Matthew 12

Matthew 12:2

But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

Thereupon, the Pharisees taking notice of it, said— Remember the story of David, 1 Sam. xxi. 6, and by that you will discern that the case of hunger was excepted and reserved in the law concerning holy days, or things; for there David and his company being pressed with hunger were by the priest allowed to eat the shewbread, which being consecrated did particularly belong to the priest, Lev. xxiv. 9, yet might, it seems, (by the intention of the Lawgiver,) be by him employed in any charitable use, for the relief of others, as long as there were more ready consecrated for the sacred uses, 1 Sam. xxi. 5. And accordingly though the priest pretended not to dispense toil, servicem. refresh you, dreadless. that, &c. grastous. E 2

Matthew 12:3

But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him:

Matthew 12:4

How he entered into the house of none, others. refreshment, devour. on the morning of the sabbath day, before the time of the public service, through corn fields, and his disciples, being hungry, plucked the ears of corn, thereby to break their feet, which among the Jews was not customary till the public offices were past: see note [a].

Matthew 12:6

And therefore if the temple, and the necessities of the service thereof, might give such a dispensation to the law of the sabbath, much more Christ, (who is greater than the temple,) and the necessity of nature, and the service due to Christ from his disciples.

Matthew 12:7

And if you were not merciless men, and so unlike that which God likes best in men, if you did consider that which is so visible in all God’s word and methods, that God likes mercy toward them that stand in need of it, better than the offering to him the richest sacrifices, you would rather have made a fair construction of this action, which their necessity renders justifiable, and would be so acknowledged by any that had humanity or bowels in them, than, under pretence of zeal to the sabbath, thus falsely charge the innocent.

Matthew 12:8

As for the ceremonial observance of the sabbath, which you think is broken in this, God never required it in cases of this nature of necessity, and the like. And therefore the Son of man, that is, Christ, which is here, and who as he is greater than the temple, ver. 6, so is the Lord also of the sabbath, and for whose service that is done which is here done by the disciples, may certainly now with all reason permit them to prefer their health or life before the exact performance of the ceremonies or rest of that day. ‘Is healing and doing cures on the sabbath day one of those permitted things of which thou speakest? If he should say it were, this they knew would (though the former would not) bear an accusation in their Sanhedrim, being by them at that time counted utterly unlawful.

[a] Son of man] That by the phrase the Son of man in this place is not meant man in common, (as some very learned men have thought,) but peculiarly Christ, is more than probable, not only by these words, a greater than the temple is here, (assuming a greater liberty for his disciples from his presence, and the necessity of their service to him, than belonged to other ordinary Jews in all cases, or than the temple could give any servants of the temple,) but also by the use of this phrase of Son of man for Christ in Daniel, ch. vii. 13, and in every other of the eighty-eight repetitions of it in the New Testament. And although by the words, as they are in St. Mark, ch. ii. 27, the contrary seemeth not improbable, where the ground of Christ’s affirming that the Son of man is Lord of the sabbath, is because the sabbath is made for man, as if the sabbath’s being made for man did conclude him lord of it, and consequently that he was lord for whom it was made, that is, man in common, and not Christ; yet to this the answer is ready, that the case of which Christ there and here speaks, being for the necessary use and good of man, plucking and eating for necessity, and preservation of life, that may be very fitly referred to by Christ, when he saith, The sabbath is made for man; so that the phrase for man shall signify, for the good of man, and import that the sabbath being designed for the good of man, could not reasonably be conceived to oblige him to any thing so contrary to that, as is starving, or debilitating of nature, (so as to render him unable to discharge the duty of the calling.) And from thence that former conclusion of man’s being lord of the sabbath will not follow, because man is not lord, or free disposer of all those things that are for his good, (for even all the moral precepts of God also are for man’s good, and the king is said to be for thy good; yet is not he subjected to thee, as to a lord, no more than the moral law can be dispensed with by thee.) The only proper conclusion from this notion of the sabbath’s being made for man will be this, that he that made a positive law did not oblige to the observance of it in such cases which are for the good of man, as works of mercy, (which being part of the moral, eternal law, he prefers before the performance of those positive laws, which respect his own service, ver. 7,) and so that the law of the sabbath at the very making of it was not designed to have force in it to bind men to strict rest in some cases; as those, ver. 5, of the necessary services of the temple, (and what is done here was for the service of

