Month: May 2021

The Passover with the Disciples

12 And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight.

Rashi

And you shall keep it—This expresses the idea of examining, that it requires examination against any blemish during the four days before the four days before slaughter (Pesachim 96a). And why did he did not command in respect to the Passover sacrifice of later generations? Rabbi Mathia the son of Charash, said, in answer: Behold, it (Scripture) says (Eze 16:8), “When I passed by you . . . and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love”—there had arrived the time to fulfil the oath which I had sworn to Abraham to redeem his children. They, however, possessed no divine commands in which to engage in order that they be redeemed—as it is said (Eze 16:7) “yet you were naked and bare.” He therefore gave them two commands, the blood of the Passover and the blood of the circumcision—for that night they circumcised themselves, as it is said (Eze 16:6) “wallowing in your blood (בְּדָמָיִ‏),” with the two kinds of blood. Further it states (Zec 9:11) “As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.” Moreover, they were sunk in idolatry. He said to them (v. 21), “Withdraw”—withdraw from idolatry; “and take for yourselves” lambs to fulfil a divine command (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:2:1).

The whole assembly of the congregation of Israel—This means the assembly, the congregation, and Israel. From here, they (the Rabbis) said: the communal Passover sacrifices are to be slaughtered in three groups, one after the other—the first group entered and the doors of the court were closed, etc. as is to be found in Pesachim 64a.

Shall kill their lambs etc.—But did they all slaughter it? But we derive from this statement that a man’s agent is as himself (Kiddushin 41b; Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:6:2).

At twilight—From six hours after sunrise and forward is called בֵּין הָעַרְבַּיִם (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:6:5), because the sun then inclines in the direction of the place of its setting to become darkened. The darkening of the day is at the beginning of the seventh hour, when the shadows of evening decline; and the darkening of the night at the commencement of the night. עֶרֶב is an expression for gloom and darkness, like “all joy has grown dark” (Isa 24:11).

8 They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Rashi

The flesh—But not the sinews and bones (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:8:1).

With unleavened bread and bitter herbs—Every bitter herb is called מָרוֹר. He commanded them to eat something bitter as a reminder of (Exo 1:14): “And made their lives bitter” (Pesachim 116b).

18 In the first month, from the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. EXO 12:6, 8, 18

13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,

John Gill

And he sent two of his disciples—Peter and John, as appears from Luk 22:8;

And said to them, “Go into the city”—The city of Jerusalem; for there only the Passover might be eaten (Deu 26:2);

And a man carrying a jar of water will meet you—A servant of the master of the house that was sent for water, to mix with the wine, at the Passover:

Follow him—Into the house to which he goes.

14 and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’

John Gill

And wherever he enters—Into wherever house he shall enter, go in after him:

And say to the master of the house—The owner, and master of it, who might be Nicodemus, or Joseph of Arimathea, or some man of note and wealth in Jerusalem, that might have some knowledge of Christ, and faith in him, though he did not openly profess him; since by only saying what follows, he would at once, as he did, direct them to a suitable and convenient room;

The Teacher says—The Syriac and Persic versions read, our Teacher says: he that is yours, and ours, our Teacher Jesus; though that is not expressed, yet it was understood by the master of the family; which confirms the above conjecture, that he was a secret disciple of Christ.

Where is my guest room—The room provided for guests that might be expected at the Passover:

Where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? Where it might be done conveniently, and in a proper and comfortable manner (See Gill on Mat 26:18).

15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.”

John Gill

And he will show you a large upper room—A room in the highest part of the house, large enough for such a company, for thirteen persons, which was the number of Christ and his disciples:

Furnished and ready—With a table, and a sufficient number of couches to sit, or lie upon, and with all proper vessels necessary on such an occasion:

There prepare for us—The Passover.

16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve.

18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”

14 But it is you, a man, my equal,

my companion, my familiar friend.

Rashi

A man, my equal—A man as important as I.

My familiar friend—Like my companion, an expression of Exo 33:17: “and I recognized you,” which is translated “and I made you great.” Menachem (p. 94), however, explained that “For no enemy would revile me that I should bear” is connected to (verse 7): “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.” If I could raise my wings, I would fly away and wander on account of the distress of the wicked inflicted upon me, for when I would leave the midst of the assembly of the profligate to lodge in the desert forever, then no enemy would revile me; I would not have to bear my disgrace and my shame, and I would not hide from him as I hid from them when I was among them. However, this interpretation is impossible, because of the verses following it, namely: But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend (verse 14); we used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng (verse 15). Therefore, Dunash (p. 94) interprets it in another manner, and this is its interpretation: For it is not an enemy who reviles me—then I could bear my abuse, and it is not an adversary who opens his mouth wide against me, but my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. This thing is known, that the abuse of a friend is harder for a person to bear than the abuse of an enemy. Moreover, one can hide from his enemy, but one cannot hide from his friend when he tells him all that is in his heart. The context corroborates this interpretation.

