It is difficult for a rich man ST. MATTHEW. to enter into heaven. things have I kept from my youth up: I say unto you, That a rich man shall what lack I yet? hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great pos sessions. 23¶Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily CCII. 1. 24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? 26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, Ch. 6. 20. Luke 12. 33. & 16. 9. Acts 2. 45. & 4. 31, 35. 1 Tim. 6. 18, 19. 6 Ch. 13. 22. Mark 10. 24. 1 Cor. 1. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 9, 10. these words. Grotius and Mill approve of the omission, and Griesbach leaves them in the text with a note of suspicion. Perhaps the young man meant no more than that he had in general observed them, and considered them of continual obligation. What lack I yet?] He felt a troubled conscience, and a mind unassured of the approbation of God; and he clearly perceived that something was wanting to make him truly happy. Verse 21. If thou wilt be perfect] Teλues avai, to be complete; to have the business finished, and all hindrances to thy salvation removed, go and sell that thou hast-go and dispose of thy possessions, to which it is evident his heart was too much attached, and give to the poor-for thy goods will be a continual snare to thee if thou keep them, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven-the loss, if it can be called such, shall be made amply up to thee in that eternal life about which thou enquirest--and come and follow me-be my disciple, and I will appoint thee to preach the kingdom of God to others. This was the usual call which Christ gave to his disciples. See Matt. iv. 19. viii. 22. ix. 9. Mark ii. 14.; and it is pretty evident from this, that he intended to make him a preacher of his salvation. How many, by their attachment to filthy lucre, || have lost the honour of becoming or continuing ambassadors for the Most High. See on Mark x. 21. Verse 22. Went away sorrowful] Men undergo great agony of mind while they are in suspence, between the love of the world and the love of their souls. When the first absolutely predominates, then they enjoy a factitious rest through a false peace: when the latter has the upper hand, then they possess true tranquillity of mind, through that peace of God that passeth knowledge. He had great possessions.] And what were these in comparison of peace of conscience, and mental rest-besides, he had unequivocal proof that these contributed nothing to his comfort, for he is now miserable even while he possesses them! And so will every soul be, who puts wordly good in the place of the supreme God. See on Mark x. 22. Verse 23. A rich man shall hardly enter] That is, into the spirit and privileges of the gospel in this world, and through them into the kingdom of glory. Earthly riches are a great obstacle to salvation; because it is almost impossible to possess them, and not to set the heart upon them—and they who love the world, have not the love of the Father in them. I John ii. 15. To be rich, therefore, is in general a great misfortune: but what rich man can be convinced of this? It is only God himself who, by a miracle of mercy, can do this. Christ himself affirms the difficulty of the salvation of a rich man, with an oath, verily, but who of the rich either hears or believes him! Verse 24. A camel] Instead of xxμnλov, camel, six MSS. read xaihov, cable, a mere gloss inserted by some who did not know that the other was a proverb common enough among the people of the East. "The There is an expression similar to this in the Koran. impious, who in his arrogance shall accuse our doctrine of falsity, shall find the gates of heaven shut: nor shall he enter there till a camel shall pass through the eye of a needle. It is thus that we shall recompense the wicked.”—Al KORAN. Surat vii. ver. 37. It was also a mode of expression common among the Jews, and signified a thing impossible. Hence this proverb. A cumel in Media dances in a kabe; a measure which held about three pints. Again, No man sees a palm tree of gold, nor an elephant passing through the eye of a needle. Because these are impossible things. "Rabbi Shesheth answered Rabbi Amram, who had advanced an absurdity, Perhaps thou art one of the Pambidithians who can make an elephant pass through the eye of a needle: that is, says the Aruch, who speak things impossible." See Lightfoot and Schoetgen on this place. Go through] But instead of 9, about eighty MSS. with several Versions and Fathers, have uσ0, to enter in, but the difference is of little importance in an English translation; though of some consequence to the elegance of the Greek text. Verse 25. Who then can be saved?] The question of the disciples stemed to intimate that most people were rich, and that therefore scarcely any could be saved. They certainly must have attached a different meaning to what constitutes a rich man, to what we in general do. Who is a rich man in our Lord's sense of the word? This is a very important question, What those are to receive CHAP. XIX. who follow Christ. A. M. 403. With men this is impossible; but thrones, judging the twelve tribes of with God all things are possible. 