AN EXAMPLE BEARS TO A PRECEPT THE SAME SORT OF RELATION AS A PICTURE TO A DESCRIPTION. LUKE X. 29-33. 29 But he, willing to-justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30 And Jesus answering vroλaßwv said, A-certain man went-down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell-among thieves, which stripped-him-of-his-raiment, and wounded him, 31 and-departed, leaving him half-dead. And by chance kaтa ovуKupiav there-came-down a-certain priest that way: and when-he-saw him, he-passed-by-on-the-other-side avri32 Tapη0ev. And likewise a-Levite, when-he-was at the place, came and looked on him, 33 and-passed-by-on-the-other-side. But a-certain Samaritan, as-he-journeyed, came where SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Eze. xx. 11-.3, 21-Rom. x. 5, Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.'-Ga. iii. 12, the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.'-It is only in Christ, and by faith, that life can be had to fulfil the righteousness of the law, Rom. viii. 2-4, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh : 4, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' Lu. x. 29. justify himself-Jesus afterwards, xvi. 15, § 69, says to the Pharisees, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts:'-see also the parable of the publican and the Pharisee, which Jesus spake, xviii. 9-14, § 73, 'unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ' 30. went down from Jerusalem-It is likely the lawyer himself was from Jerusalem. 31. priest-one of the sons of Aaron-It was his duty to have a sympathy with the whole people, and to teach the law, Mal. ii. 7, which required that kindLe. xix. 34-It required to assist in recovering or reness should be shewn to the stranger, Ex. xxiii. 9; lieving the ox or ass, of a neighbour, or of a person unknown, or even of an enemy, Ex. xxiii. 4, 5, If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.'-And see De. xxii. 1—4. NOTES sight that these words are intended to define the obligation of the duty, and place the groundwork of the love of our neighbour upon a compulsory motive to the love of ourselves. But this is not the case. The words, "as thyself," do not specify the principle of the duty in the abstract; but the rate, the degree, the ratio, or measure of its application in practice ..just as much as we love ourselves-that so we may love him in such and such proportion. Agreeably to the apostle's assertion, that "no man ever yet hated his own flesh;" that is, himself, Eph. v. 29.Greswell.] Lu. x. 28. This do, &c. This do' being critically accommodated to 'What shall I do?' and Thou shalt live,' to 'inherit eternal life.' 29. To justify himself. Wishing to make himself just, or righteous; and, under the circumstances of: the case, must be understood as equivalent to, Make himself perfect.'-Greswell. [Who is my neighbour? The Jews in practice considered none but a Jew a neighbour of a Jew. No part of the Jewish character contributed to prejudice the Greeks and Romans against them more than this well-known trait; so repulsive, so unsociable, and so repugnant to the first and commonest princi. ples of humanity. There was no question which could have been more fitly put to our Saviour than this, "But who is my neighbour?" none that it was more consistent with his benevolence, his charity, his philanthropy, to answer; none that it would have given him more delight to answer: or were there doubt about this, the beautiful parable in which he does answer it would remove that doubt, and be a lasting monument of the interest he took in replying to such a question.'-Greswell.] 30. Jesus answering. The original word is not that usually translated to answer;' and it means, to take up the discourse.' It is used therefore with great propriety here, because our Lord did not return a direct answer to the lawyer's question. A certain man. It is not distinctly stated that the man who fell among robbers, and whose subsequent treatment at the hands of the different parties, equally qualified to have given him relief, is the subject of the history, was a Jew; yet it is strongly im plied that he was, and it is absolutely necessary to the moral effect of the transaction, that we should consider him to have been so. . . . There would have been nothing extraordinary in the fact of a Jew's shewing kindness to a Jew, or of a Samaritan's shewing kindness to a Samaritan.'-Greswell. Jerusalem to Jericho. Jericho was about twenty miles N. E. of Jerusalem, in the way to the great ford (Bethabara) of the river Jordan. It lay through a rocky and desert country.