Annotations Upon the New Testament, Matthew · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Verse 1. HEre is a proposition whereby hee farther condemneth the malice of the Pharisees;Vestis nuptialis Christus est, qui & sponsus & cibus etiam est in his nuptiis. Christū autem induimus tum fide ejus meritum apprehendendo, ut nuditas nostra coram Dei judicio ipsius justitia tanquam pretiosa veste tegatur, Gal. 3.26, 27. tum sanctae vitae conversatione, qua ipsius vestigiis insistimus, cum Christus non solum nobis datus sit in donum, sed etiam propositus in exemplum. Gerhardus. the summe of the proposition is the same with that which was laid downe before, Chap. 20. that many are called, and few chosen, as is concluded in the 14 vers. He illustrates this proposition by a similitude or parable, the sence of which in briefe is this.
The kingdome of heaven] That is, the state of the Church. A King] that is, God the Father, so called to declare his divine Majestie, and to set forth the magnificence of the Feast. His Sonne] that is, Christ. The wedding Feast] the glorious excellencies God tenders in the Gospel-ordinances. The wedding garment put on] by faith, including in it conversion. The Bride or Spouse] the Church. The Guests] Jewes and Gentiles. First servants sent to invite] the Prophets. The second] the Apostles. The Marriage] eternall life, or the Kingdome of Heaven.
Under this parable is threatned the Jewes destruction. Chrysost. Calv. The Jewes have the honour to be first called.
This inviting to the Marriage feast, signifieth our inviting to partake of Christ and his benefits in the Gospel. See Esay 25.8.9. and Prov. 9. beg. Because in a Feast there is first plentie, secondly of dainties. The Lord provides dainties for the soules of his people in the preaching of the Gospel, 1 the dishes the love of God & his free grace and mercy, the body and blood of Christ with the merit of it. 2. The spirit of God in all the gifts and graces of it is there abundantly powred out.
1. This is foode for the soule, will feede the inward man. 2 pleasant foode. 3 will satisfie the soule and answer all the desires of it. Esay 55. because it puts it into the possession of that which is its most sutable good. 4 It is medicine for the soule. Revel. 22.5. The refusers are such as come not to Gods Ordinances at all, or doe not at all accept of Christ. The man without a wedding garment is one that comes carelesly and unduly to these ordinances and so does not in deede and truth partake of Christ which will breede life in a dead soule, Iohn 5.25. It will nourish the soule up to everlasting life. Iohn 6.31. to the end.
2. To a Feast there is required not onelyonly good fare, but good company; a voluptuous Roman said he did often eate good meate alone, but he never feasted but in good company. Heb. 12. All the Saints here and the blessed Trinity eate and drinke with them.
Thirdly, Heartie welcome from the Feastmaker. Prov. 23.1. Cant. 5.1.
Fourthly, All is free cost. Esay 55.1, 2.
Fifthly, The continuance of this Feast, all the dayes of their life, especially the great standing dishes, faith in the blood of Christ and communion with God.
Vers. 2. The Kingdome of Heaven] That is, the Heavenly, by an Hebrew phrase, viz. Because it hath a heavenly King, Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father in heaven; heavenly law, a doctrine brought from the bosome of the Heavenly Father; the citizens of this kingdome seeke heavenly things, and their conversation is in heaven, Phil. 3.20. Col. 3… 1. God reignes in them after a heavenly manner; the promises given to them are heavenly.
foreign hic sunt non ipsum matrimonium, ut vertit Syrus, quod mox dicitur prandium, alibi coena: ut & coenum nuptialem Plautus dixit, quomodo & nuptiarum vox Terentio atque aliis usurpatur. Grotius.Marriage] It is prepared in this life, consummate in the life to come.
Trinae vocationi opponit Christus tria eorum genera qui vocationi non responderunt, nec in nuptiali convivio comparuerunt; Prima classis complectitur nolentes, secunda negligentes, tertia persequentes. Gerhardus.Vers. 3. His servants] The Prophets to call] preach or prophesie; them] the Jewes.
