COMPARISON OF LUKE xii. WITH PORTIONS OF MATT. vi., X., xii., xvi., xxiv., SHEWING ALSO THE PRINCIPLE OF HEBREW PARALLELISM IN OUR LORD'S DISCOURSES. THE LORD UPHOLDETH ALL THAT FALL, AND RAISETH UP ALL THOSE THAT BE BOWED DOWN.-Psalm cxlv. 14. 12 Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: but he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, 12 or what ye shall say: for the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? why take ye thought for the rest? and to-morrow is cast into the oven; O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment ? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature ? 32 33 32 VOL. II.] BE CONTENT WITH SUCH THINGS AS YE HAVE :-Heb. xiii. 5. [171 PUT NOT YOUR TRUST IN PRINCES, NOR IN THE SON OF MAN, IN WHOM THERE IS NO HELP.-Psalm cxlvi. 3. SHALL I COUNT THEM PURE WITH THE WICKED BALANCES, AND WITH THE BAG OF DECEITFUL WEIGHTS ?-Micah vi. 11. LUKE xii. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; 33 34 35 36 37 and all these things shall be added unto you. provide yourselves bags which wax not old, where no thief approacheth, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men when he will return from the wedding; whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: 38 verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. 39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: 40 172] When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite. for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: 43 44 for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, 45 46 whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, 47 That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, 48 My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder (or, "p). and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. IF IN THIS LIFE ONLY WE HAVE HOPE IN CHRIST, WE ARE OF ALL MEN THE MOST MISERABLE.-1 Cor. xv. 19. 50 34 35 and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. xvi. He answered and said unto them (the Pharisees with the Sadducees), When it is evening, 36 ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: 3 for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh V. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. AWAKE TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND SIN NOT;-1 Cor. xv. 31. 4 25 26 [ VOL. II. WITH GREAT CARE SHOULD WE GUARD AGAINST UNCHARITABLE CENSURES OF THOSE WHOM GOD AFFLICTS, SECTION 64.—(G. 33.)—[Lesson 61, 2 64—.6.]—JESUS IS TOLD OF THE GALILEANS, WHOSE BLOOD PILATE HAD MINGLED WITH THEIR SACRIFICES. BY THE PARABLE OF A BARREN FIG TREE, HE FURTHER WARNS THEM OF APPROACHING JUDGMENT.-Luke xiii. 1-9.-[See Greswell, Vol. III. Diss. xxxv. pp. 26-37.] INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Lu. xiii. 1-3. Some having spoken of the Galilæans whom Pilate had slain while they were sacrificing in the temple, Jesus takes occasion to forewarn them of the calamities coming upon the nation generally, in connection with the destruction of the temple. 4, 5. Jesus points to another sign, equally expressive, of the approaching national destruction, in the ruins of their strong holds. 1 Lu. xiii. 6-9. Having shewn that we are not to be rash in judging those to be peculiarly wicked whom we see in the present time distinguished by calamity; Jesus, by the parable of the barren fig tree, proceeds to teach, that neither are we to judge favourably of what we are, and of what is to befal us, because we have hitherto escaped, and may even have been treated with extraordinary kindness. LUKE xiii. 1—5. There-were-present at that season Kaip some that told him of the Galilæans, whose 2 blood Pilate had-mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto-them, Suppose-ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they3 suffered such-things? I-tell you, Nay: but, except ye-repent, ye-shall- all likewise4 perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think5 ye that they were sinners opeiλerai above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I-tell you, Nay: but, except ye-repent, ye-shall- all likewise-perish. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Lu. xiii. 1. Galleans-supposed by some to be followers of Judas of Galilee, Ac. v. 37-but see NOTE. 2. sinners above all, &c.-At Melita, Ac. xxviii. 