1. How unsuitable to their talents!
[What qualifications had they for such an office as that which they solicited? They might be experienced enough as fishermen; but what preparation of mind had they for states- men, and for the government of an extensive empire? Foolish
b Matt. xix. 28.
and vain men ! Well did our Saviour say to them, " Ye know not what ye ask."]
2. How repugnant to their best interests !
[They had been called from their wonted employment, in order that they might be at leisure to acquire spiritual know- ledge; and would they go and undertake an employment that would fill them with ten thousand times greater cares, even if they were qualified to engage in it ? Will a man about to run a race, " load his feet with thick clay ?" Yet, notwithstanding their Lord had very recently told them, that it was " easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven c," they sought after wealth and honour as the summit of their felicity. Alas! how awfully had Satan blinded their eyes, and deluded their hearts !]
3. How illustrative of the carnality of the human heart !
[Though only two of the Disciples offered this request, all the others shewed by their indignation that they were under the influence of the same ambition. And indeed what they expressed in words, is more or less the language of all our hearts. We would not perhaps utter the sentiment so plainly as they did ; but we will indulge it. We long for some further advancement in life; somewhat more of honour, or power, or wealth. We do not indeed wish to govern king- doms ; because of that we have no prospect : but as soon as any elevation in the world appears to be within our reach, we instantly find a drawing of heart towards it: all, from the prince to the beggar, are thus affected : and even those, who profess themselves to be disciples of Christ, are still infected with this fatal malady, the love of this world : yes, if the desire of our hearts were as plainly expressed as theirs was, we should be found, with very few exceptions, to resemble those infatuated and misguided men.]
Let us now proceed to notice their request, II. As it was interpreted by our Lord —
He graciously overlooked the true construction of their words, and affixed a sense to them which they were capable of bearing, and which divested them of a great portion of the evil which they contained : and then he formed his answer, as suited to his own construction of them. He supposed the words to
c Matt. xix. 25, 26.