In
this chapter we have, I. The cure which our Lord Jesus wrought upon a man
that had the dropsy, on the sabbath day, and his justifying himself therein
against those who were offended at his doing it on that day, ver. 1-6. II. A
lesson of humility gives to those who were ambitious of the highest rooms,
ver. 7-11. III. A lesson of charity to those who feasted the rich, and did
not feed the poor, ver. 12-14. IV. The success of the gospel not foretold in
the parable of the guests invited to a feast, signifying the rejection of
the Jews and all others that set their hearts upon this world, and the
entertainment of the Gentiles and all others that come to be filled with
Christ, ver. 15-24. V. The great law of discipleship laid down, with a
caution to all that will be Christ's disciples to undertake it deliberately
and with consideration, and particularly to ministers, to retain their
savour, ver. 25-35.
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A
Man Cured of the Dropsy.
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1 And it came to pass, as he went into the
house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that
they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before
him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the
lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath
day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and
healed him, and let him go; 5 And answered them, saying, Which
of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not
straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could
not answer him again to these things.
In this passage of story we find,
I. That the Son of man came eating and drinking, conversing
familiarly with all sorts of people; not declining the society of publicans,
though they were of ill fame, nor of Pharisees, though they bore him ill
will, but accepting the friendly invitations both of the one and the
other, that, if possible, he might do good to both. Here he went
into the house of one of the chief Pharisees, a ruler, it may be, and a
magistrate in his country, to eat bread on the sabbath day, v.
1. See how favourable God is to us, that he allows us time, even on his own
day, for bodily refreshments; and how careful we should be not to abuse that
liberty, or turn it into licentiousness. Christ went only to eat bread,
to take such refreshment as was necessary on the sabbath day. Our sabbath
meals must, with a particular care, be guarded against all manner of excess.
On sabbath days we must do as Moses and Jethro did, eat bread before God
(Exod. xviii. 12), and, as is said of the primitive Christians, on the
Lord's day, must eat and drink as those that must pray again
before we go to rest, that we may not be unfit for that.
II. That he went about doing good. Wherever he came he sought
opportunities to do good, and not only improved those that fell in
his way. Here was a certain man before him who had the dropsy, v.
2. We do not find that he offered himself, or that his friends offered him
to be Christ's patient, but Christ prevented him with the blessings
of his goodness, and before he called he answered him. Note, It is a
happy thing to be where Christ is, to be present before him, though
we be not presented to him. This man had the dropsy, it is
probable, in a high degree, and appeared much swelled with it; probably he
was some relation of the Pharisee's, that now lodged in his house,
which is more likely than that he should be an invited guest at the
table.
III. That he endured the contradiction of sinners against himself: They
watched him, v. 1. The Pharisee that invited him, it should seem,
did it with a design to pick some quarrel with him; if it were so, Christ knew
it, and yet went, for he knew himself a match for the most subtle
of them, and knew how to order his steps with an eye to his observers.
Those that are watched had need to be wary. It is, as Dr.
Hammond observes, contrary to all laws of hospitality to seek advantage
against one that you invited to be your guest, for such a one you have taken
under your protection. These lawyers and Pharisees, like the fowler that
lies in wait to ensnare the birds, held their peace, and acted
very silently. When Christ asked them whether they thought it lawful
to heal on the sabbath day (and herein he is said to answer them,
for it was an answer to their thoughts, and thoughts are words
to Jesus Christ), they would say neither yea nor nay, for
their design was to inform against him, not to be informed by him.
They would not say it was lawful to heal, for then they would
preclude themselves from imputing it to him as a crime; and yet the thing
was so plain and self-evident that they could not for shame say it was not
lawful. Note, Good men have often been persecuted for doing that which
even their persecutors, if they would but give their consciences leave to
speak out, could not but own to be lawful and good. Many a good work
Christ did, for which they cast stones at him and his name.
IV. That Christ would not be hindered from doing good by the opposition
and contradiction of sinners. He took him, and healed him, and let
him go, v. 4. Perhaps he took him aside into another room,
and healed him there, because he would neither proclaim
himself, such was his humility, nor provoke his adversaries, such was
his wisdom, his meekness of wisdom. Note, Though we must not be
driven off from our duty by the malice of our enemies, yet we should order
the circumstances of it so as to make it the least offensive. Or, He took
him, that is, he laid hands on him, to cure him; epilabomenoV,
complexus--he embraced him, took him in his arms, big and unwieldy as
he was (for so dropsical people generally are), and reduced him to shape.
The cure of a dropsy, as much as any disease, one would think, should be
gradual; yet Christ cured even that disease, perfectly cured it, in a
moment. He then let him go, lest the Pharisees should fall upon him for being
healed, though he was purely passive; for what absurdities would not
such men as they were be guilty of?
