The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 340

God's favour, where there is no growing likeness to him. Conformity to God ability to rejoice with God and. in God, humb!e and devot,ed reverence,-these are great attain• ments; but these constitute our wedding garment without which we cannot remain in his presence or a.bide his searching eye. No ass~ciating of yourself with those that love him, _ao outwe.r~ entran~ into his pr~sence, will avail_; it is the heart you bear toWRrds him tha~ ~ll del.erm1_ne your destrny. (2) There 1s abundant encouragement to all who are w1lhng and desirous to put on the Lord Jesus. It is the first duty of every host to make bis guest feel at home, and therefore does God provide us not only with great outward blessings, but with all that can make us fed easy and glad in bis presence. He offers not only enjoyment, but power to enjoy. If you are conscious that you could not bo easy in God's presence without great a.Iterations in your character, your invitation is guarantee that these will be made. If you could not be easy in bis presence without knowing that he was aware of all you had thought and done against him, and forgave you; if you could not eat at the table of one against whom you harboured ill will, nor enjoy any entertainment without genuine love of your host;-then this will be communicated to you on your acceptance of God's invi• tation. Does your unfitness, even more than your unworthiness, deter you? Here you see that God invites you as you are.-D. Vers.1-11.-17.e triumph of Ohrut. In bis journey to Jerusalem Jesus rested at Bethany, where, stopping at the house of Simon the leper, Mary anointed his feet (cf. eh. x.xvi. 6; John xii 2). His progress on the day following is here recorded. Observe-- I. THAT JESUS ElITEBED THE OA.PITAL m TIIE BOYALTY OF MEEKNESS. 1. He came in sacred character. (1) Animals which bad never borne the yoke were employed for sacred purposes (see Deut. xxi 3). The colt upon which Jesus rode was such (see Mark ri. 2). Specia1ly acceptable to Christ is the consecration of virgin youth. (2) His sacred character wo.s recognized in the acclamations of the multitude. "Hosanna. I" was a form of e.ccla.ma.tion used at the Feast of Tabernacles, when the people carried boughs (see Neh. viii 15). "Save now, I beseech thee,O Lord!" equivalent to ''Hosanna, 0 Lord! " (see Ps. XL 9). "Hosanna in the highest I "i.e. in the heavens, which is an invitation to holy angels to join with the sons of men in praising the Messianic King (cf. Ps. cxlviii. 1, 2; Luke ii. 14; :x:i.x. 38). (3) That a colt never before ridden should have borne Jesus amidst the shoutings of the multitude was a miracle (cf. 1 Sam. vi. 7). That miracle set forth the power by which Christ can subject to bis will the unruly heart of man (see Job xi 12). (4) While Jesus entered Jerusalem as e. King, he showed that his kingdom was not of the world. So Pilate acquitted him of treason against Cresar. 2. He came as the "Prince of Peace." (1) He rode not upon the war- like horse. To have done so would have been unbecoming him as King of Israel (cf. Deut. xvii. 16; Pa. n. 7). Has his royalty peacefully entered in triumph into your soul? Has he received a welcome--a hosanna, in your heart? (2) As" the Judge of Israel" he rode upon the colt of an ass (cf. Judg. v. 10; x. 4; xii. 13, 14). The kinudom of heaven is not force, but righteousness. (3) His coming was therefore the triu~ph of pure joy. This the multitude expressed by acclamation and by spreading their garments and palm branches (cf. 2 Kings ix. 13 ; Ps. cxviii. 25 ; John xiii. 13; Bev. vii. 9). (4) The hosannas of earth are the prelude to the hallelujahs of heaven. 3. He came in humble state. (1) He condescended to have "need" of the ass's colt. If he is pleased to have need of our poor services, this is reason sufficient for any sacrifice. To render service needed by the Lord is at once the highest honour and the greatest blessing. (2) He condescended to accept his praises from the lips of " babes." Not from the heads and rulers of the nation, but from his poor disciples. Their great. ness is childlikeness (cf. eh. xviii. 1-4). (3) He condescended to come in meekness to those who plotted his destruction. Lo I the King comes to be murdered by his crea. tures, and in his death to redeem them from wrath! (4) What triumphs are here I He triumphs over pride in his humility, over affluence in his poverty, over rage and malice in his meekness. "Was it a mean attitude wherein our Lord appeared? Mean to contempt? I grant it. I glory in it. It is for the comfort of my soul, for the honour of his humility, and for the utter confusion of all worldly pomp and grandeur" (Wesley). 11. TR4.T JESUS ENTERED TIIE CAPITAL FOB THE TRIUMPH OF DESTINY. 1, H, Oll, x.x1, 1--46.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, 815