The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 249

Ver. 28.-Verily I ■ay unto you. Christ bave been proved to be of like mind with does oot reprove the Rp<>stle for his seem- them (for the number is not limited) shall ingly bold self-assertion, but, replying to be assessors with Christ, as in an earthly Peter'• question, he gives a gre.nd promise court, where the judge or the prinoe site in to him and hie fellow-disciples. Ye which the centre, and on either side of him are have followed me, excluding all the balf- posted hie councillors and ministers. bearted, the self-seeking, the Judaizers. In .Judging, So in Daniel we hear of thrones the regeneration (;ff ,r<lA1')")'•ve,r/~). The being placed, and judgment given to the word means II new l,utb," or" renovation, re- saints (Dan. vii. 9, 22);" Know yo not," says newal" It occurs in Titus iii. 15 in reference St. Paul (1 Cor. vi. 2, 8), "that the saints to baptism," through the washing [!aver] of shRll judge the world . . . that we shall regenere.tion." It hns been variously inter- judge angels?" (comp. Rev. xx. 4). Of preted in the present passage. Some have course, the great Judge is Christ himself. c-0n=iected it with the participle preceding, What part his assessors shall tnke is noi " ye who have followed me in the regenera- revealed. The verb II judge" sometimes tion," and explained it to mean the reforma- signifies" govern or direct," and perhaps may tion and spiritual renovation commencing be here used to denote that the saints sha.ll, with the preaching of John the Baptist, and in the new Messianic kingdom, be Christ's carried on by the ministry of Christ. But vicegerents and exercise his authority. The more generally o.nd oorrectly it is taken with twelve tribes of Israel. There is con- what follows, Ye aha.11 sit, etc. The mean- siderable difficulty in interpreting this ing, however, is still disputed. Some se.y portion of the promise. If it means that tlrnt the Christian dispensation is intended, the beatified apostles shall judge the actual and an intimatien is given of the work of the descendants of Abraham, then we must apostles in the unseen world in directing believe that the distinction between Jew and gue.r,ling the Church. But this seems and Gen tile will be maintained in this re• hRrdlyto satisfy the language of the promise. generatio~an opinion which seems to be Others regard the term as signifying the opposed to other texts of Scripture (see resurrection, when the mortal shall put on 1 Cor. xii. 18; Ge.I. iii. 28, etc.). The judg- immortality, e.nd we shall be changed, re- ing in this case would be condemnation of made, reconstituted. This is true; bnt it them for not receiving the gospel One seems more suitable io refer the term to the does not see how this oon be held forth as a new creation, the new heaven and the new great e.nd happy reward, however high a earth spoken of by Isaiah (lxv. 17) and by position it may imply. More probably St. John (Rev. :u:i. 1, 2; cf. 2 Pet. iii. 10, Lrael means the spiritual Israel, or the whole 13). This is the reparation of the whole body of the Church; and the number twelve creation described by St. Panl (Rom. viii. (as above) imports the complete number of 19, etc.), which is to take place at the great those who are to be judged. They who consumIDll.tion, and which, remedying all have followed Christ devotedly and sincerely• the evils which 11in haB impressed on the as his disci pies, shall be placed next to him material and spiritual world, on men and in his glory, shall have pre-eminence over his habitation, may well be called new all others, and be associated with him in birth. Thie is the mysterious period when assigning their due portion to all believers, Christ's promise shall be accomplished. or in governing the Church. Nothing is Shall sit. It is not "when he shall come," here said about the final judgment of un- but when he shall have taken his seat (l1rl, believers and heathen. with genitive) 8.11 Judge upon his glorious Ver. 29.-Every one that hath forsaken. throne. Ye also ( 6>&•7s . . • «izl l,>&iis). The The Lord extends the promise. Even those pronoun is repeated to give greater emphasis who have not risen to the utter self-sacrifice to the amazing BSSertion. Shall Bit upon of apostles, who have not surrendered so (,caD/,r,uO, brl, with accusative); sl,aU be pro- much as they, shall have their reward, moted lo, to.ken and placed upon. Twelve though nothing to be compared to the thrones. Judas forfeited his position ; unspeakable recompense of the twelve, Matthias and Paul and Barne.bes were after- Rouse1 . . . lands. Some manuscripts, fol- wards added to the apostolic band ; so tha.t lowed by some modem editors, omit or wife, the number twewe must not be pressed as the omission being probably first made by defining and limiting. Rather it expreesce some criticnl scribe, who deemed that a wife the completeness of the judicial body, re- should never be left. The Lord enumerates garding not so much the persons as the the persons and ohjecte upon which men's position of it.a members. With reference to hearts are most commonly and firmly fixed. pa.pal claims, it may be observed that Peter He begins and ends the list with mnterinl has no pre-eminence here, no throne to him- possessions-houses and lands; and between self; he merely shnroe with hie colleagues them introduces in gradation the most in the session, The apostlee and those who cherished members of the famil_y oircle. OB. nx, 1-30.) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 253