The
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the two main hinges upon which
the door of salvation turns. He came into the world on purpose to give his
life a ransom; so he had lately said, ch. xx. 28. And therefore the
history of his sufferings, even unto death, and his rising again, is more
particularly recorded by all the evangelists than any other part of his
story; and to that this evangelist now hastens apace. For at this chapter
begins that which is called the passion-week. He had said to his disciples
more than once, Behold, we go up to
Jerusalem, and there the Son of man must be betrayed.
A great deal of good work he did by the way, and now at length he is come up
to Jerusalem; and here we have, I. The public entry which he made into
Jerusalem, upon the first day of the passion-week, ver. 1-11. II. The
authority he exercised there, in cleansing the temple, and driving out of it
the buyers and sellers, ver. 12-16. III. The barren fig-tree, and his
discourse with his disciples thereupon, ver. 17-22. IV. His justifying his
own authority, by appealing to the baptism of John, ver. 23-27. V. His
shaming the infidelity and obstinacy of the chief priests and elders, with
the repentance of the publicans, illustrated by the parable of the two sons,
ver. 29-32. VI. His reading the doom of the Jewish church for its
unfruitfulness, in the parable of the vineyard let out to unthankful
husbandmen, ver. 33-46.
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Christ's
Entrance into Jerusalem.
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1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and
were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two
disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against
you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them,
and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought
unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will
send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of
Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and
a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as
Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and
put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down
branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,
Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of
the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10 And when he was come into
Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And
the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
All the four evangelists take notice of this passage of Christ's riding
in triumph into Jerusalem, five days before his death. The passover was
on the fourteenth day of the month, and this was the tenth; on which day the
law appointed that the paschal lamb should be taken up (Exod. xii. 3), and
set apart for that service; on that day therefore Christ our Passover, who
was to be sacrificed for us, was publicly showed. So that this was the
prelude to his passion. He had lodged at Bethany, a village not far from
Jerusalem, for some time; at a supper there the night before Mary had anointed
his feet, John xii. 3. But, as usual with ambassadors, he deferred his
public entry till some time after his arrival. Our Lord Jesus travelled
much, and his custom was to travel on foot from Galilee to Jerusalem, some
scores of miles, which was both humbling and toilsome; many a dirty weary
step he had when he went about doing good. How ill does it become
Christians to be inordinately solicitous about their own ease and state,
when their Master had so little of either! Yet once in his life he rode in
triumph; and it was now when he went into Jerusalem, to suffer and die, as
if that were the pleasure and preferment he courted; and then he thought
himself begin to look great.
Now here we have,
I. The provision that was made for this solemnity; and it was very poor and
ordinary, and such as bespoke his kingdom to be not of this world.
Here were no heralds at arms provided, no trumpet sounded before him, no
chariots of state, no liveries; such things as these were not agreeable to
his present state of humiliation, but will be far outdone at his second
coming, to which his magnificent appearance is reserved, when the last
trumpet shall sound, the glorious angels shall be his heralds and
attendants, and the clouds his chariots. But in this public appearance,
1. The preparation was sudden and offhand. For his glory in the other world,
and ours with him, preparation was made before the foundation of the world,
for that was the glory his heart was upon; his glory in this world he was
dead to, and therefore, though he had it in prospect, did not forecast for
it, but took what came next. They were come to Bethphage, which was the
suburb of Jerusalem, and was accounted (say the Jewish doctors) in all
things, as Jerusalem, a long scattering street that lay toward the mount of
Olives; when he entered upon that, he sent two of his disciples, some
think Peter and John, to fetch him an ass, for he had none ready for him.
2. It was very mean. He sent only for an ass and her colt, v. 2.
Asses were much used in that country for travel; horses were kept only by
great men, and for war. Christ could have summoned a cherub to carry him
(Ps. xviii. 10); but though by his name Jah, which speaks him God, he
rides upon the heavens, yet now by his name Jesus, Immanuel, God with
us, in his state of humiliation, he rides upon an ass. Yet some
think that he had herein an eye to the custom in Israel for the judges to
ride upon white asses (Judg. v. 10), and their sons on ass-colts, Judg. xii.
14. And Christ would thus enter, not as a Conqueror, but as the Judge of
Israel, who for judgment came into this world.
3. It was not his own, but borrowed. Though he had not a house of his own,
yet, one would think, like some wayfaring men that live upon their friends,
he might have had an ass of his own, to carry him about; but for our sakes
he became in all respects poor, 2 Cor. viii. 9. It is commonly said,
"They that live on borrowing, live on sorrowing;" in this
therefore, as in other things, Christ was a man of sorrows--that he
had nothing of this world's goods but what was given him or lent him.
The disciples who were sent to borrow this ass are directed to say, The
Lord has need of him. Those that are in need, must not be ashamed to own
their need, nor say, as the unjust steward, To beg I am ashamed, Luke
xvi. 3. On the other hand, none ought to impose upon the kindness of their
friends, by going to beg or borrow when they have not need. In the borrowing
of this ass,
(1.) We have an instance of Christ's knowledge. Though the thing was
altogether contingent, yet Christ could tell his disciples where they should
find an ass tied, and a colt with her. His omniscience extends itself to the
meanest of his creatures; asses and their colts, and their being bound or
loosed. Doth God take care for oxen? (1 Cor. ix. 9.) No doubt he
doth, and would not see Balaam's ass abused. He knows all the creatures, so
as to make them serve his own purpose.
(2.) We have an instance of his power over the spirits of men. The hearts of
the meanest subjects, as well as of kings, are in the hand of the Lord.
Christ asserts his right to use the ass, in bidding them bring it to him;
the fulness of the earth is the Lord Christ's; but he foresees some
hindrance which disciples might meet with in this service; they must not
take them clam et secreto--privily, but in the sight of the owner,
much less vi et armis--with force and arms, but with the consent of
the owner, which he undertakes they shall have; If any man say aught to
you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of him. Note, What Christ sets us
to do, he will bear us out in the doing of, and furnish us with answers tot
he objections we may be assaulted with, and make them prevalent; as here, Straightway
he will send them. Christ, in commanding the ass into his service,
showed that he is Lord of hosts; and, in inclining the owner to send him
without further security, showed that he is the God of the spirits of all
flesh, and can bow men's hearts.
(3.) We have an example of justice and honesty, in not using the ass, though
for so small a piece of service as riding the length of a street or two,
without the owner's consent. As some read the latter clause, it gives us a
further rule of justice; "You shall say the Lord hath need of them,
and he" (that is, the Lord) "will presently send them back,
and take care that they be safely delivered to the owner, as soon as he has
done with them." Note, What we borrow we must restore in due time and
in good order; for the wicked borrows and pays not again. Care must
be taken of borrowed goods, that they be not damaged. Alas, Master, for
it was borrowed!
II. The prediction that was fulfilled in this, v. 4, 5. Our Lord
Jesus, in all that he did and suffered, had very much his eye upon this, That
the scriptures might be fulfilled. As the prophets looked forward to him
(to him they all bare witness), so he looked upon them, that all things
which were written of the Messiah, might be punctually accomplished in him.
This particularly which was written of him, Zech. ix. 9, where it ushers in
a large prediction of the kingdom of the Messiah, Tell ye the daughter of
Sion, Behold, thy King cometh, must be accomplished. Now observe here,
1. How the coming of Christ is foretold; Tell ye the daughter of Sion,
the church, the holy mountain, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee.
Note, (1.) Jesus Christ is the church's King, one of our brethren like unto
us, according to the law of the kingdom, Deut. xvii. 15. He is appointed
King over the church, Ps. ii. 6. He is accepted King by the church; the
daughter of Sion swears allegiance to him, Hos. i. 11. (2.) Christ, the King
of his church, came to his church, even in this lower world; he comes to
thee, to rule thee, to rule in thee, to rule for thee; he is Head over
all things to the church. He came to Sion (Rom. xi. 26), that out of
Sion the law might go forth; for the church and its interests were all in
all with the Redeemer. (3.) Notice was given to the church beforehand of the
coming of her King; Tell the daughter of Sion. Note, Christ will have
his coming looked for, and waited for, and his subjects big with expectation
of it; Tell the daughters of Sion, that they may go forth, and
behold King Solomon, Cant. iii. 11. Notices of Christ's coming are
usually ushered in with a Behold! A note commanding both attention
and admiration; Behold thy King cometh; behold, and wonder at him,
behold, and welcome him. Here is a royal progress truly admirable. Pilate,
like Caiaphas, said he knew not what, in that great word (John xix. 14), Behold
your King.
2. How his coming is described. When a king comes, something great and
magnificent is expected, especially when he comes to take possession of his
kingdom. The King, the Lord of hosts, was seen upon a throne, high and
lifted up (Isa. vi. 1); but there is nothing of that here; Behold, he
cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass. When Christ would appear
in his glory, it is in his meekness, not in his majesty.
(1.) His temper is very mild. He comes not in wrath to take vengeance, but
in mercy to work salvation. He is meek to suffer the greatest injuries and
indignities for Sion's cause, meek to bear with the follies and unkindness
of Sion's own children. He is easy of access, easy to be entreated. He is
meek not only as a Teacher, but as a Ruler; he rules by love. His government
is mild and gentle, and his laws not written in the blood of his subjects,
but in his own. His yoke is easy.
