The Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Matthew 19
Chapter XIX · Vol. IV, pp. 87–88
1 Christ healeth the sick: 3 answereth the question of the Pharisees concerning divorcement: 10 showeth when marriage is necessary: 13 receiveth little children: 16 instructeth a young man how to attain eternal life, 20 and how to be perfect: 23 telleth his disciples how hard it is for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, 27 and promiseth great rewards to those that forsake anything to follow him.
1 And it came to pass, athat when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea beyond Jordan:1
A.D. cir. 33.
1 See note * below.
* Eastward of Jordan, in the original land of Reuben and Gad, subsequently called Perea. See Mar.10.1. Jn.10.40. C.—The words of the English version are apt to be misunderstood. At first sight one would suppose a portion of Judea lay east of the Jordan; such was not the case. Some have thought our Lord went from Galilee to Judea by a route which took him down the east side of the Jordan. The Greek will not bear such an interpretation. The word 'coasts' might be better rendered 'borders.' The Jordan was the eastern border of Judea. Christ then came to that portion of Perea which was separated from Judea by the Jordan—he came to the very bank of the river, probably to the village of Bethany, where he was baptized.—P.
2 Andb great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there.
b ch.4.23-25; 8.1,18; 9.35,36; 12.15; 13.1; 14.35; 15.30; 17.14.
3 Thec Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
c ch.16.1; 22.15. Lu.11.53,54. Mar.10.3-12.
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, dthat he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female,Cited in WSC 2
d Ge.1.27; 5.2. Mal.2.15,16.
5 And said, eFor this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and gthey twain shall be one flesh?Cited in WSC 2 · WLC 139 · WCF 24.1
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put 2asunder.3Cited in WCF 24.1, 24.6
2 Except for adultery, fornication, or wilful desertion, ver.9. Mal.2.14-16. 1 Co.7.10-13.
3 The point of our Lord's argument consists in the original unity of man and woman. The woman was taken out of the man; she was a part of him. They were 'one flesh.' The marriage bond re-establishes the original unity, and consequently marriage is indissoluble until by one crime the bond of union is dissolved.—P.
7 They say unto him, 4Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses, because of ithe hardness of your hearts, suffered4 you to put away your wives: jbut from the beginning it was not so.Cited in WCF 24.6
i De.9.6; 31.27. Ac.7.51; 13.18; 14.16; i.e. their cruelty to their wives, Mal.2.13-16.
4 But not commanded nor approved.
j Ge.2.24. Je.6.16. 1 Co.11.23. ch.28.20.
9 Andk I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.Cited in WCF 24.5, 24.6
k ch.5.32. Mar.10.11. Lu.16.18. 1 Co.7.11,12. Mal.2.14-16. Ro.7.1-3. Je.3.18.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his 5wife, lit is not good to marry.Cited in WLC 139
5 If he must continue to live with, and endure all her dissatisfaction.—C.
l Pr.21.9,19; 19.13; 9.13. 1 Ti.4.3.
11 But he said unto them, nAll men 6cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.Cited in WLC 139 · WCF 22.7
6 Cannot. 'Do not,' as the Greek and all the versions, except the English, have it.—C.
12 For there are some eunuchs,7 which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.Cited in WCF 22.7
7 Is.56.3-5. 1 Co.7.7,17,32-35; 9.5. Some abstain from marriage from a natural, and others from a forced defect; and others in order that they may the better serve Christ.
13 Theno were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.8
o Mar.10.13-16. Lu.18.15,16. Ge.48.14,15. 1 Sa.1.24. Je.49.11.
8 They did not rebuke the little children, but those who brought them.—C.
14 But Jesus said, pSuffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.9Cited in HC 74
p ch.18.3. Mar.10.14. Lu.18.16. 1 Co.14.20. 1 Pe.2.1,2. Pr.8.17; 23.26. Ps.34.11; 45.10,11.
9 Of such is the kingdom of heaven. That is, of persons who, by divine grace, have become as 'children in malice, while in understanding they are men,' 1 Co.14.20.—C.
16 Andr behold, one came, and said unto him, Good Master, swhat good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? tthere is none good but one, that is, God: ubut if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.Cited in WSC 4, 41
18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thouv shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness;Cited in WSC 41
v Ex.20.12-17. De.5.16-21. Mar.10.19. Lu.18.20. Ro.13.8,9. Ga.5.14. Ja.2.8. Ep.6.2. Le.19.18. ch.22.39.
20 The young man saith unto him, xAll these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?1
x Tit.1.16. Is.58.2. Eze.33.31. Lu.18.11,12.
1 Here is the spirit of formalism which prevailed so largely among the Jews fully developed. By conformity to the outward requirements of the law the young man had almost succeeded in deceiving himself: yet conscience was not satisfied. He felt he lacked something more; hence his question: 'What good thing shall I do?' Our Lord's first object was to convince him of the inherent sinfulness of his heart; and in this he succeeded.—P.
21 Jesus said unto him, yIf thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and zfollow me.
y ch.6.19,20; 5.48. Lu.12.33; 16.9. 1 Ti.6.18,19. Ac.2.44,45; 4.32,34,35.
z Jn.12.26.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, ahe went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
a ch.13.22. Ju.18.23,24. Ps.17.14. Phi.3.19.
23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, bThat a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
b ch.13.22. Job 31.24. Ps.62.11. Pr.11.28. 1 Co.1.26. Ja.4.4; 5.1-3. 1 Ti.6.9,10. Ja.2.5. Mar.10.23-26. Lu.18.24-27.
24 And again I say unto you, cIt is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them,and said unto them, Withd men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.2Cited in WSC 4
d Ps.3.8; 62.11. Job 10.13; 42.2. Je.32.17. Zec.8.6. Ge.18.14. Lu.1.37; 18.27. Phi.4.13. He.7.25. Is.63.1-4. Mar.10.27.
2 The grand fundamental doctrine, salvation by grace, is here declared by our Lord. By man's power the corrupt heart cannot be renewed, the worldly disposition cannot be overcome, the dead soul cannot be revived; 'but with God all things are possible;' 'You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.'—P.
27 Thene answered Peter, and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee: what shall we have therefore?
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
e Mar.10.28-31. Lu.18.28-30. ch.4.20,22. Lu.5.11. Phi.3.7-9. De.33.9.
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me gin the regeneration, when the Son of man hshall sit in the throne of his glory, iye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
g Is.65.17; 66.22. Jn.3.3,5. 2 Co.5.17. Ga.6.15. He.9.10. 2 Pe.3.13. Ac.3.21.
h Ps.110.1. He.1.3, or ch.25.31. Re.20.4,11. 1 Th.4.17.
i ch.20.21. 1 Co.12.28. Ep.4.11. Lu.22.28-30. 1 Co.6.2,3. Re.2.26; 3.21. 2 Ti.4.8; 2.12.
29 Andj every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
j Mar.10.29,30. Lu.18.29,30. 1 Co.2.9. ch.8.11,12; 21.31,32.
30 Butk many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.3
* This verse contains a solemn caution. The disciples had given up much and suffered much for Christ; yet they must not be over-confident. Presumption is to be carefully avoided. Perhaps Judas was in our Lord's mind. Great privileges entail great responsibilities. Except therefore the disciples should fully use their privileges, though the first to follow Christ, they might be last in receiving their reward.—P.
k ch.20.16; 8.11,12; 21.31,32. Mar.10.31. Lu.13.30; 7.29,30. Ga.5.7. He.4.1. Ro.ix.-xi.
3 See note * in first column.
Notes
Ver. 17. Why do ye call me good in this emphatic manner when you conceive me to be a mere man? There is none good in and from himself but God alone. But if you desire to work righteousness in order to procure a title to eternal life, you must perfectly keep all the commandments of God. 21. To mark your perfect love to your neighbour, and that your affections are weaned from earthly enjoyments, go sell your whole estate, and give it to the poor in these distressing times, and come and follow me in my poverty and sufferings. 22-30. Ye who, through the regenerating influences of my Spirit, have attended and assisted me in my attempts to reform the nation, and introduce the gospel dispensation, shall, upon my ascension to heaven, be honoured with the distinguished effusion of the Holy Ghost, to render you leading officers in founding the gospel church; and in my appearing to destroy Jerusalem your predictions shall be fulfilled and your characters vindicated. In the latter days your Jewish brethren shall be converted by your doctrines; and in the last judgment ye shall be most honoured approvers of the sentence which I shall pass according to my gospel dispensed by you. And all they who conscientiously suffer losses in their temporal interests or enjoyments for my sake, shall in this life have their losses graciously compensated, to their unspeakable advantage, in inward contentment and divine consolations and hopes, if not in other external comforts, and in eternal glories in the future state. And yet, to manifest the glory of redeeming grace in all this, many Jews who are first called, and apparently more fitted to receive me, shall be rejected for their unbelief; while the Gentile strangers to the covenants of promise shall, through faith, be admitted to all the blessings of my kingdom of grace and glory. And even some Jews, more early converted, shall have less honour or usefulness in my church than some Gentiles who shall be afterwards influenced to believe.
