2. And was transfigured before them:
and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the
light.
[And was transfigured.] When
Christ was baptized, being now ready to enter upon his evangelical
priesthood, he is sealed by a heavenly voice for the High Priest,
and is anointed with the Holy Spirit, as the high priests were wont to
be with holy oil.
In this transfiguration, he is sealed
for the high priest: for mark, 1. How two of the greatest prophets,
Moses and Elias, resort to him. 2. How to those words, "This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," which also were heard from
heaven at his baptism, is added that clause, "hear ye him": which
compare with the words of Moses, concerning a prophet to be raised up by
God,
Deuteronomy 18:19, "Whosoever shall not hearken to my words, which I
shall put into his mouth," &c. 3. How the heavenly voice went out of the
cloud that overshadowed them, when at his baptism no such cloud
appeared. Here that is worthy observing, which some Jews note, and
reason dictates, namely, That the cloud of glory, the conductor of
Israel, departed at the death of Moses; for while he lived, that cloud
was the people's guide in the wilderness; but when he was dead, the ark
of the covenant led them. Therefore, as that cloud departed at the death
of Moses, that great prophet, so such a cloud was now present at the
sealing of the greatest Prophet. 4. Christ here shines with such a
brightness, nay, with a greater than Moses and Elias now glorified; and
this both for the honour of his person and for the honour of his
doctrine; both which surpassed by infinite degrees the persons and the
doctrines of both of them. When you recollect the face of Christ
transfigured, shining with so great lustre when he talked with Moses and
Elias, acknowledge the brightness of the gospel above the cloudy
obscurity of the law and of the prophets.
[For an interesting treatise on the
subject of the transfiguration please see The Arthur C. Custance
Library, The Doorway Papers
"The Virgin Birth and the Incarnation, Part III: If Adam Had Not Died,
Chapter 3: The Consequences of Immortality"]
4. Then answered Peter, and said
unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us
make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one
for Elias.
[Let us make here three tabernacles,
&c.] The transfiguration of Christ was by night. Compare
Luke 9:37. The form of his face and garments is changed while he
prays; and Moses and Elias come and discourse with him concerning his
death (it is uncertain how long), while as yet the disciples that were
present were overcharged with sleep. When they awaked, O what a
spectacle had they! being afraid, they observe and contemplate, they
discover the prophets: whom, now departing, Peter would detain; and
being loath that so noble a scene should be dispersed, made this
proposition, "Let us make here three tabernacles," &c. Whence he should
know them to be prophets, it is in vain to seek, because it is nowhere
to be found; but being known, he was loath they should depart thence,
being ravished with the sweetness of such society, however astonished at
the terror of the glory; and hence those words, which when he spake he
is said by Luke "not to know what he said"; and by Mark, "not to know
what he should say"; which are rather to be understood of the
misapplication of his words, than of the sense of the words. He knew
well enough that he said these words, and he knew as well for what
reason he said them; but yet "he knew not what he said"; that is, he was
much mistaken when he spake these words, while he believed that Christ,
Moses, and Elias, would abide and dwell there together in earthly
tabernacles.
5. While he yet spake, behold, a
bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud,
which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye
him.
[While he yet spake, behold, a cloud,
&c.] Moses and Elias now turning their backs, and going out of the
scene, Peter speaks his words; and as he speaks them when the prophets
were now gone, "Behold, a cloud," &c. They had foretold Christ of his
death (such is the cry of the Law and of the Prophets, that "Christ
should suffer,"
Luke 24:44); he preaches his deity to his disciples, and the
heavenly voice seals him for the true Messias. See
2 Peter 1:16,17.
10. And his disciples asked him,
saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?
[Why therefore say the scribes that
Elias must first come?] I. It would be an infinite task to produce
all the passages out of the Jewish writings which one might concerning
the expected coming of Elias: we will mention a few things in passing
which sufficiently speak out that expectation, and the ends also of his
expected coming.
I. Let David Kimchi first be heard upon
those words of Malachi, "Behold, I send you Elias the prophet": "God (saith
he) shall restore the soul of Elias, which ascended of old into heaven,
into a created body, like to his former body: for his first body
returned to earth when he went up to heaven, each element to its own
element. But when God shall bring him to life in the body, he shall send
him to Israel before the day of judgment, which is 'the great and
terrible day of the Lord': and he shall admonish both the fathers and
the children together to turn to God; and they that turn shall be
delivered from the day of judgment," &c. Consider whither the eye of the
disciples looks, in the question under our hands. Christ had commanded
in the verse before, "Tell the vision" of the transfiguration "to no
man, until the Son of man be risen from the dead." But now, although
they understood not what the resurrection from the dead meant, (which
Mark intimates,) yet they roundly retort, "Why therefore say the scribes
that Elias shall first come?" that is, before there be a resurrection
and a day of judgment: for as yet they were altogether ignorant that
Christ should rise. They believed, with the whole nation, that there
should be a resurrection at the coming of the Messias.
2. Let Aben Ezra be heard in the second
place: "We find (saith he) that Elias lived in the days of Ahaziah the
son of Ahab: we find also, that Joram the son of Ahab and Jehoshaphat,
inquired of Elisha the prophet; and there it is written [2
Kings 3:11], 'This is Elisha the son of Shaphat, who poured water
upon the hands of Elijah.' And this is a sign that Elias was first gone
up into heaven in a whirlwind: because it is not said 'who poureth
water,' but 'who poured.' Moreover, Elisha departed not from
Elijah from the time that he first waited upon him until Elias went up.
