25 For 1 whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 1 John xii. 25. Est. iv. 14. 2 Psa. xlix. 7, 8. lay down his life also, if required. ¶ Take up his cross. See Note, Matt. x. 38. 25. Whosoever will save his life, &c. See Note, Matt. x. 39. 26. For what is a man profited, &c. To gain the whole world means to possess it as our own-all its riches, honours, and pleasures. To lose his own soul means to be cast away, to be shut out from heaven, to be sent to hell. Two things are implied by Christ in these questions: 1. That they who are striving to gain the world, and are unwilling to give it up for the sake of religion, will lose their souls; and, 2. That if the soul is lost, nothing can be given in exchange for it, nor can it ever afterwards be saved. There is no redemption in hell. 27. For the Son of man, &c. That is, the Lord Jesus Christ shall return to judge the world. He will come in glory -the glory of his Father-the majesty with which God is accustomed to appear, and which befits God. He will be attended by angels. He will judge all men. Reward. The word reward means recompense, or do justice to. He will deal with them according to their character. The righteous he will reward in heaven, with glory and happiness. The wicked he will send to hell, as a reward or recompense for their evil works. This fact, that he will come to judgment, he gives as a reason why we should be willing to deny ourselves and follow him. Even though now this should be attended with contempt and suffering, yet then he will reward his followers for all their shame and sorrows, and receive them to his kingdom. Christ adds, Mark viii. 38, that if we are ashamed of him here, he will be ashamed of us there. That is, if we reject and disown him here, he will reject and disown us there. 28. Verily I say unto you, &c. To en courage the disciples, he assured them that though his kingdom was now obscure and 27 For 3 the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I 3 Dan. vii. 9, 10. 4 Rev. xxii. 12. say unto you, There Zech. xiv. 5. Jude 14. despised-though he was cast out and little known-yet the time was near when he should be regarded in a different manner, and his kingdom should be established with great power. This cannot refer to the end of the world, and there is no need of referring it to the destruction of Jerusalem. Taste of death. That is, die. Before they die they shall see this. Son of man coming in his kingdom. Mark and Luke have explained this. Mark, ix. 1: "Until they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Luke, ix. 27: "Till they see the kingdom of God." The meaning evidently is, till they should see my kingdom, i. e. my church, now small, feeble, and despised, greatly enlarged, established, and spreading with great rapidity and extent. All this was accomplished. All these apostles, except Judas, lived to see the wonders of the day of Pentecost; some of them, John particularly, saw the jewish nation scattered, the temple destroyed, the gospel established in Asia, Rome, Greece, and in a large part of the known world. REMARKS. I. Men will often judge far more correctly about natural than spiritual things. Ver. 1-3. About natural objects they are watchful. In them they feel a deep interest. And they watch for every sign that may affect their interest. They are too much concerned to judge falsely. But they feel no such interest in religious things. Hence it happens that men who have good sense, and much wisdom in regard to worldly concerns, are exceedingly foolish in regard to religion. They often believe reports respecting religion, revivals, and missions, which they would despise on any other subject. They read and believe newspapers and other publications, which they would hold in contempt on any other topic but religion. II. It is of importance to watch the 1 be some standing here, which see the Son of man coming in his shall not taste of death, till they kingdom.3 2 1 Mark ix. i. 2 Heb. ii. 9. signs of the times. Ver. 3. In the days of Christ, it was the duty of the people to look at the evidence that he was the Messiah. That evidence was plain. It is also important to look at the signs of the times in which we live. They are clear also. Much is doing; and the spread of the Bible, the labours among the heathen, the distribution of tracts, and perhaps above all, the institution of sabbath schoolsall betoken an eventful age, and are an indication that brighter days are about to dawn on the world. We should watch these signs that we may rejoice, that we may pray with more fervour, and that we may do our part to advance the kingdom of God. Little children should grow up believing that they live in an important age, that they enjoy many peculiar privileges, and that they may and must do much to spread the gospel through the earth. Even when children, they should pray, and