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From Matthew Henry's Commentary (c. 1700)
LUKE CHAP. X.
In this chapter we have, I. The ample commission which Christ gave to the
seventy disciples to preach the gospel, and to confirm it by miracles; and the
full instructions he gave them how to manage themselves in the execution of
their commissions, and great encouragements therein, ver. 1-16. II. The report
which the seventy disciples made to their Master of the success of their
negotiation, and his discourse thereupon, ver. 17-24. III. Christ's discourse
with a lawyer concerning the way to heaven, and the instructions Christ gave him
by a parable to look upon every one as his neighbour whom he had occasion to
show kindness to, or receive kindness from, ver. 25-37. IV. Christ's
entertainment at Martha's house, the reproof he gave to her for her care about
the world, and his commendation of Mary for her care about her soul, ver. 38-42.
1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two
and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would
come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the
labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send
forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as
lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no
man by the way. 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to
this house. 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it:
if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and
drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go
not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive
you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are
therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But
into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into
the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which
cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this,
that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12 But I say unto you, that it
shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 13 Woe unto
thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done
in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago
repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. 15 And thou, Capernaum, which art
exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. 16 He that heareth you heareth
me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth
him that sent me.
We have here the sending forth of seventy disciples, two and two, into divers
parts of the country, to preach the gospel, and to work miracles in those places
which Christ himself designed to visit, to make way for his entertainment. This
is not taken notice of by the other evangelists: but the instructions here given
them are much the same with those given to the twelve. Observe,
I. Their number:
1. We are glad to find that Christ had so many followers fit to be sent forth;
his labour was not altogether in vain, though he met with much opposition. Note,
Christ's interest is a growing interest, and his followers, like Israel in
Egypt, though afflicted shall multiply. These seventy, though they did not
attend him so closely and constantly as the twelve did, were nevertheless the
constant hearers of his doctrine, and witnesses of his miracles, and believed in
him. Those three mentioned in the close of the foregoing chapter might have been
of these seventy, if they would have applied themselves in good earnest to their
business. These seventy are those of whom Peter speaks as "the men who companied
with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us," and were
part of the one hundred and twenty there spoken of, Acts i. 15, 21. Many of
those that were the companions of the apostles, whom we read of in the Acts and
the Epistles, we may suppose, were of these seventy disciples.
2. We are glad to find there was work for so many ministers, hearers for so many
preachers: thus the grain of mustard-seed began to grow, and the savour of the
leaven to diffuse itself in the meal, in order to the leavening of the whole.
II. Their work and business:
III. The instructions he gives them.
1. They must set out with prayer (v. 2); and, in prayer, (1.) They must be duly
affected with the necessities of the souls of men, which called for their help.
They must look about, and see how great the harvest was, what abundance of
people there were that wanted to have the gospel preached to them and were
willing to receive it, nay, that had at this time their expectations raised of
the coming of the Messiah and of his kingdom. There was corn ready to shed and
be lost for want of hands to gather it in. Note, Ministers should apply
themselves to their work under a deep concern for precious souls, looking upon
them as the riches of this world, which ought to be secured for Christ. They
must likewise be concerned that the labourers were so few. The Jewish teachers
were indeed many, but they were not labourers; they did not gather in souls to
God's kingdom, but to their own interest and party. Note, Those that are good
ministers themselves wish that there were more good ministers, for there is work
for more. It is common for tradesmen not to care how few there are of their own
trade; but Christ would have the labourers in his vineyard reckon it a matter of
complaint when the labourers are few. (2.) They must earnestly desire to receive
their mission from God, that he would send them forth as labourers into his
harvest who is the Lord of the harvest, and that he would send others forth;
for, if God send them forth, they may hope he will go along with them and give
them success. Let them therefore say, as the prophet (Isa. vi. 8), Here I am,
send me. It is desirable to receive our commission from God, and then we may go
on boldly.
2. They must set out with an expectation of trouble and persecution: "Behold, I
send you forth as lambs among wolves; but go your ways, and resolve to make the
best of it. Your enemies will be as wolves, bloody and cruel, and ready to pull
you to pieces; in their threatenings and revilings, they will be as howling
wolves to terrify you; in their persecutions of you, they will be as ravening
wolves to tear you. But you must be as lambs, peaceable and patient, though made
an easy prey of." It would have been very hard thus to be sent forth as sheep
among wolves, if he had not endued them with his spirit and courage.
