The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 416

'I'he 11uthor is speaking of the signs of the sion); ,lr ,.~,, 1,./pa.v. There are oooe.sions end of the world. It seems probable that when the duty is rather to spread the mes- he was acquainted with some form of the sage the.n to seal it with death or to have original disoourse of our Lord in Mark xiii. one's lips closed by imprisonment. But only 12, 13 (see ver. 17, note). (For other refer- " he that is spiritual " (1 Car. ii. 15) will be ences somewhat similar cf. Schiirer, II. ii. e.ble to understand which course of action the 155.) And (B.'). In contrast to the preceding special ciroumstances require. Our Lord's encouragement (Kiibel). The brother. The example (eh. xii. 15) we.s followed by Chris- omission of the article by the Revised Ver- tiane in the earliest (Acts viii. 1; ix. 25, 30; sion throughout tl,is verse is justified, not xiv. 6; xvii. 10, 14) 11,nd in later times (e.g. only by grammar, but also by the considera- Polycarp, A.D. 155; Dionysius of Alexe.ndrie., tion that it thus becomes less possible to A.D. 249-251; Cyprian, A.D. 250; Athe.ne.eius, interpret the phrase of a false "brother" in A.D. 340). Codex Bezm e.nd some Western the Church. And the father the ohild. authorities, includingTe.tian's •Diatess.,' e.dd, Philip II. of Spain is reported to h&ve said "And if out of this they persecute you, flee of the Protestants, " If it were my own son, into another; " but this is e. not unnatural I would bring the faggot." And the chil- gloss upon the true text. For verily I say dren shall rise up against their pe.rents. The unto yon, Ye she.11 not he.ve gone over; verb (i1ra.va.a--n{<Tov,.a.,) is perhaps a reminis- through (Revised Version) ; ob µ.¾ nJ..,'IT'T/,.. : cence of Miaa.h vii. 6, other words of which litere.lly, ha1Je completed, like th~ harvest are quoted below (ver. 35). The plural sug- (Ruth ii. 23). The oities of Israel ( cf. ver. gests the plnra.lity of cases. And canse them 6) till the Son of me.n (eh. viii. 20, note) 1;o be put to death ; put them UJ death (Re- be come. The mere fact the.t there was no vised Version margin); but perhaps through persecution of the kind just spoken of until the agency of others. Observe that more after our Lord's death in itself refutes the direct crnelty is predicated of the children opinion (found, perhaps, in Te.tie.n's 'Die.- than of the brothers and fathers. Past kind- tees.,' " Donec venero e.d voa; " vide Resch ness received will go for nothing. 'Agre.phe.,' p. 270) that these words refer ~ Ver. 22.-And ye shall be hated. For no hie rejoining his disciples on their mission little time ( l<TE<TB• µ,<To~µ.,vo,). " Suffering (eh. xi. 1; cf. Luke x. 1). They me.y, per- sometimes becomes as a reward for doing. haps, refer to his coming in the fe.11 of J ern- You read of the heifers which brought home salem, hut rather look forward to hie complete the e.rk out of the Philistines' country, that, return in his second ad vent, e.e apparently when they brought the ark home, the Israel- Age.tha.ngelus, in Resch, Zoe. cit. (cf. e.lso p. ites took the heifers and offered them up to 404), understands them. The eitiesof Israel God, as a sacrifice (1 Sam. vi. 14). 'Why e.re named because work among the Jews so?' saith one. • It is e.n ill requital to the le.y at the basis of the commission. If e.n heifers.' No; tLe heifers could not have so exact fulfilment of the words is demanded, it high e.n honour put upon them (Phil. i. 29; is perhaps to be seen in the fact the.t there Acts iL 16; xxi. 13)" (Wm. Bridge, in will be some Jews unconverted until the Ford). Of e.11 men (ver. 17, note). As with Lord's retnrn. the old Israel, so e.lso with the new ( cf. Vera. 24-33.-Fellowship with me in suj- Kiibel). For my name'BSe.ke (eh. vi. 9, note). Jlut he that endureth to the end (Revised fering is euential to fell<Y1.1Jship with me in Version e.dde, the same) shall be saved (so glory. (1) Fellowship in suffering (vere. eh. xxiv. 13). The emphatic insertion of 24-31). (2) The result of oonfessing or a1i-ros points out both the absolute necessity of denying Christ (vers. 32, 33). of endnra.nce e.nd the certainty of blessing to (1) Fellowship in suffering (vers. H--31). him who shows it (cf. 2 Tim. ii. 11). To the end ( ,lr .,.,71.os) ; i. e. not to the end of the (a) You must not expect better tree.tn,ent time during which persecution she.11 last than your Master (vere. 24, 25). (b) But ( ,is ,.1, TEll.os), but to completeness in the opponents e.re not to be fee.red (vers. 26-28), endurance required (cf. Johnxiii. l [Bii,hop because (a) they e.re powerless to really Westcott's noteJ; 1 These. ii. 16). Shall be injure (vere. 26-28a); (fJ) there is a greater sa1Jed. In the fullest sense ( cf. the pare.He! passage, Luke xxi. 19). Object of fee.r (vcr. 28b). (c) Who cares Ver. 23.-Matthew only; but even this minutely for e.ll his creatures, and much verse is not free from whe.t e.ppee.r to be re· more for you (vers. 29--31). mini.scences of the worde recorded in eh. Vera. 24, 25.-Me.tthew only; but comp. xxiv. 14, 16). But when they perseoute you John xiii. 16 e.nd xv. 18-21; the latter in this city. Act wisely (ver. 16); flee to passage is a commentary. In Luke vi. 40 another city ; you will find work there. J!'lee 7e (cf.ch.xxiii. 34, and supra, ver. 17,note) there is close verbal similarity, but the iilto e.uother ; into the 11ezt (Revised Ver- thought is completely different. For there 1m. x.1-42.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 413