will ye season it? Have salt in | yourselves, and have peace one with another.

CHAPTER X.

:

him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.

2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him.

3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?

4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away.

5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart, he wrote you this precept.

6 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.

CHAPTER X.

1-12. See notes on Matt. xix. 1-9. 10. In the house his disciples asked him, &c. Hence it would seem a portion of this discourse was addressed to the disciples alone; they did not fully understand the matter, and, according to their usual custom, sought an explanation. Matthew does not notice this circumstance, but represents the whole discourse as delivered publicly to the Pharisees.

12. If a woman shall put away her husband, &c. There is no authority given by the law of Moses, for a wife to repudiate her husband. But it would seem that sundry women had assumed the right to do so; and, among others, some who were intimately connected with the reigning family in our Saviour's time. "When Salome happened to quarrel with Costobarus, she sent him a bill of divorce, and dissolved her marriage with him, though this was not according to the Jewish laws; for with

10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter.

11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her.

12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them

us, it is lawful for a husband to do so; but a wife, if she departs from her husband, cannot of herself be married to another, unless her former husband put her away. However, Salome chose not to follow the law of her country, but the law of her authority, and so renounced her wedlock; and told her brother Herod," &c.-Josephus, Antiq., B. xv., ch. vii., § 10. "Herodias took upon her to confound the laws of our country, and divorced herself from her husband while he was alive, and was married to Herod [Antipas] her husband's brother by the father's side."-Ibid. B. xvIII., ch. v., § 4. This was the same Herodias, who is mentioned, Matt. xiv. 3. Josephus mentions other cases, also, of a similar nature. Our Lord denounces the practice as adulterous, in females, as well as in males. For his general instructions on this subject, see notes on Matt. v. 31, 32; xix. 1-9.

13-16. See notes on Matt. xix. 13-15. See also Luke xviii. 15-17. 14. The language in this verse canno

15 Verily, I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good, but one, that is God.

19 Thou knowest the commandinents, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest go thy way,

easily be harmonized with the doctrine that little children are totally depraved, and, from their birth, deserving of endless punishment. Vastly different was the opinion of Jesus concerning them. He regarded them as innocent, and heirs of heaven. He loved them and blessed them. When such little ones are taken away by death, and the hearts of fond parents are bleeding at every pore, how full of consolation is the belief, that Jesus has received them to his arms, and blessed them according to his word!

17-31. See notes on Matt. xix. 1630. Parallel also with Luke xviii. 18 -30.

24. Trust in riches. Jesus had said, "how hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!" But, perceiving the astonishment of his disciples, he explained his meaning thus: "how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!" The explanation is material.

give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

25 It 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.

26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?

27 And Jesus looking upon them, saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with A man might have had riches then, or may be now rich, without being prevented from embracing the gospel. But the difficulty was and is occasioned by trusting in riches; regarding money as the chief good, and the chief object of desire. 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. A man, having this feeling fully developed in him, is unwilling to do aught which may endanger his wealth; and, moreover, his habits of thought and action are inconsistent with the gospel requisition to administer to the wants of others as circumstances may require. It was so with the young ruler mentioned in this passage. And, since his day, many professed disciples of our Lord have disobeyed his precepts, and thus failed to enter his kingdom effectually, because they were unwilling to distribute of their abundance for the relief of their brethren.

32-34. See notes on Matt. xx. 1719. Parallel also with Luke xviii. 3134.

God all things are possible.

28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily, I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

30 But he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come, eternal life.

31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

32 And they were in the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him,

33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles';

34 And they shall mock him,

32. They were afraid. From what their Master had said on former occasions, the disciples feared some great calamity would befall them at Jerusalem. They did not understand precisely what he meant by being delivered up and killed; but they naturally considered such language descriptive of some disaster. And now, when Jesus was leading them to the place which of all places they would have shunned, as they followed they were amazed and afraid. He seemed regardless of danger, and walked boldly forward; but they were amazed at his temerity, and exceedingly fearful of the consequences. ¶ Began to tell them, &c. Perceiving their consternation, our Lord took again

and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire.

36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?

37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

39 And they said unto him, We

can.

And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:

40 But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand, is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John.

42 But Jesus called them to him,

the twelve, and repeated what he had frequently said before concerning his death and resurrection; so that while they might be fully prepared for the trial, they might also be encouraged by the hope of his resurrection and the glory which should follow. But even now they did not understand him; as is evident from what follows, ver. 35-37, and the express assertion that "they understood none of these things." Luke xviii. 34.

35-45. See notes on Matt. xx. 20-28. 35. James and John, the sons of Zebedee, &c. Their request was made through their mother, Matt. xx. 20, but they were probably present; and it is here said they made the request, accord

6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strewed them in the way.

9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

10 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany, with the twelve.

12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry.

13 And seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon:

cumstances related by the other evangelists.

5. What do ye, loosing the colt? That is, why do ye loose him? or, what authority have you to do so?

19.

12-14. See notes on Matt. xxi. 18,

15-19. See notes on Matt. xxi. 12, 13. See also Luke xix. 45-48.

15. Went into the temple. That is, into the outer court of the temple. Jesus, not being of Aaron's posterity, was not permitted to enter the temple proper, or the holy place,-this being the privilege of the priests only. See note on Matt. xxi. 12.

18. How they might destroy him. See note on Matt. xii. 14. All the people were astonished at his doctrine. "All the people were very attentive to

14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

15 And they come to Jerusalem and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called, of all nations, the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the figtree dried up from the roots.

21 And Peter calling to remem

hear him." Luke xix. 48. The surprise and interest manifested by the people excited at once a desire for the destruction of Jesus and a fear to attempt it, on the part of the chief priests and scribes. They dreaded his influence, for they perceived the people gave diligent heed to his instructions; they felt therefore that they must destroy him, or lose their influence among the people. At the same time, they perceived it would be dangerous to attempt to injure him, because the people manifested so much interest in him. As Luke expresses it, they "sought to destroy him, and could not find what they might do; for all the people were very attentive to hear him."

22.

20-26. See notes on Matt. xxi. 20