mh_parser/vol_split/5 - Deuteronomy/Chapter 13.xml

<div2 id="Deu.xiv" n="xiv" next="Deu.xv" prev="Deu.xiii" progress="87.64%" title="Chapter XIII">
<h2 id="Deu.xiv-p0.1">D E U T E R O N O M Y</h2>
<h3 id="Deu.xiv-p0.2">CHAP. XIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Deu.xiv-p1">Moses is still upon that necessary subject
concerning the peril of idolatry. In the close of the foregoing
chapter he had cautioned them against the peril that might arise
from their predecessors the Canaanites. In this chapter he cautions
them against the rise of idolatry from among themselves; they must
take heed lest any should draw them to idolatry, I. By the pretence
of prophecy, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.5" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|5" passage="De 13:1-5">ver. 1-5</scripRef>. II.
By the pretence of friendship and relation, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.6-Deut.13.11" parsed="|Deut|13|6|13|11" passage="De 13:6-11">ver. 6-11</scripRef>. III. By the pretence of numbers,
<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.12-Deut.13.18" parsed="|Deut|13|12|13|18" passage="De 13:12-18">ver. 12-18</scripRef>. But in all
these cases the temptation must be resolutely resisted and the
tempters punished and cut off.</p>
<scripCom id="Deu.xiv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13" parsed="|Deut|13|0|0|0" passage="De 13" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Deu.xiv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.5" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|5" passage="De 13:1-5" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.5">
<h4 id="Deu.xiv-p1.6">Cautions Against Idolatry. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p1.7">b. c.</span> 1451.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiv-p2">1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a
dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,   2 And
the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee,
saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and
let us serve them;   3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words
of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.1">Lord</span> your God proveth you, to know whether ye
love the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.2">Lord</span> your God with all your
heart and with all your soul.   4 Ye shall walk after the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.3">Lord</span> your God, and fear him, and
keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him,
and cleave unto him.   5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of
dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn
<i>you</i> away from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.4">Lord</span> your
God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you
out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p2.5">Lord</span> thy God commanded thee to
walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of
thee.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p3">Here is, I. A very strange supposition,
<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.1-Deut.13.2" parsed="|Deut|13|1|13|2" passage="De 13:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1, 2</scripRef>. 1. It is
strange that there should arise any among themselves, especially
any pretending to vision and prophecy, who should instigate them to
<i>go and serve other gods.</i> Was it possible that any who had so
much knowledge of the methods of divine revelation as to be able to
personate a prophet should yet have so little knowledge of the
divine nature and will as to go himself and entice his neighbours
<i>after other gods?</i> Could an Israelite ever be guilty of such
impiety? Could a man of sense ever be guilty of such absurdity? We
see it in our own day, and therefore may think it the less strange;
multitudes that profess both learning and religion yet exciting
both themselves and others, not only to worship God by images, but
to give divine honour to saints and angels, which is no better than
<i>going after other gods to serve them;</i> such is the power of
strong delusions. 2. It is yet more strange that the sign or wonder
given for the confirmation of this false doctrine should come to
pass. Can it be thought that God himself should give any
countenance to such a vile proceeding? Did ever a false prophet
work a true miracle? It is only supposed here for two reasons:—
(1.) To strengthen the caution here given against hearkening to
such a one. "Though it were possible that he should work a true
miracle, yet you must not believe him if he tell you that you must
serve other gods, for the divine law against that is certainly
perpetual and unalterable." The supposition is like that in
<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Gal.1.8" parsed="|Gal|1|8|0|0" passage="Ga 1:8">Gal. i. 8</scripRef>, <i>If we, or an
angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you</i>—which does
not prove it possible that an angel should preach another gospel,
but strongly expresses the certainty and perpetuity of that which
we have received. So here, (2.) It is to fortify them against the
danger of impostures and lying wonders (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:2Thess.2.9" parsed="|2Thess|2|9|0|0" passage="2Th 2:9">2 Thess. ii. 9</scripRef>): "Suppose the credentials he
produces be so artfully counterfeited that you cannot discern the
cheat, nor disprove them, yet, if they are intended to draw you to
the service of other gods, that alone is sufficient to disprove
them; no evidence can be admitted against so clear a truth as that
of the unity of the Godhead, and so plain a law as that of
worshipping the <i>one only living and true God.</i>" We cannot
suppose that the God of truth should set his seal of miracles to a
lie, to so gross a lie as is supposed in that temptation, <i>Let us
go after other gods.</i> But if it be asked, Why is this false
prophet permitted to counterfeit this broad seal? It is answered
here (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.3" parsed="|Deut|13|3|0|0" passage="De 13:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): "<i>The
Lord your God proveth you.</i> He suffers you to be set upon by such
a temptation to try your constancy, that both those that are
perfect and those that are false and corrupt may be made manifest.
