The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 320

Vers. 13-20.-Two ways. The course of humanac.tion is in Scripture called a way. Of these there are two-the right and wrong, the good and the evil. There is no inter- mediate way. Here we have- I. THE WAY OF DEATH. 1. It is broad. (1) Tl1e "commandment" of God ie "exceeding broad." It extends t-0 all our works, wor(ls, and thoughts. No less broad is the way of transgression. _(2) It is even bro~er. There is but one way of keeping !he commandments. Th~ thing done must be right; so must be the manner of doing 1t; so also must be the circumstances. But there are many ways of breaking every commandment. (3) The way widens as men walk in it. Restraints upon natural appetite are thrown off. The appetite becomes insatiable. 2. Its gate is wide. (1) We need not seek it, for it is in our own minds. Self-indulgence opens it. (2) We enter it b)'. impenitence. Beware of the first temptation to sin, Let the young especially be cautioned. (3) Return from the gate, that you may never walk in the way of persistent sinfulness. 3. Its company is large. (1) The men of the world, who make no profes- sion of religion, are in it. The atheist, the non-theist, the infidel, and the unconcerned. (2) Nominal Christians are in it. Many who never enter a place of prayer. Many who enter to conform to custom. Men of pleasure. Men of " progress." (3) How many I Of every age, rank, profession, employment. They go in it because it is "broad" Because the other way is "narrow." (4) The good time is coming when the company will be great (see Ps. xxxvii. 9-11). Then will the words of the text be history. 4. Its end is destruction. (1) The end of sin is the destruction of character. Vice intoxicates. It wrecks. Character is life. (2) Sin is the gate of hell. Damna- tion is the closing of mercy's gate to the sinner (see Luke xiii. 22-28). , II. Tm: WAY OF LIFE. 1. It is strait. (1) It is straitened by the golden rule (cf. Prov. xiv. 12; Isa. xxxv. 8; Jer. vi. 16). (2) The way of holiness has its difficulties. Its restraints. Its sacrifices. It calls for circumspection and perseverance. (3) It is the way of poverty of spirit, meekness, holy mourning, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, mercifulness, purity of heart. 2. Its gate is narrow. '(1) Repentance cuts off every sin. (2) Faith cuts off all self-righteousness. (3) To some the gate is narrower than to others. "How hardly shall they that have riches enter I" How easy is the entrance to the child! The strength of our aversion to good makes the._ gate - narrow. (4) "Strive to enter in" (see Luke xiii. 24). Earnestness is required. a. The company is select. (1) "Few there be that find it." Majorities are not al ways right. (2) How few be those who find the way even of heathen honesty I (3) How few are free from unkindness! ( 4) How few have hearts clean in the sight of God! (5) How few have the cournge to be singular I But the way of holiness is singularity all over to e.n ungodly world. 4. It, end is life. (1) Existence is not life. (2) Salvation from sin and death. (3) Union with Christ. (4) Holine~s and heaven. IIL WmCHWAYWILLYOUTAKE? 1. You have the option. (1) Nonegothewrong way of necessity. God will be justified when he judges. (2) None go the right way by compulsion. (3) We are persuaded. Therefore the admonition : 2. Beware of false prophets. (1) Those who produce false commissions (Rev. ii. 2). Enthusiasts who pretend to revelations of which they give no proof. (2) '!'hose who preach a broad way to heaven. Who do not preach the narrow, strait, way. (3) We may be false teachers to ourselves. Listening to prejudice. Listening to inclination. (4) They are wolves in sheep's clothing. They come with professions of innocence, of usefulness, of love. The man of sin has horns like a lamb (cf. Isa. xxx. 10; Rom. xvi. 18; 2 Cor. xi. 13, 14; Rev. xiii. 11). 4. Test them by their fruits. (I) The fruits of their faith may be tested by appealing to the Law and to the testimony (cf. 1 Thess. v. 21; 1 John iv. 1). It is more important to test principles than persons. (2) The fruits of their doctrine may be tested in their lives. The works of a man are the tongue of his heart. He cannot be trusted to show the narrow way who is walking in the broad. (3) Plain perijons may judge a teacher by his fruit 9:s they j_udge a tree. _The ~rk and !eaves may deceive. We judge character, not by its occas1onal, but by its habitual fruit. 4. Be warned of their doom. (1) To be hewn down as useless. (2) 'l'o be burned (Dan. iv. 14; Ezek. x.ui. 12, 13; eh. iii. 10; John xv. 6).-J. A. M. on. vn.1-29.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BT. MATTHEW. 815