farm, and another to his mer- but they which were bidden chandise: were not worthy.s 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, e 1Th.2.15. f Da.9.26.Lu.19.27. most solemn warnings, or most momentous privileges. They care more for their farms"and" merchandizes" than for this. 6. Entreated them spitefully-treated them severely. This was true of the Jews who slew the prophets, and "stoned them that were sent to them." (See Acts 4. 3; 5. 18; 8. 3; also Acts 5. 40; 14. 5-19, 17. 5; 21. 30; 23. 2.) -T And slew them. (Acts 7. 58; 12. 2. Comp. Matt. 23. 34.) And it represents also the conduct of many who revile, and abuse, and persecute the ministers of Christ and His messages. 7. Wroth angry. The sending forth of the king's armies, here applies to the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman armies, which they are thus forewarned should come to pass. (See Isa. 10. 5; 13. 5. Ezek. 16. 41. Jer. 25. 9.) Those who thus shamefully abuse the servants of God or their messages may expect swift destruction.- T Their city. Jerusalem is here intended. Matt. 23. 34, 35. Luke 13. 33, 34. See Acts 7. 39; 12. 2, 3. "Your house is left unto you desolate." Chap. 23. 38. 8. Not worthy. The unworthiness consisted in their rejecting the provisions, as the worthiness of the guests lay in their accepting it. This indicates the sentence passed upon the despisers and neglecters of the gospel, whether Jews or Gentiles. The Jews in rejecting the message proved that they were not worthy of their 9 Go ye therefore into the highways; and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. h 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all, as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came g c.10.11,13. Ac.13.46. Re.3.4; 22.14. h c.13.47. high privileges. Seeing ye put it from you and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life-lo, we turn to the Gentiles (Acts 13. 46). 9. Highways-thoroughfares. This word is translated by the Wicklif version, A. D. 1380, "the ends of ways." It means literally the outlets of streets where several ways meet, and where people pour out through some gate, or into some open square. This is the multitude. And it is meant here, that the gospel is now made universal in its call, without distinction as before. And it forewarns the Jews of its being addressed thenceforth to the Gentiles. So now, the gospel is to be preached to all, and all are invited to come. So Philip went down to Samaria (Acts 8. 5)Peter to Cornelius-Paul to the men of Athens. The calling of the Gentiles, by occasion of the Jews' disobedience is here plainly set forth. (See Rom. 11.) 10. Both bad and good. That is, in men's estimate for the gospel takes in all classes, on one common platform-merging all distinctions in this, of accepting or rejecting Christ and His provisions. By grace alone are we called and saved.- -T Guests partakers of the feast. That these were "good and bad" only means that they were of all characters, some better, some worse. None come to Christ's provisions on the ground of their goodness. All must come on 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness: m there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. Is.52.1. Re.21.27. m c.8.12. n c.7.14; 20.16. Lu. 13.23,24. us, wherewith our spirits can be clothed, which righteousness is in Christ, who is "the Lord our Righteousness." "And this righteousness we so appropriate by faith as to make it ours, so that it becomes, in that singularly expressive term our HABIT.' --Trench. So, in heaven-" white robes,"" like a bride adorned for her husband." The term here for wedding garment seems to denote rather that of the bridegroom. It is Christ's righteousness that is put on. As He is, so are they in the world. Tavernier mentions a king of Persia who was so pleased by the conduct of a nazar that he caused himself to be unrobed, and gave his own habit to the nazar, "which is the greatest honour a king of Persia can bestow on a subject." p. 43. 11. A wedding garment. That is, a dress provided for the purpose. This was the custom of Eastern kings on special occasions. Changes of raiment were reckoned as an article of wealth (Job 27. 16. Isa. 3. 6. James 5. 2. 2 Kings 10. 22), and kings made much of presenting favourites with a dress in which they might appear before them. (See 1 Sam. 18. 4. 2 Kings 5. 5. Dan. 5. 7. Esth. 6. 