4, when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his (Paul's) hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to 3. repent-To this taey had been called by the live.' | preaching of the Baptist, Mt. iii. 1, 2, § 7, p. 50--as NOTES. Lu. xiii. 1. At that season. Before our Lord retired from addressing the immense multitude collected Of the Galilæans, &c. Mr. Greswell supposes these to be simply certain of the people of Galilee,' rather than any of the sect, known in contemporary history by their relation to Judas, surnamed the Galilæan.' And of this event (see Vol. III. Diss. XXXV. pp. 26-37) he says: 'Laying these several particulars together, I think we may come to the inferences, partly with an absolute certainty, and partly with an high degree of probability, first, that a contest had taken place in Jerusalem, arising out of a disturbance of the public peace, between the Jews and the Roman soldiers, attended by bloodshed on both sides, the scene of which was partially the temple; secondly, that this was the sedition of Barabbas, for which he was in prison, when Jesus was brought before Pilate; thirdly, that some of the Galilæans, the native subjects of Herod, while engaged in the act of sacrificing, had innocently been sufferers by it; fourthly, that this violence done to them was the cause of the enmity existing between Herod and Pilate, and the reason why the former was present in Jerusalem at the time of the last passover, with an armed force for his own protection, or for that of his subjects; fifthly, that all this was of recent occurrence, between the time denoted by John, xi. 54, § 58, p. 133, and xii. 1, § 81, p. 253, after the commencement of our Lord's final circuit, and not long before its close.' Josephus relates a similar act of severity on the part of Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, who put to death three thousand Jews, whilst they were sacrificing in the temple. 2. Suppose ye, &c. The people rightly supposed that human suffering is occasioned by sin, but were wrong in thinking those to be individually the greatest sinners upon whom the crimes of a community are first visited, for warning to the rest. 3. I tell you, Nay. Our Lord bids them regard the case of these men as a warning of the judgments coming upon the nation generally. general denunciation of God's vengeance against the Except ye repent, &c. These words contain a impenitent Jews. But they had a special fulfilment in the destruction which fell upon the Jewish people during their war with the Romans, about forty years after this time; particularly at the taking of Jerusalem, when many thousands of them perished, like these Galileans, in the temple, and round the altar, by the hands of the Roman soldiers: when the walls of Jerusalem were overthrown, and her children within her; when the nation perished from the land of their fathers.-See on Mt. xxiv., § 86, p. 322, et seq. tower was in the walls of Jerusalem, at the south-east 4. Or those eighteen.... tower in Siloam. This angle thereof.-See § 55, p. 118, GEOG. NOT., Siloam.' Sinners. operai, 'debtors,' a Jewish phrase for sinners: those who obey not are reckoned debtors to PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. Lu. xiii. 1-5. In the present dispensation God deals with communities as such, so that the guilt of the whole may be visited upon individual members, whilst others escape. Thus we are not to look upon those who suffer as peculiarly guilty, but rather as a warning to all who are in the same condemnation; as foreshadowing the doom awaiting all, should repentance and amendment not follow. Those whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, and those upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, were signs of the approaching destruction of the body of the Jewish people; when their blood was literally mingled with their sacrifices, and all their strong holds were VOL. II.] thrown down; and they, so far as they were a nation inhabiting the promised land, were buried in the ruins. By the mention of the Galilæans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices, Jesus was supplied with a case in point, for the illustration of the close of his preceding discourse. But although even the Son of God was the speaker, the words of warning were unheeded by the nation; they knew not their time; they allowed the day of their merciful visitation to pass unimproved. They were in due time delivered. unto the officer, and cast into prison; where they have remained, and must remain, until they accept I KNOW THY WORKS:-Rev. iii. 8. [173 REMEMBERING THAT HIS STROKES UPON THEM ARE GIVEN TO BE MERCIFUL WARNINGS TO US. 6 LUKE Xiii. 6-9. He-spake also this parable; A-certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; 7 and he-came and-sought fruit thereon, and found none.