* APR 7 1904 *
Division fiS \R b) Section -^-W 54
THE MODERN SPEECH NEW TESTAMENT
The Modern Speech New Testament
AN IDIOMATIC TRANSLATION INTO EVERY- DAY ENGLISH FROM THE TEXT OF "THE RESULTANT GREEK TESTAMENT "
BY THE LATE
RICHARD FRANCIS WEYMOUTH
M.A., D.LIT.
FELLOW OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON, AND FORMERLY HEADMASTEI
OF MILL HILL SCHOOL, EDITOR OF " THE RESULTANT
GREEK testament"
EDITED AND PARTLY REVISED BY
ERNEST HAMPDEN-COOK, MA.
FORMERLY EXHIBITIONER AND PRIZEMAN OF
ST. John's college, Cambridge
NEW YORK THE BAKER AND TAYLOR CO.
33-37 EAST SEVENTEENTH STREET
Butler & Tanner,
The selwood Printing Works,
Frome, and London.
CRITICISMS OF THIS TRANSLATION, AND SUGGESTIONS WITH REGARD TO FUTURE EDITIONS, WILL BE WELCOMED IF ADDRESSED TO THE EDITOR, MR. E. HAMPDEX- COOK, SANDBACH, CHESHIRE, ENGLAND.
ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE NOTES
Aorist. Dr. Weymouth's Pamphlet on the Rendering of the Greek Aorist and Perfect Tenses into English.
A.v. Authorised Enj^lish Version, l6ii.
Cp. Compare.
I.E. That is.
Lit. Literally.
LXX. The Septuagint (Greek) Version of the Old Testament.
n. Note.
nn. Notes.
N.T. New Testament.
O.T. Old Testament.
K.v. Revised English Version, 1881-85.
S. H. Sanday and Headlam's Commentary on ' Romans.^
v.L. Varia Lectio. An alternative reading found in some Manu- scripts of the New Testament.
In accordance with modern English custom, ITALICS are used to
indicate emphasis. Old Testament quotations are printed in small capitals.
vU
PREFACE
nPHE Translation of the New Testament l.ere offered to -*■ English-speaking Christians is a bona fide translation made directly from the Greek, and is in no sense a revision. The plan adopted has been the following.
1. An earnest endeavour has been made (based upon more than sixty years' study of both the Greek and English lan- guages, besides much further familiarity gained by continual teaching) to ascertain the exact meaning of every passage not only by the light that classical Greek throws on the language used, but also by that which the Septuagint and the Hebrew Scriptures afford ; aid being sought too from Versions and Commentators ancient and modern, and from the ample et cetera of apparatus graininaticus and theological and classical reviews and magazines — or rather, by means of occasional ex- cursions into this vast prairie.
2. The sense thus seeming to have been ascertained, the next step has been to consider how it could be most accurately and naturally exhibited in the English of the present day ; in \ other words, how we can with some approach to probability 'i suppose that the inspired writer himself would have expressed | his thoughts, had he been writing in our age and country.^ ;
3. Lastly it has been evidently desirable to compare the re- sults thus attained with the renderings of other scholars, especi- ally of course with the Authorized and Revised Versions. But alas, the great majority of even " new translations," so called, are, in reality, only Tyndale's immortal work a little — often very little — modernized !
4. But in the endeavour to find in Twentieth Century English a precise equivalent for a Gretk word, phrase, or sentence there
' I am aware of what Professor Blackie has written on thi-* subject {Aeschy/us Pref., p. viii.) ; tut the problem endeavoured to be solved in this 'I'rans'ation is as above stated.
X PREFACE
are two dangers to be guarded against. There are a Scylla and a Charybdis. On the one hand there is the Enghsh of Society, on the other hand that of the utterly uneducated, each of these patois having also its own special, though expressive, borderland which we name * slang.' But all these salient angles (as a professor of fortification might say) of our language are forbidden ground to the reverent translator of Holy Scripture.
5. But again, a modem translation — does this imply that no words or phrases in any degree antiquated are to be admitted? Not so, for great numbers of such words and phrases are still in constant use. To be antiquated is not the same thing as to be obsolete or even obsolescent, and without at least a tinge of antiquity it is scarcely possible that there should be that dignity of style that befits the sacred themes with which the Evangelists and Apostles deal.
6. It is i)lain that this attempt to bring out the sense of the Sacred Writings naturally as well as accurately in present-day English does not permit, except to a limited extent, the method of literal rendering — the verbo verbiim reddere at which Horace shrugs his shoulders. Dr. Welldon, recently Bishop of Cal- cutta, in the Preface (p. vii.) to his masterly translation of the Niconiachean Ethics of Aristotle, writes, *' I have deliberately rejected the principle of trying to translate the same Greek word by the same word in English, and where circumstances seemed to call for it I have sometimes used two English words to represent one word of the Greek ; " — and he is perfectly right. With a slavish literality delicate shades of meaning cannot be reproduced, nor allowance be made for the influence of interwoven thought, or of the writer's ever shifting — not to say changing — point of view. An utterly ignorant or utterly lazy man, if possessed of a little ingenuit}', can with the help of a dictionary and grammar give a word-for-word rendering, whether intelligible or not, and print ' Translation ' on his title- page. On the other hand it is a melancholy spectacle to see men of higii ability and undoubted scholarship toil and struggle at translation under a needless restriction to literality, as in intellectual handcuffs and fetters, when they might with advan- tage snap the bonds and fling them away, as Dr. Welldon has done : more melancholy still, if they are at the same time racking their brains to exhibit the result of their labours — a splendid but idle philological tour de force— \n what was English nearly 300 years before.
PREFACE xi
7. Obviously any literal translation cannot but carry /dioms of the earlier language into tlie later, where they will very prob- ably not be understood ; * and more serious still is the evil when, as in the Jewish Greek of the N.T., the earlier language of the two is itself composite and abounds in forms of speech that belong to one earlier still. For the N.T. Greek, even in the writings of Luke, contains a large number of Hebrew idioms ; and a literal rendering into English cannot but parti- ally veil, and in some degree distort, the true sense, even if it does not totally obscure it (and that too where perfect clearness should be attained, if possible), by this admixture of Hebrew as well as Greek forms of expression.
8. It follows that the reader who is bent upon getting a literal rendering, such as he can commonly find in the R.V. or (often a better one) in Darby's New Testament^ should always be on his guard against its strong tendency to mislead.
9. One point however can hardly be too emphatically stated. It is not the present Translaior's ambition to supplant the Ver- sions already in general use, to which their intrinsic merit or long familiarity or both have caused all Christian minds so lovingly to cling. His desire has rather been to furnish a succinct and compressed running commentary (not doctrinal) to be used side by side with its elder compeers. And yet there has been something of a remoter hope. It can scarcely be doubted that some day the attempt will be renewed to produce a satisfactory English Bible— one in some respects perhaps (but assuredly with great and important deviations) on the lines of the Revision of 1S81, or even altogether to supersede both the A.V. and the R.V. ; and it may be that the Translation here offered will contribute some materials that may be built into that far grander edifice.
10. The Greek Text here followed is that given in the Translator's Resultant Greek Testajnent, concerning which the reader will find information in a somewhat full notice at the end of this volume.
11. Of the Various Readings only those are here given which seem the most important, and which atlect the rendering inio English. They are in the footnotes, with V.L. \varia lectio) prefixed. As to the chief modern critical editions full details
1 A flagrant instance is tlie " having ill a readiness " of 2 Cor. x. 6, A.V.. although in Tyndale we find "and are redy to take vengeaunce," and even Wiclif writes "and we lian redi to veiige."
xii PREFACE
will be found in the Resultant Greek Testament^ while for the original ■A.\x\\iOx\\\Q.s> — MSS., Versions, Patristic quotations — the reader must of necessity consult the great works of Lachmann, Tregelles, Tischendorf, and others, or the numerous mono- graphs on separate Books. ^ In the margin of the R.V. a distinction is made between readings supported by "a few ancient authorities," "some ancient authorities," "many ancient authorities," and so on. Such valuation is not attempted in this work.
12. Considerable pains have been bestowed on the exact ren- dering of the tenses of the Greek verb ; for by inexactness in this detail the true sense cannot but be missed. That the Greek tenses do not coincide, and cannot be expected to coincide with those of the English verb ; that — except in narrative — the aorist as a rule is more exactly represented in English by our perfect with " have " than by our simple past tense ; and that in this particular the A.V. is in scores of instances more correct than the R.V. ; the present Translator has contended (with arguments which some of the best scholars in Britain and in America hold to be "unanswerable" and '• indisputable") in a pamphlet''* On the Rendering into English of the Greek Aorist and Perfect^ as to which once more the reader is referred to the end of the volume. Even an outline of the argument cannot be given in a Preface such as this.
13, But he who would make a truly English translation of a foreign book must not only select the right nouns, adjectives, and verbs, insert the suitable prepositions and auxiliaries, and triumph (if he can) over the seductions and blandishments of idioms with which he has been familiar from his infancy, but which, though forcible or b.^autiful with other surroundings, are for all that part and parcel of that other language rather than of English : he has also to beware of connecting his sentences in an un-English fashion.
Now a careful examination of a number of authors (including Scoitish, Irish, and American) yields some interesting results. Taking at haphazard a passage from each of fifty-six authors, and counting on after some full stop till fifty finite verbs — i.e.
^ Such as McClellan's Four Gospels ; Westcott on John's Gospel, John's Epistles, and Hebreivs ; Hackett on Acts ; Lightfoot, and also Ellicott, on various Epistles ; Mayor o\\ James ; Edwards on i Corinthians and Hebreivs ; Sanday and Headlam on Romans. Add to these Scrivener's very valuable Introduction to the Criticism oj the N. T.
2 Published by Messrs. Houlston & Sons, London. Price u. nett.
PREFACE xiii
verbs in the indicative, imperative, or subjunctive mood — have been reached (each finite verb, as every schoolboy knows, being the nucleus of one sentence or clause), it has been found that the connecting links of the fifty-six times fifty sentences are about one third conjunctions, about one-third adverbs or relative and interrogative pronouns, while in the case of the remaining third there is what the grammarians call an asyndeton — no formal grammatical connexion at all. But in the writers of the N.T. nearly /w^-thirds of the con- necting links are conjunctions. It follows that in order to make the style of a translation true idiomatic English many of these conjunctions must be omitted, and for others. adverbs, etc., must be substituted.
The two conjunctions /<?r and therefore are discussed at some length in two Appendices to the above-mentioned pamphlet on the Aorist, to which the reader is referred.
14. The Notes, with but few exceptions, are not of the nature of a general commentary. Some, as already intimated, refer to the readings here followed, but the great majority are in vindication or explanation of the renderings given.
Since the completion of this new version nearly two years ago, ill-health has incapacitated the Translator from undertaking even the lightest work. He has therefore been obliged to entrust to other hands the labour of critically examining and revising the manuscript and of seeing it through the press. This arduous task has been undertaken by Rev. Ernest Hamp- den-Cook, M.A., St. John's College, Cambridge, of Sandbach, Cheshire, with some co-operation from one of the Translator's sons ; and the Translator is under deep obligations to these two gentlemen for their kindness in the matter. He has also most cordially to thank Mr. Hampden-Cook for making the existence of the work known to various members of the Old MILLHILLIANS' Club and other former pupils of the Translato*-, who in a truly substantial manner have manifested a generous determination to enable the volume to see the light. Very grateful does the Translator feel to them for this signal mark of their friendship.
Mr. Hampden-Cook is responsible for the headings of the paragraphs, and at my express desire has inserted some addi- tional notes.
I have further to express my gratitude to Rev. Frank Ballard, M.A., B.Sc, Lond., at present of Sharrow, Sheffield, for some
xiv PREFACE
very valuable assistance which he has most kindly given in connexion v/ith the Introductions ro the several books.
I "have also the pleasure of acknowledging the numerous valuable and suggestive criticisms with which I have been favoured on some parts of the work, by an old friend, Rev. Sydney Thelwall, B.A., of Leamington, a clergyman of the Church of England, whom I have known for many years as a painstaking and accurate scholar, a well-read theologian, and a thoughtful and devout student of Scripture.
I am very thankful to Mr. H. L. Gethin, Mr. S. Hales, Mr. J. A. Latham, and Rev. T. A. Seed, for the care with which they have read the proof sheets.
And now this translation is humbly and prayerfully com- mended to God's gracious blessing.
R. F. W.
Brentwood, Essex, England.
July 1902.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The probable order of time in vvhicli they were written.
Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians (53 a.d.) . 495 Paul's Second Letter to the Thessalonians (54 a.d.) 505
Pall's Letter to the Galatians (53 a.d.) . , . 447
Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians (56 a.d.) . 3S7
Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians (56 a.d.) . 423 Paul's Letter to the Romans (between 53 and 5S,
A-D.) 349
Paul's Letter to the Philippians (61 or 62, a.d.), . 475
Paul's Letter to the Ephesians (62 or 63, a.d.) . . 461
Paul's Letter to the Colossians (63 a.d.) . . . 4S5
Paul's Letter to Philemon (63 a.d.) . . . . 537
The Good News as recorded by ^LA.RK (between 6^
and 70, a.d. j S3
The Good News as recorded by Luke (63, 80 or 100,
A.D.) 129
The Acts of the Apostles (between 66 and 70, a.d.,
or between 80 AND 90, A.D.) 269
Paul's First Letter to Timothy {66 a.d.) . , .511 Paul's Second Letter to Timothy' (67 a.d.) . , . 523 Paul's Leiter to Titus (67 a.d.) 531
xvi THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
PAGE
The Letter to the Hebrews (67 or 68, a.d.) . . 541
James's Letter (67 a.d., or betweex 44 and 50, a.d.) . 571
Peter's First Letter • . . . 583
John's First Letter : . 605
The Revelation of John (67 a.d., or 96 a.d.) . . 631
The Good News as REcoRi)ED by Matthew (between
70 a.d. and 90 A.D.) . . . . . . . I
The Good News as recorded by John (between 80 a.d.
AND no A.D.) ........ 237
Jude's Leiter 625
Peter's Second Letter • 595
John's Second Leiter 617
John's Third Letter .621
THE GOOD NEWS AS RECORDED BY MATTHEW
There are ample reasons for accepting the uniform tradition which from the earliest times has ascribed this Gospel to Levi the son of Alphaeus, who seems to have changed his name to ' Matthew ' on becoming a disciple of Jesus. Our infoimation as to his subsequent life is very scanty. After the feast which he made for his old friends (Luke v. 29) his name only appears in the New Testament in the list of the twelve apostles. Early Christian writers add httle to our knowledge of him, but his life seems to have been quiet and somewhat ascetic. He is also generally represented as having died a natural death. Wbere his Gospel was written, or where he himself laboured, we cannot say. Not a little controversy has arisen as to the form in which his Gospel first appeared, that is, as to whether we have in the Greek MSS. an original document or a trans- lation from an earlier Aramaic writing. Modern scholarship inclines to the view that the book is not a translation, but was probably written in Greek by Matthew himself, upon the basis of a previously issued collection of "Logia" or discourses, to the existence of which Jerome, Eusebius, Origen, Pantaenus, Irenaeus and Papias all testify. The date of the Gospel, as we know it, is somewhat uncertain, but the best critical estimates are included between 70 and 90, A.D. Perhaps, with Harnack, we may best adopt 75, A.D. The book was evidently intended for Jewish converts, and exhibits Jesus as the God-appointed Messiah and King, the fulfiller of the Law and of the highest expectations of the Jewish nation. This speciality of aim rather enhances than diminishes its general value. Renan found reason for pronouncing it "the most important book of Christendom — the most important book which has ever been written." Its aim is manifestly didactic rather than chrono- logical.
THE GOOD NEWS AS RECORDED BY MATTHEW
The Names ^^^ Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, i
of Christ's the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac ; Isaac of Jacob ; 2 Jacob of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father (by 3 Tamar) of Perez and Zerah ; Perez of Hezron ; Hezron of Ram ; Ram of Amminadab ; Amminadab of Nahshon ; Nahshon of 4 Salmon ; Salmon (by Rahab) of Boaz ; Boaz (by Ruth) of Obed ; 5 Obed of Jesse ; Jesse of David — the King. 6
David (by Uriah's widow) was the father of Solomon ; Solomon of Rehoboam ; Rehoboam of Abijah ; Abijah of Asa ; 7 Asa of Jehoshaphat ; Jehoshaphat of Jehoram ; Jehoram of 8 Uzziah ; Uzziah of Jotham ; Jotham of Ahaz ; Ahaz of Heze- 9 kiah ; Hezekiah of Manasseh ; Manasseh of Amon ; Amon of 10 Josiah ; Josiah of Jeconiah and his brothers at the period of the 1 1 Removal to Babylon.
After the Removal to Babylon Jeconiah had a son Shealtiel ; 12 Shealtiel was the father of Zerubbabel ; Zerubbabel of Abiud ; 13 AbiuJ of Eliakim ; Eliakim of Azor ; Azor of Zadok ; Zadok of 14 Achim ; Achim of Eliud ; Eliud of Eleazar ; Eleazar of 15 Alatthan ; Matthan of Jacob ; and Jacob of Joseph the 16 husband of Mary, who was the mother of JESUS who is called CHRIST.
There are therefore, in all, fourteen generations from Abra- 17 ham to David ; fourteen from David to the Removal to Babylon ; and fourteen from the Removal to Babylon to the Christ.
Both the A.V. and the R.V. head this first chapter, The Gospel according to St. Matthew, a mistranslation of the heading found in the mass of later MSS., which should be rendered The Holy Goscel according to Matthew. And so in the other three Gospels.
1-17. Cp. Luke iii. 23-38.
I Genealogy\ Lit. ' Book of Generation.' Grit may be rendered ' history '(and so B.ixter), as also may the corresponding expression in the Hebrew of Gen. ii. 4 ; xxxvii. 2.
3. Perez\ Of this and other Old Testament proper names the forms here given are those which were adopted by the O.T. Revisers,
3
4 MATTHEW I.-II.
The circumstances of the birth of Jesus Christ i8
of jSu? ^^^^® these. After his mother Mary was betrothed
to Joseph, before they were united in marriage, she
was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. But Joseph 19
her husband, being a kind-hearted man and unwilling publicly
to disgrace her, had determined to release her privately from
the betrothal. But while he was contemplating this step, an 20
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to bring home your
wife Mary, for she is with child by the Holy Spirit. She will 21
give birth to a Son, and you are to call His name JESUS, for
He it is who will save His People from their sins." All this 22
took place in fulfilment of what the Lord had spoken by the
Prophet,
"Mark! the maiden will be with child and will 23
give birth to a son,
And they will call His name Immanu-el" (Isa. vii.
14)— a word which signifies ' GOD WITH US' (Isa. viii. 8, 10).
When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had 24
commanded, and brought home his wife, but did not live with 25
her until she had given birth to a son. The child's name he
called JESUS.
-r.- „• -x Now after the birth of Jesus, which took place at i t The Visit , . •', '. , -.^. ^-. , 4
of the Bethlehem m Judaea m the reign of King Herod,
Magians. excitement was produced in Jerusalem by the arrival
18. Of Jesus Chrisi\ v.L. 'of the Christ.' Cp. verse i6.
19. Kind-hearied] See Hatch's Essays in Biblical Greek, y. 51. Or the clause may be rendered ' being an upright man, and yet not wishing ; ' for ' and ' in Hebrew (and the Greek of the New Testament abounds in Hebraisms) often connects adversative clauses where we use ' but,' as in Gen. ii. 17 ; xvii. 21. See also Aorisf, pp. 54, 55.
20. IVas contetnplating\ Lit. ' had conceived in his mind.'
21. Jesus\ The Greek form of ' Joshua,' which latter (like ' Joram' 2 Kings ix. 14 for ' Jehoram ' 2 Kings ix. i.s ; ' Joash ' 2 Kings xii. 20, for ' Jehoash ' 2 Kings xii. i ; and 'Jonathan ' most commonly for the ' Jehonathan' which we find in the Hebrew in I Sam.) is contracted from ' Jehoshua,' or rather ' Yehoshua.' In the Hebrew of the O.T. only the uncontracted form occurs, and (in i and 2 Chron., Ezra, and Neh.) the contracted but altered ' Jeshua,' which already approaches the later 'Jesus.' "The full significance of the name 'Jesus ' is seen in the original ' Yeho shua,' which means ' Jehovah the Saviour,' and not merely ' Saviour,' as the word is commonly explained. See also ix. 21, n. ; xxi. 9, n.
22. Took placed The tense of this verb in the Greek implies—' and remams, as it is, an accomplished fact.' Or it may be taken (Lightfoot) as 'is come to pass ' or 'has taken place,' the perfect tense being accounted for by the Evangelist's proximity in time to the events themselves. Fulfilment^ Or 'illustration.' Cp. ii. 15. By\ Or 'through.'
25. A son^ v.L. 'her firstborn son,' an expression apparently transferred by the carelessness of copyists, trusting too much to memory, from Luke ii. 7, where the words undoubtedly occur.
I. In the rei^ti\ Lit. 'in the days.' A Hebraism. Excitetnent dr'c] Lit. ' lo ! there came.' See viii. 24, n. ; xii. 18, n. Magians\ A priestly caste among the Persians, not idolaters.
MATTHEW II. 5
of certain Magians from the east, inquiring, " Where is the newly 2 born king of the Jews ? For we have seen his Star in the east, and have come here to do him homage." Reports of this soon 3 reached the king, and greatly agitated not only him but all the people of Jerusalem. So he assembled all the High Priests and 4 Scribes of the people, and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born. They replied, '' At Bethlehem in 5 Judaea, for so it stands written in the words of the Prophet, 'And thou, Bethlehem in the land of Judah ! 6
By no means the least honourable art thou among
the princes of Judah ; For from thee shall come a Prince — One who shall be the Shepherd of My People Israel'" (Mic v. 2). Thereupon Herod sent privately for the Magians and ascer- 7 tained from them the exact time of the star's appearing. He then 8 directed them to go to Bethlehem, adding, " Go and make care- ful inquiry about the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and do him homage." After 9 this interview they went to Bethlehem, while, strange to say, the star they had seen in the east led them on until it came and stood over the place where the babe was. When they saw the 10 star, the sight filled them with intense joy. So they entered 11 the house ; and when they saw the babe with His mother Mary, they prostrated themselves and did Him homage, and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to Him — gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But being forbidden by God in a dream to return 12 to Herod, they went back to their own country by a different route.
