4P And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimreus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged hira that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal. Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they
call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him. Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him. Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
We read in these verses an account of one of our Lord's miracles. Let us see in it, as vre read, a vivid emblem of spiritual things. "We are not studying a history which concerns us personally any more than the exploits of Caesar or Alexander. We have before us a picture which ought to be deeply interesting to the soul of every Christian.
This is a point that ought to be remembered in interpreting some of the passages in the Epistles where the words "baptism" and "baptized" are used. In such texts, for instance, as "baptism doth save us," (1 Peter iii. 21.) or "as many as have been baptized into Christ have put ou Christ." (Gal. iii. 27.,) it is clear that something more is contained than any mere outward ordinance. In both cases, the baptism of water is undoubtedly meant, but it is no less evident that something is implied also of deeper moment than any ordinance administered by man. In both cases it is a baptism which is accompanied by ti-ue faith, and a heart-reception of C hrist, such as was the baptism of the PhiUppian jailer. To quote such texts in support of what is commonly called the baptismal regeneration of infants, is to wrest and pervert them from their proper meaning. The conclusion of the text in St. Peter, for example, seems to place this beyond question. He emphatically warns us not to suppose that he means nothing more than the washing of water, or bodily reception of a sacrament, by the word baptism.
It has been a wise act on the part of translators of the New Testament to adhere to the Greek words "baptize" and "baptism" in rendering the Bible into the vernacular tongue of each nation. No other words could possibly imply all that the two Greek words
In the first place, we have here an example of strong faith. We are told that as Jesus went out of Jericho, a blind man named Bartimaeus "sat by the wayside begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
Bartimaeus was blind in body, but not in soul. The eyes of his understanding were open. He saw things which Annas and Caiaphas, and hosts of letter-learned Scribes and Pharisees, never saw at all. He saw that Jesus of Nazareth, as our Lord was contemptuously called, — Jesus, who had lived for thirty years in an obscure Galilean village, — this very Jesus was the Son of David, — the Messiah of whom prophets had prophecied long ago. He had witnessed none of our Lord's mighty miracles. He had not had the opportunity of beholding dead people raised with a word, and lepers healed by a touch. Of all these privileges, his blindness totally deprived him. But he had heard the report of our Lord's mighty works, and hearing had believed. He was satisfied from mere hear-say, that He of whom such wonderful things were reported, must be the promised Saviour, and must be able to heal him. And so when our Lord drew convey. All other expressions would either weaken the sense of the inspired writers, or convey a false impression to the mind of the reader. To take one solitaiy instance, what could be more meagi'e or unsatisfactory than to render the passage now before us in the following way, "Can ye be sprinkled with the sprinkling, or dipped with the dipping, that I am sprinkled or dipped with? " — The firmness of the Biitish and Foreign Bible Society on this l)oint, ought to be cause of thankfulness to all the Protestant churches. In resolving to use the Greek words "baptize" and "baptism," in all their versions, they have exercised a wise discretion.
near, he cried, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me."
Let us strive and pray that we may have like precious faith. "We too are not allowed to see Jesus with our bodily eyes. But we have the report of His power, and grace, and willingness to save, in the Gospel. We have exceeding great promises from His own lips, written down for our encouragement. Let us trust those promises impHcitly, and commit our souls to Christ unhesitatingly. Let us not be afraid to repose all our confidence on His own gracious words, and to beheve that what He has engaged to do for sinners. He will surely perform. "What is the beginning of all saving faith, but a soul's venture on Christ? What is the life of saving faith, when once begun, but a continual leaning on an unseen Saviour's word? AVhat is the first step of a Christian, but a crying, like Bartimaeus, "Jesus have mercy on me?" What is the daily course of a Christian, but keeping up the same spirit of faith? "Though now we see Him not, yet believing we rejoice with joy unspeakable, and fuU of glory." (1 Peter i. 8.)
We have, in the second place, in these verses, an example of determined perseverance in the face of difficulties. We are told that when Bartimaeus begun to cry out, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me," he met with little encouragement from those who were near him. On the contrary, "many charged him that he should hold his peace." But he was not to be stopped. If others.did not know the misery of blindness, he did. If others did not think it worthwhile to take such trouble, in order to obtain relief, he, at any rate, knew better. He cared not for the rebukes of unfeeling bystanders. He heeded not the ridicule which his importunity probably brought on him. "He cried the more a great deal," and so crying obtained his heart's desire, and received his sight.
Let all who wish to be saved, mark well this conduct of BartimEEUs, and walk diligently in his steps. Like him, we must care nothing what others think and say of us, when we seek the healing of our souls. There never will be wanting people who will teU us that it is " too soon," or "too late," — that we are going "too fast," or "too far," — that we need not pray so much, or read our Bibles so much,— or be so anxious about salvation. We must give no heed to such people. Like Bartimaeus, we must cry the more, "Jesus, have mercy on me."
What is the reason that men are so half-hearted in seeking Christ? Why are they so soon deterred, and checked, and discouraged in drawing near to God? The answer is short and simple. They do not feel sufficiently their own sins. They are not thoroughly convinced of the plague of their own hearts, and the disease of their own souls. Once let a man see his own guilt, as it reaUy is, and he will never rest till he has found pardon and peace in Christ. It is they who, like Bartima^us, really know their own deplorable condition, who persevere, like Bartimaeus, and are finally healed.
Li the last place, we have in these verses, an example of the constraining influence which gratitude to Christ ought to have upon our souk. Bartimaeus did not return home as soon as he was restored to sight. He would not leave Him from whom he had received such mercy. At once he devoted the new powers, which his cure gave him, to the Son of David who had worked the cure. His history concludes with the touching expression, He "followed Jesus in the way."
Let us see in these simple words, a lively emblem of the effect that the grace of Christ ought to have on every one who tastes it. It ought to make him a follower of Jesus in his life, and to draw him with mighty power into the way of hoKness. Freely pardoned, he ought to give himself freely and wiUingly to Christ's service. Bought at so might)^ a price as the blood of Christ, he ought to devote himself heartily and thoroughly to Him, who redeemed him. Grace really experienced will make a man feel daily, "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits." It did so for the apostle Paul: He says, "the love of Christ constraineth us." (2 Cor. v. 14.) It wiU do so for all true Christians at the present day. The man who boasts of having an interest in Christ, while he does not follow Christ in his life, is a miserable selfdeceiver, and is ruining his own soul. " As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they," and they only, " are the sons of God." (Rom. viii. 14.)
Have we had our eyes opened by the Spirit of God? Have we yet been taught to see sin, and Christ, and holiness, and heaven, in their true light? Can we say. One thing I know, that whereas I was bHnd, now I see? If so, we shall know the things of which we have been reading by experience. If not, we are yet in the broad way that leadeth to destruction, and have everything to learn.
1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
2 And saith unto them. Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3 And if any man say unto you. Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt.''
6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
The event described in these verses, is a singular exception in the history of our Lord's earthly ministry. Generally speaking, we see Jesus withdrawing Himself from public notice, — often passing His time in the remote parts of GaHlee, — not unfrequently abiding in the wilderness,— and so fulfilling the prophecy, that He should "not cry, nor strive, nor let His voice be heard in the streets." Here, and here only, our Lord appears to drop His private character, and of his own choice to call pubHc attention to Himself. He deliberately makes a pubHc entry into Jerusalem, at the head of His disciples. He voluntarily rides into the holy city, surrounded by a vast multitude, crying, Hosanna, like king David returning to his palace in triumph. (2 Sam. xix. 40.) All this too was done at a time when myriads of Jews were gathered out of every land to Jerusalem, to keep the Passover. "We may well believe that the holy city rang with the tidings of our Lord's arrival. It is probable there was not a house in Jerusalem in which the entry of the prophet of Nazareth was not known and talked of that night.
These things should always be remembered in reading this portion of our Lord's history. It is not for nothing that this entry into Jerusalem is four times related in the New Testament. It is evident that it is a scene in the earthly life of Jesus, which Christians are intended to study with special attention. Let us study it in that spirit, and see what practical lessons we may learn from the passage for our own souls.
