The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 477

forerunner to Messiah; (b) appearing before the destruction of the aecona temple to which Messiah was to come; (c) 118 preaching repentance to turn the hearts of 'the wayward children to the faith of the fathers; (d) all this before the coming of the day of judgment upon the nation. (4) Elijah in person, however, will yet come to restore all things, Had the Jews received John as the forerunner of Jesus, had they repented to receive the gospel, then John would have been Elijah to them. Gospel truths must •be received. Elijah in spirit introduced Jesus in hnmiliation at his first coming; Elijah in person, as the Jewe still expect him, may introduce Jesus when he comes again, or herald his advent in glory. 2. John was the last and greatest of the prophets. (1) "All the prophets and the Law prophesied." The Law prophesied of the gospel in its types. Christ began from Moses to interpret the Scriptures concerning himself (Luke xxiv. 27). (2) " Prophesied until John." John's testimony was the comple- ment and completion of all the rest. Thence, being turned into history, prophecy ~eased to be prophecy. (3) The Old Testament in Malachi ends with Elijah ; the New, in Mark, begins with Elijah again. The fulfilment of prophecy begins with John, who began to unfold the sublimer system of the gospel (see Luke xvi. 16). (4) John was more than a prophet. He was God's messenger. He was to go before the face of Immanuel. Our honour lies in our nearness to Christ. John testified to the Person of Christ. Ill. THE LIMITS OF BUMAN GBEATNBBS. 1. John was the greatest of all that had arisen. (1) " Among them that are born of women." A personage was introduced to the first Napoleon as the son of an eminent man. "Nay," said the sagacious emperor, "do not tell me who was his father, but who was hie mother." (2) The expression, "born of women," or naturally born, may be in contrast to the Son of God. Of the kingdom of heaven Jesus is the King. (3) The superiority of John to his predecessors may be limited to his official distinction as the harbinger of Christ. 2. Yet is he surpassed by the least in the kingdom. (1) The least in the kingdom of glory surpasses the greatest upon earth. There are degrees of greatness there. Here we are " lower than the angels; "there, "equal unto the angels" (see Ps. viiL 5; Luke u. 36). (2) The least of the prophets of the gospel is greater than John. The first preachers of the gospel worked miracles; but" John did no sign" (John x. 41). Every gospel minister declares the blessings already come of which John preached only the near approach (cf. eh. xili. 7; Luke vii. 28). (3) The least saint under the gospel, in possessing the higher gifts of the Spirit, has a richer experience than Johu enjoyed ( cf. Zech. xii. 8; John iii. 31-34). The saint is not only " born of a woman," but also "born of God" (John i. 13). John did not know all those matters which a catechumen learns now from the Apostles' Creed. (4) There is a progress in which human greatness evermore surpasses itself. 3. Since John men rush into thB kingdom. (1) Conspicuous in the rush are the poor, the publicat>.s and the sinners-those who, according to the scribes, would have little right. "It is no breach of good manuers tc go into heaven before our betters" (Henry). (2) He that will enter into the joys oi salvation must be in earnest. He has to overcome thti world, the flesh, and the devil. Earnestness in such a battle must be violent. (3) "Since John." His ministry, which lasted about two years, was very successful. The thousands who embraced the gospel were probably roused by the ministry of John.---J. A. M. Vers. 16-24.-Thejudgment of God. The" generation" here rebuked is the race or succession of obstinately impenitent Jews headed and represented by the scribes and Pharisees. We are reminded- !. THAT THE JUDGMENT OF Gon OOIIIMENOEB m THIS WOBLD. 1. The wicked are here ~onvicted by the truth. (1) The conceited scribe, who affected the wisdom of the sage, and the proud Pharisee, who affected the purity of the saint, are together humbled to the dust by being likened to querulous and pettish children, so utterly unreasouable and foolish that they can be pleased no way. Upon the principle, "'l'he greater the truth the greater the libel," the justness of the rebuke is its sting. (2) They way- wardly rejected the testimony of John, who came in the habit of austerity (see Luke i. 15), preaching Vie self-denial of repentance and reformation. Note: The habit of a minbter should agree with the matter of his ministry. To justify themselves, the Phariseeli said of John," He hath a devil." Note: The best actions of the good may 4i4 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. '.MATTHEW. [en. 11. 1-ao;