PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels — St. Matthew
Ryle, J. C. (John Charles), 1816–1900 · 139,856 words · 405 reading sections
MATTHEW, CHAP. XIX.
241 and sincere in our professed desire to be true Christians ? Have we given up all our idols ? Is there no secret sin that we are silently clinging to, and refusing to give up ? Is there no thing or person that we are privately loving more than Christ and our souls ? These are questions that ought to be answered. Th…
88 wordsSECTION 242MATTHEW XIX. 23—30.
23 Then said Jesus unto his dis- ciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go throu(>-h the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were exce…
304 wordsSECTION 243242 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
this Fcwrunmoreoountertotheopinionsandprejudices of mankind. Few are so little believed. Yet this saying is true, and worthy of all acceptation. Kiches, which all desire to ohtain,-riches, for which men labor and toil, and become gray before their time,-riohes are a most perilous possession. They often inflict great mj…
608 wordsSECTION 244244 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
immense encouragement the Gospel offers to those who give up everything for Christ's sake. We are told that Peter asked our Lord what he and the other apostles, who had forsaken their little all for His sake, should receive in return. He obtained a most gracious reply. A full recompence shall be made to all who make sa…
298 wordsSECTION 245MATTHEW, CHAP. XX.
245 Christ can open hearts and homes to us, far more warm and hospitable than those that are closed against us. Above all, Christ can give us peace of conscience, inward joy, bright hopes, and happy feelings, which shall far outweigh every pleasant earthly thing that we have cast away for His sake. He has pledged His …
78 wordsSECTION 246MATTHEW XX. 1—16.
1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marke…
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our Lord a remarkable question : — " we have forsaken all and followed tliee ; what shall we have therefore ?" There we find Jesus giving a remarkable answer. He makes a special promise to Peter and his fellow disciples : — " they should one day sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." He makes a ge…
277 wordsSECTION 248MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 247
word, into all things in a parable ; but when we have learned the object for which it was comjDOsed, to reap this, and not to busy ourselves about anything further/' Two main lessons appear to stand out on the face of the parable, and to embrace the general scope of its mean- ing. Let us content ourselves with these tw…
304 wordsSECTION 249248 EXPOSITOEY THOUGHTS.
fellow-heir and partaker of tlie same hope" witli the believing Israelite. The Gentiles converted at "the eleventh liour" of the world, shall be as really and truly heirs of gloiy as the Jews. They shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while many of the children of the kingdom are …
606 wordsSECTION 250EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
Israel is still a special people, and not "numbered among the nations." God has many purposes concerning the Jews, which are yet to be fulfilled. Let us beware of supposing, from this parable, that all saved souls will have the same degree of glory. To Bujopose this, is to contradict many plain texts of Scrip- ture. T…
201 wordsSECTION 251MATTHEW XX. 17—23.
17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, 18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem • and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the Chief Priests and unto the Scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge,…
232 wordsSECTION 252MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 251
The first thing we should notice in these verses, is the clear announcement loliicli the Lord Jesus Christ makes of His oivn approaching death. For the third time we find Him telling His disciples the astounding truth, that He, their wonder-working Master, must soon suffer and die. The Lord Jesus knew from the beginni…
272 wordsSECTION 253252 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
man's sin. He knew that He was the Lamb of God, who must die to take away the sin of the world. He knew that His death was the appointed sacrifice, which must be ofiered up to make reconciliation for iniquity. Knowing all this, He went willingly to the cross. His heart was set on finishing the mighty work He came into …
313 wordsSECTION 254MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 253
lustetli against the spirit in allGrod's children, and Luther well remarks, "the flesh ever seeks to be glorified before it is crucified." There are many Christians, who are very like this woman and her sons. They see in part, and know in part, the things of God. They have faith enough to follow Christ. They have know…
294 wordsSECTION 255254 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
gotten that those who would stand with Christ in glory, must drink of His cup, and be baptized with His baptism. They did not see that those who carry the cross, and those alone, shall receive the crown. Well might our Lord say, " Ye know not what ye ask." But do we never commit the same mistake that the sons of Zebed…
313 wordsSECTION 256CHAP. XX. 255
Let us leave these verses with a solemn rosolution to consider well what we are ahout, when we draw nigh to God in prayer. Let us beware of thoughtless, incon- siderate and rash petitions. Well might Solomon sav, " Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God.'' (Eccles. v. …
59 wordsSECTION 257MATTHEW XX. 24—28.
