41

- As thyself. As means not equal in degree, but similar in kind. Matt. vii. 12. See note on chap. xix. 19.

66

40. Hang all the law, &c. Mark adds, There is none other commandment greater than these." These commands are so familiar to us, that we cannot understand, how striking they must have appeared to the Jews, who had confounded the important and the unimportant, and were entangled in the nets of sophistry, woven by their teachers. The law and the prophets are founded on these two grand commandments. Rom. xiii. 9. Love to God is the basis of piety; love to man, that of morality. Love is the golden chain that binds man to man, and all to God. Some have conjectured, that an allusion is made here to writing the laws and hanging them up in a public place, to be read by the people.

41-46. Parallel to Mark xii. 35 -37; Luke xx. 41-44.

41. Having silenced the Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and Scribes, with his wonderful answers, he takes an opportunity, when the Pharisees were together, to put their wisdom to the proof, as they had his. His question, however, was not designed chiefly to confound his opponents, for that motive was unworthy of him, but to lead them to more elevated views of the Messiah, as being of higher dignity than a tempor

al king, and to rebut the objection, doubtless used by the Pharisees with effect among the common people, that one, who appeared like an ordinary individual, as Jesus did, could not be the great Deliverer.

42. Of Christ. In the original, of the Christ, i. e. of the ancestry and dignity of the Messiah.-Whose son is he? Rather, whose son is he to be? He did not speak of himself, as our version implies, but of the Messiah they expected. The son of David. This was the current opinion, drawn from their Scriptures.

43, 44. In spirit. Under a divine impulse. Ps. cx. 1.- The Lord said unto my Lord. Jehovah said unto my Lord or Master. - On my right hand. It was customary for persons, next in dignity to the king, to be seated on his right hand. — Make thine enemies thy footstool. A figure, derived from the practice of the victor, putting his foot upon the neck of the vanquished, as a mark of subjection.

45. If David address him with so honorable a title, how is that consistent with his being his son? The only key of explanation lay in the fact, that the Christ was to possess a spiritual superiority, that he was to be, not a mere earthly prince, like David, but a spiritual deliverer, the Saviour of the world. Acts ii. 36.

46. No man was able, &c. Be

him any more questions.

cause they looked upon the Messiah as a temporal ruler, and, therefore, not differing from David in the kind, though he might in the degree, of his power and dignity. The question could not be answered, therefore, because they took a low view of the character and office of their Messiah. Jesus would elevate their minds to nobler conceptions. He had so effectually answered his opponents by his divine wisdom, and confounded them on their own grounds, that they were too much awed, to venture again, by asking him questions, to expose their own weakness and folly. He had, however, only silenced, not convinced them. Foiled in the arts of discussion, they resort to different and darker, but more successful means, to arrest his influence. As we proceed farther, in this wonderful history, how much is there to admire, how much to love, how much to imitate in our blessed Lord! It should ever be the effect of studying his life, to inspire us with a more devoted trust and obedience to him. For in him is life, and light, and everlasting happiness.

CHAP. XXIII.

1-14. See Mark xii. 38-40. Luke xx. 45-47.

1. During the last days of Jesus' life, he is recorded as delivering many discourses, both to his disciples and to the people. In the fol

lowing chapter, he warns the multitude, in the most pointed manner, to beware of the influence of their hypocritical teachers. His hour is rapidly approaching, and he hesitates not to expose the Scribes and Pharisees, in all their moral deformity, before his hearers.

2. The scribes and the Pharisees. See note on chap. iii. 7. — Sit in Moses' seat. In reference to the sitting posture, in which Jewish doctors were accustomed to explain the law. They were the received expounders of the Mosaic religion.

3. All, therefore, whatsoever, &c. It is likely that they interpreted much of the law correctly.~ The expression is a general one, subject to exceptions, and denoting that they were to be hearkened to, so far as they taught in harmony with the Scriptures. After their works. But their example was as carefully to be shunned. A comparison is probably intended here, that they should do rather as the Pharisees said, than as they did, without enjoining that all their instructions should be received with implicit confidence. Warburton points out the magnanimity of our Saviour, in reconciling the people to their teachers, and bidding them hearken to their instructions, though they were not to copy their example. An impostor, or a fanatic, would not have done this.