It is to prove you; therefore see that you acquit yourselves well
in the trial, and stand your ground."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p4">II. Here is a very necessary charge given
in this case,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p5">1. Not to yield to the temptation: "<i>Thou
shalt not hearken to the worlds of that prophet,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.3" parsed="|Deut|13|3|0|0" passage="De 13:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>. Not only thou shalt not
do the thing he tempts thee to, but thou shalt not so much as
patiently hear the temptation, but reject it with the utmost
disdain and detestation. Such a suggestion as this is not to be so
much as parleyed with, but the ear must be stopped against it.
<i>Get thee behind me, Satan.</i>" Some temptations are so grossly
vile that they will not bear a debate, nor may we so much as give
them the hearing. What follows (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.4" parsed="|Deut|13|4|0|0" passage="De 13:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>), <i>You shall walk after the
Lord,</i> may be looked upon, (1.) As prescribing a preservative
from the temptation: "Keep close to your duty, and you keep out of
harm's way. God never leaves us till we leave him." Or, (2.) As
furnishing us with an answer to the temptation; say, "It is
written, <i>Thou shalt walk after the Lord,</i> and <i>cleave unto
him;</i> and therefore what have I to do with idols?"</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p6">2. Not to spare the tempter, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.5" parsed="|Deut|13|5|0|0" passage="De 13:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>. That prophet shall be
<i>put to death,</i> both to punish him for the attempt he has made
(the seducer must die, though none were seduced by him—a design
upon the crown is treason) and to prevent his doing further
mischief. This is called <i>putting away the evil.</i> There is no
way of removing the guilt but by removing the guilty; if such a
criminal be not punished, those that should punish him make
themselves responsible. And thus the <i>mischief must be put
away;</i> the infection must be kept from spreading by cutting off
the gangrened limb, and putting away the mischief-makers. such
Dangerous diseases as these must be taken in time.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Deu.xiv-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.6-Deut.13.11" parsed="|Deut|13|6|13|11" passage="De 13:6-11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.13.6-Deut.13.11">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiv-p7">6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy
son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend,
which <i>is</i> as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying,
Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou,
nor thy fathers;   7 <i>Namely,</i> of the gods of the people
which <i>are</i> round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from
thee, from the <i>one</i> end of the earth even unto the
<i>other</i> end of the earth;   8 Thou shalt not consent unto
him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him,
neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him:   9
But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him
to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
  10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die;
because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p7.1">Lord</span> thy God, which brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, from the house of bondage.   11 And all Israel shall
hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is
among you.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p8">Further provision is made by this branch of
the statute against receiving the infection of idolatry from those
that are near and dear to us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p9">I. It is the policy of the tempter to send
his solicitations by the hand of those whom we love, whom we least
suspect of any ill design upon us, and whom we are desirous to
please and apt to conform ourselves to. The enticement here is
supposed to come from a brother or child that are near by nature,
from a wife or friend that are near by choice, and are to us <i>as
our own souls,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.6" parsed="|Deut|13|6|0|0" passage="De 13:6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>. Satan tempted Adam by Eve and Christ by Peter. We are
therefore concerned to stand upon our guard against a bad proposal
when the person that makes it can pretend to an interest in us,
that we many never sin against God in compliment to the best friend
we have in the world. The temptation is supposed to be private: he
