The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 18

Ver. 30.-Firllt and last. There Bre mBny beside those to whom these words were first applied by Jesus Christ to whom they are applicable enough. They were originall:v intended to denote the positions of- I. 'l'm: JEW AND THE GENTILE. The" Jew, who prided himself on being the first favourite of Heaven, was to become the very last in God's esteem; he was to benr the penalty due to the guilty race that" knew Dot the day of its visitation," but imbruerl its bands in the blood of its own Messiah. The scenes witnessed in the destruction of Jerusalem are commentary enough on these words of Christ. But this truth has a far wider meaning; it is continually receiving illumination and illustration. It applies to- ll. 'l'rm OUTWARDLY CORRECT AND THE ILL-BEHAVED. The Pharisee of every age and land is first in his own esteem, but he stands, in sullen refusal, far off the kingdom, while "the publican and the sinner" are found at the feet of Christ, asking for the way of life, for the waters of cleansing, for the mercy of God. III. 'l'nE LEARNED AND THE IGNORANT; the astute and the simple-minded. Still we ask, "Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?" Still may we, after the Master himself, give God thanks that he has "hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes." Human learning, in its unholy and foolish pride, still closes its ear to the voice that speaks from heaven. Lowly minded simplicity still listens to the truth and enters the open gate of the kingdom of God. IV. TnE PRIVILEGED AND THE UNPRIVILEGED. The children of privilege me.y be said to be among "the first." We congratulate them sincerely and rightly enough; yet are they too often found among the last to serve and to shine. For they build upon their privileges, or they reckon confidently on turning them some day to account, and they fail to use them as they should ; and the end of their presnmption is indif- ference, hardness of heart, insensibility, death. 'fhe first has become the last. On the other hand, the ear that never before heard "the music of the gospel" is ravished by tho sound of it; the heart that never knew of the grace of God in Jesus Christ is touched by the sweet story of a Saviour's dying love, and is won to penitence and faith and purity; the last is first. Let presumption everywhere tremble; it stands on perilous ground. Again and again is it made to humble ifaelf in the dust, while simplicity of spirit is lifted up by the hand of God.-C. Ver. 34.-Divine emotion, etc. These words are full of- I. DIVINE EMOTION. They are charged with sacred feeling. The heart of Jesus Christ was evidently filled with a profound and tender regret as be contemplateu the guilt and the doom of the sacred city. Strong emotion breathes in every word of this pathetic and powerful lament. And manifesting to us the :Divine Father as Jesus did, we gather therefrom that our God is not one who is unaffected by what he witnesses in his universe, by what he sees in his human children. The infinite Spirit is one in whom is not only that which answers to our intelligence, but that also which answers to our emotion; and this, of course, in a manner answering to his Divinity. He rejoices in our return to bis side and his service ; he is gladdened by our spiritual growth, by our obedience and activity; he is pleased with our silence and submissive- ness when we do not understand his way but bow to his holy will; and he is pained by our spiritual distance from him, is grieved by our slackness and our lukewarmness and our withdrawal, is saddened by our sin, He looks with a deep, Divine regret on a Church or on a child of his that ia rejecting his grace as Jerusalem did, and over whom, as over it, there impends a lamentable doom. II. DIVINE PEBSISTEN0Y. "How often would I have gathered," etc.! The Saviour desired and endeavoured to p:ather the children of Jerusalem under bis gracious guardianship, not once, nor twice, nor thrice; his effort ws.s a frequent act of mercy; it was repeated and prolonged. God "bears long" with us, forbearing to strike though the stroke be due and overdue; he is "slow to anger and of great mercy.'' But he does more than that, and is more than that; he continues to seek us that he may save us. He follows us, in his Divine patience, through childhood, through youth, th.raugh early manhood, through the days of prime, or unto declining years, with his teaching and his influence. He speaks to us by his Word, by his ministry, by his providence, by his Spirit. He seeks to wi11 us, to warn us, to ala.nn ue, to h•Jm.ble1 &Jld thus to  20 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [en. xm. 1-35.