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'Unto certain.' Unto some. 'Which trusted in themselves.' They trusted in their own works. They vainly supposed they had themselves complied with the demands of the law of God. 'Despised others.' This was the character of the pharisees. They trusted in their outward conformity to the ceremonies of the law. They considered all who did not do that as sinners. This is the true character of self-righteousness. Men of that stamp always despise all others. See Isa. lxv. 5. True religion, on the contrary, is humble. Those who trust in Christ for righteousness, feel that they are, in themselves, poor, and miserable, and guilty; and they are willing to admit that others may be much better than themselves. Certain it is they despise no one.

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a pharisee, and the other a publican.

"The temple.' Into one of the courts where prayer was commonly offered. 'A pharisee.' See note, Matt. iii. 7. Matt. v. 47.

of the temple-the court See note, Matt. xxi. 12. 'Publican.' See note,

11 The pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

'Stood and prayed thus with himself.' He said over to himself what he had done, and what was the ground on which he expected the favour of God. God, I thank thee.' There was in the prayer of the pharisee an appearance of real religion. We are not to judge of the piety of men by the fact that they admit the truth, or even that they use it often in their prayers. It is, however, not wrong to thank God that he has kept us from the gross sins which other men commit. But it should not be done publicly like the pharisee; nor should it be done forgetting still that we are great sinners, and need pardon. Extortioners.' Those who take advantage of the necessities of others, the poor and the oppressed, and extort their property. Unjust.' Those who get the property of others by fraud are distinguished from extortioners, because those who are unjust may have the appearance of honesty; in the other case there is not any.

12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

'I fast twice,' &c. The pharisees are said to have fasted regularly on the second and fifth days of every week in private. This was in addition to the public days of fasting required in the law of Moses; and they made more a matter of merit of it because it was voluntary. 'I give tithes.' Tithe means the tenth part of a thing. The tenth part he devoted to the service of religion, or

to the use of the poor. A teuth part of the possessions of the Jews was required for the support of the Levites, Numb. xviii. 21. In addition to the tithes required strictly by law, the pharisees had tithed every thing which they possessed, even the smallest matters, Luke xi. 42. It was this probably on which he so particularly prided himself. As this could not be proved to be strictly required in the law, it had more the appearance of great piety; and, therefore, he particularly dwelt on it. The religion of the pharisee, therefore, consisted in abstaining from injustice to others; in pretending to live a harmless, innocent, and upright life; and in a regular observance of all the external duties of religion. His fault consisted in relying on this kind of righteousness; in not feeling and acknowledging that he was a sinner; in not seeking a religion that should dwell in the heart and regulate the feelings; and in making public and ostentatious professions of his own goodness. We may learn from the case of the pharisee, 1. That it is not the man who has the most orthodox belief, that has, of course, the most piety. 2. That men may be very strict in the external duties of religion, and even go beyond the strict letter of the law, and assume a great appearance of sanctity, and still be strangers to true religion. 3. That ostentation in religion, or a boasting before God of what we are, and of what we have done, is abominable in his sight.

13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

'Standing afar off. Afar off from the temple. The place where prayers were offered in the temple was the court of women. The pharisee advanced to the side of the court nearest to the temple, or as near as he could; the publican stood on the other side, or in the court of the gentiles, as being conscious of his unworthiness to approach the sacred place where God had his holy habitation. 'So much as his eyes,' &c. He felt that he was a sinner; and shame and sorrow prevented his looking up. Men who are conscious of guilt often fix their eyes on the ground. 'Smote upon his breast.' An expression of grief and anguish at his sins. 'God be merciful,' &c. When we are willing to confess and forsake our sins, we shall find mercy. The publican was willing to do this in any place, in the presence of any persons. He felt most that God was a witness of his actions; that God saw his heart; and was willing, therefore, to confess his sins before him. And, while we should not seek to do this publicly, yet we should be willing at all times" to confess and bewail our manifold sins and transgressions, to the end that we may obtain forgiveness of the same by God's infinite goodness and mercy." No man is so much dishonoured as he who is a sinner, and is not willing to confess it; he who has done wrong, and yet

attempts to conceal the fault, thus adds hypocrisy to his other sins.

14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

'I tell you.' The pharisees would have said that the first man here was approved. Jesus assures them that they judged erroneously. God judges of this differently from men. 'Justified.' Accepted, or approved of God. The word 'justify' means to declare, or treat as righteous. In this case it means manifestly that in their prayers to God, the one was approved, and the other not; the one went down with the favour of God in answer to his petitions, the other not. For every one,' &c. See Luke xiv. 11.

15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. 18 ¶And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto bim, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it, said, Who then can be saved? 27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men,

are possible with God. 28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. 29 And he said unte them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

See Matt. xix. 13-30.

31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. 32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

See Matt. xx. 17-19. By the prophets.' Those who foretold the coming of the Messiah, and whose predictions are recorded in the Old Testament. 'Son of man.' The Messiah. They predicted that certain things should take place respecting the Messiah that was to come. See Dan. ix. 25-27. Ísa. liii. These things, Jesus says, shall be accomplished in him, he being the Son of man, or the Messiah.

34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

'Understood none of these things.' They expected he would be a temporal prince, and a conqueror, and they were not willing to believe that he should be delivered into the hands of his enemies. They did not see how they could be consistent. To us now, and to the apostles afterwards, these things appeared plain; and we may hence learn that those things which appear most mysterious to us, may yet be perfectly plain. And we should learn to trust in God, and believe just what he has spoken. See Matt. xvi. 21; xvii. 23.

35¶ And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way-side begging: 36 And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. 39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he

should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me. 40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him and when he was come near, he asked him, 41 Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.

See this passage explained in Matt. xx. 29-34.

CHAPTER XIX.

1 AND Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 'And Jesus entered,' &c. See Matt. xx. 29. This means, perhaps, he was passing through Jericho when Zaccheus saw him. His house was in Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

The name Zaccheus is Hebrew, and shows that this man was a Jew. The publicans, therefore, were not all foreigners. 'Chief among the publicans.' Receiver-general of the taxes. 'He was rich. Though this class of men was despised, and often infamous, yet it seems that they were sometimes wealthy. They sustained, however, the general character of sinners, because they were particularly odious in the eyes of the Jews. See ver. 7.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.

'Who he was.' He had that curiosity which is natural to men to see one of whom they have heard much. Compare 1 Cor. xiv. 23-25. God makes use of every principle, of curiosity, or sympathy, or affection, to lead men in the way of salvation, and to impress truth on the minds of sinners. The press. The crowd; the multitude that surrounded Jesus. He mingled with the multitude, not seeking distinction. 'Little of stature.' Short,

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 'A sycamore tree. A tree that had the leaves of the mulberry, and that bore a species of fig.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zaccheus, make haste,

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