Clarke's Commentary - Matthew - Luke - Enter His Rest

678 Pages·1997·2.49 MB·English

W H Library
ESLEYAN ERITAGE
Commentaries
C ' C
LARKE S OMMENTARY
M — L
ATTHEW UKE
By
Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., &c.
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without
which no man shall see the Lord” Heb 12:14
Spreading Scriptural Holiness to the World
Wesleyan Heritage Publications
© 1998
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
A derivative of Adam Clarke's Commentary for the Online Bible
produced by
Sulu D. Kelley
1690 Old Harmony Dr.
Concord, NC 28027-8031
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© 1994, 1995, 1997
© 1997 Registered U.S. Copyright Office
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ON THE
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OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
DESIGNED AS A HELP TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF THE SACRED WRITINGS
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A NEW EDITION, WITH THE
AUTHOR’S FINAL CORRECTIONS
For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we
through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.—Rom. xv. 4.
PREFACE TO THE GOSPEL
OF
ST. MATTHEW

THE general title of this latter collection of sacred books, which, as well as the former, all Christians
acknowledge to have been given by immediate inspiration from God, is in the Greek h kainh
diaqhkh, which we translate THE NEW TESTAMENT: but which should rather be translated THE
NEW COVENANT; or, if it were lawful to use a periphrasis, the New Covenant, including a
Testamentary Declaration and Bequest: for this is precisely the meaning of this system of justice,
holiness, goodness, and truth. St. Paul, #2Co 3:14, calls the sacred books before the time of Christ,
h palaia diaqhkh, THE OLD COVENANT; which is a very proper and descriptive title of the grand
subject of those books. This apostle evidently considers the Old Testaments and the New, as two
covenants, #Ga 4:24; and, if comparing these two together, he calls one palaian diaqhkhn, the old
covenant, the other kainhn, the new; one prwthn, the first, the other nean, that which is recent; in
opposition to the old covenant, which was to terminate in the new, he calls this kreittana, better,
more excellent, #Heb 7:22; 8:6; and aiwnion, everlasting, #Heb 13:20, because it is never to be
changed, nor terminate in any other; and to endure endlessly itself. The word covenant, from con
together, and venio, I come, signifies a contract or agreement made between two parties; to fulfil the
conditions of which, they are mutually bound. The old covenant, in its essential parts, was very
simple. I WILL BE YOUR GOD. YE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE-the spirit of which was never changed.
The people were to take Jehovah as the sole object of their religious worship; put their whole trust
and confidence in him; serve him in his own way, according to the prescribed forms which he should
lay before them. This was their part. On his side, God was to accept them as his people, give them
his Spirit to guide them, his mercy to pardon them, his providence to support them, and his grace
to preserve them unto eternal life. But all this was connected with the strict observance of a great
variety of rites and ceremonies, at once expressive of the holiness of God, the purity of the Divine
justice, and the exceeding sinfulness and utter helpless state of man. A great part of the four latter
books of Moses is employed in prescribing and illustrating these rites and ceremonies; and what is
called the new covenant is the complement and perfection of the whole.
The word diaqhkh, from dia and tiqhmi, I lay down, signifies not only a covenant agreement, but
also that disposal which a man makes of his secular matters during his life, which is to take place
after his death. It answers to the Hebrew tyrb berith, from rb bar, to purify, because, in making
covenants, a sacrifice was usually offered to God, for the purification of the contracting parties; and
hence the word tyrb berith is frequently used to express not only the covenant itself, but also the
sacrifice offered on the occasion. See below under GOSPEL; and see the notes on #Ge 6:18; 15:18;
#Ex 29:45; #Le 26:15; and #De 29:12, where every thing relative to this subject is minutely
considered.