15 We used to take sweet counsel together;

within God’s house we walked in the throng. PSA 55:14-15

Rashi

Together we used to take sweet counsel in the law and within God’s house we walked בְרָגֶשּׁ, in the throng.

Within God’s house—In the study-halls.

19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?”

20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me.

John Gill

He said to them—In order to relieve their minds, and point out the particular person:

It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me—Just at that very instant (see Gill on Mat 26:23).

21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.”

In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. EXO 12:11

Rashi

Your belt fastened—Ready for the way i.e., for travel (Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 12:11).

In haste—This is an expression denoting hurry and haste, similar to (1Sa 23:26), “and David was hurrying” (2Ki 7:15) “that the Syrians had thrown away in their haste.”

It is the Lord’s Passover—The offering is called פֶּסַח in allusion to the springing and passing over—because the Holy One, blessed be he, passed over the houses of the Israelites in between the houses of the Egyptians and sprang from Egyptian to Egyptian, whilst the Israelite who was between them escaped. “The Lord’s” thus implies you, therefore, do every act of sacrificial service connected with it in honour of heaven by way of springing and leaping over (i.e., in haste), as a reminder of its name, which is called, Passover, and also in old French pasche, pasque, pasca, an expression of stepping over.

23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.

24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

and wine to gladden the heart of man,

oil to make his face shine

and bread to strengthen man’s heart. PSA 104:15

Berakhot 57a:21

The tanna who recited mishnayot before Rabbi Yohanan taught: One who sees any kind of drink in a dream it is a good omen, except for wine, as there is one who drinks it in adream and it is a good omen for him, and there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a bad omen for him. The Gemara elaborates: There is one who drinks wine and it is a good omen for him, as it is stated: “And wine that makes glad the heart of man” (Psa 104:15), and there is one who drinks it in a dream and it is a bad omen for him, as it is stated: “Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress” (Pro 31:6).

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

John Gill

And when they had sung a hymn—The hymn, used at the Passover:

They went out to the Mount of Olives—Christ, and eleven of his disciples; for Judas now separated from them, and went to the chief priests to acquaint them how things were, where Jesus was going, and where they might apprehend him (see Gill on Mat 26:30).

The Authority of Jesus Challenged

27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. MAL 3:1

Rashi

Behold, I send my messenger to put the wicked away.

And he will prepare the way of the wicked.

The Lord whom you seek—The God of justice.

And the messenger of the covenant who avenges the revenge of the covenant.

and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. JOH 10:23

John Gill

And Jesus was walking in the temple—To keep himself warm, and to secure him the better from the inclemency of the weather:

In the colonnade of Solomon—Which was covered over, and the outside of it was enclosed with a wall, which made it very convenient for such a purpose: this was on the outside of the temple eastward, and was a very magnificent structure: the account Josephus gives of it is this;

“There was a colonnade without the temple, overlooking a deep valley, supported by walls of four hundred cubits, made of four square stone, very white; the length of each stone was twenty cubits, and the breadth six; the work of King Solomon who first founded the whole temple.”

Now, though this was not the colonnade that was built by Solomon, yet as it was built on the same spot, and in imitation of it, it bore his name; mention is made of it in Act 3:11; 5:12.

28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”

John Gill

And they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things?”—Enter into the temple, as if he was Lord of it; and correct in such a magisterial way every thing he thought an abuse in it; do the miracles he did, as healing the lame, and blind; and take upon him to instruct the people, a work he was now engaged in:

Or who gave you this authority to do them? (See Gill on Mat 21:23).

He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” EXO 2:14

John Gill

He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us?” God had designed him for one, and so he appeared to be afterwards; but this man’s meaning is, that he was not appointed by Pharaoh’s order then, and so had nothing to do to interfere in their differences and quarrels; though Moses did not take upon him to act in an authoritative way, but to exhort and persuade them to peace and love, as they were brothers:

Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian? If this was Dathan, or however the same Hebrew that he had defended and rescued from the Egyptian, it was very ungenerous in him to upbraid him with it; or if that Hebrew had made him his confident, and acquainted him with that affair, as it was unfaithful to betray it, since it was in favour of one of his own people, it was ungrateful to reproach him with it:

Then Moses was afraid—Lest the thing should be discovered and be told to Pharaoh, and he should suffer for it: this fear that possessed Moses was before he fled from Egypt, and went to Midian, not when he forsook it, and never returned more, at the departure of the children of Israel, to which the apostle refers (Heb 11:27), and is no contradiction to this:

And thought, “Surely the thing is known”—He said this within himself, he concluded from this speech, that either somebody had seen him commit the fact he was not aware of, or the Hebrew, whose part he took, had through weakness told it to another, from whom this man had it, or to himself; for by this it seems that he was not the same Hebrew, on whose account Moses had slain the Egyptian, for then the thing would have been still a secret between them as before; only the other Hebrew this was now contending with must hereby come to the knowledge of it, and so Moses might fear, that getting into more hands it would come out, as it did (see Gill on Act 7:27-29).

