The sign of] S. MATTHEW. of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous genera [the prophet Jonas. tion seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and EXPOSITION-Chap. XII. Continued. and to pretend that he cast out demons by being himself in league with Beelzebub, the prince of demons. In reply to this, Jesus appeals to themselves on two points. 1. "Every kingdom divided against itself, cannot stand." Now if 1 (said he) by Beelzebub cast out demons, who are the subjects of Satan, then is Satan (or Beelzebub) divided against himself, and labouring to overthrow his own power: a conduct highly inconsistent with the allowed cunning of the old serpent. 2. Our Lord justifies himself by an appeal to the Pharisees on the conduct of their own children, who frequently pretended to cast out devils. We need not here inquire into the truth of their pretensions, to which we may advert hereafter it is certain that they made such pretensions, and it became them, in this instance, to prove that they acted by a superior power, before they brought this charge against him; but they discovered, in both these respects, the grossest inconsistency. : But this was the smallest part of their crime they are also charged with "blasphemy against the Holy Ghost," in attributing to Satan works so evidently wrought by that Holy Spirit, as were the benevolent miracles of our Saviour and he plainly tells them, that although all their abuse and blasphemy against himself was pardonable upon their repentance; yet could he give them no encouragement to expect forgiveness for an offence so gross at this, arising from the malignity of their hearts, and committed against the evidence both of their reason and their senses. The brevity we are obliged to study, will not allow us to go fully into the several passages where this sin is treated of: more may be added hereafter; at present we shall only remark, 1. That this sin is charged only upon the Scribes and Pharisees, the most enlightened classes of the Jews, many of whom, we have reason to believe, were in their own minds satisfied of the truth of Christ's miracles, and of the purity of his moral character; but their pride and malice would not allow them to acknowledge a Saviour in form and appearance so humble and unpretending; and who, in deed, was firmly opposed to all their plans of aggrandizement and worldly power. 2. To prevent any serious and distressed mind from applying this terrible sentence against themselves, we remark, it is evident that this dreadful sin could never be committed by any person alarmed for fear of having once committed it. Great and awful was the sin of crucifying the Son of God; but the multitude were ignorant, and actuated by these blaspheming Pharisees. Jesus therefore prayed for them, and many, doubtless, were forgiven on the day of Pentecost, and enrolled among the first converts of the Jewish church. Terrible was the crime of persecuting Stephen, and the other disciples of Jesus; but one of the bitterest of their persecutors, the chief of these sinners, was not only converted and forgiven, but became himself equal to "the chiefest of the Apostles." (See 2 Cor. xi. 5.) No man's sins are unpardonable, who repents and is penitent on their account. Another passage, which has much distressed many persons, occurs in the close of this section: "For every IDLE word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." We are far from wishing to lower the standard of Christian morals; we have, however, no hesitation in saying, that "every idle word," does not here mean every unneces sary word; for it requires a high degree of literary skill and practice to avoid these, even in writing: nor, secondly, every ebullition of cheerfulness or pleasantry; for “pleasant words are as the honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." (Proverbs xvi. 24.) But it does include, 1. False, or lying words, which, in conformity to the Hebrew idiom, may be called idle, or vain, as having no foundation in truth. 2. Profane, abusive, and injurious words, though idly, thoughtlessly, or even sportively applied. 3. Foolish and indecorous jesting; and, in fact, all sinful words are liable to be called into judgment; but it should be remembered, that of these words it is not said, that they never shall be forgiven; for though blasphemous, and spoken even against Christ himself, when not marked with the black character of the sin against the Holy Ghost, they are not excluded from the divine mercy. NOTES-Chap. XII. Con. Ver. 38. A sign from thee- that is, a miracle, Exod. iv. 8. Ver. 40. Three days and three nights-answering to the Greek term nuchthemeron, a night and day, " or a day of 24 hours. "It is of great importance to observe (says Doddr.) that the Easterns reckoned any part of a day of 24 hours for a whole day, and say a thing was done after three or seven days, &c, three nights in the whale's belly: so is here. 43 When the unclean spirit is gone [unclean spirit. than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto' him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (A) EXPOSITION. in ver. 34. (A) Ver. 38-50. The Scribes and Pha- "a generation (or brood) of vipers," as rises demand a sign from heaven, but are fused and reproved-In-demanding sigu," or miracle, which in another evangelist