The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 158

Herod" (cf. Mark viii. 15). Herod's courtiers, of course, were Sadducees. The con- ceited amongst the vulgar would sympathize with boasted intelliuence, that they might, in turn, be credited with an intelligence which they did not p~ssess. 3. Those ro"!mon to both. (1) Failure to· discern the signs of the times. The prophecies of Scripture were lost upon them. The events of providence were to them without signifi- cance. Their intelligence went no further than discerning the face of the sky, With all their boasted piety and affectation of sagacity, Pharisees and Sadducees were alike in this condemnation. Note: The neglect of the study of prophecy is neither creditable nor innocent. (2) Opposition to the truth of God. As Pilate and Herod became friends in their hostility to Christ, so did the Pharisees and Sadducces sink their differences to oppose him. Howel'er fiercely errors may wrangle togetl1er, they will evermore combine against the truth of God. (3) Herein the Sadducee is open to the same impeachment of hypocrisy as the Pharisee. Pretence in devotion is the hypocrisy of the Pharisee ; yet he opposes Christ, who is the impersonation of goodness. Pretence of a free and impartial search after truth is the hypocrisy of the Sadducee; yet he also opposes Christ, who is the impersonation of truth. II. THE NECESSITY FOR THE ADMONITION. 1. Error i, Uke leaven, subtle in its influence. (1) As the" kingJom of heaven," in the parable, "is like unto leaven," so is the kingdom of hell. Many interpret the parable to describe the subtle working of error in the lump of the Church, rather than the secret working of the truth in the lump of the worl,l (cf. eh. xiii. 33; 1 Cor. v. 6; Gal. v. 9). (2) Its subtlety lies in its hypocrisy. "Think not that false doctrine will mc,et you face to face, sayini, 'I nm false doctrine, and I want to come into your heart.' Satan does not go to work in that way. He dresses up false doctrine like Jezebel. He paints her face, and tires her head, and tries to make her like truth" (Anon.). (3) Christians are not proof against this subtlety. They are often such as have no great forecast for this world. Here the disciples "forgot to take bread." Mark says they had only one loaf in the ship (Mark viii. 14). In nothing is the veracity of the sacred writers more plainly seen than in the unsparing fidelity with which they record the proofs of their own infirmity. Their very simplicity would expose them to the subtlety of error. It was therefore needful to wam them. (4) In the false concern of the disciples concerning the bread, we see already a Pharisaic care for externals, and a Sadducean forgetfulness of the supernatural "It is because we took no bread." Men blame themselves most for carelessness in externals, which is just that in which God blames them least. We may blame ourselves for a forgetfulness for which God does not blame us, while be blames wi for a forgetfulness for which we blame not ourselves. They did not remember the miracle of the loaves. If through thoughtlessness we come into straits, even then we may trust Christ to bring us out of them. The experience of the disciple is an aggra- vation to the sin of his distrust. (5) For lack of faith it is easy to fall into errors of doctrine. "Why reason ye among yourselves?" We waste much precious time in profitless reasonings. Reasonings are profitless when they are apart from Christ. "0 ye of little faith." There are degrees of faith. Little faith may be the germ of great faith. Want of faith is accompanied by want of quick spiritual discernment. 2. The injf:u,ence of error ii demoralizing. (1) It makes the Pharisee a hypocrite. The ancient Pharisee, with all hia affectation of sanctity, was but self-righteous; be was proud, unjnst, selfish, and worldly. The semblance of piety was the mark of wicked- ness. The modern Pharisee is like him. (2) As superstition demoralizes the Phari- 11ee, so does scepticism demoralize his complement. When the restraints of belief are removed, the rein is thrown over the neck of appetite and passion and every propen.eity of the evil heart. Extremes meet. (3) Creed has greater influence upon temper and conduct than men are commonly aware of. Doctrines act in the soul like leaven; they assimilate the whole spirit to their own nature. False doctrine is like evil leaven souring the temper, and swelling and inflath,g with pride. Unsound faith will never beget sound practice. Zea.I for purity of doctrine is essential to godliness. (4) Error tends to blasphemy. "It is because we have brought no bread." The disciples hero judged unworthily of Christ, viewing him through their own low medium of unbelief. Men are prone to make themselves their standard for Chriet rather than making him their standard. As we can view Christ only in our thoughts, the spiritual alone can think justly of him. 3. The tssues of error are ou. xTI. 1-28.] TUE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MA.TTllEW. 161