Rashi

Who made you, and you are yet only a boy (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10).

Do you mean to kill me—From this we may learn that he had killed him by by the mere utterance of the “ineffable name” (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10; Shemot Rabbah 1:30).

Moses was afraid—Explain it in its literal sense: he was afraid of Pharaoh. Midrashically, it is interpreted to mean that he felt distressed because he saw that there were wicked men among the Israelites—informers. He said: Since this is so, perhaps they are not worthy to be delivered from bondage (Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot 10).

Surely the thing is known—Explain it in its literal sense: the fact that I have killed the Egyptian is known. Its midrashic interpretation, however, is: now there is known to me that matter about which I have been puzzled—how has Israel sinned more than all the seventy nations, that they should be oppressed by this crushing labor? But now I see that they deserve this (Shemot Rabbah 1:30).

And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” MAT 21:23

29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

John Gill

Jesus said to them—Being not in the least intimidated by such a body of men:

I will ask you one question—Or “one word,” or “one thing”:

Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things (See Gill on Mat 21:24).

Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things.” MAT 21:24

John Gill

Jesus answered them—Not by replying directly to their question, but by putting another question to them, whereby he escaped the snare he saw they laid for him:

I also will ask you one question—Word,

And if you tell me—Honestly, and plainly answer to it,

I also will tell you by what authority I do these things—Which was putting the thing upon such a foot, and in such a form, as they could not well object to; for Christ promises, that if they would return a plain answer to the question he had to put to them, and which was no unreasonable, nor impertinent one, he would thoroughly satisfy them in this point; and expressly declare his commission and authority, what it was, and from whence he had it. The question is as follows:

30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

John Gill

Was . . . from heaven or from man? Was it from divine or from human institution?

The baptism of John—The doctrine of which he was the first preacher, and the ordinance of which he was the first administrator:

Answer me—Directly and plainly, without any shuffling, or evasion: it is a fair question, and may be answered; and the answer to it our Lord suggests would naturally lead to a proper one to their question (See Gill on Mat 21:25).

31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

John Gill

And they discussed it with one another, saying—Privately; perhaps, they withdrew at a little distance for a short time, and consulted among themselves what answer to return; and the amount of their reasonings were this;

If we say, “From heaven,” he will say, “Why then did you not believe him?” That is, should they say that John had a divine commission for what he said and did, they were aware that Christ would reply, why did you not give credit to him? and had you done so, seeing he testified of me, you would have had no occasion to have put the above question (See Gill on Mat 21:25).

32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.

John Gill

But shall we say, “From man?”—That John’s baptism was an human invention, and he had no authority from God to preach and administer it,

They were afraid of the people—Lest being enraged thereby they should, at once, rise up, and destroy them:

For they all held that John really was a prophet—A real prophet, one truly sent from God, and had his commission and credentials from him: this was the general sentiment of the people (See Gill on Mat 21:26).

5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,

John Gill

Then Jerusalem . . . were going out to him—The uncommon appearance of this person, the oddness of his dress, the austerity of his life, together with the awfulness and importance of his doctrine, and the novelty of the ordinance of baptism he administered, and the Jews having had no prophet for some hundreds of years, and imagining he might be the Messiah, quickly drew large numbers of people to him. Some copies read “all Jerusalem”: that is, the inhabitants of that city, a very large number of them;

And “all Judea”—A great number of people from all parts of that country. “All” is here put for “many.”

And all the region about the Jordan—Multitudes from thence, which seems to be the same country with that which is called “beyond the Jordan” (Mat 4:25) and is distinguished from Judea as here. The Septuagint in 2Ch 4:17 use the same phrase the evangelist does here, and likewise in Gen 13:10-11.

6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. MAT 3:5-6

33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

4 Answer not a fool according to his folly,

lest you be like him yourself.

Rashi

Answer not a fool with words of quarrel and contention lest you be like him.

5 Answer a fool according to his folly,

lest he be wise in his own eyes. PRO 26:4-5

Rashi

Answer not in a matter in which you will be like him if you answer him.

Answer a fool in a matter in which he will be wise in his own eyes if you do not answer him.

Answer a fool who comes to win you over to idolatry; let him know his folly.

Lest he be wise in his own eyes—The meaning of these two verses is explained in the verses themselves.