Matthew 12:10

For some live unmarried, as being naturally enabled to do so chastely, and without great difficulty; some, as being by men disabled, (of which sort there were very many among the heathens, ordinarily called eunuchs;) some out of firmness of resolution have gotten that mastery over themselves that they can live chastely in a single life, and do so on purpose that they may have fuller vacancy to set themselves apart for the duties of Christianity. Now he that finds this agreeable to his condition, and can thus conquer and subdue himself, he may do accordingly, if he please, and shall do well and wisely in so doing. ’that by imposition of hands he would bestow his benediction upon them. And his disciples would have chid them away. ’their meekness, humility, and docility, are the temper, which of all others is most like that which is required of disciples of Christ.

Matthew 12:11

To this objection he gave this answer, that all men are not capable of that prudential aphorism—that a single life is more profitable and fit for their turn than marriage—but those only whom God hath some way more than ordinarily fitted for it by some special gift.

Matthew 12:15

And using that ceremony of imposition of hands, frequent among the Jews in all kind of benedictions, he bestowed his blessing upon them, and departed— ‘what is the condition required of me to make me capable of eternal bliss? Thy calling me good without conceiving me to be God is not right. But for thy question of the way to eternal bliss this is soon answered: it is by obedience to God’s commandments. Jesus said, Those great precepts given by God to Moses, containing the heads of all duties both toward God and man, particularly those six of the second sort, containing the duty toward man.

Matthew 12:16

And he commanded that this should not be celebrated, proclaimed abroad, that no acclamations should be used toward him, desiring quietly to discharge his office of doing good, and healing, without more notice taken of him, and consequently more contestations with the Pharisees, who, he saw, would not be wrought on by him, but desired only matters of accusation and advantage against him, ver. 10, even to put him to death, ver. 14.

17, 18. By all which actions of his (humility and aversion of glory on one side, and on the other, his receding, and not contending with those that would not acknowledge him, and the Spirit, or power of God in his miracles, but continuing to preach the gospel, and heal diseases, by the sea of Galilee, Mark iii. 7, even to the meanest parts and people of them, ver. 15, when the principal Jews resisted him) was fulfilled that prophecy, Isaiah xlii. 1, of the Messias, to this sense, Behold the Messias, who is very obedient to all my will, whom I have loved, and preferred before all others to execute this great office, and to that end sent down my Spirit on him; and he shall carry forth or propagate the law of living well (the will of God in the gospel) unto the Jews in Galilee, and in the heathen cities of Tyre and Sidon, &c. bordering round about.

Matthew 12:18

[b] chosen] Αἱρετίζω signifies so to prefer before all others, as to choose, or assume to any office, προσλαμβάνω, or αἴρω πρὸς ἑμαντὸν, I take

[c] judgment] The word κρίσις in this place seems to signify the whole gospel, the true religion, the true way of worshipping and obeying God, the whole will of God under the gospel; and either is to be rendered truth, out of the Hebrew משפט, Isaiah xlii. 1, (whence these verses are taken,) which, Prov. viii. 2c, is rendered ἀλήθεια, truth, and signifies so, when it is rendered κρίσις, judgment, Jer. v. 4. Psalm xxxvii. 6. and Job iii. and κρίμα, Isaiah xxxii. 26,) and oftentimes δικαιοσύνη, righteousness, which is all one with ἀλήθεια, truth; and so in Hesychius, κρίσιν, ἀλήθειαν, (not as it is false printed, ἀκολουθίαν,) judgment, signifies truth; or else being rendered judgment, it is to be taken in the same sense as if it were rendered truth, as indeed κρίσις, judgment, is the title of the prime Christian virtue, righteousness, or equity in judging, Matt. xxiii. 23. And either way it here signifies the gospel; and so ver. 20 also.

Matthew 12:19

He shall not set forth himself, or his regal power, as kings are wont to do, magnificently, with a noise, or tumult, or proclamation before them in the streets, calling all in question that do not presently acknowledge them, but shall come in an humble and lowly manner. (And it were strange that he should be despised by us for that, it being merely for our sakes that he hath put on this condition, this humble guise is the fittest for the office which he means to exercise, that being all mercy to the weak, &c.)

Matthew 12:20

Those that have fallen, as long as there is any hope left in them, he will not deal with rigidly, but very mercifully, being desirous to plant the gospel, that is, evangelical righteousness, completely in the world.

