The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 355

no proper preparation, ho hnd dared to oome as e. bride adometh herseir with her jewels." to this gree.t feeti val. What is the spiritue.l Commentators compare (but with doubtful mee.ning of the wedding garment is much appositeneas) Zeph. i. 7, 8. disputed. H is evidently some virtue, or Ver. 12.-J'riend; ,.,.,,,,,,, as eh. xx. 13. quality, or me.rk which conditions admis- It was thus that Christ addressed Juda.a in sion to the enjoyment of the kingdom of God. the garden (eh. xxvi. 50). The term here On the one he.nd, it is said that both bad has in it something of distrnst and dise.ppro- and good guests wear it, and its possession he.tion. How eamast thou in hither l The does not e.lter the chare.cter of the wee.rer. question may mean-How couldst thou pre- Dress is something external and visible, sume to approach this solemn festival with- therefore the garment ce.nnot represent an out the indispensable reriuisite? Or, how inward gre.ce or feeling, but some outwe.rd couldst thou elude the vigilance of tbe token by which Christie.na are distinguished, servants, and enter in this unseemly garb? suoh as open reception of baptism e.nd se.cm-- The former is doubtleBB the signification of ments, and public profession of the faith. the inquiry. The contemptuoUB rejection On the other hand,- it is oontended that the of propriety is an· outrage offered .to the whole matter is spiritue.l, though veiled in majesty of the king, and . one worthy of me.terial forms,-and is concerned with man's severest punishment. Re was apeechlesa; moral and spiritual ne.ture. • Hence it by no ,,p,µ,{,lhj: literally, he waa muzzled, tongue- means follows that the wedding ge.rmenl is tied, as if his month were closed with a not intended to have a spiritual significa- muzzle (comp. ver. 34; and Luke iv. 35). tion. Ancient commente.tora nniversally He could make no reply ; he bad no excuse look upon it in this light. Some regard it to ·offer. His silence condemned him. H as an emblem of·faith in Christ; ,others, of is observed that gags were used for rebel- faith and Jove combined.· "Habete fidem lions slaves or criminals on their way to cum dilectione," writes St. Augustine, execution (Webst. and Wilk.). •- Berm.,' xc., "ista eat vestis nuptialis." Ver. 13.-The servants; ,,.o,,,. B,a,covots : But it must bo:observed the.t faith of some ministera, or atteflda11u-not the same as the. sort wna shown by accepting lhe invitation; servants (6oiiA01) who originally carried out so this could . not be represented by the the invitations. They are not preachers, specinl, garb whioh was absent. Others, but the guards . of. the throne, meaning age.in, see in it good works, or humility, or probably the ministering angels.who execute the purity effected by the grace of the Holy the King's commands (~ee eh. xiii. 41, 49). Spirit. Somo modems te.ke it of" imputed,'' Bind him hand and foot. By hand and others of imparted, righteousness, bringing foot men Bin, by these. they a.re punished. their controversies into the King's pre;;ence- All hc-pe of escape is thus removed. Tilere che.mber. The English-Church, taking the is no trial ; the offence is too- grosa e.nd marriage feast ·as e.:figure of the Holy Com~ evident to need any further examination; munion,e.pplies, .the ,wedding garment .to. the sentenoe is at· once pa.seed and oarried that rclee.nsing ,of. the coDBciance which out. He who strives agaiust God is help- enables persona to-come ,holy and olean to less, and immetlie.tely oondemneJ. T~ that heavenly. feast (see .the first Exhorta- him away. The offender is tbUB deprived. tion to Holy Communion). .This is legiti- of all good. This clause is omitted by mate,. but •too restricted in its reference. most authorities, and has probably been 'l'he feast denotes the present and future introduced into the received text with the kingdom of God ; the entrance to this is e. view of.explaining the stuges and progrea matter of free gre.ce; the garment is morel of the ejeotment. (The) outer de.rknesa. fitness, the life and conduct dependent 011 F11r a.way from tho glory and brightness the due use of God's grace. This is in the of the banquet into the.gloom and blacI..-neBB power of all who have reoeived the call; of. the oute:i: world, which represents the they have. to act up to the high calling, to misery of loat souls (see eh. viii. 12, where be wholly, heartily, reully what they p~ the same expressions occur). "There a.re fess to.be,,,,The scrutiny, whether made in no longer feet to run to God's meioy or this life or .in the life to come, shows how to fie~ from his justice; no longer hands to grace he.a: l>een 11sed, if we have put on do good or make e.mellds for evil; no longer Christ, if we have kept our soul pure o.nd saving light,-whcreby to know God or one' ■ white, unsullied by sin, or washed olenn by own duties. Nothing bat darkness, pain. penitential tears and the blood of Christ (see grief,, tenrs, rage, fory, aud despair, for him Rev. xix. 8), The metaphor conoerni.ng who is not. in the wedding hall. This i1 this robe of righteousness is. found in lee.. the fruit of Bin,• aD<l espeoie.lly of the abuse 11:i. 10, "He bath clothed me. with the of faith and .grace" ( Queanel). g1mnents of sulv11tion,.ho he.th covered me - . Ver. 14.-M&ny a.re oe.~d ... chosen. with thii robe of righteousness, ss a briLle. The rejected guest is a type of e. nomeroue groom decketh himself with a gMlnnd, und olass (see eh. n, 6). All the Jews haJ 3G0 TilE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, [ou. nn. 1--46,