worthy of me and he that lov-| receiveth me; and he that reeth son or daughter more than ceiveth me, receiveth him that me, is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life, shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it. 40 He that receiveth you, sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward. in eternity; that is, shall save his soul. e preserving of life by renouncing the Messiah, would be followed by the loss of the soul; the losing of life in consequence of adherence to him, would be followed by the salvation of the soul. || A love to their Master was required — a love which would be superior to any earthly attachment. He was to be loved more than one's father, or mother, or son, or daughter. Worthy of me; fit to be a follower of me. Compare Luke 14. 26, 27. Matt. 19: 29. 38. Taketh his cross. The cross 40. After hearing of the distresses was an instrument of most ignomini- for which they must hold themselves ous and painful death. A person prepared, it would be consoling to condemned to the cross was also com- know, that by some, they and their pelled to carry the cross on which he teaching would be kindly received; was to be crucified, through the and that those who gave them a welstreets, to the place of execution. come reception would be acknowlThe idea of the Saviour, then, is this: edged as receiving the Messiah, and He that is not prepared to endure receiving God, who sent him. the greatest ignominy and suffering 41. A prophet; a divinely-authorwhich may be connected with follow-ized religious teacher. || In the name ing me; he that is not prepared even of a prophet; as a prophet. to die in a most ignominious and prophet's reward; a corresponding painful manner, rather than renounce reward; a distinguished reward, anme, is not in a fit condition to be my swering to the assistance he had disciple. Such was the spirit which thus furnished to the Lord's amJesus himself manifested in regard to bassador in fulfilling his office. || In his great work. His example was to the name of a righteous man; be followed. A person not disposed righteous, pious man. || Righteous to follow this example could not be man's reward; a corresponding rehis disciple, ward, an ample recompense, suitable for deeds which were helpful to pious men, and which were performed on account of their pious character and engagements. A difference is intimated between the reward for receiving a religious teacher [a prophet], and the reward for receiving a righteous man of private life. The reason, doubtless, is, because a teacher was a more important person, and receiving a teacher in a hospitable manner, while the spirit of persecution was cherished abroad, might expose a person to greater difficulty than receiving 39. Findeth his life; preserveth, saveth his life, by renouncing me. || Shall lose it; shall lose it in the highest sense, that is, for eternity; shall lose his soul. The word here translated life has also the meaning of soul; and it is here used with reference to its twofold signification. If a man saves his life on earth by yielding to the temptations which may urge him to renounce the Messiah, he yet will lose it in eternity; that is, he will lose his soul. || Loseth his life; that is, on earth. Shall find it; shall save it as a 42 And whosoever shall give | teach and to preach in their cities to drink unto one of these little 2 Now when John had heard ones a cup of cold water only in the prison the works of in the name of a disciple, verily Christ, he sent two of his disI say unto you, he shall in no ciples, wise lose his reward. CHAPTER XI. AND it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence, a pious man who was in private life; just as, during a war, and in dangerous circumstances, to receive and assist an officer of the army would entitle a person to a greater reward than to receive and assist a mere private soldier. 42. These little ones; disciples, as appears from the following expression, in the name of a disciple. Teachers among the Jews were called Rabbi, or Rab; the radical meaning of which word is great. As the teacher was thus called great, his scholars, or disciples, standing in a contrasted relation to him, were called small, or little ones. Thus this phrase, little ones, came to be synonymous with the word disciples, whether the teacher claimed or did not claim the title Rabbi. Jesus was not unfrequently addressed with this title, though he never claimed it. The principle on which such acts of kindness towards the Saviour's apostles and followers would be followed with an ample recompense, is clearly exhibited in Matt. 25: 40. TOPICS FOR REFLECTION, suggested by this chapter. 1. How great the guilt and the danger of neglecting the gospel! v. 15. 2. Over how great opposition has Christianity triumphed! vs. 16-25, 34-36. 3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: 4. God is to be regarded rather than men. v. 28. Compare Acts 4. 19. 5:29. 5. There will be a rich recompense for serving Christ. v. 32. 6. Christ ought to be loved and obeyed rather than the nearest earthly relatives. vs. 37, 38. 7. How kind a notice will be taken of attentions paid to the Saviour's followers! vs. 40-42. CHAPTER XI. 1. Their cities; cities of the people of that region. The apostles, also, in obedience to the instructions, went forth. See Mark 6: 12. Luke 9: 6. These same evangelists also mention the return of the twelve from their mission. Mark 6: 30, 31. Luke 9: 10. 