Notes on the Old and New Testaments

circumstances of his hearers; and ii was proper, therefore, that he should give these disciples instructions about their peculiar duties and dangers. He related this parable, therefore, to show them the danger of the love of money; the guilt it would lead to (ver. 1); the perplexities and shifts to which it would drive a man when once he had been dishonest (vs 3 — 7); the necessity of usinw monei aright, since it was their chief business (ver. i)); and the fact, that if thev would serve God anght, they must give up supreme attachment to money — they could not serve God and mammon (ver. 13); and that the first duty of religion demanded that they should resolve to serve God, and be honest in the use of the wealth intrusted to them. This parable has given great perplexity, and a great many ways have been devised to explain it. The above solution is the most simple of any; and if these plain principles are kept in view, it will not be difficult to give a consistent explanation of its particular parts. It should be borne in mind, however, that in this, as well as in other parables, we are not to endeavor to spirituahze every circumstance or allusion. We are to keep in view the great inoral that we cannot serve God and mammon, and that all attempts to serve mammon and God together will involve us in difficulty and sin. IT A steward. One who has charge of the affairs of a family or household, whose duty it was to provide for the family, to purchase provisions, &c. This was, of course, an office of much trust and confidence. It afforded great opportunity for dishonesty, and waste, and for embezzling property. The master's eye could not always be on him, and he might therefore squander the property, or hoard it up for his own use. It was an office commonly conferred on a slave, as a reward for fidel ity; and of coOrse was given to him that, in long service, had shown lumself most trust-worthy. By the ridi man, here, is doubtless represented God. By the steward, those who are his professed followers, particularly the puhlirant who were with the Saviour,

2 And lie called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee ■? Give an account of thy ftewardship; " for thou maycst be no longer steward.

and whose chief danger arose from the temptations to the improper use of the money intrusted to them. ^ Was accused. Complaint was made. 1i Had wasted, ilad squandered or scattered -had not been prudent and saving.

2. Give an account. Give a statement of your expenses, and of your conduct while you have been steward. This is not to be referred to the day of judgment. It is a circumstance thrown into the parable to prepare the way for what follow.s. It is true that all will be called to give an account, but we are not to derive that doctrine from such passages as this; nor are we to interpret this as teaching that our conscience, or the law, or any beings, will accuse us in the day of judgment. All that will be true, but it is not the truth that is taught in this passage.

3. Said within himself. Thought, or considered. ^ My Lord. My master, my employer. If / cannot dii^. This may mean either that his employment had been such that he could not engage in agriculture, not having been acquainted with the business, or that he was unwilling to stoop to so low an employment as to work daily for his support. To dig, here, is the same as to till the earth, to work at daily labor. H To beg. These were the only two ways that presented themselves for a living — either to work for it, or to beg. ^ I am. ashamed. He was too proud for that. Besides, he was in good health and strength, and there was no good reason why he should beg; nothing which'hc could give as a cause for it. It is proper for the sick, and lame and feeble, to beg; init it is not well for the able-bodied to do it; nor is it well to aid them, except by giving them employment, and compelling them to work for a living. He does a beggar who is able to work the most real kindness, who setg him to work — and as a general rule we should not aid an able-bodied man or woman in any other way. Set them to work and pay them a fair com-

himself. What shall I do, for nij lord taketh away from me the stewardship ] I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

4 I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the steward

pensation; and you do them good in two ways — and the habit of labor may be of more value to them than the price you pay them.

4. / am resolved. He thought of his condition. He looked at the plana which occurred to him. He had been dishonest, and knew he must lose hia place. It would have been better to have considered before this, and resolved on a proper course of life, and to be faithful to his trust. And his perplexity here teaches us that dishonesty will sooner or later lead us into difficulty; and that the path of honesty is not only the right path, but is the path that is filled with most comfort and peace. ^ When I am put out, &.C. When I lose my place, and have no home, and no means of support. H They may receive me, &LC. Those who are now under me, and whom I am resolved now to favor. He had been dishonest to his master; and. having commenced a course of dishonesty, he did not shrink from pursuing it. Having injured hia master, and being now delected, he was willing still farther to injure him, to take revenge on him for removing him from his place, and to secure hia own interest still at his expense. He was resolved to lay these persons under such obligations, and to show ihcm so much kindness, that they could not well refuse to return the kindness to him, arnl give him a support. We may learn here, 1st. That one sn leads on another, and that one act of dishonesty will be followed by many more if tlicro ia opportunity. 2d. Men who commit one sin cannot get along consistently without committing many more. One lie will demand manv more to make it appear like the truth; and one act of cheating will demand many more to avoid detection. The beginning of sin is like the letting out of waters; and no man knows, if he indulges in one sin, where it will end. 'Ml. Sinners are selfish. Thi'V care more about them telves than they do either about God ot

5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unlo him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unlo my lord ]

G And he said. An hundred ' measures of oil. And he said unto

* Ths word Batus in the original containeth nine gallons three quarts; See £ze.45.

truth. If they seek salvaiion, it is only for selfish ends; and because they desire a comfortable abode, rather than because they have any regard to God or his cause.

5. Called every one. As he was steward, he had the management of all the affairs, and of course debts were to be paid to him. IT Debtors. Those who owed his master, or perhaps teiiaiUs; those who rented land of his master.

6. A hundred measures. The measure here mentioned is the Bath, which contained, according to Dr. Arbulhnoi's Tables, seven gallons and an half — or according to the marginal Note, about nine gallons and three quarts. IT 0(7. Oil of olives, or sweet oil. It was much used for lamps, as an article of food (Ex. x.xix. 2), and also for anointing, and of course as an article of commerce. 1 Kings v. 11. These were persons, doubtless, who had rented land of the rich man, and who were to give him a certain proportion of the produce. IT Thy bill. The contract, or obligation, or lease. It was probably written as a promise by the debtor, and signed by the steward, and thus became binding. Thus he had power to alter it without supposing that his master would detect it. The bill or contract was in the hands of the steward, and he gave it back to him to write a new one. If QuicMy. He supposed that his master would soon remove him, and he was therefore in haste to have all things secure beforehand. It is worthy of remark, also, that all this was wrong. His master had called for the account; but instead of rendering it, he engaged in other business, disobeyed his lord still, and in contempt of his commands sought his own interest. All sinners would be slow to give m their account to God if tht^y could do it; and it is onlv hecause. when God calls them by him. Take thy oill, and sit down quickly, and wi te fifty.

7 Then said lie to another, And how much owest thou 1 And he said. An hundred ^ measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take Ihy bill, and write fourscore.

8 And the lord commended the

2 The word here interpreted j3 measure, in the original containeth about 14 bushels and a pottle.

death, they cannot but go, that they do not engage still in their own business, and disobey him.

7. Measures of wheat. The measure here mentioned — the kor, or homer, contained, according to the tables of Dr. Arbuthnot, about thirty-two pecks, or eight bushels; or, according to the marginal Note, about fourteen bushels and a pottle. A pottle is four pints. The Hebrew kor, "13 — or homer, ipn — was equal to ten baths, or severity gallons; and the actual amount of the measure according to this was not far from eight gallons. Robinson, (Lex.) however, supposes that the bath was eleven and a half gallons, and the kor or homer 14.4.5 bushels. The amount is not material to the proper understanding of the parable. ^ Fourscore. Eighty.

8. The lord commended. Praised, or expressed admiration at his wisdom. These are not the words of Jesus, sa commending him, but a part of th» narrative or parable. His master commended him — saw that he was wise and considerate, though he was dishonest. If The u?ijust steward. It is not said that his master commended him because he was unjust, but because he was wise. This is the only thing in his conduct of which there is any approbation expressed, and this approbation was expressed by his master. This passage cannot be brought, thelefore, to prove that Jesus meant to commend his dishonesty. It was the commendation expressed of his c.^nning or forethought; and the master could no niore approve this conduct than he could the first act of cheating iiim. ^ The child ren of this world. Those who are devoted to this world, who live for this world only, and who are careful only to obtain property, and to provide for their temporal necesrnies. It does not meao

unjust steward because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the " children of liglit.

9 And I say unto you, Make *

dial they arc pccidiarly wicked and prolligato, but only thai tiicy are worldly, and anxious about earthly thinf,'s. See lUatt. xiii. 22; 2 Tim. iv. 10. ^ Arc wise. More prudent, cunning, and anxious about their particular busincs.s. They.show more skill, study more plans, contrive more ways, to provide for themselves, than the children of light do to promote the interests of rehgion. ^ i7i t/i<:ir generalion. Some have thought this means in their manner of living, or in managing their affairs. 'I'he word generation sometimes means manner oriife. Gen. vi. 9; xxxvii. 2. Others suppose that it means towards, or among the men of their own age. They are more prudent and wise than Christians in regard to the people of their own time; they turn their connexion with them to good account, and make it subserve their worldly interests, while Christians fail much more to use the world in such a manner as to subserve their spiritual interests. IT Children of light. Those who have been enlightened from above — who are Christiana. This may be considered as the application of the parable. It docs not mean that it is more wise to be a worldly man than to be a child of light, but that those who are worldly show nmch prudence in providing for themselves; seize occasions for making good bargains; are active and industrious; try to turn every thing to the best account, and thus exert themselves to the utmost to advance their interests; while Christians often stitfcr opportunities, of doing good to pass tinimproved; are less steady, firm, and anxious, about eternal thing.s; and thus show less wisdom. Alas! this is too true; and we cannot b It reflect here how tiillerent the world Would be if all Christians were as anxious, and diligent, and prudent, in religious matters, as others are in worldly things.

