Cautions against hypocrisy A. D. 33. ST. LUKE. A. D. 33. and the fear of men. A. M. 4037. IN a the mean time, when there || darkness, shall be heard in the light; A. M. 4037. were gathered together an innu- and that which ye have spoken in merable multitude of people, insomuch that the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon they trode one upon another, he began to the house-tops. 4 d And I say unto you, my friends, Be not say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hy-afraid of them that kill the body, and after pocrisy. that, have no more that they can do. C b 2 For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. е 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto 3 Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in you, Fear him. a Matt. xvi. 6; Mark viii. 15.-b Matt. xvi. 12.-c Matt. x. 26; Mark iv. 22; Chap. viii. 17. NOTES ON CHAPTER XII. d Matthew x. 28; Isaiah li. 7, 8, 12, 13; Jer. i. 8.—e John xv. 14, 15. they should prevaricate, corrupt the word of God, Verse 1. When there were gathered together an || and deal deceitfully with it, and with the souls of innumerable multitude-Eriovvaxveiowv twv pvpia- || men, their hypocrisy would be more criminal than dwv, literally, myriads (that is, tens of thousands, that of others. Christ's disciples, Judas excepted, how many is not said) being gathered together. were, we have reason to believe, the best men in the By this it appears, that though the scribes and Pha- || world, and yet we see they needed to be cautioned risees thought to accuse him, and bring him into dis- || against hypocrisy. What need, then, have we to be repute, the people that were not under the influence jealous of ourselves lest we should fall into this sin! of their prejudices and jealousies still admired him, Christ gave this caution to his disciples in the hearattended on him, and did him honour. Nay, iting of this great multitude of people, rather than seems the more these learned hypocrites strove to privately, to add the greater weight to it, and to let drive them from Christ, the more they flocked to the world know that he would not countenance any him; which, doubtless, vexed them no little. It is sin, and especially hypocrisy, even in those he loved not improbable, however, that this vast assemblage best. of people might be partly owing to an apprehension, Verses 2-5. For there is nothing covered, &c.— either that Christ might meet with some ill usage || All your actions shall be brought to light, either in among so many of his enemies, or that he would say this world or in the next. Wherefore take great or do something peculiarly remarkable on the occacare never to do any thing which cannot bear the sion. Be this as it may, it is evident that the peo-light, but let the whole of your behaviour be fair, ple could bear reproof better than the Pharisees; honest, and good. This argument against hypocrisy for though, in the morning, when they were gath- || he proceeded to improve as a reason for their acered thick together, (chap. xi. 29,) he had severely quiring another quality, which would serve all the reproved them, as an evil generation that sought a ends they could propose by their hypocrisy, and to sign, yet in the afternoon they renewed their at- much better purpose; an undaunted resolution in tendance on him. It is pleasing to see people thus the performance of their duty, founded on faith in forward to hear the word of God, and venture upon God, who now governs the world by a particular inconvenience and danger, rather than miss an op- providence, and in the end will reward or punish portunity of being instructed in divine things. He every man according to his deeds. I say unto you, began to say unto his disciples, Beware of the || my friends-With all possible seriousness, and tenleaven, &c.—The caution given in this and the der concern for your everlasting welfare; Be not two following verses, and the subsequent exhort- || afraid of them that kill the body—Let not the fear ations contained in this paragraph, are to the of man make you act the hypocrite, or conceal any same purpose with others that we have had in thing which I have commissioned you to publish: Matthew and Mark, upon other the like. occasions. || and after that have no more that they can do-The See on Matt. xvi. 6; x. 26-32; Mark viii. 15. For immortal soul being entirely out of their reach. But it is reasonable to suppose, that our blessed Lord I will forewarn you-Greek, vñodeišw vμiv, I will preached the same doctrines, and pressed the same show you; whom you shall fear-Whose displeaduties, at several times; and that some of his evan- sure you shall be afraid to incur; fear him, which gelists have recorded them as he delivered them at || after he hath killed the body, hath power to cast into one time, and others as he taught them at another. hell-Is able to torment the soul eternally, and It is here said, that he addressed his disciples