2. John; the Baptist. In the prison. In the 14th chapter, Matthew relates the circumstance of John's having been thrown into prison. The prison is said to have been in the town of Machaerus, in the south part of Perea, the region east of the Jordan. 3. He that should come; that is, the Messiah, so called, as having been so long predicted and so ardently desired. John 11: 27. || Another; another person as the Messiah. 4. Ye do hear and see. From Luke 3. While we are in the path of (7:21) we learn that at this very duty, we may cheerfully resign our-time, Jesus was performing miracuselves and the vindication of our char- lous deeds. To what they thus saw, acter to God. v. 26. and to what they heard others relate 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised concerning him, Jesus referred them for an answer to their inquiry. 5. The poor; those who are in lowly and afflicted circumstances. There is also connected with this meaning of the word the idea of meekness and humility, as these traits of character seem to comport more with such outward circumstances than with wealth and distinction. Allusion is here had to Isa. 61: 1, where the word meek is used, substantially the same in the original as the word poor. Have the gospel preached to them. "The word gospel signifies good tidings; and the idea here is, that the lowly and distressed have been kindly regarded, and are favored with the announcement of promised blessings. Compare Is. 61: 1. Not only was this in accordance with prophecy respecting the Messiah, but it also constituted a striking difference between Jesus and all the teachers of his day. They thought mostly of the privileges and dignities pertaining to their office, while the immortal beings for whose welfare they ought to have been anxious, were neglected. They sought popularity and the favor of the rich. On the contrary, Jesus, as it was predicted of the Messiah, was not seeking his own glory, but was conferring real and needed blessings on others, and was especially mindful of the poor and humble who felt their need of spiritual mercies. 6. Offended. The word offend in the Bible has a different signification from that which it bears in ordinary conversation. See on Matt. 5: 29. It here means led, or induced, to commit sin. In me; in respect to me. So different was Jesus from the ordinary expectations of the people respecting the Messiah, and so different was much of his conduct from the expectations of his real friends, that they might be in danger of suspecting they up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. had indulged in mistake concerning his being the Messiah, and thus be exposed to the temptation of renouncing him in a sinful manner. Blessed is he (said the Saviour) who endures steadfastly in his attachment to me as the Messiah, however different my appearance and my movements may be from what he had anticipated. Look at my works, as the evidence of my being the Messiah. OBSERVE: The character and works of Jesus are substantial proofs of his being the Messiah, the Saviour of the world. But why should John send such a message to Jesus? By examining John 3: 25, 26, and Matt. 9: 14, it would seem that some of John's disciples were still attached to him in a way which implied not a perfectly right view of the relation which Jesus sustained to him; that they were even somewhat jealous for the honor of their Master. John also, doubtless, knew that his public official work was done (see John 3: 30), and was desirous that his disciples should be prepared to coincide entirely with the disciples of Jesus, and become a component part of their company. As preparatory to such a result, and as confirming their minds in the belief of the Messiahship of Jesus, he may have taken this step. In this transaction, too, God may have had the additional purpose of fortifying the mind of John himself, and of preventing any disheartening surmises from arising in his mind. He had been for some time shut up in prison, cut off from intercourse with society; his mind was in danger of being warped, and of looking at things on the dark side; and it was not impossible, though he had had such signal manifestations of Jesus' being the Messiah, and had so often and so publicly declared him to be the Messiah, that 7 And, as they departed, | to see? a prophet? yea, I say Jesus began to say unto the unto you, and more than a multitudes concerning John, prophet. What went ye out into the wilderness to see? a reed shaken with the wind? 8 But what went ye out for to see? a man clothed in soft raiment ? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 But what went ye out for 10 For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: in some gloomy moment the distress-ing the imagery of these words, see ing apprehension should arise that on 3: 3. the Messiah was yet to come. 11. A greater than John the Baptist. By comparing the parallel passage in 7. Jesus took occasion to speak Luke 7: 28, we shall see that Jesus highly in commendation of John, as was speaking of John as a prophet, an inspired religious teacher, and the or a divinely-commissioned religious forerunner of the Messiah. It was as teacher. It was as a prophet, that he such that he was distinguished; and was greater than all others; no prophhe was a man by no means to be un- et was greater than he. No one susdervalued. Into the wilderness. Com-tained so intimate a relation to the pare 3: 5. A reed shaken with the wind? a light, inconstant man, worthy of little regard as to his character and his opinions. 