will <i>entice thee secretly,</i> implying that idolatry is a work
of darkness, which dreads the light and covets to be concealed, and
in which the sinner promises himself, and the tempter promises him,
secrecy and security. Concerning the false gods proposed to be
served, 1. The tempter suggests that the worshipping of these gods
was the common practice of the world; and, if they limited their
adorations to an invisible Deity, they were singular, and like
nobody, for these gods were the <i>gods of the people round about
them,</i> and indeed of all the nations of the earth, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.7" parsed="|Deut|13|7|0|0" passage="De 13:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>. This suggestion draws
many away from religion and godliness, that it is an unfashionable
thing; and they make their court to the world and the flesh because
these are the <i>gods of the people that are round about them.</i>
2. Moses suggests, in opposition to this, that it had not been the
practice of their ancestors; they are gods which <i>thou hast not
known, thou nor thy fathers.</i> Those that are born of godly
parents, and have been educated in pious exercises, when they are
enticed to a vain, loose, careless way of living should remember
that those are ways which <i>they have not known, they nor their
fathers.</i> And will they thus degenerate?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p10">II. It is our duty to prefer God and
religion before the best friends we have in the world. 1. We must
not, in complaisance to our friends, break God's law (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.8" parsed="|Deut|13|8|0|0" passage="De 13:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>): "<i>Thou shalt not
consent to him.</i> nor go with him to his idolatrous worship, no,
not for company, or curiosity, or to gain a better interest in is
affections." It is a general rule, <i>If sinners entice thee,
consent thou not,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Prov.1.10" parsed="|Prov|1|10|0|0" passage="Pr 1:10">Prov. i.
10</scripRef>. 2. We must not, in compassion to our friends,
obstruct the course of God's justice. He that attempts such a thing
must not only be looked upon as an enemy, or dangerous person, whom
one should be afraid of, and swear the peace against, but as a
criminal or traitor, whom, in zeal for our sovereign Lord, his
crown and dignity, we are bound to inform against, and cannot
conceal without incurring the guilt of a great misprision
(<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.9" parsed="|Deut|13|9|0|0" passage="De 13:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt
surely kill him.</i> By this law the persons enticed were bound to
the seducer, and to give evidence against him before the proper
judges, that he might suffer the penalty of the law, and that
without delay, which the Jews say is here intended in that phrase,
as it is in the Hebrew, <i>killing thou shalt kill him.</i> Neither
the prosecution nor the execution must be deferred; and he that was
first in the former must be first in the latter, to show that he
stood to his testimony: "<i>Thy hand shall be first upon him,</i>
to mark him out as an anathema, and then the hands of all the
people, to put him away as an accursed thing." The death he must
die was that which was looked upon among the Jews as the severest
of all deaths. He must be stoned: and his accusation written is
that he has sought to thrust thee away, by a kind of violence,
<i>from the Lord thy God,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.10" parsed="|Deut|13|10|0|0" passage="De 13:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Those are certainly our worst
enemies that would <i>thrust us from God,</i> our best friend; and
whatever draws us to sin, separates between us and God, is a design
upon our life, and to be resented accordingly, And, lastly, here is
the good effect of this necessary execution (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.11" parsed="|Deut|13|11|0|0" passage="De 13:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>): <i>All Israel shall hear and
fear.</i> They <i>ought to hear and fear;</i> for the punishment of
crimes committed is designed <i>in terrorem—to terrify,</i> and so
to prevent their repetition. And it is to be hoped they will hear
and fear, and by the severity of the punishment, especially when it
is at the prosecution of a father, a brother, or a friend, will be
made to conceive a horror of the sin, as exceedingly sinful, and to
be afraid of incurring the like punishment themselves. <i>Smite the
scorner</i> that sins presumptuously, <i>and the simple,</i> that
