1AndG2532 he beganG756 to speakG3004 to themG846 byG1722 parablesG3850. A certain manG444 plantedG5452 a vineyardG290, andG2532 setG4060 an hedge aboutG5418 it, andG2532 dugG3736 a place for the winepressG5276, andG2532 builtG3618 a towerG4444, andG2532 letG1554 itG846 outG1554 to vinedressersG1092, andG2532 went into a far countryG589. 2AndG2532 at the seasonG2540 he sentG649 toG4314 the vinedressersG1092 a servantG1401, thatG2443 he might receiveG2983 fromG3844 the vinedressersG1092 ofG575 the fruitG2590 of the vineyardG290. 3AndG1161 they caughtG2983 him, and beatG1194 himG846, andG2532 sent him awayG649 emptyG2756. 4AndG2532 againG3825 he sentG649 toG4314 themG846 anotherG243 servantG1401; and at himG2548 they cast stonesG3036, and wounded him in the headG2775, andG2532 sent him awayG649 shamefully handledG821. 5AndG2532 againG3825 he sentG649 anotherG243; and himG2548 they killedG615, andG2532 manyG4183 othersG3303 G243; beating someG1194, andG1161 killing someG615. 6HavingG2192 yetG2089 thereforeG3767 oneG1520 sonG5207, hisG846 wellbelovedG27, he sentG649 himG846 alsoG2532 lastG2078 toG4314 themG846, sayingG3004 G3754, They will reverenceG1788 myG3450 sonG5207. 7ButG1161 thoseG1565 vinedressersG1092 saidG2036 amongG4314 themselvesG1438, ThisG3754 G3778 isG2076 the heirG2818; comeG1205, let us killG615 himG846, andG2532 the inheritanceG2817 shall beG2071 oursG2257. 8AndG2532 they tookG2983 himG846, and killedG615 him, andG2532 castG1544 him out ofG1854 the vineyardG290. 9WhatG5101 thereforeG3767 shallG4160 the lordG2962 of the vineyardG290 doG4160? he will comeG2064 andG2532 destroyG622 the vinedressersG1092, andG2532 will giveG1325 the vineyardG290 to othersG243. 10And have yeG314 notG3761 readG314 thisG5026 scriptureG1124; The stoneG3037 whichG3739 the buildersG3618 rejectedG593 isG3778 G1096 becomeG1519 the headG2776 of the cornerG1137: 11ThisG3778 wasG1096 the Lord’sG2962 doingG1096 G3844, andG2532 it isG2076 marvellousG2298 inG1722 ourG2257 eyesG3788? 12AndG2532 they soughtG2212 to lay holdG2902 on himG846, butG2532 fearedG5399 the peopleG3793: forG1063 they knewG1097 thatG3754 he had spokenG2036 the parableG3850 againstG4314 themG846: andG2532 they leftG863 himG846, and went awayG565. 13AndG2532 they sentG649 toG4314 himG846 certainG5100 of the PhariseesG5330 andG2532 of the HerodiansG2265, toG2443 catchG64 himG846 in his wordsG3056. 14AndG1161 when they had comeG2064, they sayG3004 to himG846, MasterG1320, we knowG1492 thatG3754 thou artG1488 trueG227, andG2532 G4671 carestG3756 G3199 forG4012 no manG3762: forG1063 thou regardestG991 notG3756 the personG1519 G4383 of menG444, butG235 teachestG1321 the wayG3598 of GodG2316 inG1909 truthG225: Is it lawfulG1832 to giveG1325 tributeG2778 to CaesarG2541, orG2228 notG3756? 15Shall we giveG1325, orG2228 shall we notG3361 giveG1325? ButG1161 he, knowingG1492 theirG846 hypocrisyG5272, saidG2036 to themG846, WhyG5101 tempt yeG3985 meG3165? bringG5342 meG3427 a pennyG1220, thatG2443 I may seeG1492 it. 16AndG1161 they broughtG5342 it. AndG2532 he saithG3004 to themG846, WhoseG5101 is thisG3778 imageG1504 andG2532 superscriptionG1923? AndG1161 they saidG2036 to himG846, Caesar’sG2541. 17AndG2532 JesusG2424 answeringG611 saidG2036 to themG846, RenderG591 to CaesarG2541 the things that areG3588 Caesar’sG2541, andG2532 to GodG2316 the things that areG3588 God’sG2316. AndG2532 they marvelledG2296 atG1909 himG846. 