Westminster Annotations, Matthew 2 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Vers. 1. WHen Jesus had finished these sayings] Mark 10. 1.
he departed from Galilee] He passed over the water out of Galilee into Judea, intending not to return thither any more, as appears by the ensuing story.
V. 2. he healed them there] See on chap. 12. 15.
V. 3. tempting him] Seeking to entrap him, as chap. 22. 16, 36. If he should pronounce all divorces lawfull, he should go contrary to his own doctrine, chap. 5. 32. and allow of the loosnesse of the Jews, who put away their wives on slight causes, oftentimes. If he should not allow of them, he should seem to be contrary to Moses, and crosse a multitude of the Jews, who practised it.
to put away his wife] To give her a bill of divorce, and so dismisse her.
for every cause] Or, for any cause, as Psal. 103. 2. and 147. 20.
V. 4. Have ye not read] He brings them to the first originall of marriage set out in Scripture. See more on chap. 12. 3.
that he which made] Gen. 1. 27.
male and female] He made but one wise for Adam, though he could have made many for him, that if one had not pleased him, he might have put her away, and have taken another, Mal. 2. 15.
V. 5. And said] God inspired Adam to say so: or rather, God said so by Moses.
For this cause] Gen. 2. 24. Eph. 5. 31.
shall eleave to his wife] The Greek word signifieth, to be glued unto; whereby is intended, that a strict bond between man and wife ties them so close together, as if they were glued one to the other. See Rom. 12. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 16, 17.
they twain shall be one flesh] 1 Cor. 6. 16. They which were two, became as it were one: and this word, flesh, is, by a figure, taken for the whole man, or the body, after the manner of the Hebrews.
V. 6. God hath joyned together] He hath made them yokefellows: for marriage is a kinde of yoke.
let no man put asunder] On any other terms then God hath appointed. See on Matth. 5. 32. and v. 9. here.
V. 7. Why did Moses] Deut. 24. 1.
to put her away] Gr. to loose her from: to wit, the band of marriage. Thus the Jews did, when their wives displeased them, though they were not guilty of adultery; and they conceived they had authority from Moses to do so.
V. 8. because of the hardnesse of your hearts] The usuall note of this people, so often taxed for it, Exod. 33. 3. and 34. 9. Deut. 9. 6. and 31. 27. Isa. 48. 4. Ezek. 2. 4. and 3. 7. Acts 7. 41. Lest when once they did displease you, ye should use them cruelly, Moses permitted you to put them away.
suffered you to put away your wives] They say, Moses commanded, v 7. he saith, Moses suffered it: to wit, by a politicall, not by a morall law. Or, Moses winked at it, but gave no law so to do: for Moses words, Deut. 24. 1, 2. may be read thus, And he hath written her a bill of divorcement, and given it, &c. and sent, &c. and she hath departed, and gone and been another mans wife. So that he bids them not to put her away, but forbids to take her again, after she hath been married to another. See the sum of that law, Jer. 3. 1.
from the beginning] From the first originall and institution of this ordinance.
V. 9. And I say] Or, But I say, as chap. 11. 19. See chap. 5. 31. Mark 10, 11. Luke 16. 18. 1 Cor. 7. 11.
except it be for fornication] The band of marriage cannot be broken by a divorce, except it be for adultery. Yet that needed not neither, if they had been put to death for adultery, according to Gods law. But it seems that was neglected, and therefore our Saviour addes this caution.
V. 10. If the case, &c.] If a man be so strictly and inseparably tied by this ordinance.
V. 11. All men cannot] Cannot live without wives.
receive] Gr. admit] As a little vessel is not capable of much liquor.
to whom it is given] By some peculiar means, as verse 12.
V. 12. which were so born] Unfit for marriage by nature, or not desiring it.
made eunuchs] Gelded: and such were set to keep the concubines of great men.
made themselves eunuchs] By Gods grace, from whom they have received the gift of continency, have resolved to live unmarried.
he that is able] Let no man force himself to single life who hath not that gift.
V. 13. Then were there brought] Mark 10. 13. Luke 18. 15.
and pray] This shews the great desire the parents had of the spirituall good of their children.
the disciples rebuked them] Not the children, but those that brought them, Mark 10. 13. They thought it a thing troublesome to Christ, and unfit for him, to meddle with children, who could not be taught, for want of understanding, and needed no healing by his miracles.
V. 14. of such is the kingdom of heaven] Ye have no reason to blame them for bringing children to me; for they may be such as have interest to the kingdom of heaven, as well as others of riper yeers: and, unlesse ye be like them, ye shall never come there, chap. 18. 3.
V. 15. he laid his hands on them] It is not said, He prayed, as they that brought the children desired, v 23. but onelyonly, that he laid his hands on them: whereby he shewed, that he had power of himself to blesse them.