And yet we find that, after the death of Jehoshaphat, in the days of
Ahaziah his son it was written, 'And a letter came to him from Elijah
the prophet.' And this proves that he then writ and sent it: for if it
had been written before his ascension, it would be said, a letter was
found or brought to him, which Elias had left behind him. And it is
without controversy, that he was seen in the days of our holy wise men.
God of his mercy hasten his prophecy, and the times of his coming." So
he upon
Malachi 4.
3. The Talmudists do suppose Elias
keeping the sabbath in mount Carmel: "Let not the Trumah (saith
one), of which it is doubted whether it be clean or unclean, be burnt;
lest Elias, keeping the sabbath in mount Carmel, come and testify of it
on the sabbath that it is clean."
4. The Talmudical books abound with
these and the like trifles: "If a man finds any thing that is lost, he
is bound to declare it by a public outcry; but if the owners come not to
ask for it, let him lay it up by him until Elias shall come." And, "If
any find a bill of contract between his countrymen, and knows not what
it means, let him lay it up until Elias shall come."
5. That we be not tedious, it shall be
enough to produce a few passages out of Babylonian Erubhin:
where, upon this subject, "If any say, Behold, I am a Nazarite, on the
day wherein the Son of David comes, it is permitted to drink wine on the
sabbaths and feast-days," it is disputed what day of the week Messias
shall come, and on what day, Elias: where, among other things, these
words occur, Elias came not yesterday: that is, the same day
wherein he comes he shall appear in public; and shall not lie hid to
day, coming yesterday. The Gloss thus: "If thou sayest, perhaps he shall
come on the eve of the sabbath, and shall preach the gospel on
the sabbath; you may answer with that text, 'Behold, I send you Elias
the prophet, before the day of the Lord come': you may argue, that he
shall preach on that very day in which he shall come."
"The Israelites are certain
that Elias shall come, neither on the sabbath eves, nor on the eves of
the feast days, by reason of labour." And again, Elias cometh
not on the sabbath day. Thus speak the scholars of Hillel: "We are
sure Elias will not come on the sabbath, nor on a feast day." The
Glossers give the reason, "Not on the sabbath eves, or the eves of the
feast days, by reason of labour"; that is, by reason of the preparation
for the sabbath; namely, lest they should leave the necessaries for the
sabbath unfinished, to go to meet him: "Nor on the sabbaths, by reason
of labour" in the banquets; that they omit not those feastings and
eatings which were esteemed so necessary to the sabbath, whiles they
went out to meet Elias.
Let these three observations out of
the Glossers upon the page cited serve for a conclusion:--
1. Before the coming of the Son of
David, Elias shall come to preach of him.
2. "Messias cometh not on the first
day of the sabbath, because Elias shall not come on the sabbath."
Whence it appears that Elias is expected the day before the Messias'
appearing.
3. Is not Messias Ben Joseph to
come first?
II. We meet with numberless stories in
the Talmudists concerning the apparitions of Elias: according to that
which was said before by Aben Ezra, "It is without controversy that
Elias was seen in the days of our wise men." There is no need of
examples, when it may not be so much doubted who of these wise men saw
Elias, as who saw him not. For my part I cannot esteem all those stories
for mere fables; but in very many of them I cannot but suspect
witchcrafts, and the appearances of ghosts, which we also said before
concerning the Bath Kol. For thus the devil craftily deluded this
nation, willing to be deceived; and even the capacity of observing that
the coming of the Messias was now past was obliterated, when here and
there, in this age and in the other, his forerunner Elias appeared, as
if he intended hence to let them know that he was yet to come.
11. And Jesus answered and said
unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
[And he shall restore all things.]
The Jews feign many things which Elias shall restore: "He shall
purify the bastards, and restore them to the congregation. He shall
render to Israel the pot of manna, the vial of holy oil, the vial of
water; and there are some who say, the rod of Aaron."
He shall restore, or make up,
not into the former state, but into a better. There were times of
restitution of all things determined by God,
Acts 3:21; wherein all things were to be framed into a gospel-state,
and a state worthy of the Messias: a church was to be founded, and the
doctrine of the gospel dispersed, the hearts of the fathers, the Jews,
to be united to the sons, the Gentiles; and the hearts of the sons, the
Gentiles, to the fathers the Jews: which work was begun by the Baptist,
and finished by Christ and the apostles. Which term of the restitution
of all these expiring, the commonwealth of the Jews expired also; and
the gifts of revelation and miracles granted for this purpose, and so
necessary to it, failed. "However, therefore, ye have crucified Christ,"
saith Peter in that place of the Acts now cited, "yet God shall still
send you Jesus Christ in the preaching of the gospel to fulfil these
things. Him, indeed, as to his person the heavens do contain, and shall
contain, until all these things be perfected; expect not, therefore,
with the erring nation, his personal presence always on earth: but he
shall make up and constitute all things by us his ministers, until the
times determined and prefixed for the perfecting of this restitution
shall come."
15. Lord, have mercy on my son: for
he is a lunatic, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire,
and oft into the water.
[He is lunatic.]
Luke 9:39, a spirit taketh him;
Mark 9:17, hath a dumb spirit.