So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” MAT 21:27

John Gill

So they answered Jesus, “We do not know”—They saw the dilemma they were brought into; they chose rather therefore to speak against their own consciences, and tell a wilful lie, and incur the reproach of ignorance: who, at other times, took upon them to judge of a prophet, whether he was a true or a false one, and by what authority he acted, whether of God, or man: but now being reduced to this wretched condition, contrary to their office and character, declare they did not know, and could not tell from whence John had his commission, and who gave him his authority:

And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things”—Since, according to the proposal of Christ, and the agreement he entered into with them, they did not give him a direct answer to his question, he looked upon himself under no obligation to inform them, what was his authority, and from whence he had it; though by the question he put to them he tacitly suggests, that he had his authority not from man, but from God; and by this his answer signifies, that since John preached and baptized without their authority and approbation, so might he; nor was he dependent on them, or accountable to them.

I Never Knew You

21 Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

1 Hear this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came from the waters of Judah,

who swear by the name of the Lord

and confess the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

Rashi

Hear this—The two tribes destined to go in exile to Babylon.

O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel—That is the tribe of Benjamin, who are not called by the tribe of Judah, but by the general name of the tribes of Israel.

And who came from the waters of Judah—And the tribe of Judah who emanated and ran from the waters of Judah’s pail, as Scripture states (Num 24:7): “Water shall run out of his pails.”

But not in truth—As Jeremiah said, (5:2) “Though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ surely they swear falsely,” i.e., you were unworthy of being redeemed, but since they were called as being from the holy city, and that caused them not to be exiled with the ten tribes in the time of Sennacherib, to Halah and Habor, for they have no redemption.

2 For they call themselves after the holy city,

and stay themselves on the God of Israel;

the Lord of hosts is his name. ISA 48:1-2

Rashi

And stay themselves on the God of Israel in the days of Hezekiah, about whom it is written (2Ki 18:5): “He trusted in the Lord God of Israel.” That caused them not to be exiled except in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who exiled them to Babylon, and they had a redemption through Cyrus.

22 On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?”

John Gill

On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord”—That is, in the last day, the day of judgment, the great and famous day, fixed by God, unknown to angels and men, which will be terrible to some, and joyful to others; the day in which the faithful ministers of the gospel shall be owned by Christ, and received into the kingdom of heaven: “many,” not of the common people only, but of the preachers of the word, who have filled up the highest station in the church below; not one, or two, or a few of them only, but many of them “will say to me”; to Christ, who will appear then as the judge of quick and dead, to which he is ordained by his Father,

Lord, Lord—Not “my Lord, my Lord,” as the Syriac version reads it; for they will not be able to claim any interest in him, though they will be obliged to own his dominion, power, and authority over them. The word is repeated to show their importunity, sense of danger, the confusion they will be in, the wretched disappointment they will have; and therefore speak as persons amazed and confounded, having expected they would have been the first persons that should be admitted into heaven. Their pleas follow;

Did we not prophesy in your name? This may be understood either of foretelling things to come; which gift wicked men may have, who have never had any experience of the grace of God, as Balaam, and Caiaphas, and others; or rather of preaching the word, which is sometimes called prophesying (Rom 12:6; 1Co 13:9; 14:1-5), and which may be done in the name of Christ, pretending mission and authority from him, and to be preachers of him, and yet be no better than “sounding brass,” or “a tinkling cymbal”; yea, nothing at all as to true grace, or spiritual experience.

And cast out demons in your name? Diabolical possessions were very frequent in the times of Christ; no doubt but they were suffered, that Jesus might have an opportunity of showing his power over Satan, by dispossessing him from the bodies, as well as the souls of men; and of giving proof of his deity, divine sonship and Messiahship: and this power of casting out demons was given to others, not only to the twelve apostles, among whom Judas was, who had the same power with the rest, and to the seventy disciples; but even to some who did not follow him, and his disciples (Mar 9:38), and some did this in the name of Jesus, who do not appear to have any true faith in him, and knowledge of him; as the itinerant Jewish exorcists, and the seven sons of Sceva (Act 19:13-14). An awful consideration it is, that men should be able to cast out demons, and at last be cast to the devil.

And do many mighty works in your name? That is, many miracles; not one, or a few only, but many; such as speaking with tongues, removing mountains, treading on serpents and scorpions, and drinking any deadly thing without hurt, and healing all manner of diseases and sicknesses. Judas, for one, was capable of pleading all these things; he had the gift of preaching, and a call from Christ to it, and yet a castaway; he had the power of casting out demons, and yet could not prevent the devil from entering into him; he could perform miracles, do wonders in Christ’s name, and yet, at last, was the betrayer of him. These pleas and arguments will be of no use to him, nor of any avail to any at the great day. It may be observed, that these men lay the whole stress of their salvation upon what they have done in Christ’s name; and not on Christ himself, in whom there is salvation, and in no other: they say not a syllable of what Christ has done and suffered, but only of what they have done. Indeed, the things they instance in, are the greatest done among men; the gifts they had were the most excellent, excepting the grace of God; the works they did were of an extraordinary nature; whence it follows, that there can be no salvation, nor is it to be expected from men’s works: for if preaching the word, which is attended with so much study, care, and labour, will not be a prevailing argument to admit men into the kingdom of heaven; how can it be thought that ever reading, or hearing, or any other external performance of religion, should bring persons there?

