PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2
Arthur Lukyn Williams [1853-1943] · 606,924 words · 664 reading sections
The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 1
THE PULPIT COMMENTARY, EDITED TIY TRF. VERY REV. H. D. M. SPENCE, D.D., DF:.\:'1 {)I-' GLOl'CESTER; .um BY THE REY. JOSEPH S, EXELL, M.A. WITH INTRODUCTIONS DY THE VERY REV. F. W. FARIU.R, D.D., F.R.S., DEAN OF CANTERBDff. RIGHT REV. H. COTTERILL, D.D., F.R.S.E. VERY REV. PRI NCIP .A.L J. TULLOCH, D.D. REV…
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~l1ich are always at work, i.e. "the ideas ' Pe.mllel passages : MArk iv. 1-9; Luke and laws, not the actual fllCts, of the Church's viii. 4-8. history" (Trench,' Pn,rables,' p. 142). Thus we have the leading thoughts of the dis- Ver. 1.-The same day; on that day (Ro- vieed Version). Although day is sometimes semi…
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time,moro cepooiolly among Eastern nations. eion)_ fell upon_atony places; lh6 rocky place• Interesting exo.mples of such a method of (RevIBed Vers10n). Where the underlying· instruoliou o.re to be seen in the Ho.ggodoth rock was hardly, if at all, covered by soil. (which are frequently po.r11bolio narro.tives) Such…
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Rnd therefore they e.re thus judged, in slight difference in one word of the original e.ccorde.noe with the words of Ise.ie.h (vers. Aramaic text, the phrase in llle.r![ (" them JS-15). that are without") combining both readings The privilege of the disciples further (see Expositor IV. iv. HG). The eugges- insisted…
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verb to which it ie joined (eo in tbe original corruptio ma.na.t in a.urea et oculos : per JlO.Bsnge of Ieniah, nnd perho.pe in Mo.rk; oculoe et a.urea sa.nitas pervenit o.d cor." eompnre aleo "seeing'' in the next verse), And should be oonverted ; and shoul,d turn but 1ue to be taken eepa.mtely, i.e." Though again (Re…
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to Christ (soe Bishop W<•stcott, • Introd.,' note at the end of Winer, § !iii.). Bome: A pp. C. ; Rl"ach, • Agmpha,' p. 307). To ■ ee & µ.o (Westcott nu,! Hort). Neuter, nnd so thoae things which ye see, and h&ve not &een the Vulgn.te. Nominative, the thought them ; and to hear those thinge whioh ye refers to t be s…
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(cf. also Exocl. xix. 7; Acts xvii. 3). Else- clergy have ehown themselves always th'i' w!Jc1·e H is often usecl of setting foocl beforo most eager advocates of the policy of rootin~ ony ono; e.g. Mark vi. 41; viii. 6; Luke xi. 6; up the tares? And ■aid unto him, Bir, didst Aots xvi. 84. Them, The people (vers. not …
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nution plMes itself under the protertiou of a Ver. 83.-The parabk of the leaven. Christian nation, and more truly fulfilled Parallel passage: Luke xiii. 201 21. The whenever a nalion accepts Christianity o.s growth of the kingdom regar<1ed in its its own religion. It is parodied when a na- quiet and secret influence. T…
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mnny such pctrnblee epnko he the word unto Homilies, Porphyry as quoted hy Jcr(Jme thorn, ns they wore nble to hear it; and and remarks by Ensebius. Dr. Hort(' Ai" without a parable spe.ke he not unto them : pendix ') writes, "It is clifficult not to think 'Hualou genuine. There was a strong temp- but privately to his…
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sRmc e.s the LXX., and fairly roprcseut.11 the meaning clearer, he ho.s modified its m<'aning of the original (•.:i ',r.,c::i mn!lN). l,mg11e.ge. As he quotes it, not merely The second clause is different from the "enignll\Lical sayings," but" things hiddon" LXX., the first vorb being a literal tronslo.- (and the.t …
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whore in the Now Teslo.ment only in oh. in full splendour. The tares o.re gathered xviii. 81, where the thought is that the o.nd burned in the 11.re--ln,,rried uitli fire (Re- mo.n's fellow-servo.nts brought his beho.viour vised Version); cf. oh. iii. 10, note-so shall fully before their lord's knowledge (cf. o.lso it…
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autem dicit : Jlfon1fal>1°! domum reg.,, .ui the part of the evangelist, the parable forms t1b om11i l!<'andalo, intellige de t.erra et rebus in this respect the complement to ver. 35b. ,•.rentis. q11na rcnovabit, ibique juat.os auoa In a field ( 111 ,..,1 b.ypq:); in the field (Iloviscd colloeabit" (Rc·soh, • Agmph…
