The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 504

victory of truth and righteousness; and that not only in the Holy Land, among the chosen people. "ln his Name shall the Gentiles hope." "The isles shall wait for his law." They shall wait, and not wait in vain; for he is the Saviour of all men-a Light to lighten the Gentiles." He will send forth his holy Law, the Divine Law of love, to draw all men to himself by the attractive power of his cross. Such is the picture which the prophet draws of the Christ-a picture in which we see the strength of gentleness, the majesty of love. These are the weapons by which the Saviour overcometh the world. His disciples must learn of him. "In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." Gentleness and Christian love win more hearts than sternness and severity. LESSONS. 1. Study the prophecies of the Old Testament, they give us precious vie,,s of the Messiah's character and teaching. 2. He was the Servant of Jehovah; we &re his servants; we should strive to do his will, as he ever did the will of the Father. 3. Imitate his quietness; shun violence and party spirit; cherish a holy quiet in the soul. 4. Be gentle like the Lord, kind to the weak and fearful; great is the strength of gentleness. Vers. 22-37.-The 'blasphemy of the Pharisees. I. ITS CAUSE. 1. The demoniac. The poor man was blind and dumb, and that not from natural causes, but by the cruel agency of an evil spirit. Like the dumb man (eh. ix. 32), he was brought to Christ. He was helpless; he could not see his way; he could not express bis wants. The Lord healed him at once; he both spake and saw. We must do our part to bring the help- less to the Lord. There are many, alas I whose eyes the God of this world has blinded, who know not how to pray. It is a good and holy deed to show the way to Christ, to help the helpless, to guide them to the Lord. He can open the lips of the dumb; he can give sight to the blind; he can drive away the evil spirit that keeps the sinner from his Saviour. His arm is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2. The wonder of the peopl,e. They were astonished at the Lord's power; they said, "Is this the Son of David?" They felt in their hearts that these mighty works were the signs of the Messiah, the proper works of the Christ. They were ready to believe. IL TBll: ACCUSATION. 1. The envy of the Pharisus. The people were on the point of recognizing Jesus as the Messiah; the Pharisees interfered. The miracle filled the crowd with admiration; it filled the Pharisees with anger and malignity. God's grace hardens those whom it does not save. The very cross is a savour of death unto death to the impenitent. Good men love goodness; evil men hate it. 2. The charge of complicity with Satan. They could not deny the fact of the miracle; in their wicked jealousy they attributed it to the help of Satan. Once before they had said the same thing privately amongst themselves (eh. ix. 34); now they said it openly to prevent the people from owning the Messiahship of Jesus. "Yes," they said, "he casts out devils; but it is through the power of the devil, in union with him." Oh, what an evil thing is jealousy, it vents its spite upon the best and holiest I How lovely is that charity which thinketh no evil, which rejoiceth in the truth I UL THE Loao's REPLY. 1. Hie knowledge. He knew their thoughts. Indeed, they had not only conceived the wicked thought; they ha.cl uttered it. But it seems they had not spoken in the Lord's hearing; they ha.cl disseminated their falsehoods among the crowd. But he read their thoughts. He reads the envious, unloving thoughts which, alas! dwell sometimes in our hearts. We are ashamed of them, we would not utter them to our nearest friends; but they are known to the Lord. Reverence his presence; strive to entertain no thought displeasing to him. 2. His wisdom, He refers his adversaries to principles which they could not deny. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. The existence of political parties, as we see them now, is not an unmixed evil; they balance one another; they check one another's excesses. But when they stand opposed in the fierceness of civil war, then the kingdom cannot stand. Bo there may be anarchy in the kingdom of Satan ; it is the kingdom of burning hatred, of envy, of malice; but, like the Pharisees and the Herr,dians, like Pilate and Herod, U is united against the kingdom of God. The dreaded presence of the Holy One of God gave unity to the hosts of Satan. They were bo.nded together in one in their intense opposition to the Saviour. Satan would not cast out Satan when Christ was at hand: " 'l'he 11erpent wu more subtile than any beast of the field.'' Satan had too much OB. xn. 1--50.] TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 501