. So the Roman vice-kings went to Rome to be confirmed in their father’s throne. Here is a figure of Christ, entrusting his kingdom in the hands of ministers; and in fact, every christian has some talent, some trust from God. Now the money or talents are of three kinds, natural, acquired, and divine. Our time, our learning, our property and influence are the Lord’s. Ministers especially are stewards of the mysteries of God, and all their talents of wisdom and of eloquence must be employed for his glory.

The pound was given to each, according to this parable, which our Saviour delivered in or near Jerusalem; but in the parable of the talents, similar in substance to this, they were given in the proportion of ten to one. Matthew 25:15. Such may be the difference of men’s abilities: but let not the weakest be discouraged, for it was only the slander of a wicked servant that said, Christ reaps where he has not strawed.

We must be as diligent to improve our talents, as commercial men are to realize fortunes. They watch the markets, travel all weathers, and exhaust their eloquence to make a good bargain. What models for ministers: and surely an idle shepherd is one of the worst of characters. Every man shall be rewarded according to his work: he that soweth much shall reap much. The reward however is not reckoned of debt, but of grace; yet somehow, the Lord will proportion it to men’s works. He will say, well done good and faithful servant. But ah, how can truth ever say that of me? Oh let my sins be covered, and all my labours sprinkled with atoning blood, that thou mayest applaud thine own work.

One of Christ’s ministers is here represented as slothful, and as hiding his talent; for we should be charitable in judging of ministers. Out of such hands he will shortly take his cause, and those who walked not in the light, but dishonoured his name, he will cast into outer darkness, the opposite of those who feast in his presence, surrounded with the brightest beams of light.

12. A certain nobleman—A well-born personage. Herod was the son, not of a king, but of an eminent general; and Archelaus was the son of Herod. These facts were fresh in recollection at Jericho, which had been adorned with the stateliest buildings by the Herod family, and the palace of Archelaus still ornamented its streets. A far country—The nobly born, nay, divinely born, Son of God was to go to the highest heavens, to be invested by God, his Father, with the kingdom of grace and judgment.

V. 13. Trade till I come-To visit the nation, to destroy Jerusalem, to judge the world: or, in a more particular sense, to require thy soul of thee.

Verse 13. Ten servants] All those who professed to receive his doctrine. Ten was a kind of sacred number among the Hebrews, as well as seven. See Luke 14:31; 15:8; Matthew 15:1.

Ten pounds] Ten minas. The Septuagint use the original word mnaa for the Hebrew hnm maneh, from which it is evidently derived; and it appears from Ezekiel 45:12, to have been equal to sixty shekels in money. Now suppose we allow the shekel, with Dean Prideaux, to be 3s., then the mina or maneh was equal to 9£ English money. The impropriety of rendering the original word pound, will easily be seen by the most superficial reader. We should therefore retain the original word for the same reason so often before assigned. SUIDAS says, “The talent was sixty minas, the mina one hundred drachms, the drachm six oboli, the obolus six chalci, the chalcus seven mites or lepta.”

By the ten minas given to each, we may understand the Gospel of the kingdom given to every person who professes to believe in Christ, and which he is to improve to the salvation of his soul. The same word is given to all, that all may believe and be saved.

Verse 13. And he called his ten servants — This translation implies, he had neither more nor fewer than ten servants, and that they were all called: but Dr. Campbell thinks the original expression, kalesav de deka doulouv eautou, should rather be rendered, having called ten of his servants, and that if the sense had been as given in our translation, the expression must have been, kalesav de touv deka doulouv eautou. And delivered them ten pounds — Before he departed he gave each of these servants a sum of money, to be employed in trade, until he should return. The word mna, or mina, as it is commonly called, here rendered pound, contained sixty shekels, (Ezekiel 45:12,) and therefore, according to the common calculation of the worth of a shekel, placing it at two shillings sixpence of our money, it was seven pounds ten shillings; but according to Dr. Prideaux, who sets the shekel at three shillings, the mina was nine pounds sterling. Our Lord probably chose to mention this small sum, to illustrate the munificence of the master, in bestowing on the faithful servant so great and noble a reward. The impropriety of rendering the word pound, must strike every intelligent reader. The original word should have been retained, as it is in the parable of the talents, Matthew 25:14, &c., to which parable this is very similar; and the notes on which the reader is desired to consult, for the more perfect elucidation of this. By the ten servants, (a certain number being put for an uncertain,) we are to understand; 1st, The apostles and first preachers of the gospel, to whom Jesus gave endowments fitting them for their work, and from whom he expected a due improvement of those endowments in the propagation of the gospel. 2d, Those whom he should call and qualify for the work of the ministry in future ages: and, 3d, All who did or should hereafter profess to receive his gospel, and to be his disciples and servants; conferring upon them the means of grace, encouragements and advantages for improvement in holiness, and gifts and abilities for usefulness to mankind. And said unto them, Occupy till I come — Till I return to take an account of the use you have made of what has been intrusted to your management. The spiritual sense is, Use your endowments, gifts, and graces, with all your privileges and advantages, for the good of your fellow-creatures, and the glory of God, till I come to visit the nation; to destroy Jerusalem; to execute judgment on my enemies, and on those of my people in successive ages; to require your souls of you by death, and to judge mankind in the day of final accounts.

Ver. 13. He called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds. The Roman pound weighed ten ounces and nineteen pennyweights, value in silver, f2 .. 14 .. 9; in gold, f43 .. 16 .. 0. The number ten indicates that noblemen usually had about that number of servants. In Asia they usually keep more servants than in Europe.

13. Ten servants—The citizens who rebelled against him were countless, the servants who obeyed him were but ten; a small round number indicating not the fewness of the finally saved, but the fewness of his then real followers. A sad intimation to the crowd that was now pursuing him how few of them were his true disciples. Ten pounds—In Greek, ten minae. This was probably the Greek and Roman mina, which ranged from fifteen to twenty-five dollars. Occupy—The present meaning of this English word to the ordinary reader would be keep possession, hold and fill; but by its old English use it signifies to traffic. Trade and traffic until I return.

V. 14. But his citizens-Such were those of Jerusalem, hated him, and sent an embassy after him-The word seems to imply, their sending ambassadors to a superior court, to enter their protest against his being admitted to the regal power. In such a solemn manner did the Jews protest, as it were, before God, that Christ should not reign over them: this man-So they call him in contempt.

Verse 14. His citizens] Or countrymen-the Jewish people, who professed to be subjects of the kingdom of God.

Hated him] Despised him for the meanness of his birth, his crucifixion to the world, and for the holiness of his doctrine. Neither mortification nor holiness suits the dispositions of the carnal mind.

Sent a message after him] As, in Luke 19:12, there is an allusion to a person’s going to Rome, when elected to be ruler of a province or kingdom, to receive that dignity from the hand of the emperor, so it is here intimated that, after the person went to receive this dignity, some of the discontented citizens took the opportunity to send an embassy to the emperor, to prevent him from establishing the object of their hatred in the government.

We will not have this man, &c.] The Jews rejected Jesus Christ, would not submit to his government, and, a short time after this, preferred even a murderer to him. Like cleaves to like. No wonder that those who murdered the Lord of glory should prefer a murderer, one of their own temper, to the Redeemer of their souls.

Verses 14, 15. But his citizens hated him — The natural subjects of this king’s son, (see on verse 12,) “hated him without a cause, as appears from the message which they sent to this potentate, from whom he sought what in latter times has been called investiture. For in that message they alleged no crime against him. But only expressed their ill-will toward him, by declaring that they would not have him to reign over them. This is a fit representation of the causeless opposition which the Jewish great men made to Jesus. The message which these citizens sent after their prince had no effect; he received the kingdom, and returned with full authority, which he exercised in calling his servants to account, and in punishing his rebellious subjects. So the opposition which the Jews made to our Lord’s being made king proved ineffectual. Having, therefore, all power in heaven and in earth given unto him, he will return to reckon with his apostles and ministers, and other servants, and especially his rebellious subjects.” Nay, he has returned already in more respects than one, and has both punished the Jews and other persecutors of his people, and opposers of his gospel, with most exemplary punishment. Then he commanded these servants to be called, that he might know how much every man had gained, &c. — So Jesus, both at the day of men’s death, and at the general judgment, will make a strict inquiry into the use and improvement which all his servants, but especially the ministers of his gospel, have made of the talents and opportunities committed to them. See Macknight, and notes on Matthew 25:19, &c.