Let us observe, in the first place, how public our Lord purposely made the last act of His life. He came to Jerusalem to die, and He desired that all Jerusalem should know it. When He taught the deep things of the Spirit, He often spoke to none but His apostles. When He delivered His parables. He often addressed none but a multitude of poor and ignorant Galileans. When He worked His miracles, He was generally at Capernaum, or in the land of Zebulon and Napthali. But when the time came that He should die. He made a public entry into Jerusalem. He drew the attention of rulers, and priests, and elders, and Scribes, and Greeks, ana Romans to Himself. He knew that the most wonderful event that ever happened in this world, was about to take place. The eternal Son of God was about to sufier in the stead of sinful men, — the great sacrifice for sin about to be offered up, — the great Passover Lamb about to be slain, — the great atonement for a world's sin about to be made. He therefore ordered it so that His death was eminently a public death. He over-ruled things in such a way that the eyes of all Jerusalem were fixed upon Him, and when He died, He died before many witnesses.
Let us see here one more proof of the unspeakable importance of the death of Christ. Let us treasure up His gracious sayings. Let us strive to walk in the steps of His holy Hfe. Let us prize His intercession. Let lis long for His second coming. But never let us forget that the crowning fact in all we know of Jesus Christ, is His death upon the cross. From that death flow all our hopes. Without that death we should have nothing solid beneath our feet. May we prize that death more and more every year we Hve; and in all our thoughts about Christ, rejoice in nothing so much as the great fact that He died for us!
Let us observe, in the second place, in this passage, the voluntary poverty which our Lord underwent, when He was upon earth. How did He enter Jerusalem when He came to it on this remarkable occasion? Did He come in a royal chariot, -with horses, soldiers, and a retinue around Him, like the kings of this world? "We are told nothing of the kind. We read that He borrowed the colt of an ass for the occasion, and sat upon the garments of His disciples for lack of a saddle. This was in perfect keeping with all the tenor of His ministry. He never had any of the riches of this world. When He crossed the sea of Galilee, it was in a borrowed boat. When He rode into the holy city, it was on a borrowed beast. When He was buried, it was in a borrowed tomb.
poverty, tlie godhead and the manhood, which may he so often traced in the history of oui blessed Lord. Who that reads the Gospels carefully can fail to observe, that He who could feed thousands with a few loaves, was Himself sometimes hungn,-, — and He who could heal the sick and infirm, was Himself sometimes weary, — that He who could cast out devils with a word, was Himself tempted, — and He who could raise the dead, could Himself submit to die? We see the very same thing in the passage before us. We see the power of our Lord in His bending the wills of a vast multitude to conduct Him into Jerusalem in triumph. We see the poverty of our Lord in his borrowing an ass, to carry Him when He made His triumphal entry. It is all wonderful, but there is a fitness in it all. It is meet and right that We should never forget the union of the divine and human natures in our Lord's person. If we saw His divine acts ojjy, we might forget that He was man. If we saw Hij is scriptural warrant for it in the text, " He was crucified through weakness." (2 Cor. xiii. 4.) Nevertheless I wish it to he distinctly understood, that I utterly disclaim the idea of there being any moral ueakness in the human nature of Christ. The only weakness I mean is that sinless infirmity, which If inseparably connected with flesh and blood, and from which Adam, before the fall, was not exempt. Of all such weakness, I believe, o\ir Lord was partaker to the fullest extent.
Whether or not our Lord's riding iipon an ass instead of a hoi-se, was a mark of humiliation, is a point on which opinions diifer widely. Some dwell on the fact that the ass in oriental countries was an animal that even kings rode, and refer to Judges v. 10. " Speak, ye that ride on white asses," &c. Others tliink that the choice of an ass was pui-pos^ly made as emblematic of our Lord s lowly nature. Gerhard in his Commentaiy refers to a saying of Tertullian. that the Gentiles called Christians " asinarii," in ridicule, because they believed in Christ who rode on an ass, and even calumniously charged them with worshipping an ass's head!
seasons of poverty and weakness only, we migtt forget that He was God. But we are intended to see in Jesus, divine strength and human weakness united in one person. We cannot explain the mystery; but we may take comfort in the thought, "this is our Saviour, this is our Christ, — one able to sympathize, because He is man, but one Almighty to save, because He is God."
Finally, let us see in the simple fact, that our Lord rode on a borrowed ass, one more proof that poverty is in itself no sin. The causes which occasion much of the poverty there is around us, are undoubtedly very sinftd. Drunkenness, extravagance, profligacy, dishonesty, idleness, which produce so much of the destitution in the world, are unquestionably wrong in the aght of God. But to be bom a poor man, and to inherit nothijig from our parents, — to work with our own hands for our bread, and to have no land of our own, — all this it not sinful at all. The honest poor man is as honourable in the sight of God as the richest king. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself was poor. Silver and gold He had none. He had often nowhere to lay His head. Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. To be like Him in circumstances, cannot be in itself wrong. Let us do our duty in that state of life to which God has called us, and if He thinks fit to keep us poor let us not be ashamed. The Saviour of sinners cares for us as well as for others. The Saviour of sinners knows what it is to be poor.
12 And on the morrow, when they the temple.
were come from Bethany, he was, 17 And he taught, saying unto hungry: i them, Is it not written, My house
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off shall be called of all nations the house having leaves, he came, if haply he • of prayer.' but ye have made it a den might find any thing thereon: and of thieves.
when he came to it, he found nothing i 18 And the Scribes and Chief but leaves; for the time of figs was ' Priests heard it, and sought how they not yet. 1 might destroy him: for they feared
14 And Jesus answered and said: him, because all the people was astonunto it, No man eat fruit of thee here- j ished at his doctrine.
after for ever. And his dificiples heard 19 And when even was oome, he it. I went out of the city.
15 And they come te Jerusalem: 20 And in the morning, as they and Jesus went into the temple, and! passed by, they saw the fig tree dried began to cast out them that sold and up from the roots.
bought in the temple, and overthrew; 21 And Peter calling to rememthe tables of the moneychangers, and brance saith unto Mm, Master, behold, the seats of them that sold doves; i the fig tree which thou cursedst is
16 And would not suffer that any, withered away, man should carry any vessel through '
We see in the beginning of this passage, one of the many proofs that our Lord Jesm Christ was really man. We read that "He was hungry." He had a nature and bodily constitution, like our own in all things, sin only excepted. He could weep, and rejoice, and suffer pain. He could be weary, and need rest. He could be thirsty, and need drink. He could be hungry, and need food.
Expressions like this should teach us the condescension of Christ. How wonderful they are when we reflect upon them! He who is the eternal God, — ^He who made the world and aU that it contains, — He from whose hand the fruits of the earth, the fish of the sea, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, all had their beginning, — He, even He was pleased to suffer hunger, when He came into the world to save sinners. This is a great mystery. Kindness and love like this pass man's understanding. No wonder that St. Paul speaks of the " unsearchable riches of Christ." (Ephes. iii. 8.)
Expressions like this should teach us Christ's power to sympathize with His believing people on earth. He knows their sorrows by experience. He can be touched with the feeling of their infirmities. He has had experience of a body and its daily wants. He has sufiered Himself the severe sufferings that the body of man is liable to. He has tasted pain, and weakness, and weariness, and hunger, and thirst. When we teU Him of these things in our prayers. He knows what we mean, and is no stranger to our troubles. Surely this is just the Saviour and Friend that poor aching, groaning, human nature requires!
We learn, in the second 'place, from these verses, the great danger of unfruitfulness and formality in religion. This is a lesson which our Lord teaches in a remarkable typical action. We are told that coming to a fig-tree in search of fruit, and finding on it " nothing but leaves," He pronounced on it the solemn sentence, " No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever." And we are told that the next day the fig-tree was found " dried up from the roots." We cannot doubt for a moment that this whole transaction was an emblem of spiritual things. It was a parable in deeds, as full of meaning as any of our Lord's parables in words.*
* There are two difficulties connected with the story of the withered fig tree, which weigh considerably on some minds, and therefore desei-ve notice.