When they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to 13
4. High Priests] See the Commentators. It is the same Greek word which both in the A.V. and the R.V. is sometimes rendered ' High Priest,' sometimes ' Chief Priest.' Anxiously asked] The tense (imperfect) in the original implies that he asked repeatedly, pressed the inquiry.
6. Bethlehem in the laml of Judah] Lit. ' Bethlehem-land-Judah,' a Hebraism analogous _ to ' Jabesh-Gilead,' i.e. ' Jabesh of (or 'in') 'Gilead,' ' Kedesh- Naphtali,' i.e. ' Kedesh of Ndphtali.' In Hebrew the relation implied by our 'of is not expressed with the latter of the two related words, but with the former, or is often not expressed at all. Princes . . Prince] Or 'governors . . governor.'
7. 0/ the star's appear in£] Lit. ' of the appearing. star.' See Goodwin's Moods and 'J'enses, 829 (b).
8. II. Do him homage] Or perhaps ' worship ' See John ix. 38, n.
9. Strange to say] Lit. ' io ! ' See viii. 24, n. ; xii. 18, n. They had seen] See Aorist, p. 19.
11. Saw] v.L. 'found.' pyith] Probably ' in the arms of."
12. F'oH'idden by God] Lit. 'taught as by an oiacle, not.'
13. Gone] Or 'returned.'
6 MATTHEW II.-III.
Joseph in a dream and said, " Rise : take the babe toEivpt.^ and His mother and escape to Egypt, and remain
there till I bring you word. For Herod is about to make search for the child in order to destroy Him." So Joseph 14 roused himself and took the babe and His mother by night and departed into Egypt. There he remained till Herod's death, 15 that what the Lord spoke by the Prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called My Son"(Hos. xi. i). Th Chiidr n Then Herod, finding that the Magians had 16 at Bethlehem trifled with him, was furious, and sent and mas- crue y I e . g^^^^j.^^ ^|j ^Y\e boys under two years of age, in Bethlehem and all its neighbourhood, according to the date he had so carefully ascertained from the Magians. Then were 17 the words spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah fulfilled,
" A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, i8
Wailing and bitter lamentation : It was Rachel bewailing her children. And she refused to be comforted because they were no more" (Jer. xxxi. 15).
But after Herod's death an angel of the Lord ap- 19 from^Egypt. P^ared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20 " Rise from sleep, and lake the child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who were seek- ing the child's life are dead." So he roused himself and took 21 the child and His mother and came into the land of Israel. But hearing that Archelaiis had succeeded his father Herod on 22 the throne of Judaea, he was afraid to go there; and being in- structed by God in a dream he withdrew into Galilee, and went 23 and settled in a town called Nazareth, in order that the words spoken by the Prophets might be fulfilled, " He shall be
John the CALLED A NAZARENE."
Reaches About this time John the Baptist made his ap- i * Judgement pearance, proclaiming in the desert of Judaea, Repentance. " Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now close 2
15. 17. 23. FulJiUed\ Or 'illustrated.' See E.B. Nicholson on Matt. ii. 15. 18. BcwaiH7ig\ Or 'weeping aloud for.' See xxvi. 75, n.
22. By God] Cp. verse 12, where the same verb is used.
23. Nazarene] A form closer to the Greek would be ' Nazoraean.' And so every- where except in Mark, and in Luke iv. 34. But the recognized English form is ' Nazarene.'
i-io. Cp. Mark i. 1-6 ; Luke iii. 1-14.
2. Repent] Or ' change your minds.' Kingdom of Heaven] Lit. ' Kingdom of the Heavens,' and so wherever the phrase occurs in 1 his Gospel. Matthew most com- monly employs the plural ' Heavens,' following the Hebrew usage ; but he also uses the singular in many places, and that not merely of the atmosphere (vi. 26) or
MATTHEW III.
7
at hand." He it is who was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah 3 when he said,
"The voice of onk crying aloud, * In the desert prepare ye a road for the Lord : Make His highway straight'" (Isa. xl. 3). 4
This man John wore clotlies of camel's hair, and a leather belt round his waist ; and he lived upon locusts and wild honey.
Then large numbers of people went out to him — people from 5 Jerusalem and from all Judaea, and from the whole of the Jordan valley— and were baptized by him in the Jordan, making 6 full confession of their sins. But when he saw many of the 7 Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he exclaimed, " O vipers' brood, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath ? Therefore let your lives prove your change of heart ; 8 and do not imagine that you can say to yourselves, ' We have 9 Abraham as our forefather,' for I tell you that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. And already lo the axe is lying at the root of the trees, so that every tree which does not produce good fruit will quickly be hewn down
^. ^ and thrown into the fire. I indeed am baptizing 1 1
He predicts . ... r a
the Appearing you m water on a profession of repentance ; but of'desus'! He who is coming after me is mightier than I : His sandals I am not worthy to carry for a moment ; He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire. His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a 12 thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the garner, but burning up the chaff with unquench- able fire."
the visible sky (xvi. 2), and also of Heaven as the abode of God (v. 34) and of His angels (xxii. 30).
3. In the desert />re/>arc] This is the punctuation preferred by Tregelles (see his note on Mark i. 3), and given in Isa. xi. 3 in the R.V., being required there both by the accents of the Hebrew and by the parallelism of the two clauses.
4. This ffian] Or ' the same.' Lit. 'and John himself.' Cp. Luke xxiii. 40, n.
7 B7-ood] Lit. 'offsprings.' IVarned you to Jiee from] Or pof,s\h\y ^ t3i\ig\xt yoxi how to escape.'
8. Change of heart] Or ' change of mind.' Such is the exact meaning of the word commonly, and not wrongly, rendered ' repentance.' This 15 the only Scripture name for ' conversion."
9. Do not iMritrine] Or 'do not flatter yourselves with the notion.' To yourselves] Lit. ' within youi selves' or ' among yourselves.' 'J'o raise up] Lit. ' to wake up."
11-12. Cp. Mark i. 7-8 ; Luke iii. 15-18.
11. In water] Or possibly, 'with water' (Cp Acts i. 5; xi. 16), a Hebraism (compare 'with the sword,' lit. 'in the sword,' xxvi. 52 ; Rev. xiii. 10). And so at the end of the verse. On a profession q^\ Lit. 'into' (that changed condition), or ' unto (to teach the absolute necessity of).
12. Btirfiingup] Lit. ' burning down,' to ashes. Chaff] Or ' broken straw,'
8 MATTHEW III.-IV.
Ch • f J*^^* ^^ ^^^^ ^'"^^ Jesus, coming from Galilee to 13
double the Jordan, presents Himself to John to be baptized Baptism, ^y ^^^^ j^^^ protested. " It is I," he said, " who 14 have need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so on this occasion ; for so we ought 15 to fulfil every religious duty." Theu he consented ' Jesus was 16 baptized, and immediately went up from the water. At that moment the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him, while a voice 17 came from heaven, sayiag, "This is My Son, the dearly loved, in whom is My delight." His terrible ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Jesus was led up by the Spirit into i i Experiences the desert in order to be tempted by the devil, in the Desert. ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ . ^^^^^ ^
which He suffered from hunger. So the Tempter came and 3 said, " If you are the Son of God, command these stones to turn into loaves." Jesus answered, " It is written ' It is NOT ON 4
BREAD ALONE THAT A MAN SHALL LIVE, BUT ON WHATSO- EVER God SHALL APPOINT'" (Deut. viii. 3). Then the devil 5 took Him to the Holy City and caused Him to stand on the parapet of the Temple, and said, " If you are God's Son, throw 6 yourself down ; for it is written,
* To His ANGELS He will GIVE ORDERS CONCERNING THEE,
And on their hands they shall bear thee up. Lest at any moment thou shouldst strike thy
foot against a stone'" (Ps. XCi. II, 12). Jesus replied, "Again it is written, 'Thou shalt not put 7 the Lord thy God to the proof'" (Deut. vi. 16). Then 8 the devil took Him to the top of an exceedingly lofty mountain, from which he caused Him to see all the Kingdoms of the world and their splendour, and said, "All this I will give you, if 9 you will kneel down and do me homage." Jesus replied, 10
13-17. Cp Mark i. 9-1 1 ; Luke iii. 21, 22.
14. Profestea] Strenuously for a time : so the Greek implies.
16. At that moment\ Lit. ' and lo ! ' See xii. 18, n. Opened] V.L. has 'opened to Him.' Dove] Lit. 'pigeon.' Cp- Luke ii. 24.
i-ii. Cp. Mark i. 12, 13 ; Luke iv. 1-13.
1. Led up] From the valley of the Jordan.
5. Parapet] Or 'gable.' Temple] Not the Sanctuary. See xxiii. 16, n., and the Commentators.
7. Thou shalt not . . . proof] Not signifying, as some strangely misappre- hend our Lord's meaning, that asserting His divinity He forbad Satan to tempt Him any further, but that He Himself would have been temptmg — that is trying an ex- periment upon— God, if He had flung Himself down to see whether God would pro- tect Him or not. See Deut. vi. i6 ; Exod. xvii. 1-7.
9. 1/ you ^'c] The tenses imply ' if you will but do me one single act of homage.'
MATTHEW IV. 9
"Begone, Satan ! for it is written, * To the Lord thy God
THOU SHALT DO HOMAGE, AND TO HiM ALONE SHALT THOU
RENDER WORSHIP'" (Deiit. vi. 13). Thereupon the devil left 11 Him, and angels at once came and ministered to Him
Now when Jesus heard that John was thrown 12 Into QaMiee* *"to prison, He withdrew into Galilee, and leaving 13 Nazareth He went and settled in Capharnahum, a town by the Lake on the frontiers of Zebulun and Naphtali, in 14 order to make good the words of the Prophet Isaiah,
"ZeBULUN'S LAND AND NaPHTALI'S LAND; 15
The road by the lake; the country beyond the
Jordan ; Galilee of the Nations ! The people who were dwelling in darkness have i6
SEEN a brilliant LIGHT ;
And on those who were dwelling in the region
OF the shadow of death, On them light has dawned" (Isa. ix. i, 2).
From that time Jesus began proclaiming : " Re- 17 pre^ach^'poJI- P^"^ ^^^ the Kingdom of Heaven is now close at D'^cipjes hand." And walking along the shore of the Lake 18 of Galilee He saw two brothers — Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew — throwing a drag-net into the Lake ; for they were fishers. Aad He said to them, " Come 19 and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." So they 20 immediately left their nets and followed Him. As He went 21 further on, He saw two other brothers, Jam^s the son of Zabdai and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zabdai mending their nets; and He called them. Whereupon they 22 at once left the boat and their father, and followed Him.
Then Jesus travelled through all Galilee, teach- 23 "Jnd^M^racief ing '" their synagogues and proclaiming the Good **^G°rf^°"* ^^^ws of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of
disease and infirmity among the people. Thus His 24
11. At once] Cp. viii. 24, n.
12-25. Cp. Mark i. 14, 15 ; Luke iv. 14, 15.
12. Thraiun into prison] Lit. ' delivered up ' (to the jailer).
13. Capharnahu'ii] See E. B. Nicholson's note on Matt. iv. 13. 13, 15. Lniie] I.E. '.Sea of Galilee.'
15. Galilre 0/ ihe Nations] Or ' Heathenish Galilee ! '
16. Dwelling] See Luke i. 79, n. Region 0/ the shadow] Lit. ' region and shadow.' a hendiadys.
23. Tra7>elled through] Or ' made circuits in.' The Good Netvs of the Kingiiotn] I.E. the good news that the Kingdom of Heaven was close at hand (verse 17).
24. Suffering froin] Cp. Luke iv. 38 ; viii. 37, n.
lo MATTHEW IV.-V.
fame spread through all Syria ; and they brought all the sick to Him, the people who were suffering from various diseases and pains — demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics ; and He cured them. And great crowds followed Him, coming from Galilee, from 25 the Ten Towns, from Jerusalem, and from beyond the district on the other side of the Jordan.
Seeing the multitude of people, Jesus went up the i ] "^^n^t^fSiii" Hill. There He seated Himself, and when His
disciples came to Him, He proceeded to teach 2 them, and said :
" Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them belongs the King- 3 dom of the Heavens.
" Blessed are the mourners, for they will be comforted. 4
" Blessed are the meek, for they as heirs will obtain posses- 5 sion of the earth.
" Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 6 for they will be completely satisfied.
" Blessed are the compassionate, for they will receive com- 7 passion.
" Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 8
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for it is they who will be 9 recognized as sons of God.
"Blessed are they who have borne persecution in the cause 10 of righteousness, for to them belongs the Kingdom of the Heavens.
'Blessed are you when they have insulted and persecuted 11
1. The Hill] Or ' mountain.' Probably well known to the first readers of the Gospels. Seated Himself] Stapfer contends that tliis means that Jesus remained there for a time. " Y fit sa demeure," he renders it, comparing the sense of the same verb in Luke xxiv. 4^ ; Acts xviii. 11. Cp. Matt. xv. 29.
2. Most of the difficulties arising from a comparison of this discourse with the ' Sermon on the Plain ' recorded in Luke vi. come from ignoring the fact that, like all other teachers and preachers, Jesus often repeated JHimself, and in so doing somewhat varied His language. " Nothing is so ductile as fine gold. So was it with the fine gold of the Saviour's doctrine, which yielded itself easily to be shaped and fashioned into new forms, as need might require " (Trench).
3-6. Cp. Luke vi. 20, 21.
3-11. Blessed] Or 'Happy.' An adjective in the original, not the past participle of the verb ' bless' as in xxi. 9. ' Blessedness' is, of course, an infinitely higher and better thing than mere ' happiness.' People who are blessed may outwardly be much to be pitied, but from the higher and therefore truer standpoint they are to be envied, congratulated and imitated. Poor] Or ' beggars.' ' Mendici,' Tertullian.
4, 5. v.L. transposes these verses.
5. The meek] Men of a retiring, submissive, chastened spirit. The word ' meek ' is seldom used now, but there is no other to substitute for it. Luther renders by die Sanftmuthigen, (the sweet-tempered, the tender hearted), and similarly NVelldon gives 'good-tempered' in his note on Aristotle, Nir. Ethics, Iv. 11, but neither of these words adequately represents the meaning.
9. It is they who]. Some authorities do not so emphasize the 'they.' See also xlii. 38, n.
1 1- 1 2. Cp. Luke vi. 22-26.
MATTHEW V. ii
you, and have said every cruel thing about you falsely for my sake. Be joyful and triumphant, because your reward is great 12 in the Heavens ; for so were the Prophets before you persecuted.
"You are the salt of the earth ; but if salt has 13 ^Light"^ become tasteless, in what way can it regain its salt- ness ? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown away and trodden on by the passers by. You are the 14 light of the world ; a town cannot be hid if built on a hill-top. Nor is a lamp lighted to be put under a bushel, but on the 15 lampstand ; and then it gives light to all in the house. Just so 16 let your light shine before all men, in order that they may see your holy lives and may give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.
" Do not for a moment suppose that I have come 17 ^repeaied.°* ^^ abrogate the Law or the Prophets : I have not come to abrogate them but to give them their com- pletion. Solemnly I tell you that until heaven and earth pass 18 away, not one iota or smallest detail will pass away from the Law until all has taken place. Whoever therefore breaks one 19
13. Cp. Mark ix. 50 ; Luke xiv. 34, 35.
13, 14. Vou are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the ivorld\ It must not be forgotten that these words were originally spoken to a Hebrew, rather than to a distinctively Christian audience. The purpose for which the Jewish nation ex- isted was an unselfish one — that they might be a spiritual salt preserving the rest of mankind from utter corruption, and a spiritual light shedding over the whole earth a beneficent influence resembling that of the sun in the sky. The second sen- tence of verse 13 is our Lord's first recorded prediction of the divine rejection of His fellow countrymen — a rejection then so near — consequent upon their failure to re- spond to their divine election. Spoken originally to Jews the lesson is one which Christians in all ages sorely need to lay to heart. Tasteless\ See E. B. Nicholson's note on Matt. v. 13.
16. Youy holy lives\ "Not yourselves; the shining, not the candle" (Bengel).
17. The Lazv] i.e. the moral and ceremonial Law of Moses, which remained bind- ing upon all Jewish Christians until the Mosaic dispensation passed away at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70, a.d. Even St. Paul who so zealously con- tended for the exemption of Gentile Christians from this Law seems never to have claimed a similar freedom for the Jewish believers of his day. See especially Acts xxi. 21, where the charge brought against him was, of course, a false one.
18. Cp. Luke xvi. 17.
So/ef/irily] Greek ' Amen.' This is a Hebrew word, a verbal adjective, meaning ' firm,' ' solid,' ' immovable,' and so ' faithful,' ' true.' Its ordinary use is elliptical, the verb understood being either in the indicative (' it is immovably settled,* ' certainly true,'), as here, or in the optative (' may it be fixed and certain ') as when it follows a prayer (i Cor. xiv. 16). See also Rev. iii, 14, n. Heaven and earthy To our Lord's contemporaries the religious and social system under which they lived seemed almost as fixed and as eternal as the earth and sky. Indeed 'heaven and earth' appears to have been a name which they gave to the then-existing order of things in recognition of what they deemed its permanence and fixity. So both here and in xxiv. 35 the phrase seems to denote ' the Jewish dispensation,' the transitory and provisional character of which Jesus insisted on. In order to make the tran- sition less abrupt and revolutionary, and for the sake of their own spiritual education, the early Jewish adherents of the new faith were for a limited time to be left subject to an antiquated system of things. Not one, iota o>- smallest defail] Or, as we Eng- lish miuht saj', ' not the dot of an i nor the cross of a t.'
19. Breaks . . teaches . . practises . . teaches] Lit. ' shall have broken &c.' Others to break thevi] Lit. ' men so.'
12 MATTHEW V.
of these least commandments and teaches others to break them, will be called the least in the Kingdom of the Heavens ; but whoever practises them and teaches them, he will be acknow- ledged as great in the Kingdom of the Heavens. For I assure 20 you that unless your righteousness greatly surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you will certainly not find entrance into the Kingdom of the Heavens.
" You have heard that it was said to the ancients, 21 ^Rkfrdtl?.^ 'Thou shalt not commit murder (Exod. xx. 13), and whoever commits murder will be answerable to the magistrate.' But I say to you that every one who be- 22 comes angry with his brother shall be answerable to the magis- trate ; that whoever says to his brother ' Raca,' shall be answer- able to the Sanhedrin ; and that whoever says, ' You fool ! ' shall be liable to the Gehenna of Fire. If therefore when you are 23 offering your gift upon the altar, you remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift there 24 before the altar, and go and make friends with your brother first, and then return and proceed to offer your gift. Come to 25 terms without delay with your opponent while you are yet with him on the way to the court ; for fear he should obtain judge- ment from the magistrate against you, and the magistrate should give you in custody to the officer and you be thrown into prison. I solemnly tell you that you will certainly not be re- 26 leased till you have paid the very last farthing.
. . ,. . " You have heard that it was said, ' Thou SHALT 27
Adultery and
impure NOT COMMIT ADULTERY '( Exod. XX. 14). But I tell 28
°"^ *■ you that whoever looks at a woman and cherishes lustful thouglits has already in his heart become guilty with
20. Voi^r riir/tieousness] i.e. 'your scrupulous observance of the Law' — obser- vance of its spirit as well as of its letter, of its letter as well as of its spirit. Greatly surpasses^ Lit. ' shall have abounded more than.' Verses 21 to 48 of this chapter illustrate the way in which Jewish Christians were to observe the Law of Moses even more scrupulously than the Scribes and Pharisees did.
21. You have heard] "The people knew the Law only by the public readings" (Tholuck). The magistrate] See Deut. xvi. i3.
22. Angry with his brother] v.L. adds 'without just cause.' Racd] I.E. 'you empty man !' Sanhedrin] The Supreme Court at Jerusalem. Fool] Or 'Impious rebel ; ' Greek viore. " I'he mention of an Oriental word ruca in the first clause, and of the Sauhediin, where crimes of blasphemy were punished, mskes it probable that there is a reference (in more) to the Hebrew 7nornh, apostate " (Wordsworth). Gehenna of Fire] Or ' Hell.' 1 he severest punishment inflicted by the Jews upon any criminal. The corpse (after the man had been stoned to deaths was thrown out into the Valley of Hinnoin {Gay-Hinnom) and was devoured by the worm or the flame (Ai/brd). ' Gehenna' is rendered by McClellan 'The Burning Valley.'
25-26. Cp. Luke xii. 58, 59.
25. Come to terms] Or ' be reasonable and accommodating.' Officer] i.e. ' police officer' or ' constable,' as in x.xvi. 58.
MATTHEW V. 13
regard to her. If therefore your eye, even the right eye, is a 29 snare to you, tear it out and away with it ; it is better for you that one member should be destroyed rather than your whole .body be thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand is a 30 snare to you, cut it otT and away with it ; it is better for you that one member should be destroyed rather than your whole body go into Gehenna. ^^ ^ ^ "Also it was said, ' If ANY MAN PUTS AWAY HIS 31
The Sacred- ' ^
nessof Mar- WIFE, LET HIM GIVE HER A WRITTEN NOTICE OF
•"'ae^^- DIVORCEMENT' (Deut. xxlv. i). But I tell you that 32
every man who puts away his wife except on the ground of
unfaithfulness causes her to commit adultery, and whoever
marries her when so divorced commits adultery.