18ThenG2532 comeG2064 toG4314 himG846 the SadduceesG4523, whoG3748 sayG3004 there isG1511 noG3361 resurrectionG386; andG2532 they askedG1905 himG846, sayingG3004, 19MasterG1320, MosesG3475 wroteG1125 to usG2254, IfG3754 G1437 a man’sG5100 brotherG80 shall dieG599, andG2532 leaveG2641 his wifeG1135, andG2532 leaveG863 noG3361 childrenG5043, thatG2443 hisG846 brotherG80 should takeG2983 hisG846 wifeG1135, andG2532 raise upG1817 seedG4690 to hisG846 brotherG80. 20Now there wereG2258 sevenG2033 brothersG80: andG2532 the firstG4413 tookG2983 a wifeG1135, andG2532 dyingG599 leftG863 noG3756 seedG4690. 21AndG2532 the secondG1208 tookG2983 herG846, andG2532 diedG3004 G2532, neitherG3761 leftG863 heG846 any seedG4690: andG2532 the thirdG5154 likewiseG5615. 22AndG2532 the sevenG2033 hadG2983 herG846, andG2532 leftG863 noG3756 seedG4690: lastG2078 of allG3956 the womanG1135 diedG599 alsoG2532. 23InG1722 the resurrectionG386 thereforeG3767, whenG3752 they shall riseG450, whoseG5101 wifeG1135 shall she beG2071 of themG846? forG1063 the sevenG2033 hadG2192 herG846 for a wifeG1135. 24AndG2532 JesusG2424 answeringG611 saidG2036 to themG846, Do yeG4105 notG3756 thereforeG1223 G5124 errG4105, because ye knowG1492 notG3361 the scripturesG1124, neitherG3366 the powerG1411 of GodG2316? 25ForG1063 whenG3752 they shall riseG450 fromG1537 the deadG3498, they neitherG3777 marryG1060, norG3777 are given in marriageG1061; butG235 areG1526 asG5613 the angelsG32 whoG3588 are inG1722 heavenG3772. 26AndG1161 concerningG4012 the deadG3498, thatG3754 they riseG1453: have yeG314 notG3756 readG314 inG1722 the bookG976 of MosesG3475, howG5613 inG1909 the bushG942 GodG2316 spokeG2036 to himG846, sayingG3004, IG1473 am the GodG2316 of AbrahamG11, andG2532 the GodG2316 of IsaacG2464, andG2532 the GodG2316 of JacobG2384? 27He isG2076 notG3756 the GodG2316 of the deadG3498, butG235 the GodG2316 of the livingG2198: yeG5210 thereforeG3767 doG4105 greatlyG4183 errG4105. 28AndG2532 oneG1520 of the scribesG1122 cameG4334, and having heardG191 themG846 reasoning togetherG4802, and perceivingG1492 thatG3754 he had answeredG611 themG846 wellG2573, askedG1905 himG846, WhichG4169 isG2076 the firstG4413 commandmentG1785 of allG3956? 29AndG1161 JesusG2424 answeredG611 himG846, TheG3754 firstG4413 of allG3956 the commandmentsG1785 is, HearG191, O IsraelG2474; The LordG2962 ourG2257 GodG2316 isG2076 oneG1520 LordG2962: 30AndG2532 thou shalt loveG25 the LordG2962 thyG4675 GodG2316 withG1537 allG3650 thyG4675 heartG2588, andG2532 withG1537 allG3650 thyG4675 soulG5590, andG2532 withG1537 allG3650 thyG4675 mindG1271, andG2532 withG1537 allG3650 thyG4675 strengthG2479: thisG3778 is the firstG4413 commandmentG1785. 31AndG2532 the secondG1208 is likeG3664, namely thisG3778 G846, Thou shalt loveG25 thyG4675 neighbourG4139 asG5613 thyselfG4572. There isG2076 noG3756 otherG243 commandmentG1785 greaterG3187 than theseG5130. 32AndG2532 the scribeG1122 saidG2036 to himG846, WellG2573, MasterG1320, thou hast saidG2036 theG1909 truthG225: forG3754 there isG2076 oneG1520 GodG2316; andG2532 there isG2076 noG3756 otherG243 butG4133 heG846: 33AndG2532 to loveG25 himG846 withG1537 allG3650 the heartG2588, andG2532 withG1537 allG3650 the understandingG4907, andG2532 withG1537 allG3650 the soulG5590, andG2532 withG1537 allG3650 the strengthG2479, andG2532 to loveG25 his neighbourG4139 asG5613 himselfG1438, isG2076 moreG4119 than allG3956 whole burnt offeringsG3646 andG2532 sacrificesG2378. 