Matthew 12
SIBMatthew 12:26-30
If devils weaken their common cause among men; and work for the confirmation of my doctrines of holiness, which are so directly contrary to all their interests and designs, how can their power in the world stand? And, if ye will pretend that I cast out devils by a diabolical influence, by what do your own applauded disciples undertake to cast them out? They shall therefore be witnesses, and give judgment, against your partial and unjust accusation of me. And, if it be incontrovertibly evident that I cast them out by the almighty influence of God’s Spirit, it is then plain that I am come with sovereign authority to destroy the kingdom of the devil, irresistibly dislodging him from men’s bodies and souls: and to set up a spiritual, merciful, and holy, kingdom among you: and whoever will not own and join me in my opposition to him, and in gathering sinners out of his kingdom into mine, must be held as an enemy to me and to the conversion of mankind. 31, 32. Whatever blasphemous reproaches ye utter against me in my present debasement may be pardoned; but if, in this approaching dispensation of the Holy Ghost, ye blaspheme his marvellous gifts and operations as devilish; and, contrary to his remarkable convictions, wilfully and maliciously oppose the method of redemption, which he comes to apply; it shall never be forgiven you; but the most fearful judgments shall overtake you, both in this world and in the next
Matthew 12:33-37
Nay, your present words manifest the inward wickedness and malice of your heart, and that ye are indeed the children of the devil; for, as men’s hearts are good or bad, so will be their words and actions. And know that even your trifling and unprofitable talk, and much more your blasphemous reproaches, must be reckoned for, to your condemnation, in the day of judgment. 41, 42. Christ’s divine dignity and authority, were manifest; his wisdom was infinite; his preaching frequent, plain, powerful, and long continued; his doctrines were confirmed by miracles unnumbered, and at last by his resurrection, and the effusion of the Holy Ghost
Matthew 12:43-45
This parable means that Satan, being frequently baffled by the miracles of Christ and his apostles, and by the light and power of the gospel among the Jews, should, in great vexation, retire to the Gentile world, hoping to meet with less disturbance among them: but, finding himself quickly pursued thither by the still more remarkable influences and success of the gospel, and more abundantly harassed and defeated, he should return to the Jews; and, finding most of them destitute of grace, notwithstanding all their pretenses to purity and religion, and more ready to resign up themselves to him than before, he would seduce them more powerfully than ever; and, by filling them with more obstinate hardness of heart, render their wickedness and ruin altogether remediless. CHAP. XII. Ver. 10—15. Our Saviour taught much in parables. (1) That he might fulfil Old Testament predictions; Psal. lxxviii. 1, 2; and xlix. 3, 4; ver. 34, 35. (2) That, in manifesting the spiritual turn of his own mind, he might set us an example to improve every thing as a mean of spiritual instruction; John iii. 12, 13. (3) That he might the more effectually reprove the Jews, without putting them into a rage; chap. xxi. 28—46. (4) That he might the more easily instruct the attentive and thoughtful, in a manner, much used in the East, delightful to the mind and helpful to the memory; Hos. xii. 10. (5) That he might justly permit the blindness and ruin of such us hated instruction; ver. 13. Ver. 3—9, 18—23. The parable of the soils or sower represents the different issues of the gospel ministrations on different sorts of hearers, and the causes of them. The sower is Jesus Christ, by himself and his ministers painfully, carefully, and faithfully, preaching gospel truths, which, like good seed, are precious, uncorrupted, and calculated to produce fruits of faith and holiness, glory to God, and eternal happiness to men. The way side denotes careless hearers, who never seriously regard or think about those divine truths which they hear; while the devil and his agents divert their mind with other thoughts, to make them entirely forget them. The stony ground denotes them who hear the gospel with some delightful conceptions of its glories, sudden flashes of joy in their affections, and some slight purposes and desires towards that which is good; but, their hearts never being savingly renewed, they do not receive it by faith and love, as an abiding and governing principle of action; and hence, whenever they meet with violent and lasting temptations or persecutions for the sake of religion, they apostatize from it. The thorny ground denotes them who hear the gospel with remarkable attention, and are so affected by it that, for a considerable time, they appear to make progress in the knowledge, profession, and practice, of religion; but at last their cares about worldly things, and expectations and desires of happiness in them, and their eager pursuits after riches and pleasure, so entangle, deceive, and overset them, that they never attain to any true holiness of heart or life. The good ground denotes those hearers who receive the truths of the gospel into their hearts, renewed by the Spirit of God; and through the daily influences of his grace, improve them to their spiritual fruitfulness in holy dispositions, thoughts, words, and actions, in different degrees. 