-. . y^^jtf,. "Again, you have heard that it was said to the 33
fulness of ancieuts, ' ThOU SHALT NOT SWEAR FALSELY
Speech. (g^od. XX. 7), BUT SHALT PERFORM THY VOWS TO
THE Lord' (Num. xxx. ->. , Deut. xxiii. 21). But I tell you not 34
to swear at all ; neither by heaven, for it is God's throne ; nor 35
by the earth, for it is the footstool under His feet ; nor by
Jerusalem, for it is the City of the Great King And do not 36
swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or
black. But let your language be, ' Yes, yes,' or * No, no ; ' any- 2>7
thing in excess of this comes from the Evil one.
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye FOR 38
forbiddrtf* ^''^^' TOOTH FOR TOOTH ' (Exod. xxi. 24). But I 39 tell you not to resist a wicked man, but if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well ; if any one wishes to go to law with you and to deprive you of 40
29, 30. Is a snare to you] Lit. ' is tripping you up,' I.E. causing you to stumble into sin. The same verb occurs 30 times in the N.T. ; 14 times in tliis Gospel. In every case it is translated in the A.V. by ' otTend,' which is probably to be understood in the sense of the Latin verb 'ofTendere,' to stumble, or cause to stumble. See XV. 12, n.
32. Cp. Luke xvi. 18.
32. Unfaithfulness] Whether before marriage (see i. 18-25) or after. Her when so divorced] Or perhaps, generally, 'a divorced woman.'
34. On the subject of judicial oaths see xxvi. 63, n.
35. By Jerusalem] Lit. ' into,' implying the turning of the thoughts, and perhaps the face also, towards the City and the Temple.
37 Let your language be] v. L. 'your language shall be.' Tlie Evil one] Or 'wickedness.' See 2 Cor. v. 10, n. 39-42. Cp. Luke vi. 27-30.
39. Strikes] Or ' slaps.' or perhaps, ' strikes with a rod.' Cp. xxvi. 67. Cheeh] Lit. 'jaw.'
40. In Palestine and the adjacent countries the common people to the present day wear, as the Greeks and Romans did of old, two garments only. These are a long cotton shirt or tunic (the Greeks and Rom.ms. and doubtless the ancient Jews, wore v'ool), called by the Arabs kamise, and an outer mantle or cloak, square, with two holes in It for the arms to pass through, called an abba or abbdyeh. Tiie latter, often more or less embroidtred, is the more costly
14 MATTHEW V.-VI.
your under garment, let him take your outer one also ; and 41 whoever shall compel you to convey his goods one mile, go with him two. To him who asks, give : from him who would 42 borrow, turn not away.
" You have heard that it was said, ' THOU SHALT 43 '^°wtc^ked.**^^LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR (Lev. xix. 18) and hate
thine enemy.' But I command you all, love your 44 enemies, and pray for your persecutors ; that so you may be- 45 come true sons of your Father in Heaven ; for He causes His sun to rise on the wicked as well as the good, and sends rain upon those who do right and those who do wrong. For if you 46 love only those who love you, what reward have you earned .'' Do not even the tax-gatherers do that ? And if you salute 47 only your near relatives, what praise is due to you ? Do not even heathens do the same ? You however are to be complete 48 in goodness, as your Heave aly Father is complete.
'Do not " Beware of doing your good actions in the sight i {
parade your of men, in order to attract their gaze ; if you do,
there is no reward for you with your Father who is in heaven.
" When you give in charity, never blow a 2 '^JJ°Q*J,°^?P'fy trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and streets in order that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward. But when you are giving in charity, let not 3 your left hand perceive what your right hand is doing, that your 4 charities may be in secret ; and then your Father — He who sees in secret — will recompense you.
"And when praying, you must not be like the 5 'hypocrites. They are fond of standing and pray- ing in the synagogues or at the corners of the wider streets, in order that men may see them. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward. But you, whenever you pray, go 6
41. Convey] Namely on your mule or ass ; or perhaps, 'carry.' 44-48. Cp. Luke vi. 32-36.
1. Good actions] Lit. ' righteousness.' This consisted, according to the teaching of the Scribes, in almsgiving (see verse 2), prayer (verse 5), and fasting (verse 16). Hatch has some interesting remarks on the word {Biblical Greek, p. 50), but he has forgotten that there is no word in the Hebrew of the Old Testament that definitely signifies 'alms.'
2. Trumpet] See the Commentators.
2, 5, 16. They already have their rezvard] So too in Luke vi. 24. The same verb is similarly used in Phil. iv. 18 and Philem. 15. Granville Penn's rendering, 'they are far from their reward,' is altogether inadmissible, when the verb, as here, is in the active voice and governs the accusative.
2, 3, 4. Charity] Of course in our 20th century sense of the word.
6. Own rojiit] Lit. 'larder' or 'store-closet.'
. MATTHEW VI. '5 '
into your own room and shut the door : then pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father — He who sees in secret — will recompense you.
"And when praying, do not use needless repe- 7 Pgp'gjj"?®^®" titions as heathens do, for they expect to be lis- tened to for their multitude of words. Do not, 8 however, imitate them ; for your Father knows what things you need before ever you ask Him.
"In this manner therefore pray: 'Our Father 9 ^Prayer/ ^ ^^'^""^ ^''^ ^" Heaven, may Thy name be kept holy ; 10 let Thy kingdom come ; let Thy will be done, as in heaven so on earth ; give us to-day our bread for the day ; and 11, 12 forgive us our shortcomings, as we also have forgiven those who have failed m their duty towards us ; and bring us not 13 into temptation, but rescue us from the Evil one.'
"For if you forgive others their offences, your 14 givenessan Heavenly Father will forgive you also ; but if you 15 absolute (Jq not forgive others their offences, neither will
Necessity. ^ , . .
your Father forgive yours.
•Fastsecreti " ^^^^^ ^'"^Y °^ y^"^ ^^^^j never assume a gloomy 16 and cheer- look as the hypocrites do ; for they disfigure their ^' faces in order that it may be evident to men that they are fasting. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward. Bat, whenever you fast, pour perfume on your hair 17 and wash your face, that it may not be apparent to men that 18
8, 23. However] See Aorist, pp. 51, 52. 8. Vou'*- Father] v.l. 'God your Father.' 9-10. Cp. Luke xi. 2.
10. IViU] Or ' pleasure-' Cp. John vi. 38, n. 11-13. Cp. Luke xi. 3, 4.
11. For the day] More lit. 'for the day now coming on.' It should be remem- bered that this prayer was taught by our Lord who was a Jew to His disciples who were Jews, and that according to Jewish reckoning the day be.;ins at sunset. This petition is therefore not only appropriate in the morning, as referring to the supply of our necessities till nightfall, but also in the evening, as embracing all the time till the next evening.
12. Failed in their duty] Cp. Luke xi. 4, n. This, however, although negative, is an ' offence,' verse 15.
13. Front the Evil one] Or possibly ' from evil ; ' but in that case 'out of,' as used with the same verb in 2 Pet. ii. 9, might have been expected rather than 'from.' Such is the usage of the Greek language. (See, for example, Herodotus i. 87.) As to the doxology which in later manuscripts is found at the end of the Lord's Prayer, the statement of Alford that "we find absolutely no trace of it in early times" is inexact : it does occur in an imperfect form in the one existing MS. of The Teach' ing 0/ the Apostles. (This most interesting book, however, had not been discovered when Alford wrote.) Still the balance of evidence as to the authenticity of the doxology is overwhelmingly against it.
17. Perfiane] The use of highly scented oil or pomade, sometimes very costly, was customary among the Greeks and Romans, and therefore not unusual among the Jews in the time of our Lord. " Christ's great command is to do the hardest things for His sake as if we lik.d iheni" (E. Thriiig).
i6 MATTHEW VI.
you are fasting, but to your Father who is in secret ; and your Father — He who sees in secret — will recompense you.
"Do not lay up stores of wealth for yourselves 19 in^Heaven.' ^^ earth, where the moth and wear-and-tear de- stroy, and where thieves break in and steal ; but 20 amass wealth for yourselves in heaven, where neither the moth nor wear-and-tear destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your wealth is, there also will your heart :i be.
Motives are of " ^^^ ®y^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^""^P °^ ^^^ body. If then your 22 supreme im- eyesight is good, your whole body will be well
lighted ; but if your eyesight is bad, your whole 23 body will be dark. If however the very light within you is dark- ness, how dense must the darkness be !
" No man can be in the service of two masters ; for either 24 he will dislike one and like the other, or he will attach himself All Worry is ^° ^^^ ^"^ neglect the other. You cannot be ser- forbidden to vants both to God and to gold. For this reason 25
Christians, t , .... 1 • u ..
I charge you not to be over-anxious about your
lives, inquiring what you are to eat or what you are to drink,
nor yet about your bodies, inquiring what clothes you are to
put on. Is not the life more precious than its food, and the
body than its clothing ? Look at the birds which fly in the air : 26
they do not sow or reap or store up in barns, but your Heavenly
Father feeds them : are not you of much greater value than
they.? Which of you by being over-anxious can add a single 27
foot to his height .'* And why be anxious about clothing ? Learn 28
a lesson from the wild lilies. Watch their growth. They neither
toil nor spin, and yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his 29
magnificence could array himself like one of these. And if 30
19-21. Cp. Luke xii. 33, 34.
19, 20. IVear-and-tear] So Alford. Or ' rust.' For the sense cp. Col. ii. 22, the parenthetical clause. _ Break in] Lit. ' dig through ' (the wall). 22-23. ^P- Luke xi. 34-36. 22, 23. Eyesight] Lit. 'eye.' 24. Cp. Luke xvi. 13.
24. Be in the service of] Lit. ' be the slave of.' Servants] Or ' slaves.* Goid\ Lit. ' Mamon.' The word occurs al.^o in Luke xvi, g, 11, 13.
25. Cp. Luke xii. 22, 23. 26-33. Cp. Luke xii. 24-31.
27. A single foot] Lit. 'one cubit.' In Hebrew and in Classical and Helleni.stic Greek (as always in French and most modern European languages) the first cardinal numeral is sometimes used with a weakened force as equivalent to onr indefinite article. Possibly however the true sense is ' can add a single moment to his ap- pointed span of life.' Not one person in ten thousand wishes to add eigliteen inches to his stature, but many would gladly p olong their lives. For ' foot,' cp. Luke xii. 25.
28. Lilies. IVatck their growth] Lit. ' lilies— how they grow ' Toil] As men do. Spin] as women do.
MATTHEW VI.-VII. 17
God so clothes the wild herbage which to-day flourishes and to-morrow is feeding the oven, will He not much more clothe you, you men of little faith ? Do not be over-anxious, therefore, 31 asking 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' qv 'What shall we wear?' For all these are questions that 32 heathens are always asking ; but your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things — all of them. But make His King- 33 dom and righteousness your chief aim, and then these things shall all be given you in addition. Do not be over-anxious, 34 therefore, about to-morrow, for the morrow will bring its own cares. Enough for to-day are to-day's troubles.
Criminals '* Judge not, that you may not be judged; for 1,2' must notjudge your own judgement will be dealt — and your own
measure meted— to yourselves. And why do you 3 look at the speck in your brother's eye, and do not consider the beam of timber in your own eye ? Or how say to your brother, 4 * Allow me to take the speck out of your eye,' while the beam is in your own eye? Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your 5 own eye, and then you will see sufficiently clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
" Give not that which is holy to the dogs, nor throw your 6 pearls to the swine ; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and then turn and attack you.
Prayer A " "^^^^J ^"^ '^ ^^^^ ^^ given to you ; seek, and you 7
three-fold will find ; knock, and the door will be opened to
you. For it is always he who asks that receives, 8 he who seeks that finds, and he who knocks that has the door opened to him. Who is there, a man of your own number, 9 who if his son shall ask him for bread will offer him a stone ? Or if the son shall ask him for a fish will offer him a snake? 10 If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to 1 1 your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him ! Everything, therefore, be 12
31, 34. Over-anxzous] The form of the verb in these two verses bears a meaning that differs by a shade from that in verse 25. In verse 25 the sense is ' not to_ cherish solicitude ; ' in verses 31, 34 ' Admit no solicitude,' that is, ' do not even begin to be anxious.' See Aoris^ vi. 6.
32. For . . but] Lit. ' for . . for.' ?>&& Aorist, Appendix A, n. 1-2. Cp. Mark iv. 24 ; Luke vi. 37.
3-5. Cp. Luke vi. 39-42.
3. 4) 5- Speck . . Seam] A striking instance of oriental hyperbole. Consider] Or 'notice.' 6. Attack] Tearing you with their tusks. 7-11. Cp. Luke xi. 9-13.
J. Ask . seek . . knock] Or ' Keep asking . . seeking , . knocking.' j2. Cp. Luke vi. 31.
c
1 8 MATTHEW VII.
it what it may, that you would have men do to you, do you also the same to them ; for in this the Law and the Prophets are .-.ummed up. The Need of " Enter by the narrow gate ; for wide is the gate 13 intense and broad the road which leads to ruin, and many
Earnestness. , , ... . ,
there are who enter by it ; because narrow is the 14 gate and contracted the road which leads to Life, and few are those who find it.
Teachers to be ' ^^^^'^^e of the false teachers — men who come to 15 judged by you in sheep's fleeces, but beneath that disguise they
are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will easily 16 recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from brambles? Just so every good tree produces good fruit, but a 17 poisonous tree produces bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad 18 fruit, nor a poisonous tree good fruit. Every tree which does 19 not yield good fruit is cut down and thrown aside for burning. So by their fruits at any rate, you will easily recognize them. 20
'' Not every one who says to me, ' Master, Master,' 2 1
Real Obedi- .,, -, ^,r■^ r tt t 11
ence the only Will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those
Heaven. '^^^^ ^^^ obedient to my Father in Heaven. Many 22
will say to me on that day, ' Master, Master, have
we not prophesied by Thy name, and by Thy name expelled
demons, and by Thy name performed many mighty works.-"
And then 1 will tell them plainly, ' I never knew you : begone 23
from me, you doers of wickedness.'
'•' Every one who hears these my teachings and 24
^lessneTs of^acts upon them will be found to resemble a wise
mere Profes- ^^^^^ ^j^^ builds his house upon the rock ; and the 25
sions. ' ' -'
heavy rain falls, the swollen torrents come, and the winds blow and beat against the house ; yet it does not fall, for its foundation is on the rock. And every one who hears these 26 my teachings and does not act upon them will be found to
13. Cp. Luke xiii. 24. Is the gate] v.l. omits these words.
14. Because narrow] Or 'how narrow." To Life] Or 'to the Life.' See xix.
16, n. , r^ .
15. Teachers] Lit. 'prophets. See xi. 13, n.
16-21. Cp. Luke vi. 43-46. . , . ^, . ^ ,
16. Thorns . . brambles] Approximate renderings. The plants referred to are not Icnown in England by these names.
21. Will enter] Better than ' shall enter,' for our Lord is not yet assuming the character and language of the Judge. 22-23. Cp. Luke xiii. 25-27.
23. Wickedness] Lit. 'lawlessness.' 24-27. Cp. Luke vi. 47-49.
24. These] v.l. omits this word.
24, 26. Will be found d^c] Or ' will in the judgement of the intelligent universe be compared to.' Cp. xi. 16 ; xiii. 24, n.
MATTHEW VII.-VIII. 19
resemble a fool who builds his house upon the sand. The 27 heavy rain descends, the swollen torrents come, and the winds blow and burst upon the house, and it falls ; and disastrous is the fall."
When Jesus had concluded this discourse, the crowds were 28 filled with amazement at His teaching, for He had been teaching 29 tliem as one who had authority, and not as their Scribes taught.
Upon descending from the hill country He was i Q ^a'^Leper.'^^^ followed by immense crowds. And a leper came 2 to Him, and throwing himself at His feet, said, '• Sir, if only you are wilhng you are able to cleanse me." So 3 Jesus put out His hand and touched him, and said, " I am willing : be cleansed." Instantly he was cleansed from his leprosy ; and Jesus said to him, " Be careful to tell no one, but 4 go and show yourself to the priest, and ofifer the gift which Moses appointed as evidence for them" (Lev. xiv. 4).
A Roman After His entry into Capharnahum a captain 5
Soldier's Slave came to Him, and entreating Him, said, " Sir, my 6
servant at home is lying ill with paralysis, and is suffering great agony." Jesus answered, " I will come and cure 7 him." The captain replied, " Sir, I am not a fit person to re- 8 ceive you under my roof : merely say the word, and my servant will be cured. For I myself am also under authority, and have 9 soldiers under me. To one I say ' Go,' and he goes, to another ' Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, ' Do this or that,' and he does it." Jesus listened to this reply, and was astonished, 10 and said to the people following Him, " I solemnly declare to you that in no Israelite have I found faith so great as that. And I tell you that many will come from the east and from 11 the west and will recline at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, while the natural heirs of the 12
2S. Filled with] The tense (imperfect) implies more than 'full of.' They talked with one another with groiving amazement about what they had been hearing.
1-4. Cp. Mark i. 40-45 ; Luke v. 12-16.
2, 6, 8, 21. Sir\ Or according to the phraseology common in the East ' My Lord.' We must not imagine however that the divinity of Jesus was recognized even by His disciples till after His resurrection (John xx. 2S). See John ix. 38, n.
5-13. Cp. Luke vii. i-io.
5. Captain] Namely in the Roman army. Cp. Mark xv. 39, n.
6, 8, 13. Sei-vani] Lit. 'boy.' Cp. Luke vii. 7.
6. Suffering . . agony] In exceptional cases a paralytic patient may suffer pain ; if not actually caused by the paralysis, yet accompanying it.
8. A /it person, etc.] Or as in Luke vii. 8. Say the word] Lit. 'say by a word.'
9. V.I.. inserts 'ranging myself between 'am' and ' under,' as in Luke vii. 8.
10. fn no Israelite] Lit. ' with no one in Israel.' V.l. ' not even in Israel.'
11. Recline at table] Cp. Luke vii. 3S ; John xiii. 23.
12. Weeping and gnashing of te:ih in this life are in comparison but cliild's play : there will be the weeping, the gnashing. The phrase occurs also Matt. xiii. 42, 50 ;
20 MATTHEW VIII.
Kingdom will be driven out into the darkness outside : there will be the weepint^ aloud and the gnashing of teeth." And 13 Jesus said to the captain, " Go, and just as you have believed, so be it for you." And the servant recovered precisely at that time.
Peter's After this Jesus went to the house of Peter, whose 14
Mother-in Lawmother-in-law he found ill in bed with fever. He 15
touched her hand and the fever left her : and then she rose and waited upon Him. Many other In the evening numbers of demoniacs were 16 Miracles, brought to Him, and with a word He expelled the demons ; and He cured all the sick, in order that the prediction 17 of the Prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled, "He Himself assumed
OUR WEAKNESSES, AND BORE THE BURDEN OF OUR DISEASES "
(Isa. liii. 4).
New Disciples Seeing great crowds about Him Jesus had given 18 put to the directions to cross to the other side of the Lake,
Test.
when a Scribe came and said to Him, " Teacher, I 19
will follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered, " Foxes 20
have holes and birds have nests ; but the Son of Man has
nowhere to lay His head." Another of the disciples said to 21
Him, " Sir, allow me first to go and bury my father." Jesus re- 22
plied, " Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
A storm re- Then He went on board a fishing-boat, and His 23
buked and disciples followed Him. But suddenly there arose 24
subdued. ^ , x , , ,
a great storm on the Lake, so that the waves
xxii. 13 ; xxiv. 51 ; xxv. 30; and in Luke xiii. 28. These were terrible words to issue from the gentle lips of our blessed Saviour. 14-15. Cp. Mark i. 29-31 ; Luke iv. 38, 39.
14. Found] Lit. 'saw.'
15. Rose] Or 'roused herself.' IVaifed] Imperfecl tense, implying prolonged action. She proceeded, as mistress of tlie house, to discharge all the duties of hospitality towards her Guest.
16-17. Cp. Mark i. 32-34 ; Luke iv. 40, 41.
16. in the evening] It was the Sabbath (Mark i. 21, 29, 32) until sunset ; but after sunset people might bring their sick to be cured without violating either the Law or even the traditions of the Elders.
18. Cp. Mark iv. 35 ; Luke viii. 22. Great crowds] v.L. 'a crowd.' 19-22. Cp. Luke ix. 57-62,
19. A scribe] Lit. ' one scribe.' See vi. 27, n.
20. Nests] Or ' roosting-places.'
22. Dead . . dead] Spiritually dead . . naturally dead. See Luke ix. 59, n.
23-27. Cp. Mark iv. 35-41 ; Luke viii. 22-25.
24. Suddenly] Lit. 'see!* or 'behold!' In the Hebrew of the O.T. we con- tinually find the interjection hen or hinneh used in narrative in the sense of ' behold ! ' and it was natural that the N.T. writers, being Jews, should in this particular follow their native idiom. But this 'behold!' is aij interjection, not a verb : see John i. 29, n. The word is rarely used by the Classical authors, and apparently by no prose writer among them. Nor does the English language tolerate tins frequent use of the interjection, but such a word as 'suddenly' will sometimes convey the true sense. As a rule we must simply omit it.
MATTHEW VIII.-IX. 21
threatened to engulf the boat ; but He was asleep. So they 25 came and woke Him, crying, " Master, save us, we are drown- ing ! " He replied, " Why are you so easily frightened, you 26 men of little faith ? " Then He rose and reproved the winds and the waves, and there was a perfect calm ; and the men, 27 filled with amazement, exclaimed, " What kind of man is this? for the very winds and waves obey him ! " Two Gadarene ^" ^'^ arrival at the other side, in the country 28
Demoniacs of the Gadarenes, there met Him two men pos- sessed with demons, coming from among the tombs : they were so dangerously fierce that no one was able to pass that way. They cried aloud, '' What have you to do with 29 us, Son of God ? Have you come here to torment us before the time ?" Now at some distance from them a vast herd of swine 30 were feeding. So the demons entreated Him, " If you drive us 31 out, send us into the herd of swine." He replied, " Go." They 32 departed from the men and went into the swine, whereupon the entire herd instantly rushed down the cliff into the Lake and perished in the water. The swineherds fled, and went and told ;^3 the whole story in the town, including what had happened to the demoniacs. So at once the whole population came out to meet 34 Jesus ; and when they saw Him, they besought Him to leave their country. Accordingly He went on board, and crossing over i Q came to His own town. The Cure of a Here they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a 2
paralysed bed. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralytic, " Take courage, my child ; your sins are pardoned." " Such language is impious," said some of the Scribes among 3 themselves. Knowing their thoughts Jesus said, " Why are you 4 cherishing evil thoughts in your hearts ? Why, which is easier ? 5 to say, ' Your sins are pardoned,' or to say ' Rise up and walk '? But, to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on 6 earth to pardon sins" — He then says to the paralytic, "Rise,
28-34. Cp. Mark v. 1-20; Luke viii. 26-39.
