The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 362

-commandml'nt; but Christ is not antisfied {l()pe. He and th~ PhAristlcls had some with propounding an absfrnct proposition; common ground, which WM ,vanting in the he shows how this great precept is to be rose of the Se.dduccrs and Hcrodinna (oomp. mede pmctical, how one command involves Acts xxiii. 6); he would use this to support aud leada to the other. Like unto it; oµo(a e. last appeal. Let us obsc,rvll the Divine a<rni; in nature aud extent, of nniverso.l patience aud tenderness of Christ. Not to obllgr.tion, pure e.nd unselfish, Thon ahalt gain e. victory over inveterate enemies not love thy neighbour aa thyself, From Lev. to expose the ignore.nee of scribe and Phari- xix. 18. The verb, both here e.nd ver. 37, ser, not to exhibit his own profound kaow- is "-ya1M)um, which impliC'S, not mere animal ledgo of the inner harmonies of God's Word, or worldly affection (ct,17'.tcc), but lo'l'o from does he now put this question. He desires the highest moral cousidere.tions, without to win ncceptance of his claims by the un- eelf-inferest, holy. The Latins indicated answerable nrgument of the Scripture which thie difference by amo and diligo. Our they revered; let them oonijider the exact • neigh hour" ie every one with whom we meaning of a text often quilted, let them are concerned, i.e. virtue.Uy all men. He weigh ea.eh word with reverent oare, and is to be loved because he is God's image they would see that the predicted Messiah and likeness, heir of the same hope e.s we we.a not merely Son of David according to onrsekes, e.nd presented to us a.s the object 1larthly descent, but we.a Jehovah himself; on and by which we are to show the reality and that when he clo.imed to be Son of God, of onr love to God. "This commandment when he aaserted, "I and my Father are he.ve we from him, tbat he who loveth God one," he was vindicating for himself only lo'l'e his brother also" (I John iv. 21). what the prophet had affirmed of the nature And for the measure of our love to man, of the Christ. He had, eo to speak, hope we he.'l'e Christ's word in another place that some among his hearers would accept ( eh. vii 12), " All things whatsoever ye this teaching, and save themselves· a.mid would that men should do to yon, do ye that untoward generation. It we.a when even ao to them." this le.at hope failed, when he saw nothing Ver. 40.~llang all the Law and the but hardened hearts and wilful prejudice, prophets; i.e. all Scripture, which is oom- that he uttered the woes and predictions in prised in these terms (comp. eh. v, 17; vii the following chapter. 12) ; in other words, all the revelations Ver. 42.-Whe.t think ye of Christ 1 -roii which God has me.de to m&n in every age. XpuTToii, the Christ, the Messiah. What is The clause is peculiar to St. Matthew. It your belief? What do you, the teachers of signifies that on love of God and love of the people and the oareful interpreters of m&n depend all the more.I and religious, Scripture, opine concerning the Messiah? oeremonial and judicial precepts contained Whose Son is he 1 This was e. question in the Law, all the utterances of the pro- the full bee.ring of whioh they <lid not com- phets, aU the voices of history. Scripture prehend, thinking that it referred only to enunciates the dnty to God and our neigh- his earthly descent. In their partial know- bour, shows the right method of fulfilling it, ledge, '.perhaps he.If contemptuously, as to we.nu, e.gai.nst the breach of it, gives ex- an inquiry fe.milie.r to all, they say unto amples of punishment and reward consequent him, ,'l'he Son of David, So all prophecy upon the we.y in which the obligation has had said, as they very well knew (eh. i. 1), been treated.. Thus the unity and integrity Ver. 43.-He saith. They had answered of revelation is demorurtrated. Its Author is glibly enough, not knowing what was to one; its design is uniform; it teaches one come of their natural admission : now Christ path, leading to one great end. puts e. difficulty before them which might Vere. 41-46.-Christ'B question f,o the have led them to pause and retlect npon Phari•eu concerning the Mesnah. (Mark what that assertion might connote. How then 1 ncor o~v; If Christ is David's Son, xii 35-37; Luke u.. 41-44.) how is it then, in what sense can it be Hid, Ver. 41.-Iesua asked them. He spake etc.? Doth David in apirit call him Lord. generally to the assembled crowd in the "In spirit" means speaking under the in- temple (Mark), addressing no one in parti- spiration of the Holy Spirit-an argument cular. The questioned becomes the ques- surely for the Divine authority of the Old tioner, and this with a great purpose. He Testament, when "holy men of God apake had silenced his opponents, and opened pro- as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" fundities fn Scripture hitherto unfathomed ; (2 Pet. i. 21). Christ proceeds to quote a he would now raise them to a higher theo- passage from P11. ex., aoknowledged by logy ; he would place before them e. truth the Jews to be De.vidio and Hessie.nio. concerning the ne.tllJ'e of the Heasiah, Both these positions have been called in which, if they received it, would lead them question in modem days, and sceptical to e.ccept him. It was as it were e. last critics have hence presumed to infer c,t. u.11. 1----46.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 367