[d] A bruised reed] The reed is the weak, infirm man; the bruising of that reed, is his falling into sin; and the flax on fire that is burning in the illychnium, or lamp, (see Isaiah xliii. 17. Judges xv. 14, xvi. 9,) is the man again; the smoking flax, (τυφόμενον,) is when the flame is out, or burns darkly for want of oil, and yet there remains some fire in the flax, and that smokes or shines dimly, instead of flaming; and answerable to that is the man, in whom grace is decayed, but yet not desperately or irrecoverably gone out, some sparks of good being still left in him; and this person, in this estate, Christ is so far from destroying or triumphing over, that he doth most tenderly cherish and labour to restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, to a firm habit of Christian practice again. This is Christ’s practice at his coming into the world, as designing to plant (not the unsinning, legal, perfect, but) the sincere, evangelical righteousness through the world, which is the meaning of the phrase that follows, until he bring forth (or, send forth) judgment unto victory; the Hebrew, Isaiah xlii. 3, is, he shall bring forth, and the word until is taken out of ver. 4, where the same sense is repeated again, and judgment again signifies the gospel, that is, Christian, evangelical righteousness, (see note [c]); and though εἰς νίκος, in the Old Testament, signifies for ever, Lam. v. 20. 2 Sam. ii. 26. Job xxxvi. 7. Jer. v. 3. Am. i. 11, yet that is, when it renders לְרָצָה, which signifies both to victory and to eternity; but here (seeming to be the epitome or breviate of the following words, ver. 4, he shall not fail nor be discouraged,) it most probably signifies victoriously, and notes that the gospel shall be set up over the world, that he shall not fail, or be discouraged, that is, either, 1, the bruised reed shall not fail, or be broken worse than it is, nor the flax be discouraged or quenched; or else, 2dly, the Messias shall not fail, &c. till he have set judgment on the earth, that is, till he have set up the profession of the gospel in the world among the heathen, if the Jews will not receive it. By this rendering of it, it will appear what is the meaning of לְאִמָּה in the Hebrew of Isaiah, and εἰς ἀληθῇ (for ἀλήθειαν) in the Septuagint; sure, that κρίσις εἰς ἀλήθειαν, judgment in truth, should be set for true judgment, and rendered so, he shall bring forth true judgment; and so it will remain,

[e] not break] It is the custom of all writers, very frequent in the sacred dialect, to use phrases whereby they understand much more than they do express; an example of it we have in this verse out of the prophet, where Christ’s not breaking the bruised reed signifies his great mercy and kindness in repairing and restoring and curing the bruised weakling; and so his not quenching the smoking flax is his enlivening, quickening, inflaming that fire, or spark of grace or goodness, which was almost quenched. So ἀργὸν ῥῆμα, idle word, ver. 36, is much more than idle, vain, even blasphemous speeches. So Eph. v. 11, where the Gentile foul abominations, taken up by the Gnostics, are called ἄκαρπα ἱργα τοῦ σκότους, unprofitable works of darkness; meaning surely, not that they brought in no profit or advantage, but the greatest danger and mischief in the world. So ἄχριος δοῦλος is a wicked, and not only an unprofitable servant. So in Philoxenus’s Glossary, nequam, ἀχρεῖος, and nequitia, ἀχρειότης; and so in Cyril’s Greek Glossary. So in Hesiod, ἀχρῆτος ἀνὴρ, an unprofitable man, is he that neither understands himself nor heeds others, the most senseless, wretchless person: of the same nature is illaudatus, “unpraised,” in Latin; of which, see A. Gellius, l. 2. c. 6, where he proves that word to signify, omnium pessimum ac deterrimum, “the worst and basest of all.” And so, l. 7. c. 11, he makes ἄσωτον, ἀκόλαστον, ἄχριον, ἄχρηστον, κακότροπον, μιαρὸν, riotous, intemperate, unprofitable, useless, ill-mannered, detestable, to be all one, the interpretation of the Latin nequam, a “wicked” man, but literally “good for nothing.” So ἄνομος, which properly signifies without law; and ἀνομία, a breach, or commission, against the law, is oft set to signify the highest degree of obdurate, profane sinning, 2 Thess. ii. 8, being there spoken of Simon Magus, the most blasphemous apostate. So, though παραβαίνειν literally signifies to transgress, and may belong to the least sin, as being a variation from the strict rule of the law, yet παραβαίνων, he that transgresses, 2 John 9, and so παραβάτης, transgressor, (since the solemn title of Julian,) signifies an apostate. So 2 Tim. iii. 3, ἀφιλάγαθοι, those which do not love the good, is set to express the most virulent haters of the orthodox pious Christians. So 1 Cor. xiii. 6, where it is set down as the character of the charitable man, οὐ χαίρει ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδικίᾳ, he rejoiceth not in iniquity, the meaning is, he is very much troubled and sorrowful; so ver. 5, οὐ φυσιώται, the charitable man is not puffed up, signifies much more than so, that he is extremely humble. So in the third commandment of the Decalogue, where it is said of the perjured person, that the Lord will not hold him guiltless, that sure signifies, that God will look on him and deal with him as a most guilty, punishable person. And so 1 Peter. i. 18, ματαία ἀναστροφῇ, vain conversation, is most vicious and enormously ill; and Rom. i. 16, οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι, I am not ashamed, is, I rejoice and glory in the gospel of Christ. And Rom. viii. 8, They that are in the flesh (that is, those that follow their carnal appetites, in despite of the law) cannot please God, that is, are very far from pleasing, being in professed enmity to him, ver. 7, must needs be hated and opposed by him; and ver. 12, We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh; that is, we are far from all obligation to go on any further in

