unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.

25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and

went.

30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them,

[the priests.

Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.

36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.

38 But when the husbandmen saw

thought came into his mind to go under the hedge to pray that God would enable him. On the other hand it occurred to him, that if he tried and could not effect it, it would discourage and sink him into deep despair for this reason he prudently declined it, concluding that he was not warranted to put his faith to such a test.

2. We are warranted to ask nothing in prayer, but with a deference to the will of God. Our Lord himself has taught us this, who, with unlimited miraculous powers, and having more than twelve legions of angels at his command, thus prayed (chap. xxvi. 39), "Father, if it be

possible, let this cup pass from me : nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." Indeed, as respects ourselves, there are but two things we are taught to ask unconditionally; the pardon of our sins, and the aid of God's Holy Spirit: and these we know it is the good pleasure of God to give to them that ask him. But temporal blessings should always be asked with the deepest submission to the divine will. We have heard, indeed, of a professor of religion who prayed earnestly for a carriage and a country house, and he obtained both -and the gout with them!

Ver.32. In the way of righteousness-Campbell, "Sanctity;" who adds, "There can be no doubt but this is spoken principally in allusion to the austerities of John's manner of living in the desert. Ver. 33. Digged a wine press-that is, a place for a wine-fat (or vat), over which the press was placed. See Mark xii. 2. These circumstances respecting the press and the tower, only signify that every thing had been done that was necessary for a vineyard, Isa. v. 2-4.

Ver. 35. Stoned-properly, " pelted with stones" Ver. 37. They will reverence my son- this is

spoken after the manner of men: God knew that they would not, as appears from the context, ver. 42. He was the stone which the builders rejected."

Ver. 38. This is the heir let us kill him.-This does not imply that the Jewish rulers generally, indeed knew that Jesus was the Son of God, for "had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (I Cor. ii. 8.) Some of them were ignorant zealots, and others downright inndels; but some, we fear, sinned against light and knowledge, and committed the unpardonable sin. See chap. xii. 31, 32.

the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.

39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

43 Therefore say I unto you, The

[of the vineyard.

(Y) Ver. 23-46. Jesus attacked by the priests and elders, answers them by another question, and warns them in parables.While Jesus was teaching and working miracles in the temple, the priests and elders demanded by what authority he did these things. An absurd demand, because miracles carry with them their own authority: Jesus, however, instead of a direct reply, answers them by another question, which much embarrassed them; because, had they admitted John the Baptist to be a prophet, they must have admitted Jesus to be the Messiah, for he "bare witness of him" and they dared not say any thing against the former, for "all men held Johu to be a prophet." They were therefore silent, and Jesus avoided their ensnaring questions. But he answered them by parables.

"A certain man had two sons." These sons, we think, do not so properly represent the Jews and Gentiles, as they do the two great classes among the Jews. Those who had made little or no profession of religion, as the publicans and harlots, who yet repented at the preaching of John and of Jesus; and those who made high professions of religion, as did the Scribes and Pharisees, but were in fact hypocrites in heart, and did nothing.

The parable of the vineyard plainly re

fers to the Jewish church, which had been designated by Isaiah and other prophets under the same image. (See Ps. lxxx. 15; Isa. v. 1; xxvii. 2, &c.) The husbandmen to whom this vineyard was let out, were the Jewish rulers, who, instead of listening to the messages of the prophets, evil entreated, and killed them. (Chap. v. 12; xxiii. 34-37.) At length, "God sent forth his Son," as if he thought they would pay more regard to him, instead of which, they treated him more despitefully than the rest; at which he is represented as justly exasperated, so as to destroy them, and place his vineyard in other hands, the hauds of Gentiles.

To bring this home closer to their consciences, our Lord cites a passage from the 118th Psalm, part of which they had heard chaunted by the multitude, but a few hours before, and then warns them, that the consequence of their refusing the corner stone, on which God had determined to build his church, would be their utter destruction; they should be crushed to atoms; which was fully accomplished by the Romans.

Upon this, "the chief priests and Pharisees perceived that Jesus spake of them;" they wanted therefore to lay hands on him, but they feared the multitude."

Ver. 41. He will miserably destroy, &c.-Doddr. "Wretchedly destroy those wretches." Those who gave this answer, seem not to have understood that

the parable was aimed at them, till our Lord quoted the passage from the 118th Psalm; then they were enraged. See ver. 45, 46.

unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding; and they would not come.

4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

9 Go ye therefore into the high

CHAP. XXII.

[feast.

ways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

14 For many are called, but few are chosen. (Z)

15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.

