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the mouth speaketh. A good man, out of the good treasure of the 35 heart, bringeth forth good things; and an evil man, out of the evil treasure, bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every 36 idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by 37 thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying: 38 Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said 39

of the foregoing sentiment.-The good treasure consists of good feelings and principles, and the evil treasure the reverse. Unless they had been filled with corrupt and censorious passions, they would not have thus slandered our Lord. Griesbach leaves out of the text the words of the heart, as they are not found in the greater part of the earlier manuscripts and versions.

36. But I say unto you. A phrase frequently used by Jesus when about to say something of great importance.-Idle word. Corresponding to vain words, in the Old Testament. Idle here means more than useless; it signifies calumnious, false, or pernicious. Such words the Pharisees had been speaking against Christ, and he warns them that, however trifling the offence might seem in their own apprehension, it was one for which they were answerable at the bar of God. -In the day of judgment. In a day of judgment, for the article the is not in the original. They would be brought to judgment and retribution at some future time, whenever that time should come.

37. A more distinct declaration of the idea of the preceding verse, announcing that men are responsible for their words, as well as their deeds, and rightly too, since words are often most powerful deeds, both in their origin and consequen

ces.

The destiny of nations has sometimes depended upon one

word of a frail mortal.-Justified. Acquitted. And should be rendered or, as the same individual could not be both justified and condemned. It is not intended, that words would form the only criterion of judg ment, but that they would enter into it as an important element. Since we are, therefore, answerable for our speech, how strictly ought we to guard our lips, that no profane, or false, or calumnious word should ever escape therefrom, to rise up against us in the final retribution!

38-42. Luke xi. 16, 29–32.

38. Answered. That is, went on to say.-Master. Should be translated Teacher. Luke adds that they sought a sign, "tempting him," or wishing to put his power to the proof-Would see a sign. Dan. vii. 13. Mat. xvi. 1. Mark viii. 11. Luke xi. 16. John vi. 30. 1 Cor. i. 22. Luke states that what they wanted was "a sign from heaven." They demanded more than an earthly sign, than a miracle of healing the sick, or curing the blind; they desired a sign from heaven, some token or portent from the clouds or sky. As the ancient Jewish prophets had exhibited signs from heaven,-Moses calling down manna and quails; Samuel producing a storm; Elijah sending fire and rain, so the Scribes and Pharisees now demanded from the Messiah some similar manifestation of his power. "It may be gathered from the Jewish writings that an

unto them: An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jo40 nas. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the 41 heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment

idea was entertained that the Messiah, when he came, would give some peculiar token or signal, some extraordinary display of power, a luminous appearance in the heavens perhaps, for it is not distinctly defined,-which should be a credential of his authority, to point him out to the people as the Messiah beyond the possibility of mistake. The demand for a sign, therefore, was equivalent to a demand for evidence that he was such a personage as was expected. But Jesus did not present himself to the nation as a military leader. Evidence, therefore, was demanded, of which the very nature of the case did not admit, and which he could not give.”—Furness.

39. Adulterous. The force of this epithet is doubtful. Probably it is a figure of speech to represent the unfaithfulness of the Jewish people to God; for their relation to him is often described figuratively as that of the marriage state. The sense would be, a wicked and apostate generation. There shall no sign be given to it, &c. No other sign than he had already given. He had no new prodigy more astonishing or convincing than the miracles he had already performed. If he should exhibit some sign from heaven, it either would not overcome their credulity, or, if it did, it would only encourage their false and worldly notions of the expected Deliverer. Wonders from the sky might appropriately grace the advent of a hero; but miracles of beneficence were more in harmony with the Prince of Peace.-The

sign of the prophet Jonas. The Jews demanded a sign from heaven. Jesus promised them a sign from the earth, even the sign of Jonah, whose humiliation would best represent the death and resurrection of the Son of Man.

