208

clv.

Luke

God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

38 For [God is not a God of the dead, but

[MARK, the God] of the living; for all live unto him: [MARK,

Ye therefore do greatly 32. MARK XII.-27. Į err.] [MAT. XXII.—

SECT. and the God of Jacob." And he had the highest God spake unto him authority for the expression; for have ye not. [that which was spoken unto you by God], read in the book of Moses how God spake to him in saying, 1[am] the God XX.37, the bush by this title? and have ye not observed of Abraham, and the what was then in effect spoken to you by God, God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?][MAT. saying in express terms, "I am the God of Abra- XXII. 31, 32.-MARK ham and the God of Isaac, and the God of Ja- XII. 26. 38 cob?" Now certainly God is not to be called the God of them who are entirely destroyed, and left to continue in the state of the dead, but the God of those who may be yet considered as the living nor would he ever own the high relation of a God to those whom he finally abandons, and suffers to sink into nothing; much less would what he did for the holy patriarchs, whose names he commemorated with so much honour, answer such a title, since he left them exposed to so many trials and calamities, which multitudes escape of whom he has never spoken in such language: so that those good men must be considered as still in existence; and therefore it may be concluded, by a strong train of consequences that all the faithful live unto him; for he, on the foot of Abraham's covenant, owns himself the God of all such: and consequently

f I am the God of Abraham, &c.] It is
surprising to me to find learned men so
much divided in their sentiments on this
easy text.
The force of the argument
cannot surely rest on the word [am]; be-
cause though it be in the Greek, it is not in
the Hebrew, where the words may pos-
sibly signify, I [have been] the God of
Abraham, &c. and the possibility of such
a version would affect the conclusion on
that supposition. But our Lord's argu-
ment is equally forcible either way; for
it is evident, that it cannot properly be
said, that God either actually is, or hath
been, the God of any whom he has suffer-
ed finally to perish; and (as the apostle
strongly intimates) he would, humanly
speaking, be ashamed, or think it infinitely
beneath him, to own that relation to any
for whom he had not provided a city, or a
state of more permanent happiness than
any which could be enjoyed in this mor-
tal life. (See Heb. xi, 16.) So that the ar-
gument by no means turns (as Archbishop
Tillotson and Grotius suppose) on the
calamitous circumstances in which these
patriarchs often were; but would have
held good, had all their lives been as pros-
perous and glorious as that of Abraham
seems generally, notwithstanding his pere-
grinations, to have been. I cannot, as

he

some modern writers of note do, fall in with Mr. Mede's notion, (in his Works, p. 801, 802), that our Lord refers to the necessity of Abraham's being raised from the dead to inherit Canaan, in order to the accomplishment of God's promise to give it to him; both because I can see no such necessity, and because then I think it would have been much more to our Lord's purpose to have quoted the promise of the land of Canaan, than these general words.

g So that all the faithful live unto him.] It is evident that yaş must here have the force of an illative particle, and may be rendered [therefore], or [so that]; for what it introduces is plainly the main proposition to be proved, and not an argument for what immediately went before, In this connection the consequence is apparently just; for as all the faithful are the children of Abrahamn, and the Divine promise of being a God to him and his seed is entailed upon them, it will prove their continued existence and happiness in a future state, as much as Abraham's. And, as the body, as well as the soul, makes an essential part of man, it will prove both his resurrection and theirs, and entirely overthrow the whole Sadducean doctrine on this head,

After

Reflections on the certainty of the resurrection.

39 Then certain of

the scribes answering,

well said.

MAT. XXII. 33.And when the multiwere astonished at his

tude heard this they

doctrine.

203

clv.

Luke

he must be an everlasting patron and friend to SECT.
them, even to their whole persons, so as to re-
cover their mortal part from the ruin and deso-
lation of the grave. And therefore, on the whole, XX. 38.
you greatly err, in denying this doctrine; and
your error tends to bring a disgrace on the whole
series of Divine revelation, and to weaken one
of the strongest motives to a life of holiness and
obedience.