14. His citizens—For it was not a foreign kingdom which this nobleman went to obtain, but the sovereignty over his own state. Our Lord here predicts of himself that he is about to depart, laden with the rejection by his countrymen of his claims. He came to his own and his own received him not. Sent a message after him—The Jews sent their embassy to the court of the emperor against Archelaus. By parity, the rejection of Christ by sinners goes to the very court of heaven. Nay, it rejects God himself. We will not— The verb will here, as in several places of the New Testament, loses much of its force by being mistaken for the auxiliary verb will. Let it here be rendered “we WILL that this man shall not reign over us.” It is a wicked, insulting will that continues the foul rebellion.

V. 15. When he was returned-In his glory.

Verse 15. When he was returned] When he came to punish the disobedient Jews; and when he shall come to judge the world. See the parable of the talents, Matthew 25:14, &c.

Verses 14, 15. But his citizens hated him — The natural subjects of this king’s son, (see on verse 12,) “hated him without a cause, as appears from the message which they sent to this potentate, from whom he sought what in latter times has been called investiture. For in that message they alleged no crime against him. But only expressed their ill-will toward him, by declaring that they would not have him to reign over them. This is a fit representation of the causeless opposition which the Jewish great men made to Jesus. The message which these citizens sent after their prince had no effect; he received the kingdom, and returned with full authority, which he exercised in calling his servants to account, and in punishing his rebellious subjects. So the opposition which the Jews made to our Lord’s being made king proved ineffectual. Having, therefore, all power in heaven and in earth given unto him, he will return to reckon with his apostles and ministers, and other servants, and especially his rebellious subjects.” Nay, he has returned already in more respects than one, and has both punished the Jews and other persecutors of his people, and opposers of his gospel, with most exemplary punishment. Then he commanded these servants to be called, that he might know how much every man had gained, &c. — So Jesus, both at the day of men’s death, and at the general judgment, will make a strict inquiry into the use and improvement which all his servants, but especially the ministers of his gospel, have made of the talents and opportunities committed to them. See Macknight, and notes on Matthew 25:19, &c.

15. When he was returned—The men for whose correction our Lord is uttering this parable were committing the same mistake which a few in every age since his First Coming are committing; namely, the supposition that the judgment and kingdom of glory are to come in their own day. It passed from this carnal crowd of Jews to the apostles and to the early Church. It has been repeating itself from age to age in the ancient Chiliasts, the millenarians of the middle ages, and the second adventists of the present day. It often, but not always, is the error of pious but eccentric spirits, in whom a carnal love of excitement somewhat blends with deep religious faith. Had gained by trading—The nobleman had not given them weapons for fight. The Lord reserves justice and judgment for his own hands. What the nobleman gave to the servants was the current coin and the peaceful business of the realm. It is thus the duty of Christ’s servants not to advance his power by persecution, but to enrich his spiritual realm with its fitting toils and sacrifices.

Verse 16. Lord, thy pound hath gained ten] The principal difference between this parable and that of the talents above referred to is, that the mina given to each seems to point out the gift of the Gospel, which is the same to all who hear it; but the talents distributed in different proportions, according to each man’s ability, seem to intimate that God has given different capacities and advantages to men, by which this one gift of the Gospel may be differently improved.

Verses 16-21. Then came the first — The modesty of these servants is remarkable. They do not say that they themselves had gained the ten or the five pounds; but that the pound which their lord had intrusted to their management had gained them, attributing their success, not to themselves, but to the gifts of his grace. And he said, Well done, thou good servant — The first servant, having been very diligent and successful, was greatly applauded by his Lord, who rewarded him by raising him to a considerable dignity in the kingdom which he had lately received, signified by setting him over ten cities. Thus the faithful apostles, evangelists, and ministers of Christ shall be rewarded with great honour and authority in his kingdom. And the second came, saying, Thy pound hath gained five pounds — Having also been both diligent and successful, though in an inferior degree. And he said to him, Be thou ruler over five cities — He, also was approved, and rewarded accordingly. Thus the least of Christ’s faithful ministers and servants shall be rewarded with a proportionable share of honour and felicity in his kingdom. “It is observable, that in Matthew 25:20-23, where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward of each is spoken of as the same; but here the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward: which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was no doubt intended for our instruction.” — Doddridge. And another came — Who had been negligent and slothful, saying, Lord, here is thy pound — Which was put into my hands; and which I have kept laid up in a napkin — Very carefully, so that it is not at all diminished. For I feared thee, &c. — I was apprehensive I might incur thy severity, if any accident should befall this money in trade, therefore I was determined not to venture it out of my hands, and now return it just as I received it. See on Matthew 25:24, 25. Because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, &c. — This is a proverbial description of an unjust, rigorous character. The slothful servant, by impudently applying it to his lord, and assigning it as the true reason why he had not increased his talent as the others had done theirs, aggravated his crime not a little. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself.

16. Thy pound hath gained—The Lord in the last verse spake of what they had gained; the servant himself here speaks modestly of what the Lord’s gift had gained. Good works are from grace, and yet are performed freely. The power that is to perform is by grace; the exercise of the power is by freedom. And works freely performed from grace have a merit graciously ascribed to them, and a reward conferred. And the reward is proportioned to the work. The gainer of ten pounds is rewarded with ten cities, of five pounds, with five. Wise is the man who by grace and in faith makes a large investment in hope of the reward.

Verse 17. Over ten cities.] This is to be understood as referring to the new kingdom which the nobleman had just received. His former trustiest and most faithful servants he now represents as being made governors, under him, over a number of cities, according to the capacity he found in each; which capacity was known by the improvement of the minas.

Verses 16-21. Then came the first — The modesty of these servants is remarkable. They do not say that they themselves had gained the ten or the five pounds; but that the pound which their lord had intrusted to their management had gained them, attributing their success, not to themselves, but to the gifts of his grace. And he said, Well done, thou good servant — The first servant, having been very diligent and successful, was greatly applauded by his Lord, who rewarded him by raising him to a considerable dignity in the kingdom which he had lately received, signified by setting him over ten cities. Thus the faithful apostles, evangelists, and ministers of Christ shall be rewarded with great honour and authority in his kingdom. And the second came, saying, Thy pound hath gained five pounds — Having also been both diligent and successful, though in an inferior degree. And he said to him, Be thou ruler over five cities — He, also was approved, and rewarded accordingly. Thus the least of Christ’s faithful ministers and servants shall be rewarded with a proportionable share of honour and felicity in his kingdom. “It is observable, that in Matthew 25:20-23, where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward of each is spoken of as the same; but here the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward: which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was no doubt intended for our instruction.” — Doddridge. And another came — Who had been negligent and slothful, saying, Lord, here is thy pound — Which was put into my hands; and which I have kept laid up in a napkin — Very carefully, so that it is not at all diminished. For I feared thee, &c. — I was apprehensive I might incur thy severity, if any accident should befall this money in trade, therefore I was determined not to venture it out of my hands, and now return it just as I received it. See on Matthew 25:24, 25. Because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, &c. — This is a proverbial description of an unjust, rigorous character. The slothful servant, by impudently applying it to his lord, and assigning it as the true reason why he had not increased his talent as the others had done theirs, aggravated his crime not a little. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself.

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

Verses 16-21. Then came the first — The modesty of these servants is remarkable. They do not say that they themselves had gained the ten or the five pounds; but that the pound which their lord had intrusted to their management had gained them, attributing their success, not to themselves, but to the gifts of his grace. And he said, Well done, thou good servant — The first servant, having been very diligent and successful, was greatly applauded by his Lord, who rewarded him by raising him to a considerable dignity in the kingdom which he had lately received, signified by setting him over ten cities. Thus the faithful apostles, evangelists, and ministers of Christ shall be rewarded with great honour and authority in his kingdom. And the second came, saying, Thy pound hath gained five pounds — Having also been both diligent and successful, though in an inferior degree. And he said to him, Be thou ruler over five cities — He, also was approved, and rewarded accordingly. Thus the least of Christ’s faithful ministers and servants shall be rewarded with a proportionable share of honour and felicity in his kingdom. “It is observable, that in Matthew 25:20-23, where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward of each is spoken of as the same; but here the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward: which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was no doubt intended for our instruction.” — Doddridge. And another came — Who had been negligent and slothful, saying, Lord, here is thy pound — Which was put into my hands; and which I have kept laid up in a napkin — Very carefully, so that it is not at all diminished. For I feared thee, &c. — I was apprehensive I might incur thy severity, if any accident should befall this money in trade, therefore I was determined not to venture it out of my hands, and now return it just as I received it. See on Matthew 25:24, 25. Because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, &c. — This is a proverbial description of an unjust, rigorous character. The slothful servant, by impudently applying it to his lord, and assigning it as the true reason why he had not increased his talent as the others had done theirs, aggravated his crime not a little. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself.

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

Verses 16-21. Then came the first — The modesty of these servants is remarkable. They do not say that they themselves had gained the ten or the five pounds; but that the pound which their lord had intrusted to their management had gained them, attributing their success, not to themselves, but to the gifts of his grace. And he said, Well done, thou good servant — The first servant, having been very diligent and successful, was greatly applauded by his Lord, who rewarded him by raising him to a considerable dignity in the kingdom which he had lately received, signified by setting him over ten cities. Thus the faithful apostles, evangelists, and ministers of Christ shall be rewarded with great honour and authority in his kingdom. And the second came, saying, Thy pound hath gained five pounds — Having also been both diligent and successful, though in an inferior degree. And he said to him, Be thou ruler over five cities — He, also was approved, and rewarded accordingly. Thus the least of Christ’s faithful ministers and servants shall be rewarded with a proportionable share of honour and felicity in his kingdom. “It is observable, that in Matthew 25:20-23, where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward of each is spoken of as the same; but here the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward: which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was no doubt intended for our instruction.” — Doddridge. And another came — Who had been negligent and slothful, saying, Lord, here is thy pound — Which was put into my hands; and which I have kept laid up in a napkin — Very carefully, so that it is not at all diminished. For I feared thee, &c. — I was apprehensive I might incur thy severity, if any accident should befall this money in trade, therefore I was determined not to venture it out of my hands, and now return it just as I received it. See on Matthew 25:24, 25. Because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, &c. — This is a proverbial description of an unjust, rigorous character. The slothful servant, by impudently applying it to his lord, and assigning it as the true reason why he had not increased his talent as the others had done theirs, aggravated his crime not a little. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself.

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

Verse 20. Lord, behold, here is thy pound] See Matthew 25:18.

Verses 16-21. Then came the first — The modesty of these servants is remarkable. They do not say that they themselves had gained the ten or the five pounds; but that the pound which their lord had intrusted to their management had gained them, attributing their success, not to themselves, but to the gifts of his grace. And he said, Well done, thou good servant — The first servant, having been very diligent and successful, was greatly applauded by his Lord, who rewarded him by raising him to a considerable dignity in the kingdom which he had lately received, signified by setting him over ten cities. Thus the faithful apostles, evangelists, and ministers of Christ shall be rewarded with great honour and authority in his kingdom. And the second came, saying, Thy pound hath gained five pounds — Having also been both diligent and successful, though in an inferior degree. And he said to him, Be thou ruler over five cities — He, also was approved, and rewarded accordingly. Thus the least of Christ’s faithful ministers and servants shall be rewarded with a proportionable share of honour and felicity in his kingdom. “It is observable, that in Matthew 25:20-23, where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward of each is spoken of as the same; but here the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward: which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was no doubt intended for our instruction.” — Doddridge. And another came — Who had been negligent and slothful, saying, Lord, here is thy pound — Which was put into my hands; and which I have kept laid up in a napkin — Very carefully, so that it is not at all diminished. For I feared thee, &c. — I was apprehensive I might incur thy severity, if any accident should befall this money in trade, therefore I was determined not to venture it out of my hands, and now return it just as I received it. See on Matthew 25:24, 25. Because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, &c. — This is a proverbial description of an unjust, rigorous character. The slothful servant, by impudently applying it to his lord, and assigning it as the true reason why he had not increased his talent as the others had done theirs, aggravated his crime not a little. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself.

20. Another came—Not all the servants, but specimen cases, are described as coming. A napkin—The word in the original is the Greek of the Latin word sudarium, which is derived from the word sudor, sweat, as being used to wipe sweat from the face. We can hardly think, however, that our Lord aimed at the point which Trench specifies; that this lazy servant having no need of the linen to wipe off his sweat, used it to wrap up his pound. It was a handkerchief, which was appropriated to the purpose of concealing money.

Verses 16-21. Then came the first — The modesty of these servants is remarkable. They do not say that they themselves had gained the ten or the five pounds; but that the pound which their lord had intrusted to their management had gained them, attributing their success, not to themselves, but to the gifts of his grace. And he said, Well done, thou good servant — The first servant, having been very diligent and successful, was greatly applauded by his Lord, who rewarded him by raising him to a considerable dignity in the kingdom which he had lately received, signified by setting him over ten cities. Thus the faithful apostles, evangelists, and ministers of Christ shall be rewarded with great honour and authority in his kingdom. And the second came, saying, Thy pound hath gained five pounds — Having also been both diligent and successful, though in an inferior degree. And he said to him, Be thou ruler over five cities — He, also was approved, and rewarded accordingly. Thus the least of Christ’s faithful ministers and servants shall be rewarded with a proportionable share of honour and felicity in his kingdom. “It is observable, that in Matthew 25:20-23, where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward of each is spoken of as the same; but here the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward: which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was no doubt intended for our instruction.” — Doddridge. And another came — Who had been negligent and slothful, saying, Lord, here is thy pound — Which was put into my hands; and which I have kept laid up in a napkin — Very carefully, so that it is not at all diminished. For I feared thee, &c. — I was apprehensive I might incur thy severity, if any accident should befall this money in trade, therefore I was determined not to venture it out of my hands, and now return it just as I received it. See on Matthew 25:24, 25. Because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, &c. — This is a proverbial description of an unjust, rigorous character. The slothful servant, by impudently applying it to his lord, and assigning it as the true reason why he had not increased his talent as the others had done theirs, aggravated his crime not a little. Thus slothful ministers of religion, and pretended servants of Christ, will be ever ready to throw the blame of their unfaithfulness on God himself.

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

Verses 22, 23. And he saith, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, &c. — When his lord heard him offer such a vile and groundless charge against him as an excuse for his own negligence, he was filled with indignation, and determined to punish him severely. Thou knewest that I was an austere man — This is not an acknowledgment of the vile and detestable charge of “God’s demanding of men,” as Dr. Guise observes, “more difficult services than he has furnished them for, and would assist them in,” which would be a most unrighteous thought of God; but the servant’s lord only argues with him on his own base principles, and shows, that even on them he would be justly condemned for his negligence. Wherefore then gavest thou not my money — If thou didst really believe me to be the rigorous person thou sayest I am, why didst thou not lend out my money on proper security, that I might have received mine own, sun tokw, with interest; a method of improvement of thy talent which would have occasioned thee no trouble at all. Thy excuse, therefore, is a mere pretence. In like manner, all the excuses which wicked ministers, or slothful professors of Christianity, offer in their own behalf, shall, at the bar of God, stand them in no stead, whether they be drawn from the character which they affixed to God, or from his supposed decrees, or from their own inability, or from the difficulty of his service, or from any other consideration whatever. Negligent and useless ministers especially, may, in the fate of this slothful servant, see a picture of their own: for Christ, above all things, disapproves of a wicked, or even an indolent or unprofitable minister of his gospel. “This negligent and slothful servant,” says Quesnel, “ought to make all pastors and clergymen tremble, who imagine that they lead an innocent life if they do but avoid the grosser sins, and only lead an easy and quiet life in idleness and indolence. In a priest it is a great evil not to do any good. Not to use the gifts of God, is to abuse them. He loses them, who does not make them serviceable to the good of the church. Rest is a crime in one who is called to a laborious life; and we cannot live to ourselves alone, when we belong to the church.” “Let us reflect,” says Gregory, in his seventeenth homily on the gospel, “who were ever converted by our preaching; who, moved by our rebukes, have repented of their evil ways; who, through our teaching, have forsaken luxury, covetousness, pride. Let us reflect what gain we have made for God, who have been sent by him to labour, with the talents intrusted to us. For he saith, Occupy till I come. Behold, now he cometh, now he requires the profit of our labour. What gain of souls shall we be able to show him from our toils? What sheaves of souls shall we be able to present to him from the harvest of our preaching? Let us place before our eyes that day of so great strictness, in which the Judge will come and take an account of these servants, to whom he hath committed his talents! Lo, he will be seen in terrible majesty, amid the company of angels and archangels! Good and bad must be examined before him, and the works of each made manifest. There all the leaders of the Lord’s flock will appear with their gain of souls, won to the Lord by their preaching. And when so many pastors shall appear with their flocks before the eyes of their eternal Pastor — wretched men, what shall we say, who return empty to our Lord; who have borne the name of shepherds, and yet have no sheep to show! called pastors here, but without any flock there!”

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

V. 23. With interest-Which does not appear to be contrary to any law of God or man. But this is no plea for usury, that is, the taking such interest as implies any degree of oppression or extortion.