3. They must not encumber themselves with a load of provisions, as if they were
going a long voyage, but depend upon God and their friends to provide what was
convenient for them: "Carry neither a purse for money, nor a scrip or knapsack
for clothes or victuals, nor new shoes (as before to the twelve, ch. ix. 3); and
salute no man by the way." This command Elisha gave to his servant, when he sent
him to see the Shunamite's dead child, 2 Kings iv. 29. Not that Christ would
have his ministers to be rude, morose, and unmannerly; but, (1.) They must go as
men in haste, that had their particular places assigned them, where they must
deliver their message, and in their way directly to those places must not hinder
or retard themselves with needless ceremonies or compliments. (2.) They must go
as men of business, business that relates to another world, which they must be
intent in, and intent upon, and therefore must not entangle themselves with
conversation about secular affairs. Minister verbi est; hoc age—You are a
minister of the word; attend to your office. (3.) They must go as serious men,
and men in sorrow. It was the custom of mourners, during the first seven days of
their mourning, not to salute any, Job ii. 13. Christ was a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief; and it was fit that by this and other signs his
messengers should resemble him, and likewise show themselves affected with the
calamities of mankind which they came to relieve, and touched with a feeling of
them.
4. They must show, not only their goodwill, but God's good-will, to all to whom
they came, and leave the issue and success to him that knows the heart, v. 5, 6.
(1.) The charge given them was, Whatsoever house they entered into, they must
say, Peace be to this house. Here, [1.] They are supposed to enter into private
houses; for, being not admitted into the synagogues, they were forced to preach
where they could have liberty. And, as their public preaching was driven into
houses, so thither they carried it. Like their Master, wherever they visited,
they preached from house to house, Acts v. 42; xx. 20. Christ's church was at
first very much a church in the house. [2.] They are instructed to say, "Peace
be to this house, to all under this roof, to this family, and to all that belong
to it." Peace be to you was the common form of salutation among the Jews. They
must not use it in formality, according to custom, to those they met on the way,
because they must use it with solemnity to those whose houses they entered into:
"Salute no man by the way in compliment, but to those into whose house ye enter,
say, Peace be to you, with seriousness and in reality; for this is intended to
be more than a compliment." Christ's ministers go into all the world, to say, in
Christ's name, Peace be to you. First, We are to propose peace to all, to preach
peace by Jesus Christ, to proclaim the gospel of peace, the covenant of peace,
peace on earth, and to invite the children of men to come and take the benefit
of it. Secondly, We are to pray for peace to all. We must earnestly desire the
salvation of the souls of those we preach to, and offer up those desires to God
in prayer; and it may be well to let them know that we do thus pray for them,
and bless them in the name of the Lord.
(2.) The success was to be different, according to the different dispositions of
those whom they preached to and prayed for. According as the inhabitants were
sons of peace or not, so their peace should or should not rest upon the house.
Recipitur ad modum recipientis—The quality of the receiver determines the nature
of the reception. [1.] "You will meet with some that are the sons of peace, that
by the operations of divine grace, pursuant to the designations of the divine
counsel, are ready to admit the word of the gospel in the light and love of it,
and have their hearts made as soft wax to receive the impressions of it. Those
are qualified to receive the comforts of the gospel in whom there is a good work
of grace wrought. And, as to those, your peace shall find them out and rest upon
them; your prayers for them shall be heard, the promises of the gospel shall be
confirmed to them, the privileges of it conferred on them, and the fruit of both
shall remain and continue with them—a good part that shall not be taken away."
[2.] "You will meet with others that are no ways disposed to hear or heed your
message, whole houses that have not one son of peace in them." Now it is certain
that our peace shall not come upon them, they have no part nor lot in the
matter; the blessing that rests upon the sons of peace shall never come upon the
sons of Belial, nor can any expect the blessings of the covenant that will not
come under the bonds of it. But it shall return to us again; that is, we shall
have the comfort of having done our duty to God and discharged our trust. Our
prayers like David's shall return into our own bosom (Ps. xxxv. 13) and we shall
have commission to go on in the work. Our peace shall return to us again, not
only to be enjoyed by ourselves, but to be communicated to others, to the next
we meet with, them that are sons of peace.
