TB5 2,573- AN ORIGINAL HARMONY AND EXPOSITION OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW, • AND THE i ' ! PARALLEL PASSAGES IN MARK AND LUKE: I { COMI'BISING A lltbitto Bf \\t Common |igitralibe ®|corits of Inti^rptatoj ■WTTH A PART1CTL.4K EXAMINATION OF THE PRINCIPAL PASSAGES RELATING TO THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, THE END OF THE WORLD, THE NEW CREATION, THE MILLENNIUM, THE RESURRECTION, THE JUDGMENT, THE CONVERSION AND RESTORATION OF THE JEWS, THE FINAL GATHERING OF THE ELECT, ETC., ETC. BY KEY. D. D. BUCK. AUBURN: DERBl^ & MILLE.K. BUFFALO: DERBY', ORTOIS^ &. M ULLIG AN. Cl N CI X K A T I : IT E X R Y W. D E R B T. 1853. 2Zh.z Entered according to Act of Concres*, in tho year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three;, by D. D. BUCK, In the aerk's Office of the District Court of tho United States for the Northern District of New-York. 9Tf:BKOTYPO> BT USBBT A>(D MILLEE. PREFACE. To THE Ejeadeb: Fkom the title page you will leam sometliiiig respecting the nature and importance of the Bubjects discussed in this Treatise. The author cannot rationally hope to prevail witli all his readers to adopt his views and methods of expounding portions of Scripture, which have been the subject of so much disputation and perplexity. He does hope, however, to awa- ken additional interest in the important subjects brought un- der notice, and to excite increased attention to those prophecies whose fulfillment must greatly affect the destiny of the whole world. Be apprised, Reader, before you proceed farther, of one trait in the character of this work : you will find that the au- thor does not attempt to explain mysteries, or to defend dispu- ted positions, by merely advancing his own opinions. He will, in every important instance, cite you to the law and to the testimony. You will meet with some disclosures that are sufficiently startling, and with some arguments and illustra- tions which are entirely new. And you will perceive that the whole matter has been treated with originality and indepen- dency. There is but little borrowed from other writers ; but what there is, is duly credited- The earnest, prayerful effort of the author has been to be right — exactly right — in all IV PEEFACE. matters pertaining to the great subject in hand, so far as God has deemed it wise to reveal the truth to men. The author has all along proceeded upon the supposition, that God designed the Iloly Scriptures for the benefit of mankind ; and that, for this reason, they may be understood. Of the origin of this work, something, perhaps, should be known. The peculiar features of the Harmony, and the gov- erning principle and arguments of the Exposition, are not new to the author : tlicy are the result of several years' re- search and reflection. Indeed, it has been the principal sub- ject of inquiry and investigation for several years. The preparation of the work for the press, however, has been hurried : too much hurried, probably, for the author's personal good, or for the popularity of his publication. It has all been written within the last twelve months. And the labor of composing has been continually interrupted — some- times for several weeks together — by much personal illness, by almost continual family affliction, by unusually heavy pas- toral labors, by a number of calls for extra lectures and ad- dresses, at home, and in other places ; not to mention the perplexities and delays occasioned by a change of residence, and the necessary additions to ordinary ministerial labor, in closing up the affairs of one charge and beginning those of another. A large proportion of the work lias been composed while the majority, perhaps, of its readers were quietly slumbering. With these facts before him, the candid, and especially the Christian, reader will not fail to make some allowance for such errors and imperfections as must, in the nature of things, more or less mar the productions of human wisdom. Let tlie critic remember that the golden rule applies to " all things whatso- ever ;" and, consequently, it must apply to criticism. PREFACE. V Finally, Reader, if you would derive most advantage from the perusal of this work, be earnestly advised, (1.) To read the whole work through, in the order in which it is composed ; for you will find that all the parts sustain a close relation, and in some cases, the connection is very important. (2.) En- deavor to understand the author's position and meaning in every place. (3.) Be sure to read the IS^otes, — especially tliose ip the Appendix — in their appropriate connections. (-1.) Do not, on any account, fail to examine the synopsis of Josephus' History of the Jewish War, when you come to the place where it is referred to. (5.) And certainly you ought to keep your Bible open before you, and refer to it as often as a complete comprehension of the quotations and references may require ; never forgetting that, after all, it is not what man may say, but what God has said, that will prove decisive in human controversy. (6.) Need it be said to Christians — in reference to such important subjects — examine carefully, pa- tiently, prayerfully ; desiring and seeking to be divinely en- lightened ? CONTENTS. PART I. THE HARMONY. CHAPTER I. Principal suhjeat — 'The Hakmony. Differs from others — When first designed — How originated — Effect of Trans- positions — xvii. chap, of Luke — Relation of the eeTcral Records to each other — Matthew's record adopted as the principal one — Reasons — Why neither of the Evangelists was inspired to preserve the whole Discourse — "Wise Design — Testimony — Hoav applied to Prophecy — Perfection in Imperfection — Design of Mystery — Relation of Parts to the Whole — Illustrations, Page 81 CHAPTER II. PriTwipal subject — The Transposition of Luke xvn. 31-33. A principal difficulty in expounding the Lord's prophetic Discourse — Two classes of Interpreters — Perplexity of the Orthodox Divines — Fanciful Ex- positions — How to detect the Transposition — Which record should be cor- rected — Are Luke xvii. and Matt xxiv. parallel ? — Which record is most complete — The Saviour's method of Teaching — When the Apostles were inspired — Character of the first References to the subjects of the great Prophetic Discourse — Other Transpositions — The Question at issue, . . 39 CHAPTER III. Pri/nGvpal subject — The Inteekogations. State of the case — How Christ began his Discourse — How many things were comprised in the Questions proposed — What is indicated by the different forms in which the Inquiries are preserved — Impressions of the Disciples — Why three events were blended in their Inquiries — How they obtained their impressions — What probably occasioned the Difference in recording Till CONTENTS. the Inquiries — Importance of considering this — Cause 6f Indefinitenesa of many Expositions of this Discourse — The true method of Reasoning — Illustrations, 45 CHAPTER IV. Princvpal subject — Pkeliminary CoNStDERATioNS kelating to THE ExposmoN. When the Disciples were fully Inspired — Their liability to mistakes, pre- viously to their Inspiration — Examples — Principal Design of Christ's final Discourses — A principal Error of the Disciples — Jewish understanding of the Prophecies — Examples — Facts to be considered — Leading Themes of the first Gospel Preachers — The Kingdom — The Judgment — The End of the world — Impression of the two sons of Zebedee — When the Kingdom of Messiah was expected to begin — Origin of that Expectation — Christ's Object in giving the Discourse forming the subject of this Treatise — State of the case summarily exliibited — Why Christ did not previously correct the Errors of his Disciples — Divine method of Instruction, 62 CHAPTER V. PrinGlpal subject — Theory of Exposition. Benefits of a Theory — Illustrations from Ancient Philosophy — Great names — Preparatory advisements — Character of the Theorj' of Exegesis — How to obtain a correct Theory — Tlie case stated — What the Saviour design- ed — Illustrative Parable — Radical Mistake — How occasioned — Principal elements of the true Theory — Difficulties — What is attempted — General bearing of the Exposition — Origin of Universalism — Universalist and Orthodox Exegesis compared — Test of Troth and Error, 63 PART IL THE EXPOSITION. CHAPTER I. Principal subject — Destruction of the Teaiple. Why Christ's attention was directed to the Temple — General-form and extent of the Temple — Why Herod's was called the Second Temple — Stones in the wall — Adornments — Why called Gifts — Improbability of the pre- diction — The Romans trying to save the Temple — How the destruction began — Two days' Conflagration — Cotinoil Debate — The Romans in the CONTENTS. ix Inner Court — Storming the Temple — The Hoiy of Holies on fire — Des- peration of the Jews — Astonishment of the Romans — Progress of the flames — Titus in the Holy of Holies — Last effort to save the building — How the Prediction was finally fulfilled, 69 CHAPTER II. Principal subject — Calamities of the Jews pkeviouslt to THE Siege of Jekusalem. Supposition of the disciples concerning the Coming of Christ, and of the End of the World — Design of our Lord's Discourse — Caution against Deceivers — Source of danger — Impostors claiming to be the Christ that was cruci- fied — Plausibility of their pretensions — Wars and Rumors of Wars — Pro- gress in the commotions — Character of Christ's Predictions — Famines and Pestilences — Earthquakes — Singular Comments — Objections — Criticisms — Literal and figurative Language — Earthquakes in divers places — Signs in the heavens — Fearful sights on the earth — Indications — An Army in the clouds — The Supernatural Voice — The wonderful Warning — Some- thing still worse — Affecting Illustration, 78 CHAPTER III. Principal subject — Suffekings of Christians peeviously to the Siege of Jerusalem. Correction of the Record — Illustrations — Beginning of the Persecution — Progress — Saul of Tarsus — Different forms of Jewish persecution — Per- secution by others — Chronological accuracy of the Prophecy — Persecution overruled for good — Why the Jews persecuted — Why the Heathen — Pe- ter before the Sanhedrim — Stephen — Paul before the Rulers — God's design in permitting Persecution — Good result of the Appeal to Ceesar — Comfort in suffering — Why forbidden to premeditate — Perversion of a text — When we may, and when we may not, premeditate — What is meant by Taking no thought — Nature of Apostolic Inspiration — What is meant by giving them a Mouth and Wisdom — Examples — Curious way to resist Logic — An Orator in Chains — Beginning of Apostacy in the Church-— Treachery — Progress of Apostacy — Terrible Result — Pattern Age of the Church — The World and the Ghurch at variance — What is meant by not a Hair of the head perishing — How to possess our souls in Patience, . 95 CHAPTER IV. Prrndpal svhject — Corruption and Declension of the Church. False Prophets — Two classes of them — Influence upon the Church — Conso- lation and Warning — What preserves the Church — Difficult Text — X CONTENTS. Strange Salvation — Curious Comment — The Truth finally discovered — A true Exposition — Import of the term World -^ Examples — Ho vr extensi vely the Gospel was Preached in the Apostolic Age — Meaning of The End — Erroneous Impression — Explanation — Design of the Prophecy — Anew Explanation — When, and IIow, the Jewish Dispensation was consumma- ted — The Beginning and the Ending — Objects of that Dispensation — Its effect upon coninion Providence — Error of the Jews — How corrected by Christ — Objection — Answer, 116 CHAPTER V. Principal siibject — Fligut of the Chkistians. Progressive order of the Prophecy — What is indicated by the Inquiries which led to the Prophecy — When did the Cliristians flee from Jerusalem? — Difficulty in determining — Strange blunders in quoting History — What was the Signal for beginning the Flight — Abortive efforts to determine — The Source of Information — Probable time of the Flight — Tliree Consid- erations — Interesting Parenthesis — Further Information concerning the Flight — Two Aspects of the Signal — Wisdom of Christ's Admonition — Benefit to Christians of all countries — Description of the Flight — Regu- lations of the Flight — IIow the Families were preserved — Our Lord's Proph- ecy partly a Compilation — Why those days were called Days of Vengeance — Uow long they were to continue — An important consideration — Con- dition of Women with yo\ing Children — Time of the Year when the Flight occurred — Why not on the Sabbath — Numbers Destroyed and taken Cap- tive during the War — The Elect for whose sake those days were short- ened, 130 CHAPTER VI. Principal subjects — False Christs ant» False Pkophets. Renewed appearance of Impostors — Why so successful — Two-fold Caution — Simon Magus — Menander, his Successor — Claims to be Jesus Christ — Character of the Signs and Wonders wrought by the Impostors — Why the Jews, who were imposed upon by fahe Miracks, did not credit the true — Illustration from modern Infidelity — Modern Wonder-workers — Deceiving the Elect — Import of the phrase, "If it be possible" — Facts in the case — Origin and Names of the principal Heresies during the Primitive Times — Origin of the False Christs and False Prophets — Two ways in which they appeared — Why Christ was expected in "the Secret Chambers" — Use of Josephus' History 155 CHAPTER VII, Principal mbjects — The Coming of Cilbist, and the History OF Jerusai.em since the Eoman War. Does the 27th verso refer to the Romans? — Opinions of eminent Divines — The Issue onnounced-^How the question is to be Bettled — The Passage C0NTENT8. XI examined — Its designed use — Things to bo considered — Tlie single bear- ing of the Illustration — The Carcass and the Eagles — Two Applications — Ho-w one could be toX;c« and another left — An important Emendation of Matthew's Record ^Position of the passage from Luke — Destruction and Dispersion of the Jews — Diiierent from previous Dispersions — Jerusalem in the possession of the Gentiles — Import of the expression, "Trodden down of the Gentiles" — The city in the times of Constantine — Julian the Apostate — Ilis attempt to defeat the fulfillment of the Prophecj' — Result — How the city is to be in the possession of the Gentiles — Import of the expression, "Times of the Gentiles," 165 CHAPTER VIII. Prmcipal Svhject — Daekening the Sun, &o. Yarious In- TERPKETATIONS EeYIEWED. The Figurative Theory not very Ancient — Influence of a Mistake — Nature of the Argument — Plan of the Argument — Two Branches of the Figura- tive Theory — The Difference — Double Sense Theory — Robinson's — Ar- guments used in sustaining the Figurative Tlieories — Examination and Refutation — Review of Wliitby — "What led him into his Peculiar Views — Difficulties of Error — Whitby against Grotius and Whiston — Newton's Theory — The Argument on "Immediately after the Tribulation of those days," reviewed — Josephus — Facts — Appeal to Logic — Conclusion — The Argument relating to the Figurative Language of the Old Testament considered — The Prophecy of Joel — The Question Settled — An Exegeti- cal Curiosity — Peter's Reference to the Prophecy of Joel — How did he \mderstand it ? — Other specimens from the Old Testament — An important Tact in tJie case — Origin and Proprieties of Metaphorical Language, . 189 CHAPTER IX. PrinGvpal siihject — •Daekening of the Lumestaeies, and the ATTENDING CIECUMSTANCES. Preliminaries — Plan of the Argument — "The Tribulation of those days" — Tlie days defined — Important Consideration — An Omitted Verse — How long the Time is to last — Conclusion of this branch of the Argument — Darkening the Luminaries — An Error of the Literalists — Nature of Meta- phorical Language — "Where is the Original ? — How the Scriptures speak to men — Important Distinction — The Prophecy of Joel and of Christ compared — The specific Time and Circumstances of Darkening the Liimina- ries — Parallel Predictions — Parallelism of Times and Events — Gog and Magog — Objection, that St. John describes the great Battle as taking place after the Millenium — John and Ezekiel Harmonized — DiiTorcnt Ex- positions compared, 230 Xll CONTENTS. CHAPTER X. Pi'inGvpal subject — The Coming of Cheist. Examination of SEVEEAL RELEVANT SUBJECTS. How the Subject is Introduced — Erroneous Interpretations — Two Forms of the Interpretation — "Whitby's — Newton's — The first Reviewed — Logic ver- sus History — The second Reviewed — Injurious Tendencies — Animadver- sions — Objection founded on Scripture Precedents — Great Mistake — Impor- tant Difference — Old Testament Metaphors — Objection founded on Christ's Declaration to the High Priests, Matt. xxvi. 04 — Objection founded on Christ's remark concerning John, ch. xxi. 22 — How difficult to defend Er- ror — Objection founded on Christ's Declaration that some should not die till they had seen him coming in his kingdom, Matt. xvi. 27 — True Inter- pretation — Dissimilarity between that Passage and the one under comment — How David Typified Christ — Two Kingdoms, or the same in two different Dispensations, 249 CHAPTER XI. Principal subject — The Coming of Ckbist. Review of the Figurative Theory. Remarkable Exjiosition — Its Objectionable Character — Defectiveness, even if the Text be Figurative — Common Rules of Interpretation Reversed — No Parallel Texts, with one exception, in the Old Testament — The Point to be proved — No Historic Proof of the Figurative Theory — Inconsistent with Christ's Mediatorial Offices — A "Word for Universalists — Character of the Mediatorial Dispensation — Fatal Results — Self-contradiction — Va- riance with tlie Words of Christ — Ingenious Evasion — Singular Logic — Embarrassment of Commentators — How Occasioned — Dr. Tower's Opinion — Dr. Campbell's — Dr. Mede's — Tense of the Saviour's words, 271 CHAPTER XII. Pfmcipal subject — Judgment Advent of Citrist. The true Exposition. Order of Events — Sign of the Son of Man — Distinguished from Christ him- self — Wliere it will appear — Ita Nature — Difference between a Sign and a Wonder — The Sign the occasion of universal Mourning — Tlie Reason -:- Effect upon the Jews — A day of salvation to them — The Reason — A Scene of mourning among the Jew.s — Occasion and Result — Literal Com- ing of Christ — Scoffers, and their Excuse — Believers, and their Danger — Tlie Personal Coming Proved — Source of the knowledge of the Thessalo- nians — Design of the Parables in connection with the Prophecy — Christ's application of the Parables — Tlie Judgment at his Coming — Extent of Time embraced in the Prophecy — Conclusion of tho Prophecy, 291 CONTENTS. Xlli CHAPTER XIII. Principal subject — GATnEEiNG the Elect. Review of vari- ous Expositions. Applied by some to the Escape of Christians from Judea — Objection foundod on the Chronology of the Events — Objection from its being unwarranted by the Language of the Text — Also from its conflict with Christ's own Declaration — Difference between the Comment objected to and the Words of Christ — Encouragement of Sceptics — The passage applied to the Call of the Gentiles — Review — Misapplication of Texts — Erroneous Impres- sion — The Issue taten — Limitation of the Gospel to the Jews — When the Gentiles were called — How extensively the Gospel prevailed previously to the Fall of Jerusalem — St. Paul's Testimony — Eusebius' — Mosheim's — Surprising Statement — When the Gospel Kingdom began — Result of the Fall of Jerusalem — State of the Church subsequently — Professor Stuart's Opinions — His method and spirit of treating the passage — Is it a literal Trumpet? — Extremities of the Heavens — Whence are the Elect to be gathered? — Difference between Accuracy and Literality — God's Trum- pet — Can the Dead hear ? — Illustrations, 806 CHAPTER XIV. Principal suhject — Gathering the Elect. The True Exposition — A Universal Gathering — Who are the Elect? — Ap- plied to believing Gentiles — Scripture Proofs — Election of the Gentiles — To what Privileges — For what Reason — Applied to the Israelites — Scrip- ture Proofs — Reason of their Election — Chosen as a People — By an ever- lasting Covenant — They should be preserved Forever — St. Paul's View — Two great Divisions of the Elect — Relation of the two — Relation of the two-fold Gathering — How the dead yf'iW be Gathered — Design of the Res- urrection — Hope of the ancient Saints — Who will be raised at the first Resurrection — The Elect in two Conditions — God's purpose to gather them all — When — Where — Why — How — Views of the Apostolical Church — Gathering of those who will be alive at the coming of the Lord — The final Assembly — Examples of Gathering of the Elect — Design of the Transfig- uration on the Mount, , 820 CHAPTER XV. Principal subject — Gathering the Elect. The subject applied to the Restoration of the Jews. The point to be established — Prophecies of Jeremiah, identifying the People, their Restoration, Rebuilding of Jerusalem, Christ under the name of David, the K^ew Covenant, Ac. — Further Quotations referring to the People, the Time, the Event, the Extent, &c. — Confirmation by Hosea — Prophecies of Isaiah, relating to the Branch, the Ensign, the Gathering, the Union, the XiV CONTENTS. Conversion, tjie Great Battle, the Signs in tlie Heavens, the Destruction of the Wicked, the Judgment of Satan, the Resurrection of the Saints, the Coming of the Lord, the New Heavens and Earth, &c. — Prophecies of Ezekiel, relating particularly to Christ's Reign over Israel, the Renewal of Palestine, the Conversion and Restoration, the happy Results, tc ° o a-g ' 41 g; o « O rQ ® ^ — s 2 * e3 "^ OS .S* «_ .2 . a £ ''3 t: o '" -4J en ""^ • — tH til t- .g s ^ "* a -k^ s*^ s ®'^ O oj en zr I— ? .5 -^ ^ o - 5 a ■""d c " * ;o © a-g •^l' a fe 2 ^ efl " ^ *i o A .5 in O .2 "S "73 ^00 C-~ ' OJ m ?; s i; (u 2 cj ° -2 ^- S ®"^ a a ^ O n3 3 . O m4 /-) oj 1-5 ^ ? - P = So 2 1) !3 c ;^ ^ O 03 QQ -- OS Z2 03 «•-. ^ i a> 0) c ^ .S ->- 03 <<^ 'o a _ , o^i— la •*^ «^ <».3 s ■- a."^ 0! S ^ -a (^ O c3 00 •^ « a (TJ ^ >-^ H -f I-" -< r3 r:-i' . 4) ■ a; b» 4 1 rS P > ' (V a a> ...i ' — =* J: 5; SPECFAL. Luke xvii. rn w o >^ w «* W J (>1 W H CO ** oi .-5 O >► 00 1^ * Sw N M ^ ^ 00 c4 (18) .s a iJ3 S3 ^ ^ V a) ^ ^ § rH P^ _ .« 0) o) -^ O -SO' DO S 5 a ■a t. to ■ ^ s a a a> >^ *i .2 't:) ^ * r" — cS CO ^% S3 - 0) -4^ •<5 ^n V a 0) hH T) ^j «3 tx ;:3 ,,c c *? (C •^ J >i CO >. ej a i:; ;^l3'« -T! C ^ c4 C3 S ^-5^ •J3 _ -^ "^ E3 tC_ a 0:1 0) O^' -5 S a> c- 'i? .^ ^ "^ ? ~ r-H -* :h •» >> _ ^eP -a -i. =! "-s S ^ S-o .- us bc-S O C3 sq a 83 Jill > ;^-= -a ,a c 00 S a oj a Hi ■73 .- a CJ 1*, Jl ^■^ en CO .'i on trj t* J D OJ e3 cj to ^rO s t-~ _^ OJ to ^ 'Oj^ S CS Ho j ^ cx fe g^S^ -2 ' -a 'T3 t- ^ o S =s p^ a >>2 So S-i t; ^ IS 0^ 5 0, ^-^^""^ _^ S ^ a 1) I 0.2 is * a ^. .'" .5 — ' "^ ^ '^ c; ci CO ,— I cr L_j d a >*> CO a> a, -a a "■* o 1:2 ai n =^ o ^ ri) 00 o •^ t- o 0) 3> -flri^ ^ ts > o CO •-rcl ^ _ a r^ For li a your be a O) '-' o ~- -^ 'rn c a s ir "^ ' o on g ••-« r- •— • ^ o ^ •- 3 60 „ et ■;; 3 t. •'—1 e3 ^ S _ es j3 * _i i a ' 1:3 p. ts^ > o - aj ,^ ^^^^^^jco >, ^:|^ ^^-s ^^-s -go 'oa'^' — '^oiS-PriT tSPsS, , S s"_2 2.t;-4 .,4 •^ CO » a^ ^-^ 5 ?^^ fiSJi 5 2~ a; -" 7> b. oj O •T? ;h -^3 3 ® 9) 'J o a' S 3^-Q i^ t>5<» <3J fl .a B 5^-S - i'3 s^ ^.2 ^-^J S a -^ _r X ~ O — ! pq I n3 a, ■—I PH tX-rO. ■73 03 O (3 ^ ^ o -5 « S n S ^." p^ S a .-; « ^^ t* -ti S^- (I) 03 o o WS P^Q (21) oS * rfl 2 ^ ° •!, kc B o « 5 i-C CO •5 5^ ? O'^ -S S a ;j3 a ^ c " a -^ ^ « 1, a, tc— rs- a - d P (^ -3 OS . -S gl 5 13 c c E c O » 0! C8 TS ■^ >> o 1 o c o 1 -^ a> « C nr rj ';3 C -.-> TS < O n3 IS ^•, S o 5 •^ « c t. n; Sd "If * OS ■♦^ i^-::^ « 3 2 c .3 o • "5 * S • — . rro ^- *"_§ scS »rs5 roa>c3 J :z'R^ I^f3 o 1^ (24) c oj o W) tc o) 2 ^ '-I C C !- '-3 ;^ ^ o •5 i>D ai ;^ f cp ^^ .2 ..^ Q) ->J c o , a> P c3 -^ 2 « bD .13 CO ^ C Cj r-- ^U i <0 <11 f-( d -4J pi « A -d OJ s V 2 03 t3 to- ns '3 60 TS d 03 U to a O 3 o rt r^ ■ oc '^_ 03 (M a> o 0) ?? 9 iiC ai ^ cj » ^ !? S ••^ o; qj - " H i^ . o c-C d o m w: d o a c3 U di 03 O O be .52 CO 0) ^^ d i- rd d *^ a s a ^ o 5.2^ a5 «iI2 S; « d •? f; o> ^p tn -c H ^ c?3 , J^ -d A ^ "1 M ' Jh S '^ cq o to "^ S-SJS - <^ "x S o S S3S| ^^- -Sj-f^ *§ rg r^ tiC— < " CQ "J O r. u ^ (N'-a « C0.2— ■ osaJoS <>''2a'---ti=^"S2 SPECIAL. Luke xvii. Id ► ■0 S^ t^ *i (4 ri , Uj o o qT CS ex, ,C O '-' O „ ,-< aj ., U) „ a fc- *** 1 — ^ rf ^ S "" o . o EC t> tc « ^^ i* 0/ — rr- C CO cS O (1> o P-l 0} .tJ .«^ -4^ •73 <0 ^ « « e-^ « a § 'J-^ ' to tt "" « ^-^is S -^ « >^ o O O I — I Cm c3 O (D ^ ^ O cj ^^ g 3 o ^ « S bo ^.2 5 0-2 .5 ^ fe fl «r 2 a ^ P bo S S 1 1-^ a >-.^.-'S 5 -e O; Vi3 a § el ^ o ^ d o (X) tS O Qf2 <» P4 fl 9, oi "73 cj O o3 a « g-M a q3 05 ID o — . ^73 5 iJ^ O 0) => :3 S "^ o CD . to a « 3 as^ •iS-? ^ a b- ^ f-i o '" § -^ JS rt QJ C ? "^ ^ '^ S § "^ ft. CO „-^«j®§ «^ " .2 sa iS-^-- a ^ a^^ ^'"SS'^lS "iTo c3^ ^••5 -2 a Is '^ ^ ^-^ .2 fe .3 r3 -2 SPECIAL. Luke xvii. w2 3 c« ec «5 r-l l-H l-H M >^ > « •R flJ 0) ^ rW rW •4-> P h-1 ►33 CO ^ P »> (28) otmade oted in rmony ; liem all .^0 00 t, how- ich are he pur- t to aa- a "-I oj *^ ociated. xpedien any wh ot for t lem, hh Inding t 2 £:! fl 0) IS* O) >y are ass udged e record n others, n dopting t jader in / -a o S ^-^ «S^ 5 >--Sii; 0) OJ oo -(J > 00 O ,cO . S3 £a >> 13 a ^ c a be "~ a ,I-H «! '■- a "^ * 5 o '£-■? -r 2 o I" ^-3 ^ qj'5 W^ CO t^ a u do a a-.2 03^.3 O as ^ ^ So 1.2 i 2 ^'o *» .St* n:! S„"^ J'3' ; ^ -« o 2 i-;a -2-9 a lu ra g,^ a-H CJ S^tj: oD ^ ,a •X) t».J 13 -kJ U3 a o c3 a C5 V-i CI aa 'Sc: S-f.-a bo te 5 ^^ S 5 ^fe I «:2--|'2'a « O 3 -* . 00 K xi* ■^ *S:3 s a i li s 3 ^ K? »5rt •-« Hi c4 (29) HARMOM AID EXPOSITION. PART FIEST. CHAPTER I. Principal subject — The Haemony. Differs from others — When first designed — How originated — Effect of Trans- positions — xvii. chap, of Luke — Relation of the different Records to each other — Matthew's record adopted as the principal one — Reasons — Why neither of the Evangelists was inspired to preserve the whole of the Lord's Discourse — Wise Design — Testimony — How applied to Prophecy — Per- fection in Imperfection — Design of Mystery — Relation of Parts to the Whole — Illustrations. 1. It will be perceived at once that the Harmony herewith submitted is arranged after a new method. Several have been examined, and from some of them important suggestions have been derived ; but in this arrangement no one has been followed. Indeed, the author has found no one to follow.* In a few instances the author's convictions have led him to differ from the usual arrangement of verses, as found in the various Harmonies which he has examined. 2. The author takes pleasure in acknowledging himself indebted for several valuable thoughts, to an article in the Methodist Quarterly Eeview. for July, 1842, on the Coming of Christ. Even so long ago as the great agitation on the subject of the Second Advent, in 1842 and '43, the author had in contemplation the publication of a Treatise on the xxiv. chap- *See Note A in the Appendix. 32 HAEMONY AXD EXPOSITION. ter of Matthew ; and did, in fact, several years since, give several expository lectures, wliicli embodied the principal ele- ments of this Ilannony and Exposition. 3. Tlie design which led to the formation of this Harmony, made it desirable that all which was spoken by our Lord in the discourse under notice, should be constantly and connect- edly before the eye. The paragraph and verse Harmonies in common use are a great assistance in this respect ; but still the reader is under the necessity o^ forming in his own- mind a Harmony, having more particular reference to the collocation of the sentences and xoords of the discourse. 4. From this necessity of a mental Harmony, to supply the common deficiency of the written, the idea was suggested of writing out in full what must of necessity exist in the viind^ in order to be rigidly systematic in the examination . of the prophecy. It is certain that neither of the three ev.^ngelists has preserved all that tlie Saviour uttered ; for we find in each some things which are omitted by the others. And it is also certain that whatever we find in any of the three, as a part of the discourse, must have been spoken on that occa- sion \ otherwise, the record would not be authentic. 5. Now, whatever was spoken, must have been said in some definite order. Some things were referred to before some other things ; as, for example, the coming of the fiilse Christs before the coming of the true Christ. And it is obvi- ously of great importance to ascertain, as nearly as possible, the exact order in which the various items of the discourse succeeded one another in the original delivery. But this cannnt be done by merely arranging oppositely the different verses and })aragraplis, as they are found in the several records. It is necessary to have a natural collocation of all the sentences and words ; for this will give us the con- secutive ideas that constitute tlie discourse. Xotliing short of this will perfectly answer the purpose in a critical analysis of the composition. 6. This is attempted in this newly arranged Harmony. But with how much success, the reader who has critically investigated the subject, is best qualified to decide. The IIAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 33 position of every sentence, and of every word, has been sub- jected to a thorough examination. In some places the author was in doubt concerning the proper place of a verse, or sen- tence. But in no instance did this occur in what may be termed the more important portions of the prophecy. The Harmony of Muenscher has been of much real servict' in transcribing the sacred text ; though it has not been in ail cases adoj)ted in the arrangement of either the sentences or verses. T. Notwithstanding the fact, that the Harmony herewith presented to the reader, has brought together into one con- tinuous narrative all that is recorded in the three inspired sketches of our Lord's discourse, yet, as it may be perceived, the arrangement of the sentences does not sensibly disarrange the regular succession of thought. And this collocation of all the sentences in the several records, has been made without any respect to the literary character of the composition, as amended ; the only guiding inquiry was respecting the ;place where each properly belono-s. Yet how unbroken and regular the succession of thought ! The transitions in the amended composition are usually even less abrupt than in the individual records. In some cases even greater perspicuity and force are given to the preceding and succeeding verses, by the introduction of omitted sentences or verses. See this exemphfied in the effect produced by placing the 22d verse of Luke between the 18th and 19th verses of Matthew. And there, undenia- bly, is the proper position of that verse. See, also, what a difference it sometimes makes in the definiteness of the sentiment, by the transfer of a single ex- pression, as in the 33d verse of Matthew. 8. As the xvii. chapter of Luke also contains something on the same subject, it was considered advisable to give particu- lar prominency to the references to that chapter. By noticing the frequent transpositions of the verses of that chapter, as they are arranged in harmony with the more extended discourse, it will be observed that the succession of thought differs essentially from the order in the discourse in 3 34 HARMONY Airo EXTOSITION. Matthew ; and in several other particulars it is quite dissimi- lar to the one forming the subject of this Treatise. It ought not, therefore, to guide us in deciding the consecu- tive relations of the sentences in the more full and perfect record. One of the transpositions is so very important, and has so greatly embarrassed the usual exposition of the prophecy in Matthew, that it has been deemed expedient to consider the matter in a chapter by itself. 9. It will be perceived that the record of Matthew has been selected, in the effort to preserve the original order of the discourse. Tlie principal reasons for this, are, (1.) Because the Holy Ghost seems to have designed the record of Matthew for the principal history of this remarkable prophecy. Tlie other histories appear to be, to some extent, supple- mentary, and designed to preserve what was omitted by the first. But, in order to be perspicuous, it was necessary for the supplementary writers to give a sufficiency of the original discourse to show where their emendations belong, and thus fill out to completion the original record. 10. On a careful examination of the three records, it will not usually be difficult to know just where to put the sup- plemental portions ; for Divine Wisdom has so directed, that throughout each of the records, there are enough of the prominent points of general agreement to guide us in forming all the points of the discourse into a complete whole. (2.) A second reason for adopting the sketch of Matthew as the governing record, is, because it is not only more full and perfect, but it is also connected with a succeeding chapter which is omitted by both the others. Perhaps the principal reason why the other evangelists were not moved to preserve the important parables, and the description of the judgment scene, which are found in the xxv. chapter of Matthew, was, because the first historian was inspired to make so perfect a record, that supplementary additions were unnecessary. 11. If it should be inquired, why the Holy Spirit should move the first historian to keep such a perfect record of the illustrative parables and judgment scene, as to render sup- HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 35 plemental emendations unnecessary, while, in the more important portions of the prophecy, the first record is so incomplete as to need additions ? The answer would be this : It has pleased God to proceed in the matter on the usual plan of giving testimony^ both in the publication and preservation of important facts. But in using testimony to convince the world, it was deemed important to have more than one witness, that " in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word might be established." The same wisdom that guides the best human governments in matters of testimony, would have chosen this very method of communicating divine truth, if it had com- prehended the things which are divine as the things which pertain to this world. Inspiration has not erred in conforming the method of reve- lation to the established judicial usages of the wisest govern- ments. 12. But if the primary witness had been led to give a full, regular, and perfect narration of the matter, the other wit- nesses would have had either nothing to testify, or else would have been compelled to testify to precisely the same things as the other ; and which, in reporting a discourse, must have required the exact preservation of the language and order. In the former case, this would have been a virtual exclusion of all additional testimony ; in the latter, it would have too much the appearance of collusion. 