Verse 23. With usury?] sun tokw, With its produce, i.e. what the loan of the money is fairly worth, after paying the person sufficiently for using it: for, in lent money, both the lender and borrower are supposed to reap profit.

Verses 22, 23. And he saith, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, &c. — When his lord heard him offer such a vile and groundless charge against him as an excuse for his own negligence, he was filled with indignation, and determined to punish him severely. Thou knewest that I was an austere man — This is not an acknowledgment of the vile and detestable charge of “God’s demanding of men,” as Dr. Guise observes, “more difficult services than he has furnished them for, and would assist them in,” which would be a most unrighteous thought of God; but the servant’s lord only argues with him on his own base principles, and shows, that even on them he would be justly condemned for his negligence. Wherefore then gavest thou not my money — If thou didst really believe me to be the rigorous person thou sayest I am, why didst thou not lend out my money on proper security, that I might have received mine own, sun tokw, with interest; a method of improvement of thy talent which would have occasioned thee no trouble at all. Thy excuse, therefore, is a mere pretence. In like manner, all the excuses which wicked ministers, or slothful professors of Christianity, offer in their own behalf, shall, at the bar of God, stand them in no stead, whether they be drawn from the character which they affixed to God, or from his supposed decrees, or from their own inability, or from the difficulty of his service, or from any other consideration whatever. Negligent and useless ministers especially, may, in the fate of this slothful servant, see a picture of their own: for Christ, above all things, disapproves of a wicked, or even an indolent or unprofitable minister of his gospel. “This negligent and slothful servant,” says Quesnel, “ought to make all pastors and clergymen tremble, who imagine that they lead an innocent life if they do but avoid the grosser sins, and only lead an easy and quiet life in idleness and indolence. In a priest it is a great evil not to do any good. Not to use the gifts of God, is to abuse them. He loses them, who does not make them serviceable to the good of the church. Rest is a crime in one who is called to a laborious life; and we cannot live to ourselves alone, when we belong to the church.” “Let us reflect,” says Gregory, in his seventeenth homily on the gospel, “who were ever converted by our preaching; who, moved by our rebukes, have repented of their evil ways; who, through our teaching, have forsaken luxury, covetousness, pride. Let us reflect what gain we have made for God, who have been sent by him to labour, with the talents intrusted to us. For he saith, Occupy till I come. Behold, now he cometh, now he requires the profit of our labour. What gain of souls shall we be able to show him from our toils? What sheaves of souls shall we be able to present to him from the harvest of our preaching? Let us place before our eyes that day of so great strictness, in which the Judge will come and take an account of these servants, to whom he hath committed his talents! Lo, he will be seen in terrible majesty, amid the company of angels and archangels! Good and bad must be examined before him, and the works of each made manifest. There all the leaders of the Lord’s flock will appear with their gain of souls, won to the Lord by their preaching. And when so many pastors shall appear with their flocks before the eyes of their eternal Pastor — wretched men, what shall we say, who return empty to our Lord; who have borne the name of shepherds, and yet have no sheep to show! called pastors here, but without any flock there!”

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

Verses 24-26. And he said to them that stood by — To the officers of justice that waited on the king; Take from him the pound — Take what was intrusted with him from that idle, suspicious, unfaithful servant, who might otherwise have had that, and much more, allotted him for his own property; and give it him that has ten pounds — As an additional reward for his fidelity and diligence. And they said, Lord, he hath ten pounds — They speak this in surprise at his assigning it to one who had received so ample a reward, thinking there was no occasion to give an additional pound to one who had so many already. Perhaps they thought it more proper to give it to him who had only five pounds. Nevertheless, the prince stood by his former award, and bestowed the other pound likewise upon him; because it was agreeable to the rules of all wise administrations to bestow the most and greatest trusts on them who, by their fidelity in offices already enjoyed by them, had shown that they best deserved them. For unto every one which hath — That uses properly and improves what he hath; shall be given — Still more, and he shall have greater abundance; and from him that hath not — That acts as if he had not a talent to use for the good of mankind and the glory of God; even that he hath shall be taken away from him — The opportunities and advantages which he enjoys shall be taken from him, and given to such as improve those already bestowed on them.

Ver. 24. Take from him the pound. St. Matthew adds, Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth: Matthew 25:28-30. Hear these awful words, thou young man, who hast had all the instructions of the best of parents, but hast made no returns to God. Hear this, oh pastor, whose education and profession bind thee to support the cause of morality and truth; but instead of harvest joy, like the laborious farmer, shame awaits thy sloth, and it may be that outer darkness shall cover thy shame with impervious night.

17-27. Compare notes on Matthew 25:20-30.

V. 25. They said-With admiration, not envy.

Verse 25. And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.] This whole verse is omitted by the Codex Bezæ, a few others, and some copies of the Itala. It is probably an observation that some person made while our Lord was delivering the parable, with a design to correct him in the distribution: as if he had said, “Why give the mina to that person? he has got ten already; give it to one of those who has fewer.”

Verses 24-26. And he said to them that stood by — To the officers of justice that waited on the king; Take from him the pound — Take what was intrusted with him from that idle, suspicious, unfaithful servant, who might otherwise have had that, and much more, allotted him for his own property; and give it him that has ten pounds — As an additional reward for his fidelity and diligence. And they said, Lord, he hath ten pounds — They speak this in surprise at his assigning it to one who had received so ample a reward, thinking there was no occasion to give an additional pound to one who had so many already. Perhaps they thought it more proper to give it to him who had only five pounds. Nevertheless, the prince stood by his former award, and bestowed the other pound likewise upon him; because it was agreeable to the rules of all wise administrations to bestow the most and greatest trusts on them who, by their fidelity in offices already enjoyed by them, had shown that they best deserved them. For unto every one which hath — That uses properly and improves what he hath; shall be given — Still more, and he shall have greater abundance; and from him that hath not — That acts as if he had not a talent to use for the good of mankind and the glory of God; even that he hath shall be taken away from him — The opportunities and advantages which he enjoys shall be taken from him, and given to such as improve those already bestowed on them.

25. And they said—That is, they that stood by, mentioned in the last verse, and who are the officers of the divine execution, the angels of the final judgment. Their words, as dramatically given, elicit the statement of the principle of divine judgment in the next verse.

V. 26. Matthew 25:29; Luke 8:18.

Verse 26. And from him that hath not] See this particularly explained Matthew 13:12. Perhaps it would be well, with Bishop PEARCE, to supply the word gained-give it to him who hath gained ten minas; for I say unto you, That unto every one who hath gained shall be given; and, from him who hath not gained, even that which he hath received, shall be taken away.

Verses 24-26. And he said to them that stood by — To the officers of justice that waited on the king; Take from him the pound — Take what was intrusted with him from that idle, suspicious, unfaithful servant, who might otherwise have had that, and much more, allotted him for his own property; and give it him that has ten pounds — As an additional reward for his fidelity and diligence. And they said, Lord, he hath ten pounds — They speak this in surprise at his assigning it to one who had received so ample a reward, thinking there was no occasion to give an additional pound to one who had so many already. Perhaps they thought it more proper to give it to him who had only five pounds. Nevertheless, the prince stood by his former award, and bestowed the other pound likewise upon him; because it was agreeable to the rules of all wise administrations to bestow the most and greatest trusts on them who, by their fidelity in offices already enjoyed by them, had shown that they best deserved them. For unto every one which hath — That uses properly and improves what he hath; shall be given — Still more, and he shall have greater abundance; and from him that hath not — That acts as if he had not a talent to use for the good of mankind and the glory of God; even that he hath shall be taken away from him — The opportunities and advantages which he enjoys shall be taken from him, and given to such as improve those already bestowed on them.

26. Every one which hath—For every hath there is a richer hath; and in every hath not, a deeper, poorer hath not. As wealth furnishes means for larger wealth, so that the richest man has most means for still greater riches, so it is with virtues and vices. The good possess the richest means of still greater goodness, and vice accumulates self-depraving force in geometrical ratio. How, then, if left to itself, can wickedness be otherwise than eternally and eternally increasing?

V. 27. He went before-The foremost of the company, showing his readiness to suffer.

Verse 27. Those-enemies-bring hither] the Jews, whom I shall shortly slay by the sword of the Romans.