5. They must receive the kindnesses of those that should entertain them and bid
them welcome, v. 7, 8. "Those that receive the gospel will receive you that
preach it, and give you entertainment; you must not think to raise estates, but
you may depend upon a subsistence; and," (1.) "Be not shy; do not suspect our
welcome, nor be afraid of being troublesome, but eat and drink heartily such
things as they give; for, whatever kindness they show you, it is but a small
return for the kindness you do them in bringing the glad tidings of peace. You
will deserve it, for the labourer is worthy of his hire, the labourer in the
work of the ministry is so, if he be indeed a labourer; and it is not an act of
charity, but of justice, in those who are taught in the word to communicate to
those that teach them" (2.) "Be not nice and curious in your diet: Eat and drink
such things as they give (v. 7), such things as are set before you, v. 8. Be
thankful for plain food, and do not find fault, though it be not dressed
according to art." It ill becomes Christ's disciples to be desirous of dainties.
As he has not tied them up to the Pharisees' superstitious fasts, so he has not
allowed the luxurious feasts of the Epicureans. Probably, Christ here refers to
the traditions of the elders about their meat which were so many that those who
observed them were extremely critical, you could hardly set a dish of meat
before them, but there was some scruple or other concerning it; but Christ would
not have them to regard those things, but eat what was given them, asking no
question for conscience' sake.
6. They must denounce the judgments of God against those who should reject them
and their message: "If you enter into a city, and they do not receive you, if
there be none there disposed to hearken to your doctrine, leave them, v. 10. If
they will not give you welcome into their houses, do you give them warning in
their streets." He orders them to (ch. ix. 5) do as he had ordered the apostles
to do: "Say to them, not with rage, or scorn, or resentment, but with compassion
to their poor perishing souls, and a holy dread of the ruin which they are
bringing upon themselves, Even the dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we
do wipe off against you, v. 11. From them do not receive any kindnesses at all,
be not beholden to them. It cost that prophet of the Lord dear who accepted a
meal's meat with a prophet in Bethel, 1 Kings xiii. 21, 22. Tell them that you
will not carry with you the dust of their city; let them take it to themselves,
for dust they are." It shall be a witness for Christ's messengers that they had
been there according to their Master's order; tender and refusal were a
discharge of their trust. But it shall be a witness against the recusants that
they would not give Christ's messengers any entertainment, no, not so much as
water to wash their feet with, but they were forced to wipe off the dust. "But
tell them plainly, and bid them be sure of it, The kingdom of God is come nigh
to you. Here is a fair offer made you; if you have not the benefit of it, it is
your own fault. The gospel is brought to your doors; if you shut your doors
against it, your blood is upon your own head. Now that the kingdom of God is
come nigh to you, if you will not come up to it, and come into it, your sin will
be inexcusable, and your condemnation intolerable." Note, The fairer offers we
have of grace and life by Christ, the more we shall have to answer for another
day, if we slight these offers: It shall be more tolerable for Sodom than for
that city, v. 12. The Sodomites indeed rejected the warning given them by Lot;
but rejecting the gospel is a more heinous crime, and will be punished
accordingly in that day. He means the day of judgment (v. 14), but calls it, by
way of emphasis, that day, because it is the last and great day, the day when we
must account for all the days of time, and have our state determined for the
days of eternity.