XXII.33

Then some of the scribes who were present, be- 39 said, Master, thou hast ng of the sect of the Pharisees, were pleased to hear a doctrine of their own so judiciously defended, and said in reply, Master, thou hast spoken so well upon this subject, that nothing solid can be objected to thy discourse. And indeed Mat. when all the multitude that was present in the temple at that time heard [this] unthought of, yet convincing, argument, together with so clear an answer to a cavil in which the Sadducees used to triumph as invincible, they were greatly astonished at his doctrine, and plainly testified the admiration and delight with which they had LUKE XX. 40. And attended his discourse. And as the Sadducees after that, they durst had nothing to reply, they were ashamed and not ask him any question at all. disappointed; and after that they durst not any more presume to ask him any thing at all, but retired in silence and confusion.

Luke

XX. 40

IMPROVEMENT.

xxii.

23--28

WITH what satisfaction should we read this vindication of soimportant an article of our faith and hope! Easily was this boasted argument of the Sadducees unravelled and exposed, and all the Mat. pride of those bold wits, who valued themselves so much on that imaginary penetration which laid men almost on a level with brutes, covered with just confusion. Indeed objections against the resurrection, much more plausible than this of theirs, may be answered in that one saying of our Lord's: Ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God, Were the scripture doctrine of the resurrection 29 considered on the one hand, and the omnipotence of the Creator on the other, it could not seem incredible to any that God should raise the dead. (Acts xxvi. 8.)

How sublime an idea does our Lord give us of the happiness of Luke those who shall be thought worthy to attain it! They shall be equal 35, 36

h After that, they durst not ask him any thing at all. It is evident that this is meant of the Sadducees, and must be un

to

derstood as limited to them; because in
the very next section we read of a question
which one of the scribes put to him.

XX.

210

SECT. clv.

Reflections on the certainty of the resurrection.

to the angels! Adored be the riches of that grace which redeems us from this degenerate and miserable state, in which we had made Ver, ourselves so much like the beasts that perish (Psal. xlix. 12) to 35, 36 raise us to so high a dignity, and marshal us with the armies of heaven!

34 Let us esteem so glorious a hope aright, and with the greatest intenseness of soul pursue and insure it. And as for those enjoyments of this present world, which are suited only to the mortality and imperfection of it, let us moderate our regards to them, and cultivate those higher entertainments with the most solicitous care, which will be transplanted into the paradise of God, and ever flourish for the delight of his immortal children.

37 Christ, we see, argues a very important point of doctrine from premises, in which, perhaps, we might not have been able to have discovered it without such a hint. Let us learn to judge of scripture arguments, not merely by the sound, but by the sense of the words. And as our Lord chose a passage from the Pentateuch, rather than from the prophets, for the conviction of the Sadducees, let us be engaged to study the tempers, and even the prejudices, of those with whom we converse; that we may, if possible, let in the light of Divine truth on their hearts on that side by which they seem most capable of receiving it.

Mark

In a word, let us with pleasure think of the blessed God under xii. 26 that gracious title by which he manifested himself to Moses at the bush. Still he is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; the God of our pious ancestors, the God of all our Luke departed friends who are now sleeping in Jesus: for all their souls xx. 38 now live unto him, and their bodies shall ere long be awakened by him. In like manner, if we are followers of them who through faith and patience are now inheriting the promises, when we are gathered to our fathers, and our names, perhaps, forgotten among succeeding generations, he will still be our God. He will shew us, by the blessed experience of eternity, that when he treated with us by that title, and admitted us into the covenant by which he bears it, he intended for us something far nobler and better than the transient scenes of earth and of time could admit.

SECT.

The first and great commandment is to love God.

SECT. CLVI.

Christ discourses of the first and great command of the law, and confounds the Pharisees with a question relating to David's calling the Messiah his Lord. Mat. XXII. 34, to the end. Mark XII. 28-37. Luke XX. 41-44.

211

MAT. XXII. 34.

BUT when the Phari

sees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together,

55 Then one [of the scribes, which was

a lawyer, [came and

perceiving that he had

MAT. XXII. 34.

clvi.

THE
HUS Jesus defended the great doctrine of the SECT.
resurrection from the vain cavils which
were brought against it. But the debates of Mat.
the day ended not here; for when the Pharisees XXII.34
heard that he had thus silenced and confounded
the Sadducees, they were soon gathered together
again, with a malicious view of carrying on the
same design, to try if they could any way expose
him to the people, and to make their remarks
upon what he might say.

a

And one of the learned scribes [who was] also 35 doctor of the law, came with the rest; and havhaving heard theming attended to the discourse between Jesus and reasoning together, and the Sadducees, and heard them reasoning toge answered them well,] ther, perceiving that he had answered them well, asked [him] aquestion asked him a farther question; intending to make tempting him, and another trial of him as to his understanding in the sacred books; and said to him, Master, 136 36 Master, which desire thou wouldst inform me which is the first [is] the [first and] [and] great commandment of all that are con[of al] in the law? tained in the whole law? Is it a ceremonial, or [MARK XII.-28.] moral precept, that is the most important, and deserves the preference?

saying, [MARK XII.

28.-1

great commandment

MARK XII. 29. And

Jesus answered him,

a

And Jesus answered him, The question thou Mark The first of all the hast put may easily be resolved; for surely the XII. 29. commandments is, first, that is, the most comprehensive and imHear, O Israel, the portant of all the commandments of the law, [is] Lord our God is one that which is contained in Deut. vi. 4, 5. x. 12. Lord; [MAT. XXII. 37.-] "Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is the one

a Which is the first and great commandment, &c.] This was a point that often was disputed by the Jewish doctors; some contending for the law of circumcision, others for that of sacrifices, and others for that of the phylacteries. And though it was a rule among them, that the law of the sabbath, was to give place to that of circumcision, yet they were not agreed as to the rest, which was the principal and most important precept, only in general

VOL. VII.

great

they were inclined to give the preference
to the ceremonial part.-Dr. Lightfoot re-
marks (in his Hor. Hebr. on Mark xii.
23,) that Christ answers the scribe out of
a sentence which was written in the phy-
lacteries; in which he avoided all occasion
of offence, and plainly shewed (as the
scribe afterwards observes, Mark xii. 33.
that the observance of the moral law was
more acceptable to God than all the sacri-
fices they could offer to him.
Dd

The

212

clvi.

The next is the love of our neighbour.

c on

- 37,

SECT. great and only Lord; And upon all OC30 And thou shalt casions thou shalt regard and honour him as love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and Mark such, and love the Lord thy God with all thine with all thy soul, and X11.30. heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy with all thy mind, and mind, and with all thy strength;" that is, this with all thy strength: thou shalt consecrate to him all the united pow- great commandment. is the first [and ers and faculties of thy nature; and thy under- [MAT. XXII. standing and will, thine affections and executive 38.] powers, shall be all in the most vigorous manner employed in his service. (See note Luke x. 27. sect. cvii.) This is the first and great commandment, the principal and fundamental precept of the law, and there is no other which may not be considered in its degree as subordi31 nate to this, and reducible to it. And the second, in its sublime and comprehensive nature, [is] much like unto it, as well as given by the same authority, [even] this contained in Lev. xix. 18. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" For all the duties you owe to your [MAT. XXII. 39.] fellow-creatures may be reduced to this; and where this undissembled and generous principle of love is, the rest will easily and naturally follow. On the whole, therefore, there is no other Mat. commandment greater than these. And in

31 And the second

is like [unto it], namethis, Thou shalt love self: there is none other commandinent greater than these.

thy neighbour as thy

XXII.40 deed I may say, that all the law and the prophets On these two
MAT. XXII. 40.

Mark

phets.

com

depend upon these two commandments; that is, it mandments hang all
is the design of the whole revelation, in its dif- the law and the pro-
ferent periods and circumstances, to promote
that virtuous and holy temper which may be
expressed by the love of God and our neigh-
bour.

XII. 32.

unto him, Well, Mas

other but be:

And the scribe who had proposed the question MARK XII. 32, with a design to try him, was struck with the And the scribe said solidity and spirit of his answer, and said to him, ter, thou hast said the Truly thou deservest to be owned as a Master in truth: for there is one Israel; for thou hast spoken to this important God, and there is noue question excellently well: for there is indeed 33 one God, and there is no other beside him: And to love him, as thou hast said, with all the heart, with all the heart, and and with all the understanding, and with all the with all the undersoul, and with all the strength, to consecrate all standing, and with all

b The second is like unto it.] By quoting this with the former he sufficiently guarded against a foolish notion, which some say the Pharisees had, that the observation of one excellent precept of the law would excuse the transgression of many others. It is certain the Pharisees were ready to magnify duties of the first table,

the

33 And to love him.

the