Verse 27. But those mine enemies, &c. — Having thus inquired into the conduct of his servants, and treated them according to the different use they made of what had been intrusted with them, he then proceeded to pass sentence on his rebellious citizens, who had refused to have him for their king; and with a just resentment of their base ingratitude, he commanded them to be brought thither immediately, and slain in his presence, that others might learn a more dutiful submission by the execution of these rebels. The word katasfaxate, here rendered slay them, properly signifies, slay them with the sword, and seems first to refer to the dreadful slaughter of the impenitent Jews, by the sword of each other and of the Romans. But that does not seem to be the chief design of the passage; it more especially relates to the far more terrible execution which shall be done on all impenitent sinners in the great day, when the faithful servants of Christ shall be rewarded. Now all this was as if our Lord had said, Thus shall I at length appear, not as a temporal sovereign, but as the great eternal Judge and victorious Ruler over all; when, having received power and dominion from my Father, I shall bring all to their final account, and with infinite ease triumph over those who reject and affront my authority: take heed, therefore, that you be not found in their wretched number, as many will be who pretend most eagerly to desire the Messiah’s appearance.

27. Mine enemies—Vengeance upon enemies of the opposite party was anciently of the most terrible kind, when some banished prince or political leader was restored to power. Sylla, the Roman dictator, ordered a general massacre on his return from exile. And in modern times, restorations like those of Charles II. and Louis XVIII. resulted in severe executions and retributions. But divine justice may be justly more terrible than the most terrible of human vengeance. We refer the entire application of this parable to the final judgment. It may indeed be made to suit the destruction of Jerusalem, or any other judgment in history, just so far as such judgment is analogous. But such a suiting of the parable to their cases is simply transferring, not interpreting the meaning.

Verse 28. He went before] Joyfully to anticipate his death, say some. Perhaps it means that he walked at the head of his disciples; and that he and his disciples kept on the road before other companies who were then also on their way to Jerusalem, in order to be present at the feast.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

V. 29. He drew nigh to the place where the borders of Bethphage and Bethany met, which was at the foot of the mount of Olives. Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1.

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

Ver. 29. When he was come nigh to Bethphage. See on Matthew 21:1.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

31. The Lord—The owners’ yielding to the authority of the Lord does not necessarily imply that they were his disciples; for, attended by the applauding multitudes, he was acknowledged Lord of the present hour. Even the Pharisees saluted him as master, verse 39; with the multitudes he is king, verse 38. These multitudes are called disciples in the larger sense of believers.

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

V. 37. The whole multitude began to praise God-Speaking at once, as it seems, from a Divine impulse, words which most of them did not understand.

Verses 29. - 38. See this triumphal entry into Jerusalem explained at large on Matthew 21:1-11, and Mark 11:1-10.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

V. 38. Peace in heaven-God being reconciled to man.

Verse 38. Glory in the highest.] Mayst thou receive the uttermost degrees of glory! See Clarke on “Matthew 21:9”.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

§ 111.—JESUS PROCEEDS TO JERUSALEM, 28-44.

Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; John 12:12-50.

28. Thus spoken… went before… up to Jerusalem—And now our Lord, having explained what was not the purpose or the coming result of his going to Jerusalem, and having left for record his announcement that it was for no earthly kingdom, is ready to prosecute his march. After leaving the house of Zaccheus, he proceeds, followed by the passover crowd, to Bethany; at which place be arrives, as we suppose, on Friday afternoon, and spends the Saturday-Sabbath preceding the passion week; and at the supper, in the house of Simon the leper, is anointed by Mary. (See notes on Matthew 20:34.) The next day, being Palm-Sunday, and the first day of passion week, he makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (See notes on Matthew 21.)

V. 39. Rebuke thy disciples-Paying thee this immoderate honour.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

39. Pharisees from among the multitude—They seemed to be spectators of the procession, who called to Jesus as he passed to moderate the voices of the chanters.

V. 40. If these should hold their peace, the stones, which lie before you, would cry out-That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. For the power of God will not return empty.

Verse 40. If these should hold their peace, the stones would-cry out.] Of such importance is my present conduct to you and to others, being expressly predicted by one of your own prophets, Zechariah 9:9, as pointing out the triumph of humility over pride, and of meekness over rage and malice, as signifying the salvation which I bring to the lost souls of men, that, if this multitude were silent, God would give even to the stones a voice, that the advent of the Messiah might be duly celebrated.

Verses 28-40. When he had thus spoken — When he had finished the preceding parable in Zaccheus’s house; he went before — Continued his journey, and led the way as foremost of the company, thus showing his readiness to suffer; ascending up to Jerusalem — Being determined to appear there at the approaching passover, though he well knew that he was to encounter persecution and death there. And when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany — Both these villages being situated at the foot of the mount of Olives, and Jesus being between them, on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, he might very properly be said to have been nigh to both, and nigh to Jerusalem, which was at the distance of two miles only: he sent two of his disciples, &c. — See this paragraph explained, Matthew 21:1-16; Mark 11:1-10. The whole multitude began to praise God — Speaking at once, as it seems, from a divine impulse words which most of them did not understand. Peace in heaven — God being reconciled to man. Rebuke thy disciples — Paying thee this immoderate honour. If these should hold their peace, the stones which lie before you would immediately cry out — That is, God would raise up some still more unlikely instruments to declare his praise. Or, that he would, by a miracle, raise up others to glorify his name, rather than silence should be kept on this occasion. But though Jesus did not refuse the honours that were now paid him, he was far from assuming the dignity of an earthly prince, or any state pageantry whatsoever. On the contrary, he humbled himself exceedingly; his riding on an ass being an instance of great meekness, according to what was prophesied of him, Zechariah 9:9.

40. If these should hold their peace—The proud Pharisees had sullenly left to these disciples the office of celebrating this advent, and now the grumblers would even have them silenced. But if at a crisis so intense, so awful, even these should hush, and no human voice should welcome the Prince, we might expect that God would literally shame the hard hearts and base spirits of men by making the very stones upon which they trod utter voices and cry out.

The wail of Jesus over Jerusalem, 41-44. This pathetic passage is furnished by Luke alone.

Verse 41. And wept over it] See Matthew 23:37.

Verses 41-44. He beheld the city and wept over it — As he drew nigh he looked on the city, and, notwithstanding he had already met with much ill usage from its inhabitants, and was at this very juncture to be put to death by them, yet, with a divine generosity and benevolence, which nothing can equal, he wept over it, in the view of the surrounding multitude, lifting up his voice and lamenting aloud the calamities which he foresaw were coming upon it. If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day — After thou hast neglected so many; thy day — The day wherein God still offers thee his blessings; the things which belong unto thy peace — And on which thy final happiness depends! but now they are hid from thine eyes — God will leave thee in his righteous judgment to this thy chosen ignorance and obstinate perverseness, till it end in thine utter ruin. For the days shall come — The time hastens on and will soon arrive; that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee — And thou shalt suffer all the hardships of the closest siege. The original phrase is, peribalousin caraka soi, which Dr. Campbell renders, will surround thee with a rampart, observing, the word “carax does not occur in any other place in the New Testament, but in some places wherein it occurs in the Septuagint, it has evidently the sense here given it. Indeed, a rampart or mound of earth was always accompanied with a trench or ditch, out of which was dug the earth necessary for raising the rampart. Some expositors have clearly shown that this is a common meaning of the word in Greek authors. Its perfect conformity to the account of that transaction given by the Jewish historian, is an additional argument in its favour.” And keep thee in on every side — So that, with all thy numerous inhabitants, thou neither shalt be able to resist nor to escape them. To the prophecy here uttered by Jesus, foretelling the principal circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem, the event corresponded most exactly. “For, when Titus attacked the city, the Jews defended themselves so obstinately, that he found there was no way to gain his purpose but to compass the city round with a trench and mound. By this means, he kept the besieged in on every side, cut off from them all hope of safety by flight, and consumed them by famine. The work which he undertook was indeed a matter of extreme difficulty, for the wall measured thirty-nine furlongs, or almost five miles, and the towers were thirteen in number, every one of them ten furlongs in compass. Nevertheless, the whole was finished in three days; for, to use the expression of Josephus, the soldiers in performing this work were animated by a divine impetus. Bell., 6:13.” And shall lay thee even with the ground — Of this circumstance, see the notes on Matthew 24:1, 2; Mark 13:1, 2. The description which Josephus has given of the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, may be considered as a comment upon these prophecies. Bell., 7:18. “Thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of Vespasian’s reign, on the 8th day of September; and having been already five times surprised, it was again finally destroyed. Such was the end of the besieging of Jerusalem, when there was none left to kill, nor any thing remaining for the soldiers to get. Cesar commanded them to destroy the city and temple, only leaving certain towers standing, that were more beautiful than the rest, namely, Phaselus, Hippicos, and Mariamne, and the wall that was on the west side, meaning there to keep a garrison, and that they should be a monument of the prowess of the Romans, who had taken a city so well fortified, as by them it appeared to have been. All the rest of the city they so levelled,” answering to our Lord’s phrase, lay thee even with the ground, “that they who had not seen it before, would not believe that ever it had been inhabited.” And in the preceding chapter he says, “They destroyed the wall, and burned the outward part of the city.” Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation — “Our Lord here assigns the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem and her children. It was because that, when God visited them by his Son, the seed of Abraham and David, the Messiah, they did not know it, but rejected and crucified him. The destruction of the city and of her inhabitants, clearly foreseen by our Lord in all the circumstances thereof, was a scene so affecting, that it moved his tender soul, and made him weep. It seems the miseries of bitterest enemies had more influence to afflict and melt his soul, than the admiration, the acclamations, and hosannas of his friends to elate him with joy. His weeping was a wonderful instance of his humanity, and is so far from lessening the dignity of his character, that it exalts it infinitely. Were it worthwhile, the reader might be put in mind that the historians of Greece and Rome, to aggrandize their heroes, have been at pains to relate occurrences at which they shed tears; but this would be to fall egregiously below the greatness of the subject. Is it possible to have the least relish for goodness, and not be ravished with the man who has such a quick feeling of the miseries of others, as to weep for their misfortunes in the height of his own prosperity, especially if the objects moving his compassion are enemies, and his courage is such as to enable him to look without perturbation on the greatest disasters ready to fall on himself? See Matthew 20:18, 19. Let wondering mortals, then, behold in this an example of compassion and generosity, infinitely superior to any thing that the heathen world can furnish! an example highly worthy of their admiration and imitation.” — Macknight.