-See GEOG. NOT., § 78. Thieves. Robbers.' Both before and after this period, as we learn from Josephus, Judæa was greatly infested by bands of robbers. 31. A certain priest. One of the order of men in Jewish priesthood was vested.-See ADDENDA, Vol. I., whom, as descended from Aaron, the office of the P. 74, Priests.' 32. A Levite. Of the tribe of Levi.-See ib. p. 75. Looked. Possibly to see whether the person in distress was one that had a claim upon his good there was nothing to witness for the poor man, and offices, but being both naked and speechless, ver. 30, to warrant a narrow-minded Jew expending upon him the kindness to which a neighbour was entitled. Passed by. EvavT. Thus the sense is, 'He passed by over against him, on the contrary side of the road: a conduct the more inexcusable, since, by the Mosaic law, it was ordered that not even a fallen beast of burden was to be passed by, even if it were an enemy's. See Ex. xxiii. 4, 5, supra. The traveller, as well as the priest and Levite, though personally strangers to each other, may have been inhabitants of the same city, Jericho; thus the particular relation of "neighbours" would be superinduced. [We must not ascribe the behaviour of either the priest or the Levite to a motive which will not be borne out by the circumstances of the case, much less without corroboration from those circumstances. ... We must not attribute it to sheer inhumanity. ... The conduct of neither is to be accounted for, except on the principle of antecedent prejudice, combined with ignorance in this particular case, of prejudice against all but Jews, beforehand; with an THE ABSTRACT PRINCIPLE IS THUS INCULCATED, AND ITS PRACTICAL OPERATION IS SHEWN AT THE SAME TIME. LET US LOOK TO JESUS, WHO HATH LEFT US AN EXAMPLE THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS.-Ver. 35. LUKE X. 34-.7. 34 he-was: and when-he-saw him, he-had-compassion on him, and went-to him, andbound-up his wounds, pouring-in oil and wine, and set erßißaras him on his-own 35 beast, and-brought him to an-inn, and took-care-of him. And on the morrow when-hedeparted, he-took-out two pence, and-gave them to-the host, and said unto-him, Takecare-of Euenont him; and whatsoever thou-spendest-more, when I come-again, I 36 will-repay thee. Which now of-these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto-him 37 that-fell among the thieves? And he said, He that-shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto-him, Go, and do thou likewise. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Lu. x. 33. Samaritan-Jno. iv. 9, § 13, p. 92, the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.'-Jesus, a little time before, was denied common hospitality in a Samaritan village, Lu. ix. 52, .3, § 59, p. 135. 34. bound up his wounas-Of the Lord it is said, Ps. cxlvii. 3, He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.' 35. I will repay thee-What the Samaritan said to the host, the Lord says to each who is given opportunity of helping the poor, Pr. xix. 17, He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.' When our Saviour shall come again, he will give reward for the kindness shewn to the least of his brethren, Mt. xxv. 31-46, § 86-see also Lu. xiv. 14, § 67, thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.' 37. He that shewed mercy-Pr. xiv. 21, 'He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.'-Ho. vi. 6, For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice;'-Our Saviour reproached the scribes and Pharisees for omitting the weightier matters of the law; judgment, mercy, and faith, Mt. xxiii. 23, § 85, p. 317. Go, and do thou likewise-In One infinitely greater been shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what and more condescending than the Samaritan, hath doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?' Mi. vi. 8-1 Pe. ii. 21, Christ hath left us an example, that ye should follow his steps: '-Eph. iv. 32, And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving,' &c.-It is thus that we are taught the law by the gospel-it gives us motive and example, of the highest conformity to the will of God, Ph. ii. 5-9. NOTES. ignorance of the individual who required their relief in this instance was a Jew; a prejudice under which each might previously have laboured alike; and an ignorance to which each, at the time, would necessarily be liable alike.... Their ignorance in question was a necessary consequence of the circumstances of the case. The man was naked;... he could not therefore be known from his dress. . . . He was speechless, being left half dead; ... he could not therefore declare who he was.... How were they then to know that he was not a Gentile, a robber, a Samaritan? The place, the neighbourhood, the condition of the man himself, were such as might favour the most sinister interpretation. The conduct of both the parties accordingly is such as, dispassionately considered, seems to be the behaviour of men actuated by horror and abomination, rather than by insensibility.'