mh_parser/vol_split/42 - Luke/Chapter 20.xml

<div2 id="Luke.xxi" n="xxi" next="Luke.xxii" prev="Luke.xx" progress="64.05%" title="Chapter XX">
<h2 id="Luke.xxi-p0.1">L U K E.</h2>
<h3 id="Luke.xxi-p0.2">CHAP. XX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Luke.xxi-p1">In this chapter we have, I. Christ's answer to the
chief priests' question concerning his authority, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.1-Luke.20.8" parsed="|Luke|20|1|20|8" passage="Lu 20:1-8">ver. 1-8</scripRef>. II. The parable of the
vineyard let out to the unjust and rebellious husbandmen, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.9-Luke.20.19" parsed="|Luke|20|9|20|19" passage="Lu 20:9-19">ver. 9-19</scripRef>. III. Christ's answer to
the question proposed to him concerning the lawfulness of paying
tribute to Cæsar, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.20-Luke.20.26" parsed="|Luke|20|20|20|26" passage="Lu 20:20-26">ver.
20-26</scripRef>. IV. His vindication of that great fundamental
doctrine of the Jewish and Christian institutes—the resurrection
of the dead and the future state, from the foolish cavils of the
Sadducees, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.27-Luke.20.38" parsed="|Luke|20|27|20|38" passage="Lu 20:27-38">ver. 27-38</scripRef>.
V. His puzzling the scribes with a question concerning the
Messiah's being the Son of David, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.39-Luke.20.44" parsed="|Luke|20|39|20|44" passage="Lu 20:39-44">ver. 39-44</scripRef>. VI. The caution he gave his
disciples to take heed of the scribes, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.45-Luke.20.47" parsed="|Luke|20|45|20|47" passage="Lu 20:45-47">ver. 45-47</scripRef>. All which passages we had
before in Matthew and Mark, and therefore need not enlarge upon
them here, unless on those particulars which we had not there.</p>
<scripCom id="Luke.xxi-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20" parsed="|Luke|20|0|0|0" passage="Lu 20" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Luke.xxi-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.1-Luke.20.8" parsed="|Luke|20|1|20|8" passage="Lu 20:1-8" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.20.1-Luke.20.8">
<h4 id="Luke.xxi-p1.9">Christ's Enemies Nonplussed.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.xxi-p2">1 And it came to pass, <i>that</i> on one of
those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the
gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon <i>him</i> with
the elders,   2 And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what
authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this
authority?   3 And he answered and said unto them, I will also
ask you one thing; and answer me:   4 The baptism of John, was
it from heaven, or of men?   5 And they reasoned with
themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why
then believed ye him not?   6 But and if we say, Of men; all
the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a
prophet.   7 And they answered, that they could not tell
whence <i>it was.</i>   8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither
tell I you by what authority I do these things.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p3">In this passage of story nothing is added
here to what we had in the other evangelists; but only in the
<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.1" parsed="|Luke|20|1|0|0" passage="Lu 20:1">first verse</scripRef>, where we are
told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p4">I. That he was now <i>teaching the people
in the temple,</i> and <i>preaching the gospel.</i> Note, Christ
was a preacher of his own gospel. He not only <i>purchased</i> the
salvation for us, but <i>published</i> it to us, which is a great
confirmation of the truth of the gospel, and gives abundant
encouragement to us to receive it, for it is a sign that the heart
of Christ was much upon it, to have it received. This likewise puts
an honour upon the preachers of the gospel, and upon their office
and work, how much soever they are despised by a vain world. It
puts an honour upon the <i>popular preachers</i> of the gospel;
Christ condescended to the capacities of the <i>people</i> in
preaching the gospel, and <i>taught them.</i> And observe, when he
was <i>preaching the gospel to the people</i> he had this
interruption given him. Note, Satan and his agents do all they can
to hinder the <i>preaching of the gospel to the people,</i> for
nothing weakens the interest of Satan's kingdom more.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p5">II. That his enemies are here said to
<i>come upon him</i>—<b><i>epestesan</i></b>. The word is used
only here, and it intimates,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p6">1. That they thought to surprise him with
this question; they <i>came upon him</i> suddenly, hoping to catch
him unprovided with an answer, as if this were not a thing he had
himself thought of.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p7">2. That they thought to frighten him with
this question. They <i>came upon him</i> in a body, with violence.
But how could he be terrified with the <i>wrath of men,</i> when it
was in his <i>own power to restrain it,</i> and make it turn to his
praise? From this story itself we may learn, (1.) That it is not to
be thought strange, if even that which is evident to a
demonstration be disputed, and called in question, as a doubtful
thing, by those that shut their eyes against the light. Christ's
miracles plainly showed <i>by what authority he did these
things,</i> and sealed his commission; and yet this is that which
is here <i>arraigned.</i> (2.) Those that question Christ's
authority, if they be but catechized themselves in the plainest and
most evident principles of religion, will have their folly made
manifest unto all men. Christ answered these priests and scribes
with a question concerning the baptism of John, a plain question,
which the meanest of the common people could answer: <i>Was it from
heaven or of men?</i> They all knew it was <i>from heaven;</i>
there was nothing in it that had an earthly relish or tendency, but
it was all heavenly and divine. And this question gravelled them,
and ran them aground, and served to shame them before the people.