Ver. 41. He beheld the city and wept over it. A certain class of critics would wish to get rid of this passage, because Epiphanius says it was not in some ancient copies. But it occurs twice in Origen, and once in Iræneus, who lived long before that father; and no men were more likely to have correct copies of the scripture than Origen at Alexandria, and Iræneus, who was bishop of Lyons in the year 179. The embarrassment of several commentators on the text is quite amusing. Dr. Lightfoot corrects our Saviour’s mistake, and would paraphrase thus: “If thou couldst have known the things that belong to thy peace.” A second says, Jesus wept because the temple was about to be destroyed. A third says he wept because this siege was against the elect. So Calvin. But a fourth, worse than all the others, for he seems desirous to cast a shade of hypocrisy on the Lord, sooner than endanger his creed, adds, that these were merely human tears! Avaunt, thou lying tongue. Christ has commented on his own words. At the grave of Lazarus, when he wept over those very jews, he says, “Because of the people that stand by I said it, that they may believe.” John 11:42. St. Paul also weeping, and wishing himself accursed for the same race and age, presently adds, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.” This text must be regarded as one of the most important in the sacred scriptures. It teaches us that Jerusalem had a day of grace; that Christ was sincerely desirous of gathering them by conversion into his kingdom, and that man is the sole cause of his own destruction. Besides, the Greek ei is often translated utinam in Latin, implying Christ’s earnest wish for the salvation of his country. So it is in HEINSIUS. Utinam et tu, hoc saltem, inquit, die, noses quæ ad salutem tuam faciunt, aut spectant.

41. Near… the city—At the moment when descending the summit of Olivet the city appeared in its beauty before him.

V. 42. O that thou hadst known, at least in this thy day-After thou hast neglected so many.

Thy day-The day wherein God still offers thee his blessings.

Verse 42. The things which belong unto thy peace!] It is very likely that our Lord here alludes to the meaning of the word Jerusalem, ירושלים from hry yereh, he shall see, and שלום shalom, peace or prosperity. Now, because the inhabitants of it had not seen this peace and salvation, because they had refused to open their eyes, and behold this glorious light of heaven which shone among them, therefore he said, Now they are hidden from thine eyes, still alluding to the import of the name.

Verses 41-44. He beheld the city and wept over it — As he drew nigh he looked on the city, and, notwithstanding he had already met with much ill usage from its inhabitants, and was at this very juncture to be put to death by them, yet, with a divine generosity and benevolence, which nothing can equal, he wept over it, in the view of the surrounding multitude, lifting up his voice and lamenting aloud the calamities which he foresaw were coming upon it. If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day — After thou hast neglected so many; thy day — The day wherein God still offers thee his blessings; the things which belong unto thy peace — And on which thy final happiness depends! but now they are hid from thine eyes — God will leave thee in his righteous judgment to this thy chosen ignorance and obstinate perverseness, till it end in thine utter ruin. For the days shall come — The time hastens on and will soon arrive; that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee — And thou shalt suffer all the hardships of the closest siege. The original phrase is, peribalousin caraka soi, which Dr. Campbell renders, will surround thee with a rampart, observing, the word “carax does not occur in any other place in the New Testament, but in some places wherein it occurs in the Septuagint, it has evidently the sense here given it. Indeed, a rampart or mound of earth was always accompanied with a trench or ditch, out of which was dug the earth necessary for raising the rampart. Some expositors have clearly shown that this is a common meaning of the word in Greek authors. Its perfect conformity to the account of that transaction given by the Jewish historian, is an additional argument in its favour.” And keep thee in on every side — So that, with all thy numerous inhabitants, thou neither shalt be able to resist nor to escape them. To the prophecy here uttered by Jesus, foretelling the principal circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem, the event corresponded most exactly. “For, when Titus attacked the city, the Jews defended themselves so obstinately, that he found there was no way to gain his purpose but to compass the city round with a trench and mound. By this means, he kept the besieged in on every side, cut off from them all hope of safety by flight, and consumed them by famine. The work which he undertook was indeed a matter of extreme difficulty, for the wall measured thirty-nine furlongs, or almost five miles, and the towers were thirteen in number, every one of them ten furlongs in compass. Nevertheless, the whole was finished in three days; for, to use the expression of Josephus, the soldiers in performing this work were animated by a divine impetus. Bell., 6:13.” And shall lay thee even with the ground — Of this circumstance, see the notes on Matthew 24:1, 2; Mark 13:1, 2. The description which Josephus has given of the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, may be considered as a comment upon these prophecies. Bell., 7:18. “Thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of Vespasian’s reign, on the 8th day of September; and having been already five times surprised, it was again finally destroyed. Such was the end of the besieging of Jerusalem, when there was none left to kill, nor any thing remaining for the soldiers to get. Cesar commanded them to destroy the city and temple, only leaving certain towers standing, that were more beautiful than the rest, namely, Phaselus, Hippicos, and Mariamne, and the wall that was on the west side, meaning there to keep a garrison, and that they should be a monument of the prowess of the Romans, who had taken a city so well fortified, as by them it appeared to have been. All the rest of the city they so levelled,” answering to our Lord’s phrase, lay thee even with the ground, “that they who had not seen it before, would not believe that ever it had been inhabited.” And in the preceding chapter he says, “They destroyed the wall, and burned the outward part of the city.” Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation — “Our Lord here assigns the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem and her children. It was because that, when God visited them by his Son, the seed of Abraham and David, the Messiah, they did not know it, but rejected and crucified him. The destruction of the city and of her inhabitants, clearly foreseen by our Lord in all the circumstances thereof, was a scene so affecting, that it moved his tender soul, and made him weep. It seems the miseries of bitterest enemies had more influence to afflict and melt his soul, than the admiration, the acclamations, and hosannas of his friends to elate him with joy. His weeping was a wonderful instance of his humanity, and is so far from lessening the dignity of his character, that it exalts it infinitely. Were it worthwhile, the reader might be put in mind that the historians of Greece and Rome, to aggrandize their heroes, have been at pains to relate occurrences at which they shed tears; but this would be to fall egregiously below the greatness of the subject. Is it possible to have the least relish for goodness, and not be ravished with the man who has such a quick feeling of the miseries of others, as to weep for their misfortunes in the height of his own prosperity, especially if the objects moving his compassion are enemies, and his courage is such as to enable him to look without perturbation on the greatest disasters ready to fall on himself? See Matthew 20:18, 19. Let wondering mortals, then, behold in this an example of compassion and generosity, infinitely superior to any thing that the heathen world can furnish! an example highly worthy of their admiration and imitation.” — Macknight.

Ver. 42. If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day. While the people sung hosannas before the great prophet, who had raised Lazarus from the dead, his eyes looked at the future and the past. When he saw the beautiful temple, the populous city, and all the peopled hills which surrounded it; — when he glanced on the holy prophets, who long struggled against the crimes and idolatries of their age, and had shed their blood in the fight; — when he saw the wickedness of the fathers live in their children, and combining to reject and kill the Saviour, his eyes became fountains of tears, while his lips uttered the elegies of his heart. All that love could now do was to grant them a reprieve.