9. / sai/ unto yon. I, Jesus, say to you my disciples. ^ Make to yourselves friends. Some have understood the word friends, here, a, referring to the to yourselves friends of the ' mam mon of unrighteousness; that, whec ye fail, they may receive you intr everlastinsr hahitations.

poor; others, to holy angels; ano others, to God. Perliaps, however, the word should not be considered as referring to any particular persons, but is used in accordance with the preceding parable; for in the application our Saviour uses the language appropriated to the conduct of the steward to express the general truth that we are to maKe a proper use of riches. The steward had so managed his pecuniary affairs, as to secure future comfort for himself; or so as to find friends that would take earo of him beyond the time when he was put out of the office. That is, he wo'iM not be destitute, or cast off, or without comfort, when he was removed from his office. So, says our Saviour to the publicans, and those who had property, so use it as to secure happiness and comfort beyond the time when you shall be removed from the present life. Have a reference, in the use of your money, to the future. Do not use it so that it shall not avail you any thing hereafter; but so employ it that, as the steward found friends, comfort, and a home, by his wisdom in the use of it, so you may, after you are removed find friends, comfort, and a home — tlia^ is, may be happy in heaven. Jesus, here, docs not say that we should do il in the same way that the steward did— for that was unjust; but only that wo should secure the rei>ult. This may bo done by using our riches as we should do; that is, by not suffering them to entangle us in cares and perplexities dangerous to the soul, engrossing the time, and stealing away the aff(;ctions, by employing them in works of mercy and benevolence, aiding the poor, con tributiiig to the advance of the go.>!pel, bestowing them where they will do good, and in such a manner that Ciod will approve the deed, and will bless.'" us for It. Commonly, riches are a Am drance to piety. To many, they are snares; and instead of positively henefeting the possessor, they are an injury, as they engross the time, the alfectione and do not contribute nt all to the eto»

10 He « that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much.

1 1 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteoua ' mam* mon, who will commit to your trus< the true riches?

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man'st 1 or, riches

lal welfare of the soul. Every thing may, by a proper use, be made to conributo to our welfare in heaven. Health, wealth, talents, and influence, may be so employed; and ihis is what our Saviour doubtless means here. Tf Of themammon. By means of the mammon. ^ Mammon. A Syriac word meaning riches. It is used also as an idol, the god of riches. IT Of unrigkteousJiess. These words are a Hebrew expression for imrighteous mammon — the noun being used tor an adjective, as is common in the New Testament. The word unrighleoun, here, stands opposed to " the true riches," in V. 11, and means deceitful, false, 7iot to be trusted. It has this meaning often. See 1 Tim. vi. 17; Luke xii. 33; Matt. vi. 19, xix. 21. It does not signify, therefore, that they had acquirea the property unjustly, but that property was deceitful, and not to be trusted. The wealth of the steward was deceitful; he could not rely on its continua?ice; it was liable to be taken away at any moment. So the wealth of the world is deceitful. We cannot calculate on its continuance. It may give us support or comfort now, but it may be soon removed, or we taken from it; and we should, therefore, so use it as to derive benefit from it hereafter. T When ye fail. When ye are left, or when ye die. The expression is accommodated to the discharge of the steward; but it refers to death, as if God then discharged his people, or took them from their stewardship, and called them to account, li^ They inay receive you. This is a form of expression denoting merely, that you, may be received. The plural form Is used because it was used in the corresponding place in the parable. (Ver. 4.) The direction is, so to use our worldly goods that we may be received into heaven when we die. God will receive us there, and we are to employ our property so that he will not cast us off for abusing it. IT Everlasting habitations. Heaven, the eternal home of the righteous, where all these wants \vill be supplied, and there can be no more anxiety, and no more removal from en« joyments. 2 Cor. v. i.

10. He that is faithful, &c. This ig a maxim that will almost universally hold true. A man that shows fidelity in small matters will also in large; and he that will cheat and defraud in small things will also in those of more trust and responsibility. UdeUty is required in small matters as well as in those of more importance.

11. Who will commit, &LC. If you are not faithful in the small matters pertaining to this world; if you do not use aright your property and influence; you cannot expect that God will commit to you the true riches of his grace Men who are dishonest, and worldly, and who do not employ the deceitful mammon as they ought, cannot expect to grow in grace. God does not confer grace upon them, and their being unfaithful in earthly matters is evidence that they would be in much greater affairs, and would likewise misimprove the true riches. ^ True riches. The graces of the gospel; the influences of the Spirit; eternal life, or rehgion. The riches of this world are false, deceitful, not to be trusted (v. 9); the treasures of heaven are true, faithiiil, never faihng. Matt. vi. 19, 20.

12. Another man's. The word »taw'« is not in the original. It is, ' If ye have been unfaithful managers for another.' It refers, doubtless, to God. The wealth of the world is his. It is committed to us as his stewards. It is un certain and deceitful, and at any moment he can take it away from us. It is still his; and if, while intrusted with this, we are unfaithful, we cannot expect that he will confer on us the re wards of heaven. ^ That which is yout own. The riches of heaven, which, if once given to us, may be considered aa ours — i. e., it will be permanent and fixed, and will not be taken away as if at the pleasure of another. We may calculate on it, and look forward with the assurance that it will continue ',» b*

who shall give you that which is your own]

13 No " servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

14 And the Pharisees also, who'' were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves ' before men; but God "^ knoweth your hearts: for that which is high-

oars for ever, and not be taken away like the riches of this world, as if they were not ours. The meaning of the whole parable is, therefore, thus expressed: If we do not use the things of tliis world as we ought — with honesty, truth, wisdom, and integrity — wc cannot have evidence of piety, and shall not be received into heaven. If we are true to that which is least, it is an evidence that we are the children of God, and he will commit to our trust that which is of infinite importance, even the eternal riches and glory of

14, 15. They derided him. They ridiculed, or laughed at him. They were avaricious, and thev ridiculed the doctrine that they ought to be benevolent wiih their property. 'I Justify yourfielves. Attempt to appear just; or, you aim at external righteousness, or to appear righteous in the sight of men, and do not regard the heart. If That which is hif;hly esteemed. That is, mere external works, or actions performed merely to appear to be righteous. If Is abomination. Is abominable, or hateful. The word used here is the one that in the Old Testatnent is commonly given to idols, and denotes God's abhorrence of such conduct. These words are to be applied chiefly to what Jesus waa discoursing about. There are many things estccmtd among men which are not abomination in the sight of God; as, e. g., truth, parental and fi'ial affection, industry, &.c. But

IG The ^ law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

17 And « it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

IS Whosoever* putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, com raitteth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery.

many things, much sought and admired. are hateful in his sight. The love of wealth and show; ambition and pride; gay and splendid vices, and all th« wickedness that men contrive to gild and to make appear like virtue — external acts, that appear well while the heart is evil — are abominable in the si"ht of God, and should be in the sight ofmen. Compare Luke xviii. 11 — 14; 1 Sam. xvi. 7.

16. See Matt..xi. 1*— 14. ^ Every man. Many men, or multitudes. It is an expression that is very common, as when we say every body is engaged in a piece of business, meaning that it oc cupies general attention.

18. See Matt. v. 32. These verses occur in Matthew in a different order, and it is not improbable that they were spoken by our Saviour at differen times. The design, here, seems to be to reprove the Pharisees for not observing the law of Moses, notwithstanding their great pretensions to external right cousncss, and to show them that tney had really departed from the law.

19. There was a certain rich man. Many have supposed that our Lord hero refers to a real history, and gives an accoimt of some man who had lived in this manner. But of this there is no evidence. The probability is, that thiu narrative is to be considered as a para h\o. referring not to any par'icular casa which had actually happened, but teach ing that such cases mipht happen. The design of thf narrative is to be collected

Which was clothnd in purple and fine linen, and fared ssumptuously every day:

20 And there was a certain beg-

from the previous conversation. He had taught the danger of love of money (vs. 1, 2); the deceitful and treacherous nature of riches (vs. 9 — 11); that what was in high esteem on earth was hateful to God (ver. 15); that men who did not use their property aright could not be received into heaven (vs. 11, 12); that they ought to listen to Moses and the prophets (\s. 16, 17); and that it was the duty of men to show kindness to the poor. The design of the parable was, to impress all these truths more vividly on the mind, and to show the Pharisees that w^ith all their boasted righteousness, and external correctness of character, they might be lost amidst all their wealth. Accordingly he speaks of no great fault in the rich man — no external, degrading vice — no open breach of the law; and leaves us to infer that the mere possession of wealth is dangerous to the soul; and that a man, surrounded with every temporal blessing, may perish for ever. It is remarkable that he gave no name to this rich man. If this >*as a parable, it shows us how unwilling he was to fix suspicion on any one. If it was not a parable, it shows also that Jesus would not drag out wicked men before the public, but would conceal as much as possible all that had any connexion with them. The good he would speak well of by name; the evil he would not injure by exposing them to public view. IT Clothed in purple. A purple robe or garment. This color was expensive as well as splendid, and was chiefly worn by princes, nobles, and those who were very wealthy. Compare Matt, xxvii. 28. See Notes on Isa. i. 18. IT Fine linen. This hnen was chiefly produced of the flax that grew on the banks of the Nile, in E^ypt. Prov. vii. 16. Ezek. x.wii. 7. It was peculiarly soft and white, and was therefore much Bought as an article of luxury, and was BO expensive that it could be worn only by princes, by priests, or by those who were very rich. Gen. xh. 42. 1 Chron. XV. 27. Ex. xxviii. 5. IT Fared sumptuoKsly. Feasted or livet' in a splendid manner. ^ Every da,. Not merely

gar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich

occasionally, but constantly. Th.swaa a mark of great wealth, and in the view of the world, evidence of great happi ness. It is worthy ot remark that Jesus did not charge on him any crimes. He did not say that he had acquired thifl property by dishonesty, or even that he was unkind or uncharitable; but simply that he was a rich man, and that his riches did not secure him from death and perdition.