-Greswell. Lu. x. 33. A certain Samaritan. The natural and religious prejudices of the Samaritan would have rendered him little disposed to shew kindness to a Jew; his conduct, therefore, forms the more striking (as Schoettg. observes) shewn by the case of Jacob in Inn. Havdoxelor. Denotes a public hostelry, such This prompt and considerate benefactor of one poor and helpless fellow-creature, could have cherished no enmity against mankind, nor any comprehensive division of mankind in general. No malicious and vindictive passion could have found an habitual asylum in that heart, which, like a temple of charity, was consecrated to the generous affections, and overflowed with the milk of human kindness. Nor would it perhaps be presuming too much on consistency of character in the same person... if we were to conclude ... that we see in this benefactor of one poor Jew, a pious worshipper of God, an affectionate husband, a tender father, a faithful friend, a gentle master, a peaceful and obedient. subject, a kind and benevolent neighbour.'-Greswell. The moral lesson inculcated in the parable is, as Mr. Greswell says, that every man who is so situated as to require the good offices of his fellow-men, without regard to place, nation, consanguinity, or any of the ties which connect one man, or more, with a part of mankind more closely than the rest, must be regarded and treated as their neighbour.'-Bloomf. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. contrast to that of the Priest and Levite.'-Ibid. Good the strife-when men the palm contest, Which most shall love, which most oblige the rest.' [34. Pouring in oil and wine. ἐπιχέων ἔλαιον καὶ olvov. 'Emy. is not well rendered pouring in. Rather (as inixiw, pooxew, and mapa xéo), pouring on, affundens, applying, i.e., externally. The use of oil and wine, both separately and as a mixture called olviλatov, is plain from passages cited by Wetstein from the ancient medical writers. The mixture was considered a sovereign remedy for wounds on the head or legs; wool, lint, or pounded olive being first laid upon the wound. The oil (which in Palestine is very generous) was doubtless taken with him, by the Samaritan, for the purpose of anointing; and the antiquity of the custom of carrying oil on a journey is Lu. x. 33-.5. Let us be ever ready to acknowledge | what is good in others, however separated from us by sect or party. Jesus had just before experienced the effects of sectarian hate from the Samaritans, but that does not prevent him from producing this Samaritan as an example for the Jew. [Jesus hath had compassion upon us in our most miserable estate, he hath come to us, he hath been wounded that our wounds might be healed. He hath for us poured out not only oil and wine, but his own most precious blood. It is he that hath carried us all our life long, and hath cared for us till now. HE THAT HEARKENETH UNTO VOL. II.] AS WE HOPE TO BE WITH THE HIGHEST IN HEAVEN, LET US BE NEIGHBOUR TO THE LOWEST UPON EARTH.-Ver. 36. Whatever is given for our support is from his boun- 37 ver. Let us be followers of that which is good, from whomsoever the example may proceed: and let us never forget that one of the great lessons taught by our Redeemer is, that we shew mercy. This he hath taught us not less by precept than by his own most gracious example. COUNSEL IS WISE.-Prov. xii. 15. [147 BLESSED BE THE LORD, WHO DAILY LOADETH US WITH BENEFITS, EVEN THE GOD OF OUR SALVATION.-Psalm lxviii. 19. ADDEND A. THE HARMONY OF THE ACCOUNTS OF THE SENDING OF THE TWELVE AND 149] or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, 7 eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, 8 and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, 9 and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, 10 and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, 11 which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. *For Luke's account of the sending forth of the TWELVE, ch. ix. 1-6, see § 39, pp. 294-..8. ASCRIBE YE STRENGTH UNTO GOD:-Psalm lxviii. 34. 12 [VOL. II. OUR GOD IS THE GOD OF SALVATION; AND UNTO GOD THE LORD BELONG THE ISSUES FROM DEATH.-Psalm lxviii. 