14 But G1161 Jesus G2424 said, G2036 Suffer G863 little children, G3813 and G2532 forbid G2967 them G846 not, G3361 to come G2064 unto G4314 me: G3165 for G1063 of such G5108 is G2076 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772
And G2532 said, G2036 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Except G3362 ye be converted, G4762 and G2532 become G1096 as G5613 little children, G3813 ye shall G1525 not G3364 enter G1525 into G1519 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772
But G1161 Jesus G2424 called G4341 them G846 unto him, and said, G2036 Suffer G863 little children G3813 to come G2064 unto G4314 me, G3165 and G2532 forbid G2967 them G846 not: G3361 for G1063 of such G5108 is G2076 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316 Verily G281 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Whosoever G3739 shall G1209 not G3362 receive G1209 the kingdom G932 of God G2316 as G5613 a little child G3813 shall G1525 in no wise G3364 enter G1525 therein. G1519 G846
And I will establish H6965 my covenant H1285 between me and thee and thy seed H2233 after thee H310 in their generations H1755 for an everlasting H5769 covenant, H1285 to be a God H430 unto thee, and to thy seed H2233 after thee. H310 And I will give H5414 unto thee, and to thy seed H2233 after thee, H310 the land H776 wherein thou art a stranger, H4033 all the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 for an everlasting H5769 possession; H272 and I will be their God. H430
But he said H559 unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, H2030 and bear H3205 a son; H1121 and now drink H7941 no wine H3196 nor strong drink, H8354 neither eat H398 any unclean H2932 thing: for the child H5288 shall be a Nazarite H5139 to God H430 from the womb H990 to the day H3117 of his death. H4194
And she vowed H5087 a vow, H5088 and said, H559 O LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 if thou wilt indeed H7200 look H7200 on the affliction H6040 of thine handmaid, H519 and remember H2142 me, and not forget H7911 thine handmaid, H519 but wilt give H5414 unto thine handmaid H519 a man H582 child, H2233 then I will give H5414 him unto the LORD H3068 all the days H3117 of his life, H2416 and there shall no razor H4177 come H5927 upon his head. H7218
But Hannah H2584 went not up; H5927 for she said H559 unto her husband, H376 I will not go up until the child H5288 be weaned, H1580 and then I will bring H935 him, that he may appear H7200 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and there abide H3427 for H5704 ever. H5769
And when she had weaned H1580 him, she took him up H5927 with her, with three H7969 bullocks, H6499 and one H259 ephah H374 of flour, H7058 and a bottle H5035 of wine, H3196 and brought H935 him unto the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 in Shiloh: H7887 and the child H5288 was young. H5288
And Abraham H85 was ninety H8673 years H8141 old H1121 and nine, H8672 when he was circumcised H4135 in the flesh H1320 of his foreskin. H6190 And Ishmael H3458 his son H1121 was thirteen H6240 H7969 years H8141 old, H1121 when he was circumcised H4135 in the flesh H1320 of his foreskin. H6190 In the selfsame H6106 day H3117 was Abraham H85 circumcised, H4135 and Ishmael H3458 his son. H1121
And Abraham H85 circumcised H4135 his son H1121 Isaac H3327 being eight H8083 days H3117 old, H1121 as God H430 had commanded H6680 him.
But Samuel H8050 ministered H8334 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 being a child, H5288 girded H2296 with a linen H906 ephod. H646
At G1722 that G1565 time G2540 Jesus G2424 answered G611 and said, G2036 I thank G1843 thee, G4671 O Father, G3962 Lord G2962 of heaven G3772 and G2532 earth, G1093 because G3754 thou hast hid G613 these things G5023 from G575 the wise G4680 and G2532 prudent, G4908 and G2532 hast revealed G601 them G846 unto babes. G3516
But G1161 when Jesus G2424 saw G1492 it, he was much displeased, G23 and G2532 said G2036 unto them, G846 Suffer G863 the little children G3813 to come G2064 unto G4314 me, G3165 and G2532 forbid G2967 them G846 not: G3361 for G1063 of such G5108 is G2076 the kingdom G932 of God. G2316
Wherefore G3767 laying aside G659 all G3956 malice, G2549 and G2532 all G3956 guile, G1388 and G2532 hypocrisies, G5272 and G2532 envies, G5355 and G2532 all G3956 evil speakings, G2636 As G5613 newborn G738 babes, G1025 desire G1971 the sincere G97 milk G1051 of the word, G3050 that G2443 ye may grow G837 thereby: G1722 G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 19
Commentary on Matthew 19 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 19
In this chapter, we have,
Mat 19:1-2
We have here an account of Christ's removal. Observe,
Mat 19:3-12
We have here the law of Christ in the case of divorce, occasioned, as some other declarations of his will, by a dispute with the Pharisees. So patiently did he endure the contradiction of sinners, that he turned it into instructions to his own disciples! Observe, here
Their question is, Whether a man may put away his wife for every cause. That it might be done for some cause, even for that of fornication, was granted; but may it be done, as now it commonly was done, by the looser sort of people, for every cause; for any cause that a man shall think fit to assign, though ever so frivolous; upon every dislike or displeasure? The toleration, in this case, permitted it, in case she found no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her, Deu. 24:1. This they interpreted so largely as to make any disgust, though causeless, the ground of a divorce.