Upon this occasion, the evangelist repeats,
(1.) The particular doom of those cities wherein most of Christ's mighty works
were done, which we had, Matt. xi. 20, &c. Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum,
all bordering upon the sea of Galilee, where Christ was most conversant, are the
places here mentioned. [1.] They enjoyed greater privileges. Christ's mighty
works were done in them, and they were all gracious works, works of mercy. They
were hereby exalted to heaven, not only dignified and honoured, but put into a
fair way of being happy; they were brought as near heaven as external means
could bring them. [2.] God's design in favouring them thus was to bring them to
repentance and reformation of life, to sit in sackcloth and ashes, both in
humiliation for the sins they had committed, and in humility and a meek
subjection to God's government. [3.] Their frustrating this design, and their
receiving the grace of God therein in vain. It is implied that they repented
not; they were not wrought upon by all the miracles of Christ to think the
better of him, or the worse of sin; they did not bring forth fruits agreeable to
the advantages they enjoyed. [4.] There was reason to think, morally speaking,
that, if Christ had gone to Tyre and Sidon, Gentile cities, and had preached the
same doctrine to them and wrought the same miracles among them that he did in
these cities of Israel, they would have repented long ago, so speedy would their
repentance have been, and that in sackcloth and ashes, so deep would it have
been. Now to understand the wisdom of God, in giving the means of grace to those
who would not improve them, and denying them to those that would, we must wait
for the great day of discovery. [5.] The doom of those who thus receive the
grace of God in vain will be very fearful. They that were thus exalted, not
making use of their elevation, will be thrust down to hell, thrust down with
disgrace and dishonour. They will thrust in to get into heaven, in the crowd of
professors, but in vain; they shall be thrust down, to their everlasting grief
and disappointment, into the lowest hell, and hell will be hell indeed to them.
[6.] In the day of judgment Tyre and Sidon will fare better, and it will be more
tolerable for them than for these cities.
(2.) The general rule which Christ would go by, as to those to whom he sent his
ministers: He will reckon himself treated according as they treated his
ministers, v. 16. What is done to the ambassador is done, as it were, to the
prince that sends him. [1.] "He that hearest you, and regardeth what you say,
heareth me, and herein doeth me honour. But," [2.] "He that despiseth you doth
in effect despise me, and shall be reckoned with as having put an affront upon
me; nay, he despiseth him that sent me." Note, Those who contemn the Christian
religion do in effect put a slight upon natural religion, which it is perfective
of. And they who despise the faithful ministers of Christ, who, though they do
not hate and persecute them, yet think meanly of them, look scornfully upon
them, and turn their backs upon their ministry, will be reckoned with as
despisers of God and Christ.
17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are
subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as
lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall
by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits
are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in
heaven. 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise
and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it
seemed good in thy sight. 22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no
man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son,
and he to whom the Son will reveal him. 23 And he turned him unto his disciples,
and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24
For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear,
and have not heard them.
Christ sent forth the seventy disciples as he was going up to Jerusalem to the
feast of tabernacles, when he went up, not openly, but as it were in secret
(John vii. 10), having sent abroad so great a part of his ordinary retinue; and
Dr. Lightfoot thinks it was before his return from that feast, and while he was
yet at Jerusalem, or Bethany, which was hard by (for there he was, v. 38), that
they, or at least some of them, returned to him. Now here we are told,
1. What account they gave him of the success of their expedition:
II. What acceptance they found with him, and how he received this account.
1. He confirmed what they said, as agreeing with his own observation (v. 18):
"My heart and eye went along with you; I took notice of the success you had, and
I saw Satan fall as lightning from heaven." Note, Satan and his kingdom fell
before the preaching of the gospel. "I see how it is," saith Christ, "as you get
ground the devil loseth ground." He falls as lightning falls from heaven, so
suddenly, so irrecoverably, so visibly, that all may perceive it, and say, "See
how Satan's kingdom totters, see how it tumbles." They triumphed in casting
devils out of the bodies of people; but Christ sees and rejoices in the fall of
the devil from the interest he has in the souls of men, which is called his
power in high places, Eph. vi. 12. He foresees this to be but an earnest of what
should now be shortly done and was already begun—the destroying of Satan's
kingdom in the world by the extirpating of idolatry and the turning of the
nations to the faith of Christ. Satan falls from heaven when he falls from the
throne in men's hearts, Acts xxvi. 18. And Christ foresaw that the preaching of
the gospel, which would fly like lightning through the world, would wherever it
went pull down Satan's kingdom. Now is the prince of this world cast out. Some
have given another sense of this, as looking back to the fall of the angels, and
designed for a caution to these disciples, lest their success should puff them
up with pride: "I saw angels turned into devils by pride: that was the sin for
which Satan was cast down from heaven, where he had been an angel of light I saw
it, and give you an intimation of it lest you, being lifted up with pride should
fall into that condemnation of the devil, who fell by pride," 1 Tim. iii. 6.