1. It is a difficulty with some persons that our Lord should have pronounced any curse at all on the fig tree. They say, that it looks like a needless destruction of an innocent and unoffending creature, and out of keeping with the spirit of Deut. xx. 19.
Such objectors appear to forget that the withering of the fig tree was not a mere empty exhibition of power, like the pretended
But who were they to whom this withered fig tree was intended to speak? It was a sermon of three-fold application, a sermon that ought to speak loudly to the consciences of all professing Christians. Though withered and dried up, that fig tree yet speaks. — There was a voice in it for the Jewish Church. Rich in the leaves of a formal religion, but barren of aU fruits of the Spirit, that Church was in fearful danger, at the very time when this withering took place. Well would it have been for miracles of Mahomet and other false prophets. It was a mighty typical act, teaching deep spiritual lessons, lessons of such importance as might well justify the destruction of one of God's unintelligent creatures, in order tc convey them. Rememhering this, we have no more right to object to it, than to object to the daily offering of a lamb luider the Mosaic law. In that offering the Ufe of an innocent and unoffending creature was daily taken away. But the gi-eat end of daily setting before the eyes of man the one sacrifice for sin, justified the taking away the life of the lamb. Just in the same way we may justify our Lord's taking away the life of the tree.
2. It is a difficulty with some persons that the account of St. Mark contains the words, " the time of figs was not yet." They ask to be told why our Lord should have gone to the tree seeking fruit, when tlie season for figs had not yet arrived?
The answers to this difficulty are various. The simplest of them appears to be as follows. " The time of figs, as a general rule, had not yet come. But our Lord seeing a fig tree covered with leaves, unlike the otJier fig trees, had a right to suppose that figs were to be found on it, and therefore came to it." — It is no small recommendation of this view that it supplies an exact illustration of the state of the Jewish Church, when our Lord was upon earth. The time of figs was not yet, that is, the nations of the earth were all in darkness, and bore no fiaiit to the glory of God. — But among the nations, there was one covered with leaves, that is the Jewish Church, full of light, knowledge, privileges and high profession. — Seeing this fig tree full of leaves, our Lord came to it seeking fruit, that is. He came to the Jews justly expecting them to have fruit according to their outward profession. — But when our Lord came to this leafy Jewish fig tree. He found it utterly destitute of fruit, faithless, and unbelieving. — And the end was that He pronounced sentence on it, gave it over to be destroyed by the Komans, and scattered the Jews over the earth.
the Jewish church if it had had eyes to see its peril! — There was a voice in the fig-tree for all the branches of Christ's visible Church in every age, and every part of the world. There was a warning against an empty profession of Christianity, unaccompanied by sound doctrine and holy living, which some of those branches would have done well to lay to heart. — ^But above aU there was a voice in that withered fig tree for all carnal, hypocritical, and false-hearted Christians. Well would it be for all who are content with a name to live while in reality they are dead, if they would only see their own faces in the glass of this passage.
Let us take care that we each individually learn the lesson that this fig tree conveys. Let us always remember, that baptism, and church-membership, and reception of the Lord's Supper, and a diligent use of the outward forms of Christianity, are not sufficient to save our souls. They are leaves, nothing but leaves, and without fruit will add to our condemnation. Like the fig leaves of which Adam and Eve made themselves garments, they will not hide the nakedness of our souls from the eye of an allseeing God, or give us boldness when we stand before Him at the last day. No! we must bear fruit, or be lost for ever. There must be fruit in our hearts and fruit in our lives, the fruit of repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and true holiness in our conversation. Without such fruits as these a profession of Christianity will only sink us lower into heU.
We learn, in the last place, from this passage, how reverently we ought to use places which are set apart for public worship. This is a truth which is taught us in a striking manner by our Lord Jesus Christ's conduct, when He went into the temple. We are told that " he cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves." And we are told that He enforced this action by warrant of Scripture, saying, " Is it not written. My house shaU be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves."
We need not doubt that there was a deep meaning in this action of our Lord on this occasion. Like the cursing of the fig tree, the whole transaction was eminently typical. But in saying this, we must not allow ourselves to lose sight of one simple and obvious lesson which lies on the surface of the passage. That lesson is the sinfulness of careless and irreverent behaviom* in the use of buildings set apart for the public service of God. It was not so much as the house of sacrifice, but as the ** house of prayer," that our Lord purified the temple. His action clearly indicates the feeling with which every " house of prayer" should be regarded. A Christian place of worship no doubt is in no sense so sacred as the Jewish tabernacle, or temple. Its arrangements have no typical meaning. It is not built after a divine model, and intended to serve as an example of heavenly things. But it does not follow because these things are so, that a Christian place of worship is to be used with no more reverence than a private dwelling, or a shop, or an inn. There is surely a decent reverence, which is due to a place where Christ and His people regularly meet together and pubHc prayer is offered up, — a reverence which it is foolisli and unwise to brand as superstitious, and confound with Popery. There is a certain feeling of sanctity and solemnity which ought to belong to all places where Christ is preached, and souls are bom again, a feeling which does not depend on any consecration of man, and ought to be encouraged rather than checked. At all events the mind of the Lord Jesus in this passage seems very plain. He takes notice of men's behaviour in places of worship, and all irreverence or profanity is an offence in His sight.
Let us remember these verses whenever we go to the house of God, and take heed that we go in a serious frame, and do not offer the sacrifice of fools. Let us call to mind where we are, — what we are doing, — what business we are about, — and in whose presence we are engaged. Let us beware of giving God a mere formal service, while our hearts are full of the world. Let us leave our business and money at home, and not carry them with us to church. Let us beware of allowing any buying and selling in our hearts, in the midst of our religious assembhes. The Lord still Hves, who cast out buyers and sellers from the temple, and when He sees such conduct He is much displeased.
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain. Be thou removed, and be thou casfinto the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he Baith.
things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Let us learn from these words of our Lord Jesus Christ, the immense importance of faith.
This is a lesson which our Lord teaches first by a proverbial saying. Faith shall enable a man to accomplish works, and overcome difficulties, as great and formidable as the "removing of a mountain, and casting it into the sea."* Afterwards the lesson is impressed upon us stiU further, by a general exhortation to exercise faith when we pray. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." This promise must of course be taken with a reasonable qualification. It assumes that a behever will ask things which are not sinful, and which are in accordance with the will of God. When He asks such things, he may confidently believe that his prayer will be answered. To use the words of St. James, "Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." (James i. 6.)
* It is clear that a promise like this of " removing mountains " must be taken in a fiffurative sense. It appears to be a proverbial expression, and to be used as such by St. Paul, 2 Cor. xiii. II. Moreover it is a promise that must be interpreted with sober and reasonable limitations. We have no right to expect that whatever we take it into our heads to ask of God shall at once be done for us, whether it be for His glory and our sanctification or not. We have no warrant for presuming that in every difficulty and trouble, God will at once work a miracle and deliver us from our anxiety, as soon as we make it a subject of prayer. The things about which we pray, must be things having special reference to our own vocation and providential position. Moses at the head of the twelve tribes of Israel, — Elijah on Mount Carmel, — Paul in the Philippian prison, might confidently expect miraculous interpositions in answer to prayer, in a way that private individuals may not expect in our days. Above all, we must not think to prescribe to God the time and way in which He shall " remove mountains " for us.
that faith which is essential to justij&cation. In principle undoubtedly aU true faith is one and the same. It is always trust or belief. But in the object and operations of faith there are diversities, which it is useful to understand. Justifying faith is that act of the soul by which a man lays hold on Christ, and has peace with God. " Its special object is the atonement for sin which Jesus made on the cross. — The faith spoken of in the passage now before us is a grace of more general signification, the fruit and companion of justifying faith, but still not to be confounded with it. It is rather a general confidence in God's power, wisdom, and goodwill towards behevers. And its special objects are the promises, the word, and the character of God in Christ.
