The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 442

III. THE BORN WORKERS. James, Thaddams, Simon the Canaanite, Judas Iscariot. These were good "seconds;" men who could carry out, in all practical detail, what was arranged by the leaders. Not thinkers, and so not doubters; men who wanted BOmething to do, and found themselves satisfied with the doing. Suoh men are still among us.-R. T. Ver. 5.-Limited commt'-ssions. "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not." We may find reason for this limitation of .the sphere of the apostles in the fact that this was strictly a trial-mission, in which they were to learn how to fulfil the larger mission which would be entrusted to them by-and- by. When the war-ship is nearly ready for sea, it is required to make a trial-trip• but then its course ie strictly defined and limited. But there is something more than' this suggested. Our Lord really taught, by these limitations, that every man's work is strictly defined. He should spend his strength on work within bis bounds; and neither worry himself, nor let any one else worry him, by pressing claims outside his bounds. One of the great sources of Christian fretfulness is the pressure of claims on men beyond their proper spheres. The man who is only a popular preacher is worried by people because he does not teach. The man whose gift is teaohing is worried because he does not preach the gospel, and save souls. The truth is that every man has his limited commission. Each one has no business with Gentiles or Samaritans. Each one has his proper sphere with his Israel, and he is wise if he keeps to it. L CHRISTIAN OOMMISSIONB A.BE LIMITED. The honour of doing a whole thing was never given to a single Christian yet. No man ever yet either sowed or harvested God's entire field. Parts of work are given to individuals. Pieces of the field are given to each. We are seldom, if ever, wise when we go stepping over our borders, breaking down the fences that hedge round our particular work. Within our limits there is sphere for all our powers. TI. CHRISTIAN COMMISSIONS A.BE v ARIED. These particular men were to go to " the lost sheep of the house of Israel ; " but other men were to go to the " Gentiles ; " al).d yet others to the "Samaritans." These were to go and preach; others following them would have to teach. Some have just to live for Christ; some have to sing for him, to write for him, to ruffer for him. Happy they who can say, "This one thing I do." IIL CHRISTIAN comnssroNs ABE UNITED, In the Divine thought and plan they fit into ea.eh other, like the strangely shaped puzzle-pieces, and make up the great whole of service for Christ. This workman and that should be doing well hie own piece of work, and so the building will be surely growing into a "holy temple of the Lord."-R. T. Ver. 8.-The free use of fredy gi'l1en powers. " Freely ye have received, •freely give." Some of our Lord's directions were suitable only for the occasion, and only after much forcing can they be made illustrative of permanent principles; but our text gives succinctly the absolute law on which Christian work must be done and always done. We are monuments of mercy; we must be dispensers of mercy. We are saved by grace ; we must be ready to eave and help others, "hoping for nothing again," "without money and without price." St. Paul is the most striking after- instance of this law. He was, if we may so say, jealous, in quite an exaggerated way, of the freeness of his gospel service. It was with difficulty he could be persuaded to receive a gift; he never did receive a payment. .And our Lord most resolutel·· refused to associate bis acts of grace and power with money matters. Foreshadowings of this feeling may be found in Elisha, who utterly refused to take any acknowledg- ment of his cure from grateful Naaruan. It is not necessary to controvert the doctrine that "the labourer is worthy of his hire," or that "they who preach the gospel should live of the gospel," or that they "who are ministered unto in spiritua_l things shou_ld minister in carnal things." The point is that if a man becomes consc10us of any g!ft or power unto edification which has come to him by sovereign grace, that nian will find his true joy in using his gift freely, "not seeking a reward." L Oun GIFTB ABE NOT OURS, This is the point which needs to be brought home to us. Men have no po85e88ion in their abilities. They have no right to trade with them for their own benefit. Our gifts are trusts. We trade with them fo1 our Master, a·nd OH, x, 1-42.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 439