13. It is not a new idea, that, in important matters of fact and prophecy, the Holy Spirit has purposely shut out every appearance, and every rational suspicion, of collusion. The witnesses of both fact and prophecy are usually inde]3endent of each other. They agree in the principal points of their testimony ; and they do not disagree anywhere. The omis- sions of one, and the additions of another, when all are framed together, form a beautiful and perfectly harmonious testimony. 14. And, notwithstanding the objections and cavils of Infi- delity, the truths of the Bible are without doubt far better established by this kind of testimony, than they could be by any other. 36 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. Had all the inspired witnesses left their testimony as if they had cojiied verbatim from some original document, the same Infidelity that now cavils at the apparent disagreements, omissions, and additions, would then undoul)tedly be just as ready to cavil at the appearance of collusion ; and would probably make the verbatim of the witnesses a stronger objec- tion, than the present verbal difference with substantial agreement. 15. These observations may not appear to be as applicable to matters of prophecy, as to matters of history ; for, some may say, the prophecy is its own witness ; its fulfillment proves its truth. True, indeed ; but is it of no consequence to know when, where, and by whom, the prediction was uttered? Should not the prophet be identified with his own prophecy, so as to establish completely his inspiration ? So as efiectu- ally to guard against the possible appropriation of a wonderful prediction for the countenance and propagation of a subse- quent imposture ? But how can the identity of a prophet be preserved in inseparable connection with his own predictions, if his words are not preserved ? And is not the preservation of words, and times, and circumstances, and personalities, a proper subject of testimony ? 16. The predictions which form the subject of this Exposi- tion, are of too much consequence, in the great and growing controversy between truth and error, to be left for the testi- mony of a single witness. And Inspiration was too wise to move the first and principal witness to give a testimony that should, in effect, exclude all others. Hence, in the nature of the case, we should exjject to find the first record imperfect in itself^ but perfect as apart. Tliis is the general nature of the prophecies and histories that relate to the important facts in the Saviour's life, death, and resurrection. And it is a superficial view of things which leads any one to wish it were otherwise. Tlie solution of some problems is altogether more interesting when wrouglit out, than wln^n merely stated. Yet we always need some primary and self-evident principles to begin with. 17. So, to some extent, it is with some of the great facts, HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 37 and doctrines, and prophecies wliicli are found in tlie Bible. God was too conversant with man's nature and necessities, and too regardful of liis well-being, to give to him a revela- tion, which had nothing about it to call into exercise, and strengthen, and happifj those strong, vigorous minds, whose health, and enjoyment, and usefulness are inseparably con- nected with the investigation and mastery of deej), and broad, and elevating subjects. It formed a part of the original design, that mind should be arrested, exercised, expanded, elevated, purified, and happified by subjects that lead directly heavenward, and not be doomed to the everlasting drudgery of the research, discovery, and demonstration of compara- tively unimportant matters. 18. And where shall we look for such themes as we have judged to be designed for man's welfare ? Shall we look for them in connection with the less important, and less interest- ing matters which form the primary and self-evident principles in theology? Or shall we turn to the great and thrilling subjects which have about them a sufficiency of interest to attract and rivet the universal attention ? — which, on this very account, may be selected as the only appropriate themes to be held in connection with the great and sometimes mys- terious problems that shall exercise the restless, ambitious, and growing mind. To such we will turn. And we will not be disappointed in our anticipations of some solutions to be wrought out, by patience and labor, in such a thrilling subject as the final destiny of the world. 19. Xot to be diverted, however, from the former illustra- tion, — it may be observed, that the precise form in which we Qnd the records of the great prophecy in question, may prove to be, after all, the very form which is best adapted to secure and exercise the world's attention. The design of the Infi- nite Wisdom which moved the evangelists thus to record their testimony, was doubtlessly as good and considerate, as the same Wisdom which, in other things, shows itself by creating component parts imperfect, in themselves considered, but perfect^ when considered as jparts. And is it not sufficiently 38 HAllMONT AND EXPOSITION. evident, that, with finite things, the highest perfection 18 relati/oef 20. If there are embarrassments and diflScnlties connected with the kind of testimony which we have supposed in t]ie case before us, nevertheless, it must be endured, for the nature of the case admits of nothing better. And there is reason to believe that the disadvantages of such a case are, after all, less than would result from any other system. If this be so, we should no more complain of the embar- rassments that may result, than of the system of creating human beings, merely because the foot, or the hand, as a^>ar?!, has not all the attributes and excellences of the body itself, which is the union of all the individual parts. 21. The imperfection of the individual records of our Sa- viour's discourse, is such as the perfection of the design rendered expedient and necessary. It was — so to speak — as the imperfection of a hand, considered merely of itself, and not as a part of something else. It is imperfect, in this specific sense, that it has not eyes, eare, and the other mem- bers and faculties of the body which it helps to form. But, considered as a part, and in respect to its relations, it is as perfect as the body to which it belongs. 22. Let U8 not, then, view with regret and suspicion the (in this sense) imperfect records which have preserved for us the wonderful discourse which we are about to review. Let not short-sighted, caviling Infidelity rob us of our joy and boast in believing that " all Scripture is given by inspiration of God ; " and that even the fragmentary records of some parts, and the supplementary records of others, are just as they should be : " Even so, Fatlier, for so it seemeth good unto thee." But wo must gather up these fragments, that nothing be lost. This the Harmony professes to do ; and, still further, professes to restore the various parts according to their original order. HARMONY AND EXPOSITION, 39 CHAPTER II. Principal subject — Tkansposition of Luke xvn. 31-33. A principal difficulty in interpreting tlie Prophecy — Two classes of Inter preters — Perplexity of Orthodox Expositors — Fanciful Expositions — How to detect the Transposition — Wliich record should be corrected — Are Luke xvii. and Matt. xxiv. parallel ? — Which record is most complete — Christ's method of Teaching — When the Apostles were inspired — Character of the First References to the subjects of the great Prophetic Discourse — Other Transpositions — The Question at issue. 1. The principal difficulty in harmonizing and applying the different sketches of our Lord's discourse arises from this single fact : In Matthew's record, the admonition to those up- on the house-top, directing them not to come down to take anything out of the house, appears to belong to the period of the Roman invasion. But in Luke xvii. the same admonition appears to belong to the period that we usually apply to the coming of Christ. Now, when we apply any portion of the prophecy to the coming of Christ, the objector is ready to meet us with the remark, that in the account given by Luke, where he is speaking of the coming of Christ, he uses the identi- cal admonition that, in another place, we apply to the period of the Roman war. Therefore it is concluded by some that the coming of Christ spoken of in the prophecy, was not a lit- eral, personal coming, but a figurative, or judicial coming, by the instrumentality of the Romans. Those who adopt this conclusion are divided into two wide- ly different classes : (1.) Tliose who deny the doctrine of a sec- ond personal advent of Christ, as it is held by the orthodox churches : and, (2.) Tliose who believe that the Bible teaches such a doctrine in other places, but understand the language in tJiis pro2)hecy as being figurative. 2. Those of the class first mentioned have this in their fa- vor : that the allusions to the coming of Christ in this dis- course are apparently as plain and literal as in any other part 40 HAEMONT AKD EXPOSITION. of the Bible. And if these are admitted to be metaphorical, it is with much plausibility that those who deny the doctrine of the second coming to judgment, insist upon a figurative interpretation of the other passages. And, besides, the ortho- dox divine has to admit that some of our Saviour's admoni- tions, which in Luke xvii. are given in connection with allu- sions to the second coming, are, in the other places, given undeniably in connection with matters pertaining to the Roman war. Here the opponents of tlie orthodox claim to find proof of the figurativeness of the coming spoken of, and of its being in some way connected with the judgments that are already past. And, if in this place, why not elsewhere ? 3. And this has likewise greatly perplexed our divines, when tliey have undertaken to point out and separate the por- tions that belong to the two very different periods. They have been in doubt to which of the events to apply the ad- monitions to those on the house-top, as found in the xvii. of Luke. If they apply that j)ortion to the second advent, as the connection would seem to warrant ; then what shall be done with the same words, where they as evidently belong to the period of the war ? If they apply them to tl\e Roman war, then how dispose of the passages that we claim to relate to the literal coming ? Here the orthodox divines have found themselves greatly em- barrassed. And their opponents have not been either slow to perceive it, or reluctant to improve it. 4. Here lies the principal difiiculty in giving a consecutive, systematic, and satisfactory interpretation of this wonderful discourse. All the rest is comparatively easy. But while this difficul- ty remains, the orthodox expounders will continue to bewilder and confound their readei*s, by the unsatisfying tlieories of double prophecy, of typical events, or of allegorical imagery. And so long as this difficulty is allowed to modify or govern our expositions of tlie general subject, so long will the ortho- dox contribute to strengthen the hands of his opponent by those idle fancies, and groundless assertions, which have be- HAEMONT AND EXPOSITION. 41 come stereotyped as expositions of such verses as describe the coming of the Lord, and the darkening and falling of the luminaries of heaven. In the appropriate place in this Expo- sition, these stereotyped fancies will be properly attended to. And if they are not demonstrated to be fancies, then the au- thor of this Treatise will acknowledge his work to be an en- tire failure. The reader is premonished, however, that he will then meet with some surprisin gy«cfe / such facts as will contribute not a little to settle this whole matter of allegori- cal interpretation. 5, In the verses of the xvii. of Luke, of which we are now speaking, the two widely separated events are seemingly blended together. Did it never occur to you, reader, that those verses are not in their pj'oper place in the discourse ? Turn, now, either to the parallel places in the Scriptures, or to the Harmony in this Treatise, and see for yourself that the verses are transposed from their relative position in the discourse. You perceive that the verses relating to those admonitions in question, in order to be opposed to the parallel verees in the other places, have to be taken out of their present con- nections in Luke xvii., and placed in advance of their present numerical order. And where do they appear, when placed oppositely to their parallels in the other records ? It is easy to see : they appear just where they properly be- long : they are found in that portion of the discourse which all admit refers to the Roman war. It is obvious, then, that these verses, as they stand in Luke xvii., are transposed. Put them where the other records place them, and the principal hindrance to a consistent interpretation of our Lord's prophet- ic discourse is taken away. The importance of noticing this matter is sufficiently obvious. No theory, no interpretation, no general conclusion, can be deemed complete and reliable, if this remarkable circumstance is not duly considered. No good can result fi'om overlooking it, or from treating it as a matter of little moment. 6. A question still remains : admitting the transposition of the verses in question, how shall the relative order of the ver- 42 HARMONY ANjy EXPOSITION. ses in the discourse be determined ? Shall the other records b ^ arranged to agree with the xvii. of Luke ? or shall the orde.- of this chapter be made to liarmoiiize with the others ? Ii is a plain question, and a question of some importance to the general subject. Our remaining observations in this chapter will bear upon this point. "We have already been reminded that, of the several records of our Lord's prophetic discourse, no one 'is full and jperfe:* in itself. Even the most lengthy and complete account giv- en by Matthew omits several things of great importance, which are supplied by the others. And, in one case, (to be particularly noticed hereafter,) Matthew omitted one verse that throws a flood of light upon the obscurest portion of the predictions- Indeed, the verse supplied from Luke xxi. 24, may be regarded as the most important explanatory verse in the whole body of records. Li the proper place it will be shown to be the connecting link between the most distant periods, joining together the beginning and the ending of the predicted events. What would have been the result, if this important verse had been omitted also by Luke ? It is needless to inquire : the ques- tion has been sufficiently answered by those who undertake to expound Matthew, without noticing, in its relative order, the verse supplied by Luke. The importance of this verse, and the consequence of overlooking, or misplacing it, will not now be exhibited, but reserved for the Exposition. Y. The principal difficulty in hannonizing and applying the different records of the prophetic discourse, it has been re- marked, is on account of the transjiosed verses in Luke xvii. It is now appropriate to ascertain what influence those ver- ses should have in deciding the relative order of the narration. And the first remark is this : Our Lord's discourse, as there recorded, was not delivered on the same occasion, nor in an- swer to the same inquiries, that we find originated the dis- course recorded in tlie other places. And although there is, to some extent, a general parallelism, we arc not certain that cither was desigi^cd to be a proper parallel of the other. We need not, therefore, feel ourselves obliged to restrain HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 43 the natural interpretation of the discourse about the temple, simply because, in some other discourse, a matter was intro- duced in a different relative order. But if we conclude that the two discourses were designed to be parallel, then we should notice that these transposed verses are found, as the record shows, in a very brief and broken narrative of what was said on the general subject ; and without any other ac- count of the same discourse^ to fill u^ and elucidate that single, and evidently imperfect record — (imperfect, as explained in a previous chapter.) "What other things our Saviour said on that occasion, — things (as in the other case) elucidating the nature and order of events, we are as ignorant as we must have remained in respect to many things in the temple discourse, if the subse- quent records had not gathered up and preserved them. 8. Can it be wise, then, that the order of the narration of that single and imperfect sketch should be made of so much greater importance than the fuller narration of the three-fold and perfected record ? Shall we change the whole order and design of the natural exposition of the elucidated and com- pleted record, simply because the same order of relation is not observed in another record ? Shall we correct the perfect by the imperfect ? Shall the three-fold testimony be set aside for the single testimony ? Shall what we know to be as com- plete as Inspiration designed it, be distorted in its natural or- der by what we have reason to believe is not as complete as it was designed ? For the great discourse which is found in the three evan- gelists, was delivered subsequently to the othea: and, if it is on the same subject, it must have been designed as an improve- ment upon the other, as its very appearance proves. 9. This leads to another remark : Our Saviour was in the custom of presenting subjects to the minds of his disciples, that they might become themes of inquiry and meditation. He was also accustomed to give them information on various subjects, not all at once, in its fullness, but gradually, and from time to time, as he judged them able to receive it, until they had obtained a full understanding of the matter. 44 HAEMONT AND EXPOSITION. We slionld constcantly remember that tlie disciples "were not fully inspired from the first ; but were slow of aj)prehension, liable to mistake, and even fell into errors and misconceptions about the very matters on which Christ had been speaking. 10. This state of things continued, with some improvement, until they were finally and fully inspired to act in the Sa^dour's place. "When Christ saw fit to introduce an important sub- ject, he sometimes designedly left his communications unfin- ished, that he might resume and complete them at a more convenient or appropriate time. Thus in regard to his departure from them, his crucifixion, the gift of the Spirit, &c. Now, would it not have been exceedingly unwise for the disciples to use those first, unfinished instructions as the crite- rion by which to regulate the order, and decide the nature, of the more full and finished communications ? . The case in hand is quite similar : Our Lord, designing to be more full and explicit at another time, introduced the sub- ject of Jewish calamities, and of his own judgment coming; but, at first, gave only such an amount of information as an- swered the purpose of awakening an interest, and preparing the way for complete and final instruction. 11. And it is, as the record itself shows, a matter of fact, that they did not, from that first discourse, understand either the precise nature, or the relative order, or the time, of the great events under our present notice. Hence the meaning of their inquiries on the subject, at a time subsequent to the fii-st discourse ; and hence, also, the propriety of delivering the lengthy and particularizing discourse which is the subject of this Treatise. Now, to make the relative order of the last and finished discourse subject to the order of the sketch of the first dis- course, is to act without sufiicient reason. But this we do, if we permit the order of the introductory discouree to overrule the order of tlio final one. We need not be trammeled, then, in our exposition of the xxiv, of Matthew, by any discrepancy of parallelism in the xvii, of Luke. HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 45 12. It may be observed, still further, that there are other transpositions in the relative order of the two discourses. For example, the allusion to the carcass and eagles. Take anoth- er instance in the three sketches of the same discourse : the 10th verse in Mark's account must be put between the 13tli and 14th verses, in order to harmonize with the record of Matthew. And the 9th verse in Matthew has to be di^aded, and a part transferred to another place in the relative order, that it may be harmonized with the two records of Mark and Luke. Transpositions in ths relative order of sentences, then, are not unusual. So that, in maintaining the present position, there is not an effort to prove a new and unheard-of thing. The labor is simply to show an additional instance of what is admitted to have more than once occurred in the same gen- eral connection ; and to settle the matter of precedency be- tween an unfinished and a finished lesson of instruction, as to which of the two should be used to amend the other. CHAPTER III. Principal subject — The Inteeeogations. state of the case — How Christ began his discourse — How many things were comprised in the Questions proposed — What is indicated by the different forms in which the Questions are recorded — Impressions of the Disciples — Why three events are blended in their Inquiries — How their impressions originated — What probably occasioned the Difference in the Records — Imi^ortance of considering this — Cause of Indefiniteness of many Exposi- tions — Tlie true method of Reasoning — Illustrations. 1. Some importance should undoubtedly be attached to the interrogations which our Lord had in view when he delivered the discourse under review. Tlie previous unfinished, and — in this sense — imperfect, instructions relative to the destiny of the Jews, and of the world, had resulted as was foreseen, and perhaps intended ; or, at least, wisely permitted. The 46 HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. great subjects on which the Lord intended to speak more par- ticularly, at a more appropriate time, liad, it appears, already been matters of thought, and, probably, of conversation, among the disciples. Tliey were ready now to press their inquiries, that they might the more clearly understand the matters on which they had thought, but which still seemed obscure and confused. Of the coming of the Son of man, of the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of the world, they had already heard something ; but in respect to the precise nature, and relative order of some of the events, they were yet in the dark. 2. Tlie appropriate time had now come for Christ to give the complete lesson, which from the first he undoubtedly intended to teach. As they called his attention to the huge stones in the wall, and the magnificent appearance of the temple, he opened his wonderful prophetic discoui-se by the solemn declaration, that the time would come when there should not remain there one stone upon another. This appears to have been the substance of all that was said in respect to the matter, until they arrived at the simimit of mount Olivet, and Christ had taken his seat over against the temjjle, where the whole city was distinctly exposed to his view. 3. Then Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately, and desired him to inform them when the things which he had predicted should take place. Ilere Me should remember that we have no proof whatever, that anything had been said, at that time, about his coming, or of the end of the world. Yet the evidence is clear, that their inquiries had respect to three very different events : " Tell us when shall these things be?" Tliat is, undoubtedly, the things relating to the destruction of the temple. " And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the Avorld?" Tliese are the questions, as recorded by Matthew. Tlie other two evangelists do not retain the triple fonn of the question, but appear to have recorded it as if all the events would transpire at the same time. " Tell us when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled." Tliere is here an appearance, which may be HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. 47 regarded as an evidence, that the three events were supposed by the disciples to belong to the same period, and that the signs of one would also be the signs of the others. It is cer- tain, however, that the questions were propounded in the three-fold manner, and referring respectively to the three great events. To suppose otherwise, would be an impeach- ment of Matthew's testimony, charging upon him the fact of reporting, as said, something that was not said. This is a very different thing from simply omitting something, in order that another might strengthen the first record by confirmatory additions. 4. And it is possible, indeed, probable, that all the disciples were impressed, that the ruin of the temple, and the second coming would be at the end of the world. And although Matthew has preserved the triplicate form of the interrogato- ries, it is no evidence that he supposed the three events would be widely separated. From the fact, that the whole subject was evidently suggested, at this time, by the observations about the destruction of the temple, and from the evident mingling of the three great events in their inquiries, it is probably safe to conclude, that the disciples were impressed that the three great events would transpire in connection, or at periods not remote from each other. "Whether the disciples had any definite conviction m relation to the length of time which should elapse previous to the ruin of the temple, and the other supposed synchronous events, is not certain. But there are reasons for concluding that they supposed all would transpire during the lifetime of some who were then living. The diflferent subjects had been blended in their inquiries and meditations, and, in some way, the whole matter seemed to them connected with the coming of the kingdom of God. Now, it is certain that Christ represented the kingdom of heaven as being " at hand," as coming " nigh" unto them, as " within," (or, more properly, among,) them, and as having indeed " come" unto them, just as certainly as that he cast out devils by the finger of God. He had also informed them, that as they fled from city to city from their persecutors, they 4:8 HARMONY AKD EXPOSITION. should " not have gone over the cities of Israel until the Sod of man be come." If any doubt remained in their minds, in relation to the nearness of this great event, it was probably removed by that very distinct affirmation of Christ, that there ^vere some then standing with him which should not die, until they had seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 5. This passage is so remarkable, and probably had so much influence in forming the impression that all these great events were near; — and it being still a great difficulty in the way of a clear understanding of the general subject; — it will be expedient to bring it distinctly before the mind, in order that we may perceive the effect it most probably had upon the disciples, who were from other sources also impressed that the end of all things was near. "We will, after the plan of the Harmony, take the record of Matthew, and add what was supplied by the other evangelists, that all that is upon record may be presented at once to the mind. The places referred to are Matt. xvi. 27, 28, Mark viii. 38, and ix. 1, Luke ix. 26, 27. l^^ Whosoever, therefore, shall he ashamed of mcy and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation / of him also shall the Son of man he ashamed, when he cometh [in his own glory,] {and) in the glory of his loathe?', with the holy angels.~\ For the Son of mdn shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels / and then shall he reward every man according to his works. Verily I say xinto you. There he some [of them that stand here] which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his Mngdom. [Till thiey have seen the Idngdmn of God come with jpower^ [Till they see the Mngdom of God"] 6. Let it be remembered that it is not intended, just now, to explain this passage, and the others just referred to ; but simply to show what had been the subjects of thought and meditation among the disciples, and with what impressions they prol)ably approached the Saviour, at the time they pro- posed the questions which are now under consideration. After such observations from Christ, and after the conversa- tions and reflections natural to inquisitive minds, how natural, when one of the su],)poscd synchronous events was named, to HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 49 inquire, "Tell us, when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thj coming, and of the end of the world ? " It must be evident, considering the circumstances of the case, that although three very different events were contem- plated in the inquiries, yet these events were considered as being likely to transj^ire at, or about the same time. And this conclusion appears to be still more probable, when it is considered, that although the inquiries did actually have respect to three diiierent events, and by one of the historians they were so recorded ; yet the other historians, designedly recording the inquiries in the sjnrit in which they were made, and having more particular reference to the irajpression on the minds of the disciples ^ which promjpted them to make the i^iquiries in that form ; — we say — this remarkable circum- stance must make it appear evident that the disciples were impressed that all would transpire at about the same time. 7. And here we have another of those beautiful instances in which one part of the Scripture, without any apparent design, elucidates and sustains the other. By this two-fold method of preserving these important questions, we have not only the precise form in which they were propounded, but the understand'tng and spirit by which they were suggested. W^e have not only the formal interrogatories to which Christ ^ave his attention, but the understanding and impression of the inquirers, which he undertook to correct, or to confirm. To these unexpected, and, to the careful reader, constantly occuring coincidences, the pious mind delights to turn. They are the " things new," and yet old, which Inspiration has hidden away down in the depths of divine wisdom, like pearls in deep waters, that the inquiring mind may be both excited and rewarded in its deep searcliings after hidden wis- dom. They not only prove that the Scriptures were designed to be studied, but that they will endure study, and strengthen the belief that begins its examination with the things upon the surface. 8. Can any one fail to perceive the importance of having distinctly in view this two-fold method of preserving the inquiries under notice ? "Without a proper consideration of 4 ftO HAKMONY A^D EXPOSITION. this, can we distinctly show to what, and for what, onr Sa- viour spoke, at the time we are now considering ? Has there not been too much haste in approacliing this tremendous subject? Has there not been too much leaping at conclu- sions, as the expression is ? Has there not been an evident overlooking, or lightly considering, the circumstances which prompted the inquiries to which the Saviour replied ? And has there not been, of consequence, a proportional indejinite- ness in showing what object Christ had in view in giving this important discourse ? And may not this account for the un- deniable confusion and imcertainty which, to an unpleasant degree, characterize the many expositions of this portion of the divine oracles ? 9. So far as common philosophy is concerned, we live in the Baconian age : we reason by induction. We first inquire, What are the fads f And by this we mean, all the facts accessihle; all that heoAf ujpon the case, however remotely. He who, by any means, adds a new fact to the knowledge of the day, is regarded as having conferred a favor upon the race. And this is especially true in all these important studies which affect human destiny, and are still somewhat obscured, and apparently conflicting. In erecting our theories upon ascer- tained facts, — which is the true method of reasoning, — we are thankful for what may seem at first to be little facts ; facts overlooked by the ordinary explorer. We sometimes find that one of these little truths — to use such a word — is in fact a great truth ; a truth that gives an entirely difierent aspect to important matters. It was, to the common thinker, an apparently trifling matter that the electric fluid was once drawn from the clouds by a kite string ; but it has changed the destiny of the world. So, in the philosophy of theology, no ascertainable fact should be either overlooked, or treated as if it were of little or no importance. And this must be especially essential in those momentous biblical subjects which have undeniably perplexed so many of our divines- Is it not palpable that they have too frecjucntly reasoned from hypothesis, instead of facts? And is it not true that the inductive method of reasoning has hardly yet found its way HAKMONT AKD EXPOSITION. 61 to conspicuousness in our biblical expositions ? And is it not particularly true in tlie multitudinous, antagonistical, and unsatisfactory methods of expounding the portion of Scrip- ture which is now under notice ? In what treatise shall we find even the principal, and easily ascertained facts, that have a bearing upon this subject? Instead of inferring facts from theories, let us reverse the order, and derive theories from facts. 1,0. These extended remarks cannot be deemed out of place by that class of minds to whicli these jjages are addressed. That kind of intellectuality is not in haste to plunge into the obscure depths of uncertainty. It pauses to examine every step of logical progress ; and would rather go two steps back- ward, to be doubly sure, than one forward, but half assured of its certainty. That kind of mentality likes to linger in the examination of foundation and explanatory truths, and gather within its eager grasp all the leading lines of certainty and probability that seem to converge to the distant, unseen point, toward which the ruling desire is perpetually tending. A little delay at the outset, to see what materials for further research we have gathered, and to take our bearings for another advance, is not deemed to be time thrown away ; but regarded, rather, as a new observation of the stars, that guide us, and a re-examination of the calculations that assure us, that we may proceed the more pleasantly, and the more safely. We have ventured too long upon these voyages of discovery without a chart to guide us. Or, if we have charts innumera- ble, they were at first so imperfectly constructed, and have been since so carelessly co]3ied, that he who ventures, to guide his explorations according to their indefinite and self-contra- dictory outlines, will be likely to veer away into the regions of doubt and darkness, or to dash headlong upon the reefs of skepticism and infidelity. If, in our progress, we find ourselves at a point beyond wliicl: we have no further light or pilotage, we shall cast our anchor and wait for day. Or, if we must proceed, we will feel our way along as carefully as possible, constantly sound- ing, as we advance, and leave our discoveries as a chart for the benefit of subsequent adventurers. 