'A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCII. 1. Israel. с A.AL.4033. A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCHI. 1. my 27 Then answered Peter and T 29 And every one that hath forsaken said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or and followed thee; what shall we have therefore? mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for 28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and That ye which have followed me, in the re-shall inherit everlasting life. generation, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve you, d Gen. 18. 14. Job 42. 2. Jer. 32. 17. Zech. 8. 6. Luke 1. 37. & 18. 27. Mark 10. 28. Luke 18. 28. Deut. 33. 9. ch. 4. 20. Luke 5. 11. and has not, that I know of, been explicitly answered. A rich man, in my opinion, is not one, who has so many hundreds or thousands more than some of his neighbours; but is one who gets more than is necessary to supply all his own wants, and those of his household, and keeps the residue still to himself; though the poor are starving through lack of the necessaries of life. In a word, he is a man who gets all he can, saves all he can, and keeps all he has gotten. Speak, reason! Speak, conscience! (for God has already spoken) Can such a person enter into the kingdom of God? ALL. NO!!! Verse 26. With men this is impossible] God alone can take the love of the world out of the human heart. Therefore the salvation of the richi is represented as possible only to him: and indeed the words seem to intimate, that it requires more than common exertions of Omnipotence to save a rich man. Verse 27. We have forsaken all] " A poor all," says one, "a parcel of rotten nets." No matter--they were their ALL, whether rotten or sound-besides they were the all they got their bread by; and such an all as was quite sufficient for that purpose: and let it be observed, that that man forsakes much who reserves nothing to himself, and renounces all expectations from this world, taking God alone for his portion. See chap. iv. 20. To forsake all, without following Christ, is the virtue of a philosopher. To follow Christ in profession, without forsaking all, is the state of the generality of Christians. But to follow Christ and forsake all, is the perfection of a Christian. What shall we have therefore?] Ti aga egal nuty, what REWARD shall we get? This Kypke proves to be the meaning of the words from some of the best Greek writers. Verse 28. Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, &c.] The punctuation which I have observed here, is that which is followed by the most eminent critics: the regeneration is thus referred to the time when Jesus shall sit on the throne of his glory, and not to the time of following him, which is utterly Improper. The regeneration, παλιγγενεσία. Some refer this to the time which the new heavens and the new earth shall be created, f 30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first. 4 Ch. 20. 21. Luke 22. 28, 29, 30. 1 Cor. 6. 2,3. Rev. 2. 26.-e Mark 10. 29, 30. Luke 18. 29, 30.-fch. 20. 16. & 21. 31, 32. Mark 10. 31. Luke 13. 30. and the soul and body united. The Pythagoreans termed that mahiyytysoia, when, according to their doctrine of the transmigration or metempsychosis, the soul entered into a new body, and got into a new state of being. Clement, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, calls the restoration of the world, after the deluge, by the same name. Judging, the twelve tribes] From the parallel place, Luke xxii. 28-30. it is evident that sitting on thrones, and judging the twelve tribes, means simply obtaining eternal salvation, and the distinguishing privileges of the kingdom of glory, by those who continued faithful to Christ in his sufferings and death. Judging, xewarts. Kypke has shewn that gas is to be understood in the sense of governing, presiding, holding the first or most distinguished place. Thus, Gen. xlix. 16. Dan shall JUDGE his people, i. e. shall preside in, or rule over them; shall occupy a chief place among the tribes. It is well known that the Judges among the Jews were moderators, captains, chief, or head men. The sense therefore of our Lord's words appears to be, that these disciples should have those distinguished seats in glory, which seem to belong peculiarly to the first confessors and martyrs. See 1 Thess. iv. 14. & 16. and particularly Rev. xx. 4—6. The last quoted passage brings into view the doctrine of the Millennium, when Jesus, after having formed the new heavens, and the new earth, shall reign here gloriously among his ancients 365,000 years; for the thousand years referred to above, are certainly prophetical years; in which, it is well known, each day stands for a year. Others of no mean note, are of opinion that the regeneration means the conversion of men by the preaching of the gospelthat sitting on twelve thrones, signifies the state of eminent dignity to which the Apostles should be raised--and that judging the twelve tribes of Israel, means no more than exercising authority in the Church. and dispensing laws to the people of God. But I confess I do not see the propriety of this application of the terms, as the following verse seems to fix the meaning mentioned above, Verse 29. Shall receive an hundredfold] Viz. in this life, in value, though perhaps not in kind: and in the world to come The parable of the labourers ST. MATTHEW. in the vineyard, everlasting life. A glorious portion for a persevering believer!|| truth, and become the first, the chief and most exalted people The fulness of GRACE here, and the fulness of GLORY hereafter! of God. That this prediction of our Lord has been literally See on Mark x. 30. fulfilled, the present state of the Christian and Jewish Churches Verse 30. But many that are first, &c.] The Jews, who sufficiently proves. To illustrate this fully, and to demonstrate have been the first and most distinguished people of God, that the Jews and Gentiles were now put on an equal footing will in general reject the gospel of my grace, and be conse-by the gospel, our Lord speaks the following parable, which quently rejected by me. The Gentiles, who have had no name has been unhappily divided from its connection, by making it among the living, shall be brought to the knowledge of the the beginning of a new chapter. CHAPTER XX. The similitude of the householder hiring labourers into his vineyard, to shew that the Gentiles should be preferred to the Jews, according to what was hinted at the close of the last chapter, 1-16. On the way going up to Jerusalem he predicts his sufferings and death, 17-19. The mother of Zebedee's children, requests dignities for her sons, 20, 21. Christ, by his answer, shews that sufferings, not worldly honours, are to be the lot of his most faithful followers, and that seats in glory can be given only to those who are prepared for them, 22, 23. From this our Lord takes occasion to teach the necessity of humility, and to shew that those who wished to be chief, must be servants of all, 24-28. On his coming to Jericho, he restored sight to two blind men, who being restored, follow him, 29-34. .A.M. 4033. CCII. 1. FOR OR the kingdom of heaven is like | for a penny a day, he sent them into A. M.4035. unto a man that is a housholder, || his vineyard. which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. с A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCII. 1. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the mar 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers ket-place, • Ch. 13. 27. & 18. 23. & 21. 28. John 15. 1. Isai. 5. 1-7. Jer. 2. 21. NOTES ON CHAP. XX. Verse 1. For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man—a housholder] The very commencement of this chapter shews it to be connected with the preceding. The manner of God's proceeding under the gospel dispensation resembles a householder, who went out at day-break, aua new, together with the || morning; as the light began to go out of its chambers in the East, so he went out of his bed-room to employ labourers, that they might cultivate his vineyard. This was what was called among the Jews and Romans, the first hour; answering to six o'clock in the morning. To hire labourers] Some workmen, Twy gyaτw-for he had not got all that were necessary, because we find him going out at other hours to hire more. Verse 2. A penny] A Roman coin, as noted before, chap. xviii. 28. worth about seven-pence halfpenny or sevenpence three farthings of our money, and equal to the Greek drachma. This appears to have been the ordinary price of a day's labour at that time. See Tobit, chap. v. 14. In 1351 the price of labour was regulated in this country by parlia ment; and it is remarkable, that "corn-weeders and haymakers, without meat, drink, or other courtesy demanded," were to have one penny per day! In 1314 the pay of a chaplain to the Scotch Bishops, who were then prisoners in England, was three halfpence per day. See Fleetwood's Chronicon Precios. p. 123. 129. This was miserable wages, though things at that time were so cheap that 24 eggs were sold for a penny, p. 72. a pair of shoes for four-pence, p. 71. a fut goose for two-pence halfpenny, p. 72. a hen for a penny, p. 72. eight bushels of wheat for two shillings, and a fat ox for six shillings and eight-pence! Ibid. In 1336, wheat per quarter, 2s. a fat sheep, 6d. fat goose, 2d. and a pig, ld. page 75. Verse 3. The third hour] Nine o'clock in the morning. Market-place] Where labourers usually stood till they were hired. I have often seen labourers standing in the marketplaces of large towns in these countries, waiting to be employed. 2 4 And said unto them; Go ye also An. Olymp. into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went CCHI. 1. their way. to those labourers. the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. A.M. 4033. A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCHI. 1. 10 But when the first came, they supposed that that they should have received 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth more; and they likewise received every man a hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about a Col. 4. 1. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Rom. 6. 23. penny. 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. C 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I b Or, have continued one hour only Rom. 9. 21. Verse 5. The sixth hour] Twelve o'clock. Ninth hour-three similitude. He was in all cases, an eminent master of the 'clock in the afternoon. Verse 6. Eleventh] Five o'clock in the evening, when there was only one hour before the end of the Jewish day, which, in matters of labour, closed at six. Verse 7. No man hath hired us.] This was the reason why they were all the day idle. And whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.] Ye may expect payment in proportion to your labour, and the time ye spend in it; but this clause is wanting in some of the best MSS. Versions and Fathers. Verse 8. When the even was come] Six o'clock, the time they ceased from labour, and the workmen came to receive their wages. Steward] EniTgwños. A manager of the household concerns under the master. The Rabbinical writers use the very same word in Hebrew letters, for the same office, 15 epitropos. See Kypke. Verse H. They murmured] The Jews made the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles a pretence why they should reject that gospel; as they fondly imagined they were, and should be the sole objects of the divine approbation. How they murmured because the Gentiles were made partakers of the kingdom of God, see Acts xi. 1, &c. and xv. 1, &c. sentences. Verse 13. Friend, I do thee no wrong] The salvation of the Gentiles can in itself become no impediment to the Jews; there is the same Jesus both for the Jew and for the Greek. Eternal life is offered to both through the blood of the cross; and there is room enough in heaven for all. Verse 15. Is it not lawful for me] As eternal life is the free gift of God, he has a right to give it in whatever proportions, at whatever times, and on whatever conditions he pleases. Is thine eye evil] An evil eye among the Jews meant a malicious, covetous, or envious person. Most Commentators have different methods of interpreting this parable. Something was undoubtedly designed by its principal parts, besides the scope and design mentioned at the conclusion of the last chapter. The following, which is taken principally from the very pious Quesnel, may render it as useful to the reader, as any thing else that has been written on it. The Church is a vineyard, because it is a place of labour, where no man should be idle. Each of us is engaged to labour in this vineyard—to work out our salvation through him who worketh in us to will and to perform. Life is but a day, whereof childhood, or the first use of reason, is the day-break or first hour, verse 1. in which we receive the first CALL. The promise of the kingdom of glory is given to all those who are workers together with him, ver. 2. There are many similitudes of this kind among the Jews, where the principal part even of the phraseology of our Lord's parable may be found. Several of them may be seen in Schoetgen. Our Lord, however, as in all other cases, has greatly improved the language, scope, design, and point of the || ver. 3. The second call is in the time of youth, which is most commonly idle, or only employed in dissipation and worldly cares, God will dispense his ST. MATTHEW. blessings as he sees good. A. M. 4033. will with mine own? * || Is thine eye | first last: for many be called, but few evil, because I am good? A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCII. 1. 16 b So the last shall be first, and the chosen. 17¶And Jesus going up to Jeru A. M. 4033, A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCIL. 1. a Deut. 15. 9. Prov. 23. 6. ch. 6. 23. ch. 19. 30. Ch. 22. 11. — Mark 10. 32. Luke 18. 31. John 12. 