23 And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”

Build Your House on the Rock

24 Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

And he said to man,

“Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,

and to turn away from evil is understanding.” JOB 28:28

Rashi

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom—One requires the other, and wisdom is unseemly without the fear of the Lord.

Shabbat 31b:3

The Gemara remarks: Conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said that he is praiseworthy because he is a man who fears sin, as elsewhere he also spoke in praise of fear. As Rabbi Yohanan said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: The Holy One, Blessed be He, has in His world only fear of Heaven alone, as it is stated: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God” (Deu 10:12). And it is written: “And he said to man, ‘Behold [hen], the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding” (Job 28:28), as in the Greek language they call one hen. Apparently, fear of God is of primary importance. The Gemara concludes: Indeed, conclude that Rabbi Elazar is the one who said so.

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

14 They are planted in the house of the Lord;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

Rashi

Planted—The righteous will be planted in the house of the Lord.

15 They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green,

16 to declare that the Lord is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. PSA 92:14-16

26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: “I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,” but now the Lord declares: “Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” 1SA 2:30

Rashi

I promised—Twice I assigned greatness to the sons of Ithamar: Concerning the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari, it is stated, “Under the direction of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.” (Num 4:33). And Eli was one of the descendants of Ithamar. This explanation I saw in Midrash Shmuel. I have, however, heard a more fitting explanation: “I had indeed decreed that your family and your father’s family . . .” Originally I made gave the high priesthood to Eleazar the priest, as it is stated, “And remove from Aaron his garments and put them on Eleazar his son” (Num 20:26). At the time of the concubine (see Jdg 19, 21), when the Israelites divested themselves of most of the commandments. And who was to blame for this? Phinehas and his colleagues, who should have gone around from city to city to reprove them. I therefore took the high priesthood away from them, and gave it to you, for you are of Ithamar’s descendants, and I said, that they shall walk before me forever; for when greatness is assigned to a person, it is assigned to him and to his generations forever.

For those who honor me I will honor—Phinehas’ descendants who honored me at Shittim (Num 25:7-8). And this happened in the days of Solomon, that when the temple was built, Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being a priest to the Lord, fulfilling the word of the Lord which he had spoken concerning Eli’s family (1Ki 2:27). And Zadok became high priest, because he was of Phinehas’ descendants; he is so listed in the genealogical records in the Book of Chronicles.

And those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed—By themselves, when I will withdraw myself from them.

27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

The Authority of Jesus

28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

You are the most handsome of the sons of men;

grace is poured upon your lips;

therefore God has blessed you forever. PSA 45:3

Rashi

You are the most handsome of the sons of men who engage in the work of transitory life. Why? Because grace is poured upon your lips to instruct according to the halachah. הוּצַק means “poured,” as (Exo 38:27): “to cast (לצקת)”; (Gen 28:18), “and poured (ויצק) oil.”

Therefore . . . blessed you as it is stated (below 29:11): “May the Lord give strength to his people!” And what is their reward? “May the Lord bless his people with peace!”

and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?” MAT 13:54

29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.

The Great Commission

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. MAR 16:14

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?” NUM 14:11

Rashi

How long—Until when.

Despise me—Heb. יְנַאֲצֻנִי, anger me.

In spite of all the signs—In spite of all the signs that I have done for them they ought to have believed that I possess the ability to fulfill my promise.

Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the Lord your God, DEU 1:32

Rashi

Yet in spite of this word that he promised you to bring you to the land, you did not believe in him.

17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

Kiss the Son,

lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Blessed are all who take refuge in him. PSA 2:12

Sanhedrin 92a:1

“The people [leom] curse him [yikkevuhu], but a blessing is on the head of him who provides” (Pro 11:26). And the term leom is referring to nothing other than fetuses, as it is stated: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one leom shall overcome the other leom” (Gen 25:23). And kabbo is referring to nothing other than curse, as it is stated in the statement of Balaam: “How can I curse one who is not cursed [kabbo] by God?” (Num 23:8). And bar is referring to nothing other than the law, as it is stated: “Pay homage to bar lest he be angry” (Psa 2:12), i.e., observe the law to avoid God’s wrath.

40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.