40. Whale. Jonah i. and ii. The word in the original signifies any large fish or sea-monster. Jesus uses the story of Jonah as an illustration, not as an authority, or prophecy, or type. As the account was familiar to the Jews, it would strikingly illustrate the subject in hand, so that they would remember the application long afterwards.The Son of Man. See note, Mat. viii. 20.-Three days and three nights. According to the Jewish mode of computing time, a part of a day was reckoned as the whole; compare 2 Chron. x. 5, and 12. Esther iv. 16, with v. 1. Thus our Lord, though buried on Friday evening and raised on Sunday morning, was said to have been three days and three nights in the tomb, because he was there one whole day and parts of two others.

In the heart of the earth. A Hebrew phrase for in the earth. Christ's greatest sign was to be his resurrection from the dead, Observe here, that he gives the first intimation of his death, and its succeeding events, and makes a specific prediction, which, by its exact fulfilment, vindicated his prophetic power and divine authority.

41. Nineveh. The capital of Assyria, one of the most ancient cities in the world. Gen. x. 11. It was situated on the banks of the Tigris,

with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this gene- 42 ration, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.- -When the unclean spirit is gone out of a 43

and its circuit was three days' journey. Its walls were 100 feet high, and three chariots could drive abreast upon the top; and at intervals were placed 1500 towers, twice the height of the walls. After passing through various fortunes and being in the possession of different conquerors, its vast walls and palaces were so utterly destroyed, that the site of the city can now with difficulty be recognized. This appears the more probable, when we consider that its edifices were constructed of sunburnt bricks, which by long exposure to the weather crumble back into the bitumen from which they were made; and thus this splendid city in the course of ages would present, as it actually does present, only a mass of undistinguishable ruins.—Shall rise in judgment. A judicial phrase, borrowed from the proceedings of Jewish and Roman courts, in which it was usual for witnesses to stand up while giving their evidence. Mark xiv. 57. Acts vi. 13.-Shall condemn it. Similar modes of speech to those occuring in this and the next verse are found in Ezek. xvi. 51, 52, Rom. ii. 27, and Heb. xi. 7. The Ninevites, though a heathen nation and grossly wicked, repented and reformed at the preaching of the prophet. Jonah iii. But the Jews, though they had been favored with great religious privileges, and the knowledge of the true God, were so stiff-necked and rebellious that they would not repent at the preaching of the Son of God, though he proved his divine

authority by the most astonishing and beneficent miracles. The heathen people therefore showed a better disposition than the children of Israel, and, by their readiness to obey, condemned the unbelieving and disobedient Scribes and Pharisees. A greater than Jonas is here, i. e. Jesus Christ. The Greek words are, something greater is here. The gender is neuter. A more delicate and modest expression than to declare directly that he was greater. Or perhaps designed to refer to the higher character of his miracles and doctrines, rather than to any personal greatness.

42. The queen of the south. Or, of Sheba, the chief city of Arabia Felix. 1 Kings x. 1—13. She came from a part of Arabia south from Judea.—In the judgment. Or, in the place of judgment.-Uttermost parts of the earth. An expression for a great distance, and not literally the most remote part of the world. Arabia was the most distant country in the south known to the Jews. She took great pains to hear the wisdom of Solomon by travelling a long journey. But the Jews would not listen to one far greater than Solomon, though he preached among them. They were condemned, therefore, by a comparison with the heathen queen, as being less desirous of wisdom, and unwilling to make even far less sacrifices to receive and obey it.

43-45. See Luke xi. 24-26.

43. When the unclean spirit, &c. To illustrate the growing depravity of the Jews, Jesus makes use of

man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith: I will return into my house, from whence I came out. And when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

an illustration suggested by the cure of the demoniac, verse 22, and founded on the common belief in demoniacal possessions. We may suppose that he employed opinions and even superstitions familiar to his hearers, but which he did not believe, as instruments to express and adorn his doctrines. Thus we commonly speak of the rising and setting of the sun, though we know that it is philosophically incorrect. Jesus frequently calls to his aid in his instructions the manners, customs, and institutions of his nation and age; without, however, vouching for their goodness and propriety. He even used fictitious narratives, the better to unfold and paint his divine principles.-Dry places. Or, waste, desert places, which were supposed to be the peculiar haunts of such spirits. We are to remember that the whole imagery of this parable is Jewish, and are not, therefore, to seek a moral correspondence in all its minutiæ, but to take its general import.-Seeking rest, &c. This graphically describes the uneasy, dissatisfied state of one who has partially reformed, but who has not given up all longings after his past sins; though it is observable that the spirit, and not the man, is represented as perturbed.