V. 16. And behold] Mark 10. 17. Luke 18. 18.
V. 17. Why callest thou me good?] Seeing thou doest not acknowledge me to be God, thou shouldest not call me good.
none good but one] None good so as God; that is, originally, essentially, absolutely, immutably good, 1 Sam. 2. 2. James 1. 17.
keep the commandments] He speaks not this as if the man might be perfectly justified by the law; but in answer to his question, v. 16. and to draw him from ceremonies to morall duties.
duplicate page duplicate page V. 18. Thou shalt do no murder] Exod. 20. 13. He mentions not the ceremoniall law, which the Jews were very forward to observe; nor the duties of the first table, which they made great shew of performing: but those of the second table, in doing whereof they were very negligent, Matth. 23. and wherein those commonly fail, which, being hypocrites, yet make much shew of devotion otherwise: as Isa. 1. 11, &c. and 66. 3. Jer. 7. 9, 10, 21, &c. Mic. 6. 6, 7, 8.
V. 19. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self] Though this sentence be elsewhere delivered as the sum of the second table, where the two tables onelyonly are mentioned in generall; yet here it seems rather to supply the place of the tenth commandment, which is omitted.
V. 20. All these things have I kept] In the literall sense, not taking notice of the spirituall meaning, and large extent of those commandments, Rom. 7. 7, 14. See Chap. 5. 22, 28.
V. 21. sell that thou hast] To shew him his defectivenesse and covetousnesse, Christ, as God, gives him a speciall commandment to sell all, and give it away, and follow him; which he disobeying, brake the first commandment, and so kept not the whole law.
thou shalt have treasure in heaven] Thou shalt not lose by parting with thy goods at my command, but gain much; for, in stead of transitory riches, thou shalt receive an everlasting treasure.
follow me] Be my disciple, and abide with me, that I mayfit thee for the ministery of the Gospel, and employ thee in it. See chap. 4. 19.
V. 22. he went away sorrowfull] It troubled him much that he had moved the question, not finding Christs answer correspondent to his own expectation and desire.
for he had great possessions] It may be he could have parted with some small matter for Christ, but was loth to leave so great an estate for him.
V. 23. to his disciples] Not that they were rich, and so in danger of losing heaven thereby; but, that they should not be offended in after-times, if they could not bring rich men to God by their ministery, 1 Cor. 1. 26. nor should attain to riches themselves.
a rich man shall hardly enter, &c.] Rich men have need of a singular gift of God, to escape out of the snares of Satan; for it is hard for them not to trust in riches, Mark 10. 24. and the desire of raising their estates, exposeth them to many grievous evils and inconveniences, as well spirituall as corporall, 1 Tim. 6. 9, 10.
V. 24. It is easier] Word for word, It is lesse difficult.
for a camel] Theophylact noteth, that by this word is meant, a cable-rope: but Cavinius alleadgeth out of the Talmudists, that it is a proverb, and the word camel signifieth the beast it self. An hyperbolicall speech, as Jer. 13. 23.
V. 25. they were exceedingly amazed] Because they perceived the way to heaven was harder then they thought it to be before.
Who then can be saved?] What rich man can be saved? Or, What man at all? for all men have a desire to be rich, and an unwillingnesse naturally to leave all, though they have but little.
V. 26. Jesus beheld them] As taking notice that he knew their thoughts: for the disciples did not speak out, but whispered among themselves, Mark 10. 26.
with God all things are possible] Be not troubled at what I said; for God can and will save some rich men, notwithstanding their backwardnesse.
V. 27. Then answered Peter] Mark 10. 28. Luke 18. 28.
we have forsaken all] We were not commanded to sell all; and if we had sold our cottages, Where should our wives and children abide? our boats others may have part in, and other possessions we have not. Though we have not sold these, nor given all to the poor, yet we have left all, in regard of any fruit or benefit from it.
V. 28. in the regeneration] Ye have followed me in preaching the Gospel, whereby the world is renewed. Or, in the time when your bodies shall be raised again, and all things shall be restored again, Acts 3. 21. ye shall sit, &c.
when the Son of man, &c.] Though your reward be not in this world, ye shall be sure of it in the world to come, chap. 16. 27.
ye also shall sit] Luke 22. 30. Ye shall have a more speciall honour then other of Gods people.
judging the twelve tribes] By your doctrine: or, by attending on me in an especiall manner, and approving my judgement. This is more then is said of the Ninevites, chap. 12. 41.
V. 29. every one] Not ye apostles alone, but all others. No man shall lose by obeying me.
for my Names sake] See on chap. 5. 11.
an hundred fold] In worldly goods, Mark 10. 30. or, in spirituall grace, and content, which are far better.
V. 30. But many that are first] Chap. 20. 16. Mark 10. 31. Luke 13. 30. The Gentiles, whom the Jews now set light by, shall be preferred before them; and, among those again, some that, in regard of former bad and base life, now truely repented of, are basely accounted of, shall be preferred before some others, that make great shews outwardly, as if they needed no repentance, but are inwardly unsound, Luke 13. 28-30. and 7. 29, 30. and 18. 9, 14. Chap. 8. 11, 12. and 21. 31, 32. Or, many of highest here, shall be shut out of heaven, as the Pharisees, chap. 5. 20. when despised ones, as you, shall be saved. Or, the last converted shall be rewarded as much as the first, chap. 20. 1, 16.