is in danger of sinning carelessly, <i>will beware.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Deu.xiv-p10.6" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13" parsed="|Deut|13|0|0|0" passage="De 13" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Deu.xiv-p10.7" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.12-Deut.13.18" parsed="|Deut|13|12|13|18" passage="De 13:12-18" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Deut.13.12-Deut.13.18">
<p class="passage" id="Deu.xiv-p11">12 If thou shalt hear <i>say</i> in one of thy
cities, which the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.1">Lord</span> thy God hath
given thee to dwell there, saying,   13 <i>Certain</i> men,
the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have
withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and
serve other gods, which ye have not known;   14 Then shalt
thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold,
<i>if it be</i> truth, <i>and</i> the thing certain, <i>that</i>
such abomination is wrought among you;   15 Thou shalt surely
smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword,
destroying it utterly, and all that <i>is</i> therein, and the
cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.   16 And thou
shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street
thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil
thereof every whit, for the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.2">Lord</span> thy
God: and it shall be a heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
  17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to
thine hand: that the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.3">Lord</span> may turn
from the fierceness of his anger, and show thee mercy, and have
compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy
fathers;   18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.4">Lord</span> thy God, to keep all his
commandments which I command thee this day, to do <i>that which
is</i> right in the eyes of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Deu.xiv-p11.5">Lord</span>
thy God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p12">Here the case is put of a city revolting
from its allegiance to the God of Israel, <i>and serving other
gods.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p13">I. The crime is supposed to be committed,
1. By one of the cities of Israel, that lay within the jurisdiction
of their courts. The church then <i>judged those only that were
within,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.5.12-1Cor.5.13" parsed="|1Cor|5|12|5|13" passage="1Co 5:12,13">1 Cor. v. 12,
13</scripRef>. And, even when they were ordered to preserve their
religion in the first principles of it by fire and sword to
propagate it. Those that are born within the allegiance of a
prince, if they take up arms against him, are dealt with as
traitors, but foreign invaders are not so. The city that is here
supposed to have become idolatrous is one that formerly worshipped
the true God, but had now withdrawn to other gods, which intimates
how great the crime is, and how sore the punishment will be, of
those that, <i>after they have known the way of righteousness, turn
aside from it,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:2Pet.2.21" parsed="|2Pet|2|21|0|0" passage="2Pe 2:21">2 Pet. ii.
21</scripRef>. 2. It is supposed to be committed by the generality
of the inhabitants of the city, for we may conclude that, if a
considerable number did retain their integrity, those only that
were guilty were to be destroyed, and the city was to be spared for
the sake of the righteous in it; for <i>will not the Judge of all
the earth do right?</i> No doubt he will. 3. They are supposed to
be drawn to idolatry by <i>certain men, the children of Belial,</i>
men that would endure no yoke (so it signifies), that neither fear
God nor regard man, but shake off all restraints of law and
conscience, and are perfectly lost to all manner of virtue; these
are those that say, "Let us serve other gods," that will not only
allow, but will countenance and encourage, our immoralities. Belial
is put for <i>the devil</i> (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:2Cor.6.15" parsed="|2Cor|6|15|0|0" passage="2Co 6:15">2 Cor.
vi. 15</scripRef>), and the children of Belial are his children.
These withdraw the inhabitants of the city; for a little of this
old leaven, when it is entertained, soon leavens the whole
lump.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p14">II. The cause is ordered to be tried with a
great deal of care (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.14" parsed="|Deut|13|14|0|0" passage="De 13:14"><i>v.</i>
14</scripRef>): <i>Thou shalt enquire and make search.</i> They
must not proceed upon common fame, or take the information by
hearsay, but must examine the proofs, and not give judgment against
them unless the evidence was clear and the charge fully made out.
