The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 430

Ill. CHRIST SEEKS THE RECOVERY OF THOSE WRO HAVE FALLEN AWAY FROM EARLY PIETY. They are lost sheep to whom the apostles are sent. The most degraded Israelites are to be the chief objects of the mission. In the past God showed wonderful patience with Israel; even now at the eleventh hour he yearns over the nation, hungering for its salvation. They who have once known God are never for- gotten by him. Fallen Ch1istians are not cast off by their Master. Though they have wandered far from him, he has gone out into the wild to seek them. None are so wretched as lost sheep; no~e so ~ilty as those who have known the privileges of the fold and yet have forsake~ it. Still, even to such the gospel is preached; nay, to them 1t comes first of all. Chnst most earnestly longs for the recovery of fallen Christians. IV. CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY WORK SHOULD BEGIN AT HOME. Jesus, a Jew, first sought the blessing of Jews. He wept over Jerusalem, and longed to save the great city of his people (Luke xix. 41). London is our Jerusalem, England is our holy land. Our first duty is to raise the fallen in our II\i.dst. We cannot forget "Darkest Eng- land" while we rightly send missionaries to "Darkest Africa." No claims on the Church are so imperative as those of her own home missions. It is a shame and a scandal that any such missions should be needed in the Christendom of these late ages; but while the heathen swarm around our very doors, living ever within the sound of church bells, our first duty is to these unhappy people, our near brothers and sisters. The recovery of lost sheep at home will not hinder missionary work; it will check that paralysis at the heart which is the most deadly foe of foreign missions.-W. F. A. Ver. 16.-Serpents and doves. No two creatures are more opposite to one another in nature. The serpent eyes the dove with greedy desire; the dove looks at the serpent with the fascination of horror. The serpent is the symbol of the evil spirit; -the dove is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, each has exemplary lessons to teach, and the most dove-like soul will be imperfect if something of the serpent is lacking. I. ALL THE WORLD IS FULL OF EXAMPLES FOB CHRISTIAN CONDUCT, we must be struck with our Lord's freedom in the use of materials for illustrating his teaching. Seeing truth clearly, and living in a spiritual atmosphere of purity, he was in IJ.!> danger of being misled by the errors and evils around him; he was able to find the good in everything-even to suck honey, so to speak, from the deadly nightshade. The truer and loftier our soul is, the wider will be the range from which we can derive a wholesome diet. It is only the sick man who must be shut up in a hospital, and it is only the sick soul that craves conventual seclusion for the preservation of its purity, Jesus could even go beyoud the darker side of nature and find emblems in evil men. He compared himself to a thief (eh. xxiv. 43, 44). He bade his disciples imitate an unjust steward (Luke xvi. 2, etc.). But we want the Christ-spirit to see " good in everything," and to extract the soul of goodness from things evil without r.arrying away some of the evil. A degraded nature sees evil everywhere--cqntrives to obta.i1,1 the poison of the asp even from the innocent dove, finds Delilah in a Madonna. Il. 'l'HE SERVA.NT OF CHRIST NEEDS VARIED GRACES, 1. The wisdom of serpents. In Egypiian symbolism, which gives us serpents coiled about the throne of a sove- reign, and, indeed, in the practices of nations in all quarters of the globe, we see the repulsive reptile regarded as of threefold significance-as the emblem of eternity, as the representative of guile, and as the incarnation of evil. It is the second of these -characteristics that our Lord here selects, We know that he never encourages deceit. But mental alertness, keenness of observation, and nimbleness of thought are invalu- able gifts even for Christian work. We should consecrate intelligence in the service of Christ. There is no virtue in dulness. Stupidity is not sanctity. 2. Tlie harm- 1..essness of doves. This is a negative quality. But it is not less important than the positive intelligence. The shaft of wit may wound where no unkindness is intended. A serpent-like subtlety of mind is a most dangerous faculty. It is valuable; bnt it is only safe when it is balanced by a dove-like gentleness of disposition. 3. The com- bination of 'IXJIT'Ud graces. The point of our Lord's recommendation is in the union of two very different characteristics. 'l'he common danger is that we should select one to the neglect of the other. 'l'here are men of mind who lack heart, and there are affectionate creatures who weary us with their senseless ineptitude. The serpent orr. x.1--42,] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 427