The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 292

apparent anomalies in the world of spirit uof family relationship to Christ (eh. xii. 50). nature. Bring forth . .. bring/<l'l'th; iv,-y,uiv Whioh ia in heaven. Since you desire to (Westcott e.nd Hort) . . . """'"· A good enter the kingdom of heaven, be now obeying tree oannot he.ve be.d fruit banging on it; 11, the will of him who dwells in heaven. (For rotten or worthlees tree cannot, with all its the thought of the verse, cf. 1 John ii. 4.) efforts, produce good fruit. Ver. 22.-Matthew only; but cf. Luke Ver. 19.-Matthew only (of. oh. iii. 10, xiii. 26, from which the" Western" addition mde infra). Every tree that bringeth not of eating and drinking is probably derived. forth good fruit ia hewn down, and oast into Many will BBY to me in that day. The great the fire. A parenthesis expressing the day. Notice Christ's claim, so early M this, terrible fe.te of those the general product to be the future Judge of the world. Lord, (ver. IG, note) of whose life is not good. Lord (cf. Hos. viiL 2). In ver. 21 a profes- Obrist will warn hie followers plainly against sion of service, i.e. as regards work; here, as listening to them. Observe that the form regards wages. Have we not prophesied. of the sentence (,,a., 6lv6pov µ¾ ,ro,ovv ,cap,rov, Revised Version, did, etc.? The thought is ,c.r.'-.) implies that all trees will be cut not of abiding effect, but merely of historioal down unless there is 11, reason for the con- facts (ob T<p <r<p ov&µ.ar, i1rp•</>~.,.,6tr<>µ.ev). tra,ry; that the normal event (the natural In thy name l a.nd in thy name have caat result of universal sin, apart, of course, from out devils 1 a.nd in thy name done many Christ's atonement) is that men are con- wonderfgl works 1 Revised Version, by thy demned and perish. In eh. iii. 10 this name. An important difference, for "in" general statement is applied (o3v) to a implies some vital connexion. But in this definite time of impending judgment. case the revelation (eh. vi. 9, note) of Christ Ver. 20.-(Ver. 16, note.) Wherefore by was merely the instrument by which these their fl:u.its ye shall know them. Wherefore men proalaimed Divine truths, cast ont (ltpa.-y,). Ver. 16a is restated, but now in demons, and wrought miracles. With him, "rigorous logical inference" (Winer, § liii. or even with it, they had no real union. 8. a) from vers. 16b-18. Since it is 11, cer- The connexion of "prophesied" with the tainty that fruit is the result of inner nature, two other words seems to forbid this being you shall from these men's fruits fully lee.rn only faloe propheeying(ver.15; of. especially their true cbllJ'acter. Jer. u:vii 15 [miv. 12, LXX.]; xiv. 14). Rather does the verse tee.eh that spiritne.l Vere. 21-23.-Theee verses stand in close results aan be eft'eated by unspiritual men. connexion with vere. 15-20. Seeing that "Suggested by this and like passages, external actions are the result of internal Augustine has many instruative words and life, it is they, not worda nor even miracles warnings on the nothingness of all gifts, (since these may in themselves not be de- even up to the greatest gift of working all mir11cles, if charity be wanting" (Trench, pendent oi:i. the inner life, though permitted 'Sermon on the Mount'). by the Divine power), by whloh the true Ver. 23.-(Cf. Luke iili. 27.) And then followers of Christ will be finBlly dis- will I profess unto tham. Openly in the tinguished from othcrs, and whlch therefore face of all men ( cf. eh. x. 32). I never knew will alone secure admission to Bbidiog with you. Even when you did a.11 these m1mcles, Christ in the kingdom of heaven. To these etc., I had not that persona.I knowledge of you which is only the result of heart-sym- verses Luke xiii. 23-28 have many re- pathy. There was never anything in com- semble.noes ( cf. also vers. 13, 14, supra). mon between you und me. Although this St. Luke thus omits the warning age.inst is, perhaps, the only example of this sense of false teachers. (For ver. 21, cf. a.lea Luke ¥-yv<»v in the synoptic Gospels, it is common in John. Depa.rt from me. The absence of re- vi. 46.) cognition by Christ, though not reprtlsented Ver. 21.-Not every one the.t saith unto as the cause, yet will involve departure from me, L~rd, Lord. Professing obedience (eh. his presence (cf. 2 These, i. 9). This cl11use vi. 2!). Observe the indirect claim to this reproduces verbally the LXX. of Ps. vi. 8, title of reverential submission and the im- except in St. Matthew'e word used for plied expect11tion that it will be given him "depart" (a1rox<»p<ir<), which gives more by many. Shall enter into the kingdom of idea of distance in the removal than the word heaven. The final goBI of oar hopes. But nsi~d in the psalm and in Luke (ii,r&<l'TTIT<). he that doeth the will of my Father. Not Ye that work. In full purpose and energy "of me," but of him whom I ropreseut, and (ol ip-ya(&µ,.o,, cf. Col. iii. 23), and tht.Lt to whom I stand in a unique relation till this very moment. Iniquity. The as- (observe the claim). Thie man also sBye, sure.nee of the psalmist becomes the verdict "Lord, Lord" (Winer, § nvi. 1), but not of the Judge. Observe that e.t this, the end ~erely s"ys i~ Sych a ~11n enters into of liis discourse, our Lord speaks not of 286 THE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [oll, ffl.1-29,