24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with iudignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jesus called iherminto Mm, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among yon ; but whosoever will be …
253 wordsSECTION 258256 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
of men, that if we were to strip ourselves of all faults, one by one, we should undoubtedly find it the very last and hardest to put off." It is a quaint but true saying of Bishop Hall, that " pride is the inmost coat, which we put off last, and which we put on first/' In the second place we learn, that a life of self…
297 wordsSECTION 259XX. 257
us aim at that which alone is true. We may be sure there is profound wisdom in that saying of our Lord's, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts xx. 35.) In the third phice, we learn that the Lord Jesus Christ is intended to he the example of all true Christians. What saith the Scripture ? We ought to ser…
311 wordsSECTION 260258 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
as His saved people. " He that saith lie abide tli in Him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked/' (1 John ii. 6.) Finally, let us learn from theseYerseSythatChrisfs death was an atonement for sin. What saith the Scripture? "The Son of man came to give his life a ransom for many." This is the mightiest truth…
306 wordsSECTION 261MATTHEW, CHAP. XX.
259 Let us not leave these verses without asldng ourselves, where is oui' humility.? what is our idea of true greatness.? what is our example .? what is our hope? — Life, eternal life, depends on the answer we give to these questions. Happy is that man who is truly humble, strives to do good in his day, walks in the s…
83 wordsSECTION 262MATTHEW XX. 29—34.
29 And as they departed from Je- richo, a great iBiiltitude followed him. 30 And, behold, two Wind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on lis, O Lord, ihou Sou of David. 31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace : but they crie…
246 wordsSECTION 263260 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
Sucli faith may well put us to shame. With all our books of evidence, and lives of saints, and libraries of divinity, how few know anything of simple, childlike confidence in Christ's mercy and Christ's power. And even among those who are believers, the degree of faith is often strangely disproportionate to the privile…
293 wordsSECTION 264MATTHEW, CHAP. XX. 261
we must not wait in idleness, saying, " If I am to be saved, I shall be saved." We must arise and go to the road where Jesus walks. Who can tell but He will soon pass by for the last time ? Let us sit daily by the way-side. For another thing, let us mark the value of pains and perseverance in seeking Christ. These bli…
300 wordsSECTION 265262 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
those who seek Him. " He stood still and called" the blind tnen. He kindly asked them what it was that they desired. He heard their petition, and did what they requested. He " had compassion on them, and touched their eyes — and immediately their eyes received sight." We see here an illustration of that old truth, whi…
217 wordsSECTION 266MATTHEW XXI. 1—11.
1 And when they dre-w nigh unto ( 4 All this was done, that :t might Jerusalem, and were come to Beth- i be fulfilled which was spoken by the phage, unto the mount of Olives, then I prophet, saying, sent Jesus two disciples, j 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, 2 Saying unto them. Go into the : Behold, thy king coraeth …
497 wordsSECTION 267264 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
be offered as a sacrifice on Calvary. Knowing all this, He no longer, as in time past, sought secrecy. Knowing all this. He thought it good to enter the place where He was to be delivered to death, with peculiar solemnity and publicity. It was not fitting that the Lamb of God should come to be slain on Calvary privatel…
622 wordsSECTION 268266 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
since the prediction was made, — and then, when the ap- pointed time arrived, the long-promised Messiah did literally ride into Zion on an ass. No doubt the vast majority of the inhabitants of Jerusalem saw nothing in the circumstance. The veil was upon their hearts. But we are not left in doubt as to the fulfilment of…
400 wordsSECTION 269MATTHEW XXI. 12—22.
