b

9 And say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

1

out any regard to time, place, or circumstances an improper perseverance. By this the man was influenced. Rather than be disturbed, he would rise and give him what he asked. This is to be applied to God in no other sense than that he often hears prayers and grants blessings, even long after they appear to be unanswered or withheld. He does not promise to give blessings at once. He promises only that he will do it; or will answer prayer. But he often causes his people long to wait. He tries their faith. He leaves them to persevere for months or years, until they feel entirely their dependence on him; until they see that they can obtain the blessing in no other way; and until they are prepared for it. Often they are not prepared to receive it when they ask it at first. They may be proud, or have no just sense of their dependence, or they would not value the blessing, or it may at that time, not be best for them to obtain it. But let no ne despair. If the thing is for our

, and if it is proper that it should

And it

came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.

16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house, falleth.

18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

be granted, God will give it. Let us first ask aright; let us see that our minds are in a proper state; let us feel our need of it; let us inquire whether God has promised such a blessing; and then let us persevere until God gives it. Again: men, when they ask any thing of God, often give over seeking. They go once, and if it is not granted, they are discouraged. It is not so when we ask any thing of men. Then we persevere; we take no denial; we go again, and press the matter till we obtain it. So we should of God. We should go again and again, until the prayer is heard, and God grants what we ask of him.

9-12. See this explained in Matt. vii. 7-11.

12. A scorpion? See Note, Luke x. 19. The body of the white scorpion has a considerable resemblance in size and appearance to an egg; and the figure is used, therefore, with great beauty by our Lord.

14-23. See this passage explained in Matt, xi, 22-30.

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.

24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking_rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I

came out.

25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse b than the first.

27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womd that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

30 For as Jonas f was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

31 The queen g of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and con- · demn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

32 The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonas: and, behold, a greates than Jonas is here.

33 No man, when he hath |lighted a candle, putteth it in a se cret place, neither under a bushel but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

34 The light of the body is the eye therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light: but when thine eye is evil thy body also is full of darkness.

ed d

29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no

a Is.53.12. Col.2.15. b Jno.5.14. He.6.4. 10.26,27. 2 Pe.2.20,21. c c.1.28,48. d Ps. 119.1,2. Matt.7.21. c.8.21. Ja.1.25. e Matt. 12.40,&c. Mar.8.12. f Jon.1.17. 2.10.

24-26. See Matt. xii. 43-45. 27, 28. A certain woman. One of the erowd. Blessed is the womb, &c. She thought that the mother of such a person must be peculiarly happy, in having such a son. Yea. Jesus admits that she was happy; that it was an honor to be his mother. Rather blessed, &c. But he says that the chief happiness, the highest honor. was to obey the

36 If thy whole body therefore, be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

g 1 Ki.10.1,&c. h Jon.3.5,10. i Matt.5 15,&c. Mar.4.21. c.8.16. j Matt.6.22,&c k Pr.28.22. Mar.7.22. / Ps.119.105. Pr.6 23. Is.8.20. 2 Co.4.6. 1 a candle by its bright shining. m Pr.4.18. 20.27.

word of God, or to be his child. Com pared with this, all earthly distinctions and honors are as nothing. Man'& greatest dignity is in keeping the holy commandments of God, and being prepared for heaven.

29-32. See Matt. xii. 38-42.

33-36. These verses a found in Matthew, but in a different connexion See Matt. v. 15; vi. 22, 23

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:

to meat.

38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

39 And the Lord said unto him,

a Mar.7.3.

37. And as he spake. While he was ddressing the people, and particularly while he was reproving that generation, and declaring its crimes. A certain Pharisee. The Pharisee was one among others that was reproved by the discourse of Jesus. He therefore interrupted Christ, and invited him to go home with him. There is little doubt that this was for the purpose of drawing him away from the people; that he did it with a malignant intention, perhaps with a design to confute Jesus in private, or to reprove him for thus condemning the whole nation as he did. He might have seen that those who attacked Jesus publicly were commonly unsuccessful, and he desired probably to encounter him more privately: Besought him. Asked him. To dine with him. The Jews, as well as the Greeks and Romans, had but two principal meals. The first was a slight repast, and was taken about ten or eleven o'clock of our time, and consisted chiefly of fruit, milk, cheese, &c. The second meal was partaken of about three o'clock, P. M., and was their principal meal. The first is the one here intended. He went in. Though he knew the evil design of the Pharisee, yet he did not decline the invitation. He knew that it might afford him an opportunity to do good. These two things are to be observed in regard to our Saviour's conduct in such matters: 1st. That he did not decline an invitation to dine with a man, simply because he was a Pharisee, or because he was a wicked man. Hence he was charged with being gluttonous, and a friend of publicans and sinners. 2d. He seized apon all such occasions to do good. He ever shrank from declaring the truth, and making them the means of spreading the gospel. If Christians and Christian ministers would follow the example of the Saviour always, they would avoid all scandal and might 10 even in such

C

40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

b Matt.23.25. c Tit.1.15.

places a vast amount of good. ¶ Sut down. Reclined at the table. See Note, Matt. xxiii. 6.