20. THE WOE AND THE BLESSING AS RECORDED BY MATTHEW AND LUKE. BEWARE OF BLUNTING THE INSTRUMENT, BY PUTTING TOO KEEN AN EDGE UPON IT. A SANCTIFIED CHRISTIAN WILL TAKE THOSE REPROOFS BEST WHICH HE NEEDS THE MOST. SECTION 61.-(G. 28.)-[Lesson 58, Lu. x. 38-42; xi. 1-13, 2 61, .2.]—JESUS IS ENTERTAINED IN THE HOUSE OF MARTHA; AND COMMENDS THE CHOICE OF HER SISTER MARY.-Luke x. 38-42.-[See Greswell, Vol. II. pp. 545-.79,' On the village of Martha and Mary.'] the choice of Martha and that of Mary. They are opposed to each other in three respects INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Lu. x. 38. Jesus, in his journeying, arrives at a certain village, where he is received by Martha into her house. 39. Her sister Mary sits, as an humble disciple, at the feet of Jesus. 38 41, .2. Jesus draws a contrast between i. The choice of Martha being of things that are perishing, induces carefulness; the choice of Mary, being of that which cannot be taken away, is accompanied with rest and peace. ii. The choice of Martha bringeth trouble, one of the greatest evils; in which it is opposed to Mary's choice, called by our Lord that good part.' iii. Martha is occupied with many things, none of which, nor all of them together, can satisfy; whereas the choice of Mary is the one thing' needful. North of Capernaum. Now it-came-to-pass, as they went, that he entered into a-certain village: and a39 certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a-sister SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Lu. x. 38. as they went-Mr. Greswell supposes that what is here recorded, took place as they went upon the circuit indicated, ver. 1- some think that it was as they went to Jerusalem, in accordance with *See ADDENDA, p. 138, supra, 'On the supplementary relation of Luke ix. 51, &c.' BLESSED IS SHE THAT BELIEVED:-Luke i. 45. the purpose of Jesus, to attend the festivals there, when the time of his being received up drew nighsee ch. ix. 51, § 59, p. 135-If so, this was at the time of the feast of dedication-see Jno. x. 22-39, § 56.* VOL. II.] [149 I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION.-Hab. iii. 18. LUKE X. 40-.2. 40 called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and-heard his word. But Martha was-cumbered Teрieσnãтo about much serving diakoviav, and came to him, and-said, Lord, dostthou not -care that my sister hath-left me to-serve alone? bid her therefore that shehelp συναντιλαβηται me. 41 And Jesus answered and-said unto-her, Martha, Martha, thou-art-careful μepinvas 42 and troubled Tupßarn about many-things: but one-thing is needful évos de EσT XPELA: and Mary hath-chosen that good part uepida, which shall not-be-taken-away from her. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Lu. x. 38. a certain village-If Jesus was proceeding to the feast of dedication at Jerusalem, this village might be Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha,' Jno. xi. 1, § 58, p. 127-which Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off,' ver. 18; and there Martha and Mary are again found, six days before the last passover, xii. 1-3, § 81 p. 253. Martha-She appears to have been the most active of the two sisters: she was the first to receive Jesus, when he came to raise their brother Lazarus, Jno. xi. 20, § 58, p. 129. 39. sat at Jesus' feet-a posture expressive of humility and teachableness-De. xxxiii. 3, Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. It is remarked of the man out of whom the legion was cast, that he was found sitting at the feet of Jesus,' Lu. viii. 35, § 35, p. 272. heard his word-She received of his words-see De. xxxiii. 3, supra-such Jesus acknowledged as being most nearly related to him, Lu. viii. 21, § 33, p. 262, and blessed,' xi. 28, § 62, p. 154. 40. Martha was cumbered-was in danger of proving like those represented by the thorny ground, who when they have heard [the word, Mk. iv. 18], go forth, and are choked with cares,' &c., ch. viii. 14, § 33, p. 256. 41. careful Jesus had said much to dissuade from anxiety about provision for the body, Mt. vi. 25-34, § 19, p. 135-And the apostle exhorts believers to be without carefulness, and so to arrange their temporal concerns as that they may attend upon the Lord without distraction,' l Co. vii. 32-.5. 42. one thing is needful-Ps. xxvii. 4, One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty [or, the delight] of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.'Ixxiii. 25, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.'-Pr. iv. 7, Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding.' -Ec. xii. 13, Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.'