(3.) It is not strange if those that are governed by reputation and
secular interest imprison the plainest truths, and smother and
stifle the strongest convictions, as these priests and scribes did,
who, to save their credit, would not own that John's baptism was
<i>from heaven,</i> and had no other reason why they did not say it
was <i>of men</i> but because they <i>feared the people.</i> What
good can be expected from men of such a spirit? (4.) Those that
bury the knowledge they have are justly denied further knowledge.
It was just with Christ to refuse to give an account of his
authority to them that knew the baptism of John to be from heaven
and would not believe in him, nor own their knowledge, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.7-Luke.20.8" parsed="|Luke|20|7|20|8" passage="Lu 20:7,8"><i>v.</i> 7, 8</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Luke.xxi-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.9-Luke.20.19" parsed="|Luke|20|9|20|19" passage="Lu 20:9-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.20.9-Luke.20.19">
<h4 id="Luke.xxi-p7.3">The Husbandmen and the
Vineyard.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.xxi-p8">9 Then began he to speak to the people this
parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to
husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.   10
And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they
should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen
beat him, and sent <i>him</i> away empty.   11 And again he
sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated
<i>him</i> shamefully, and sent <i>him</i> away empty.   12
And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast
<i>him</i> out.   13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What
shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will
reverence <i>him</i> when they see him.   14 But when the
husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is
the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
  15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed
<i>him.</i> What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto
them?   16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and
shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard <i>it,</i>
they said, God forbid.   17 And he beheld them, and said, What
is this then that is written, The stone which the builders
rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?   18
Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.   19
And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay
hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that
he had spoken this parable against them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p9">Christ spoke this parable against those who
were resolved not to own his authority, though the evidence of it
was ever so full and convincing; and it comes very seasonably to
show that by questioning his authority they forfeited their own.
Their disowning the lord of their vineyard was a defeasance of
their lease of the vineyard, and giving up of all their title.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p10">I. The parable has nothing added here to
what we had before in Matthew and Mark. The scope of it is to show
that the Jewish nation, by persecuting the prophets, and at length
Christ himself, had provoked God to take away from them all their
church privileges, and to abandon them to ruin. It teaches us, 1.
That those who enjoy the privileges of the visible church are as
tenants and farmers that have a vineyard to look after, and rent to
pay for it. God, by setting up revealed religion and instituted
orders in the world, hath planted a vineyard, which he lets out to
those people among whom his tabernacle is, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.9" parsed="|Luke|20|9|0|0" passage="Lu 20:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. And they have
<i>vineyard-work</i> to do, needful and constant work, but pleasant
and profitable. Whereas man was, for sin, condemned to <i>till the
ground,</i> they that have a place in the church are restored to
that which was Adam's work in innocency, to <i>dress the
garden,</i> and to keep it; for the church is a paradise, and
Christ the tree of life in it. They have also
<i>vineyard-fruits</i> to present to the Lord of the vineyard.
There are rents to be paid and services to be done, which, though
bearing no proportion to the value of the premises, yet must be
<i>done</i> and must be <i>paid.</i> 2. That the work of God's
ministers is to call upon those who enjoy the privileges of the
church to <i>bring forth fruit</i> accordingly. They are God's
rent-gatherers, to put the husbandmen in mind of their arrears, or
rather to put them in mind that they have a landlord who expects to
hear from them, and to receive some acknowledgment of their
dependence on him, and obligations to him, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.10" parsed="|Luke|20|10|0|0" passage="Lu 20:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. The Old-Testament prophets were
sent on this errand to the Jewish church, to demand from them the
duty and obedience they owed to God. 3. That it has often been the
lot of God's faithful servants to be wretchedly abused by his own
tenants; they have been <i>beaten</i> and <i>treated</i> shamefully
by those that resolved to <i>send them empty</i> away. They that
are resolved not to do their duty to God cannot bear to be called
upon to do it. Some of the best men in the world have had the
hardest usage from it, for their best services. 4. That God sent
his Son into the world to carry on the same work that the prophets
were employed in, to <i>gather the fruits of the vineyard</i> for
God; and one would have thought that he would have been reverenced
and received. The prophets spoke as <i>servants, Thus saith the
Lord;</i> but Christ <i>as a Son,</i> among his own, <i>Verily, I
say unto you.</i> Putting such an honour as this upon them, to send
him, one would have thought, should have won upon them. 5. That
those who reject Christ's ministers would reject Christ himself if
he should come to them; for it has been tried, and found that the
persecutors and murderers of his servants the prophets were the