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no poor man, but a rich wholesale dealer story (cf. ver. 25). And sat down. How (tp:rropo1: cf. Rev. xviii. 23; not ,cd1n1ll.01, "a tme to life. Perhaps it " in tim1>tes the reto.ilcr ; " cf. 2 Car. ii. 17). Seeking. Ac- thoughtful <'are with which the work of cording to the usual manner of hie lifo. sepo.ratiou is per…
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there e.ppcnrs no renaon in the context. and skill. It will be observed that Irencous' The word must therefore be understood of iuterprctttl.ion (IV. ix. I) of new and old Chriatie.n teachers, who by their study of as the New and Old Testaments is only the Gospel should hold a position in the partially right. W. th …
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thoir hmguuge wos due, not so much to also" Western" anthoritie9 in 111:,irk iii. 32, inquiry ua to astonishment, wl,ich may in where see Westcott and Hort, 'Append.'). some cases be Lhe first stage of inquiry (eh. 'fhdr names are quite unknown. Ara ix. 33; xii. 23), or moy, os here, be checked they not e.11. There wor…
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from the cares and conflicts of lm to holy meditation, and to find rest for our troubled ~oul in communion with God. 2. The audience. Multitudes followed him excited ~robably by the startling events of the day. They longed to bear again the great l'encher who hnd held his ground against those famous rabbis and had c…
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incredible to the worldly and the unconverted; hidden from the wise and prudent of the world, but revealed to the babes in Christ. '!'hat knowledge is a gift; it is not gained by thought end study. It is given in the gift of the Holy Spirit of God to those who come to Christ in faith. It is not given to all, for not al…
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'l'he Lord Jesirn himself was the Sower. Others, in their measure, have been sowers- bis apostles, e'l'angclists, and pastors-but, in the first and highest sense, the Lord himself. He had been sowing now for many months. His holy words had taken root in some f!'ithful heart~; many bad heard_ listlessly without serio…
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and in the hour of death; we want something deeper. The root of the plant is not seen; it is hidden in the earth. So is the true life of the Christian. It is rooted in Christ, hidden with Christ in God. Such a roan doth not fa.II a.way in time of tempta.- tion; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. He does not need…
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ali,c .. Tb~ co~dition~ of the soil may change. Yet there are differences, the prlncip\e11 of which he bidden lil deepest mystery. Some hearts have a receptivity for God'& grace; some have not. Some men come to the light, hating their own darkness feel- ing their sinfulness, drawn to the light by its attractive powe…
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The sood will grow; it wi11 become B tree, spreading its branches far; it will offer 1,efuge to the wandering o.nd the homeless. Let us take courage. The Church bath a vital expansive force, so long o.s it a.bides in Christ who is the Life. It will live on; it will spread. The wandering children will return; the restle…
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parable of the sower, the seed is the Word of God; here it is the children of the kingdom. But the seed is identical with the plant, The living seed pervades and takes into itsel_f ~he whole human nature. The principle of spiritual life which wus !!own by the D1vme Sower becomes the full-grown plant, the Ohristian l…
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Be of good cheer; only believe. 3. Think of the great harvest. "f;et your affection ,,Q things above." Vera. 44-53.-Tlie parables addressed to the disciples. I. TnE RIDDEN TREASURE. 1. The story. Treasures were often hidden in fact, still more often in fiction. A man walked through the field; be lighted enddenly on th…
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is wide and lRTge; the net has not yet swept through it. The gospel bas not yet been preached over all the earth. There are many dark places where the fishers of men have not yet drawn the net. All waters must be tried. The glad tidin"B of the kin.,dom of heaven must be carried everywhere throughout the world. 'l'he…