2. He repeated, ratified, and enlarged their commission: Behold I give you power
to tread on serpents, v. 19. Note, To him that hath, and useth well what he
hath, more shall be given. They had employed their power vigorously against
Satan, and now Christ entrusts them with greater power. (1.) An offensive power,
power to tread on serpents and scorpions, devils and malignant spirits, the old
serpent: "You shall bruise their heads in my name," according to the first
promise, Gen. iii. 15. Come, set your feet on the necks of these enemies; you
shall tread upon these lions and adders wherever you meet with them; you shall
trample them under foot, Ps. xci. 13. You shall tread upon all the power of the
enemy, and the kingdom of the Messiah shall be every where set up upon the ruins
of the devil's kingdom. As the devils have now been subject to you, so they
shall still be. (2.) A defensive power: "Nothing shall by any means hurt you;
not serpents nor scorpions, if you should be chastised with them or thrown into
prisons and dungeons among them; you shall be unhurt by the most venomous
creatures," as St. Paul was (Acts xxviii. 5), and as is promised in Mark xvi.
18. "If wicked men be as serpents to you, and you dwell among those scorpions
(as Ezek. ii. 6), you may despise their rage, and tread upon it; it need not
disturb you, for they have no power against you but what is given them from
above; they may hiss, but they cannot hurt." You may play upon the hole of the
asp, for death itself shall not hurt nor destroy, Isa. xi. 8, 19; xxv. 8.
3. He directed them to turn their joy into the right channel (v. 20):
"Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you,
that they have been so, and shall be still so. Do not rejoice in this merely as
it is your honour, and a confirmation of your mission, and as it sets you a
degree above other good people; do not rejoice in this only, or in this chiefly,
but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven, because you are
chosen of God to eternal life, and are the children of God through faith."
Christ, who knew the counsels of God, could tell them that their names were
written in heaven, for it is the Lamb's book of life that they are written in.
All believers are through grace, entitled to the inheritance of sons, and have
received the adoption of sons, and the Spirit of adoption, which is the earnest
of that inheritance and so are enrolled among his family; now this is matter of
joy, greater joy than casting out devils. Note, Power to become the children of
God is to be valued more than a power to work miracles; for we read of those who
did in Christ's name cast out devils, as Judas did, and yet will be disowned by
Christ in the great day. But they whose names are written in heaven shall never
perish; they are Christ's sheep, to whom he will give eternal life. Saving
graces are more to be rejoiced in than spiritual gifts; holy love is a more
excellent way than speaking with tongues.
4. He offered up a solemn thanksgiving to his Father, for employing such mean
people as his disciples were in such high and honourable service, v. 21, 22.
This we had before (Matt. xi. 25-27), only here it is prefixed that in that hour
Jesus rejoiced. It was fit that particular notice should be taken of that hour,
because there were so few such, for he was a man of sorrows. In that hour in
which he saw Satan fall, and heard of the good success of his ministers, in that
hour he rejoiced. Note, Nothing rejoices the heart of the Lord Jesus so much as
the progress of the gospel, and its getting ground of Satan, by the conversion
of souls to Christ. Christ's joy was a solid substantial joy, an inward joy: he
rejoiced in spirit; but his joy, like deep waters, made no noise; it was a joy
that a stranger did not intermeddle with. Before he applied himself to thank his
Father, he stirred up himself to rejoice; for, as thankful praise is the genuine
language of holy joy, so holy joy is the root and spring of thankful praise. Two
things he gives thanks for:—
(1.) For what was revealed by the Father through the Son: I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, v. 21. In all our adorations of God, we must
have an eye to him, both as the Maker of heaven and earth and as the Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our Father. Now that which he gives thanks for
is, [1.] That the counsels of God concerning man's reconciliation to himself
were revealed to some of the children of men, who might be fit also to teach
others, and it is God that by his Son has spoken these things to us and by his
Spirit has revealed them in us; he has revealed that which had been kept secret
from the beginning of the world. [2.] That they were revealed to babes, to those
who were of mean parts and capacities, whose extraction and education had
nothing in them promising, who were but children in understanding, till God by
his Spirit elevated their faculties, and furnished them with this knowledge, and
an ability to communicate it. We have reason to thank God, not so much for the
honour he has hereby put upon babes, as for the honour he has hereby done
himself in perfecting strength out of weakness. [3.] That, at the same time when
he revealed them unto babes, he hid them from the wise and prudent, the Gentile
philosophers, the Jewish rabbin. He did not reveal the things of the gospel to
them, nor employ them in preaching up his kingdom. Thanks be to God that the
apostles were not fetched from their schools; for, First, they would have been
apt to mingle their notions with the doctrine of Christ, which would have
corrupted it, as afterwards it proved. For Christianity was much corrupted by
the Platonic philosophy in the first ages of it, by the Peripatetic in its
latter ages, and by the Judaizing teachers at the first planting of it.
