The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 394

of the scribes was that they did not apprehend the Divinity of Christ, His miracles, together with the prophecies conc.erning Messiah, should have convinced them of this, 2. He proved f.o them his Divinity. (1) By disco-vering their secret thoughts. In those :pa.ssages which challen&e to God alone the prerogative to forgive sins, the reason urged 1s that God alone can search the heart (2 Chron. vi. 30; see places referred to above). (2) This knowledge is a mark of Messiah (cf. John ii. 15; xvi. 19, 30; Rev. ii. 23). Therefore the rabbins by this test confuted the claims of Barchochebas. "Bar Cozeba," says the Talmud, "reigned two years and a half. He said to the raboine, • I am the Messiah.' They replied, 'It is written of Messiah that he is of quick understanding, and judges (Isa. xi. 3); let us see whether this man can tell whether one is wicked or not, without any external proof.' And when they saw that he could not judge in this manner, they ~lew him." (3) He proved his Divinity by reasoning upon his miracle-working. "For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven; or to say Arise?" If you concede the power of healing with a word, you must concede th~ Divinity of the Worker, and therefore should concede also that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins. (4) He confirmed his reasoning by miracle. "But that ye may know that the Son of man," etc. Here was a Divine work to confirm a Divine claim. An impostor might say, "Thy sins are forgiven," for the result is not so obvious; but were he to say, "A.rise I" he must have power, else he will be instantly rejected. ill. THE PRESENCE OF THE HEABT-SEABOHER IS FEAB·INSPIRING, 1. The fear oj theforgiven is reverential. (1) The sense of sins forgiven brings Christ very near. It brings him near in his Godhead. For who can read the heart but God (1 Cor. ii. 10, 11)? (2) It intensifies ~incerity. In the near presence of the essential truth there is every discouragement to falsehood. Divine good can only dwell in Divine truth. (3) Grati- tude is kindled in the presence of love. The forgiveness of sins does not consist in pronouncing them pardoned, but in removing the sinful inclination from the heart, and replacing it with the passion for goodness. As between sin and suffering there is an intimate connection, so is there an important relation between the pardon of sin and the healing of diseases ( cf. Ps. xii. 3, 4 ; ciiL 3; J er. :x:xxiii. 24 ; :x:x:x:viii. 17; eh. viiL 16, 17). 2. Thefemr of the sinner is auful. (1) The awe is salutary to the thoughtful. "When the multitudes saw it, they were afraid, and glorified God, which had given such power to men." "Power on earth to forgive sins," viz. " because he is the Son of man" (cf. John v. 22, 27). The union of the Divine and human in the Person of the Lcrd is tLe source of ms saving power. "Power on earth.'' Here sin is committed. Hera sin is forgiven. Christ, who has all power in heaven, has therefore all power also on earth. (2) To the gainsayer the awe is confounding. 'l'he scribes were silenced, The day of judgment in the presence of the Heart-searcher came into their very soul, How selli!eless is the sinner who thinks he sins securely when unseen by men 1-J. A. M. Vers. 9-13.-The sinner's Friend. In the paragraph preceding we have notable examples of the heart-searching powers of Jesus. These powers he manifested again, when, in going forth, he saw Matthew at the receipt of custom, and called him. The sequel proved the wisdom of his election. I. JESUS, m ms OONDUOT, SHOWED HillBELF THE BINNER's FRIEND. 1. He called a publican into his discipleship. (1) Publicans were hated by the Jews as representatives of Roman op1,ression. For they were public tax-gatherers, or rather farmers of the revenue. "'l'he publican's trade is dirty and sordic.l" (.A.rtemidorus). "Thero is no sinful calling but some have been saved out of it, and no lawful calling but some have been saved in it" (Henry). (2) They were hated because many of them were extor- tionate in their exactions. 8o common was this that it became a saying that "all publicans are thieves." None are too vile to be reclaimed by Christ. (3) Publicans were particularly obnoxious to the Pharisees because of their commerce with the Gen- tiles in the pursuit of t~eir calling: Hence "publica~ and sinners" are famil!arly e.ssociated (cf. eh. v. 46 with Luke v1. 32; see also eh. x1. 19). Hence also Phar1soes would he.ve no communion with publicans. It was a maxim with the orthodox, "Take not a wife from the family of a publican" (Theocritue). Yet from this despised and he.ted class J esue called Matthew to be one of his beloved and trusted disciples. 2. He au with pubUcam and •inner,. (1) Gentiles, who came not under obedience to on. IX. 1--38.] ·rHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 391