34AndG2532 when JesusG2424 sawG1492 thatG3754 heG846 answeredG611 discreetlyG3562, he saidG2036 to himG846, Thou artG1488 notG3756 farG3112 fromG575 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316. AndG2532 no manG3762 after thatG3765 daredG5111 askG1905 himG846 any question. 35AndG2532 JesusG2424 answeredG611 and saidG3004, while he taughtG1321 inG1722 the templeG2411, HowG4459 sayG3004 the scribesG1122 thatG3754 ChristG5547 isG2076 the SonG5207 of DavidG1138? 36ForG1063 DavidG1138 himselfG846 saidG2036 byG1722 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151, The LORDG2962 saidG2036 to myG3450 LordG2962, Sit thouG2521 onG1537 myG3450 right handG1188, tillG2193 G302 I makeG5087 thyG4675 enemiesG2190 thyG4675 footstoolG5286 G4228. 37DavidG1138 thereforeG3767 himselfG846 callethG3004 himG846 LordG2962; andG2532 howG4159 is heG2076 then hisG846 sonG5207? AndG2532 the commonG4183 peopleG3793 heardG191 himG846 gladlyG2234. 38AndG2532 he saidG3004 to themG846 inG1722 hisG846 doctrineG1322, BewareG991 ofG575 the scribesG1122, whoG3588 loveG2309 to goG4043 inG1722 long clothingG4749, andG2532 love greetingsG783 inG1722 the marketplacesG58, 39AndG2532 the best seatsG4410 inG1722 the synagoguesG4864, andG2532 the uppermost placesG4411 atG1722 feastsG1173: 40Who devourG2719 widowsG5503’ housesG3614, andG2532 for a pretenceG4392 makeG4336 longG3117 prayersG4336: theseG3778 shall receiveG2983 greaterG4055 condemnationG2917. 41AndG2532 JesusG2424 satG2523 oppositeG2713 the treasuryG1049, and beheldG2334 howG4459 the peopleG3793 castG906 moneyG5475 intoG1519 the treasuryG1049: andG2532 manyG4183 that were richG4145 cast inG906 muchG4183. 42AndG2532 there cameG2064 a certainG3391 poorG4434 widowG5503, and she threw inG906 twoG1417 mitesG3016, which makeG3603 a farthingG2835. 43AndG2532 he calledG4341 hisG846 disciplesG3101, and saithG3004 to themG846, VerilyG281 I sayG3004 to youG5213, ThatG3754 thisG3778 poorG4434 widowG5503 hath cast inG906 moreG4119 than allG3956 they who have castG906 intoG1519 the treasuryG1049: 44ForG1063 allG3956 they cast inG906 ofG1537 theirG846 abundanceG4052; butG1161 sheG3778 G846 ofG1537 herG846 wantG5304 cast inG906 allG3956 thatG3745 she hadG2192, even allG3650 herG846 livingG979.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 13 ENTANGLING QUESTIONS ABOUT TRIBUTE THE RESURRECTION, AND THE GREAT COMMANDMENT, WITH THE REPLIES--CHRIST BAFFLES THE PHARISEES BY A QUESTION ABOUT DAVID, AND DENOUNCES THE SCRIBES. ( = Mat. 22:15-46; Luke 20:20-47). (Mark 12:13-40)
And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees--"their disciples," says Matthew (
Matt 22:16); probably young and zealous scholars in that hardening school.
and of the Herodians--(See on
Matt 12:14). In
Luke 20:20 these willing tools are called "spies, which should feign themselves just [righteous] men, that they might take hold of His words, that so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor." Their plan, then, was to entrap Him into some expression which might be construed into disaffection to the Roman government; the Pharisees themselves being notoriously discontented with the Roman yoke.
Tribute to Cćsar (
Mark 12:14-
Mark 12:17).
14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master--Teacher.
we know that thou art true, and carest for no man; for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth--By such flattery--though they said only the truth--they hoped to throw Him off His guard.
Is it lawful to give tribute to Cćsar, or not?--It was the civil poll tax paid by all enrolled in the "census." See on
Matt 17:25.
