shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: 1 Jas. v. 20. 2 Deut. xix. 15. 2 Cor. xiii. 1. have done an injury to the cause of religion. This should not be blazoned abroad. It can do no good. It does injury. It is what the enemies of religion wish. Christ is often wounded in the house of his friends; and religion, as well as an injured brother, often suffers by spreading such faults before the world. Thou hast gained thy brother. To gain means, sometimes, to preserve, or to save, 1 Cor. ix. 19. Here it means, thou hast preserved him, or restored him to be a consistent Christian. Perhaps it may include the idea also, thou hast reconciled him, thou hast gained him as a christian brother. 16. If he will not hear thee, &c. That is, if he spurns or abuses you, or will not be entreated by you, and will not reform. Take one or two more. The design of taking them seems to be, 1. That he might be induced to listen to them. Ver. 17. They should be persons of influence or authority; his personal friends, or those in whom he could put confidence. 2. That they might be witnesses of his conduct before the church. Ver. 17. The law of Moses required two or three witnesses, Deut. xix. 15. John viii. 17. 2 Cor. xiii. 1. but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as 3 Rom. xvi. 17. 1 Cor. v. 3-5. 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14. 4 Ch. xvi. 19. John xx. 23. Acts XV. 23-31. 2 Cor. ii. 10. the first business in the employed discipline. ¶ If he neglect to hear the church let him be, &c. The Jews gave the name Heathen or Gentile to all other nations but themselves. With them they had no religious intercourse or communion. Publican. See Note, Matt. v. 47. Publicans were men of abandoned character, and the Jews would have no intercourse with them. The meaning of this is, cease to have religious intercourse with him, to acknowledge him as a brother. Regard him as obstinate, self-willed, and guilty. It does not mean that we should cease to show kindness to him, and aid him in affliction or trial; for this is required towards all men. But it means that we should disown him as a christian brother, and treat him as we do other men not connected with the church. This should not be done till all these steps are taken. This is the only way of kindness. This is the only way to preserve peace and purity in the church. 18. Whatsoever ye shall bind, &c. See Note, Matt. xvi. 19. These words were spoken to the apostles. Christ had used the same words to Peter. He used them here to signify that the disciples all had the same power; that in ordering the affairs of the church he did not intend to give Peter any supremacy, or any exclusive power to regulate it. The meaning of this verse is, whatever you shall do in the discipline of the church shall be approved by God, or bound in heaven. This promise, therefore, cannot be understood as extending to all Christians or ministers; for all others but the apostles may err. 17. Tell it to the church. See Note, Matt. xvi. 18. The church may here mean the whole assembly of believers; or it may mean those who are authorized to try such cases, the representatives of the church, or those who act for them. In the jewish synagogue there was a bench of elders, before whom trials of this kind were brought. It was to be brought to the church, in order that the offender might be admonished, entreated, and, if possible, 19. Again I say unto you, if two of reformed. This was, and is always to be, &c. This is connected with the pre vious verses. The connexion is this: The obstinate man is to be excluded from the church. Ver. 17. The care of the church-the power of admitting or excluding members-of organizing and establishing it is committed to you, the apostles. Ver. 18. Yet there is not need of the whole to give validity to the transaction. When two of you agree or have the same mind, feelings, and opinion, about the arrangement of affairs in the church, or about things desired for its welfare, and shall ask of God it shall be done for them. See Acts i. 14-26; xv. 1-29. The promise here has respect to the apostles in organizing the church. It cannot, with any propriety, be applied to the ordinary prayers of believers. Other promises are made to them, and it is true that the prayer of faith will be answered; but that is not the truth taught here. Forgive him? To forgive is to treat as though the offence was not committed to declare that we will not harbour malice, or treat unkindly, but that the matter shall be buried and forgotten. ¶ Till seven times? The Jews taught that a man was to forgive another three times, but not the fourth. Peter more than doubled this, and asked whether forgiveness was to be exercised to so great an extent. ¶Till seventy times seven. The meaning is that we are not to limit 20. For where two or three, &c. This our forgiveness to any fixed number of is a general assertion, made to support times. See Gen. iv. 24. As often as a the particular promise to the apostles. brother injures us, and asks forgiveness, Ver. 19. He affirms that wherever two we are to forgive him. It is his duty to or three are assembled together, in his ask forgiveness. Luke xvii. 4. If he does name, he is in the midst of them. In this, it is our duty to declare that we my name. That is, 1. By my authority, forgive him, and to treat him accordingacting for me in my church. See John ly. If he does not ask us to forgive him, x. 25; xvi. 23. 