I. He that is skilled in the Talmudic
writings will here remember what things are said concerning a deaf
and mad man, concerning whom there is so much mention in their
writings.
"There are five who do not pay the
Trumah; but if they do, their Trumah is no Trumah: the
deaf and dumb, the lunatic," &c. "Any one is fit to sacrifice a
beast, except a dumb and deaf, a lunatic, and a child": and very
many passages of this nature, &c. I have rendered deaf and dumb,
according to the sense of the masters, who, in the first place cited, do
thus interpret the word; "concerning which the wise men speak, is he
who neither heareth nor speaketh." See there the Jerusalem Gemara,
where, among other things, this occurs not unworthy our noting; "That
all the sons of R. Jochanan Ben Gudgoda were deaf and dumb."
II. It was very usual to the Jews to
attribute some of the more grievous diseases to evil spirits, specially
those wherein either the body was distorted, or the mind disturbed and
tossed with a phrensy.
"If any one, vexed with an evil
spirit, shall say, when the disease did first invade him, Write a
bill of divorce for my wife," &c.
"If any, whom Kordicus vexeth,
say, Write a bill of divorce for my wife," &c. "Kordicus, say the
Glossers, is a demon, which rules over those that drink too much new
wine. What is 'Kordicus?' Samuel saith, When new wine out of the
press hath caught any one." Rambam, upon the place, hath these words; "Kordicus
is a disease, generated from the repletion of the vessels of the brain,
whereby the understanding is confounded; and it is a kind of
falling-sickness." Behold the same a demon and a disease! to which the
Gemarists applied exorcisms and a diet.
"Shibta is an evil spirit, who, taking
hold on the necks of infants, dries up and contracts their nerves."
"He that drinks up double cups, is
punished by the devils."
From this vulgar opinion of the
nation, namely, that devils are the authors of such kind of diseases,
one evangelist brings in the father of this child, saying of him he
is lunatic, another, he hath a spirit. He had been dumb and
deaf from his birth; to that misery was added a phrensy, or a
lycanthropy, which kind of disease it was not unusual with the nation to
attribute to the devil; and here, in truth, a devil was present.
17. Then Jesus answered and said, O
faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how
long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.
[O faithless and perverse
generation, &c.] The edge of these words is levelled especially
against the scribes (see
Mark 9:14); and yet the disciples escaped not altogether untouched.
Christ and his three prime disciples
being absent, this child is brought to the rest to be healed: they
cannot heal him, partly, because the devil was really in him; partly,
because this evil had adhered to him from his very birth. Upon this the
scribes insult and scoff at them and their master. A faithless and
perverse generation, which is neither overcome by miracles, when
they are done, and vilify, when they are not done! The faith of the
disciples (v 20) wavered by the plain difficulty of the thing, which
seemed impossible to be overcome, when so many evils were digested into
one, deafness, dumbness, phrensy, and possession of the devil: and all
these from the cradle.
20. And Jesus said unto them,
Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as
a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence
to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible
unto you.
[Faith as a grain of mustard seed,
&c.] As a seed of mustard, or as a drop of mustard, in
Talmudic language. See chapter 13:23.
[Ye shall say to this mountain,
&c.] See what we note at chapter 21:21.
21. Howbeit this kind goeth not out
but by prayer and fasting.
[This kind goeth not out but by
prayer and fasting.] It is not much unlike this, which is said,
By reason of an evil spirit a singular or religious man may
afflict himself with fastings.
24. And when they were come to
Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and
said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
[They that receive the (didrachma)
tribute-money.] Two things persuade me that this is to be understood
of the half-shekel, to be yearly paid into the treasury of the Temple:
1. The word itself whereby this
tribute is called, Concerning this, thus Josephus writes: "He laid a tax
upon all the Jews wheresoever they were, namely, two drachms:
commanding every one, of whatever age, to bring it into the Capitol, as
before they had paid it into the Temple at Jerusalem." And Dion Cassius
of the same thus, "He commanded all to bring the didrachm yearly
to Jupiter Capitolinus."
The Seventy Interpreters, indeed, upon
Exodus 30:13, render it half a didrachm; but adding this
moreover, which is according to the holy didrachm. Be it so; the
whole shekel was the holy didrachm: then let the half shekel be,
the common didrachm. However, the thing is, he that paid the
half-shekel, in the vulgar dialect, was called, he that paid the
shekels; and that which is here said by Matthew, they that
receive the didrachm, the Talmudists express they that demand
or collect the shekels. The Targumists render that place,
Exodus 3 [13], the half of the shekel; the reason of which
see, if you please, in Maimonides. "The shekel (saith he) concerning
which the Law speaks, did weigh three hundred and twenty grains of
barley; but the wise men sometime added to that weight, and made it to
be of the same value with the money Sela, under the second
Temple, that is, three hundred eighty-four middling grains of barley."
See the place and the Gloss.
2. The answer of Christ sufficiently
argues that the discourse is concerning this tax, when he saith, He is
son of that king for whose use that tribute was demanded: for, "from
thence were bought the daily and additional sacrifices, and their drink
offerings, the sheaf, the two loaves (Lev
23:17), the shewbread, all the sacrifices of the congregation, the
red cow, the scapegoat, and the crimson tongue, which was between his
horns," &c.