28. Frofn among] Or 'out of,' ' from within.' Cp. xxvii. 53 ; Phil. iii. 11.
32. Instantly] Cp. verse 24.
33. Swineherds] " Although they were not herdsmen by profession," says Bengel. 15ut the term employed is the precise ecjiiivalent ©f the Hebrew word that commonly means ' shepherd,' being the present participle of a verb meaning ' to tend and feed,' which however is not applied exclusively to keepers of sheep, Iv.it also to keepers of goats (Cant, i 8), asses (Gen. xxxvi. 24), and cattle generally (Gen. xiii. 7, 8).
1-8. Cp. Mark ii. 1-12 ; Luke v. 17-26.
1. His own toivn] Capliarnahum. See iv. 1,3 ; IVLirk ii. i.
2. Bed] A mere mattress or thick rug. Cp. Mark ii. 4.
3. Amon::] Or ' within.'
4. Kuoiuing] V.L. 'seeing.'
2 2 MATTHEW IX.
and take up your bed and go home," And he got up, and went 7 off home. And the crowd were awe-struck when they saw it, 8 and ascribed the glory to God who had entrusted such power to a man.
The Call of Passing on thence Jesus saw a man called 9 Matthew. Matthew sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, " Follow me." And he rose up and followed Him. And while 10 He was reclining at table, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were of the party with Jesus and His disciples. This the Pharisees observed and inquired of His disciples, il "Why does your Teacher eat with the tax-gatherers and notorious sinners ?" He heard the question and replied, " It is 12 not men in good health who require a doctor, but the sick. But 13 go and learn what this means, ' It IS mercy that I DESIRE, NOT SACRIFICE' (Hos. vi. 6) ; for I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners." The Disciples' ^^ *^^^ ^^^'^^ John's disciples came and asked 14
Neglect of him, " Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your
disciples do not ? " Jesus replied, " Can the bride- 15 groom's party mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But other days will come (when the Bridegroom has been taken from them) and then they will fast. No one ever mends an old 16 cloak with a patch of newly woven cloth ; if they did, the patch put on would tear away some of the old, and a worse rent would ensue. Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins ; if 17 they did, the skins would split, the wine would escape, and the skins be destroyed ; but they put new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved."
dair's dead While He was thus speaking, a Ruler came up 18
Daughter, ^j^^j profoundly bowing said, " My daughter is just
8. To a 77ian] Lit. 'to men.' Entrusted] As they saw and confessed. The same verb is used in apparently the same sense in Gen. xxxix. 8, LXX. It is possible however to render it ' given.' as in. John xvii. 2, 7, 8.
9-13. Cp. Mark ii. 13-17 ; Luke v. 27-32.
9. Sitting] On the ground, either within or in front of the hut or tenement that served as his office. Folloiu me] Perhaps the real modern English equivalent for this is 'Come with me.'
10. At table] In Matthew's house, as we learn from Luke v 29. Tax] Inclusive of tolls, as well as of taxes levied on houses, lands, and persons.
13. Go] To your teachers of the Law. The righteous] See i Cor. i. 21, n. 14-17. Cp. Mark ii. 18-22 ; Luke v. 33-39.
14. Fast] v.L. adds 'often.'
16. If they did . . . would tear] Lit. 'otherwise . . . tears.'
17. Wineskins] Or ' leather bottles,' which were commonly made, as now in Spain and many parts of the world, of goats' skins, but sometimes of the skins of asses or camels. If they did . . wotild split] Lit. 'Otherwise . . .split.' Would escape . . he destroyed] Lit. 'escapes . . are destroyed.'
18-26. Cp. Mark v. 21-43 - Luke viii. 40-56.
18. Ruler] Of the synagooue (Mark v. 22). A Ruler] Lit. 'one Ruler.' See vi
MATTHEW IX. 23
dead ; but come and put your hand upon her and she will return to life." And Jesus rose and followed him, as did also 19 His disciples.
A permanent But a woman who for twelve years had been 20 Invalid cured, afflicted with haemorrhage came behind Him and touched the tassel of His cloak ; for she said to herself, " If I 21 but touch His cloak, I shall be cured." And Jesus turned and 22 saw her, and said, " Take courage, daughter ; your faith has cured you." And the woman was restored to health from that moment. Jair's Child Entering the Ruler's house, Jesus saw the flute- 23 brought back players and the crowd loudly wailing, and He said, 24
" Go out of the room ; the little girl is not dead, but asleep." And they laughed at Him. When however the 25 place was cleared of the crowd, Jesus entered, and on His taking the little girl by the hand, she rose up. And the report 26 of this spread throughout all that district.
As Jesus passed on, two blind men followed 27 Tec°ei^veSi^h1?Him, shouting and saying, "Pity us. Son of David ;"
and when He had gone indoors, they came to Him. 28 " Do you believe that I can do this ?" He asked them. They replied, " Yes, Sir." So He touched their eyes and said, 29 " According to your faith let it be to you ; " and their eyes were 30 opened. Then assuming a stern tone Jesus commanded them : "Be careful to let no one know." But they went out and 31 published His fame in all that district.
And as they were leaving His presence a dumb demoniac was 32
27, n. Instead of 'one Ruler came up,' v.l. (omitting 'one') reads 'a Ruler entered.' Profoundly f>07ving] The verb is the same as in ii. 2, 8, ii ; xv. 25 ; John ix. 38 (where see note).
20. Touched] See Lev. xv. 19. Tassrl] Or 'fringe.' See Num. xv. 38.
21, 22. Cured] The verb here employed is the same as is often rendered by ' save.' It signifies to deliver either (i) as here, from present evil of any kind, or (2) from impending or future evil. Thie former is the sense twice as frequently as the latter. In the interpretation, therefore, of i. 21, we shall probably be right in considering the thought of deliverance from sin itself— the abiding stain of its continued existence within lis — as dominating (though doubtless not excluding) that of immunity from consequent punishment. It is this view of Christ as the Healer — of ' Salvator ' as meaning ' Healer' — that led the author of the old Westphalian poem The Heliland to celebrate our Lord's praises under that name, and that induced our Anglo-Saxon sires to translate the name Jesus into ' Se Haelend ' everywhere in the Gospels as well as in sermons and religious poems.
23, 25. The crowd] A great number of persons were in the house who had full opportunity of satisfying themselves that the little girl was dead, and thus became eye-witnesses of the miracle. Jesus while He often repressed mere gossip about His wonderful works, nevertheless desired that they should be seen by many witnesses.
25. Rose up] Lit. ' woke up.'
28. Sir] See viii. 2, n.
32-34. Cp. Luke xi. 14, 15.
32. Dumb] Perhaps a deaf-mute.
24 MATTHEW IX.-X.
A dumb brought to Him. When the demon was expelled, 33 Madman the dumb man could speak. And the crowds ex- claimed in astonibhment, " Never was such a thing seen in Israel." But the Pharisees maintained, " It is by the 34 Prince of the demons that he drives out the demons."
And lesus continued His circuits through all the 35
Christ's Com- ^ , •„ , • - 1 •
passion for towns and the villages, teaching m their synagogues
*^PeC?^°" and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom,
and curing every kind of disease and infirmity.
And when He saw the crowds He was touched with pity for 36
them, because they were distressed and were fainting on the
ground like sheep which have no shepherd. Then He said to 37
His disciples, " The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are
few ; therefore entreat the Owner of the Harvest to send out
reapers into His field."
. , Then He called to Him His twelve disciples i
He selects . ^ , . . , .
twelve and gave them authority over foul spirits, to drive
Apostles. them out ; and to cure every kind of disease and infirmity.
Now the names of the twelve apostles were these : first, 2 Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew ; James the son of Zabdai, and his brother John ; Philip and Bartholomew, 3 Thomas and Matthew the tax-gatherer, James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus ; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas 4 the Iscariot who also betrayed Him.
These twelve Jesus sent on a mission, after 5
Their Mission . . , 1 • •
tothecommon giving them their instructions :
People. a Qq j^qj.^» ^le said, "among the heathen, and
enter no Samaritan town ; but, instead of that, go to the lost 6 sheep of Israel's race. And as you go, proclaim, ' The King- 7 dom of Heaven is close at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead 8 to life, cleanse lepers, drive out demons : you have received without payment, give without payment.
34. By] Lit. ' in.' See Luke xi. 15, n. 35-38. Cp. Mark vi. 6. 38. F/cid] Lit. 'harvest.'
1. Cp. Mark vi. 7 ; Luke ix. i.
2. Apostles] The word occurs here for the first time. The meaning is ' those who were sent,' 'emissaries,' 'missionaries.' This noun {aposto/os) is derived from the verb {apostello) that occurs in verse 5, and is there translated 'sent.'
4. Cananaean] This is a totally different word from ' Canaanite,' and probably means ' Zealot.' Iscariot] i.e. ' man of Kerioth ' (Josh. xv. 25).
5-15. Cp. Mark vi. 7-13 ; Luke ix. 1-6.
5. Sent] Frcbably two and two, like the Seventy at a later time (Luke x. i).
6. Lost Sheef>] Or, as we should say, ' lapsed masses.' 8. Raise to ii/e\ Lit. ' wake.'
MATTHEW X.
25
" Provide no gold or even silver or copper 9 Their Food to carry in vour pockets ; no handbag-, nor 10 promised. c v ^ u 11 • .• 1 r
change of linen, nor shoes, nor walkingstick ; for
the labourer deserves his food.
"Whatever town or village you enter, inquire for 1 1
Where they some good man; and make his house your home were to lodge. . ^ ^
till you leave the place. When you enter the 12
house, salute it ; and if the house deserves it, the peace you 13
invoke shall come upon it ; if not, your peace shall return to
yourselves. And whoever refuses to receive you or even to listen 14
to your Message, as you leave that house or town, shake off the
very dust from your feet. I solemnly tell you that it will be 15
more endurable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the
day of Judgement than for that town.
"Remember it is I who send you out, as sheep 16
Cruel ...... -^ ' ^
Persecution mto the midst of wolves ; prove yourselves as saga- foretold, cious as serpents, and as innocent as doves. But 17 beware of men ; for they will deliver you up to appear before Sanhedrins, and will flog you in their synagogues ; and you 18 will even be put on trial before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness to them and to the nations. But when they have 19 delivered you up, have no anxiety as to how you shall speak or what you shall say ; for at that very time it shall be given you what to say ; for it is not you who will speak, but the Spirit 20 of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray 21 brother for death, and father, child ; and children will denounce their parents and put them to death. And you will be objects of 22 universal hatred because you are called by my name ; but he who holds out to the end — he will be saved. Whenever they perse- 23
12. Salute it] When the two apostles entered the building, they were to salute the household, doubtless in the words prescribed in Luke x. 5, " Peace to this house ! "
14. Shake off &'c.\ Cp. xviii. 17 ; Acts xiii. 51. From your feet] Or ' that is on your feet.'
16. Cp. Luke X. 3. Doves] Lit. ' pigeons.' 17-22. Cp. Mark xiii. 9-13 ; Luke xxi. 12-17.
17. Satihedrins] Or ' High Courts of Justice.' See the Commentators.
19. The innocent seldom need to make the same elaborate defence as the guilty. They can afford to speak the simple truth and to rely upon God and the justice of their cause !
20. Through you] Lit. ' in you.'
22. The End] This phrase also occurs xxiv. 6, 13, 14 ; i Cor. i. 8 ; Heb. iii. 6, 14 ; vi. 11; I Peter ii. 7; Rev. ii. 26; and in a different sense i Cor. xv. 24. See also Heb. ix. 26, n. ; i Cor. x. 11.
23-25. Cp. Lukevi. 40. •
23. Escape] " Preserving yourselves for further service" (Haxter). Be/ore the Son of Man comes] Some have supposed that the reference is to a spiritual and judicial Coming of Christ at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70, a.d. Cp. xvi. 28 ; xxiv. 34.
26 MATTHEW X.
cute you in one town, escape to the next ; for I solemnly tell you that you will not have gone the round of all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
" The learner is never superior to his teacher, 24
Like their , , . ^ . , .
Master they and the servant is never superior to his master, would suffer. Enough for the learner to be on a level with his 25 teacher, and for the servant to be on a level with his master. If they have called the master of the house Baal-zebul, how much more will they slander his servants? Fear them not, 26 however ; there is nothing veiled which will not be uncovered, nor secret which will not become known. What I tell you in the dark, 27 speak in the light ; and what is whispered into your ear proclaim upon the roofs of the houses.
" And do not fear those who kill the body, but 28 not be^afrard! cannot kill the soul ; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Do not two sparrows sell for a halfpenny ? Yet not one of them 29 will fall to the ground without your Father's leave. But as for 30 you, the very hairs on your heads are all numbered. Away then 31 with fear ; you are more precious than a multitude of sparrows. The vital "Every man who shall acknowledge me before 32
Importance men I also will acknowledge before my Father
' ^ ' ^' who is in heaven. Him who disowns me before 3;^ men I also will disown before my Father who is in heaven.
^ ^. , ^ " Do not suppose that I came to bring peace 34 Conflict must , , t , • 1 , • ,
precede to the earth : I did not come to bring peace but to
eace. introduce a sword. For I came to set a man 35
against his father, a daughter against her mother, and
A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW ; AND A 36
24, 25. Learner] Or 'disciple.' Ser7'ant'\ Or 'slave.' Master] Or 'owner.'
25. Baal-zebul] See 2 Kings i. 3, 6. 26-33. Cp. Luke xii. 2-9.
28. Fear hint] i.e. the devil. Or 'fear Him.' i.e. God. Against the latter rendering it may be urged that the word translated ' power ' in the parallel passage, Luke xii. 5, usually denotes 'delegated authority,' ' power enjoyed on sufTerance,* and that in Matt. x. 31 fear of the Heavenly Father is forbidden. See also Luke xxii. 53 ; John xix. 11 ; Acts xxvi. 18 ; Col. i. 13 ; Rev. xiii. 7. In Heb. ii. 14 the 'power of death ' is expressly attributed to the Evil one, but a different word is used for 'power.' Soul] Or 'life.' Cp. verse ^9.
29. Halfpenny] The coin named (the ' assarion ') was probably worth a farthing and four-fifths. Contrast Luke xii. 6 : " Are not five sparrows sold for a penny?" The birds were reckoned as being of such little value, that upon double the number being bought, an extra one was given gratis !
31. Precious] Implying not merely worth, but high worth, great value.
32. Acknowleds^e tne] Or ' AVOW \n&\QyA^y\.o m&.' Lit. ' confess (confiilence) in.' The expression occurs only in this verse and in Luke xii. 8. IVi II acknowledge] He shall find me on my part loyal to him. See Rom. iii. 3, n.
34-36. Cp. Luke xii. 51-53.
34. Bring peace to] Lit. ' cast peace upon.'
MATTHEW X.-XI. 27
MAN'S OWN FAMILY WILL BE HIS FOES (Mic. vii. 6). Any one 37 wholovesfatlierorniother morethan meis not worthy of me, and any one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me ; and any one who does not take up his cross and follow 38 where I lead is not worthy of me. To save your life is to lose 39 it, and to lose your life for my sake is to save it. He gives the "Whoever receives you receives me, and who- 40 Apostles divine ever receives me receives Him who sent me.
Authority. £^gj.y one who receives a prophet, because he is 41 a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and every one who receives a righteous man, because he is a righteous man, will receive a righteous man's reward ; and whoever gives one of 42 these despised ones even a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I solemnly tell you that he will not lose his reward."
When Jesus had concluded His instructions to His twelve i 1 l disciples. He left in order to teach and to proclaim His Message in the neighbouring towns.
The ^^^^ -^°^" ^^^ heRvd in prison about the Christ's 2
Baptizer's sore doings, and he sent some of his disciples to 3
Perplexity, j^quire : " Are you the Coming One, or is it a different person that we are to expect ? " Jesus replied, " Go 4 and report to John what you see and hear. Blind eyes receive 5 sight, and cripples walk ; lepers are cleansed, and deaf ears hear ; the dead are raised to life, and the poor have the Good News proclaimed to them ; and blessed is every one wlio does 6 not stumble and fall because of my claims."
Christ's When the messengers had taken their leave, 7
Testimony as Jesus proceeded to Say to the multitude concern- Character and ing John : " What did you go out into the desert Work. ^Q g^2e at ? A reed waving in the wind ? But 8
37-38. Cp. Luke xiv. 26, 27.
38. Cross] Our Lord thus iiints at His being about to die on the cross. See John xii. 16.
39. Cp. Luke xvii. 33. Lt/e'] Or 'soul.' The literal rendering of the verse is, ' He who shall have found his life shall lose it, and he who shall have lost his liie for my sake shall find it.' Cp. v. 19 ; and see Aorist vi. 5.
40-41. Cp. Luke X. 16.
41. Prophet] Preacher or teacher of the truth. See 1 Cor. xiv. 3, n.
42. Cp. Mark ix. 41. Despised] Lit. 'little.' Possibly some children were present. Even] Lit. 'only.'
1. Proclaitn His message] One word in the Greek. The exact sense of the word {kerusso) is to perform the function of a public herald or crier. 'Preach' has associations which ke'usso does not suggest.
2-6. Cp. Luke vii. 18-23.
2. Some of] Lit. 'by.' We learn from Luke vii. i3 that the messengers were two in number. In Matthew, according to the four most ancient MSS., the number is not specified.
5. Receive] Cp. Luke vii. 2a. A re raised to li/e] Lit. ' awake ' 7-19. Cp. Luke vii. 24-35.
28 MATTHEW XI.
what did you go out to see ? A man luxuriously dressed ? Those who wear luxurious clothes are to be found in kings' palaces. But why did you go out ? To see a prophet ? Yes, I 9 tell you, and far more than a prophet. He it is about whom 10 it is written : * See, I AM SENDING My messenger before thy face, And he will make thy road ready before thee'
(Mai. iii. i). I solemnly tell you that among all of woman born no greater 11 has ever been raised up than John the Baptist ; yet one who is of lower rank in the Kingdom of the Heavens is greater than he. But from the time of John the Baptist till now, the Kingdom 12 of the Heavens has been suffering violent assault, and the violent have been seizing it by force. For all the Prophets and 13 the Law taught until John. And (if you are willing to receive 14 it) he is the Elijah who was soon to come. Listen, every one 15 who has ears ! _. _ .^ " But to what shall I compare the present 16
The Perversity . ^ ^ . ,., , ., , • ,
of the Jews generation.? It is like children sitting in the then hvmg. ^p^^^ places, who call to their playmates. 'We 17 have played the flute to you,' they say, ' and you have not danced : we have sung dirges, and you have not beaten your breasts.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they 18 say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and 19 drinking, and they exclaim, ^ See this man ! — given to gluttony and tippling, and a friend of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners ! ' And yet Wisdom is vindicated by her actions."
Then began He to upbraid the towns where 20 Bethsaida, most of His mighty works had been performed, Capharnahum. ^^cause they had not repented. "Alas for thee, 21
10. Messenger] Or 'angel.' 12-13. Cp. Luke xvi. 16.
12. T/te time\ i.e. the early time of his ministry, John being still alive. _ Has been suffering . . Aa7'e been seizing] These verbs are in the present tense in the Greek in accordance with the idiom of that language. See Aorist iii. 2, 3. _
13. Taught] Lit. ' prophesied ;' but in modern English this verb is limited in its meaning to tlie mere prediction of future events, which is not the proper force of the Greek word. See the Commentators.
14. IF'as soon to come] Or 'is soon to come.' Cp. xvii. 11.
15. Ears] v.L. adds ' to hear.'
16. To t/teir playmates] v.L. ' to the other party,' the sense being the same. _
19. Eating and drinking] Like other men, with no asceticism or austerity of diet. Is vindicated] Lit. {see Aorist iv. 4,5) 'has been vindicated,' implying 'is wont to be.' Actions] v.i,. reads * children,' as in Luke vii. 35.
20-24. Cp. Luke X. 1-16.
21. Aias/or] Or perhaps 'woe to.' "The interjection here is declarative, not imprecative" (Bengel). Cp. Luke vi. 24, n. 77id't'] Not 'you:' for even in 2oth century English ' thou ' and ' thee ' might be used in an apostrophe such as this. Bethsaida] v.L. ' Bethsaidan ;' and so elsewhere. Both of you] Lit. 'you,' in the plural.
MATTHEW XI.-XII. 29
Chorazin ! Alas for thee, Bethsaida ' For had the mighty works been performed in Tyre and Sidon which have been per- formed in both of you, they would long ere now have repented, covered with sackcloth and ashes. Only I tell you that it will 22 be more endurable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of Judge- ment than for you. And thoti, Capharnahum, shalt thou be 23 exalted even to heaven ? Even to Hades shalt thou descend. For had the mighty works been performed in Sodom which have been performed in thee, it would have remained until now. Only I tell you all, that it will be more endurable for the land 24 of Sodom on the day of Judgement than for thee."
About that time Jesus exclaimed, " I heartily 25 forThe"^ praise Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth,
Success of the lYi^f Thou hast hidden these things from sages Seventy. *^ ^
and men of discernment, and hast unveiled them
to babes. Yes, Father, for such has been Thy gracious will. 26
"All things have been handed over to me by 27
^ cl^lm^^ "^y Father, and no one fully knows the Son except
the Father, nor does any one fully know the
Father except the Son and all to whom the Son chooses to
reveal Him.