first whose displeasure, therefore, is infinitely to be of all; for they were his peculiar charge, his family, dreaded. Yea, I say unto you, Fear him—And his school, and therefore he particularly warned || rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, them as his beloved sons. They made a greater and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing profession of religion than others, and hypocrisy which may offend his Divine Majesty. See on Matt. therein was the sin of which they were most in|| x. 28. It is remarkable that Christ gives this direcdanger. And as they were to preach to others, if tion even to his peculiar friends: therefore the || 418 ( 27* ) a fearing of God, as having power to cast into hell,|| is to be pressed even upon true believers. and promises of divine support. A. D. 33. 9 But he that denieth me before men, A.M.4037, shall be denied before the angels of God. 10 And h 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. i 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 say: h Matt. xii. 31, 32; Mark iii. 28; 1 John v. 16.—i Matt. x. 19; Mark xiii. 11; Chap. xxi. 14. may, upon true repentance, be forgiven: for whosoever shall speak a word-Expressive of unbelief and disregard, or even of opposition and enmity; against the Son of man-In this his present state of humiliation and suffering, he may possibly hereafter repent, and on his repentance his sins may be forgiven him. But unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost-If a man's denying of me rise so high that he blasphemes and reviles the Holy Spirit, and ascribes the miracles wrought by him, in con|| firmation of the gospel, to the agency of Satan, this sin shall never be forgiven, neither is there place for repentance. And especially he that, after my resurrection and ascension, blasphemes the Holy Ghost, when that Divine Spirit shall have displayed his most glorious agency as my great advocate and witness; he who then opposes that last and most convincing and powerful method of God's recovering grace, shall, as utterly incorrigible, be abandoned to final destruction. See on Matt. xii. 31, 32. Verses 6, 7. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings-Accapiwv dvo, two pence, as Dr. Campbell translates it, or "three half-pence sterling;"|| and not one of them is forgotten before God-As if he had said, But trust in as well as fear him, for remember, he is an infinitely more kind, as well as more powerful friend than man, and all things are in his hand and keeping. His providence extends itself to the meanest of his works: he numbers the very hairs of your head, and therefore | your enemies cannot hurt even your bodies without his knowledge and permission. Fear not therefore-For as men, and much more as my servants and friends, ye are of more value than many sparrows-And are more peculiarly under God's care than they. Verses 11, 12. When they bring you unto the synagogues-Let me add, however others may be affect Verses 8, 9. Also I say unto you-It will be necessary, however, in order that you may keep your minds unshaken, that you should often look forward unto the final judgment, at which I will own you as my servants, if, by your constant and cheerful obe-ed by this testimony of the Spirit, one happy effect dience to my commands, you now acknowledge me of its operation shall be to furnish you, my apostles, as your Master. For whosoever shall confess me for a proper and honourable discharge of your office before men-Shall freely and openly acknowledge in its most difficult parts: and therefore when, in himself to be my disciple, and shall conduct himself || the opposition you shall meet with from your peras such, to whatever dangers and persecutions he secutors, they shall bring you into the synagogues, may thereby expose himself; him shall the Son of to be tried in the judicial courts assembled there; man also confess-Shall declare to belong to him; And unto magistrates and powers-Before greater before the angels of God-When they come to at- || magistrates and supreme powers, whether Jewish or tend on his final triumph. But he that-To avoid heathen; Take ye no thought how ye shall answer reproach and suffering; denieth me before men--Be not solicitous about the matter or manner And is ashamed or afraid of maintaining so good a|| of your defence, nor how to express yourselves. cause; shall be denied and disowned by me before Though they may have not only your liberty but the angels of God-When they appear in radiant your lives in their hands, yet be not anxious what forms around me, and wait in solemn silence the apology you shall make for yourselves, or what you important event of that awful day. Nothing can be shall advance in defence of the gospel you preach. more majestic than the view which Christ here For the Holy Ghost shall teach you—For in these gives of himself, and of the issue of the final judg-seasons of the greatest difficulty and extremity, the ment. To be renounced by him is spoken of as a circumstance which will expose a man to the contempt of the whole angelic world, and leave him no remaining shelter or hope. Verse 10. And whosoever, &c.