Confidence in God's power and wiU. to help every believer in Christ, and in the truth of every word that God has spoken, is the grand secret of success and prosperity in our religion. In fact, it is the very root of saving Christianity. " By it the elders obtained a good report." " He that cometh unto God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." To know the full worth of it in the sight of God, we should often study the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Do we desire to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ? Do we wish to make progress in our religion, and become strong Christians, and not mere babes in spiritual things? Then let us pray daily for more faith, and watch our faith with most jealous watchfulness. Here is the comer-stone of our religion. A flaw or weakness here wiU affect the whole condition of our inner man. According to our faith will be the degree of our peace, our hope, our joy, our decision in Christ's service, our boldness in confession, our strength in work, our patience in trial, our resignation in trouble, our sensible comfort in prayer. All, all will hinge on the proportion of our faith. Happy are they who know how to rest their whole weight continually on a covenant God, and to walk by faith, not by sight. " He that believeth shall not make haste." (Isai. xxviii. 16.)
Let us learn, for another thing, from these verses the absolute necessity of a forgiving spirit towards others. This lesson is here taught us in a striking way. There is no immediate connection between the importance of faith, of which our Lord had just been speaking, and the subject of forgiving injuries. But the connecting link is prayer. First we are told that faith is essential to the success of our prayers. But then it is added, no prayers can be heard which do not come from a forgiving heart. "When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."
The value of our prayers, we can all understand, depends exceedingly on the state of mind iy which we offer them. But the point before us is one which receives far less attention than it deserves. Our prayers must not only be earnest, fervent, and sincere, and m the name of Christ. They must contain one more ingredient besides. They must come from a forgiving heart. We have no right to look for mercy, if we are not ready to extend mercy to our brethren. We cannot really feel the sinfulness of the sins we ask to have pardoned if we cherisli malice towards our fellow men. We must have the heart of a brother toward our neighbojur on earth, if we wish Grod to be our Father in heaven. "We must not flatter ourselves that we have the Spirit of adoption if we cannot bear and forbear.
This is a heart-searching subject. The quantity of malice, bitterness, and party-spirit among Christians is fearfully great. No wonder that so many prayers seem to be thrown away and unheard. It is a subject which ought to come home to aU classes of Christians. All have not equal gifts of knowledge and utterance in their approaches to God. But all can forgive their fellow-men. It is a subject which our Lord Jesus Christ has taken special pains to impress on our minds. He has given it a prominent place in that pattern of prayers, the Lord's prayer. We are all familiar from our infancy with the words, " forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us." WeU would it be for many, if they would consider what those words mean!
Let us leave the passage with serious self-inquiry. Do we know what it is to be of a forgiving spirit? Can we look over the injuries that we receive from time to time in this evil world? Can we pass over a transgression and pardon an offence? If not, where is our Christianity? If not, why should we wonder that our souls do not prosper? — Let us resolve to amend our ways in this matter. Let us determine by God's grace to forgive, even as we hope to be forgiven. This is the nearest approach we can make to the mind of Christ Jesus. This is the character which is most suitable to a poor sinful child of Adam. God's free forgiveness of sins is our highest privilege in this world. God's free forgiveness will be our only title to eternal life in the world to come. Then let us be forgiving during the few years that we are here upon earth. *
27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he -was walking in the temple, there come to him the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders,
28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?
29 And Jesus answered and said irnto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things?
30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.
31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say. From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him.>'
32 But if we shall say of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed.
33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them. Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.
Let us observe in these verses how much spiritual blindness may he in the hearts of those who hold high ecclesiastical office. "We see "the chief priests and scribes and elders" coming to our Lord Jesus, and raising difficulties and objections in the way of His work.
* The expression "when ye stand praying" in this passage ought not to be overlooked. It is one of those forms of speech in the Bible, which ought to teach all Christians not to be dogmatical in laying down minute rules about the externals of religion, and especially about the precise manner, gesture, or posture in which a believer ought to pray. If a man is fuUy persuaded that he can hold closer communion with God, and pour out his heart more freely and without distraction, in the attitude of standing than in that of kneeling, I dare not teU him that he is wrong. The great point to insist on us is the absolute necessity of praying with the heart. The last words of Sir Walter Raleigh to his executioner on the scaffold are a beautiful illustration of the right view of the question: " Friend, it matters little how a man's head lies, if his heaii; be right in the sight of God."
rulers of the Jewish church. They were regarded by the Jews as the fountain and spring-head of reHgious knowledge. They were, most of them, regularly ordained to the position they held,' and could trace their orders by regular descent from Aaron. And yet we find these very men, at the time when they ought to have been instructors of others, full of prejudice against the truth, and bitter enemies of the Messiah! *
These things are written to shew Christians, that they must beware of depending too much on ordained men. They must not look up to ministers as Popes, or regard them as infallible. The orders of no church confer infallibility, whether they be Episcopal, Presbyterian, or Independent. Bishops, priests, and deacons, at their best, are only flesh and blood, and may err both in doctrine and practice, as well as the chief priests and elders of the Jews. Their acts and teaching must always be tested by the word of God. They must be followed so far as they foUow Scripture, and no further. There is only one Priest and Bishop of souls, who makes no mistakes. That one is
" The Church is not tied to those teachers who are in the regular succession, for they frequently bit from the path of truth. In such cases the Chvirch ought not to follow their eiTors, but to embrace the truth as set forth in the word. Thus, Aaron setting up the golden calf, — Urijah the high priest in the time of Aliaz, building a new altar, — Pashur and the other priests in Jeremiah's time, all erred most grievously. And in this very passage, the priests sitting in Moses' seat reject the Messiah Himself, and impugn His autliority. But if those who succeeded Aaron in the divinely appointed priesthood of the Old Testament, could err, and in fact, did occasionally err, how much more likely to err are the Poj)es of Eome, who cannot prove from God's word that the Pojie's office has been instituted by Christ in the New Testament."
the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him alone is no weakness, no failure, no shadow of infirmity. Let us learn to lean more entirely on Him. Let us " call no man father on earth." (Matt, xxiii. 9.) So doing, we shall never be disappointed.
Let us observe, in the second place, how envy and unbelief make men throw discredit on the commission of those who work for God. These chief priests and elders could not deny the reality of our Lord's miracles of mercy. They could not say that His teaching was contrarj" to Holy Scripture, or that His life was sinful. What then did they do? They attacked His claim to attention, and demanded His authority; — "By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?"*
There can be no doubt whatever that, as a general principle, all who undertake to teach others, should be
* Brentius has some sensible remarks on the unreasonableness of the chief priests and Pharisees, who would neither keep the temple fiom the encroachment of the buyers and sellers, nor let others do it for them. They would neither exercise the lawful authority which was in their hands, nor allow of our Lord exercising it for them. He shows the similarity of their conduct to that of the Greek and Boman chiu"ches, and to that of a foolish head of a family, who neither corrects his children himself, nor likes any one to coiTect them for him. And he concludes by saving, "Let
us learn that every one should do his own duty, or else yield up his place to another. Let us not be like the dog in the manger, who would neither eat the hay himself, nor yet allow the ox to
eat it." The liistory of the chvu-ch of Chi-ist contains only too much of the dog in the manger! Ministers and teachers have often neglected the souls of their people shamefully, and yet found fault with any one who has tried to do good, and haughtily demanded his authority!
The reflections of the Roman Catholic writer, Quesnel, on tliis subject ai"e remarkable: "Those who find themselves vanquished by ti'Uth, generally endeavour to reject authority. There are no persons more foi^n^ard to demand of others a reason for their actions, than those who tliink they may do evei7tliing themselves without control."
regularly appointed to the work. St. Paul himself declares that this was the case with our Lord, in the matter of the priestly office: "No man taketh this honour imto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron." (Heb. V. 4.) And even now, when the office of the sacrificing priest no longer exists, the words of the twentythird Article of the Church of England are wise and scriptural: "It is not lawftd for any man to take upon him the office of public preaching, or ministering the sacraments in the congregation, before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same." But it is one thing to maintain the lawfulness of an outward call to minister in sacred things, and quite another to assert that it is the one thing needful, without which no work for God can be done. This is the point on which the Jews evidently erred in the time of our Lord's earthly ministry, and on which many have unhappily followed them down to the present day.