8.) Not to wear it in such case would be the most pointed contempt. Sir John Chardin relates an instance where such a refusal cost a vizier his life. It was a custom calculated to show at once the king's liberality and the subject's dependence on the king. It had a very important meaning in this connexion. (See Zechariah 3.4.) Such are they in the church, who make a false profession. They who come to the gospel feast without Christ's robe of righteousness upon them, and are not clothed with humility, are represented here. No matter what be our professions, or stations in the church, if our hearts not changed, if our lives be not Christian, and if our hope be not in Christ alone. This figure of a dress or clothing, runs through the 13. Bind him hand and foot. Here whole scripture. We are bidden to the punishment is denoted that shall put on the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. come upon all, Jew and Gentile, who 13. 14. Gal. 3. 27), to put off the so contemptuously refuse Christ's salold and put on the new man (Col. 3. vation. The hypocrite's hope shall 10, Ephes. 4. 22), to put on the whole perish (Job 8. 13).- -T Outer darkarmour of God (Ephes. 6. 13-16. 1ness.is exclusion from the blissful presThess. 5.8). Be clothed with humility. "Clothed upon with our house which is from heaven." By faith we recognize a righteousness out of and above are 12. How camest thou, &c. Our Lord is represented as detecting every false professor. We may learn that our true character is known to Him, and will not escape His judgment. The man was speechless, because he was clearly without excuse-self-condemned and his own destroyer. No man can offer any excuse at the judgment-day. "Every mouth shall be stopped" (Rom. 3. 19).- -T Speechless; literally, muffled or gagged. ence of God. As the wedding feast was usually at night, and all was brilliancy within the house, so, outside, it was the deepest contrast of dark 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk. 16 And they sent out unto him o Mar.12.13,&c. Lu. 20.20,&c. ness. (See note, ch. 8. 12).- -T Weeping and gnashing of teeth are terms, expressive of the severest rage, agony, and despair. This there will be. A sense of the self-destruction and a memory of the free grace, will make this eternal as the mind in its future estate. The previous parables had been against the avowed opposers; this is directed further against the false pretenders - those among the actual comers to the feast, who have rejected Christ, the only way. This is a second sifting and separation. This fulfils John's forewarning, "Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor;" and the sitting by the fan was the last process of purging. See note, ch. 3. 12. 14. Many are called. This verse is the general application given to the parable by our Lord. It was true in respect to the Jews, since the great mass of them that were addressed with gospel offers did not and would not come, and hence were not the true Israel (see vs. 3). This is also true of many others (see vs. 11), who even enter the church, and are not truly of Christ's chosen. OBSERVE, (1.) Under the gospel, men are repeatedly bidden to the feast of grace. (2.) All things are now ready. It is a feast which is spread. Šinners are invited to partake what Christ has freely and fully furnished. The gospel is glad tidings. (3.) Men prefer the world to Christ and heaven. (4.) Many who have had fewer calls and privileges will be saved, while those most favoured with religious opportunities will often stand aloof and be lost. (5) It is not enough to accept the message formally. Every man must have on the wedding garment of Christ's righteousness, and must put on Christ. None can 15. Entangle him, or ensnare him in talk. The term is properly used of ensnaring birds, leading them into a trap by some bait. The meaning is that they planned to see how they might draw Him into some conversation that would work His ruin. 16. The Herodians. The old versions have it" the servants of Herod." They were doubtless his adherents, and as he was tetrarch of Galilee under the Romans, Christ was at once under his civil jurisdiction and a rival to his claims. These, therefore, were brought forward to entrap Christ in a political matter. They proposed a question which would be likely to involve a dispute either with the Pharisees or the Herodians. The Pharisees condemned the practice of paying tribute to a foreign power, as contrary to the laws of Moses (Deut. 17. 15). But the Herodians approved it, since Herod held his office under the Romans. Therefore if Christ declared it unlawful, He would be complained of as undermining the authority of Cesar. If He declared it lawful, He would be represented as a foe to the Pharisees and Jewish people. We see that though the Pharisees hated the Herodians, they could league with them to overthrow Christ.- Master, we know that thou art true. Luke mentions more particularly (ch. 20. 20) that these were spies, which thou regardest not the person of men. 17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cesar, or not? 18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? 