Vers. 4. Other servants] Evangelists, Apostles, they had a larger promise. Dinner] Knowledge of God, and forgivenesse of sinnes. Oxen] Strong Fathers of the Old Testament. Fatlings] The sweet Gospel. Killed] The Greeke word here is commonly used in Sacrifices, and is by translation used for other feasts also: for feasts and banquets were wont to begin with Sacrifices
Not come] Cal'd by Preaching to sorrow, obedience.
The marriage] Gregory applyes it to Christs incarnation, but it is a spiritual conjunction with Christ. Hilary, Calvin. Being invited, they are guests, being come, they are brides.
Vers. 6. And intreated them spitefully] As Peter, and Iohn, and Paul, severall times. And slew them] As Stephen, and both the Iames.
Vers. 7. Sent forth his armies] The Romans who spoyled Jerusalem, they were the executioners of Gods wrath, therefore called his Armies.
Vers. 8. Servants] Apostles, Disciples, Ministers. Ephes. 4.
They which were bidden were not worthy] The Jewes unworthiness was the cause of our graffing in. Rom. 11. Acts 13.46.
Vers. 9. High wayes] The Gentiles called by the Apostles, faeces populi. Cartw. See 1 Cor. 1.22, 23.
Vers. 10. And gathered all as many as they found] The Twelve Apostles were scattered in all Countries, and gathered together all as many as they found, the Gentiles came willingly, first, in that they withstood hindrances and dangers; secondly, they came by troopes, as in the Acts.
Vers. 11. The King] In respect 1. of his Power, Ier. 10.7. 2 his Majesty, 3. his Dominion. King in Heaven in respect of his Glory, in earth in respect of his Grace, in hell in respect of his Justice. Man] taken collectively for all. Origen in loc.
Vestis haec est ambulatio digna vocatione Ephes. 4.1. Opera quae ratam efficiunt vocationem. 2 Pet. 1.10. Grotius.A wedding garment] Righteousnesse imputed and inherent. Revel. 19.7, 8.
Vers. 12. First, the examination, Friend; secondly, the conviction, from his owne mouth, qui tacet consentire videtur; hence we may inferre, that the wicked shall be speechlesse and have nothing to say at the last day; thirdly, the verdict, ver. 13. this punishment is hell-fire.
Vers. 13. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth] Weeping is the expression of sorrow, and sorrow cooles the heart, and cold makes the teeth to chatter.
Vers. 14. Few are chosen] This is the application of the Parable, few of those that are called and invited by the Ministrie are chosen.
Snare him] in words or talke, the greek word is derived of snares which hunters lay for wild beasts.Vers. 15. Then went the Pharisees and tooke counsell, &c.] There was a great question then amongst the Jewes concerning Tribute, for when as the Romans had translated to them the tribute, which God in the Law of Moses commanded to be paid to himselfe, the Jewes were offended, therefore the Pharisees devise this subtilty to catch Christ by; so that he should insnare himselfe which way soever he should answer; if he should denie to pay it, he should be guiltie of sedition, but if he should grant it to be due, hee shall be accounted as an enemie to his owne nation, and a betrayer of the liberty of their Country.
Vers. 16. True] That is, a faithfull interpreter of God.
In truth] Without any corruption.
Vers. 17. To give Tribute] The word here used signifieth a valuing and rating of mans substance according to the proportion whereof they paid tribute in these provinces which were subject to tribute.
foreign, vt docet Aristoteles, & nomen suum & vim ipsam habet foreign. Hinc Majestatis criminibus accensetur nummos corrumpere. Nummos autem imperantium vultu ac nomine signari Persicum creditur esse institutum unde: Daricorum nomen. Grotius.Vers. 20. Whose is this image and superscription] The Roman Caesars imprinted their image upon their gold and silver too. As to make lawes, so to coyne money is a signe of the chiefest dominion. The very money having its valew from Caesars edict, and bearing his name and image, did witnesse that he bore the chiefest rule over the Jewes, and that they acknowledged in their money.