persecutors and murderers of himself. They said, <i>This is the
heir, come let us kill him.</i> When they slew the servants, there
were other servants sent. "But, if we can but be the death of the
son, there is never another son to be sent, and then we shall be no
longer molested with these demands; we may have a quiet possession
of the vineyard for ourselves." The scribes and Pharisees promised
themselves that, if they could but get Christ out of the way, they
should for ever ride masters in the Jewish church; and therefore
they took the bold step, they <i>cast him out of the vineyard, and
killed him.</i> 6. That the putting of Christ to death filled up
the measure of the Jewish iniquity, and brought upon them ruin
without remedy. No other could be expected than that God should
<i>destroy those wicked husbandmen.</i> They began in <i>not paying
their rent,</i> but then proceeded to beat and kill the servants,
and at length their young Master himself. Note, Those that live in
the neglect of their duty to God know not what degrees of sin and
destruction they are running themselves into.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p11">II. To the application of the parable is
added here, which we had not before, their deprecation of the doom
included in it (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.16" parsed="|Luke|20|16|0|0" passage="Lu 20:16"><i>v.</i>
16</scripRef>): <i>When they heart it, they said, God forbid,</i>
<b><i>Me genoito</i></b>—<i>Let not this be done,</i> so it should
be read. Though they could not but own that for such a sin such a
punishment was just, and what might be expected, yet they could not
bear to hear of it. Note, It is an instance of the folly and
stupidity of sinners that they proceed and persevere in their
sinful ways though at the same time they have a foresight and dread
of the destruction that is at the end of those ways. And see what a
cheat they put themselves, to think to avoid it by a cold <i>God
forbid,</i> when they do nothing towards the preventing of it; but
will this make the threatening of no effect? No, they shall know
whose word shall stand, God's or theirs. Now observe what Christ
said, in answer to this childish deprecation of their ruin. 1. He
<i>beheld them.</i> This is taken notice of only by this
evangelist, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.17" parsed="|Luke|20|17|0|0" passage="Lu 20:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>.
He <i>looked upon</i> them with pity and compassion, grieved to see
them cheat themselves thus to their own ruin. He <i>beheld
them,</i> to see if they would blush at their own folly, or if he
could discern in their countenances any indication of relenting. 2.
He referred them to the scripture: "<i>What is this then that is
written?</i> How can you escape the judgment of God, when you
cannot prevent the exaltation of him whom you despise and reject?
The word of God hath said it, that <i>the stone which the builders
rejected is become the head of the corner.</i>" The Lord Jesus will
be exalted to the Father's right hand. He has all judgment and all
power committed to him; he is the corner-stone and top-stone of the
church, and, if so, his enemies can expect no other than to be
destroyed. Even those that slight him, that stumble at him, and are
offended in him, <i>shall be broken</i>—it will be their ruin; but
as to those that not only reject him, but hate and persecute him,
as the Jews did, he will fall upon them and crush them to
pieces—will <i>grind them to powder.</i> The condemnation of
spiteful persecutors will be much sorer than that of careless
unbelievers.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p12"><i>Lastly,</i> We are told how the chief
priests and scribes were exasperated by this parable (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.19" parsed="|Luke|20|19|0|0" passage="Lu 20:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>): <i>They perceived that
he had spoken this parable against them;</i> and so he had. A
guilty conscience needs no accuser; but they, instead of yielding
to the convictions of conscience, fell into a rage at him who
awakened that sleeping lion in their bosoms, and <i>sought to lay
hands on him.</i> Their corruptions rebelled against their
convictions, and got the victory. And it was not because they had
any fear of God or of his wrath before their eyes, but only because
they <i>feared the people,</i> that they did not now fly in his
face, and take him by the throat. They were just ready to make his
words good: <i>This is the heir, come let us kill him.</i> Note,
When the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do
evil, the fairest warnings both of the sin they are about to commit
and of the consequences of it make no impression upon them. Christ
tells them that instead of <i>kissing the Son</i> of God they would
<i>kill him,</i> upon which they should have said, <i>What, is thy
servant a dog?</i> But they do, in effect, say this: "And so we
will; have at him now." And, though they deprecate the punishment
of the sin, in the next breath they are projecting the commission
of it.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Luke.xxi-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.20-Luke.20.26" parsed="|Luke|20|20|20|26" passage="Lu 20:20-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.20.20-Luke.20.26">
<h4 id="Luke.xxi-p12.3">Christ's Enemies Nonplussed.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.xxi-p13">20 And they watched <i>him,</i> and sent forth
spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take
hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power
and authority of the governor.   21 And they asked him,
saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly,
neither acceptest thou the person <i>of any,</i> but teachest the
way of God truly:   22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute
unto Cæsar, or no?   23 But he perceived their craftiness, and
said unto them, Why tempt ye me?   24 Show me a penny. Whose
image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Cæsar's.
  25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the
things which be Cæsar's, and unto God the things which be God's.