is called "a sign from heaven," these men had probably in their recollection the siga given to John Baptist on the bank of Jordan, to which he bare witness on a forwhich they er occasion, (John i. 31-34), and of Dow seem to require a repetition. Considering that, previously to this, they had witnessed many miracles wrought by Jesus, on the sick, the lame, the blind, and those possessed by demons, this ap pears a most unreasonable request, and is, therefore, very properly refused; and they are called, in the language of Isaiah (eh. Ivii. 3.), "an evil and adulterous eration; that is, as Doddridge explains ," a spurious brood," grossly degenerated from the piety of their ancestors;" and from "a chosen generation," become A sign, however, they shall have, analogous to that of the prophet Jonas; for, as he was in the whale's belly three days, or rather part of "three days and nights," which was a phrase used by the Hebrews, as analogous to our day of 24 hours (see Expos. Jonah ch. i.), so should the Son of man remain for the like period in the bowels of the earth; his resurrection from which would be a 'sign more decisive in its nature, and more influential in its consequences, than any sign which heaven had hitherto displayed. 66 What follows, relative to unclean spirits, connects immediately with our Lord's preceding discourse, in answer to the charge of his casting out demons by a diabolical power; and it appears to us to relate particularly to the exorcisms of the Jews themselves, in which the unclean spirit might NOTES. if it was done on the third or seventh day from that mentioned. (Comp. 1 Kings xx. 29; 2 Chron. 1412, and Lake ii. 21.).. that happened after three days and three nights, So that, to say a the same as to say, it happened after three Cor on the third day. (Comp. Esth. iv. 16 with 1; Gen, vil, 12; Exod. xxiv. 18, and xxxiv. 28.) Is the whale's belly-See Note on Jonah i. 17. Ver.42 The queen of the south-that is, of Sheba. See 1 Kings x. 1, &e. Ve Empty- that is, uninhabited.-Swept edgarated-or adorned," as Doddridge. tain that the Jews used the term brethren with great latitude, to include all their relatives; see Levit. x. 4. There is, however, an ancient tradition, that Joseph, the reputed father of Jesus, had four sons and two daughters by a former wife, which may be intended here, and in chap. xiii. 55, 56; or probably his cousins, the sons of Mary the wife of Cleophas (or Alpheus), and sister to the blessed virgin. Stackhouse's Hist. of the Bible, vol. v. p. 417, Note. Ver. 50. My brother, and sister, and mother.-So in Homer, Audromache says to Hector, Thou art my father, my mother, and my brother. Iliad, lib. vi. 429, See The sig of the Master, 39 Bi them, Ar and to pret being hims the prince c In reply t selves on two divided agai if 1 (said he mons, who a is Satan (or himself, and own power: a with the allow 2. Our Lord peal to the Pha own children, to cast out devi. quire into the t to which we m certain that the and it became t prove that they a before they brou him; but they dis spects, the grosse But this was ti crime they are a phemy against t tributing to Sat wrought by that benevolent miracle he plainly tells t their abuse and bla was pardonable upo could he give them expect forgiveness at this, arising from hearts, and commit! both of their reason The brevity we ar not allow us to go passages where this may be added herea: only remark, 1. Th. only upon the Scril most enlightened cla of whom, we have in their own minds of Christ's miracle his moral character malice would not a ledge a Saviour in f. humble and unpre deed, was firmly o Ver Exod [by our Lord. which ye hear, and have not heard them. 18 Hear ye therefore the parabl of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth fort 1, some an hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty. (B) EXPOSITION. CHAP. XIII. -23. The parable of the sower, ation. On the same day ou 11 held his preceding disJesus out of the house," had probably retired at mmon in hot countries; and sat by the sea side, until came crowding round him, d it convenient to go into or fishing vessel, which pro bably lay in a creek of the lake of Galilee, and sitting on its edge, the people might nearly surround him, in a semicircle, and hear to great advantage. He then began the parable of the sower," intending thereby himself, in the first place (ver. 37), and in the next, his apostles and their successors. The seed is his doctrine, "the word of the kingdom," which was differently received, according to the soil on which it fell. First, That which fell by NOTES. soccer hath not, from him shall Codras nothing had to boast; See Orient. Lit. No. 1193. andeth it not-Camp. "Mindeth The same word is used in the close of ver. 13, "Neither do they mind." Ibid. The wicked (or evil) one-- that is, Satan; see ver. 38. And catcheth-Camp." Snatcheth;" a more happy rendering, the original word implying violence. Hamin. Ver. 20. Stony places.-See Note on ver. 5. Ver. 21. Dureth-that is, endureth.He is offended-or stumbleth." Sce N. on ch. xi, 6 Ver. 22. The deceitfulness - Doddr. a' "Delusion."-Choke-Camp. "Stifle may properly be said to be choked (o thorns, which do not leave them rooi the word of God is represented as chob pressed with secular cares, prevailing Ver. 23. Understandeth-or 'mindet!. |