24-30, 36-43. The sowing of the good seed represents Christ as planting his grace in the hearts of men by the ministry of the gospel, to render them true members of his church: these, in due time, discover themselves by their open profession of their faith, and by their holy practice. The tares denote hypocritical professors, or ministers; these Satan, especially in a time of prosperity, and when ministers and people are unwatchful, secretly raises up in the church, and causes gradually to discover themselves. It is a grief to the faithful servants and people of Christ to see the gospel so perverted and abused, by any of its preachers or professors, to the introducing of errors and immoralities into the church or world; and yet, till the harvest of the last judgment, such can never be wholly separated from the godly and faithful. 31, 32. The marvellous growth of the grain of mustard-seed represents Christ’s gospel and church in the world, and his grace in the soul; extremely small and obscure in their beginnings, but gradually increasing, till they fill the heart and even the earth; so that both Jews and Gentiles find refreshment and rest in them. 33. The hidden leaven, infecting three measures of meal, represents Christ’s gospel and grace implanted in the hearts of men, and secretly working with such divine efficacy as to sanctify all the faculties of the soul and members of the body, and gradually spreading themselves through all nations, to captivate them to the obedience of faith. 44. The TREASURE hid in the field, &c. represents Christ and the rich blessings of the gospel as lying hid in the oracles of God from carnal men; but when manifested by the Spirit, eagerly apprehended, and joyfully received into the heart; and an interest in them esteemed so valuable, that a man is ready to part with all things in the world to enjoy fellowship therein through the word. 45, 46. The PEARL of great price denotes Christ and his inestimable blessings, which, being once discovered by earnest seekers after true happiness, renders them willing to part with all the riches and enjoyments of this world rather than not obtain a property therein
Matthew 12:47-50
The NET cast into the sea, &c. represents the gospel as laboriously and faithfully preached in this confused, wicked, and unquiet world, and as being the mean of gathering multitudes, some saints and some hypocrites, into a visible church state, in which they shall remain connected till the angels make an awful separation between them in the last judgment. 52. The HOUSEHOLDER represents preachers treasuring up divine truths in their minds and hearts, that, out of the Old and New Testaments, and out of their new and old instructions, observations, and experiences, they may seasonably and profitably bring forth doctrines suited to all persons and cases
REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. XII.—Be content, my soul, to endure hardships or hunger, and to live on coarse fare, and to put up with ignorant reproaches in following Christ. And in all let me rejoice that he is my advocate and justifier, and the Lord of the Sabbath, who can prescribe the work of it at his pleasure; and has appointed it as his great opportunity of distributing blessings to sinful men. If either diseases or devils plague me, let me cast my burden on the Lord. And, if my heart or hand be withered, let me stretch it forth at his power-conveying call. Let me copy his example of constant and humble activity in doing good, or of meekly bearing the vilest reproaches. And let me never check them by passionate returns, or by revengeful recrimination, but by unanswerable, and especially practical refutation. Empty professors are very prone to carp at things trifling or lawful, while they indulge an ignorance of the oracles of God. But full of blindness, prejudice, and malignity, against Jesus Christ and the gospel, must they be, and fearful is their guilt and dreadful their danger, who, contrary to strong evidence and deep convictions, blaspheme Jesus Christ and his Spirit. No heathens can sin so heinously, nor be damned so dreadfully! There is an absolute necessity of almighty power and grace to convert men from Satan to God; and to have gracious principles implanted in our hearts, in order to practical holiness. No gracious acts can ever take place till gracious qualities be divinely created in us. But surely we should be very careful to act always as under God’s eye, when our final account is to be so strict, and the issues of it so infinitely important! Near relations, or even real saints, are often Satan’s instruments to hinder Jesus or his faithful servants in their work. Yet great is his love to, and care for, such as truly believe and obey him: and, if I be spiritually related and conformed to him, let the world condemn and reject me as they please. But it is very desirable and honourable that all the lovers of Jesus should be as united in promoting the interest of the gospel as Satan and his subjects are in their opposition to it