'Was demanded.' Was asked. 'Of the pharisees.' This was a matter of much importance to them, and they had taught that it would come with parade and pomp. The kingdom of God.' The reign of God, or the dispensation under the Messiah. See note, Matt. iii. 2. With observation. With such an appearance as to attract observation. He did not deny that, according to their views, the time was drawing near; but he denied that it would come in the manner in which they expected. The Messiah would not come with pomp, like an earthly prince. The kingdom of God is within men, and it makes its way not by pomp and noise, but by silence, decency, and order, 1 Cor. xiv. 40.

21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Lo here; or lo there! When an earthly prince visits different parts of his territories, he does it with much pomp; and his movements attract much observation, and become the common topic of conversation. The inquiry is, Where is he? and which way will he go? Jesus says that the Messiah shall not come in that manner. It shall not be with such pomp and observation. It shall be silent, obscure, and attracting comparatively little notice. Or the passage may have reference to the custom of the pretended Messiahs, who appeared in this manner. Compare Acts v. 36, 37. Is within you.' The reign of God is in the heart and mind. It does not come with pomp and splendour, like temporal kings, merely to control the external actions and strike the senses of men with awe; but it reigns in the heart by the law of God, sets up its dominion over the passions, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.

"The days will come.' Heavy and calamitous days shall befall the Jewish people, and you will desire a deliverer. 'Ye shall desire.' You who are now my professed followers. 'One of the days of the Son of man.' The Son of man here means the Messiah. Such shall be the calamities of those times; so great shall be the afflictions and persecutions, that you shall greatly desire a deliverer, one who shall come to you in the character in which you would have expected the Messiah would come, and who should deliver you from the power of your enemies. 'Ye shall not see it.' Ye shall not see such a day of deliverancesuch a Messiah as the nation has expected, and such an interposition as you could desire.

23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, See there go not after them, nor follow them. 24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under

heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day

Many false Christs, according to Josephus, appeared about that time, attempting to lead away the people. See notes on Matt. xxiv. 23-27.

25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

See note, Matt. xvi. 21.

26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

'Noe.' Noah. See note, Matt. xxiv. 37-39

28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all: 30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

'They did eat,' &c. They were busy in the affairs of this life, as if nothing were about to happen. The same day,' &c. See Gen. xix. 24, 25. Fire and brimstone.' He took vengeance on them for their sins; and the example of Sodom is set before men to deter them from committing great transgressions. Destruction came upon the old world, and upon Sodom, suddenly, unexpectedly. So shall destruction come upon the Jewish people. See notes on Matt. xxiv.

31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

See Matt. xxiv. 17, 18.

32 Remember Lot's wife.

See Gen. xix. 26. Jesus directed his disciples when they saw the calamities coming upon the Jews, to flee to the mountains. Matt. xxiv. 16. He here charges them to be in haste, not to look back, not to delay; but to escape quickly, and to remember that by delaying the wife of Lot lost her life.

33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. See Matt. x. 39.

34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

See Matt. xxiv. 40, 41.

37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? and he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together

See Matt. xxiv. 28. 'Where, Lord? Where, or in what direction shall these calamities come? The answer implies where there is the most guilt and wickedness. Eagles flock where there is prey. So the armies flock by Divine guidance to the place where there is the most wickedness; and by this their thoughts were directed at once to Jerusalem.

CHAPTER XVIII.

1 AND he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

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'To this end.' To show this. Always.' At all times. That is, we must not neglect regular stated seasons of prayer, and we must always maintain a spirit of prayer, or be in a proper frame to lift up our hearts to God for his blessing. Not to faint. The parable is designed to teach us, that though our prayers should long appear unanswered, yet we should persevere, and not grow weary in supplication to God.

2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man :

A judge.' He that has no regard for God, can be expected to have none for man. Compare Deut. i. 16, 17. 'Regarded man.' Had no respect for the opinions, or the just rights of man. 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

'A widow.' Judges were bound to show peculiar attention to the widows, Jer. xxii. 3. The reason of this was because they were defenceless, commonly poor, and liable to be oppressed by those in power. Avenge me.' This would have been better translated, "Do me justice against my adversary." It does not denote vengeance, or revenge. 'Adversary.' One opposed in law.