Ver. 3. About the time of our Saviour there arose two famous schools of the law at Jerusalem—those of Hillel and Shammai. That of Shammai taught that divorce was unlawful except for adultery; while the more popular school of Hillel authorized divorce for any cause, even the mere will of the husband. C.
Ver. 8. Moses, in the law, did not command a dissatisfied husband to divorce and put away a wife, as the Pharisees insinuate, but merely suffered it to be done, saying, 'let him'—not as an authoritative sanction and indulgence to caprice or passion, neither as an approval of the act or pardon of the sin, but as a mere temporary reprieve or stay of judgment, that happily might eventuate, through grace, in softening the hardened heart. C.
Ver. 9. As Moses (De. 24.1) suffered the dissatisfied husband to put away the wife, so (De. 24.2) he suffered the divorced wife to marry again, saying, 'she may.' Our Lord, however, having denied expressly the existence of any command in favour of the husband, equally denies it in favour of the wife, and pronounces both equally guilty in the sight of God; while to the wife is extended neither approval of the act nor pardon of the sin, but the mere temporary reprieve and stay of judgment previously conceded to the hard-hearted husband. C.
Ver. 17. Why callest thou me good? You call me 'Master,' thereby showing you believe me a mere man. Why then call me good, a title that legitimately belongs to God alone? If, therefore, I be really good, I must be 'God manifest in the flesh.' But Jesus calls himself 'good,' Jn. 10.14, therefore, by his own argument, he must be God. C.
Ver. 21. If thou wilt be perfect in character, renounce the world which you love, and your legal righteousness wherein you trust, and 'follow me'—'the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.' C.
Ver. 24. Some, for camel, read cable, the Greek words differing but in one letter; but this change is without any sufficient authority. The meaning is simply this: The matter is naturally impossible while the camel lives. To effect it by artificial means were the camel dead would not, to the chemist, be a task of difficulty. Even so while the rich man lives in the love of the world his entrance into the kingdom of heaven is a natural impossibility.
But as soon as 'by the cross of Christ he is crucified (and thereby dead) to the world,' his entrance into that kingdom is not only possible but secure. See ver. 26. C.
Ver. 28. A change in the punctuation, which the original warrants, and the sense seems to demand, would render the passage thus: 'Ye who have followed me, in the regeneration (the time of final restoration to glory) when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit on twelve thrones,' &c. That some eminent expositors understand by 'the regeneration' the present gospel state, is not to be forgotten; but that it refers to a state still future seems certain from the fact that, in 'the regeneration' described, the apostles are, in some sense, to be changed from witnesses to judges, and, as such, to sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes—a circumstance that has never been hitherto fulfilled, and for the accomplishment of which we must therefore look to futurity. C.
**Reflections.—**Indefatigable was the gracious Redeemer in doing good wherever he came; prudent in avoiding the snares of his malicious enemies; careful to honour, regulate, and perpetuate every divine institution which related to the raising up of a holy seed in his church; and delighted with the early and earnest dedication of children to himself. It is cruel, then, to deprive young subjects of his kingdom of the seal of his covenant; and criminal to pretend that his incarnation, labours, and glory abridge the privileges of his people. Very important and necessary is a deep concern about the true way to everlasting life; nor can it be obtained but by a perfect righteousness, answerable to the whole law of God; and where can this be found but in Christ? Alas! that multitudes should hope to find it in their own works! and yet those who highly extol and heartily trust in their good works very seldom remarkably abound in them. And their defect quickly appears if they be tried in what lies opposite to their carnal inclinations and interests. The riches and love of this world are most powerful hinderances to our care about or progress towards heaven; and only almighty grace can conquer the heart and remove the difficulty.—In faithfully following Christ, we must expect manifold losses and troubles in this world. But if we undergo them from love to him, his truths and ways, his blessings here and glory hereafter will inexpressibly more than compensate. And whether we be first or last in time or in dignity, all must be regulated by the exceeding riches of his grace.