Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Verse 3. Our daily bread]
OUr super-substantiall bread: so Erasmus rendreth it, and interpretethforeign. it of Christ: for he thought that in so heavenly a prayer, there should have been no mention of earthly things; wherein he was greatly deceived. For temporals also must be pray'd for.
Verse 4. For we … forgive]
So that our forgiving of others seemeth for Gods promise sake, to be as it were the intervenient cause, or the sine Qua non of Gods forgiving us, saith learned Beza.
And lead us not, &c.]
One argument that we shall persevere, is, the prayers of the whole Church, offering up this daily sacrifice Lead us not, &c.
Verse 8. Because of his importunity]
Gr. His impudency: Aforeign. metaphor from beggars, that will not be said; but are impudently importunate.
Verse 9. Ask and it shalbe given]
Ask, seek, knock. It is not a simple repetition of the same thing, but an emphaticall gradation, and shewes instantissimam necessitatem, saith Augustine. Nec dicitur quid dabitur, saith he, to shew that the gift is a thing supra … nomen, above all name.
Verse 11. For every one, &c.]
Sozomen saith of Apollonius, that he never asked any thing of God that he obtained not. Hic homo potuit apud Deum quod voluit, said one concerning Luther. He could have what he would of God.
Verse 14. And it was dumb]
So it was a double miracle: Gods favours seldome come single: there is a series, a concatenation of them, and every former drawes on a future.
Verse 21. When a strong man armed]
Qui se dedebant, arma tradebant. Caesar de bell. Gall. lib. 3. They that yeilded threw down their arms.
Verse 24. Seeking rest]
His only rest is to molest and mischeif men.
Verse 26. Seven other spirits]
As the Jaylour layes load of iron on him that had escaped. None are worse then those that have been good, and are naught: and might be good, but will be naught.
Verse 28. Yea rather blessed]
His disciples were more blessed in hearing Christ, then his mother in bearing him.
Verse 29. Were gathered thick together]
All on a heape,foreign either to see a signe, or to heare what hee would say to the motion.
Verse 33. No man when he hath lighted, &c.]
Our Saviour here warneth those that had given some good hope of their Repentance, that they cherish their light, and walke by it.
Verse 34. When thine eye is single]
A single eye, is that that looks on God singly, abstracted from all other things.
Verse 37. Sate down to meat]
And yet, at their own tables, he sets the Pharisees forth in their colours, and entertaineth them with as many menaces as they do him with messes of meat.
Verse 38. That he had not washed]
This the Pharisees deemed…. Antiq. Heb. 49. as great a sin as to commit fornication.
Verse 41. But rather give almes]
So Daniel counsels …, Chap. 4. 27.
Of such things as ye have]
Gr. As are within: either withinforeign the platter (send morsels to the hungry) or within your hearts: for riches get within their owners many times, and do more possesse them, then are possessed by them;
—difficile est opibus non tradere mentem.
Verse 42. But woe unto you]
Notwithstanding your tything of pot-herbs; wherein you think you take course that all things may be clean to you, vers. 41. Or woe unto you, for that through covetousnesse you exact the utmost of your tithes, &c. So some sense this text.
Verse 44. For ye are as graves]
As the deep grave keeps the stinking carkasse from offending any ones smell: so doth the dissembling hypocrite so cleanly carry the matter that hardly the sharpest nose, &c.
Verse 45. Thou reproachest us also]
Who meddled with them but that their own consciences accused them? It is a rule of Jerome, Ubi generalis de vitiis disputatio est, ibi nullius personae est injuria: neque carbone notatur quisquam, quasi malus sit, sed omnes admonentur ne sint mali. Where the discourse is of all, there's no personall intimation of any.
Verse 48. And ye build their Sepulchers]
And so ye set up the trophies of your fathers cruelty.
Verse 49. Therefore also said the wisdome of God]
That is, Christ himself, the essentiall wisdome of his Father, Matthew 23. 34.
Verse 52. Woe unto you Lawyers]
I see well, said Father Latimer, Acts. and Mon. fol. 1590.that whosoever will be busy with Vaevobis, he shall shortly after come coram nobis, as Christ did.
For ye have taken away the key of knowledge]
By taking away the Scriptures, and all good meanes of knowledge: as do also the Jesuites at this day. At Dole, an University in Burgundy, they have not only debarred the people of the Protestant books, but especially also forbid them to talk of God, either in good sort or bad. In Italy they not only prohibit the books of the Reformed writers, but also hide their own Treatises, in which the Tenet of the Protestants is recited, only to be confuted: so that you shall seldome there meet with Bellarmines works, or any of the like nature to be sold.
Verse 53. To urge him vehemently]
Out of deep displeasureforeign to bear an aking tooth towards him (as Herodias did toward the Baptist, Mark 6. 19.) waiting him a shrewd turn.
And to provoke him to speake]
Not to stop his mouth about many things, as the Rhemists falsly render it. They asked him captiousforeign questions, to make him an offendour for a word, Isaiah 29. 21.