4 And he would not for a while but afterward he

said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

'For a while.' Probably this means for a considerable time. 'Within himself.' He thought, or came to a conclusion. "Though 1 fear not,' &c. He attended to the case, not for any regard to justice, or to the duties of his office. It was simply to avoid trouble. And yet his conduct in this thing might have appeared very upright. How many actions appear well, when the doers of those actions know that they are mere hypocrisy ! And how many are performed from the basest and lowest motives of selfishness, that have the appearance of external propriety, and even of goodness! She weary me.' The word used here means any vexatious and troublesome importunity, that takes up the time and hinders other employments.

6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

'Hear.' Give attention to this, and derive from it practical instruction.

7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which ery day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

'Shall not God avenge.' This parable shows us, conclusively, that many circumstances of a parable are not to be interpreted closely. They are appendages to the narrative. The great truth which our Saviour designed to teach is what we ought to endeavour to find. He has himself told us what it is, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. And the argument is this: 1. A poor woman by her perseverance only obtained from an unjust man what otherwise she would not have obtained. 2. God is not unjust. He is good, and disposed to do justice, and to bestow mercy. If, therefore, this wicked man by persevering prayer was induced to do justice, how much more shail God, who is good, do justice to those who apply to him. 'Avenge.' Do justice to, or vindicate them. The people of God are often oppressed, calumniated, persecuted. They are few in number, and feeble. They seem to be almost forsaken and cast down, and their enemies triumph. Yet in due time God will hear their prayers, and will come forth for their vindication. And even if it should not be in this life, yet he will do it speedily in the day of judgment, when he will pronounce them blessed, and receive them for ever to himself. 'His own elect.' People of God, saints, christians; so called, because God has chosen them to be his. See 1 Thess. i. 4; Col. iii, 12; 1 Pet. i. 2; Eph, i. 4.

It signifies here that they are peculiarly dear to him-that he feels a deep interest in their welfare, and that he will, therefore, be ready to come forth to their aid. The judge felt no special interest in that widow, yet he heard her; God has a particular regard, a tender love for his elect, and therefore he will hear and save. Which cry day and night.' No one can have evidence that he is chosen of God who is not a man of prayer. This passage supposes that when the elect of God are in trouble, and pressed down with calamities, and persecuted, they will cry unto him; and it affirms that, if they do, he will hear their cries, and will answer their requests. Though he bear long with them.' Although he defers long to avenge them, and greatly tries their patience, yet he will avenge them. He tries their faith; he suffers their persecutions and trials to continue a long time; and it almost appears as if he would not interpose. Yet he will do it, and will save them.

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

'Speedily.' Suddenly, unexpectedly. He will surely vindicate them, and that at a time, perhaps, when they were nearly ready to give over and sink into despair. Nevertheless.' But. Notwithstanding this. Though this is true that God shall avenge his elect, yet will he find his elect faithful, expecting him? The danger is not that God will be unfaithful, but that his elect will be discouraged, will not persevere in prayer, and will sink into despondency. The meaning of this phrase, therefore, is, that there is more danger that his people should grow weary than that God should be found unfaithful, and fail to avenge his elect. Jesus should be understood as referring to what he said before. The truth that he had been teaching was that God would deliver his people from their calamities, and save them, though he suffered them to be long tried. He asks them here, whether, when he came, he should find this faith, or a belief of this truth among his followers? This question implies that in their trials many professed disciples might faint and turn back, and many of his real followers almost lose sight of this great truth, and begin to inquire whether God would interpose to save them. The same question may be asked respecting any other remarkable visitation of the Son of God in affliction. When tried and persecuted, do we believe that God will avenge us? Do we pray always and not faint? Can we go to God, and confidently commit our cause to him, and believe that he will bring forth our righteousness as the light, and our judgment as the noon-day?

9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: