The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 313

cry which they had heELrd the day before fnl whether he availed himaeH of hie from the multitude, ELncl in simple faith friende' hospitality at this time, The term applying it age.in to Christ. While grown "Bethany" wonld inclade the district so men ue silent or blELspheming, liUle children called in the vicjnity of the town, e.e in the boldly sing hie pre.ieee. Were ■ore dis- deseription of the scene of the Ascension pl81!.sed, 'fheir envious hearts could not (Luke xxiv. 50). Lodged (11b>..,IJ'911)- This bear to see J eaus honoured, elevated in word, if ite strict elassical nee is pressed, men's eyes by his own beneficent actions, would imply the.t Jeeue pa.seed the night in and now glorified by the spontaneous e.ooi&- the open air; but it may mean merely matione of these little ones. "lodge," or" pass the night," without e.ny Ver.16.-Hee.rest thou what these ae.y1 further connotation ; so no certain inference They profess e. great zeal for God's honour. can be drawn from its employment in thia They recognize that these cries implied passage. This withdrawal of Jesus obviated high homage, if not actual worship, and all danger of e. rising in his favour, which, appeal to Jesus to put e. stop to such un- supported by the vast resources of the seemly behaviour, approaching, e.e they temple, might have had momentous con- would pretend, to formal blasphemy. Yee., sequences at this time of popular concourse Jesus replies that he hears what the children and excitement. say, but sees no reason for silencing them; Vere. 18-22.-The C1Lf'll'ing of the barren rather he proves that they were only ful- filling an old prophecy, originally, indeed, ftg tf'ee. (Mark x.i 12-H, 20-26.) applied to Jehovah, but one which he claims Ver, 18.-In the morning (rpwt..,, which as addressed to himself. Have ye never implies a very early time of the day, and is read 1 ( oh. xii, 5). The quotation is from a term used for the fourth or last watch of the confessedly Messianic psalm (Ps. viii.), a the night, Mark i. 35). St. Matthew has psalm very often quoted in the New Testa- combined in one view e. transaction which ment, and as speaking of Christ (see I Cor. had two separate stages, a.a we gather from i. 'n; xv. 27: Evh. i. 22; Heh. ii. 6, eto.), the narrative of St. Mark. The curse was Sucklings. This term was applied to children uttered on the Monday morning, before the up to the age of three years (see 2 Me.co. vii. cleansing of the temple; the effect we.a be- 27), but might be used metaphorically of held and the lesson given on the Tuesde.y, those of tender age, though long weaned. when Jesus was visiting Jerusalem for the Thou hast perfected praise. The words a.re third time (vers. 20-22). Stra1ll!s and his from the Septuagint, which seems to have followers, resenting the miraculous in the preserved the original reading. The pre- incident, have imagined that the whole story sent Hebrew text gives," Thou he.et ordained is merely e.n embodiment and development strength," or "esto.blished e. power." In the of the parable of the fruitless fig tree recorded Lord's month the oite.tion signifies that God by St. Luke (xiii. 6, etc.), which in course of is praised acceptably by the weak and time assumed this historical form. There ignorant when, following the impulse of is no ground whatever for this idea. It claims their simple nature, they do him homage. to be, and doubtless is, the account of a real Some expositors combine the force of the fact, naturally conneoted with the circum- Hebrew and Greek by explaining that "the stances of the time, and of great prnctioe.l strength of the weak is praise, and that importance. He hungered.. True Me.n, he worship of Christ is strength" (Words- showed the wee.kness of his human nature, worth). It is more simple to say, with even when a.bout to exert his power in the Nosgen, that for the Hebrew " strength," Divine. There is no need, rather it is un- "praise" is substituted, in order to give the seemly to suppose (as many old commenta- idea. that the children's e.cole.mation we.a tors have done), that this hunger was mira- that which would still the enemy, e.s it cer- ouloua or assumed, in order to give ooce.sion tainly put to she.me the ce.ptioua objeclions for the coming miracle. Christ had either of the Pharisees. passed the night on the mount.a.in-side in Ver. 17.-He left them. The chief priests prayer and fa.sting, or had started from his had nothing to say in reply to this testi- lodging without breaking his fast. His fol- mony of Scripture. They feared to arrest lowers do not seem to have suffereJ in the him in the face of the enthusiastic multi- ea.me way ; and it we.a doubtless owing to bis tude; they bided their time, for the present mental preoccupation and self-forgetfulneSII apparently silenced. Jes11B, wnsting no that the Lord had not attended to bodily further argument on these wilfully unbe- wants. lieving people, turned and left them. The Ver. 19.-When he ■aw a (pla,,, a ll'ingle) King had no, home in bis royal city; he 11g tree in the way. The tree stood all sought one in lowly Bethany, where he we.a alone in a conspionona situation by the e.lwe.ya snre of a welcome in the house of roadside, e.s if-eourting observation. U waa Martha and Mary. It is somewhat doubt- allowable to pluck Uld eat fruit in u 31@ THE GOSPEL ACOORDING TO 11T 'MATTHEW. [CB x:u. 1-48.