"Come to me, all you toiling and burdened 28
tnvitat'ion^ ones, and J will give you rest. Take my yoke 29
upon you and learn from me , for I am gentle and
lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For it 30
is good to bear my yoke, and my burden is light,"
. . ^ About that time Tesus passed on the Sabbath i '
A charge of , , , , , ;, , tt- i- • . ,
Sabbath- through the wheathelds ; and His disciples became
breaking. hungry, and began to gather ears of wheat and eat
23. Hades] The unseen World, the abode of departed spirits. In the A.V. both this word and ' Gehenna ' are rendered ' Hell.' Each occurs twelve times In this translation the two words are everywhere kept distinct. Descend] v.l. 'be caused to descend.'
24. Vou air\ Lit. 'you' in the plural, either as addressed to all three of the towns named, or parenthetically to the bystanders who heard these denunciations.
25-30. Cp. Luke X. 17-24.
25. About that time] See xii. i, n. Jesus exclaimed] A too literal rendering is "Jesus answered and said." There is no 'answer' here in the English sense of the word. The expression is simply a late Hebraism. In late Hebrew, under the influence of the Chaldee, the verb that had commonly meant ' to answer' came to signify ' to commence speaking ' (Gesenius). Father] This is our Lord's first public mention of God as His Father. Lord of heaven and of earth] " He does not address the Father as His Lord " (Bengel).
29. Gentle] Or ' meek.' Cp. v. 5.
30. It is good ^^c] Lit. 'my yoke is good.' Cp. Lam. iii. 27. The 'good' conveys the idea not so much (as in the 'Vulgate) of easiness to bear, which is the thought in the next clause, as of actual benefit received from bearing it.
1-8. Cp. Mark ii. 23-28 ; Luke vi. 1-5.
I. About that time] Lit. ' at that time.' The word ' time' here (as indeed often)
30 MATTHEW XII.
them. But the Pharisees saw it and said to Him, " Look ! 2 your disciples are doing what the Law forbids them to do on the Sabbath." " Have you never read," He replied, " what David 3 did when he and his men were hungry ? how he entered the 4 House of God and ate the Presented Loaves, which it was not lawful for him or his men to eat, nor for any except the priests (i Sam. xxi. 1-6) ? And have you not read in the Law how on 5 the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath with- out guilt .? But I tell you that there is here that which is greater 6 than the Temple. And if you knew what this means, ' It is 7
MERCY I DESIRE, NOT SACRIFICE ' (Hos. vi. 6), yOU WOuld not
have condemned those who are without guilt. For the Son of 8 Man is the Lord of the Sabbath."
Departing thence He went to their synagogue, 9 restored on a where there was a man with a shrivelled arm. 10
Day of Rest, ^^^ ^^^^ questioned Him, " Is it right to cure people on the Sabbath ?" Their intention was to bring a charge against Him. "Which of you is there," He rephed, "who, if 11 he has but a single sheep and it falls into a hole on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out ? Is not a man, however, 12 far superior to a sheep ? Therefore it is right to do good on the Sabbath," Then He said to the man, " Stretch out your arm." 13 And he stretched it out, and it was restored quite sound like the other.
But the Pharisees after leaving the synagogue 14 ^ '^Jesus **'" consulted together against Him, how they might
destroy Him. Aware of this, Jesus departed else- 15 where ; and great numbers followed Him, all of whom He cured. But He gave them strict injunctions not to blaze 16 abroad His doings, that the- words of the Prophet Isaiah might 17 be fulfilled,
signifies, not a definite minute or hour or even day, but a period including several days, one of which was a Sabbath. Moreover the verb is ' passed,' not ' was pass- ing : ' the action is regarded as a whole. The most idiomatic rendering would perhaps be, ' On one occasion about that time.' The same expression with the following verb in the same tense is found in xi. 25; xiv. i. Became hungry] Or ' were hungry,' as in verse 3. On the 'plucking ' see Deut. xxiii. 25 ; Lev xxiii, 14.
4. And ate] v.l. ' and they ate.' Nor /or any except] Or ' but only.' Cp. Luke iv. 26, 27, n.
5. Break the Sabbath] Not so much by offering sacrifices as by baking bread (Lev. xxiv. 8 ; 1 Chron. ix. 32 ; 2 Chron. ii. 4).
6. That which is greater] Or 'a Being greater.*
8. Cp. Mark ii. 27, 28.
9-14. Cp. Mark iii. 1-6 ; Luke vi. 6-11.
9. J/e went &j'c.] At another and perhaps distant place, and (Luke vi. 9) * on another Sabbath.'
10. Arm] Rather than 'hand.' So Shadwell rightly, and see Aorist, p. 5. Is it right to cure] Or ' Is there any authority for curing.'
MATTHEW XII. 31
"This is My servant whom I have chosen, 18
My dearly loved One in whom My soul takes pleasure.
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will announce judgememt to the nations. 19
He will not wrangle or raise His voice,
Nor will His voice be heard in the broadways.
A crushed reed He will not utterly break, 20
Nor will He quench the still smouldering wick,
Until He has led on Justice to victory.
And on His name shall the nations rest their 21 HOPES " (Isa. xli. 8 ; xlii„ i). He replies to ^^ ^^^^ time a demoniac was brought to Him, 22 an infamous blind and dumb ; and He cured him, so that
Slander. ^j^^ dumb man could speak and see. And the 23 crowds of people were all filled with amazement and said, " Can this be the Son of David?" The Pharisees heard it and said, 24 "This man only expels the demons by Baal-zebul, the Prince of the demons," Knowing their thoughts He said to them, 25 " Every kingdom in which civil war has raged suffers desola- tion ; and every city or house in whicli there is internal strife will be brought low. And if Satan is expelling Satan, he has 26 begun to make war on himself: how therefore shall his kingdom last.? And if it is by Baal-zebul's power that I expel the demons, 27 by whose power do your disciples expel them ? They therefore shall be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I 28
18. This is] The more lit. 'Behold!' is not the verb, but only an interjection of verbal origin. In French it might be rendered ' Voici ' or ' Voila.' See viii. 24, n ; John i. 29, n. Takes pleasure] On the tense see Aortst, p. 21.
20. A crushed reed] The idea is possibly that of a shepherd who picks up a reed in order to play a tune upon it. But discovering that it is bruised and crushed, and therefore little suited for his purpose, he breaks it in two and throws it away. Reeds seem also to have been used as pens to write with (3 John 13), and even as canes or light walking-sticks. Cp. Isa. xxxvi. 6 ; Rev. xi. i, n. The first interpretation, however, yields the best sense. Christ, the chosen and dearly-loved Servant of the Lord, does not cast us away because our lives yield such imperfect music, and when our light burns dimly He trims instead of utterly extinguishing it. Led on Justice] Headed its charge through the host of foes and brought it clear of them all.
21. Rest their hopes] This is one of no fewer than 18 passages in the A.V. of the N.T. in which ' trust ' is erroneously used for 'hope.'
22-37. Cp. Mark iii. 19-30 ; Luke vi. 43-45 ; xi. 17-23.
22. Dwnb] The word perhaps means a deaf-mute.
23. The Son 0/ David] This title had already been applied to Jesus (ix. 27) by persons who perhaps but dimly discerned its significance.
26. Begun] The tense implies this. See Aorist vi. 6. We may render ' has engaged in conflict with himself.'
27. Disciples] Lit. 'sons.' So 'the sons of the prophets' are repeatedly men- tioned in the O.T. Your disciples] The disciples of the Pharisees (verse 24) and Scribes, who had come down from Jerusalem (Mark iii. 22).
28. Kingdi'fn 0/ God] Matthew here (as also in vi. 2?'\ xix. 24; xxi. 31, 43) for- sakes his usual expression ' Kingdom of the Heavens,' and adopts this other which alone is found in other parts of the N.T. Has come upon you] The verb here
32 MATTHEW XII.
expel the demons, it is evident that the Kingdom of God has
come upon you. Again, how can any one enter a strong man's 29
house and carry off his goods, unless first of all he masters and
secures the strong man : then he will plunder his- goods
" The man who is not with me is agamst me, 30 The Awfulness ^ ^ , ■ 1 • • ,
of rejecting and he who is not gathermg with me is scattering
**^Li'"ht^'^'^ abroad. This is why I tell you that men may 31 find forgiveness for every other sin and impious word, but that for impious speaking against the Holy Spirit they shall find no forgiveness. And whoever shall speak 32 against the Son of Man may obtain forgiveness ; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, neither in this nor in the coming age shall he obtain forgiveness.
" Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its 33 declared to be ffuit wholesome, or the tree poisonous and its fruit rotten at poisonous ; for the tree is known by its fruit. O 34 vipers' brood, how can you speak what is good when you are evil ? For it is from the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks. A good man from his good store produces 35 good things, and a bad man from his bad store produces bad things. But I tell you that for every careless word that men 36 shall speak they will be held accountable on the day of Judge- ment. For by his words shall each one of you be justified, or ^7 by his words be condemned."
Then He was accosted by some of the Scribes 38 guilty than the and Pharisees who said, " Teacher, we wish to see He"a^then ^ ^'^^ given by you." " Wicked and faithless 39 generation!" He replied, "they clamour for a sign, but none shall be given to them except the sign of the Prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days in the 40 sea-monster's belly (Jonah i. 17), so will the Son of Man
employed (found nowhere else in the Gospels except in the parallel passage Luke xi. 20) probably implies ' Before you were expecting its arrival.' Cp. xxiv. 42, 44. This sense of the verb is preserved in Modern Greek.
29. A strong man] Lit. ' the strong man ' named generically, like ' The Sower." xiii. 3. The overthrow of the prince of evil would be followed by the sure but gradual undoing of the mischief he had wrought.
31. Men] V.L. 'you men.'
32. Shall speak] Cp. Luke xii. 10, n. 34. Brooii] See lii. 7 and note.
38 42. Cp. Luke xi. 16, 29-36.
38. Ginen by] Lit. 'from.'
40. Three days] lAt. ' three days and three nights,' a striking Hebraism. Accord- ing to the Talmud a day and a night together make up a 'nightday,' and any part of such a period is counted as a whole, i'hus in our .Saviour's case the three ' niglit- days consist of about three hours of the Friday, the whole of the Saturday (reckoned in the Jewish mode from sunset to sunset), and the first half— t'ne night— of the Sunday.
MATTHEW XII.-XIIL 33
be three days in the heart of the earth. There will stand up 41 men of Nineveh at the Judgement together with the present generation, and will condemn it ; because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and mark ! there is One greater than Jonah here. The Queen of the south will awake at the Judgement 42 together with the present generation, and will condemn it ; because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and mark ! there is One greater than Solomon here.
Thev would be- " ^^° sooner however has the foul spirit gone out 43 come utterly of the man, than he roams about in places where emora ise . ^^^^^ jg ^^ water, seeking rest but finding none. Then he says, ' I will return to my house that I left ; ' and he 44 comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and in good order. Then he goes and brings with him seven other spirits more 45 wicked than himself, *and they come in and dwell there ; and in - the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation." Christ's Reia- While He was still addressing the people His 46 tives desire to mother and brothers were standing on the edge speak to Him. ^j ^.j^^ crowd desiring to speak to Him. So some 47 one told Him, " Your mother and brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you." He replied to the man, " Who is 48 my mother ? And who are my brothers ? " And pointing to his 49 disciples He added, " See here are my mother and my brothers. To obey my Father who is in heaven — that is to be my brother 50 and sister and mother." A Series of That same day Jesus had left the house and was i 1 Q Parables. _ sitting on the shore of the Lake, when a vast 2 multitude of. people crowded round Him. He
41,42. One greater] Lit. 'more.' 43-45. Cp. Luke xi. 17-26.
43. T/ie foul spirit gone oiit\ An apparent reference to the temporary moral reformation produced among the Jews by the preaching of John the Baptist, Jesus and the Apostles. Roams about] To a variety of places. Such is the force of the same verb in Acts viii. 4 and elsewhere.
44. In good order] Decoration and ornament may be the sense here intended, rather than orderly arrangement. For the former sense see Rev. xxi. 2, 19 ; for the latter Matt. xxv. 7 (' trimmed ").
45. The present wicked generation] Cp. Josephus, Wars, v. 10, 5 ; 13, 6 ; vii. 8, i. The Jewish historian declares that his countrymen at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem were far more ungodly than the people of Sodom had been, Cp. Rev. xviii. 2.
46-50. Cp. Mark iii. 31-35 ; Luke viii. 19-21.
47. v.L. omits this verse.
1-3. Cp. Mark iv. i, 2 ; Luke viii. 4.
I. That same day] So the same words plainly signify in Mark iv. 35, but in Acts viii. I they seem to mean only 'about that time.' The preposition and the con- strucvioii are the same here as in xii. i.
34 MATTHEW XIII.
therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the people stood on the shore. He then spoke many things to 3 them in figurative language. " The sower goes out," He said, " to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, 4 and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky 5 ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth ; but when the 6 sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns ; but the 7 thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good 8 ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears ! " 9
(And His disciples came and asked Him, " Why 10 Vn ParabJes*!^ ^^ V^^ speak to them in figurative language?"
He replied, " Because while to you it is granted to 1 1 know the secrets of the Kingdom of the He'avens, to them it is not. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he 12 shall have abundance ; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away. I speak to them in figurative 13 language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand. And in 14 regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfil- ment : 'you will hear and hear and by no means understand,
And you will look and look and by no means see.
For this people's mind is stupefied, 15
Their hearing has become dull,
And their eyes they have closed ;
To prevent their ever seeing with their eyes
Or hearing with their ears,
Or understanding with their minds,
And turning back.
So THAT I might HEAL THEM ' (Isa. vi. 9, lo).
3-9. Cp. Mark iv. 3-9 ; Luke viii. 5-8.
3. Figurative language] Or 'parables.' Goes out] Or 'went out;' and so throughout the parables in this chapter. Cp. Luke viii. 5, n.
7. Atnong] Lit. 'upon;' i.e. upon ground full of the roots of the plants here called ' thorns.' See Matt. vii. 16, n.
8. Gives] Or 'begins to give.' The verbs in the original are all in past tenses, but this one alone is in the imperfect, indicating prolonged action.
9. Ears] v.L. adds 'to listen with.'
10-17. Cp. Mark iv. 10-12 ; Luke viii. 9, 10.
10. Ca7ne and asked] Later in the day, as we learn from Mark iv. 10. After verse 23 the series of parables (verse 3) is resumed.
11. Secrets] Or ' mysteries.' See Phil. iv. 12, n.
15. Minaj Lit. ' heart,' a common Hebraism. The ordinary Greek word for
MATTHEW XIII. 35
" But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your 16 ears, for they hear. For I solemnly tell you that many prophets 17 and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.
The story of " To you then I will explain the parable of the 18 the Sower Sower. When a man hears the Message concern- 19 ing the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man 20 who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy ; it has struck no root, however, within him : he continues for a 21 time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. He who has received 22 the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who 23 has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")
•.-ru »*/u * Another parable He put before them. " The 24 "The Wheat , "^ ^
and the Kuigdoni of the Heavens may be compared to a Darnel." ^^^^ ^j^^ ^isis sown good Seed in his field, but 25 during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away. But when the 26 blade shoots up and the grain is formed, then appears the darnel also. So the farmer's men come and ask him, ' Sir, was 27 it not good seed that you sowed on your land ? Where then does the darnel come from .'" He answers, ' Some hostile hand 28 has done this.' The men inquire, ' Shall we go, and collect it .'' '
' mind ' or ' intellect ' is nowhere used by Matthew or Mark, /s siu^ejied] Lit. ' has grown thick ' (or ' fat '). So that I tnight\ Lit. ' and I shall.' This use of ' and ' is a common Hebraism. For instance " that it may save us" (i Sam. iv. 3) is literally in the Hebrew " and it shall save us." See Mark i. 20, n., and Aorist, pp. 54, 55.
18-23. Cp. Mark iv. 13-20; Luke viii. 11-15.
19, 20, 22, 23. Has received ike seed] Namely, as land receives seed. Lit. ' has been sown,' as we talk not only of sowing wheat, but of sowing a field with wheat. For the latter is not peculiarly an English idiom. It occurs in several passages of the O.T., both in the Hebrew original and in the Greek LXX. ; for instance, Gen. xlvii, 23 ; Exod. xxiii. 10 ; Lev. xxv. 3, 4 ; while in Deut. xxix. 23 and E?ek. xxxvi. 9 the verb in the same sense is used in the passive, just as in these verses of St. Matthew.
24-30. Cp. Mark iv. 26-29.
24. May be compared td\ Lit. ' has been made like.' The same form of the verb occurs in xviii. 23; xxii. 2.
25. During the night] Lit. ' while men' (or 'his men ') 'were sleeping.' 27, 28. Men] Lit. 'slaves.'
36 MATTHEW XIII.
' No,' he replied, 'for fear that while collecting the darnel you 29 should at the same time root up the wheat with it. Leave both 30 to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest-time I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel first, and make it up into bundles to burn it, but bring all the wheat into my barn.'"
Another parable He put before them. "The 31 " '^'seed""**''^ Kingdom of the Heavens is like a mustard-seed,
which a man takes and sows in his ground. It is 32 the smallest of all seeds, and yet when full-grown it is larger than any herb and forms a tree, so that the wild birds come and build in its branches."
Another parable He spoke to them. " The King- 33 dom of the Heavens is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen."
All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative 34 ^"^ParabVes. °^ language, and except in figurative language He
spoke nothing to them, in fulfilment of the saying 35 of the Prophet, " I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE,
I WILL UTTER THINGS KEPT HIDDEN SINCE THE CREATION OF ALL THINGS " (Ps. Ixxviii. 2).
.. -ru »A„- X When He had dismissed the people and returned 36
"The Wheat , , ^,. .. . , ^ ^ ^^. . , , ^
and the to the house, His disciples came to Him with the
^mraningl*^ request, " Explain to us the parable of the darnel
sown in the field." He replied, "The sower of the 37
good seed is the Son of Man ; the field is the world ; the good 38
seed, the sons of the Kingdom ; the darnel, the sons of the Evil
one. The enemy who sows the darnel is the devil ; the harvest 39
is the Close of the age ; the reapers are the angels. As then 40
30. First] An interesting indication that the distinction in time which some would make between the Epiphany (Christ's Coming to take away His people) and the Parousia (His Coming later on, to judgement) is groundless. The ' harvest-time ' is one and the same, and judgement precedes, instead of following, the gathering of believers into the heavenly home. Bring] v.L. a form of the verb that signifies prolonged action; 'go on bringing.' All] Lit. 'together.'
31-33. Cp. Mark iv. 30-32 ; Luke xiii. 18-21.
32. The smallest o/] Lit. ' smaller than.' Herb] Or ' garden vegetable.'
33. Veast] Or ' leaven,' ' barm.' 34-35- Cp. Mark iv. 33, 34.
35. The Prophet] Asaph. See Ps. Ixxviii. 2 and heading.
38. Sons] A Hebraism, on which see the Commentators, and cp. xii. 27.
39. Close] Or ' consummation.' See xxviii. 20, n. Age] Cp. verse 49 ; xxiv. 3, n. ; xxviii. 20, n. Some understand the 'age' in question to have been the Jewish dispensation which ended in 70, A.D.,and infer from our Lord's teaching that the physical destruction of the Hebrew nation at that time was immediately followed by their spiritual judgement in the unseen world. Such an interpretation does not iiecess.Tiily diminish the solemn interest and significance of this parable for us. An
MATTHEW XIII. 37
ibe darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire, so will it
be at the Close of the a'ge. The Son of Man will commission 41
His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes
of sin and all who violate His laws ; and these they will throw 42
mto the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the
gnashmg of teeth. Then will the righteous shine out like the 43
sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has
ears '
ujiyQjj.^^, "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure 44
sure found buried in the open country, which a man finds, but
and buried." , • • j • i • • i .^ -^ i
buries agam, and, m his joy about it, goes and
sells all he has and buys that piece of ground.
"The one "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a 45
Pearl of sur._^ jewel merchant who is in quest of choice pearls, passing a ue. ^^ ^^^j^ ^^^ most costly pearl ; he goes away ; 46 and though it costs all he has, he buys it.
"Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a 47 "man'sl^etr' draw-net let down into the sea, which encloses fish
of all sorts. When full, they haul it up on the 48 beach, and sit down and collect the good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away. So will it be at the Close of the 49 age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the fiery furnace : 50 there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth." Learners must " Have you understood all this ? " He asked. 51 _become " Yes," they said. He replied, "Therefore remem- 52 ber that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his store- house new things and old."
A visit to Jesus concluded this series of parables and then 53
Nazareth and departed. And He came into His own country ^4 Its Synagogue. \, j j , , . , . ,
and proceeded to teach in their synagogue, so that
equally certain separation between the righteous and wicked, of later generations, comes either at the death of the individual or at the close of the Christian era. See John V. 29 ; Rev. xx. 7, 11-13.
41. Causes q/si'n] Lit. ' stumbling-blocks.' Cp. v. 29 ; xv. 12.
42. T/te zveeping] See viii. 12, n.
43. Like the sutr] "Like Christ Himself Rev. i. 16" (Wordsworth). Their Fathers Kingdom\ Cp. xxvi. 29. Ears\ v.l. adds ' to hear.'
45. A jewel merchant\ Lit. (according to most authorities) ' a man, a merchant.' So in verse 52 and in xx. i, xxi. 33, ' a man, a householder ; ' xviii. 23, xxii. 2, ' a man, a king.'
j8. The worthless] The legally unclean. Lev. xi. 9-12.
49. Close of the age] Cp. xxiv. 3, n. ; xxyiii. 20, n.
52. Therefore remember] Or ' well then ' (Alford).
54-58. Cp. Mark vi. 1-6.
54,57. Country] Lit. 'fatherland.'