Vers. 21. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars] The money declared the subejection of their nation, as if hee should have said, if you think it absurd to pay tribute, be not subject to the Roman Empire, but the monie declareth that Caesar reigneth over you, and your owne secret allowance declareth, that the libertie which you pretend is lost and taken away. It is observable in this place, the article is twice repeated in the Greeke text when he speakes of God more than when he speakes of Caesar, Fundamentum opinionis Sadducaicae fuit nullam substantiam esse extra Deum praeterres sensiles. Clarè id nos docet Lucas. Act. 23.8. ubi voce Spiritus intelligendus divinus ille afflatus quo Prophetas à Deo impulsas recte credebant Pharisaei. Saedducaei qui prophetica scripta non recipiebant (nisi forte tanquam humanae sapientiae opera) nullam, ut videtur, admiserunt revelationem divinam, nisi per vocem, quomodo lex erat tradita: cui soli obedientiam praestasse Sadducaeos apparet. Grotius.shewing that our speciall care should be to give God his due.
Vers. 23. The Sadduces] Some derive the word from Sedek, justitia, justitiaries, such as would justifie themselves before Gods tribunall; others from Sadoc the first author of the heresie, as the Arrians from Arrius; they said there were no spirits, neither Angels nor humane soules separated from the body, Luke 20.27. Acts 23.8. The Sadduces (say some) *Piscator, Maldonate.rejected the Prophets and all other Scripture, save onelyonly the five bookes of Moses, therefore our Saviour here confuting their error, concerning the resurrection of the dead, proves it not out of the Prophets, but out of Exod. 3.6. But this of their rejecting all save the five bookes of Moses is denied by other aDe eo quod dicuntur negasse Spiritus, non disputo. Sane ut multi putant, sic sequeretur eos negasse Legem Mosaicam, quae variis in locis Angelorum mentionem facit; praeterea certum est eos non negasse librorum propheticorum autoritatem ut ex Talmude liquet. Menasseh Ben Jsrael de resurrectione mortuorum. c. 6. vide Horringeri Thesaurum Philologicum. l. 1. c. 1. Sect. 5.learned men.
Vers. 32. God is not the God of the dead but of the living] Our Saviour Christ denieth not but that the godly departed are dead,See Heb. 11.16. for so he himselfe calleth them in the verse before, and it is of necessity that either they bee dead or translated, onelyonly hee denieth them to bee dead in the sense of the Sadduces,Cartw. confut. of the Rhemists. which esteemed that there was no other life after this, but that death made a man equall with a beast. As if should say, God is not the God of such dead, as you surmise shall never rise againe: but because they are intended to rise againe, God is their God.
Among all the arguments brought to prove the immortalitie of the Soule, none seemes fitter to me to move mens mindes (saith Grotius) than that which Clement the Bishop of Rome was wont to urge, having received it from Peter the Apostle, If God be just, the soule is immortall, a like speech to which Paul hath 1 Cor. 15.19. for if we make any difference of things well or ill done, if we acknowledge a divine providence and justice, which the Sadduces durst not denie, for wee see it is worse with many good men here than with the wicked, it followes there will be another judgement, and therefore that also which may receive a reward or punishment. This also proves the resurrection of the bodies as Grotius further sheweth.
Vers. 34. Put the Sadduces to silence] The word is remarkable, it is foreign,Bishop Lake. See Beza on vers. 12. he bridled their mouthes, which is a phrase borrowed from fierce and stomachfull horses which are impatient of the rider, yet are they held in by a strong bit, and so subjected to the will of the rider by force, not out of their owne tractablenesse. Psal. 32.9.