  26 And they could not take hold of his words before the
people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p14">We have here Christ's evading a snare which
his enemies laid for him, by proposing a question to him about
tribute. We had this passage before, both in Matthew and Mark. Here
is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p15">I. The mischief designed him, and that is
more fully related here than before. The plot was to <i>deliver him
unto the power and authority of the governor,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.20" parsed="|Luke|20|20|0|0" passage="Lu 20:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. They could not
themselves put him to death by course of law, nor otherwise than by
a <i>popular tumult,</i> which they could not depend upon; and,
since they could not be his judges, they would willingly condescend
to be his prosecutors and accusers, and would themselves
<i>inform</i> against him. They hoped to gain their point, if they
could but incense the governor against him. Note, It has been the
common artifice of persecuting church-rulers to make the secular
powers the tools of their malice, and oblige the <i>kings of the
earth to do</i> their drudgery, who, if they had not been
instigated, would have let their neighbours live quietly by them,
as Pilate did Christ till the chief priests and the scribes
presented Christ to him. But thus Christ's word must be fulfilled
by their cursed politics, that he should be <i>delivered into the
hands of the Gentiles.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p16">II. The persons they employed. Matthew and
Mark told us that they were disciples of the Pharisees, with some
Herodians. Here it is added, They were <i>spies, who should feign
themselves just men.</i> Note, It is no new thing for <i>bad
men</i> to feign themselves <i>just men,</i> and to cover the most
wicked projects with the most specious and plausible pretences. The
devil can <i>transform himself into an angel of light,</i> and a
Pharisee appear in the garb, and speak the language, of a disciple
of Christ. A spy must go in disguise. These spies must take on them
to have a value for Christ's judgment, and to depend upon it as an
oracle, and therefore must desire his advice in a case of
conscience. Note, Ministers are concerned to stand upon their guard
against some that feign themselves to be <i>just men,</i> and to be
<i>wise as serpents</i> when they are in the midst of a
<i>generation of vipers</i> and <i>scorpions.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p17">III. The question they proposed, with which
they hoped to ensnare him. 1. Their preface is very courtly:
<i>Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly,</i>
<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.21" parsed="|Luke|20|21|0|0" passage="Lu 20:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. Thus they
thought to flatter him into an incautious freedom and openness with
them, and so to gain their point. They that are proud, and love to
be commended, will be brought to do any thing for those that will
but flatter them, and speak kindly to them; but they were much
mistaken who thought thus to impose upon the humble Jesus. He was
not pleased with the testimony of such hypocrites, nor thought
himself honoured by it. It is true that he <i>accepts not the
person of any,</i> but it is as true that he knows the hearts of
all, and knew theirs, and the <i>seven abominations</i> that were
there, though they <i>spoke fair.</i> It was certain that he
<i>taught the way of God truly;</i> but he knew that they were
unworthy to be taught by him, who came to <i>take hold of his
words,</i> not to be <i>taken hold of</i> by them. 2. Their case is
very nice: "Is it lawful <i>for us</i>" (this is added here in
Luke) "<i>to give tribute to Cæsar</i>—for us Jews, us the
free-born seed of Abraham, us that pay the Lord's tribute, may give
tribute to Cæsar?" Their pride and covetousness made them loth to
pay taxes, and then they would have it a question whether it was
lawful or no. Now if Christ should say that <i>it was lawful</i>
the people would take it ill, for they expected that he who set up
to be the Messiah should in the first place free them from the
Roman yoke, and stand by them in denying tribute to Cæsar. But if
he should say that <i>it was not lawful,</i> as they expected he
would (for if he had not been of that mind they thought he could
not have been so much the darling of the people as he was), then
they should have something to accuse him of to the governor, which
was what they wanted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p18">IV. His evading the snare which they laid
for him: <i>He perceived their craftiness,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.23" parsed="|Luke|20|23|0|0" passage="Lu 20:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>. Note, Those that are most
crafty in their designs against Christ and his gospel cannot with
all their art conceal them from his cognizance. He can see through
the most politic disguises, and so break through the most dangerous
snare; for <i>surely in vain is the net spread in the sight of any
bird.</i> He did not give them a direct answer, but reproved them
for offering to impose upon him—<i>Why tempt ye me?</i> and called
for a <i>piece of money,</i> current money with the
merchants—<i>Show me a penny;</i> and asked them whose money it
was, whose stamp it bore, who coined it. They owned, "It is Cæsar's
money." "Why them," saith Christ, "you should first have asked
whether it was lawful to <i>pay</i> and <i>receive</i> Cæsar's
money among yourselves, and to admit that to be the instrument of
your commerce. But, having granted this by a common consent, you
are concluded by your own act, and, no doubt, you ought to give
tribute to him who furnished you with this convenience for your
trade, protects you in it, and lends you the sanction of his
authority for the value of your money. You must therefore <i>render
to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's.</i> In civil things you ought
to submit to the civil powers, and so, if Cæsar protects you in
your civil rights by laws and the administration of justice, you
ought to <i>pay him tribute;</i> but in sacred things God only is
your King. You are not bound to be of Cæsar's religion; you must