But here this objection occurs, which
is not so easy to answer. The time of the payment of the half shekel was
about the feast of the Passover; but now that time was far gone, and the
feast of Tabernacles at hand. It may be answered, 1. That Matthew, who
recites this story, observed not the course and order of time, which was
not unusual with him, as being he among all the evangelists that most
disjoints the times of the stories. But let it be granted that the order
of the history in him is right and proper here, it is answered, 2.
Either Christ was scarcely present at the Passover last past; or if he
were present, by reason of the danger he was in by the snares of the
Jews, he could not perform this payment in that manner as it ought to
have been. Consider those words which John speaks of the Passover last
past, chapter 6:4, "The Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near"; and
chapter 7:1, "After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for he would
not walk any more in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him." 3. It
was not unusual to defer the payment of the half shekels of this year to
the year following, by reason of some urgent necessity. Hence it was,
when they sat to collect and receive this tribute, the collectors had
before them two chests placed; in one of which they put the tax of the
present year, in the other of the year past.
But it may be objected, Why did the
collectors of Capernaum require the payment at that time, when,
according to custom, they began not to demand it before the fifteenth
day of the month Adar? I answer, 1. It is certain there were, in every
city, moneychangers to collect it, and, being collected, to carry
it to Jerusalem. Hence is that in the tract cited, "The fifteenth day of
the month Adar, the collectors sit in the cities," to demand the half
shekel; "and the five-and-twentieth they sit in the Temple." 2. The
uncertain abode of Christ at Capernaum gave these collectors no unjust
cause of demanding this due, whensoever they had him there present; at
this time especially, when the feast of Tabernacles was near, and they
about to go to Jerusalem, to render an account, perhaps, of their
collection.
But if any list to understand this of
the tax paid the Romans, we do not contend. And then the words of those
that collected the tribute, "Does not your master pay the didrachm?"
seem to sound to this effect, "Is your master of the sect of Judas of
Galilee?"
1. At the same time came the
disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven?
[Who is the greatest in the kingdom
of heaven?] It cannot be passed over without observation, that the
ambitious dispute of the disciples concerning primacy, for the most part
followed the mention of the death of Christ and his resurrection. See
this story in
Mark 9:31-33, and
Luke 9:44-46: "He said to his disciples, Lay up these discourses in
your ears: for the time is coming that the Son of man is delivered into
the hands of men. But they knew not that saying, &c.; and there arose a
contest between them, who among them should be greatest." Also
Matthew 20:18-20: "He said to them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem;
and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests, &c. Then
came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, saying,
Grant that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand," &c. And
Luke 22:22-24; "The Son of man indeed goeth as it is determined,
&c.; and there arose a contention among them, who of them should seem to
be the greater."
The dream of the earthly kingdom of
the Messias did so possess their minds (for they had sucked in this
doctrine with their first milk), that the mention of the most vile death
of the Messias, repeated over and over again, did not at all drive it
thence. The image of earthly pomp was fixed at the bottom of their
hearts, and there it stuck; nor by any words of Christ could it as yet
be rooted out, no, not when they saw the death of Christ, when together
with that they saw his resurrection: for then they also asked, "Wilt
thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Acts 1:6.
However, after Christ had oftentimes
foretold his death and resurrection, it always follows in the
evangelists that "they understood not what was spoken"; yet the opinion
formed in their minds by their doctors, that the resurrection should go
before the kingdom of the Messias, supplied them with such an
interpretation of this matter, that they lost not an ace of the opinion
of a future earthly kingdom.
See more at chapter 24:3.
6. But whoso shall offend one of
these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in
the depth of the sea.
[It were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, &c.] It is good for him,
in Talmudic language.
A millstone seems to be said in
distinction from those very small mills wherewith they were wont to
grind the spices that were either to be applied to the wound of
circumcision, or to be added to the delights of the sabbath. Hence the
Gloss of R. Solomon upon
Jeremiah 25:10; "The sound of mills and the light of the candle":
"The sound of mills (saith he), wherewith spices were ground and bruised
for the healing of circumcision."
That Christ here speaks of a kind of
death, perhaps nowhere, certainly never used among the Jews; he does it
either to aggravate the thing, or in allusion to drowning in the Dead
sea, in which one cannot be drowned without some weight hung to him: and
in which to drown any thing, by a common manner of speech,
implied to devote to rejection, hatred, and execration; which we have
observed elsewhere.
10. Take heed that ye despise not
one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their
angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
[Their angels in heaven do always
behold, &c.] This one may very well expound by laying to it that
which is said,
Hebrews 1:14, "The angels are ministering spirits, sent to minister
for them who shall be heirs of the salvation to come": as if he should
say, "See that ye do not despise one of these little ones, who have been
received with their believing parents into the gospel-church: for I say
unto you, that after that manner as the angels minister to adult
believers, they minister to them also."
12. How think ye? if a man have an
hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the
ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is
gone astray?
[If one of them be gone astray,
doth he not leave the ninety-and-nine, &c.] A very common form of
speech:--"In distributing some grapes and dates to the poor, although
ninety-nine say, 'Scatter them'; and only one, 'Divide them':
they hearken to him, because he speaks according to the tradition." "If
ninety-nine die by an evil eye," that is, by bewitchings; "and
but one by the hand of Heaven," that is, by the stroke of God,
&c. "If ninety-nine die by reason of cold, but one by the
hand of God," &c.