8. Clothed in soft raiment? delicate, costly garments; a man of wealth and luxury. Compare 3: 4. 9. A prophet? This word is applicable not only to one who foretold future events, but to one also who came forward as a religious teach er; one who was especially commissioned as the Lord's servant for instructing men. || More than a prophet; one greater than an ordinary prophet. Messiah. The coming of the Messiah was a grand object of expectation and hope; many prophets and kings desired to see his day, but they saw it not. To John, however, was given the signal honor of being his forerunner, of baptizing him, and of pointing him out to the people as him that was to come. He was thus in immediate connection with the Messiah as to time and as to office, preparing the way before him. || He that is least; as the word greater, in this verse, refers to the word prophet, which is implied (see Luke 7: 28), so here the same idea is intended he 10. The reason why John was to that is a very inferior prophet, or rebe accounted greater than any proph-ligious teacher. In the kingdom of et that had preceded him is here given. heaven; the Messiah's dispensation He was the forerunner of the Messiah. on earth, called the reign of God, or None of the prophets had enjoyed of heaven. See on 3:2. | Greater such a distinction. Of whom it is than he; a greater religious teacher; written; Mal. 3:1. The words are because he enjoys immensely greater here quoted according to their sense, advantages than John, being taught not with perfect exactness as to the by the Messiah himself, either perlanguage. In Malachi, they foretell sonally or by his authorized servants. the Messiah's times more generally; the Saviour makes a more particular application to himself. For explain OBSERVE: How great is the privilege, and consequently the responsi notwithstanding he that is least | kingdom of heaven suffereth in the kingdom of heaven is violence, and the violent take greater than he. 12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the bility, of enjoying the gospel! so full is it of information and of salutary influences. Compare 10: 15. 11: 21 -24. Heb. 4: 1, 2. In the above passage, reference is not made to the moral worth of John, as compared with others either preceding him or subsequent to him. It is in his official capacity, and in respect to his knowledge of the new dispensation, that he is compared with those who preceded, and those who were to follow him. For the corresponding passage, see Luke 7: 18-28. it by force. 13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. people became immediately favorably impressed towards Jesus as well as towards John, though they had not right notions respecting the spiritual nature of his mission. See Luke 7: 29, 30. REMARK. This expression, the violent take it by force, has been sometimes abused, as encouraging_violent bodily excitement in seeking for pardon and salvation. To such a kind of violence the Saviour made no allusion; but to the deep interest which pervaded the minds of the community, when the announcement of the Messiah's approach was made, and when John gave instruction so appropriate to the condition and necessities of the people. Violent bodily excitement, though it may, in some instances, be connected with genuine is reason to fear, connected with such religious feeling as wholly vanishes, and is therefore proved to be unsound (see Matt. 13: 23), or such feeling as does not lie very deep in the soul, and as may issue in that fluctuating sort of religious character which is inconsistent with stability and usefulness. Religion must dwell in the soul. 12. Kingdom of heaven. See preceding verse. || Suffereth violence; not an injurious, hostile violence, but a violent, that is, earnest, rushing to seek its privileges. Reference is made to the excitement which existed in the mass of the community, lead-religious feeling, is more often, there ing them out in multitudes to John and to Jesus. See Matt. 3: 5. 4: 23-25. 8:1. 9:36. The violent; those who are eager to seize upon the blessings of the new dispensation. || Take it by force; seize upon it with avidity, rush forward eagerly to claim its privileges. Compare Luke 16:16. The people in general had indeed very incorrect notions respecting the character of the Messiah's reign; still, as he had been the object of their hopes so long, they listened with eagerness to the announcement of his approach, and were ready to be impelled in any direction that would give them the hope of enjoying the blessings of the Messiah's reign. The rulers and the Pharisees became almost immediately hostile to Jesus, and at last persuaded the multitude to act with them. But however jealous the great men of the nation were, and however ready to oppose, even 13. The prophets and the law. The from the beginning, yet the common | Jews divided the books of the Old The suppressed sob and the concealed tear are far more certain indications of suitable religious feeling than any unnatural exercises of the body, or any loud expressions either of grief or of joy. Without any such exercises, the soul may be shaken to its very centre by a sense of its guilt and danger. Such a sense of guilt and danger will indeed make a person earnest in striving (Luke 13: 24) for salvation; but it will be an earnestness of soul. |