The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 30

the dra.g-net disregards these two causes of failure, and deals only with results-it carries us on to the final judgment. Nevertheless, we should bear the lessons of the ee.rlier pe.rables in mind, in order to a.void dre.wing conclusions of fatalism and injustice from this one. I. THE GOSPEL NET. Our Lord compares his method to the casting of a great net and the drawing it through the wat.ers. 1. Christ suks men. He spoke to fishers, who knew the sea and its oommerce, and he compared his work to theirs. While the parable of the pearl of great price shows us a man seeking the kingdom, this parable presents to us the sight of the kingdom seeking men. Here is the grace of the gospel. It is further suggested by the woma.n sweeping for her lost coin, and the shepherd going after his wandering sheep (Luke xv.). 2. Christ uses means to gather disciples. The net may represent the preaching of the gospel, or all the agencies, first of Christ and his apostles, then of his missionary Church. We are not to wait till the world comes to Christ. We must mend our nets lest any slip through the broken meshes, and cast and drag them, using all means to gain some. 3. Ohruit aims at a large gathering of soul,s. 'l'he fisher does not angle with a line; he casts a. net, and that net, the drag-net, is of the largest kind. Plainly his aim is large. Christ does not seek one here and there. He is the Saviour of the world. His love embraces all; his work is for the people. II. THE GREAT DRAUGHT OF FISHES. 1. The mt gathers in many fishes. A.t first the popularity of Christ won a multitude of adherents. Most of these fell away; but after Pentecost a larger host was brought in. Subsequently grea.t numbers pressed in; till t.he ba.lance of policy in the Roman empire swayed from heathenism to Christianity. "Like a sunbeam," says Eusebius, "it streamed over the face of the earth." 2. The fishes are of various ki,nds. The members of the Christian Church are not all of one class or type. Socially they dilfer, belonging to all grades and ranks; intellectually they differ, from a Newton to a simple ploughboy. But these differences a.re slight compared to the moral distinctions that are seen throughout Christendom. 'l'he -Church includes a St. Francis and a Cmsar Borgia.. Church-membership is no proof of Christianity. ill THE SIP"rTh'G Ab'D SORTING. Christ ea.Us all kinds of people; but he does not aooept all. "Many are called, but few a.re chosen." It is even possible to be a. guest seat.ed a.t the king's banquet, and yet to be cast out, if the wedding-garment is not worn. Nevertheless, there is no unfairness or partiality; much less is there fickleness or unfaithfulness in Christ. He desires to accept all. If he must reject any, it is age.inst his will, a pa.in to him. The rejection is not because of his caprice, but wholly beca.nse of the characters of those whom he cannot receive. But how are we to reconcile this with Christ's express declaration that he ea.me not to call the righteous, but sinners (eh. ix. 13)? The explanation is that the fish a.re found to be worthless when they are brought to land. If men remain sinners after entering the Church, they must be reject.ed by Christ. But Christ can change the sinner into a holy man, and he will do this with the truly penitent who trust him. Then they will not be like the worthless fish.-W. F. A. Ver. 52.-The Christian t«J.cher. Christ has a word for the scribe. It is not to be aupposed that all the official teachers of Israel were unworthy men and unprofitable in their work. Some, doubtless, merited the description here set before us. But this ,description is also meant as the guide for the Christian teacher. L THE TEACHER )[UST BE TRAINED, He must be "a disciple to the kingdom of heaven." Secular training is valuable. As the Magi brought their wealth and poured it ont before the infant Jesus, so the learned and the intellectual may well bring all their mental acquisitions to be used in the service of Christ. There is no merit in ignorance. Dulness is not devotion; stupidity is not sanctity. Nevertheless, it is not of the very valuable general training of which our Lord here speaks. It is possible to be highly cultivated in the schools and yet quite a. tyro in the kingdom. The essenti.al training of the Christian teacher must be a Christian training. A.s the lawyer must study law and the doctor medicine, so the Christian scribe must study Chris- tianity. It ia strange that any should think themselves fit to t.ea.ch others the greatest of truths without first devpting especial itttention to learning them. It is well that -0&. xm. 1~68.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTIIEW. 31