Matthew 12:21

And though the rulers and Pharisees do not, yet the Jews of the Gentile cities, Tyre and Sidon, &c. shall lay hold on him. Thus they did, ver. 15. compared with Mark iii. 8, and this is by Esaiah called waiting for his law, ch. xlii. 4, willingly receiving, and giving obedience to him.

whom the devil had cast into a disease which deprived him of speech and sight, and—

the Messias that was so oft foretold and expected to be born of the family of David, and so he that shall deliver us, and reign over us?

m the ruler of the devils, which consequently is able to cast out devils that are his subjects, inferior to him.

p If any king mean to uphold his kingdom, he will not quarrel and fall out with his own subjects, and cast them out which are a-doing him service; such divisions and civil dissensions as these will soon destroy his kingdom, and therefore cannot probably be affirmed of any prudent ruler or prince.

Matthew 12:24

[f] Beelzebub] Beelzebub in Hebrew, בעל ובוב, is rendered by the Greek of the Old Testament, Βαὰλ μνίας, the prince of the fly, or flies, the god of Ekron, 2 Kings i. 2, and ver. 6; being indeed an idol, that the inhabitants of that city in Palestine worshipped, and conceived to have power over all hurtful flies, and to drive them out of their region. That this was the heathen Jupiter is not improbable, the title of μνίαιος, μνιώδης, ἀπόμνιος, ἀπομνιαῖος, μνίαγρος, and μνιοθήρας, being bestowed on him by the heathens, that is, “he that caught,” or, “drove away flies.” This idol in h Pliny is called Achor Deus, from Accaron or Ekron, the name of that city, and, as he saith, the Cyrenæans, when any plague of flies comes on them, sacrifice and pray to him, and on that they die presently. This is here called prince of devils, that is, one that hath power over them, (as it was, it seems, believed,) able to throw them out of those that were possessed with them, (whole legions together,) like swarms of flies, which, with their prince or chieftain, fly about in the upper and middle region of the air. This gives the reason of their speech here, why they conceived Christ to cast out devils by Beelzebub, because Beelzebub they thought to have that power, and therefore to have the name of ruler, or prince of devils, and Christ visibly casting them out, they thought he operated by this power.

Matthew 12:26

Reven so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

This is an act, said he, of thy free and undeserved mercy, O Lord, to name, and of thy just desertion to others.

And Satan’s casting out devils which are about his business (possessing those whom he would have possessed) would be such a civil dissension and breach as this. This is an argument against you. But then, secondly,

Matthew 12:27

[k] All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and I no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and be to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

All that come to me, and believe on me, are by my Father (enlightening and stirring up their hearts, and using all powerful means to that end) brought and delivered unto me, and none acknowledgeth me but the Father, and those who, by the miracles, &c. which my Father enableth me to do, are attracted to me. As on the other side, none acknowledgeth the Father in that manner as he now requires to be acknowledged, but the Son, and he that believes his preaching of him. Wherefore come— that are now engaged in a sad drudging course of service and slavery to Satan, and I will entertain you into a cheerful, pleasant, not only supportable service.