38. Saw it. Saw that he sat imme diately down without washing. ¶ Mar velled. Wondered. Was amazed. I was so unusual, and in his view so im. proper. Had not first washed. He wondered particularly, as he had been among a mixed multitude, and they esteemed the touch of such persons polluting. They never ate, therefore, with out such washing. The origin of the custom of washing with so much formality before they partook of their meals, was that they did not use as we do knives and forks, but used their hands only. Hence, as their hands would be often in a dish on the table. it was esteemed proper that they should be washed clean before eating. Nor was there impropriety in the thing itself, but the Pharisees made it a matter of ceremony; they placed no small part of their religion in such ce remonies; and it was right, therefore.. that our Lord should take occasion to reprove them for it. Compare Mark vii. 4.

39. See Matt. xxiii. 25. Ravening Robbery, plunder. Here it means that the cup and platter were filled with what had been unjustly taken from others. That is, they lived by their wickedness, their food was procured by dishonesty and extortion. This was a most terri ble charge; and as it was applied, among others, to the man who had in vited the Saviour to dine with him, it shows that nothing would prevent his dealing faithfully with the souls of men. Even in the Pharisee's own house, and when expressly invited to partake of his hospitality, he loved his soul so much, that he faithfully warned him of his crimes.

40. Ye fools. How unwise and wick ed is your duct! The word denotes not only want of wisdom, but also wick.

edness. Compare Ps. xiv. 1. Prov. xiii. 19; xiv. 9. Your conduct is not merely foolish, but it is a cloak for sin -designed to countenance wickedness. Did not he, &c. Did not God, who made the body, make also the soul? You Pharisees take great pains to cleanse the body, under a pretence of pleasing God. Did he not also make the mind, and is it not of as much importance that that should be pure, as that the body should?

41. Alms. Charity. Benefactions to the poor. ¶Such things as ye have. Your property; though it has been gained unjustly; though you have lived by rapine, and have amassed wealth in an improper manner, yet since you have it, it is your duty to make the best of it, and do good. By giving to the poor, you may show your repentance of your crimes in amassing money in this manner. You may show that you disapprove of your former course of life, and are disposed henceforward to live honestly. If this be the meaning of this passage, then it shows what is the duty of those who have by unjust gains become wealthy, and who then are con verted to God. It may not be possible for them in every case to make exact restitution to those whom they have injured. Thousands of instances they may have forgotten. Many persons whom they have injured may have died. But still they may show, by giving to others, that they do not think their gains acquired honestly, and that they truly repent. They may devote their property to God, distribute it to the poor, or give it to send the gospel to the heathen world. Thus may they show that they disapprove of their former conduct; and thus may be seen one great principle of God's govery

ment, that good finally comes out of evil. And behold, &c. Doing this will show that you are a true penitent, and the remainder of your property you will enjoy with a feeling that you have done your duty, and no longer be smitter with the consciousness of hoarding unjust gains. The object of the Saviour here seems to have been to bring the Pharisee to repentance. Repentance consists in sorrow for sin, and in forsaking it. This he endeavored to produce by showing him, 1st, the evil and hypocrisy of his conduct; and, 2d, by exhorting him to forsake his sins, and to show this by doing good. Thus doing, he would evince that the mind was clean as well as the body; the inside as well as the outside.

42. See Matt. xxiii. 23. ¶ Rue. This is a small garden plant, and is used as a medicine. It has a rosy flower, a bitter, penetrating taste, and a strong smell.

43, 44. See Matt. xxiii. 6, 27.

45. Lawyers. Men learned in the law; but it is not known in what way the lawyers differed from the scribes, or whether they were Pharisees or Sadducees. Thus saying, thou, &c. He felt that the remarks of Jesus about loving the chief seats, &c., applied to them as well as to the Pharisees. His conscience told him that if they were to blame, he was, and he therefore applied the discourse to himself. ¶ Reproachest. Accusest. Dost calumniate, or dost blame us, for we do the same things.-Sinners often consider faithfulness as reproach. They know not how to separate them. Jesus did not reproach or abuse them. He dealt faithfully with them; reproved them; told them the unvarnished truth. Such faithfulness is rare; but when it is used