* Then said he unto the dresser-of-his-vineyard, Behold, these-three years I-come seeking fruit on this fig tree, 8 and find none: cut-it-down; why cumbereth-it karapyer the ground? And he answering said unto-him, Lord, let-it-alone this year also, till I-shall-dig about it, and dung 9 it and if it-bear fruit, well: and if not, then after-that es TO MEAλov thou-shalt-cut-itdown. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Lu. xiii. 6. vineyard-see Is. v. 1-7. sought fruit-see Mt. xxi. 19, 20, § 83, p. 275. 7. these three years-Under Moses and the succeeding judges, under the kings, and since the return from Babylon, the Jews had been given three seasons of privilege, which had not resulted in correspondent z fruitfulness-They were since the beginning of the Baptist's ministry given a fourth and last trial before their excision; of which they were very distinctly apprised by John, Mt. iii. 10, § 7, p. 53, And now also GOOD IS NOT GIVEN US FOR OUR OWN ADVANTAGE MERELY, BUT THAT WE MAY BE FRUITFUL IN GOOD WORKS. the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.'-And sec NOTE. 9. cut it down-So early as the time of Moses the Lord said, Ex. xxxii. 9, 10, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: 'Jesus expressly declares that the threatened judgment upon their nation should come before that generation had passed away, Mt. xxiii. 36; xxiv. 34, §§ 85,.€, pp. 320,.40. NOTES. the law, or rather, to that Divine justice from which the law came. ['As the whole of the unbelieving Jewish community was divisible only into comprehensive members of the native Jews and the Galilæans respectively; so it is observable we have two instances adduced of visitations distinctly affecting, in the first place, only a certain part of either of these divisions, each of which is made the foundation of a prophetical warning, by way of admonition to the rest, of what might be expected, for similar reasons, by all.'-Greswell. This is the first of a series of predictions, relating to a common subject, the punishment of the infidel Jews, and the destruction of Jerusalem.'-Ibid. The destruction of the unbelieving Jews at last, so far as concerned the fact itself, was sudden, indiscriminate, and complete, like that of the eighteen who perished at Siloam; and in the mode and circumstances of the event, bore no improbable relation to the fate of the Galilæans.'-Ibid.] Lu. xiii. 6-9. A certain man had a fig tree, &c. This parable was intended to enlarge on the idea in the preceding discourse, and enforce the foregoing warning, by announcing the impending destruction which would attend the long-continued abuse of God's mercy.'-Bloomf. The vineyard represents the visible church of God; the owner of the vineyard is God, the Lord of the church; and the tree, which is planted in the vineyard, is the people of the Jews.'-Greswell. [The parable of the barren fig tree is a prospective allusion to both St. Matthew and St. Mark in conjunction; and prepares the way for the account of the malediction judicially inflicted on a similar tree, and for a similar fault, which they record (Mt. xxi. 18, .9, and Mk. xi. 13, .4, § 83, p. 275). These different accounts illustrate each other: for the moral of the parable, which is a prophetical allegory, and the end of the malediction inflicted upon the tree, which was purely symbolical, it might be shewn conspire together, and are in fact, the one the completion of the other. The fig tree on mount Olivet, and the fig tree in the parable, bear the same typical relation; and the curse pronounced upon the former is but the execution of the sentence which had been already passed upon the latter, and only for a time suspended.'-Greswell, Vol. I. Diss. i. p. 25.] In this parable our Lord proceeds to enforce the warning addressed by him to the Jews, in ver. 3, 5. Its unfruitfulness for three years represents the little return which the Jews had made to God, for the advantages which they had enjoyed. The year during which the tree was not only let alone, but dug about and dunged, represents the respite, and the additional means of grace, which were granted to the Jews, during the ministries of John the Baptist, of our Lord, and of his apostles.'