20, 21. Beggar. Poor man. The original word does not mean beggar, but simply that he was poor. It should have been so translated to keep up the contrast with the rich man. If Named Lazarus. The word Lazarus is Hebrew, and means a man destitute of help, a needy, poor man. It is a name given, therefore, to denote his needy condition. ^ Laid at his gate. At the door of the rich man, in order that he might obtain aid. IT Full of sores. Covered with ulcers; afflicted not only with poverty, but with loathsome and offensive ulcers, such as often are the accompaniments of poverty and want. These circumstances are designed to show how different was his condition from that of the rich man. He was clothed in purple; the poor man was covered with sores: he fared sumptuously; the poor man was dependent even for the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. 'IT The dogs came. Such was his miserable condition that even the doM, as if moved by pity, came and hcked his sores in kindness to him. These circumstances of his misery are very touching, and his condition, contrasted with that of the lich man, very striking. It is not affirmed that the rich man was unkind to him or drove him away, or refused to aid him. The narrative is designed simply to show that the possession of wealth, and all the blessings of this hfe, could not exempt from death and misery, and that the lowest condition among mortals may be connected with life and happiness beyond the grave. There was no provision made for the helpless poor in those days, and consequently they were often laid at the gates of tbi man's table: moreover, the dogs i angels into Abraham's bocom: • came and licked his sores. the * rich man also died, and waa rich and in pf.aces of public resort for charily. See Acts iii. 2. The gospel has been the means of all the public charity now made for the needy, as it has ot providing hospitals for those who are sicK and aftlicted. No pagan nation ever had a hospital or an alms-house for tlie needy, the aged, or the afflicted. Many lieathcn nations, as tiic Hindoos and the Sandwich Islanders, destroyed llicir aged people; and all left their poor to the miseries of public begging, and their sick to the care of their friends or (o private charity.

22. Was carried by (he anf^ch. The Jews held theopiiiioii that the spirits of the righteous were conveyed by angels to heaven at their death. Our Saviour speaks in accordance with this opinion; and as he expressly aflirms the fact, it seems as proper that it should be taken literally, as when it is said the rich man died and was buried. Angels are ministerin<T spirits sent fortii to minister to those who are heirs of salvation (Heb. i. 14), and there is no more improbability in the supposition that they attend departing spirits to heaven, than that they attend them while on earth. H Abraham's bosom. This is a phrase taken from the practice of reclining at meals, where the bead of one lay on the bosom of another, and it denoted, therefore, intimacy and friendship. See Note, Malt, x.xiii. (>. Also John xiii. 23; xxi. 20. The Jews had no doubt that Abraham was in paradise. To say that Lazarus was in his bosom was, therefore, the same as to say that he was admitted to heaven and made happy there. The Jews moreover boasted very much of being the friends of Abraham and his descendants. Matt. iii. 9. To he his friend, was in their view the highest honor and happiness. Our Saviour, therefore, showed them that this poor and afflicted man micht be raised to the highest happiness, while the rich, who prided then' selves on their being descended from Abraham, miglit be east away and loKt forever. tT JVa.i buried. This is not said of the poor man. Burial was thought to be an honor, and funerals were, as they aie now, often expensive, splendid, and ostentatious. This is said ot the rich man to shosv that he had every cartidy he nor, and all that the world calls happy and desirable.

23. In hdl. The word here trans lated hell {Hades) means literally a dark, obscure place; the place where departed spirits go, but especially the place where wicked spirits go. The followinjg circumstances are related of it in this parable: 1st. It is far off from the abodes of the righteous. Lazarus was seen afar off. 2d. It is a place of torment. 3d. There is a great gulf fixed between that and heaven. Ver. 26. 4th. The suflcring is great. It is represented by torment in a flame. Ver. 24. Sill. There will be no escape from it. Ver. 2G. The word hell here means, therefore, that dark, obscure, and miserable place, far from heaven, where the wicked shall be punished for ever. If He lifted up his eyes. A phrase in common use among the Hebrews, meaning he looked. Gen. xiii. 10; xviii. 2; xxxi. 10. Dan. viii. 3. Luke vi. 20. IT Being in torment. The word torment means pain, angui.fh (Matt. iv. 24^; particularly the pain inflicted by the ancients in order to induce men to make confession of their crimes. These torments or tortures were the keenest that they could inflict, such as the rack, or scourging, or burning; and the use of the word here denotes that the sufierin<Ts of the wicked can be represented only by the cxtremest forms of human sufiering ^ And secth Abraham, <fec. This wa« an aggravation of his misery. One of the first things that occurred in hell was to look up and see the poor man that lay at his gate, completely happy. What a contrast! Just now lie was rolling in wealth, and the poor man was at his gate: he had no expectaHon of these sufferings; now they have come upon him, and Lazarus is happy, and for ever fixed in the paradise ot God. It is more, perhaps, than we are ou'.ho rized to infer, thiii the wicked will see those ^vi^o are in paradise. That thov

eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom:

will know that they are there is certain; but we are not to suppose that they will be so near together as to be seen, or as to make conversation possible. These circumstances mean that there will be a separation, and that the wicked in hell will be conscious that the righteous, though on earth they were poor or despised, will be in heaven. Heaven and hell will be far from each other, and it will be no small part of the misery of the one that it is far and for ever removed from the other.

24. Father Abraham. The Jews considered it a signal honor that Abraham was their /ai/ier; that is, that they were descenda7ils from him. Though this man was now in misery, yet he seems not to have abandoned the idea of his relation to the father of the faithful. The Jews supposed that departed spirits might know and converse with each other. See Lightfoot on this place. Our Saviour speaks in conformity with that prevaihng opinion; and as it was not easy to convey ideas about the spiritual world without some such representation, he therefore speaks in the language which was usual in his tim.e. We are not, however, to suppose that this was literally true, but only that it was designed to represent more clearly the sufferings of the rich man in hell. IT Have mercy on me. Pity me. The rich man is not represented as caUing on God. The mercy of God will be ai an end when the soul is lost. Nor did he ash to be released from that place. Lost spirits knov that their sufferings will have no end, and that it would be in vain to ask to escape the place of torment. Nor does he ask to be admitted where Lazarus was. He had no desire to be in a holy place, and he well knew that there was no restoration to those who once sink down to hell. H Send Lazarus. This shows how low he was reduced, and how the circumstances of men change when they die. Just before, Lazarus was laid at his ^ate, full of sores. Now he 19 happy, m heaven. Just before, he

send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; " for I am tormented in this flame. '

had nothing to give, and the rich man could e.xpect to derive no benefit from him; now he asks, as the highest favor, that he might come and render him relief Soon the poorest men on earth, if they are the friends of God, will hava mercies which the rich, ff unprepared to die, can never obtain. The rich will no longer despise them; they would then be glad of their friendship, and would beg for the slightest favor at their hands. ^ Dip the tip, &cc. This was a small favor to ask, and it shows the greatness of his distress, when so small a thing would be considered a great relief ^ Cool my tongue. The effect of great heat on the body is to produce almost insupportable thirst. Those who travel in burning deserts thus suffer inexpressibly when they are deprived of water. So pain of any kind produces thirst, and particularly if connected with fever. The sufferings of the rich man are, therefore, represented as producing burning thirst, so much that even a drop of water would be refreshing to his tongue. We can scarce form an idea of more distress and misery, than where this is continued from one day to another without relief. \Ve are not to suppose that he had been guilty of any particular wickedness with his tongue as the cause of this. It is simply an idea to represent the natural effect of great suffering, and especially suffering in the midst of great heat. If / am tormented. I am in anguish, in insupportable distress. ^ In this flame. The lost are often represented as suffering in flames, because fire is an image of the severest pain that we know. It is not certain, however, that the ^^^cked will be doomed to suffer in material fire. See Note, Mark i.x. 44.

25. Son. This is a representation designed to correspond with the \yord father. He was a descendant from Abraham — a Jew — and Abraham is represented as calling this thing to his remembrance. It would not lessen his sorrows to remember that he was a son of Abraham, and that he ought to member that thou in thy lifetime " receivedst thy good things, and ike'.vise Lazanis evil things: but now ho is comforted, and thou art '-ornicnted.

2G And beside all this, between us aud you there is a great g\ilf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to jo\i cannot; neither * can they pass to us that would come from thence.

27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldeat send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they

have lived worthy of that relation to nim. If Remember. This is a cutting word in this place. One of the chieF torments of hell will be the remnnliraiice of what was enjoyed, and of what was done in this world. Nor will it be any mitigation of tlie sufTering, to spend an eternity in wliich there will be nothing else to do day or night but to remember what was done, and what migJtt have been, if the life had been right. IT Tht/ wood things. That is, propcrtv, splendor, honor. ^ Evil things, l^overty, contempt, and afTliction. IT But now. &c. How changed the scene! How difTcrent the condition! And iiow much better was the portion of Lazarus after all than that of the rich man! It is probable that Lazarus had the most real happiness in the land of the living, for riches without the love of God can never confer happiness Uke the favor of God, even in poverty. But the comforts of the rich man are now gone for ever, and the joys of Lazarus have just commenced. One is to be comforted, and the other to be tormented, to all eternity. How much better, therefore, is poverty, with the friendship of God, than riches, with all that the world can bestow! And how foolish to seek our chief pleasures only in this life!

26. A great gulf. The word translated gnlf means chasm, or the broad, yawning space between two elevated objects, or two precipices. In this place it means that there is no way of passing from one to the other, t Fixed. Strengthened, made firm, or immov- •ble. It is so established that it will never be movable or passable. It will /or euer divide heaven and hell. ^ Which would pass. We are not to press this passage literally, as if those in heaven would desire to go and visit the wicked |n the world of wo. The simple meaning of the statement is, that there can be no communication between the one and the other — there can be no passing from one to the other. It is impossible to conceive that the righteous would desire to leave their abodes in glory to go and dwell in the world of wo — noi can we suppose that they would wish to go for any reason unless it were possible to furnish relief That will be out of the question. 'Not even a drop of water will be furnished as a relief to the sufferer. ^ Neither can they pass to us, &ic. There can be no doubt that the wicked will desire to pass the gulf that divides them from heaven. They would be glad to be in a state of happiness. But all such wishes will be vain. How can men believe that there will be a restoration of all the wicked to hea ven? The Saviour solemnly assures us that there can be no passage from that world of wo to the abodes ofthe blessed. Yet in the face of this, many Universalists hold that hell will yet be vacated of its guilty millions, and all its miserable inhabitants will be received to heaven! Who shall conduct them across this gulf, when Jesus Christ says it cannot be jiassed? Who shall build a bridge over that yawning chasm which he says is " fixed V IS'O. If there is any thing certain from the Scripture, it is, that they who enter hell return no more; thoy who sink there sink for ever.