12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that Bold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money- changers, and the seats of them that Bold doves. 13 And said unto them. It is writ- ten. My house shall be called the house of prayer ; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 An…
349 wordsSECTION 270268 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
The first event that demands our attention, is our Lord's visit to the temple. He found His Father's house in a state which too truly shadowed forth the general con- dition of the whole Jewish church — everything out of order^ and out of course. He found the courts of that holy building disgracefully profaned by worldl…
606 wordsSECTION 271270 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
real holiness^ no willingness to receive its Messiah. (John i. 11.) And hence, like the fig-tree, the Jewish church was soon to wither away. It was to he stripped of all its outward ornaments, and its memhers scattered over the face of the earth. Jerusalem was to he destroyed. The temple was to be burned. The daily sac…
401 wordsSECTION 272MATTHEW XXI. 23—32.
23 And wlien he was come into the temple, the Chief Priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? aud who gave thee this authority ^ 24 And Jesus answered and said uuto them, I also vnll ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in Hke wii-e…
330 wordsSECTION 273272 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
the sensation which the public entry into Jerusalem, and the cleansing of the temple, had produced. At once they came about our Lord like bees, and endeavored to find occasion for an accusation against Him. Let us observe, in the first place, how ready the enemies of truth are to question the authority of all who do m…
292 wordsSECTION 274MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI. 273
Christ Himself. " There is no new thing under the sun.^' (Eccles. i. 9.) Let us observe^ in the second place, the consummate ivisdom luith ivliich our Lord replied to the question put to Him. His enemies had asked Him for His authority for doing what He did. They doubtless intended to make His answer a handle for accu…
298 wordsSECTION 275274 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
injunction of St. Peter, " and be always ready to give a reason of the hope that is in us with meekness and with fear." (1 Peter iii. 15.) We ought to shrink from no inquiry into the j^rinciples of our holy religion, and to be ready at any time to defend and explain our practice. But for all this, we must never forget …
311 wordsSECTION 276MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI.
275 been great sinners hitherto. Only let us repent and believe in Christ, and there is hope. Let us encourage others to repent. Let us hold the door wide open to the very chief of sinners. Never will that word fail, ^'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to for- give us our sins, and to cleanse us from all…
69 wordsSECTION 277MATTHEW XXI. 33—46.
33 Hear another parable : There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country ; 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the liusbandmen, that they mi…
391 wordsSECTION 278276 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
tains nothing for the Gentiles. There are lessons laid down for us, as well as for the Jew. Let us see what they are. We see, in the first place, what distinguishing pri- vileges God is pleased to hestoio on some nations. He chose Israel to he a peculiar people to Himself. He separated them from the other nations of …
293 wordsSECTION 279MATTHEW, CHAP. XXI. 277
vineyard, lie has a right to expect fruit. But Israel rendered not a due return for all God's mercies. They mingled with the heathen, and learned their works. They hardened themselves in sin and unbelief. They turned aside after idols. They kept not God's ordinances. They despised God's temple. They refused to listen t…
295 wordsSECTION 280278 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
holy city, Jerusalem, was destroyed. Their temple was burned. They themselves were scattered over the face of the earth. ^' The kingdom of God w^as taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.'' And will the same thing ever happen to us ? Will the judgments of God ever come down on this na…
286 wordsSECTION 281MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII.
279 cross and follow Christ. Let us all beware of this awful state of mind. The last day will prove that there was more going on in the consciences of hearers than was at all known to preachers. Thousands and ten thousands will be found, like the chief priests, to have been convicted by their own conscience, and yet t…
63 wordsSECTION 282MATTHEW XXII. 1—14.
1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the weddiug ; and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other ser- vants, saying. Tell the…
375 wordsSECTION 283280 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
many-sided precious stones, cut so as to cast lustre in more than one direction/' Let us observe, in the first place, that tlie salvation of the Gospel is cotripared to a marriage feast. The Lord Jesus tells us that " a certain king made a marriage for his son." There is in the Gospel a complete provision for all the…
306 wordsSECTION 284MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII. 281
salvation of sinners' souls. No one will ever be able to say at last that it was GocVs fault, if he is not saved. The Father is ready to love and receive. The Son is ready to pardon and cleanse guilt away. The Spirit is ready to sanctify and renew. Angels are ready to rejoice over the returning sinner. Grace is ready t…
311 wordsSECTION 285282 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
or their pleasures, are all far more interesting subjects to them than their souls. — It is an awful state of mind to be in, but awfully common. Let us search our own hearts, and take heed that it is not our own. Open sin may kill its thousands ; but indifference and neglect of the Gospel kill their tens of thousands. …
302 wordsSECTION 286MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII. 283
abide the fire of His judgment. All spurious Christian- ity shall be weighed in the balance and found wanting. None but true believers shall sit down at the marriage supper of the Lamb. It shall avail the hypocrite nothing that he has been a loud talker about religion, and had the reputation of being an eminent Christi…
252 wordsSECTION 287MATTHEW XXII. 15—22.