-Lonsdale and Hale. PRACTICAL 7. Three years. It was now towards the close of the third year of our Lord's ministry, during which time he had been calling the people to repentance, and had wrought many miracles in attestation of his Divine mission among them. But see SCR. ILL. supra. Why cumbereth it the ground? The word cumber here means to render barren, or sterile. By taking up the juices of the earth, this useless tree rendered the ground sterile, and prevented the growth of the neighbouring vines. [9. If it bear fruit, well. The abrupt termination of these concluding words of the dresser of the vineyard is a singular beauty, which, instead of being retained or improved, is lost or impaired by the supplement of the ellipsis in the version. It arises from a presentiment in the speaker, that a disappointment even of this last and final effort to reclaim the tree, was probably to be expected. To fill up his words by the introduction of the particle, well, would not only make them a plenary proposition, which they are not in the original, but would be inconsistent with the train of his thoughts at the time, and destructive of the pathos of the passage; and instead of an ominous and melancholy presage, would convey the expression of a cheerful hope and confidence about the result.'-Greswell on the Parables, Vol. III. p. 362. If not,.... thou shalt cut it down. Our Lord's ministry had been carried on three years, and would be brought to a close in the fourth. If the event should prove that their impenitence was protracted beyond this period, their reprobation also would be final, and the sentence of their excision, whether immediately to be put into execution or not, would nevertheless become fixed and irreversible.'--Greswell. The deficiency of detail of the further course of the event is critically supplied by another incident in the gospel narrative, the curse pronounced on the barren fig tree, omitted by Luke, but recorded by Matthew, xxi. 18, 9, [Mk. xi. 13, .4,] § 83.'-See NOTE, supra. The preaching of the apostles, . . . after our Lord's personal ministry was over:... was no new trial or concession, intended for the benefit of the nation at large, whose infidelity as such, and whose punishment in consequence of it, were both already certain, but for the sake of confirming or making good the covenant with or unto many, in the language of Da. ix. 27; that is, of verifying the Divine promises to those whom St. Paul denominates the election, that individual portion of the much larger community, or nation of the Jews, by whom the preaching of christianity, though unsuccessful with the rest, should be received. The number of this election was not complete until the time appointed for the days of vengeance was arrived, that is, until the interval between the day of pentecost, and the commencement of the Jewish war was consummated.'Ibid. REFLECTIONS. of the punishment of their iniquity: wrath has come upon the Jews as alone guilty, because they suffered upon them to the uttermost. But let us not look See continuation of PRAC. REFLEC. next page. 174] On this prospective allusion, see NOTE, supra. [VOL. II. PUNISHMENT DELAYED IS LIKELY TO BE THE MORE SEVERE WHEN IT DOES COME. BELOVED, I WISH ABOVE ALL THINGS THAT THOU MAYEST PROSPER AND BE IN HEALTH, EVEN AS THY SOUL PROSPERETH.-3 John 2. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS, § 61, continued. such things; rather let us, from their case, discern our own danger, and be warned to flee from the wrath to come. In a future state individuals will be dealt with according to their individual merits; but, in the present time, let us look upon calamities less as the punishment of individuals than as warnings unto all. [Ln. xiii. 6. Let us ever remember that, both individually and collectively, we are to bring forth fruit, not unto ourselves, but unto God.] 7 ver. Let us admire the long-suffering kindness of our God, in that he hath not long since cut us down as cumberers of the ground: and, whilst we admire the patience of God in so long bearing with our unfruitfulness, let us not presume that as it has been in the past, so it will be in the future. [8, 9 ver. The abundance bestowed upon a people, after having long misimproved God's mercy, may be the last effort to revive their fading virtues. Let us therefore not boast of even the favours bestowed upon us by God; but, feeling our increased responsibility, seek humbly and earnestly to improve them.] The opportunities of his mercy and patience are diation of his Son, and the prayers of his ministers. often unexpectedly lengthened out through the meAnd, if he spare, ministers ought to be diligent. The most unfruitful sinners may be renewed and turned to God by the gospel; but the obstinate abuse of this will at last issue in men's just and inexpressible ruin. Cries for mercy will then become vain, hopes and pleas from external privileges will be defeated, and there will be none to intercede for the sinner.' SECTION 65.