The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 25

t.he puablc is easily found. The Jem=i were The invitations were distributed bro11<lco.st "solemn triflers in the matter of religion. Rmong a rougher and less cultured class, The, were under invitation to enter the but still the invitations to the bnnquet were ldngdom, e.nd they did not assume the atti- confined to dwellers in the city• we bear e.s tude of men who e.vowedly ce.red nothing yet of no going u,ithout tlte u,al~. Here the for it. On the contrary, they were plo11sed invitntion seems gen!'rally to he.ve been to think that its privileges were theirs in accepted. All this in the first instance off,·r. nnd even gave themselves credit for referred to the Galilroan peasnnts, to the setting e. high value on them. But in truth Jewish publioe.us, to the me.ss of the people they did not. The kingdom of God had who heard him, on the whole, gladly. ' not hy e.ny means the first ple.ce in their . Ver. 22.-And the servant said, Lord, it esteem . . . . They were men who talked 18 done aa thou hast oommanded, and yet much about tbe kingdom of heaven, yet there is room. While these words are neces- cared little for it; who were very religious, sary to complete the picture, still in them yet ,·ery worldly-a cle.ss of which too runny we have a hint of the vo.st size of the king- specimens exist in every age" (Professor dom of God. The realms of the blessed Bruee, • Pnrabolic Teaching'). I have are practically bonndleBS, Here, ago.in, in bought a piece of groUlld. . , . I have bought the first inste.nce, there we.a e. J ewisb in- five yoke of oll:en . . . . I have married a struction intended to correct the false wife, etc. These excuses, of course, hy no current notion that that kingdom was narrow means exhaust all possible cases. They in extent, and intended to be confined to simply represent examples of nsue.l every- the chosen race of Israel. lt is very dif- d11y causes of indifference to the kingdom ferent in the Lord's picture. of God. To e.ll these excuses one thing is Ver. 23.-And the lord said UlltO the common-in each a present good is esteemed servant, Go out into the highways and above the heavenly offer; in other words, hedges. Hitherto the parable-story bas t cmporal good is valued higher than spiritual. been dee.ling with the past and the present 'l'he three excusf!s may be classed under the of Israel; it now becomes prophetic, and following heads. (1) The attraction of speaks of a state of things to be. The third property of different kinds, the absorbing series of invitations is not addressed to delight of possessing earthly goods. (2) inhabitants of a city. No walls hem in The occupations of business, the pleasure these far-sca.ttered dwellers o.mong the high- of increasing the store, of adiling coin to ways and hedges of the wol'ld. This time eoin, or field to field. (3) Social ties, the master of the house asks to his great whether at home or abroad, whether in banquet those who live in the isles of the general society or in the home circle; for Gentiles. And compel them to oome in, A even in the latter case it is too possible greo.ter pressure is put on this class of out- for f11.DJ.ily and domestic interests so com- siders than was tried upon the favoured pletely to fill the heart as to leave no room first invited. '.fbe indifferent ones were left there for higher and more unselfish aims, to themselves. They knew, or professed to no place for any grander hopes than the know and to appreciate, the nature of that poor narrow homo-life affords. The primary fenm in heaven, the invitation to which they application of e.11 this was to the J ewe of treated apparently with so much honour, the Lord's own time. It was spoken, we and really with such contempt. But these must remember, to a gathering of the tlil.6 outsiders the Divine Host would treat dif- of the Israel of bis day. ln the repo:t of ferently. To them the notion of o. pitying, the servant detailing to the master the above- loving God was quite a strange thought; these recorded excusea, it bas been beautifully must be compelled-must be brought to him said, "we may bear the echo of the sorrow- with the gentle force which the angels used ful lamentation uttered by Jesus over the when they laid hold of the bo.nd of lingering hardening of the Jews during bis long Lot, and brought him out of the doomed nights of prayer." The invitation to the city of the pie.in. Thus faithful men, in- feo.st was neglected by the learned and the tensely convinced of the truth of their mcs- powerful among the people. tiage, compel others, by the bright earnest- Ver. 21.-Then the master o! the house ness of their words 11nd life, to join the being angry said to bis se"ant, , Go out company of those who o.re going up to the qni~kly into the &treete and lane■ o! the fea.!lt above. Anselm thinks that God mo.y city, and bring in hither the poor, and the he also said to compel men to come in wheu maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 'l'he he drives them by oe.lamities to seek and invitations to the great feast, seeing that find refuge with him and in his Church. those :first hidden were indifferent, were That my house may be :lllled. In ver. 22 then sent out far and wide-through broad the servant, who knew well his master's streets and narrow lane1, among wealthy mind and bis master's house too, and its puLlicans _(tax.-collectors) e.nd poor artisans. capabilities, tells his lord how, after many 011. xiv. 1-35.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 27