were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. 18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery; and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery. 19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in pur See Matt. 11: 13. || The kingdom, &c. See Matt. 11: 12. 17. See Matt. 5: 18. 18. See Matt. 5: 32. 19. There was a certain rich man, &c. A parable now follows, which was happily adapted to impress the sentiments that Jesus had already delivered respecting the use of earthly treasures. vs. 9-12. He had taught that earthly treasures should be regarded as a trust committed to men by the Lord; that they ought to be employed not so much in personal aggrandizement and gratification as in relieving the wants, and promoting the welfare, of others. Such a use of them, proceeding from a sincere love to God and to man, would enable their possessor to render a satisfactory account, and would be followed by admission to the unfailing happiness of heaven. Jesus now gives a description of a wealthy man, who was intent on his own gratification, and neglected the poor and distressed. He shows the future state of such a man; and, in contrast with it, in order to teach how unsuitable is a supreme devotion to wealth and present comfort, he represents the poor man, who had been overlooked, as received into heaven. The affecting contrast between the two cases was happily adapted to show the supreme importance of heaven, the vanity of ple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day : 20 And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried: earthly prosperity as our chief portion, and the proper use of earthly riches. Purple and fine linen. Garments of purple, and of fine cotton and linen, were indications of wealth. 20. Beggar. The original word means simply a poor man. 21. This verse and the preceding show the extreme poverty of Lazarus. The rich man is not represented as abusing him, as refusing to let him remain at his gate, or to give him the scraps from his table; but he showed him no special attention, and took no particular interest in his welfare, though the Jews were required by their law thus to do. See Deut. 15: 7, 8. Is. 58: 7. Prov. 3: 27. The 22. Into Abraham's bosom. bliss of heaven is represented by a banquet, at which were the worthies of the Jewish nation. The guests at a banquet reclined on couches; and, when not engaged in eating, one could lay his head on the breast of the person next him, for conversation To be placed next to a distinguished guest, was a signal honor. Lazarus is here described as having the signal honor of being placed next to Abraham. The idea is, he was received into the happiness of the righteous. || Was buried. This circumstance was probably added, in order to show that the rich man was 23 And in hell he lifted up | his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue : for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. honored by his fellow-men in death, as well as in life. 23. In hell-being in torments; in that part of the world of spirits where the wicked are subjected to punishment. 26. Would pass; desire to pass. 27, 28. Send him to my father's house, &c. So indescribably wretched did the man feel his situation to be, that he could not bear to think of any relatives coming into it. || Testify unto them; warn them by my fate to pursue a different course. 29. Moses and the prophets; the sacred Scriptures. See Matt. 11: 13. 31. If they hear not, &c. If their minds are so intent on the present world that they will not hearken to the Scriptures, they would not listen, should one rise from the dead. Alas! how true was this saying in respect to the Pharisees and the great body of the Jews. After Jesus had been raised up from the dead, they still sti 27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house : 28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. 29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. THE CHAPTER XVII. HEN said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but fled conviction, and still persisted in sin. REFLECTIONS. 1. Let us cultivate an indifference to the wealth and honors of this world. They do not confer real worth of character, and they may be followed by everlasting misery and contempt. missive to the divine will, and con2. Are we poor? Let us be subtented, and mainly anxious to obtain the glory and bliss of heaven. 3. The happy state of the righteous, and the miserable state of the wicked, beyond the grave, will not come to an end. v. 26. 4. We have all the requisite means for attaining eternal life. If they should be miraculously increased, we could not be sure that they would be more efficacious. Let us rightly use the advantages which God has be stowed, and lay hold on eternal life. CHAPTER XVII. that offences will come but | had faith as a grain of mustardwoe unto him through whom seed, ye might say unto this sycathey come! 2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 22. 6 And the Lord said, If ye 3, 4. Compare Matt. 18: 15, 21, 5. Increase our faith. In Matt. 17: 14-21, it is related that the disciples were unable to heal a certain person. Jesus informed them that their inability resulted from their unbelief, and, by a forcible illustration, showed them the efficacy of strong faith. On that occasion, or on a similar one, this request might have been made. 6. Compare Matt. 17:20. Sycamine-tree. The same as in 19: 4 is called a sycamore-tree. It has a resemblance to the mulberry in its leaves, while its fruit is similar, in appearance, to the fig. It is frequent in the level parts of Palestine. mine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you. 7 But which of you having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant, because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. Perhaps he found it necessary to caution them against an undue estimate of their services, and to impress distinctly on them, after those remarks, their duty to