34

34. Had put the Sadducees to silence. It was matter of exultation, that their great opponents, the Sadducees, had fared no better than themselves.-Gathered togethMore exactly, gathered for the same purpose, i. e. to try Jesus with hard questions.

er.

35. One of them, which was a lawyer. Mark calls him "one of the Scribes," i. e. a teacher or expounder of the law.-Tempting him. Whether in a good or a bad sense, is a question. It was suggested by some of the Christian Fathers, that the man came with an evil intention, but departed better disposed. Some have supposed that the lawyer mentioned here and the Scribe spoken of in Mark were different persons.

36. Which is the great commandment in the law? It was one of the subtile refinements of the Jewish theologians to divide the law of Moses into greater and less commandments, and to determine what precepts belonged to each class, and what was the most important one. Some maintained that the ceremonial, others, that the moral commands were the greatest. See note on Mat. v. 19.

37. Deut. vi. 5. Lev. xix. 18.With all thy heart, &c. Mark adds, "with all thy strength." These are intensive expressions, signifying, that God is to be the chief object of our love, engrossing our affections, and calling forth the whole energies of our nature. In Mark, this is preceded, as in Deuteronomy, by a solemn annunciation of

How

the strict unity of God. would it be possible to fulfil the commandment, if two or more beings alike perfect were presented to our affections? To love God, we must know him in his true and beautiful character, and see that he is supremely lovely. To love him supremely will render obedience to all his laws a pleasure, and will assimilate us more and more to his image and blessedness. He should reign in the hearts of his children, as over the works of his creation, unrivalled. The nature and effects of such a love are happy beyond description. As the sun makes bright and beautiful all it shines upon, so does this affection transform the whole soul into its own divine nature. As God is holy, so is it holy; as he is benevolent, so is it benevolent; as he is infinite, so it stretches itself forth without limits; absorbing the strength of the spiritual nature into itself; powerfully pervading the whole inner world; purifying, brightening all; starting into being the noblest thoughts, designs, and hopes; and, having glowed with increasing fervor, through the chills of life, it shall not be extinguished by the damps of death, but rise and burn purer and purer in heaven.

38. First and great commandment. Says a writer, "It is so in its antiquity, being as old as the world, and engraven originally on our very nature; in its dignity, as directly and immediately proceeding from, and referring to God; in excellence, being the commandment of the New

Covenant, and the very spirit of the divine adoption; in justice, because it alone renders to God his due, prefers him before all things, and secures to him his proper rank in relation to them; in sufficiency, being in itself capable of making men holy in this life, and happy in the other; in fruitfulness, because it is the root of all commandments, and the fulfilling of the law; in virtue and efficacy, because by this alone God reigns in the heart of man, and man is united to God; in extent, leaving nothing to the creature which it does not refer to the Creator; in necessity, being absolutely indispensable; in duration, being ever to be continued on earth, and never to be discontinued in heaven." 39. Is like unto it, i. e. in its importance. The love of man is intimately connected with the love of God. Philanthropy and piety are sister sentiments. It was a doctrine of the Pharisees, that the strict observance of one precept would atone for the neglect of others. But Jesus would inculcate obedience throughout, both in our relations to God and to man.-Thy neighbor. A comprehensive term, meaning any one with whom we have to do, or who needs our aid.

"Our neighbor is the suffering man,
Though at the farthest pole."

-As thyself. As means not equal in degree, but similar in kind. Mat. vii. 12. See note on chap. xix. 19. 40. Hang all the law, &c. Mark adds, "There is none other commandment greater than these." These commands are so familiar to

us that we cannot understand how striking they must have appeared to the Jews, who had confounded the important and the unimportant, and were entangled in the nets of sophistry woven by their teachers. The law and the prophets are founded on these two grand commandments. Rom. xiii. 9. Love to God is the basis of piety; love to man that of morality.

Love is the golden chain that binds man to man, and all to God. Some have conjectured that an allusion was made here to writing the laws and hanging them up in a public place, to be read by the people.

41-46. Parallel to Mark xii. 35 -37. Luke xx. 41-44.

41. Having silenced the Pharisees, Herodians, Sadducees, and Scribes, with his wonderful answers, he takes an opportunity, when the Pharisees were together, to put their wisdom to the proof, as they had his. His question, however, was not designed chiefly to confound his opponents, for that motive was unworthy of him, but to lead them to more elevated views of the Messiah, as being of higher dignity than a temporal king, and to rebut the objection, doubtless used by the Pharisees with effect among the common people, that one who appeared like an ordinary individual, as Jesus did, could not be the great Deliverer.

