The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 187

pleased him. At first this was on account of the innocent character of Jesus and his resolve to_dedi~te hin:iself to ~is work in baptism; now it is because of the' courage and devot10n with which he will face death. 2. God commends his Son to men, "Hear y~ h~." This is the add~tion. Christ has discipl~ ~ow ;_ and Christ bns proved his right to be heard. It 1s not enough to adore him m his glory• we must listen to his voice of teaching and obey his word of command.-W. F. A. ' Vers. 10-13.-The Elijah-ministry of John the Baptist. The disciples were perplexed at what they saw on the Mount of the Transfiguration. There Elijah appeared with Moses in conversation with Christ, and the vision recalled to mind the familiar expectation of the Jews that the prophet should precede the advent of Christ. Was this the coming of Elijah? Surely not, for it was but a momentary visit in a solitary place. Yet if Elijah had not come first, how could the Christ have come? Thus the disciples were troubled in mind till their Master explained the situation ·by pointing to the mission of John the Baptist. , L THE ADVENT OF CHRIST :t,.'EEDED TO BE HERALDED BY AN ELIJA.H-MlNIBTBY. The word "must" points to more than the fulfilment of prophecy. There was a necessity in the very nature of the case. Except Elijah ea.me first Christ could not come. 1. Inferior ministries prepare/or higher ministries. Elijah was great, but not so great as Christ. The prophets were all of them less than the Saviour. The Law was not equal to the gospeL Yet the lower and earlier ministries, with which all of these were associated, made the way ready for the coming of Christ. 2. .A wakening must precede regeneration. Christ ·came to bring new life to the world. No Elijah could confer such a gift on his fellow-men. But, in order to receive it, men must be awake and attentive. The earlier ministry rouses; it breaks up the fallow ground; thus it prepares for the later seed-sowing. 3. Repentance must come 'be/ore/orgiveness. The grace of the gospel is not for the impenitent. Some influence must melt the stubbom heart H the kindly blessings of Christ are to be received into it. IL THE Eu.JA.H-lllNISTBY lllAY COME AND YET BE BEJEOTED. It was so in the case of John the Baptist, at least on the part of a considerable portion of the Jews. 1. There iB no compulsion in the Divine ministries. We may accept them, and then they will bring us blessings. But we may reject them, though to our cost. After all, man is more tLan the soil through which the plough is driven; for he may arrest the instrument that would prepare him for the seed-sowing, or he may harden himself against it. 2. The most needed Divine ministry may not come in the form we are Gpecling. The people looked for Elijah, and Elijah came; yet they did not recognize him. We may read the Bible too literally. Prophecy is not fulfilled in pedantic, verbal exactitude. The spirit of the prediction is verified in the event, but not in the form in which the prediction Wall first recorded. We blunder in blindness if we fail to welcome the Baptist becaU&, we are looking for Elijah fil CBRIBT OPENS BIS DISCIPLES' EYES TO THE FULFILMENT OP. GoD'B PURPOSES ~ THE El.IJAH-M.INIBTBY OP Jow,r THE BA.PTIBT. 1. It is well to bring ow- d,i_ffic'U,ltie1 -to Christ. The disciples were not ashamed to own their perplexity, nor too proud to ask for light. Our Lord will accept confidence in regard eo the doubts that trouble us. 2. Jes'/J,/J Christ understands the Divine purposes. They were obsoure to the disciples; but to him they were quite clear. Therefore when we cannot see all we may trust him. The captaiu knows the route over the seas that are all unkuown to the passengers._ _s. Our LMd rev~ls needful, truths Cf>"cerning t~ Divine pur_posea, ~e gave bis disciples an explanat10n. His whole life and teachmg are lummous with revelation.-W. :!l'. A. Vere. 14-18.-.71.e diadplei failure. It has often been pointed out-as Raphael has shown in his famous picture-that the distressing occurrence of the disciples' failure happened just when Christ was away from th~m, transfigured on the mountain. . Then clearly it would not have been good to build three tabernacles, and so retam the heavenly vision. The world needs Christ; it was well that he returned to the world. I. A. PARENT IN TROUBLE. This parent ls greatly distressed because his son l11 ~riLvou11ly affiicted, aud he seeks relief for him. Parents not only feel for their children ; <m. xvII. 1-27.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 191