The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 367

there nre illnny open elnners, many more utt.crly apathetic and in,lifferent, nn,1, alas I even C\mong those who outwardly obey the calling, who come to church, ancl use the appointed means of grace, even among those who come to the holy table of the Lord, there n.re (we fear, in so.dness and perplexity) not a Few who have not given their hearts unto the Lord, who have not that white raiment (Rev. iii. 18) which may be bouglit of him without money and without price. In the parable only one of those who obeyed the calling is cast out. It is a parable of the long-suffering mercy of our God. ,The King sends again and again. He is not willing that any should perish. But it is a parable also of his all-seeing justice. His eye searches out that one unworthy -guest among the crowd. He knows the sins, the negligences, the unbelief of each individual member of his Church. None can stand before his face without that ··holiness which is so great, so precious, so awful a thing, which so few of us can dare to say or think that we have. He bids us buy the white raiment of him; let us come and buy, counting all things else as dross, that we may " put on the Lord Jesus Christ," and be clothed with that humility, that charity, which are woven into the white robe of his •righteousness. Few are chosen. They who choose Gud for their portion on earth are chosen by him to be with him in heaven. Our choice of him proves that 'his choice has rested upon us. He first called us. Let us give diligence to make our calling and election sure. LESSONS, 1. It is God himself who calls us; to refuse that gracious calling mus-: -be fearful guilt. 2. The privileges of the Ohurch will not avail without holiness of heart and life. 3. Think of that weeping and gnashing of teeth; and pray and strive _and hunger after righteousness. Vers. 15-22.-77ie question of tribute. I. THE TEMPTATION, 1. 77ie coa1iticm. ·The Pharisees were gre11tly offended. They as well as the chief priests (eh. xxi. 45) perceived that these parables were spoken of them. Their conscience smote them; they felt in their Learts the truthfulness of the Saviour's words; they knew that his -censure was just. But, instead of acknowledging their guilt, they blazed into wrath ; instead ·of confessing their sin, they sought to destroy the great Teacher who had exposed it. '!'hey shrank from nothing; they would make friends even with the Herodians to compass their designs, as they had done once before (Mark iii. 6). The . two parties were wholly opposed to one another; the one, fiercely zealous for the Law; the other, merely political, utterly indifferent to religion ; now they acted together for a time, united by their common hatred to our Lord. They could sink their differences, fu:udameiital as they were, to bring about -his death, to murder him whose teaching, very high and pure and holy as they knew it to be, exposed the hollow formalism of the Pharisees, the time-serving indifference of the Herodians. Surely the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. 2. The snare, They determined · to lay a trap for him. The Pharisees sent with the Herodians their own disciples, young men whom, it may be, they thought the Lord would not recoguize; the elders of the -party had often stood opposed to him. They were to submit to the Lord, as if for his -decision, a question which might well have arisen in controversy with the Herodians. f.l'he approached him with flattery; they called him "Master," "Teacher;" they •'Praised his impal'tiality, his justice, his truth. Then came the insidious question, "le -it lawful to give tribute to Cmsar, or not?" They thought the dilemma one from :.whioh there was no escape. Answer as he might, there lay on either side a terrible , danger: he might take his choice of provoking the fanaticism of the Jews or the hostility of the Romans. The only other source, it seemed to them, would be that ·'ignominious confession of ignorance which thnt samti day the Lord had forced from the chief priests and scribes. 11 THE Loan's VICTORY, • 1. The e.Tpos,,re. "Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?" -He was high above the reach of flattery ; he heeded not the praise of men. He knew •their hearts. He called them hypocrites; they were acting a part; smooth words were on their lips; the malice of hell was in their hearts. But they were foiled. " Show me the tribute money," the Lord said. 'l'he coin produced bore the image an<l super- scription of Caise.r, 2, The answer. It was full of wisdom. The Lord did not evads • the question, yet he did not expose himself to their m11licious accu~ations. He laid down a great principle-a principle far-reaching in its applications, and fitted to regt1• :372 ':'HE GOSPEL ACOORDINO TO ST. MATTHEW. [oa. xxn. 1-46.