Let us beware of this narrow spirit, and specially in these last ages of the world. Unquestionably we must not undervalue order and discipline in the church. It is just as valuable there as it is in an army. But we must not suppose that God is absolutely tied to the use of ordained men. We must not forget that there may be an inward call of the Holy Ghost without any outward call of man, no less than an outward call of man without any inward call of the Holy Ghost. The first question after all is this: "Is a man for Christ, or against Him? What does he teach? How does he Hve? Is he doing good? " H questions like these can be answered satisfactorily, let us thank God and be content. We must remember that a physician is useless, however high his degi'ee and diploma, if he cannot cure diseases, and a soldier useless, however well dressed and drilled, if he will not face the enemy in the day of battle. The best doctor is the man who can cure, and the best soldier the man who can fight.
Let us observe, in the last place, what dishonesty and equivocation unbelievers may he led into by prejudice against the truth. The chief priests and elders dared not answer our Lord's question about John's Baptism. They dared not say, it was " of men," because they feared the people. They dared not confess that it was " of heaven," because they saw our Lord would say, " "Why did ye not believe him? He testified plainly of me." What then did they do? They told a direct lie. They said, "we cannot teU."
It is a melancholy fact, that dishonesty like this is far from being uncommon among unconverted people. There are thousands who evade appeals to their conscience by answers which are not true. When pressed to attend to their souls, they say things which they know are not correct. They love the world and their own way, and like our Lord's enemies, are determined not to give them up, but like them also are ashamed to say the truth. And so they answer exhortations to repentance and decision by false excuses. One man pretends that he "cannot understand" the doctrines of the Gospel. Another assures us that he really "tries" to serve God, but makes no progress. A third declares that he has every wish to serve Christ, but "has no time." All these are often nothing better than miserable equivocations. As a general rule, they are as worthless as the chief priests* answer, " we cannot tell."
The plain truth is that we ought to be very slow to give credit to the unconverted man's professed reasons for not serving Christ We may be tolerably sure, that when he says " I cannot," the real meaning of his heart is "I will not." A really honest spirit in religious matters is a mighty blessing. Once let a man be wilHng to live up to his light, and act up to his knowledge, and he will soon know of the doctrine of Christ, and come out from the world. (John vii. 17.) The ruin of thousands is simply this, that they deal dishonestly with their own souls. They allege pretended difficulties as the cause of their not serving Christ, while in reality they "love darkness rather than light," and have no honest desire to change. (John iii. 19.)
1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded hitn in the nead, and sent him away shamefully handled.
5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
6 Having yet therefore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last
unto them, saying. They will reverence my son.
7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be cur's.
8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do.-' he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
10 And have ye not read this Scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the comer:
11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes }
12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
The verses before us contain an historical parable. The histor}-^ of the Jewish nation, from the day that Israel left Egypt down to the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, is here set before us as in a glass. Under the figure of the vineyard and the husbandmen, the Lord Jesus tells the story of God's dealings with his people for fifteen hundred years. Let us study it attentively, and apply it to ourselves.
Let us observe, in the first place, God's special kindness to the Jewish Church and nation. He gave to them peculiar privileges. He dealt with them as a man deals with a piece of land which he separates and hedges in for "a vineyard." He gave them good laws and ordinances. He planted them in a goodly land, and cast out seven nations before them. He passed by greater and mightier nations to show them favour. He let alone Egj'pt, and Assyria, and Greece, and Rome, and showered down mercies on a few millions of people in Palestine. The vineyard of the Lord was the house of Israel. No family under heaven ever received so many signal and distinguishing privileges as the family of Abraham.
And we too, who live in Great Britain, can we say that we have received no special mercies from God? We cannot say so. Why are we not a heathen country, like China? Why are we not a land of idolaters, Hke Hindostan? We owe it all to the distinguishing favour of God. It is not for our goodness and worthiness, but of God's free grace, that England is what England is among the nations of the earth. Let us be thankful for our mercies, and know the hand from which they come. Let us not be high-minded, but humble, lest we provoke
God to take our mercies away. If Israel had peculiar national privileges, so also has England. Let Englishmen mark this weU, and take heed, lest that which happened to Israel should happen also to them.
Let us observe, in the second place, God's patience and longsuffering towards the Jewish nation. What is their whole history as recorded in the Old Testament, but a long record of repeated provocations and repeated pardons? Over and over again we read of prophets being sent to them, and warnings being delivered, but too often entirely in vain. One servant after another came to the vineyard of Israel, and asked for fruit. — One servant after another was "sent away empty" by the Jewish husbandmen, and no fruit borne by the nation to the glory of God. " They mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets." (2 Chron. xxxvi. 16.) Yet hundreds of years passed away before " the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy." Never was there a people so patiently dealt with as Israel.
And we too, who dwell in Great Britain, have we no longsuffering of God to be thankful for? Beyond doubt, we have abundant cause to say, that our Lord is patient. He does not deal with us according to our sins, or reward us according to our iniquities. "VVe have often provoked Him to take our candlestick away, and to deal with us as He has dealt with Tjtc, and Babylon, and Home. Yet His longsuffering and lovingkindness continue still. Let us beware that we do not presume on His goodness too far. Let us hear in His mercies a loud call to us to bear fruit, and let us strive to abound in that righteousness which alone exalteth a nation. (Prov. xiv. 34.) Let every family in the land feel its responsibility to God, and then the whole nation will be seen showing forth His praise.
Let us observe, in the third place, the hardness and wickedness of human nature y as exemplified in the history of the Jewish people.
It is difficult to imagine a more striking proof of this truth, than the summary of Israel's dealings with God's messengers, which our Lord sketches in this parable. Prophet after prophet was sent to them in vain. Miracle after miracle was wrought among them, without any lasting effect. The Son of God Himself, the well-beloved, at last came down to them, and was not believed. God Himself was manifest in the flesh, dwelling among them, and "they took Him and kiUed Him."
There is no truth so little realized and believed as the "desperate wickedness" of the human heart. Let the parable before us this day be always reckoned among the standing proofs of it. Let us see in it what men and women can do, in the full blaze of rehgious privileges, — in the midst of prophecies and miracles, — in the presence of the Son of God Himself. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." (Pom. viii. 7.) Men never saw God face to face but once, when Jesus became a man, and Hved upon earth. They saw Him holy, harmless, undefiled, going about doing good. Yet they would not have Him, rebelled against Him, and at last killed Him. Let us dismiss from our minds the idea that there is any innate goodness, or natural rectitude, in our hearts. Let us put away the common notion that seeing and knowing what is good is enough to make a man a Christian. The great experiment has been made in the instance of the Jewish nation. We too, like Israel, might haye among us miracles, prophets, and the company of Christ Himself in the flesh, and yet, like Israel, have them in vain. Nothing but the Spirit of God can change the heart. ""We must be bom again." (John iii. 7.)
Let us observe, in the last place, that men's consciences may he prkked, and yet they may continue impenitent. The Jews, to whom our Lord addressed the solemn historical parable which we have been reading, saw clearly that it applied to themselves. They felt that they and their forefathers were the husbandmen to whom the vineyard was let, and who ought to have rendered fruit to God. They felt that they and their forefathers were the wicked labourers, who had refused to give the Master of the vineyard His dues, and had "shamefully handled" His servants, "beating some, and killing some." Above all, they felt that they themselves were planning the last crowning act of wickedness, which the parable described. They were about to kill the well-beloved Son, and " cast Him out of the vineyard." All this they knew perfectly well. "They knew that He had spoken the parable against them." Yet though they knew it, they would not repent. Though convicted by their own consciences, they were hardened in sin.
Let us learn from this awfal fact, that knowledge and conviction alone save no man's soul. It is quite possible to know that we are wrong, and be unable to deny it, and yet to cleave to our sins obstinately, and perish miserably in hell. The thing that we all need, is a change of heart and will. For this let us pray earnestly. Till we have this, let us never rest. Without this, we shall never he real Christians, and reach heaven. Without it we may live all our lives, like the Jews, knowing inwardly that we are wrong, and yet, like the Jews, persevere in our own way, and die in our sins.
13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him ia his words.
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to give tribute to Cajsar or not?
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypoc-
risy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them. Whose is this imago and superscription? And they said unto him, Csesar's.
