The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 402

"Be not ye called Rabbi" the Lord said. There is one Teacher, one Father, one Master. The Lord's peopie must not seek for distinctions, for pre-eminence; they are all brethren. We are not t.o take the words literally. To do so would be to follow the Pharisees. They wer_e slaves of the letter; the Lord's lessons are spiritual, St. Peter speaks of Mark as his son; so does St. Paul of Timothy and Titus• he describes himself as the spiritual father of his Corinthian oonverta (1 Cor. iv.'16), St. John addresses some t.o whom he writes as "fathers" (1 John ii. 13). In the Epistle to the Hebrews (xiii. 7, 17) we are bidden to obey them that have the rule over us, where the Greek verb is that from which the word rendered "master" in ver. 10 is derived. But Christian men are not to aeek after these and such-like titles; they are not to set store by them. If they come to us in the COUJ'B8 of God's provi- dence, we may accept them. To reject them might be no true humility, but only the affectation of it. The difficult lesson is to be humble in heart, in lowliness of mind to esteem others better than ourselves. 2. They m'USt be truly humble. The greatest, the most advanced L'hristians, will readily consent to be last of all and servants of all; for e,·ery advance in holiness brings us nearer to him who took upon him the form of a servant, and came not to be ministered unto, but to minister. It is a first principle in Christ's religion that "whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." The Lord uses these words agai~ and again (Luke xiv. 11; xviii 14). His apostles echo them (Jae. iv. 6; 1 Pet. v. 5), The Lord Jesus had taught the blessedness of humility in the first of the Beatitudes. He illustrated his lesson in his own holy character, in the meekness and lowliness of his life. But the lesson is very high and difficult, hard for human nature to learn. Therefore it is enforced constantly in Holy Scripture, that this frequent repetition may help us to feel its deep importance, and urge us to cultivate that precious grace of lowliness without which we can make no real progress in the narrow way that leadeth unto life. The Pharisees exalted themselves. They loved sounding titles, high place, the praise of men. The Christian must learn of Christ to abase himself, Self-exalta- tion leads to spiritual ruin ; for " God resisteth the proud." LESSONS. 1. Obey in all things lawful those who are set over you, not only the good and gentle, but also the froward. 2. Better to do and say not, than, like the Pharisees, to say and do not. 3. Flee from the love of display; it poisons the life of the soul. 4. Pray earnestly for constant growth in humility. Vars. 13-3L-Oondemnation of their hypocrisy. THE EIGHT WOES. 1. The first. The reiterated "Woe unto you l" is an expression of holy indignation. Christ, the righteous Judge, denounces the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. He knew the hardness, the impenitence of their hearts, and in his awful justice he pronounces their condemna- tion. Yet those very woes are also utterances of holy sorrow. The word is thrice rendered" alas!" in Rev. xvili. (aee also eh. :u:iv. 19). The Lord grieves over the sinners (see ver. 37) while he condemns them. The woe must come upon the impeni- tent; the Lord knew it in his Divine foreknowledge; he foretells it now. His words are stern, very terrible; but it is the sternness of holy love. He cared for the souls of those scribes and Pharisees ; he had wept over them as he drew near to the city two .days before; he closes this awful denunciation of the Divine wrath with the most touching outburst of grief. He spoke in tones of warning, if so be that even now these hard-hearted men might learn to know the terrors of the Lord, might repent and be saved. " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites I" The awful words .come again and again, like the refrain of a dirge of intense sadness. It was this hypo- crisy that was killing their souls. God requireth truth in the inward parts; he searcheth the hearts; he knoweth all things; he is the God of truth; he hateth false- hood, These men were acting a part; their whole life was a lie; they cared only for .the appearance of piety ; they had no wish to be really holy. They said their prayers; --they did not wish to have the things for which they prayed; they did not even try to live as they prayed. They read their Bibles ; they pretended to honour them and to believe in tbem; they had no real faith ; they made no attempt at all to regulate their lives according to God's Holy Word. Nothing is more hateful In God's sight than hypocrisy; it is unbelief; the hypocrite does not really believe in God's omniscience. ~t he readeth the hearl11 r,f men. Bypocril)' is an acted lie, and it ia the devil who CJB. um.1-30.] THE GOSPEI, AOOORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, 4.07