15. Moreover if thy brother shall
trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him
alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
[Tell him his fault between thee
and him alone.] The reason of the precept is founded in that
charitable law,
Leviticus 19:17; "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; but
thou shalt surely reprove him, and shalt not suffer sin in him."
Here the Talmudists speak not amiss:
"The Rabbins deliver, 'Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart.'
Perhaps he does not beat him, he does not pull off his hair, he does not
curse him: the text saith, 'in thy heart,' speaking of hatred in the
heart. But whence is it proved that he that sees his brother doing some
foul action is bound to reprove him? Because it is said, In
reproving, thou shalt reprove. He reproves, but he heareth not:
whence is it proved he is bound to a second reproof? The text saith, 'In
reproving, thou shalt reprove.'" And a little after, "How long must we
reprove? Rabh saith, 'Even to blows'"; that is, until he that is
reproved strikes him that reproves him: "Samuel saith, 'Until he is
angry.'" See also Maimonides.
16. But if he will not hear
thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two
or three witnesses every word may be established.
[Take with thee one or two more,
&c.] The Hebrew lawyers require the same thing of him that sins against
his brother: "Samuel saith, 'Whosoever sins against his brother, he must
say to him, I have sinned against thee. If he hear, it is well: if not,
let him bring others, and let him appease him before them. If perhaps he
die, let him appease him at his sepulchre, and say, I have sinned
against thee.'"
But our Saviour here requires a higher
charity; namely, from him who is the offended party. In like manner,
"The great Sanhedrim admonished a city lapsed to idols, by two disciples
of the wise men. If they repented, well: if not, all Israel waged war
against it." In like manner also, "The jealous husband warned his wife
before two witnesses, 'Do not talk with N.'"
17. And if he shall neglect to hear
them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the
church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.
[Tell it unto the church.] That
which was incumbent upon him against whom the sin was committed was
this, that he should deliver his soul by reproving his brother, and by
not suffering sin in him. This was the reason that he had need of
witnesses, for what else could they testify? They could not testify that
the brother had sinned against him that reproved him; for this, perhaps,
they were altogether ignorant of: but they might testify this, that he
against whom the sin was committed used due reproof, and omitted nothing
which was commanded by the law in that case, whereby he might admonish
his brother, and, if possible, bring him back into the right way. The
witnesses also added their friendly admonition: whom if the offender
hearkened not unto, "let it be told the church."
We do not here enter upon that long
dispute concerning the sense of the word church in this place.
However you take it, certainly the business here is not so much
concerning the censure of the person sinning, as concerning the
vindication of the person reproving; that it might be known to all that
he discharged his duty, and freed his soul.
It was very customary among the Jews
to note those that were obstinate in this or that crime after public
admonition given them in the synagogue, and to set a mark of infamy upon
them.
All these have need of public
admonition in the consistory. The business there is about some
shepherds, collectors, and publicans; and it is declared how incapable
they are of giving evidence in any judiciary matter; but not before
public admonition is gone out against them in the consistory.
"If any deny to feed his children,
they reprove him, they shame him, they urge him: if he still refuse,
they make proclamation against him in the synagogue, saying, 'N. is a
cruel man, and will not nourish his children: more cruel than the
unclean birds themselves, for they feed their young ones,'" &c.
"A provoking wife who saith, 'I will
create vexation to my husband, because he hath done thus or thus to me,
or because he hath miscalled me, or because he hath chid me,' &c. The
consistory by messengers send these words to her, 'Be it known unto you,
if you persist in your perverseness, although your dowry be a hundred
pounds, you have lost it all.' And moreover they set forth a public
proclamation against her in the synagogues, and in the divinity schools
every day for four sabbaths."
[Let him be to thee as a heathen
and a publican.] He saith, Let him be to 'thee'; not, Let
him be to 'the church': because the discourse is of peculiar and
private scandal against a single man; who, after three admonitions
given, and they to no purpose, is freed from the law of brotherly
obligation; and he who being admonished does not repent, is not to be
esteemed so much for a brother to him, as for a heathen, &c.
I. Christ does not here prescribe
concerning every offender, according to the full latitude of that law,
Leviticus 19:17; but of him that particularly offends against his
brother; and he does particularly teach what is to be done to that
brother.
II. Although he, against whom the
offence is committed, had a just cause, why he should be loosed from the
obligation of the office of a brother towards him, who neither would
make satisfaction for the wrong done, nor be admonished of it; yet to
others in the church there is not the same reason.
III. The words plainly mean this; "If,
after a threefold and just reproof, he that sinned against thee still
remains untractable, and neither will give thee satisfaction for the
injury, nor, being admonished, doth repent, thou hast delivered thine
own soul, and art free from brotherly offices towards him"; just as the
Jews reckon themselves freed from friendly offices towards heathens
and publicans. That of Maimonides is not much different: "A Jew
that apostatizes, or breaks the sabbath presumptuously, is altogether
like a heathen."
1. They reckoned not heathens
for brethren or neighbours: "If any one's ox shall gore his neighbour's
ox: his neighbour's, not a heathen's: when he saith
neighbour's, he excludes heathens." A quotation which we
produced before.
2. They reputed publicans to be
by no means within religious society: A religious man, who becomes a
publican, is to be driven out of the society of religion.