17 And Jesus answering said unto them. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at
Let us observe in the beginning of this passage, how men of different religious opinions can unite in opposing Christ. We read of " Pharisees and Herodians " coming together to "catch our Lord in His words," and perplex Him with a hard question. The Pharisee was a superstitious formalist, who cared for nothing but the outward ceremonies of religion. The Herodian was a mere man ol the world, who despised all religion, and cared more for pleasing men than God. Yet when there came among them a mighty teacher who assailed the ruling passions of both alike, and spared neither formalist nor worldling, we see them making common cause, and uniting in a common effort to stop His mouth.
It has always been so from the beginning of the world. We may see the same thing going on at the present day.
"Worldly men and formalists have little real sjonpathy with one another. They dislike one another's principles, and despise one another's ways. But there is one thing which they hoth disKke even more, and that is the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ. And hence, whenever there is a chance of opposing the Gospel, we shall always see the worldly man and the formalist combine and act together. "We must expect no mercy from them: they will show none. We must never reckon on their di\isions: they wiU always patch up an alliance to resist Christ.
Let us observe, for another thing, in this passage, the exceeding subtlety of the question propounded to our Lord. His enemies asked him, " Is it lawful to give tribute to Cajsar, the Roman emperor, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give?" Here was a question, which it seemed at first sight impossible to answer without peril. If our Lord had replied "give," the Pharisees would have accused him before the priests, as one who regarded the Jewish nation as under subjection to Rome. — H our Lord had replied, " Do not give," the Herodians would have accused him before Pilate, as a seditious person who taught rebellion against the Roman government. The trap was indeed well planned. Surely we may see in it the cunning hand of one greater than man. That old serpent the devil was there.
"We shall do well to remember, that of all questions which have perplexed Christians, none have ever proved so intricate and puzzling, as the class of questions, which the Pharisees and Herodians here propounded.*
* " Nothing is more likely to ensnare ministers, than bringing them to meddle with controversies about civil rights, and to settle
"What are tlie dues of Caesar, and what are the dues of God, — where the rights of the church end, and where the rights of the state begin, — what are lawful ci\41 claims and what are lawful spiritual claims, — all these are hard knots and deep problems which Christians have often found it difficult to untie, and almost impossible to solve. Let us pray to be delivered from them. Never does the cause of Christ suflfer so much as when the devil succeeds in bringing churches into collisions and law-suits with the civil power. In such collisions precious time is wasted, — energies are misapphed, — ministers are drawn off from their proper work, — the souls of people suffer, and a church's victory often proves only one degree better than a defeat. — " Give peace in our time, 0 Lord," is a prayer of wide meaning, and one. that should often be on a Christian's lips.
Let us observe, in the last place, the tnarvelUms toisdom which our Lord showed in His answer to His enemies.
Their flattering words did not deceive Him. He " knew their hypocrisy." His all-seeing eye detected the "potsherds covered with silver dross" which stood before Him. (Prov. xxvi. 23.) He was not imposed upon, as too many of His people are, by glowing language and fine speeches.
He made the daily practice of His own enemies supply Him with an answer to their cunning question. He tells them to "bring Him a penny," a common coin which they themselves were in the habit of using. He asks them "whose image and superscription" are stamped upon that
landmarks between the prince and the subjects, which it is fit should be done, while it is not at all fit that they should have the doing of it." Matthew Henry.
penny? They are obliged to reply, "Caesar's." They were themselves using a Roman coin, issued and circulated by the Roman government. By their own confession they were in some way under the power of the Romans, or this Roman money would not have been current among them. At once our Lord silences them by the memorable words, " Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." He bids them pay tribute to the Roman government in temporal things, fer by using its money they allowed themselves bound to do so. Yet he bids them give obedience to God in spiritual things, and not to suppose that duty to an earthly sovereign and a heavenly sovereign are incapable of being reconciled one with the other. In short. He bids the proud Pharisee not to refuse his dues to Caesar, and the worldly Herodian not to refuse his dues to God.
Let us learn from this masterly decision the great principle, that true Christianity was never meant to interfere with a man's obedience to the civil power. So far from this being the case it ought to make him a quiet, loyal, and faithful subject. He ought to regard the powers that be as " ordained of God," and to submit to their rules and regulations, so long as the law is enforced, though he may not thoroughly approve of them. If the law of the land and the law of God come in collision, no doubt his course is clear, — he must obey God rather than man. Like the three children, though he serves a heathen king, he must not bow down to an idol. Like Daniel, though he submits to a tyrannical government, he must not give over praying in order to please the ruling powers.*
Let us often pray for a larger measure of that spirit of wisdom, which dwelt so abundantly in our blessed Lord. Many are the evils which have arisen in the Church of Christ, from a morbid and distorted view of the relative positions of the ci\il government and of God. Many are the rents and divisions which have been occasioned by lack of sound judgment as to their comparative claims. Happy is he who remembers our Lord's decision in this passage, understands it rightly, and makes a practical application of it to his own times.
18 Then come unto him the Saddncces, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall
she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God.'
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that thsy rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, an^ the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob }
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.
is worth reading, as an illustration of the subject now before us.
" Julian was an unbelieving emperor. He was an apostate, a wicked man, and an idolater. And yet Christian men served as soldiers under this unbelieving emperor. When the cause of Christ was concerned, they acknowledged no commander but Him that was in heaven. "\Mien the emperor wished them to worship idols or burn incense to them, they prefened honouring God before him. But wlien he said, 'draw out in order of battle, march against that nation,' they obeyed him. They drew a distinction between their eternal master, and their tem})oral master; and yet were submissive to their temporal master for their eternal master's sake."
These verses relate a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and the Sadducees. The religion of these men, we know, was little better than infidelity. They said there was "no resurrection." They too, like the Pharisees, thought to entangle and perplex our Lord with hard questions. The Church of Christ must not expect to fare better than its Master. Formalism on one side and infidelity on another, are two enemies for whose attacks we must always be prepared.
"We learn from this passage, how much unfairness may often he detected in the arguments of infidels.
The question propounded by the Sadducees is a striking illustration of this. They tell him of a woman who married seven brothers in succession, had no children, and outHved her seven husbands. They ask "whose wife" of aU the seven the woman would be "in the resurrection? " It may well be surmised that the case was a supposed and not a real one. On the face of it, there is the strongest appearance of improbability. The chances against such a case occurring in reality, any actuary would tell us, are almost infinite. But that was nothing to the Sadducees. All they cared for was to raise a difficulty, and if possible to put our Lord to silence. The doctrine of the resurrection they had not the face manfully to deny. The possible consequences of the doctrine were the groimd which they chose to take up.
There are three things which we shall do well to remember, if imhappily we have at any time to argue with infidels. — For one thing, let us remember that an infidel win always try to press us with the difficulties and abstruse things of religion, and especially with those which are connected with the world to come. We must avoid this mode of argument as far as possible. It is leaving the open field to fight in a jungle. We must endeavour, as far as we can, to make our discussion turn on the great plain facts and evidences of Christianity. — For another thing, let us remember, we must be on our guard against unfairness and dishonesty in argument. It may seem hard and uncharitable to say this. But experience proves that it is needful. Thousands of professed infidels have confessed in their latter days, that they had never studied the Bible which they pretended to deny, and though well read in the works of unbelievers and sceptics, had never calmly examined the foundations of Christianity. — Above all, let us remember that every infidel has a conscience. To this we may always appeal confidently. The very men who talk most loudly and disdainfully against religion, are often feeling conscious, even while they talk, that they are wrong. The very arguments which they have sneered at and ridiculed, will often prove at last not to have been thrown away.
We learn, in the second place, from this passage, how much of religious error may he traced to ignorance of the Bible. Our Lord's first words in reply to the Sadducees declare this plainly. He says, " Do ye not err, because ye know not the Scriptures? "
The truth of the principle here laid down, is proved by facts in almost every age of church history. The reformation in Josiah's day was closely connected with the discovery of the book of the law. The false doctrines of the Jews in our Lord's time were the result of neglecting the Scriptures. The dark ages of Christendom were times when the Bible was kept back from the people. The Protestant Reformation was mainly effected by translating and circulating the Bible. The Churches which are most flourishing at this day, are churches which honour the Bible. The nations which enjoy most moral light, are nations in which the Bible is most known. The parishes in our land where there is most true religion, are those in which the Bible is most studied. The godliest families are Bible-reading families. The holiest men and women are Bible-reading people. These are simple facts which cannot be denied.
