Matthew 7

Chap. VII. Ver. 1—14. Against censoriousness and hypocrisy. Encouragement to prayer, and earnestness in religion. — Censoriousness was a reigning sin among the Pharisees; it was therefore needful for our Lord to guard his own apostles against it, as well as it is an error to which young converts are particularly prone. But most assuredly, every cen- “the law —— hets” [beasts] were used on occasions of marriage feasts. &c. 2 porter was | xvii 48. Canepéeil. ft if Isaiah; in illustration of which remark, we subjoin verifying the start- +. a graceless heart. Ver. 87. 1%. A corrupt tree.—“An evil tree.” The Greek word does not al- “Whosoever, therefore, heareth my words and doeth them, I will liken him to a prudent man Who built his house upon the rock: And the rains descended, And the floods came, And the winds blew And fell upon that house; And it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock.

And every one hearing these my words and doing them not, Shall be likened to a foolish man, Who built his house upon the sand: And the rains descended, And the floods came, And the winds blew, And struck upon that house; And it fell: and the fall thereof was great.”—(Sac. Lit. 449.)

Notes on the verses

Take ee chews: and there is no doubt that this was the meaning of one translators, as the word men is evidently so used, 1 Samoix Ss also by Bacon, Milton, &c. as rooted by Jeduthun, and by Fox the martyrologist, and the Geneva translators, as noted by Panshersy, who observes that the Greek term, in its derivation, We. Berke the Reehr.— Doe magnus a Wistracthes, or hortativiting caretitness chapter Xo We—Dierese iv Lar % ran ” Ver. 88, See credit—“This (being at least 18 inches) would be fit to the At, which cannot therefore be here intended most likely = therefore refer this to ate. Applying this measure, however, to human Hb, it must be considered metaphorically as a piece of which a small portion, analogous to Sand doh of time.”

a Cambridge translates the phrase, “Profound his h&. Binds: probably sparrows, as | * Repositories;” Oxbridge, Set describes a very common phrase with poets? exe hour”? sure we pass upon others without looking within, upon our own conduct, exposes us to our Lord’s rebuke, and lays us under a just suspicion of hypocrisy. “Thou hypocrite!” first correct thine own faults, and then thy brother’s. Ver. 80. The grass of the field.—The Hebrews divided all their vegetable the oven.—It is certain that fires were kindled and ovens heated with dried vegetables, &c. Compare (Ezekiel 15:4). Ver. 88 Seek ye first the kingdom.—Religion; to be before all things, and above all things,” as having “the promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come.”

Ver. 81. The morrow shall take thought for itself—That is, it will be time enough to care for the morrow when the morrow comes. ings its duties and its cares. So Ezra and his companions “offered the burnt-offerings,…. as the duty of every day required.” Ezra iii, 4. | Chap., VII. Ver. 1, Judge not.—This does not say by their fruits, i.e. by their lives and principles; but it forbids us to judge with severity, i.e. to condemn with present vor, 5 The mote…. the beam.—one small thorn, or splinter of wood, Dr. Liehgefer has shown, that this saying (as well as the ) was proverbial among the Jews. [Similar to this is the caution given Horace. West winds, the water pours down in torrents from the mountains.

In one night, multitudes of these huts are frequently swept away, and the place where they stood is, the next morning, undiscoverable.” Ward’s Hindoos. Ver. 29. And not as the scribes.—The scribes used to say, Rabbi such-a- = says so and so: Jesus spake as one sent from God, “Verily I say unto