Why may not I cast out devils by the power and in the name of God, as well as your disciples and countrymen, the Jews among you, (who being evil, are therefore more obnoxious to suspicion of holding correspondence with Satan’s kingdom,) do, at least pretend to do. When they in the name of God go

bring forth, ἑβάλῃ: see note [i] on ch. ix.

[y] your children] Your children here signify either your disciples, that is, spiritual children, or your countrymen, that is, children of your nation naturally, and so he means the Jews, who did pretend at least to exorcise and cast out devils in the name of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, which was their ordinary form of exorcism; and which, it seems, the sons of Scheva were willing to change into the name of the Lord Jesus, in imitation of the apostles, Acts xix. 13. So in Justinus against Trypho the Jew: “If,” saith he, “you invoke the name of any of your kings, or just men, or prophets, or patriarchs, the devil will not obey you, but if you call upon the God of Abraham, &c., and so exorcise, ἴσως ὑποταγήσεται, perhaps he will obey.” So saith Irenæus: “By the invoking of the Most High and Almighty, even before the coming of Christ, men were delivered from the wicked spirits, and a dæmoniis universis, from all kinds of devils.” And so Tertull. contra Marcion. expounds this passage in St. Luke, that Christ affirms himself to cast out devils by the same power by which their children did, in virtute scilicet Creatoris, “by virtue of the Creator.” That there was this custom among the Jews, (and so long continued,) of charming and incantations, may further appear by the latter remainders, (being, as appears by the Christians’ renouncing them, abuses of the true,) which we find in the forms of renouncing Judaism, in the Liturgies of the Greek church; where, after the mention of the several

h Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 28.

Matthew 12:28

¶ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

But if it be indeed by the power of God that I do all this, (called the finger of God, Luke xi. 20,) then it is clear, that although you were not aware of it, yet this is the time of the Messias, whose mission God hath testified with these miracles, and would not have done so if he had been a false Christ. And then, thirdly,

Matthew 12:29

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Put off your present servitude, and exchange it for my yoke, exemplified to you by myself in mine own meekness and humility, and you will find a strange exchange, refreshment instead of weariness, which came from your former course.

My dispossessing Satan of his goods, turning him out of those whom he possesses, is an argument that I have mastered him, and so that I do not use his power, but that mine is greater than his, and employed most against his will, and to his damage.

Matthew 12:30

For my yoke is [l] easy, and my burden is light.

For my service is a good, desirable, excellent service, and the commands or tasks that I require you to perform are very tolerable, and easy to be performed. ### CHAP. XII. AT that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

And it is proverbially known, that he that is not on one’s side, that brings forces into the field, and is not for a man’s assistance, he is certainly for his enemy, engages against him, doth him hurt; and consequently my casting out devils shews that I am Satan’s declared enemy.

Matthew 12:31

For this speech of yours (that I work by Beelzebub) let me tell you, Pharisees, ver. 24, that this malicious resisting and holding out against the visible work of God, and despising the miracles that I have wrought by the Spirit and power of God, ver. 28, is such a crime, of so deep a dye, that it shall to them that continue in it be irremissible.

Matthew 12:32

Whosoever shall say this against the Son of man, that is, shall not receive me as I am the Son of man, or before I am sufficiently manifested by the Spirit or finger of God to be the Messias, he may by want of light or manifestation be excusable, and by a general repentance for all his sins of ignorance may receive pardon. But he that shall resist the Spirit of God, manifestly shining in these miracles wrought by Christ, to the astonishment and conviction of all but Pharisees, ver. 23, and shall impute those miracles to the devil, which, by what hath been said, sufficiently appear to be the works of God’s own power; if he repent not particularly of this, and come in, and acknowledge Christ, thus revealed and manifested to him, there is no pardon or mercy to be had for him, neither in this age nor at the coming of the Messias, (by him supposed yet future,) or, neither in this life, where he shall be punished with spiritual death,

• upon you, in? byst. aëroü bmpedans.

• plunder, or forcibly carry away his household stuff, & excén 10 age, nor in that to come.

[h] speaketh a word] It is ordinary in the Hebrew dialect for speaking to signify doing, and word to signify thing; and so here, to

De Myst. 1. 8. c. 4.