Vers. 35. Then one of them which was a Lawyer asked him a question] As many plotted the question, so there was but one that did propose it.Vnus à caeteris subornatus. Emi serunt unum, ut si vincat ille omnes victores habeantur, si vincatur solus erubescat. Brugensis. Chrysostome and others of the Fathers observe a policie therein; For the Pharisees had reason to doubt of the successe upon their former proofe, therfore they handle the matter so that but one should speak, and if he prevailed they would all triumph, because he was of their Sect, but if he were foiled, then they would put it off and say it was but his private conceit. Bish. Lake.
Vers. 30. The great Commandement] Great for greatest, for the Hebrewes have not superlatives. Marke calleth it primum omnium, the chiefest of the Commandements. Hee askes (saith Chrysostome) about the greatest Commandement, which had not fulfilled the least.
Vers. 37. All thy heart] Not that fleshie part of the body, but the will, the commaning elective facultie and the directive the minde or understanding, with all thy heart, soule, mind,] that is, with thy will, with thy affection, with thy understanding, All the heart is the same with a pure heart. 1 Tim. 1.5. as we say in Latine, Totus in hoc sum.
Strength] Not that which thou hast, but which God at first gave thee. Supervacua illorum diligentia qui foreign nimium subtiliter hic distinguunt, cum vocum multarum cumulatio nihil aliud quam intensius studium designet: sicut ut & Latini dicunt, corde, animo, atque viribus, ut ab alijs est annotatum. Itaque eodem sensu quae hic habemus, terna modo, modo singula, modo bina reperias. Singula 1 Reg. 14.8. 1 Sam. 7.3. 2 Reg. 10.31. Psal. 119.2. Bina Deut. 4.29. 2 Pat. 15.12. 2 Reg. 23.3. Grotius.Soule] 1. Concupiscible faculty whereby the soule pursues after a thing, and minde] the irascible whereby it incounters with that which hinders it in its pursuite.
Moses Deut. 6. and out of him Mark. 12. and Luke 10. adde a fourth, which is strength. Bernard thinkes that these 3. words, heart, soule, and minde, were intimated in Christs question tripled to Peter, lovest thou mee, affectuosè, prudenter, fortiter.
Perkins First] In dignity, because it commands us things concerning God. 2. In order of nature, because the love of our neighbour flowes from the love of God. Piscat.Vers. 38. This is the first] viz. In nature and order.
And great Commandement] viz. In excellency and dignity. Great] Because the true understanding and use thereof is of great importance. 2. Because it is one of the hardest to be kept.
Vers. 39. Our Saviour answereth ex abundanti, first tels him of the love of God, & then addeth the love to his neighbour. He saith it is like to the first, yet so as it yeelds to it in dignity. 1. In the efficient cause, God that hath commanded thee to love himselfe, commands also this love of another as thy selfe. 2. In the matter, it is love that is required in both. 3. In the quality if it be sincere and unfeigned, even as we do our selves. 4. In the generality of it, containeth all those offices that belong to our neighbour. 5. In the end, *See 1 John 4.20. Like the first, 1. in objecto, for man in his neighbour must love nothing but God. 2. In subjecto, for this love must take up all the powers of man, as the love of God did, though with subordination. 3. In fructu, for it bringeth forth all the dutyes of the second Table, as the love of God did the dutyes of the first. 4. In duratione, it is everlasting.for as God is the scope of the Law in the first Table, so man is to be loved for God, and in reference to him. 6. In time, they shall alwayes indure. 7. In necessity, as a man cannot be saved without this, so neither without the love of our neighbour. 8. In difficultie, in the spirituall amplitude of it.
Vers. 40. Hang] It seemes to be a metaphor (saith de Dieu) from things hung up, which sticke in that thing to which they are hung, till they be taken away, and there have their firmnesse and consistence, which metaphor is in Esay. 22.24. In those two commandements, the whole Law and Prophets have a firmnesse and consistence, are hanged on them and sticke in them, that they cannot thence be severed. See Grotius.