3. Hence they ate neither with
heathens nor with publicans: concerning which thing they
often quarrel [with] our Saviour. Hence that of the apostle,
1 Corinthians 5:11; "With such an one no not to eat," is the same
with what is spoke here, "Let him be to thee as a heathen," &c.
"It is forbidden a Jew to be alone
with a heathen, to travel with a heathen," &c.
4. They denied also brotherly offices
to heathens and publicans: "It is forbidden to bring home
any thing of a heathen's that is lost." "It is lawful for
publicans to swear that is an oblation which is not; that you are of
the king's retinue when you are not," &c. that is, publicans may
deceive, and that by oath.
18. Verily I say unto you,
Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
[Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth,
&c.] These words depend upon the former. He had been speaking concerning
being loosed from the office of a brother in a particular case:
now he speaks of the authority and power of the apostles of loosing
and binding "any thing" whatsoever seemed them good, being guided
in all things by the Holy Ghost. We have explained the sense of this
phrase at chapter 16; and he gives the same authority in respect of
this, to all the apostles here, as he did to Peter there; who were all
to be partakers of the same Spirit and of the same gifts.
This power was built upon that noble
and most self-sufficient foundation,
John 16:13, "The Spirit of truth shall lead you into all truth."
There lies an emphasis in those words, "into all truth." I deny that any
one, any where, at any time, was led, or to be led, into all
truth, from the ascension of Christ, unto the world's end, beside the
apostles. Every holy man, certainly, is led into all truth necessary to
him for salvation: but the apostles were led into all truth necessary
both for themselves and the whole church; because they were to deliver a
rule of faith and manners to the whole church throughout all ages.
Hence, whatsoever they should confirm in the law was to be confirmed;
whatsoever they should abolish was to be abolished: since they were
endowed, as to all things, with a spirit of infallibility, guiding them
by the hand into all truth.
19. Again I say unto you, That if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
[That if two of you shall agree
upon earth, &c.] And these words do closely agree with those that
went before: there the speech was concerning the apostles' determination
in all things respecting men; here, concerning their grace and power of
obtaining things from God.
I. [Two of you.] Hence Peter
and John act jointly together among the Jews,
Acts 2, 3, &c., and they act jointly among the Samaritans,
Acts 8:14; and Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles,
Acts 13:2. This bond being broke by Barnabas, the Spirit is doubled
as it were upon Paul.
II. [Agree together.] That is,
to obtain something from God; which appears also from the following
words, touching any thing that they shall ask: suppose,
concerning conferring the Spirit by the imposition of hands, of doing
this or that miracle, &c.
20. For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
[For where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.] The
like do the Rabbins speak of two or three sitting in judgment, that
the divine presence is in the midst of them.
21. Then came Peter to him, and
said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
till seven times?
[Shall I forgive him? till seven
times?] This question of Peter respects the words of our Saviour,
verse 15. "How far shall I forgive my brother before I proceed to the
extremity? What! seven times?" He thought that he had measured out, by
these words, a large charity, being, in a manner, double to that which
was prescribed by the schools: "He that is wronged (say they) is
forbidden to be difficult to pardon; for that is not the manner of the
seed of Israel. But when the offender implores him once and again, and
it appears he repents of his deed, let him pardon him: and whosoever is
most ready to pardon is most praiseworthy." It is well; but there lies a
snake under it; "For (say they) they pardon a man once, that sins
against another; secondly, they pardon him; thirdly, they pardon him;
fourthly, they do not pardon him," &c.
1. And it came to pass, that
when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and
come into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan;
[He came unto the coasts of Judea
beyond Jordan.] If it were barely said, the coasts of Judea
beyond Jordan, by the coasts of Judea one might understand
the bounds of the Jews beyond Jordan. Nor does such a construction
want its parallel in Josephus; for "Hyrcanus (saith he) built a
fortification, the name of which was Tyre, between Arabia and Judea,
beyond Jordan, not far from Essebonitis." But see Mark here, chapter
10:1, relating the same story with this our evangelist: He came,
saith he, into the coasts of Judea, (taking a journey from
Galilee,) along the country beyond Jordan.
3. The Pharisees also came unto
him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put
away his wife for every cause?
[Is it lawful for a man to put away
his wife for every cause?] Of the causes, ridiculous (shall I
call them?) or wicked, for which they put away their wives, we
have spoke at chapter 5:31. We will produce only one example here; "When
Rabh went to Darsis ('whither,' as the Gloss saith, 'he often
went'), he made a public proclamation, What woman will have me for a
day? Rabh Nachman, when he went to Sacnezib, made a public
proclamation, What woman will have me for a day?" The Gloss is, "Is
there any woman who will be my wife while I tarry in this place?"
The question here propounded by the
Pharisees was disputed in the schools, and they divided into parties
concerning it, as we have noted before. For the school of Shammai
permitted not divorces, but only in the case of adultery; the school of
Hillel, otherwise.
8. He saith unto them, Moses
because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your
wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
[Because Moses for the hardness of
your hearts suffered, &c.] Interpreters ordinarily understand this
of the unkindness of men towards their wives; and that not illy: but at
first sight hardness of heart for the most part in Scripture
denotes rather obduration against God than against men. Examples occur
everywhere. Nor does this sense want its fitness in this place: not to
exclude the other, but to be joined with it here.