(2.) As an evidence of this, his appearance is very mean, sitting upon an
ass, as creature made not for state, but service, not for battles, but for
burthens; slow in its motions, but sure, and safe, and constant. The
foretelling of this so long before, and the care taken that it should be
exactly fulfilled, intimate it to have a peculiar significancy, for the
encouragement of poor souls to apply themselves to Christ. Sion's King comes
riding, not on a prancing horse, which the timorous petitioner dares not
come near, or a running horse, which the slow-footed petitioner cannot keep
pace with, but on a quiet ass, that the poorest of his subjects may not be
discouraged in their access to him. Mention is made in the prophecy of a
colt, the foal of an ass; and therefore Christ sent for the colt
with the ass, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
III. The procession itself, which was answerable to the preparation, both
being destitute of worldly pomp, and yet both accompanied with a spiritual
power.
Observe, 1. His equipage; The disciples did as Jesus commanded them (v.
6); they went to fetch the ass and the colt, not doubting but to find them,
and to find the owner willing to lend them. Note, Christ's commands must not
be disputed, but obeyed; and those that sincerely obey them, shall not be
balked or baffled in it; They brought the ass and the colt. The
meanness and contemptibleness of the beast Christ rode on, might have been
made up with the richness of the trappings; but those were, like all the
rest, such as came next to hand; they had not so much as a saddle for the
ass, but the disciples threw some of their clothes upon it, and that must
serve for want of better accommodations. Note, We ought not to be nice or
curious, or to affect exactness, in outward conveniences. A holy
indifference or neglect well becomes us in these things: it will evidence
that our heart is not upon them, and that we have learned the apostle's rule
(Rom. xii. 16, margin), to be content with mean things. Any thing
will serve travellers; and there is a beauty in some sort of carelessness, a
noble negligence; yet the disciples furnished him with the best they had,
and did not object the spoiling of their clothes when the Lord had need
of them. Note, We must not think the clothes on our backs too dear to
part with for the service of Christ, for the clothing of his poor destitute
and afflicted members. I was naked, and you clothed me, ch.
xxv. 36. Christ stripped himself for us.
2. His retinue; there was nothing in this stately or magnificent. Sion's
King comes to Sion, and the daughter of Sion was told of his coming long
before; yet he is not attended by the gentlemen of the country, nor met by
the magistrates of the city in their formalities as one might have expected;
he should have had the keys of the city presented to him, and should have
been conducted with all possible convenience to the thrones of judgment,
the thrones of the house of David; but here is nothing of all this; yet
he has his attendants, a very great multitude; they were only the
common people, the mob (the rabble we should have been apt to call
them), that graced the solemnity of Christ's triumph, and none but such. The
chief priests and the elders afterward herded themselves with the multitude
that abused him upon the cross; but we find none of them here joining with
the multitude that did him honour. Ye see here your calling, brethren, not
many mighty, or noble, attend on Christ, but the foolish things of
this world and base things, which are despised, 1 Cor. i. 26, 28. Note,
Christ is honoured by the multitude, more than by the magnificence, of his
followers; for he values men by their souls, not by their preferments,
names, or titles of honour.
Now, concerning this great multitude, we are here told,
(1.) What they did; according to the best of their capacity, they studied to
do honour to Christ. [1.] They spread their garments in the way, that
he might ride upon them. When Jehu was proclaimed king, the captains put
their garments under him, in token of their subjection to him. Note, Those
that take Christ for their King must lay their all under his feet; the
clothes, in token of the heart; for when Christ comes, though not when any
one else comes, it must be said to the soul, Bow down, that he may go
over. Some think that these garments were spread, not upon the ground,
but on the hedges or walls, to adorn the roads; as, to beautify a cavalcade,
the balconies are hung with tapestry. This was but a poor piece of state,
yet Christ accepted their good-will; and we are hereby taught to contrive
how to make Christ welcome, Christ and his grace, Christ and his gospel,
into our hearts and houses. How shall we express our respects to Christ?
What honour and what dignity shall be done to him? [2.] Others cut down
branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way, as they used to do
at the feast of tabernacles, in token of liberty, victory, and joy; for the
mystery of that feast is particularly spoken of as belonging to gospel
times, Zech. xiv. 16.
(2.) What they said; They that went before, and they that followed,
were in the same tune; both those that gave notice of his coming, and those
that attended him with their applauses, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son
of David, v. 9. When they carried branches about at the feast of
tabernacles, they were wont to cry Hosanna, and from thence to call
their bundles of branches their hosannas. Hosanna signifies, Save
now, we beseech thee; referring to Ps. cxviii. 25, 26, where the Messiah
is prophesied of as the Head-stone of the corner, though the
builders refused him; and all his loyal subjects are brought in
triumphing with him, and attending him with hearty good wishes to the
prosperity of all his enterprises. Hosanna to the Son of David is,
"This we do in honour of the Son of David."
The hosannas with which Christ was attended bespeak two things:
[1.] Their welcoming his kingdom. Hosanna bespeaks the same with, Blessed
is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. It was foretold concerning
this Son of David, that all nations shall call him blessed (Ps. lxxii.
17); these here began, and all true believers in all ages concur in it, and
call him blessed; it is the genuine language of faith. Note, First,
Jesus Christ comes in the name of the Lord; he is sanctified, and
sent into the world, as Mediator; him hath God the Father sealed.
Secondly, The coming of Christ in the name of the Lord, is worthy of
all acceptation; and we all ought to say, Blessed is he that cometh;
to praise him, and be pleased in him. Let his coming in the name of the Lord
be mentioned with strong affections, to our comfort, and joyful
acclamations, to his glory. Well may we say, Blessed is he; for it is
in him that we are blessed. Well may we follow him with our
blessings, who meets us with his.
[2.] Their wishing well to his kingdom; intimated in their Hosanna;
earnestly desiring that prosperity and success may attend it, and that it
may be a victorious kingdom; "Send now prosperity to that
kingdom." If they understood it of a temporal kingdom, and had their
hearts carried out thus toward that, it was their mistake, which a little
time would rectify; however, their good-will was accepted. Note, It is our
duty earnestly to desire and pray for the prosperity and success of Christ's
kingdom in the world. Thus prayer must be made for him continually
(Ps. lxxii. 15), that all happiness may attend his interest in the world,
and that, though he may ride on an ass, yet in his majesty he may ride
prosperously, because of that meekness, Ps. xlv. 4. This we mean
when we pray, Thy kingdom come. They add, Hosanna in the highest:
Let prosperity in the highest degree attend him, let him have a name above
every name, a throne above every throne; or, Let us praise him in the best
manner for his church ascend to heaven, to the highest heavens, and fetch in
peace and salvation from thence. See Ps. xx. 6. The Lord saveth his
Anointed, and will hear from his high, his holy heaven.
3. We have here his entertainment in Jerusalem (v. 10); When he
was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved; every one took notice
of him, some were moved with wonder at the novelty of the thing, others with
laughter at the meanness of it; some perhaps were moved with joy, who
waited for the Consolation of Israel; others, of the Pharisaical class,
were moved with envy and indignation. So various are the motions in the
minds of men upon the approach of Christ's kingdom!
Upon this commotion we are further told,
(1.) What the citizens said; Who is this? [1.] They were, it seems,
ignorant concerning Christ. Though he was the Glory of his people Israel,
yet Israel knew him not; though he had distinguished himself by the
many miracles he wrought among them, yet the daughters of Jerusalem
knew him not from another beloved, Cant. v. 9. The Holy One unknown
in the holy city! In places where the clearest light shines, and the
greatest profession of religion is made, there is more ignorance than we
are. [2.] Yet they were inquisitive concerning him. Who is this that is thus
cried, and comes with so much observation? Who is this King of glory,
that demands admission into our hearts? Ps. xxiv. 8; Isa. lxiii. 1.
(2.) How the multitude answered them; This is Jesus, v. 11.
The multitude were better acquainted with Christ than the great ones. Vox
populi--The voice of the people, is sometimes Vox Dei--the voice of
God. Now, in the account they give of him, [1.] They were right in
calling him the Prophet, that great Prophet. Hitherto he had been
known as a Prophet, teaching and working miracles; now they attend him as a
King; Christ's priestly office was, of all the three, last discovered. [2.]
Yet they missed it, in saying he was of Nazareth; and it helped to
confirm some in their prejudices against him. Note, Some that are willing to
honour Christ, and bear their testimony to him, yet labour under mistakes
concerning him, which would be rectified if they would take pains to inform
themselves.
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The
Profaners of the Temple Punished.
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12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and
cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the
tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of
prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind
and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did,
and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of
David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest
thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out
of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged
there.
When Christ came into Jerusalem, he did not go up to the court or the
palace, though he came in as a King, but into the temple; for his
kingdom is spiritual, and not of this world; it is in holy things
that he rules, in the temple of God that he exercises authority. Now, what
did he do there?
I. Thence he drove the buyers and sellers. Abuses must first be purged out,
and the plants not of God's planting be plucked up, before that which is
right can be established. The great Redeemer appear as a great Reformer,
that turns away ungodliness, Rom. xi. 26. Here we are told,
1. What he did (v. 12); He cast out all them that sold and bought;
he had done this once before (John ii. 14, 15), but there was occasion to do
it again. Note, Buyers and sellers driven out of the temple, will return and
nestle there again, if there be not a continual care and oversight to
prevent it, and if the blow be not followed, and often repeated.
(1.) The abuse was, buying and selling, and changing money, in the temple.
Note, Lawful things, ill timed and ill placed, may become sinful things.