[i] it shall be forgiven him] The difference of these two sins being set down, (note [h]), it follows now, that the former of these was a sin for which under the law of the Jews there was place for sacrifice, and so for forgiveness, (upon a general confession of all unknown sins, and asking pardon for them of God.) It did not incur that sanction of death, or excision from the people; and proportionably (in the Christian anagogy) it was in the number or of the nature of those sins by which the sinner, if before living spiritually, doth not ipso facto become spiritually dead, nor incur present obligation to death eternal, but by Christ’s sacrifice is preserved from it; and if before he were spiritually dead, yet is not this such as is to him imputed so as to fill up the measure of his iniquities, and bring utter desertion upon him; but (as a sin ἀκουσθιασθείσης ψυχῆς, or unaffected ignorance, Num. xv. 28,) is accordingly pardonable by a general repentance: (such was that of Nathanael, John i. 46, Can any good come out of Nazareth? which was speaking a word against the Son of man, and yet easily pardonable.)

[k] it shall not be forgiven] As that former kind of sin was capable of mercy, so this second was of a far higher nature, none of those ἀγνοήματα, ignorances, for which only sacrifices were appointed under the law, Heb. ix. 7. Num. xv. 18, but parallel to those for which there was no sacrifice accepted, (see Heb. x,) but just vengeance and punishment under the law, to which death without mercy was to be expected on the impenitent opposers, the ὑπεναντίον and ἀθετήσαντες, adversaries and despisers, Heb. x. 27, 28. Those that sin thus are the soul that doth ought presumptuously, or with a high hand, Num. xv. 30, (a hand lifted up, saith the Hebrew, a hand against God’s finger, Luke xi. 20, or against the Holy Spirit here,) and so that reproaches the Lord there, as the Spirit, Heb. x. 29, (which is just the βλασφημία, or blaspheming the Spirit here, and so the Hebrew יָדָה, reproach, there is rendered blasphemy by the Greek, 2 Kings xix. 22,) and so must be cut off from the people. And proportionably now under the gospel, such a sin as this shall not be forgiven; the offender thereby, if he were before spiritually living, certainly dies spiritually, and so is cut off from God’s true Israel (and by the apostles’ and the church’s discipline is to be cut off from the congregation by censures); the sacrifice of Christ’s death, typified by the legal sacrifices, doth not obtain that such sinners should not fall into present spiritual death and present obligation to eternal death, nor doth the spirit of meekness but the rod of excommunication belong to such. Or if the offender were not before spiritually living, this adds unto his dead works, and so brings on him a new obligation to eternal death; though the sacrifice of Christ’s death, if they repent of such sin particularly and actually, (God giving them space of life to do so,) may and certainly doth raise them up from this spiritual death, and obligation to eternal, by justification. But without such particular special repentance from their sin particularly retracted, they shall continue in death spiritual here, till they fall into eternal hereafter, which is now by Christ most clearly revealed against all wilful sin continued in impenitently, though it were not before so clearly revealed under the law. The issue of this whole matter, as far as concerned the Pharisees there, was this, that unless their sin were particularly retracted by repentance, and Christ received and acknowledged upon these miracles of his, or afterwards by the conviction which the Holy Ghost should work upon the crucifiers, they can never have pardon or remission, not that they that were here guilty should never after repent, or upon repentance be accepted. This is not said here or in any other place, but rather the contrary is every where affirmed in the scripture, which offereth repentance to all, (and that so really, that by the grace of Christ, and the Holy Ghost assisting his word, they may receive it,) and promiseth pardon to all, be they never so great sinners, so they do amend their lives sincerely, and lay hold on God’s mercy in Christ; and this is particularly applied to those Pharisees by force of Christ’s prayer for his crucifiers, (which was certainly heard,) Father, forgive them; that is, deny them not the means of forgiveness, (the power of repenting,) and forgiveness if they shall repent. And accordingly the apostles after teach that God had exalted Christ to his right hand to give repentance unto Israel, Acts v. 31, that is, to all Israel, Acts ii. 36 and 38, and particularly those crucifying rulers, Acts iii. 17, whose ignorance is there, as on the cross by Christ, urged to make their case the more