-Nothing, therefore, can be more dangerous and fatal than to oppose || my cause: and yet the denying me in some degree, Spirit of God shall suggest to your minds the answers you ought to give to the most captious inquiries, and most invidious charges of your enemies. Proper thoughts and expressions shall flow in upon you as fast as you can utter them, so that with undaunted courage you shall be able to vindicate the honour of the gospel, and to confound the most artful or most 13 ¶ And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide|| the inheritance with me. and needless worldly care. A. D. 33. 16 And he spake a parable unto A. M. 4037. them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully : 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 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. 19 And I will say to my soul, 1Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 1 Eccles. xi. 9; 1 Cor. xv. 32; James v. 5. potent of your adversaries. See on Matt. x. 19, 20; || treasure it up and enjoy it ourselves, is one species Mark xiii. 11. of covetousness; for these words are certainly proVerses 13-15. One said, Master, speak to my bro- || duced as dissuasive from that sin, which they could ther, &c.-While Jesus was discoursing, as above || not be, were not the desire of having more one sperelated, to his disciples, one of the crowd, that was cies or symptom of it. And from the words folthen collected about Jesus, requested that he would ||lowing we learn, that to be more solicitous concernspeak to his brother, and persuade him to divide || ing temporal than spiritual things, and to be anxious their paternal inheritance, and give him his share. | about them, when we are not yet rich toward God, But, because judging in civil matters was the pro- is another sign of covetousness. This may be convince of the magistrates, and foreign to the end of cluded from the concern of this person for the dividour Lord's coming, he refused to meddle in their ing of his inheritance, rather than that our Lord quarrel. It is not said which of these brothers was should instruct him in the way of life, it being this in the wrong; only, because the disposition which || which gave occasion to Christ's admonition, to bethey discovered afforded a fit opportunity for reli- ware of covetousness; and it more clearly follows gious advice, our Lord embraced it, and cautioned || still from the example of the rich fool, mentioned his hearers in the most solemn manner against co- in the following verses, who was so much concernvetousness, declaring that neither the length nor the || ed to hoard up his goods, but not at all concerned to happiness of a man's life depends upon the great- ||be rich toward God; that is, to have his treasure ness of his possessions. He said, Take heed and with God in the heavens, and to esteem it his chief heware-Greek, opatɛ kai qvhaooɛode año îns thεovε- || riches to be an heir of the kingdom of God, verse Elaç, see to it, and be on your guard, against covet-32, and to employ his property in a way that would ousness. The phrase is lively and full of force. || be acceptable to God, and tend to his own future feSome old versions and good copies read, from all || licity; for this is a plain indication of a heart that covetousness, in which extent, doubtless, our Lord || values these temporal concernments more than intended his caution to be understood, whether he God's favour, or celestial riches, which, in St. Paul's did or did not so particularly express it. "Properly judgment, renders the covetous person guilty of speaking, covetousness is an immoderate love of || idolatry. For a man's life—That is, the comfort money. Now of this passion there are two kinds : || and happiness of it; consisteth not in the abundance one which, in the pursuit of its purpose, does not that he possesseth-Nor can the continuance of his scruple at fraud, falsehood, and oppression, and || life, even for the shortest period of time, be secured which is commonly accompanied with want of kind- || by that abundance. ness and charity. This is the most odious and cri- Verses 16-20. To illustrate his admonition, and minal species of covetousness. The other form of || give it the greater weight, our Lord here delivers an the vice consists in a high esteem of riches as the important parable. The ground of a rich man chief good, in seeking one's happiness from the en- || brought forth plentifully—This man, it appears, joyments which they procure, and in substituting became rich, not by unjust gains, but by the produce them in the place of the providence and grace of of his own land, the most innocent method possible God. This love of riches is, in Scripture, emphatical- of making or increasing an estate. Nor