38 MATTHEW XIIT.-XIV.
they were filled with astonishment and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom, and these wondrous powers ? Is not 55 this the carpenter's son ? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judah ? And his 56 sisters — are they not all living here among us ? Where then did he get all this ?" So they turned angrily away from Him. 57 But Jesus said to them, " There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family." And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of their want of faith.
The Imprison. About that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of ment and the fame of Jesus, and said to his courtiers, "This _
Murder of . . , , „ • i 1 1 i i-/-
John the IS John the Baptist : he has come back to life — Baptist. ^^^ ^^^^ jg ^yjjy these miraculous Powers are working in him."
For Herod had arrested John, put him in chains, and im- 3 prisoned him, for the sake of Herodias his brother Philip's wife, because John had persistently said to him, " It is not lawful for 4 you to have her." And he would have liked to put him to 5 death, but was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet. But when Herod's birthday came, the daughter 6 of Herodias danced before all the company, and so pleased Herod that with an oath he promised to give her whatever she 7 asked. So she, instigated by her mother, said, " Give me here 8 on a dish the head of John the Baptist." The king, though deeply 9 vexed, yet for the sake of his repeated oath and of the guests at his table ordered it to be given her, and sent and beheaded 10 John in the prison. The head was brought on a dish and given 11 to the young girl, and she took it to her mother. Then John's 12 disciples went and removed the body and buried it, and came and informed Jesus. A Crowd of Upon receiving these tidings, Jesus went away 13 b'oo'o PecMjle ^y ^^^^ ^^ ^" Uninhabited and secluded district ; fed. but the people heard of it and followed Him in
crowds from the towns by land. So Jesus went out and saw an 14
55. r/i/s] Or 'this fellow.'
57. Turned angrily away\ Lit. 'they were caused to stumble.' Cp. verse 41. Faviily\ Or ' house.'
1-2. Cp. Mark vi. 14-16 ; Luke ix. 7-g.
3-5. Cp. Mark vi. 17-20; Luke iii. 19, 20.
6-12. Cp. Mark vi. 21-29.
12. //] Lit. 'him;' according to the best authorities: in Mark the pronoun is neuter.
13-21. Cp. Mark vi. 30-44; Luke ix. 10-17 , John v. 1-14.
14. Went out] Jesus seems to have retired to meditate in perfect solitude (near
MATTHEW XIV. 39
immense multitude, and felt compassion for them, and cured those of them who were out of health. But when evening was 15 come, the disciples came to Him and said, "This is an un- inhabited place, and the best of the day is now gone ; send the people away to go into the villages and buy something to eat/' Jesus replied, "They need not go away : you yourselves must 16 give them something to eat." "We have nothing here," said 17 they, "but five loaves and a couple of fish." "Bring them 18 here to me," He replied, and He told all the people to sit down 19 on the grass. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and after looking up to heaven and blessing them. He broke up the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples dis- tributed them to the people. So all ate, and were fully satisfied. 20 The broken portions that remained over they gathered up, filling twelve baskets. Those who had eaten were about 5,000 21 adult men, without reckoning women and children.
Immediately afterwards He made the disciples 22
i'i^lotifude^ go on board the boat and cross to the opposite
shore, leaving Him to dismiss the people. When 23 He had done this, He climbed the hill to pray in solitude. Night came on, and He was there alone. Meanwhile the boat 24 was far out on the Lake, buffeted and tossed by the waves, the wind being adverse.
But towards daybreak He went to them, walking 25
"t1iellake°" ^^er the waves. When the disciples saw Him 26 walking on the waves, they were greatly alarmed. " It is a spirit," they exclaimed, and they cried out with terror. But instantly Jesus spoke to them : "There is no danger; it is I ; 27 do not be afraid." Peter answered, " iMaster, if it is you, bid me 28
Bethsaida Julias, Luke Ix. lo), and then to have been called by His disciples to see the vast concourse of people who were coming to listen to His teaching and obtain relief for the afflicted among them. Some however suppose that ' went out ' means 'landed from the boat,' and that the crowds were already assembled on the shore. Some undoubtedly had run on ahead (Mark vi. 32), but the majority appear to have followed Him (verse 13 and Luke ix. 11), and to have kept on coming all day in increasing numbers (John v. 15).
15. Evenhig] Lit. ' a late ' hour. The time referred to is probably that of offer- ing the evening sacrifice, about 3 p.m. The feeding of the multitude would then be 'between the two evenings,' Exod. xii. 6, margin.
2o. Broken portio>is\ Those into which the Lord had broken the loaves; not mere .scraps and crumbs.
22-33. Cp. Mark vi. 45-52 ; John vi. 15-21.
23. Night] Lit. 'a late ' hour, the same word as in verse 15.
24 Fa?- out on the Lake] Lit. 'in the middle of the sea.' v.l. ' was many furlongs from land.'
25. Totvards daybreak] Lit. 'in the fourth watch of the night.' See the Com* mentators.
27. It is I] Lit. ' I am,' as ui Jolin viii. 58.
40 MATTHEW XIV.-XV.
come to you upon the water." "Come," replied Jesus; and 29 Peter climbed down from the boat and walked upon the water to go to Him. But when he felt the wind he grew frightened, 30 and beginning to sink he cried out, "Master, save me." Instantly 31 Jesus stretched out His hand and caught hold of him, saying to him, "O little faith, why did you doubt .'*" So they climbed into 32 the boat, and the wind lulled ; and the men on board fell down 33 before Him and said, "You are indeed God's Son."
When they had quite crossed over, they put 34
olnneLa^ret. ashore at Gennesaret ; and the men of the place, 35 recognizing Him, sent word into all the country round. So they brought all the sick to Him, entreating 36 Him that they might but touch the tassel of His outer garment ; and all who touched were restored to perfect health. Real Purity an Then there came to Jesus a party of Pharisees i ]
"s^fritu^'i*^ and Scribes from Jerusalem, who inquired, " Why 2 Thing. do your disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders in not washing their hands before meals ?" " Why do 3 you, too," He retorted, " transgress God's commands for the sake of your tradition? For God said, 'HONOUR THY FATHER 4 AND THY mother' (Exod. XX. 12) ; and ' Let him who reviles
FATHER OR MOTHER BE CERTAINLY PUT TO DEATH' (Exod.
xxi. 17) ; but you, this is what you say, ' If a man says to his 5 father or mother, That is consecrated, whatever it is, which other- wise you should have received from me — he shall be absolved 6 from honouring his father ;' and so you have abrogated God's Word for the sake of your tradition. Hypocrites ! well did 7 Isaiah prophesy of you,
' This is a People who honour Me with their lips, 8 While their heart is far away from Me ; But it is in vain they worship Me, 9
While they lay down precepts which are mere HUMAN rules'" (Isa. xxix. 13).
20. Tc^-o] v.L. 'and went.' v
30. feii] Lit. 'saw.' T/te wind] v.L. 'how strong the wind was.' Gre7v /rightened] Although he was a fisherman and a swimmer (John xxi. 7). 34-36. Cp. Mark vi. 53-56. 1-20. Cp. Mark vii. 1-23.
2. Tradition of the Elders] See the Commentators. Before iiieals] Lit. ' whenever they eat bread.' Cp. Mark vii. 5, n.
3. For the sake of] I.E. 'in order to do honour to.' Vouf tradition] Yours, not God's.
4. Reviles] Or 'curses.' Be certainly put to death] Lit. 'die by death.' Or, as in Mark vii. 10, ' die the death ;' or 'die by the hand of justice.'
5 Consecrated] Lit. ' a gift that is a sacrifice to God.' See Mark vii. ir, n.
6. The first clause is by some assigned to the Pharisees, as completing their
MATTHEW XV. 41
Then, when He had called the people to Him, Jesus said, 10 "Hear and understand. It is not what goes into a man's 11 mouth that defiles him ; but it is what comes out of his mouth — thai defiles a man." Then His disciples came and said to Him, 12 " Do you know that the Pharisees were greatly shocked when they heard those words ?" " Every plant," He replied, " which 13 my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Leave 14 them alone. They are blind guides of the blind ; and if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into some pit." " Explain 15 to us this figurative language," said Peter. "Are even you," He 16 answered, " still without intelligence ? Do you not understand 17 that whatever enters the mouth passes into the stomach and is afterwards ejected from the body.'^ But the things that come 18 out of the mouth proceed from the heart, and it is these that defile the man. For out of the heart proceed wicked thoughts, 19 murder, adultery, fornication, theft, perjury, impiety of speech. These are the things which defile the man ; but eating with 20 unwashed hands does not defile."
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew into the 21 A heathen Girl vicinity of Tyre and Sidon. Here a Canaanitish 22
cured. ■' ■'
woman of the district came out and persistently cried out, " Sir, Son of David, pity me ; my daughter is cruelly harassed by a demon." But He answered her not a word. Then 23 the disciples interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps crying behind us." So He answered her, 24 " I have no commission except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Then she came and threw herself at His feet and 25"* entreated Him, "Sir, help me." He replied, " It is not right to 26
sentence : and so in the Resultant Greek Testament. But, after all, " the Pharisees were too shrewd to say that " (Wordsworth) in barefaced opposition to God's com- mand. It is better to supply words to add to verse 5 (cp. Luke xiii. g, n) ; " that is an exceptional case," or, as in the A.V., " he shall he free," or with Luther " he acts rightly "(^^r thut wohl). His father] v. ■l. dt.Ads 'or his mother.' Word] wi^. reads Maw.'
11. Defiles] Lit. 'makes common.' See Heb. ix. 13, n.
12. Shocked] As when in walking one strikes one's foot violently against some obstacle. Cp. v. 29.
14. Of the blind] v.L. omits these words. Pit] Or 'hole.' Cp. xii. 11, where the same word is used.
15. This figurative lang-uao-e]. See verse 11. 19. Thoughts] Or ' reasonings.'
21-28. Cp. Mark vii. 24-30.
22. Persistently cried] Or tlie tense (imperfect) may mean ' began to cry out to Him,' as in Mark iii. 8.
24. Lost sheep] Or, as we should say, ' lapsed masses.'
25. Catne] Into the house. See Mark vii. 24. Thre^v herself at His feet] See John ix. 38, n. The tense (imperfect) indicates that she remained there.
26. Dogs] Lit. 'puppies,' or ' whelps ' (McClellan). Dogs are not domesticated animals in Palestine. Puppies are often cared for and petted while still young, especially by the children, but when full grosvn they are driven away to herd with
42 MATTHEW XV.
take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." " Be it so, 27 Sir," she said, " for even the dogs eat the scraps which fall from their masters' tables." Jesus replied, " Woman, great is 28 your faith : be it done to you as you desire." And from that moment her daughter was restored to health.
Again, moving thence, Jesus went along by the 29
'^MPracfes^.^'* Lake of Galilee : and ascending the Hill, He sat
down there. Soon great crowds came to Him, 30 bringing with them those who were crippled in feet or hands, blind or dumb, and many besides, and they hastened to lay them at His feet. And He cured them, so that the people were 31 amazed to see the dumb speaking, the maimed with perfect hands, the lame walking, the blind seeing ; and they gave the glory to the God of Israel.
A Crowd of ^^^ Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, 32
morethan4,ooo " Mv heart yearns over this mass of people, for it
People fed. . - , , • , j , , , 1 ■ ,
IS now the third day that they have been with me
and they have nothing to eat. I am unwilling to send them away
hungry, lest they should faint on the road." "Where are we," 33
asked the disciples, "in this remote place to get bread enough
to satisfy so vast a multitu de ? " Jesus replied, " How many 34
loaves have you ? " " Seven," they said, " and a few small fish."
So He bade all the people sit down on the ground, and He took 35, 36
the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks He broke
them up and then distributed them to the disciples, and they
to the people. And they all ate and were satisfied. The broken ;^y
portions that remained over they took up — seven full hampers.
Those who ate were 4,000 adult men, without reckoning women 38
and children.
He then dismissed the people, went on board the boat, and 39
came into the district of Magadan.
their savage congeners which are so serious a nuisance and terror to most eastern cities.
27. Be it sd\ Namely, that the Gentiles resemble the dogs. For\ The rendering ' yet ' is wholly unauthorized. She means that if we are like the dogs that very fact constitute^; our claim. Masters\ Or 'owners'.'
29. The Hill} Cp. V. I. Sat down] The sense (imperfect) implies ' and continued sitting ; ' or ' took up His abode ' (" y demeura," Stapfer). See v. i, n.
30. Dumb\ Or ' deaf-mutes.'
31. The maimed ivith perfect hands] v.L. omits these words. 32-38. Cp. Mark viii. 1-9.
32. Tiie third day] Lit. "three days.' According to English idiom 'two days' would probably express the true sense, the time indicated being one full day and some fraction of the day preceding and of the day following. Cp. xii. 40 with note, and Luke ii. 46.
37. Hampers] Or ' store-ba.skets,' or (Westcott) 'frails.' Except in connexion with this miracle, the word is only found in Acts ix. 25. The baskets used in feeding the 5,000 were hand-baskets.
39-xvi. 4. Cp. Mark viii. 10-12.
MATTHEW XVI. -43
Here the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Him; i ]_g ^ Helven!*°'" ^"^' ^^ """^^^^ trial of Him, they asked Him to show
them a sign in the sky. He repHed, "In the 2 evening you say, ' It will be fine weather, for the sky is red ; ' and in the morning, 'It will be rough weather to-day, for the 3 sky is red and murky.' You learn how to distinguish the aspect of the heavens, but the signs of the times you cannot. A 4 wicked and faithless generation are eager for a sign ; but none shall be given to them except the sign of Jonah." And He left them and went away,
^ . .^ ,. When the disciples arrived at the other side, tliey 5
False reaching . ,, , ,,r ,• ij
compared to found that they had forgotten to brmg any bread ;
Yeast. ^^^ when Jesus said to them, "See to it : beware 6
of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees," they reasoned 7 among themselves, saying, " It is because we have not brought any bread." Jesus perceived this and said, " Why are you 8 reasoning among yourselves, you men of little faith, because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand? nor even 9 remember the 5,000 and the five loaves, and how many basketfuls you carried away, nor the 4,000 and the seven loaves, 10 and how many hampers you carried away ? How is it you do ir not understand that it was not about bread that I spoke to you ? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Then 12 they perceived that He had not warned them against bread-yeast, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Peter acknow- When He arrived in the neighbourhood of Philip's 13
'^"^^^God's"^ ^^^^^'^^^ Jesus questioned His disciples, "Who
Messiah, do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Some 14 say John the Baptist," they replied; "others Elijah; others Jeremiah or one of the Prophets." " But you, who do you say 15 that I am?" He asked again. "You," replied Simon Peter, 16
1. In the sky\ Cp. Mark viii. ii and note. 2-3. Cp. Luke xii. 54.
2, 3. In the evening . .you cannot^ v.l. omits. 4-12. Cp. Mark viii. 13-21.
5. The other side] Of the Sea of Galilee. Had forgotten] From Mark viii. 14 it appears that they made this discovery before they left the boat. See Aorist vi. 2, 3. P- 19-
6. II, 12. Yeast] Or leaven,' barm.'
7. It is because] Or these words may be omitted, as in the R.V.
8. You ha'>e\ v.l. ' you have taken.'
13-28. Cp. Mark viii. 27-29 ; Luke i.x. 18-27 ; John vi. 66-71.
13. Questioned] Repeatedly. See note on ii. 4, where the tense is the same, though the verb is different. Say that the Son 0/ Man is] v.l. ' say that I the Son of Man am.'
16. Siynon Peter] Now, as frequently, the mouth of the Apostles (Chrysostom). Ever- living] Lit. ' living.'
44 MATTHEW XVI.
" are the Christ, the Son of the ever-living God." " Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah," said Jesus ; " for mere human nature has not unveiled this mystery to you, but my Father in heaven. And I declare to you tiiat you are Peter, and that upon this Rock I will build my Church, and the might of Hades shall not triumph over it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the Heavens ; and whatever you bind on earth shall remain bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall remain loosed in heaven." Then He urged His disciples to tell no one that He was the Christ.
Jesus predicts From this time Jesus began to explain to His "'^ °and°^^*^ disciples that He must go to Jerusalem., and Resurrection, suffer much Cruelty from the Elders and High Priests and Scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised to life again. Tlien Peter took Him aside and began taking Him to task. " Master," he said, " God forbid ; this will not be your lot." But He turned and said to Peter, " Get behind me. Adversary ; you area hindrance to me, because your thoughts are not God's thoughts, but men's." Nor may His Then Jesus said to His disciples, " If any one Followers re- desires to follow me, let him renounce self and take up his cross, and so be my follower. For whoever desires to save his Hfe shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it. Why, what benefit will it be to a man if he gains the whole world but forfeits his life .'* Or what shall
17. Human nature] Neither your own nor any one else's. Lit. ' flesh and blood.'
18. Peter . . Rock\ In the Greek ' Petros' and ' Petra.' In classical Greek these signify ' stone ' and ' rock ' respectively. But the latter, being feminine, would be manifestly unsuitable as the name of a man. Cp. John i. 42, 4,3, n. ; Acts xii. 13. Might] Lit. 'gates.' Cp. the expression "The Ottoman Porte." The Jews regarded Sheol, or Hades, as the place where all the dead upon their departure from this world were imprisoned for a time. But so far as His real saints are concerned Christ has abolished this Intermediate State. Not for a single moment do the prison gates of Hades detain them from entering the very Presence of God. See Rev. xiv. 13.
19. Vou] Peter. In John xx. 23 the pronoun is plural. Seethe Commentators. Remain bound] See Aorist vii. 3,4. Bind . . ioose] See the Commentators.
21. Jesus] V. L. 'Jesus Christ.' Must] According to God's appointment. Cp. Luke xxiv. 26 ; John iii. 14. High Priests] See ii. 4, n. Be raised to life] Lit. 'awake.'
22. Took Him aside and] Lit. 'having taken Him to him.' God forbid] Lit. (The Lord be) 'merciful to you.' Will not] Or ' shall not,' for there is no difference in the Greek — if we may suppose the forward and energetic Peter to assume on this occasion a tone of authority towards his Master.
23. Adversary] Lit. 'Satan,' a Hebrew word signifying 'Adversary.' Peter, as a Jew, would at once understand the meaning. H indrance\ Stumbling-block in my way. See v. 29, n.
25. Shall lose . . shall fnd] Or ' will lose . . will find.'
25, 26. Life] Or ' soul.'
26. Forfeits] Cp. Luke ix. 25, n. To buy back his life] After he has lost it, hav- ing paid it as the penalty of his misdeeds.
MATTHEW XVI.-XVII,
45
a man give to buy back his life ? For the Son of Man is soon to 27 come in the glory of the Father with His angels, and then will He requite every man according to his actions. I solemnly tell 28 you that there are some of those who stand here who will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom." The Trans- Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and i J^^T
figuration, the brothers James and John, and brought them up a high mountain to a solitary place. There in their presence 2 His form underwent a change ; His face shone like the sun, and His raiment became as white as the light. And suddenly Moses 3 and Elijah appeared to them conversirig with Him. Then 4 Peter said to Jesus, " Master, we are thankful to you that we are here. If you approve, I will put up three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He was still 5 speaking when a luminous cloud spread over them ; and a voice was heard from within the cloud, " This is My Son dearly beloved, in whom is My delight. Listen to Him." On 6 hearing this voice, the disciples fell on their faces and were filled with excessive terror. But Jesus came and touched them, and said, "Rouse yourselves and have no fear." So they 7, 8 looked up, and saw no one but Jesus. _. „ . As they were descending the mountain, Jesus 9
The Baptizer , ^\ u ^ ^^ r 1 • 1
the second charged them. Tell no one of the sight you Elijah. \xave seen till the Son of Man has risen from among the dead." "Why then," asked the disciples, "do the 10 Scribes say that Elijah must first come ? " " Elijah was indeed 1 1 to come," He replied, "and would reform everything. But I 12 tell you that he has already come, and they did not recognize him, but dealt with him as they chose. And before long the Son of Man will be treated by them in a similar way." Then it 13 dawned upon the disciples that it was John the Baptist about whom He had spoken to them.
27. His angels] Cp. xiii. 41. Actions] Lit. 'doing,' the life he has led, but 'life' in a different sense from that in the preceding verse.
28. SeeTt the Son of Man coming] Some have supposed that the reference is to a spiritual and judicial Coming of Christ at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70, A.D. Cp. X. 23 ; xxiv. 34.
1-13. Cp. Mark ix. 2-13 ; Luke ix. 28-36. I. See Luke ix. 28, n.
4. We are thankful to you] Cp. Acts x. 33 ; Phil. iv. 14.
5. Spread over] Lit. 'overshadowed;' but that which is all light, there being no second object, can throw no shadow on its only object. We must understand tiiis luminous cloud as outspread to cover the disciples in the form and manner of a common cloud shading men from the sun. Is My delight] See iii. 17, n.
46 MATTHEW XVII.
When they had returned to the people, there came 14
^Boyclfred*^ to Him a man who fell on his knees before Him
and besought Him. " Sir," he said, " have pity on 15
my son, for he is an epileptic and is very ill. Often he falls into
the fire and often into the w^ater. I have brought him to your 16
disciples, and they have not been able to cure him." Jesus 17
answered, " O unbelieving and perverse generation ! How long
shall I be with you ? how long shall I endure you ? Bring him
to me." So Jesus reprimanded the demon, and he came forth 18
and left him ; and the boy was cured from that moment.
_.. . Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and ig
The immense ^ J f J y
Power of asked Him, "Why could not we expel the ^^'*^' demon ? " " Because of your little faith," He 20
rephed ; " for I solemnly declare to you that if you have faith like a mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Remove from this place to that,' and it will remove ; and nothing shall be impossible to you. But an evil spirit of this kind is only 21 driven out by prayer and fasting." , „ ^ „. As they were travelling about in Galilee, Jesus 22
Jesus again •' ° ' -'
predicts His said to them, " The Son of Man is about to be
and^Resurrec- betrayed into the hands of men ; they will put 23
tion. f^jj-^-j tQ death, but on the third day He will be
raised to life again." And they were exceedingly distressed.