I. That God delivered that rebellious
people for the hardness of their hearts to spiritual fornication, that
is, to idolatry, sufficiently appears out of sacred story, and
particularly from these words of the first martyr Stephen,
Acts 7:42: God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of
heaven, &c. And they seem not less given up to carnal fornication,
if you observe the horrid records of their adulteries in the Holy
Scripture, and their not less horrid allowances of divorces and
polygamies in the books of the Talmudists: so that the
particle...carries with it a very proper sense, if you interpret it
to, according to its most usual signification; "Moses to the
hardness of your hearts added this, that he permitted divorces;
something that savours of punishment in itself, however you esteem it
for a privilege."
II. But you may interpret it more
clearly and aptly of the inhumanity of husbands towards their wives: but
this is to be understood also under restriction: for Moses permitted not
divorces, because, simply and generally men were severe and unkind
towards their wives; for then, why should he restrain divorces to the
cause of adultery? but because, from their fierceness and cruelty
towards their wives, they might take hold of and seek occasions from
that law which punished adultery with death, to prosecute their wives
with all manner of severity, to oppress them, to kill them.
Let us search into the divine laws in
case of adultery a little more largely.
1. There was a law made upon the
suspicion of adultery, that the wife should undergo a trial by the
bitter waters,
Numbers 5: but it is disputed by the Jewish schools, rightly and
upon good ground, whether the husband was bound in this case by duty to
prosecute his wife to extremity, or whether it were lawful for him to
connive at and pardon her, if he would. And there are some who say he
was bound by duty; and there are others who say that it was left
to his pleasure.
2. There was a law of death made in
case of the discovery of adultery,
Deuteronomy 22:21-23: "If a man shall be found lying with a married
woman, both shall die," &c. Not that this law was not in force unless
they were taken in the very act; but the word shall be found is
opposed to suspicion, and means the same as if it were said, "When it
shall be found that a man hath lain," &c.
3. A law of divorce also was given in
case of adultery discovered,
Deuteronomy 24:1; for in that case only, and when it is discovered,
it plainly appears from our Saviour's gloss, and from the concession of
some Rabbins also, that divorces took place: for, say they in the place
last cited, "Does a man find something foul in his wife? he cannot put
her away, because he hath not found foul nakedness in her"; that
is, adultery.
But now, how do the law of death and
that of divorce consist together? It is answered, They do not so consist
together that both retain their force; but the former was partly taken
off by the latter, and partly not. The Divine Wisdom knew that inhuman
husbands would use that law of death unto all manner of cruelty towards
their wives: for how ready was it for a wicked and unkind husband to lay
snares even for his innocent wife, if he were weary of her, to oppress
her under that law of death! And if she were taken under guilt, how
cruelly and insolently would he triumph over her, poor woman, both to
the disgrace of wedlock and to the scandal of religion! Therefore the
most prudent, and withal merciful lawgiver, made provision that the
woman, if she were guilty, might not go without her punishment; and if
she were not guilty, might go without danger; and that the wicked
husband that was impatient of wedlock might not satiate his cruelty.
That which is said by one does not please me, "That there was no place
for divorce where matrimony was broke off by capital punishment"; for
there was place for divorce for that end, that there might not be place
for capital punishment. That law indeed of death held the adulterer in a
snare, and exacted capital punishment upon him, and so the law made
sufficient provision for terror: but it consulted more gently for the
woman, the weaker vessel, lest the cruelty of her husband might
unmercifully triumph over her.
Therefore, in the suspicion of
adultery, and the thing not discovered, the husband might, if he would,
try his wife by the bitter waters; or if he would he might connive at
her. In case of the discovery of adultery, the husband might put away
his wife, but he scarce might put her to death; because the law of
divorce was given for that very end, that provision might be made for
the woman against the hardheartedness of her husband.
Let this story serve for a conclusion;
"Shemaiah and Abtalion compelled Carchemith, a libertine woman-servant,
to drink the bitter waters." The husband of this woman could not put her
away by the law of Moses, because she was not found guilty of discovered
adultery. He might put her away by the traditional law, which permitted
divorces without the case of adultery; he might not, if he had pleased,
have brought her to trial by the bitter waters; but it argued the
hardness of his heart towards his wife, or burning jealousy, that he
brought her. I do not remember that I have anywhere in the Jewish
pandect read any example of a wife punished with death for adultery.
There is mention of the daughter of a certain priest committing
fornication in her father's house, that was burnt alive; but she was not
married.
13. Then were there brought unto
him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and
pray: and the disciples rebuked them.
[Then were little children brought
unto him.] Not for the healing of some disease; for if this had been
the end propounded, why did the disciples keep them back above all
others, or chide any for their access? Nor can we believe that they were
the children of unbelieving Jews, when it is scarcely probable that
they, despising the doctrine and person of Christ, would desire his
blessing. Some therefore of those that believe brought their infants to
Christ, that he might take particular notice of them, and admit them
into his discipleship, and mark them for his by his blessing. Perhaps
the disciples thought this an excess of officious religion; or that they
would be too troublesome to their Master; and hence they opposed them:
but Christ countenanceth the same thing, and favours again that doctrine
which he had laid down, chapter 18:3; namely, that the infants of
believers were as much disciples and partakers of the kingdom of heaven
as their parents.
18. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus
said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou
shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
[Thou shalt do no murder, &c.]
It is worthy marking, how again and again in the New Testament, when
mention is made of the whole law, only the second table is exemplified,
as in this place; so also
Romans 13:8,9, and
James 2:8,11, &c. Charity towards our neighbour is the top of
religion, and a most undoubted sign of love towards God.