62 HAKMONY AlTD EXPOSITION. CHAPTER IV. Principal snhject — Considerations pkeliminart to the Ex- rosmoN. When the Apostles were fully Inspired — Previous liability to mistakes — Examples — Principal Design of Christ's final Discourses — A principal Er- ror of the Disciples — Jewish understanding of tlie Prophecies — Examples — Facts to be considered — Leading Tliemes of the first Gospel Preachers — The Kingdom — The Judgment — The End of the world — Impression of the two sons of Zebedee — When ]Mcssiah's Kingdom was expected — Origin of that Expectation — Christ's Object in giving his prophetic Discourse — State of the case summarily exhibited — "Why the Errors of the Disciples were not corrected before — Divine method, of Instruction. 1. It is of great importance to recollect that the apostles were not fully inspired at the time when the Lord delivered his pro2:)hetic discourse. Tlieir plenary inspiration appears to have been deferred until the great spiritual Laj^tism at Pen- tecost, after the Lord's ascension. Until then, they seem to have been liable to mistake, like other men ; and were not judged to be fully qualified to assume the responsibility of governing and teaching the church. It was not without a reason that the Lord directed them to tarry at Jerusalem un- til they were endowed with jjower from on high. Tlicrc were some things which they desired to know, but were not empow- ered to know, until that plenary baptism of the Holy Ghost. Our Lord was fully employed in unfolding to them the mys- tery of divine things, as they were able to bear it. During his continuance with them, after his resurrection, he continued to discourse Avith them of things pertaining to his kingdom. But even at the end of that forty days' especial instruction, they had not learned at what time the kingdom should be re- stored again to Israel. Of the faH tliat it would be restored, they seem to have been dtfly informed', but of the " times or seasons which the Father liath put in his own power," they were yet without knowledge. Acts i. 6, Y. HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 53 2. It will not be hazardous, then, to suppose that the apos- tles were uninformed with respect to some things, and even mistaken about others, at the time they came to Christ with their inquiries respecting the signs and time of his coming. The days of their pupilage were not yet accomplished. They were still sitting as disciples at the feet of their divine Mas- ter, learning the things which it behooved them to know, as the future guides and governors of the church. And, what was just as necessary, they were at the same time -^^nlearning many things which it behooved them to forget. They still had their mistaken impressions and views, even with respect to some matters on which our Lord had already discoursed. This may seem surprising to us, but it is undeniable. Tlie coming of Elijah was as little understood, before it was explained, as the coming of Christ himself. The relation of infants to the heavenly kingdom was so little comprehended, that the disci- ples rebuked those who brought them to the Saviour, And they were still so mistaken in their impresssions of the nature of Messiah's kingdom, as to dispute about who should be greatest. They did not yet know the nature and necessity of the faith that was instrumental in curing the demoniac. Even Peter himself, one of the chief apostles, was yet uninformed that his Master must die. And, after all that he had said about his resurrection, Christ's appearing to them, after he was risen, was a matter of astonishment and terror. In fine, the notions of the disciples were erroneous at this time, respecting many things which to us appear almost self-evident. Even af- ter Christ had discoursed freely on various topics pertaining to his coming and kingdom, there was much that they could not fully comprehend. 3. It is not, therefore, assuming anything in itself improb- able, to conclude, that the disciples may have misunderstood ihe Lord's previous observations on the subjects about which they now inquired. And, after a little, it will perhaps be suf- ficiently evident to the reader that they must have misrtnder- stood him in some things ; and that a principal design of Christ's final discourse was, to complete his lessons of instruc- tion, so far as the disciples had failed fully to apprehend his 54 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. meaning ; thus communicating truth as they were able to re- ceive it ; and to correct such erroneous views as they might still entertain. "\Ve have seen how this was done in some tilings. But our principal object now is, to show how it was done in the matter of which we are treating. 4. The i)rincipal error under which they seem to have been laboring, was, in relation to the nature of Messiah's kingdom. Their Jewish conceptions and prejudices still remained, and evidently modified all their views of the work of Christ, and of his prophetic discourses. They still " trusted" it should be he " that should redeem Israel." And it must not be forgot- ten, that the redemption for which they looked to Christ, was not the redemption of transgressors, by means of the death of the Eedeemer ; but tlio literal, political redemption of Israel, as a people, from their political bondage. The Old Testament Scriptures are filled with glorious predictions of Messiah and his happy reign over Israel. And these prophetic descrip- tions of the conquest of the Gentiles, and of the elevation and prosperity of the seed of Jacob, were familiar to the Jewish mind, and most gratifying to the Jewish heart. This famil- iarity, and this gratification, with the prophetic delineations of Messiah and his kingdom, understood as they were hy the Jews^ must be considered as the key to all their otherwise in- explicable conduct, in their treatment of Messiah. 5. Their prayers, praises, hopes and enjoyments, all had in- timate association with their understanding of tlie Messianic prophecies. AVhen Gabriel appeared unto Mary, to announce to her the great favor she had found with God, he, at the very first, appealed to her Jewish lieart : " Behold, thou shalt con- ceive and bring forth a son, and shalt call liis name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And tlie Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his fath- er David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever.''^ When Mary was led to magnify the Lord, in view of Iierself being the mother of Christ, she felt and spoke as a Jew : " He has holpcn his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy ; as ho sjiake to owr fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed, forever." We perceive the same thing in the exultation HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 55 and prophecy of Zacliarias, tlie father of John the Baptist, in view of his being the harbinger to go before the face of the Lord. " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath vis- ited and redeemed his ijcople ; and hath raised up a horn of salvation for tis, in the hoicse of David / as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began ; that we should he saved from our enemu^, and from the haiid of all that hate us : to jjerform the mercy promised to owr fathers^ and to remember his holy covenant : the oath which he sware to o^u/r father Abraham^ that he would grant unto us^ that we^ heing delivered out of the hand of our ene- mies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteous- ness before him, all the days of our life." This was the nature of the redemption, and this the kind of kingdom, which the Jews expected to receive by the Messiah. 6. The song of the angels was of the same character, and could not fail to deepen the impression in their mind. " Un- to you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." The terms Saviour, Christ, and Lord, had a signifieancy with Jewish minds probably much more definite and literal than they have with us. It is probable that the venerable Simeon, as he held the infant Jesus in his arms, had also the literal conception which was so character- istic of that people. It was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he sliould not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Clirist. As the aged saint took the infant Redeemer in his arms, he blessed God, and said, " Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people ; a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy j^eojple Israel.''^ And as the venerable prophetess Anna came into the temple at that instant, she likewise " gave thanks unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem^ Y. When the magi came from the east to Jerusalem, in search of the newly born Saviour, their inquiry was, " Where is he that is horn King of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." It is not wonder- 56 HARMONT AND EXPOSITION. ful that when " Herod the king had heard these things he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him." lie was afraid of los- ing his throne ; and all Jerusalem was in commotion with the expectation of the result of rival kings. " Acd when he liad gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people togeth- er, he demanded of them where Chrld should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea : for thus it is written by the prophet: And thou, Bethlehem, in the land of Judali, art not least among the princes of Judah ; for out of thee shall come a Gavernor, tJiat sJiall rule my people Is- rael." It is not surprising, then, when we consider the com- mon impression of the Jews, that Ilerod should seek the young child to destroy him ; for the redemption and rule that were expected of Christ, would have unthroned the tyrant, and driven from the land his Eoman supporters. But to the peo- ple generally it would have been deliverance from a yoke of iron. Therefore they greatly rejoiced. 8. These Israelitish views of temporal dominion manifested themselves in a variety of ways through the whole period of the Saviour's life. Friends and enemies alike exhibited the general conviction. Ambition sought to secure the right and left hand honors of his throne. Bewildered Admiration un- dertook by force to make him a king, whether he would or not, when he manifested his divine power. Enmity, with fo- rensic skill, framed his accusation of treason, in disappoint- ment of the common anticipations relative to his kingly char- acter. His death sentence, and his published accusation on the cross, were but so many proofs of the common disappoint- ment. Pious grief wept over the sepulchre, murmuring through the falling tears, " "NVe trusted it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." Tlie very last inquiry made by the disciples, before the risen Saviour ascended, showed that even then they had not entirely lost the influence of natural and deep-founded convictions. " Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?" They needed, besides the Saviour's personal instructions, the promised illu- mination of the Holy Ghost. 9. Now, these are the facts that must be considered, in or- HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 57 der to make appropriate inductions, and establisli a theory of exposition that shall be worthy of our confidence. But these are not the only facts : there yet remain others, which, if pos- sible, are still more important. Christ himself was accustomed to speak of his kingdom in a way which certainly appears to have been calculated to deepen the common impression, and rendered it the more necessary, at the appropriate time, to explain himself more fully, and do what could appropriately be done to give the disciples a true exposition of his doctrine. 10. When the harbinger of Christ lifted up his voice to the myriads who attended his ministry, his first proclamation was, " Eepent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." And of Christ himself it is written, " From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Kepent ; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." So, when Christ sent forth his apostles to preach, he gave them their instruction in these words : " And as ye go, preach, saying. The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Now, it would be very unreasonable to suppose that John, and Christ, and the apostles merely hegan their ministry by making this proclamation ; and that they did not continue to teach the same thing. The only rational conclusion is, that this proclamation formed the principal theme of their minis- try ; and that they begun, and continued, with the same lead- ing subject. Consistently with this view, we find that the occasional records of the subject matter of that beginning of gospel preaching, had intimate relation to this leading theme. Of Christ we read, "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gosjpel of the hingdomP At another time we read, "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the hingdonfiP The very frequent reference to the kingdom, under its various distinguishing vitles, shows that it was a common, if not the principal theme of public discourse, and private conversation. The mention of the kingdom, in connection with the case of John the Baptist; with the case of those who rejected the first apos- tolic message, and in connection with very many of our Sa- viour's parables ; — these, and other instances that might be 58 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. named, show the frequency and familiarity of treating the great leading theme of the new dispensation. 11. Connected with this theme was another, which appears to have been almost as prominent in our Saviour's public and private teaching; this v^as tha Judgment, 'when apjiropriate rewards and punisliments should be administered to all clas- ses of people. John the Baptist dwelt largely on the Judg- ment, and continually warned the people. And how fre- quently, and how terribly, Christ proclaimed the Judgment, it is not necessary particularly to specify. The disciples be- came familiar with the idea, and had their minds frequently and deeply impressed with the terrible calamities that should befall the impenitent, and the blessings and honors reserved for the faithful. The cities in which the mighty works of Christ had been wrought, were solemnly admonished that in *'the day of judgment" it would be "more tolerable for Sodom than for them." " The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it ;" " The queen of the South shall rise up in the day of judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it " — are but specimens of the warnings which Christ gave to the people who heard him. 12. The disciples were taught also to look for the final clo- sing up of these retributions, and the separation of the difier- ent characters, at the " end of the world ;" or, as some prefer to render it, at the end of tliat age or dispensation. The par- able of the Tares may be selected as a specimen of the in- struction which the discii)les were accustomed to receive. Tlie explanation of the parable was thus : " He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man. The field is the world. Tlie good seed are the children of the liingdom; but the tares are the children of tlie wicked one. The enemy that sowed them is the devil. The hat^est is the end of the world ; and the reapers are the angels. As, therefore, the tares are gath- ered, and burned in the fire ; so shall it he in the end of this world. Tlie Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that oli'end, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 69 fire ; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteons shine forth in the Tvlngdorn of their Fath- erP The parable of the Fishes is of the same import. And both of these, and, indeed, most of the other jDarables, are in- troduced as illustrations of things pertaining to the kingdom of heaven. " The kingdom of heaven is like unto," is the usual introduction. 13. There was also another view of the general subject, which must have left a deep impression ujjon the minds of the dis- ciples. When our Saviour, with reference to the rich, young ruler, observed, " Tliat a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven," Peter desired to know what should be given unto them who had forsaken all to follow him. " And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." After hearing such a declaration as this, it is easy to understand what was the probable impression upon the mind of the ambitious mother of the two sons of Zebedee. These two relatives of Christ, James and John, having, perhaps, some little more familiarity with their Master than the others, and hoping thereby to secure the highest honors of that kingdom which was so generally expected, through the agency of their moth- er, presented their request, that one might sit on the right hand and the other on the left, " in the kingdom." It is not difficult to perceive what kind of kingdom even these leading apostles were still anticipating. In the language of another, " They were still looking for a temporal kingdom. They ex- pected that he would reign on the earth, with great pomp and glory. They expected that he would conquer as a prince and a warrior. The disciples here had no reference to the king- dom of heaven, but only to the kingdom which they supposed he was about to set up on the earth." {Barnes.) 14. And there is still another consideration of importance, in making up our conclusion with respect to the impressions of the disciples, at the time of the discourse about the tem- ple. It is so probable as to amount almost to certainty, that 60 HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. tliej were expecting the fulfillment of all these things during their own natural life-time, or, at longest, within a few years. Thej did not forget that their Master had said to them, that, in fleeing from place to place before their persecutors, " Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the Son of man be come." And on another occasion, when speaking of the loss or salvation of the soul, the Master had said, " For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels ; and then shall he reward every man according to his work. Yerily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." Mark says, " Till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power." Luke says, " Till they see the kingdom of God." 15. Now, all these things are to be taken into considera- tion, in making up our minds concerning the views entertained by the disciples, at the time of proj^ounding their questions respecting the times and the signs of the fulfillment. Our Saviour luuloubtedly had some definite plan to guide him, and some distinct object in view, when he uttered his celebrated discourse about the seasons and the signs. He desired either to confirm, to remove, or to modify, the convictions of his disciples respecting these things. On a preceding page this matter has been definitely stated ; and it now remains only to gather up the scattered fiicts that we have discovered, and present them in order before the mind, that we may ascertain, as far as practicable, with what convictions the disciples ap- proached the great subject under discussion, and what Christ had before him to prompt and guide his discourse. 16. Are we not safe in concluding that the impression of the disciples was, (1.) That Christ was to come once moir^ — not as he had come, in shame and obscurity, — but in great glory, and with the holy angels ? (2.) That his second advent would be a coming to execute terrible judgments upon the wicked, particularly upon the cities that would not receive him? And that this judgment would be the time of universal separation between the evil HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 61 and the good, (Matt, xiii.) that the one might be punished, and the other rewarded ? (3.) That this would be done openly and generally, when he should come in kingly majesty to establish his kingdom as a temporal prince ? (4.) That all this should take place while some of them should yet be living upon the earth ? (Mark ix. 1.) (5.) That this would be, in some senses, the end of the -world ? (Matt, xiii.) 17. Knowing, as our Saviour did, all that passed in the minds of men, and perceiving distinctly the error of his dis- ciples, we cannot err in supposing that he designed in this discourse to correct their erroneous impressions, and, as far as practicable, establish them in the truth. It w^as his desire, undoubtedly, to do this; and we conclude, therefore, that he now undertook to do it. To suppose otherwise, would be sup- posing that he acted without such motives as we always like to ascribe to the adorable Saviour. It would be supposing that he misimproved a most favorable, and, perhaps, final opportunity of doing so important a work. Sometimes he in- structed and admonished them without being requested to do so. Now, in addition to all the self-prompting and unchange- able desires to proclaim the truth, he was under the influence of a request from his beloved apostles, whom he had chosen to enlighten the world, and to regulate his church. Should he turn a deaf ear to their earnest request, wdien, upon the very face of it, there appeared an error that could not be cherished without injury? He had himself — shall we not say? — designedly suggested the subject, by his astounding declaration respecting the overthrow of the temple. Shall he now refuse to satisfy the very inquiries which he had awa- kened, and on a subject which he had purposely introduced for their information ? No, indeed : he perceives the fatal mistakes of the world's appointed instructors ; and he now undertakes, at great length, and with unusual pains, to show them the truth as it appeared to his own omniscience. 18. But here we may be met by what with some will be simple inquiry, and what with others will be caviling : Why 62 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. did not the unerring wisdom of the divine Saviour unfold, ■with unmistakable distinctness, these things at the very first? "Why suffer mistakes to grow out of his own words? Or, originating from any source, why suffer a mistake to remain in the minds of his disciples for any length of time? Why not, — as he doubtless had the power, and could not lack for the disposition — why not at once — without any delay — tell them so they must understand, and thereby qualify them to instruct the world ? Undoubtedly this would have been sug- gested by all who make such inquiries, if they had been per- mitted to advise the Son of God. But to tliose who repose in the belief, that Infinite "Wisdom always does what is best, a sufficient answer will be, " Even so. Father ; for so it seemed good in thy sight." AVhcthcr we can understand the reason or not, still it is undeniably true, that Infinite Wisdom did not see proper to adopt the method of instruction which these inquiries have in contemj^lation. The process of quali- fying the apostles for their destined oflices in the church, was a lingering process ; nor w^as it completed until they were plenarily inspired by the baptism at Pentecost. 19. This gradualism in the method of instruction was not confined, however, to the particular subjects under contem- plation. It appears to have extended to all subjects. We meet with evidences of it throughout the Saviour's ministry. Tlie rule by which he was guided is sufficiently indicated by that beautiful remark of his, — "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." And this was nearly at the close of his instructions. We may, or we may not, understand all the reasons which guided unerring Wis- dom in this matter ; but the fact in question is too plain for contradiction. And, whether we comprehend the reasons or uot, we will submit our own judgments to the Wisdom that cannot err, and conclude that it must have been best. 20. But M'c now approach the time when not only the pow- er, but the disposition to instruct, could be exercised to their full extent with more appropriateness, perhaps, than at any previous period. If there was ever a time when it was proper for Divine Wisdom to display itself, by fully unfolding to HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. 63 finite minds the world-affecting scenes of future ages, it was the time when the world's appointed religious teachers came to their Master, with solemn and pointed inquiries about the momentous matters which it behooved them to understand ; — ■ and which inquiries of themselves afforded proof, not only of their desire to be taught, but of their need of teaching. May we not conclude, with safety, that the j)eculiar circum- stances of the case would induce the Saviour to give his in- structions with greater fullness and precision than any pre- vious period had rendered expedient ? CHAPTER V. Prinoi/pal subject — Theory of Exposition. Benefits of a Theory — Illustrations — Great names — Preparatory advise- ments — Character of the Theory of Exegesis — How to obtain a correct Theory — The case stated — What the Lord had in view — Illustrative Parable — Radical Mistake — How occasioned — Principal elements of the true Theory — Difficulties — AVhat is attempted — General bearing of the Exposition — Origin of Universalism — Universalist Exegesis and Ortho- dox compared — Test of Truth and Error. 1. To accomplish any great, and, especially, any difficult enterprise, it is necessary to have a j^lan. And we need not linger to show the necessity of having a good and correct one : it is nearly self-evident. An erroneous plan or theory cannot guide us correctly ; a true theory may not ; but it will be much more likely to lead us to ultimate truth, than either no theory, or an incorrect one. "We must have our plan, then ; and the time has come to obtain it. Whence shall it be derived? From previous theories, shattered into frag- ments, like an exploded world, and rudely conglomerated into a new one? Certainly not: let it be original, as far as the nature of the case will admit. Let us take warning from the theoretic philosophy of ancient ages, and be satisfied with no 64 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. theory that is not directly educed from as many facts as we are permitted to examine. The usual theories of interpreting the Lord's great prophecy, like the ancient fanciful theories of the universe, are cumbersome, self-contradictory, and un- satisfactory. " But they have the sanction of great names' This is indeed true, and a source of deep regret. And so had the ancient theories of the universe : as great names sustained them as can be found on the historic page. Pythagoras, and Thales, and Ptolemy were neither idiots nor children; they were master spirits of a splendid age. But, since the days of Co- pernicus and Newton, who thinks of receiving the once orthodox and popular theories and conclusions of former ages, simply because they had the sanction of great names? " Great men are not always wise." Tliey may be great in some things, and far from great in other things. Great men are at variance in respect to a thousand things; and by the greatness of names we can never ascertain a doubtful truth. Truth- is greater than great men ; and sometimes God reveals to " babes" what he hides from the " wise and prudent." (Matt. xi. 25.) "Let God be true, and every man a liar." Before these pages are finished, the reader will frequently have the opportunity of seeing not only some of the reason- ings of great men, but also some of their assertions^ tested by matters of fact. These preparatory advisements are not without their use even now, as we proceed to develop our theory of exegesis. It will be independent, and in some respects, perhaps, a little startling. And as far as it is possi- ble for any one who has been almost surfeited with reading on a particular subject, to shake oft", flee from, and forget, the most he has read, or listened to, so far will it be done now ; and, so far as it is practicable, the world shall have an original Ex;posit{on of the Lor(Ts great Pro].)l\ecy. If what herein appears shall liappen to harmonize with what others have thought or said, — very well, — it will be a matter of thank- fulness and gratulation. If otherwise, — it will be an occa- bion of regret ; but not, for that reason, a sufficient induce- ment to withhold, alter, or discard, the writer's own convictions. HARMOKY AND EXPOSITION. -©O He claims, within the limits of evangelical orthodoxy, to think for himself, and to make known, in a suitable manner, his own impressions of divine truth. 2. " How can we reason, but from what we know ? " What, then, are the facts to be considered in framing our theory ? and how can they guide us to the ultimate truth? In the previous chapter, section 16, the reader will find a summary of the principal relevant facts. Let them be well considered, before proceeding further. It appears that the apostles came to the Lord with some correct, some incorrect, and with some confused notions relating to the great matters pertaining to Messiah and his kingdom. This afforded Christ an opportu- nity of relieving their confusion, correcting their mistakes, and confirming them in what they already truthfully under- stood. The only thing necessary to assume, (if it be an assumption,) is, that our Saviour, in his reply to their inqui- ries, did really undertake to make them understand the facts in the case. Or, in other words, that he did really desire and design to correct their erroneous impressions, and establish them in the truth. But, in such a case, it would be necessary for him to speak with more or less reference to the precise difficulties which, embarrassed their minds. And these em- barrassments related not only to the nature of the events, but to their times, and successive order. This should now be a subject of consideration. 3. It has already been exhibited that the disciples were erro- neously impressed relatively to the nature and establishment of Messiah's dominion. Their conceptions and prejudices were still decidedly Jewish, as distinguished from the evan- gelical. To them it appeared likely that their Master would literally and visibly raise up and occupy the Israelitish throne, and reign gloriously over the nations. Tlie general current of thought is indicated by one of our Lord's parables, which he introduced in this manner : " And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem^ and because they thought that the Jcingdom of God should immediately appear. He said, therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far CQwnt/ry^ to receive for himself a 5 86 HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered unto them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy UU I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not liave this man to reign over us." Then follows the other details of the parable, closing up with the destruction of his enemies that would not submit to his dominion. Now, he had distinctly declared to his disci- ples, " Yerily I say imto you, That there be some standing here, which shall not taste death till they have seen the Son of man coming in his kingdom." 4. It was very naturally inferred by the disciples, that thia coming, and this destruction of enemies, and this setting up of tlie anticipated kingdom, would all take place within a few years. Hence, when the terrible calamities which Chnst had predicted, should fall upon the Jews ; when the temple and city should be overthrown ; when there should be fearfal sights in the heavens, and general commotion on earth, they would naturally be looking for the second coming of their Lord, as a literal and visible prince and delieverer, at that very time. But in this they would he mistaken. Hence the pro- priety of the first and repeated cautions with which our Saviour opened and continued his discourse. The disciples had entirely mistaken the nature of the kingdoDi ; and could not conceive how it could be established, in their lifetime, without all these visible and temporal results. And, growing out of this error concerning the nature of the kingdom, they fell into another ; they confounded together two very differ- ent things ; that is, they did not — and, with their impressions, could not — distinguish between that spiritual coming at Pcn- tecosty to establish the sjnritual kingdom, and that literal, visible, and final coming to judgment, which should be at the end of the world. Hence — to anticipate the exposition — the propriety of Christ's repeatedly informing them that " the end is not yet ; " and more than once, by way of anticipa- tion, alhuling to the real nature of his final judgment coming at the end of the world. .5. Those are the principal elements of our theory. Wlio shall say that it is not warranted by all the facts and probabilities HAKMONT AKD EXPOSITION. 6^ relating to the case? With this simple plan to gnide us, we can lay out the work of exposition, without any great per- plexity, and, certainly, without any insuperable difficulties. "We see what was necessary to be done ; and we find the Sa- viour undertaking to do it. "We feel safe in supposing that he did it in the most appropriate manner. But we cannot deny, after all, but that there are difficulties which do not usually embarrass our biblical expositions. Tliere are, we must candidly admit, difficulties which no theory can fully and perfectly remove. The author has not ventured upon this subject, unapprised of the difficulties of the case; nor without a studious examination of the various labors of others. The most that is now attempted is this : (1.) To give an exposition which shall answer the purpose for which the Lord's discourse was originally designed. (2.) To expound 'the whole discourse, so that one part of the exposition shall not be in conflict with any other part. (3.) To give an exposition which shall not violate the ordi- nary rules for the use of language ; but shall treat prose as prose, poetry as poetry, and avoid blending the literal with the figurative, (4.) To interpret those portions which relate to the second advent and general judgment, so as to be in harmony with the many other portions in the Bible, where Jerusalem and the Jews have no especial concern. (5.) To show the reason for blending the two leading sub- jects in the discourse, and, at the same time, distinguish and separate one portion from another. (6.) To show the relation of the parables which are con- nected with the discourse. (7.) In doing this, as a matter of course, some of the errors of the usual interpretations must be faithfully exposed. 