12. us. The third call is at the age of manhood. The fourth, in the decline of life, ver. 5. The fifth, when sickness and the infirmities of life press upon How many are there in the world who are just ready to leave it, before they properly consider for what end they were brought into it. Still idle, still unemployed in the things which concern their souls; though eternal life is offered to them, and hell moving from beneath to meet them! ver. 6. Others consider the morning the first dawn of the gospel; and the first call to be the preaching of John Baptist. The second call, the public preaching of our LORD: and that of the Apostles when they got an especial commission to the Jews, chap. x. 5, 6. together with that of the seventy disciples mentioned, Luke x. 1. The third call, which was at mid-day, represents the preaching of the fulness of the gospel after the ascension of Christ, which was the meridian of evangelic glory and excellence. The fourth call, represents the mission of the Apostles to the various synagogues of the Jews in every part of the world where they were scattered; the history of which is particularly given in the Acts of the Apostles. The fifth call, or eleventh hour, represents the gencral call of the Gentiles into the Church of Christ, when the unbelieving Jews were finally rejected. What makes this interpretation the more likely is, that the persons who are addressed at ver. 7. say, No man hath hired us, i.e. We never heard the voice of a Prophet announcing the true God, nor of an Apostle preaching the Lord Jesus, until now. The Jews could not use this as an argument for their carelessness about their eternal interests. Verse 16. So the last shall be first, and the first last] The GENTILES, who have been long without the true God, shall now enjoy all the privileges of the new covenant; and the Jews, who have enjoyed these from the beginning, shall now be dispossessed of them; for, because they have rejected the Lord, he also hath rejected them. Many are called, &c.] This clause is wanting in BL. one other; and in the Coptic and Sahidic Versions. Bishop PEARCE thinks it is an interpolation from chap. xxii. 14. The simple meaning seems to be: As those who did not come at the invitation of the householder to work in the vineyard, did not receive the denarius or wages; so those who do not obey the call of the gospel, and believe in Christ Jesus, shall not inherit eternal life. This place scems to refer to the ancient Roman custom of recruiting their armies. Among this celebrated people, no one was forced to serve his country in a military capacity; and it was the highest honour to be deemed worthy of thus serving it. The youth were instructed, almost from their cradle, in military exercises. The Campus Martius was the grand field in which they were disciplined: there, they accustomed themselves to leaping, running, wrestling, bearing burdens, fencing, throwing the javelin, &c. and when, through these violent exercises, they were all besmeared with dust and sweat, in order to refresh themselves, they swam twice or thrice across the Tyber! Rome might at any time have recruited her armies by volunteers from such a mass of well-educated hardy soldiers; but she thought proper, to use the words of the Abbi Mably, that the honour of being chosen to serve in the wars, should be the reward of the accomplishments shewn by the citizens in the Campus Martius, that the soldier should have a reputation to save; and that the regard paid him, in choosing him to serve, should be the pledge of his fidelity and zeal to discharge his duty. The age of serving in the army, was from seventeen to forty-five, and the manner in which they were chosen, was the following: named twenty After the creation of consuls, they every year four military tribunes, part of whom must have served five years at least, and the rest eleven. When they had divided among them the command of the four legions to be formed, the consuls summoned to the capitol, or Campus Martius, all the citizens who, by their age, were obliged to bear arms. They drew up by tribes, and lots were drawn to determine in what order every tribe should present its soldiers.. That which was the first in order, chose the four citizens who were judged the most proper to serve in the war; and the six tribunes who commanded the first legion, chose one of these four, whom they liked best. The tribunes of the second and third legions likewise made their choice one after another; and he that remained, entered into the fourth legion. A new tribe presented other four soldiers, and the second legion chose first. The third and fourth legions had the same advantage in their turns. In this nanner, each tribe successively chose four soldiers, till the legions were complete. They next proceeded to the creation of subaltern officers, whom the tribunes chose from among the soldiers of the greatest reputation. When the legions were thus completed, the citizens who had been called, but not chosen, returned to their respective employments, and served their country in other capacities. None can suppose that these were deemed useless, or that because not now chosen to serve their country in the field, they were proscribed from the rights and privileges of citizens, much less destroyed, because others were found better qualified to serve their country at the post of honour and danger. Thus many are called by the preaching of the gospel, but few are found who use their advantages |