Luke 18

Luke 18:15-17

and against which he would express a holy indignation. Then raising, as it were, a deep sigh from his inmost soul, in one short ejaculation he breathed forth the desires of his sinful soul, God be merciful to me a sinner! He must his guilt, by nature, by practice, ill-deserving, hell-deserving; he disclaims all hope and dependence upon himself, and trusts alone upon the promised mercy of God through the blood of atonement; assured he must otherwise eternally perish: and therefore he calls his soul down before the throne of God’s grace, earnestly begging that mercy which he so greatly needed. A pattern which every poor sinner must imitate; and in this way alone may the miserable hope to find mercy. We are all in this publickness hase; and, if ever we would be saved, we must learn his spirit and adopt his prayer.

4. Very different was the acceptance which these men’s prayers met at a throne of grace. However to outward view the precious Pharise might be generally among men preferred to this despised publick, God is not as man seeth: this poor, self-abused, and penitent sinner must deem to his heath justified, his sins pardoned, his perish accepted, his prayer granted, and peace spoken to his soul; and not the other, the proud self-justified was left to his native guilt and sin, abhorred of God, his very prayers an abomination, and all his boasts were but delusion, and must prove his destruction. And the reason of this is added, which contains also an axiom which will be for ever proved true; every one that enslaves himself, in the vain imagination of his own self-sufficiency and righteousness before God, looking down with disdain upon others, as so much his inferiors in goodness, he shall be abysed; his pride will be mortified, his sins will take hold of him, and the wrath of God in hell for ever abide upon him: whilst he that humblest himself, taking thine for his sinfulness and badness before God, controlling his guilt, and acknowledged his unworthiness of the least mercy, shall be exalted to the favour of God in this world, and to his eternal glory in a better.

5. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but, when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise enter therein.

This passage of story hath before been twice recorded; and a third time it is profitable to consider it:

1. As an encouragement to parents early to bring their babes to Jesus, in prayer committing them to his benediction, by baptism offering them to become visible members of his church, and engaging to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

2. We must not be disheartened in our applications, if we find those discountenance us from whom we hoped for encouragement; the Master himself will treat us more kindly.

3. The longest day we live we need still to set before us a little child for our pattern. In the school of reachableness, humility, and simplicity, the best and wisest have yet many lessons to learn.

4. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19. And Jesus said unto him, Why called thou me good? none is good save one, that is God. 20. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not heal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lacked thou one thing: Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24. And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25. For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26. And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27. And he said, The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God. 28. Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. 29. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake. 30. Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

Luke 18:18-30

We have here,

1. Our Lord’s discourse with the young ruler, who enquired after the way to eternal life. The enquiry was important, and what the greatest of men need seriously to consider; for they are dying worms as well as others. Could man keep the commandments, this would be still the road to glory; but since the fall, that door of paradise is barred, and none can any longer hope to enter heaven by personal obedience, since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. To flatter ourselves we have kept the commandments would prove our ignorance of the spirituality of God’s law, and of the corruption of our own hearts. Thus deceived was this young ruler; and the delusion was evident the moment he was called upon to part with all for Christ; when, unable to bear that hard saying, he departed sorrowful. Nere, Worldly things are usually due hindrances in the way to glory: for the sake of some one darling lust, how many make shipwreck of their souls.

2. Our Lord took occasion from hence to warn his disciples, whose hearts were too full of the hopes of temporal grandeur, how difficult, and next to impossible, it was for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. And, when they expressed their astonishment thereat, he refers them to that almighty grace which can effect that for us which we could never do for ourselves. Nere, Instead of grabbing at abundance, we should tremble at the perishments of our situation, if God in his providence gives us much: we have so many more hindrances in our way to heaven, unless he gives us also proportionate grace to improve our talents to his glory.

3. In answer to Peter’s question, what they should have who left all to follow him, Christ replies, they should be abundant gainers thereby, receiving manifold more in this present time, if not in kind, yet in comfort, in the present graces and gifts of God’s Spirit, and in the enjoyment of his love and favour; and in the world to come life everlasting, which will infinitely overpay all our present ladies.

4. ¶ Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on; 33. And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. 34. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Luke 18:31-34

We have here,

1. The warning Christ gave his disciples of the sufferings he must endure, to arm them against that dire event. He was about to suffer every indignity, and at last death itself. Nor ought this to surprise them, since the Scriptures had foretold that thus it must be; and not one jot or tittle of the divine word can fail. But as they declared his sufferings, they had inferred his resurrection also; and therefore his disciples need not defound, having this glorious event in their view.

2. So strong were the unhappy prejudices the apostles had imbibed, that they understood none of these things. The prophecies which spoke of the Messiah’s sufferings and reproaches were hid from them; they could not reconcile the glorious things spoken of his kingdom to such a sense of indignities and humiliation: and, having their eyes dazed with the temporal grandeur of the Messiah’s kingdom, they overlooked all beside. But then, now, and ever, ought we to remember, that the way to glory, both for the head and the members, lies through much tribulation; and in crisis, in crown.

3. ¶ And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man far by the wayside begging. 36. And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passed by. 38. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 39. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 40. And Jesus stood and commanded him to be brought unto him: and, when he was come near, he asked him, 41. Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

Luke 18:35-43

It was prophesied of the Messiah, that he should open the eyes of the blind: here we see him fulfilling the prophetic word. And he who gave light to the darkened body

Shines

flaims still with brighter beams as the fun of righteousness into the burgeard soul, and communicates also the faculty of spiritual vision to those whofe souls the God of this world had blinded.

1. The patient here was blind and poor; and such beggars have a claim upon our charity.

2. He sat by the way-side, where he hoped for relief, and there he found more than his most languine wishes expected; for, whilst we are waiting upon God in his ways, he is pleased often to give us more than we can ask or think. He heard of the multitude that Jesus passed by, and now resolved to seize the happy moment to prefer his request; nor would he likened by any rebukes of those who were near him, crying with loud and exudate importunity, Jefus, thou sin of David, have mercy on me. Nere, Wherever God thus pours out a spirit of prayer and supplication, it is a sure earnest that he intends to grant our petitions.

3. Christ, in his wonted compaition, calls the poor man, bids him prefer his petition, and grants his request, giving him sight according to his desire. The tender-hearted saviour feels he human wretchedness, and will not send the poor and humble supplicant away without an answer of peace. If we have faith to craft him, he hath power and willingness to heal all our infirmities, and to supply all our wants.

4. The poor beggar, now restored to sight, with delight followed Jesus in the way, glorifying God for the mercy he had experienced; and all the people joined his praises. Nere, (1.) If we have received spiritual sight, then shall we follow Jesus without delay in all his holy ways. (2.) The mercies of others demand our thankfulness, as well as our own; for we are members one of another.