<i>render to God the things that are God's,</i> must worship and
adore him only, and not any golden image that Cæsar sets up;" and
we must worship and adore him in such way as he had appointed, and
not according to the inventions of Cæsar. It is God only that has
authority to say <i>My son, give me thy heart.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p19">V. The confusion they were hereby put into,
<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p19.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.26" parsed="|Luke|20|26|0|0" passage="Lu 20:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>. 1. The snare
is broken; <i>They could not take hold of his words before the
people.</i> They could not fasten upon any thing wherewith to
incense either the governor or the people against him. 2. Christ is
honoured; even the wrath of man is made to praise him. They
<i>marvelled at his answer,</i> it was so discreet and
unexceptionable, and such an evidence of that wisdom and sincerity
which make the face to shine. 3. Their mouths are stopped; they
<i>held their peace.</i> They had nothing to object, and durst ask
him nothing else, lest he should shame and expose them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Luke.xxi-p19.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.27-Luke.20.38" parsed="|Luke|20|27|20|38" passage="Lu 20:27-38" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.20.27-Luke.20.38">
<h4 id="Luke.xxi-p19.3">The Cavil of the Sadducees.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.xxi-p20">27 Then came to <i>him</i> certain of the
Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they
asked him,   28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any
man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that
his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his
brother.   29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the
first took a wife, and died without children.   30 And the
second took her to wife, and he died childless.   31 And the
third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no
children, and died.   32 Last of all the woman died also.
  33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she?
for seven had her to wife.   34 And Jesus answering said unto
them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:
  35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that
world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are
given in marriage:   36 Neither can they die any more: for
they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being
the children of the resurrection.   37 Now that the dead are
raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the
God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  
38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live
unto him.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p21">This discourse with the Sadducees we had
before, just as it is here, only that the description Christ gives
of the future state is somewhat more full and large here. Observe
here,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p22">I. In every age there have been men of
corrupt minds, that have endeavoured to subvert the fundamental
principles of revealed religion. As there are deists now, who call
themselves <i>free</i>-thinkers, but are really
<i>false</i>-thinkers; so there were Sadducees in our Saviour's
time, who bantered the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead and
the life of the world to come, though they were plainly revealed in
the Old Testament, and were articles of the Jewish faith. The
Sadducees deny that <i>there is any resurrection,</i> any <i>future
state,</i> so <b><i>anastasis</i></b> may signify; not only no
return of the body <i>to life,</i> but no continuance of the soul
<i>in life,</i> no world of spirits, no state of recompence and
retribution for what was done in the body. Take away this, and all
religion falls to the ground.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p23">II. It is common for those that design to
undermine any truth of God to perplex it, and load it with
difficulties. So these Sadducees did; when they would weaken
people's faith in the doctrine of the resurrection, they put a
question upon the supposition of it, which they thought could not
be answered either way to satisfaction. The case perhaps was matter
of fact, at least it might be so, of a woman that had <i>seven
husbands.</i> Now in the resurrection <i>whose wife shall she
be?</i> whereas it was not at all material whose she was, for when
death puts an end to that relation it is not to be resumed.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p24">III. There is a great deal of difference
between the state of the children of men on earth and that of the
children of God in heaven, a vast unlikeness between <i>this
world</i> and <i>that world;</i> and we wrong ourselves, and wrong
the truth of Christ, when we form our notions of that world of
spirits by our present enjoyments in this world of sense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p25">1. The children of men in this world
<i>marry, and are given in marriage,</i> <b><i>hyioi tou aionos
toutou</i></b>—<i>the children of this age,</i> this generation,
both good and bad, marry themselves and give their children in
marriage. Much of our business in this world is to raise and build
up families, and to provide for them. Much of our pleasure in this
world is in our relations, our wives and children; nature inclines
to it. Marriage is instituted for the comfort of human life, here
in this state where we carry bodies about with us. It is likewise a
remedy against fornication, that natural desires might not become
brutal, but be under direction and control. The <i>children of
this</i> world are dying and going off the stage, and
<i>therefore</i> they marry and give their children in marriage,
that they may furnish the world of mankind with needful recruits,
that as one generation passeth away another may come, and that they
may have some of their own offspring to leave the fruit of their
labours to, especially that the chosen of God in future ages may be
introduced, for it is a <i>godly seed</i> that is sought by
<i>marriage</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p25.1" osisRef="Bible:Mal.2.15" parsed="|Mal|2|15|0|0" passage="Mal 2:15">Mal. ii.
