The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 176

1ile.ycd that perfect oonfidence and trust are more difficult of MCOmplishment than which alone can win enoc-088 e.nd me.kC) all others. Thu kind oa.n mean only this kind thing,, possible. Vorily I ae.y unto yon. of evil spirit, or demons generally. Dut the The Lord proceeds to give that lesson oon- latter interpretation is excluded by the faot cerning perfect f&ith and its results, whioh he that the apostles had 11.lrea.dy exercised suo- afterwards repeated in oonnection with the oesefully their power over devils without withered fig tree (eh. x.xi. 21, w'..ere see note) special prayer or fasting. The words point e.nd elsewhere (Luke xvii. 6). If ye have to a truth in the spiritual world, that there faith && a grain of mnsta.rd seed, which, RB a.re different degrees in the Satanic hiere.rohy he 81\YS (oh. xiii. 32), " is Jegs than all ( comp. eh. xii. 45) ; aome demons are more seed.a" He means a faith real and trustful, malignant than othera, e.nd have gree.ter though it be 1mall and weak. The phrase power over the aouls of men. In the presen • is proverbial, expressive of littleness and in- oa.se the possession was of long sta.oding; it significance. The mutard eeeJ is quite involved a terrible bodily malady; it was of J;ttle, but, grown in favourable soil and under an intense and unusual character. .The sunny skies, it becomes, as it were, a tree mere word of exorcism, or the name of Jesus, among herbs, BO that birds may nestle in its spoken with little spiritual faith, could not branohes. To it faith is compared, because, overcome the mighty enemy. The exorcist small at first, it contains within itself power needed special preparation ; he must inspire of large development and increase; from and augment his faith by prayer and self- minute grains copious results a.re produced. discipline. Prayer invokes the aid of God, Ye shall say unto thiB mountain. He points and puts ooe'sselfunreservedlyiD his hands; to the hill of Hermon, where the Transfigu- fasting subdues the flesh, arouses the aoul'li ration had ta.ken place. Remove hence. It energies, brings into exercise the higher is usual to consider the expression here as an parts of man's nature. Thus equipped, a Ea.stem hyperbole, not to be taken literally, man is open to receive power from on high, but meaning merely tha.t the greatest di.ffi. and can quell the assaults of the evil one. cult.ies may be overcome by faith. This Vers. 22, 23.-Second official announee- me.y be true, but it seems hardly adequate ment of the Passion and Resurrection. (Mark to the explanation of our Lord's emphatic words. Si. Paul write~ in a. similar strain iL 30-32; Luke ix. 43-45.) (l Cor. xiii. 2), "If I have ell faith, so tha.t Ver. 22.-While they abode (liv11rT'rpeg,o- I could remove mountains;" where there is ,,.,.,,,,.,, went to and fro; co1H1erBantibua, Vnl• nothing necessarily hyperbolical in the BDp- gate) in Galilee. After some weeks spent in position. It seemB rather that Jesus meant the extreme north, Jesus and his disciples his words to be received literally, implying had .returned secretly to GalHee (Mark ix. that if snch a. remove.I as he mentioned was 30), e.nd were approaching the neighbour- ever expedient and in accordance with God's hood of Capernaum. The privacy was con- will, it would be effected by the power of nected with the specie.I instruction which faith ; not tha.t he hereby sanctioned an he was now givi.Dg to his disciples. fhe arbitrary and wanton display of miraculous Son of man shall be betrayed . , , men. power, but he gives an esBUrance that, were There is a reference to the preparation thus such a measure rendered necessary for the mercifully afforded to the twelve in the cause of religion, it would be performable - angel's address to the women at. the 1e- at the call of one whose whole trust was pulchre," Remember how he spake unto you eentred on God, and whose will was one with when he v;as yet in Galilee' (Luke x.xiv. God's will Mcdiaiva.l writers, followed by 6). Jesus reiterates the prediction continu- later Roman Catholic oom.meotators, give ally in order to familiarize his followers instaoces of such stupendous effects of faith. with the unwelcome, the incredible, reality. The evidence of such miracles is, of course, But the Messiah'& Passion, death, and re1ur- defective, and would not ea.tisfy modern criti- rection were ideas that they could not e.t cism, but the exist.cnce of such legends proves once receive; so impossible they seemed in tha.t a literal view was taken of our Lord's the very nature of thi.Dgs, so contrary to e.11 saying. llothing 1ha.ll be i.mpo88ible unto their hopes and expectations. Shall •be you. The man of faith is practically om- betrayed (J,.bJ,e, ,rap11BlBorT8111). Is ordained, ni potent; moral &Dd material di.fficul ties in the counsels of God, to be betrayed. vanish before him. Tradendtu eet (Vulgate). Men . . He had be-• Ver. 21.-This verse is omiLted in many fore named the chief prieeta (eh. xvi, 21), good manuscripts and by the Revised Ver- afterwards he mentions the Gentiles (eh. sion, it bei.Dg coosidered to ha. ve beeo intro- xx. 19), u the agents in his death. Bo St. d ucoo from the pare.lie! passage of St. Mark. Peter, in his great sermon (Aots ii.), says to. It giv,-s the aecond reason for the failure of the Jew1. "Ye have ta.ken him, and by the nine. Thia kind , . , futing, Though wicked hands [' by the haod oflawlese men,' llll things are po1111ible to faith, i;ome works Revised Version} have crucified and alaiLn  en. xvn.1-27.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. h9