That which was decent enough in another place, and not only lawful, but
laudable, on another day, defiles the sanctuary, and profanes the
sabbath. This buying and selling, and changing money, though secular
employments, yet had the pretence of being in ordine ad spiritualia--for
spiritual purposes. They sold beasts for sacrifice, for the convenience
of those that could more easily bring their money with them than their
beast; and they changed money for those that wanted the half shekel, which
was their yearly poll, or redemption-money; or, upon the bills of return; so
that this might pass for the outward business of the house of God; and yet
Christ will not allow of it. Note, Great corruptions and abuses come into
the church by the practices of those whose gain is godliness, that
is, who make worldly gain the end of their godliness, and counterfeit
godliness their way to worldly gain (1 Tim. vi. 5); from such withdraw
thyself.
(2.) The purging out of this abuse. Christ cast them out that sold.
He did it before with a scourge of small cords (John ii. 15); now he
did it with a look, with a frown, with a word of command. Some reckon this
none of the least of Christ's miracles, that he should himself thus clear
the temple, and not be opposed in it by them who by this craft got their
living, and were backed in it by the priests and elders. It is an instance
of his power over the spirits of men, and the hold he has of them by their
own consciences. This was the only act of regal authority and coercive power
that Christ did in the days of his flesh; he began with it, John ii. and
here ended with it. Tradition says, that his face shone, and beams of light
darted from his blessed eyes, which astonished these market-people, and
compelled them to yield to his command; if so, the scripture was fulfilled,
Prov. xx. 8, A King that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth
away all evil with his eyes. He overthrew the tables of the money-changers;
he did not take the money to himself, but scattered it, threw it to the
ground, the fittest place for it. The Jews, in Esther's time, on the
spoil laid not their hand, Esther ix. 10.
2. What he said, to justify himself, and to convict them (v. 13); It
is written. Note, In the reformation of the church, the eye must be upon
the scripture, and that must be adhered to as the rule, the pattern in the
mount; and we must go no further than we can justify ourselves with, It
is written. Reformation is then right, when corrupted ordinances
are reduced to their primitive institution.
(1.) He shows, from a scripture prophecy, what the temple should be, and was
designed to be; My house shall be called the house of prayer; which
is quoted from Isa. lvi. 7. Note, All the ceremonial institutions were
intended to be subservient to moral duties; the house of sacrifices was to
be a house of prayer, for that was the substance and soul of all those
services; the temple was in a special manner sanctified to be a house of
prayer, for it was not only the place of that worship, but the medium of it,
so that the prayers made in or toward that house had a particular promise of
acceptance (2 Chron. vi. 21), as it was a type of Christ; therefore Daniel
looked that way in prayer; and in this sense no house or place is now, or
can be, a house of prayer, for Christ is our Temple; yet in some sense the
appointed places of our religious assemblies may be so called, as places
where prayer is wont to be made, Acts xvi. 13.
(2.) He shows, from a scripture reproof, how they had abused the temple, and
perverted the intention of it; Ye have made it a den of thieves. This
is quoted from Jer. vii. 11, Is this house become a den of robbers in
your eyes? When dissembled piety is made the cloak and cover of
iniquity, it may be said that the house of prayer is become a den
of thieves, in which they lurk, and shelter themselves. Markets are too
often dens of thieves, so many are the corrupt and cheating practices in
buying and selling; but markets in the temple are certainly so, for they rob
God of his honour, the worst of thieves, Mal. iii. 8. The priests lived, and
lived plentifully, upon the altar; but, not content with that, they found
other ways and means to squeeze money out of the people; and therefore
Christ here calls them thieves, for they exacted that which did not
belong to them.
II. There, in the temple, he healed the blind and the lame, v.
14. When he had driven the buyers and sellers out of the temple, he invited
the blind and lame into it; for he fills the hungry with good things, but
the rich he sends empty away. Christ, in the temple, by his word there
preached, and in answer to the prayers there made, heals those that are
spiritually blind and lame. It is good coming to the temple, when Christ is
there, who, as he shows himself jealous for the honour of his temple, in
expelling those who profane it, so he shows himself gracious to those who
humbly seek him. The blind and the lame were debarred David's palace
(2 Sam. v. 8), but were admitted into God's house; for the state and honour
of his temple lie not in those things wherein the magnificence of princes'
palaces is supposed to consist; from them blind and lame must keep their
distance, but from God's temple only the wicked and profane. The temple was
profane and abused when it was made a market-place, but it was graced and
honoured when it was made an hospital; to be doing good in God's, is more
honourable, and better becomes it, than to be getting money there. Christ's
healing was a real answer to that question, Who is this? His works
testified of him more than the hosannas; and his healing in the
temple was the fulfilling of the promise, that the glory of the latter
house should be greater than the glory of the former.
There also he silenced the offence which the chief priests and scribes took
at the acclamations with which he was attended, v. 15, 16. They that
should have been most forward to give him honour, were his worst enemies.
1. They were inwardly vexed at the wonderful things that he did; they could
not deny them to be true miracles, and therefore were cut to the heart with
indignation at them, as Acts iv. 16; v. 33. The works that Christ did,
recommended themselves to every man's conscience. If they had any sense,
they could not but own the miracle of them; and if any good nature, could
not but be in love with the mercy of them: yet, because they were resolved
to oppose him, for these they envied him, and bore him a grudge.
2. They openly quarrelled at the children's hosannas; they thought that
hereby an honour was given him, which did not belong to him, and that it
looked like ostentation. Proud men cannot bear that honour should be done to
any but to themselves, and are uneasy at nothing more than at the just
praises of deserving men. Thus Saul envied David the women's songs; and
"Who can stand before envy?" When Christ is most honoured, his
enemies are most displeased.
Just now we had Christ preferring the blind and the lame before the buyers
and sellers; now here we have him (v. 16), taking part with the
children against priests and scribes.
Observe, (1.) The children were in the temple, perhaps playing there; no
wonder, when the rulers make it a market-place, that the children
make it a place of pastime; but we are willing to hope that many of them
were worshipping there. Note, It is good to bring children betimes to the
house of prayer, for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Let children
be taught to keep up the form of godliness, it will help to lead them to the
power of it. Christ has a tenderness for the lambs of his flock.
(2.) They were there crying Hosanna to the Son of David. This they
learned from those that were grown up. Little children say and do as they
hear others say, and see others do; so easily do they imitate; and therefore
great care must be taken to set them good examples, and no bad ones. Maxima
debetur puero reverentia--Our intercourse with the young should be conducted
with the most scrupulous care. Children will learn of those that are
with them, either to curse and swear, or to pray and praise. The Jews did
betimes teach their children to carry branches at the feast of tabernacles,
and to cry Hosanna; but God taught them here to apply it to Christ.
Note, Hosanna to the Son of David well becomes the mouths of little
children, who should learn young the language of Canaan.
(3.) Our Lord Jesus not only allowed it, but was very well pleased with it,
and quoted a scripture which was fulfilled in it (Ps. viii. 2), or, at
least, may be accommodated to it; Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings
thou hast perfected praise; which, some think, refers to the children's
joining in the acclamations of the people, and the women's songs with which
David was honoured when he returned from the slaughter of the Philistine,
and therefore is very fitly applied here to the hosannas with which the Son
of David was saluted, now that he was entering upon his conflict with Satan,
that Goliath. Note, [1.] Christ is so far from being ashamed of the services
of little children, that he takes particular notice of them (and children
love to be taken notice of), and is well pleased with them. If God may be
honoured by babes and sucklings, who are made to hope at the best, much more
by children who are grown up to maturity and some capacity. [2.] Praise is
perfected out of the mouth of such; it has a peculiar tendency to the honour
and glory of God for little children to join in his praises; the praise
would be accounted defective and imperfect, if they had not their share in
it; which is an encouragement for children to be good betimes, and to
parents to teach them to be so; the labour neither of the one nor of the
other shall be in vain. In the psalm it is, Thou hast ordained strength.
Note, God perfecteth praise, by ordaining strength out of the
mouths of babes and sucklings. When great things are brought about by
weak and unlikely instruments, God is thereby much honoured, for his strength
is perfected in weakness, and the infirmities of the babes and sucklings
serve for a foil to the divine power. That which follows in the psalm, That
thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger, was very applicable to
the priests and scribes; but Christ did not apply it to them, but left it to
them to apply it.
Lastly, Christ, having thus silenced them, forsook them, v.
17. He left them, in prudence, lest they should now have seized him
before his hour was come; in justice, because they had forfeited the favour
of his presence. By repining at Christ's praises we drive him from us. He
left them as incorrigible, and he went out of the city to Bethany,
which was a more quiet retired place; not so much that he might sleep
undisturbed as that he might pray undisturbed. Bethany was but two
little miles from Jerusalem; thither he went on foot, to show that, when
he rode, it was only to fulfil the scripture. He was not lifted up
with the hosannas of the people; but, as having forgot them, soon returned
to his mean and toilsome way of travelling.
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The
Barren Fig-Tree Cursed.
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18 Now in the morning as he returned into the
city, he hungered. 19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he
came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it,
Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree
withered away. 20 And when the disciples saw it, they
marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! 21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith,
and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig
tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be
thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 22 And all things,
whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Observe,
I. Christ returned in the morning to Jerusalem, v. 18. Some
think that he went out of the city over-night, because none of his friends
there durst entertain him, for fear of the great men; yet, having work to do
there, he returned. Note, We must never be driven off from our duty either
by the malice of our foes, or the unkindness of our friends. Though he knew
that in this city bonds and afflictions did abide him, yet none of these
things moved him. Paul followed him when he went bound in the spirit
to Jerusalem, Acts xx. 22.
