Chú giải Kinh Thánh

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, … — Christ having confuted and confounded the Scribes and Pharisees, turns him to the people and to his disciples; and that he might do nothing to the detriment of the truth, he here cautioneth that they despise not the doctrine of the Pharisees so far as it was sound and sincere without leaven; but try all things, holding fast that which was good. Be advised, and remember to search into the truth of what you hear, was the counsel of Epicharmus. Νηφε και μεμνησο απιστειν , Videas cui fidas. Deligas quem diligas. To whom may you seem faithful. Let you chose what you like.

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Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:

Sit in Moses’ chair — i.e. Have the ordinary office of teaching the people, but quo iure, by what law, he questioneth not. The priests and Levites should have done it, but the Scribes and Pharisees had for present taken it upon them, stepped into the chair, and there set themselves, καθιζω , Sedeo. colloco. I sit, I lie down. Romans 2:20 . So Hildebrand and his successors have invaded Peter’s chair, as they call the see of Rome; but what said an ancient? Non habent Petri haereditatem, qui Petri fidem non habent. They have no right to Peter’s chair that have not Peter’s faith. The Index Expurgatorius commands ( sublata fide ) endure for the faith, instead of Fidem Petri, the Faith of Peter, to print it Sedem Petri. The seat of Peter, Perfrica frontem, said Calvus to Vatinius, et digniorem te dic qui Praetor fieres quam Catonem, Put on a good face, and say that thou art fitter for the office than Cato himself. (Quintil. lib. ix. cap. 2.) But what a bold face had Barcaena the Jesuit, who, Diabolo advenienti occurrit obviam petiitque ut cathedram eius occuparet, quia erat dignior, meeting the devil, required his chair of him, as one that better deserved it. He had his desire, I doubt not. But if Scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses’ chair, it is no news than for bad men to succeed better; as Timotheus Herulus did Proterius the good Bishop of Alexandria, and as Arminius did Junius in the professor’s place at Leyden.

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All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

All therefore whatsoever — Not their traditions, superstitions, and corrupt glosses upon the law, but whatsoever they teach that is agreeable to truth; so long as they sit close to Moses’ chair, and keep it warm, as it were, hearken to them. God’s good gifts are to be acknowledged and improved even in the worst, as David made Saul’s epitaph, 2 Samuel 1:19-27 , though the devil preached his funeral, 1 Samuel 28:19 .

But do not ye after their works — Saith Chrysostom, Si pastores bene vivunt, eorum lucrum est, si bene dicunt, tuum. Accipe quod tuum est, omitte alienum. If ministers do well, it is their own gain; if they say well, it is thine. Take thou what thine own is, and let alone what is another man’s. Sulla and King Richard III commanded others, under great penalties, to be virtuous and modest, when themselves walked the clean contrary way. A deformed painter may draw a goodly picture; a stinking breath sound a mighty blast; and he that hath but a bad voice, show cunning in descant. A blind man may bear a torch in a dark night, and a harp make music to others, which itself is not sensible of. Posts set for direction of passengers by the highway side do point out the way which themselves go not: and sign posts tell the traveller there is wholesome diet or warm lodging within, when themselves remain in the storms without. Leud preachers are like steeple spires, or high pinnacles, which point up to heaven, but press down to the centre.

For they say, and do not — They had tongues which spake by the talent, but their hands scarcely wrought by the ounce; like that ridiculous actor at Smyrna, who pronouncing O coelum, O heaven, pointed with his finger toward the ground: Of this actor, Polemo, chaffing, said, ουτος τη χειρι σολοικεζει. so these Pharisees had the heaven commonly at their tongues’ end, but the earth continually at their fingers’ end. In a certain battle against the Turks, there was a bishop that thus encouraged the army: Play the men, fellow soldiers, today: and I dare promise you, that if ye die fighting, ye shall sup tonight with God in heaven. Now after the battle was begun the bishop withdrew himself; and when some of the soldiers inquired among themselves what was become of the bishop, and why he would not take a supper with them that night in heaven, others answered, Hodie sibi ieiunium indixit, ideoque non vult nobiscum in coelo caenare. This is fasting day with him, and therefore he will eat no supper, no, not in heaven. Epictetus was wont to say that there were many philosophers (we may say divines) ανευ του πραττειν, μεχοι του λεγειν , as far as a few words would go. But ω τλημων, αρετη λογος αρ ησθα , …, is religion now become a word? goodness a name? as Brutus once cried out. Should it be said of holiness, as it was once in another place, audivimus famam; we have heard the fame thereof with our ears, and that is all? Job 28:22 . The foolish virgins were found with their sic dicentes, so talking but the good servants shall be found with their sic facientes, so doing. Christ was full of grace as well as truth. John Baptist was both a burning and shining light. Origen’s teaching and living were said to be both one. Spectemur agendo. John 1:16 . Και εδειξε και εδιδαξε . Basil. Quod iussit et gessit. Bern. Eph 41. That is the best sermon surely, that is dug out of a man’s own breast, when he practiseth what he preacheth, non verbis solum praedicans sed exemplis, not by words only by by example, as Eusebius testifieth of Origen, and Mr Gataker of Mr Stock. As the want hereof occasioned Campian to write ministris eorum nihil vilius, their ministers are most base.