21. Jesus said unto him, If thou
wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow
me.
[Sell that thou hast, and give to
the poor.] When Christ calls it perfection to sell all and
give to the poor, he speaks according to the idiom of the nation, which
thought so: and he tries this rich man, boasting of his exact
performance of the law, whether, when he pretended to aspire to eternal
life, he would aspire to that perfection which his countrymen so
praised. Not that hence he either devoted Christians to voluntary
poverty, or that he exhorted this man to rest ultimately in a
Pharisaical perfection; but lifting up his mind to the renouncing
of worldly things, he provokes him to it by the very doctrine of the
Pharisees which he professed.
"For these things the measure is not
stated; for the corner of the field" to be left for the poor; "for the
firstfruits for the appearance in the Temple" (according to the law,
Exodus 23:15,17, where, what, or how great an oblation is to be
brought, is not appointed), "for the shewing mercy, and for the study of
the law." The casuists, discussing that point of 'shewing mercy,' do
thus determine concerning it: "A stated measure is not indeed prescribed
to the shewing of mercy, as to the affording poor men help with thy
body," that is, with thy bodily labour; "but as to money there is a
stated measure, namely, the fifth part of thy wealth; nor is any bound
to give the poor above the fifth part of his estate, unless he does
it out of extraordinary devotion." See Rambam upon the place, and
the Jerusalem Gemara: where the example of R. Ishbab is produced,
distributing all his goods to the poor.
24. And again I say unto you, It is
easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich
man to enter into the kingdom of God.
[A camel to go through the eye of a
needle, &c.] A phrase used in the schools, intimating a thing very
unusual and very difficult. There, where the discourse is concerning
dreams and their interpretation, these words are added. They do not
shew a man a palm tree of gold, nor an elephant going through the eye of
a needle. The Gloss is, "A thing which he was not wont to see, nor
concerning which he ever thought."
In like manner R. Sheshith answered R.
Amram, disputing with him and asserting something that was incongruous,
in these words; "Perhaps thou art one of those of Pombeditha, who can
make an elephant pass through the eye of a needle": that is, as the
Aruch interprets it, "who speak things that are impossible."
28. And Jesus said unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the
regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory,
ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of
Israel.
[Ye that have followed me, in the
regeneration.] That the world is to be renewed at the coming of the
Messias, and the preaching of the gospel, the Scriptures assert, and the
Jews believe; but in a grosser sense, which we observe at chapter 24.
Our Saviour, therefore, by the word regeneration, calls back the
mind of the disciples to a right apprehension of the thing; implying
that renovation, concerning which the Scripture speaks, is not of the
body or substance of the world; but that it consists in the renewing of
the manners, doctrine, and a dispensation conducing thereunto: men
are to be renewed, regenerated,--not the fabric of the world.
This very thing he teaches Nicodemus, treating concerning the nature of
the kingdom of heaven,
John 3:3.
[When the Son of man shall sit upon
the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit.] These words are fetched
out of Daniel, chapter 7:9,10; which words I wonder should be translated
by the interpreters, Aben Ezra, R. Saadia, and others, as well Jews as
Christians, thrones were cast down. R. Solomon the Vulgar, and
others, read it righter, thrones were set up: where Lyranus thus,
"He saith thrones in the plural number, because not only Christ
shall judge, but the apostles, and perfect men, shall assist him in
judgment, sitting upon thrones." The same way very many
interpreters bend the words under our hands, namely, that the saints
shall at the day of judgment sit with Christ, and approve and applaud
his judgment. But, 1. besides, that the scene of the last judgment,
painted out in the Scripture, does always represent as well the saints
as the wicked standing before the tribunal of Christ,
Matthew 25:32, 2 Corinthians 5:10, &c.; we have mention here only of
"twelve thrones." And, 2, we have mention only of judging the "twelve
tribes of Israel." The sense, therefore, of the place may very well be
found out by weighing these things following:
I. That those thrones set up in Daniel
are not to be understood of the last judgment of Christ, but of his
judgment in his entrance upon his evangelical government, when he was
made by his Father chief ruler, king, and judge of all things:
Psalm 2:6,
Matthew 28:18,
John 5:27. For observe the scope and series of the prophet, that,
after the four monarchies, namely, the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the
Grecian, and the Syro-Grecian, which monarchies had vexed the world and
the church by their tyranny, were destroyed, the kingdom of Christ
should rise, &c. Those words, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand," that
judiciary scene set up
Revelation 4 and 5, and those thrones
Revelation 20:1, &c. do interpret Daniel to this sense.
II. The throne of glory, concerning
which the words before us are, is to be understood of the judgment of
Christ to be brought upon the treacherous, rebellious, wicked people. We
meet with very frequent mention of the coming of Christ in his glory in
this sense; which we shall discourse more largely of at chapter 24.
III. That the sitting of the apostles
upon thrones with Christ is not to be understood of their persons,
it is sufficiently proved; because Judas was now one of the number: but
it is meant of their doctrine: as if he had said, "When I shall
bring judgment upon this most unjust nation, then our doctrine, which
you have preached in my name, shall judge and condemn them." See
Romans 2:16.
Hence it appears that the gospel was
preached to all the twelve tribes of Israel before the destruction of
Jerusalem.
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