II. As he went, he hungered. He was a Man, and submitted to the
infirmities of nature; he was an active Man, and was so intent upon his
work, that he neglected his food, and came out, fasting; for the zeal of
God's house did even eat him up, and his meat and drink was to
do his Father's will. He was a poor Man, and had no present supply; he
was a Man that pleased not himself, for he would willingly have taken up
with green raw figs for his breakfast, when it was fit that he should have
had something warm.
Christ therefore hungered, that he might have occasion to work this
miracle, in cursing and so withering the barren fig-tree, and therein might
give us an instance of his justice and his power, and both instructive.
1. See his justice, v. 19. He went to it, expecting fruit,
because it had leaves; but, finding none, he sentenced it to a perpetual
barrenness. The miracle had its significance, as well as others of his
miracles. All Christ's miracles hitherto were wrought for the good of men,
and proved the power of his grace and blessing (the sending the devils into
the herd of swine was but a permission); all he did was for the benefit and
comfort of his friends, none for the terror or punishment of his enemies;
but now, at last, to show that all judgment is committed to him, and
that he is able not only to save, but to destroy, he would
give a specimen of the power of his wrath and curse; yet this not on any
man, woman, or child, because the great day of his wrath is not yet come,
but on an inanimate tree; that is set forth for an example; Come, learn a
parable of the fig-tree, ch. xxiv. 32. The scope of it is the
same with the parable of the fig-tree, Luke xiii. 6.
(1.) This cursing of the barren fig-tree, represents the state of hypocrites
in general; and so it teaches us, [1.] That the fruit of fig-trees may
justly be expected from those that have the leaves. Christ looks for the
power of religion from those that make profession of it; the favour of it
from those that have the show of it; grapes from the vineyard that is
planted in a fruitful hill: he hungers after it, his soul desires the
first ripe fruits. [2.] Christ's just expectations from flourishing
professors are often frustrated and disappointed; he comes to many, seeking
fruit, and finds leaves only, and he discovers it. Many have a name to live,
and are not alive indeed; dote on the form of godliness, and yet deny the
power of it. [3.] The sin of barrenness is justly punished with the curse
and plague of barrenness; Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for
ever. As one of the chiefest blessings, and which was the first, is, Be
fruitful; so one of the saddest curses is, Be no more fruitful.
Thus the sin of hypocrites is made their punishment; they would not
do good, and therefore they shall do none; he that is fruitless, let
him be fruitless still, and lose his honour and comfort. [4.] A false and
hypocritical profession commonly withers in this world, and it is the effect
of Christ's curse; the fig-tree that had no fruit, soon lost its leaves.
Hypocrites may look plausible for a time, but, having no principle, no
root in themselves, their profession will soon come to nothing; the
gifts wither, common graces decay, the credit of the profession declines and
sinks, and the falseness and folly of the pretender are manifested to all
men.
(2.) It represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in
particular; they were a fig-tree planted in Christ's way, as a church. Now
observe, [1.] The disappointment they gave to our Lord Jesus. He came among
them, expecting to find some fruit, something that would be pleasing to him;
he hungered after it; not that he desired a gift, he needed it not, but
fruit that might abound to a good account. But his expectations were
frustrated; he found nothing but leaves; they called Abraham their
father, but did not do the works of Abraham; they professed themselves
expectants of the promised Messiah, but, when he came, they did not receive
and entertain him. [2.] The doom he passed upon them, that never any
fruit should grow upon them or be gathered from them, as a church or as
a people, from henceforward for ever. Never any good came from them
(except the particular persons among them that believe), after they rejected
Christ; they became worse and worse; blindness and hardness happened to
them, and grew upon them, till they were unchurched, unpeopled, and undone,
and their place and nation rooted up; their beauty was defaced, their
privileges and ornaments, their temple, and priesthood, and sacrifices, and
festivals, and all the glories of their church and state, fell like leaves
in autumn. How soon did their fig-tree wither away, after they said, His
blood be on us, and our children! And the Lord was righteous in it.
2. See the power of Christ; the former is wrapped up in the figure,
but this more fully discoursed of; Christ intending thereby to direct his
disciples in the use of their powers.
(1.) The disciples admired the effect of Christ's curse (v. 20); They
marvelled; no power could do it but his, who spake, and it was done.
They marvelled at the suddenness of the thing; How soon is the fig-tree
withered away! There was no visible cause of the fig-tree's withering,
but it was a secret blast, a worm at the root; it was not only the leaves of
it that withered, but the body of the tree; it withered away in an instant
and became like a dry stick. Gospel curses are, upon this account, the most
dreadful--that they work insensibly and silently, by a fire not blown, but
effectually.
(2.) Christ empowered them by faith to do the like (v. 21, 22); as he
said (John xiv. 12), Greater works than these shall ye do.
Observe, [1.] The description of this wonder-working faith; If ye have
faith, and doubt not. Note, Doubting of the power and promise of God is
the great thing that spoils the efficacy and success of faith. "If you
have faith, and dispute not" (so some read it), "dispute not with
yourselves, dispute not with the promise of God; if you stagger not at
the promise" (Rom. iv. 20); for, as far as we do so, our faith is
deficient; as certain as the promise is, so confident our faith should be.
[2.] The power and prevalence of it expressed figuratively; If ye shall
say to this mountain, meaning the mount of Olives, Be thou removed,
it shall be done. There might be a particular reason for his saying so
of this mountain, for there was a prophecy, that the mount of Olives,
which is before Jerusalem, should cleave in the midst, and then remove,
Zech. xiv. 4. Whatever was the intent of that word, the same must be the
expectation of faith, how impossible soever it might appear to sense. But
this is a proverbial expression; intimating that we are to believe that
nothing is impossible with God, and therefore that what he has promised
shall certainly be performed, though to us it seem impossible. It was among
the Jews a usual commendation of their learned Rabbin, that they were
removers of mountains, that is, could solve the greatest difficulties; now
this may be done by faith acted on the word of God, which will bring great
and strange things to pass.
[3.] The way and means of exercising this faith, and of doing that which is
to be done by it; All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer,
believing, ye shall receive. Faith is the soul, prayer is the body; both
together make a complete man for any service. Faith, if it be right, will
excite prayer; and prayer is not right, if it do not spring from faith. This
is the condition of our receiving--we must ask in prayer, believing.
The requests of prayer shall not be denied; the expectations of faith shall
not be frustrated. We have many promises to this purport from the mouth of
our Lord Jesus, and all to encourage faith, the principal grace, and prayer,
the principal duty, of a Christian. It is but ask and have, believe and
receive; and what would we more? Observe, How comprehensive the promise is--all
things whatsoever ye shall ask; this is like all and every the premises
in a conveyance. All things, in general; whatsoever, brings it
to particulars; though generals include particulars, yet such is the folly
of our unbelief, that, though we think we assent to promises in the general,
yet we fly off when it comes to particulars, and therefore, that we might
have strong consolation, it is thus copiously expressed, All things
whatsoever.
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Christ
Questioned as to His Authority.
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23 And when he was come into the temple, the
chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching,
and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this
authority? 24 And Jesus answered and said 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.
Our Lord Jesus (like St. Paul after him) preached his gospel with much
contention; his first appearance was in a dispute with the doctors in
the temple, when he was twelve years old; and here, just before he died,
we have him engaged in controversy. In this sense, he was like Jeremiah, a
man of contention; not striving, but striven with. The great contenders
with him, were, the chief priests and the elders, the judges of two
distinct courts: the chief priests presided in the ecclesiastical court, in
all matters of the Lord, as they are called; the elders of the people were
judges of the civil courts, in temporal matters. See an idea of both, 2
Chron. xix. 5, 8, 11. These joined to attack Christ thinking they should
find or make him obnoxious either to the one or to the other. See how
woefully degenerate that generation was, when the governors both in church
and state, who should have been the great promoters of the Messiah's
kingdom, were the great opposers of it! Here we have them disturbing him
when he was preaching, v. 23. They would neither receive his
instructions themselves, nor let others receive them. Observe,
I. As soon as he came into Jerusalem, he went to the temple, though he had
been affronted there the day before, was there in the midst of enemies and
in the mouth of danger; yet thither he went, for there he had a fairer
opportunity of doing good to souls than any where else in Jerusalem. Though
he came hungry to the city, and was disappointed of a breakfast at the
barren fig-tree, yet, for aught that appears, he went straight to the
temple, as one that esteemed the words of God's mouth, the preaching
of them, more than his necessary food.
II. In the temple he was teaching; he had called it a house of prayer
(v. 13), and here we have him preaching there. Note, In the solemn
assemblies of Christians, praying and preaching must go together, and
neither must encroach upon, or jostle out, the other. To make up communion
with God, we must not only speak to him in prayer, but hear what he has to
say to us by his word; ministers must give themselves both to the word
and to prayer, Acts vi. 4. Now that Christ taught in the temple,
that scripture was fulfilled (Isa. ii. 3), Let us go up to the house of
the Lord, and he will teach us his ways. The priests of old often taught
there the good knowledge of the Lord; but they never had such a
teacher as this.
III. When Christ was teaching the people, the priests and elders came upon
him, and challenged him to produce his orders; the hand of Satan was in
this, to hinder him in his work. Note, It cannot but be a trouble to a
faithful minister, to be taken off, or diverted from, plain and practical
preaching, by an unavoidable necessity of engaging in controversies, yet
good was brought out of this evil, for hereby occasion was given to Christ
to dispel the objections that were advanced against him, to the greater
satisfaction of his followers; and, while his adversaries thought by their
power to have silenced him, he by his wisdom silenced them.