Rashi

יִשַׁק—The Targum renders it by יִתְּזַּן which means shall order themselves—All my people’s needs shall be provided through you. Similar are (15:2) “the heir of my house (בֶּן מֶשֶׁק),” and (Psa 2:12) “Kiss (נַשְׁקוּ) the Son” old French garnis(s) on.

Only as regards the throne—That I will be called king.

The throne is a term for royal rank, like (1Ki 1:37) “and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

43 And he made him ride in his second chariot. And they called out before him, “Bow the knee!” Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt.

Bava Batra 4a:5

The Gemara explains: What is the meaning of the word reikha? It denotes royalty, as it is written: “I was today a tender [rakh] and anointed king” (2Sa 3:39). And if you wish, say that the meaning of the word is learned from here, from the term describing Joseph after he was appointed viceroy to the king: “And they called out before him, ‘Avrekh’ ” (Gen 41:43).

Rashi

מִרְכֶּבֶת הַמִשְׁנֶה means—the chariot second in order to his chariot—that which drove next to his own.

Bow the knee—Render this as the Targum does: Bow the knee. The word in Aramaic (some editions read in Latin) means king (rex). In the chapter beginning with“The partners” (Bava Batra 4a) we have: “neither a noble nor the son of a noble.” In the Aggadah (Sifrei Devarim 1:1) Rabbi Judah explained: Joseph was “a father” in wisdom and “tender” in years. Whereupon Rabbi Jose said to him: “How much longer will you pervert for us the meaning of Scripture? The word is only a term denoting knees, for all came in and went forth only by his permission, just as it states “thus he set him, etc.”

44 Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.” GEN 41:40, 43-44

Rashi

I am Pharaoh—I have the power to enact a decree upon my kingdom, and I decree that no one should raise his hand, etc.

And without your consent—I.e., without your permission. Another explanation: I shall be king, and without your consent etc. It is exactly similar in meaning to (v. 40) “only as regards the throne.”

Hand or foot—Understand it as the Targum does: no man shall raise his hand to gird on a sword or raise his foot to mount a horse.

Sotah 36b:19

Rabbi Hiyya bar Abba says that Rabbi Yohanan says: When Pharaoh said to Joseph: “And without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt” (Gen 41:44), Pharaoh’s astrologers said: You will appoint a slave whose master bought him for twenty silver coins to rule over us? He said to them: I perceive royal characteristics in him and see that he was not initially a slave.

that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. JOH 5:23

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

20 Of old you spoke in a vision to your godly one, and said:

“I have granted help to one who is mighty;

I have exalted one chosen from the people.”

Rashi

To your godly one—Nathan the prophet and Gad the seer.

“I have granted help”—On David, to help him constantly.

28 And I will make him the firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth. PSA 89:20, 28

Rashi

Will make him the firstborn—I will make him great.

1 The Lord says to my Lord:

“Sit at my right hand,

until I make your enemies your footstool.”

Rashi

The Lord says to my Lord—Our Rabbis interpreted it as referring to Abraham our father, and I shall explain it according to their words (Mid. Psa 110:1): The Lord says to Abraham, whom the world called “my Lord,” as it is written (Gen 23:6): “Hearken to us, my master.”

“Sit at my right hand”—Wait for my salvation and hope for the Lord. The root ישיבה means only waiting, as Scripture states (Deu 1:46): “So you stayed (ותשבו) at Kadesh for many days.”

At my right hand—At the salvation of my right hand.

Until I make your enemies—Amraphel and his allies.

7 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.

The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness;

Rashi

Your throne, O God—Your throne, O prince and God, shall exist forever and ever, as the matter that is stated (Exo 7:1): “I have made you a judge to Pharaoh.” And why? Because “a scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness,” that your judgments are true, and you are fit to govern.

8 you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; PSA 45:7-8

Rashi

Anointed you with the oil of gladness—Every expression of greatness is depicted by the anointment of oil, as is the custom of the kings.

2 The Lord sends forth from Zion

your mighty scepter.

Rule in the midst of your enemies!

John Gill

The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter—His royal and powerful scepter, called the scepter of righteousness (Psa 45:7), and is no other than the gospel, the power of God to salvation; and which is mighty through him, for the reducing souls to the obedience of Christ; when it comes with power, and works effectually. This was first preached in Zion, or Jerusalem, and went out from thence into all parts of the world; the first ministers of it had their commission there, and were sent from thence to publish it all over the world; see Isa 2:3; Luk 24:47; Act 1:4; 8:4, by means of which the kingdom of Christ was set up and spread in the world; with this scepter in his hand, he went forth with his ministers, conquering and to conquer (Rev 6:2). The Jews own this scepter to be a scepter in the hand of the Messiah, which they seem to understand literally; and have a fabulous notion of its being the same that Jacob, Judah, Moses, Aaron, David, and so every king of Judah, had, down to the destruction of the temple: the Targum in the king’s Bible is,

“the Word of the Lord shall send”

the essential Word.