—(G. 34, .5.)-[Lesson 61, continued.]-JESUS ON THE SABBATH DAY HEALS A WOMAN WHO HAD A SPIRIT OF INFIRMITY EIGHTEEN YEARS: AND JUSTIFIES THE ACT AGAINST THE RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE. JESUS AGAIN DELIVERS THE PARABLE OF THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED, AND OF THE LEAVEN.-Luke xiii. 10-21. INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. 10 are Lu. xiii. 15, .6. Jesus vindicates his conduct, in having on the sabbath day released from Satan's bond this daughter of Abraham. 17. The adversaries of Jesus ashamed: and the people rejoice for all the glorious things which are done by Him. 18, .9. Jesus delivers the parable of the grain of mustard seed, as in Mt. xiii. 31, .2, § 32, p. 218. 20, .1. The parable of leaven hid in three measures of meal, as in Mt. xiii. 33, ib. (G. 34.)-No. 65.-Jesus on the sabbath day heals a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years: and justifies the act against the ruler of the synagogue.-Luke xiii. 10—.7. And he-was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11, And, behold, there-was a-woman which-hada-spirit of-infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed-to12 gether ovykum Toura, and could in no-wise lift-up avaxuyat herself. And when-Jesus saw her, he-called her to him, and said unto-her, Woman, thou-art-loosed-from thine 13 infirmity. And he-laid his hands on-her: and immediately she-was-made-straight avwpwon, and glorified God. 14 15 And the ruler-of-the-synagogue answered with-indignation, because-that Jesus hadhealed on-the sabbath day, and-said unto-the people, There-are six days in which men ought to-work: in them therefore come and-be-healed, and not on-the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth- not each-one of-you on-the sabbath -loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead-him-away to-watering? SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. Lu. xiii. 13. laid his hands-see Mk. xvi. 18, § 98; | a man on the sabbath day, Jno. v. 5-16, § 23, p. 175— see also Mt. xii. 10 --. 4, 525, p. 195. Ac. ix. 17, &c. Satan. NOTES. 15. hypocrite-see ch. xi. 39-44; xii. 1, §§ 62, .3, pp. 156--Pr. xi. 9,An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.' loose his ox or his ass, &c.-see ch. xiv. 5, § 67, p. 180. case to find men filled with madness, while beholding the power of God's grace and mercy in others. [15. Thou hypocrite. His objection to Christ's' work of mercy on the sabbath is supposed to have been, not from any reverence for the day, but from envy and malice at Jesus' power and popularity; and yet he pretended not to oppose Jesus, but only to reprove the people out of zeal for God.] 14. six days, &c.-as enjoined in the fourth commandment, Ex. xx. 9, Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:" not on the sabbath day-The Jews had before been enraged because he had effected a similar cure upon Lu, xiii. 11. A spirit of ingrmity. An evil spirit | causing infirmity, as appears from ver. 16, where our Lord expressly attributes the woman's infirmity to 14. The ruler of the synagogue. See § 36, p. 286, ADDENDA, Ruler,' &c. Answered with indignation. It is not an infrequent PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. [Lu. xiii. 11-.3. The sabbath is a day in which the I followers of Christ should, like their Lord, remore, as opportunity offers, the bands of those that are bound, that they may the better enjoy the rest which God has appointed for man on his holy day.] When touched by the healing hand of Jesus, and equally when upheld by him in health, let us with grateful hearts glorify God. [14 ver. Let us beware of hasty wrath, especially upon witnessing the increase of good to others. Let us not have such a regard for ceremonial worship as VOL. II. would make us indifferent to the temporal condition THE LAW WORKETH WRATH:-Rom. iv. 15. NOW THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD WITHOUT THE LAW IS MANIFESTED, BEING WITNESSED BY THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS;-Rom. iii. 21. |