they should give to benefit others; and, most of all, they should give themselves to Christ, that they may benefit others with a right spirit. III. Sinners should be addressed with deep feeling and faithfulness. Mark viii. 12. Jesus sighed deeply. So should we. We should not be harsh, or sour, or without feeling. We should weep over them, and pray for them, and speak to them, not as if we were better than they, but with an earnest desire for their salvation. Compare Acts xx. 31. Phil. iii. 18. IV. Men easily mistake plain instruction. Ver. 7. And especially is this the case where there is any chance of giving a worldly turn to the instruction. If men's thoughts, even those of Christians were more off from the world, and they thought less of the supply of their wants, they would understand the truths of religion much better than they do. No man can understand the doctrines of religion aright, whose principal concern is what he shall eat, and drink, and wear. Hence even Christians are often strangely ignorant of the plainest truths of religion. And hence the importance of teaching those truths to children before their thoughts 3 Ch. x. 23. Luke xxi. 27, 28. become engrossed by the world. And hence, too, the importance of sabbath schools. V. We should not have undue anxiety about the supply of our wants. Christ supplied many thousands by a word, and he can easily supply us. Ver. 9-12. VI. We should learn, from his past goodness, to trust him for the future. Ver. 9-12. VII. We should be on our guard against error. Ver. 11. It is sly, artful, plausible, working secretly, but effectually. We should always be cautious of what we believe, and examine it by the word of God. False doctrines are often made as much like the truth as possible, for the very purpose of deceiving. Satan is transformed into an angel of light. VIII. It is important to ascertain our views of Christ. Ver. 13-15. It is our all. If we do not think and feel right respecting him, we cannot be safe. We should often, then, ask ourselves — we should ask one another what we think of Christ. IX. It is our duty to profess our attachment to Christ. It should be done boldly, and always. Ver. 16. We should never be ashamed of him. And to do this we should always, in our own hearts, believe that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God. X. We should esteem it a great happiness and honour to be enabled thus to show our attachment to him. The world may not honour us, but God will, and will pronounce us blessed. Ver. 17. Ver. XI. God only reveals this to us. 17. This he does by his word and Spirit. We should, then, search the Bible; and we should pray much that God would reveal his Son in us, and enable us boldly to confess him before men. XII. The church is safe. Ver. 18. It may be small, it may be feeble, it may weep much, it may be much opposed and ridiculed, it may have mighty enemies, the rich and the great may set themselves against it, but it is safe. It is founded on a rock. All its enemies shall not overcome it. Jesus has promised it; and in all ages he has shown that he has re CHAPTER XVII. The transfiguration, 1-13. A lunatick healed, 14-21. Christ foretells his sufferings again, 22, 23. The tribute at Capernaum paid, 24. membered his promise. It has not been extinct. It has been persecuted, opposed, ridiculed, and almost driven from the world; but a few have been found who have loved the Lord; and soon the flame has kindled, and the church has shone forth, "fair as the sun, clear as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners." So it is still. Feeble churches may mourn much, anxiety may abound, and the few pious people may weep in secret places, but Jesus hears their groans, and counts their tears, and they and their church are safe. He is their friend, and all the powers of hell shall not prevail against them. XIII. The importance of prudence in delivering truth. Ver. 21. It should be well-timed. It should be when people are prepared to receive it. Especially is this true of young converts. They have need of milk, and not of strong meat. They should not be surprised that many doctrines of the Bible are mysterious now. But they may fully comprehend them hereafter. Peter, a young convert, did not understand the plain doctrine that Jesus must die for sin. Yet it was afterwards clear to him, and most cordially he loved it. XIV. It is highly wicked and improper to attempt to counsel God, or to think that we understand things better than he does. Ver. 22, 23. His plan is the best plan. And though it does not fall in with our views of wisdom, yet we should be still. It is all wise. And though what he does we know not now, yet we shall know hereafter. XV. We see what religion requires. Ver. 24. We must deny ourselves. We must submit to trials. We must do our duty. We must often suffer persecution. We must be, in all places, among all men, and in every employment, Christians. No matter what may happen. Come poverty, disease, persecution, death, it is ours to take up the cross and do our duty. So apostics, and martyrs, and the Saviour himself, have gone before us. And we must follow in their steps. AND 1 after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,2 1 Mark ix. 2-10. Luke ix. 28-36. 