Let these things sink deeply into our hearts, and bear fruit in our lives. Let us not be ignorant of the Bible, lest we fall into some deadly error. Let us rather read it diligently, and make it our rule of faith and practice. Let us labour to spread the Bible over the world. The more the book is known, the better the world will be. Not least, let us teach our children to value the Bible. The very best portion we can give them, is a knowledge of the Scriptures.
"We learn, in the last place, from this passage, how different will he the state of things after the resurrection, from the state in which we live now. Our Lord tells us, that " when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven."
It would be foolish to deny that there are many difficulties connected with the doctrine of the life to come. It must needs be so. The world beyond the grave is a world unseen by mortal eye, and therefore unknown. The conditions of existence there, are necessarily hidden from
US, and if more were told, we should probably not understand it. Let it suffice us to know that the bodies of the saints shall be raised, and, though glorified, shall be like their bodies on earth; — so like, that those who knew them, once shall know them again. But though raised with a real body, the risen saint will be completely freed from everything which is now an evidence of weakness and infirmity. There shall be nothing like Mahomet's gross and sensual Paradise in the Christian's future existence. Hunger and thirst being no more, — there shall be no need of food. Weariness and fatigue being no more, — there shall be no need of sleep. Death being no more, — there shall be no need of births to supply the place of those who are removed. Enjoying the fuU presence of God and his Christ, — ^men and women shall no more need the marriage union, in order to help one another. Able to serve God without weariness, and attend on Him without distraction, — doing His will perfectly, and seeing His face continually, — clothed in a glorious body, — they shall be "as the angels which are in heaven."
There is comfort in aU this for the true Christian. In the body that he now has he often "groans being burdened," from a daily sense of weakness and imperfection. (2 Cor. v. 4.) He is now tried by many cares about this world, — ^what to eat, and what to drink, and what to put on, — how to manage his affairs, where to live, and what company to choose. In the world to come, all shall be changed. Nothing shall be lacking to make his happiness complete.
One thing only we must carefully bear in mind. Let us take heed that we rise again in "the resurrection of life," and not in " the resurrection of condemnation." (John
V. 29.) To the believer in the Lord Jesus, the resurrection will be the greatest of blessings. To the worldly, the godless and the profane, the resurrection wiU be a misery and a curse. Let us never rest till we are one with Chiist and Christ in us, and then we may look forward with joy to a life to come.*
* The text by which our Lord silenced the Sadducees, and proved the resmrection to be a scriptural doctrine, — has been a cause of siu^rise to many Bible readers. Some have wondered tliat our Lord should have chosen tliis text, when others far more plain might have been adduced. Some have been unable to see the force and cogency of the text as any proof at all of the resmrection of the body.
As to the particular fitness of the text, as a proof, compared to othere we are perhaps very poor judges. It may well be suspected that there is a fulness of meaning in some texts of scriptiue, which in our hasty and superficial reading we have not yet fathomed. At any rate it is clear that to a Jewish hearer of the Lord the argimient was so forcible as to be unanswerable. This quotation and the famous one in John x. 34, go far to show that the Jewish mind saw a depth of meaning in scriptural expressions, which many of us in modem times have not at all seen yet. It is a matter in which we have much to learn.
As to the text, " I am the God of Abraham, &c.," being a convincing proof of the resurrection of the body, there is a passage in Bishop Peareon, which is worth reading. He says of this text
as quoted by our Lord, " With the force of this argument the multitude was astonished, and the Sadducees silenced. For under the name of God was understood a gi-eat benefactor, a God of promise, and to be 'their God' was to bless them and reward them; as in them to be ' his senants,' and ' his people ' was to believe in him and obey him. Now Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had not received the promise which they expected, and therefore God after their death desiring still to be called " their God," he thereby acknowLedgeth that he had a blessing and a reward for them still, and consequently that he will raise them to another life, in which they may receive it. So that the argument of our Saviour is the same which the Jews have diawn irom another place of Moses. (Exod. vi. 3, 4.) ' I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by ray name Jehovah was I not made known to them. Kevertlieless I have established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan.' It is not said ' to give their sons,' but ' to give them the land,' and therefoi'e because while they lived here they enjoyed it not, they must rise again that they may receive the promise."
28 And one of the Scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the lirst commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him. The first of all the commandments is. Hear, 0 Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour
as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
32 And the Scribe said unto him, Well, Master,thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
These verses contain a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and " one of the Scribes." For the third time in one day we see our Lord tried by a hard question. Having put to silence the Pharisees and Sadducees, He is asked to decide a point on which much difference of opinion prevailed among the Jews: " "Which is the first commandment of all." We have reason to bless God that so many hard questions were propounded to our Lord. Without them the marvellous words of wisdom which His three answers contain, might never have been spoken at all. Here, as in many other cases, we see how God can bring good out of evil. He can make the most malicious assaults of His enemies work round to the good of His church, and redound to His own praise. He can make the enmity of Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes minister instruction to His people. Little did the three questioners in this chapter think what benefit their crafty questions would confer on all Christendom. " Out of the eater came forth meat." (Judges xiv. 14.)
Let US observe in these verses, hoic high is our Lord Jesus Christ's standard of duty to God and man.
The question that the Scribe propounded was a verywide one: " Which is the first commandment of all? " The answer he received was probably very unlike what he expected. At any rate, if he thought that our Lord would commend to him the observance of some outward form or ceremony, he was mistaken. He hears these solemn words: " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
How striking is our Lord's description of ^b feeling with which we ought to regard both God and our neighbour! We are not merely to obey the one, or to abstain from injuring the other. In both cases we are to give far more than this. We are to give love, the strongest of all affections, and the most comprehensive. A rule like this includes everything. It makes all petty details imnecessary. Nothing will be intentionaRy lacking where there is love.
How striking again is our Lord's description of the measure in which we should love God and our neighbour! We are to love God better than ourselves, with all the powers of our inward man. We cannot love Him too well. We are to love our neighbour as ourselves, and to deal with him in all respects as we would like him to deal with us. The marvellous wisdom of this distinction is clear and plain. We may easily err in our affections towards others, either by thinking too little or too much of them.
We therefore need the rule -to love them as ourselves, neither more nor less. We cannot err in our affections towards God in the matter of excess. He is worthy of all we can give Him. We are therefore to love Hirn with all our heart.
Let us keep these two grand rules continually before our minds, and use them daily in our journey through life. Let us see in them a summary of all that we ought to aim at in our practice, both as regards God and man. By them let us try every difficulty of conscience that may happen to beset us, as to right and wrong. Happy is that man who strives to frame his life according to these rules.
Let us learn from this brief exposition of the true standard of duty, how great is the need in which we aU. naturally stand of the atonement and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Where are the men or women who can say with truth, that they have perfectly loved God and perfectly loved man? Where is the person on earth who must not plead " guilty," when tried by such a law as this? No wonder that the Scripture says, "there is none righteous, no! not one." "By the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified." (Rom. iii. 10, 20.) It is only gross ignorance of the requirements of God's law which makes people undervalue the Gospel. The man who has the clearest view of the moral law, will always be the man who has the highest sense of the value of Christ's atoning blood.
Let us observe, for another thing, in these verses, how far a man may go in religion, and yei not he a true disciple of Christ.
The Scribe, in the passage now before usj was evidently a man of more knowledge than most of his equals. He saw things which many Scribes and Pharisees never saw at all. His own words are a strong proof of this. *' There is one God: and there is none other but He: and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." These words are remarkable in themselves, and doubly remarkable when we remember who the speaker was, and the generation amongst whom he lived. No wonder that we read next, that our Lord said, "thou art not far from the kingdom of God."
