The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 72

without o.ny provocation on their part given. God never ordained or commanded that they should thus suffer. But he permitted it; for he could have hindered it. Ho the.t interposed to save Christ might e.lso have saved the lives of the infants that perished for hie sake. He might have cut short Herod's life by two years, for be died within two years of this massacre. God is not wanting in resources. (2) "Then was fulfilled." '!'his is the note of permission. In cases where God actively interfered, or gave effect to an ordination, the phrase is, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord," etc. (eh. i. 22; ii. 23). 2. It is ordained for the punishment OJ sin. (1) God has constituted the physical and moral in the universe to act and react each on the other. Thus the body e.nd soul stand mutually related for action and reaction. And through the body the soul acts upon the outer world and suffers its reactions. (2) The reactions of moral goodness are physically beneficial, while those of moral evil are correspondingly injurious. So by natural sequence sin is physically punished. 3. It is ordained as a warning against sin. To this end physical evil is made emblematical of the moral. (1) Injuries and privations of the body represent corresponding injuries and privations of the soul-mutilations, lamenes3, blindness, deafness, etc. (2) Diseases of the body represent corresponding diseases of the soul- leprosy, palsy, fever, etc. (3) Diseases of the mind represent maladies of the heart.- demoniacal possession, insanity, idiocy. III. THAT GOOD 1B ORDAINED AND EVIL MADE SUllSERVlENT TO IT. 1. Good was ordained in the creation of moral beings. (1) Angels had a" first estate,'' which was good; for it is contrasted with the evil estate into which some of them fell. (2) So man was made "upright." God himself pronounced this work of his creation "very good." (3) These as more.I beings had freedom. This also was good. For without this moral freedom what would they have been? Machines, vegetables, animals, imbe- ciles. (4) This freedom did not necessitate the moral evil which it rendered possible. Angels might all have kept their first estate, as some did. Our first parents might be.ve resisted their tempter. (5) The sinner, therefore, is responsible for his sin. 2. Good was ordained in the redemption of sinners. • (1) To this good end Jesus wae born, was preserved from the fury of Herod, offered himself as a sin Sacrifice. Sinners are justified through faith in his blood. So evil is made subservient to good. (2) To this end the Holy Spirit is given, by whose gre.ciou& working believers are sealed and sanctified. So further good comes out of evil. (3) To this end also Jesus is enthroned in heaven, Having triumphed over all forces of evil, powers of darkness, in his cross, and over death in his grave, he is able to destroy Sate.n in us and deliver ns from the last enemy, the.t we may rise and reign with him in glory. 3. Ths rubseruiency of evil to good will appear in the issues of the judgment. (1) Innocent sufferers will then be compensated. We have heard the wailing of Rachel; let us now listen to the words of her consolation: "'l'hus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine ·eyes from tears: for thy work she.11 be -rewarded, saith the Lord; e.nd they shall come again from the land of the enemy [the land of death]. And there is hope in thine end [the .Ahareth, or last period of the nation], that thy children shall come ago.in to their own border" (Jer. xxxi. 16, 17). In the resurrection they shall receive tlrn martyr's compensation, the inheritance e.nd the crown. (2} Incorrigible sinners will come forth to their doom. Herod and his myrmidons will be confronted by the innocents. In their punishment God will vindicate his justice, and it will be a moral to the universe, Note: There is no hope for the sinner out of Christ.-J. A. M. Vers. 19-23.-Providence in prophecy and history. Matthew, perhaps more con- , stantly than any other New 'l'estament writer, notes fulfilment of prophecy in events of history. His Gospel, which was the first W1-itten, was primarily intended for the Jews, who were fe.milie.r with this cle.ss of evidence, end would naturally look for it. The evidence is intrinsice.lly very im:i)orte.nt, amongst other things evincing a Provi- dence all-wise and all-powerful. I. THAT 0ANNOT DE A CHANCE WHICH IB CIRCUMSTANTIALLY ACCURATELY FORE- TOLD. 1. Vague utterances are outside this argument. Such a.re those which may be interpreted either way. Such were those of the heathen oracles. Such are not those of Scripture prophecy. 2, Guesses also are out of the question. (1) These may occa- sionally come true, viz. when they concern things of usual occurrence. (2) Th~t they -{)0 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [ou. n.1-23.