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as they heard of his mighty works and the strange influence of his teaching. They must ha.ve felt some natural p1ide in the eminence of their countryman. But their admiration was mingled with unworthy feelings-jealousy, envy. Ilolim~ss is not always popular. Ungodly men feel it as a rebuke to themselves; they hate it…
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HOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-9.-Theparable of the soils. Our Lord's popularity is now at its height. Crowds throng him wherever he goes. But he is not dazzled by the blaze of public favour. On ,the contrary, he sees how unsubstantial and delusive it is. Multitudes follow him for the charm of his words and t…
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Ver, 17.- OlwiBtians enjoying what pophets desired. They who truly receive the teaching of Christ and profit by it enjc,y privileges which prophets and righteous men longed for in vain. I. Tm: PROPHETS' DEBIREB. The saints and seers of antiquity were not satisfied with the revelations made to them and the favour besto…
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power, the enemy of Christ e.nd of mankind, ie busy sowing evil. 3. The fruit o/ -these evil influences is seen in the lives qf bad peopl,e. It is not in fa.18e doctrine but in n-icked living Lhat the gre:itest mischief is manifested. The aim of Satan is to grow a crop of noxious characters. III. THE SERVANTS OF CHR…
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doo.d. The gospel comes as a ferment, breaking up th\l old lethargy and rousing fresh activity, It offects every part of life, a!lld whatever it a[ects it assimilates to itself. We o.re not to think of the kingdom of heaven standing aloof from the world, which is to be let lie in its own deadness. It is sent into the w…
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the dra.g-net disregards these two causes of failure, and deals only with results-it carries us on to the final judgment. Nevertheless, we should bear the lessons of the ee.rlier pe.rables in mind, in order to a.void dre.wing conclusions of fatalism and injustice from this one. I. THE GOSPEL NET. Our Lord compares …
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the Chri~tio.n minister should know his Homer ancJ his Cicero; but it is monBtrous that he should bo satisfied with o.n o.cquaintance with 1he pagan classics, without acquiring at least an equally familiar knowledge of the New Testament, which it is his life--work to ten.eh. Now, the discipleship of the kingdom i~ not …
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Vers. 1-23 (see also Mark iv. 1-20; Luke viii. 4-15).-T/ie beginning of parables. Utilize introduction to dwell on the plain assertions of vers. 10-17. How- ever deep their real theological meaning, however mysterious their significance in respect of the sovereign conduct of the world and the judgment of mankind, th…
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i'llustrntion of sowing-time. The sowing-time of God's truth, God's will, God's love and grace, in the midst of a hard, and unprepared, and shallow, and ill-preoccupied world-with nevertheless some better, some more promising material, in it. III. THE ILLUSTRATION ITSELF 1N DETAIL. It consists of the statement of the…
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Vers. 24-30, 36:--4J.-~ g1•ea,t Adminisfrator'sforesight. This second parable of t~e seven proceeds 1n a c~rt~m degree upon the lines of the first, ~ut its object is different; and though quite m the nature of an advance on the former, 1t ie more limited in its scope. The first parable manifestly is the foundation o…
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!. TnE KINGDOM OF IlEAVEN 18 TO HAVE 1TB OWN DEVELOPMENT; IT IS TO GROW OF ITSELF AND FROM ITSELF. Wherever it is, whatever it works upon, whatever it may attract to itself, it shall receive into itself; leave some of it, take some of it, incorporate this, have one body and one spirit, and own to no rival. II. THAT DE…
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Ver. 44.-The treasure of great, but careful, joy. Note, in int1·oduction, that this fifth parable was not spoken from the ship to the multitude upon the shore, but within " the house; " and the character of it seems in some relative degree to alter. It is no longer a parable, illustrating the kingdom of heaven in re…
