The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 49

They are superior to the prejudices of mortals. They act also in the presence and under the direction of the omniscient Son of man. (2) There are no masks in heaven. Where no evil is there is nothing to conceal. Society is at its best when confidence has no restraint. (3) Maske are torn of!' in hell. Holy angels will unmask the wicked. What a spectacle will be then displayed I Society is at its worst when mistrust ha.~ no restraint. 2. Then will he punish the wicked. (1) The tares are bound in bundles. le this a classification according to character? Are atheists to be bunclled together? Blasphemers? Epicures? Persecutors? Hypocrites ? (2) Is the bundling r>ro- miscuous? Will the scientist be bound in the same bundle with the sot? (3) "Bind them in bundles to burn them." The Son of man "shall cast them into the furnace of fire" (ver. 42). What e. prison I What an imprisonment! (4) Despair has its woeful expression. "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (ver. 42). 3. Then will he reward the good. (1) They will enjoy security. "Gather the wheat into my barn" (ver. 30; Ps. 1. 6). Security from wind and weather. Beyond the mutations of probation. (2) They will enjoy distinction. "In the kingdom of their Father." •• Now we are the sons of God." Then will the grandeur of this son8hip appear (cf. John xx. 17; 1 John iii. 2). The palace. The throne (Rev. iii. 2L). (3) They will be invested with glory. "Shall shine forth as the sun" (cf. Judg. v. 31; Dan. xii. 3). In the glory of purity like the "Sun of Righteousness." In glorified bodies like that of Jesua. 'l'hey shall not•• bum" like the wicked, but" shine." (4) Who bath ears, let him hear how tenderly God cares for the good.-J. A. M. Vere. 31-35.-Parable and prophecy. The spirit of prophecy in ancient times enshrined itself in parables. 'l'he prophecy of Balaam, accordin~ly, is called "his parable" (Numb. xxiii. 18). Under the parable of two eagles and a vine Ezekiel shows forth the judgments of God upon Jerusalem for revolting from Babylon to Egypt (Ezek. xviii.; see also xxiv. 3; Micah iL 4-G; Hab. ii. 6). So are the parables of Christ prophetic. Observe- !. THAT JESUS TAUGHT IN PARABLES IN PURSUANCE OF PROPHECY. 1. The end of that teaching was predicted. (1) The end was to hide the saving truth from those who proved themselves unworthy of it. Our Lord did not assume the parable until his plainer teaching, with its miraculous demonstrations, had been wickedly rejected. (2) 'l'hi~ judgment upon the proud, obstinate, and sensual people was foretold (cf. Isa. vi. 9-12; see homily on vers.10-17). (3) 'l'he parable, at once, so wisely enshrined tJ:ie saving truth as richly to reward the diligence of the prayerful. To these the parables of Christ are the utterance of "things hidden from the foundation of the world" (cf. Rom. xvi. 25; 1 Cor. ii. 7; Eph. iii. 9; Col. L 26). 2. So was the me[lns to the end. (1) Asaph, to whom the authorship of the psalm cited by Matthew in the text is ascribed, was a. "seer," or prophet (see 2 Chron. :x.xix. 30). Under the icspiration of the Holy Spirit he predicted that Messiah should speak to the people in parables. For the psalm itself contains no parable. (2) In uttering these "dark sayings,'' Messiah was to "establish a testimony in Jacob," a:id to appoint "a law in Israel" (Ps. lxxviii. 5). These are distinct from the testimony and Law from Sinai, which were given long before the days of Asaph or David. What, then, can they be but the law destined to emanate from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem? (cf. Isa. ii. 3). (3) The psalmist, moreover, speaks of these as to be "given to the generation to come;" literally, "the latter generation," or the generation of the latter days. (4) In this mysterious teaching, therefore, Jesus exhibited another mark of bis Messia.hship. The unbelieving Jews seek in vain for any mark of Messiahship which is not verified in him. II. 'l'HAT THE PARABLES BEFORE US HAY BE VIEWED AS PROPHECIES. 1. They describe the gospel in its feeble beginning. (1) How app;1rently insignificant is the grain of mustard seed I So apparently insignificant was J esns in his feeble infancy; in the meanness of his circumstances; in the social grade of his few followers. }'isher- men of Galilee I "Hath any of the rulers believed on him, or of the Pharisees?" (2) How o.ppnrently insignificant is the lump of leaven as compared with the lump of meal I How are these words of Jesus uttered in the o.ir of Galilee so to multiply as to rever- borate in every humnn ear the world over? How is this company of fishermen to preach the.gospel to every creature? 2. They describe the gospel in Us secret 1,ower. (1) '!'ha lUTTHEW-lL ~ 50 'l'liE GOSPEL ACCORDING '1'0 ST. MAT'l'HEW. [oe. xm, 1-68,