From hence he infers, What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Note,
But Christ tells them there was a reason for this toleration, not at all for their credit; It was because of the hardness of your hearts, that you were permitted to put away your wives. Moses complained of the people of Israel in his time, that their hearts were hardened (Deu. 9:6; 31:27), hardened against God; this is here meant of their being hardened against their relations; they were generally violent and outrageous, which way soever they took, both in their appetites and in their passions; and therefore if they had not been allowed to put away their wives, when they had conceived a dislike of them, they would have used them cruelly, would have beaten and abused them, and perhaps have murdered them. Note, There is not a greater piece of hard-heartedness in the world, than for a man to be harsh and severe with his own wife. The Jews, it seems, were infamous for this, and therefore were allowed to put them away; better divorce them than do worse, than that the altar of the Lord should be covered with tears, Mal. 2:13. A little compliance, to humour a madman, or a man in a frenzy, may prevent a greater mischief. Positive laws may be dispensed with for the preservation of the law of nature, for God will have mercy and not sacrifice; but then those are hard-hearted wretches, who have made it necessary; and none can wish to have the liberty of divorce, without virtually owning the hardness of their hearts. Observe, He saith, It is for the hardness of your hearts, not only theirs who lived then, but all their seed. Note, God not only sees, but foresees, the hardness of men's hearts; he suited both the ordinances and providences of the Old Testament to the temper of that people, both in terror. Further observe, The law of Moses considered the hardness of men's hearts, but the gospel of Christ cures it; and his grace takes away the heart of stone, and gives a heart of flesh. By the law was the knowledge of sin, but by the gospel was the conquest of it.
The law of Moses allowing divorce for the hardness of men's hearts, and the law of Christ forbidding it, intimate, that Christians being under a dispensation of love and liberty, tenderness of heart may justly be expected among them, that they will not be hard-hearted, like Jews, for God has called us to peace. There will be no occasion for divorces, if we forbear one another, and forgive one another, in love, as those that are, and hope to be, forgiven, and have found God not forward to put us away, Isa. 50:1. No need of divorces, if husbands love their wives, and wives be obedient to their husbands, and they live together as heirs of the grace of life: and these are the laws of Christ, such as we find not in all the law of Moses.
Christ speaks here of a twofold unaptness to marriage.
Now,
Mat 19:13-15
We have here the welcome which Christ gave to some little children that were brought to him. Observe,
They desired that he would put his hands on them, and pray. Imposition of hands was a ceremony used especially in paternal blessings; Jacob used it when he blessed and adopted the sons of Joseph, Gen. 48:14. It intimates something of love and familiarity mixed with power and authority, and bespeaks an efficacy in the blessing. Whom Christ prays for in heaven, he puts his hand upon by his Spirit. Note,
Methinks it has something observable in it, that, when he had done this, he departed thence, v. 15. As if he reckoned he had done enough there, when he had thus asserted the rights of the lambs of his flock, and made this provision for a succession of subjects in his kingdom.
Mat 19:16-22
Here is an account of what passed between Christ and a hopeful young gentleman that addressed himself to him upon a serious errand; he said to be a young man (v. 20); and I called him a gentleman, not only because he had great possessions, but because he was a ruler (Lu. 18:18), a magistrate, a justice of peace in his country; it is probable that he had abilities beyond his years, else his youth would have debarred him from the magistracy.
Now concerning this young gentleman, we are told how fair he bid for heaven and came short.
In answer to this, Christ specifies several, especially the commandments of the second table.
Our Saviour here specifies second-table duties only; not as if the first were of less account, but,
Now,
It was commendable also, that he desired to know further what his duty was; What lack I yet? He was convinced that he wanted something to fill up his works before God, and was therefore desirous to know it, because, if he was not mistaken in himself, he was willing to do it. Having not yet attained, he thus seemed to press forward. And he applied himself to Christ, whose doctrine was supposed to improve and perfect the Mosaic institution. He desired to know what were the peculiar precepts of his religion, that he might have all that was in them to polish and accomplish him. Who could bid fairer?
But,
Yet something of honesty there was in it, that, when he did not like the terms, he went away, and would not pretend to that, which he could not find in his heart to come up to the strictness of; better so than do as Demas did, who, having known the way of righteousness, afterward turned aside, out of love to this present world, to the greater scandal of his profession; since he could not be a complete Christian, he would not be a hypocrite.
Mat 19:23-30
We have here Christ's discourse with his disciples upon occasion of the rich man's breaking with Christ.
Now,
Lord, saith Peter, we have forsaken all. Alas! it was but a poor all that they had forsaken; one of them had indeed quitted a place in the custom-house, but Peter and the most of them had only left a few boats and nets, and the appurtenances of a poor fishing-trade; and yet observe how Peter there speaks of it, as it had been some mighty thing; Behold, we have forsaken all. Note, We are too apt to make the most of our services and sufferings, our expenses and losses, for Christ, and to think we have made him much our debtor. However, Christ does not upbraid them with this; though it was but little that they had forsaken, yet it was their all, like the widow's two mites, and was as dear to them as if it had been more, and therefore Christ took it kindly that they left it to follow him; for he accepts according to what a man hath.
Now their honour being adjourned till the Son of man's sitting in the throne of his glory, intimates,
Now,
Our Saviour, in the last verse, obviates a mistake of some, as if pre-eminence in glory went by precedence in time, rather than the measure and degree of grace. No; Many that are first, shall be last, and the last, first, v. 30. God will cross his hands; will reveal that to babes, which he hid from the wise and prudent; will reject unbelieving Jews and receive believing Gentiles. The heavenly inheritance is not given as earthly inheritances commonly are, by seniority of age, and priority of birth, but according to God's pleasure. This is the text of another sermon, which we shall meet with in the next chapter.