God himself, before he destroyed Sodom, is said to have come down
to see whether its crimes were according to the clamour, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Gen.18.21" parsed="|Gen|18|21|0|0" passage="Ge 18:21">Gen. xviii. 21</scripRef>. In judicial processes
it is requisite that time, and care, and pains, be taken to find
out the truth, and that search be made without any passion,
prejudice, or partiality. The Jewish writers say that, though
particular persons who were idolaters might be judged by the
inferior courts, the defection of a city was to be tried by the
great Sanhedrim; and, if it appeared that they were thrust away to
idolatry, two learned men were sent to them to admonish and reclaim
them. If they repented, all would be well; if not, then all Israel
must go up to war against them, to testify their indignation
against idolatry and to stop the spreading of the contagion.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Deu.xiv-p15">III. If the crime were proved, and the
criminals were incorrigible, the city was to be wholly destroyed.
If there were a few righteous men in it, no doubt they would remove
themselves and their families out of such a dangerous place, and
then all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, must be put to
the sword (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.15" parsed="|Deut|13|15|0|0" passage="De 13:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>),
all the spoil of the city, both shop-goods and the furniture of
houses, must be brought into the marketplace and burned, and the
city itself must be laid in ashes and never built again, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.16" parsed="|Deut|13|16|0|0" passage="De 13:16"><i>v.</i> 16</scripRef>. The soldiers are
forbidden, upon pain of death, to convert any of the plunder to
their own use, <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.17" parsed="|Deut|13|17|0|0" passage="De 13:17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>. It was a devoted thing, and dangerous to meddle
with, as we find in the case of Achan. Now, 1. God enjoins this
severity of show what a jealous God he is in the matters of his
worship, and how great a crime it is to serve other gods. Let men
know that God will not give his glory to another, nor his praise to
graven images. 2. He expects that magistrates, having their honour
and power from him, should be concerned for his honour, and use
their power for <i>terror to evil doers,</i> else they bear the
sword in vain. 3. The faithful worshippers of the true God must
take all occasions to show their just indignation against idolatry,
much more against atheism, infidelity, and irreligion. 4. It is
here intimated that the best expedient for the turning away of
God's anger from a land is to execute justice upon the <i>wicked of
the land</i> (<scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Deut.13.17" parsed="|Deut|13|17|0|0" passage="De 13:17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>), that the Lord may <i>turn from the fierceness of
his anger,</i> which was ready to break out against the whole
nation, for the wickedness of that one apostate city. It is
promised that, if they would thus root wickedness out of their
land, God would multiply them. They might think it impolitic, and
against the interest of their nation, to ruin a whole city for a
crime relating purely to religion, and that they should be more
sparing of the blood of Israelites: "Fear not that" (says Moses),
"God will multiply you the more; the body of your nation will lose
nothing by the letting out of this corrupt blood." <i>Lastly,</i>
Though we do not find this law put in execution in all the history
of the Jewish church (Gibeah was destroyed, not for idolatry, but
immorality), yet for the neglect of the execution of it upon the
inferior cities that served idols God himself, by the army of the
Chaldeans, put it in execution upon Jerusalem, the head city,
which, for is apostasy from God, was utterly destroyed and laid
waste, and lay in ruins seventy years. Though idolaters may escape
punishment from men (nor is this law in the letter of it binding
now, under the gospel), yet the Lord our God will not suffer them
to escape his righteous judgements. The New Testament speaks of
communion with idolaters as a sin which, above any other,
<i>provokes the Lord to jealousy,</i> and dares him as if we were
<i>stronger than he,</i> <scripRef id="Deu.xiv-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.10.21-1Cor.10.22" parsed="|1Cor|10|21|10|22" passage="1Co 10:21,22">1 Cor. x.
21, 22</scripRef>.</p>
</div></div2>