After their arrival at Capharnahum the collec- 24 Tem'^pTTax. tors of the half-shekel came and asked Peter,
" Does not your Teacher pay the half-shekel ?" He 25 answered, " Yes," and went into the house. But before he spoke a word Jesus said, " What think you, Simon ? From whom do this world's kings receive customs or capitation tax.? from their own children, or from others .'' " " From others," he 26
14-21. Cp. Mark ix. 14-29 ; Luke ix. 37-43.
17. " It is long of your own unbelief and perverseness that they could not cure liim " (Baxter). Perverse] Or ' crooked-minded.' To ine\ The ' to,' not expressed with the usual preposition (as in the parallel passage in Mark ix. 19, 20), implies " Bring him for me to deal with." Cp. xxi. 2.
20. Little faith] v.l. 'unbelief.' Like] i.e. evergrowing, however small at first.
21. V.L. omits this verse.
22-23. Cp. Mark ix. 30-32 ; Luke ix. 43-45.
22. TraT'elling about] As in hunting, in which sense the verb and its cognate noun are used in the LXX., Ezek. xiii. 20, 21. Some render (as in margin of the R.V.) 'were gathering themselves togetiier.' v.L. 'they abode.' Betrayed] I.E. by Judas. Or ' delivered up,' i.e. by the Almighty. Cp. Rom. viii. 32.
23. Be raised] Or 'awake.' 24-27. Cp. Mark ix. 33.
24. The half-shekel] Levied on all Jews for the support of the Temple services, Exod. XXX. 13.
26. The children are free] Jesus, as God's own Son, might justly have claimed exemption from this tax for the maintenance of His Father's House.
MATTHEW XVII.-XVIII. 47
replied. " Then the children are free," said Jesus; "however, 27 lest we cause them to sin, go and throw a hook into the Lake, and take the first fish that comes up. When you open its mouth, you will find a shekel in it : bring that coin and give it to them for yourself and me."
Just then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, i 1 Q '^H'umiiity!" " '^Vho ranks higher than others in the Kingdom
of the Heavens ?" So He called a young child to 2 Him, and bidding him stand in the midst of them said, " In 3 solemn truth I tell you that unless you turn and become like little children, you will in no case be admitted into the King- dom of the Heavens. Whoever therefore shall humble himself 4 as this young child, he it is who is superior to others in the Kingdom of the Heavens. And whoever for my sake receives one 5 young child such as this, receives me ; but whoever shall occa- 6 sion the fall of one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung round his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.
^ "Alas for the world because of causes of fall- 7 ' Beware ot '
leading others ing ! They Cannot but come, but alas for each
man through whom they come ! If your hand or 8 your foot is causing you to fall into sin, cut it off and away with it. It is better for you to enter into Life crippled in hand or foot than in possession of two sound hands or feet be thrown
27. Cause them to sin\ Through their imitating the action without having the reason. Cp. v. 29. v.l. a difterent tense of the verb — 'should be causing &c.' For yourself and ine'l Not for us, ' because the footing on which it was given was different' (Alford). Cp. John xx 17.
1-5. Cp. Mark ix. 33-41 ; Luke ix. 46-50.
I. Then\ Their discussion of this question among themselves while on their way through Galilee (Mark ix. 33, 34) had probably been suggested by the special fa\our twice shown (xvii. i; Mark v. 37) to Peter, James, and John. Ranks higher than others] Lit. 'is greater.' Or perhaps it may be rendered 'is greatest,' the orduiary form of the superlative, which occurs only in 2 Peter i. 4, being almost obsolete in the language of the N.T. (as it is quite obsolete in Modern Greek) and the compar- ative being substituted for it.
3. Turn] From such ambitious rivalry and self-seeking.
4. Is superior to others] Lit. 'is greater.' See verse i, n. 6-9. Cp. Mark ix. 42-50 ; Luke xvii. i, 2.
6. Occasion] See xvii. 27, n., which applies also to the three verses following. The English words 'offend' and 'offence' are altogether misleading. Millstone] Lit. 'ass-millstone,' i.e. a millstone which an ass turns.
8. 0/ the ages] Greek 'aeonian.' Li tiie present Translation this word, which occurs here for the first time, is thus rendered in each of the seventy passages in which it occurs. Etymologicaily this adjective, like others similarly formed, does not signify ' during,' but 'belonging to ' tlie aeons or ages. Whether usage gives it a different sense is another question. That the word sometimes means 'everlasting' in the strongest sense of that word, cannot reasonably be doubted. Let the reader judge for himself in every case. (Where ' of the ages,' as in Gal. i. 5, represents the article and noun in the Greek, and not the adjective, no note is added.)
8, 9. Into Life] Or 'into the Life.' See xix. 16, n.
48 MATTHEW XVIII.
into the fire of the ages. And if your eye is causing you to 9 fall into sin, tear it out and away with it ; it is better for you to enter into Life with only one eye, than in possession of two eyes be thrown into the Gehenna of fire.
"Beware of ever despising one of these little 10 'Despise no ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven
one. A stray- ' . ■' _ ? . ,
ing Sheep is have continual access to my Father in heaven, ''owner .'*^ What do you yourselves think ? Suppose a man 12 gets a hundred sheep and one of them strays away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go and look for the one that is straying ? And if he succeeds in finding 13 it, in solemn truth I tell you that he rejoices over it more than he does over the ninety-nine that have not gone astray. Just so 14 it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
" If your brother acts wrongly towards you, go i? Howtotreata , • , . u" r u . u- u 1
sinning fellow and pomt out his fault to hmi when only you Christran. ^j^^j j^g ^j.g thej-g^ jf hg listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not listen to you, go again, 16 and ask one or two to go with you, that every word spoken may be attested by two or three witnesses. If he refuses to hear them, 17 appeal to the church ; and if he refuses to hear even the church, regard him just as you regard a Gentile or a tax-gatherer. I 18 solemnly assure you that whatever you as a church bind on earth will in heaven be held as bound, and whatever you loose on earth will in heaven be held to be loosed. I also solemnly 19 assure you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything whatever that they shall ask, the boon will come to them from my Father who is in heaven. For where there are two or three 20 assembled in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
9. Gehenna of fire\ On the primary reading of this expression see v. 22, n., the only other place where it occurs.
10-14. Cp. Luke XV. 3-7.
10. Their anjse/s] Seems to mean the angels who have special charge of them. Have continual access to] Lit. 'continually behold the face of.'
11. v.L. inserts here ' For the Son of Man came to save that which is lost.'
12. IVhat do you think] Cp. Luke xii. 57.
14. Of your Father] Lit. 'before your Father,' a Hebraism. v.L. 'of my Father.'
15. Acts wrongly] Lit. 'shall have sinned.' Towards you] v.L. omits these words here, as they are omitted by all the best authorities in the parallel passage Luke xvii. 3.
17. The church] Or 'assembly.' Cp. verses 19, 20. The term is obviously used here in a narrower sense than in xvi. 18, where our Lord uses it for the first time. Regard him Sa^c] No longer as a Christian brother: you are at liberty to appeal to the Gentile law.
20. In the midst 0/ them] The central figure.
MATTHEW XVIII. 49
How often he ^^ ^^^'^ P°'"' ^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^° ^''^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^"^^' ^I is to be for- tion, " Master, how often shall my brother act g'ven. wrongly towards me and I forgive him ? seven
times?" Jesus answered, "I do not say seven times, but seventy 22 times seven times.
" For this reason the Kingdom of the Heavens 23 giverfessan ^^V be compared to a king who determined to rfe^es'sir ^^^^ ^ settlement of accounts with his servants.
But as soon as he began the settlement, one was 24 brought before him vvho owed 10,000 talents, and was unable to pay. So his master ordered that he and his wife and children 25 and everything that he had should be sold, and payment be made. The servant therefore falling down prostrated himself at his feet 26 and entreated him, ' Only give me time, and I will pay you the whole.' Whereupon his master, touched with compassion, set 27 him free and forgave him the debt. But no sooner had that 28 servant gone out, than he met with one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings ; and seizing him by the throat and nearly strangling him he exclaimed, 'Pay me all you owe.' His 29 fellow servant therefore fell at his knees and entreated him, * Only give me time, and I will pay you.' He would not how- 30 ever, but went and threw him into prison until he should pay what was due. His fellow servants therefore, seeing what had 31 happened, were exceedingly angry ; and they came and told their master without reserve all that had happened. At once 32 his master called him and said, ' Wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt, because you entreated me : ought not you also 33 to have had pity on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' So his master, greatly incensed, handed him over to the 34 torturers until he should pay all he owed him.
" In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with 35
21-35. Cp. Luke xvli. 3, 4.
22. Seventy times seven times] i.e. without limit, constantly, and always (Chry- sostom). Some however prefer to render ' seventy seven times,' comparing this pas- sage with Gen. iv. 24 (where the Greek in the LXX. is the same as here) in contrast witli verse 15 of that same chapter.
23. l\Iay be coinpared to] See xiii. 24, n. A king] Lit. ' a man, a king.' Ser- vants] Or 'officials.' Lit. 'slaves.' Cp. the use of the term 'servants' (in Exod. viii. 3, etc.) for the nobles of Pharaoh's court.
24. 10,000 talents] Over two millions sterling.
25. Mnsti'r] Or ' owner.' So in verses 27, 31, 32, 34.
27. Dfht] Lit. 'loan.' Cp. the Parable of the Pounds in Luke xix.
28. Shillings] This is McClellan's rendering, and it is perhaps the best. The coin referred to, the Roman denarius, was a silver one worth a little more than our six- pence. ' Penny' is by no means an equivalent term.
34. Torlurers] Or 'Jailers.'
35. My] Not ' your,' in this connexion. " The unforgiving servant has ceased to be a true child of God " (Chrysostom).
E
50 MATTHEW XVIII.-XIX.
you, if you do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."
When Jesus had finished these discourses, He I ] *^?he Jordan^^ removed from Galilee and came into that part of
Judaea which lay beyond Jordan. And a vast 2 multitude followed Him, and He cured them there.
Then came some of the Pharisees to Him to 3 ab^S^ofvo^rce. P^^ Him to the proof by the question, " Has a
husband a right to divorce his wife whenever he chooses?" His reply was, "Have you not read that He who 4 made them ' made them ' from the beginning ' male AND
FEMALE (Gen. i. 27), and said, for this REASON A MAN SHALL 5 LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE UNITED TO HIS
WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BE ONE ' (Gen. ii, 24) ? Thus they 6 are no longer two, but ' one ' ! What therefore God has coupled, let not man separate." " Why then," said they, " did 7 Moses command the husband to give her 'a written notice of divorce,' and so put her away (Deut. xxiv. i)?" " Moses," He 8 replied, " in consideration of the hardness of your nature per- mitted you to put away your wives, but it has not been so from the beginning. And I tell you that whoever divorces his wife 9 for any reason except her unfaithfulness, and marries another woman, commits adultery." "If this is the case with a man in 10 relation to his wife," said the disciples to Him, " it is better not to marry." He replied, " It is not every man who can receive 11 this teaching, but only those on whoni the grace has been bestowed. There are men who from their birth have been dis- 12 abled from marriage, others who have been so disabled by men, and others who have disabled themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of the Heavens. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it."
1-2. Cp. Mark x. i ; Luke xvii. ii.
I. Patt of Judaea &^c.] 'Judaea beyond Jordan' is mentioned by Josephus also, though 'Judaea ' in the N.T. seems generally to be bounded by the Jordan on the east, as in iv. 25. See Kitto's Biblical Cyclopaedia, s.v. 'Judaea.'
3-T2. Cp. Mark x. 2-12.
3. So7f!e 0/ the Pharisees] v.l. 'the Pharisees.' Whenever &'c.] Or 'on any and every ground.'
5. Be united] The same verb occurs in Luke x. 11 ; xv. 15 ; Acts viii. 29 : xvii. 34. 5, 6. One] Lit. 'one fiesh.'
8. In co7tsideration of] Lit. '(looking) to.' Hardness] Or 'cruelty.' " He per- mitted divorce in order to prevent murder" (Jerome), or because however stringeiuiy he might have forbidden it the wickedness of human nature was such that the prohi- bition would have been disregarded.
9. Connnits adultery] v.l. reads (as in verse 32) ' causes her to commit adul- tery ;' and some authorities add, ' and he who has married her when so put away ' (or perhaps ' lias married a divorced woman ' ) 'commits adultery.'
II. Only] Cp. Luke xvii. 10, n.
MATTHEW XIX. -51
Little Children Then youiig children were brought to Him for 13 welcomed and Him to put His hands upon them and pray ; but
®®'® ■ the disciples interfered. Jesus however said, "Let 14 the little children come to me, and do not hinder them ; for it is to those who are childlike that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs." So He laid His hands upon them and went away. 15 "Teacher," said one man, coming up to Him, 16 """^Ruier!*^^ " what that is good shall I do in order to win the
Life of the ages ?" " Why do you ask me," He 17 replied, " about what is good ? One there is who is the Good One. But if you desire to enter into Life, keep the Command- ments." " Which Commandments ? " he asked. Jesus 18 answered, " 'Thou shalt not kill,' 'Thou shalt not com- mit ADULTERY,' 'THOU SHALT NOT STEAL,' 'THOU SHALT NOT LIE IN GIVING EVIDENCE,' ' HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY I9
MOTHER,' (Exod. XX. i2-i6 ; Deut. v. 16-20), and ' THOU SHALT
LOVE THY FELLOW MAN AS MUCH AS THYSELF'" (Lev. xix. 18).
"All of these," said the young man, " I have carefully kept. 20 What do I still lack?" Jesus replied, " If you desire to be per- 21 feet, go and sell your possessions, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in Heaven ; and come, follow me." On 22 hearing those words the young man went away much cast down ; for he had much property, w ith h ^^ Jesus said to His disciples, "I solemnly tell 23
serious Disad- you that it is with difficulty that a rich man will
van ages. g^ij-gj- ^\^q Kingdom of the Heavens. I repeat it 24 to you : it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God." These words utterly amazed the disciples, and they asked, " Who 25
13-15. Cp. Mark x. 13-16 ; Luke xviii. 15-17. 16-30. Cp. Mark x. 17-31 ; Luke xviii. 18-30.
16. Teac/ie^] v.L. ^ Good Teacher.' 0/ t/ie aj^es] Greek ' aeonian.' See xvii. 8, n. The compound expression ' Life of the ages' (or ' Aeonian Life') seems to hnve been regarded by the sacred writers as a sort of proper name, and therefore to have been commonly used without an article preceding. (See Theological Monthly, April, 1889, p. 275). Yet where this same life is spoken of without the adjective appended, the article is generally used in the Greek 'the Life ;' as in vii. 14 ; xviii. 8, 9, and in the Greek of the next verse in this chapter.
17. Why do you ask . . the Good One] V.L., as in Mark x. 18 and Luke xviii. 19, ' Why do you call me good ? None is good but one. namely God.'
18. IVhich] The assertion that this is literally 'of what kind' is inexact. The word here rendered 'which,' does bear the meaning of ' of what kind' in Classical Greek and in a few passages in the NT. (as John xii. 33 ; i Cor. xv. 35 ; i Pet. i. 11), but not in the majority of cases. In Hellenistic Greek the sense of our 'what ' in agreement with a noun which is ihe name of a thing (not of a person) is most com- monly— and in the LXX. exclusively, if Trommius may be trusted — expressed by this word.
20. Carefully kept] Lit. 'guarded.' A stronger word than that in verse 17. 24. Camel] A similar hyperbole occurs in xxiii. 24.
52 MATTHEW XIX.-XX.
then can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said, "With 26 men this is impossible, but with God everything is possible." Seif-Sacrific Then Peter said to Jesus, " See, we have for- 27
for Christ saken everything and followed you ; what then will makes us rich, be ^^/r reward ? " "I solemnly tell you," replied 28 Jesus, "that in the New Creation, when the Son of Man has taken His seat on His glorious throne, all of you who have fol- lowed me shall also sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And whoever has forsaken houses, or brothers 29 or sisters, or father or mother, or children or lands, for my sake, shall receive many times as much and shall possess as his inheritance the Life of the ages.
"But many who are now first will be last, and many who 30
are now last will be first.
" For the Kingdom of the Heavens is like an i <■
'The Vineyard ej^plQygj-yyl^Q went out early in the morning to hire Labourers.' ^ ^ •' ^
men to work in his vineyard, and having made an 2
agreement with them for a shilling a day, sent them into his vineyard. About nine o'clock he went out and saw others 3 loitering in the market-place. To these also he said, ' You also, 4 go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So 5 they went. Again about twelve, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same. And going out about five o'clock 6 he found others loitering, and he asked them, ' Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing.?' ' Because no 7 one has hired us,' they replied. ' You also, go into the vine- yard,' he said.
" When evening came, the master said to his steward, ' Call 8 the men and pay them their wages. Begin with the last set and finish with the first.' When those came who had begun at 9 five o'clock, they received a shilling apiece ; and when the first 10 came, they expected to get more, but they also each got the shilling. So when they had received it, they grumbled against 11
28. In the New Creation^ or 'in the again-birth,' Grt^'k palin-genesia, in which there will be a new Genesis either of this earth and all this is in it, or of the individ- ual man, as in Tit. iii. 5. (The word occurs only in these two passages.) Some are of opinion that the latter is the meaning in this place also, and that the phrase should be taken with ' followed me.' His glorious throne\ Cp. xxv. 31.
29. Or mother] v.L. adds 'or wife.' Many tunes] v.l. 'a hundred times.' Of the ag^es] Greek ' aeonian.' See xviii. 8, n.
I. An employer] Lit. ' a man, a master of a house.' See xiii. 45.
6. Have b en standing] On this English perfect see Theological Monthly, July, 1890, pp. 39, 40 ; and Aorist pp. 10, 11.
7. No one has hired us] The whole parable turns on this fact. God's call comes to different individuals at different times. All will share in an equal bles-edness who respond to it with equal readiness.
10. The shilling] v.l. 'a shilling.'
MATTHEW XX. 53
the employer, saying, ' These who came last have done only 12 one hour's work, and you have put them on a level with us who have worked the whole day and have borne the scorching heat.' He answered one of them, ' My friend, I am doing you 13 no injustice. Did you not agree with me for a shilling ? Take 14 your money and go. I choose to give this last comer just as much as I give you. Have I not a right to do what I choose with 15 my own property ? Or are you envious because I am generous ? '
" So the last shall be first, and the first last." 16
Jesus predicts J^sus was now going up to Jerusalem, and 17 His Death and He took the twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and on the way He said to them, " We are going 18 up to Jerusalem, and there the Son of Man will be betrayed to the High Priests and Scribes. They will condemn Him to 19 death, and hand Him over to the heathen to be made sport of and scourged and crucified ; and on the third day He will be raised to life."
A Request for Then the mother of the sons of Zabdai came 20 worldly to Him with her sons, and knelt before Him to
make a request of Him. " What is it you desire? ' 21 He asked. " Command," she replied, " that these my two sons may sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your Kingdom." " None of you know what you are asking for," 22 said Jesus ; " can you drink out of the cup from which I am about to drink.?" "We can," they replied. "You shall drink 23 out of my cup," He said, "but a seat at my right hand or at my left it is not for me to allot, but it belongs to those for whom it is destined by my Father."
The other ten heard of this, and their indignation was aroused 24
12. Have done . • ivo7-k\ The verb bears the same meaning in Ruth ii. 19, LXX. Only\ In the English language the numeral needs to be thus emphasized, Cp. xviii. 9 ; xix. 11. You have] Or 'have you ? "
13. Did not yoK agree with me\ v.l. ' did not I agree with you ? '
15. Generous] The principle seems to be the same as that which leads a kind- hearted person to buy an article from a beggar or street- arab at twice its known value.
16. V.L. adds ' For many are called, yet few are chosen.' 17-19. Cp. Mark x. 32-34 ; Luke xviii. 31-34.
19. IVill be raised] Or 'will rise.' Or — as the same verbis rendered in i. 24 and elsewhere— ' will awake.' Cp. 'be united,' xix. 5, where also the verb, although passive in form, does not of necessity imply a separate agent.
20-28. Cp. Mark X. 35-45.
21. Y^our Kingdom] Which she doubtless conceived of as an earthly one.
22. Old of . . from] Words not in the Greek, but required by our modern English idiom.
23. But it belongs] There is no verb in the .Greek, and some translate 'except ' instead of but.' ( I'he possibility of this rendering seems to be proved by Mark iv. 22.) Destined] See Hatch, Essays in Biblical Greek, pp. 51-55.
24. Other ten] Lit. simply 'ten.' Against] Lit. 'concerning.'
54 MATTHEW XX.-XXI.
Humble Use- ^o^'^^t the two brothers. But Jesus called them 25 fulness is true and Said, " You know that the rulers of the heathen lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. Not so shall it be among you ; 26 but whoever desires to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you shall be 27 your bondslave ; just as the Son of Man came not to be 28 served but to serve, and to give His life as the redemption-price for many."
As they were leaving Jericho, an immense crowd 29 receive"sight." following Him, two blind men sitting by the road- 30
side heard that it was Jesus who was passing by, and cried aloud, "Sir, Son of David, pity us." The people 31 angrily tried to silence them, but they cried all the louder, " Sir, Son of David, pity us." So Jesus stood still and called them. 32 "What shall I do for you?" He asked. " Sir, let our eyes be 33 opened," they replied. Moved with compassion, Jesus touched 34 their eyes, and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
When they were come near Jerusalem and had i ^
its Colt Ire arrived at Bethphage and the Mount of Olives, borrowed. Jesus sent two of the disciples on in front, saying 2 to them, " Go to the village you see facing you, and as you enter it you will find a she-ass tied up and a foal with her. Untie her and bring them to me. And should any one interfere 3 with you, say, ' The Master needs them/ and he will at once send them." This took place in order that the Prophet's 4 prediction might be fulfilled :
"Tell the Daughter of Zion, 5
'See, thy King is coming to thee.
Gentle, and yet mounted on an ass.