22 Pet. i. 18. "Shall I be carried to the skies On flowery beds of ease, While others fought to win the prize, To bear the cross, endure the shame, XVI. How foolish are the men of this world! Ver. 26. In a little time how worthless will be all their wealth! It is gained by anxiety, and toil, and tears. It never satisfies. It harasses them with It smooths no wrinkles on constant care. their brow, alleviates no pain when they are sick, saves no friend from death, gives no consolation in regard to the future, Others and may be left at any moment. will soon possess, and perhaps scatter in dissipation, what they have obtained by so much toil. See Psa. xxxix. 6. And while they scatter or enjoy it, where shall the soul of him be who spent all his probation to obtain it? Alas! lost, lost, lost! --for ever lost! And no wealth, no man, no devil, no angel, can redeem him, or be given for his soul. The harvest will be past, the summer ended, and he not saved. In gaining the world, he gained two things-disappointment and trouble here, and an eternity of woe hereafter. How foolish and wicked is man! XVII. The righteous should rejoice that Jesus will come again to our world. He will reward them. Ver. 27. He will come as their friend, and they shall ascend with him to heaven. XVIII. The wicked should weep and wail that Jesus will come again to our world. He will punish them for their crimes. Ver. 27. They cannot escape. See Rev. i. 7. XIX. It will not be long before he will come. Ver. 28. At any rate, it will not be long before we shall meet him. Death is near. him, and give an account of the deeds done in the body. And then we must stand before CHAPTER XVII. 1-2. See also Mark ix. 2-10. Luke ix. 28-36. 1. And after six days. That is, six 1 2 And was transfigured 1 before them and his face did shine" as 1 Rom. xii. 2. Phil. ii. 6, 7, Greek. 2 Psa. civ. 2. Rev. i. 16. days from the conversation recorded in the last chapter. Luke, ch. ix. 28, says, about an eight days after. Matthew mentions the six days that intervened between the day of the conversation and the transfiguration. Luke includes both those days, and thus reckons eight. Be sides, Luke does not pretend to fix the precise time. In the Greek it is "about eight days after." Taketh Peter, and James, and John. These three disciples were with him also in the garden of Gethsemane. Mark xiv. 33. He designed to fit them, in an eminent degree, for the work of the gospel ministry, by the previous manifestations of his glory, and of his patience in suffering. Into a high mountain apart. That is, apart from the other disciples. It is commonly supposed that this was mount Tabor, a high mountain in Galilee. The name of the mountain is not, however, mentioned in the New Testament. Luke adds, ch. ix. 28, that Jesus went there to pray. Our Saviour prayed much. When he did it, he chose to be alone. For this purpose he often ascended mountains, or went into the deserts. There is something in the solitude and deep and awful stillness of a lofty mountain, favourable to devotion. 2. And was transfigured before them. The word transfigure means to change the appearance, or form. It does not denote the change of the substance of a thing, but simply of its appearance. It puts on a new aspect. What this change was, we are expressly told. 1. His face shone as the sun; that is, with a peculiar brightness. A similar appearance is described respecting Moses when he came down from the mount. Ex. xxxiv. 29-35. See also Heb. i. 3, where Christ is called the brightness of the glory of God;-in the original the splendour, or shining, like the brightness of the sun. 2. The second change was that of his garments. They were white as the light. Mark says, "white as snow, so as no fuller on earth could whiten them." The word fuller means commonly one who dresses cloth, or fulls it, so as to make it more thick and strong. Here it means one who bleaches cloth, or makes it white; one who cleanses gar the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared ments, when by wearing they become soiled. Among the Greeks that was a distinct trade. Luke says, white and glistering; that is, resplendent, shining, or a very bright white. There is no evidence here that what is commonly said of him is true, that his body was so changed as to show what his glorified body is. His body, so far as the sacred writers inform us, underwent no change. All this splendour and glory was a change in appearance only. The scriptures should be taken just as they are, without any attempt to affix a meaning to them which the sacred writers did not intend. Raiment. Clothing. Apparel. John refers to this transfiguration in ch.i. 14; and Peter in his second Epistle, i. 16, 17. 3. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias. Moses, a distinguished servant of God, by whom the law was given, and whose institutions typified the Messiah. It was particularly proper that he should appear, when his prophecies and types were about to be fulfilled, and his rites to be done away. Elias, or Elijah, a distinguished prophet, taken to heaven, without seeing death. See 2 Kings ii. 11. Elijah had been honoured eminently by being thus translated, and still more by being made the model of the forerunner of the Messiah. Mal. iv. 5. Matt. xi. 14. Luke i. 17. They appeared" in glory;" Luke ix. 31, i. e., as they are in heaven-with the glory which the redeemed have there. Talking with him. Luke, ch. ix. 31, informs us that they conversed about his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. To redeemed spirits, that death was an object of intense interest. By faith in that death they had been saved; and now that the Redeemer of mankind was about to die, it is no wonder that this was the burden of his and their thoughts. Luke adds, ch. ix. 32, that Peter and they who were with him were heavy with sleep. It is not improbable that this was in the night; that Jesus was engaged in prayer; and that he had permitted his weary followers to compose themselves to rest. It was after they were awaked unto them Moses and Elias talking | loved Son, in 3 whom I am well with him. that they saw this vision. Probably the sudden splendour, the bright shining, aroused them from sleep. 4. Let us make-three tabernacles. A tabernacle is a tent. It was commonly made by fixing posts into the ground, and stretching on them cloths, fastened by cords. See Notes on Isa. xxxiii. 20. In some instances, they were made of branches of trees: they were a temporary shelter from the sun and rain, not permanent dwellings. Peter was rejoiced at the vision, and desirous of continuing it. He proposed, therefore, that they should prolong this interview, and dwell there. Mark adds, that they knew not what they said, in proposing this. They were frightened, amazed, and rejoiced; and, in the ecstasy of the moment, they proposed to remain there. 5. A bright cloud overshadowed them. The word overshadow here means, rather to be diffused or spread over them. It does not mean that it made a shade. A cloud was a symbol of the divine presence. Thus God went before the Israelites in a cloudy pillar, dark by day, and bright by night, Exod. xiv. 19, 20; he appeared on Mount Sinai in a cloud bright by fire, Exod. xxiv. 15-17; and a cloud, the symbol of the divine presence, called the Shechinah, dwelt continually in the Most Holy place in the temple. 1 Kings viii. 10, 11. Ezek. i. 4; x. 4. When, therefore, the disciples saw this cloud, they were prepared to hear the word of the Lord. This is my beloved Son. This was the voice of God. This was the second time that, in a remarkable manner, pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched 5 them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from 3 Isa. xlii. 1, 21. 4 Deut. xviii. 15, 19. Acts iii. 22, 23. Heb. i. 1, 2; ii. 1-3. 5 Dan. X. 10, 18. Rev. i. 17. God had declared this. See Matt. iii. 17. This was spoken to confirm the disciples; to declare their duty to hear Christ, rather than any other, and to honour him more than Moses and Elijah; and to strengthen their faith in him when they should go forth to preach the gospel, after he was shamefully put to death. After this, it was impossible for them to doubt that he was truly the Son of God. See 2 Pet. i. 17, 18. 6. They fell on their face. They entered into the cloud; or the cloud enveloped them. Luke ix. 34. They were therefore afraid. They were awed at the presence of God; and their fears were removed only by the voice of their beloved Master. No man can see God, and live. And it is only the glory of God, as it shines in the face of Christ, see 2 Cor. iv. 6, that mortals can bear. 9. Tell the vision to no man. This vision was designed particularly to confirm them in the truth that Jesus was the Messiah. While he was with them, it was unnecessary that they should relate what they had seen. When he was crucified, they would need this evidence that he was the Christ. Then they were to use it. There were three witnesses of it, as many as the law required; and the proof that he was the Messiah was clear. Besides, if they had told it then, it would have provoked the Jews, and endangered his life. His time was not yet come. Vision. Sight; appearance. What they had seen on the mount. Charged them. Gave them a commandment. The sole design of this transfiguration |