6. It will be perceived, at once, that this work is not par- ticularly intended to bear against Universalism. It is espe- cially designed for those who are sentimentally orthodox, in relation to the great doctrines of the Second Advent, and general Judgment. In accomplishing our object, however, we do hope to rescue the divine oracles from tliose orthodox 68 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. perversions, which have probably done more to originate and perpetuate that fatal system of error, than all the preaching and writing of its professed advocates. Universalism, as a system of theology, was brought forth, and is nourished, by just such license in biblical interpretation as has been taken by most of our orthodox divines, in their exposition of the xxiv. chapter of Matthew. The princii3al difference between the Universalist and the Orthodox writers in the subject now Tinder notice, is this: the orthodox teacher adopts a certain method of interpreting a difficult passage, and limits it to that particular passage, or class of passages. He dares not pur- sue his own method any further. He shrinks back from the legitimate consequence which he perceives must result, if his method should be carried throughout the Bible. The Universalist, on the other hand, starting with the usual princi- ples of interpretation of the portion under notice, finds that by applying them to other portions of the Bible, he can explain away what appears to contradict his opinions, and so make out a desired theory, notwithstanding all the literal teachings of the Scriptures to the contrary. The Orthodox is the more inconsistent, and the Universalist is the more reckless, and the less reliable. 7. After all, the truth or error in the usual expositions, depends very much upon the manner of interpreting only a few of the passages in the discourse. The verses which refer to the "end" spoken of, to the coming of the Son of man, as the lightning from heaven, to the darkening of the heavenly luminaries, to the gathering of the elect together, and to the rewarding and punishing of the different characters, — the interpretation of these must be decisive of all the rest. And to these we design to bestow particular attention. It will he desirahle to heep the eye upon ths record of Jtfattheio, oj found in the Harmony, with the supplementary additions from the other records. The reader is earnestly requested to comply with tliis suggestion. PART SECOND. THE EXPOSITION CHAPTER I. Princvpal svhject — Destkuction of the Temple. Why Christ's attention was directed to the Temple — General form and extent of the Temple — Why Herod's was called the Second Temple — Stones in the wall — Adornments — Why called Gifts — Improbability of the pre- diction — The Romans trying to save the Temple — How the destruction began — Two days' Conflagration — Council Debate — The Romans in the inner court — Storming the Temple — The Holy of Holies on fire — Des- peration of the Jews — Astonishment of the Romans — Progress of the flames — Titus in the Holy of Holies — Last effort to save the building — How the Prediction was finally fulfilled. Verse 1. And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple ; and hib DISCIPLES CAME TO HIM, FOR TO SHOW HIM THE BUILDINGS OF THE TEMPLE. The disciples had enjoyed but few opportunities of visiting the temple, for their usual residence was in Galilee. It was not unnatural for them, then, to express their admiration at the extent, magnificence, and beauty of the sacred edifice. And they desired to have their Master observe the buildings of the temple ; of what materials they were built, and how adorned with goodly stones and gifts. As the Lord Jesus had undoubtedly observed these things in his previous visits to Jerusalem, perhaps their reason for directing liis attention to them at this time, was, because he had just declared in their hearing, that the temple should be left desolate, and that he should visit it no more. And he had also on a previous occa- sion predicted the utter desolation of the whole city. In their still imperfect faith, they may have thought that he had not 70 HAKMONT ANJy EXPOSITION. duly considered the exceeding improbability tbat such an edifice should be so totally overthrown, as not to leave one Btone upon another. Lu. xix. 44. Tliey called his attention to the huildings of the temple. The temple proper stood on the highest part of Mount Moriah, and was surrounded by a great variety of buildings, of which, however, no very definite idea can be obtained without a dia- gram. The whole group of walls, porches, and buildings was more than half a mile in circumference. Tlie principal build- ing, which gave name to all the rest, stood nearly in the centre of this vast enclosure, and overlooked the whole. It* front, which faced the east, had a portico about one hundred and fifty feet long, and one hundred and fifty feet high. This temple was, in some sense, the tJiird temple, aijd wa* built by Ilcrod the Great. But as the second temple, which was erected under the supervision of Zerubbabel, 500 years B. C, was not in reality destroyed^ but only — by a gradual recdification — enlarged and improved, until finally the new buildings superseded the former, therefore the new temple was still called the second one. And this was the more appro- priate, because the regular service of the temple was con- tinued without interruption during the whole process of renewing the building. Our Lord introduced his discouree in a manner calculated to arrest attention and affect the heart. He announced the utter destruction of that great and holy edifice, so venerated and beloved by the Jews ; so admired by the world. And his discourse was rendered still more impressive, from the fact, that, at this very time, their attention was particularly directed to the extent, solidity, and beauty of the holy house. \^Mark: And one ok ma disoiplks saith unto him, Master, see what uannbb OF STONES, AND WUAT BUILDINGS AKK IIKRe!] As Jesus went out and departed from the temple, he ap- pears to have gone somewhat in advance of his disciples; and when he was in a position favorable for viewing the buildings, the disciples came to him to direct his attention to their solid- ity and beauty. One of the disciples — speaking probably HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. Yl for the rest — desired liim to "see what manner of stones^^ composed the walls. We are informed by Josephus — who is good authority in the case — that " The temple was built of stones that were white and strong ; and each of their length was twenty-five cubits ; their height was eight, and their breadth about twelve." It is not surprising, then, that these Galileans should ex- claim, "Master, see what manner of stones, and what build- ings are here !" Each of these beautifully shaped and pol- ished stones was as large as a small dwelling house ! No European or American architecture «fhibits such vast blocks, either in its walls or foundations. And there are but few architectural remains in Asia and Africa that could compare with the Jewish temple l^Lukc: And some spake of the temple, how it was adorned wmi goodly STONES AND GIFTS.] Of these adornments we may form some conception, by a single quotation from Josephus, who was an eye-witness of what he describes : " The temple had doors also at the en- trance, and lintels over them, of the same height with the temple itself. They were adorned with embroidered vails, with their flowers of purple, and pillars interwoven ; and over these, but under the crown work, was spread out a golden vine, with its branches hanging down from a great height ; the largeness, and fine workmanship of which, was a surpris- ing sight to the spectators, to see what vast materials there were, and with what great skill the workmanship was done."* There were undoubtedly many other ornaments, not only of the precious metals, but also of precious stones, variously displayed within and upon the temple : it was as beautiful as it was magnificent and strong. These ornaments were gifts, presented by different persons, for the purpose of beautifying the house of God. They were gifts, also, in the sense of being devoted to that especial purpose. It was not unusual, anciently, for people of all forms and systems of religion to make gifts to the divinities they worshipped. * Jewish Antiquities, Wliiston's translation, B. 15, c. II, 8. 8. 72 HAEaiONY AND EXPOSITION. Tliose which were devoted to the adorning of the temples of their gods, were conspicuously exhibited as tokens of de- votion and gratitude. The Jews were also accustomed to present beautil'ul and useful articles to Jehovah their God ; and sometimes they were devoted to ornament his sanctuary. The more especial object of this Treatise does not make it appropriate to dwell upon the particulars of the structure of the temple. The reader is therefore referred to other works, in which he may find a thousand particulars which are not noticed in this. Verse 2. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things f Verily I SAY UNTO YOU, [Luke : the days will come, in the which] there shall not bb LEFT HERE ONE STONE UPON ANOTHER, THAT SHALL NOT BE THROWN DOWN. It must have seemed very improbable that such a building should be so utterly overthrown, that not one stone should be left upon another. The size of the stones, and the strength of the walls, and the solidity of the foundations, were such, that no common calamity could ever bring about such utter deso- lation. And the improbability of the prediction must have been greatly increased by the apparently impregnable defences by which the holy house was guarded. If to this we add, the superstitious veneration which the Jews had for their temple, and which at any time would in- spire them to make almost superhuman efforts to preserve it from injury; and consider, also, the uniform protection which the Eomans extended to the religious institutions of the na- tions they subjected ; we can but perceive that our Lord did not prophesy from a consideration of what might seem proba- ble, but from omniscient perception of all future events. We learn from history that the Roman general who con- quered the city, did not design to demolish the temple, but ■greatly desired to preserve it. This was especially true of the temple jn-oper. The holy house was strongly built, and well calculated for defence; and the liomans des})aired of the complete conquest of the Jews, so long as the tem])le remained to serve them as a citadel. The desire to preserve the temple did not prevent the most HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 73 extraordinary efforts to drive out the Jews. So, as soon as the Romans obtained access to the buildings of the courts that Surrounded the temple proj)er, they set fire to some of the 5uter gates, which were made of wood, and covered with sil- ver plates. The fire spread from the gates to the cloisters which surrounded the inner court, and raged for two days. These cloisters were three stories high. On the third day, Titus, the Koman general, ordered a part of the army to pro- ceed to extinguish the fire, which it appears was finally ac- iomplished. At the same time he called a council of the commanders af the legions, the procurators, and the tribunes, to consult with them about what should be done with the temple. As It is interesting to watch the progress of all events that tend- ed to help or to hinder the fulfillment of the improbable pre- diction, the observations on this verse will be extended, so as to bring definitely before us the precise manner in which the prophecy met is fulfillment. When the subject of the destruction of the temj^le was sub- mitted to the council, same of them — as Josephus says — " thought it would be the best way to act according to the rules of war, and demolish it ; because the Jews would never leave off rebelling while that house was standing, at which house it was that they used to get altogether." Others were of the opinion that " in case the Jews would leave it, and none of them would lay their arms upon it, he might save it ; but that in case they got upon it, and fought any more, he might burn it ; because it must then be looked upon, not as a holy house, but as a citadel ; and that the impiety of burning it would then belong to those that forced this to be done, and not to them." But Titus said, " that although the Jews should get upon that holy house, and fight us thence, yet ought we not to re- venge ourselves on things that are inanimate, instead of the men themselves ; and that he was not in any case for burn- ing down so vast a work as that was, because this would be a mischief to the Romans themselves, as it would be an orna- ment to their government while it continued." Y4 HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. The house here spoken of appears to have been the temple proper, around which the other huihlings and cloisters were arranged. While this council was holding its deliberations, the fire in the cloisters around tlie inner court was still raging, notwithstanding that a part of the army was engaged in sub- duing it. The opinion of Titus prevailed ; and a still larger part of the army was dispatched to assist in extinguishing the flames. The fire had not yet reached the temple proper, nor the porch- es and rooms in immediate connection with it. Upon this lofty, central building, and immediately around it, the Jews had gathered, to make their final struggle to save themselves and their holy house. The fire had now so destroyed the surrounding gates and cloisters, that, by forcing their way through the burning ruins, the Romans could get into the inner court, and come directly around the temi)le j)roper, which Titus was so anxious to pre- serve. The Jews were still more anxious to preserve it than he ; for it was not only their last refuge, but they regarded its desecration with the utmost dread and horror. The next morning after the council, Titus stormed the tem- ple with his whole army, still designing, however, to preserve it. The Romans succeeded in forcing their way into the inner court, and came into close conflict with the Jews directly around the holy house. Titus was at this time resting in his tent, some distance from the scene of action. And now one of the Roman soldiers, without any orders, and, indeed, in violation of orders, " hurried only by a certain divine fury," as Josephus has it, snatched a brand from the burning ruins of the surrounding cloisters ; and, being lifted up on the shoulders of another man, he hurled the blazing brand through one of the windows of the chambers that were built aroimd the holy liousc, and set the edifice on fire. Tlie flames immediately burst out of the rooms around the temple, aiid mounted upward around the temple building it- self; and the Jews instantly perceived that their holy house could not bo saved. As the flames raged upward, the Jews made a terrible clamor, and labored with desperation to pre- HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. 75 vent its ravages. " And now," says their historian, " they spared not their lives any longer, nor suffered anything to restrain their force, since that holy house was perishing, for whose sake it was that they had kept such a guard about it." " And now," he continues, " a certain person came running to Titus, and told him of this fire, as he was resting himself in his tent, after the last battle ; whereupon lie rose up in great haste, and [unarmed] as he was, ran to the holy house, in order to have a stop put to the fire. After him followed all his commanders ; and after them followed the several le- gions in great astonishment ; so there was a great clamor and tumult- raised, as was natural upon tlie disorderly motion of 60 great an army. Then did [Titus] CiBsar, both by calling to the soldiers that were fighting, with a loud voice, and by giv- ing a signal to them with his right hand, order them to quench the fire. But they did not hear what he said, though he sj)ake so loud, having their ears already dinned by a greater noise another way ; nor did they attend to the signal he made with his hand neither, as still some of them were distracted with fighting, and others with passion. But as for the legions that came running thither^ neither any persuasions, nor any threat- enings, could restrain their violence ; but each one's own pas- sion was his commander at this time. And as they were crowding into the temj)le together, many of them were tram- pled on by one another, while a great number fell among the ruins of the cloisters, which were still hot and smoking, and were destroyed in the same miserable way as those whom they had conquered. And when they were come near the holy house, they made as if they did not hear Csesar's orders to the contrary ; but they encouraged those that were before them to set it on fire." * The inner and most holy part of the building was not yet on fire ; and Titus still hoped to preserve that part from the flames. With some of his oflficers, Titus went into the holy of holies, and found it to be far superior to the representa- tions which foreigners had made of it, and determined to ♦ War, B. 6, c. 4 76 HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. make another effort to preserve it. So he " came up in great haste, [to tlie ujjper portions of the building, where the flames were burning,] and endeavored to persuade the soldiers to quench tlie flames ; and gave order to Liberalius, the centu- rion, and one of the spearmen that were about him, to beat the soldiers that were refractory with their staves, and restrain them. Yet were their passions too hard for the regards they had for Cscsar, and the dread they had of him who forbade them ; as was their hatred of the Jews, and a certain vehe- ment inclination to fight them too hard for them also. More- over, the hope of plunder induced many to go on, as having this opinion, that all the places within were full of money, and as seeing that all around about it was made of gold. And, besides, one of those that went into the place [the holy place] prevented Caisar, when he ran so hastily out [as before mentioned] to restrain the soldiers, and threw the fire upon the hinges of the [inner] gate, in the dark ; whereby the flame burst out from within the holy house itself immediately, when the commanders retired, and Caesar with them ; and when no- body any longer forbade those that were without to set fire to it. And thus was the holy house burnt down without Caesar's approbation." Thus, against the wishes of Titus, and in spite of the des- perate exertions of the Jews, the temple was destroyed, im- probable as the event had appeared. But still the strange prediction of Christ was not completely fulfilled ; the most improbable part remained to be accomplished ; for with all the devastation of human conflict, and raging flames, the solid walls and foundations must have remained in many pla- ces standing. No common accident, or ordinary military destruction, could have thrown the walls so utterly prostrate as to leave not one stone upon another. It now remains to show how the prediction received its comjJete fulfillment. After the city was entirely subdued, Titus gave orders that it should be utterly demolished, excepting three of the princi- pal towere, and so much of the western wall as might serve as a protection for the camp of the garrison that was h-ft on the ground. The towers were reserved as specimeus of the HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 7Y fortifications of the city that had been overthrown. And here again we bring forward the Jewish historian. " Caesar gave orders that tliey shonld now demolish tJie en- tire city and tcmjple^'^ (excepting, of course, the towers and wall afore-mentioned.) " But for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly Iwid even with the ground^ hy those that dug n UP TO THE FOUNDATION, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither helieve it had ever heen inhabited.''^ Tliis demolition, as we have seen, extended to the entire city and tem/ple, with the aforesaid exceptions, which did not in- clude any part of the temple. The garrison which was left on the ground was under the command of Terentius Rufus. The Jewish Talmudists call him Turnus Kufus ; and they re- late, that he plowed up Zion as a fields and made Jerusalem become as heaps, and the mountain of the house [the temple mountain] as the high places of a forest.'*^ Tlius we have the testimony of such historians as cannot be suspected of partiality toward Christ, to prove the most literal and astonishing fulfillment of a most minute and unlikely prediction. Nothing but Omniscience could have foreseen this unparalleled devastation, so many years before it trans- pired. We observe here the most minute and rigid fulfillment ; and we may not unnecessarily resort to fiction or figm-e to ex- plain any part of this prophecy. 78 HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. CHAPTER II. Principal svhject — Calamities of the Jews peeviously to THE Siege of Jerusalem. Supposition of tlie disciples concerning the Coming of Christ, and of the End of the World — Design of Christ's Discourse — Caution against Deceivers — Source of danger — Impostors claiming to bo the Christ tliat was cruci- fied — Plausibility' of their pretensions — Wars and Rumors of Wars — Pro- gress in the commotions — Character of Christ's Predictions — Famines and Pestilences — Earthquakes — Singular Comments — Objections — Criticisms — Literal and figurative Language — Earthquakes in divers places — Signs in the heavens — Fearful sights on the earth — Indications — An Army in the clouds — The Supernatural Voice — The wonderful Warning — Some- thing still worse — Affecting Illustration. Verse 3. And as ire 8at upon the mount ok Olives, [Mark : otee againbt thb TKMPUE,] THE DISCIPLES, [Mark : Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew,] caujb unto uim privately, saying, Tell us. When shall these things be? and what SHALL BE TILE SIGN OF THY COMING, AND OF THE END OF THE WORLD? From the preliminary chapters, especially chap, iii., part first, it will appear that the disciples came to Christ with erroneous and confused notions respecting both the nature of his com- ing, and the time and order of relative events. Tlie coming for which they looked was a literal, personal coming, as a tem- poral prince, to set up his throne, and reign gloriously upon the earth. The destruction of the temple they probably re- garded as a part of the general judgment upon his enemies which he would inflict at his coming. And they supposed — as has been exhibited in previous chapters — tliat it would take place at the end of the world. What was their precise idea of the end of the world, does not fully appear. But they appear to have understood that the world would, in some sense, come to an end, because the Lord had distinctly spo- ken of his coming to judgment at the end of the world. See Matt. xiii. And all this they supposed would transpire in a few years : HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 79 within their own lifetime. See Matt. xvi. 28. Now here was a mingling of truth and error ; a confounding together of things totally unconnected. And it behooved the Lord Jesus to correct their errors, and to establish them in the truth. The theory of exposition maintained in this volume pro- ceeds upon the supposition, that this discourse of our Lord was intended principally to accomplish this purpose. But as this point has been so fully exhibited in the former part of the work, it is unnecessary to say more in this connection. Verse 4. And Jesus answered, and said unto them, Take deed that no man DECEIVE TOU. Our Lord begins his reply by cautioning them against de- ception. He very well knew that they would be in danger of being imposed upon by deceivers. The note of Richard Watson on this verse is too appropriate to be omitted : " He first cautions them against those false pretenders to the Mes- siahship, who should mislead many of the Jews ; because they would flatter their expectations of a worldly kingdom ; and promise them deliverance from the hated Eomans. Both of these feelings formed so strong a passion with the Jews, that they were easily led to join the ranks of any pretender; and Christ's followers were admonished to take heed, because their carnal and national prejudices were also strong ; and under their infatuating influences they also might be seduced from attachment to a religion wholly spiritual, — one, too, which would appear anti-national, as containing threatenings of the entire overthrow of their state and nation." Verse 5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am CiiRisT ; and shall DBCKivK many. [Luke : And the time draweth near; go ye not therefore af- TKB THEM.] Here our Lord assigns his reason for warning them against deception : because there should be many who would under- take to deceive them, in a way perfectly adapted to their Jew- ish expectations and prejudices. They would profess to be their Messiah and deliverer. This would at once arrest atten- tion, and any plausible evidence of Messiahship would be 80 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. joyfully received. As the perplexities and aggravations of the Jews should increase, imder the hated domination of the Romans, they would become more and moi-e eager for tho deliverer and the deliverance which they supposed were prom- ised in the Scriptures. Our Saviour well understood this; and he knew very well how the false pretenders would take advantage of it, in order to succeed in their imposture. " Many shall come in my nam?:, saying^ I am Christ." It is possible, and these words appear to make it j^robable, that many of these false Christs did really profess to be Jesus hiitiself ', they came in Jdsname^ professing their Messiahship. If this was so, it of course made the danger of the disciples still greater ; for they believed, from our Lord's own words, that he would come again. That Jesus claimed to be the Christ, that he was unjustly .3ut to death, and that he was reported to have risen from the dead, and that astonishing miracles were wrouglitin the most public places, in attestation of his resurrection, would soon be matter of common report among the people. And that he had spoken of coming in his kingdom, even before that generation had all passed away, would probably be known and talked of among the people, soon after the public proofs of his resurrection. And it could not be possible for the myriads who had at- tended his ministry, and had witnessed his innumerable and undeniable miracles, very soon to forget the impressions ex- cited by the demonstrations of his Messiahship. And cer- tainly the unnumbered thousands who were present at Jeru- salem, and witnessed the prodigies that attended his death ; — the darkening of the sun, and the quaking of the earth; — certainly these could not forget these astounding events that made the heathen centurion exclaim, "Truly, this was the Son of God." And could there be any probability, or even possibility, of forgetting such a supernatural and appalling event, as the rending of the vail of the temple from top to bottom, at the moment Christ died upon the cross? These things were not done in a corner, nor in the presence of few people ; but in HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 81 the most public places, and in tlie presence of all the multi- tudes that came from every part of the world to attend the great- Paschal feast. It is probable, then, that years after the crucifixion, the princii^al facts in the case were common topics of discourse among the bewildered and excited people, who had either wit- nessed these things personally, or heard of them from those who had. And as the troubles of the people increased, and their su- perstitious fears became excited, it is not irrational to sup- pose, that troublesome misgivings and gloomy apprehensions were occasioned. He whom they had crucified, who claimed to be their Messiah, might now appear to have been indeed what he professed to be. And with misgivings and regrets for the past, they would be very eager to listen to any evi- dence or report of his coming again. This would be especially true of those who had not consented unto his death, and who were measurably impressed with the conviction of the reality of his pretensions. Any promise of his returning again ; all that he had said about it himself; and all the Scripture that looked in that di- rection, might be seized upon by the false pretenders as so many evidences in their favor, when they professed to be Christ ; the very Christ that had wrought the miracles, and been the occasion of the omens and prodigies of the days of Jesus. This view of the passage is not insisted upon ; but it appears to be warranted by the language of Christ. There is no positive historic confirmation at hand ; and certainly there is nothing to contradict it. The history of the many false Christs has not descended to our day. But who is prepared to disprove the propriety of giving to our Lord's words their most appropriate meaning ? It is generally thought, however, that by the words now under notice, is simply meant, that they would only claim to be the Messiah, without making any reference to Jesus of Nazareth. But it is plain that the words will bear a much more definite application. Keceiving the words, however, in 6 82 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. the sense in whicli they are usually understood, there is no part of the prophecy more abundantly proved to be true.* " And shall deceive manyy The circumstances of the case were so favorable for the pre- tensions of these impostors, that they met with great success. The very people whom the true Messiah could not persuade to follow him, were so abandoned to their delusions, that they flocked after these numerous deceivers in great numbers. Having rejected the true light when it shined upon them, they were left in darkness to stumble at every step. ^'' And the ti/me d/raweth near ; go ye not therefoi^e after them." The appearance of the impostors, and the political troubles next mentioned, were not far distant ; the time was nigh at hand. It seems probable, however, that the reference to the false Christs, before the reference to their hearing of wars and rumors of wars, somewhat anticipated the chronological order of events. The political troubles appear to have been first. But as the Saviour thought it expedient to begin his discourse by admonishing them against deception, it was natural to assign, in brief, the reasons for being on their guard. In its appropriate place in his discourse, he resumes the subject, and speaks of it more particularly, after describing the commotions and troubles which would be so prolific in the production of the Messianic 'pretenders. This trait in the character of the discourse will be noticed again, in connection with more difficult subjects. Verse 6. And te shall hear of wars and rumors ok wars; see that te bk HOT troubled; foe all these TBINQS must come to pass ; BUT THE END IS NOT YET. Providence so ordered it, that we have an authentic record of the various and almost continual commotions which agita- ted the world — particularly the Jewish world — during the time which intervened between the delivery of this prophecy flind the fall of Jerusalem. But, judging from the state of • See note B, in the Appendix. HARMONY AOT) EXPOSITION. 83 things at the time Christ was living in Judea, it did not seem likely that the next forty years would witness such commo- tions. The Roman government was well established, and general good feeling appeared to exist between the Romans and their subjected provinces. Judea was at this time a Ro- man dependency, and was governed by oflBcers appointed by the emperors. It was also more or less connected with the various provinces and small kingdoms abounding in that part of the world, and which were also, in some manner, depend- ent upon Rome. But when agitations began among the numerous Roman dependences, it spread from one to another. And as the Jews were living in almost every province and city, they could not avoid experiencing the inconveniences and sufferings attend- ing those political commotions. During the latter part of the time that elapsed before the fall of Jerusalem, the empire itself was fearfully agitated ; and wars and rumors of wars abounded. ^ And about this time, for some reason, the Jews seemed to become peculiarly obnoxious and troublesome to the various sorts of people in the provinces and cities where they resided, as they were scattered throughout the world. And between the Jews in their own land and their foreign rulers, there were almost constantly difficulties. Rumors of the almost unceasing insurrections, tumults, and massacres in other coun- tries would of course reach Judea, as the troubles in Judea would be known abroad ; and the strong bond of sympathy by which the Jews everywhere felt themselves united, would natm'ally agitate them, whenever anything of moment befell their kindred in any part of the world. Judea — and especially Jerusalem — was still the heart of the Jewish world. Anything greatly affecting the heart af- fected also the extremities ; anything greatly affecting the ex- tremities also affected the heart. To give a particular nar- ration of all these things, would, as one author veiy truly observes, be " to transcribe a great part of the history of Josephus." ''''And ye shall hear of icars." — evidently denotes that 84 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. those of wliich the Saviour was now speaking, were not 80 much the wars of the Jews in their own country, as those of which they should hear. And by the rumors of wars we are not obliged to suppose it necessarily means only threatened, or anticipated wars. It may include both rumors of the merely threatened wars, and the rumors of actual wars, flying about, as is usual in such cases, with the conflicting versions which are so well calculated to keep the mind in agitation. From the history of those times we find this to have been actually the case. There were real wars, with their* flying rumors ; and there were anticipated and threatened wars, with their usual alarms and forebodings. " See that ye he not trovhledP It will be a time of trouble and alann, especially with such as have not the true faith that keeps the heart composed. The trouble against which he admonishes them is such as may be avoided, even in times of trouble. It is the same word tliat Paul used in 2 Thess. ii. 2 ; when he wrote to the Tliessaloni- ans, to calm the agitations which had been excited there, by the supposition that the day of the Lord was at hand : " Now I beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathei-ing together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be trovhledy neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand." Do not be discomposed ; do not let yourselves be thrown into a tumidt ; or become terrified. Tlie word is thus de- fined — "To make a loud noise, or uproar ; to make a tumult- uous noise, or outcry; to cry or speak in a loud voice;" — ■ and some other definitions implying less excitement. It would be very improper for the disciples to be troubled in this way. It would be so for a number of reasons : (1.) It would be an agitation disproportionate to the wars and rumors of wars of which they should hear. (2.) It would imply a want of trust in the overruling Providence which was able to protect or deliver them. Or, (3.) a want of resignation to the divine will, if they should be required to sufl'er and die by these calamities. (4.) If the trouble should be occasioned HAKMONT AUB EXPOSITION. 