Even on a colt the foal of a beast of burden ' "
(Isa. Ixii. II ; Zech. ix. 9).
26. Shall it bc\ v.l. ' is it.'
28. Redemption price] For those who have been made prisoners and are now in slavery. For] Or 'instead of.' 29-34. Cp. ^lark X. 46-52 ; Luke xviii. 35-43. i-ii. Cp. Mark xi. i-ii ; Luke xix. 29-44 ; John .\ii. 12-19.
2. Bring them to me] The ' to,' not expressed in the usual form, conveys the idea of uiillty or convenience, like the word ' for ' in our familiar mode of expression, ' Fetch it for me.' Cp. xvii. 17.
3. The Master] Or perhaps, 'The Lord,' I.E.God. So Alford, but Olshausen, Stier, and others understand tlie expression as referring to Jesus.
4. Took place] See i. 22, n.,and Theological Monthly, Sept., 1893, p. 169, n.
5. To thee] The ' to ' as inverse 2 ; 'for thy benefit,' ' to be a king for thee.' And yet] Such is often the force of the simple ' and ' both in Hebrew and in Hellenistic Greek. Foul] Lit. ' son.'
MATTHEW XXI. 55
Jesus rides ^^ ^^^ disciples went and did as Jesus had 6 into instructed them : they brought the she-ass and the 7
foal, and threw their outer garments on them. So He sat on them ; and most of the crowd kept spreading 8 their garments along the road, while others cut branches from the trees and carpeted the road with them, and the multitudes — 9 some of the people preceding Him and some following — sang aloud, " God save the Son of David ! Blessings on Him who comes in the Lord's name ! God in the highest heavens save Him!"
(Ps. cxviii, 25, 26). When He thus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown lo into commotion, every one inquiring, "Who is this?" The 11 crowds replied, " This is the Prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee."
Entering the Temple, Jesus drove out all who 12 d^fven'^from were buying and selling there, and overturned the the Temple money-changers' tables and the stools of the
pigeon-dealers. "It is written," He said, "'My 13 House shall be called the House of Prayer' (Isa. Ivi. 7), but you are making it A ROBBERS' CAVE" (Jer. vii. 11). And 14 the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple, and He cured them.
But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the wonderful 15 things that He had done and the children who were crying aloud in the Temple, " God save the Son of David," they
8. Cui . . caipetei{\ The tense (imperfect) of the Greek implies that they kept on doing this as tlie long procession gradually wound onwards to Jerusalem.
9. God save] 'God' is not expressed herein the Greek. Cp. xvi. 22. The word ' Hosanna ' is apparently the Greek form of the Hebrew words th.U finish the first clause of Ps. Ixviii. 25, which may be literally rendered " Ah, I pray, O Lord ; save, I pray." The full meaning seems to be, " Grant help and victory, we pray, to the Son of David!" See the R. V. of Ps. iii. 8; ix. 14; xx. 5, and the marginal renderings.
11. In Galilee] Lit. 'of Galilee.'
12-17. Cp. Mark xi. 15-19 ; Luke xix. 45-48 ; xxi. 37, 38.
12. The Temple] v.l. reads ' God's Temple.' Note that ' Temple' here does not mean the Sanctuary (see xxiii. 16, n.), but the outer enclosure, with its porticos, balconies and courts. Into the Sanctuary itself not even Jesus entered.
13. The House 0/ Prayer] It seems better to regard this (as coming after 'shall be called ') as a compound proper name, 'Belh-tephillah,' as in the Hebrew of Isa. ivi. 7, In such compound names the English idiom requires the definite article, although there is none in the Hebrew, or where occasionally (as in Judges xv. 17 ; Mic. iv. 8) the LXX. translates the word as Matthew translates it here. Thus we should say 'The Hill of the Jawbone ' (Ramath-lehi), ' The House of Bread ' (Beth-lehem), ' The Son of(niy) Right Hand ' (Ben-jamin), ' The Villa'ge of Fountains ' (Hatsar-enan), 'The Tower of the Flock ' (Migdol-eder), ' The Kid's Fountain ' (Aiu-gedi), and so on.
14. The blind and the la7ne] Lit. ' blind and lame.' but the English idiom requires the insertion of the article. The Temple] i.e., the Temple Courts. See verse 12, n.
56 MATTHEW XXL
were filled with indignation. " Do you hear," they asked Him, i6 "what these children are saying?" "Yes," He replied ; "have you never read, ' Out of the MOUTHS OF infants and of
BABES AT THE BREAST THOU HAST BROUGHT FORTH THE
PRAISE WHICH IS DUE' (Ps. viii. 2)?" So He left them and 17 went out of the city to Bethany and passed the night there.
, , Early in the morning as He was on His way to 18
An unfruitful , • tt 1 , •
Fig Tree return to the city He w^as hungry, and seemg a 19 cursed. ^^ ^^.^^ ^^ ^1^^ road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no fruit .shall ever again grow ; '' and immediately the fig-tree withered away. When the disciples saw it they exclaimed 20 in astonishment, " How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!" "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if 21 you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, ' Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done ; and that everything, whatever it be, that you ask for 22 in your prayers, if you believe, you shall obtain."
He entered the Temple ; and while He was 23
The Leadersof , . , ,x- , t^ • i i t-, i r ^
the People teachmg, the High Priests and the Elders of the silenced. people came to Him and asked Him, " By what authority are you doing these things ? and who gave you this authority ?" Jesus replied, " I also have a question to ask you, 24 and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority I do these things John's Baptism, whence was it ? — had it a 25 heavenly or a human origin ? " So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say *a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' and if we say ' a human origin,' we have the people to fear, 26 for they all hold John to have been a Prophet.'' So they 27 answered Jesus, " We do not know." " Nor will I tell you," He replied, " by what authority I do these things.
18-19. Cp. Mark xi. 12-14.
18. As H e was on H is way to return] More lit. 'having gone to return.' The same verb in Luke v. 3, 4 signifies 'to put out to sea again.' v.L. simply 'returning.'
19. A Jig-tree] Probably a single and solitary tree ; but see vi. 27, n. 20-22. Cp. Mark .\i. 20-25.
23-27. Cp. Mark xi. 27-33 ; Luke xx. 1-8.
23. IVhat] Or ' what kind of.' Cp. John x. 32. These things] They use an ex- pression intentionally vague, and will not recognize the ' things ' as miracles or signs.
25. Believe hivi] See John v. 33-36.
27. It is noteworthy that our Lord did not really leave their question unanswered. His own question about the Baptist was in reality a reply to theirs. John, whom in their secret hearts they knew to have been a true prophet, had borne eloquent testimony to Him as Redeemer and Judge.
MATTHEW XXL
57
Disobedience, '* ^"^ give me your judgement. There was a 28 apparent or man who had two sons. He came to the elder
real ? i-icht ■, , • ,
and said, My son, go and work m the vmeyard to-day.' ' I will not,' he replied ; but afterwards he was sorry 29 and went. He came to the second and spoke in the same 30 m,anner. His answer was, 'I will go, Sir;' but he did not. Which of the two did as his father desired.?" "The first," 31 they said. Jesus replied, " I solemnly tell you that the tax- gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of Heaven before you. For John came to you observing all 32 sorts of ritual, and you put no faith in him : the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him.
" Listen to another parable. There was a house- 33 Vile-di^'ssTrs ' ^^^^^^^ ^^'^^^ planted a vineyard, made a fence
round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge ; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad. When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine- 34 dressers to receive his grapes ; but the vine-dressers seized the 35 servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones. Again he sent another party of servants 36 more numerous than the first ; and these they treated in the same manner. Later still he sent to them his son, saying, 37 ' They will respect my son.' But the vine-dressers, when they 38 saw the son, said to one another, ' Here comes the heir : come, 39 let us kill him and get his inheritance.' So they seized him, 40 dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine- 41 drtssers.''" " He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine- dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season." Jesus said to them, " Have you never read in the Scriptures, 42
28. Sons . . son] Lit. ' cliildren . . child.'
31. The first] v.L. 'the latter,' inverting also the order ot the two parts of the Paraljle. The sense remains the .same. Others read ' the latter,' without inverting the order of the two parts of the Parable, explaining it to mean ' he who afterwards (repented and went).' But this seems an impossible translation. Before you] They walk first, taking precedence of you.
33-46. Cp. Mark xii. 1-12 ; Luke xx. 9-19.
34. Servants] Or ' slaves ; ' and so in verses 35,36. Grapes] Or perhaps the price obtained by the sale of them (Meyer). i'he rent appears to have been a share of the produce ('his grapes') whether paid in kind or in money. Cp. Luke xx. 10.
37- His son] Here therefore we have the real answer to the question in verse 23. Saying] To those about him.
42. Came from the Lord] More freely ' is the Lord's workmanship.' Or perhaps
58 MATTHEW XXI.-XXII.
'The Stone which the builders rejected Has been made the Cornerstone : This Cornerstone came from the Lord, And is wonderful in our esteem' (Ps. cxviii. 22)? " That, I tell you, is the reason why the Kingdom of God will 43 be taken away from you, and given to a nation that will exhibit the power of it. He who falls on this stone will be severely 44 hurt ; but he on whom it falls will be utterly crushed."
After listening to His parables the High Priests and Pharisees 45 perceived that He was speaking about them ; but though they 46 were eager to lay hands upon Him, they were afraid of the people, for by them He was regarded as a Prophet.
Again Jesus spoke to them in figurative language, i < •The royal "The Kingdom of Heaven," He said, "maybe 2
Wedding , , • , , , i , •
Feast.' compared to a king who celebrated the marriage
of his son, and sent his servants to call the invited 3 guests to the wedding, but they were unwilling to come. Again 4 he sent other servants with a message to those who were invited. ' My breakfast is now ready,' he said, ' my bullocks and fat cattle are killed, and every preparation is made : come to the wedding.' They however gave no heed, but went, one to his 5 home in the country, another to his business ; and the rest 6 seized the king's servants, maltreated them, and murdered them. So the king's anger was stirred, and he sent his troops 7 and destroyed those murderers and burnt their city. Then he 8 said to his servants, ' The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited were unworthy of it. Go out therefore to the 9
the meaning of the clause is, ' this (preference for the rejected stone) is the Lord's act.' The latter explanation assumes a Hebraism, thus. The word 'this' is feminine both in the Greek here and in the Hebrew original which our Lord was quoting from Ps. cxviii. 22, 23. But ' cornerstone ' in both these languages is feminine, and therefore the demonstrative may refer to that noun. In Hebrew, however, where no noun is distinctly referred to and in English the word ' thing ' is or may be supplied, as in, "At this (thing) also my heart trembleth " (Job xxxvii. i), the Hebrew feminine is regularly used. In Latin or Classical Greek the neuter would be employed, but in Hebrew there is no neuter gender. The LXX. generally has the neuter in such cases ; but there area few exceptions, sufficient to demonstrate the possibility of the Hebrew idiom being borrowed into Hellenistic Greek, and the possibility also of its existence in the passage now before us. Yet the other seems the preferable rendering. lVonde>/itl] Or ' admirable.' Cp. i Pet. ii. 9.
43. That will exhibit the P(nver\ Lit. ' producing the fruits.' Of it] i.e., ' of the Kingdom.'
44. Falls] It is possible to 'stumble' without actually falling. See xxvi. 31 ; Rom. xi. II. v.L. omits this verse.
1. Ag-aiu Jesus] Lit. ' and Jesus answered.' See xi. 23, n.
2. May be conpared to] See xiii. 24, n. A king] Lit. ' a man a king.*
3. Scrr'ants] Or 'slaves,' five limes in this Parable.
4. Breakfast] The morning meal, whether early or late, as among ourselves. This noun occurs also in Luke xi. 38 ; xiv. 12, 15 ; and the cognate verb in Luke xi. 37 ; John xxi, 12, 15. But some take it here, in a wider sense, for any meal.
MATTHEW XXII. 59
cross-roads, and everybody you meet invite to the wedding.' So 10 they went out into the roads and gathered together all they could find, both bad and good, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
"Now the king came in to see the guests : and 11
'A wrongly- ^u u j- j ,
dressed Guest." among them he discovered one who was not
wearing a wedding robe. ' My friend,' he said, 12 ' how is it that you came in here without a wedding robe ? ' The man stood speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 13 'Bind him hand and foot and fling him into the darkness out- side : there will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.' For there are many called, but few chosen." 14
A Question Then the Pharisees went and consulted together 15
about paying how they might entrap Him in His conversation. 16
So they sent to Him their disciples together with the Herodians ; who said, " Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach God's way in truth ; and that no fear of man misleads you, for you are not biased by men's wealth or rank. Give us your judgement therefore : is it allow- 17 able for us to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not?" Perceiving 18 their wickedness, Jesus replied, " Why are you hypocrites trying to ensnare me? Show me the tribute coin." And they brought 19 Him a shilling. " Whose likeness and inscription," He asked, 20 "is this?" "Caesar's," they replied. "Pay therefore," He 21 rejoined, " what is Caesar's to Caesar ; and what is God's to God." They heard and were astonished ; then left Him, and 22 went their way.
'A Woman who ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^ P^^^Y ^^ Sadducees came to 23 had had seven Him contending that there is no resurrection, and Husbands. , , . tt- ,,
they put this case to Him. " Teacher," they said, 24
"Moses enjoined, Mf A man should die childless, his
BROTHER SHALL MARRY HIS WIDOW, AND RAISE UP A FAMILY
FOR HIM ' (Deut. XXV. 5). Now we had among us seven brothers. 25 The eldest of them married, but died childless, leaving his wife
10. Could _/ind] Lit. 'found,' a Hebraism. So in Esther ix. 2, "no man could withstand" is lit. "no man withstood." Bdnquet-haW] Lit. 'bridal-chamber.' v.L. 'wedding:.'
12. Stood speechless^ Lit. ' was gagged' or ' muzzled.' The same verb is employed in verse 34.
15-22. Cp. Mark xii. 13-17 ; Luke xx. 20-26.
16. \Vlio said\ Or 'to say: ' lit. 'saying.' v.L. reads 'saving' in the nominative, referring to ' tliey-' The sense then is 'saying.' (by the mouth of these messengers). Are not biased &>€.] Lit. 'do not look at men's faces' (or 'outward appearance '). Cp. Luke XX. 21, n.
23-33- Cp. Mark xii. 18-27 : Luke xx. 27-39.
6o MATTHEW XXII.
to his brother. So also did the second and the third, down to 26
the seventh, till the woman also died, after surviving them all. 27
At the Resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she 28
be ? for they all married her." Jesus replied, " You are in error, 29
through ignorance of the Scriptures and of the power of God. For 30 in the Resurrection, men neither marry nor are women given in
marriage, but they are like angels in Heaven. But as to the 31
Resurrection of the dead, have you never read what God says 32 to you, ' I AM THE God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and THE God of Jacob ' (Exod. iii. 6) ? He is not the God of dead, but of living men."
All the crowd heard this, and were filled with amazement at 33 His teaching.
Now the Pharisees came up when they heard 34
supreme Law. ^^^^ ^e had silenced the Sadducees, and one of 35
them, an expounder of the Law, asked Him as a
test question, "Teacher, which is the greatest Commandment 36
in the Law ?" He answered, " ' Thou SHALT LOVE THE LORD 37 THY God with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, THY
WHOLE MIND' (Deut. vi. 5). This is the greatest and foremost 38
Commandment. And the second is similar to it : 'Thou SHALT 39
LOVE THY fellow MAN AS MUCH AS THYSELF' (Lev. xix. 1 8).
The whole of the Law and the Prophets is summed up in these 40 two Commandments."
'David's Son' While the Pharisees were still assembled there, 41 and _ Jesus put a question to them : "What think you 42 about the Christ.? whose son is He.''" " David's," 43 they replied. " How then," He asked, " does David, taught by the Spirit, call Him Lord, when he says,
' The Lord said to my Lord, 44
Sit at My right hand
Until I have put thy foes beneath thy feet' (Ps. cx.i)? "If therefore David calls Him Lord, how can He be his son .'' " 45
30. A ngels] V. l. ' God's angels. '
34-40. Cp. Mark xii. 28-34.
34. Had silenced] See verse 12, n.
30. IVhich] Not 'of what kind.' Cp. xix. 18, n. Greatest] Lit. 'great,' a Hebraism. Adjectives in Hebrew have neither the comparative nor the superlative degree, but only the positive. See also xviii. 1, n.
37. With] Lit. 'in,' three times rejieated.
39. As 7nuch as thyself] This of course implies that there is a legitimate love of 'self.' ' Selfishness' is sinful not because it includes care for one's own welfare, but because it excludes (or subordinates to this) care for the welfare of others. There is sin rather than virtue in mere self-neglect !
41-46. Cp. Mark xii. 35-37 ; Luke xx. 41-44.
43. Taught by] Lit ' in. '
MATTHEW XXII.-XXIII. 6i
No one could say a word in reply, nor from that day did any one 46 venture again to put a question to Him.
Preachers Then Jesus addressed the crowds and His dis- i 23
who did not ciples and said, " The Scribes and the Pharisees 2
practise. gjj. j^ ^^^ ^j^^j^ ^j. [y^Qggg^ Therefore do and 3
observe everything that they command you ; but do not imitate their actions, for they talk, but do nothing. Heavy 4 and cumbrous burdens they bind together and load men's shoulders with them, while as for themselves, not with one finger do they choose to lift them. And everything they do they r^ do with a view to being observed by men ; for they widen thei-r phylacteries and make the tassels large, and love the best seats 6 at a dinner party or in the synagogues, and like to be bowed to 7 in places of public resort, and to be addressed by men as ' Rabbi.'
"As for you, do not accept the title of ' Rabbi,' 8 BrottieHiood for one alone is your Teacher, and you are all among brothers. And call no one on earth your Father, q
Christians. ^ , . ^ ^ ' -^
for one alone is your Father — the Heavenly Father. And do not accept the name of 'leader,' for your 10 Leader is one alone — the Christ. He who is the greatest among 1 1 you shall be your servant ; and one who exalts himself shall 12 be abased, while one who abases himself shall be exalted.
Stern but " But alas for you Scribes and Pharisees, hypo- 13
sorrowful De- crites, for you lock the door of the Kingdom of nunciations. tt • ^ 1 -,
Heaven against men ; you yourselves do not
enter, nor do you allow those to enter who are seeking to do so.
"Alas for you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you 15 scour sea and land in order to win one convert —and when he is gained, you make him twice as much a son of Gehenna as yourselves.
"Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, 'Whoever swears 16 by the Sanctuary it is nothing ; but whoever swears by the gold of the Sanctuary, is bound by the oath.' Blind fools ! Why, 17 which is greater?— the gold, or the Sanctuary which has
1-39. Cp. Luke xiii. 34. 35.
2. Si'i] Or 'have seated themselves.' See Aorist, top of p. 21. Cp. Luke i. 47 ; Phil. iv. 10 ; Rev. xvii. 7.
4. Cp. Luke xi. 46. And cumbrous^ v.l. omits these words.
5. Phylacteries] Two small leather cases, worn by very religious Jews on the left arm and the forehead, and containing passages of Scripture.
14. V.L. adds, either here or after verse 12, ' Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you devour widows' houses even while for a pretence you make long prayers : therefore you will receive a far severer sentence.'
16. The Sanctuary] i.e. 'the central building of the Temple,' which contained only the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The word occurs here for the first time.
17, 19. IVhy] See xxvii. 23, n.
62 MATTHEW XXIII.
made the gold holy ? And you say, 'Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing ; but whoever swears by the offering lying on it is bound by the oath.' You are blind ! Why, which is greater ? — the offering, or the altar which makes the offering holy ? He who swears by the altar swears both by it and by 20 everything on it ; he who swears by the Sanctuary swears both 21 by it and by Him who dwells in it ; and he who swears by 22 Heaven swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.
" Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay 23 the tithe on mint, dill, and cumin, while you have neglected the weightier requirements of the Law — ^just judgement, mercy, and faithful dealing. These things you ought to have done, and yet you ought not to have left the others undone. You blind guides, 24 straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel !
"Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you 25 wash clean the outside of the cup or dish, while within they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first wash 26 clean the inside of the cup or dish, and then the outside will be clean also.
" Alas for you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are just like whitewashed sepulchres, the outside of which pleases the eye, though inside they are full of dead men's bones and of all that is unclean. The same is true of you : outwardly you seem 28 to the human eye to be good and honest men, but, within, you are full of insincerity and disregard of God's Law.
"Alas for you. Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you 29 repair the sepulchres of the Prophets and keep in order the tombs of the righteous, and your boast is, * If we had lived in 30 the time of our forefathers, we should not have been implicated with them in the murder of the Prophets.' So that you bear wit- 31 ness against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the Prophets. Fill up the measure of your forefathers' 32 guilt. O serpents, O vipers' brood, how are you to escape con- ^^ demnation to Gehenna ?
21. Dzvells] v.L. 'has dwelt,' i.e. 'has taken up His abode.' 23. Cp. Luke xi. 42. 25. Cp. Luke xi. 39.
25. Self-indulgence] Or ' uncurbed animal passions.' The only other place where the word is found in the N.T. is i Cor. vii. 5.
26. Or disJi\ v.L. omits these words.
28. Disregard oj God's La-cv\ Lit. in one word 'lawlessness.' 29-31. Cp. Luke xi. 47, 48.
29. Keep in order] Or 'decorate.' Cp. xii. 44, n.
33. To escape] Cp. iii. 7, where the same verb is used. Conde/nnaficn to] Lit. ' the judgement of.' Gehenna] The metaphor is taken from ' the valley of Hinnom,'
MATTHEW XXIII.-XXIV. 63
" For this reason I am sendincr to you Prophets 34
The awful , . j c i c r .1
Wickedness and wise men and Scribes, home of them you
°^*^® "^.^^^ will put to death — nay, crucify ; some of them you then hving. ^ j ■> j ■> j
will flog in your synagogues and chase from town to town ; that all the innocent blood shed upon earth may come 35 on you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Berechiah whom you murdered between the Sanctuary and the altar. I tell you in solemn truth that 36