42. If thou hadst known… but now—The sentence is broken, as if by the impulse of feeling. Hid from thine eyes—For sin hath a blinding power. The man who wilfully gives himself up to one deception, knows not to what endless snares of error he may have surrendered himself as a consequence.

V. 43. Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee around-All this was exactly performed by Titus, the Roman general.

Verse 43. Cast a trench about thee] This was literally fulfilled when this city was besieged by Titus. Josephus gives a very particular account of the building of this wall, which he says was effected in three days, though it was not less than thirty-nine furlongs in circumference; and that, when this wall and trench were completed, the Jews were so enclosed on every side that no person could escape out of the city, and no provision could be brought in, so that they were reduced to the most terrible distress by the famine which ensued. The whole account is well worth the reader’s attention. See Josephus, War, book v. chap. xxii. sec. 1, 2, 3.

Verses 41-44. He beheld the city and wept over it — As he drew nigh he looked on the city, and, notwithstanding he had already met with much ill usage from its inhabitants, and was at this very juncture to be put to death by them, yet, with a divine generosity and benevolence, which nothing can equal, he wept over it, in the view of the surrounding multitude, lifting up his voice and lamenting aloud the calamities which he foresaw were coming upon it. If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day — After thou hast neglected so many; thy day — The day wherein God still offers thee his blessings; the things which belong unto thy peace — And on which thy final happiness depends! but now they are hid from thine eyes — God will leave thee in his righteous judgment to this thy chosen ignorance and obstinate perverseness, till it end in thine utter ruin. For the days shall come — The time hastens on and will soon arrive; that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee — And thou shalt suffer all the hardships of the closest siege. The original phrase is, peribalousin caraka soi, which Dr. Campbell renders, will surround thee with a rampart, observing, the word “carax does not occur in any other place in the New Testament, but in some places wherein it occurs in the Septuagint, it has evidently the sense here given it. Indeed, a rampart or mound of earth was always accompanied with a trench or ditch, out of which was dug the earth necessary for raising the rampart. Some expositors have clearly shown that this is a common meaning of the word in Greek authors. Its perfect conformity to the account of that transaction given by the Jewish historian, is an additional argument in its favour.” And keep thee in on every side — So that, with all thy numerous inhabitants, thou neither shalt be able to resist nor to escape them. To the prophecy here uttered by Jesus, foretelling the principal circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem, the event corresponded most exactly. “For, when Titus attacked the city, the Jews defended themselves so obstinately, that he found there was no way to gain his purpose but to compass the city round with a trench and mound. By this means, he kept the besieged in on every side, cut off from them all hope of safety by flight, and consumed them by famine. The work which he undertook was indeed a matter of extreme difficulty, for the wall measured thirty-nine furlongs, or almost five miles, and the towers were thirteen in number, every one of them ten furlongs in compass. Nevertheless, the whole was finished in three days; for, to use the expression of Josephus, the soldiers in performing this work were animated by a divine impetus. Bell., 6:13.” And shall lay thee even with the ground — Of this circumstance, see the notes on Matthew 24:1, 2; Mark 13:1, 2. The description which Josephus has given of the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, may be considered as a comment upon these prophecies. Bell., 7:18. “Thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of Vespasian’s reign, on the 8th day of September; and having been already five times surprised, it was again finally destroyed. Such was the end of the besieging of Jerusalem, when there was none left to kill, nor any thing remaining for the soldiers to get. Cesar commanded them to destroy the city and temple, only leaving certain towers standing, that were more beautiful than the rest, namely, Phaselus, Hippicos, and Mariamne, and the wall that was on the west side, meaning there to keep a garrison, and that they should be a monument of the prowess of the Romans, who had taken a city so well fortified, as by them it appeared to have been. All the rest of the city they so levelled,” answering to our Lord’s phrase, lay thee even with the ground, “that they who had not seen it before, would not believe that ever it had been inhabited.” And in the preceding chapter he says, “They destroyed the wall, and burned the outward part of the city.” Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation — “Our Lord here assigns the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem and her children. It was because that, when God visited them by his Son, the seed of Abraham and David, the Messiah, they did not know it, but rejected and crucified him. The destruction of the city and of her inhabitants, clearly foreseen by our Lord in all the circumstances thereof, was a scene so affecting, that it moved his tender soul, and made him weep. It seems the miseries of bitterest enemies had more influence to afflict and melt his soul, than the admiration, the acclamations, and hosannas of his friends to elate him with joy. His weeping was a wonderful instance of his humanity, and is so far from lessening the dignity of his character, that it exalts it infinitely. Were it worthwhile, the reader might be put in mind that the historians of Greece and Rome, to aggrandize their heroes, have been at pains to relate occurrences at which they shed tears; but this would be to fall egregiously below the greatness of the subject. Is it possible to have the least relish for goodness, and not be ravished with the man who has such a quick feeling of the miseries of others, as to weep for their misfortunes in the height of his own prosperity, especially if the objects moving his compassion are enemies, and his courage is such as to enable him to look without perturbation on the greatest disasters ready to fall on himself? See Matthew 20:18, 19. Let wondering mortals, then, behold in this an example of compassion and generosity, infinitely superior to any thing that the heathen world can furnish! an example highly worthy of their admiration and imitation.” — Macknight.

Ver. 43. Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee — and keep thee in on every side. When Titus came against this rebellious and hardened city, which refused to open its gates, and submit to mercy; that he might sooner reduce them by famine, he shut up all the five avenues, and raised five barriers at each entrance; and when the jews sallied out, he beat them down, like Cyrus in the siege of Babylon. He threw up a wall or breastwork of thirty nine furlongs in extent, and this line was intersected with thirteen fortified camps for the soldiers, each of which had an area of two furlongs and a half in the square, or ten furlongs in circumference. All these works the Roman army finished in three days. Thus the prophecy of the Saviour was fulfilled to the very letter. What augmented the calamity of the siege was, an excess of population from the country. The young men had been allured to Jerusalem, under the plea of a great passover, and thus were made soldiers. While the Romans battered the walls, all the horrors of famine and disease preyed on the city; yea, one faction fought against the other, till the multitude of people had wasted away. — See Josephus’s Wars of the Jews, book 6. chap. 8.

When the later rabbins reflected on the utter ruin of their nation, they ascribed it to neglect in training up their children, to contempt of public worship, to profanation of the sabbath, and to the supineness of the elders in the suppression of vice. But the oracle of truth ascribes the fall of the city to final impenitence and unbelief, and to blindness of heart. Luke 13:3-5. They knew not the time of their visitation; they shed the blood of the Just and Holy One; therefore wrath came upon them to the uttermost. 1 Thessalonians 2:16.

43. The days shall come—We have here one of the most striking predictions ever uttered. A trench—A ridge or low wall of earthworks, flung up from a ditch made by the excavation.

V. 44. And thy children within thee-All the Jews were at that time gathered together, it being the time of the passover.

They shall not leave in thee one stone upon another-Only three towers were left standing for a time, to show the former strength and magnificence of the place. But these likewise were afterward levelled with the ground.

Verse 44. The time of thy visitation.] That is, the time of God’s gracious offers of mercy to thee. This took in all the time which elapsed from the preaching of John the Baptist to the coming of the Roman armies, which included a period of above forty years.

