The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 164

aga.in." The sign of the Divine origin, Divine mission and Divine nature of Ohris~ is his resurrection from the dead.-R. T. ' Ver. 6.-Pharisaic leaven. In their short journeyings atnong the villages, and when they 'Yent ~~t _of the lake for the_ sake of retirement, the disciples were accustomed to carry m their httle baskets sufficient food for a day or two. By some mischance the food had been forgotten on this occasion. Their minds were full of this lack of bread • and so they thought their Master's mind must be full of the same thing. He w~ quite unconcerned about bodily food, and meditating on the mischievous influence, upon themselves and upon others, of the characteristic spirit and disposition of the Pharisees, of which so striking an illustration had just been given. It was an evil force, an active force, and a dangerous force. I. PHARISAIC DOCTRINE AS AN EVIL FOBCB. It was the notion that a good creed will e.xcase an evil life; that a man may do evil that good may come; that reliuion. is formality; that subtlety is more -important than sincerity; that blind prejudice can make honest judgments. The "leaven" will go into the term "hypocrisy,'' or "religious insincerity;" "the unreality of a life respectable, rigid, outwardly religious, even earnest in its zeal, and yet wanting in the humility and love which are the essence of trne holiness." Such hypocrisy and insincerity is a ruinous influence in character. A man cannot be noble who allows any shams. Religion a mere garb is worthless to man and dishonouring to God. Nothing roused our Lord's indignation like the leaven of insincerity. II. PH.A.nISAIO DOCTBINE AS AN ACTIVE FOBCB. Here we find the reason for callin"' it 1.eaven, which is a thing which will not keep quiet, and remain where it is and ~ it is. Leaven will act; it will grow; it will push through; it will pervade. Leaven consists of plant-cells, which multiply with extraordinary rapidity under favourable circumstances. A doctrine which allows licence to man's evil passions, and hides it under a show of superior piety, is a doctrine that readily finds a sphere in man's corrupt nature, e.nd there it acts vigorously. A little of such leaven leaveneth the whole lump. We need to see clearly that all error is active; but all error that tends to give moral licence ie, for fallen man, especially active. You can never hope to keep such error still. IlL PH.A.BISAIO DOCTRINE AS A DANGBBous FORCE. 'l'herefore our Lord warned his disciples against letting the Pharisaic spirit get into them unawares. It works such havoc in character. AJiy evil is possible to a man who once permits himself to excuse insincerity. Piety is nourished upon absolute truth and righteousness. Guile, for.;. mality, and outward show never can support it.-R. 'l'. Ver. 13.-0piniona concerning Jesus. It seems strange that our Lord should want to know men's opinions about himself. Two explanations may be given. 1. These, disciples mixed more freely with the people than Jesus could, and were more likely to know the common talk. So they could give him information which would mate• rially help his work. 2. Our Lord's question may only have been meant to introduce a conversation, through which he might teach those disciples the higher truth concern- ing himself. Jesus removed h!to the district of Ca!earea Philippi for the sake of retire- ment and safety. His work in Galilee was virtually finished, and something in the nature of a review of that work, and estimate of its results, was befitting. Our Lord's work, in its higher aspect, was a self-revelation. What he said, and what he did, were intended to show what he was. The mystery of the Person of Christ is the subject of the gospel. So our Lord, in asking, "Whom do men say that I am?" really proposed to test the results of his self-manifestation in mighty deedii and gracious words and holy example. L A Poon OPINION coNCEBNING JEsus. "Some say that thou ari John the Baptist." Thie was a poor opinion. There was no personal thought or oonsideration in it. In a time-serving sort of way, some folk had taken up the excited exclamation of Herod, "It is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead.". !t was foolish, for there was no real likeness between the two men, or their two m1ss1ons. Jesus could never have even suggested rough, half-clad John. Ileware of taking up something somebody else is pleased to say about Jesus. Only very poor opinions of him CBI.I b& iai:.led in that way. cu. XVI. 1-28,] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. l',faTTHEW. 1G7