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy--"their wickedness" (
Matt 22:18); "their craftiness" (
Luke 20:23). The malignity of their hearts took the form of craft, pretending what they did not feel--an anxious desire to be guided aright in a matter which to a scrupulous few might seem a question of some difficulty. Seeing perfectly through this,
He said unto them, Why tempt ye me?--"hypocrites!"
bring me a penny that I may see it--"the tribute money" (
Matt 22:19).
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image--stamped upon the coin.
and superscription?--the words encircling it on the obverse side.
And they said unto him, Cćsar's.
17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cćsar the things that are Cćsar's--Putting it in this general form, it was impossible for sedition itself to dispute it, and yet it dissolved the snare.
and to God the things that are God's--How much is there in this profound but to them startling addition to the maxim, and how incomparable is the whole for fulness, brevity, clearness, weight!
and they marvelled at him--"at His answer, and held their peace" (
Luke 20:26), "and left Him, and went their way" (
Matt 22:22).
The Resurrection (
Mark 12:18-
Mark 12:27).
18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection--"neither angel nor spirit" (
Acts 23:7). They were the materialists of the day. See on
Acts 23:6.
and they asked him, saying--as follows:
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us-- (
Deut 25:5).
If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him . . . And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
23 In the resurrection therefore when they shall rise, &c.
24 Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures--regarding the future state.
neither the power of God?--before which a thousand such difficulties vanish.
25 For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage--"neither can they die any more" (
Luke 20:36). Marriage is ordained to perpetuate the human family; but as there will be no breaches by death in the future state, this ordinance will cease.
but are as the angels which are in heaven--In Luke (
Luke 20:36) it is "equal unto the angels." But as the subject is death and resurrection, we are not warranted to extend the equality here taught beyond the one point--the immortality of their nature. A beautiful clause is added in Luke (
Luke 20:36) --"and are the children of God"--not in respect of character, which is not here spoken of, but of nature--"being the children of the resurrection," as rising to an undecaying existence (
Rom 8:21,
Rom 8:23), and so being the children of their Father's immortality (
1Tim 6:16).
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses--"even Moses" (
Luke 20:37), whom they had just quoted for the purpose of entangling Him.
how in the bush God spake unto him--either "at the bush," as the same expression is rendered in
Luke 20:37, that is, when he was there; or "in the [section of his history regarding the] bush." The structure of our verse suggests the latter sense, which is not unusual.
saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?-- (
Exod 3:6).
27 He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living--not "the God of dead but [the God] of living persons." The word in brackets is almost certainly an addition to the genuine text, and critical editors exclude it. "For all live unto Him" (
Luke 20:38) --"in His view," or "in His estimation." This last statement--found only in Luke--though adding nothing to the argument, is an important additional illustration. It is true, indeed, that to God no human being is dead or ever will be, but all mankind sustain an abiding conscious relation to Him; but the "all" here means "those who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world." These sustain a gracious covenant relation to God which cannot be dissolved. (Compare
Rom 6:10-
Rom 6:11). In this sense our Lord affirms that for Moses to call the Lord the "GOD" of His patriarchal servants, if at that moment they had no existence, would be unworthy of Him. He "would be ashamed to be called their God, if He had not prepared for them a city" (
Heb 11:16). It was concluded by some of the early Fathers, from our Lord's resting His proof of the Resurrection on such a passage as this, instead of quoting some much clearer testimonies of the Old Testament, that the Sadducees, to whom this was addressed, acknowledged the authority of no part of the Old Testament but the Pentateuch; and this opinion has held its ground even till now. But as there is no ground for it in the New Testament, so JOSEPHUS is silent upon it; merely saying that they rejected the Pharisaic traditions. It was because the Pentateuch was regarded by all classes as the fundamental source of the Hebrew religion, and all the succeeding books of the Old Testament but as developments of it, that our Lord would show that even there the doctrine of the Resurrection was taught. And all the rather does He select this passage, as being not a bare annunciation of the doctrine in question, but as expressive of that glorious truth out of which the Resurrection springs. "And when the multitude heard this" (says
Matt 22:23), "they were astonished at His doctrine." "Then," adds
Luke 20:39-
Luke 20:40, "certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said"--enjoying His victory over the Sadducees. "And after that they durst not ask Him any [question at all]"--neither party could; both being for the time utterly foiled.
The Great Commandment (
Mark 12:28-
Mark 12:34).
"But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together" (
Matt 22:34).
