176 cxxvi. Luke No merit must be arrogated to ourselves. SECT increase our faith boh quicken our apprehen- Lord, increase our sion of the reality and importance of the motives faith. by which all thy commands are enforced, and xvii. 5 of the authority by which they are dictated; that we may not scruple to submit even to such precepts as these, how hard soever they may bear upon flesh and blood. 6 7 6 And the Lord And the Lord said, If you had ever so little faith, though it were but as a grain of mustard- said, If ye had faith as a grain of musseed, yet (as I formerly told you) it would con- tardseed, ye might quer the greatest difficulties; so that you might, say unto this syca as it were, be able to say to this sycamoretree, minetree, Be thou Be thou rooted up, and planted in the sea, and it root, and be thou should presently obey you. planted in the sea, plucked up by the 7 But which of meat? 8 And will not say unto Endeavour therefore to live in the exercise of and it should obey this noble grace, and in a series of such services you. as are the proper fruits of it: but in the midst of you having a serall be careful to maintain the deepest humility, vant ploughing, or as in the presence of God your heavenly Master, feeding cattle, will say unto him by and on whom, as you are his servants, you can have by, when he is come no claim of merit for who is there of you, that from the field, Go if he has a servant ploughing his ground, or feed- and sit down to ing his flock, will say unto him, as soon as he comes in from the field, Come in and sit down at the 8 table with me? Or will he not rather say to rather him, if it was a part of that servant's business to him, Make ready do it, Make ready somewhat for my supper, and, wherewith I may when it is prepared, gird up thy garments close sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, about thee, and wait upon me while I am eat- till I have eaten ing and drinking; and afterwards thou shalt sit and drunken; and 9 down to eat and drink thyself? And suppose eat and drink? he should observe his orders with the greatest 9 Doth he thank diligence, does he think himself obliged to thank that servant that servant because he hath done what was com- cause he did the things that were manded him? I apprehend he does not, because commanded him? he has an authority over the servant, and may I trow not. Increase our faith.] Woltzogenius himself acknowledges that their applying to Christ to strengthen their faith shews that they believed he had a divine influence over the spirits of men. See Whitby in loc. You might say to this sycamoretree, &c.] I do not apprehend this text to be entirely parallel to Mat. xvii. 20, p. 12. In this connection the expression seems proverbial, and to be as if he had said, As the least degree of miraculous faith will (as I said before) produce the greatest effects, so the least degree of true sincere piety will afterward thou shalt be finally bear a man above all opposition, and enable him to conquer the world. sense. d Come in.] Raphelius proves that the word aga has often this Compare Luke xii. 37, and Acts xxiv. 7. See Raphel. Annot. ex Herod. p. 263, and especially Annot. ex Xen. p. 108. Gird up thy garments close about thee.] Compare Luke xii. 37, p. 116. That servants used to be girded while waiting on their masters is well shewn by Elsner, Observ. Vol. I. p. 258, 259. See note bon Luke xii. 35, p. 116. Reflections on an inoffensive and forgiving spirit. servants: we have done that which 177 Luke xvii.10 justly claim his obedience as matter of debt. SECT. 10 So likewise ye, Now to apply this to your own services; so like- cxxvi. when ye shall have wise ye, when you have faithfully done all that done all those things which com- was commanded you in the exactest manner, yet are manded you, say, should still say, Surely we are worthless and unWe are unprofitable profitable servants, who cannot pretend to have which merited any thing from the hand of our Master; was our duty to do. for we have done no more than what we were, by virtue of our relation to God, and dependance upon him, indispensably obliged to do, as much as any purchased slave is obliged to serve his master. And assure yourselves, that no services will be so pleasing to God as those performed with such an humble spirit. 11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the These discourses, and those above mention- 11 ed, happened in our Lord's journey to the feast of the dedication ; and as he went to Jerusalem midst of Samaria to attend it, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee, taking those parts of Samaria in his way which lay next to Galilee. and Galilee. h IMPROVEMENT. verse LET us renew our guard against every thing in our conduct which might give offence to the meanest and weakest; and against 1, 2 every thing which might by a bad example mislead others, or furnish the enemies of religion with matter of reproach and accusation against it. Let us imbibe the forgiving spirit of the gos-3, 4 pel, and, bearing in mind the numberless instances in which God has forgiven us, though we have sinned against him not only seven times, but seventy times seven; let us arm ourselves, in some degree, with the same mind, and endeavour to forbear and forgive one another, even as God for Christ's sake has freely forgiven us. (Eph. iv. 32, and Col. iii. 13.) Unprofitable servants.] The word has related the two little histories contained axe sometimes signifies wicked (Rom. iii. 12, Mat. xxv. 30); but in this connection it cannot have that sense. I entirely agree with Heinsius, that here, and 2 Sam. vi. 22, Septuag. it signifies mean or inconsiderable, as the best of men certainly are. in the next section at some distance from each other, it is very difficult (as the attentive reader will observe) to place them together without some tautology. I have therefore inserted the introduction to one of them at the end of this section; leaving out the word vélo, it came to pass, which imply that what is mentioned in the conis a mere expletive; or at most does only text happened in this journey, or may refer to the discourses Christ had before delivered, as we have observed in the para As he went to Jerusalem.] As Luke phrase. 