PREVIOUS CHAPTER - NEXT CHAPTER - HELP - GR VIDEOS - GR YOUTUBE - TWITTER - SD1 YOUTUBE CHAPTER 18 Lu 18:1-8. PARABLE OF THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW.
1-5. always--Compare
Lu 18:7,
"night and day."
2. feared not . . . neither regarded--defying the
vengeance of God and despising the opinion of men.
3. came--kept coming. See
Lu 18:5,
"her continual coming."
5. continual coming--coming for ever. 6-8. the Lord--a name expressive of the authoritative style in which He interprets His own parable.
7. shall not God--not unjust, but the infinitely righteous Judge.
8. speedily--as if pained at the long delay, impatient for the
destined moment to interpose. (Compare
Pr 29:1.)
Lu 18:9-14. PARABLE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE PUBLICAN.
11, 12. stood--as the Jews in prayer
(Mr 11:25).
13. standing afar off--as unworthy to draw near; but that was the
way to get near
(Ps 34:18;
Isa 57:15).
14. rather than the other--The meaning is, "and not the other"; for the Pharisee was not seeking justification, and felt no need of it. This great law of the Kingdom of God is, in the teaching of Christ, inscribed, as in letters of gold, over its entrance gate. And in how many different forms is it repeated (Ps 138:6; 147:6; Lu 1:53). To be self-emptied, or, "poor in spirit," is the fundamental and indispensable preparation for the reception of the "grace which bringeth salvation": wherever this exists, the "mourning" for it which precedes "comfort" and the earnest "hungerings and thirstings after righteousness" which are rewarded by the "fulness" of it, will, as we see here, be surely found. Such, therefore, and such only, are the justified ones (Job 33:27, 28; Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). Lu 18:15-17. LITTLE CHILDREN BROUGHT TO CHRIST.
15. infants--showing that some, at least, of those called in Matthew
(Mt 19:13)
and Mark
(Mr 10:13)
simply "little" or "young children," were literally "babes."
16. But Jesus--"much displeased," says Mark
(Mr 10:14);
and invaluable addition.
Lu 18:18-30. THE RICH YOUNG RULER AND DISCOURSE THEREON. This case presents some remarkable points. (1) The man was of irreproachable moral character; and this amidst all the temptations of youth, for he was a "young man" (Mt 19:22), and wealth, for "he was very rich" (Lu 18:23; Mr 10:22). (2) But restless notwithstanding, his heart craves eternal life. (3) Unlike the "rulers," to whose class he belonged (Lu 18:18), he so far believed in Jesus as to be persuaded He could authoritatively direct him on this vital point. (4) So earnest is he that he comes "running" and even "kneeling before Him," and that when He was gone forth into the war (Mr 10:17) --the high-road, by this time crowded with travellers to the passover; undeterred by the virulent opposition of the class he belonged to as a "ruler" and by the shame he might be expected to feel at broaching such a question in the hearing of a crowd and on the open road. 19. Why, &c.--Did our Lord mean then to teach that God only ought to be called "good?" Impossible, for that had been to contradict all Scripture teaching, and His own, too (Ps 112:5; Mt 25:21; Tit 1:8). Unless therefore we are to ascribe captiousness to our Lord, He could have had but one object--to raise the youth's ideas of Himself, as not to be classed merely with other "good masters," and declining to receive this title apart from the "One" who is essentially and only "good." This indeed is but distantly hinted; but unless this is seen in the background of our Lord's words, nothing worthy of Him can be made out of them. (Hence, Socinianism, instead of having any support here, is only baffled by it). 20. Thou knowest, &c.--Matthew (Mt 19:17) is more complete here: "but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which--as if he had said, Point me out one of them which I have not kept?--"Jesus said, Thou shalt," &c. (Mt 19:17, 18). Our Lord purposely confines Himself to the second table, which He would consider easy to keep, enumerating them all--for in Mark (Mr 10:19), "Defraud not" stands for the tenth (else the eighth is twice repeated). In Matthew (Mt 19:19) the sum of this second table of the law is added, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," as if to see if he would venture to say he had kept that. 21. All these, &c.--"what lack I yet?" adds Matthew (Mt 19:20). Ah! this gives us a glimpse of his heart. Doubtless he was perfectly sincere; but something within whispered to him that his keeping of the commandments was too easy a way of getting to heaven. He felt something beyond this to be necessary; after keeping all the commandments he was at a loss to know what that could be; and he came to Jesus just upon that point. "Then," says Mark (Mr 10:21), "Jesus beholding him loved him," or "looked lovingly upon him." His sincerity, frankness, and nearness to the kingdom of God, in themselves most winning qualities, won our Lord's regard even though he turned his back upon Him--a lesson to those who can see nothing lovable save in the regenerate.
22. lackest . . . one thing--Ah! but that a fundamental, fatal lack.
23-25. was very sorrowful--Matthew (Mt 19:22) more fully, "went away sorrowful"; Mark still more, "was sad" or "sullen" at that saying, and "went away grieved." Sorry he was, very sorry, to part with Christ; but to part with his riches would have cost him a pang more. When Riches or Heaven, on Christ's terms, were the alternative, the result showed to which side the balance inclined. Thus was he shown to lack the one all-comprehensive requirement of the law--the absolute subjection of the heart to God, and this want vitiated all his other obediences.
24. when Jesus saw--Mark says
(Mr 3:34),
He "looked round about"--as if first following the departing youth with
His eye--"and saith unto His disciples."
25. easier for a camel, &c.--a proverbial expression denoting literally a thing impossible, but figuratively, very difficult. 26, 27. For, &c.--"At that rate none can be saved": "Well, it does pass human power, but not divine." 28-30. Lo, &c.--in the simplicity of his heart (as is evident from the reply), consc GOTO NEXT CHAPTER - D. J-F-B INDEX & SEARCH
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