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by John's preaching, were now, from their misapprehension of his kingdom, pressing round him, and seeking as it were to force their way in. "And this," he adds, 14, "if ye will only receive it," i. e. not take the language literally, but understand it as it should be understood, is Elijah, whose coming (see note xvii. 10) before the Messiah was generally looked for among the Jews.

15-19. The comparison here in our common version is rendered obscure. The children who say to their companions, "We have piped to you, and ye have not danced; mourned to you, and ye have not lamented," are sometimes thought to represent John and Jesus, while the others, who were so unreasonable as to respond to them neither in their merriment nor their mourning, represent those who condemned both the Saviour and his forerunner. The objection to this is, that it is precisely the opposite of what Jesus says: It-this generation "is like children sitting in the market-places, and saying," &c., &c. On the other hand, it is difficult to see how the unbelieving Jews were represented by the children, who complained that their companions would sympathize with them neither in their make-believe mirth nor their lamentation. Luke (vii. 32) says, "They were saying to one another," &c., &c. And Tischendorf adopts a similar expression as the correct reading in Matthew. The true interpretation is thus made easy. To what shall I compare this generation? It is like a crowd of children in some public place, seeking amusement, and able to agree upon nothing, but chiding one another as hard to please, and by their mutual reproaches only adding to the general confusion and discontent. Such a capricious, dissatisfied, complaining race is this generation, who complain of John as a half-crazed demoniac because of his austere and ascetic life; and yet when Jesus came eating and drinking as others did, reject and stigmatize him as self-indulgent and intemperate, the companion of the low and the abandoned. But, he

continues, 19, whatever these may say or do, wisdom is justified, i. e. is recognized and honored, by those who in spirit are really her children. Whatever the outward form under which she may come, however she may be despised and rejected among men, they who are her children, whose hearts are open to her influence, will hear her voice, and hold her in honor. To them she needs no word of commendation or defence, whether she come under the severe guise of John, the preacher in the wilderness, or in the more divinely attractive life and teachings of the Son of man.

20 – 24. — GREAT PRIVILEGES UNIMPROVED VISITED BY A HEAVIER CONDEMNATION.

These words were probably spoken after a pause. The word "then" with which they are introduced rather intimates that some time, minutes or days, had intervened. The idea is the same as in Matthew x. 15. In proportion to our privileges are our responsibilities; and the greater the opportunities that we cast aside or neglect, the heavier the condemnation that must fall upon us "in the day of judgment," i. e. as Mr. Norton translates it, "when sentence is passed." As to the cities Tyre and Sidon, they had, many centuries before our Saviour, been among the most opulent and enterprising cities in the world. At the present time, and for centuries past, they have been places of no importance, and remain in a comparatively desolate and ruinous condition. But in the time of Jesus they were populous and flourishing cities, and continued so for generations afterwards. Why then are they mentioned, in connection with Sodom, as examples of a Divine retribution? They were noted, even among heathen nations, for the profligacy, licentiousness, and degrading superstitions to which they were given over. The force of the comparison lies in this. It is as if Jesus had said,

"You know how utterly degraded and abandoned these cities are, to what lewd, debasing superstitions they have bound themselves, and how hopeless their moral and religious condition is. And yet, notwithstanding all this, I declare unto you, that if the mighty works which have been done here had been done long ago in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented in dust and ashes, and even Sodom, if it had witnessed such works of divine goodness and power, would have remained to this day. And thou Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, which art above all others in privileges, shalt be brought down to hell, to Hades, i. e. to the abode of the dead, to utter destruction. It was the strongest language that could be framed to express the privileges which Christ was offering, and the heavy condemnation and sorrow which must fall on those who reject them. As a matter of fact, the words of Jesus have been fulfilled in regard to the places themselves. Tyre and Sidon, though in a ruinous and degraded condition at the end of the last century and the beginning of this, are now more prosperous, and have never been so utterly blotted out from the knowledge and memory of man as Chorazin and Bethsaida, of which no trace can be found by the most careful researches. Nor have modern travellers been able to fix with any degree of certainty on the site of Capernaum, which was favored above all other cities during our Saviour's ministry as the place of his residence.

25-30. CHRIST'S THANKFULNESS, AND HIS CALL TO THE HEAVY LADEN.

According to Luke (x. 17-21), who in this case marks the time more particularly than Matthew, these words were spoken after the return of the seventy disciples. They had come back with joy on account of the miracles which they had performed. In this their first success Jesus sees the

ness.

token of the ultimate triumph over the powers of dark“And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Yet he warns them not to rejoice in their miraculous powers, but rather that their names are written in heaven. Then, at the thought of the way in which these simple, unlearned men, these babes in knowledge, have received and proclaimed his truth, he breaks out into the sublime exclamation of thanksgiving which is here recorded by Matthew. Though his instructions were hidden from men whose wisdom is only the blinding prudence of this world, and though he may have. been pained to find his offers rejected by them, and to foresee the sorrows which they who would not hear him must bring upon themselves, he nevertheless bows in thankfulness: "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.” He turns with a perfect trust to the infinite and holy Father, and rests in his will with gratitude and joy. He stops in no lower sphere. He asks not and he explains not how the hiding of these things from the wise and prudent, to their overthrow and destruction, though they were revealed unto babes, should be a reason for rejoicing; but he goes to the good pleasure of his Father in heaven as the centre of all that he could wish. The benignant will of God was so entirely his will, that central Fountain of life and joy so filled to overflowing his own soul, that whatever might come was to him a source of thankfulness, because it came from Him. "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight." And, as an additional cause for gratitude, he goes on to say, "All things are delivered or taught unto me by the Father. "Everything has been given to me by the Father." Though man cannot understand me, the Father does; and so, though men do not understand the Father, yet I and they to whom I shall reveal Him, do understand him. Then, in the fulness of the Divine wisdom, power, and love which had been given to him, he uttered, 28-30, the words of in

vitation, and the promise of relief and rest, which, from that day to this, have fallen with such infinite tenderness on laboring and burdened souls. No commentary can add to or bring out their meaning. They pour out their sweetness, with ever-increasing freshness and power, into the souls of those who accept his offer, and who, giving themselves up entirely to him, take his yoke upon them, and learn of him in meekness and lowliness of heart.

NOTES.

AND it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence, to teach and to preach in their cities.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, 2 he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that 3 should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and 4 said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see; the blind receive their sight, and the lame 5 walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them; and blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

of

2. the works of Christ] the Christ or Messiah. This is the only instance, except in the first verse of the first chapter, where Matthew in his own narrative applies this name to Jesus. It probably is used here as particularly appropriate, in consequence of John's state of mind in regard to Jesus as the Messiah. In that case it harmonizes with the view we have taken of John, and the object of his message. 5. the dead are raised up] Matthew has specified only one case (ix. 24, 25) of raising a person from the dead. The expression here implies more, and should remind us of the multitude of his extraordinary acts which

6

are not recorded. The Gospels can
hardly be regarded as containing
more than samples of the different
sorts of works which he performed.
We must not, therefore, be surprised
that single acts, such as raising the
widow's son at Nain (Luke vii. 11
15), and the raising of Lazarus (John
xi. 1-46), should be mentioned only
by one writer. 6. offended]
The root from which this expression
comes in Greek means a trap or
snare, and thence a stumbling-block.
Whatever might trip one up or
cause him to stumble. Blessed is
he who is not offended in me, i. e.
who finds nothing in my course
which may serve as a stumbling-
block or impediment in the way of

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