V. That our Lord Jesus did nothing but what he could justify, to the
conviction and confusion of those that quarrelled with him, v. 5, 6.
He still answered their thoughts, and made them hold their peace for
shame who before held their peace for subtlety, by an appeal to
their own practice, as he had been used to do upon such occasions, that he
might show them how in condemning him they condemned themselves: which of
you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, by accident, and
will not pull him out on the sabbath day, and that straightway, not
deferring it till the sabbath be over, lest it perish? Observe, It is not so
much out of compassion to the poor creature that they do it as a
concern for their own interest. It is their own ox, and their own
ass, that is worth money, and they will dispense with the law of the
sabbath for the saving of. Now this was an evidence of their
hypocrisy, and that it was not out of any real regard to the sabbath that
they found fault with Christ for healing on the sabbath day (that was
only the pretence), but really because they were angry at the miraculous
good works which Christ wrought, and the proof he thereby gave of
his divine mission, and the interest he thereby gained among the
people. Many can easily dispense with that, for their own interest, which
they cannot dispense with for God's glory and the good of their brethren.
This question silenced them: They could not answer him again to
these things, v. 6. Christ will be justified when he speaks, and
every mouth must be stopped before him.
7 And he put forth a parable to those which
were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto
them, 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit
not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden
of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee,
Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest
room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest
room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go
up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at
meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be
abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 12 Then
said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper,
call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy
rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made
thee. 13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the
maimed, the lame, the blind: 14 And thou shalt be blessed; for
they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the
resurrection of the just.
Our Lord Jesus here sets us an example of profitable edifying discourse at
our tables, when we are in company with our friends. We find that when he
had none but his disciples, who were his own family, with him at his table,
his discourse with them was good, and to the use of edifying; and not
only so, but when he was in company with strangers, nay, with enemies that watched
him, he took occasion to reprove what he saw amiss in them, and to
instruct them. Though the wicked were before him, he did not keep
silence from good (as David did, Ps. xxxix. 1, 2), for, notwithstanding
the provocation given him, he had not his heart hot within him, nor
was his spirit stirred. We must not only not allow any corrupt
communication at our tables, such as that of the hypocritical mockers at
feasts, but we must go beyond common harmless talk, and should take
occasion from God's goodness to us at our tables to speak well of him, and
learn to spiritualize common things. The lips of the righteous should
then feed many. Our Lord Jesus was among persons of quality, yet, as
one that had not respect of persons,
I. He takes occasion to reprove the guests for striving to sit
uppermost, and thence gives us a lesson of humility.
1. He observed how these lawyers and Pharisees affected the highest
seats, towards the head-end of the table, v. 7. He had charged
that sort of men with this in general, ch. xi. 43. Here he brings
home the charge to particular persons; for Christ will give every man his
own. He marked how they chose out the chief rooms; every
man, as he came in, got as near the best seat as he could. Note, Even in the
common actions of life, Christ's eye is upon us, and he marks what we
do, not only in our religious assemblies, but at our tables, and makes
remarks upon it.
2. He observed how those who were thus aspiring often exposed themselves,
and came off with a slur; whereas, those who were modest, and seated
themselves in the lowest seats, often gained respect by it. (1.)
Those who, when they come in, assume the highest seats, may perhaps be degraded,
and forced to come down to give place to one more honourable, v.
8, 9. Note, It ought to check our high thoughts of ourselves to think how
many there are that are more honourable than we, not only in respect
of worldly dignities, but of personal merits and accomplishments. Instead of
being proud that so many give place to us, it should be humbling to us that
there are so many that we must give place to. The master of the feast will
marshal his guests, and will not see the more honourable kept out of
the seat that is his due, and therefore will make bold to take him lower
that usurped it; Give this man place; and this will be a disgrace
before all the company to him that would be thought more deserving than he
really was. Note, Pride will have shame, and will at last have a fall.
(2.) Those who, when they come in, content themselves with the lowest seats,
are likely to be preferred (v. 10): "Go, and seat thyself in
the lowest room, as taking it for granted that thy friend, who invited
thee, has guests to come that are of better rank and quality than thou are;
but perhaps it may not prove so, and then it will be said to thee, Friend,
go up higher. The master of the feast will be so just to thee as not to
keep thee at the lower end of the table because thou wert so modest
as to seat thyself there." Note, The way to rise high is to begin
low, and this recommends a man to those about him: "Thou shalt
have honour and respect before those that sit with thee. They will see
thee to be an honourable man, beyond what at first they thought; and
honour appears the brighter for shining out of obscurity. They will
likewise see thee to be a humble man, which is the greatest honour of
all. Our Saviour here refers to that advice of Solomon (Prov. xxv. 6, 7), Stand
not in the place of great men, for better it is that it be said unto thee,
Come up hither, than that thou shouldest be put lower." And Dr.