27, 28. Five brethren. The number Jive is mentioned merely to preserve the appearance of verisimilitiule in the story. It is not to be spiritualized, nor are we to suppose that it has any hidden or inscrutable meaning. H May testify unto them. May bear uitneta to tnem, or may inform them ol what is my situation, and the dreadful consequences of the life that I have led. It IS remarkable that he did not ask to go himself He knew that he could not be released, even f.ir so short a lime. His condition was tixed. Yet he han

29 Abraham sailh unto him, They • have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. a I3.34.1G. Jno.5.39.

no wish that his friends should suffer also, and he supposed that if one went from the dead they would hear him.

29. 3[oses. The writings of Moses. The first five books of the Bible. IT The prophets. The remainder of the Old Testament. What the prophets had written. ^ Hear them. Hear them speak in the scriptures. Read them, or hear them read in the synagogues, and attend to what they have delivered.

30. Nay. No. They will not hear Moses and the prophets. They have heard them so loi^g in vain, and there is no prospect now that they will a'tend to the message. But if one should go to them directly from eternity, they will hear him. The novelty of the message would attract their attention, and they would Usten to what he would say.

31. Be persuaded. Be convinced of the truth, and of the danger and folly of their way, and the certainty of their suffering hereafter, and be induced to turn from sin to holiness, and from Satan unto God.

2d. That the souls of men are conscious after death; that they do not sleep, as some have supposed, till the morning of the resurrection.

3d. That the righteous are taken to a place of happiness immediately at death, and the wicked consigned to misery.

The rich, the beautiful, the gay, as well as the poor, go down to the grave. All their pomp and apparel; all their honors, their palaces, and their gold j cannot save them. Death can as easily find his way into the splendid mansions J of the rich as into the cottages of the j poor; and the rich shall turn to the; •ame cornaption, and soon, like the i

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

6th. We should strive for a better in heritance than can be possessed in thi life.

" Now I esteem their mirth and wine Too dear to purchase with my blood Lord, 'tis enough that t/ion art mine — My life, my portion, and my God."

7th. The sufferings of the wicked in hell will be indescribably great. Think what is represented by torment, by burning flame, by insupportable thirst by that state where a single drop of water would afford relief Remember that all this is but a representation of the pains of the damned, and that this will have no intermission, day or night, but will continue from year to year, and age to age, without any end, and you have a faint view of the sufferings of those who are in hell.

8th. There is a place of sufferings beyond the grave — a hell. If there is not, then this parable has no meanmg. It is impossible to make any thing of it unless it be designed to teach that.

9th. There will never be any escape from those gloomy regions. There is a gulf fixed— /rxp(f, not movable. Nor can any of the damned beat a pathway across this gulf to the world of holiness.

10th. We see the amazing folly of those who suppose there may be an end to the sufferings of the wicked, and who, on that supposition, seem willing to go down to hell to suffer a long time

they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will " they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.

THEN said he unto the disciples, It * is impossible but that ofiences will come: but woe urtlo him through whom they come! 2 It were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

rather than go at once to heaven. If man were to suffer but a thousand years, or even one year, why should he be so foolish as to clioose that sufl'ering, rather than go at once to heaven, and be happy at once wlien he dies?

lltli. God gives us warning sufficient to prepare for death. He has sent his word. Ills servants, his Son; he warns us by his Spirit and ills Providence; by the entreaties of our friends, and by the death of sinners; he offers us heaven, and he threatens hell. If all this will not move sinners, what would do it? There is Tiothinii that would.

12th. God will give us nothing further to warn us. No dead man will come to life to tell us of what he has seen. If he did, wc would not believe him. Religion appeals to man, not by ghosts and frightful apparitions. It appeals to their reason, their conscience, their hopes, and their fears. It sets life and death soberly before men, and if they vnll not choose the former, they must die. If you will not hear the Son of God, and tlie truth of the scriptures, there is nothing which you will or ran hear; you will neverhe persuaded, and t;\\\ never escape the place of torment.

1,2. It is impossible. It cannot but happen. Such is the state of things that it will be. See these verses e.\- plnined in IMatt..wiii. C. 7.

3, 4. See Matt.. xviii. 15,21,22. Tiespajis against thee. Sin against thee, or does any thinir that elves you an offence or docs you an iniury. ^ Jiebuhe. Reprove. Go and tell him his fault, 11*

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke " him; and if he repent, forgive him.

4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou '' shall lor give him.

5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase ' our faith.

C And the Lord said, If ^ ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye might say unto the sycainine-tree, and seek an explanation. Acquaint him with what has been the effect of his conduct, and the state of your feelings, that he may acknowledge his errors and repent.

5. Increase our faith. This duty ol forgiving ofiences seemed so difficult to the disciples, that they felt the need strongly of an increase of faith; they felt that they were prone themselves to harbor resentments, and iJiat it required an additional increase of true religion to enable them to comply with the requirements of Jesus. We may learn from this, 1st. That Jesus had the power of increasing the faith of his people.— Strength comes from him, and especi ally strength to believe the gospel. Hence he is called the Author and Finisher of our faith. Heb..\ii. 2. 2d. The duty of forgiving offences is one of the most difficult duties of the Christian religion. It is so contrary to our native feelings, and to proud, corrupt nature, it implies such true nobleness of soul, and elevation above the petty feelings of malice and revenge, and is so contrary to the received maxims of the world which teach us to cherish rather than forgive the memory of ofH-nccs, that it is no wonder our Saviour dwells much on this duty, and so strenuously insists on it in order to our having cvidcnca that our hearts have been changed Some have ihoii-xht that this prnyet that he would increase their faiih. refers to the power of working miracles, and especially to the case recorded in Matt. xvii. 16—20.

Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and ii should obey you.

given among us to the large tree commonly called the buttonwood. But the tree here mentioned is dift'erent. The Latin Vulgate and the Syriac versions translate it mulberry-tree. It is said to have been a tree that commonly grew <n Egypt, of the size and appearance

7 But which of you, having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when

of a mulberry-tree, but bearing a species of figs. This tree was common in Palestine also. It is probable that our Lord was standing by one as he addressed these words to his disciples. The following cut will furnish a view of the Sycamore-tree and its fruit.

7. Havinit a servant, &.C. This parable seems to have been spoken with reference to the rewards which the disciples were expectinsr in the kingdom of the Messiah. The occasion on which it was spoken cannot be ascertained. It does not seem to have any particular connexion with what goes before. It may be supposed that the disciples were somewhat impatient to have the kingdoin restored to Israel (Acts i. 6), that B, that he would assume his kingly power, and that they were impatient of the delay, and anxious to enter on the rewards which they expected, and which they not improbably were expecting in consequence of their devotedness to him. In answer to these expectations, Jesus spoke this parable, showing them: 1st. That they should be rewarded, as a servant would be provided for, but, 2d. That this was not the frst thing; that there was a proper order of things, and thus it might be delayed, as a ser vant would be provided for, but at the proper time, and at the pleasure of the master; and, 3d. That this reward was not to be expected as a matter o{ merit, but would be given at the good pleasure of God, for they were but unprofitable servants. ^ By and by. This should have been translated immediately. He would not as the first thins, or as foon as "le returned from the field, direct him

he is come Iroin the field, Go, and sit down to meat]

8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink 1

9 Doth he tiiank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him 1 I trow not.

10 So likewise ye, when ye shall nave done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are " unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our duty to do.

11 And it came to pass as he

12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar ' olT:

j i:i And they lifted up </ieiV voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

11 And when he saw them, he said unto them. Go shew '' your-

I selves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as ' they went, they were cleansed.

to cat and drink. Plungry and weary lio might be, yet it would be proper for him first to attend upon his master. So the apostles were not to be impatient because they did not al once receive the reward to which they were looking. If To meat. To eat. Or rather, place thyself at the table.

10. Are unprofitable servants. We have conferred no favor. We have merilrd nothintr, and have not benrf ted God, or laid him under ohlipation. If he rewards us. it will be matter of unmerited favor. Tiiis is true in relation to Christians in the following respects: Isl. Our services arc not profitable to God (Job xxi\. 2); he 7ireds not our aid, and his essential happiness will not be increased by our efforts. 2d. The grace to do his will comes from him only, and all the praise of that will be due to him. 3d. All that we do, is what is our dulij; wo cannot lay claim to having rendered any service that will hirid him to show us favor; and, 4tli, our best services are mingled with imperfections. We come short of his glory, (Rom. iii. 23); we do not serve him a.s liuinbly, and cheerfully, and faithfully as we ought; we arc lar, very far from the example set us by;he Saviour, and if wc are saved and •ewarded, it will be because God will 6c merciful to our unrighteousness, and will remember our iniquities no more. Heb. viii. 12.

11. T/ie midst of Samaria and Galilee. He went from Galilee and probably travelled through the chief villages and towns in it, and then left it; and as Samaria was situated beturen Galilee and Jerusalem, it was necessary to pass through it. Or it may mean, that he passed along on the borders of each towards the river Jordan, and so passed in the midst, i. e. between Galilee and Samaria. This is rendered more probable from the circumstance that as he went from Galilee, there would have been no occasion for saying that he passed through it, unless it be meant through the confines or borders of if, or at least it would have been mentioned before Samaria.