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For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

For they bind heavy burdens, … — Their human traditions: so do the Popish doctors (heirs herein to the Pharisees, of whom this sermon is not more historical than of the other it is prophetic). The inferior clergy they make preach every day in Lent without intermission, throughout all Italy in the greater cities; so as six days in the week they preach on the Gospel of the days, and on the Saturday in honour and praise of our Lady. Whereas the pope and bishops preach not at all. So for the laity; they must fast with bread and water; when the priests have their suckers and other deserts three or four times on their mock fast days. What should we speak of their pilgrimages to Peru, Jerusalem, …; penances, satisfactions, …? And no man must question, but obey without questioning. Walter Mapes, sometime Archdeacon of Oxford, relating the pope’s gross simony, concludes, Sit tamen Domina materque nostra Roma baculus in aqua fractus, et absit credere quae vidimus. In things that make against our Lady Mother Rome, we may not believe our own eyes.

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But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

To be seen of men — Theatrically, thrasonically, and for ostentation, as stage players, or painted faces. See Trapp on " Matthew 6:2 " See Trapp on " Matthew 6:5 " Saints more seek to be good than seem to be so.

They make broad their phylacteries — That is, conservatories, so called. 1. Because by the use of them the law was kept in remembrance. 2. Because the superstitious Pharisees conceited, that by the wearing of them about their necks, themselves might be kept from danger, as by so many spells: what they were, see the notes above, on Matthew 22:40 .

Enlarge the borders of their garments — God had charged the Pharisees to bind the law to their hand, and before their eyes, Deuteronomy 6:8 , wherein (as Jerome and Theophylact well interpret it) he meant the meditation and practice of his law. They (saith a learned author) like unto the foolish patient, which when the physician bids him take the prescript, eats up the paper; Ac si puellus audito patris pii vestigiis insistendum, patris iter facientis singula vestigia observaret, et in iisdem pedes suos poneret. if they could but get a list of parchment upon their left arm and next their heart, and another scroll to tie upon their forehead, and four corners of fringe, or (if these be denied) a red thread in their hand, thought they might say, "Blessed be thou of the Lord, I have done the commandment of the Lord," 1 Samuel 15:13 . What was this but, as Mr Tyndale said in another case, to think to quench their thirst by sucking the ale bowl?

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And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

And love the uppermost rooms — Which is a singular vanity, and yet hath bred greatest contestation in the Church; as between the bishops of Rome and Constantinople, the archbishops of Canterbury and York jostling in parliament for precedence, even unto blows and bloodshed: what doleful effects followed upon the contention between the Lord Protector and his brother in King Edward VI’s days, raised by their ambitious wives, who could not agree about place! The apostle’s rule is, "in honour to prefer one another," Romans 12:10 . And true humility is like true balm, that still in water sinks to the bottom; like the violet, the sweetest but lowest of flowers, which hangs the head downwards, and hides itself with its own leaves.

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And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

And to be called of men Rabbi — They were tickled with high titles, and thought it a goodly thing to be held and styled magnificos, to be fly-blown (putrified) with flatteries. There is not a more vain glorious people under heaven than the Jews. Hence that rabble of titles among them in this order (brought in a little before the nativity of our Saviour), Rabbi Rabban, Rab, Rabbi, Gaon, Moreh, Morenu and Moreh tsedek. So the friars proceed in their vain glorious titles, from Padre benedicto to Padre Angelo, then Archangelo, Cherubino, and lastly Cerephino, which is the top of perfection. Are not these those υπερογκα ματαιστητος the apostle inveighs against, those great "swelling titles of vanity?"2 Peter 2:18; 2 Peter 2:18 ; Jude

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But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

Be not ye called Rabbi — Do not ambitiously affect such a title, as if you were the only ones, and others not worthy to be named in the same day with you. Swelling in the body is an ill symptom, but worse in the soul.

For one is your Master — καθηγητης . Your guide to godliness and happiness, your doctor and dictator, your oracle, your ipse dixit, whose bare word you are to take, without further proof or pawn.

And all ye are brethren — Not as the pope calls his cardinals brethren, when in creating them he useth this form, Estote fratres nostri, et principes mundi. Odi fastum illius ecclesiae, Shall be our fathers and leaders in the world. Hate those festivals of that church, saith Basil, which caused the lamentable separation of the Eastern or Greek Church from communion with the Latin, the other four patriarchs dividing themselves from the Bishop of Rome, for his encroaching upon them.

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