Lightfoot quotes a parable out of one of the rabbin somewhat like this.
"Three men," said he, "were bidden to a feast; one sat
highest, For, said he, I am a prince; the other next, For, said he, I am a
wise man; the other lowest, For, said he, I am a humble man. The king seated
the humble man highest, and put the prince lowest."
3. He applied this generally, and would have us all learn not to mind
high things, but to content ourselves with mean things, as for other
reasons, so for this, because pride and ambition are disgraceful before men:
for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; but humility and
self-denial are really honourable: he that humbleth himself shall be
exalted, v. 11. We see in other instances that a man's pride
will bring him low, but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit,
and before honour is humility.
II. He takes occasion to reprove the master of the feast for inviting so
many rich people, who had wherewithal to dine very well at home, when
he should rather have invited the poor, or, which was all one, have sent
portions to them for whom nothing was prepared, and who could not afford
themselves a good meal's meat. See Neh. viii. 10. Our Saviour here teaches
us that the using of what we have in works of charity is better, and will
turn to a better account, than using it in works of generosity and in
magnificent house-keeping.
1. "Covet not to treat the rich; invite not thy friends, and
brethren, and neighbours, that are rich," v. 12. This does
not prohibit the entertaining of such; there may be occasion for it,
for the cultivating of friendship among relations and neighbours. But, (1.)
"Do not make a common custom of it; spend as little as thou canst that
way, that thou mayest not disable thyself to lay out in a much better way,
in almsgiving. Thou wilt find it very expensive and troublesome; one feast
for the rich will make a great many meals for the poor." Solomon saith,
He that giveth to the rich shall surely come to want, Prov. xxii. 16.
"Give" (saith Pliny, Epist.) "to thy friends, but let it be
to thy poor friends, not to those that need thee not." (2.)
"Be not proud of it." Many make feasts only to make
a show, as Ahasuerus did (Esth. i. 3, 4), and it is no reputation to
them, they think, if they have not persons of quality to dine with them, and
thus rob their families, to please their fancies. (3.) "Aim not at
being paid again in your own coin." This is that which our Saviour
blames in making such entertainments: "You commonly do it in hopes that
you will be invited by them, and so a recompence will be made you;
you will be gratified with such dainties and varieties as you treat your
friends with, and this will feed your sensuality and luxury, and you will be
no real gainer at last."
2. "Be forward to relieve the poor (v. 13, 14): When
thou makest a feast, instead of furnishing thyself with what is rare and
nice, get thy table spread with a competency of plain and wholesome meat,
which will not be so costly, and invite the poor and maimed, such as
have nothing to live upon, nor are able to work for their living. These are
objects of charity; they want necessaries; furnish them, and they will
recompense thee with their prayers; they will commend thy provisions, which
the rich, it may be, will despise. They will go away, and thank God for
thee, when the rich will go away and reproach thee. Say not that thou art a loser,
because they cannot recompense thee, thou art so much out of pocket;
no, it is so much set out to the best interest, on the best security, for thou
shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." There will
be a resurrection of the just, a future state of the just. There is a
state of happiness reserved for them in the other world; and we may be sure
that the charitable will be remembered in the resurrection of the
just, for alms are righteousness. Works of charity perhaps may
not be rewarded in this world, for the things of this world are not
the best things, and therefore God does not pay the best men in those
things; but they shall in no wise lose their reward; they shall
be recompensed in the resurrection. It will be found that the longest
voyages make the richest returns, and that the charitable will be no losers,
but unspeakable gainers, by having their recompense adjourned till the
resurrection.
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The
Generous Invitations; The Neglected Feast.
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15 And when one of them that sat at meat with
him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall
eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A
certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his
servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things
are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to
make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I
must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And
another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I
pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a
wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and
showed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said
to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and
bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet
there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out
into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my
house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those
men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Here is another discourse of our Saviour's, in which he spiritualizes
the feast he was invited to, which is another way of keeping up good
discourse in the midst of common actions.
I. The occasion of the discourse was given by one of the guests, who, when
Christ was giving rules about feasting, said to him, Blessed is he that
shall eat bread in the kingdom of God (v. 15), which, some tell
us, was a saying commonly used among the rabbin.