12. There met him. They were in his way, or they were in his path, as he was entering the village. They were not allowed to enter the village while they were afflicted with the leprosy. Lev. -xiii. 46. Num. v. 2, 3. ^ Lepers. See Note on Matt. viii. 2. ^ Stoo<l afar off. At a distance, as they were required by law. They were unclean, and it was not lawful for them to come near to those who were in health. As Jesus was travelling, they were also walking in the contrary way. and seeing him, and knowing ihat tbcy were unclean, they stopped, or turned aside, so ihai tiu-y mignt not expose others to tho con-

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified « God,

16 And fell down on Aes face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a * Samaritan.

Matt. viii. 4. By this command he gave Ihem an implied assurance that they would be healed. For the design for which they were to go was to exhibit the evidence that they were restored, and to obtain permission from the priest to mingle again in society. It may also be observed that this required no small measure oi' faith on their part, for he did not Jirst heal them, and then tell them to go; he told them to go without expressly assuring them that they would be healed, and without as yet any evidence to show to the priest. — So sinners, defiled with the leprosy of sin, should put faith in the Lord Jesus, and obey his commands, with the fullest confidence that he is able to heal them, and th^t he will do it, if they follow his directions; and that in due time lliey shall have the fullest evidence lliat their peace is made with God, and that their souls shall by him be declared free from the defilement of sin. 1i Were cleaiised. Were cured, or made whole.

15,16. One of them, &c. This man, sensible of the power of God, and grateful for his mercies, returned to express his gratitude to God, for his goodness. Instead of obeying at oTice the letter of the command, he first expressed his thanks to God, and to his ^reat benefactor. There is no evidence, however, that he did not, aflerhe had given thanks to God, and had poured out his joy at the feet of Jesus, go to the pnest as he was directed. Indeed he could not have been restored to society without doing it. But he first poured out his thanks to God, and gave him praise for his wonderful recovery. The first duty of sinners, after they have been forgiven, and have the hope of eternal life, is to prostrate themselves at the feet of their Great Benefactor, and to consecrate themselves to his service. Then let them go and show to others the evidence that they are cleansed. Let them go and mingle, like a restored leper, with their families and friends, and show by the purity and holiness of their lives how great is

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed 1 hni where are the nine 1

18 There are not ' found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger.

the mercy that has cleansed them. ^ Ht was a Samaritan. See Note, Matt. x. 5. This rendered his conduct more remarkable and striking in the sight of the Jews. They considered the Samaritans as peculiarly wicked, and themselves as peculiarly holy. This example showed them, like the parable of the good Samaritan, that in this they were mistaken. And one design of this seems to have been to break down the opposition between the Jews and Samaritans, and to bring the former to more charitable judgment respecting the latter.

17, IS. Where are the nine? Jesu.' had commanded them to go to the priest, and they were probably litimlly obeying the command "lent. They were impatient to be healed, a il selfish in wishing it, and had no gratitude to God, or their benefactor. Jesus did not forbid their expressing gratitude to him for his mercy. He rather seems to reprove them for not doing it. — One of the first feelings of the sinner cleansed from sin, is a desire to praise his great benefactor. And a real wiUingness to obey his commandments, is not inconsistent wth a wish to render thanks to him for his mercy. With what singular propriety may this question now be asked — where are the nine? And what a striking illustration is this of human nature, and of the ingratitude of men! One had come back to give thanks for the favor bestowed on him; the others were heard of no more. So now. When men are restored from dangerous sickness, here and there one comes to give thanks to God — but 'where are the nine?' When men are defended from danger; when they are recovered from tiie perils of the sea; when a steamboat is destroyed and a large part of crew and passengers perish, here and there one of those who are saved acknowledges the goodness of God, and renders him praise. But where are the mass of them? They give no thanks; they offer no praise. They go about their usual employments, to mingle in the scenes

19 And he said unto him, Arise,; them, and said. The kingdom of (Jod ^0 thy way: thy " faith Irath made! cometh ' not with observation.

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for, behold, the * kingdom of God is * within you.

:20 And when ho was demanded of the Pharisees when the kiiigdom of CJod should come, he answered

■ of pleasure and of sin, as if nothing had occurred. Few, few of all who have men rcsc^ied from ' ihrcaiening graves' feci iheir oliligation to God. or ever express it. They forget their Great lienefactor; perhaps the nicnlionof his name is unpleasant, and they scorn the idea that they are under any obligations to God..Such, alas, is man, ungrateful inaiil ^\ This xtransier. This foreigner; or rather this alien, or this man of anoll.cr tribe. In tiie Syriac version " thit; one who is of a foreign people." This man who might have been least expected to have expressed this gratitude ro God. The most unlikely characters 'lire often found to be most coasistcnt, and grateful. Men from whom v.-e would expect least in religion, are often 80 entirely changed as to disappoint all our expectations, and lo put to siumie those who have been most liiiihly iavored. The poor often tlius put lo shame the rich; the ignorant the learned; and even the young the aged.

I'J. Go thy way. To ihc Priest — for without his ccrtihcate he could not again be restored lo the society ol his friend.-?, or ihe public worship of God. Having now appropriately expressed your gratitude, go to the priest, and obey the law of God. Renewed sinners, while their hearts overflow with gratitude to Jesus, should express that gratitude by obeying God, and engaging in the appropriate duties of their calling, and of religion.

20. Was demanded. Was asked. IT Of the Pharisees. This was a matter of much importance to them, and they had taught that it would come with parade, and pomp. It is not unlikely that they asked lliis merely in contempt, and tor the purpose of drawing out S(jmelhing that should c.xpo.^^e him to ridicule. Ti The kingdom of God. 'J'lic reipn of God; or the di.spensalion under the Mcssiali..See Note, 1 Matt. iii. 2. IT n^lth ohsenmlion. With i scrupulous and aitoiuive lookuig for it. Or with sucii tin appearance as to at- 1 tract observation — that is, with great pomp, majesty, splendor. He did not deny that, according to their views, the time was drawing near; but he denied that it would come in the manner in which they expected. The Messiah would not come with pomp, like an earthly prince; perhaps not in such a manner as lo be discerned by the eyes of sagacious and artful men, who were expecting him in a way agreeable to their own feelings. The kingdom of God is within men — -and it makes its way not by pomp and noise, but by silence, decency, and order. 1 Cor. xiv. 40.

21. Lo here, or lo there! When an earthly prince visits diffeiunl parts of his territories, he docs il with much pomp. His movements attract nmcb observation, and become the common topic of conversation. The inquiry is, where is he? Which way will he go? And it is a matter of important 7iew» to be able to say where he is. Jesua says that the Messiah would not come in that manner. It would not be with such pomp, and conversation. It would be silent — obscure — and attracting com paraiively little notice. Or the passage may have reference to the custom of the pretended Messiahs, who appeared in this maimer. They said that in this place, or in that; in this mountain, or that desert, they would show signs that should convince the people that they were the Messiah. Comiiare Notes on Acts v. 3(J, 37. If Is within you. This is capable of two inlerprclalions. 1st. The reign of God is iti the heart and mijid. It docs not come with pomp and splendor, like the reign of tempo ral kings, merely to control the exier nal actions and strike the senses of men with awe — but it reigns in the heart by the lawof (iod; it sets ui) its dominion over the passions, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of C'iirist. 2(1. It may mean the new dispensation is eiun now amon<^ vol*. The Messiah has come. John hoa ushered m the kint^dom o. God; and

22 And he bald unto the disciples, The ° days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

23 And * they shall say to you, See here; or, See there: go not after them, nor follow (hem.

24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.

25 But '^ first must he suffer many

26 And as it was '' in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded:

you are not to expect the appearance of (he Messiah with great pomp and splendor, for he is now among you. Most critics at present incline to this latter interpretation. The ancient versions chiefly foHow the former.

22. Tfie days will come. He here takes occasion to direct the minds of his disciples to the days of vengeance which were about to fall on the Jewish nation. Heavy and calamitous days shall befall the Jewish people, and you will desire a deliverer. IT Ye shall desire. You who are now my professed followers. Who now number yourselves among my disciples. IT One of the days of the Son of man. The Son of man here means the Messiah, without affirming that he was the Messiah. Such shall be the calamities of those times; so great shall be the afflictions, and persecutions, that you will greatly desire a deliverer — one who shall come to you in the character in which you have expected the Messiah would come, and who should deliver you from the power of your enemies. And at that time in the midst of these calamities, men shall rise up pretending to he the Messiah, and to be able to deliver you. In view of this, he takes occasion to caution them against beinfr led astray by them. IT Ye shall not see it. Ye shall not see such a day of deliverance '—such a Messiah as the nation has expected, and such an interposition as fou would desire.

23,24. And they shall say, &,c. Many raise Christs, according to Josephus appeared about that time atlemptinfi: ta lead away the people. See Notes on Matt. xxiv. 23—27.

were busy in the affairs of this hfe, as if nothing were about to happen. IT The same day, &c. See Gen. xix. 23 — 25. IT It rained. The word might have been rendered he rained. In Genesis it is said that the I^rd did it. IT Firt and brimstone. God destroyed Sodom on account of its great wickedness. He took vengeance on it for its sins; and the example of Sodom is set before men to deter them from committing great transgressions, and as a full prooj that God will punish the guilty. See Jude 7; also Isa. i. 10; Jer. xxiii. 14. Yet in overthrowing it, God used natural means. He is not to be supposed to have created fire and brimstone for the occasion, but to have directed the natural means at his disposal for their overthrow: — as he did not create the waters to drown the world, but merely broke up the fountains of the great deep, and opened the windows of heaven. Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim (Deut. xxLx. 23) were four great cities, on a plain where is now the Dead Sea, at the southeast of Palestine, and into which the river Jordan flows. They were built on a plain which abounded, doubtless, as all that region now does — ■ in bitumen, or naphtha, which is easfly kindled, and which burns with great intensity. The phrase " fire and brimstone" is a Hebrew form of expression, denoting sulphiu-eous fire, or fire

29 But the same day that Lot went out " of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

30 Even thus shall it be in the 3ay when the Son of man is revealed. *

31 In that day, he which shall be upon the house-top, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

33 Whosoever ** shall seek to save his life, shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life, shall preserve it,

31 I tell you, in that night there

having the smell of sulphur; and may denote a volcanic eruption, or any burning like that of naphtha. There is no improbability in supposing that (his destruction was accomplished by liglitning, which ignited the naphtha; or that it was a volcanic eruption, which by direction of God, overthrew the wicked cities. IT From heaven. By command of God; or from tlio sky. To the people of Sodom, it had the appearance of coming from heaven, as all volcanic eruptions would have. Hundreds of towns have been overthrown m this way; and all by the agency of (rod. He rules "he elements, and makes tluMu his instruments, at his pleasure, in accomplishing the destruction of the wicked.