19 Show me the tribute-money. And they brought unto him a1 penny. 1 In value, 7 pence halfpenny. should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of His words so that they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor." Of course they had no such exalted opinion of Christ as they here express, but used the most wicked flattery, intending to deceive Him. They therefore praised Him for an independent course, as not afraid of any man, hoping thus to have Him speak disrespectfully of the king.- - Regardest not the person. A Hebrew idiom. Literally, thou lookest not upon the face. 17. Tribute. A tax paid by the Jews as a conquered people to the Roman government or Cesar. Cesar was a common title for the Roman emperors at this time, as Pharaoh was for the Egyptian kings. This Cesar was Tiberius. 18. Their wickedness. It was their malice and hypocrisy. Our Lord perceived it. He was the searcher of hearts. The temptation which they used was an artful device to have Him say something to His injury. It was no temptation in the sense of an inclination of His, as we often use the word. He showed His knowledge of their artifice by calling them deceivers, pretenders, hypocrites. 19. Tribute-money. The Roman coin with which they paid their tax. - A penny. It was a silver coin, the principal money at the time. It was formerly of 8 pence value, after ward 7 pence, say about 14 cents of See note, ch. 20. 2. ours. 20. Image and superscription. Lit 21. Render therefore. The general rule prescribed here is to give every one his due, or what belongs to him. Their coin, having Cesar's impress on it, showed that they were in his dominions and under his government. Their ordinary currency acknowledged him as their civil ruler, and they should pay to him a rightful obedience as such. This was aimed at the Pharisees, who resisted the Roman authority. At the same time God had His claims, and they were bound to render to Him His due. He came not to settle their political disputes, nor to interfere with the civil affairs of the country, nor would He be embroiled in such questions. Their duties to God did not absolve them from duties to the state (Rom. 13. 1), nor were their civil duties to release them from religious obligations. This was aimed at the Herodians, and all at both. 22. They marvelled. They were taken by surprise at such an answer, which so utterly defeated their design against Him. Luke says they marvelled at His answer, and held their peace. when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother: 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the 1 seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not " knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. 1 Seven. u Jno.20.9. the soul's immortality. They proposed to Him a difficulty that would grow out of their law, if the relations which it prescribed were to be extended beyond the grave. It was the case of a woman having seven husbands, OBSERVE, (1.) It is a favourite de- all brothers of each other, according vice of opposers, to bring the religion to a Mosaic provision in special of Christ into conflict with the state, circumstances, by which a woman hoping to harm the cause. But the might marry a husband's brother, and position of Christ is plain: that several brethren might come by the Christians are to be good citizens-law to have successively the same and they are-and that properly understood, the church and the state may have their respective dues without their union, or their opposition. But Christ is head of the church, and head over all things to the church. (2.) We are to be subject to civil rulers-the powers that be are ordained of God. But "the things that are Cesar's" do not include an infringement on "the things that are God's." (3.) All malicious opposers of Christ's cause will be fearfully silenced and shamed. woman to wife. The question was, who should claim her, of these seven, in the future world? They conceived this an insuperable objection to the doctrine of a future state. Deut. 25. 5. 29. Ye do err. The difficulty was not in the case proposed, but in their mistake of the future estate and its relations. They were ignorant of the scriptures which plainly enough in the Old Testament, taught the resurrection (see vs. 32), also (Dan. 12. 2. Isa. 26. 19. Job. 19. 25-27): and they knew not the power of God, which men overlook when they say that the body cannot be raised." Thou fool " (1 Cor. 15. 36), why should we reason that a thing cannot be done by God Himself, because we have never seen it done, and because we cannot conceive it possible to be done? Why bind God to laws of nature, when nature's laws are only His ordinary modes of action, which He |