2. It may mean for my yet we are not at liberty to follow him service, in the place of prayer and praise with revenge and malice, but are still to assembled in obedience to my command, treat him kindly, and to do him good. and with a desire to promote my glory. Luke x. 30-37. There am I in the midst of them. Nothing could more clearly prove that Jesus must be everywhere present, and of course be God. Every day, perhaps every hour, two or three, or many more, may be assembled in cities, or villages in England, in America, in Greenland, in Africa, in Ceylon, in the Sandwich Islands, in Russia, and in Judea-in almost every part of the world-and in the midst of them all is Jesus, the Saviour. Millions that at the same time, in every quarter of the globe, worship in his name, and ex 23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened, &c. This phrase has reference to the church, or to the way in which God will deal with his people. It shall be in my church as it was with a certain king; or God will deal with the members of his church as a certain king did with his servants. See Note, Matt. iii. 2. This parable, see Matt. xiii. 3, is related to show the duty of forgiving others. It is not necessary to suppose that it was a true narrative, but only that it illustrated the truth which he was teaching. At the of heaven likened unto a certain | ing, Lord, have patience with me, king, which would take account of and I will pay thee all. his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand 2 talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, 5 and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellow-servant fell 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, say-down at his feet, and besought him, 4 1 Rom. xiv. 12. 2 A talent is 750 ounces of silver, which, at 58. the ounce, is £187 108. 22 Kin. iv. 1. Isa. 1. 1. 4 Or, besought him. same time it may be true that such an occurrence really took place. Would take account of his servants. To take account means to reckon, to settle up the affairs. Servants here means, probably, petty princes, or, more likely, collectors of the revenue, or taxes. Among the ancients, kings often farmed out, or sold for a certain sum, the taxes of a particular province. Thus, when Judea was subject to Egypt, or Rome, the kings frequently sold to the high priest the taxes to be raised from Judea, on condition of a much smaller sum being paid to them. This secured to them a certain sum, but it gave occasion to much oppression in the collection of the taxes. It is probable that some such persons are intended by the word servants. 24. Ten thousand talents. A talent was a sum of money, or weight of silver or gold, amounting to three thousand shekels. A silver shekel was worth, after the captivity, a little more than two shillings and threepence. A talent of silver was worth upwards of three hundred and forty-two pounds; of gold, five thousand, four hundred and seventy-five pounds. If these were silver talents, as is probable, then the sum owed by the servant was more than three millions sterling; a sum which proves that he was not a domestic, but some tributary prince. The sum is used to show that the debt was immensely large, and that our sins are so great that they cannot be estimated or numbered. Compare Job xxii. 5. 5 Psa. lxxviii. 38. Ch. xx. 2. The Roman penny is the eighth part of an ounce, which, at 58 the ounce, is sevenpence-half penny. 25. His lord commanded him to be sold, &c. By the laws of the Hebrews, they were permitted to sell debtors, with their wives and children, into servitude for a time sufficient to pay the debt. See Lev. xxv. 39-46. 2 Kings iv. 1. Amos viii. 6. 26. The servant fell down and worshipped him. This does not mean that he paid him religious homage, but that in an humble, and reverent, and earnest manner, he entreated him to have patience with him. He prostrated himself before his lord, as is customary in all eastern nations, when subjects are in the presence of their king. See Note, Matt. ii, 2. 27. The lord of that servant was moved with compassion, &c. He had pity on him. He saw his distressed condition. He pitied his family. He forgave him the whole debt. This represents the mercy of God to men. They had sinned. They owed to God more than could be paid. They were about to be cast off. But God has mercy on them, and in connexion with their prayers forgives them. We are not to interpret the circumstances of a parable too strictly. The verse about selling the wife and children is not to be taken literally, as if God was about to punish them for the sins of the father; but it is a circumstance thrown in to keep up the story; to make it consistent; to explain why the servant was so anxious to obtain a delay of the time of payment. 28, 29. He found a fellow-servant who owed him an hundred pence. The penny 1 saying, Have patience with me, I thou wicked servant, I forgave and I will pay thee all. thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then this lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O 1 Ver. 26. was a Roman coin, worth about seven pence halfpenny of our money. Consequently, this debt was about three guineas -a very small sum compared with what had been forgiven to the first servant. Perhaps our Saviour, by this, meant to teach that the offences which our fellow men commit against us are very small and insignificant, compared with our offences against God. Since God has forgiven us so much, we ought to forgive each other the small offences which are committed. Took him by the throat. Took him in a violent and rough manner, half choked or throttled him. This was the more criminal and base, as he had himself been so kindly treated, and dealt so mildly with, by his lord. Besought. Entreated, pleaded with him. 31. So when his fellow-servants, &c. This is a mere circumstance thrown into the story for the sake of keeping, or making a consistent narrative. It cannot be intended to teach that other Christians should go and tell God what a brother had done; for God well knows all the actions of his children, and does not need us, surely, to inform him of what is done. It is abusing the Bible, and departing from the design of parables, to press every circumstance, and to endeavour to extract from it some spiritual meaning. Our Saviour, in this parable, designed most clearly to exhibit only one great truth-the duty of forgiving our brethren, and the great evil of not forgiving a brother when he offends us. The circumstances of the parable are intended only to make the story consistent with itself, and thus to impress the general truth more fully on the mind. 