44. My house. The man, in accordance with Jewish notions, is described as being the abode of the evil spirit.-Empty, swept, and garnished, i. e. prepared for the guests. No impediment existed to prevent

the unclean inhabitant from entering again. So far from any guard being placed to exclude him, his dwelling was ready for his reception. No good thoughts or spiritual affections had been welcomed and entertained to exclude the entrance of evil. A vacant mind is ever an exposed one.

45. Seven other spirits, more wicked than himself. Seven was a favorite and sacred number among the Jews. It frequently means several. It was the belief of the times that spirits which had been exorcised might return reinforced to their former haunts. But we are not to admit that Jesus countenances this belief.-The last state of that man is worse than the first. An attempt at reformation, which fails, leaves one in a worse condition than ever in some respects; for failure discourages further resolution and effort, and the transgressor, reckless and despairing, may plunge into seven-fold greater wickedness than before. The burnt brand soon kindles again when thrown upon the flames. 2 Peter ii. 20.-So shall it be, &c. We have here Jesus' own interpretation of this parable. The main purport of it was, that the Jewish nation, having been purified of idolatry by the Babylonish captivity, so some interpret, or, according to others, having been aroused from their vices to a temporary reformation by the thrilling appeals of John the Baptist, had now relapsed into

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his 46 brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said 47 unto him: Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told 48

a far worse condition than before. They were about to be guilty of greater wickedness than their fathers. They had received cordially the instructions of the great reformer, but experienced only a partial and temporary effect. They quickly subsided into a worse state than ever. It would be more difficult than before to renew them unto repentance and salvation. We are here incidentally taught the dangers of backsliding, and the difficulty of persevering in an upright course; but we ought not on this account to be deterred from repenting of and forsaking our sins; for a worthy determination, though but partially kept, breaks in some measure the dominion of evil, and enlarges the freedom of the soul. We are to resolve and re-resolve with iron purpose, and step by step to pursue the narrow, but glorious path of virtue. The mountain of holiness is to be built up by adding particle to particle, thought to thought, prayer to prayer.

46-50. Compare Mark iii. 31— 35. Luke viii. 19–21.

46. While he yet talked, &c. Jesus' method of instruction was oral conversation. He conversed familiarly with the people upon the deep themes of the spiritual life. His condescension and blandness of manner were such that the ignorant and doubting were encouraged to approach him and unburden their difficulties.-Brethren. These were either the sons of Mary by Joseph, or, as is more likely, the sons of the sister of Mary, the wife of Cleopas, and therefore the cousins of Jesus. For we know that relatives of that

degree were called brothers, according to Jewish custom. The brethren or cousins of Jesus are often alluded to in the New Testament; at least three of the Twelve, James, Simon, and Judas, or Jude, are supposed to have been thus related to him. Matt. xiii. 55. Mark iii. 25. John ii. 12. vii. 35. Acts

vi. 3. i. 14. 1 Cor. ix. 5. Gal. i. 19. They came to Jesus, probably strengthened with parental authority, to rescue him, as they considered it, from rash exposure to the hatred of the Jews, to counsel prudence, and to put him upon his guard against their machinations. What strong collateral testimony is afforded here of Jesus' total independence of his friends and relatives, and the absence of any collusion between them! To their narrow view, he conducted so unwisely as to convict him of derangement. It was not the first or last time that prophets have been confounded with madmen. Mark iii. 21.-Stood without. They could not enter the house on account of the crowd.-Desiring. Endeavoring. They had been making the attempt to speak with him for a considerable time. Mark iii. 21.

47. We are told that they had sent a message to him, calling him. Their object was, perhaps, to warn him of some plot against his life, and to induce him to withdraw to some more secure place, though selfishness, as well as affection for him, may have mingled in their motives. The crowd was so large that they were unable to speak with him directly. The request was proba

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