Secondly, If rabbin and philosophers had been made apostles, the success of the
gospel would have been ascribed to their learning and wit and the force of their
reasonings and eloquence; and therefore they must not be employed, lest they
should have taken too much to themselves, and others should have attributed too
much to them. They were passed by for the same reason that Gideon's army was
reduced: The people are yet too many, Judges vii. 4. Paul indeed was bred a
scholar among the wise and prudent; but he became a babe when he became an
apostle, and laid aside the enticing words of man's wisdom, forgot them all, and
made neither show nor use of any other knowledge than that of Christ and him
crucified, 1 Cor. ii. 2, 4. [4.] That God herein acted by way of sovereignty:
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. If God gives his grace and
the knowledge of his son to some that are less likely, and does not give it to
others whom we should think better able to deliver it with advantage, this must
satisfy: so it pleases God, whose thoughts are infinitely above ours. He chooses
to entrust the dispensing of his gospel in the hands of those who with a divine
energy will give it the setting on, rather than in theirs who with human art
will give it the setting off.
(2.) For what was secret between the Father and the Son, v. 22. [1.] The vast
confidence that the Father puts in the Son: All things are delivered to me of my
Father, all wisdom and knowledge, all power and authority, all the grace and
comfort which are intended for the chosen remnant; it is all delivered into the
hands of the Lord Jesus; in him all fulness must dwell, and from him it must be
derived: he is the great trustee that manages all the concerns of God's kingdom.
[2.] The good understanding that there is between the Father and the Son, and
their mutual consciousness, such as no creature can be admitted to: No man knows
who the Son is, nor what his mind is, but the Father, who possessed him in the
beginning of his ways, before his works of old (Prov. viii. 22), nor who the
Father is, and what his counsels are, but the Son, who lay in his bosom from
eternity, was by him as one brought up with him, and was daily his delight
(Prov. viii. 30), and he to whom the Son by the Spirit will reveal him. The
gospel is the revelation of Jesus Christ, to him we owe all the discoveries made
to us of the will of God for our salvation; and here he speaks of being
entrusted with it as that which was a great pleasure to himself and for which he
was very thankful to his Father.
5. He told his disciples how well it was for them that they had these things
revealed to them, v. 23, 24. Having addressed himself to his Father, he turned
to his disciples, designing to make them sensible how much it was for their
happiness, as well as for the glory and honour of God, that they knew the
mysteries of the kingdom and were employed to lead others into the knowledge of
them, considering, (1.) What a step it is towards something better. Though the
bare knowledge of these things is not saving, yet it puts us in the way of
salvation: Blessed are the eyes which see the things which we see. God therein
blesseth them, and, if it be not their own fault it will be an eternal
blessedness to them. (2.) What a step it is above those that went before them,
even the greatest saints, and those that were most the favourites of Heaven:
"Many prophets and righteous men" (so it is in Matt. xiii. 17), many prophets
and kings (so it is here), "have desired to see and hear those things which you
are daily and intimately conversant with, and have not seen and heard them." The
honour and happiness of the New-Testament saints far exceed those even of the
prophets and kings of the Old Testament, though they also were highly favoured.
The general ideas which the Old-Testament saints had, according to the
intimations given them, of the graces and glories of the Messiah's kingdom, made
them wish a thousand times that their lot had been reserved for those blessed
days, and that they might see the substance of those things of which they had
faint shadows. Note, The consideration of the great advantages which we have in
the New-Testament light, above what they had who lived in Old-Testament times,
should awaken our diligence in the improvement of it; for, if it do not, it will
aggravate our condemnation for the non-improvement of it.
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