42. Of Christ. In the original, of the Christ, i. e. of the ancestry and dignity of the Messiah.-Whose son is he? Rather, whose son is he to be? He did not speak of himself, as our version implies, but of the Messiah they expected. The son

2. The scribes and the Pharisees. See note on chap. iii. 7.—Sit in Moses' seat. In reference to the sitting posture, in which Jewish doctors were accustomed to explain the law. They were the received expounders of the Mosaic religion.

3. All, therefore, whatsoever, &c. It is likely that they interpreted much of the law correctly. The expression is a general one, subject to exceptions, and denoting that they were to be hearkened to so far as they taught in harmony with the Scriptures. After their works. But their example was as carefully to be shunned. A comparison is probably intended here, that they should do rather as the Pharisees said than as they did, without enjoining that all their instructions should be received with implicit confidence. Warburton points out the magnanimity of our Saviour in reconciling the people to their teachers, and bidding them hearken to their instructions, though they were not to copy their example. An impostor or a fanatic would not have done this.

4. Bind heavy burdens. Acts xv. 10. They did so by multiplying traditions and ceremonies, and insisting on them as of equal importance with moral precepts. An allusion is here made to loading beasts of burden with an excessive weight. The Scribes and Pharisees would not even lighten or steady their burdens with the tip of one of their fingers, a proverbial phrase. They were severe towards others, but indulgent towards themselves. Having urged the claims of obedi

ence with great severity, they did not supply those mild and gracious motives that would render obedience pleasant. Has not this picture been repeated from age to age, and appeared even in our own day? Has not the tone of theology been harsh, dogmatical, and denunciatory, rather than mild and winning? Have not burdens been put upon human nature heavier than it can bear?

5. They do for to be seen of men. To the charge of oppression he adds that of ostentation and ambition. So far as they did conform to their precepts and ceremonies, they acted from a vitiated motive. He goes on to particularize.—Make broad their phylacteries. These were scrolls of parchment worn on the forehead and the left arm. They were inscribed with passages of the law, usually these: Ex. xiii. 1-10, 11-16, Deut. vi. 4–9, xi. 13—21. The same were inscribed on their door-posts. The custom of wearing them arose from a too literal interpretation of Ex. xiii. 9, 16, Deut. vi, 8. Great holiness was attached to them, and they were regarded as amulets or charms, to keep off evil spirits. The following is an extract from a Jewish Targum:-"'The congregation of Israel hath said, I am elect above all people, because I bind my phylacteries on my left hand and on my head, and the scroll is fixed to the right side of my gate, the third part of which looks to my bed-chamber, that demons may not be permitted to injure me." The word phylacteries is derived from a Greek verb, to

keep, in reference either to keeping the law by the use of them, or to their keeping or protecting a person by their supposed magic power. -Enlarge the borders of their garments. These were the fringes or tufts worn on their mantles, to distinguish them from other nations, and remind them of God's laws. Numb. xv. 38, 39, Their ostentation was manifested in making these phylacteries and fringes broad and conspicuous, as badges of their greater sanctity, Mark xii. 38, Luke xx. 46, and thus making their garments long.

6. Uppermost rooms at feasts. More correctly speaking, the highest places at table. The Jewish table extended around three sides of an oblong square, with one end open, on the outside of which were couches ranged for the guests to recline upon, and within which servants could enter to wait upon them. The most honorable place, or the uppermost room, was at the end which connected the sides of the square together.-Chief seats in the synagogues. These were near the pulpit, but faced the people, whilst the back was turned towards the speaker.

7. Greetings in the markets. Or, salutations in the most frequented places. They loved to be addressed in a formal manner, with great signs of respect, in the sight of the world.-Rabbi, Rabbi, i. e. doctor, master, teacher. This obnoxious and haughty title was introduced into the Jewish schools under a

three-fold form, as Rab, the lowest degree of honor; Rabbi, of higher dignity; and Rabboni, the greatest of all. The ambitious Scribes and Pharisees coveted these idle appellations.

8. But be not ye called Rabbi. Jesus would not have his disciples, in the exercise of their high office as teachers of his religion, puffed up with this foolish love of distinction, so insidious and so fatal to a meek and humble temper of mind. James iii. 1.-For one is your Master. The reason of his prohibition was that they were upon an equality, Christ being their common Master.-Christ. This word has been left out of the text by Griesbach, as destitute of sufficient authority. And all ye are brethren. This clause in several manuscripts is placed at the end of the next verse, where it more properly belongs, according to the sense; as the mention of the fraternal relation would then be immediately connected with that of the filial.-It is clear beyond a doubt, from this and other passages, that Peter had none of that superiority among the Apostles, on which the claims of the Catholic church are founded.

9. A continuation of the same sentiment. They were not implicitly to submit to any teacher as a child to a parent. They were neither to assume nor admit such an absolute domination.-Upon the earth is contrasted with is in heaven. You are not to look among