30. Even thus, &c. Destruction came upon the old world, and upon Sodom tudtlenly; when they were en£ra[,a'd in other things, and little e.xpecting thi.s. So suddenly, and unexpectedly, savs he, shall destruction come upon the Jewish people. See Notes on Matt, xxiv.

32. liemember Lot's wife. See Gen. XLX. 26. She looked back — she delayed "perhap.'< she desired to take something svith her; and God made her a monuuirnt of his displea.«urc. Jesus directed Kjfi difciples when they saw the calam-

• shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

35 Two ■women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

SO Two ' men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

37 And they answered and said unto him. Where, Lord 1 And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body js, ^ thither will the eagles be gathered together.

AND he spake a parable unto them, to this end., that men ouirlit f always to pray, and not to faint:

ities coming upon the Jews to flee to the mountains. Matt. xxiv. 16. He here charges them to be in haste — not to look back — not to delay- -but to escape 1 quickly, and to remember that by d<- j laying, the wife of Lot lost her life 33. See Matt. x. 39. 34— 3(i. See Matt. xxiv. 40, 41. 37. See Matt. xxiv. 2G. IT Wherr. \ljOTdl Where, or in what direction; shall these calamities come? The answer implies where is the most guxH i and wickedness. Eagles flock where there is prey. So the armies flock to; the place where there is the most wick- I edness; and by this their thoughts were I directed at once to Jerusalem — the place of eminent wickedness, and the j place, therefore, where these calamities might be expected to begin.

CHAPTER XVni. 1.,4 parable. See Matt. xiii. 3. IT To this end. To show tliis. 1i Always. At all times. That is, we must not ne gleet regular stated seasons of prayer; we must seize on occasions ot remarkable Providences — as alliiciions or signal blessings, to seek God in prayer, and we must always maintain a spirit of prayer, or be iii a proper frame to lift up our hearts to God lor his blessing. ^ Not to faint. Not to grow wearv or give over. To persevere in

2 Saying, There was ' in a city a judge, wliich feared not God, neither regarded man:

3 And tlicre was a widow in that city; and slie came unto him, saying. Avenge me of mine adversary.

4 And he would not for awhile: but afterward he said within him-

Ihe application. The parable is designed to tcacli us, that though our prayers should long appear to be unanswered, we should persevere, and not grow weary in supplication to God.

2. A judge. One appointed by law to determine causes brought before him. This judge had no reverence for God, and consequently no regard for the rights of man. These two things go together. He that has no regard lor God, can be expected to have none for man. And our Lord has here indirectly tauglit us what ought to be the character of a judge — that he should fear God, and regai'd the rights of man. Compare Deut. i. 16, 17. If Regarded man. Cared not for man. Had no respect for the opinions, or the rights of man.

3. A widow. This is a circumstance that gives increasing interest to the parable. Judges were bound to show peculiar attention to the widows. Jer. x.xii. 3. The reason of this was that they were defenceless; were commonly poor; and w-ere hable to be oppressed, by those in power. ^ Avenge 7ne. This would have been better translated, ' Do me justice against my adversary, or vindicate me from him.' It does not denote vengeance, or revenge; but simply that she wished to have justice done her — a thing which this judge was hound to do, but which it seems he had no disposition to do. IT Adversary. One opposed in law. In this case, it seems, that he was unwilling to do justice — and probably took advantage of her condition to oppress her.

4. 5. For awhile. Probably this means for a considerable time. It was his duty to attend to the claims of justice, but this was long delayed. IT Within himself. He thought, or came to a conclusion. ^ Though I fear not, &.C. This contains the reason why he attended to the case at all. It was not from any regard to justice, or to the duties of his office. It was simply to

I.'> Yet, because this widow trou- ' hleth me, I will avenge her, lest by t her continual coming she weary me. i (5 And the Lord said. Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7 And shall not God avenge * j a Re.6.10.

\ avoid trouble. And yet his conduct in ' this thing might have appeared very upright; and possibly very strictly according to law, and to justice. How many actions are performed that appear well, when the doers of those actions know that they are mere hypocrisy! And how many are performed from the basest and lowest motives of selfishness, that have the appearance of external propriety, and even of goodness! ^ She weary me. The word used here in the original, is that which was used to de note the wounds and bruises caused by boxers who beat each other, and blacken their eyes, and disable them. See Notes on 1 Cor. ix. 27. Hence it means any vexatious and troublesome importunity that takes the time, and disables from other employment.

7. Shall not God avenge, &-C. We are not to suppose that the character of God is at all represented by that judge, or that his principles of conduct arc al all like those of the judge. This para ble shows us, conclusively, that many circumstances of a parable are not to be interpreted closely. They are mere appendages to the narrative. The great truth which our Saviour designed to teach is v.'hat we ought to endeavor to find. In this case there can be no doubt what this truth is. He has him self told us that it is that men ought always to pray and not to faint. This he teaches by the example in the parable. And the argument which it implies is this. 1st. A poor >vidow, by her per severance only, obtained from an unjust man what otherwise she would not have obtained. 2d. God is not un just. He is good, and disposed to d justice, and to bestow mercy. If therefore, this wicked man by persevering prayer was induced to do justice, how much more shall God, who is good, and who is not actuated bv anf

night unto liim, though he bear long the Son of man cometh, shall * he with them? find faith on the earth ] 8 I tell you that he will avenge

such selfish and base principles, do justice to ihem wlio apply to him! IT Avenge. Do justice to, or vindicate them. This may have a two-fold reference. 1st. To ihe disciples in the time of Jesus, who were about to be oppressed and persecuted, and over whom calamities were about to come, as if God did not regard their cries, and had forsaken them. To them Jesus gives the assurance that God would hear their petitions, and come forth to vindicate them; and that, notwithstanding all these calamities. He would yet appear for their deliverance. 2d. It may have a more general meaning. The people of God are often oppressed, calumniated, persecuted. They are few in number and feeble. They seem to be almost forsaken and cast down, and their enemies triumph. Yet in due time, God will heer their prayers, and will come forth for their vindication. And even if it should not be in this life, yet he will do it speedily in the day oi' judgment, when he will pronounce thorn blessed, and receive them lor ever to himself ^- His own elect. People of God, faints. Christians; so called, because God has chosen them to be his. The term is usually given to the true followers of God in the scriptures, and is a term of affection, denoting his great and peculiar love in choosing them out of a world of sinners, and conferring on them grace, and mercy, and eternal life. See 1 Thes. i. 4; Col. iii. 12; 1 Pet. i. 2; Eph. i. 4. It signifies here that they are peculiarly dear to him — hat he feels a deep interest in their welfare, and that he will, therefore, be ready to come forth to their aid. The judge felt no special interest in that widow, yet he heard her; God feels a particular regard, a tender love for his elect, and tlierefore he will hear and Bave. If Which cry day and night. This expresses one striking cliaracteristic of the elect of God; they pray, and pray constantly. None can nave evidenco that he is chosen of (Jod who is not a (nan of prayer. One of the best narks by which the electing love of Vol.. II. — 12

God is known, is that it disposes us to prayer. This passage supposes that when the elect of God are in trouble, and pressed down with calamities, they will cry unto him; and it affirms that, if they do, he will liear iheir cries, and answer their requests. ^ Though he bear long with them. This passage has been variously interpreted; and there is some variety of reading in the manuscripts. Some read, ' Will not God avenge his elect? Will he linger in their cause?' But the most natural meaning is, ' Although he defers long to avenge them, and greatly tries their « patience, yet he will avenge them.' He tries their faith, he suffers their persecutions and trials to continue a long time; and it almost appears as if he would not interpose. Yet he will do it, and will save them.

8. Speedily. Suddenly, unexpectedly. He will surely vindicate them; and that at a time perhaps when they were nearly ready to give over, and sink into despair. This may refer to the deliverance of the disciples from their approaching trials and persecutions among the Jews;

I or in general to the effect that God will interpose and aid his people. If Never-

: danger is not that God will be unfaithful. He will surely be true to his pro mises. But the danger is that his elect his afflicted people, will be discouraged will not persevere in prayer; will not continue to have confidence in Hiui; and will be, under heavy trials, sinking into despondency. The sole meaning of this phrase, thcretbre, is, that there is more danger that his people would groie weary than that God would he Jound unfaithful, and fail to avense his elect. Vor this cause Christ spoke the parable; and by the design of the parable this passage is to be interpreted. ^ So» of man cometh. This probably refers to tlie approaching dcsiruciion of Jerusa lem — the coming of the.Messiah, b> his mighty power, to abolish the an>

a And he sp.ikc this parable unto certain which ° trusted in themselves ' that they were righteous, and despised others:

eient dispensation, and to set up the new ^ Faith. The word faith is Bometimes taken to denote the whole of religion; and it has been understood in this sense here. But there is a close connexion in what Christ says, and it should be understood as referring to what he said before. The truth that he had been teaching was that God would deliver liis people from their calamities, and save them, though he suffered them to be long tried. He asks them here, whether, when he came, he should find this faith, or a behef of //lis truth among his followers? Would they be found persevering in prayer, and Iclieving that God would yet avenge them; or would they cease to pray always, and faiyit? This is not to be understood, tlierefore, as affirming that when Christ comes to judgment, there will be few Christians, and the world be overrun with wickedness. That may he true; but it is not the truth taught here. If The earth. The land — referring particularly to the land of Judea. The discussion had particular reference to their trials and persecutions in that land. This question implies that in those trials, many professed disciples might faint and turn back, and many of his real followers almost lose sight of this great truth, and begin to 'nquire whetiier God would interpose to save them? The same question may be asked respecting any other remarkable visitation of the Son of God in affliction. When tried and persecuted, do we believe that God will avenge us? Do we pray always and not faint? Have we faith to believe that though clouds and darkness are round about him, yet righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne? And when storms of persecution assail us, can we go to jod, and confidently commit our cause to him, and believe that he will bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noon-day?

