15. — [Blessed is he that shall eat bread, Se.] The motive of this vemark, and the real character of him who made it, we are left to conjecture.
Gill thinks it likely that the man was a Jew, who was imhued
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with the gross notions which were commonly held about feasting and banquetiog in the kingdom of Messiah. He shows, irom Rabbinical writers, that *' the Jews suppose, that God will then make a splendid feast, in which, beside bread, which they call the bread of the kingdom, there will be great variety of flesh, fish, and fowl, plenty of generous wine, and all sorts of delicious fruit. Particularly they speak of a great ox, which they suppose to be the Behemoth in Job, which will then be prepared ; — and of Leviathan, and his mate, which will there be dressed ; — and of a large fowl, called Ziz, of mountain bignefes ; — and of old wine, kept from the creation pf the world ; — and fruits of the garden of Eden, which will then be served up." I have given this quotation at length, as an instructive instance of the rub- bish contained in Eabbinical writers.
I am myself unable to see, what some think, that this man was a believer, or even a pious-minded person. To me his re- maj-k appears nothing better than the indolent, vague wish of a man who thinks it proper to say something religious, when re- ligion is spoken of in his company. This is well worked out by Stier. The whole tone of the parable which the remark called forth, appears to me irreconcileable with the idea that the remark was to be praised.
1 6. — [A certain man made a great mpper.] There is a great simi- larity between this parable and the one reported by St. Matthew. (Matt. xxii. 2.) Yet it is clear that the two parables are distinct, and were spoken on different occasions.
The primary object of the parable, no doubt, is to show the wickedness and unbelief of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles in their stead. The Jews had the first offer of Christ. When they rejected it, they were cut off, and the offer was made to the Gentiles Yet the parable is evidently meant to apply to the history of the Gospel offer, and the reception it meets with, in every age of the Church.
17. — [All things are now ready., » Supper time."] These expressions denote the completion of the whole work of redemption, which was announced to the Jews and Gentiles, after Christ rose again. Then and not till then, could it be said literally " all things are ready."
18. — [Began to make excuse, dc] The various excuses which those who were invited made, are types of the various worldly reasons with which men excuse themselves from closing with the offer of Christ's Gospel. Let it be noted, that all the things mentioned were in themselves innocent and lawful.
[Bought.., and I must needs go and see.] Stella sees in this expression an intentional illustration of the folly of worldly men. They are spending their time, and thoughts, and strength.
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on things of which they do not know the real worth. If the man had heen wise, he says, " he would first have seen the land, and afterwards hough t it."
20. — [/ have married a wife, dc] The Roman Catholic writers do not fail to draw from this expression arguments in favour of the iinmarried estate. Yet they can make nothing of it. By parity of reasoning, we might prove that buying oxen, or land, is more sinful than hoarding up money and not spending it. They over- look the beautiful point of this part of the parable, which is this. It is not so much the open breach of God's law, as an excessive attention to lawful and innocent things which ruins many men's souls. Few truths are so completely overlooked.
21. — [Shewed his lord.] This seems to teach the'duty of a minister. He must report to his Master in heaven, what success he meets with.
[Being angry.] It is evident that this expression must not be strained into a proof that God is liable to the passion of anger, as the giver of a feast, whose feast is despised. Yet the words are meant to teach us that unbelief and rejection of the Gospel are very provoking to God. And there is a sense, we must never forget, in which " God is angry with the wicked every day."
[The poor.,, maimed.,. halt. ..blind.] These words describe
Srimarily the Gentiles, who were just in this miserable con- ition as compared to the Jews. Secondly, they describe all sinners to whom the Gospel is offered, who feel their sins, and acknowledge their own spiritual need and poverty.
22. — [Yet there is room.] This expression seems to show that there is more willingness on God's part to save sinners, than there is on the part of sinners to be saved, and more grace to be given, than there are hearts willing to receive it.
Bengel remarks, " neither nature nor grace can endure a va- cuum, or empty space."
23. — [Compel them to come in.] This expression must be careiully interpreted. It does not sanction any literal compulsion, or force, in pressing the Gospel on men's acceptance. Least of all does it sanction the least approach to intolerance or persecution of men because of their religious opinions.
Bishop Pearce says, "Compel them by arguments, not by force. The nature of the parable shows this plainly. It was a feast to which they were invited."
The word translated " compel," is only used nine times in the New Testament. In four of the places it is rendered " con- strain." Matt. xiv. 22; Mark vi. 45 ; Acts xxviii. 19 ; Gal. vi. 12. It is evident irom these passages, that the word does not oecessarily imply any employment of force and violence.
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