his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

In the mean time.' While discoursing with the scribes and pharisees, as recorded in the last chapter. An innumerable multitude. The original word is myriads, or ten thousands. It is used here to signify that there was a great crowd, or collection of people, who were anxious to hear Jesus. To his disciples first of all. This was the first or chief thing of which they were to beware. The meaning is this: He said to his disciples, Above all things, beware,' &c. The leaven.' See note, Matt. xvi. 6. 'Which is hypocrisy.' See note, Matt. vii. 5. Hypocrisy is like leaven, or yeast, because, 1. It may exist without being at first detected. Leaven mixed in flour is not known until it produces its effects. 2. It is insinuating. Leaven will soon pervade the whole mass. So hypocrisy will, if undetected and unremoved, soon pervade all our exercises and feelings. When Jesus cautions them to beware of this, he means that they should be cautious about imbibing their spirit, and becoming like them. The religion of Jesus is one of sincerity, of humility, entirely without disguise. The humblest man is the best christian; and he who is the most sincere, is most like his Master.

2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be re vealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. 3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. 4 And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? 7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. 8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

'Nothing covered.' See note, Matt, x. 26-32.

10 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.

See note, Matt. xii. 32.

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, or what ye shall 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

say:

See note, Matt. x. 17-20.

13 ¶ And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with

me.

'One of the company. One of the multitude. He had probably had a dispute with his brother, supposing that he had refused to do him justice. Conceiving that Jesus had power over the people that what he said must be performed-he endeavoured to secure him on his side of the dispute, and to gain his point. Speak to my brother.' Command my brother. 'Divide the inheritance. An inheritance is the property left by a father to his children. Among the Jews the elder brother had two shares, or twice as much as any other child. Deut. xxi. 17. The remainder was then equally divided among all the children.

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

'Who made me a judge? It is not my business to settle controversies of this kind. They are to be settled by the magistrate. Jesus came for another purpose-to preach the gospel, and to bring men to a willingness to do right. Civil affairs are to be left to the magistrate. We may remark, that the appropriate business of the ministers of the gospel is to attend to spiritual concerns. They have little to do with the temporal matters of the people. If they can persuade men to be reconciled to each other, it is right; but they have no power to take the place of a magistrate, and settle contention in a legal way.

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

'Beware of covetousness.' One of these brothers, no doubt, was guilty of this sin; and our Saviour, as was his custom, took occasion to warn his disciples of its danger. 'Covetousness.'

An unlawful desire of the property of another. Also, a desire of gain, of riches, beyond what is necessary for our wants. It is a

violation of the tenth commandment, Ex. xx. 17, and is expressly called idolatry, Col. iii. 5. Compare, also, Eph. v. 3, and Heb. xiii. 5. A man's life.' The word 'life' is sometimes taken in the sense of happiness; and some have supposed that to be the meaning here. But this meaning does not suit the parable following, which is designed to show that property will not lengthen out a man's life, and therefore is not too ardently to be sought. Consisteth not. Rather, dependeth not on his possessions. His possessions will not prolong it. The passage, then, means: Be not anxious about obtaining wealth; for however much you obtain, it will not prolong your life. That depends on the will of God.

16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully : 'A parable.' See note, Matt. xiii. 3. 'Plentifully.' His land was fertile, and produced even beyond his expectations, and beyond what he had provided for.

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

'He thought.' He was anxious and perplexed. Riches increase thought and perplexity. No room." Every place was full. To bestow.' To place, to hoard, to collect. 'My fruits.' Our word' fruits' is not applied to grain; but the Greek word is applied to all the produce of the earth, not only fruit, but also grain.

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

The word barns,' here, properly means granaries, or places exclusively designed to keep wheat, barley, &c.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

'Much goods.' Much property. Enough to last a long while, so that there is no need of anxiety or labour. "Take thine ease.' Be free from, care about the future. Have no anxiety about provision for want. Eat, drink, and be merry.' This was just the doctrine of the ancient Epicureans and Atheists. And it is, alas! too often the doctrine of the rich. Hence their chief anxiety is to obtain the luxuries of all the world, and to be distinguished for splendid repasts and luxurious living. What a portion is this for an immortal soul! What folly to think that all that a man lives for is to satisfy his sensual appetites; to forget that he has

an intellect to be cultivated, a heart to be purified, a soul to be saved from eternal death!

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

"Thou fool.' If there is any supreme folly, it is this. This night,' &c. What an awful sentence to a man who, as he thought, had got just ready to live and enjoy himself! In one single moment all his hopes were blasted, and his soul summoned to the bar of his long-forgotten God. So, many are surprised as suddenly, and as unprepared. They are snatched from their pleasures, and hurried to a world where all their wealth cannot purchase one moment's ease from the gnawings of the worm that never dies. 'Shall be required of thee.' Thou shalt be required to go to God, to die, and to give up thy account. 'Then whose,' &c. Whose they may be is of little consequence to the man that lost his soul to gain them. But they are often left to heirs who dissipate them much sooner than the father procured them, and thus they secure their ruin as well as his own.

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

'So is he.' This is the portion, or the doom, &c. 'Layeth up treasure for himself.' Acquires riches for his own use-for himself. This is the characteristic of a covetous man. It is all for himself. His plans terminate here. He lives only for himself, and acts only with regard to his own interest. 'Rich towards God." Has no inheritance in the kingdom of God-no riches laid up in heaven. His affections are all on the world, and he has none for God. The path of true wisdom is to seek first the kingdom of God, to be ready to die, and then it matters little what is our portion here, or how suddenly or soon we are called away to meet our Judge. If our treasures are laid up in heaven, death will be but going home, and happy will be that moment when we are called to our eternal inheritance.

22 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. 23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. 24 Consider the ravens: 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? 25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? 26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why

take ye thought for the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, That Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? 29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. 30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

See this passage explained in Matt. vi. 25-33.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

'Little flock. Our Saviour often represents himself as a shepherd, and his followers as a flock, or as sheep. See John x. His flock was small. Few really followed him compared with the multitude who refused to love him. But though small in number, they were not to fear. God would provide for them. It was his purpose to give them the kingdom, and they had nothing to fear. See Matt. vi. 19-21. 'Sell that ye have.' Exchange it for that which you can use in distributing charity. This was the condition of their being disciples. Their property they gave up; they forsook it, or they put it into common stock, for the sake of giving alms to the poor. Acts ii. 44; iv. 32. John xii. 6. Acts v. 2. 'Bags which wax not old.' The word 'bags,' here, means purses, or the bags attached to their girdles, in which they carried their money. By bags which wax not old, Jesus means that we should lay up treasure in heaven. Purses soon grow old and useless. Wealth takes to itself wings; but that which is in heaven abides for ever. It never is corrupted; never flies away; never is to be left. 'Wax. This word is from an old Saxon word, and in the Bible means, to grow.

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

'Let your loins,' &c. This alludes to the manner of dress of the