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search to see that it certainly is not so. The resemblance between the two pamblcH lies only on the surface, and not lcs8 true is it that on the very surface also lies sufficient conviction of the real <lifferen1:e between the two. The illustration of the kingdom of heaven furnished by this parable sets it forth- I. A…
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l. "Sor,ra SEEDS FELL BY THE WAYSIDE, AND THE FOWLS OAHE AND DEVOORl!:D THEM." The spiritual analogue is said to be in him" who heareth the Word, but undel'Standeth it ,iot." The beaten footpath and the cart-track have their uses, but they grow no corn. ri:he seed may be of the best quality, but for all purposes of s…
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heard, and he sees that he has really got hold of it. We have all heard all that is necessary for lire and godliness; it remains that we make it onr own, that it secures a. living root in us and in our life. We must bea,r it in mind, so that all that comes before us may throw new ligM on it and give it further hold on …
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when we reflect that what has raised our indignation h11.11 been observed by God, and will assuredly be dealt_ with by him, this not only stifles our indignation, but impels ua to seek to save the sinner from the punishment he is earning, 'l'he bearing of this parable, t~en, on ourselves cannot be mistaken. Wheat an…
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regenerate and the unregenerate. The leaven is manifestly useless while it lies by itself. IC our Lord had secluded himself in the household of Bethany, and never eaten wHh publicans and sinners, little of his Spirit could have passed into other men. The closeness of the intimacy, the depth of the love, is the measu…
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Christ, and while earning Lis daily bread and set-1king no more than eucceBB In life can give him, unexpectedly finds that eternal things nre his. We only think of what we can make of life, not of the wealth God bas laid in our path. But suddenly our steps are arrest~d ; circumstances that seem purely accidental bre…
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1. Make your choice o.nd act upon H. If there is no better pearl, no higher treasure than what you can win by devotion to busineos and living for yourself, then by all means choose that and make the most of it. But if you think that Christ was right, if you foresee that what is outside his kingdom must perish, and that…
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mixture has its chief importance in connection with the ultimate separation. There are two great classes in which are t.l be for ever included all other distinctions and diversities. All must pass through the hands of the Judge. By keeping God out of your thoughts now, you do not secure that you shall never think of…
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saving truth of God. I'? the inter_rretation it is styled "the Word of the kingdom" (ver. 19; see al8o Mark 1v. 14). (2) That truth, like a seed, has e. body. The earlier enshrinement of the saving truth was the letter of the Sinai covenant. This is called "the body of Moses" (see Jude 9). Now it comes to us in the Law…
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(cf. 1 These. v. 21). Many endure "for a season," but not "to the end" (cf. eh. x. 22; Gal. v. 7) .. (3) Th~ failu:e !s "because they have no root in the~selves." They hsve no fixed prmciples m their JUdgments. They have no rooted habits in their good affections. "'l'he lack is not in_ the soil, but in careful h'USb…
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godliness. Connected with the incarnation are the awful mysteries of the passion and death of Christ. And with these, again, the resurrection and ascension, and the coming of the Holy Ghost. (2) In its experience. What a blessed mystery is the justification of a sinner before Goel I Then his adoption, regeneration, and…
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l. THAT THIS LIFE IB A saE1''E OF TRIAL. 1. The fiel,d is the wol'ld. (1) So we have it in the _in~rpretation (~er. 38).. It is a wide _field, whether viewed physically 01: morally. Still 1t 1.s the Lords ..domam. One day 1t will be universally fruitful to his glory (see Isa. x1. 9; Hab. u. 14). (2) Here we are now …
