behold the face of my Father. Heb. i. 14. Their angels are high in the Divine favor. It was customary in eastern countries for kings to live secluded from common notice. To behold their face therefore, or to enjoy their presence and society, was a mark of the highest favor. In representing his lowly followers as under the care of guardian angels, as a reason why they should be held in honor, he refers to a prevalent opinion among the Jews and other nations, and by this lively figure depicts the tender, minute care of God over his creatures. Jesus always used popular language and imagery as the most forcible instrument of conveying his truth.

11. Another reason is assigned, why the humble-minded should not be despised. The Son of Man came to save them and all who would obey him. The greatest Being came to save the lowest.-That which was lost. Those who like sheep had wandered and strayed from the true fold. Jesus came not "to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance," to cure the sick, not the well, to restore the endangered and the lost, not the strong and safe. Therefore be of good cheer, ye who are heavy-laden with sin and sorrow, bewildered and wandering. For it was for persons of just your condition, that Jesus lived and died.

12. How think ye? As if he would appeal to their personal ex

perience and feelings. He would illustrate the compassion of God for the lost, and his joy at their recovery, by the feelings of the shepherd for his flock. The general subject of the preceding verses is here continued.-Ninety and nine. The use of round numbers of this kind was common then as now.-Into the mountains. These words are connected in the best authorities with ninety and nine, thus: Doth he not leave the ninety and nine in the mountains, and go, &c. Luke, xv. 4, has it, “in the wilderness," or uninhabited region.

13. He rejoiceth more of that sheep. In his remarks upon human nature and its manifestations, our Lord ever shows that he knew what was in man. "The nature of joy is to enlarge itself less upon ordinary occasions, than upon extraordinary and accidental ones." A small, unexpected favor produces more joy, because more surprise, than a large blessing long possessed.

14. It is not the will of your Fa ther, &c. This is the doctrine of which the foregoing parable is an illustration. As if he had said: A faithful shepherd is not more concerned for the smallest of his flock, than is your Father that not the least of his rational offspring should

be lost.

15. Thus far Jesus had admonished the offending. He now gives advice to the offended, and shows how they were to treat those who

injured them.-Thy brother, i. e. thy Christian brother, or thy brother man.- -Go and tell him. Lev. xix. 17, Luke xvii. 3. Wait not till he comes to you, but be willing to go to him, and expostulate and argue with him kindly, and, if possible, convince him of his fault. Obtain redress in private, if it is in your power, rather than blazon the matter abroad. Many difficulties arise, simply from a misunderstanding, which a private interview would correct. Angry passions would be less likely to be excited where there were no witnesses to a man's fault and disgrace. The best opportunity would thus be afforded for reparation, if wrong had been done. Thou hast gained thy brother. Hast recovered him to the Christian brotherhood, or regained his confidence and friendship, and brought him back to penitence and virtue. 1 Cor. ix. 19.

16. But if this step fails, resort to a second.-Take with thee one or two more, &c. If inclined to deny his fault and resist your remonstrance, the presence and advice of other persons of confidence and weight would control his passions; testimony might thus also be borne to the injury, and to the unsuccessful attempt at reconciliation on the side of the injured party. Allusion is made to the Mosaic law. Deut. xix. 15.-In the mouth.

A Hebrew idiom for by the testimony.

17. Tell it unto the church. Tyndale's rendering is better, congregation, for such is its meaning in the original. The particular religious community or body to which you both belong. This was in conformity to the usages of the Jews, who admonished offenders in their synagogues.-As an heathen man and a publican. Mat. v. 47. Language derived from the conduct of the Jews towards the Gentiles and taxgatherers. He is to be cut off from your communion and friendship as a Christian brother, and is to be regarded by you as one of the world at large. Still the common offices of humanity are not to be denied him. Only rebuke, not revenge or malice, is permitted. Rom. xvi. 17, 2 Thess. iii. 14.

18. Bind-loose, i. e. forbid and permit. See note on Mat. xvi. 19. Here is a repetition of the promise made to Peter, and now extended to all the Apostles, probably with more particular application to the case of discipline mentioned in the last verse. John xx. 23. This verse utterly annihilates the Roman Catholic pretensions to authority and infallibility, so far as grounded on our Saviour's commendation of Peter, in Mat. xvi. 18, 19. Some think an answer is here given to the question proposed in the first verse;

"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus says: I confer no peculiar authority on Peter, but grant you all an equal power in the administration of my religion.