H

[I] in this world, &c.] This phrase seems to refer to a persuasion of the Jews that some sins which could not be forgiven upon their sacrifices, (whether their daily sacrifices or that on the great day of expiation,) and so are irremissible, ἐν τούτῳ τῷ οἴωνι, in this age, might yet be remitted and pardoned, ἐν τῷ μέλλωνι, in that to come, which sometimes signifies among them the age of the Messias, sometimes the state after death, (see note [o] Luke i.) But of this sin unrepented of, saith Christ, there is no place for any such hope: that opinion of yours, that every Jew hath his part in the age to come, as that notes the age of the Messias, (there being now no further Messias to be looked for by you,) shall stand you in no stead, if you stand out impenitently against all this light and manifestation of divine power, now evidently testifying that I am the Messias. And for the state after death, when that comes and your sentence is once past, there will be small hope of relief or release for you.

Matthew 12:33

For indeed they that do this, that impute the miracles which by the power and finger and Spirit of God are wrought by me unto the devil, must, according to the old known rule of judging the tree by the fruit, be understood to affirm the same ill of him (that is, the Holy Ghost) whose productions these miracles are, as they affirm of the miracles themselves; by pronouncing these to be diabolical, they do by implication pronounce the Holy Ghost to be an infernal spirit, and so God to be the devil, which is the highest and the most irremissible blasphemy imaginable.

Matthew 12:34

Ye are indeed a wretched sort of people, your language speaks you what you are, viz., that your viperous hearts will not permit you to speak any otherwise, (as how can you is used John v. 44, and of Christ, he could not do miracles, Mark vi. 5, that is, their unbelief was a let and impediment to him,) for as your hearts are, even so by consequence will your language be, and therefore from so viperous a brood no better can be expected.

Matthew 12:35

Every man entertaineth his guests with such provisions as he hath, and just so, men’s words are testifications of what is in their hearts.

Matthew 12:36

But deceive not yourselves, as if words were too light to be accounted for; believe it, words, such they may be, false, blasphemous words, such as yours are now, ver. 32, and such as flow out of the evil treasure of the heart, ver. 35, shall be most sadly accounted for in the day of judgment.

[m] idle word] The word ἀργὸν may bear proportion in sense to the Hebrew שָׁוָה, which signifies vain indeed, but frequently false, because that which is false wants the solidity and substance of truth. So μάταιον λόγον καὶ ψευδῆ, vanity and lies, Prov. xxx. 8; or as the Greek ἀργός is derived, quasi, ἀεργος, when the words are without deeds agreeing to them. Thus κενὸς λόγος, vain speech, Ephes. v. 6, is not unprofitable, but false speaking, such as with which they are advised that they be not deceived. But it is further observable from the scripture style, mentioned note [e], (which uses to signify more than the words literally import,) that the word ἄκαρπος, unfruitful, Ephes. v. 11, and μάταιος, vain, do signify, not only the negation of, but contrariety to all profit, that is, the greatest wickedness; and so may ἀργός here. The advice of Pythagoras, Αἱρετώτερόν σοι ἔστω λίθον εἰκῇ βάλλειν ἢ λόγον ἀργόν: “Let it be more desirable to thee, or choose rather to cast a stone at an adventure, than an idle speech,” where it is evident that λόγος ἀργός is at least a rash speech, and such as from which a man himself or others may as probably receive some considerable hurt, as from a stone rashly cast we have reason to expect. And accordingly in this place R. Stevens mentions another reading, πονηρὸν instead of ἀργόν, every wicked word. Thus will the ἀργὸν ῥῆμα be the same with πονηρὰ, evil things, ver. 35; and thus it may refer to the notion of πονηρὸν ῥῆμα, used for reproach and contumely, ch. v. 11; for such was that against Christ, ver. 24, that great contumely and falsity of his casting out devils by the prince of devils. That it is some grand crime, not every word which tends not to some special end of Christian edification, appears by the next verse, where they are affirmed to be such as for which

Matthew 12:37

For words as well as actions are accounted of by God in conferring either rewards or punishments upon us.

p all that take upon them to be sent from God, and expect to be received, bring some signs with them, miracles, or somewhat of that nature, to give them authority; we now desire some such from you.

p It is the sign of a wicked infidel people to be always unsatisfied, after so many miracles and manifestations (sufficient to prove me the Messias) still to be requiring more, without ever being moved with what you have already; for such as you there is but one sign or token or miracle behind, that of my resurrection from death, after ye have crucified me; whereby you shall have my office asserted, after I am