16 And they sent out unto him

(Z) Ver. 1-14. The parable of the mar riage feast, and the wedding garment.— The gospel dispensation is here compared to a feast, which a certain king made on occasion of the marriage of his son. It is necessary to keep in mind the royalty of the occasion, to account for "oxen and fatlings being killed," which implies great preparation for a numerous company. The persons first invited were the Jews, who were "bidden" by the early prophets. "In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast," &c. (Isa. XXV. 6.) He then sent forth his servants, the later prophets, to invite again them that were bidden; but "they would not come." Next he sent forth John the Bap tist and the apostles, who announced that "all things (were) ready." One part of the company, the laity, made light of this,

and went, "one to his farm, and another to his merchandize;" but the remnant, namely, the priests, and the Scribes, and the Pharisees," entreated" the servants of this great king "despitefully, and slew them." When the king, however, heard this, he was justly provoked with such conduct, and sent forth his armies-for all the armies in earth and heaven are his-and slew them. Seeing, however, that the feast was ready, the king was determined to have guests; and seeing those who had been hitherto invited were utterly unworthy of the feast, the king sends forth into the public roads, that is, among the Gentiles, and gathers together all that could be found, "good or bad, till the wedding was furnished with guests:" and now came the hour of discrimination. The king, who had given the invitation, came in, as was customary, to view his guests.

CHAP. XXII. Ver. 2. Made a marriage. - or marriage feast. "The word here properly signifies a nuptial banquet." Doddr.

Ver.7. Burned up their city.-There can be no doubt but this refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans.

Ver. 9. As many as ye shall find, bid.-Many have disputed this general call of the gospel; but Mr. Robinson, of Cambridge, remarks," It would become ministers to do all God's commands without murmuring, and without disputing; and to leave to

God the harmonizing of his words, as well as of his works of nature, and moral government."— Claude's Essay, vol. ii. p. 336, Note.

Ver. 10. Highways-Doddr. "Public ways," or ways most frequented.

Ver. 12. Speechless-Doddr. "Struck speechless;" Greek, literally, "Muzzled," as 1 Cor. ix. 6.

Ver. 14. Many are called.-See Note, ch, xx. 16. Ver. 16. The Herodians. See chap. xvi. 1–12, Exposition.

On paying]

[tribute.

19 Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. 20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?

21 They say unto him, Cesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render, therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.

22 When they heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

(See Luke xiv. 10.) On this occasion, it seems, his eye immediately marked one of the company, who had not on a wedding garment," and immediately demanded, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless," and was immediately expelled. This circumstance makes it important for us to know what is intended by this "wedding garment," and how it might be procured? for might this stranger have replied, he could not procure one, a just and good prince would not have excluded him on that account. It is most certain that persons were expected, on such occasions, to put on their best apparel, as, indeed, is the universal practice; but Doddridge mentions several instances, among the Greeks, of great men, on such occasions, providing proper habits for their visitors; and such appears to be the custom, even now in Asia. An Eastern "king sent to invite the Ambassadors to dine with him once more. The Mehemander told them it was the custom that they should wear, over their own clothes, the best of those garments which the king had sent them." Some scrupled this, till they were told that it was a general custom, "and that no doubt the king would take it very ill at their hands, if they presented themselves before him without these marks of his liberality." On this, they all agreed to comply. (Orient. Cust. No. 1202.)

Another traveller tells us, that " in the palace of the sultan, every body who wishes to go into the audience chamber, must put on the garment of honour provided by the sultan; namely, the caftan, which they receive either in the palace of the grand

vizier, or at the divan. The caftan is a long robe, with loose sleeves, the white ground of which is of goat's hair, mixed with some silver; but the flowers woven in, are of a gold-coloured silk." (Orient. Lit. No. 1217.)

But the mystical import of this wedding garment has been somewhat controverted. Two points are clear, that it must be "a garment of honour," and provided by the king. This last circumstance (as Calvin himself remarks) is admirably suited to the method of God's dealing with us; who, indeed, requires holiness in order to our receiving the benefits of the gospel, but is graciously pleased to work it in us by his Holy Spirit; and therefore may justly resent and punish our neglect of so great a favour." (See Doddr. in loc. Note f.)

It is added, that when the king saw this man without a wedding garment, he was so incensed, that he ordered him to be cast "into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen."-" It is evident (says an ingenious writer) that by this parable our Lord chiefly intends to show the levity with which the Jews treated the gospel; and consequently the justice, as well as the goodness of God in sending it to the Gentiles. The first would not come; the last furnished the table with guests, both bad and good but that we may well understand the purity of Christianity, he informs us, that bad Gentiles, as well as wicked Jews, would be inexcusable, if they turned the grace of God into lasciviousness; if they put not on the wedding garment." (Robinson's Vill. Disc. xv.)

Ver. 17. Is it lawful?-this question seems to be founded on Deut. xvii. 15, which required the Jews to set over them a king of their own nation on which Dr. A. Clarke remarks, "Had Christ said, Yes; then they would have condemned him by this law: had he said, No; then they would have ac cused bim to Cæsar."

XXII. Con.

Ver. 20. Whose is this image and superscription? -Doddr. "Inscription." Dr. Lightfoot, on this text, quotes from Maimonides this maxim of their schools, that "wheresoever the money of any king is current, there the inhabitants acknowledge that king for their lord."

Ver. 23. Sadducees.-See Expos. chap. xvi.