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They are superior to the prejudices of mortals. They act also in the presence and under the direction of the omniscient Son of man. (2) There are no masks in heaven. Where no evil is there is nothing to conceal. Society is at its best when confidence has no restraint. (3) Maske are torn of!' in hell. Holy angels will u…
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grain of mustard. se_ed !-9 em.all; but it is a seed. It hns in it e.n unlimited power of growth Rnd mult1phce.t1on. So Jesus has in himself illimite.ble reeources. See bis pmver flashing from him in miraclea. Physical. More.I. (2) The " little leaven " also possesses wonderful potency. 'fhe word of Christ differs from…
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unworthy. (a) Lest they should insult them. The swine will trample on the pearl, nnd turn and rend the merchantmnn. (b) As a ju<lgment upon their brutishness (cf. vere. 10-15; lea. vi. 9). 8. From whom are they hidden 1 (1) From the wise and understanding, viz. in their own conceits (cf. eh. xi. 25--27). Not many of…
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points to the GC'ntile nations (cf. lea. v. 30; Dan. vii. 2, 3; Rev. xiii. 1; xvii. 1, 15). 'l'he kingdom of heaven was first offered to the Jews, and when they rejected it it was then carried to the Gentiles (cf. eh. .u.i. 43; Acts xiii. 46, 47). Note- ' I. THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS ABE FISHERS OF MEN. 1. To this serv…
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salvation. (1) Salvation from the associations of the wicked. Those associatic,ns are now uncongenial. They a.re contaminating. They are damaging to the better repn ta--- tion, In the now enrth there will be" no more sea" (Rev. xxi, 1). There will be no more Gentiles in wickedness; all will be Israelites in goodness. (…
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It was new that henceforth the ablutions of Leviticus should be seen in the gift of tho lloly Gbost. (4) It we.a new t_hat t~e gospel should so bring out the spirit of the "Law of commandments coutarned 1n ordinances" as to render obsolete the letter, (5) Yet all these things were as old as the Law itself, and were …
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(see eh. i. 20; Luke i. 27). And Messiali mmt be the "Son of David" in order to satisfy the prophets. (3) They objected that "his mother was called Mary." She was of too humble a station to have any splendid title. Yet was this Mary by descent a princess· of the great house of David. Moreover, she was the mother of the…
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IT. One renson was relat,ed to his ordinary congregations : IT ENABLED HIM TO AllAPT HIMSELF MORE PRECISELY TO THEIR CAPACITIES. It is quite possible that our Lord found the paradoxical style of the sermon on the mount misused, and therefore tried the pictorial style of the parable, which is so eminently suited to the …
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manhood is the time of growing. 'fbe full maturity of life is our reapincr-time. The man in middle life bas attained the character which is the seed-result ~f the spring sowing and the summer growing. He will not be very different as long as he Jives. II, 'l'IIl!l HAnVEBT OF THIS LIFE PBOVIDEB THE BEED-COBN FOR THE NE…
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Ver. 33.-The force there may be in quiet things. "Like lea.van.~ The word "leaven." means "something that raises," from the mode of its operation. In one way it corrupts ; in another way it makes edible and wholesome. Leaven consists of myriads of the cells of the common green mould in an undeveloped state. It is at…
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which he only rented, or perhe.ps only worked in as a labourer. He comes casually on the sign of e. buried tree.sure; but ho dares not touch a thing. So he covers up the signs, and sets all his heart and effort on gaining possession of that field. He counts no sacrifice too great if it helps to realize his aim. '!'his …
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EXPOSITION. death of the One who, by his miraelee, CHAPTER XIV. showed that he possessed greater power than Vera. 1-36.-CHRIBT's POWER TO SUPPLY John. And therefore; "because he is no A.ND PROTECT AND HEAL, PREFACED BY A ordinary man, but one risen from the de:i<l" STATEMENT OF H1m0D's RELATION TO 111111. (Meyer). M…
1,984 wordsSource & rights
Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.