178 SECT. ver. Reflections on the unprofitableness of our service. In a sense of the weakness of our faith, let us pray to Christ to cxxvi. increase it; and then those duties will be discharged with ease and delight which appeared most difficult in a distant prospect. 7-10 Yet when faith and patience have had their most perfect work, when our Master's will has been borne with the most entire submission, and done with the most zealous dispatch, let us not pretend to place any merit in our own actions or sufferings; but let us think of ourselves as the servants of God, yea, as unprofitable servants, whose goodness extendeth not to our great Mas ter and to the riches of his grace let us ascribe it, that our feeble powers are strengthened to the performance of our duty; and that our worthless services are accepted, and the numberless deficiencies of them mercifully excused. SECT. cxxvii SECT. CXXVII. Christ, travelling through Samaria, rebukes the intemperate zeal of James and John against those who refused to grant him entertainment; and heals ten lepers. Luke IX. 51-56; XVII. 12-19. LUKE IX. 51. T was observed in the close of the former section, that our Lord was now on his journey from Galilee, near the feast of the dedication :a ix. 51 and it came to pass, that as the days were now Luke Near the feast of the dedication] ans) have, for the obvious reason hinted Taking it for granted that the following above, thought of placing it higher; and word, avances, refers to Christ's ascen- lower I think it cannot be brought : for sion (the reasons for which I shall give be- though I was once strongly inclined to low), I think this the only place where this take the words in their most literal sense, little story can properly come in. harmonizers place it just before the feast of was going from Galilee to Jerusalem just Most and to conclude this happened when Christ tabernacles (of which we had an account in before his ascension, after having manifestthe seventh and eighth chapters of John, ed his resurrection by his appearance to the from sect. xcviii. to cv.); and chiefly on five hundred brethren, 1 Cor. xv. 6 (comtheir authority, without a critical examina- pare Mat. xxviii. 7, 16-18); I have been tion, I had mentioned it in that connec- obliged to give up that hypothesis, contion in my Sermon against Persecution, sidering that he never after his resurrection But I am now convinced that appeared so publicly as in this story (comcould not be the time; not only as it would pare Acts i. 3, x. 40, 41), and that he increase the difficulty, by supposing Luke had then no difficulties to expect at Jerusa then to say that the time of his being re- lem against which he should stedfastly set ceived up was fulfilled, though it must have his face. And as for his journey to Jerubeen above half a year before his death; salem just before the passover at which he but chiefly because that was not the suffered, he went from Ephraim near the last journey he made from Galilee to wilderness (John xi. 54), and passed through Jerusalem, and because (as we observed Jericho (Luke xix. 1), so that Samaria on John vii. 10, note, h p. 44) he made that did not lie in his way. Nor is there, that journey with all possible secrecy; whereas I can find, any proof that he ever went here he had a train of attendants. No back to Galilee, between the feast of dedicommentators (on our interpretation of ava- cation and his death; which I think suf. p. 3. As he went to Jerusalem the Samaritans would not receive him. 179 go to Jerusalem. Luke ix. 51 that he should be almost fulfilled in which he knew he should be SECT. received up, he sted- received up to heaven again, having dispatched exxvii. fastly set his face to the ministry which he was to discharge on earth; notwithstanding all the painful scenes through which he was yet to pass, his heart was so animated with a regard to his father's honour and the salvation of men, and so cheered with the views of his own approaching exaltation and glory, that, in defiance of all his most inveterate enemies, he resolutely set his face to go up to Jerusalem, though he knew it was the last journey he should take from Galilee thither, and that tortures and death awaited him there. And, as his way lay through Samaria, being a 52 And sent mes- stranger there, he sent messengers before his 52 sengers before his face, who in their progress entered into a village face: and they went, of the Samaritans to prepare entertainment for village of the Sa. him; only desiring to take a lodging there, and maritans to make to pay for their accommodation. ready for him. and entered into a But the Samaritans had such a national grudge against ficiently accounts for the use of the phrase of the days or time being fulfilled, &c. former seizure at Nazareth, Luke iv. 29; urging farther that avaλaubave signifies to As the days were fulfilled in which he take again, and referring (I think without should be received up: vt ovμtanpa sufficient evidence) to Acts xx. 13, 14, Tas nμepas The avaλntros au78.] In all the xxiii. 