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The duty of servants]

CHAP. XII.

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

will

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know, that if the good man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

[to wait and watch.

40 Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his houshold, to give them their por tion of meat in due season?

43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken ;

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. (Z)

EXPOSITION.

(Z) Ver. 32-48. The duty of watchful ness enforced by two short parables. In the first of these, the lord is represented as having gone to a marriage, the time of his return from which is quite uncertain: his servants are therefore required to wait

for him, with lights in their hands, and their loins girded, ready to attend him; in which case he is pleased to intimate, that they shall find the kindest returns when he shall come. (ver.37.)

Peter, upon this, enquires whether the

NOTES.

Ver. 32. Fear not, little flock-Gr. " little, little;" a double diminutive. Perhaps the allusion may here be to a flock of birds.

Ver. 33, 34. Sell that ye have.-See Matt. xix. 21; vi. 19-21.

Ver. 35, 36, Let your loins be girded, &c.-This seems to refer to the parable of the marriage, Matt. xxv. 1-13.

Ver. 39. And this know.-See Matt. xxiv. 43. Ver. 42-46. That faithful and wise steward.This parable bears a close analogy to that in Matt. xxiv. 45-51, which therefore see.

Ver. 46. Cut him in sunder-Marg, "Cut him off." Compare Note on Matt. xxiv. 51.

Ver. 48. He that knew not. Acts xvii. 30; James iv. 17.

- See John ix. 41;

The signs]

[Omit, and pass to Chap. xiii.]

S. LUKE.

49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished ! 51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: 52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. 53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughterin law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 54 And he said also to the

people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

58 When thou goest

[of the times. with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

CHAP. XIII.

HERE were present at that season some that told them of the

Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners

EXPOSITION-Chap. XII. Continued.

parable was intended for them (the apostles) only, or for all his followers. This question is answered by another parable, still more alarming, because a severe punishment is attached to the neglect, especially of those who knew their lord's will, and were warned of his approach, -which is both their case and ours. To be prepared for our Lord's coming implies two things: 1. To he truly and cordially engaged in his service; and, 2. To be constantly on the look out, as expecting his arrival. Christian watchfulness, remarks a pious writer, "implies that the person is careful to have his affections happily loosened from the world; for without this, he will not be willing to leave it. Bound by those ties in their full strength, he must be torn piece-meal from the earth; and iu such a case, how unfit either to meet death, or to enter upon the joys which are at God's right hand!

It further implies, that there is no guilt oppressing the conscience; but that the person has washed his garments, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. It is faith in the Redeemer which

....

can alone remove the fear of death, by regiving us a good hope through grace.' moving guilt from the conscience, and by But without a heavenly mind, our preparation is not complete; that is, we cannot long to depart, and to be with Christ,' as far better than any portion in the present world.

"All this is implied in that watchfulness which our Lord Jesus Christ here inculcates. The argument which he urges to enforce the necessity of being thus ready is, the uncertainty of life: Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.'

"The apostle (Peter) speaks of it as the posture of mind common to the primitive Christians, that they continued looking for, and hastening to the day of God,' like persons pressing to a desired object. O that this may be my frame! May I not act like those who say, Where is the promise of his coming?' but like those who consider him at the very door: and in this Lord, what wait 1 for? Truly my hope is in posture may I say with David, Now, thee."" (Ward's Reflect. p. 123, 124.)

NOTES.

Ver. 49-53. I am come to send, &c. - Camp. "I came to throw fire on the earth: and what would I but that it were kindled ?" That is, "since the advancement of true religion, which is the greatest blessing to mankind, must be attended with such unhappy divisions, i even long till they take place."

Ver. 60. I have a baptism, &c. and how am I straightened-Marg, and Camp. "Pained." This baptism refers doubtless to our Lord's sufferings, in which he was literally bathed in blood, both in

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the garden and on the cross. Both verses express, in the strongest manner, our Lord's desire for the accomplishment of his mission, whatever might be the consequences.

CHAP. XII. Ver. 3. All likewise perish-Doddr. "Thus perish," implying a similarity between their fate and that of the whole nation, as intimated in our Exposition.

Ver. 4. Sinners-Marg. " debtors."

The barren]

CHAP. XIII.

[Fig Tree.

above all men that dwelt in Jeru- tree, and find none: cut it down ; why salem ?

5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig

CHAP. XIII.

cumbereth it the ground?

8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it :

9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. (A)

10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

11 And, behold, there was a woman

EXPOSITION.

(A) Ver. 1-9. The death of certain Galileans, and other national calamities, improved by the parable of the fig-tree.-To understand the propriety of our Lord's discourse, we must first briefly state the melancholy facts now alluded to. The Galileans here mentioned, were the followers of Judas Gaulonites, a factious leader, and the same, probably, which is alluded to Acts v. 37. He contended, that God being the only rightful sovereign of the Jews, they ought by no means to pay tribute to Cesar, or acknowledge the power of the Romans. Josephus, in addition to the above principles of this sect, mentions their incredible fortitude, and contempt of sufferings; but does not mention the particular fact of any being slain in the temple, as the words of Luke seem to imply but Lardner thinks the reason was, the popularity of their notions among the Jews, and the abhorrence in which they were held by the Romans, rendered it impossible for him to record such facts without offending one party or the other. (Cred. vol. ii. p. 199.)

The fail of the tower of Siloam, which was probably sudden, and accidental, is neither recorded by Josephus, nor by any Contemporary historian. For in those days there were no public journals, and those of the government were nearly confined to their own transactions. There is no reason, however, to question either of the facts, and both had doubtless occurred very

recently, since they were brought to Jesus by some person who visited the temple. We may see, however, by the remark of our Lord, the proper way in which such events should be improved. We should

not vent our feelings in execrations on the sufferers; but consider that we also are sinners, and liable to the same calamities. Indeed these events pourtrayed, in a very lively manner, the subsequent sufferings of the nation, great numbers of whom were slain by the Romans in the temple, during the celebration of one of their great public festivals, while many thousand others were buried under the ruins of the temple itself, when taken by the Romans. In this discourse our Lord also sets a very excellent example to his ministers in every age. While he carefully avoids political discussion, he improves all public events to the best moral and religious ends; showing the uncertainty of life, the perpetual danger of death, and the great importance of being prepared for all circumstances, by a timely and sincere repentance; for death often strikes with little or no warning.

In order to fix these things upon the memory of his hearers, our Lord introduces the parable of a barren fig-tree, which having repeatedly disappointed the reasonable expectations of its owner, is ordered to be cut down, as "a cumberer of the ground;" and is spared only through the intercession of the keeper of the vineyard, under which character our Lord himself is represented as interceding on their be

NOTES.

Ver. 7. These three years.-Abp. Newcome and others suppose this to refer to the time of our Lord's mistry, which had now continued about that period; but we should think it referved rather to the numerous and repeated warnings the nation had received by former and later prophets (Jer. vii. 13, 25, &c.); by Jesus and his apostles. And after all these warnings, the nation was spared not one year only, but nearly 40 years before Jerusalem was destroyed. Ver. 8. I shall dig about it, and dung it.-Harmer objects that spades (or shovels) were not used in the eastern agriculture: perhaps not generally, but here is a single tree marked out, which could not be cultivated by the plough, and which the

keeper of the vineyard proposes to treat with peculiar attention, typifying God's special care for his favoured nation.

Ver. 9. Well-the expression in the original is elliptical, and this word is not improperly supplied. Ver. 1. A spirit of infirmity. It is generally supposed that this woman was a demoniac, but we see no proof of this. A spirit of infirmity or weakness no more implies it than "a spirit of fear," 2 Tim. i 7, of slumber," Rom. xi. 5, or "of jealousy,'' Num. v. 14. To us it appears to mean no more, than some great weakness which had long bent ber double.

A woman]

S. LUKE.

which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not

[cured of her infirmity,

each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?

17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. (B)

[Omit, and pass to ver. 22.]

18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed

EXPOSITION-Chap. XIII. Continued.

half, and labouring to rouse them to national and personal repentance by every proper means.

This parable very forcibly depicts, not only the moral barrenness of the Jews, but of other nations also, which being favoured with peculiar privileges, like our own, still do not bring forth fruits meet for repentance." Nor is the emblem less applicable to the case of individuals, who, favoured with all the culture of Christian education, and with all the advantages of evangelical preaching, still remain barren and unfruitful, even in God's vineyard.

"Still may this barren fig-tree stand!
And, cultivated by thy hand,
Verdure, and bloom, and fruit afford,
Meet tribute to its bounteous Lord!"