85 by expectation of tlie end of tlie world immediately, as in the case of the Thessalonians, it would be occasioned without suf- ficient reason, — ^^/or the end is not yety " The day of Christ is not at hand." " For all these things imist come to jpassP They are matters to be expected. The state of the world is such as to make it reasonable to anticipate them. Providence, in its active and permissive operations, will bring all these things to pass. They cannot be avoided. And this is another reason why you should not be terrified. Expect such things ; prepare for them ; be in such a readiness to meet them as not to be surprised into terror. " But the end is not yetP Neither the end of the troubles and commotions, nor the end of the nation, nor of the world. However much like universal ruin things may then appear, the end is not yet ; there are still many other kindred events to follow. Verse 7. For nation shall rise against nation ; and kingdom against king- dom ; AND THERE SHALL BE FAMINES, AND PESTILENCES, AND \Luke : GREAT] EARTH- QUAKES, in divers PLACES. The wars and rumors of wars before spoken of, appear to have related more particularly to the petty jealousies and sectional insurrections which more especially aflected tlie Jews. But this verse shows a progress in the warlike move- ments of the age ; and also subsequency in the order of oc- currence. These wars now spoken of will be something more than the neighborhood conflicts, and sectional commotions among the people of the same place and country. It will be a rising up of nation against nation^ and Mngdom against Jcingdom. And such truly was the progress of sanguinary conflicts in those days. The wars were on a larger scale. Tlie compara- tively insignificant contests among the people of the same tribe, province, or city, soon began to involve nations. The leaven of local jealousy spread until the world became more generally afi"ected. To give a detailed account of the manner in wliich this part of the prophecy was fulSlled, would extend the exposition 86 HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. farther than would comport with thtf author's design. Those who are best acquainted with the history of those times, will be most ready to acknowledge the wonderful definiteness and precision of our Saviour, in giving not only a general state- ment of the commotions of those times, but also in portray- ing the successive order and progress of events. And why should he not ? "Was he not truly omniscient ? Did he not foresee the rise, and progress, and final result of all events, just as if they were moving as a panorama before his eye ? — He who did nothing amiss, said nothing out of true order. If he sometimes reversed the chronological order, it was for some special reason, for the better ordering of his discourse, that it might be the more clear and impressive. But in the case of the words now under notice, the true order of occur- rence is indicated. " And there shall lefaminesJ'^ One of these famines was foretold by a prophet by the name of Agabus, as may be seen by referring to Acts xi. 28. Josephus describes it as having been so severe at Jerusalem, that many people died from want of food. Several other his- torians also mention the same famine. Several times in the reign of Claudius Caesar, famines prevailed in several parts of the empire, particularly in Rome, Greece, and Palestine. Perhaps no other period of time had so many famines as this. Tliose of which we read in the Old Testa- ment happened usually after long intervals. But the period referred to in the text may be said, with a degree of justness, to have been characterized\)j famines. Some of these should undoubtedly be attributed to the agitations of the times. But this will not account for them all : some must be regarded as special judgments, like the famine in the days of Ahab. " And pestilences.''^ Plagues, properly so called, or other pestiferous and epi- demic diseases. These should prevail. Such diseases do not always attend upon famines; but they are very likely to result. Tlicre are several pestilences noticed by tlie histories of that period ; and they seem to have visited more particu- larly those places where the Jews resided. Perhaps, however, HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 87 this should not be considered remarkable, for the Jews were found in great numbers in nearly all the prominent places mentioned in the history of those times. Josephus describes one of those pestilences which visited Babylon, and occasioned many removals from that city. An- other is mentioned by Tacitus, as having occurred about this time. But as the oriental countries have been from time im- memorial more or less troubled with famines and pestilences, they could hardly be considered as marking any particular period, unless they occurred with unusual frequency. This was undoubtedly the case at this time. ^^A7id [^reat] earthquakes, in divers placesP The word rendered earthquake literally means a shaking. It is thus defined by a standard lexicon : (The noun) " A shaking; hut especially an earthquake." (The verb) "To shake; to toss; to agitate; to shake — the earth i?i an earth- quake^ The italicising is according to the lexicon, and is designed to show the appropriate and common use of the term. While no one is disposed to call in question the correctness of the translation, as we find it in our English Bibles, is it not surprising that some of our commentators should indicate a disposition to wrest this word from its appropriate literal use in this place, and expound it as a. figure? One justly celebrated expositor introduces his observations on this sen- tence in this manner : " In prophetic language, earthquakes sometimes mean political commotions. Literally they are tremors or shakings of the earth," &c. Now, the prophecy of Christ must of course be considered as " prophetic language," though perhaps not precisely such language as the quotation intends. But where is the propri- ety of intimating a doubt as to the intention of the word' in this connection ? Has there been any instance of figurative language in this discourse thus far ? Was there any difiiculty with the writer in finding abundant proof of the exact lite- rality of the fulfillment of the prediction? Not at all. Why, then, unnecessarily introduce any observation that would tend to weaken the force, and lessen tlie definiteness of this prophecy ? 88 HAEMONT A^'D EXPOSITION. Another commentator, still more celebrated than the first, comments on the passage thus: "If m'c take the word 2;icr,aoi form 2£iw, to shake, in the first sense, then it means particularly those popular commotions and insurrections which have already been noted; and this I tlihih to he the true meaning of the word ; but if we confine it to earthquakes, there w-ere several in those times to which our Lord refers." How many other celebrated divines have ventured such an opinion, the author is not particularly concerned to kno^'. By whomsoever, and for what purjjose soever, such a sugges- tion is ventured concerning the application of the word, in its present connection, it is certainly liable to several serious objections: (1.) It obscures a confessedly simple and literal narration, (it is certainly so up to this point,) by the introduction of a figurative term in tlie midst of literal language, without any necessity for it, and without any note or appearance of figura- tive character. This is manifestly a violation of all good rules in writing and speaking. (2.) It makes the narration imperfect in other respects; first, by leaving no approj^riate word to apply to the literal earthquakes which did remarkably accompany the other signs mentioned in connection with the word in question. Sec- ondly, by making the word purely, yet unnecessarily, tauto- logical ; for if the word, in its present connections, means only the political agitations Avhicli have just been particularly described, then it is purely tautological. If it means politi- cal commoti<^ns, other than the first described, it unnecessarily confuses the narration, l)y introducing two difiercnt ways of describing the same thing — a figurative, and a literal way — without the least appearance of a change of style. This must be considered in no other light, than that of a dangerous precedent in the interpretation of inspired lan- guage. And it should never be countenanced; especially in such a case as the one before us, where there is not only no need of it, but absolute injury results to the whole prophecy; for when we hegin to indulge in this j>reference for the figu7'ar ii/ve over the literal, w hen there is no occamoii for the figura- HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 89 tive, witli what safety can we be trusted in those more obscure portions of the Scriptures, where the literalitj of the language is not quite so apparent ? (3.) Neither is the ground of choice in preferring the figura- tive to the literal, in the case before us, a safe ground. It is not always safe to suppose that the noun must have a mean- ing perfectly accordant with the verb from which it is derived. Rigid adherence to such a rule would introduce confusion into our common language, and greatly disarrange our modes of thought and expression. It is very frequently necessary for us to interpret colloquial language, not so much with reference to its radical origin, as to its conventional use by the peoj^le. And even if there were (which is not the case in this instance) any departure from the rigid etymologi- cal derivation of the word, the very connection of the word, and the admitted facts of its literal fulfillment, together with its appropriate and common use, ought to preclude the very idea of its being figurative. Do not let these extended remarks on what may appear to be a trifling matter, become a weariness to the reader. Noth- ing is trifling in the words of inspiration; all is serious, weighty, and worthy of the highest deference. Nevertheless, the comparatively unimportant perversion of the words in question Avould have passed with a mere notice, if it were not for the fact, that this loose and inconsistent method of com- menting has not only nearly ruined the moral eflect of this most important prophecy, but has also opened the door for the introduction of the most pernicious errors. This tendency to figurativeness, which, as in the case before us, without any occasion, or justification, confounds poetry with prose, the figurative with the literal; — this apparent choice of, and appetite for, figurative exegesis, so that whatever seems a little dark, (though there is no darkness in the words before us,) must be poetized into light ; so that figures are introduced, not according to the necessity — 'the must — of the case, but according to the possibility — the may — 'Of the case ; — this mingling together of the literal and the allegorical, making our Saviour sometimes narrate calmly like a historian, and 90 nARMONY AJND EXPOSITION. then, with the next breath, rhapsodize like a poet, until no man is certain what is literal and -what figurative ; this is to be guarded against and deprecated. And it seemed appropriate to begin the labor at the very beginning of the figurative indefiniteness and obscurity which too many expositors have introduced into this plain, prosaic discourse. Straws show which way the current runs. And if — as we have seen — popular commentators, without any occasion, and, indeed, against occasion, have developed such a preference for the figurative, what may we expect when we come to those parts of the discourse, where — from the nature of the subject — it may not be convenient to point out the chapter and verse of the precise and literal fulfillment ? " There shall he great earthqual'es in divers i:>lacesP A plain prediction of what actually occurred. Probably no period of the world's history was ever more characterized by earthquakes. It was not one wide, world-affecting con- vulsion, such as has been known in comparatively recent history, but a great many distinct earthquakes ; — " earthquakes in divers jplaces^'' at different times. Tliere is no lack of historic evidence to show that this portion of the prophecy was literally and strictly fulfilled. Josephus gives an account of a terrible one that happened just before the war with the Romans. (War, B. 4, c. 4.) "There broke out a prodigious storm in the night, with the utmost violence, and very strong winds, with the largest showers of rain, with continual light- nings, terrible thunderings, o/iul amazing concussions and hellowings of the earth that vms in an earthquake^ This Avas remarkable ; for earthquakes are not usually accompanied by such atmospheric disturbances. On the other hand, they frequently, if not generally, occur when the atmosphere seems unusually serene. An eye witness thus describes the state of the atmosphere at the time of the great earthquake that destroyed Lisbon, in 1755. "lliere never was a finer morning seen than the Ist of November ; the sun shone out in its full lustre ; the whole face of the sky was perfectly serene and clear; and not the least signal or warning of that ap- proaching event, which has made this once flou:iskvng, opu- HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. *91 lent, and populous city, a scene of the ntmost horror and desolation, except only such as served to alarm, but scarcely left a moment's time to fly from the general destruction." So universal an earthquake as the one described by Jose- phus, might well be regarded, as himself remarks, as "a manifest indication that some destruction was coming upon man, when the system of the world was put into this disor- der ; and any one would guess that these wonders foreshowed some grand calamities that were coming." But the earth- quakes were to be in " divers places.'''' And so they were ; they are mentioned as having occurred during tliis period, at Crete, Smyrna, Miletus, Chios, Samos, Laodicea, Pompei, Colosse, Campania, &c. Not only the Jewish country proper, but probably all countries where they resided, were visited by these quakings of the earth. '■^ And fearful sights, and great signs shall then he from heavenP The record of the Jewish historian is so full and ap- propriate to elucidate the fulfillment of this prediction, that we cannot do better than to have his words before us: Speaking of the many false prophets and deceivers, and how easily the people were persuaded to believe them, and hope for divine interposition in their behalf, he says — (War, B. 6, c. 5,) "Thus were the miserable people per- suaded by these deceivers, and such as belied God ; while they did not attend nor give credit to the signs that were so evident, and did so plainly foretell their future desolation ; but like men infatuated, without eyes to see, or minds to consider, did not regard the denunciations that God made to them. Tlius there wa^ a star, resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet that continued a whole year." Another translator renders his words thus: "A sword seemed to hang over the city, or a comet pointing down upon it for a year, which plainly seemed to portend their ruin by the Bword." (Whitby.) "Thus also, before the Jews' rebellion, and before those commotions which preceded the war, when the people were come in great crowds to the feast of un- leavened bread, ... at the ninth hour of the night, so 92 HAKMONT AND EPPOBITION. great a liglit slione round the altar and the holy house, that it appeared to be Lright-day thne : which light lasted for half an hour. This light seemed to be a good sign to the un- skillful ; but was so interpreted by the sacred scribes, as to portend those events that followed immediately upon it." These were indeed ^'■fearful sights.'''' The "sacred scribes" appear to have considered that prodigious light about " the altar and the holy house," as portending that terrible fire wliich soon after desolated the whole. "At the same festival, also, [the Passover] a Jielfer, as she was led by the high priest to be sacrificed, brought forth a lamb in the midst of the temple." Was this designed to indicate to the blinded Jews, that their typical offering of beasts had finally tenninated, as to the divine approval, and become fulfilled, by bringing forth Jesus, the true Lamb of God? Tlie historian continues — "Moreover, the eastern gate of the inner court of the temple, which wiis of brass, and vastly heavy, and had been with difliculty shut by twenty men, and rested upon a basis armed with iron, and had bolts fastened very deep into the firm floor, which was there made of one entire stone, was seen to he opened of its own accord about the sixth hour of the night ! " " Now those that kept w^atch in the temple, came hereupon runninf to the captain of the temple, who came up thither, and not without great difliculty was able to shut tlie gate again. This also appeared to the vulgar to be a very hapj^y prodigy, as if God did thereby open to them the gate of happiness." The "vulgar," as the historian calls them, might indeed suppose this indicated the opening the gate of lui])pi- ness to tliem^ for it was the opening of the gate that kept the common people out of the inner court of the temple, which was appropriated only to the most favored portion of the Jewish people. "But," continues the history, "the men of learning under- stood it, tliat the security of their holy house was dissolved of its own accord ; and that the gate was opened for the advan- tage of their enemies. So these publicly declared, that the HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 93 Bignal foreshadowed the desolation that was coming upon them." It was at the Paschal feast that Jesus, the true Lamb of God, was led forth to be slain, as may have been betokened by the prodigy of the heifer and the lamb ; and this dreadful prodigy of opening the huge brazen gate, happening — it seems — at the same feast, may have portended that it would also be at the passover that their enemies should succeed in obtaining the mastery over the city and temple. "Besides these," continues the history, "a few days after that feast, on the one and twentieth day of the month Arte- misius, \fJyai\ second month of the ecclesiastical year,] a cer- tain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared. I suppose the account of it would seem to be a fable, were it not related by those that saw it, and were not the events that followed it of so considerable a nature as to deserve such signals ; for, hefore sun-setting^ chariots^ and troops of soldiers in their annor, luere seen running about among the clouds^ a/nd surrowvding of cities ! " "Moreover, at the feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said, that in the first place they felt a qualcing, and heard a great noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a multitude, saying, Let us depakt hence ! " " But what is still more terrible, there was one Jesus, the son of Ananus, a plebeian and a husbandman, who, four years before the war began, and at a time when the city was in great peace and prosperity, came to that feast whereon it is our custom for every one to make tabernacles to God in the temple, began on a sudden to cry aloud, A voice from the east ! A voice from the west ! A voice from the four winds ! A voice against Jerusalem and the holy house ! A voice against the bridegrooms and the brides ! A voice against the whole people ! " Tliis voice was heard by day and by night througli the city. No persuasion or punishment could stop his cry. When they whipped him until his bones were bare, he did not shed 94 HAEMONY AlTD EXPOSITION. tears or make any complaint, but, with every stroke of .the lash, uttered AYoe, woe, woe to Jerusalem ! Tliis lamentable and wonderful voice continued for seven years and five months, and was always heard loudest at the festivals. No wonder that it was heard with discomfort and horror. Verse 8. All these are the beginning of borbows. But what could be worse than the terrors and sorrows already described? Answer — The wai*s and rumors of wars, not hewrd of merely, but actually present, witnessed, and suffered, with all their varied horrors. In particular, the inva- sion of their own country with fire and sword, until blood and blaze should be the every-day, and the everywhere scenes throughout their whole territory. And more especially, the unparalleled famine, confusion, and carnage that characterized the siege of their capital city. The fulfillment of the portentous omens would be more terri- ble than the signs themselves. The intolerable ravages of the fatal disease would be worse than the premonitory symptoms. The faithful and but too particular narration of these " sor- rows," as witnessed by one who lived and sufi'ered in the midst of them, cannot be read by any person of common sensibility, without being deeply and painfully affected. Dr. Clarke's note on this verse is very ingenious and im- pressive : "Tlie whole land of Judea is represented under the notion of a woman in grievous travail ; but our Lord inti- mates that all that had already been mentioned, were only the first pangs and throcB, and nothing in comparison of that hard and death-bringing labor which should afterwards take place." All that has hitherto been described, however, pertains to the period previous to the finid siege of Jerusalem. And here our liOrd leaves, for the present, the prediction of the Jeioish calamities, that he may retm*n and recapitulate the sufferings of his (Msciples. Let this be distinctly noticed by the reader. HAEMONY AKD EXPOSITION. 95 CHAPTER III. Prmcijpal siibject — Suffeeings of Citribtians previously TO THE Siege of Jerusalem. Correction of the Eecord — Illustrations — Beginning of the Persecution — Progress — Saul of Tarsus — Different forms of Jewish persecution — Per- secution by others — Chronological accuracy of the Prophecy — Persecution overruled for good — Why the Jews persecuted — Why the Heathen — Pe- ter before the Sanhedrim — Stephen — Paul before the Rulers — God's design in permitting Persecution — Good result of the Appeal to Ccesar — Comfort in suffering — Why forbidden to premeditate — Perversion of a text — When we may, and when we may not, premeditate — What is meant by Taking no thought — Nature of Apostolic Inspiration — What is meant by giving them a Mouth and Wisdom — 'Examples — Curious way to resist Logic — An Orator in Chains — Beginning of Apostacy in the Church — Treachery — Progress of Apostacy — Terrible Result — Pattern Age of the Church — The World and the Church at variance — What is meant by not a Hair of the head perishing — How to possess our souls in Patience. [Luke : But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and per- secute YOU.] [Mark : But take heed to yourselves.] Our Lord deemed it expedient to speak first of the afflic- tions of the Jews generally , and — as previously noted — he extended his description to the siege of Jerusalem. When he resumed the subject, as at v. 15, he began with the fatal siege. Having thus far spoken of the Jews as a people^ he returns to the beginning of the period then under consideration, for the purpose of showing the condition of CKnstians during the same time. " But hefore all these, they shall lay their hands on youP We perceive the importance of supplying a sentence that was omitted by Matthew. If we take the prophecy as it is preserved only by him, it would teach that the persecution of the disciples would not begin until that period of general tribulation was ended, which would be incorrect. The sen- tence from Luke removes the difficulty, as may be seen in the Harmony. The persecution of the Christians did indeed 96 HARMONY AND EXTOSITION. begin "before all these" Jewish calamities. While Jesus was with thein, as wlien the bridegroom is with the children of the bridal chamber, they wx>ro kept in security and joy. But when he was taken away, as when the bridegroom de- parts, there was sadness and listing. The persecutors, having so w^ell succeeded with the Master of the house, then began to afflict his servants. The gy^een tree had been scorched by their flaming madness; what could prevent the dry tree from being consumed? And the persecutors were not willing to wait long before they made a beginning : within a few weeks after the crucifixion of Jesus, they began to hunger for the flesh of the disciples. " They shall lay their hands on youP Tliey shall apprehend you, and bring you up to answer for your proceedings. Tliis was immediately done in the case of Peter and John, Acts iv. 1. "And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them. 2. Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrec- tion of the dead. 3. And they laid their hands on them, and put them in hold until the next day." Tliis laying hands upon tliem was not only persecution of itself, but it had an ulterior design. " And persecute yonP This was the ulterior object. They wished to get these leading disciples into their power, that they might still further afflict them. On that first occasion, however, they were restrained from inflicting anj'thing very severe. They "straightly threatened them," and let them go. " But ta'ke heed to yourselve^r It is necessary to be on your guard. Be wise as serpents, for you are as sliecp among wolves. Your enemies will not cease to pursue you. Tliey may indeed but simply lay their hands on you at the first, and persecute you in this milder way. But take heed to yourselves ; and do not unnecessarily incur danger ; your enemies will not be satisfied with merely apprehending you : Do not trust present appearances. HARMONY AND EXPOSITION 9Y Varse 9. Then shall they deliver you xjp [to oocncils,] [Luke : to thk BTNAGOGUES, AND INTO PKISONS,] TO BE AFFLIOTED. How soon was this accomplished ! A few days after this, as the apostles were teaching and healing, Acts v, 17, "Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation ; 18. And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison." As yet, however, they had not been delivered up formally to the council. But, having been liberated by the interposition of an angel, and dii-ected to go and preach in the temple, they were once more appre- hended, V. 27. " And when they had brought them, they set them before the council." There was still another thing to be fulfilled, besides the arrest, and arraignment, and imprisoning ; they were next in order " To he afflActedy Here it follows : v. 40. " And to him [Gamaliel] they agreed ; and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they . . let them go. 41. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to su^er shame for his name." They were probably beaten naked. This was the beginning of their being " afflict- ed" for the sake of their Master. The "wolves" among whom these " sheep" hud been sent, having once tasted their blood, will hardly let them escape. " And in the synagogues ye shall he heaten" Here is the date of Saul's persecution. It was at his feet that the murderers of Stephen laid their clothes. He was already distinguished among the peof)le for his eminence in the matter of making " havoc in the church." " And Saul was consenting unto his death." " When they were put to death he gave his voice against tJi/im" Even so early was his influence in this matter felt and confessed. And what was Saul's method of persecution ? Acts xxvi. 10. " And many of the saints did I shut up in prison, hav- ing received authority from the chief priests ; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against then? 11. Aiid 7 98 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. I jnmished thcvi oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme." How many of the disciples suffered in this way, as " Saul made havoc of the clmrcli, cnterini^ into everj house, and haling men and women, committing them to prison," has never been recorded. And how many times of punishing in the synagogues is intended by this word " oft," we are not apprised ; but being " exceeding mad" against the disciples, and having " authority from the chief priests," and thinking that he was "doing God service," it is safe to suppose that the numbers " beaten in tlie synagogues," were large. It is not intended to intimate here that the persecution of Saul was all previous to the martyrdom of Stephen, but only that he had already hegun his cruel work at that time, and continued for some time after. And Saul himself, when he became an apostle, underetood experimentally the sufferings which he had inflicted upon others ; and came in for his o^vn share of the fulfillment of this prophecy, which at first he helped to fulfill upon others. 2. Cor. xi. 24. " Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes, save one." Besides the beatings and stripes otherwise mentioned, we learn by this that at five different times he received the full measure of blows permitted by the Jewish law. It was undoubtedly in tlie synagogues. " And shall kill you" This was the next thing in order. What was the next event in the fulfillment ? Answer — Tlie JcilUng of Stephen, under the superintendence of this persecuting Saul of Tarens ! And now the various forms of persecution which the Saviour predicted, have all occurred in their respective orders, from laying hands upon, through arraignment before councils, imprisoning, beating in the synagogues, and killing. A 1 this was Jcwi.'^h ; and was done regularly, or irregularly, accord- ing to the customs of the councils of the synagogues and the great council at the capital. But shall the persecution extend no further ? Answer — " And ye sJwU he brought before toilers and Idiigs for my Mkey HAKMONY AifB EXPOSITION. 99 Tlie scene is now to be sliifted from Jewish judicatures to the magistracy of rulers and kings. The murderers of the Master, who succeeding in enlisting against him the power of their heathen governor, will soon manifest their pleasure at the havoc made among the disciples. Henceforth, those who delight in cruelty, or who wish to ingratiate themselves with the Jews, will understand how to proceed. Tlie prediction is before us ; now for the fulfillment : Acts xii. 1. " Now about that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. Then were the days of unleavened bread. 4. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternians of soldiers to keep him ; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people." Soon we find Paul and Silas at Philippi, suftering a perse- cution arising from the cure of the wonderful Pythoness. Do we inquire concerning the nature of the judicature before which they were brought? Answer — Acts xvi. 10, " And they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the market place unto the rtdcrs. 20. And brought them to the magistrates.^^ Kings and rulers were next in order after councils. Omniscient Wisdom knew how to frame the proph- ecy. Tlie next persecution was that in which " they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city." Acts xvii. 6. . We shall soon find Paul brought up to the "judgment seat'" of Gallio, the deputy governor of Achaia. It would be tire- some to follow out much further the fulfillment of this part of the prediction. The magistracy of rulers and kings is identified more or less with the history of the apostle tO' the Gentiles. We shall find him before Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and Nero. It has not seemed good unto the Holy Ghost to cause to be recorded all the particular of tlie further fulfillment of these words ; but from many incidental references, we find the matter went on. 100 HARMONY AJfD EXPOSITION. But why was all tliis ? Was there no divine power i.