The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 476

be [tlie] weeping and [the) gnashing of teeth majority from the account of the pro- (oh. xxiv. 51). "There," viz. in the outer ceedings at the last day? It appears, on darkness, The remembranoe of lost oppor- tunities, wasted graoee, bartered privileges, the whole, to be safest to consider "all the will Ill! the mind of the bani.ahed with nations" ae meaning the whole race of men, terrible romoree, and make existence a very who, dead and living, small and great, Jew hell; and wlmt more shall be nd<led? Some and Gentile, shall stand before God to be of the Fathers have recorded a gnomic judged according to their works (Rev. xx. saying derived from this parable, if not an 11-13). This is not a parable, but a state- utteranoo of our Lord himself, " Be ye approved bankers." ment of future proceedings by him who himself shall conduct them. It is not a full Vere. 31-46.-Thefinaljudgment on all acoount of details, but an indication of the the nations. (Peculiar to St. Matthew.) kind of criteria which shall govern the Before entering upon the exposition of this verdicts given. majestic section, which is a prophecy, not a parable, we have to settle the preliminary Ver. 31.-When. (8-rav oe, but when). The particle, unnoticed in the Authorized question as to who are the subjects of the Version, indicates the distinction between judgment here so graphically and fearfully this section and the preceding pare.hies, the delineated. Are they only the heathen, latter exemplifying the judgment specially or Christiane, or all mankind without ex- on Christians, this setting forth the judg- ception? The Lord's present utterance is ment on the whole world. Son of man.. With his glorified body, such as he was plainly the development of the account of seen at his Transfiguration (Acts i 11). In the parousia. in eh. xxiv. 30, 31. There his glory. The term ocoms twice in this those , that are gathered are "the elect," verse, as elsewhere (eh. xvi. 27 ; xix. 28 ; nothing being said concerning the rest of xxiv. 30, where see notes) denoting that mankind ; here we have the forecast com- then his humiliation will have passed a.way, and he will appear as he is. All the holy pleted, both righteous and unrighteous angels with him. "Holy" is probably a receiving their sentence. "All the nations" transcriber's addition, which has crept into usue.lly represent all Gentiles distinguished the later text. The Vulgate omits it. At from the Jews. But there is nothing to this time all the family of heaven and earth indice.te separatejudgment for the Jew and shall be assembled ( eh. xvi. 27; Deut_ xxxiii. 2). Of angels and men none shall be Gentile. Equally unlikely iB the notion wanting. " Omnes angeli, omnes no.tiones. that the transaction is confined to the Quanta oelebritas I " (Bengel). Then. shall heathen, whether the opinion is grounded he sit, eto. He shall take his seat as on a supposed extension of the mercies of Judge on his glorious throne (Rev. x.x. 11), Christ to those ignorant of him, !Jut having surrounded by the angels and the saiu ta (Jude 14; Rev. xix. 14). Observe, this Wile lived according to the laws of natural spoken three do.ye before his death (comp. religion; or whether it assumes a.a certain oh. xxvi. 53, 64). that believers will not be judged at all Ver. 32.-Shall be gathered (eh. x.xiv. (o.n erroneous deduction from John v. 24). 31). The angels shall gather them, the It seems, on the one hand, incongruous that dead being first raised to life. All (-r11, the) persons who have never heard of Christ nations. Not the heathen only, but all mankind (see preliminary note). The should be addressed as "blessed of my criteria upon which the judgment proceeds, Father," etc., ver. 34; and it seems, on the in the following verses, seem to imply that other hand, monstrous that such, having failed all men have the oppol'tunity of receiving through ignorance and lMk of teaching, or rejecting the gospel (eh. xxiv. U; Mark should be condemned to awful punishment. xiii. 10 ; Rom. xi. 32). How this co.n apply to those who died before the incamo.tion That Christians alone are the persons who of Christ and the consequent evaugelization are thus assembled for judgment is not of the world, we know not, though we likely. Is there, then, to be no inquisition may believe that, ere the end comes, Christ held on the life and oharaoto.r of non- will have been preached in every quarter of the globe. That some process of en- Ohristians ? Are they wholly to escape the light.enment goes on in the Ulllleen world great assize? If not, where else does Christ we loarn from the mysterious passage, 1 Pet. refer to their oase? What reason oan be iii. 18-20; but we have no reason to given for the exclusion of this great suppose that probation is extended to the MATTlIEW-lI, 2 1 482 THE GOSPEL AOCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [CR, nv.1--46.