The term new covenant, as used here, seems to mean that grand plan of agreement or
reconciliation which God made between himself and mankind, by the death of Jesus Christ; in
consequence of which, all those who truly repent, and unfeignedly believe in the great atoning
sacrifice, are purified from their sins, and united to God. Christ is called thj diaqhkhj kainhj
mesithj, the Mediator of the new covenant, #Heb 9:15. And referring to the ratification of this new
covenant or agreement, by means of his own death, in the celebration of his last supper, Christ calls
the cup, to poterion h kainh diaqhkh en tw aimati mon, this cup is the new covenant in my blood:
i.e. an emblem or representation of the new covenant ratified by his blood. See #Lu 22:20. And
from these expressions, and their obvious meaning, the whole Christian Scriptures have obtained this
title, THE NEW TESTAMENT, OR COVENANT, OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
Those writings, and the grand subject of them, which, previously to the New Testament times,
were termed simply THE covenant; were, after the incarnation, called the OLD covenant, as we have
already seen, to distinguish them from the Christian Scriptures, and their grand subject, which were
called the NEW covenant; not so much because it was a new agreement, but rather a renewal of the
old, in which the spirit, object, and design of that primitive covenant were more clearly and fully
manifested.
The particular title to each of the four following books, in most Greek MSS. and printed editions,
is euaggelion kata matqaion&markon&loukan&ioannhn, which we translate, the Gospel according to
Matthew-Mark-Luke-John; i.e. the gospel or history of our blessed Lord, as written and transmitted
to posterity by each of these writers. Our word GOSPEL, which should be always written godspel,
or godespel, comes from the Anglo-Saxon, and is compounded of [Anglo-Saxon], good, and
[Anglo-Saxon] history, narrative, doctrine, mystery, or secret; and was applied by our ancestors to
signify the revelation of that glorious system of truth, which had been, in a great measure, hidden
or kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Among Saxon scholars, the word GOSPEL has been variously explained. Mr. Somner, who writes
it [Anglo-Saxon], explains it thus, Sermo Dei mysticus; Dei historia. "The mystic word of God; the
history of God, or God's history." But he supposes that it may be compounded of [Anglo-Saxon]
good, and [Anglo-Saxon], a message; and very properly observes, that [Anglo-Saxon] signifies, not
only to preach, or proclaim the Gospel; but also to foretell, or predict; to prophesy, to divine: and
in this latter sense the word [Anglo-Saxon] spell was anciently used among us, and still signifies an
incantation, or a charm; which implies a peculiar collocation and repetition of certain words, which
were supposed to produce supernatural effects by means of spiritual influence or agency; which
agency was always attracted and excited by such words, through some supposed correspondency
between the words, and the spiritual agency to be employed. The word, in this sense, occurs in King
Alfred's Saxon translation of Boethius, De Consolatione Philosophiæ, chap. 38. [Anglo-Saxon],
Then deceitful men began to practise incantations. It is possible that our ancestors gave this title to
the preaching of Christ crucified, from observing the astonishing effects produced by it, in changing
the hearts and lives of sinners. And very innocently might they denominate the pure powerful
preaching of the death and resurrection of Christ, God's charm: that wonderful word, which,
accompanied with the demonstration and power of the Holy Ghost, produced such miraculous effects
among men.
As the word [Anglo-Saxon] spellian signifies to teach or instruct, hence our word to spell, i.e. to
teach a person, by uniting vowels and consonants, to enunciate words; and thus learn to read. And
hence the book out of which the first rudiments of language are learned is termed a spelling book,
exactly answering to the [Anglo-Saxon] spell-book of our ancestors, which signified a book of
homilies, or plain discourses, for the instruction of the common people. We may See Clarke's note
on "Ge 1:1") that [Anglo-Saxon] among our ancestors, not only signified GOD, the supreme Being;
but also good or goodness, which is his nature: [Anglo-Saxon] godspell, therefore, is not only God's
history, doctrine, or plan of teaching; but also the good history, the good doctrine; and hence
[Anglo-Saxon] to preach or proclaim this doctrine; [Anglo-Saxon] the sermons that contained the
rudiments of it, for the instruction of men; and [Anglo-Saxon] spel-boda, the orator, messenger, or
ambassador, that announced it.
The Greek word euaggelion, from eu good, and aggelia a message, signifies good news, or glad
tidings in general; and is evidently intended to point out, in this place, the good message or the glad
tidings of great joy which God has sent to all mankind, preaching peace and reconciliation by Christ
Jesus, who is Lord of all: proclaiming that he, as the promised Messiah, has, by the grace of God,
tasted death for every man-for he has died for their offences, and risen again for their justification;
and that, through his grace, every sinner under the whole heaven, may turn to God, and find mercy.
This is good news, glad tidings, a joyful message; and it is such to all mankind, as in it every human
spirit is interested.
It is used in this sense by Achilles Tatius, lib. v. c. 12, tauta akausaj o saturoj( prostrecei proj
thn melitthn euaggelia ferwn: Having heard these things, Satyrus ran to Melitta, bringing the good
news.
But, besides this general meaning, the word euaggelion, has other acceptations in the New
Testament, and in the Greek writers, which may be consulted here with great propriety and effect.
1. It signifies the reward given to those who brought good news. Thus Homer represents the
disguised Ulysses claiming a reward euaggelion, a vest and mantle, should he verify to Eumeus the
glad tidings of his master's safety. euaggelion de moi estw. Let me have a reward for my good
news. Odyss. xiv. v. 152.
To which Eumeus, who despaired of his master's return, replied:-
w geron( out~ ar~ egwn euaggelioj tode tisw,
out~ odusseuj eti oikon eleusetai. Ib. v. 266.
Old friend! nor cloake nor vest thy gladsome news
Will ever earn: Ulysses comes no more! COWPER.
And on the word, as thus used, Eustathius gives the following comment: euaggelion¨ dwron uper
agaqhj euaggeliaj. "Euangelion signifies the reward given for bringing good news."
St. Chrysostom, in his sixth Homily on the Acts, gives this as a common meaning of the word.
"The Gospel is this: Thou shalt receive good things: as men are accustomed in their common
conversation to say to each other, ti moi twn euaggeliwn; What reward wilt thou give me for my
good news? &c." It is used in the same sense by the Septuagint. #2Sa 4:10. When one told me,
saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took him and slew him in
Ziglag, who thought w edei me dounai euaggelia, that I would have given him A REWARD for his
tidings. CICERO uses it in the same sense; see his epistles to Atticus, lib. 2. ep. 3. O suaves epistolas
tuas uno tempore mihi datas duas: quibus euaggelia quæ reddam nescio, deberi quidem, plane
fateor. "O, how delightful are your epistles! two of which I have received at one time, for which I
know not what recompense to make: but, that I am your debtor, I candidly confess."
2. It is used also to signify the prayers, thanksgivings, and sacrifices offered on the arrival of good
news. So Aristophanes, moi dokei&euaggelia quein( ekaton bouj( th qew, I think I should SACRIFICE
A HECATOMB to the goddess for this intelligence, ARISTOPH. in Equit. v. 653.
ISOCRATES (Areopag. initio) is supposed to use the word in the sense of supplication, epi
tosautaij praxesin euaggelia men dij hdh tequkamen-"relative to these transactions, we have
purposed to make supplication twice." Xenophon uses it to denote a eucharistic offering made on
account of receiving good news. eque ta euaggelia. See Hist. Gr. i. 6, 27. It seems to be used in
a similar sense by the Septuagint in #2Sa 18:20, 27.
Other examples might be produced in which the word is used in all the above senses; but these
may be deemed sufficient. I would not have been so copious, had not a certain great man denied that
the word had the above meanings.
3. However illustrative the above acceptations of euaggelion, among the Greek writers, may be
of the word in relation to the great doctrine of the new covenant; yet, among the sacred writers, it
is restricted to express the glad tidings of the coming of the Messiah, for the reasons mentioned
above. See #Lu 2:10.
4. The whole doctrine of Jesus Christ, comprised in the history of his incarnation, preaching,
miracles, sufferings, death, resurrection, ascension, and the mission of the Holy Spirit, by which
salvation was procured for a lost world, is expressed by the word euaggelion, as well as by the
general title; kainh diaqhkh. #Ro 1:1, 3, 9; #Mt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; #Mr 1:14. But the sacred
writers use it with a variety of epithets which it may be necessary to mention.
1st, It is sometimes termed, The Gospel of God concerning his Son. #Ro 1:1, 3.
2dly, The Gospel of the Son of God. #Ro 1:9.
3dly, The Gospel of the kingdom of God. #Mt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; #Mr 1:14.
4thly, Sometimes it is simply called THE GOSPEL. #Mr 13:10; #Mr 16:15.
5thly, The word or doctrine (logoj) of the Gospel. #Ac 15:7.
6thly, The Gospel of peace. #Eph 6:15.
7thly, The Gospel of glory, to euaggelion thj doxhj. #1Ti 1:11.
8thly, The Gospel of salvation, to euaggelion thj swthriaj #Eph 1:13.
5. In #1Co 9:23, it means the blessings and privileges promised in the New Testament.
6. It means the public profession of the doctrine taught by Christ, #Mr 8:35; 10:29; #2Ti 1:8;
#Phm 1:13.
7. But in #Ga 1:6, 8, 9, the word euaggelion seems to mean any new doctrine, whether true or
false.
Many MSS. have to kata matqaion agion euaggelion, which is generally rendered, The Gospel
according to SAINT Matthew. But the word agion, saint, or holy, should be here applied to the
Gospel, with which it properly agrees; and then the title would run, The holy Gospel according to
Matthew; that is, the account of this holy dispensation according to the narrative composed by
Matthew, an eye witness of all the transactions he relates. But anciently the word holy was neither
applied to the narrative nor to the narrator, the title being simply, The Gospel according to
Matthew, and so of the others.
SOME ACCOUNT OF MATTHEW THE EVANGELIST.
MATTHEW, supposed to be the same who is also called Levi, son of Alpheus, was by birth a Jew.
As to his office, he appears to have been a tax-gatherer, under the Romans. He was a native of
Galilee, as the rest of Christ's apostles were; but of what city in that country, or of which tribe of the
people of Israel, is not known.
As he sat at the custom house, by the seaside, in or near the city of Capernaum, Jesus called him;
and as soon as he could make up his accompts with those by whom he had been employed and
intrusted, he became a willing, faithful disciple of Christ. After this, St. Mark tells us, he made an
entertainment in his own house, where Christ and several of his disciples were present, together with
many tax-gatherers, and others, of no very respectable character, in the sight of the Pharisees.
It is probable that Matthew took this occasion of calling together his relatives and acquaintances,
that he might take a friendly farewell of them; and give them the opportunity of seeing and hearing
that Divine Person, whose words he had already found to be spirit and life to his own soul, and to
whose service he had now solemnly dedicated himself.
He was placed by our Lord in the number of his apostles, and continued with him during his life.
After the ascension of Christ, he was at Jerusalem, and received the Holy Ghost with the rest of the
disciples on the day of pentecost.
Matthew, with Andrew, Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee, are the only disciples whose call is
particularly mentioned. It is uncertain when, where, or how he died. There does not appear to be
any clear evidence, in the writings of the primitive fathers, that he suffered martyrdom.
St. Matthew's gospel is generally allowed to be the most ancient part of the writings of the New
Covenant. Many modern critics contend that it was written about the year of our Lord 61, or
between this and 65. Others, that it was written so early as 41, or about the eighth year after the
ascension; and this is supported by the subscriptions at the end of this gospel in many MSS.; but it
must be observed, that all these MSS. are posterior to the 10th century. Michaelis has adopted a
middle way, which carries much of the appearance of probability with it, viz.: that Matthew wrote
his gospel in Hebrew about the 8th year after the ascension of our Lord, or A. D. 41; and that the
translation of it into Greek was made about A. D. 61, or later.
Whether this gospel were written originally in Hebrew or Greek, is a question by which the most
eminent critics have been greatly puzzled and divided. The balance, however, is clearly in favour
of a Hebrew original. The present Greek text was doubtless published at a very early period; who
the translator was, cannot, at this distance of time, be determined; probably it was the evangelist
himself.
As Matthew was one of the twelve disciples, his history is an account of what he heard and saw,
being a constant attendant on our blessed Lord. This consideration, of itself, would prove that,
allowing him only to be a man of integrity, he would make no mistakes in his narrative. Add to this,
the influence and superintendence of the Holy Spirit, under which he constantly acted, and which
our Lord had promised to his disciples, to guide them into all truth, and bring what soever he had
spoken to them, into remembrance, #Joh 14:26. These two considerations stamp the narrative with
the utmost degree of credibility.