Now, in this dispute with them, we may observe,
1. How he was assaulted by their insolent demand; By what authority doest
thou these things, and who gave thee this authority? Had they duly
considered his miracles, and the power by which he wrought them, they needed
not to have asked this question; but they must have something to say for the
shelter of an obstinate infidelity. "Thou ridest in triumph into
Jerusalem, receivest the hosannas of the people, controllest in the temple,
drivest out such as had license to be there, from the rulers of the temple,
and paid them rent; thou are here preaching a new doctrine; whence hadst
thou a commission to do all this? Was it from Cæsar, or from the high
priest, or from God? Produce thy warrant, thy credentials. Dost not thou
take too much upon thee?" Note, It is good for all that take upon them
to act with authority, to put this question to themselves, "Who gave us
that authority?" For, unless a man be clear in his own conscience
concerning that, he cannot act with any comfort or hope of success. They who
run before their warrant, run without their blessing, Jer. xxiii. 21, 22.
Christ had often said it, and proved it beyond contradiction, and Nicodemus,
a master in Israel, had owned it, that he was a teacher sent of God
(John iii. 2); yet, at this time of day, when that point had been so fully
cleared and settled, they come to him with this question. (1.) In the
ostentation of their own power, as chief priests and elders, which they
thought authorized them to call him to an account in this manner. How
haughtily do they ask, Who gave thee this authority? Intimating that
he could have no authority, because he had none from them, 1 Kings xxii. 24;
Jer. xx. 1. Note, It is common for the greatest abusers of their power to be
the most rigorous assertors of it, and to take a pride and pleasure in any
thing that looks like the exercise of it. (2.) It was to ensnare and
entangle him. Should he refuse to answer this question, they would enter
judgment against him upon Nihil dicit--He says nothing; would condemn
him as standing mute; and would insinuate to the people, that his silence
was a tacit confessing of himself to be a usurper: should he plead an
authority from God, they would, as formerly, demand a sign from heaven, or
make his defence his offence, and accuse him of blasphemy for
it.
2. How he answered this demand with another, which would help them to answer
it themselves (v. 24, 25); I also will ask you one thing. He
declined giving them a direct answer, lest they should take advantage
against him; but answers them with a question. Those that are as sheep in
the midst of wolves, have need to be wise as serpents: the heart of
the wise studieth to answer. We must give a reason of the hope that
is in us, not only with meekness, but with fear (1 Pet. iii. 15),
with prudent caution, lest truth be damaged, or ourselves endangered.
Now this question is concerning John's baptism, here put for his whole
ministry, preaching as well as baptizing; "Was this from heaven, or
of men? One of the two it must be; either what he did was of his own
head, or he was sent of God to do it." Gamaliel's argument turned upon
this hinge (Acts v. 38, 39); either this counsel is of men or of God.
Though that which is manifestly bad cannot be of God, yet that which is
seemingly good may be of men, nay of Satan, when he transforms himself
into an angel of light. This question was not at all shuffling, to evade
theirs; but,
(1.) If they answered this question, it would answer theirs: should they
say, against their consciences, that John's baptism was of men, yet it would
be easy to answer, John did no miracle (John x. 41), Christ did many;
but should they say, as they could not but own, that John's baptism was from
heaven (which was supposed in the questions sent him, John i. 21, Art
thou Elias, or that prophet?) then their demand was answered, for he
bare testimony to Christ. Note, Truths appear in the clearest light when
they are taken in their due order; the resolving of the previous
questions will be a key to the main question.
(2.) If they refused to answer it, that would be a good reason why he should
not offer proofs of his authority to men that were obstinately prejudiced
against the strongest conviction; it was but to cast pearls before swine.
Thus he taketh the wise in their own craftiness (1 Cor. iii. 19); and
those that would not be convinced of the plainest truths, shall be convicted
of the vilest malice, against John first, then against Christ, and in both
against God.
3. How they were hereby baffled and run aground; they knew the truth, but
would not own it, and so were taken in the snare they laid for our Lord
Jesus. Observe,
(1.) How they reasoned with themselves, not concerning the merits of
the cause, what proofs there were of the divine original of John's baptism;
no, their care was, how to make their part good against Christ. Two things
they considered and consulted, in this reasoning with themselves--their
credit, and their safety; the same things which they principally aim
at, who seek their own things.
[1.] They consider their own credit, which they would endanger if they
should own John's baptism to be of God; for then Christ would ask them,
before all the people. Why did ye not believe him? And to acknowledge
that a doctrine is from God, and yet not to receive and entertain it, is the
greatest absurdity and iniquity that a man can be charged with. Many that
will not be kept by the fear of sin from neglecting and opposing that which
they know to be true and good are kept by the fear of shame from owning that
to be true and good which they neglect and oppose. Thus they reject the
counsel of God against themselves, in not submitting to John's baptism,
and are left without excuse.
[2.] They consider their own safety, that they would expose themselves to
the resentments of the people, if they should say that John's baptism was of
men; We fear the people, for all hold John as a prophet. It seems,
then, First, That the people had truer sentiments of John than the
chief priests and the elders had, or, at least, were more free and faithful
in declaring their sentiments. This people, of whom they said in their pride
that they knew not the law, and were cursed (John vii. 49), it seems,
knew the gospel, and were blessed. Secondly, That the chief priests
and elders stood in awe of the common people, which is an evidence that
things were in disorder among them, and that mutual jealousies were at a
great height; that the government was become obnoxious to the hatred and
scorn of the people, and the scripture was fulfilled, I have made you
contemptible and base, Mal. ii. 8, 9. If they had kept their integrity,
and done their duty, they had kept up their authority, and needed not to
fear the people. We find sometimes that the people feared them, and it
served them for a reason why they did not confess Christ, John ix. 22, xii.
42. Note, Those could not but fear the people, who studied only how to make
the people fear them. Thirdly, That it is usually the temper even of
common people to be zealous for the honour of that which they account sacred
and divine. If they account John as a prophet, they will not endure
that it should be said, His baptism was of men; hence the hottest
contests have been about holy things. Fourthly, That the chief
priests and elders were kept from an open denial of the truth, even against
the conviction of their own minds, not by the fear of God, but purely by the
fear of the people; as the fear of man may bring good people
into a snare (Prov. xxix. 25), so sometimes it may keep bad people
from being overmuch wicked, lest they should die before their time,
Eccl. vii. 17. Many bad people would be much worse than they are, if they
durst.
(2.) How they replied to our Saviour, and so dropped the question. They
fairly confessed We cannot tell; that is, "We will not;" ouk
oidamen--We never knew. The more shame for
them, while they pretended to be leaders of the people, and by their office
were obliged to take cognizance of such things; when they would not confess
their knowledge, they were constrained to confess their ignorance. And
observe, by the way, when they said, We cannot tell, they told a lie,
for they knew that John's baptism was of God. Note, There are many who are
more afraid of the shame of lying than of the sin, and
therefore scruple not to speak that which they know to be false concerning
their own thoughts and apprehensions, their affections and intentions, or
their remembering or forgetting of things, because in those things they know
nobody can disprove them.
Thus Christ avoided the snare they laid for him, and justified himself in
refusing to gratify them; Neither tell I you by what authority I do these
things. If they be so wicked and base as either not to believe, or not
to confess, that the baptism of John was from heaven (though it obliged to
repentance, that great duty, and sealed the kingdom of God at hand, that
great promise), they were not fit to be discoursed with concerning Christ's
authority; for men of such a disposition could not be convinced of the
truth, nay, they could not but be provoked by it, and therefore he that
is thus ignorant, let him be ignorant still. Note, Those that imprison
the truths they know, in unrighteousness (either by not professing them, or
by not practising according to them), are justly denied the further truths
they enquire after, Rom. i. 18, 19. Take away the talent from him that
buried it; those that will not see, shall not see.
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The
Parable of the Two Sons.
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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, 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.
As Christ instructed his disciples by parables, which made the instructions
the more easy, so sometimes he convinced his adversaries by parables, which
bring reproofs more close, and make men, or ever they are aware, to reprove
themselves. Thus Nathan convinced David by a parable (2 Sam. xxii. 1), and
the woman of Tekoa surprised him in like manner, 2 Sam. xiv. 2: Reproving
parables are appeals to the offenders themselves, and judge them out of
their own mouths. This Christ designs here, as appears by the first words (v.
28), But what think you?
In these verses we have the parable of the two sons sent to work in
the vineyard, the scope of which is to show that they who knew not John's
baptism to be of God, were shamed even by the publicans and harlots, who
knew it, and owned it. Here is,
I. The parable itself, which represents two sorts of persons; some that
prove better than they promise, represented by the first of those sons;
others that promise better than they prove represented by the second.
1. They had both one and the same father, which signifies that God is a
common Father to all mankind. There are favours which all alike receive from
him, and obligations which all alike lie under to him; Have we not all
one Father? Yes, and yet there is a vast difference between men's
characters.
2. They had both the same command given them; Son, go work to-day in my
vineyard. Parents should not breed up their children in idleness;
nothing is more pleasing, and yet nothing more pernicious, to youth than
that. Lam. iii. 27. God sets his children to work, though they are all
heirs. This command is given to every one of us. Note, (1.) The work of
religion, which we are called to engage in, is vineyard work, creditable,
profitable, and pleasant. By the sin of Adam we were turned out to work upon
the common, and to eat the herb of the field; but by the grace of our Lord
Jesus we are called to work again in the vineyard. (2.) The gospel call to
work in the vineyard, requires present obedience; Son, go work
to-day, while it is called to-day, because the night comes when no man
can work. We were not sent into the world to be idle, nor had we
daylight given us to play by; and therefore, if ever we mean to do any thing
for God and our souls, why not now? Why not to-day? (3.) The exhortation to
go work to-day in the vineyard, speaketh unto us as unto children
(Heb. xii. 5); Son, go work. It is the command of a Father, which
carries with it both authority and affection, a Father that pities his
children, and considers their frame, and will not overtask them (Ps. ciii.