19. If two of you shall agree on earth, &c. A strong motive for union is here presented, that what they in common asked in the Christian cause, in which they were engaged, would be granted. Any thing. Should be every thing, i. e. whatever related to the promulgation of the Gospel. General expressions are, to be limited by the connection in which they stand. This promise, like the foregoing in verse 18, and the subsequent one in verse 20, is from the nature of the case, restricted to the Apostles. Acts i. 14-26, xv. 1–29.

20. Gathered together in my name, i. e. as my disciples, or with my authority, for the sake of my religion.-There am I in the midst of them. This figurative language is illustrated by the Rabbinical writers, who say: "If two men sit down with the law between them, the Shechinah or Divine Presence is with them." Wherever you are gathered together as my Apostles, though it be but two or three, i. e. a small number, yet it shall be as though I were personally present and praying with you, and blessed your devotions and meeting. My truth, my authority, my spirit shall be with you. 1 Cor. v. 3, 4. The wholly unwarranted

conclusion has been drawn from this text, that Jesus was the omnipresent God, else his promise would have no significance. But even if he were personally present in every Christian assembly in the world, it would be far from proving his infinite presence in all worlds and all space. But if he were God, and known to be God by his disciples, it would have been superfluous for him to have said that he should be present with them under certain circumstances; for they would have known that he would necessarily be ever and every where present.It may be remarked here that Jesus is an Intercessor with the Father for his disciples on earth. 1 John ii. 1.

21. How oft shall my brother sin, &c. Peter may have been prompted to this inquiry, by the remarks upon treating one who had injured us, in verses 15-17, or perhaps by some indignity which he himself may have suffered in the dispute between the Apostles, verse 1. The expression, brother, is to be understood as meaning one of a common faith, or one of the common human brotherhood.-Till seven times? Seven was called the full or complete number. Peter might have been led to specify the particular number, because that was a matter in discussion among the Jews, who, according to Lightfoot, pardoned the third, but not the fourth offence. So that Peter had doubled the num

This

30. Cast him into prison. custom prevailed among the Romans, and, barbarous and absurd as it is, has existed in most Christian lands to this day. But the stain upon civilization and religion is beginning to be wiped out.

31. They were very sorry. More than that; they were very indignant; they were grieved and provoked.

34. Tormentors. Rather, jailers, or prison-keepers, who used torture only when occasion required. Imprisonment, in the east, is a great punishment since offenders, particularly state criminals, are scantily fed, treated with great severity, loaded with clogs and chains, and subjected to scourgings and rackings, which speedily end their lives. The Great Teacher would thus graphically paint the miserable consequences of a hard and unforgiving temper.

35. From your hearts. Sincerely and honestly. Their. His. This verse expresses the moral or application of the parable: "He shall have judgment without mercy, who hath showed no mercy." Revenge is the part of a beast, but forgiveness is the part of a man, the part of God. God will treat his children as they treat one another; such is his law. An unforgiving dispo

sition draws upon itself a dreadful punishment, not by any arbitrary enactment, but by the natural arrangement of things. It fills the heart with bitterness and ashes.We learn from this parable, 1st, That forgiveness of our sins by God, great though they be, depends upon the condition that we forgive others, though their offences are comparatively small; according to the petition of the Lord's prayer. Penitence is another condition, though not stated here, as the ohject of this parable did not require it. 2d, That God forgives freely. There was no interposition on the part of any person to stand surety, or make payment for the debtor; but, upon his earnest entreaty, "the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt." Yet we are told that the administration of heaven is likened unto this king; verse 23. God deals with us as the king dealt with his servant. How totally inconsistent this is with the popular doctrine of the Atonement, which represents God as pardoning no transgression, until a full satisfaction is made by the death of Christ! Can this with any propriety be called forgiveness? Is it not, rather, stern justice, unrelenting severity? Where is there any pardon, if the debt must all be paid,— if not by the offender, at least by