15</scripRef>), a seed to serve the Lord, that shall be a
<i>generation to him.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p26">2. The world to come is quite another
thing; it is called <i>that world,</i> by way of emphasis and
eminency. Note, There are more worlds than one; a present visible
world, and a future invisible world; and it is the concern of every
one of us to compare worlds, <i>this world</i> and <i>that
world,</i> and give the preference in our thoughts and cares to
that which deserves them. Now observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p27">(1.) Who shall be the inhabitants of
<i>that world:</i> They that shall be <i>accounted worthy to obtain
it,</i> that is, that are interested in <i>Christ's merit,</i> who
<i>purchased it for us,</i> and have a holy <i>meetness</i> for it
wrought in them by the Spirit, whose business it is to prepare us
for it. They have not a <i>legal</i> worthiness, upon account of
any thing in them or done by them, but an <i>evangelical</i>
worthiness, upon account of the inestimable price which Christ paid
for the <i>redemption of the purchased possession.</i> It is a
worthiness imputed by which we are glorified, as well as
righteousness imputed by which we are justified;
<b><i>kataxiothentes</i></b>, they are <i>made agreeable to that
world.</i> The disagreeableness that there is in the corrupt nature
is taken away, and the dispositions of the soul are by the grace of
God conformed to that state. They are by grace made and <i>counted
worthy to obtain that world;</i> it intimates some
<i>difficulty</i> in reaching after it, and danger of coming short.
We must <i>so run</i> as that we may obtain. They shall obtain the
<i>resurrection from the dead,</i> that is, the blessed
resurrection; for that of <i>condemnation</i> (as Christ calls it,
<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p27.1" osisRef="Bible:John.5.29" parsed="|John|5|29|0|0" passage="Joh 5:29">John v. 29</scripRef>), is rather a
resurrection <i>to death,</i> a second death, an eternal death,
than <i>from death.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p28">(2.) What shall be the happy state of the
inhabitants of that world we cannot express or conceive, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p28.1" osisRef="Bible:1Cor.2.9" parsed="|1Cor|2|9|0|0" passage="1Co 2:9">1 Cor. ii. 9</scripRef>. See what Christ here
says of it. [1.] They <i>neither marry nor are given in
marriage.</i> Those that have entered into the joy of their Lord
are entirely taken up with that, and need not the joy of the
bridegroom in his bride. The love in that world of love is all
seraphic, and such as eclipses and loses the purest and most
pleasing loves we entertain ourselves with in this world of sense.
Where the body itself shall be a spiritual body, the delights of
sense will all be banished; and where there is a perfection of
holiness there is no occasion for marriage as a preservative from
sin. Into the <i>new Jerusalem</i> there enters nothing that
defiles. [2.] They cannot <i>die any more;</i> and this comes in as
a reason why they do not <i>marry.</i> In this dying world there
must be marriage, in order to the filling up of the vacancies made
by death; but, where there are no burials, there is no need of
weddings. This crowns the comfort of that world that there is no
more death there, which sullies all the beauty, and damps all the
comforts, of this world. Here death reigns, but thence it is for
ever excluded. [3.] They are <i>equal unto the angels.</i> In the
other evangelists it was said, They are <i>as the
angels</i>—<b><i>os angeloi</i></b>, but here they are said to be
<i>equal to the angels,</i> <b><i>isangeloi</i></b>—<i>angels'
peers;</i> they have a glory and bliss no way inferior to that of
the holy angels. They shall see the same sight, be employed in the
same work, and share in the same joys, with the holy angels.
Saints, when they come to heaven, shall be <i>naturalized,</i> and,
though by nature strangers, yet, having <i>obtained this
freedom</i> with a <i>great sum,</i> which Christ paid for them,
they have in all respects equal privileges with them that were
free-born, the angels that are the natives and aborigines of that
country. They shall be companions with the angels, and converse
with those blessed spirits that love them dearly, and with an
innumerable company, to whom they are now come in faith, hope, and
love. [4.] They <i>are the children of God,</i> and so they are as
the angels, who are called the <i>sons of God.</i> In the
<i>inheritance of sons,</i> the <i>adoption of sons</i> will be
completed. Hence believers are said to <i>wait for the
adoption,</i> even <i>the redemption of the body,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p28.2" osisRef="Bible:Rom.8.23" parsed="|Rom|8|23|0|0" passage="Ro 8:23">Rom. viii. 23</scripRef>. For till the body is
redeemed from the grave the adoption is not completed. <i>Now are
we the sons of God,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p28.3" osisRef="Bible:1John.3.2" parsed="|1John|3|2|0|0" passage="1Jo 3:2">1 John iii.
