And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son? And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son? Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.
Our LORD, having now forever driven from the field of disputation, the whole body of Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees, takes occasion to lead to a subject highly interesting, that he might not only instruct his Church in that great doctrine of his double nature, GOD and Man, in One Person, but at the same time, pass his farewell sentence of condemnation upon the Scribes of that day, and the Pharisees, and self-righteous of every day in all future generations; JESUS therefore puts forth a question respecting the relationship between David king of Israel and the Messiah, which was foretold as David's son after the flesh. He takes for granted, that none among them had any question, as to the coming of CHRIST; but he questions, if they knew in what sense it was that he was David's son. They were struck dumb at the question; and from not being taught of GOD, were unable to answer it. But, Reader! how truly blessed is our privilege, when taught of GOD, You and I perfectly know, and are assured, from that infallible teacher, that CHRIST is both the root and the offspring of David. For as GOD, One with the FATHER over all GOD blessed forever; he is, and must be GOD: David's root, and the maker of all things. And as man he is the offspring, which as a branch, was promised to grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:1. Precious Jesus! hadst thou not been both, what would have become of me? LORD I hail thee, as the LORD my righteousness! Reader! do not hastily turn away from the solemn sentence CHRIST pronounceth on the Scribes of old. Awful as the case of all sinners must he, who live and die in their sins; yet of all the tremendous judgments pronounced on the Christless, you see, by CHRIST'S own words, the greater damnation will be on those who from self-righteousness, lessen in their esteem the infinitely precious value of CHRIST'S blood and salvation; as if the necessity of CHRIST'S sufferings were not so highly needed to recommend them to GOD! Isaiah 65:5
REFLECTIONS
Reader! observe in the opening of this chapter, with what determined hatred the Chief Priests, and Scribes, and Elders, came upon CHRIST! What had JESUS done? He had preached the Gospel to the poor; and had gone about healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And was this the cause of all their hatred and malignity? Yes! truly; and cause enough, to Satan and his seed. Look into the world now. Is the offence of the cross ceased? Oh no! Let any of CHRIST'S servants in the present hour preach the Gospel the master preached; and hold forth salvation alone in his name, throwing to the ground all goodness and righteousness of men, and declaring, that CHRIST'S blood and merits are the sole cause of acceptance before GOD, and the same effects will follow. The whole body of modern Pharisees will rise up, and like the hornet's nest will buzz about to sting if they can.
What an awful, but just parable, hath JESUS here delivered of the vineyard and the husbandmen. The very enemies of CHRIST were compelled to acknowledge the application of it. How truly awful it is to behold a professing Church wholly destitute of godliness. Husbandmen like foxes of the desert, destroying, but not cultivating, the LORD'S vineyard!
Reader! The HOLY GHOST hath not recorded the events in this chapter for nothing. Let you and I learn, both from Pharisee, and Sadducee, to discover the melancholy state of a mind unenlightened by grace; and if so be, the LORD is our teacher, to bless GOD that we are the children of' the resurrection. Blessed LORD! do thou reveal thyself in a covenant way, as the GOD of Abraham, and the GOD of Isaac, and the GOD of Jacob, to my soul; and then shall I live unto thee, and live in thee, and derive all life from thee, forever and ever.