9. Unto certaiH. Unto some. '^^ Which tntsted in themselves. Who conceited of themselves; or who supposed that

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

1 1 The Pharisee stood and pray- 1 or, as being rig.iteous.

they w^ere righteous. They did not trust to God, or the Messiah for right. eou.''ness, but in their own works. They vainly supposed they had themselves complied with the demands of the law of God. If Despised others. Others who were not as externally righteous as themselves. This was the character of the Pharisees. They trusted in their outward conformity to the ceremonies of the law. They considered all who did not do that as sinners. This, moreover, is the true character of self-righteousness. Men of that stamp always despise all others. They think th^y are far above them in holiness, and are disposed to say to them, Stand by thyself, for I am holier than thou. Isa. Ixv. 5. True religion, on the contrary, is humble. Those who trust in Christ for righteousness, feel that they are, in thentselves, poor, and miserable, and guilty; and they are wiUing to admit that others may be much better than themselves. Certain it is, they despise no one. They love all men; they regard them, however vile, as the creatures of God, and as going to eternity, and are disposed to treat them well, and to aid them in their journey toward another world.

10. The temple. Into one of the courts of the temple — the court where prayer was commonly offered. See Note, Matt. xsi. 12. IT -4 Pharisee. See Note, Matt. iii. 7. ^Publican. Seo Note, Matt. v. 46.

11. Stood and prayed thus with himself. Some have proposed to render tins, ' stood by himself and prayed. In this way it would be characteristic of the sect of the Pharisees, who dreaded the contact of others as polluting, and who were disposed to say to all Stand by yourselves. The Syriac sc rendered it. But it is doubtful whethej the Greek will allow this construction. If not, it means he said over to himself what he had done, and what was the ground on which he expected the favoi of God. IT God, I thank thee. There was still in the prayer of the Pharisee an appearance of real religion. He aiu srj thus witli himself: God, I thank 12 I fast twice in the week, 1 thee that 1 am not " as otlier men give tithes of all that 1 possess, are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 13 And the publican, standing or even as this publican a Is.65.5. Ke.3.17 not profess to claim that?ie had made himself better than others. He was willing to acknowledge that God had done it for liini, and that He had a right to his gratitude for it. — Hypocrites arc often the most ortliodo.x in opinion of any men. They know the Inith, and admit it. They use it frequently in their prayers and conversation. Tlicy will even persecute those who happen to differ from them in opinion, and who may be really wrong. We arc not to judge of the piety of men by the fact that they admit the truth, or even that they use it often in their prayer.i. It is, however, not wrong to thank God that he has kept us from the gross sins which other men commit. But it should not be done publicly like the Pharisee; nor should it be done forgetting still that we are great sinners and need pardon. These were the faults of the Pharisees. ^Extortioners. Rapacious; avaricious; who take away the goods of others by force and violence. It means, also, those who take advantage of the necessities of others, the poor and the oppressed, and extort their property. If Unjust. They who are not fair and honest in their dealings: who get the property of others by fraud. They are distinguished from rxlortiotiers because they who are unjust may have the appearance of honesty; in the other case there is not.

12. I fast twice, Sec. The religion of the Pharisee consisted in two things: fir-st, that he did no injury to others; and secondly, that he attended faithfully to the external duties of ()iety. Having stated the first part of it, he moceeds now to state positively what lie did. The lirst tiling was that he fasted twice a week. This wa.s probably the Jewish custom. The Pharisees are said to have faslod regularly on the second and fifth daya ol every week in private. This was iti addition to the fiublic days of fasting recjuircd in the aw of Moses; and they, therefore, made more a matter of imrit of it because it was voluntury. '' I give tithes. A titho means the 'eiiih part of a thin£.

The tenth part he devoted to the service of religion, or to the use of the poor. A tenth part of the possessions of the Jews was required for the support of the Levites. ^.■um. xviii. 21. In addition lo the tithes required strictly by law, the Pharisees had tithed every thing which they possessed — feven the smallest matters — as mint, anise, cumin, &c. Luke xi. 42. It was this probably on which he so particularly prided himself As this could not be proved to be strictly required in the law, it had more the appearance of great piety; and, therefore, he particu larly dwelt on it. ^ 1 possess. Tliis may mean either all which I have, or aU which I pain or acquire. It is not material which meaning be considered the true one.

The religion of the Pharisee, therefore, consisted: 1st. In abstaining from injustice to others, in pretending to live a harmless, innocent, and upright life; and 2d. In a regular observance of all the external duties of religion. His fault consisted in relying on this kind of righteousness; in not feehng and acknowledging that he was a sinner; in not seeking a religion that should dwell in the heart and regulate the feel ings; and in making public and osten tatious professions of his own goodness. Most of all was this abominable in the sight of God, who looks into the heart, and who sees wickedness there when the external jictions may be blameless; and we may learn from the case of the Pharisee, 1st. That it is not the man who has the most orthodox belief, that has, of course, the most piciy; 2d. That men may be extemalhj moral, and not be righteous in the sight of God; 3d. That they may be very exact in the e.vternal duties of religion, and even go beyond the strict letter of the law; that they may assume a groa appearance of sanctity and still bo strangers to true piety; and 'lib. That ostentation in religion, or a boasting before God of what we are, and of wluit we have done, is abomrnablc in lii8 sight. This spoila every thiiu', even if as his eyos unto hearen, but smote" upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified ratlier than the other: for '' every one that cxalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

15 And ' they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when liia disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

IG 13ut Jesus called them unto him, and said. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of the life sJiould he tolerably blameless, and if there should be real piety.

13. Sland'mf; afar off. Afar off from the temple. The place where prayers were offered in the temple was the court of women. The Pharisee advanced to the side of the court nearest to the temple, or near as he could; the publican stood on the other side of the same court if he was a Jew, or in the court of the Gentiles if he was a pagan, as far as possible from the temple, being conscious of his unworthiness to approach the sacred place where God had his holy habitation. ^ So much as his eyes &c. Conscious of his guilt. He felt 'hat he was a sinner; and shame anc' sorrow prevented his looking up. Men who are conscious of guilt always fix *.heir eyes on the ground. If Smote upon his breast. An expression of grief and anguish in view of his sins. It is a sign of grief among almost all nations. II God be merciful, &c. The prayer of the publican was totally different from that of the Pharisee. He made no boast of his own righteousness towards God or mai''. He felt that he was a sinner, and, feeling it, was willing to acknowledge it, This is the kind of prayer that v».1 be acceptable to God, When we ar ■■ willing to confess and forsake our sj 1, we shall fina mercy. The publico « was willing to do this in any

soever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, ''shall in nowise' enter therein.

IS And • a certi>*n ruler asked him, saying. Good Master, what shall I do to inherit o.terna! life ]

19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good ] None is good save one, that is God.

20 Thou k newest the •'' commandments. Do not commit adul tery. Do not kill, Do not steal. Do not bear false witness. Honour thy father and thy mother.

21 And he said. All these have I kept from my youth up.

22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou

place; in the presence of any persons, amidst the multitudes of the temple, or alone. He felt most that God was a witness of his actions; and he was willing, therefore, to confess his sins before him. And while we should not seek to do this -puhlidy, yet we should be willing at all times " to confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by God's infinite goodness and mercy." It is not dishonorable to make acknowledgment, when we havo done wrong. No man is so much dishonored as he who is a sinner, and is not willing to confess it; he who has done wrong, and yet attempts to conceal the fault — thus adding hypocrisy to his other crimes.

14. / tell you. The Pharisees would have said that the first man here was approved. Jesus assures them that they judged erroneously. God judges of this differently from men. ^ Justijied. Accepted, or approved of God. The word justify means to declare, or treat as, righteous. In this case it means manifestly that in their prayers to God, the one was approved, and the other not: the one went down with the favor of God in answer to his petition's, the other not. "^ For everyone, &c. See Luke xiv. 11.

iiast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou s'lalt have treasure " in heaven; and come, follow me.

23 And when he heard ihis, he was veiy sorrowful; for he was very rich.

24 And wlien Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How * hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kin<Tdom of God!

25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

2G And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

27 And he said. The ■= things which are impossible with men, are possible with God.

28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

20 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath "^ left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake,

30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life * everlasting.

31 Then ho took tinlo him the twelve, and said unto them. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and ^ all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.

31—33. See Matt. xx. 17—19. ^ By the prophets. Those wiio foretold the coniini; of the Mf.'isiah, and whopfi prediciions are recorded in ilie Old Testament. If Son of mail. Tiio Messiah. — Thoy nrpdictod iliat certain things should take place respeciina; the Messiah that was to come. See Dan. ix. 25 — 27. Isa. liii. T/ime l/itu/rs, Josus pays, shall be accomplished in him— he being the Son of man, or the Messiah.

31. Understood none of these things. Though they were p/fii'/i/// revealed, yet such were their prejudices, and their 12 •

32 For he shall be delivered • unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:

33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

34 And * they understood none o: these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

35 And it ' came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the wayside, begging:

36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passcth by.