-When concluding his exhortation to avoid worldly anxiety, Jesus had said, in the sermon on the mount, Mr. vi. 33, Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;'And when teaching his disciples, immediately before the Transfiguration, the necessity of their enduring the cross, if they would wear the crown, Mt. xvi. 21--.5, § 50, pp. 40, .2, he asks, ver. 26, For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?'- Becoming his disciple so as to part with all he had for the benefit of the poor, was the one thing that Jesus required of the rich young ruler, Lu. xviii. 22, § 75, p. 225-The being so taught of Christ as to have learned the great evangelical lesson of LOVE, is by the apostle reckoned the one thing needful for himself, 1 Co. xiii. 2, 3, &c.lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord-see He counted all but as loss and dung for the excelPh. iii. 8. good part-There may be here an allusion to what is said in connection with the Lord's loving the people, and their sitting down at his feet, and hearing his words, De. xxxiii. 3-see on ver. 39, supra-it follows in ver. 4, Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.'-The Lord promised to preserve Israel in possession of the glory of all lands as their inheritance, so long as they kept that law, ch. xxx. 15-20; Eze. xx. 6, &c.-But the Lord himself is the better portion, which had before been promised to the father of the faithful, Ge. xv. 1, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.'-This portion is theirs who are in Christ, Ps. xvi. 5-7, The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance,' &c.-This portion can be rejoiced in, although earthly joy should fade, Lam. iii. 24-.6, The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25, The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26, It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.'Na. i. 7, The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.'-Hab. iii. 17-9-Having this portion, we are enabled to make gain of everything, even of tribulations also, Rom. v. 1-11. not be taken away-Those who chose to have only the earthly portion, without that Better Portion chosen by Abraham, lost the object of their choice, 2 Ki. xvii.-The Portion chosen by believers is an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you [or, for us], who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation,' 1 Pe. i. 4, 5-see Rom. viii. 31-.9-see on the eternal security of the sheep of Christ, his own words at the feast of dedication, Jno. x. 27-.9, § 56, p. 121, My sheep hear my voice,' &c.-and they are exhorted, He. xiii. 5, Be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.' PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. Lu. x. 38. How blessed was Martha in being privileged to receive as her guest the Lord of Life and Glory! and the same privilege is offered to each who has an opportunity of shewing, for his Master's sake, kindness to the poorest of his servants. [How desirous should the Christian be, that he may in his speech and conduct truly represent his Lord, to those who receive him for the sake of Him, who went about doing good, and whose words were truth and grace!] 39 ver. The christian teacher will, like his Master, have more delight in those who prize the words of God, and profit by them; than in those whose attention is occupied with temporal concerns, even although it may be in his behalf. He will attach more importance to their spiritual gain, than to his own worldly profit or gratification. [40 ver. Let us earnestly desire the time when the people to whom the love of God hath been so wondrously manifested as it hath been to our race, will 150] sit humbly at the feet of Jesus, and without distraction from the cares of the world, listen, like Mary, to the words of Christ.] 41 ver. Martha, by aiming at more than was necessary to manifest kind hospitality, fell far short of it. It occasioned her receiving pain from the highest enjoyment of those most dear to her. In place of adding to the comfort of her guest, she would teaze him with complaints against her sister. 42 ver. Let us, with Him who knows the value of our redemption, reckon one thing to be needful, and make everything subsidiary to the work of God. doth not only satisfy now, but for ever. [Let us, with Mary, choose that good part' which The golden psalm (xvi.), in which Christ is the speaker, discoursing of the riches of the inheritance we have in him, concludes as speaking in behalf of each of those who receive of his word- Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.'] LET US BEWARE OF ALLOWING THE TEMPORAL CONCERNS OF RELIGION TO ROB US OF THEIR SPIRITUAL GOOD. |