3 And if any man fay ought to you, fay, the Lord hath need of them: and he will fend them immediately. 4 This was done that it might be fulfilled which was 5 fpoken by the prophet, faying, + Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold thy king cometh to thee, meck and 6 fitting on an ass, even a colt the fole of an afs. And the difciples went and did as Jefus had commanded them. And brought the ass and the colt, and put on them 8 their clothes and fet him thereon: And a very great multitude fpread their garments in the way; and others cut down branches from the trees and ftrewed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before and that followed after, cried, faying, Hofanna to the Son of David; bleffed in the name of the Lord is he that cometh Hofanna in the highest. 7 9 10 And as he came into Jerufalem, all the city was in a 11 commotion, faying, Who is this? And the multitude faid, This is Jefus, the prophet, from Nazareth of Galilee. V. 5. The daughter of Sion-That is, the inhabitants of Jerufalem: the first words of the paffage are cited from Ifa. Ixii. 11. the reit from Zech. ix. 9. The ancient Jewish doctors were wont to apply these prophefies to the Meffiah. On an afs-The prince of peace did not take an horfe, a warlike animal; but he will ride on that by and by. Rev. xix. 11. In the patriarchal ages, illuflrious perfons thought it no difgrace to make ufe of this animal: but it by no means appears, that this opinion prevailed or this custom continued 'till the reign of Tiberius. Was it a mean attitude wherein our Lord then appeared? Mean even to contempt? I grant it: 1 glory in it: 'tis for the comfort of my fouls for the honour of his humility, and for the utter confufion of all worldly pomp and grandeur. V. 7. They fet him thereon-That is, on the clothes. V. 8 A great multitude spread their garments in the way-A custom which was ufual at the creation of a king, 2 Kings ix. 13. Our V. 9. The multitude cried, faying-Probably from a divine impulse; for certainly most of them understood not the words they uttered. Hofanna Lord fave us) was a folemn word in frequent ufe among the Jews. The meaning is, "We fing Hofanna to the Son of David. Bleffed is he, the Meffiah, of the Lord. Save, thou that art in the highest heavens." Lord reftraineth all public tokens of honour from the people, 'till now, left the envy of his enemies fhould interrupt his preaching before the time. But this reafon now ceafing, he fuffered their acclamations, that they might be a public teftimony against their wickednefs, who in four or five days after cried out, crucify him, crucify him. The expreffions recorded by the other evangelifts are fomewhat different from thefe: but all of them were undoubtedly used by fome or others of the multitude. V. 11. This is Jefus from Nazareth-What a ftumbling-block was this? If he was of Nazareth, he could not be the Meffiah. But they who carneftly defired to know the truth, would not stumble thereat: for upon H 3 + Zech, ix. 9. enquiry 12 *And Jefus went into the temple, and caft out all that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the feats of them that 13 were felling doves; And faith to them, It is written, + My house fhall be called the house of prayer, but ye 14 have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. 15 But the chief priefts and the fcribes, feeing the wonders that he did, and the children crying in the temple faying, Hofanna to the Son of David, were fore dif16 pleased, and faid to him, Heareft thou what these say? And Jefus faith to them, Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and fucklings thou hast 17 perfected praife? And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there. 18 Now in the morning, as he was returning to the city 19 he hungered. And feeing a fig-tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon but leaves only. And he faith to it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig-tree withered 20 away. And the difciples feeing it marvelled, faying, 21 How foon is the fig-tree withered away? Jefus answering faid to them, Verily I fay to you, if ye have faith and doubt not, ye fhall not only do this miracle of the fig-tree, but also if ye fay to this mountain, Be thou lifted up, and be thou caft into the fea; it shall be done. 22 And all things whatsoever ye fhall ask in prayer, believing, ye fhall receive. enquiry (which fuch would not fail to make) they would find, he was not of Nazareth, but Bethlehem. V. 12. He caft out all that fold and bought-Doves and oxen for facrifice. He had caft them out three years before (John ii. 14.) bidding them not make that houfe an houfe of merchandize: upon the repetition of the offence, he uses sharper words. In the temple-That is, in the outer court of it, where the Gentiles ufed to worship. The money-changers-The exchan gers of foreign money into current coin, which thofe who came from diftant parts might want to offer for the fervice of the temple. V. 13. A den of thieves-A proverbial expreffion, for an harbour of wicked men. V. 20. The difciples feeing it-Asthey went by, the next day. V..21. Jefus anfwering Jaid, If ye have faith-Whence we may learn, that one great end of our Lord in this miracle, was to confirm and increase their faith: another was, to warn them against unfruitfulness. V. 23. When *Mark xi. 11, 15. Luke xix. 45. + Ifa. lvi. 7. Jer. vii. 11 Pfalm viii. a § Mark x 11, 12. 23 * And when he came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and faid, By what authority doft thou 24 these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jefus answering faid to them, I will also ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I will likewife tell you, by 25 what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven or from men? And they reasoned among themselves, faying, If we fay from heaven, he will fay, Why then did ye not believe 26 him? But if we say, Of men we fear the multitude; 27 for all hold John as a prophet. And they anfwering faid to Jefus, We cannot tell. And he faid to them, Neither tell I you, by what authority I do these things. 28 But what think you? A man had two fons; and coming to the firft, he said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answering faid, I will not; but afterward repenting he went. And coming to the other, he faid likewife. 