1. But with what design does this man bring it in here? (1.) Perhaps this
man, observing that Christ reproved first the guests and then the master of
the house, fearing he should put the company out of humour, started this, to
divert the discourse to something else. Or, (2.) Admiring the good
rules of humility and charity which Christ had now given, but despairing to
see them lived up to in the present degenerate state of things, he longs for
the kingdom of God, when these and other good laws shall prevail, and
pronounces them blessed who shall have a place in that kingdom. Or,
(3.) Christ having mentioned the resurrection of the just, as a
recompence for acts of charity to the poor, he here confirms what he said,
"Yea, Lord, they that shall be recompensed in the resurrection of the
just, shall eat bread in the kingdom, and that is a greater
recompence than being reinvited to the table of the greatest man on
earth." Or, (4.) Observing Christ to be silent, after he had given the
foregoing lessons, he was willing to draw him in again to further discourse,
so wonderfully well-pleased was he with what he said; and he knew nothing
more likely to engage him than to mention the kingdom of God. Note,
Even those that are not of ability to carry on good discourse themselves
ought to put in a word now and then, to countenance it, and help it forward.
2. Now what this man said was a plain and acknowledged truth, and it was
quoted very appositely now that they were sitting at meat; for
we should take occasion from common things to think and speak of those
heavenly and spiritual things which in scripture are compared to
them, for that is one end of borrowing similitudes from them. And it will be
good for us, when we are receiving the gifts of God's providence, to pass
through them to the consideration of the gifts of his grace, those better
things. This thought will be very seasonable when we are partaking of
bodily refreshments: Blessed are they that shall eat bread in the kingdom
of God. (1.) In the kingdom of grace, in the kingdom of the Messiah,
which was expected now shortly to be set up. Christ promised his disciples
that they should eat and drink with him in his kingdom. They that
partake of the Lord's supper eat bread in the kingdom of God. (2.) In
the kingdom of glory, at the resurrection. The happiness of heaven is an everlasting
feast; blessed are they that shall sit down at that table, whence they
shall rise no more.
II. The parable which our Lord Jesus put forth upon this occasion, v.
16, &c. Christ joins with the good man in what he said: "It is very
true, Blessed are they that shall partake of the privileges of the
Messiah's kingdom. But who are they that shall enjoy that privilege? You
Jews, who think to have the monopoly of it, will generally reject it, and
the Gentiles will be the greatest sharers in it." This he shows by a
parable, for, if he had spoken it plainly, the Pharisees would not have
borne it. Now in the parable we may observe,
1. The free grace and mercy of God, shining in the gospel of Christ; it
appears,
(1.) In the rich provision he has made for poor souls, for their
nourishment, refreshment, and entertainment (v. 16): A certain man
made a great supper. There is that in Christ and the grace of the gospel
which will be food and a feast for the soul of man that knows
its own capacities, for the soul of a sinner that knows its own necessities
and miseries. It is called a supper, because in those countries
supper time was the chief feasting time, when the business of the day was
over. The manifestation of gospel grace to the world was the evening of the
world's day; and the fruition of the fulness of that grace in heaven is
reserved for the evening of our day.
(2.) In gracious invitation given us to come and partake of this provision.
Here is, [1.] A general invitation given: He bade many. Christ
invited the whole nation and people of the Jews to partake of the benefits
of his gospel. There is provision enough for as many as come; it was
prophesied of as a feast for all people, Isa. xxv. 6. Christ in the
gospel, as he keeps a good house, so he keeps an open house.
[2.] A particular memorandum given, when the supper time was at hand; the
servant was sent round to put them in mind of it: Come, for all things
are now ready. When the Spirit was poured out, and the gospel church
planted, those who before were invited were more closely pressed to come in presently:
Now all things are ready, the full discovery of the gospel mystery is
now made, all the ordinances of the gospel are now instituted, the society
of Christians is now incorporated, and, which crowns all, the Holy Ghost is
now given. This is the call now given to us: "All things are now
ready, now is the accepted time; it is now, and has not
been long; it is now, and will not be long; it is a season of grace
that will be soon over, and therefore come now; do not delay; accept
the invitation; believe yourselves welcome; eat, O friends; drink, yea
drink abundantly, O beloved."
2. The cold entertainment which the grace of the gospel meets with. The
invited guests declined coming. They did not say flatly and plainly that
they would not come, but they all with one consent began to make
excuse, v. 18. One would have expected that they should all
with one consent have come to a good supper, when they were so kindly
invited to it: who would have refused such an invitation? Yet, on the
contrary, they all found out some pretence or other to shift off their
attendance. This bespeaks the general neglect of the Jewish nation to close
with Christ, and accept of the offers of his grace, and the contempt they
put upon the invitation. It also intimates the backwardness there is in most
people to close with the gospel call. They cannot for shame avow their
refusal, but they desire to be excused: they all apo
miaV, some supply wraV,
all straightway, they could give an answer extempore, and
needed not to study for it, had not to seek for an excuse. Others
supply gnwmhV, they
were unanimous in it; with one voice. (1.) Here were two
that were purchasers, who were in such haste to go and see their
purchases that they could not find time to go to this supper. One had purchased
land; he had bought a piece of ground, which was represented to
him to be a good bargain, and he must needs to and see whether it was
so or no; and therefore I pray thee have me excused. His heart was so
much upon the enlarging of his estate that he could neither be civil to his
friend nor kind to himself. Note, Those that have their hearts full of the
world, and fond of laying house to house and field to field,
have their ears deaf to the gospel invitation. But what a frivolous excuse
was this! He might have deferred going to see his piece of ground till the
next day, and have found it in the same place and plight it was now in, if
he had so pleased. Another had purchased stock for his land. "I
have bought five yoke of oxen for the plough, and I must just now go and
prove them, must go and try whether they be fit for my purpose; and
therefore excuse me for this time." The former intimates that
inordinate complacency in the world, this the inordinate care
and concern about the world, which keep people from Christ and his
grace; both intimate a preference given to the body above the soul, and to
the things of time above those of eternity. Note, It is very criminal, when
we are called to any duty, to make excuses for our neglect of it: it is a
sign that there are convictions that it is duty, but no inclination to it.