2</scripRef>. We have the nature and disposition of sons, but that
will not be <i>perfected</i> till we come to heaven. [5.] They are
the <i>children of the resurrection,</i> that is, they are made
capable of the employments and enjoyments of the future state; they
are <i>born to that world,</i> belong to that family, had their
education for it here, and shall there have their inheritance in
it. They are the <i>children of God,</i> being the <i>children of
the resurrection.</i> Note, God owns those only for his children
that are the children of the resurrection, that are born from
above, are allied to the world of spirits, and prepared for that
world, the children of that family.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p29">IV. It is an undoubted truth that there is
another life after this, and there were eminent discoveries made of
this truth in the early ages of the church (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p29.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.37-Luke.20.38" parsed="|Luke|20|37|20|38" passage="Lu 20:37,38"><i>v.</i> 37, 38</scripRef>): <i>Moses showed this,
as it was shown to Moses at the bush,</i> and he hath shown it to
us, when <i>he calleth the Lord,</i> as the Lord calleth himself,
the <i>God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,</i> were then <i>dead</i> as to our
world; they had departed out of it many years before, and their
bodies were turned into dust in the cave of Machpelah; how then
could God say, not <i>I was,</i> but <i>I am</i> the <i>God or
Abraham?</i> It is absurd that the living God and Fountain of life
should continue related to them as their God, if there were no more
of them in being than what lay in that cave, undistinguished from
common dust. We must therefore conclude that they were then in
being in another world; for <i>God is not the God of the dead, but
of the living.</i> Luke here adds, <i>For all live unto him,</i>
that is, all who, like them, are true believers; though they are
dead, yet they <i>do live;</i> their souls, which <i>return to God
who gave them</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p29.2" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.12.7" parsed="|Eccl|12|7|0|0" passage="Ec 12:7">Eccl. xii.
7</scripRef>), live to him as the Father of spirits: and their
bodies shall live again at the end of time by the power of God; for
he calleth things that are not as though they were, because he is
the God that <i>quickens the dead,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p29.3" osisRef="Bible:Rom.4.17" parsed="|Rom|4|17|0|0" passage="Ro 4:17">Rom. iv. 17</scripRef>. But there is more in it yet; when
God called himself <i>the God</i> of these patriarchs, he meant
that he was their felicity and portion, a <i>God all-sufficient to
them</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p29.4" osisRef="Bible:Gen.17.1" parsed="|Gen|17|1|0|0" passage="Ge 17:1">Gen. xvii. 1</scripRef>),
their <i>exceeding great reward,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p29.5" osisRef="Bible:Gen.15.1" parsed="|Gen|15|1|0|0" passage="Ge 15:1">Gen. xv. 1</scripRef>. Now it is plain by their history
that he never did that for them in this world which would answer
the <i>true intent</i> and <i>full extent</i> of that great
undertaking, and therefore there must be another life after this,
in which he will do that for them that will amount to a
<i>discharge in full</i> of that promise—that he would be to them
a God, which he is able to do, for <i>all live to him,</i> and he
has wherewithal to make every soul happy that lives to him; enough
for <i>all,</i> enough for <i>each.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Luke.xxi-p29.6" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.39-Luke.20.47" parsed="|Luke|20|39|20|47" passage="Lu 20:39-47" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Luke.20.39-Luke.20.47">
<h4 id="Luke.xxi-p29.7">The Scribes Confounded.</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Luke.xxi-p30">39 Then certain of the scribes answering said,
Master, thou hast well said.   40 And after that they durst
not ask him any <i>question at all.</i>   41 And he said unto
them, How say they that Christ is David's son?   42 And David
himself saith in the book of Psalms, The <span class="smallcaps" id="Luke.xxi-p30.1">Lord</span> said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand,   43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.   44
David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?   45
Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
  46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long
robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in
the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;   47 Which
devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same
shall receive greater damnation.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p31">The scribes were <i>students</i> in the
law, and <i>expositors</i> of it to the people, men in reputation
for wisdom and honour, but the generality of them were enemies to
Christ and his gospel. Now here we have some of them attending him,
and four things we have in these verses concerning them, which we
had before:—</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p32">I. We have them here commending the reply
which Christ made to the Sadducees concerning the resurrection:
<i>Certain of the scribes said, Master, thou hast well said,</i>
<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p32.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.39" parsed="|Luke|20|39|0|0" passage="Lu 20:39"><i>v.</i> 39</scripRef>. Christ had
the testimony of his adversaries that he said well; and
<i>therefore</i> the scribes were his enemies because he would not
<i>conform</i> to the traditions of the elders, but yet when he
vindicated the fundamental practices of religion, and appeared in
the defence of them, even the scribes commended his performance,
and owned that he said well. Many that call themselves Christians
come short even of this spirit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p33">II. We have them here struck with an awe of
Christ, and of his wisdom and authority (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p33.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.40" parsed="|Luke|20|40|0|0" passage="Lu 20:40"><i>v.</i> 40</scripRef>): <i>They durst not ask him any
questions at all,</i> because they say that he was too hard for all
that contended with him. His own disciples, though weak, yet, being
willing to receive his doctrine, durst <i>ask him any question;</i>
but the Sadducees, who contradicted and cavilled at his doctrine,
durst ask him none.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p34">III. We have them here <i>puzzled</i> and
run aground with a question concerning the Messiah, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p34.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.41" parsed="|Luke|20|41|0|0" passage="Lu 20:41"><i>v.</i> 41</scripRef>. It was plain by many
scriptures that Christ was to be the <i>Son of David;</i> even the
blind man knew this (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p34.2" osisRef="Bible:Luke.18.39" parsed="|Luke|18|39|0|0" passage="Lu 18:39"><i>ch.</i> xviii.