Rule in the midst of your enemies—Or, “you shall rule,” as the Targum and Arabic version; in the hearts of those who, in their unregenerate state, are enemies: but the arrows of his word being sharp in them, they are brought to submit to him; the everlasting doors are caused to open; he enters in, takes possession of their hearts, and rules there. Or this may be understood of his church in the world, which is his kingdom, and lies surrounded with enemies on all hands; but, in spite of them, and all their opposition, he will support his kingdom and interest.

Rashi

The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter—When you return from the war and your men are weary and in pursuit, the Lord will send you Melchizedek king of Salem, to bring out bread and wine (Gen 14:14).

Scepter—This is an expression of support, as (above 105:16): “all supply of bread.”

Rule in the war.

In the midst of your enemies safely.

3 Your people will offer themselves freely

on the day of your power,

in holy garments;

from the womb of the morning,

the dew of your youth will be yours. PSA 110:1-3

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. LUK 1:32-33

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

28 All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before you.

Rashi

Shall remember and turn to the Lord—The nations shall remember the evil that befell us when they see the good and turn to the Lord.

29 For kingship belongs to the Lord,

and he rules over the nations. PSA 22:28-29

Rashi

For kingship belongs to the Lord—For they will see that the kingship and the rule has returned to you.

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” MAT 3:16-17

20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.

3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.

Rashi

That the Lord was with him—The name of God was a familiar word in his mouth (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayeshev 8).

21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. GEN 39:2-3, 21

Rashi

And showed him steadfast love—So that he was liked by all who saw him. We have the expression חָסֶד in a like sense in the Mishnah: “a handsome bride liked by all (וַחִסוּדָה)” (Ketubot 17a).

39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous MAT 13:39-40, 49

20 In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

21 A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

Rashi

A remnant will return—The remnant of them will return to the Holy One, blessed be he.

The mighty God who demonstrated his might against Sennacherib.

And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field.” ISA 7:3

Rashi

And Shear-jashub your son—The small remnant that will return to me through you, and they are like your sons.

At the end of the conduit—There you will find him. תְּעָלַת is fosed a ditch in O.F.

The upper pool—A type of gathering of water that is made for fish.

Upper—On the incline of the mountain, and there is one below it at its base.

The Washer’s Field—A field in which the washers spread out laundry to dry. So did Jonathan render this. Our Rabbis expounded that Ahaz humbled himself before Isaiah and placed on his head a washer’s utensil, i.e., he inverted a vessel on his head i.e., a perforated vessel used by the washers, with which they sprinkle water on the clothing.

5 For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Rashi

For to us a child is born—Although Ahaz is wicked, his son who was born to him many years ago nine years prior to his assuming the throne to be our king in his stead, shall be a righteous man, and the authority of the Holy One, blessed be he, and his yoke shall be on his shoulder, for he shall engage in the law and observe the commandments, and he shall bend his shoulder to bear the burden of the Holy One, blessed be he.

And his name shall be called—The Holy One, blessed be he. who gives wonderful counsel, is a Mighty God and an Everlasting Father, called Hezekiah’s name, “the prince of peace,” since peace and truth will be in his days.

Sanhedrin 94a:11

The verse states: “Therefore shall the Master, the Lord of hosts, send among his stout warriors [mishmanav] wasting sickness” (Isa 10:16). What is the meaning of the phrase “send wasting sickness among his stout warriors”? The meaning is that the Holy One, blessed be he, said: Let Hezekiah, who has eight [shemona] names, come, and exact retribution from Sennacherib, who has eight names. The Gemara elaborates: The eight names of Hezekiah are as it is written: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:5). The Gemara asks: But isn’t there an additional name, Hezekiah? The Gemara explains: That was not a given name; rather, it is an appellation based on the fact that God strengthened him [ḥizzeko]. Alternatively, he was called Hezekiah due to the fact that he strengthened the devotion of the Jewish people to their Father in heaven.

12 The people did not turn to him who struck them,

nor inquire of the Lord of hosts. ISA 9:5, 12

Rashi

To him who struck them—To the Holy One, blessed be he, who brings these afflictions upon them.

And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved,” ROM 9:27

but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance. ACT 26:20

22 For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness.

Rashi

For though your people—The prophet says to Hezekiah, Though your people are like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them that return to do good, will wash away the destruction sentenced to come upon them, and prevent it from coming, through the righteousness with which they will behave.