These things here, that were the matter of the excuses, were, [1.] Little
things, and of small concern. It had better become them to have said,
"I am invited to eat bread in the kingdom of God, and therefore
must be excused from going to see the ground or the oxen."
[2.] Lawful things. Note, Things lawful in themselves, when
the heart is too much set upon them, prove fatal hindrances in
religion--Licitus perimus omnes. It is a hard matter so to manage our
worldly affairs that they may not divert us from spiritual pursuits; and
this ought to be our great care. (2.) Here was one that was newly
married, and could not leave his wife to go out to supper, no, not for
once (v. 30): I have married a wife, and therefore, in short, I
cannot come. He pretends that he cannot, when the truth is he will
not. Thus many pretend inability for the duties of religion when
really they have an aversion to them. He has married a wife.
It is true, he that married was excused by the law from going to war for the
first year (Deut. xxiv. 5), but would that excuse him from going up to the
feasts of the Lord, which all the males were yearly to attend? Much less
will it excuse from the gospel feast, of which the other were but types.
Note, Our affection to our relations often proves a hindrance to us in our
duty to God. Adam's excuse was, The woman that thou gavest me persuaded
me to eat; this here was, The woman persuaded me not to eat. He
might have gone and taken his wife along with him; they would both have been
welcome.
3. The account which was brought to the master of the feast of the affront
put upon him by his friends whom he had invited, who now showed how little
they valued him (v. 21): That servant came, and showed his lord
these things, told him with surprise that he was likely to sup alone,
for the guests that were invited, though they had had timely notice a good
while before, that they might order their affairs accordingly, yet were now
engaged in some other business. He made the matter neither better nor worse,
but related it just as it was. Note, Ministers must give account of the
success of their ministry. They must do it now at the throne of grace. If
they see of the travail of their soul, they must go to God with their
thanks; if they labour in vain, they must go to God with their
complaints. They will do it hereafter at the judgment-seat of Christ:
they shall be produced as witnesses against those who persist and
perish in their unbelief, to prove that they were fairly invited; and for
those who accepted the call, Behold, I and the children thou hast
given me. The apostle urges this as a reason why people should give ear
to the word of God sent them by his ministers; for they watch for your
souls, as those that must give account, Heb. xiii. 17.
4. The master's just resentment of this affront: He was angry, v.
21. Note, The ingratitude of those that slight gospel offers, and the
contempt they put upon the God of heaven thereby, are a very great
provocation to him, and justly so. Abused mercy turns into the greatest
wrath. The doom he passed upon them was, None of the men that were bidden
shall taste of my supper. This was like the doom passed upon the
ungrateful Israel, when they despised the pleasant land: God swore in his
wrath that they should not enter into his rest. Note, Grace despised is
grace forfeited, like Esau's birthright. They that will not have Christ when
they may shall not have him when they would. Even those that were
bidden, if they slight the invitation, shall be forbidden; when
the door is shut, the foolish virgins will be denied entrance.
5. The care that was taken to furnish the table with guests, as well as
meat. "Go" (saith he to the servants), "go first into the
streets and lanes of the city, and invite, not the merchants that are
going from the custom-house, nor the tradesmen that are shutting up their
shops; they will desire to be excused (one is going to his
counting-house to cast up his books, another to the tavern to drink a bottle
with his friend); but, that you may invite those that will be glad to come,
bring in hither the poor and the maimed, the halt and the blind; pick
up the common beggars." The servants object not that it will be a
disparagement to the master and his house to have such guests at his table;
for they know his mind, and they soon gather an abundance of such guests: Lord,
it is done as thou hast commanded. Many of the Jews are brought in, not
of the scribes and Pharisees, such as Christ was now at dinner with,
who thought themselves most likely to be guests at the Messiah's table, but
the publicans and sinners; these are the poor and the maimed. But yet
there is room for more guests, and provision enough for them all.