39</scripRef>); and yet it was plain that David called the Messiah
<i>his Lord</i> (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p34.3" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.42 Bible:Luke.20.44" parsed="|Luke|20|42|0|0;|Luke|20|44|0|0" passage="Lu 20:42,44"><i>v.</i> 42,
44</scripRef>), his owner, and ruler, and benefactor: <i>The Lord
said to my Lord.</i> God said it to the Messiah, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p34.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.110.1" parsed="|Ps|110|1|0|0" passage="Ps 110:1">Ps. cx. 1</scripRef>. Now if he be <i>his Son,</i> why
doth he call him <i>his Lord?</i> If he be <i>his Lord,</i> why do
<i>we</i> call him <i>his Son?</i> This he left them to consider
of, but they could not reconcile this seeming contradiction; thanks
be to God, we can; that Christ, <i>as God,</i> was David's Lord,
but Christ, <i>as man,</i> was David's Son. He was both the
<i>root</i> and the <i>offspring of David,</i> <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p34.5" osisRef="Bible:Rev.22.16" parsed="|Rev|22|16|0|0" passage="Re 22:16">Rev. xxii. 16</scripRef>. By his <i>human nature</i> he
was the <i>offspring of David,</i> a branch of his family; by his
<i>divine nature</i> he was the <i>root of David,</i> from whom he
had his being and life, and all the supplies of grace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p35">IV. We have them here described in their
black characters, and a public caution given to the disciples to
take heed of them, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p35.1" osisRef="Bible:Luke.20.45-Luke.20.47" parsed="|Luke|20|45|20|47" passage="Lu 20:45-47"><i>v.</i>
45-47</scripRef>. This we had, just as it is here, <scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p35.2" osisRef="Bible:Mark.12.38" parsed="|Mark|12|38|0|0" passage="Mk 12:38">Mark xii. 38</scripRef>, and more largely
<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p35.3" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.1-Matt.23.39" parsed="|Matt|23|1|23|39" passage="Mt 23:1-39">Matt. xxiii</scripRef>. Christ bids
his disciples <i>beware of the scribes,</i> that is,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p36">1. "Take heed of being drawn <i>into
sin</i> by them, of learning their way, and going into their
measures; beware of such a spirit as they are governed by. Be not
you such in the Christian church as they are in the Jewish
church."</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p37">2. "Take heed of being <i>brought into
trouble</i> by them," in the same sense that he had said (<scripRef id="Luke.xxi-p37.1" osisRef="Bible:Matt.10.17" parsed="|Matt|10|17|0|0" passage="Mt 10:17">Matt. x. 17</scripRef>), "<i>Beware of men, for
they will deliver you up to the councils;</i> beware of the
scribes, for they will do so. Beware of them, for," (1.) "They are
<i>proud</i> and <i>haughty.</i> They <i>desire</i> to walk about
the streets in <i>long robes,</i> as those that are above business
(for men of business went with their <i>loins girt up</i>), and as
those that take state, and take place." <i>Cedant arma togæ—Let
arms yield to the gown.</i> They loved in their hearts to have
people make their obeisance to them <i>in the markets,</i> that
many might see what respect was paid them; and were very proud of
the precedency that was given them in all places of concourse. They
<i>loved the highest seats in the synagogues</i> and <i>the chief
rooms at feasts,</i> and, when they were placed in them, looked
upon themselves with great conceit and upon all about them with
great contempt. <i>I sit as a queen.</i> (2.) "They are <i>covetous
and oppressive,</i> and make their religion a cloak and cover for
crime." They <i>devour widows' houses,</i> get their estates into
their hands, and then by some trick or other make them their own,
or they live upon them, and eat up what they have; and
<i>widows</i> are an easy prey to them, because they are apt to be
deluded by their specious pretences: <i>for a show they make long
prayers,</i> perhaps long prayers with the widows when they are in
sorrow, as if they had not only a <i>piteous</i> but a <i>pious</i>
concern for them, and thus endeavour to ingratiate themselves with
them, and get their money and effects into their hands. Such devout
men may surely be trusted with <i>untold gold;</i> but they will
give such an account of it as they think fit.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Luke.xxi-p38">Christ reads them their doom in a few
words: <i>These shall receive a more abundant judgment,</i> a
double damnation, both for their abuse of the poor <i>widows,</i>
whose houses they devoured, and for their abuse of religion, and
particularly of prayer, which they had made use of as a pretence
for the more plausible and effectual carrying on of their worldly
and wicked projects; for <i>dissembled piety is double
iniquity.</i></p>
</div></div2>