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-ser vant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So 3 likewise shall my hea 2 Luke xix. 22. 3 Ch. vi. 12. Prov. xxi. 13. Jas. ii. 13. ors. 34. Delivered him to the tormentors. The word tormentors, here, probably means keepers of the prison. Torments were inflicted on criminals, not on debtThese torments were stretching the limbs, or pinching the flesh, or taking out the eyes, or taking off the skin while alive, &c. It is not probable that any thing of this kind is intended, but only that the servant was punished by imprisonment till the debt should be paid. 35. So likewise, &c. This verse contains the sum or moral of the parable. When Christ has explained one of his own parables, we are to receive it just as he has explained it, and not attempt to draw spiritual instruction from any parts or circumstances which he has not explained. The following seem to be the particulars of the general truth which he meant to teach: 1. That our sins are great. 2. That God freely forgives them. 3. That the offences committed against us by our brethren are comparatively small. 4. That we should, therefore, most freely forgive them. 5. That if we do not, God will be justly angry with us, and punish us. From your hearts. That is, not merely in words, but really and truly to feel and act towards him as if he had not offended us. Trespasses. Offences, injur es. Remarks and actions designed to do us wrong. REMARKS. I. We see that it is possible to make a profession of religion an occasion of ambition. Ver. 1. The apostles at first sought honour, and expected office in consequenc of following Christ. So thousands have done since. Religion, venly Father do also unto you, if every one his brother their tresye from your hearts forgive not passes. notwithstanding all the opposition it has met with, really commands the confidence of mankind. To make a profession of it may be a way of access to that confidence. And thousands, it is to be feared, even yet enter the church merely to obtain some worldly benefit. Especially does this danger beset ministers of the gospel. There are few paths to the confidence of mankind so easily trod, as to enter the ministry. Every minister, of course, if at all worthy of his office, has access to the confidence of multitudes, and is never despised but by the worst and lowest of mankind. No way is so easy to step at once to public confidence. Other men toil long to establish influence by personal character. The minister has it by virtue of his office. Those who now enter the ministry are tempted far more in this respect than were the apostles; and how should they search their own hearts, to see that no such abominable motive has induced them to seek that office! II. It is consummate wickedness thus to prostrate the most sacred of all offices to the worst of purposes. The apostles, at this time, were ignorant. They expected such a kingdom as it might have been right to seek distinction in. But we labour under no such ignorance. We know that Christ's kingdom is not of this world, and woe to the man that acts as though it were. Deep and awful must be the lot of him who thus seeks the honours of the world, while he is professedly following the meek and lowly Jesus. III. Humility is indispensable to religion. Ver. 3. No man, who is not humble, can possibly be a Christian. He must be willing to esteem himself as he is, and to have others esteem him so also. This is humility. And humility is lovely. It is not meanness. It is not cowardice. It is not want of just self-esteem. pearances, and to magnify our own importance, and think that the affairs of the universe could not go on without us, and to be indignant when all the world does not bow down to do us homage-this is hypocrisy, as well as wickedness; and there may be, therefore, hypocrites out of the church, as well as in it. IV. Humility is the best evidence of piety. Ver. 4. The most humble man is the most eminent Christian. He is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. The effect of sin is to produce pride. Religion overcomes it by producing a just sense of ourselves, of other men, of angels, and of God. We may therefore measure the advance of piety in our own souls by our increase in humility. V. We see the danger of despising and doing injury to real Christians, and more especially the guilt of attempting to draw them into sin. Ver. 6. God watches over them. He loves them. In the eye of the world they may be of little importance, but not so with God. The most obscure follower of Christ is dear, infinitely dear, to him, and he will take care of him. He that attempts to injure a Christian attempts to injure God; for God has redeemed him, and loves him. VI. Men will do much to draw others into sin. Ver. 7. In all communities there are some who seem to live for this. They have often much wealth, or learning, or accomplishment, or address, or professional influence; and they employ it for the sake of seducing the unwary, and leading them into ruin. Hence offences come, and many of the young and thoughtless are led astray. But He who has all power has pronounced woe upon seducers, and judgment will not always linger. No class of men have a more fearful account to render to God than they who thus lead others into vice and infidelity. It is a view of ourselves just as we are, and a willingness that God and all creatures should so esteem us. What can be more lovely than such an estimation of ourselves? And how foolish and wicked is it to be proud; that is, to think more of ourselves, and wish others to think of us more than we deserve? To put on ap VII. We must forsake our dearest sins. Ver. 8, 9. We must do this, or go to hell-fire. There is no way of avoiding it. We cannot love and cherish those sins, and be saved. VIII. The wicked-they who will not forsake their sins-must certainly go to eternal punishment. Ver. 8, 9. So said the compassionate Saviour. The fair and |