But we must not shut our eyes to the fact, that we are nowhere told that this man became one of our Lord's disciples. On this point there is a mournful silence. The parallel passage in St. Matthew throws not a gleam of light on his case. The other parts of the New Testament tell \is nothing about him. We are left to draw the painful conclusion that, like the rich young man, he could not make up his mind to give up all and follow Christ; or that, like the chief rulers, elsewhere mentioned, he "loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." (John xii. 43.) In short, though "not far from the kingdom of God," he probably never entered into it, and died outside.
Cases like that of this Scribe, are unhappily far from being uncommon. There are thousands on every eide, who, like him, see much and know much of religious truth, and yet live and die undecided. There are few things whicli are so much overlooked as the length to which people may go in religious attainments, and yet never he converted, and never saved. May we all mark well this man's case, and take care!
Let us heware of resting our hopes of salvation on mere intellectual knowledge. "We live in days when there is great danger of doing so. Education makes children acquainted with many things in religion, of which their parents were once utterly ignorant. But education alone will never make a Christian in the sight of God. We must not only know the leading doctrines of the Gospel with our heads, but receive them into our hearts, and be guided by them in our lives. May we never rest till we are inside the kingdom of God, till we have truly repented, really behoved, and have been made new creatures in Christ Jesus. If we rest satisfied with being " not far from the kingdom," we shall find at last that we are shut out for evermore..
35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the Scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
36 For David himself said hj' the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine. Beware of the Scribes, which
40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive grepter damnation.
41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them. Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more Wi, than all they which
love to go in long clothing, and love j have cast into the treasury: salutations in the marketplaces, 44 For all they did cast in of their
39 And the chief seats in the syn- abundance; but she of her want did agogues, and the uppermost rooms at cast in all that she had, even all her feasts: living.
We have seen in the former part of this chapter, how the enemies of our Lord endeavoured to " catch Him in His words." We have seen how the Pharisees, the Saddueees, and the Scribes successively propounded to Him hard questions, — questions, we can hardly fail to observe, more likely to minister strife than edification. The passage before us begins with a question of a very different character. Our Lord Himself propounds it. He asks His enemies about Christ and the meaning of Holy Scripture. Such questions are always truly profitable. Well would it be for the church if theological discussions were less about trifles, and more about weighty matters, and things necessary to salvation.
Let us learn, in the first place, from these verses, hoto much tJiere is about Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures. Our Lord desires to expose the ignorance of the Jewish teachers about the true nature of the Messiah. He does it by referring to a passage in the book of Psalms, and showing that the Scribes did not rightly understand it. And in so doing He shows us that one subject, about which David was inspired by the Holy Ghost to write, was Christ.
We know from our Lord's own words in another place, that the Old Testament Scriptures " testify of Christ." (John V. 39.) They were intended to teach men about Christ, by types, and figures, and prophecy, till He Himself should appear on earth. We should always keep this in mind, in reading the Old Testament, but never so much as in reading the Psalms. Christ is undoubtedly to be found in every part of the Law and the Prophets, but nowhere is He so much to be found, as in the book of Psalms. His experience and sufferings at His first coining into the worid, — His future glory, and His final triumph at His second coming, — are the chief subjects of many a passage in that wonderful part of God's word. It is a true saying, that we should look for Christ quite as much as David, in reading the Psalms.
Let us beware of undervaluing, or despising the Old Testament. In its place and proportion, the Old Testament is just as valuable as the New. There are probably many rich passages ia that part of the Bible, which have never yet been fully explored. There are deep things about Jesus in it, which many walk over like hidden gold mines, and know not the treasures beneath their feet. Let us reverence all the Bible. AU is given by inspiration, and aU. is profitable. One part throws light upon another, and no part can ever be neglected without loss and damage to our souls. A boastful contempt for the Old Testament Scriptures has often proved the first step towards infidelity.
Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, how odious is the sin of hypocrisy in the sight of Christ. This is a lesson which is taught us by our Lord's warning against the Scribes. He exposes some of their notorious practices, — their ostentatious manner of dressing, — their love of the honour and praise of man rather than God, — ^their love of money, disguised under a pretended concern for widows, — their long-protracted public devotions, intended to make men think them eminently godly. And He winds up all by the solemn declaration, "these shall receive greater damnation."
Of all the sins into which men can fall, none seem so exceedingly sinful as false profession and hypocrisy. At aU events, none have drawn from our Lord's mouth such strong language, and such heavy denimciations. It is bad enough to be led away captive by open sin, and to serve divers lusts and pleasures. But it is even worse to pretend to have a religion, while in reality we serve the world. Let us beware of falling into this abominable sin. Whatever we do in religion, let us never wear a cloak. Let us be real, honest, thorough, and sincere in our Christianity. We cannot deceive an all-seeing God. We may take in poor short-sighted man by a little talk and profession, and a few cant phrases, and an affectation of devoutness. But God is not mocked. He is a discemer of the thoughts and intents of the heart. His all- seeing eye pierces through the paint, and varnish, and tinsel, which cover the imsound heart. The day of judgment will soon be here. The "joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment." (Job xx. 5.) His end will be shame and everlasting contempt.
One thing, however, must ^never be forgotten in connection with the subject of hypocrisy. Let us not flatter ourselves, because some make a false profession of rehgion, that others need not make any profession at all. This is a common delusion, and one against which we must carefully guard. It does not follow, because some bring Christianity into contempt by professing what they do not really believe and feel, that we should run into the other extreme, and bring it into contempt by a cowardly silence and by keeping our religion out of sight. Let us rather be doubly careful to adorn our doctrine by our lives. Let us prove our sincerity by the consistency of our conversation. Let us show the world that there is true coin, as well as counterfeit coin, and that the visible church contains Christians who can witness a good confession, as well as Pharisees and Scribes. Let us confess our Master modestly and humbly, but firmly and decidedly, and show the world that although some men may be hypocrites, there are others who are honest and true.
Let us learn, in the last place, from these verses, how pleasing to Christ is self-denying liberality in giving. This is a lesson which is taught us in a striking maimer, by our Lord's commendation of a certain poor widow. We are told that He "beheld how the people cast in" their voluntary contributions for God's service into the public collecting box or "treasury." He saw "many that were rich casting in much." At last he saw this poor widow cast in all that she had for her daily maintenance. And then we hear Him pronounce the solemn words, "This poor woman hath cast more in than they all," — ^more in the sight of Him who looks not merely at the amount given, but at the ability of the giver, — not merely at the quantity contributed, but at the motive and heart of the contributor.
There are few of our Lord's sayings so much overlooked as this. There are thousands who remember all His doctrinal discourses, and yet contrive to forget this little incident in His earthly ministry. The proof of this is to be seen in the meagre and sparing contributions which are yearly made by Christ's church to do good in the world. The proof is to be seen in the miserably small incomes of all the missionary societies, in proportion to the wealth of the churches. The proof is to be seen in the long annual lists of self-complacent guinea subscribers, of whom many could easily give hundreds of pounds. The stinginess of professing Christians in all matters which concern Gtod and religion, is one of the crying sins of the day, and one of the worst signs of the times. The givers to Christ's cause are but a small section of the visible church. Not one baptized person in twenty, probably, knows anything of being "rich towards God." (Luke xii. 21.) The vast majority spend pounds on themselves, and give not even pence to Christ. Let us mourn over this state of things, and pray God to amend it. Let us pray Him to open men's eyes, and awake men's hearts, and stir up a spirit of liberality. Above all, let us each do our own duty, and give liberally and gladly to every Christian object, while we can. There will be no giving when we are dead. Let us give as those who remember that the eyes of Christ are upon us. He still sees exactly what each gives, and knows exactly how much is left behind. Above all, let us give as the disciples of a crucified Saviour, who gave Himself, for us, body and soul, on the cross. Freely we have received. Let us freely give.*
* It is probable, according to Arias Montanus and Brenius, that the words "all her living," mean "all her daily income," and not all her property.
It may be well to remark in this connection, that nothing can be more absurd than to say, as some do, that they contribute "their mite" to an object, when they probably contribute some trifling sum which they do not miss, and which bears not the most remote proportion to the widow's scale of liberality. — A man contributes "his mite" when he contributes half his dally income, and not till then.