The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 245

rniiy, after all, have recorded them in their authorities, it is probably genuine, especially origino.l plo.ce. as there is no trace of it in Luke (but cf. Our Lord so.ye in these verses, "Dare to W eetcottaud Hort, 'Introd.,' p. 176). Is not the life more than meat 1 i.e. you possess follow out this warning that I he.ve given the greater, shall there not be given to you you ahout double service inl;o your daily the Iese? Humphry compares eh. xxiii. life. Do not give way to anxiety about the 17. Meat; Revised Version, the food (T,js things of life, but look up to God in etee.dy .-po</)ijs); i.e. the Revised Version (l) gaze of faith; he will provide." Or, more cho.ngee "meat" to its modem equivalent, (2) defines with the Greek the food as that in detail-If God hos given you life, shall which is necessary for the body. Similarly he not u.dd the food and the clothing (ver. before "raiment." 25)? Anlliety about the support of your Ver. 26.-Parallel pBSBage: Lnke xii. 24. life is needless (witness the birds, var. 26) The less general term, "ravens'' ( even and powerless (witness the limit of a me.n's though these a.re " of all th~ birds of J eru- salem decidedly the most characteristic and life, var. 27); while BS for clothing, it is conspicuous,'' 'l'ristram, • Land of Israel,' equally needless (witness the flowers, var. p. 187), and the change of construction 28) and comparatively powerless (witness apparent in "which have no store-chamber- Solomon's own case, ver. 29). Remember nor barn,'' point to St. Luke having pre- your relation to God (ver. 30). Therefore served the more original form of the saying. So also does the presence in Matthew of do not give we.y to the least anxiety e.bont the Mo.tthee.n phrase "heavenly." On the these things (ver. 31), because this is to fall other hund, Matthew's "oonsider" (ver. 28, to the level of the Gentiles, and also beoause vide next note) is perhaps more originaL God, whose children you are, knows your Behold Uµ./3>..#au). Look on, use your needs (ver. 32). But make his cause, with- natural eyes. In ver. 28 "coneider" (1CaTa- out and within, your great object, and all µ.cl.0e.-.), learn thoroughly. Our Lord, in the present verse, bids us use the powers we your needs shall be supplied (ver. 33). possess; in ver. 28 he bids ua learn the lessons Therefore be not at ell anxious, bear the that we oan find round us. Luke has in burden of each day only as each day comes both places the vaguer term t<aTavo~a-ar,, round (ver. 34). " fix your mind on." The fowls of the air; Revised Version, the birda of the heaven (so Ver. 25.-Therefore (llui .-oii-ro). Because eh. viii 20; xiii. 32); a Hebraism. For of this fact l11St mentioned, the impossibility the thought, of. Job xxxviii. 41; Ps. cxlvii. of dividing your service. Cee.se to ho 9; cf. also Mishno., •Kidd.,' iv. 14, "R,1bbi anxious about things of this life, for anxiety Simeon hen Eliezer used to say, Hast thou about these is a me.rk of your attempting ever seen beust or bird tho.t had a trade? this impossibility. I say unto yon. Though Yet are they fed without anxiety." For; the absence of the personal pronoun (unlike that (Revised Version); what you will see ob. v. 22, eto.) shows that he is not here if you will look. They sow not, etc. 'l'hey contra.sting himself with them or 'l'lith others, carry out as regards theil' food none of those yet he still emphe.sizee hie authority. Take operutione whioh imply forethought in the no thought ; Revieed Version, be not anzioua past or for the future. Yet; and (Revised (µ.¾, µep,µva..-.). The translation of the Version). Also whut you will see. Your Authorized Version, which was quite correct heavenly Father (oh. v. 16, note). Are ye in its de.y (cf. also 1 Sam. ix. 5), is now not much better than they 1 of much more 11rchuic, uud therefore often misunderstood. value (Revi&ed Vorsion). The thought is For the popular derivation of µ.ep,µvd.o, of value iu God's eyes (of. eh. x. 31; xii. 12), (" division," "distraction"), cf. 1 Cor. vii. o.s men and BS his children, not of any 33, " But he that is married is anxious for superiority in morol attainment. (µ.ep,µ.v~) the things of the world, how he Ver. 27.-Luke xii. 25 almost verbally. me.y please his wife, and is divided (µ.,µ.lp,- While ver. 26 insisted on the needlessness .,...a,)." Observe that forethought in earthly of anxiety, sinoe, though birds show it not, matters wue praotised by our Lord himself they are provided for, vcr. 27 iusists on its (John xii. 6). ll'or your life ( -ryi' ,i,vxp ~µ.iiw ). uselessness, since after all it can efl'eot so In the Gospels "1vx11 is the immaterial part little. You wish to lengthen your life by it of mo.n, his personality o.s we shouhl BILY, if only to a trilling extent; but you cannot which survives death (eh. x. 28), aud is the do so. Whioh of yon by taking thought chief object of u man's oare (eh. x. 39, where ( ver. 25, noto) oan add one oubit 1 " Hie see note). What ye shall eat, or what ye videtur similitudo putita ease a stadio, quod shall drink. Although tho second clause is erat treceul;orum ouhil;orum : ;,>..11<(a est omitted by t( and a few chiefly "Weatem" oursus vital" (Wetstein). 'Uuto his stature .. '238 TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [cH, vr. 1-84.