38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy-' on me.

39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried * so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought untc him: and when he was come near, lie asked him,

41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that 1 may receive my sight.

42 And Jesus said unto him,

unwillingness to believe them, that they did not understand them. They expected that he would be n temporal prince, and a conqueror; and tlioy were not willins to believe that he would be delivered into the hands of his enemies. They did not see how that could be consistent with the prophecies. To us now, tliese thincs appear plain, and we may hence learn that those thines which, to us appear most mysterious, may yet appear perfectly plain..\nd we siiuuld learn to trust in God, and heheve just what he has spoken. See IMaft. svi. 21. xvii. 23.

4.'< And immediately he received ' his siglit, and followed him, glorifying ' God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto

1. And Jesus entered, &.C. See Matt. XX. 29. This means perhaps, he was passing through Jericho when Zaccheus saw him. His house was in Jericho.

2. A man named Zaccheus. The name Zaccheus is Hebrew, and shows that this man was a Jew. The publicans, therefore, were not all foreigners. IT Chief among the publicans. Who presided over other tax-gatherers, or who received their collections and transmitted them to the Roman government. ^ He was rich. Though this class of men was despised, and often infamous, yet 't seems that they were sometimes wealthy. They sustained, however, the general character of sinners, because they were particularly odious in the eyes of the Je-ws. See ver. 7. The evangelist has thought it worthy of record that he was rich, perhaps, because it was so unlikely that a rich man should follow so poor and despised a personage as Jesus of Nazareth, and because it was so unusual a thing during his personal ministry. Not many rich were called, but God chiefly chose the poor of the world.

• 3. Who he was. Rather what sort of person he was, or how he appeared. He had that curiosity which is natural to men to see one of whom they have heard much. It would seem also that in this case more curiosiiy led to his conversion and that of his family. Compare ] Cor. xiv. 23 — 25. God makes use of every principle, of curiosity, orsympaihy, or affection, or hope, or fear, to lead rscn in the way of salvation, and to im-

namcd Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus, who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbeft up into a sycamore-tree to see him; for he w^as to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the

press truth on the minds of sinners. If The press. The crowd; the multitude that surrounded Jesus. Earthly princes are often borne in splendid equipages, or even carried, as in Eastern nations, in palanquins on the shoulders of men. Jesus mingled with the multitude, not seeking distinctions of that sort, and perhaps, i7i appearance, not distin™ished from thousands that followed him ^ Little of stature. Short. Not a tab man.

4. A sycamore tree. A tree that had the leaves of the mulberry, and thai bore a species of fig. It was not ex actly like our sycamore, or button wood, but perhaps had some little resemblance to it. See Note on ch. xvii. 6.

5. Abide at thy house. Remain there, or put up with him. This was an honor which Zaccheus did not expect. The utmost it seems which he aimed at was to see Jesus. But instead of that, Jesus proposed to remain with him, and give him the benefit of his personal instruction. It is but one among a thousand instances where the Saviour goes, in bestowing mercies, far beyond the desert, the desire, or the expectation of men; and it is not improper to learn from this example, that sohcitude to behold the Saviour will not pass unnoticed by him, but will meet with his warm approbation, and be connected with his blessing. Jesus was willing to encourage efforts to. come to Irim, and his benevolence prompted him to gratify the desires of the man who was solicitous to see him. He does not disdain the mansions of the rich, more than he does the dwelhng places of the poor, provided there be a humble heart; and he did not suppose

place, he looked up, and saw " him, and said unto him, Zacciieus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide * at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. aPs.)39.1-3. 6Jno.l4.23. Re.3.20.

there was less need of salvation in the bouse of the rich man than amonsr the poor. He set an example to all his ministers, and was not afraid or ashamed to proclaim his gospel amidst weahh, and was not awed by external splendor or grandeur.

7. Murmured. Found fault, complained. 1i To be a guest. To remain with, or to be entertained by. ^A man that is a sinner. All pubUcans tiiey regarded as great sinners; and the chief of the publicans, therefore, hey regarded as peculiarly wicked. It would app(!ar al.so from Zaccheus' confession that his character had been that of an oppressive man. But the people seemed to forget that he might be a penitent, and that the Messiah came to save that which was lost.

8. The half of my goods I give to the poor. It is not necessary to understand this as affirming that this had been his practice; or that he said this in the way of proclaiming his own righteousness. It may be understood rather as a purpose which he then formed under the teaching of Christ. He seems to have Dcen sensible that he was a sinner. He was convinced, as we may suppose, by the presence and discourse of Jesus. At first attracted only by curiosity, or it may be by partial conviction that this was the Messiah, he had sought to see the Saviour; but his presence and conversation convinced him of his guilt, and he stood and openly confessed his sins, and expressed his purpose to give half his ill-gotten property to the poor. This was not a proclamation of his ow7i riijhtcousuesp, nor the ground of his righteousness, but it was the evidence of iho sincerity of his repentance, and the confession which, with the mouth, is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 10. ^ And if I have taken. His office gave him the power of oppressing the people, and it seems that he did not deny that It had been done. ^ By fahe accusation. This is the same word which in Luke iii. " 1, is ■'cndered, " neither accuse any

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying. That ' he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

8 And Zaccheus stood, and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the

falsely." The accusation seems to have been so made that tlie person accused was obliged to pay much greater taxes, or so that his properly came into the hands of the informer. There are many ways in which this might be done, but we do not know the exact manner. If / restore him. We cannot suppose that this had been always his practice, for no man would wantonly extort mo ney from another, and then restore him at once four times as much. But it means that he was made sensible of his guilt; perhaps that his mind had been a considerable time perplexed in the matter; and that now he was resolved to make the restoration. This was the evidence of his penitence and conversion. And here it may be remarked, that this is always an indisputable evidence of a man's conversion to God. A man who has hoarded ill-gotten gold, if he becomes a Christian, will be disposed with it to do good. A man who has injured others — who has cheated them, or defrauded them, even by due forms of law, must, if he be a Christian, be willing as far as possible to make restoration. Zaccheus, for any thing that appears to the contrary, may have obtained this property Ijy the decisions of courts ot justice; but he now felt that it was wrong; and though the defrauded men could not legally recover it, yet his conscience told him that in order to his being a true penitent he must make restitution.— One of the best evidences of a genuine revival of religion is when it produces this result. And one of the surest evidences that a professed penitent is not a true one. is when he is not disposed to follow the example of this son of Abraham, and make proper restitution. ^ Fourfold. Four times as much as had been unjustly taken. This was the amount that waa required in the Jewish law when a sheep had been stolen, and a man waa convicted of the theft tiy trial at law. Ex. xxii. 1. If he confi rsed it him.self, without beiiu; Jilrrtcd and tried, he had

half of ^ny goods I give to tlio poor • " and if I have taken any thing from any man by * false accusation, I restore ' him fourfold.

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsom\ieh as he also is a son ^ of Abraham.

10 For 'the Son of man is come

only to restore what was stolen, and add to it a fifth part of its value. Num. V. 6, 7. The sincerity of Zaccheus' repentance was manifest by his being willing to make restoration as great as if it had been proved against him, evincing Ids sense of the wrong, and his purpose to make full restitution. The Jews were allowed to take no interest of their brethren (Lev. x.w. 35, 36,) and this is the reason why that is not mentioned as the measure of the restitution. When injury of this kind is done in other places, the least that is proper is to restore the principle and interest; for the injured person has a right to all that his property would iiave procured him, if it had not been unjustly taken

9. Salvation is come to this house. This family. They this day received the blessings of the gospel, and became interested in the Messiah's kingdom. Salvation commences when men truly receive Christ, and their sins are pardoned; it is completed when the soul is sanctified and received up iiuo heaven. IT Forasmuch. Because. For he has given evidence that he is a new man, and is disposed to forsake his sins and receive the gospel. If The so7i of Abraham. Hitherto although a Jew, yet he has been a sinner, and a great sinner. He was not worthy to be called a son of A'lraham. Nowby repentance, and by receiving the Christ whose day Abraham saw and was glad (John viii. 56), he has shown himself to be worthy to be called his son. Abraham was an e.xainple of distinguished piety; the father of the faithful (Rom. iv. 11.), as »vell as the ancestor of the Jews. They were called his sons who were descended from him, and particularly they who '•fsemblcd him. In this place the phrase is used in both senses.

11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable because he was nigh to Jem salem, and because ^ they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

1 1. He spalie a parable. This parable has in some respects a resemblance to the parable of the talents in Matt. xxv. 14 — 28. But it is not the same. They differ in the following respects: That was spoken after he had entered Jerusalem — this while on his way there. That was delivered on the mount oj Olives — this in the house of Zaccheus. That was delivered to teach them the necessity of improving the talents com mitted to them — this "was for a differen* design. He was now near Jerusalem. A great multitude attended him. Hia disciples regarded him as the Messiah, and by this they understood a tempora) prince who should deliver them from the dominion of the Romans and set them at liberty. They were anxious for that., and supposed that the time was at hand, and that 7iow, as soon as he entered Jerusalem, he would assume the appearance of such a prince, and set up his kingdom. To correct that Tiolion, seems to have been the main design ot this parable. To do that, he tells them of a man who had a right to the kingdom, yet who, before taking possession of it, went into another kingdom to re ceive a confirmation of his title -^ thus intimating that he would also go away before he would completely set up his kingdom, ver. 12; he tells them that this nobleman left his servants property to be improved in his absence — as he would have his disciples' talents to be used in his service, vs. 12, 13; he tells them that this nobleman was rejected by his own citizens, ver. 14, as he would be by the Jews; and that he receivedthe kingdom and called them to an account, as he also would the Jews and his own disciples. ^ Because he wa» nigh to Jerusalem. The capital of the country, and where they supposed he would probably set up his kingdom. 1i The kingdom of God should immediate