28 And one of the scribes--"a lawyer," says Matthew (
Matt 22:35); that is, teacher of the law.
came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him--manifestly in no bad spirit. When Matthew (
Matt 22:35) therefore says he came "tempting," or "trying him," as one of the Pharisaic party who seemed to enjoy the defeat He had given to the Sadducees, we may suppose that though somewhat priding himself upon his insight into the law, and not indisposed to measure his knowledge with One in whom he had not yet learned to believe, he was nevertheless an honest-hearted, fair disputant.
Which is the first commandment of all?--first in importance; the primary, leading commandment, the most fundamental one. This was a question which, with some others, divided the Jewish teachers into rival schools. Our Lord's answer is in a strain of respect very different from what He showed to cavillers--ever observing His own direction, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you" (
Matt 7:6).
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is--The readings here vary considerably. TISCHENDORF and TREGELLES read simply, "the first is"; and they are followed by MEYER and ALFORD. But though the authority for the precise form of the received text is slender, a form almost identical with it seems to have most weight of authority. Our Lord here gives His explicit sanction to the distinction between commandments of a more fundamental and primary character, and commandments of a more dependent and subordinate nature; a distinction of which it is confidently asserted by a certain class of critics that the Jews knew nothing, that our Lord and His apostles nowhere lay down, and which has been invented by Christian divines. (Compare
Matt 23:23).
Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord--This every devout Jew recited twice every day, and the Jews do it to this day; thus keeping up the great ancient national protest against the polytheisms and pantheisms of the heathen world: it is the great utterance of the national faith in One Living and Personal God--"ONE JEHOVAH!"
30 And thou shalt--We have here the language of law, expressive of God's claims. What then are we here bound down to do? One word is made to express it. And what a word! Had the essence of the divine law consisted in deeds, it could not possibly have been expressed in a single word; for no one deed is comprehensive of all others embraced in the law. But as it consists in an affection of the soul, one word suffices to express it--but only one. Fear, though due to God and enjoined by Him, is limited in its sphere and distant in character. Trust, hope, and the like, though essential features of a right state of heart towards God, are called into action only by personal necessity, and so are--in a good sense, it is true, but still are properly--selfish affections; that is to say, they have respect to our own well-being. But LOVE is an all-inclusive affection, embracing not only every other affection proper to its object, but all that is proper to be done to its object; for as love spontaneously seeks to please its object, so, in the case of men to God, it is the native well spring of a voluntary obedience. It is, besides, the most personal of all affections. One may fear an event, one may hope for an event, one may rejoice in an event; but one can love only a Person. It is the tenderest, the most unselfish, the most divine of all affections. Such, then, is the affection in which the essence of the divine law is declared to consist.
Thou shalt love--We now come to the glorious Object of that demanded affection.
Thou shalt love the Lord, thy God--that is, Jehovah, the Self-Existent One, who has revealed Himself as the "I AM," and there is none else; who, though by His name JEHOVAH apparently at an unapproachable distance from His finite creatures, yet bears to thee a real and definite relationship, out of which arises His claim and thy duty--of LOVE. But with what are we to love Him? Four things are here specified. First, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God"
with thy heart--This sometimes means "the whole inner man" (as
Pro 4:23); but that cannot be meant here; for then the other three particulars would be superfluous. Very often it means "our emotional nature"--the seat of feeling as distinguished from our intellectual nature or the seat of thought, commonly called the "mind" (as in
Phil 4:7). But neither can this be the sense of it here; for here the heart is distinguished both from the "mind" and the "soul." The "heart," then, must here mean the sincerity of both the thoughts and the feelings; in other words, uprightness or true-heartedness, as opposed to a hypocritical or divided affection. But next, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God" with thy soul. This is designed to command our emotional nature: Thou shalt put feeling or warmth into thine affection. Further, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God"
with thy mind--This commands our intellectual nature: Thou shalt put intelligence into thine affection--in opposition to a blind devotion, or mere devoteeism. Lastly, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God"
with thy strength--This commands our energies: Thou shalt put intensity into thine affection--"Do it with thy might" (
Eccl 9:10). Taking these four things together, the command of the Law is, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy powers--with a sincere, a fervid, an intelligent, an energetic love." But this is not all that the Law demands. God will have all these qualities in their most perfect exercise. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," says the Law, "with all thy heart," or, with perfect sincerity; "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul," or, with the utmost fervor; "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind," or, in the fullest exercise of an enlightened reason; and "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength," or, with the whole energy of our being! So much for the First Commandment.