did his coly termed a trusting in them, and is a sort of covet-vetousness consist in heaping up wealth without ousness that is abundantly compatible with a regard end, even by a method so innocent as that of agrito justice, being often found in persons no way re-culture: no; the extraordinary fruitfulness of one markable for the want of that virtue." Thus Dr. year's crop contented him, for it was so great that Macknight; to which we may add, with Dr. Whitby, he had no further care, but to contrive how to bestow that the desire of having more than we really need, his fruits. And the result of his deliberation was, and that, not to supply the necessities of others, or to pull down his barns and build greater. Nor did to promote God's glory, but that we may keep and his covetousness consist in hoarding up the fruits || 23 The life is more than meat, and the body 27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they is more than raiment. toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, vi. 20; Verse 33; 1 Tim. vi. 18, 19; Jam. ii. 5.————P Matt. vi. 25.- -9 Job xxxviii. 41; Psa. cxlvii. 9. actions, will they buy thee off from punishment? And when thou goest to thy own place, will they procure thee one moment's respite from thy torment, or any comfort under it? Where of that one bountiful year; for he laid them up with no other intention, but to take the full use of them | in every sensual enjoyment which they could afford; saying to his soul, that is, to himself, with complacency and confidence, Thou hast much goods Verse 21. So-Such a fool, is he, in the divine aclaid up for many future years, take thine ease- || count; that layeth up treasure for himself—Here Cease from the fatigue of business, and even from on earth and is not rich toward God-In acts of the labour of thought. Enjoy thyself; eat and piety and charity, which would secure a fund of cedrink without any fear of exhausting thy stores, and lestial treasures, lodged in his almighty hand, and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with therefore inviolably safe from such calamitous accithy most jovial companions, can make thee. This dents as these. In other words, the covetous senman's covetousness, therefore, consisted in the sat- sualist, who, in pursuing riches, has nothing but the isfaction which he took in his goods and fruits, in gratification of his senses and appetites in view, no his putting a high value on the pleasures of luxury regard to the glory of God, who has commanded which they afforded, and in proposing to derive his men to impart to others a portion of the good things happiness from them alone, without taking God and which they enjoy, by almsgiving and other acts of religion into his scheme at all. But God said unto|| beneficence; the man who thus lives only for himhim—God, who in this man's scheme of happiness self, is as great a fool, and as far from real happiwas overlooked, thought fit to show him the folly heness, as the rich glutton in the parable, who propowas guilty of in contemning his Maker, on whom he depended for every thing, and by whose provi- || dence alone he lived to enjoy any blessing: God, with just displeasure, said to him, by the awful dispensation of his providence, amidst all his gayety of heart, and in the variety of his schemes and hopes, Thou fool—Who dost thus stupidly forget both the dignity and the mortality of thy nature, and thy continual dependance upon thy supreme Lord! Know, to thy terror, that this very night-While thou art talking of a long succession of pleasurable years; thy soul shall be required of thee-And hurried away to its own place; that soul, which thou just now saidst had much goods laid up for many years, and which thou badest take its ease and be merry. Greek, тην vxηv añaiтeσiv año σ8, They shall demand thy soul of thee; that is, "Either thy soul shall be required of thee by God that gave it, and whose deposite it is, as the Jews speak, or else it shall be required by evil angels, according to that other opinion of the Jews, that the souls of the just, when they die, are carried into the garden of Eden by the ministry of holy angels, and the souls of the || wicked to the place appointed them, by evil spirits." -Whitby. Then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided-Will they be thine any longer? When thou appearest at my bar to answer for thy ses no other end to himself, from his riches, but eat- Verses 22-31. And he said unto his disciples- Exhortation to seek ST. LUKE. the kingdom of God. A. M. 4037. that Solomon in all his glory was || world seek after: and your Father A. M. 4037. not arrayed like one of these. knoweth that ye have need of these things. A. D. 33. 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, of little faith? ye A. D. 33. 31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. 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 30 For all these things do the nations of the "provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a 2 Or, live not in careful suspense.