Verses 41-44. He beheld the city and wept over it — As he drew nigh he looked on the city, and, notwithstanding he had already met with much ill usage from its inhabitants, and was at this very juncture to be put to death by them, yet, with a divine generosity and benevolence, which nothing can equal, he wept over it, in the view of the surrounding multitude, lifting up his voice and lamenting aloud the calamities which he foresaw were coming upon it. If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day — After thou hast neglected so many; thy day — The day wherein God still offers thee his blessings; the things which belong unto thy peace — And on which thy final happiness depends! but now they are hid from thine eyes — God will leave thee in his righteous judgment to this thy chosen ignorance and obstinate perverseness, till it end in thine utter ruin. For the days shall come — The time hastens on and will soon arrive; that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee — And thou shalt suffer all the hardships of the closest siege. The original phrase is, peribalousin caraka soi, which Dr. Campbell renders, will surround thee with a rampart, observing, the word “carax does not occur in any other place in the New Testament, but in some places wherein it occurs in the Septuagint, it has evidently the sense here given it. Indeed, a rampart or mound of earth was always accompanied with a trench or ditch, out of which was dug the earth necessary for raising the rampart. Some expositors have clearly shown that this is a common meaning of the word in Greek authors. Its perfect conformity to the account of that transaction given by the Jewish historian, is an additional argument in its favour.” And keep thee in on every side — So that, with all thy numerous inhabitants, thou neither shalt be able to resist nor to escape them. To the prophecy here uttered by Jesus, foretelling the principal circumstances of the siege of Jerusalem, the event corresponded most exactly. “For, when Titus attacked the city, the Jews defended themselves so obstinately, that he found there was no way to gain his purpose but to compass the city round with a trench and mound. By this means, he kept the besieged in on every side, cut off from them all hope of safety by flight, and consumed them by famine. The work which he undertook was indeed a matter of extreme difficulty, for the wall measured thirty-nine furlongs, or almost five miles, and the towers were thirteen in number, every one of them ten furlongs in compass. Nevertheless, the whole was finished in three days; for, to use the expression of Josephus, the soldiers in performing this work were animated by a divine impetus. Bell., 6:13.” And shall lay thee even with the ground — Of this circumstance, see the notes on Matthew 24:1, 2; Mark 13:1, 2. The description which Josephus has given of the taking of Jerusalem by Titus, may be considered as a comment upon these prophecies. Bell., 7:18. “Thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of Vespasian’s reign, on the 8th day of September; and having been already five times surprised, it was again finally destroyed. Such was the end of the besieging of Jerusalem, when there was none left to kill, nor any thing remaining for the soldiers to get. Cesar commanded them to destroy the city and temple, only leaving certain towers standing, that were more beautiful than the rest, namely, Phaselus, Hippicos, and Mariamne, and the wall that was on the west side, meaning there to keep a garrison, and that they should be a monument of the prowess of the Romans, who had taken a city so well fortified, as by them it appeared to have been. All the rest of the city they so levelled,” answering to our Lord’s phrase, lay thee even with the ground, “that they who had not seen it before, would not believe that ever it had been inhabited.” And in the preceding chapter he says, “They destroyed the wall, and burned the outward part of the city.” Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation — “Our Lord here assigns the cause of the destruction of Jerusalem and her children. It was because that, when God visited them by his Son, the seed of Abraham and David, the Messiah, they did not know it, but rejected and crucified him. The destruction of the city and of her inhabitants, clearly foreseen by our Lord in all the circumstances thereof, was a scene so affecting, that it moved his tender soul, and made him weep. It seems the miseries of bitterest enemies had more influence to afflict and melt his soul, than the admiration, the acclamations, and hosannas of his friends to elate him with joy. His weeping was a wonderful instance of his humanity, and is so far from lessening the dignity of his character, that it exalts it infinitely. Were it worthwhile, the reader might be put in mind that the historians of Greece and Rome, to aggrandize their heroes, have been at pains to relate occurrences at which they shed tears; but this would be to fall egregiously below the greatness of the subject. Is it possible to have the least relish for goodness, and not be ravished with the man who has such a quick feeling of the miseries of others, as to weep for their misfortunes in the height of his own prosperity, especially if the objects moving his compassion are enemies, and his courage is such as to enable him to look without perturbation on the greatest disasters ready to fall on himself? See Matthew 20:18, 19. Let wondering mortals, then, behold in this an example of compassion and generosity, infinitely superior to any thing that the heathen world can furnish! an example highly worthy of their admiration and imitation.” — Macknight.

44. Lay thee… and thy children within thee—Thy children and thyself laid in one common ruin. By children is meant, not minors, but native born inhabitants of any age. One stone upon another—The Greek reads literally, they shall not leave in thee stone upon stone. That is, the stone courses or tiers shall be wholly overthrown. It need not be interpreted that not a single stone shall be left lying upon another. See notes on Matthew 24:2.

V. 45. Matthew 21:12; Mark 11:11.

Verse 45. Went into the temple] See all this transaction explained, Matthew 21:12-16.

Verses 45-48. And he went into the temple — See notes on Matthew 21:12-14; Mark 11:11, 18. And he taught daily in the temple — Jesus, being now to remain but a short time upon earth, employed himself without intermission in teaching as many people as possible, and in the most public places.

§ 112.—CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, 45-48.

See our notes on Matthew 21:12, 13. That there were a first and second cleansing, see notes on the parallel in Matthew and on John 2:13-17.

48. All the people were very attentive to hear him—The Passover brought numbers of his friends from Galilee; his preaching had won many followers in the region beyond Jordan; the raising of Lazarus in Bethany had made his name wonderful among the people of Jerusalem and its precincts. The influence of the ruling orders was for the time overborne, and the cause of Jesus seemed for the time triumphant.

V. 46. Isaiah 56:7.

Verses 45-48. And he went into the temple — See notes on Matthew 21:12-14; Mark 11:11, 18. And he taught daily in the temple — Jesus, being now to remain but a short time upon earth, employed himself without intermission in teaching as many people as possible, and in the most public places.

§ 112.—CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, 45-48.

See our notes on Matthew 21:12, 13. That there were a first and second cleansing, see notes on the parallel in Matthew and on John 2:13-17.

48. All the people were very attentive to hear him—The Passover brought numbers of his friends from Galilee; his preaching had won many followers in the region beyond Jordan; the raising of Lazarus in Bethany had made his name wonderful among the people of Jerusalem and its precincts. The influence of the ruling orders was for the time overborne, and the cause of Jesus seemed for the time triumphant.

Verse 47. And he taught daily in the temple.] This he did for five or six days before his crucifixion. Some suppose that it was on Monday in the passion week that he thus entered into Jerusalem, and purified the temple; and on Thursday he was seized late at night: during these four days he taught in the temple, and lodged each night at Bethany. See Clarke’s note on “Matthew 21:17”.

Verses 45-48. And he went into the temple — See notes on Matthew 21:12-14; Mark 11:11, 18. And he taught daily in the temple — Jesus, being now to remain but a short time upon earth, employed himself without intermission in teaching as many people as possible, and in the most public places.

Ver. 47, 48. The chief priests — could not find what they might do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him. The soul of the people hung upon his lips, as queen Dido hung on the lips of Æneas, while he again related the Trojan disasters.

Pendetque iterum narrantis ab ore.

ÆNEID. 4:79.

§ 112.—CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, 45-48.

See our notes on Matthew 21:12, 13. That there were a first and second cleansing, see notes on the parallel in Matthew and on John 2:13-17.

48. All the people were very attentive to hear him—The Passover brought numbers of his friends from Galilee; his preaching had won many followers in the region beyond Jordan; the raising of Lazarus in Bethany had made his name wonderful among the people of Jerusalem and its precincts. The influence of the ruling orders was for the time overborne, and the cause of Jesus seemed for the time triumphant.

Verse 48. Were very attentive to hear him.] Or, They heard him with the utmost attention, exekremato autou akouwn, literally, They hung upon him, hearing. The same form of speech is used often by both Greek and Latin writers of the best repute.

Exodus vultu dicentis, pendet omnium vultus.

The face of every man hung on the face of the speaker. --------Pendetque iterum narrantis ab ore.

Virg. Æn. iv. 79.

And she hung again on the lips of the narrator.

The words of the evangelist mark, not only the deepest attention because of the importance of the subject, but also the very high gratification which the hearers had from the discourse. Those who read or hear the words of Christ, in this way, must inevitably become wise to salvation. THE reader is requested to refer to Matthew 24, and to Matthew 25:14, for more extensive information on the different subjects in this chapter, and to the other parallel places marked in the margin. The prophecy relative to the destruction of Jerusalem is one of the most circumstantial, and the most literally fulfilled, of any prediction ever delivered. See this particularly remarked at the conclusion of Matthew 24, where the whole subject is amply reviewed.

ST. LUKE

Verses 45-48. And he went into the temple — See notes on Matthew 21:12-14; Mark 11:11, 18. And he taught daily in the temple — Jesus, being now to remain but a short time upon earth, employed himself without intermission in teaching as many people as possible, and in the most public places.

Ver. 47, 48. The chief priests — could not find what they might do, for all the people were very attentive to hear him. The soul of the people hung upon his lips, as queen Dido hung on the lips of Æneas, while he again related the Trojan disasters.

Pendetque iterum narrantis ab ore.

ÆNEID. 4:79.

§ 112.—CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, 45-48.

See our notes on Matthew 21:12, 13. That there were a first and second cleansing, see notes on the parallel in Matthew and on John 2:13-17.

48. All the people were very attentive to hear him—The Passover brought numbers of his friends from Galilee; his preaching had won many followers in the region beyond Jordan; the raising of Lazarus in Bethany had made his name wonderful among the people of Jerusalem and its precincts. The influence of the ruling orders was for the time overborne, and the cause of Jesus seemed for the time triumphant.