"Go, then, secondly, into the highways and hedges. Go out into
the country, and pick up the vagrants, or those that are returning now in
the evening from their work in the field, from hedging and ditching there,
and compel them to come in, not by force of arms, but by force of
arguments. Be earnest with them; for in this case it will be necessary to
convince them that the invitation is sincere and not a banter;
they will be shy and modest, and will hardly believe that they shall be
welcome, and therefore be importunate with them and do not leave them till
you have prevailed with them." This refers to the calling of the
Gentiles, to whom the apostles were to turn when the Jews refused
the offer, and with them the church was filled. Now observe here, (1.) The
provision made for precious souls in the gospel of Christ shall appear not
to have been made in vain; for, if some reject it, yet others
will thankfully accept the offer of it. Christ comforts himself with
this, that, though Israel be not gathered, yet he shall be glorious,
as a light to the Gentiles, Isa. xlix. 5, 6. God will have a church in
the world, though there are those that are unchurched; for the unbelief
of man shall not make the promise of God of no effect. (2.) Those that
are very poor and low in the world shall be as welcome to Christ as the rich
and great; nay, and many times the gospel has greatest success among those
that labour under worldly disadvantages, as the poor, and bodily
infirmities, as the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.
Christ here plainly refers to what he had said just before, in direction to
us, to invite to our tables the poor and maimed, the lame and blind, v.
13. For consideration for the countenance which Christ's gospel gives to the
poor should engage us to be charitable to them. His condescensions and
compassions towards them should engage ours. (3.) Many times the gospel has
the greatest success among those that are least likely to have
the benefit of it, and whose submission to it was least expected. The
publicans and harlots went into the kingdom of God before the scribes and
Pharisees; so the last shall be first, and the first last. Let us not
be confident concerning those that are most forward, nor despair of
those that are least promising. (4.) Christ's ministers must be both very
expeditious and very importunate in inviting to the gospel feast: "Go
out quickly (v. 21); lose not time, because all things are now
ready. Call to them to come to-day, while it is called to-day;
and compel them to come in, by accosting them kindly, and drawing
them with the cords of a man and the bands of love." Nothing can
be more absurd than fetching an argument hence for compelling men's
consciences, nay, for compelling men against their consciences, in matters
of religion: "You shall receive the Lord's supper, or you shall be
fined and imprisoned, and ruined in your estate." Certainly nothing
like this was the compulsion here meant, but only that of reason and love;
for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. (5.) Though many have
been brought in to partake of the benefits of the gospel, yet still there
is room for more; for the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible;
there is in him enough for all, and enough for each; and the gospel excludes
none that do not exclude themselves. (6.) Christ's house, though it be large,
shall at last be filled; it will be so when the number of the elect
is completed, and as many as were given him are brought to him.
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The Necessity of Self-denial.
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25 And there went great multitudes with him:
and he turned, and said unto them, 26 If any man come to
me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and
brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my
disciple. 27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come
after me, cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, intending
to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he
have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after
he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that
behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to
build, and was not able to finish. 31 Or what king, going to
make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth
whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him
with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great
way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath,
he cannot be my disciple. 34 Salt is good: but if the
salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? 35 It
is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast
it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
See how Christ in his doctrine suited himself to those to whom he spoke, and
gave every one his portion of meat. To Pharisees he preached humility
and charity. He is in these verses directing his discourse to the multitudes
that crowded after him, and seemed zealous in following him; and his
exhortation to them is to understand the terms of discipleship, before they
undertook the profession of it, and to consider what they did. See here,
I. How zealous people were in their attendance on Christ (v. 25): There
went great multitudes with him, many for love and more for company, for
where there are many there will be more. Here was a mixed
multitude, like that which went with Israel out of Egypt; such we must
expect there will always be in the church, and it will therefore be
necessary that ministers should carefully separate between the precious
and the vile.
II. How considerate he would have them to be in their zeal.
Those that undertake to follow Christ must count upon the worst, and prepare
accordingly.
1. He tells them what the worst is that they must count upon, much the same
with what he had gone through before them and for them. He
takes it for granted that they had a mind to be his disciples, that
they might be qualified for preferment in his kingdom. They expected
that he should say, "If any man come to me, and be my disciple, he
shall have wealth and honour in abundance; let me alone to make him a great
man." But he tells them quite the contrary.
(1.) They must be willing to quit that which was very dear,
and therefore must come to him thoroughly weaned from all their
creature-comforts, and dead to them, so as cheerfully to part with
them rather than quit their interest in Christ, v. 26. A man cannot
be Christ's disciple but he must hate father, and mother, and his own
life. He is not sincere, he will be constant and
persevering, unless he love Christ better than any thing in this world, and
be willing to part with that which he may and must leave, either as a sacrifice,
when Christ may be glorified by our parting with it (so the martyrs, who loved
not their lives to death), or as a temptation, when by our
parting with it we are put into a better capacity of serving Christ. Thus
Abraham parted with his own country, and Moses with Pharaoh's court. Mention
is not made here of houses and lands; philosophy will teach a
man to look upon these with contempt; but Christianity carries it higher.
