The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 367

Luke, "And Levi me.de him a gTee.t feast in ■a.id unto them, They that be whole. o/ his house.'' Whether or not this wwi the lrrxvov.-.s (so also Mark) may inolude an same u the .-,>-,Iw,ov, we have no meaus of arriere-pensee of moral self-assertion whioh knowing, but presumnbly it we.snot. Behold, St. Luke entirely lose, by his alteration to many publicans ( eh. v. 46, note) aud sinners. oi o-y,a.lvovns: of. l Cor. iv. 10. Need not; The second term seems to include all who hafJe no need of (Revised Version). These openly impugned or neglected the Law. are the emphatic words in the sentenoe. It is, therefore, sometimes used with special Christ takes the Pharisees at their own nferenoo to Gentiles (eh. xxvi. 45; cf. Gal. estimate of themselves, nnd, without enter- ii. 15). Came aud sat down with him (Re- ing into the question of whether this we.e vised Version, Jesus, emphatic) and hi.JI right or wrong, shows them that on their iisoiples. own showing he would be useless to them. Ver. 11.-And when the Pharisees. Men- A physioie.n, but they that e.re Bick, " Bed tioned thna fa.r only in eh. iii. 7 and v. 20. ubi dolores sunt, e.it, illio festinat medicos," This is, therefore, the first time that Matthew Ephr. Syr., iu his exposition of Tatum's speaks of them as coming int.o direct con- 'Die.tess.' (Rllsch, • Agrapha,' p. 448). tact with Jesus. Although Mark (cf. Ver. 13.-The first half of the verse comes Luke) says that the objection was raised by in Matthew only. But go ye e.nd lee.m. those among the Pha.risees who were also A common rabbinic phrase based on the 11Cribes (oi -,pa.µ.1,a:riis .,.;;,,, 4>apura.lc.w), yet fact that the disputants would not always the difference of expression from that in have the cumbrous rolls of Scripture ver. 3 must not be overlooked. There the actually with them. These Pharisees pro- fact that they were scribes, accostomed to fessed to be students of Soripture, bnt had weigh the statements of the Law about not yet learned the pl'inciple taught in this blasphemy, eto., was prominent in the mind passage. What that meaneth, I will have of the narrator; here it is rather the fact (1 desire, Revised Version) mercy, and not that they were Pharisees, men who by their saorifice. Mercy (f>.•os). In the original con- very name professed to hold aloof from those nexion of this q notation (Hos. vi. 6) the words· who neglected the Law. Saw it, They are without doubt (but cf. Dr. Taylor's 'Goe- could freely come into the court of the pel in the Law,' p. l0)an expression of God'■ hoose, and when there could both see and desire that his people should ehow mercy hear what was passing in the rooms that rather than only perform external sacrifices, opened in to it. They said; lA.-,ov: dicebant and this meaning is probably intended by (Vnlgate); "were saying." Their eager our Lord here also. The connexion will then talk is brought Tividly before '118. Unto hi.JI be either (1) "I wish you to show mercy disciples. Probably these were nearer to rather than perform external actions, for the Pharisees than J esns himself was, or only thns will yon resemble me in my perhaps the Pharisees thought it easier to coming to call sinners ; " or (2) " I wish you attack Jesus through them. On the natnral.- to show this mercy, e.nd therefore I practise ness of this remark in the mouth of Pha- it myself." The former seems the more risees, mde Schiirer, II. ii p. 25. Why natural. It is, however, possible that our eateth your Kaster (lito<fcrKa.>.os); Teacher Lord diaregards the original context of the (Revised Version margin) is preferable, for words, e.nd uses them only e.s e. summary of both Pharisees e.nd disciples realized that an important truth, that God prefers to shqw even J esua' actions were intended to inatrnct mercy rather than to insist on se.crifide. his followers. Bnt the reason for this action This would make excellent sense here, viz. (why, cf. e.leo ver. U) thlly did not nnder- " Lee.m the true principle by which God acts, ste.nd. It is pOBsible that the order of free grace, for it is on this tho.t I have acted the Greek points to irony on the part of the in coming t.o call sinners." (So nearly Dr. Pharisees. The man who presumes to be Taylor, op. cit., p. 3.) The sentence is quoted called Teacher, and whom the disciples again in eh. xii. 7, where the original accept e.e such, sets e.t defiance the primary thought of the words seems more certainly rnles of right and wrong. Professor Mar- applicable. For I am not oome; for I came shall (&positor, IV. iv. p. 222) explains riot (Revised Version). Ohriat refers to his the variants" tee.cher" (here) and "drink" historic coming in the Incarnation rather (parallel passages) by the original Aramaic than to hie abiding presence ( cf. e.lso eh. v.17). word for "drink'' (lt"li) having been written To oe.11 the righteo1111, but sinners (,c11>-lrr111 here with the peculiar spelling of the Se.me.- 5,Ka.lous d.M' &µ.a.p'Tlll1',.ous). The English ritan Targn.m (N:ii). With (the, Revised generic article in the first term spoils the Version) publioe.ns and Binner■ 1 Who form e.narthrous expression of the Greek by bnt one class (.,.;;,,, .,,.,_,.,,,.,., Ka.l &µ.a.P""'"-iiw). lessening the contrast between the two (For the thought, cf. eh. xi. 19; Luke xv. classes. Dr. Taylor suggests the rendering, 2; e.lac Ps. ci. 5 [LXX.J.) "not ,aint,, but ,inner," (op. ait., p. 4). Ver. 12.- But when lesua heard that, he To repentanoe. Omitted by the Revised on. 1x. 1-38.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 3M