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just? GEN 18:25

Avodah Zarah 4a:15

The Gemara continues discussing the manner in which God metes out punishment. Rabbi Abba Bar Kahana says: What is the meaning of that which is written as part of Abraham’s prayer to God, when God informed him that He was going to destroy Sodom: “Far be it [ḥalila] from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked” (Gen 18:25)? This is what Abraham said before the Holy One, blessed be he: Master of the universe, it is a sacrilege [ḥullin] for you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked.

Rashi

Far be it from you—It is a profanation (חוּלִין) of yourself. People will say, “That is what he usually busies himself with: He destroys every one, righteous and wicked alike”—and thus did you indeed do to the generation of the flood and to that of the dispersal of nations (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 8).

Such a thing—Neither this nor anything like it (Bereishit Rabbah 49:10).

Far be that from you—In the world to come.

Shall . . . the Judge of all the earth—The “hey” of הֲשֹׁפֵט is punctuated with a chataf pattach because the words express a question: Shall he who judges not do true justice?!

11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?”

And he said:

“Until cities lie waste

without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is a desolate waste,”

Rashi

How long will they make their heart heavy and not listen?

And he said—I know that they will not repent until retribution comes upon them and they go into exile, and the cities will lie waste without inhabitants.

Is a desolate waste—An expression of solitude, without an inhabitant.

13 And though a tenth remain in it,

it will be burned again,

like a terebinth or an oak,

whose stump remains

when it is felled.

The holy seed is its stump. ISA 6:11, 13

Rashi

And though a tenth remain—And when they are diminished to one out of ten (Rashi ms.) even upon this remnant will I return my hand as a purge after a purge, and it will be burned until only completely righteous men will remain, who will repent wholeheartedly.

Like a terebinth or an oak which, at the time of their casting, when they cast off their leaves during the fall, one casting after another casting, until nothing is left in it except the stump, they too, the holy seed found in its midst, adhering to their holiness, they will be to me as the stump; another explanation of מַצַּבְתָּהּ is: its planting. Therefore, I will not destroy them, for I planted them as holy seed. Some explain that there was the gate of Shallecheth in Jerusalem, as it is stated in Ezra (1Ch 26:16, written by Ezra), and there, terebinths and oaks were planted.

because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. ACT 17:31

John Gill

Because he has fixed a day—The day of judgment is fixed by God in his eternal purposes, and is sure and certain, and will come, though it is not known by men or angels; and this is a reason why God will have the doctrine of repentance everywhere published, both to Jews and Gentiles, since all must come to judgment: and the day for it is appointed by him,

On which he will judge the world in righteousness—The whole world will be judged, and every individual in it, good and bad, righteous and wicked; and this judgment will be a righteous one; it will proceed according to the strict rules of justice and equity, and upon the foot of the righteousness of Christ, as that has been received or rejected by men, or as men are clothed with, or are without that righteousness:

By a man whom he has appointed—Beza’s ancient copy reads, “the man Jesus”: not that the apostle means that Christ is a mere man; for then he would not be fit to be a judge of quick and dead, and to pass and execute the definitive sentence; which requires omniscience and omnipotence: but preaching to mere Gentiles, he chose not at once to assert the deity of Christ, though he tacitly suggests it: but intended, by degrees, to open the glories of his nature and office to them, he being the person God had from all eternity appointed, and in time had signified, should have all judgment committed to him, and by whom the last judgment shall be managed and transacted:

And of this he has given assurance to all—Or full proof, both of his being the judge, and of his fitness to be one, and also of the righteousness, according to which he will judge:

By raising him from the dead—Whereby he was declared to be the Son of God; and when all power in heaven and in earth was given to him; and which was done for the justification of all those for whose offences he was delivered: and this seems to be the reason why the apostle calls Christ the judge a man, that he might have the opportunity of mentioning his resurrection from the dead.

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. ROM 2:5

23 For the Lord God of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth.

Rashi

A full end—You shall see that the Holy One, blessed be he, executes upon the wicked, and you shall humble yourselves and return to him.

26 This is the purpose that is purposed

concerning the whole earth,

and this is the hand that is stretched out

over all the nations.

Rashi

Over all the nations—Over Assyria in its time and over Babylon in its time.

27 For the Lord of hosts has purposed,

and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out,

and who will turn it back? ISA 14:26-27

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ROM 1:6-7

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ROM 8:28, 31

24 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: “O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did.

25 For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction.” ISA 10:20-25

You will say in that day:

“I will give thanks to you, O Lord,

for though you were angry with me,

your anger turned away,

that you might comfort me.” ISA 12:1

Isaiah spoke this prophecy after God had already pronounced judgment on his people because of their pride, arrogance, self-centeredness, and acts of social injustice. To bring judgment on Israel, God used a different nation: Assyria. God would then punish Assyria as well because of their wickedness and refusal to turn to him. However, God showed his faithfulness in preserving a remnant for himself from Israel. Today, we will look at some things we can learn from the judgment on the people of God.