The blood of all the prophets should be required of them. 101 CX. and ye build their them, and you build their sepulchres, one would szer. sepulchres. imagine that erected these monuments not you so much in honour of the slaughtered prophets as of the persecutors by whom they were so xi. 48 wickedly destroyed. (Compare Mat. xxiii. 29 -32, sect. clviii.) Luke 49 Therefore also Therefore, also the wisdom of God hath said, 49 said the wisdom of and I am in his name commissioned to declare God, I will send it as his determinate purpose, I will yet send them prophets and apostles, and some of them other prophets and extraordinary messenthem they shall slay gers, particularly the apostles, who shall declare and persecute : my gospel to them, as the last expedient for their recovery and salvation: but such I know to be the hardness of their hearts, that they will generally despise and reject them; nay, [some] of them they will kill, and will persecute 50 That the blood the rest: So that by filling up the measure of 50 of all the prophets, their sins, they will bring such a terrible dewhich was shed from struction upon the foundation of themselves, that the blood of all the world, may be the prophets and martyrs which has been cruelly required of this gen- shed from the foundation of the world, may seem 51 From the blood to be required of this generation; Even from 51 of Abel, unto the the blood of righteous Abel, who in those early blood of Zacharias, ages for his distinguished piety was murdered which perished be- by his inhuman brother, to the blood of Zechathe temple: verily I riah, one of the last of the prophets, who was say unto you, It shall slain between the altar and the temple (2 Chron. eration ; tween the altar and xxiv. 20-22). Yea, in the strongest terms I tell you, and repeat it again, The ruin God will bring upon you in his righteous judgment shall be so dreadful, that it shall seem as if the guilt of all their blood had been laid up in store, that it might be required at the hands of this Tillotson (Vol. II. p. 195, 196) has set this text in a most strong and beautiful light, and hinted the turn which I have given it in the paraphrase. Therefore also the wisdom of God hath said.] Dr. Guyse (with Markius, Exerc. p. 669) paraphrases this clause as the words of the historian, and supposes him here to apply this character to Christ, and to declare that Christ, the wisdom of God, farther said, I will send them prophets, &c. I doubt not but Christ might with great propriety be spoken of by that phrase: but, with all due respect to that learned and pious interpreter, I cannot apprehend it to be the sense of this passage; not only because the phraseology is unexampled in the evangelists, but chiefly because our Lord does not say, I send to you, but to them. Yet I see no reason to conclude (with Mr. Whiston, in his Essay for restoring the Old Testament, p. 228) that this is a quotation from any ancient writer. Christ was empowered, without any such voucher, to declare what the counsels of Divine wisdom had determined; and this manner of speaking strongly intimates that he was so; in which view it has on this interpretation a peculiar beauty and propriety. * The blood of Zechariah.] What reason there is to conclude the Zechariah here spoken of is that prophet of whose death we have an account in 2 Chron. xxiv. 20, & seq. will be shewn in notes on Mat. xxiii. 85, sect. clviii. 102 The scribes and Pharisees endeavour to insnare him. SECT. generation, and heap aggravated ruin on their be required of this cx. heads. (Compare Mat. xxiii. 34-36, sect. generation. Luke xi. 52 53 clviii.) in 52 Wo unto you, ye hindered. And I will add, that the disguises thrown on scripture, and the methods used to conceal lawyers! for ye have it from the people, have done a great deal to of knowledge: ye taken away the key bring on this terrible sentence: wo therefore entered not in yourunto you, interpreters of the law, on this account! selves, and them for by these unrighteous practices you have, as that were entering it were, taken away the key of Divine knowledge; and instead of tracing out a spiritual Messiah in scripture, and illustrating the testimony which the sacred oracles bear to him, you have rather abetted the popular prejudices against him and have been so perverse and obstinate in your opposition to the gospel, as that you have not entered in to the kingdom of heaven yourselves, and even those that otherwise were disposed to do it, and would have entered in, you by your wicked management have hindered. ; 53 And as he said them, the scribes and But while he spake these severe and awful things with so much freedom to them, the scribes these things unto and Pharisees were so exceedingly provoked the Pharisees began that they began fiercely to fasten upon him, to urge him veheand rudely endeavoured to urge him to speak of mently, and to promany things that were the most exception54 able topics: Thereby laying snares for him, 64 Laying wait for