The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 332

wnrd•; but benc>nth &11 this thcv <'.'nnld, spednlly nddressecl, viz. the ,l 1soiplee. Whilo nnd no tlouht often in later rlrws did, rl'Rd to the Chureh gonernlly tl,ey convey thia in the wor<ls n cleR.r oxprrasi'on of their deep, far-reaching loBSon, a Jpsson all would- dPnr Lord's "ill in fayour of the utmost be eerv11nts of Christ would do well to take si mpLioity in nil matters of food and drink. to heart-it is the Master's will that his fol- His ClWU must be marked men here, ever lowers ahould Bit kme to all earthly possea- frugal and temperate even tn abstemions- siom, poaM•Bing tluim a11 though th,y 1msseaaed n,·ss. H is a grave question whether his not. Thus living, the heart will be free Church hns ever fully graspod the Master's from all inordinate care for earthly treasure, meaning hero. Neither be ye of doubtful s.nd will, in real earnest, turu to that serene mind; literally, do ,wt toss about like boata region where its real ond abiding riohe• ,,. ihe offing (so Dr. Farrar very happily). indeed are-even to heaven. 'l'he word is not found elsewhere in New Vera. 35, 36.-Let your loins be girded Testt,ment writers, but it is b."tlown in classic a.bout, and your lamps burning; and ye writers. Its use here is one of the many yourselves like unto men that wait for their aigns of St. Luke's high culture. lord, when he will return from the wedding i Ver. 32.-Fear not, little :flock. Another that when he oometh and lmooketh, they term of tender endearment addressed to his ms.y open unto him immediately. The own who were grouped nen.r him. In the Master goes on with bis teaching on the earlier part of this discourse (ver. 4) be hfld subject of covetousness, still addressing called them "my frienrls." He bad told himself primorily to the disciples. "There them of the troublous life which awaited is auother reason why my chosen followers them, bnt at the same time wished to show should treat the a.massing of earthly goods them bow dear they were to him. It was with indifference; no man knows when the as though he eaid. "Endure the thought of end of this state of things may come; their these necessary trials Jo, my sake; are you hearts must be fixed on something else not my chosen friends, for whom so glorious a thon perishable things. They must act as future, if ye endure to the end, is reserved ? " servants on the watch for the return of their Ver. 33.-Sell that ye have, and give lord. See now, my own," Jeans proceeds alms; provide yourselves bags which wax to say: "your attitude in life must be that of not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth servants, at once Joye.I and devoted, whom not. "Those of you who hafJe riches, see, their employer ha.a left in his house while this is what I counsel yon to do with them." he is absent at a great wedding-feast. 'fbe In considering thes~ much-disputed words day of his absence passes into evening, and of the Master, we mUBt remember (1) to evening 6bades into night; and even the wlwm they were spoken : they were ad- night wears slowly and tediously away, and dressed to men and women who, if they still the master of the house comes not back would follow him, mmt set themselves free from his festival." But the faithful servants from all woridly possessions ; they must all this while never slumber, or even lie literally forsake all to follow him. (2) We down to rest. All the time of his absence, must bear in mind (a) the.t the only com- with their loose flowing Eastern robes taken munity wbich attempted, as a community, np, and the skirt fastened under the gir<lle, 'kl obey this charge literally was tbe Church with their 1:i.mps all trimmed and burning, of Jerusalem, and the re11ult was that for these watchers wait the coming of their long yes.re this Church was plunged into lord, though be tarry long, that they may the deepest poverty, so that_ as,istance had be ready to receive him and serve him the to be sent even from far-drntant Churches morneut he arrives. All kiu<ls of busy bouoe to this deeply impo,•erished Jcru,alem com- service, too, carried on during the Jong night munity, [This we learn frorn Paul, the of watching, is implied by the girt-up robes real compiler of this very Gospel, where the ancl the lit lamps of the tireless watchers. cbarge is reported. See many passages in Yer. 37. - Blessed are those servants, his letters, notably the Second Epistle to wl!.om the lord when he cometh shall :find tbe Corinthians, passim.] (b) The mendi- watching: verily I say unto yon, that he cant orders in the Middle Ages, with no Ehall gird himself, and make them to sit little bravery and coustancy, likewise at- down to meat, and will come forth and serve tempted to carry out to the letter this direo- them. The title "blessed," when used by tion. The impartial student of medireval our Lord, is ever a very lofty one, anrl im- bi.story, while doing all justice to the aims plies some rare and precious virtue in the nlld work of these often devoted men, can one to whom this title to honour is given. j 11<lge whether or no these mendics.nt orders It seems ns though the house-master of the ettn be rteknned among the permanently parable scarcely expected 8Uch true dovotiun suc~,,seful agencies of the crose. We con- from bis servants; so he hastens to reword elud.-, thi,n, tl,o.t these words ba<l II literal a tore virtuu with eq 111dly rare ble~sedno8B IJ.Jt:duu,g only for tlJOi:e to whuIU they were ttrid honour. Ho raisee the d!11vca LO 11 puei- on, x11. 1----60.] TIJE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 337