The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 639

nated at the time when Obrist appointed witnesses. We m11.y suppose that Jesus, who the meeting. Some have fixed on Tabor &B had been standing ap11.rt, now drew near to the scene of this revelation, others on the the company, so tb11.t 11.ll, espeoi11.lly the Mount of Beatitudes; bot where nothing ia doubting, might see him closely and h•r stated it is best to lo.y aeide conjecture o.nd hie familiar voice. Spate unto them ( '"-"· accept the designed indefiniteness. Many "-11<T•v at!-roi's, talked unto them). Doubtless commentators be.ve determined the.t this be said much more than is here recorded, appearance on the Galil111&n mountain wes resolving doubts, confirming faith, infaaing that mentioned by St. Paul (1 Cor. xv. 6), comfort. "Thus it is even now; we worship e.e manifeskd to five hundred brethren at him, and then he draws near, and, by his once. This is a mere conjecture, probable, nearer approaches e.nd secret manifestation but not certain. If it wo.e the ease, we must of himself to our heort.s, we a.re confirmed consider that St. Matthew singles out the in the faith, and see in him God and man" eleven apostles ea the most eminent among (I. Willia.ms). All power (l(ouo-la) is given the company, and those to whom the Lord (ia.le11, 1Da11 gi11en) unto me in heaven and specially addressed the oommission which in earth. J eens here asserts that he, as be mentions. Of the five hundred brethren, Son of man, has received from the Father St. Paul, writing some twenty years or more supreme authority in heaven and earth, over after this time, testifies the.t the grooter the whole kingdom of God in ita fullest number were still alive, only some he.ving ext.ent. Thie is not given to him as Son ot "fallen asleep." There never wo.e, indeed, God ; for, as Goel, naught can be added to o.ny historical fact the authenticity of which him or taken from him; it is a power which was more rcme.rkably and irrefragahly he bas merited by hie incarnation, deo.th, :icrtified than the resurrection of Christ. and Passion (Phil ii. 8-10), which wea Yer. 17.-They worshipped him. Evi- foretold in the Old Testament, by pHlmist dently here they, or the majority of those (Ps. ii. 8 ; viii. 5-8) and prophet (Dan. present (for it is plain that others beside the vii. 13, 14), and with which he was i.ndued apostles were there), adored him 88 God e.nd on tbe day that he rose victorious from the Lord. Thie is the first time that this action grave. So the verb "WllB given" is in the of supreme worship is mentioned in con- past t.enae, because it refers to the dota.tion nection with the dieciploa, though the women arre.nged in God's eternal purpose, and to ho.d offered the same homage to him (ver. 9). the actual investiture at the Resurrection. :But some doubted (o/ o.-withont o/ µ,~11- The power is exercised in hie med.ie.torie.l ioi<T-ra,nw). (For the verb, comp. eh. xiv. kingdom, and will continue to be exercised 31.) The doubters could not have been any till he hath put all enemies under hie feet, of the ele,en, for they had seen the Lord and destroyed death itself (1 Cor. xv. 24- more the.n onoo at Jernso.lem, and ho.d had 27); but his absolute kingdom is everlasting; indubitable proofs that he had risen from as God and Man he reigns for ever and ever. the dead, o.nd W88 no mere spirit or spiritual This mediatorial authority extends not only appearance, but possessed of hie former over men, so that he governs and protects body, with new powers, fa.cnlties, and laws. the Church, disposes human events, controls Those who for the moment doubted did not bee.rte and opinions; but the forces ofhee.veu hesitate to acknowledge hie resurrection. also are at bis command, the Holy Spirit id but hie identity. They were, perhaps, at a bestowed by him, the angels are in his distance. Christ may have appeared sur- employ as ministering to the members of rounded with heavenly glory; at any rate, his body. in a shape, or vesture, or with an aspect Ver. 19.-0o ye therefore (0~11). The with which they were not fe.milie.r; hence illative ,Particle is perhaps spurious, but it in this maje.tic form, they failed to recog- is implied by what has preceded. It is ni.M \he " desvised and rejected of men," because Jesus bas plenary authority, and the lowly Jesus whom they had known can delegate power to whom he will, that (cf. Job.D :u.:i. 4). he confers the following commission. He Ver. 18.-1es111 oame. Some medi.alval is addressing the eleven apostles, of whom exegetes have deemed that this verse refers alone St. Matthew makes mention (ver. 16); to the time of the ascension ; but there is but 88 they personally oonld not execute the no valid reason for dissociating this portion grand commission in all its extent and dura- from the rest of the account. If we do this, tion, he lays his commands upon their repre- we lose the great reeson for the oft-enjoined sentatives and successors in all ages. They meeting on the Galiliean mountain, which were to goforth,and carry the gospel through- 110ems to have been expressly and witb much out the world. Doubtless herein is implied co.re arranged to notify at large the fact of the duty of all Christians to be in some sense Christ's Resurrection and of hie supreme missionaries, to uae their u tmott efforts to authority, and to convey the Lord's commis- spread abroad the knowledge of Christ, ancl sion to the apostles in the presence of many to make men obedient to bis J,aw. The OH, xxvtn. 1-2C,,] THE GOSPEL .ACC'-ORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 641i