(B) Ver 10-17. An aged and bowed woman cured of her infirmity on the sabbath day. It was doubtless by design that our Lord wrought so many miracles on the sabbath day: not that he meant to lessen their reverence for the day; but to correct their superstitious notions, who, because they were forbidden secular labour on that day, converted it, in a great measure, into a day of idleness and indulgence; whereas, to a good man, especially in this age of Christian activity, between devotion and benevolence, it affords equal employment to any day of the week. Such it did to our Lord himself. On that day we always find him in either the temple or

the synagogue; either instructing the minds or healing the diseases of the poor; and thereby marking it out as a proper season, not only for devotion, but for the religious instruction of all classes: and though the healing of the sick is necessarily confined to those only, who are professionally qualified; yet the visiting of the sick, and carrying to to them the instructions and consolations of the gospel, is a holy work, eminently suited to this holy day. In the case before us, here is a woman long bent double, either through disorder in the spine, or extreme nervous weakness, so that she was unable to lift, or raise herself upright, till our Lord had spoken the strengthening word. This disorder is attributed to Satan, as Job's was (Job ii. 7), for this evil spirit loses no opportunity of doing mischief when permitted; but as here is no mention either of a demou or his being ejected, we doubt her being properly a demoniac.

The ruler of the synagogue, fired with indignation, and probably seeing other miserable objects applying for mercy, flies at the people, telling them that they ought not to come to be healed on the sabbath day. At this our Lord is evidently incensed, and in the severest terms reproves him, as no better than a hypocrite, using the same argument as he had formerly used, when he cured the man with a withered hand: if they scrupled not (as it appears was the case) to water their cattle on the sabbath

NOTES-Chap. XIII. Con.

Ver. 15. Thou hypocrite! doth not each one, &c. See Matt. xii. 11.

Ver. 18-22. Then said he, &c.The parables of

the mustard tree and the leaven will be found, almost verbatim, Matt. xiii, 31-33.

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a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

22 「 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,

24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are :

[The danger of neglect.

26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

I

27 But he shall say, I tell you, know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last. (C)

31 ¶ The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

EXPOSITION.

day, that they might not suffer a temporary thirst, surely they ought not to be angry that a daughter of Abraham had on this day been delivered from so terrible a complaint. Upon this the ruler and his companions were all struck dumb with shame, while "the people rejoiced for all the glorious things' "that the Lord had done.

(C) Ver. 22-30. The necessity of striving for salvation. An impertinent question here produces a very interesting reply. The question is, "Are there few that be saved?" The answer is, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate," that you may be one of them. The number rests with God, and we have no business with it: but the secret purpose of God offers no impediment to our salvation. The fewer there are, the more necessary it is for us to strive, to struggle, literally to agonize, that we may be found among the number. This doctrine had been laid down in the sermon on the mount, but is here enforced by an additional argument. Not only is the entrance difficult, but the time is limited. "When once the door is shut," it will be in vain to knock, or "strive to enter." Then many shall strive to enter in, and shall not be able. What are the arguments likely to be made use of? Some will plead, "We have eaten and drank in thy presence." Yes, Judas may say this; for he was a daily guest at his master's table. Others will say, "Thou hast taught in our streets,"

and we have listened to thy preaching with delight: so Herod heard John gladly, and did many things at his suggestion, and afterwards cut off his head. Others, mentioned in the sermon on the mount, went still farther: they even prophecied_and' wrought miracles (Matt. vii. 22); yet Jesus never knew, that is, never acknowledged them for his children, or disciples; and will never receive them to his glory, because they never departed from iniquity. On the contrary, they shall be banished into "outer darkness." Thus, those who' were first in respect of privilege, were last in respect of salvation, or rather utterly excluded from it.

But to revert again to the question with which we set out-" Are there few that be saved?" Yes: few indeed, compared with those who profess to be so. From those who profess the Christian name, which are yet altogether vastly inferior to those who do not, we must subtract the ignorant and self-deceived, the fearful and unbelieving, the hypocritical and false professors, whose object is any thing but the salvation of their souls, and alas! how few remain! And yet when these few are collected from every age, from Adam to the end of the world; from every country of Asia, Africa, Europe, and America; from every denomination of those who profess the Christian name, then shall they truly form "a great multitude, which no man can number." Rev. vii. 9.

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