31, compared with ver. 10; and Eph. reasonings of the former note I have taken vi. 13, compared with ver. 11; in proof of it for granted that avantes here signifies it. But I beg leave, with all due deference, Christ's being taken up to heaven: and this to observe, that ounaaubava is the word is so generally the signification of the which Luke uses for taking, in the sense word, that I wonder any learned men this worthy person supposes, as denoting should have interpreted it in a different to seize (compare Acts i. 16, and Luke xxii. manner. Sir Isaac Newton, merely to 54); in which he is supported by the ausuit with his hypothesis of preserving the thority of Aristotle, Euripides, and the order of Matthew unvaried, strangely sup- best Greek Classics. And therefore since poses that this occurrence happened in the the word is plainly used with reference to first year of Christ's preaching (Newt. on Christ's ascension, Mark xvi. 19; Acts i. 2, the Prophecies, p. 153), and interprets the 11, 22; 1 Tim. iii. 16; as also to that of passage before us as if avans were the Elijah, 2 Kings ii. 10, 11, Septuag. and same with avadox", a renewed entertainment; since in all the places referred to above it which would make it no exact date at all; may be rendered by taking up (see Grotius but might indifferently be applied to any on Mark xvi. 19), Í scruple not at all, with other feast. Heinsius confounds it with the most ancient versions, and the geneufos, and interprets it of his being lifted rality of critics, to follow the usual interup on the cross; though it is certain the pretation which refers avans to Christ's ideas of being lifted up to a state of sus- ascension; especially since no considerable pension, and taken or received up, are ex- difficulty would be removed by admitting tremely different. A learned friend, for any of the preceding different interpretawhose judgment I have justly a great tions. That the word days signifies no regard, observing that as sometimes more than time, and is sometimes used to signifies a seizure, ingeniously conjectures express what passes in an instant, is very that avans may signify Christ's being evident from 2 Kings, ii. 1, and Gen. xxv. seized again; imagining it may refer to a 24, Septuag. 180 cause his face was as though he would He rebukes the intemperate zeal of James and John. SECT the Jews, that they would not receive him, nor 53 And they did cxxvii. grant him the common rites of hospitality due not receive him, beto any stranger, because his face was directed towards Jerusalem; and they concluded, from go to Jerusalem. the season of the year, that this visit was intended as a peculiar honour to the temple there.c Luke ix. 53 54 And when his disciples, James and John, 54 And when his who attended him,d saw it, they said, Lord, disciples, James and John, saw this, they wilt thou that we speak for fire to come down said, Lord, wilt thou from heaven to destroy them, as Elijah did with that we command regard to his enemies (2 Kings i. 10, 12); for fire to come down from heaven, surely one word in such a case will do it, and consume them, even the artillery of heaven will be much more ready as Elias did? to avenge such an affront offered to thee, who art so much superior to any of the prophets? 55 and and said, Ye know But [Jesus], turning short upon them, re- 55 But he turned, buked them with a becoming severity, and and rebuked them, said, Ye know not what kind of spirit ye are of; not what manner of you neither consider the genius of the gospel, spirit ye are of. so much more gentle than that of the law, nor do you sufficiently know your own hearts; and if you were more dilligently to examine them, you would soon find that there is a great deal of personal resentment and ostentation mingled with all that zeal for me which you so warmly 56 express on this occasion. But I reject your 56 For the Son of motion as absolutely unfit to be complied man is not come to As a peculiar honour to the temple be resented as something of an affront, there.] None of the feasts observed at considering the antipathy of the two naJerusalem could be more remarkable in tions. this view, as this was kept in commemoration of the temple's being purified, after it had been polluted by Antiochus Epiphanes, to whose idolatrous impositions the Samaritans had willingly offered to submit; as was observed before in note 8 on John iv. 9, Vol. I. p. 169. Josephus observes (Antiq. lib. xx. cap. 6 (al 5), § 1, & Bell. Jud. lib. ii. cap. 12 (al. 11), 3), that the Jews going from Galilee to Jerusalem at their public feasts, took Samaria in their way; and it might James and John, who attended him.] That these disciples, so remarkably distinguished by their Lord's favour, should have some distinguished zeal and faith, may seem less wonderful, than that a person of so sweet a disposition as John should make so severe a proposal. (Compare sect. xcvi. Impr. p. 36.) The affinity which this story has to the other, with which Luke has connected it, is (as Grotius justly observes) a sufficient reason for his having thus transposed it. |