13, 14), a Father that is very tender of his Son that serves him,
Mal. iii. 17. If we work in our Father's vineyard, we work for ourselves.
3. Their conduct was very different.
(1.) One of the sons did better than he said, proved better than he
promised. His answer was bad, but his actions were good.
[1.] Here is the untoward answer that he gave to his father; he said, flat
and plain I will not. See to what a degree of impudence the corrupt
nature of man rises, to say, I will not, to the command of a Father;
such a command of such a Father; they are impudent children, and
stiff-hearted. Those that will not bend, surely they cannot blush; if they
had any degree of modesty left them, they could not say, We will not.
Jer. ii. 25. Excuses are bad, but downright denials are worse; yet such
peremptory refusals do the calls of the gospel often meet with. First,
Some love their ease, and will not work; they would live in the world as
leviathan in the waters, to play therein (Ps. civ. 26); they do not love
working. Secondly, Their hearts are so much upon their own fields,
that they are not for working in God's vineyard. They love the business of
the world better than the business of their religion. Thus some by the
delights of sense, and others by the employments of the world, are kept from
doing that great work which they were sent into the world about, and so stand
all the day idle.
[2.] Here is the happy change of his mind, and of his way, upon second
thought; Afterward he repented, and went. Note, There are many who in
the beginning are wicked and wilful, and very unpromising, who afterward
repent and mend, and come to something. Some that God hath chosen, are
suffered for a great while to run to a great excess of riot; Such were
some of you, 1 Cor. vi. 11. These are set forth for patterns of
long-suffering, 1 Tim. i. 16. Afterward he repented. Repentance
is metanoia--an
after-wit: and metameleia--an
after-care. Better late than never. Observe, When he repented he went;
that was the fruit meet for repentance. The only evidence of our
repentance for our former resistance, is, immediately to comply, and set to
work; and then what is past, shall be pardoned, and all shall be well. See
what a kind Father God is; he resents not the affront of our refusals, as
justly he might. He that told his father to his face, that he would not
do as he bid him, deserved to be turned out of doors, and disinherited; but
our God waits to be gracious, and, not withstanding our former
follies, if we repent and mend, will favourably accept of us; blessed be
God, we are under a covenant that leaves room for such a repentance.
(2.) The other son said better than he did, promised better than he proved;
his answer was good but his actions bad. To him the father said likewise,
v. 30. The gospel call, though very different, is, in effect, the
same to all, and is carried on with an even tenour. We have all the same
commands, engagements, encouragements, though to some they are a savour of
life unto life, to others of death unto death. Observe,
[1.] How fairly this other son promised; He said, I go, sir. He gives
his father a title of respect, sir. Note, It becomes children to
speak respectfully to their parents. It is one branch of that honour which
the fifth commandment requires. He professes a ready obedience, I go;
not, "I will go by and by," but, "Ready, sir, you may depend
upon it, I go just now." This answer we should give from the heart
heartily to all the calls and commands of the word of God. See Jer. iii. 22;
Ps. xxvii. 8.
[2.] How he failed in the performance; He went not. Note, There are
many that give good words, and make fair promises, in religion, and those
from some good motions for the present, that rest there, and go no further,
and so come to nothing. Saying and doing are two things; and many there are
that say, and do not; it is particularly charged upon the Pharisees, ch.
xxiii. 3. Many with their mouth show much love, but their heart goes another
way. They had a good mind to be religious, but they met with something to be
done, that was too hard, or something to be parted with, that was too dear,
and so their purposes are to no purpose. Buds and blossoms are not fruit.
II. A general appeal upon the parable; Whether of them twain did the will
of his father? v. 31. They both had their faults, one was rude
and the other was false, such variety of exercises parents sometimes have in
the different humours of their children, and they have need of a great deal
of wisdom and grace to know what is the best way of managing them. But the
question is, Which was the better of the two, and the less faulty? And it
was soon resolved; the first, because his actions were better than his
words, and his latter end than his beginning. This they had learned from the
common sense of mankind, who would much rather deal with one that will be
better than his word, than with one that will be false to his word. And, in
the intention of it, they had learned from the account God gives of the rule
of his judgment (Ezek. xviii. 21-24), that if the sinner turn from his
wickedness, he shall be pardoned; andif the righteous man turn from
his righteousness, he shall be rejected. The tenour of the whole
scripture gives us to understand that those are accepted as doing their
Father's will, who, wherein they have missed it, are sorry for it, and do
better.
III. A particular application of it to the matter in hand, v. 31, 32.
The primary scope of the parable is, to show how the publicans and harlots,
who never talked of the Messiah and his kingdom, yet entertained the
doctrine, and submitted to the discipline, of John the Baptist, his
forerunner, when the priests and elders, who were big with expectations of
the Messiah, and seemed very ready to go into his measures, slighted John
the Baptist, and ran counter to the designs of his mission. But it has a
further reach; the Gentiles were sometimes disobedient, had been long
so, children of disobedience, like the elder son (Tit. iii. 3, 4); yet, when
the gospel was preached to them, they became obedient to the faith; whereas
the Jews who said, I go, sir, promised fair (Exod. xxiv. 7; Josh.
xxiv. 24); yet went not; they did but flatter God with their mouth. Ps.
lxxviii. 36.
In Christ's application of this parable, observe.
1. How he proves that John's baptism was from heaven, and not of men.
"If you cannot tell," saith Christ, "you might
tell,"
(1.) By the scope of his ministry; John came unto you in the way of
righteousness. Would you know whether John had his commission from
heaven, remember the rule of trial, By their fruits ye shall know them;
the fruits of their doctrines, the fruits of their doings. Observe but their
way, and you may trace out both their rise and their tendency. Now it was
evident that John came in the way of righteousness. In his ministry,
he taught people to repent, and to work the works of righteousness. In his
conversation, he was a great example of strictness, and seriousness, and
contempt of the world, denying himself, and doing good to every body else.
Christ therefore submitted to the baptism of John, because it became
him to fulfil all righteousness. Now, if John thus came in the way of
righteousness, could they be ignorant that his baptism was from heaven, or
make any doubt of it?
(2.) By the success of his ministry; The publicans and the harlots
believed him; he did abundance of good among the worst sort of people.
St. Paul proves his apostleship by the seals of his ministry, 1 Cor. ix. 2.
If God had not sent John the Baptist, he would not have crowned his labours
with such wonderful success, nor have made him so instrumental as he was for
the conversion f souls. If publicans and harlots believe his report, surely
the arm of the Lord is with him. The people's profiting is the minister's
best testimonial.
2. How he reproves them for their contempt of John's baptism, which yet, for
fear of the people, they were not willing to own. To shame them for it, he
sets before them the faith, repentance, and obedience, of the publicans and
harlots, which aggravated their unbelief and impenitence. As he shows, ch.
xi. 21, that the less likely would have repented, so here that the less
likely did repent.
(1.) The publicans and harlots were like the first son in the parable, from
whom little of religion was expected. They promised little good, and those
that knew them promised themselves little good from them. Their disposition
was generally rude, and their conversation profligate and debauched; and yet
many of them were wrought upon the by the ministry of John, who came in the
spirit and power of Elias. See Luke vii. 29. These fitly represented the
Gentile world; for, as Dr. Whitby observes, the Jews generally ranked the
publicans with the heathen; nay, and the heathen were represented by the
Jews as harlots, and born of harlots, John viii. 41.
(2.) The scribes and Pharisees, the chief priests and elders, and indeed the
Jewish nation in general, were like the other son that gave good words; they
made a specious profession of religion, and yet, when the kingdom of the
Messiah was brought among them by the baptism of John, they slighted it,
they turned their back upon it, nay they lifted up the heel against it.
A hypocrite is more hardly convinced and converted than a gross sinner; the
form of godliness, if that be rested in, becomes one of Satan's strongholds,
by which he opposes the power of godliness. It was an aggravation of their
unbelief, [1.] That John was such an excellent person, that he came, and
came to them, in the way of righteousness. The better the means are,
the greater will the account be, if not improved. [2.] That, when they saw
the publicans and harlots go before them into the kingdom of heaven, they
did not afterward repent and believe; were not thereby provoked to a holy
emulation, Rom. xi. 14. Shall publicans and harlots go away with grace and
glory; and shall not we put in for a share? Shall our inferiors be more holy
and more happy than we? They had not the wit and grace that Esau had, who
was moved to take other measures than he had done, by the example of his
younger brother, Gen. xxviii. 6. These proud priests, that set up for
leaders, scorned to follow, though it were into the kingdom of heaven,
especially to follow publicans; through the pride of their countenance, they
would not seek after God, after Christ, Ps. x. 4.
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The
Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen.
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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 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 kingdom
of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the
fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall
be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to
powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard
his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when
they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they
took him for a prophet.
This parable plainly sets forth the sin and ruin of the Jewish nation; they
and their leaders are the husbandmen here; and what is spoken for conviction
to them, is spoken for caution to all that enjoy the privileges of the
visible church, not to be high-minded, but fear.
I. We have here the privileges of the Jewish church, represented by the
letting out of a vineyard to the husbandmen; they were as tenants holding
by, from, and under, God the great Householder. Observe,
1. How God established a church for himself in the world. The kingdom of God
upon earth is here compared to a vineyard, furnished with all things
requisite to an advantageous management and improvement of it. (1.) He
planted this vineyard. The church is the planting of the Lord, Isa.
lxi. 3. The forming of a church is a work by itself, like the planting of a
vineyard, which requires a great deal of cost and care. It is the
vineyard which his right hand has planted (Ps. lxxx. 15), planted with
the choicest vine (Isa. v. 2), a noble vine, Jer. ii. 21. The
earth of itself produces thorns and briars; but vines must be planted. The
being of a church is owing to God's distinguishing favour, and his
manifesting himself to some, and not to others. (2.) He hedged it round
about. Note, God's church in the world is taken under his special
protection. It is a hedge round about, like that about Job on every
side (Job i. 10), a wall of fire, Zech. ii. 5. Wherever God has a church, it
is, and will always be, his peculiar care. The covenant of circumcision and
the ceremonial law were a hedge or a wall of partition about the Jewish
church, which is taken down by Christ; who yet has appointed a gospel order
and discipline to be the hedge of his church. He will not have his vineyard
to lie in common, that those who are without, may thrust in at pleasure; not
to lie at large, that those who are within, may lash out at pleasure; but
care is taken to set bounds about this holy mountain. (3.) He digged a
wine-press and built a tower. The altar of burnt-offerings was the
wine-press, to which all the offerings were brought. God instituted
ordinances in his church, for the due oversight of it, and for the promoting
of its fruitfulness. What could have been done more to make it every way
convenient?
2. How he entrusted these visible church-privileges with the nation and
people of the Jews, especially their chief priests and elders; he let it out
to them as husbandmen, not because he had need of them as landlords have of
their tenants, but because he would try them, and be honoured by them. When
in Judah God was known, and his name was great, when they were taken to be
to God for a people, and for a name, and for a praise (Jer. xiii.
11), when he revealed his word unto Jacob (Ps. cxlvii. 19), when the covenant
of life and peace was made with Levi (Mal. ii. 4, 5), then this vineyard
was let out. See an abstract of the lease, Cant. viii. 11, 12. The Lord of
the vineyard was to have a thousand pieces of silver (compare Isa.
vii. 13); the main profit was to be his, but the keepers were to have two
hundred, a competent and comfortable encouragement. And then he went into
a far country. When God had in a visible appearance settled the Jewish
church at mount Sinai, he did in a manner withdraw; they had no more such
open vision, but were left to the written word. Or, they imagined that he
was gone into a far country, as Israel, when they made the calf, fancied
that Moses was gone. They put far from them the evil day.
II. God's expectation of rent from these husbandmen, v. 34. It was a
reasonable expectation; for who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the
fruit thereof? Note, From those that enjoy church-privileges, both
ministers and people, God looks for fruit accordingly. 1. His expectations
were not hasty; he did not demand a fore-rent, though he had been at such
expense upon it; but staid till the time of the fruit drew near, as
it did now that John preached the kingdom of heaven is at hand. God
waits to be gracious, that he may give us time. 2. They were not high; he
did not require them to come at their peril, upon penalty of forfeiting
their lease if they ran behind-hand; but he sent his servants to them,
to remind them of their duty, and of the rent-day, and to help them in
gathering in the fruit, and making return of it. These servants were the
prophets of the Old Testament, who were sent, and sometimes directly, to the
people of the Jews, to reprove and instruct them. 3. They were not hard; it
was only to receive the fruits. He did not demand more than they
could make of it, but some fruit of that which he himself planted--an
observance of the laws and statutes he gave them. What could have been done
more reasonable? Israel was an empty vine, nay it was become the degenerate
plant of a strange vine, and brought forth wild grapes.
III. The husbandmen's baseness in abusing the messengers that were sent to
them.
1. When he sent them his servants, they abused them, though they represented
the master himself, and spoke in his name. Note, The calls and reproofs of
the word, if they do not engage, will but exasperate. See here what hath all
along been the lot of God's faithful messengers, more or less; (1.) To
suffer; so persecuted they the prophets, who were hated with a cruel
hatred. They not only despised and reproached them, but treated them as the
worst of malefactors--they beat them, and killed them, and stoned them. They
beat Jeremiah, killed Isaiah, stoned Zechariah the son of Jehoiada in the
temple. If they that live godly in Christ Jesus themselves shall suffer
persecution, much more they that press others to it. This was God's old
quarrel with the Jews, misusing his prophets, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 16. (2.) It
has been their lot to suffer from their Master's own tenants; they were the
husbandmen that treated them thus, the chief priests and elders that sat
in Moses's chair, that professed religion and relation to God; these
were the most bitter enemies of the Lord's prophets, that cast them out, and
killed them, and said, Let the Lord be glorified, Isa. lxvi. 5. See
Jer. xx. 1, 2; xxvi. 11.
Now see, [1.] How God persevered in his goodness to them. He sent other
servants, more than the first; though the first sped not, but were abused.
He had sent them John the Baptist, and him they had beheaded; and yet he
sent them his disciples, to prepare his way. O the riches of the patience
and forbearance of God, in keeping up in his church a despised, persecuted
ministry! [2.] How they persisted in their wickedness. They did unto them
likewise. One sin makes way for another of the same kind. They that are
drunk with the blood of the saints, add drunkenness to thirst, and still
cry, Give, give.
2. At length, he sent them his Son; we have seen God's goodness in sending,
and their badness in abusing, the servants; but in the latter instance both
these exceed themselves.
(1.) Never did grace appear more gracious than in sending the Son.
This was done last of all. Note, All the prophets were harbingers and
forerunners to Christ. He was sent last; for if nothing else would work upon
them, surely this would; it was therefore served for the ratio ultima--the
last expedient. Surely they will reverence my Son, and therefore I will
send him. Note, It might reasonably be expected that the Son of God, when he
came to his own, should be reverenced; and reverence to Christ would be a
powerful and effectual principle of fruitfulness and obedience, to the glory
of God; if they will but reverence the Son, the point is gained. Surely
they will reverence my Son, for he comes with more authority than the
servants could; judgment is committed to him, that all men should honour
him. There is greater danger in refusing him than in despising Moses's
law.
(2.) Never did sin appear more sinful than in the abusing of him, which was
now to be done in two or three days. Observe,
[1.] How it was plotted (v. 38); When they saw the Son: when
he came, whom the people owned and followed as the Messiah, who would either
have the rent paid, or distrain for it; this touched their copyhold, and
they were resolved to make one bold push for it, and to preserve their
wealth and grandeur by taking him out of the way, who was the only
hindrance to it, and rival with them. This is the heir, come, let us kill
him. Pilate and Herod, the princes of this world, knew not; for if
they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory, 1 Cor.
ii. 8. But the chief priests and elders knew that this was the
heir, at least some of them; and therefore Come, let us kill him.
Many are killed for what they have. The chief thing they envied him, and for
which they hated and feared him, was his interest in the people, and their
hosannas, which, if he was taken off, they hope to engross securely to
themselves. They pretended that he must die, to save the people from the
Romans (John xi. 50); but really he must die, to save their hypocrisy and
tyranny from that reformation which the expected kingdom of the Messiah
would certainly bring along with it. He drives the buyers and sellers out of
the temple; and therefore let us kill him; and then, as if the
premises must of course go to the occupant, let us seize on his
inheritance. They thought, if they could but get rid of this Jesus, they
should carry all before them in the church without control, might impose
what traditions, and force the people to what submissions, they pleased.
Thus they take counsel against the Lord and his Anointed; but he that
sits in heaven, laughs to see them outshot in their own bow;
for, while they thought to kill him, and so to seize on his inheritance, he
went by his cross to his crown, and they were broken pieces with a rod of
iron, and their inheritance seized. Ps. ii. 2, 3, 6, 9.
[2.] How this plot was executed, v. 39. While they were so set upon
killing him, in pursuance of their design to secure their own pomp and
power, and while he was so set upon dying, in pursuance of his design to
subdue Satan, and save his chosen, no wonder if they soon caught him, and
slew him, when his hour was come. Though the Roman power condemned him,
yet it is still charged upon the chief priests and elders; for they were not
only the prosecutors, but the principal agents, and had the greater sin.
Ye have taken, Acts ii. 23. Nay looking upon him to be as unworthy to
live, as they were unwilling he should, they cast him out of the
vineyard, out of the holy church, which they supposed themselves to have
the key of, and out of the holy city for he was crucified without the
gate, Heb. xiii. 12. As if He had been the shame and reproach,
who was the greatest glory of his people Israel. Thus they who persecuted
the servants, persecuted the Son; as men treat God's ministers, they would
treat Christ himself, if he were with them.
IV. Here is their doom read out of their own mouths, v. 40, 41. He
puts it to them, When the Lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do
unto these husbandmen? He puts it to themselves, for their stronger
conviction, that knowing the judgment of God against them which do
such things, they might be the more inexcusable. Note, God's proceedings are
so unexceptionable, that there needs but an appeal to sinners themselves
concerning the equity of them. God will be justified when he speaks.
They could readily answer, He will miserably destroy those wicked men.
Note, Many can easily prognosticate the dismal consequences of other
people's sins, that see not what will be the end of their own.