- - Matt. vi. 33.——3 Matt. xi. 25, 26. * Matt. xix. 21, Acts ii. 45; iv. 34.- u Matt. vi. 20; Chap. xvi. 9; 1 Tim. vi. 19. his fatherly care will certainly provide for them what is so. awakening parable, whereby he intended to caution || the contending brothers and the multitude against covetousness, sensuality, and the love of pleasure, Verses 32-34. Fear not, little flock-You, my he now proceeds to address his disciples, and caution || dear property and charge, however feeble you may them against those anxious cares and earthly affec- seem; fear not, I say, that you shall be left destitions which are also very inimical to religious dis-tute of those common blessings of providence, for positions, and obstructive to all progress in the di- || it is your Father's good pleasure, &c.—Evdokŋoev, he vine life. This part of his discourse he grounds on,|| takes delight, or joyfully acquiesces, in giving you and enforces by, the consideration of God's super- the kingdom, even the kingdom of eternal glory; intending providence, and on the caution and para- and can you possibly imagine, that while he intends ble which he had just delivered. As if he had said, || to bestow that upon you, and even takes pleasure Since a man's life consisteth not in the abundance in the thought of making you so rich, great, and of the things he possesseth; since plenty of goods || happy there, he will refuse you those earthly supand fruits is not capable of prolonging it one mo- plies, such as food and raiment, which he liberally ment beyond the term fixed for it by God; ye, my imparts even to strangers and enemies? And since disciples, more especially ought, for that reason, to ye have such an inheritance, regard not your earthly take no thought, or rather, as μepuvare means, not be || possessions. Sell that ye have and give almssolicitous for the prolongation of your lives, by anx- That is, be ready, when God calls you, and the exiiously laying up a store of provisions and clothes, gencies of Christ's members require it, so to do; &c., as if these could preserve life; no, you should and be so far from the sordidness of the rich man, consider that the life is more than meat, &c. See who would not give of his superfluities to the needy, the contents of these verses explained at large in as in these cases to relieve them out of the princithe notes on Matt. vi. 25-34. For Luke has here, as pal, or main stock; as knowing this heavenly kingin other places, recapitulated several precepts given dom is to be obtained, not by hoarding up treasures by our Lord to his followers, according to St. Mat- here on earth, but in consequence of an interest in thew, at a very different time. Some commenta- Christ, and union with him through faith, by distritors, indeed, have laboured to show that both evan-buting them to his poor and destitute members. gelists refer to the same period, but certainly they This was a precept peculiarly calculated for those have not been able to prove that point: and to at- times, in which the profession of the gospel exposed tempt it was perfectly unnecessary, it being surely men to the loss of all their goods. And it is probaproper that our Lord should repeat to his hearers ble it was as a fruitful seed in the minds of some in Judea, who had hitherto not been favoured with who heard it; and the liberal sale of estates, a few his public ministry, the doctrines which he had || months after, by which so many poor Christians before delivered to such as attended his discourses were supported, might be, in a great measure, the in Galilee. Neither be ye of a doubtful mind-Mn || harvest which sprang up from it, under the cultivaμerεwpisεode. Be not (like meteors in the air, tossed || tion of the blessed Spirit. Nothing is more probaabout by every wind) of a fluctuating, unstable mind ble, than that some of the many myriads now or judgment, agitated with a variety of restless, un- || attending our Lord, (verse 1,) might be in the numeasy thoughts. Any speculations and musings in ber of the thousands then converted. See on Acts which the mind is suspended in an uneasy hesita- || ii. 41-48. Provide yourselves bags which wax not tion, might well be expressed by the word. The old-Nor wear out: an allusion this to the danger thing forbidden, says Theophylact, is πɛριoñaσμos kai of losing money through a hole, worn in an old т8 hoy8 asaros tɛрɩpорɑ, a distracting and unstable purse. Such is frequently the gain of this world, fluctuation of the mind, or reason, about provision and so are its treasures hoarded up, and put into a for the body, which Christ would here remove from bag with holes, Haggai i. 6. The rich men in Juthe children of God, assuring them that his wisdom || dea, so soon ravaged and destroyed by the Romans, knows what is needful for them, (verse 30,) and that particularly found it so. A treasure in the heavens |