31 And the second is like--"unto it" (
Matt 22:39); as demanding the same affection, and only the extension of it, in its proper measure, to the creatures of Him whom we thus love--our brethren in the participation of the same nature, and neighbors, as connected with us by ties that render each dependent upon and necessary to the other.
Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself--Now, as we are not to love ourselves supremely, this is virtually a command, in the first place, not to love our neighbor with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. And thus it is a condemnation of the idolatry of the creature. Our supreme and uttermost affection is to be reserved for God. But as sincerely as ourselves we are to love all mankind, and with the same readiness to do and suffer for them as we should reasonably desire them to show to us. The golden rule (
Matt 7:12) is here our best interpreter of the nature and extent of these claims.
There is none other commandment greater than these--or, as in
Matt 22:40, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets" (see on
Matt 5:17). It is as if He had said, "This is all Scripture in a nutshell; the whole law of human duty in a portable, pocket form." Indeed, it is so simple that a child may understand it, so brief that all may remember it, so comprehensive as to embrace all possible cases. And from its very nature it is unchangeable. It is inconceivable that God should require from his rational creatures anything less, or in substance anything else, under any dispensation, in any world, at any period throughout eternal duration. He cannot but claim this--all this--alike in heaven, in earth, and in hell! And this incomparable summary of the divine law belonged to the Jewish religion! As it shines in its own self-evidencing splendor, so it reveals its own true source. The religion from which the world has received it could be none other than a God-given religion!
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master--Teacher.
thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he--The genuine text here seems clearly to have been, "There is one," without the word "God"; and so nearly all critical editors and expositors read.
33 And to love him with all the heart . . . and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices--more, that is, than all positive institutions; thereby showing insight into the essential difference between what is moral and in its own nature unchangeable, and what is obligatory only because enjoined, and only so long as enjoined.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly--rather, "intelligently," or "sensibly"; not only in a good spirit, but with a promising measure of insight into spiritual things.
he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God--for he had but to follow out a little further what he seemed sincerely to own, to find his way into the kingdom. He needed only the experience of another eminent scribe who at a later period said, "We know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin": who exclaimed, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?" but who added, "I thank God through Jesus Christ!" (
Rom 7:14,
Rom 7:24-
Rom 7:25). Perhaps among the "great company of the priests" and other Jewish ecclesiastics who "were obedient to the faith," almost immediately after the day of Pentecost (
Acts 6:7), this upright lawyer was one. But for all his nearness to the Kingdom of God, it may be he never entered it.
And no man after that durst ask any question--all feeling that they were no match for Him, and that it was vain to enter the lists with Him.
Christ Baffles the Pharisees Regarding David (
Mark 12:35-
Mark 12:37).
35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple--and "while the Pharisees were gathered together" (
Matt 22:41).
How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?--How come they to give it out that Messiah is to be the son of David? In Matthew (
Matt 22:42), Jesus asks them, "What think ye of Christ?" or of the promised and expected Messiah? "Whose son is He [to be]? They say unto Him, The son of David." The sense is the same. "He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord?" (
Matt 22:42-
Matt 22:43).
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool-- (
Ps 110:1).
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son?--There is but one solution of this difficulty. Messiah is at once inferior to David as his son according to the flesh, and superior to him as the Lord of a kingdom of which David is himself a subject, not the sovereign. The human and divine natures of Christ, and the spirituality of His kingdom--of which the highest earthly sovereigns are honored if they be counted worthy to be its subjects--furnish the only key to this puzzle.
And the common people--the immense crowd.
heard him gladly--"And no man was able to answer Him a word; neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions" (
Matt 22:46).
The Scribes Denounced (
Mark 12:38-
Mark 12:40).
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine--rather, "in His teaching"; implying that this was but a specimen of an extended discourse, which Matthew gives in full (Mat. 23:1-39). Luke says (
Luke 20:45) this was "in the audience of all the people said unto His disciples."
Beware of the scribes, which love--or like.
to go in long clothing--(see on
Matt 23:5).
and love salutations in the market-places,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms--or positions.
at feasts--On this love of distinction, see on
Luke 14:7;
Matt 6:5.
40 Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation--They took advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much the "greater damnation" awaited them. (Compare
Matt 23:33). A lifelike description this of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes."