[1.] Every good man loves his relations; and yet, if he be a disciple
of Christ, he must comparatively hate them, must love them less
than Christ, as Leah is said to be hated when Rachel was better
loved. Not that their persons must be in any degree hated, but our comfort
and satisfaction in them must be lost and swallowed up in our love to
Christ, as Levi's was, when he said to his father, I have not seen him,
Deut. xxxiii. 9. When our duty to our parents comes in competition with our
evident duty to Christ, we must give Christ the preference. If we must
either deny Christ or be banished from our families and
relations (as many of the primitive Christians were), we must rather lose
their society than his favour. [2.] Every man loves his own life, no
man ever yet hated it; and we cannot be Christ's disciples if we do
not love him better than our own lives, so as rather to have our lives embittered
by cruel bondage, nay, and taken away by cruel deaths,
than to dishonour Christ, or depart from any of his truths and ways. The
experience of the pleasures of the spiritual life, and the believing
hopes and prospects of eternal life, will make this hard saying
easy. When tribulation and persecution arise because of the word, then
chiefly the trial is, whether we love better, Christ or our relations and
lives; yet even in the days of peace this matter is sometimes brought
to the trial. Those that decline the service of Christ, and opportunities of
converse with him, and are ashamed to confess him, for fear of disobliging a
relation or friend, or losing a customer, give cause to suspect that they
love him better than Christ.
(2.) That they must be willing to bear that which was very heavy
(v. 27): Whosoever doth not bear his cross, as those did that
were condemned to be crucified, in submission to the sentence and in expectation
of the execution of it, and so come after me whithersoever I shall
lead him, he cannot be my disciple; that is (says Dr. Hammond), he is
not for my turn; and my service, being so sure to bring persecution
along with it, will not be for his. Though the disciples of Christ
are not all crucified, yet they all bear their cross, as if
they counted upon being crucified. They must be content to be put into an
ill name, and to be loaded with infamy and disgrace; for no name is more
ignominious than Furcifer--the bearer of the gibbet. He must bear his
cross, and come after Christ; that is, he must bear it in the way of
his duty, whenever it lies in that way. He must bear it when Christ calls
him to it, and in bearing it he must have an eye to Christ, and fetch
encouragements from him, and live in hope of a recompence with him.
2. He bids them count upon it, and then consider of it. Since he has been so
just to us as to tell us plainly what difficulties we shall meet with
in following him, let us be so just to ourselves as to weigh the
matter seriously before we take upon us a profession of religion. Joshua
obliged the people to consider what they did when they promised to serve
the Lord, Josh. xxiv. 19. It is better never to begin than not to
proceed; and therefore before we begin we must consider what it is to
proceed. This is to act rationally, and as becomes men, and as we do in
other cases. The cause of Christ will bear a scrutiny. Satan shows the best,
but hides the worst, because his best will not counter-vail his worst; but
Christ's will abundantly. This considering of the case is necessary to
perseverance, especially in suffering times. Our Saviour here illustrates
the necessity of it by two similitudes, the former showing that we must
consider the expenses of our religion, the latter that we must
consider the perils of it.
(1.) When we take upon us a profession of religion we are like a man that
undertakes to build a tower, and therefore must consider the expense
of it (v. 28-30): Which of you, intending to build a tower
or stately house for himself, sitteth not down first, and counteth the
cost? and he must be sure to count upon a great deal more than his
workmen will tell him it will cost. Let him compare the charge with his
purse, lest he make himself to be laughed at, by beginning to build
what he is not able to finish. Note, [1.] All that take upon them a
profession of religion undertake to build a tower, not as the tower
of Babel, in opposition to Heaven, which therefore was left unfinished, but
in obedience to Heaven, which therefore shall have its top-stone brought
forth. Begin low, and lay the foundation deep, lay it on the rock, and
make sure work, and then aim as high as heaven. [2.] Those that intend to
build this tower must sit down and count the cost. Let them consider
that it will cost them the mortifying of their sins, even the most
beloved lusts; it will cost them a life of self-denial and watchfulness, and
a constant course of holy duties; it may, perhaps, cost them
their reputation among men, their estates and liberties, and all that is
dear to them in this world, even life itself. And if it should cost us all
this, what is it in comparison with what it cost Christ to purchase the
advantages of religion for us, which come to us without money and without
price? [3.] Many that begin to build this tower do not go on with
it, nor persevere in it, and it is their folly; they have not courage
and resolution, have not a rooted fixed principle, and so bring nothing to
pass. It is true, we have none of us in ourselves sufficient to finish
this tower, but Christ hath said, My grace is sufficient for thee,
and that grace shall not be wanting to any of us, if we seek for it and make
use of it. [4.] Nothing is more shameful than for those that have
begun well in religion to break off; every one will justly mock him,
as having lost all his labour hitherto for want of perseverance. We lose
the things we have wrought (2 John 8), and all we have done and suffered
is in vain, Gal. iii. 4.
(2.) When we undertake to be Christ's disciples we are like a man that goes
to war, and therefore must consider the hazard of it, and the
difficulties that are to be encountered, v. 31, 32. A king that
declares war against a neighbouring prince considers whether he has strength
wherewith to make his part good, and, if not, he will lay aside his thoughts
of war. Note, [1.] The state of a Christian in this world is a military
state. Is not the Christian life a warfare? We have many
passes in our way, that must be disputed with dint of sword; nay, we must
fight every step we go, so restless are our spiritual enemies in their
opposition. [2.] We ought to consider whether we can endure the hardness
which a good soldier of Jesus Christ must expect and count upon, before we
enlist ourselves under Christ's banner; whether we are able to
encounter the forces of hell and earth, which come against us twenty
thousand strong. [3.] Of the two it is better to make the best terms we
can with the world than pretend to renounce it and afterwards, when
tribulation and persecution arise because of the word, to return to it.
That young man that could not find in his heart to part with his
possessions for Christ did better to go away from Christ sorrowing
than to have staid with him dissembling.
This parable is another way applicable, and may be taken as designed to
teach us to begin speedily to be religious, rather than to begin cautiously;
and may mean the same with Matt. v. 25, Agree with thine adversary
quickly. Note, First, Those that persist in sin make war against
God, the most unnatural, unjustifiable war; they rebel against their lawful
sovereign, whose government is perfectly just and good. Secondly, The
proudest and most daring sinner is no equal match for God; the disproportion
of strength is much greater than that here supposed between ten thousand
and twenty thousand. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger
than he? No, surely; who knows the power of his anger? In
consideration of this, it is our interest to make peace with him. We need
not send to desire conditions of peace; they are offered to us, and
are unexceptionable, and highly to our advantage. Let us acquaint ourselves
with them, and be at peace; do this in time, while the other is yet a
great way off; for delays in such a case are highly dangerous, and make
after-applications difficult.
But the application of this parable here (v. 33) is to the
consideration that ought to be exercised when we take upon us a profession
of religion. Solomon saith, With good advice make war (Prov. xx. 18);
for he that draws the sword throws away the scabbard; so with good
advice enter upon a profession of religion, as those that know that except
you forsake all you have you cannot be Christ's disciples; that is,
except you count upon forsaking all and consent to it, for all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution, and yet continue
to live godly.
3. He warns them against apostasy and a degeneracy of mind from the truly
Christian spirit and temper, for that would make them utterly useless, v.
34, 35. (1.) Good Christians are the salt of the earth, and good
ministers especially (Matt. v. 13); and this salt is good and of
great use; by their instructions and examples they season all they converse
with, to keep them from putrefying, and to quicken them, and make them
savoury. (2.) Degenerate Christians, who, rather than part with what they
have in the world, will throw up their profession, and then of course become
carnal, and worldly, and wholly destitute of a Christian spirit, are like salt
that has lost its savour, like that which the chemists call the caput
mortuum, that has all its salts drawn from it, that is the most useless
worthless thing in the world; it has no manner of virtue or good property in
it. [1.] It can never be recovered: Wherewith shall it be seasoned?
You cannot salt it. This intimates that it is extremely difficult, and next
to impossible, to recover an apostate, Heb. vi. 4-6. If Christianity will
not prevail to cure men of their worldliness and sensuality, if that remedy
has been tried in vain, their ease must even be concluded desperate. [2.] It
is of no use. It is not fit, as dung is, for the land, to
manure that, nor will it be the better if it be laid in the dunghill to rot;
there is nothing to be got out of it. A professor of religion whose mind and
manners are depraved is the most insipid animal that can be. If he
speaks of the things of God, of which he has had some knowledge, it is so awkwardly
that none are the better for it: it is a parable in the mouth of a fool.
[3.] It is abandoned: Men cast it out, as that which they will have
no more to do with. Such scandalous professors ought to be cast out of the
church, not only because they have forfeited all the honours and privileges
of their church-membership, but because there is danger that others will be
infected by them. Our Saviour concludes this with a call to all to take
notice of it, and to take warning: He that hath ears to hear, let him
hear. Now can the faculty of hearing be better employed than in
attending to the word of Christ, and particularly to the alarms he has given
us of the danger we are in of apostasy, and the danger we run
ourselves into by apostasy?