^ restrain ? Or did the Divine Being see that good would result ? Answer — ■ '•''For my sdke^ for atestiviony against i/icjn,^^ or, rather, for a testimony (sij) u7ito them. And this better agrees with Luke's expression — " And it shall turn to you for a testimm^yJ^ There are just these two ideas conveyed in this sentence of the prophecy ; (1.) Tliat it would be for the sake of Christ, or on his account, that they should bo thus dealt with. It would not be on account of any evil found in them ; or on account of any particular hatred that men would feel toward them, as individual persons. It would be solely on account of their known and confessed attachment to the Lord Jesus. Their open and fearless proclamation of the Messiahship of Jesus the crucified, would raise the storm of indignation and persecution among their own nation, and particularly among the councillors and priesthood of the Jewish nation. They were always first in opposition to the Master, and they would be first in persecution of his disciples. They hated to be charged with the rejection and murder of one whom the apostles proclaimed every where to be the only true Christ. The persecution by the Gentiles would also be for the name of Christ, but for reasons somewhat different : one thing would ^be, the opposition of the apostles to the idolatrous worship and doctrines everywhere prevalent, and the fact, that the spread of Christianity would be seen to effect, proportionally, the downfall of idolatry. The worshippers of the great Diana of the Ephesians would set all the city in an uproar, on account of this perceived op- position of the new religion to their old religion. Yet, after all, the Jews would everywhere be the principal instigators of this opposition to the name of Christ. They would never rest without doing what could be done to arrest tlie progress of the new sect. (2.) The other idea is this: their being brought before councils, rulers, and kings, would be to them o})portunitic3 for giving testimony to the truth. They should be permitted, HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 101 and even invited, sometimes, to testify to the truth as it is in Jesus. Now, however much these simple and apparently unimport- ant and indefinite words may have been overlooked, they are, in truth, among the most important of those found in this discourse. Nothing less than omniscience could have foreseen these two surprising facts, — that all the persecution which the dis- ciples should suffer, and all the reasons for their being brought before the various near at hand, and far off, tribunals, would be in consequence of their relation to a person who had never stepped beyond the limits of Palestine, and whose name was hardly known beyond the boundaries of his own native prov- ince. But the other part of the prediction is, if possible, still more surprising. How exceedingly improbable that those persecuted, despised, maltreated, dispersed followers of one who was crucified as a malefactor, between two thieves, should, by the very efforts to silence them, stand up as privileged ambassadors, to say what they chose to testify, before all kinds of councils, and before all kinds of rulers, in almost all lands! Has it usually happened so? "Were the victims of the Inquisition ever admitted to extraordinary privileges be- fore their judges ? Were the Protestant martyrs, whose blood enriched the soil of England, entitled to special privileges before their Romish rulers ? And have persecuted sects usually found their judges disposed to listen to the promulga- tion of their most abominated doctrines, and keen reproofs and admonitions? But the omniscient Saviour affirmed that both of these things would be true respecting the arraignment of his per- secuted followers. How did the matter result? The first arraignment was specifically on account of oppo- sition to Christ. When Peter and John were arraigned be- fore the Sanhedrin, the reason is thus given : (Acts iv. 2,) the priests, captain of the temple, and Sadducees, were " grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the 102 HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. resurrection of the dead. 3. And tliey laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day ; for it was now even- tide." This was on their Master's account. Did they have an opportunity of testifying of Jesus there ? Tliis is the an- swer : 5. " And it came to pass on tlie morrow, tliat their rulers, and elders, and scribes, 6. And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked. By what power, or by what name have ye done this?" [The miracle of curing the lame man.] 8. "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them. Ye rulers of the people and elders of Israel," — And then follows that fearless, explicit testimony of the Messiahship of Jesus. 10. " Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of IS^azareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole, 11. This is the stone which was set at naught by you builders, which is be- come the head of the corner. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." How this arraignment before this council " turned to them for testimony !" Peter could not have obtained such an audience as that anywhere else ; and nowhere else would such an audience have listened to such a fearless testimony. And who but the Divine could have foreseen this? This illustration of the two ideas in the passage is given at some length, merely as a spe- cimen of the precise fulfillment of this wonderfully specific pro]ihccy. When Peter and others were arraigned before the Sanhe- drin again, soon after, (Acta v,,) he had another as remarkable chance of testifying of Jesus, And Stephen for a long time had the audience of " all that sat in the council," while he poured forth that full torrent of testimony, which tliey per- ceived but too clearly was going to prove Jesus to be tho Christ. And what an opportunity for testimony had Paul HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 103 before Felix and Drusilla, and Festus, and Bernice, and Agrippa ! And what a chance for testimony as he " stood on the stairs" of the theatre in Jerusalem, bound with two chains, and gave the discourse recorded in Acts xxii. ! This idea of bearing testimony — not against — but {bis) to councils, rulers, and Icings, is the key that opens beautifully that mysterious providence which led the primitive church with her ministers through such a succession of pei-secutions. We may now understand the meaning of those prisons, chains, indictments, and other sources of suffering and notoriety, which lifted the infant church into erainency, and secured for the fettered apostles the audiences of priests, governors, coun- cilors, kings, and queens. There was much meaning, and comfort, too, for the perse- cuted apostles in such words as these: Acts xxiii. 11, "And that night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul ; for as thou hast testified of me in Jei'usa- lem^ so must thou hear witness also at Eome.''^ These imprisonments and judicial arraignments should be occasions of testimony. " Caesar's household" was to be converted ; and Paul — not Peter — must be the apostle to those Gentiles. He had " of- ten purposed " to go there, that he " might have some fruit among" them, but " was let [hindered] hitherto." Paul in Rome, in the capacity of an ajpostU,, could probably do less in giving testimony for Christ, than Paul the prisoner^ waiting the convenience of the emperor, under the protection of the emperor, and dwelling for " two whole years in his own hired house, receiving all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." Acts xxviii. 30, 31. Therefore Paul was moved to "appeal onto C^sar." But, in relatidn to this being all for the name and sake of Christ, it is worthy of remark, that, on the part of the apos- tles, it was in a sense far different from what it was on the part of the persecutors : with the enemies it wjis on account of enmity^ that they might distress and destroy ; but with the 104 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. friends it was on account o^ frieiulshipy tliat tliej miglit tes- tify for Christ, and establish his religion, Thej were not slow to perceive the advantages their persecutions gained them, not on account of synipatlij only, but also on account of ^privilege in giving testimony for the truth as it is in Jesus. God made the wrath of men to praise him. This must have contributed nnich to comfort and sustain those who suffered for the truth's sake. They " took joyfully the spoiling of their goods," and rejoiced that " they were counted worthy to suf- fer for his name." Paul well understood this matter of per- secution and suffering for his Master ; Acts, chapters xx., xxiii., xxiv., which see. \MarTi : Bur when they siiAti, lead tov, and delivee tou up, take no rnot'OHT BEFORE HAND WHAT YE SHALL SPEAK; NEITHER DO YE PREMEDITATE; BUT WUATSOEVEK SHALL BE GIV5;N YOU IN THAT HOUR, THAT SPEAK YE.] Our Saviour did not design this direction for application to all persons, and all circumstances : it was a specific instruc- tion for a specific circumstance j namely — when they should be led and delivered up to councils, rulers, and kings, as be- fore described, and for the purpose aforesaid. Tlien, in that particular case, they were not to depend upon their own pre- meditated thoughts either for testimony or defence ; but to look for such especial enlightenment and guidance as no pre- meditations of their own could secure. It is, therefore, a manifest perversion of this passage, to apply it to ordinary pulpit and private teaching, as if the Lord designed to discourage and prohibit prudent premedita- tion and systematic arrangement of thoughts, in ordinary cir- cumstances. No man that loves to think systematically, and few that are capable of thinking so, will need these disclaim- ers against a somewhat common pervci-sion of this passage. But it is well to do everything practicable for the purity and propriety of the exegesis and api)lication of the Scriptures. No doubt but in many instances too much dependence is placed upon our previous meditations, and too little upon the timely aid of the lloly Spirit. But these ordinary labors HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 105 were not the subject of tlie Saviour's present admonition. A very plain rule may be suggested as a general guide in this matter : (1.) "What is already understood, or may reasonably be ex- pected, in relation to future circumstances, may be made a subject of premeditative preparation, (2.) But what we cannot know, or reasonably anticipate, of the future, and yet must meet, — in this we must leave it to Providence to order and assist. This latter was the usual circumstance under which the dis- ciples were brought before rulers and kings. The former is the usual circumstance attending our ordinary labors. In these sudden, ever-varying, and uncertain trials and ar- raignments before the different tribunals, no human fore- thought could be sufficient to guide in matters of propriety and necessity ; and premeditations and plans would only em- barrass their adaptation to the unanticipated circumstances, and withdraw their trust in direct and special divine assistance. They were directed to " take no thought" before hand, just as Christ had said respecting food and raiment, " take no thought for the morrow." Now, it is admitted by all who have examined the word, in reference to its original force, that it means something more than mere intellection ; it con- veys an idea o^ feeling as well as cogitation : it is the same word that Christ used in his address to the half-distracted Martha: " Thou are car^wZ," &c. Luke x. 41. The spirit of the Lord's admonition to his apostles was about' this : Do not be tro^ibled or anxious about what you shall say on these occasions. Do not let it worry and distress you. Go, trusting in the guidance and support of the Master, for whose sake all this is done and permitted. There was great wisdom in such an admonition : (1.) It would serve greatly to relieve the anxieties of the disciples, in these most trying circumstances. (2.) It would keep ever before them the only real and re- liable source of direction and support. (3.) And, consequently, going in this spirit, and divinely led and strengthened, their testimony would have a freshness, 106 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. an adaptation, and a power, that could not be secured in any other manner. " B^d whatsoever shall he given you in that hour^ that speak ye." Here is the promise of assistance implied. Tliey were to expect assistance from another ; it was to be given to them. This is why they ought not to be troubled about the matter before hand. They were to t'?^m^ whatsoever should he given them. Their words were to be given them ; and they would be aided in addressing them to the people. They were to go before such judicatures, expecting to be plenarily inspired for the exigencies of the time. * [Luke : For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all youe advebaa- EI£8 shall not BE ABLE TO GAINSAY OR RESIST.] Here is the promise of assistance given in due form. Tlieir wisdom should be given them ; they should be enabled to understand and to calculate on the spot, so as to accomplish what their adversaries could not prevent. Sometimes they ehould be enlightened with respect to the past ; sometimes with respect to the futwe • and they should know how to adapt themselves to all the circumstances attending their arraignment. Their '■'■mouth" should be given them. Their very organs of speech should seem to be new ; and would, indeed, be newly empowered to speak with tlie greatest propriety and force the words which should be given them. As the result of this special endowment, their adversaries should neither be able to gainsay nor resist their testimony. How wonderfully was this accomplished ! Turn to Acts iv., and see the blazing testimony, and the scorcliing reproofs, of John and Peter before the great council that liad condemned their Master. And notice the result : verse 13, "l^ow, when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled ; and iooh knowledge of them^ that they hadheen with Jesus. 14. And beholding the man standing with them, they could say noth- ing against it." HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 107 When Stephen was set upon unexpectedly by the cavilers and disputers of tlie synagogues of the Libertines, Cyrenians, Alexandrians, Cilicians, and Asiatics, (Acts vi. 9,) it is said, notwithstanding the odds against him, " And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake." And when he was suddenly brought before the great council, his speech was so irresistible, that legal pleading and logic could not be depended upon to gainsay or resist it ; and the readiest way to overthrow it, was, to kill the irresistible preacher. So long as he was alive, and had a mouth to speak, so long they knew it was hopeless to resist him But a dead man was not so formidable ; so they overwhelmed him with a shower of stones. See how the infamous Felix was made to tremble, as Paul stood before him in chains, inspired to utter terrible things which could not be gainsayed or resisted. Acts xxiv. 24. "And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. 25. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trem- bled, and answered, [it was all the answer he could make,] Go thy way for this time." Take Paul's speech before King Agrippa, and the august assembly convened to hear him, and notice the effect. Acts xxvi. The prisoner stood up in chains, and gave one of the most eloquent, appropriate, and affecting speeches that ever fell from human lips. It was a most happy specimen of Gos- pel testimony. After overwhelming, and almost converting, the king, the conclusion of the scene is thus stated, v. 31 : " And when they were gone aside, they talked between them- selves, saying. This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. 32. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar." The world might be safeiy challenged to show a single clear instance in which the primitive disciples were found incom- petent to defend themselves and their Master before any of the councils and rulers of that age. 108 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. But whence the wisdom and words which proved adequate for all emergencies? [Mark: For it is not ye tuat speak, but tue Holy Ghobt.] This is the explanation. When these men stood np to give testimony, they were more tlian men ; they had a portion of the Divinity. How astonishingly was this fulfilled at Pente- cost ! There were promised to them a " mouth and wisdom," in order to qualify them for every unexpected emergency. "When the wdiole Jewish world was represented at Jerusalem, the fulfillment of the prediction was to begin, and to be man- ifested unto the world. Acts ii. 4. " And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." And in all the multitude of dialects they spake of the wonderful works of God. But, in relation to the wisdom and words, it was not themselves that spake, but the Holy Ghost speaking by them. The apos- tles well understood the nature and source of this astonisliing endowment. Tliey knew how to explain the wonderful phe- nomenon : verse 33, " He [Christ] hath shed forth this that ye now see and hear." How distinct the prediction ! How undeniable the fulfill- ment ! As far as Luke's history of the Apostles extends, it seems to be a comment upon the Saviour's prophetic discourse. Verse 10. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one anotiikb, AND SHALL HATE ONE ANOTHER. Many will be scandalized. Tlie new "sect" will be " eve- rywliere spoken against." Tlie chief men and rulci*s giving the example and encouragement in persecution, those who wish to gain or retain their favor, and those who think only as they are taught by their superiors, will join in the popular hue and cry against the unpopular sect. Many will thereby become disaficcted. Tlieir attachment to the new religion will cost thorn their good name, their tem- poral prosperity, their social enjoyment, and, in some cases, it will cost even lil^erty and life. This will be sacrificing too much ; more than they have HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 109 faith to endure. Many will therefore be offended ; they will stumble at these impediments, and fall from their steadfastness in Christ. And the offence will he so grievons, that, in many instances, treachery and hatred will succeed in the j^lace of confidence and love. Those who had pleasantly and familiarly associa- ted together, each leading on and strengthening the other, will now have their feelings so set against one another as to "Je^ray" one another. Perhaps the kindly influences that had been mutually exerted to induce one another to espouse and maintain the new religion, would • now appear as a ma- licious effort to draw them into a religion of shame, anxiety, and danger. To mutual confidence will succeed mutual treachery ; and they shall " hetray one another^ The warm- est love will then give place to the deepest hatred. The union and confidence of heart will be transformed into jealousy and maliciousness. Those engaged in making havoc of the church will not fail to perceive and improve this most unhappy result, for the fur- therance of their cruel designs. These embittered and alien- ated brethren will be used to hunt out and accuse their former companions : " tliey shall betray one another." We may find a record of the fact, which will answer as a specimen, in the account which Tacitus gives of this pro- cedure, in the persecution under Nero: "At first several were seized, who confessed, and then, by their discovery, a great multitude of others were convicted and executed." Annal. i. 15. There are frequent references to this melancholy state of things in the history and writings of St. Paul. See Acts xx.» 29, 30, 2 Tim. i. 15, iv. 10, 14. It was thus that he was " in perils among false brethren." ^Mark : The brother shall betrat the brother to death, and the father the BON ; and children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to bk put to death.] ThivS is not only a more particular description of this time of trial to the church, but it appears also to show an extension 110 HARMON r AND EXPOSITION. of the disaffection, until not only the ecclesiastical, but even all the social relations shall be disturbed, and families be at war among themselves. And now will be fulfilled not only what Christ himself predicted on another occasion, (Matt. x. 34,) but what was long before prophesied by an Old Testament seer. Sec Micah vii. 6. How intense must have been the alienation that caused the nearest and dearest natural relations to betray one another even to death ! What terrible afflictions to the church, and what trial of faith, when parents against children, and chil- dren against parents, and brother against brother, should be maliciously excited, and cause one another to be put to death ! Through such fires as these were the primitive disciples re- quired to pass, as the church was enlarging herself, and estab- lishing her doctrines, government, and worship, that the drosa might be purged away from the pure gold, and that the pat- Urn age of the true church might be an age of tested, puri- fied, and duly develoi^ed faith and love. Tliese were times when they " endured a great fight of af- flictions," that the church in all subsequent ages might have before her " examples of suffering, affliction and patience." Tliis was the time of " the present distress," when Christians were called to show whether they loved their master better than houses, lands, parents, companions, and life. (Remainder of) Verse 9. And yk shall be hated of all rations fob mt name's sake. By noticing Mark, verse 12, it will be seen that these words are to follow the account of these afflictions ; and by Luke, verse 18, we learn that these words arc to j)reccdc the reference to the hair of the head not being suffered to perish.* It is thus that we prove not only the transposition, but find the appropriate />/rt(?(C for this sentence. And it may as well be remarked here, that all the trans- positions exhibited in the Harmony are settled by definite reasons. This persecution and alienation will not be limited to any •Sec the Ilannony. HAKMONY A:ND EXPOSITION. Ill particular section ; it will be general. The cliurch eveiy- wliere must pass through this iiery furnace. It will be the world against the churchy and the church against the world. The faithful disciples must be " cnicified unto the world," and the world " crucified '' unto them. The " offence of the cross" will be great everywhere. The preaching of Christ will be a " stumbling block unto the Jews, and to the Greeks foolishness." Then '' all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution," no matter where they happen to dwell. Tlie world hated Christ, and he told his disciples not to marvel if the world hated them also. Now was it fully accomplished. If they had been of the world, the world would have loved its own ; but because they were not of the world, but had been chosen out of the world, therefore the world hated them. And this extended to all nations, Jews and Gentiles. In this place, however, it seems to allude more particularly to the Gentile nations : the hatred of the Jews,being first in order, was more particularly described previously. It is wonderful how systematic and precise our Saviour was in this prophecy. He pays particular attention to the succes- sive order in which the many things would transpire. He did not speak of their being " hated of all nations," until he had first described how they would become hiown to all nations, by being brought before rulers and kings. And this hatred of the nations would be on the same account as that of the Jews ; it would be " for his name's sake." And how was this? Simply because "for his name's sake" they should be brought before rulers and kings ; and the knowledge which the people everywhere would obtain of them, would be asso- ciated with their relation to Christ. [Luke: But there shall not a hair of tour head perish.] Does this mean that none of them should suffer bodily in- jury, or be put to death? Certainly not ; he had just admon- ished them of the reverse. Does it refer to ih.Q j)'^'obdble fact, that all the Christians fled from Jerusalem during the siege, and did not in any case per- ish then ? Probably not. 112 HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. For (1.) All the apostles, as it is supposed, with one excep- tion, i)crished by violent deaths before tlic siege. (2.) To speak of the escape from that danger would be anticipating the time without any evident reason ; for the period of which he was now speaking was obviously that which preceded that great event. The effort to apply it to that event appears strained and unnatural. Resides, it does not seem to harmon- ize with the spirit and design of such a promise. It seems to have been designed for the comfort of the Lord"'3 people in all ages of the world ; and es2)cciaUy for the cotn- fo-rt of those whose severe affiictions, and inmiincnt dangers^ occasioned the first giving of tJie promise. Kow to take it entirely, or almost entirely, away from them^ and apply it only to a single circumstance, and a circumstance which had not yet been even alluded to, and, by so doing, deprive all the coming generations of sufferers from claiming it, seems rather more than common sense can submit to. But what does the promise mean ? Probably this : they were to comfort themselves with the belief that all their dan- gers, trials and sufferings were directed or permitted by a Providence which was not only personal, but minutely partic- ular. It numbered the very hairs of their head. They should even regard themselves as the objects of special divine watch- care. This would sustain them in that afHiction, and in every other ; and, indeed, it would be a standing promise for all ages of the world. This view beautifully harmonizes with our Lord's first ef- forts to inspire his disciples with a fii-m belief and trust in a special providence. Matt. x. 28. " And fear not them which hill the hody^ but are not able to kill the soul : but rather fear Ilim which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29. Are not two sparrows sold for a larthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30. Sut the very hairs of your head are all nnmhored. 31. Fear ye not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." Tlie promise was also undoubtedly designed to assure them of a particular providence, not only in the sense of preserv- ing ^ when it should be best, but also in the sense of rem/uner- HABMONY AND EXPOSITION. 113 atiiig, when it should please God to cause or permit them to suffer " for his name's sake." In that careful estimation of all their sufferings and losses on his account, to serve as the basis of his gracious rewards, not a single hair injured in his behalf should be lost in the reckoning. And, in this sense, which is the only important sense, not one hair should be suffer- ed to perish : it should be preserved in that final gain of gloiy and enjoyment which all who suffer for Christ, and "endure unto the end," shall receive at the hand of their Master. And this view of the subject is in precise accordance with Chi-ist's own application of this promise, when he first gave it to his disciples. Let the reader satisfy himself by turning to the place just referred to, and read for himself how the Lord designed to be understood. Matt. X. 28-39. You will notice here that Christ was de- scribing the identical condition of things which has already been enlarged upon, without the least allusion to Jerusalem or the escape therefrmn. Has this matter been sufiiciently noticed by those commentators who are forever referring to Jerusalem ? "VYe notice in the passage alluded to, which the judicious reader has not failed to examine, that this is the conclusion and the application : " He that Jmdeth his life shall lose it ; a^id he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." May not this be applied to every ^anrt of the life ? The pi'incijple involved in this promise which we are enlarging upon, is suf- ficiently exhibited in another place : Matt. xix. 20. " And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, and shall inherit everlast- ing life." Here is the principle on which nothing, however trifling in itself, can be lost, if it is sacrificed for the name of Christ. And by using and applying the common proverl), which forms the substance of the promise, the Saviour un- doubtedly intended to teach them that all their sufferings and sacrifices — even to the very least — would finally be reward- ed to them, in the gracious remunerations of the resurrection state. Not one hair should perish ; in equivalence it would remain forever. 8 114 HAUMONT AND EXPOSITION. This would be comfort indeed ; comfort in all ages, in all circumstances, even in maimings, bruises, and death itself. Not only would he put all their tears in his bottle, (Ps. Ivi. 8,) but preserve all the hairs of their head. [Luke : In touk PAxrENCE possess te toue souls.] Rather, in jouv perseverance, or patient endttrance, (u-rojaovii,) of affliction, preserve {xrr^dadk) your souls. Others will lose their souls, by trying to avoid these afflictions, and gaining the world. They will be like those mentioned in the parable of the Sower, (Matt. xiii. 20, 21,) who received the seed in stony places : " He heareth the word, and anon with joy re- ceiveth it ; yet hath he no root in himself, but dureth for awhile ; for when tribulation or p&)'secution aHseth, hecause of the word, by and by he is offended.''^ He is one who cannot endure affliction; he falls away, and, of course, loses the promise : he does not endv/re vmio the end ; and, of consequence, he loses his soul. Tliis is the very character which our Lord had just been de- scribing : there would be many offended, or fall away, in consequence of these severe afflictions which would come upon the church everywhere. Seeking to save their lives, they would lose their souls. Shunning the dangers of the cross, they would renounce their Saviour, and their souls would per- ish. Bartering their Saviour for the world, they would make a wretched exchange : they would lose their smils. Now, what our Lord desired in this verse, seems to be just this : (and how well it liarmonises with the whole connections of the words !) Do not be of tlie number who fall away ; who cannot contimie through these afflictions. But persevere until the end is attained ; for, whether you live or die, not a hair of your head shall perish ; all will be treasured up to the day of final reward. " 'Qj patient coiitinuanc^' in well doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality," and God will " render" to you " eternal life." Rom. ii. 7. In this way you shall preserve your souls, "Tliou, therefore, endure lux/rd- ness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," 2 Tim. ii. 3. " But HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. 115 watch thou in all things, endure afflictions,^'' &c., chapter iv., V. See much more of the same import in the same epistle. And what has the admonition now under notice to do with the escape of a few hundred Christians from the besieged city ? How would such a restricted limitation of it apply to the world-wide, and age after age endured afflictions which are spoken of in connection with it? How does it happen that so many commentators appear to see nothing but Jerusalem in all these places ? What necessity, or, rather, what authority is there for such restricted applications of these ever-during admonitions and promises, which Christ designed for the sup- port and guide of his disciples forever ; and which, notwith- standing all the unfortunate misapplications of them, will, should, and mtist be instinctively looked upon by the unper- verted spiritual mind, as present admonitions, and present promises, for all similar conditions? It is not safe to overlook the instinctive promptings of the unsubverted spiritual mind. CHAPTER IV. - Principal sulject — Cokkuption and Declension of the CnuECH. False Prophets — Two classes of them — Influence upon the Church — Conso' lation and Warning — What preserves the Church — Difficult Text — Strange Salvation — Curious Comment — The Ti'uth discovered — A true Exposition — Import of the term World — Examples — How extensively the Gospel was Preached in the Apostolic Age — Meaning of The End — Erroneous Impression — Explanation — Design of the Prophecy — Anew Explanation — When, and IIow, the Jewish Dispensation was consumma- ted — The Beginning and the Ending — Objects of that Dispensation — Its effect upon common Providence — Error of the Jews — How corrected by Christ — Objection — Answer. Verse 11. And many false prophets shall eibe, and shall dkckivk many. This does not refer to the false Christs who had already appeared, but to false teachers who would arise in great num- 116 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. bers. And they would be. successful in deceiving many. Our Lord seems to have the church particularly in view ; yet what he affirms would be also true respecting the Jncs as a people. During the siege of Jerusalem, as Josephus informs us, (War, B. 6, c. 5, 2,) " A false proj)het was the occasion of these people's destruction, who had made a public proclama- tion in the city that very day, that God commanded them to get up upon the temple, and that there they should receive miraculous signs of their deliverance. Now there was then a great number of false prophets suborned by the tyrants to imjiose on the people, who announced to them, that they should wait for deliverance from God." But the false prophets, or teachers, now referred to by the Lord, were such as would come at an eariier n), the love of mant shall wax COLD. How could it be otherwise ? either that iniquity should not abound, under these circumstances ; or, abounding, that the love of many should not wax cold ? With such a woful state of things in the church, iniquity would pour in like a flood, extinguishing the flame of love in many hearts. But who would have anticipated such dreadful coiTuptions in the church, so soon after the resurrection of the Saviour? "While the blood of martyrdom was even then fertilizing the earth, who would have expected such a luxuriance of wicked- ness in the church ? It was even as Omniscience foretold. Even under the apostolic ministry and government; within the same generation that witnessed the baptism of Pentecost ; in spite of divine admonitions, and living apostolic inspira- tions ; notwithstanding all, the true church of Christ became infested with schisms and heresies, and cm'sed with abound- ing wickedness. From this we may learn two things: 1. To beware of pride and vain glorying. 