The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 502

Lord answers, ns be did so often, one question by another. Would they not eave a sheep from danger on the sabbath day? and if a sheep, bow much more a man? He lifts the question at once into a higher sphere. He will cot argue it on the basis of mere formalism; he will not dispute, as it seems the Jews did afterwards, whether the sheep might be lifted from the pit., or only helped to get out by means of planks. He goes at once to the principle, "It is lawful to do well on the sabbath days." Net to do good when it lies in our power is to <lo evil (Mark iii. 4), therefore it is not only lawful, but sometimes it is our bounden duty to do works or mercy on the sabbath day. 3. The mirade. The Lord was grieved, St. Mark tells us, with the hl\rdness of their he~ts. He lo~ked round about on them with anger. It was anger against the sin, gnef for the smners. He would have saved those scribes and Pharisees; he would have won their hearts. Ilut they were stiffened into hardness by their miserable formalism; they would not come to him that they might have life. He was grieved. He is grieved when we sin-grieved for us, for our folly, for our danger. He looked round a.bout on them with anger. He does so now when men cherish evil thouahts in the house of God. He is present; he reads the secrets of the hearts. Oh, ~hat a scene would there be if the hearts of a congregation were open to the eyes of men, as they are open to the searching eye of Christ I But there was a work of mercy to be done. "He saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth." He believed the word of the Lord ; he willed to stretch forth the withered hand. 'l'he muscles, helpless before, obeyed the mandate of the will; his hand was restored whole, like as the other. So if we, in trustful faith, will to come after Christ, he will give us strength to stretch forth the hand, to take up the daily cross of self denial, and to follow him. The strength is his, he giveth it; he asks us only for faith. "Only believe," be sa.ilh; " all things are possible to him that helieveth." 4. Its effect upon the Pharisees. "They were filled with madness," St. Luke says (vi. 11); the Greek word means rather "wicked folly" (see Bishop Ellicott, on 2 Tim. iii. 9); and they took counsel against him, how they might destroy him. He had shamed them, he had put them to silence; and yet he had done nothing which could be made a grollJld of accusation against him. There is no wrath fiercer than that of baffled malice. The Lord's anger was righteous, mingled with grief. Theirs was impious, Satanic; for the hatred of goodness is the very character of the evil one. They were blinded by this angry and wicked stupidity to such a degree that they joined with the Herodians, the party to which they were diametrically opposed, to compass the death of Christ. W or!d.ly and wicked men hate goodness; it is a reproach to them. The contrast makes their character appear all the darker; they will combine against it, and lay aside for a time their jealousies and enmities to effect its downfall. But the Lord reigneth, LEsso:i-s. 1. Remember that the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life; do not exalt the letter above the spirit. 2. Fear to profane God's holy day by unholy thoughts and words ; he seeth the heart, 3, Believe in his Word ; stretch forth the hand of fe.ith; he giveth strength. Vere. 15-21.-The patience of Ohriff. I. His BETIBEMENT, 1. Its reaaoo. It was not fear; his hour was not yet come. He fled, it has been said, not only from his enemies, but for them. He would not bring upon them the guilt of his death ; he would give them time, "yet another year;" he would try what could be done by patience and gentleness and self-denying love. He would not s~imu_late their malice by remaining in their neighbourhood. When men are heated m disputes and con- troveI'l!ies, it is best sometimes to retire. Persistence may stir up wrath all the more. and perhaps increase the sin of those who &re arguing on the wrong side, influenced by party spirit, or, it may be, by evil motives. 2. Its occupation. The ~ord _could no; be alone. The Pharisees hated him; but great multitudes followed him still. Some- sought his teaching; some sought his mercy. He listene~, as he ever did\ ~ the er! of pain and sorrow ; he healed all that had need of healrng. The oppos1t1on of his enemies did not dishearten him; it did not turn him aside from his works of love. Good men are soruetimes very much cast down by opposition. They lose heart; they siok into melancholy, as Elijah did; they think that their life hae been wasted; they can work no longer. It was not so with the Lord Christ. He retired, but it was to another field of labour. His servants must never give way to despondency; it implies oB. xu. l-50.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 499