tiles being admitted to the same privileges as the Jews, under the Christian dispensation, and the envy and disgust which the Jews conceived on that account; but this envy is represented as taking place not on account of their being admitted into the vineyard, which was the ground of contention between the Jews and Gentiles, but on account of their all receiving the same reward for their services in it, which is a matter of quite a different nature, about which we hear no dispute. 17. And Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, aside from the multitude, and said unto them, 18. Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and the son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the Scribes; and they shall condemn him to death; 19. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him; and the third day he shall rise again. This is the third time that Christ plainly foretels his own death to his disciples: he now adds a circumstance which he had not mentioned before; that he should be delivered to the Gentiles, to be mocked and scourged and crucified; this efers to his being delivered to Pilate, the Roman governor, and his soldiers. REFLECTIONS. 1. From the parable of the labourers in the vineyard let us learn to guard against the odious spirit of envy: for we there see men murmuring, to find that others enjoy the same advantages as themselves; which is indeed but too just a picture of the disposition of human nature, and of what actually takes place in human life; and, I fear I may add also, in the church of Christ: but let not Christians suffer their hearts to be infected with such a temper. If Providence should favour others with the same blessings which we possess; with the same portion of worldly good or of worldly honour; with the same Christian privileges; and if it should give these blessings upon the same terms as it has given them to us, or even upon easier, let us not, on this account, murmur or complain. Let us not think that we are unjustly treated, because others are raised to a level with ourselves, and we cease to be distin guished from our brethren. Let us rather rejoice in the divine liberality, which extends its bounty to so many, and heartily congratulate those who are the ob jects of it. To take pleasure in thinking that we ourselves are the peculiar favourites of heaven, and that others are excluded from this honour, discovers a narrow, selfish spirit, wholly unworthy of Christians; but to repine at the prosperity of others, to grieve because they are as happy as ourselves, shews the utmost mar lignity of disposition. 2. Let impenitent sinners learn from the explanation which has been given of this parable, that it affords no colour to the hope which they cherish of the efficacy of a death-bed repentance: for those who are sent to the vineyard at the ninth and the eleventh hour are not persons who become religious towards the close of life, but bodies of men, in different parts of the world, who make profession of Christianity at a late period from the first publication of it, because it was not brought to them sooner. This affords no encouragement to those who, having the gospel of Christ in their hands, and professing to believe in it, propose to delay complying with its precepts to the last hour of life, because they hope that their repentance, even at that late period, will be accepted. This is a vain, presumptuous hope, no where countenanced in the Scriptures The repentance which the gospel requires does not consist merely in a confession of sorrow for past sins, and in promises of future amendment, but must be accompanied with a change of vicious habits, and the reformation of life; a business which cannot be accomplished in a moment, but requires much time.--Let no man, therefore, any longer reconcile his mind. to the idea of delaying repentance, with this wretched subterfuge: it is a false and groundless hope, which, if he rest upon it, will plunge him into ruin. Now is the accepted time: Now is the day of salvation: harden not your hearts. 3. In the power of Christ to foretel his own death, with the minutest circumstances attending it, we have a clear proof of his divine mission; and in the manner in which he behaved with this prospect before him, an example of the excellence of his character: for notwithstanding he knew Jerusalem to be the city where his most inveterate enemies resided, the place in which he had already been in danger, and which was to be the scene of his most cruel sufferings; yet he goes up to this place of his own accord; giving us hereby the most striking example of invincible courage and of chearful obedience to the will of God: of courage, in approaching danger, and in exposing himself to it with tranquillity and composure; of obedience, in doing this in compliance with the will of God, and for fulfilling the grand designs of his Providence; of disinterested benevolence, in chearfully offering himself to the most ignominious and painful death, for the benefit of mankind. From this part of his conduct let us learn to admire the strength of his virtues, and resolve to imitate his example, if God or man require from us the same sacrifices. 20. Matthew xx. 20. to the end. Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children, rather, " of the sons of Zebedee," with her sons, worshipping him; "falling down before him," and desiring a certain thing of him. Salome, the mother of the two apostles James and John, was one of those pious women who attended Christ and ministered to him. This gave her boldness to ask a favour of Christ, thinking that he could not deny it to one who had shewn so much attachment to him. She might be encouraged to make this request, likewise, from observing that Jesus had been accustomed to take her two sons apart from the other apostles, as if they were particular favourites. Her falling down before Christ was nothing more than a common token of respect, paid to kings, prophets, and other great men, among the Jews. 21. And he said unto her, What wilt thou?"what dost thou desire ?" She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, conceiving the kingdom of heaven which Christ came to establish to be of a temporal nature, thought it of great importance to obtain for themselves the promise of the most honourable situations in it; and therefore send their mother to Jesus, to request that they might sit, the one on his right hand, and the other on his left; the seats usually allotted to those who were next in dignity to the prince. 22. But Jesus answered, and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of; [and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with *]? · you You ask for the first places in my kingdom, by means of your mother, because you think that these places will afford you all kinds of gratification; but it is much otherwise: you totally mistake the nature of the honour which you are asking for; yet, since wish to partake of my glory, I will ask you, Whether you are willing to share with me in my sufferings, for the sake of the gospel? This question Christ asked, strongly insinuating that the only way to elevation in his kingdom was by the path of suffering. The cup of any person signifies, both in sacred and profane authors, that portion of good or evil which is allotted to him; and to drink of his cup, is to partake of his portion; to be baptized, is also a figurative expression for being overwhelmed with great calamities, and is borrowed by our Saviour from the language of the Old Testament, where afflictions are represented by great waters, ready to overflow or overwhelm a person, i. e. to baptize him. Thus David says, Ps. xlii. 7. "Thy waves and thy billows are gone over me;" and in another place, Ps. lxix. 2. "I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me." The intimation that Christ gave the two apostles by these questions, that in order to partake of his glory they must share with him in his afflictions, might have in This last clause is wanting in the best MSS. and in some versions, and is omitted by Griesbach in his second edition. |