2. liTot to despair : not even in the most discouraging times. And when we see wickedness abounding in the church, as well as in the world, we need not give up all for lost ; it is nothing new under the sun ; and God will still have a seed to serve liim. " The love of many shall waas cold^ And it would be wonderful indeed if it were otherwise, in such circumstances as these. "When the very fuel of purity and truth, that was designed to feed the flame of love, is with- held, and every disadvantage is in successful operation, love must grow cold ; there is nothing left to sustain it. With these persecutions from without, making havoc of the church ; and with th^e cormpters making havoc within, is it not sur- prising that the church was preserved ? It is surprising, when we consider matters as they appear to the mere philoso- pher ; but it is not surprising, when we consider that the church is founded upon a Kock, and that God has sworn by himself to defend and preserve it. The church'has a vitality, in consequence of these diTine provisions, which her ene- 118 HARilONY AND EXPOSITION. mies are unable to destroy ; and ber identity is as imperisha- ble as tbe souls that compose it. Verse 13. But he that suall kndure unto the end, the same shall be saved. To tbe end of wbat ? Sball be saved from wbat ? Two celebrated commentaries now before tbe writer, wbicb abound witb tbe favorite Jerusalem idea, pass entirely over this verse ! Did it stand in tbe way of a favorite theory ? Two or three others touch it so lightly, as to hardly treat it witb common respect. But one noted commentary of world-wide reputa- tion thus expounds : '■'■But he that shall endure — the persecutions that sball come — vmio the end ,' to the destruction of the Jewish polity, without growing cold or apostatising — shall be saved, &ha\\ be delivered in all imminent dangers, and have his soul at last brought to an eternal glory. It is very remarkable that not a single Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusa- lem, though there were many there when Cestius Gallus invested the city ; and bad he persevered in the siege, he would soon have rendered himself master of it ; but when he unexpectedly and unaccountably raised the siege, the Chris- tians took that opportunity to escape." {Dr. Clarice.) Shall be saved from wbat ? Why, " he shall be delivered in all imminent dangers." How definite ! How satisfactory ! It is this, then : " He that shall oudure unto the end" — "-of the Jewish polity, without growing cold or apostatising, shall he saved ) shall be delivered in all imminent dangers ! " Docs this mean saved from all imminent dangers ? or, being in such dangers, they shall be saved in them ? To say they shall be saved from all imminent dangers, is flatly contra- dictory to the plainest historical facts, relating to the history of the church in those after days. To say they sball be saved m all imminent dangers, is nonsense, and a total perversion of the word. But the commentary moans, that " not a single Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem." Ah, that is the salvation, then. Ho that endures to the end of the danger, shall be saved from, or in, that danger! "Well, this is information ! He that perseveres in endurance until all HAEMONT AND EXPOSITION. 119 the calamities are brought to an end, shall be saved from those calamities ! What a salvation ! But what is the end until which they must endure ? Until the end " of the Jewish polity," says the commentary. Ycry well ; when did that end take place ? This same authority applies the 29^A verse to that event, which relates to things, " immediately after the tribulation of those days ! " Worse and worse ! It amounts to this, then : If they endure until " after the tribulation of those days," they shall he sa/vedfrom 'perishing in that trihulation ! There are two things in this comment which are deserving of especial notice : (1.) They must endure to the end of the Jewish polity.) which was " after the tribulation of those days ; " and, (2.) They made their escape from those calami- ties at the time Cestius Gallus invested the city, which was at the beginning of the war, and several years before the tribulation of those days was ended ! Put this and that together, and call the product salvation ! But the end was the end of the war. No ; the war lasted several years after this escape. It was the end of the siege. No ; the final siege had not yet begun. Well, at all events, it was the end of something that terminated about those days. Yery good ; but as the promise reads, " He that endureth unto the end shall be saved," it is proper to ask two or three questions : (1.) Suppose, by reason of disease, accident, or violence, they should be unable to endure to the end of the Jewish polity ; does the promise save them ? (2.) Suppose tliey endure unto that end, and then apostatise, as some that we read of in the book of Revelation, does the promise save them? It is worthy of notice that the commentator seemed to distrust his own teachings ; for, in connection with this tem- poral salvation, he speaks of another ; " Shall be delivered in all imminent dangers, and have his soul at last brought to an eternal glory. ''^ Truly, this puts a new face upon the whole matter ; it looks very differently now. But how does it look in the connection in which it stands ? Let us see : " He that endureth to the end" — " of the Jewish polity," trouble, war, 120 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. Biege, or something else that is going to end about those times — shall "have his soul brought to an eternal glory ! " "Well, this is both definite and evangelical ! "We know now just how long to remain steadfast in order to obtain eternal glory ! But you mistake the commentary : it means, He that en- dureth — to the end of life. Does it, indeed ? Tlien why not intimate such a thing ? "Why not say it at once, and avoid this most wretched way of " darkening counsel by words without knowledge ? " To the end of life. Yery good ; this is right ; it is a pity that the thing was not stated so in the exjjosition ! This agrees with both common sense and Scripture ; for jyrobation continues durijig life / and until life is ended, the promise is not made sure. The spirit of the promise is this : " Be thou laithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Rev. ii. 10. It was in prospect of immediate death that the apostle was permitted to say, 2 Tim. iv. G, " For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith ; 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the right- eous Judge, shall give me at that day," &c. And this agrees with our Lord's use of the promise in Matt. x. 22, where there does not appear to be tlie remotest allusion to the Jewish war. How much better than the above quoted comment is that of Richard "Watson! Says he, on this text, — "Kot to the end of these persecutions and troubles ; for men may outlive their sufferings for Christ's sake, and the grace, too, which carried tliem through the trial, and fall away in times of sub- sequent ease and prosperity. Much loss are we to underetand, with others, by being sa/oed, being delivered from the calami- ties of the siege of Jerusalem ; for these words, like the pre- ceding verses, refer to Christians tliruughout the world, and not merely to those in Jerusalem, or even in Judea. The salvation, as the connection shows, is eternal salvation ; and it is promised to them that endure. Here the word ub-o/xsvw HAEMOmr AND EXPOSITION. 121 may be taken in the sense of remmmng when others aposta- tise and depart ; or in the sense of patiently sustaining all the afflictions, and conflicts, and temptations spoken of, to the end of life ; for then only is our salvation secure and certain." This is wholesome, scriptural, and satisfactory. But such expositions as the one just before examined, cannot be too earnestly deprecated. But our task with that kind of com- menting is not yet finished ; there is much more to come. Verse 14. And this gospkl of the kingdom shall be preached in all the ■WORLD FOR A WITNESS UNTO ALL NATIONS ; AND THEN SHALL THE END COME. Whether the word world in this verse should be understood in its most extensive import, as it is used in some places ; or whether it should be understood in a somewhat limited sense, as it is not unfrequently used, admits of a question. There can be no doubt, however, but that it should be understood in a very general sense, as including the greater proportion of the habitable earth. Perhaps the ordinary colloquial import of the term is sufficiently definite. We say all the world was represented in the great London Exhibition. But we do not wish to be understood in the most exact and extensive sense. Alexander conquered the world, is a very common expression ; but no one understands it in its most extensive import. Luke ii. 2. " Tliere went out a decree from Csesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed." Here is the same original word that is used in the verse under notice. But it evidently means the Roman empire, which did by no meansj^include literally all the world. But the word before us, in its present connections, should not be limited to the empire ; for it was to be " unto all nations." It is possible that it should be as unrestricted in its ajiplication, as it is in Mark xvi. 15. " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." True, the word in this text is xotfiJLov, and the word in the verse under examination is oixov/xsvr] ; but a little attention to the use of the words will show that they are used interchangeably. In Ro- mans x. 18, we have this latter word used to show the general promulgation of the gospel : " I say, Have they not heard? 122 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the (oixovixsvy)?) world." Li Colossians i. 6, we have the other word ; speaking of the general sj^read of the gospel, it is said, " Which is come unto you, as it is in all the (xorfixw) world." In Acts xvii. 31, where the universal judgment is spoken of, the same word is used that we find in the verse under notice. "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the (oixovjjievijv) world in righteous- ness, .... wliereof he hath given assurance unto all raen^^ &c. We perceive hy this that the word raay mean, and sometimes does mean, the whole habitable world. And there is not only no particular reason for restricting the word in the verse before us ; but, on the other hand, there is reason for understanding it in its fullest signification. Tliis is shown by the above quotations from Rom. x. 18, and Col. i. 6, where it is distinctly afiirmed that the gospel had been carried throughout the world. And the same thing is affirmed very plainly in the 23d verse of the last mentioned chapter : " Which was preaclied to every creature under heaven." And this is proved also by reliable history. Eusebius, B. 2, c. 3, says, (and he speaks of the period before the destruc- tion of Jerusalem,) " Thus, then, under a celestial influence and cooperation, the doctrine of the Saviour, like the rays of the sun, quickly irradiated the whole world. Presently, in accordance with divine prophecy, tlie sound of his inspired evangelists and apostles had gone throughout all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." It would seem as if these proofs ought to be deemed sufficient to establish the conclusion respecting the extent of the signification of tliis word, especially as there is nothing to show to the contrary. " And then shall the end come?'' Wliat end is here intended? Answer — the end about which they inquired ; but not the end as they imderstood it. "What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of tlie end of the (aiwvof) afje^ or dispensation f This rendering is according to the best authorities. The question appears to liave been this : What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the (covteXeio^) HAJtMONT AND EXPOSITION. 123 finishing, ov consummation of tlie (ai^vog) «^6 — the present age, or duration of time that is to term^inate when thou com- est ? Bj examining the cliapter devoted to these inquiries, (Part 1, chap. 3,) there will be no difficulty in understanding what follows. The end here spoken of is undoubtedly the same that they had in view m their interrogations. It had a Jewish signification, and related to the closing up of the a»cjvof then passing, and the establishment of the Messianic dispensation. But the manner in which they propounded their questions, manifested confusion and error in their appre- hension of the subject. And the Tlieory of this Exposition supposes that this discourse of our Lord was designed to cor- rect their erroneous impressions, and confirm them in the truth. The note of "Wesley is to the point, and characteristic of his remarkable clearness and precision. "The disciples inquire confusedly, 1, Concerning the time of the destruction of the temple ; 2, Concerning the signs of Christ's coming, and of the end of the world, as if they imagined these two were the same thing." The confusion of the disciples had respect to two things — 1. Supposing that Christ's coming spiritually, for the establish- ment of the Mediatorial kingdom, which would be during their own natural lifetime, was the same as the personal, visible advent for the judgment of the world, which will be at the final consummation — not of the Jewish period — but of the probation of the nations of the earth, when all nations shall be judged. They were also in error, 2, In supposing that the destruction of the temple would be synchronous with the coming of Christ, as they understood that coming, and as just above explained. This statement of the case is of great importance to a correct understanding of what follows. In view of the erroneous impression of the disciples, our Lord undertakes to show them three things : 1, The (rfuvrsXsia) consummation of that age ; 2, Tlie destruction of the temple, and its attending calamities ; 3, The judgment advent of the Son of man, at the end of the world. These three things he presents in their respective order, and 124: HAEMONY AKD EXPOSITION. gays the strictest regard to the chronology of the events. The verse under notice rehates to tlie consummation of the then present (awvof) age ; and it teaches not only when, but how, it should terminate. The author is apprised that what lie is about to advance concerning the time and manner of closing up the Jevnsh age is entirely new. And it ought to be new ; for, after years of research, he has not had the happiness of finding any ex- planation of this subject that has appeared to be consistent either with the Scriptures, or with itself. But to the question : " And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come." The complete and literal accomplishment of the fii-st part of this prediction, has already been shown in the proper place. And it has been proved to have been fulfilled during the apostolic times. We now proceed to speak of the end which should result from that fulfillment. God raised up, separated, and peculiarly distinguished and governed, the Jewish people. And it was for the accomplish- ment of a distinct and peculiar puqDose, during a definite and limited time. They were chosen to receive a jjarticular knowledge of the nature and will of God, and to preserve that knowledge in the midst of the darkness and idolatry of the world ; so that, at a more suitable time, when God should think advisable, it might be communicated to the world generally. Intimately connected with this general design, there was another, more specific, and, if possible, more important : Tlic world was, in due time, to be taught (perhaps it should read, retaught) the divine method of salvation, through the sacrifi- cial suficriug and death of God's own beloved Son, Hence, for this two-fold purpose, the Jews received not only the moral law, by whicli is tlie knowledge of sin ; l)ut also the ceremonial law, by which to sliow the salvation from sin. The moral law of necessity implies and contains all appropri- ate doctrines and duties. Tlic ceremonial law as necessarily HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION. 125 contained multiform typical services, designed to show both the necessity and nature of salvation, through the sacrificial Buflfering and death of another. These statements need not be enlarged upon, in this connec- tion, for they are understood by all who will candidly examine this Exposition. Now this two-fold purpose God undertook to accomplish by means of the Jewish nation, until Divine Wisdom should see fit to fufiU the typical dispensation, by the sacrificial death and offering of Jesus Christ once for all. Christ was the Lamb of God to which all previous offerings significantly pointed. Whatever human ignorance may think of this, it was undeniably the design and method of Infinite Wisdom. And the Jewish people were selected for the purpose of carry- ing this double purpose forward to completion. As one would reasonable expect, the divine administration over the world had always a particular respect to the accom- plishment of this object, as it was, for a definite period, com- mitted to the Jews. This great purpose was ever distinctly in view by the divine Mind, in all the principal events of that former dispensation. All would be dark, inexplicably dark, and unsatisfying, but for this. Kow, that period of time during which this matter was intrusted to that peojjle, and for whose sake, on this account, the world was more or less affected and governed, was em- phatically the Jewish {aiuvos) age. Everything in the divine administration was more or less Jewish in its reference and tendency, for this specific reason. It was a peculiar age for a peculiar purpose. And as it was not designed to be eternal, but temporary, it was necessarily limited to the period of its propriety, and then must terminate. The time of limiting the light of God's will and nature to that people, must in due time have an end ; and then God would send out his light and his truth abroad unto all people. Then there would be no longer any necessity or propriety in confining to that people the glad tidings of salvation through the redemption wrought out by the world's Redeemer. The door of information and privilege must then be opened to the 126 HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. excluded nations. The middle wall of separating exclusive- ness must then be broken down. And this must terminate that peculiar dispensation. It will then have accomplished its purpose ; and will be dismissed from its position in the divine government. But it would not be corrvpletely ended in a moment, for it did not completely begin in a moment. It required progressive and gradual consummation hoth in heginning and ending. We might suppose that ajwvoj hegan with the call of Abraham ; but did it then have the written and ceremonial law ? Could it then systematically and significantly typify the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ? No ; and yet that age was, to some extent, hegun. We might suppose it began with the Exodus from Egypt ; but were the typical institutions completely selected and established ? 'No ; but there had been progress. It was not until after the giving of the law, and the consecration of the Levitical priesthood, and the setting up of the tabernacle, that tlie typical aiuvoj was fulli/ established. It was not unbegun before ; but it was uncomplete until then. Just so in the ending or consummation of that period ; it is easy to perceive that even with John the Baptist it began to terminate : " The law and the prophets were until John ; since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Luke xvi, 16. And wiien Christ and his first embassy of apostles began to preach, " The kingdom of heaven is at hand," there had been progress from John; but there was still farther progress to make. Tlie new dis- pensation began to jostle and to crowd the other ; but both seemed for a time to coexist. The dawning of the new day began to shed twilight over the Israelitish hills ; but the day liad not yet fully come. " Let thy kingdom come," was still the prayer of the church. And yet the Saviour afiirmed, " K I by the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt but tlie king- dom of God is come upon you." Luke xi. 20. The view of the subject here defended, is the only one that can naturally harmonize thoi^e passages whicli teach that the kingdom liad come, was nighy and was yet to come. The fact is, the new HAKMOlfY AND EXPOSITION. 127 dispensation was gradual in comjjleting its heginning / and the old dispensation was as gradual in comjpl-eting its consum- mation. When the Lamb of God was made an oifering for sin, so far as sa/ving efficacy was concerned, the old dispensa- tion was ended, and the new one established. But still the time had not yet arrived for ojKning the door to the Gentiles / the keys were already in the hands of the apostles ; but they had not learned how to use them. They were instructed in relation to their duty to disciple all nations ; but commanded to begin at Jerusalem, and for a season to tarry there. God had not yet granted this salvation to the Gentiles. But the old dispensation, in regard to its exclusive- ness, was now ended ; the door of salvation was opened to the whole world. Yet one thing of importance remained : the hitherto excluded nations must now be infoi'medoi their com- mon election to the privileges of the new dispensation ; and the far-off and universally scattered tribes of Israel, yet remaining in conscientious observance of the fulfilled institu- tions of the Jewish aiwvo?, must now be visited by the ambas- sadors of the new kingdom, and invited to bow to the sceptre that governs to save. The obligation^ the exclusiveness, the primleges^ and the efficacy of the Jewish dispensation home already ended / and hut this one thing remains to complete its t&rmi/)%ation. Wlien shall the end be ? and how shall it be ? Answer : " And this gospel of the hingdom shall he preached in all the world, for a witness mito all nations ; and then shall the END BE." As from the call of Abraham to the setting up of the tabernacle, it was progressing to its complete heginning y so from the days of John until this universal testimony to the nations, it was passing away, one thing after another, until its complete endmg. This shall be the end. But the end would not come as they supposed it would. They thought Christ would then make his appearance in hia judgment character, to establish such a worldly kingdom as the Jews were generally and fondly expecting. They antici- pated some great and violent commotion, of which the 128 HARMONY ANT) EXPOSITION. destruction of tlie unbelieving Jews, with tlieir holy house, would be a part. Tlie predicted commotions and general judgment of the nations, at the closing uj) of the Gospel age, as related in Matt. xiii. and elsewhere, they had confounded with the extensive commotions and particular judgment of the Jewish people, at the closing up of the Jewish age. And this great mistake originated from their erroneous conceptions of Messiah's kingdom. The discourse of Christ wa.s undoubt- edly intended to correct tlieir errors ; and most clearly did it do so, if we may judge from its adaptation. It is lamentable that this misconception of the matter which the disciples manifested, and which our Lord undertook to correct, should still be propagated, to the confusion of God's people, and the encouragement of error and delusion. Up to this point in the prophecy, our Lord has accomplished two things : 1. lie has corrected their misconception, that the end of the Jewish age would synchronise with his second personal coming to judgment. He has passed on from one event to another, with strict regard to the chi'onologic order, and conducted them down to the end of which they inquired, without a single reference to his personal coming. Thus has he corrected their erroneous impression in respect to that point. 2. In the second place, he has taught them that the nature of his kingdom* is not such as they expected : it will not come " with observation : " it will not be an earthly, visi- ble kingdom ; but one that will be established and spread abroad by the suifering, martyrdom, and testuuony of his disciples ; and its establishment completed by the miiversal proclamation of the Gospel. To this view there may be urged this objection : Tliat the phrase rfuvreXEiag rou aiwvoff, in Matt, xxiv., and which event ter- minated before the fall of Jerusalem, is the same as in Matt, xiii., where it evidently refers, not to the end of the Jewish age, but to the end of the world. Tlic point of tlie objection is this : Tliat in Matt. xxiv. the aiuwg terminated prc^^ously to the destruction of Jerusalem ; • During the Gospel diepensation. HABMONT AOT) EXPOSITION. 129 whereas, in Matt. xiii. we understand tlie term to refer to the end of the world, at the day of judgment. Just so ; and this is the answer — 1. Tou aiwvoff, in Matt, xxiv., was evidently the Jewish age, which had just been the subject of discourse, and was then the matter of conversation and inquiry. 2. But, in Matt, xiii., the Jewish age or dispensation was neither directly nor indirectly referred to ; and did not in any sense form the subject of inquiry or discourse. 3. The "kingdom of heaven" — the Messianic age — was distinctly and confessedly the subject of the parables contain- ing the phrase in question. And in every instance, to guard against being misunderstood, the parables were thus intro- duced — " Tlie kingdom of heaven is like," &c. ' 4. Finally, as must be evident to all, the aiwvo^ referred to in both portions of the record, was the specific age which was then the special subject of inquiry and discourse. Therefore, what is affirmed of the end of the aiuvo? in Matt, xiii, has no proper connection with what is affirmed of the end of the aiwvoj in the verse under comment; for, in one place, the swTsXsia, of the Jewish dispensation is referred to ; and, in the other place, the tfuvreXsia of the Messianic. 9 180 HAEMONY AND EXPOSITION- CHAPTER V. Principal subject — Fught of the Cheistiaks. Progressive order of the Prophecy — What is indicated by the Inquiries that led to the Prophecy — When did the Christians flee from Jerusalem? — • Difficulty in determining — Strange blunders in quoting Ilistory — What was the Signal for beginning the Flight — Abortive efforts to determine — The Source of Information — Probable time of the Flight — Three Consid- •jrations — Interesting Parenthesis — Further Information concerning the Flight — Two Aspects of the Signal — Wisdom of the Lord's Direction — Benefit to Christians of all countries — Description of the Flight — Regu- lations of the Flight — IIow the Families were Saved — Our Lord's Proph- ecy partly a Compilation — Why tliose days were called Days of Vengeance — How long they were to continue — An important consideration — Con- dition of Women with young Children — Time of the Year when the Flight occurred — Why not on the Sabbath — Numbers Destroyed and taken Cap- tive during the War — The Elect for whose sake those days were shortened. Verne 15. When ye tuerefore ssall see [Luke: Jeedsalkm compassed with AiMIEs] THE abomination OF DESOLATION SPOKEN OF BY DaNIELTOE PHOPHET [STAND- ING] [Mark: where it ought not,] in the holy place, (whoso eeadeth, let him UNDERSTAND,) [Luke : then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.] Verse 16. Then let them which be in Judea fi.ee into the mountains. Having finished hia discourse respecting the events which would occur previously to the first siege of Jerusalem, and thereby answered the inquiry concerning the consummation of that age, our Lord now proceeds to speak of the time and manner of tlie destruction of the temple, and the attending and resulting calamities. This would answer another of their inquiries, and remove their erroneous impressions respecting the successive order of the events. From the order of their interrogations, it would seem that they had either no definite conception of the chronologic relation of the events, or else supposed that tlie first in order would bo the destruction of tlie temple ; following that, the coming of Christ ; then, the end of the world. Our D)rd now gives them to understand, (1.) That the several HAEMONY AJSTD EXPOSITION. 131 events would not occur at the same time, but would transpire in a determinate order. (2.) That the first would be the end of the aiwvojj about which they inquired ; then, the destruction of the temple, and the general desolation. He now proceeds to speak of the period of time that follows the consummation of the Jewish aiwvo?, — a period which is not yet finished ; and will not be, until Jerusalem ceases to be trodden down under the feet of the Gentiles. " When ye t/ierefore shall see Jerusalem com/passed with afmiesP The destruction and desolation would be effected by armies. The city should be besieged — compassed with armies. It would not be desolated by earthquakes, or by any natural con- vulsion; but men — men in armies — would destroy it. In this we observe again the definiteness and minuteness of our Lord's predictions. When they should see' these surrounding armies, they were directed to take their fiight into the mountains. Now it may be supposed by some that there could be no difficulty in ascertaining the precise time when the Christians were to begin their flight. But after a thorough investigation of this subject, the author finds that this point is involved in great uncertainty. It is generally supposed to refer to the siege at the beginning of the war, when Cestius Gallus so suddenly and unexpectedly retired from the city. Tliere are many affirmations to this effect ; but there are but few references to history. And, what is certainly surprising, the uswil ref- erences do not sustoum the jpovnt which they are quoted to^rave. For instance, Newton on the Prophecies,* p. 344, assumes and explains as follows : " When therefore the Roman army shall adfvance to hesiege Jerusalmin^ then let them who are in Judea consult their own safety, and fly intasianf Could a signal that was designed to excite such general and breathless haste, be of such a nature as to occur at intervals, and be several years in having its complete fulfillment ? It is possible, after all, to throw some light upon this inter- esting subject. But, in doing so, the Scriptures must be our principal source of information. To know what the signal was, let it be observed, (1.) That it was " the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, where it ought not" And our Saviour himself* defines it to be in some way asso- ciated with " Jerusalem compassed with armies." By turning to the prophecy of Daniel, chapter ix. 26, we find what our Lord probably had in view : "And the people of the prince that shall come, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary ; and the end thereof shall be with a flood ; and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27. And he shall con- firm the covenant with many for one week : and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that de- termined shall be poured upon the desolate." In chapter xii. 11, we have another reference to the same thing : "And trom * See the Harmony, or the passage at the head of this chapter. 136 HAEMONY AND EXTOSITION. the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken a"vraj, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up," &c. Now, without the liistory of the fulfillment of what has already been accomplished, it would probably be very difiicult to understand this prophecy to which Christ referred. And, even now, there are some expressions which we may not be able to comprehend. But, favored with a subsequent parallel prediction, and a subsequent history, we may safely conclude that the, " city and the sanctuary " that were to be destroyed, were Jerusalem and its temple. And, by " the people of tlie prince," we should understand the Romans. " The end there- of shall be with a flood ; and unto the end of the war defsola- tions are determined," probably indicates that, at the beginning of the war, " the people of the prince " would come in com- paratively small numbers ; but, in " the end thereof," they would come in much greater numbers : they would overflow like a flood. "And unto tlie end of the war desolations are determined," seems to indicate that, from the small beginnings, there should continue to flow a full tide of desolations, until the whole land should be made desolate. " The daily sacrifice" was to be " taken away," and " the abomination of desolation set up." The first part of this prediction would of course be accom- plished, when the sanctuary was destroyed ; and the setting up of the abomination of desolation may refer to the planting of the idolatrous Roman ensigns in the courts of the temple, where Jehovah had recorded his name. But when was this accomplished ? There was a remarkable instance of the kind during the administration of Pontius Pilate, which occasioned a tremendous commotion among the Jews. See Josephus, Ant. B. 18, c. 3, s. 1. But this instance of setting up the abomination in the holy place occurred at too early a period to have been the one alluded to by Christ. Besides, it was not connected with the other circumstances which should attend the instance described by him. The most noted in- stance that happened subsequently, was, when Titus took and destroyed the lower city, and the lioly house was burned. "And now tlie Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into HAHMONT AKD EXPOSITION. 137 the [upper] city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple ^^ and set them over against the eastern gate ; and there they offered sacrifices to themP War^ B. 6, G. 6, s. 1. IsTow this instance of setting up the abomination in the holy place, " where it ought not," occurred when the daily sacrifice was permanently taken away ; for the place of sacrificing was itself destroyed. But, notwithstanding, this could not have been the setting up of the abomination which the Lord had in view ; for it was now too late for the Christians either to avoid the war in the country, or the siege in the city, since the transaction took place at the close of the war. Were it not for this single consideration, the exact correspondency of this event with the prediction by Daniel, would render it quite certain that it was the precise period which Christ had in view, as the signal for the Christians' flight. These various considerations appear to make it almost cer- tain, that the disciples beheld the watched-for signal for begin- ning their flight, at the time that Cestius so imexpectedly retreated from the city. But it must be evident that our reasons for this conclusion are founded less in the manifesta- tion of the signal, as described by the Lord, than in the appro- priateness of the time. Those who venture to assert anything on this subject, ought not to be very positive ; and those who undertake top7'ove it by references to ancient history, under- take — as we have already shown — a very difficult thing. There are three considerations which render the common conviction in reference to the time of the flight quite probable — perhaps certain. 1. The retreat of Cestius happened at the right time for Christians to escape, so as to avoid the miseries of the war. When the invader fled from the city, there was no hindrance from without to prevent their escape. And when the Jewish warriors rushed out in pursuit, there was probably nothing within the city to prevent the escape. Per- haps this was the only moment during the whole war when * The walls, of course, were still standing. 138* HAEMomr and exposition. botli the parties that might have prevented the flight, were situated so as to ofler no impediment. 