1. Our Saviour, in his question, supposes that the lord of the vineyard
will come, and reckon with them. God is the Lord of the vineyard; the
property is his, and he will make them know it, who now lord it
over his heritage, as if it were all their own. The Lord of the vineyard
will come. Persecutors say in their hearts, He delays his coming, he doth
not see, he will not require; but they shall find, though he bear
long with them, he will not bear always. It is comfort to abused saints and
ministers, that the Lord is at hand, the Judge stands before the
door. When he comes, what will he do to carnal professors? What will he
do to cruel persecutors? They must be called to account, they have their day
now; but he sees that his day is coming.
2. They, in their answer, suppose that it will be a terrible reckoning; the
crime appearing so very black, you may be sure,
(1.) That he will miserably destroy those wicked men; it is
destruction that is their doom. KakouV kakwV
apolesei--Malos male perdet. Let men never
expect to do ill, and fare well. This was fulfilled upon the Jews, in that
miserable destruction which was brought upon them by the Romans, and was
completed about forty years after this; and unparalleled ruin, attended with
all the most dismal aggravating circumstances. It will be fulfilled upon all
that tread in the steps of their wickedness; hell is everlasting
destruction, and it will be the most miserable destruction to them of all
others, that have enjoyed the greatest share of church privileges, and have
not improved them. The hottest place in hell will be the portion of
hypocrites and persecutors.
(2.) That he will let out his vineyard to other husbandmen. Note, God
will have a church in the world, notwithstanding the unworthiness and
opposition of many that abuse the privileges of it. The unbelief and
frowardness of man shall not make the word of God of no effect. If one will
not, another will. The Jews' leavings were the Gentiles' feast. Persecutors
may destroy the ministers, but cannot destroy the church. The Jews imagined
that no doubt they were the people, and wisdom and holiness must die
with them; and if they were cut off, what would God do for a church in
the world? But when God makes use of any to bear up his name, it is not
because he needs them, nor is he at all beholden to them. If we were made a
desolation and an astonishment, God could build a flourishing church upon
our ruins; for he is never at a loss what to do for his great name, whatever
becomes of us, and of our place and nation.
V. The further illustration and application of this by Christ himself,
telling them, in effect, that they had rightly judged.
1. He illustrates it by referring to a scripture fulfilled in this (v.
42); Did ye never read in the scriptures? Yes, no doubt, they had
often read and sung it, but had not considered it. We lose the benefit of
what we read for want of meditation. The scripture he quotes is Ps. cxviii.
22, 23, the same context out of which the children fetched their hosannas.
The same word yields matter of praise and comfort to Christ's friends and
followers, which speaks conviction and terror to his enemies. Such a
two-edged sword is the word of God. That scripture, the Stone which the
builders refused is become the headstone of the corner, illustrates the
preceding parable, especially that part of it which refers to Christ.
(1.) The builders' rejecting of the stone is the same with the husbandmen's
abusing of the son that was sent to them. The chief priests and the elders
were the builders, had the oversight of the Jewish church, which was God's
building: and they would not allow Christ a place in their building, would
not admit his doctrine or laws into their constitution; they threw him aside
as a despised broken vessel, a stone that would serve only for a
stepping-stone, to be trampled upon.
(2.) The advancing of this stone to be the head of the corner is the same
with letting out the vineyard to other husbandmen. He who was
rejected by the Jews was embraced by the Gentiles; and to that church where
there is no difference of circumcision or uncircumcision, Christ is all,
and in all. His authority over the gospel church, and influence upon it,
his ruling it as the Head, and uniting it as the Corner-stone, are the great
tokens of his exhaltation. Thus, in spite of the malice of the priests and
elders, he divided a portion with the great, and received his
kingdom, though they would not have him to reign over them.
(3.) The hand of God was in all this; This is the Lord's doing. Even
the rejecting of him by the Jewish builders was by the determinate counsel
and foreknowledge of God; he permitted and overruled it; much more was his
advancement to the Head of the corner; his right hand and his holy arm
brought it about; it was God himself that highly exalted him, and
gave him a name above every name; and it is marvellous in our eyes.
The wickedness of the Jews that rejected him is marvellous,; that men should
be so prejudiced against their own interest! See Isa. xxix. 9, 10, 14. The
honour done him by the Gentile world, notwithstanding the abuses done him by
his own people, is marvellous; that he whom men despised and abhorred,
should be adored by kings! Isa. xlix. 7. But it is the Lord's doing.
2. He applies it to them, and application is the life of preaching.
(1.) He applies the sentence which they had passed (v. 41), and turns
it upon themselves; not the former part of it, concerning the miserable
destruction of the husbandmen (he could not bear to speak of that), but the
latter part, of letting out the vineyard to others; because though it
looked black upon the Jews, it spoke good to the Gentiles. Know then,
[1.] That the Jews shall be unchurched; The kingdom of God shall be taken
from you. This turning out of the husbandmen speaks the same doom with
that of dismantling the vineyard, and laying it common. Isa. v. 5. To the
Jews had long pertained the adoption and the glory (Rom. ix. 4); to
them were committed the oracles of God (Rom. iii. 2), and the sacred
trust of revealed religion, and bearing up of God's name in the world (Ps.
lxxvi. 1, 2); but now it shall be so no longer. They were not only
unfruitful in the use of their privileges, but, under pretence of them,
opposed the gospel of Christ, and so forfeited them, and it was not long ere
the forfeiture was taken. Note, It is a righteous thing with God to remove
church privileges from those that not only sin against them, but sin with
them, Rev. ii. 4, 5. The kingdom of God was taken from the Jews, not only by
the temporal judgments that befel them, but by the spiritual judgments they
lay under, their blindness of mind, hardness of heart, and indignation at
the gospel, Rom. xi. 8-10; 1 Thess. ii. 15.
[2.] That the Gentiles shall be taken in. God needs not ask us leave whether
he shall have a church in the world; though his vine be plucked up in one
place, he will find another to plant it in. He will give it eqnei--to
the Gentile world, that will bring forth the fruit of it. They
who had been not a people, and had not obtained mercy, became favourites of
Heaven. This is the mystery which blessed Paul was so much affected with
(Rom. xi. 30, 33), and which the Jews were so much affronted by, Acts xxii.
21, 22. At the first planting of Israel in Canaan, the fall of the
Gentiles was the riches of Israel (Ps. cxxxv. 10, 11), so, at their
extirpation, the fall of Israel was the riches of the Gentiles, Rom. xi. 12.
It shall go to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Note,
Christ knows beforehand who will bring forth gospel fruits in the use of
gospel means; because our fruitfulness is all the work of his own hands, and
known unto God are all his works. They shall bring forth the fruits
better than the Jews had done; God has had more glory from the New Testament
church than from that of the Old Testament; for, when he changes, it shall
not be to his loss.
(2.) He applies the scripture which he had quoted (v. 42), to their
terror, v. 44. This Stone, which the builders refused, is
set for the fall of many in Israel; and we have here the doom of two
sorts of people, for whose fall it proves that Christ is set.
[1.] Some, through ignorance, stumble at Christ in his estate of
humiliation; when this Stone lies on the earth, where the builders threw it,
they, through their blindness and carelessness, fall on it, fall over it,
and they shall be broken. The offence they take at Christ, will not
hurt him, any more than he that stumbles, hurts the stone he stumbles at;
but it will hurt themselves; they will fall, and be broken, and snared, Isa.
viii. 14; 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8. The unbelief of sinners will be their ruin.
[2.] Others, through malice, oppose Christ, and bid defiance to him in his
estate of exaltation, when this Stone is advanced to the head of the corner;
and on them it shall fall, for they pull it on their own heads, as
the Jews did by that challenge, His blood be upon us and upon our
children, and it will grind them to powder. The former seems to
bespeak the sin and ruin of all unbelievers; this is the greater sin, and
sorer ruin, of persecutors, that kick against the pricks, and persist
in it. Christ's kingdom will be a burthensome stone to all those that
attempt to overthrow it, or heave it out of its place; see Zech. xii. 3.
This Stone cut out of the mountain without hands, will break in pieces all
opposing power, Dan. ii. 34, 35. Some make this an allusion to the manner of
stoning to death among the Jews. The malefactors were first thrown down
violently from a high scaffold upon a great stone, which would much bruise
them; but then they threw another great stone upon them, which would crush
them to pieces: one way or other, Christ will utterly destroy all those that
fight against him. If they be so stout-hearted, that they are not destroyed
by falling on this stone, yet it shall fall on them, and so destroy them. He
will strike through kings, he will fill the places with dead
bodies, Ps. cx. 5, 6. None ever hardened his heart against God and
prospered.
Lastly, The entertainment which this discourse of Christ met with
among the chief priests and elders, that heard his parables.
1. They perceived that he spake of them (v. 45), and that in
what they said (v. 41) they had but read their own doom. Note, A
guilty conscience needs no accuser, and sometimes will save a minister the
labour of saying, Thou art the man. Mutato nomine, de te fabula narratur--Change
but the name, the tale is told of the. So quick and powerful is the word
of God, and such a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, that
it is easy for bad men (if conscience be not quite seared) to perceive that
it speaks of them.
2. They sought to lay hands on him. Note, When those who hear the
reproofs of the word, perceive that it speaks of them, if it do not do them
a great deal of good, it will certainly do them a great deal of hurt. If
they be not pricked to the heart with conviction and contrition, as they
were Acts ii. 37, they will be cut to the heart with rage and indignation,
as they were Acts v. 33.
3. They durst not do it, for fear of the multitude, who took him for a
prophet, though not for the Messiah; this served to keep the Pharisees
in awe. The fear of the people restrained them from speaking ill of John (v.
26), and here from doing ill to Christ. Note, God has many ways of
restraining the remainders of wrath, as he has of making that which breaks
out redound to his praise, Ps. lxxvi. 10.
