The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 419

children In the Roman invasion. (r.) As the Babylonians did not demolish the first temple until after the Sbechinah had abandoned it, so neither did the Romans destroy the second temple until after Jesus had left it. (3) It is remarkable that, in leavina the temple, he followed the course indicated by the Shechinah (Ezek. x.). It stood firat upon the threshold. Bo did Jesus when he uttered his pathetic lamentation. Then it removed to the east of the city to the Mount of Olives. So did Jesus. From the Mount of Olive& it ascended into heaven. After the ascension of Jesus came the abomination of desolation spoken of by the Prophet Daniel, ( 4) " Yonr house." So the temple is now termed-not" God's houae "- any longer (cf. Exod. xxxii. 7, where God say~ to Moaea, "Thy people"), "la left unto you "-to tbeJewa eapecially-" desolate," since they can no longer seek aalvation there. (5) The Jew& still carry the ciirse of Cain the murderer of Abel-the" mark" of the" fugitive and vagabond." 3. The chi'ldren of wickednes, are not ezclusively Jewish. (1) For the blood of the martyrs of Jesus shed by the pagan Romans desolation was poured upon Daniel'& "desolator" ( see Dan. ix. 27). The barbarians were the instruments of retribution. (2) The mystical Babylon revived in the papacy is reaerved for retribution for the blood of the martyrs which is found in her (see Rev. vi. 11; xvii. 6; xviii. 24; xix. 20). (3) Individual offenders are reserved to the jndgment of the last day, "So terrible is God's judgment that when he punishes a sinner he seems to pnnish all sin in him" (Quesnel). IV. THAT THE LONG-SUFFERING 01!' CHRIST 18 SALVATION. 1. The Jews will yet ,es Christ in hia gl<Yry. (1) This they have clamonred for, (2) The contrast to his firat coming in humiliation will be great. 2. They wal all acknowkdge him then. (1) Formerly the babes perfected praise when the rulers refused it (see eh. xxi. 9)- (2) The rulers then will cry, " Hosa.nna I" 'l'he words, "BlB!Sed is he I " are a con- fession of the Messiahship of Jesus (see Rom. xi. 26, 27). (3) If they do not say, "Blessed is he I" in penitence then, they will say it by constraint in perdition.- J. A. M. Ver. 3,-The Bin of inconsistency. "For they sa.y, and do not." To 0lll' Lord the supreme offence wa.s contradiction between sa.ying and doing, appearance and fact, outside and inside, show and reality. A man who is himself consciously sincere is always keen to detect, quick to revolt age.inst, insincerity in others. But if incon- sistency is mischievous in any man, it is doubly mischievous in religious teachers, and in persons occupyingjrominent positions of influence. Probably the reference of our Lord to " scribes an Pharisees " is intended to limit his denunciation to particular classes of Pharisees-those who were learned in the Law, and professed to teach the Law. 'It really means '·'-those Pharisees ,who were also scribes." And when Jesus adds. the word "hypocrites," he really limita his denUDciation to such as were hypocrites. l. lNcoNSISTENCY IS THE PERIL OF omoULS. Whatever is done regularly a.s a duty is in danger of being done perfUDctorily. The heart may go with the act at first, but the constancy and the outwardness soon involve the failing of heart-interest. ancl presently the heart is occupied with one thing and the hands with another ; and even the desire for harmony between the interests of heart and hand can easily be lost. This .is the common peril of all officials--priests, clergy, statesmen, teachers, secretaries; and the peril is never BO great as in cases of religion. Cases of open inconsistency may happily be infrequent in the .Christian ministry, but the fear of inconsistency shonld always be present to the mind of those who.hold office, and make them watchful and zealous concerning their own integrity. A teacher never has his true power unless heart and hand go well together. II. lNcONSISTENCY IS THE PEBIL 01!' nISOIPLES. Our Lord was anxious concerning the influence of the model teachers of bis day on the men who were to teach his truth after he ascended. So his words aro intended to be a solemn warning to them. What scribes said was more worthy and more important than what they did. What our Lord's disciples were and dia was always much more important than what they said.. To clo Christ's work in the world, our words must always precisely utter our hearts. But show the danger of over-stating religious feeling aud experience, and l!O weakening onr force by the suggestion of inconsistency. Ill INCONSISTENCY IS THE PERIL 01!' THE PEOPLE, For if they see it ln their teachers,  42! THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [CR, :um. 1-39.