voke him to speak of many things: and attempting, if possible, to start some un- him, and seeking to guarded word," which they hoped might fall catch something out The key of knowledge.] Vitringa under stands this of one fundamental truth, which would have led them into the knowledge of the rest (Observ. Sacr. lib. i. p. 125): but all their endeavours to embarrass and bias the minds of men in their inquiries after truth might be intended here; as well as more especially their disguising the prophecies which related to the Messiah. If a key was delivered to them as the badge of their office (see Vol. I. p. 485, note, and Camero on this place), there may be a beautiful allusion to that circumstance; as if he should have said, You take that key, not to use, but to secrete it. (See Archbishop Tillotson, Vol. I. p. 208) Elsner has well shewn on this text that the heathen priests were called and yo, keybearers. Observ. Vol. I. p. 228, 229. in Fiercely to fasten upon him.] So deves wex properly signifies (see notes on Mark vi. 19, Vol. I. p. 198). Several more of the words here used are metaphors taken from hunting. Arosqualigav might be rendered to mouth or bear down with the violence of their words, as Theophylact excellently explains it: but the addition of wet welove engaged me rather to translate it as I have done. Casaubon have shewn that it sometimes signifies to examine in a magisterial way; Grotius and but Erasmus's note is, on the whole, the best I have seen upon this word. One in this connection has a most B To start beautiful propriety, and signifies the eagersome unguarded word.] ness with which sportsmen beat about for their game, to start it from its covert. is very probable, as Mr. Cradock conjectures, that the Pharisee, who was master of brethren and learned friends on purpose the house, had invited a great many of his to make a more formidable attack upon Christ, and by their concurrent testimony It him. Reflections on the guilt and danger of hypocrisy. 103 CX. of his mouth, that from his mouth in the warmth of natural resent- SECT. Christ frustrated their malice, in the midst of IMPROVEMENT. xi. 54 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; and suchwere the reproofs ver.39 of Christ on this occasion. How well had all the entertainments & seq. of the Pharisee's table been repaid, had he and his brethren heard them with candour, humility, and obedience! These men despised them to their ruin: let us often review them for our 51 instruction, that none of these dreadful woes may come upon us. This discourse of our Lord is a most just and severe rebuke 39, 42 to every hypocritical professor, who is scrupulous and exact in matters of ceremony, while he neglects morality; and is studious to shine in the sight of men, while he forgets the allpenetrating eye of God. It exposes the ostentation of those who pride them- 43 selves in empty titles of honour, and eagerly affect precedence and superiority. And it evidently chastises those who press on 46 others the duties they neglect themselves, and so are most righteously judged out of their own mouth. How melancholy it is to observe, in instances like these, the 44 hypocrisy and deceitfulness of the human heart, and its despe rate and unfathomable wickedness! and to see how men impose upon themselves with empty appearances, like these Pharisees ; 47, 49 who built the sepulchres of the former prophets, while they were persecuting those of their own day; and, in contempt of all that was said by the messengers of God, were filling up the measure 50, 51 of their iniquities, till the cloud which had been so long gathering burst on their heads, and poured forth a storm of aggravated wrath and ruin! May that God who has an immediate access to the hearts of men deliver all Christian countries, and especially all protestant churches, from such teachers as are here described: who take 52 away and secrete the key of knowledge instead of using it, and cbstruct, rather than promote, men's entrance into the kingdom of heaven! How loud will the blood of the souls they have betrayed cry against them in the awful day, of accounts! and how little will the wages of unrighteousness, and the rewards of worldly policy, be able to warn them against destruction, or to support them under it! to charge upon him any thing which might render him obnoxious: and the presence of so many of them made the discourse delivered at this time more VOL. 2. 15 proper, and the courage and zeal it expressed more remarkable. See Cradock's Harmony, part ii. p. 6. 104 Christ charges his disciples to beware of hypocrisy ; SECT. Luke CXI. Christ cautions his disciples against hypocrisy, and animates them against the fear of men by the promise of extraordinary assistance from his Spirit in their greatest trials. Luke XII. 1—12. LUKE XII. 1. LUKE XII. 1. IN the mean time, while Christ was thus dis- IN the mean time, when there were coursing at the Pharisee's house, many gathered together an thousands of people were gathered together, innumerable multixii. 1 and pressed with so much eagerness to hear tude of people, insohim, that they even trampled on each other: and much that they trode [Jesus] going forth among them, began to say he began to say unto one upon another, to his disciples in the presence of them all, See his disciples first of that you more especially beware, and above all all, Beware ye of the things take heed to yourselves of being corrupted leaven of the Pharisees, which is hyby the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypo- pocrisy. crisy a vice which secretly puffs up their minds, and strangely spreads itself through their hearts and lives, so as to taint and spoil 2 the very best of their duties. shall not be revealed; But seriously 2 For there is reflect upon the folly of it; for you may assure nothing covered, that yourselves, as I have told you formerly (Mat. neither hid,that shall x. 26; Mark iv. 22; and Luke viii. 17), that not be known. there is nothing now so secretly concealed which shall not be discovered, and be openly unveiled another day; nor any thing so artfully disguised or hid, which shall not then at least be made known, if God does not more immediately expose those shallow artifices which he 3 now discerns and abhors. So that whatever 3 Therefore whatyou have spoken with the utmost caution, in the soever ye have spokthickest darkness, shall then be published and en in darkness, shall heard in the clearest effulgence of light and and that which ye be heard in the light: what you have whispered in the most retired have spoken in the chambers and closets, shall then be proclaimed ear in closets, shall aloud as from the housetops in the audience of all. be proclaimed upon the housetops. Many thousands of people were gathered together.] It would be more exactly rendered many myriads; but lest every English reader should not know that a myriad is ten thousand, I render it many thousands; nor is it necessary to take the word in its strictest sense. Perhaps this vast assemblage of people might be owing to an apprehension either that Christ might meet with some ill usage among so many of his enemies, or that he would say or do something peculiarly remarkable on the occasion. Compare Luke v. 17, 19, sect. xlv. and encourages them against the fear of men. 105 Luke 4 And I say unto And therefore let it be your care, not merely sECT. you, my friends, Be to save appearances, but to maintain a good cXI. not afraid of them conscience, though at the greatest expense: that kill the body, and after that have for I say unto you, my dear friends, with all xii. no more that they possible seriousness, and most tender concern can do. for your everlasting welfare, Fear not those who at the worst can only kill the body, and after that have nothing more which they can do, the immortal soul being entirely out of their reach 5 But I will fore- as soon as it has quitted the body. But I will 5 warn you whom ye point out to you the great Object whom you shall fear: fear him, shall fear, while I exhort you most reverentially killed, hath power to fear the great Almighty God, even him, who, to cast into hell; after he has killed the body, has power to cast yea, I say unto you, both that and the soul into hell; yea, knowing which, after he hath Fear him. ed. Fear not there that I cannot too often inculcate it, I say unto 6 Are not five In the mean time remember that your ene-6 sparrows sold for mies cannot hurt even your bodies without his two farthings, and knowledge and permission; for his Providence not one of them is for-" gotten before God? extends itself even to the meanest works of his hands for instance, Are not five sparrows sold for so inconsiderable a sum as two farthings? and yet not one of them, minute and worthless as they are, is forgotten before God; but he attends to all the circumstances of their lives 7 But even the and deaths. Surely then you will not be over- 7 very hairs of your looked by him; but may justly conclude that head are all number- he has such a special and particular concern for fore: ye are of more you, as that even the very hairs of your head are value than many all numbered, so that not one of them can perish without his notice. Fear not therefore; for as men, and much more as my servants and friends, you are more valuable than many sparrows, and will be more remarkably his care Also I say unto than they. But howsoever he may now permit 8 you to be persecuted by your enemies for your fidelity to me, though he should even suffer you to sacrifice your lives in so honourable a cause, you will be far from being losers by it in the end for I say unto you, That if any one sparrows. For two farthings, aσopov Suo.] This was a Roman coin that was then current in Judea, called as, or anciently assarius, which was the tenth part of the denarius or Roman penny, in value about three farthings of our money. Two sparrows might be bought for one, and five for two of these. Compare Mat. x. 29, sect. lxxvi. |