But when he declared his kingdom was not of this world, they hated and despised him— Of this, together with the consequences of their conduct, Jesus warned them in the parable before usa— To elucidate this subject we shall consider I. The nobleman's departure The person intended by the nobleman is Christ [It is not necessary to look for any hidden meaning in the title Yet to whom can it so properly be applied as to the onlybegotten Son of God?-] His departure relates to the ascension of Christ to heaven [The chief seat of power in our Lord's time was RomeIn allusion to this our Lord speaks of his "going to a far country" While on earth he was in a state of humiliation Though he was a king he assumed no regal pomp On the contrary, he rejected royalty when it was offered himd He was sometimes even destitute of a place where to lay his head But at his ascension he was fully invested with royal dignitye He was to have all both in heaven and in earth subjected to him And at his return to judge the world he will exercise his sovereignty without controul-] In that interval the Jews would shew the disposition of their hearts II. The conduct of his citizens in his absence They refused to have him to reign over them [The Jews professed to wish for the Messiah's kingdom a We wave all notice of the nobleman's reckoning with his servants, in order that we may keep the subjects distinct. See the preceding parable. 5 Ανθρωπός εύγενης. • At this time both the ecclesiastical and civil governors of Judea were appointed by the Roman emperors, and were often summoned to Rome either to be confirmed in their authority or to answer for their abuse of it. This being well known among the Jews, the allusion would appear obvious and elegant: but, without adverting to that circumstance, we cannot so easily see whither the nobleman should go, or to whom. d John vi. 15. e Acts v. 31. f Eph. i. 20-22. But when it was erected, they opposed it openly While our Lord was among them " they would have no king but Cæsar" They put Jesus to death for affirming that he was a kingAnd they maintained the same opposition to his kingdom after his ascension They opposed it deliberately, virulently, and with one consents-] Such also is the conduct of many in this day [Many avow their hatred of the Redeemer's kingdomAnd every man by nature is an enemy to it in his heartThe language of our hearts accords with that of the rebellious citizens We do not like to "take on us Christ's light and easy yoke❞— We esteem his self-denying precepts 66 III. His treatment of them on his return He returned at last with full power to avenge his cause [Christ also will surely return ere long He will then "come in power and great glory"- He then ordered them to be "slain before him" [He had patiently endured their insolence a long timeBut when forbearance had been exercised in vain, he executed on them the punishment they deserved Thus our Lord endures us also with much long-sufferingBut at his future coming he will bear with us no longerHe fulfilled indeed this declaration, in part, at the destruction of Jerusalem Then were the vials of his wrath poured out upon his enemies This however was but an earnest of the miseries he will inflict Every rebel at the last day will be summoned to his tribunal And they, whom now he would rejoice to save, shall be slain without mercy Compassionate as he now is, he will then feel no pity— But like Joshua (his TYPE) will satisfy his righteous vengeancek-] This is intimated by "their sending a message after him." ¡ Ver. 27. INFER 1. How astonishing is the wickedness of the human heart! [Who would conceive that the Jews should ever have hated Jesus? That they should hate one so amiable, so active, so useful?— In what a light do we view the wickedness of that genera tion! Yet it was not to be compared with that which obtains amongst us We see not only the moral qualities of Jesus, but his divine character We e see him dying under the load of our iniquities- Yet we will not submit to him as our sovereign Lord- 2. How are we concerned to have this wickedness removed! [It cannot be supposed that the contemners of Christ's authority should be admitted to his glory If indeed we would submit to him, he would receive us to his favour But his obstinate opposers shall feel the weight of his displeasure Let not any however be dejected because their enmity is not completely slain There is some remaining repugnance to his will even in the best of men Nor will he be at a loss to distinguish between the opposition which is habitual and indulged, and that which is occasional only, and lamented To all who truly labour to serve him he will fulfil that promisel But while we would comfort the feeble-minded, we must caution the presumptious Let not any harden themselves like those scoffers The Lord will surely come in due season" Let us rather improve this day of acceptance and salvation Let us yield up ourselves unfeignedly to his governmentAnd let us address him like those penitents of old°-] 1 John xii. 26. 2 Pet. iii. 9, 10. 1 m 2 Pet. iii. 4. • Isai. xxvi. 13. CCLXVIII. THE TWO SONS. Matt. xxi. 28-31. But what think you? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not; but afterwards he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, Sir; and went not. Whither of the twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. INVETERATE prejudice is scarcely ever to be overcome by the plainest arguments There is no action, however praiseworthy, which it will not condemn Nor any reasoning, however, conclusive, which it will not obstinately resist The best way to conquer it is by secret and indirect attacks This method our Lord frequently adopted, when every other had been tried in vain The Pharisees, unconvinced by all our Lord's miracles, demanded by what authority he had presumed to purge the temple Our Lord offered to satisfy their demand, if they would first inform him from whence John had derived his authority to administer baptism They, aware of the drift of his question, and that in replying to it they must condemn themselves, declined giving him any direct answer Our Lord, seeing their perverseness, changed his mode of dealing with them And drew from them an involuntary acknowledgment of their guilt, by means of a less obvious but well adjusted parable In opening the parable we shall I. Compare the conduct of the two sons The first of them represented the state of those to whom John had preached [His father ordered him to "ge and work in his vineyard" This command he peremptorily refused to comply withBut, on further considreation, "repented" of his misconduct, "and went". Thus many of the Baptist's hearers were of an abandoned character They, by their lives, had shewed an utter contempt for the will of God But they were soon brought to a sense of their undone condition They thankfully embraced the mercy which that faithful preacher announced to them And submitted to his baptism in token of their unfeigned contrition-] The second represented the Pharisees whom our Lord was addressing [He promised a ready and unreserved obedience to his father's will But never truly engaged in executing the work assigned him Thus the Pharisees professed much reverence and respect for God They wished to be thought his dutiful and obedient children But they would not really devote themselves to his serviceWhat might suit their own inclination and redound to their own credit they would do But they would not enter into the vineyard which he requir ed them to cultivate— They would not submit to the humiliating doctrines which John had preached Nor accept that salvation which was offered them by Christ himselfa-] Both of them are just emblems of many living cha racters [There are many who have lived in the violation of all God's commands The constant language of their hearts has been that of rebellion against him— But, by the grace of God, they have been convinced of their sin They have deeply bewailed all their former iniquities a John vii. 37, 38, 48. There may be a further reference in the text to the rejection of the gospel by the hypocritical Jews, and the reception of it among the idolatrous Gentiles. b Ps. xii. 4, Bb VOL. III. |