2. As this hasty re- treat and instant pursuit were wholly unlooked for by any of the people, and probably began in a moment of unaccountable panic on the part of the Romans, the Christians would very properly seize upon that instant to obey their Lord's direction, not knowing how soon the Romans, or the Jewish warriors, might return. And at that moment, probably, the gates were neither shut nor guarded. And this may satisfactorily account for the urgency and raj>idity of the flight. And it may be ob- served, too, as an important circumstance, that the retreat of Cestius was down the north-western way to the coast, leaving unguarded the road by Jericho across the river, for the Chris- tians to escape to the mountains east of Jordan. 3. Something may be offered, likewise, in relation to one of the signs which were to apprise tliem when to flee to the hills : Jerusalem was to be encompassed with armies. Ti"ue, it was not so at that morneni ; for if it had been, how could they have escaped ? But then it had been surrounded ; and as soon as this part of the signal was fulfilled, the disciples probably understood that the time had arrived ; and they may have been seriously embarrassed with the impracticability of obeying the Lord's admonition. It is not unlikely that it became a subject of in- quiry, debate, and prayer. Tlie signal was displayed ; the voice of the Lord seemed to sound in their ears. Escape to the mountains ; but how could they obey him ? " Jerusalem was compassed with armies :" the very signal to flee prevented their flight. To endeavor to desert to the Romans would in- sure death from the Jews ; and to try to escape in any other way would insure death from the Romans. Besides, supposing that the more courageous and athletic of the Christian men should succeed in spite of both Jew and Roman ; what would become of the wcmien and children f "Would a Christian hus- band and father flee from danger and suffering, and leave his family without his presence and protection ? Did our Saviour give such direction to escape, and foresee no ai)propriate op- portunity? " Stand still," O ye believing, watching, yet trem- bling saints, and " see the salvation of the Lord ! " The time HAKMONY AND EXPOSmON. 139 of flight has come. Prepare your families for the escape. Understand among yourselves how and where to go. Post your sentinels upon the house-tops, and wait and listen for the TThoment to flee. All ajpjpeavances are against you ; but the word of the Lord is sure : wait in readiness ; wait in faith. Hark! do you hear that tumult? Is it the battle cry of the Romans as they break into the temple ? I^ay, verily : they retreat ! they retreat ! The Jews rush out in disorder after them ! They pause not to close the gates ! The highway to the hills is open ! Fly ! fly to the mountains ! Christian father, bear the youngest on your bosom ; lead the feeble by the hand : the God of the individual is the God of the family ; ye may all escape together. And it may be observed, furthermore, that " the abomina- tion that maketh desolate," if it referred to the ensigns of the Romans, was at that time seen to " stand in the holy place, where it ought not." For Cestius had just then succeeded in making his way to the very gates of the temple, and seemed on the very point of breaking in. And, if the symbols of idolatry were not set up within the very shadow of the sanc- tuary, at least the idolaters were there, and were battering the very gates that enclosed it. From this position of progress and success, the panic-struck besieger desisted and fled, to the surprise of the besieged, and to the pleasure and deliverance of the Chjistians. " Whoso readeth^ let him understand^ This parenthetic admonition was perhaps spoken by our Lord himself ; not with reference to the foreseen record of his own prophecy, but to the j)rophecy of Daniel, to which he had just referred. It is possible, however, that it was added by the evangelists Matthew and Mark, and referred to what they had just recorded. It is an unusual and remarkable addition to the discourse, whether spoken by Christ, or added by the historians. The wisdom of the advice, however, is quite evident ; for, plain as the matter may be deemed by some, the foregoing observations have probably proved that unusual attention must be given to the sifbject, in order to 140 HARMONY AJSTD EXPOSITION. niiderstand it. Tliis is a principal reason for permitting it to occui^y so many of these pages. " TKen know that the desolation thereof is nigh" The ruin of the city, and the destruction of the temple, about which you inquire, will then be nigh at hand. The Jews may, indeed, obtain some immediate advantage over their enemies, and chase them away ; and the city may be delivered from the imminent danger. But it will be for a short time only ; for the desolation of the city is nigh at hand. The retreating Komans will soon return with a still mightier force, and overflow the land with desolation and death, as the prophet Daniel has foretold. Understand the prophecy, for it applies to this very thing ; and when you behold the signal which I give you, remember that the ruin which he foretold, and which I foretel, is nigh at hand. " Theii Id them which he in Judeaflee into the mountains" Do not trust the appearance of the triumph which the Jews may gain over the Romans, and settle down, hoping not to be molested again. Wlicn the danger shall seem to be removed, and men shall rejoice, and anticipate an easy defence in fu- ture attacks, then do you improve the opportunity, and flee into the mountains. Not only flee from Jerusalem, but from every part of the country ; for the desolation that shall destroy the city, shall first deluge the whole land : every part shall be laid waste. Men may cry, Peace and safety ; but do not be deceived ; flee for your lives to the mountainous refuges, where the destroyer may not pursue you. "Z EXPOSITION. 145 suflficiently prompt all wlio had confidence in the wisdom of their Lord. How would any intelligent association of people act in a case like this ? "Would they not carefully consider, and en- deavor to understand, the admonitions that were designed to preserve them ? "Would they not have an understanding among themselves, in relation to the manner of escaping, and the place of final rendezvous ? And as those who might be in the fields at the time to begin the flight, were warned not to return for their garments, can we suppose they were so destitute of both intelligence and affection, as not to have made provision for the escape of their families, and for a future assembling ? After making the time and the method of escape a matter of conference, reading, and (verse 20) prayer, as would be very natural, would they go to the fields to labor, with no certainty — and in case of hearing of the signal — with no permission, of returning, and yet have made no provision for the escape of the families at home ? Impos- sible. How could the Christian husband and father, in these cir- cumstances, go to his distant labor in the fields, and be so intent on making his own escape, as to leave his wife and little ones to perish at home? No doubt when the pious parent presented his family to the care of God in his morning worship, he made this subject one of the fervent themes of supplication ; and when he gave them his morning adieu, and went into the fields, he was assured, from previous arrange- ment, that if he should be obliged to begin his flight before returning home, he should greet his family again at the ap- pointed place of gathering. And why has not this subject been deemed worthy of a place among the multitudinous themes of our commentaries? A little light shed upon a matter of this kind is more congenial to the pious heart, and more favorable to the reputation of primitive Christianity, than many volumes of merely critical speculations, and the usual horrible details of corruption, carnage, and death. Are we attentive enough to what some may call the little things of history — the minuter developments of sanctified 10 146 HAKMONT AND EXPOSITION. humanity ? Is not our knowledge usually too rnucli addressed to the head^ and too little to the liecurt f And may not this be affirmed too generally of our standard biblical literature? Does it not tend more to make us merely learned, and criti- cal, than affectionate, humble, and holy ? This is the author's apology for deviating from the beaten track of Scripture exegesis in so many instances; and for endeavoring to make the heart of exegetical theology pulsate ■with a common feeling, and its countenance glow with a familiar experience. {Luke : Foe these be the days of vengeance, that all things which aeb •VraiTTISN MAT BE FULFILLED. 1 In many things the prophecy of Christ was strictly original ; but in respect to some things he merely affirmed what had been uttered by the more ancient prophets. We have noticed his reference to a part of the predictions of Daniel ; and tiow we have a more general allusion to the whole course of ancient prophecy. Much of the prophecy of Moses, and several other of the principal prophets, appears to point to the deso- lation of the Jewish nation and country ; and therefore our Lord distinctly identifies the calamities of which he was dis- coursing with those which had l)een predicted by others. " These he the days of vengeance." There had been other days of vengeance, when wrath was poured out with severity upon the Jewish people. But the time of which the Lord was now speaking, was '' the days of vengeance." These days of vengeance differed from the for- mer in three particulars : 1. Tlie vengeance was more severe. 2. It was of longer continuance ; so much so, tliat it was to last until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in ; thus extending tlirough many centuries, and reaching forward even beyond the present time. 3. And let it be observed particu- larly, these days of vengeance of which he was then speaking, were to continue until " all things wmcn are wehten may BE FULFILLED." To notice this appropriately is of vast importance to a tmo exposition of this discourse. Tlie Roman war, and even the HAEMONT AND EXPOSITION. 147 fatal siege, were but the commencement of those predicted days of vengeance. He who ventures to limit our Lord's prediction to the term of a few years, already long since past, assumes a responsibility which the author dare not covet. Popular, or unpopular, hazardous, or unhazardous, the author of this Treatise is fully determined to " speak as the oracles of God." If Moses, or Isaiah, or Jeremiah, or Ezekiel, or Daniel, or any other of the prophets, has written of calami- ties which the Jews yet suffer, or are yet to endure, as a people, then let it he distinctly understood^ and rememhered for future use, that those atoee peedicted afflictions weee' INCLUDED BY OUK LoED WITHIN THOSE DAYS OF VENGEANCE WHICH BEGAN WITH THE EoMAN WAE. And our Loi'd distinctly afiirms that the days of vengeance of which he was speaking, were to last " until all things which aee whitten may be FULFILLED." Reader, do not forget this : it will have much to do with several portions of the Exposition. Xow, as a specimen of what has been written by the prophets, read attentively Deuteronomy from tlie beginning of the twenty-eighth chapter. Much of it still continues unfulfilled ; and will not be accomplished until the final res- toration of Israel to their father-land, and their father's God. It should be observed, however, that Christ was not now describing the events of this long continued period of ven- geance ; but he was now simply stating what he more par- ticularly afiirms in the 24:th verse, that the days of vengeance which should begin as he predicted, would continue for a long time, until all the prophecies concerning them had been fulfilled. But the inquiries of the disciples, and the conse- quent design of the discourse, led him to speak with especial reference to that part of those days of vengeance in which Jerusalem should be destroyed. Verse 19. And \po csto them that abe with guild, and to them that give SUCK IN those days! Kot during the whole period of the days of vengeance, lasting, as we have seen, until the fulfillment of all that had been written ; but during the time of which he was then 148 HAItMONT AND EXPOSITION. jparticularly speaking, in order to adapt Lis discourse to the object he then had in view. For reasons too evident to be enlarged npon, the women who might be in the condition he describes, woukl be subject to peculiar dangers and sufierings. They would neither be in a condition to escape the calamities of the war, nor to endure them. Then would be affectingly fulfilled Christ's own prediction to the women of Jerusalem, as they wept and lamented over him, as he was led along through the streets to the cross: Lu. xxiii. 28. " Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say. Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." Josephus relates some instances of the sufl'ering of women and children, which are too horrible to be repeated without necessity. Verse 20. But pray te that tour fugdt be not in toe wtxtek, neithee on THE Sabbath day. As there is no probability whatever that the flight of the Christians occurred so late as the siege of Jerusalem by Ti- tus ; nor during the conduct of the war by Yespasian, when Jerusalem was not " compassed with armies ; " as all the probabilities of the case point to the invasion and siege by Cestius, at the beginning of the war ; there can be no pro- priety in diverting attention from the point in question, by showing that the approach of Vespasian, and the final siege by Titus, were not in the winter. It is sufficient to show that Cestius besieged the city when the Jews were celebrating the feast of Tabernacles, which was in the most pleasant part of the year. It was on the 30th day of Tisri that Cestius brought his army into the lower city. Tisri answers to the latter part of our September and the first part of October. This would be the date for beginning the flight from the country. It was eight or nine days after this that Cestius fled from the city. This was undoubtedly the time of flight from Jerusalem. A more favorable season of the year could not have been selected. Perhaps it is not susceptible of histoncal proof HAHMONT AND EXTOSITION, 149 tliat the flight was not on the Sabbath. J3ut there is sufficient moral proof that the prayers of the disciples were answered, as well with respect to the time of the week> as to the season of the year. It would have been unfortunate for them to begin their flight on the Sabbath ; for, (1.) The conscience of many would have been troubled on account of the strictness with which they had been taught to observe the Sabbath day. And, 2. It is certain that the Jews would have regarded their Sabbath traveling with offence ; and with increased prejudice against the 1 3ligion of the disciples. And, likewise, (3.) The gates of the cities and villages would be closed on that day, and en- trance into them, or escape from them, would be difficult. Besides, (4.) K the Jews should be disposed to hinder their flight from the country, they would — by their Sabbath trav- eling — be much more likely to be suspected of fleeing away, because all ordinary travel on that day was generally sus- pended. The Jews of Jerusalem^ however, as we learn from Jose- phus, ( TF«r, B. 2. c. 19,) were almost disregardful of the Sabbath day, so generally and so deeply had they sunk in moral degradation. Mr. Watson has a good thought concerning this praying about the day of their flight : " And were the march of Ro- man armies, and the decisions of Roman councils, to be interfered with in answer to the prayers of a few poor Chris- tians? Let philosophy scoff; but let faith adore ; so it was." Prayer has much more to do with the destiny of nations and man, than unbelievers are willing to acknowledge, or even Christians have power to comprehend. It was well, then, for the disciples to pray that their flight might neither be in the winter, nor on the Sabbath day. Verse 21. For then sdall be great tribulation \lMlce: in the land, and WRATH LTON THIS PEOPLE,] SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE. Some are disposed to consider this language hyperbolical ; but we should beware how we charge our Lord with exaggera- 150 hakmo:nt and exposition. tion. Mr. Watson observes, " This is not a hyperbolical expression ; for no one can read the narrative of the Jew Jo- Bephus, without acknowledging that this national calamity has no parallel. This narrative appears to have been written and preserved under a special providence, of which Josephus himself was unconscious, that future times, in the testimony of an eye-witness, and he not a Christian, might have a full and unexpected proof of the exact accomplishment of the words of Christ." Josephus himself says, ( Wa/r, Pref. s. 4.) " Accordingly, it appears to me, that the misfortunes of all men, from the beginning of the world, if they be compared to these of the Jews, are not so considerable as they were." Some idea of the unparalleled sufl'erings and desolations of those troublous times, may be obtained by considering merely the statistics of the deaths that occurred, and of the captives that were taken, during the war. Bishop IS^ewton, refering in each instance to Josephus, gives a general summary of the carnage and captivity of the war. " Of those who perished during the whole siege, [of Jerusalem,] there were, as Jose- phus says, 1,100,000. Many were also slain at other times and in other places. By the command of Florus, who was the first author of the war, there were slain^ at Jerusalem 3,600. By the inhabitants of Cesarea above 20,000. At Scythopolis above 13,000 ; at Ascalon, 2,500 ; at Ptolemais, 2,000 ; at Alexandria, under Tiberius Alexander the presi- dent, 50,000 ; at Joppa, when it was taken by Cestius Gallus, 8,400 ; in a mountain called Asamon, near Scpphoris, above 2,000 ; at Damascus, 10,000 ; in a battle with the Romans at Ascalon, 10,000 ; in an ambuscade near the same place, 8,000 ; at Japha, 15,000 ; of the Samaritans upon Mount Gerizim, 11,000; at Jotapata, 40,000 ; at Joppa, M-h on taken by Ves- pasian, 4,200 ; at Tarichea, 6,500 ; after the city was taken, 1,200 ; at Gamala, 4,000 slain ; besides 5,000 who threw themselves down a precipice ; of those who fled with John of Gishcala, 6,000 ; of the Gadarenes, 15,000 slain, besides an infinite number drowned ; in the villages of Idumea, above 10,000 slain ; at Gerasa, 1,000 ; at Macherus, 1,700 ; in the HAKMO]SrY Aim EXPOSITION. 151 wood of Jardes, 3,000; in the castle of Masada, 960 ; in Cyrene by Catullus tLie governor, 3,000. Besides these, many of every age, sex, and condition, were slain in the war, who were not reckoned ; but of these who are reckoned, the num- ber amounts to above 1,357,660 ; which would appear almost incredible, if their own historian had not so particularly enu- merated them. But besides the Jews who ' fell by the edge of the sword,' others were also to be ' led captive into all nations;' and considering the number of the slain, the num- ber of the captives too was very great. Tliere were taken particularly at Japha, 2,130 ; at Jotapata, 1,200 ; at Tarichea, 6,000 chosen young men were sent to Nero, the rest sold to the number of 30,400 ; besides those who were given to Agrippa ; of the Gadareness, 2,200 ; inldumea above 1,000. " Many besides these were taken at Jerusalem, so that, as Josephus himself informs us, the number of the captives taken in the whole war amounted to 97,000 ; the tall and handsome young men Titus reserved for his triumph ; of the rest, those above seventeen years of age were sent to the works in Egypt ; but most were distributed through the Ko- man provinces, to be destroyed in their theatres by the sword or by wild beasts ; those under seventeen were sold for slaves. " Of the captives many underwent hard fate. 11,000 of them perished for want. Titus exhibited all sorts of shows and spectacles at Cesarea, and many of the captives were there destroyed, some being exposed to the wild beasts, and others compelled to fight in troops against one another. At Cesarea, too, in honor of his brother's birth-day, 2,500 Jews were slain ; and a great number likewise at Berytus in honor of his father's. The like was done in other cities of Syria. Those whom he reserved for his triumph were Simon and John,, the generals of the captives, and seven hundred otliers of remarkable stature and beauty. Thus were the Jews mis- erably tormented, and distributed over tlie Roman provinces ; and are they not still distressed and dispersed over all the nations of the earth?" {JVewtan on the Prophecies, p. 365.) Of their sufferings from Continual alarms, from fatal accidents and diseases, from teri-ible famine, from ghastly wounds, from 152 HAKMOXY AND EXPOSITION. cold, heat, weariness and bereavement, it is impossible to express or imagine. Josephus is not the only source of infor- matioti ; but lie is every way sufficient to show the literal and minute fulfillment of our Lord's most extraordinary pre- diction. Verse 22. An© except those days should be shortened, there should no Fi,E8H BE SAVED ; BUT FOR THE elbct's saki;, \^Mark : whom he hath chosen,] those DAYS shall be SHORTENED. But who are the eled^ for whose sake those days should be shortened ? Probably the same as in verse 24. The general impression that it refers to the Christian Jews^ is most likely to be correct. God did not intend to make a full end of that race of people ; they have yet an important part to accom- plish in the great purposes of Divine Wisdom. But so gen- eral and terrible was the destruction that was brought upon them, that they might well have exclaimed, (Isa. i. 9,) "Ex- cept the Lord of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah." That is, they would have been so totally overthrown as to leave none of them alive. From the beginning God determined not to suffer them to be utterly destroyed, lie would have a portion in Jacob. The idea of a chosen remnant being preserved was familiar to the Jewish mind. Moses in his wonderful prophetic discourse and song, beginning in the twenty-eighth chap, of Deut., very distinctly describes the general and long-lasting desolation of the Jew- ish people ; but he just as distinctly affirmed the perpetual continuance of the race. By the prophet Isaiah, chap, x. they were likened to a forest of innumerable trees. Whereas, in their desolation, they should be thinned out until but a few were left. Verse 19. " And the rest of the trees of the forest shall be few, that a child may write them. 20. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escajped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote tliem ; but shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy (Jnc of Israel, in truth. 21. The remna/tit shall return, even the remnant of Jacoh^ unto the mighty HARMONY AND EXPOSITION. 153 God. 22. For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return." The same idea of preserving a, chosen remnant, is promi- irent also in chap. Ixv. verse 8. " Tims saith the Lord, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a blessing is in it ; so will I do foj my servant's sake, that I may not destroy them all. Yerse 9. And I mill bring forth a seed out of Jacdb^ and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains / and mine elect shall inherit it, and m/y s&r- vcmts shall dwell there^ By Jeremiah, in several places, the same idea of preserv- ing a remnant is set forth, as, e. g. in chap. v. verse 10. " Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy ; hut malce not a full endP Yerse 18. "Nevertheless, in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end of you." In chap. xxx. verse 11, we find the same idea: "For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee : though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end oftheer So in Amos, chap. ix. verse 8. " Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth ; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord." St. Paul, in Kom., chap, xi., speaks also with particular reference to a chosen remnant which God preserved for himself: verse 5. " Even so, at this present time, there is a vemnoAit aocordvng to the election of graced Yerse 7. " Israel [in the general] hath not obtained that which he seeketh for ; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded." These, undoubtedly, were the elect for whose sake the days of desolation, of which Christ was then particularly speaking, were shortened. Tliey were preserved because they believed in Christ, and obeyed his admonitions. God, in fufillment of many promises, saved them by special interposition. But even this chosen and preserved part of that unhappy people were not saved from the inconveniences and dangers of that period of tribulation. Their hasty flight into the mountain- ous regions did indeed save them from the destruction that 154 HABMONT AND EXPOSITION. befel those who remained in Jndea ; but did it provide for them abodes of comfort and permanency in the places to which they fled ? Was it not especially for their sakes, as exiles from their native soil, tliat those days should be shortened, lest, after having escaped one form of destruction, they should perish by another ? And the shortening of those days was also necessary on account, also, of those who, by reason of age, infirmity, or other hindrances, could not escape from the ravages of the war. Some who were not previously converted were undoubtedly preserved, and became believers after the war had past. We should not limit the elect to those who were at that time believers, for several reasons : (1.) It is a fact that many others were preserved through the whole war. (2.) Many of those who were thus preserved were afterwards, probably, converted to the true faith. (3.) The elect, and the remnant which are so frequently spoken of in the Scriptures, have, it is likely, usually included a portion of such as were not, at the time, true believers. It is so at present ; it has been so from the first ; and it is to such that the jiromiso of the renewing Spirit is given. See Ezek. xxxvi. 21-38, and similar passages. That there might not be an utter extermination of even the unconverted Jews; but that some might be preserved for future conversion, and to be parents of subsequent converts, those days of special suflTering were providentially shortened. It is, perhaps, less evident that those who escaped from the country, stood in need of having the time of distress shortened, as much as those who remained during the war. " Those days should he shortened.'''' Yet several years were spent in completing the terrible devastation that was begun by Cestius Gallus. Tlie last siege of Jerusalem continued only a few months. And it was so strongly fortified, and so desperately defended, that even the conquerors were constrained to acknowledge tliat God had fought for them. In view of the strength of the walls and towers, Titus himself exclaimed, "We have fought with God on our side ; and it is God who hath pulled the Jews out of HAEMONT AND EXPOSITION. 155 tliese strong holds ; for what could the hands of men or ma- chines do against these towers ? " The internal dissensions and slaughter among the Jews themselves contributed not a little to hasten the final catastrophe. CHAPTER VI. Prmdjpal suhjeats — False Citrists and False Peophuts. Renewed appearance of Impostors — Why so successful — Two-fold Caution — Simon Magus — Menander, his Successor — Claims to be Jesus Clirist — Character of the Signs and Wonders wrought by the Impostors — Why the Jews, who were imposed upon by false Miracles, did not credit the true — Illustration from modern Infidelity — Modern Wonder-workers — Deceiving the Elect — Import of the phrase, "If it be possible" — Facts in the case — Origin and Names of the principal Heresies during the Primitive Times — Origin of the False Christs and False Prophets — Two ways in which they appeared — Why Christ was expected in " the Secret Chambers" — Use of Josephus' History. VeYse 23. Then xf any man shaix bay iftrro you, Lo, her-e is Csiust, oe there ; BEUEVE IT NOT. This should not be regarded as a mere repetition of what was said at the beginning of the discourse ; but as a warning against false Christs and false prophets, who would make their appearance at the precise time of which the Lord was now speaking : they would come during the ten-ible siege of Jeru- salem. The Jews did not believe that God would abandon them to their enemies. They were constantly looking for some divine interposition, by which they should be delivered. And it seems to have been generally understood among them, that, according to the prophecies, it was time for Messiah to come. Hence, they were easily imposed upon by the impostors who appeared in their midst. As their calamities increased, and utter destruction threatened them, their hope of Messiah's 156 HAEMOXY AND EXPOSITION. appearing seemed to increase, and, as it were, concentrate itself within tlie limited space wliicli seemed to intervenis be- tween them and total destruction. They expected a deliverer who should perform miracles, and exliibit astonishing signs among them. The impostors would not fail to adapt themselves to the expectations of the people ; and would come claiming to be Christ, and working, or appearing to work, miracles. Our Saviour gives this additional caution, to put his disci- ples on their guard against plausible and successful impos- tures. If they say, Lo, here is Christ, believe it not. If any who may associate with the impostors, shall endeavor to per- suade you to join with them, do not be deceived : remember that you have been forewarned of this very thing. Or if they shall point to the pretenders, and say. There is Christ, and try to persuade you to go after them, do not be deceived : othei"s will run after them, but be you constantly guarded against tliem. Verse 24. For tiikre suall arise false CinusTs, and false prophets, and SHALL SHOW GREAT SIGNS AND WONDERS. Tliis did actually occur. Notwithstanding the disappoint- ments and calamities that were occasioned by former impos- tors, the Jews would not abandon their expectation of a deliv- erer ; and a succession of deceivers continued to impose upon them. xVt an earlier period than Christ was now speaking of, there appeared Simon Magus, who is referred to in Acts viii., 9-11. Eusehias^ B. 3, c. 26, describes another : " Menander, who succeeded Simon Magus, exhibited himself an instrument of diabolical wickedness, not inferior to the former. He also was a Samaritan ; and having made no less i)rogres3 in his impostures than his master, reveled in still more arrogant pre- tensions to miracles, saying tliat he was in truth tlie Saviour, once sent from the invisible world for the salvation of men." Several impostors are mentioned by Josephus, and will be re- fen-ed to in coimection with a following verse. '"''And shall s/tow great eign^ (mid wonders P HAHMONT AND EXPOSITION. 157 The comment on this prediction by "Watson is worthy of notice : " What these were, we have now no means of judging ; whether deceptions, or the result, to a certain extent, of a per- mitted supernatural agency. " From the detected character of popish ' signs and won- ders,' which bear so strong a resemblance to those of Jewish and pagan miracles, we may conclude it probable that they were impostures and ' lying wonders,' but artfully contrived by the more skillful to mislead the ignorant mass, prepared for delusion by that gross superstition and belief in magic which prevailed among them. Simon Magus bewitched the people with his ' sorceries,' and Josephus calls the false proph- ets who appeared at this time among the Jews, Tnagoi and goetss^ magicians and sorcerers. "As to amulets, charms, sorceries, and enchantments, the Jews of that age were notoriously credulous ; and as incred- ulous as to the real miracles of our Lord and his apostles. " Tlie truth of these miracles obtains from this a stronger evidence, and the unbelief of the Jews a moeal solution. By a credulous people, they must have been admitted as demon- strative of the doctrines in confirmation of which they were wrought ; but they hated the doctrine itself, and this passion overpowered every mental habit, and changed, as to those glorious evidences of pure and holy truth, the whole charac- ter of their minds. ISTor is this without a parallel. The cre- dulity OF iNTTDELiTY in our owu age has often been remarked ; and it is exemplified in the readiness with which both those who entirely reject the Holy Scriptures, and the critics who would explain away their supernatural character, admit the most absurd theories in opposition to them, and the deceived confidence with which they teach them to othere." In all ages, there have been those who have wrought aston- ishing wonders. Our own times are not without the wonder- workers, whose doings form the topic of private gossip and public reports. By mysterious and little understood natural laws, by which one person may afi'ect another, and by which even inanimate things may, to some extent, be affected ; and 158 HAKMONY AND EXPOSITION. also by permitted diabolical agency, sucli as is frequently allu- ded to in the Scriptures, those impostures may have been really astounding, and well calculated to deceive the super- stitious and credulous Jews. Verse 24, (last part.) Insomuch tiut, if it were possible, tjikt shall dkczive THB VERT ELECT. The note of Whitby is quite appropriate and satisfactory, with respect to the phrase, " if it were possible :" " First. That the phrase ?i ouvarov, ' if it be possible,' or, ' if it may be,' doth not denote an absolute impossibility, but only a great difficulty in the joerformance of an act possible. So Acts XX. 16. ' Paul hastened si Smarov d-j'ru, if it were pos- sible for him, to be at Jerusalem before Pentecost ;' and yet sure he made not all this haste to do what was impossible. The apostle commands, si ouvktov, ' If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, have peace with all men ;' (Rom. xii. 18,) and yet doth not he exhort us to use our utmost endeavors to do what was impossible. E/ (Juvarov, ' If it be possible, let this cup pass from nae,' saith Christ, (Matt. xxvi. 49,) and yet he adds, ' all things are possible to thee, O Father,' (Mark xir. 35,) and hence the phrase is changed by St. Luke into si /3oJXs;, ' if thou wilt.' " Now, that the deceiving of Christians in those times of miraculous endowment was very difficult, is evident from that speech concerning a tiling hardly feasible, ©octtov ng rcC^ dto XptdTov ixeraSiSa^eis^ ' Sooner may a Christian be turned from Christ.' " Secondly. This phrase imports, not what the event would be upon the elect, but the vehemence of the endeavors of the seducers, that they would do the utmost that they could pos- sible to shock the Christian, and seduce him from his stead- fastness, as is evident from the words of St. Mark, xiii. 22, ' They will show signs and wonders, ifpoj