15 Then -went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in Ms talk. 16 And they sent out unto him their disciples -with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou'^for any 284…
50 wordsSECTION 288EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
man : for tliou regardest not the per- son of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou ? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not ? 18 But Jesus perceived their wick- edness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites 3 19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto…
350 wordsSECTION 289MATTHEW, CHAP. XXII. 285
words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords." (Psalm Iv. 21.) It becomes all professing Christians to be much on their guard against flattery. We mistake greatly if we suppose that i^ersecution and hard usage are the only weapons in Satan's armory. That crafty foe has other engines for doing us mischief, wh…
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The second thing that demands our attention in these verses^ is the marvellous loisdom of the reply lohich our Lord made to His e^iemies. The Pharisees and Herodiana asked whether it was lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not. They doubtless thought, that they had put a ques- tion which our Lord could not answer witho…
608 wordsSECTION 291MATTHEW XXII. 23-
23 And tlie same day came to him the Saddueees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him, 24 Saying, Master, Moses said. If a man die, having no children, liis brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren : and the first, when he had maiTied …
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which God spake to Moses in the bush : ''I am the God of Abraham J and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." (Exod. iii. 6.) He adds the comment, ^' God is not the God of the dead , but of the living.'' At the time when Moses heard these words, Abraham, Isaac, and Ja- cob had been dead and buried many years. Two cen…
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occupation of angels one in which we should delight ? These are solemn questions. Our hearts must he heavenly on earth, while we live, if we hope to go to heaven when we rise again in another world. (Coloss, iii. 1 — 4.)…
41 wordsSECTION 294MATTHEW XXII. 34—46.
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered to- gether. 35 Then one of them, which was a Lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36 Master, which is the great com- mandment in the law ? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with …
636 wordsSECTION 295294 EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
others ? Let us teach them to love everybody as them- selves, and do to others as they would have others do to them. But how shall we obtain this love towards God ? It is no natural feeling. We are born in sin, and, as sinners, are afraid of God. How then can we love Him ? We can never really love Him till we are at p…
603 wordsSECTION 296EXPOSITORY THOUGHTS.
we laid hold on Him by faith ? Have we found by ex- perience that He is precious to our souls ? Can we truly say He is my Eedeemer, and my Saviour, my Shepherd, and my Friend ? These are serious inquiries. May we never rest till we can give a satisfactory answer to them. It will not profit us to read about Christ, if …
88 wordsSECTION 297MATTHEW XXIII. 1—12.
1 Then spake Jesus to the multi- tude, and to his disciples, 2 Saying, the Scribes and the Pha- risees sit in Moses' seat ; 3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, thai observe and do; but do not ye after their works : for they say, and do not. 4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay…
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office of the minister with idolatrous veneration, we are apt to treat it with indecent contempt. Against both these extremes we have need to be on our guard. How- ever much we may disapprove of a minister's practice, or dissent from his teaching, we must never forget to respect his office. — We must show that we can h…
300 wordsSECTION 299MATTHEW, CHAP. XXIII. 299
would have us watch and pray. They are soul-ruining sins. ^'Howcan ye believcwhich receive honor one of another." (John V. 44.) Happy would it have been for the Church of Christ, if this passage had been more deeply pon- dered, and the spirit of it more implicitly obeyed. The Pharisees are not the only people who have …
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set apart to a liigli and holy calling, but still after all only men. Let us never forget these things. Such cautions are alwaj^s useful. Human nature would always rather lean on a visible minister, than an invisible Christ. We see in the last place, that there is no grace tvhich should distinguish the Christian so mnc…
253 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1857). Text from OCR of an original Internet Archive scan; OCR may contain recognition errors.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.