cherish a spirit of unwearied devotion to his service, and of deep humility in regard to their deserts. The illustration which has been here preserved by Luke was happily adapted to produce such an effect. The amount of it is this: A servant must hold himself ready continually to serve his master; having performed a certain piece of work, he must not calculate on refreshing himself at once, but must still wait on his master, and afterwards partake of refreshment. Still further, after continued and unwearied attention to the duties appointed him, he must not consider himself as entitled to the thanks of his master, as though he had conferred favors, or imposed obligations on his master. He ought to cherish an humble opinion of his services, and regard himself as having performed no more than mere duty. 7. But which of you, &c. This verse is not connected in sense with the preceding. It introduces another important sentiment of our Lord, preserved according to Luke's manner, without special regard to the connection. Our Lord, as appears from Matt. 19: 27-29, had informed his disciples that distinguished bliss would be awarded to them hereafter as a result of their laboring in his service. I meaning think. 8. Gird thyself. See on 12: 37. 9. Trow. This is an old word, 5 10 So likewise ye, when yel it came to pass, that, as they shall have done all those things went, they were cleansed. which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. 11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And 10. We are unprofitable servants. This language is to be understood as we understand a friend who has done us a favor, to whom we say, I am much obliged to you, and who rejoins by saying, Not at all; you are under no obligations to me. It is the language of modesty and humility, refusing to put a high estimate on any services which we may have rendered. The Saviour thus enjoined the cultivation of an humble spirit, which will not, for a moment, think of having conferred a favor on God, or of having imposed on him the slightest obligation to reward us. After all we can do, we never can pass beyond the limit of duty; we never can merit the divine favor by performing any extra services. But it becomes us, in all humility, to acknowledge that we have no claim on the favor of God. REFLECTION. How contrary to the spirit of the gospel is self-valuation Compare Luke 18: 9-14. 12. As he entered, &c.; as he was about entering. The leprous men 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus, answering, said, Were there not ten cleansed ? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. 20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when were not in the village, but in the vicinity of it. Lepers were not allowed to remain in society, while diseased. See Lev. 13: 46. Stood afar off. The touch of a leprous person communicated ceremonial uncleanness. 14. Show yourselves unto the priests. This direction contained in it an assurance that they should soon be healed. Lepers, when healed, were directed to go to the priest for exami nation, and for making the prescribed offering. See on Matt. 8: 2—4. 19. Thy faith, &c. Compare Matt. 9:22. How touching to the beholders must have been the gratitude of this Samaritan, contrasted with the conduct of the Jewish lepers! And how strong claims has the Saviour on OUR gratitude! 20. Demanded; inquired. || The kingdom of God; the reign of the Messiah, understood, doubtless, by the Pharisees, as a glorious temporal reign. See Matt. 3: 2. In the Saviour's reply, which immediately fol lows, this expression is used with the meaning which the Jews ought to the kingdom of God should | many things, and be rejected of come, he answered them and this generation. said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation. 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. 23 And they shall say to you, See here! or, See there! go not after them, nor follow them. 24 For as the lightning that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first must he suffer have attached to it, namely, the dominion of God in the hearts of men, the establishment of the holy principles of religion. With observation; with outward show, in such a manner as to be obvious to the sight. 21. Neither shall they say, &c. It will not be introduced by any public announcement that in this place, or in that, the Messiah is coming forth. See on Matt. 24: 26. || Is within you It is an internal, spiritual reign. Expect not, then, outward show, as manifesting where and when this reign is commenced. 22. He said unto the disciples. As the establishment of his cause had been spoken of, Jesus made known to his disciples various events which would be connected with it. He led them to expect that he should be away from them, and that they would encounter times of great suffering; that he should afterwards appear for the vindication of his cause, and that signal vengeance would be taken on his adversaries. The days of the VOL. II. 26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot: they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is. revealed. Son of man; the time when you enjoyed the presence and instructions of me, the Messiah. He would be absent from them, and they would deeply feel the need of his presence. 23, 24. Compare Matt. 24: 26, 27. 25. But first, &c. The events which Jesus had just predicted were to occur some time afterwards. Previously to their occurrence, Jesus would be publicly rejected. 26, 27. The days of the Son of man; the time when the Messiah shall come to vindicate his cause and to confound his foes. Compare Matt. 24: 37, 38. 28, 29. Sodom. See Gen. 19: 14. Lot 30. Even thus shall it be, &c. As there was, in the days of Noah and in the days of Lot, a general disregard of the divine warnings, a general disbelief as to the impending calamities, so will it be when the Messiah will be about to appear for inflicting punishment on his adversaries. Is revealed; shall make his appearance |