4. Bind heavy burdens. Acts xv. 10. They did so by multiplying traditions and ceremonies, and insisting on them, as of equal importance with moral precepts. An allusion is here made to loading beasts of burden with an excessive weight. The Scribes and Pharisees would not even lighten or steady their burdens with the tip of one of their fingers, a proverbial phrase. They were severe towards others, but indulgent towards themselves. Having urged the claims of obedience with great severity, they did not supply those mild and gracious motives, that would render obedience pleasant. Has not this picture been repeated from age to age, and appeared even in our own day? Has not the tone of theology been harsh, dogmatical, and denunciatory, rather than mild and winning? Have not burdens been put upon human nature heavier than it can bear?

5. They do for to be seen of men. To the charge of oppression, he adds that of ostentation and ambition. So far as they did conform to their precepts and ceremonies, they acted from a vitiated motive. He goes on to particularize. - Make broad their phylacteries. These were scrolls of parchment, worn on the forehead and the left arm. They were inscribed with passages of the law, usually these: Ex. xiii. 1-10, 11-16; Deut. vi. 4-9, xi. 13-21. The same were inscribed on their door-posts. The custom of wearing them, arose from a too literal interpretation of Ex. xiii. 9, 16; Deut.

vi. 8. Great holiness was attached to them, and they were regarded as amulets or charms, to keep off evil spirits. The following is an extract from a Jewish Targum: "The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on my left hand and on my head, and the scroll is fixed to the right side of my gate, the third part of which looks to my bed-chamber, that demons may not be permitted to injure me." The word phylacteries is derived from a Greek verb, to keep, in reference either to keeping the law by the use of them, or to their keeping or protecting a person, by their supposed magic power. Enlarge the borders of their garments. These were the fringes or tufts, worn on their mantles, to distinguish them from other nations, and remind them of God's laws. Numb. xv. 38, 39. Their ostentation was manifested in making these phylacteries and fringes broad and conspicuous, as badges of their greater sanctity, Mark xii. 38, Luke xx. 46, and thus making their garments long.

6. Uppermost rooms at feasts. More correctly speaking, the_highest places at table. The Jewish table extended around three sides of an oblong square, with one end open, on the outside of which, were couches ranged for the guests to recline upon, and within which, servants could enter to wait upon them. The most honorable place, or the uppermost room, was at the end, which connected the sides of

the square together. - Chief seats in the synagogues. These were near the pulpit, but faced the people, while the back was turned towards the speaker.

7. Greetings in the markets. Or, salutations in the most frequented places. They loved to be addressed in a formal manner, with great signs of respect, in the sight of the world. - Rabbi, Rabbi, i. e. doctor, master, teacher. This obnoxious and haughty title was introduced into the Jewish schools under a threefold form, as Rab, the lowest degree of honor; Rabbi, of higher dignity; and Rabboni, the greatest of all. The ambitious Scribes and Pharisees coveted these idle appellations.

8. But be not ye called Rabbi. Jesus would not have his disciples, in the exercise of their high office, as teachers of his religion, puffed up with this foolish love of distinction, so insidious and so fatal to a meek and humble temper of mind. James iii. 1. For one is your master. The reason of his prohibition was, that they were upon an equality, Christ being their common Master. · Christ. This word has been left out of the text by Griesbach, as destitute of sufficient authority. And all ye are brethren. This clause in several manuscripts is placed at the end of the next verse, where, according to the sense, it more properly belongs; as the mention of the fraternal relation would then be immediately connected with that of the filial. It is clear beyond a doubt, from this and other passages, that

Peter had none of that superiority among the Apostles, on which the claims of the Catholic church are founded.

9. A continuation of the same sentiment. They were not implicitly to submit to any teacher, as a child to a parent. They were neither to assume nor admit such an absolute domination. Upon the earth is contrasted with is in heaven. You are not to look among the imperfections of earth, but in the heights of heaven, for one, upon whom you may fully rely. Of course, there is no prohibition here of children paying respect to their parents. It is not a little remarkable, that the head of the dominant church in Christendom, in his sometimes greater than imperial authority, has, in all ages, been called by that very title, which is here forbidden, Papa, Pope, Father. So little has the doctrine of Christ been adhered to, by the great mass of his disciples!

10. Masters. Leaders, guides. This was a third title of honor assumed by the Scribes and Pharisees, as we learn from the Rabbinical writers. Because their epithets encouraged pride and spiritual tyranny, on one side, and subserviency and superstition, on the other, they were to be wholly discontinued among the equal children of a common Father, and the equal disciples of a common Master. In the bright light of these verses, what becomes of the doctrines of infallibility and divine right vested in any man, or body of men? what be