30 And he answered, I go, Sir: but went not. Which 31 of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The firft. Jefus faith to them, Verily I fay to you, the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of V. 23. When he was come into the temple, the chief priests came-Who thought he violated their right: And the elders of the people-Probably, members of the fanhedrim, to whom that title moft properly belonged: which is the more probable, as they were the perfons under whofe cognizance the late action of Chrift, in purging the temple, would naturally fall. These with the chief priests, feem purpofely to have appeared in a confiderable company, to give the more weight to what they faid, and if need were, to bear an united teftimony against him. As he was teaching -Which alfo they fuppofed he had no authority to do, being neither Prieft, nor Levite, nor Scribe. Some of the priests (though not as priests) and all the fcribes were authorized teachers. By what authority doft thou thefe things?-Publickly teach the people? And drive out those who had Our commiffion to traflick in the outer court. V. 24 I will ask you one thing-Who have asked me many: The baptifm, that is the whole miniftry of John, was it from heaven, or from men? By what authority did he act and teach? Did man or God give him that authority? Was it not God? But if fo, the confequence was clear. For John teftified, that Jefus was the Chrift. V. 25. Why did ye not believe him-Teftifying this. V. 27. Neither tell I you-Nor again, in exprefs terms: he had often told them before, and they would not believe him. V. 30. He answered, I go, Sir: but went not―Juft so did the Scribes and Pharifees: they profelfed the greatest readiness and zeal in the fervice of God: but it was bare profession, contradicted by all their actions. V. 32. John Mark xi, 27. Luke xx, 1. 32 God before you. For John came to you in a way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the Publicans and the harlots believed him. And ye feeing it, re33 pented not afterward, that ye might believe him. *Hear another parable. There was a certain houfholder, who - planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a wine-prefs in it, and built a tower, and let it 34 out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And when the feafon of fruit drew near, he sent his fervants 35 to the husbandmen to receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen taking his fervants, beat one, and killed ano36 ther, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants more than the former; and they did to them in like man37 ner. Laft of all he fent to them his Son, faying, They 38 will reverence my Son. But the husbandmen seeing the Son, faid among themselves, This is the heir; come let us kill him and take poffeffion of his inheritance. 39 And taking him, they caft him out of the vineyard and 40 flew him. When therefore the Lord of the vineyard 41 cometh, what will he do to those husbandmen; They fay to him, He will miferably deftroy thofe wicked men, and will let out the vineyard to other husbandmen who will render him the fruits in their feasons. 42 Jefus faith to them, Have you never read in the Scriptures, the ftone which the builders rejected, is be V. 3. John came in a way of righteoufnefs-Walking in it, as well as teaching it. The publicans and harlots-The moft notorious finners were reformed, though at first they faid, I will not, And ye feeing the amazing change which was wrought in them, though at firft ye faid, Igo, Sir, repented not afterward-Were no more convinced than before. O how is this fcripture fulfilled at this day! V. 33. A certain houfholder planted a vineyard-God planted the church in Canaan: And hedged it round about-Firft with the law, then with his peculiar providence: And digged a wine-prefs-Perhaps it may mean Jerufalem: And built a tower-The temple: And went into a far country That is, left the keepers of his vineyard, in fome measure, to behave as they should fee good. V. 34. He fent his fervants-His extraordinary meffengers, the prophets to the husbandmen-The ordinary preachers or minifters among the Jews. V. 4. They Say-Perhaps fome of the bystanders, not the Chief Pricfts or Pharifees; who, as St. Luke relates, faid, God forbid, (Luke xx. 16.) V. 42. The builders-The Scribes and Priests whofe office it was, to build up the church. Is become the head of the corner-Or the chief corner-flone: he is become the foundation of the church, on which the whole building refts, and its principal corner-ftone, for uniting the +Pfalm cxviii. 22. Gentiles come the head of the corner? This is the Lord's doing, 43 and it is marvellous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, The kingdom of God fhall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whofoever fhall fall on this ftone fhall be broken: but on whomfoever it fhall fall, it will grind 45 him to powder. And the chief prieft and the Pharifees, hearing his parables, knew he spoke of them. 46 But when they fought to apprehend him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. XXII. And Jefus anfwering, fpake to them again in 2 parables, faying, The kingdom of heaven is like a king, 3 who made a marriage-feaft for his fon. And fent forth his fervants to call them that were invited, to the mar4 riage; but they would not come. Again he fent forth other fervants, faying, Tell them who were invited, behold I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and fatlings are killed, and all things are ready : come to the 5 marriage. But they flighting it, went one to his farın, 6 another to his merchandise. And the reft laying hold on his fervants, treated them fhamefully and flew them. And the king hearing it was wroth, and fending forth his troops, deftroyed those murderers and burnt their 8 city. Then faith he to his fervants, The marriage-feast is prepared, but they who were invited were not worthy. Gentiles to it, as the chief corner-ftone of an house fupports and links its two fides together. V. 43. Therefore-Because ye reject this corner-ftone. The kingdom of God That is, the gospel. V. 44. Whofoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken-Stumbles at Chrift, thall even then receive much hurt. He is faid to fall on this ftone who hears the gofpel, and does not believe. But on whomsoever it fall fail-In vengeance, it will utterly deftroy him. It will fall on every unbeliever, when Chrift cometh in the clouds of heaven. V. 1. Jefus answering pake-That is, fpake with reference to wha had juft paft. V. 2. A king, who made a marriage feaft for his fon-So did God, when he brought his firft-begotten into the world. V. 3. Them that were invited-Namely, the Jews. V. 4. Fatlings-Fatted beafts and fowls. V. 5. One to his farm another to his merchandife-One muft mind what he has; another, gain what he wants. How many perish, by mif ufing lawful things! V. 7. The king fending forth his troops-The Roman armies, emp' ed of God for that purpose: Destroyed thofe murderers-Primari Jews. § Luke xx. 18, |